Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. I, Part 80

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 824

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. I > Part 80

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Mr. Wells is a Free Mason and a member of the order of Elks. He belongs to the Frohsinns, a social club, the George H. Ward Post, No. Io, G. A. R., of Worcester, Worcester Driving Club and the Cottage Club and Improvement Society of Fal- moutli, Massachusetts, where he has a summer residence. He is a Congregationalist in religious preferences and Republican in politics.

He married (first) Emily Harris, daughter of C. M. and Emily (Dean) Harris. She was born December 6, 1846, died March, 1891, in Worcester.

CUSTO PUBLIC

Att. Muneral 1 C

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He married (second), March 12, 1896, Eva Irene Bruso, daughter of Charles and Emily J. Bruso, of Worcester. She was born there November 3, 1874. She was educated in the Worcester schools, and is a graduate of the Worcester high school. The only child of Mr. Wells was by the first marriage: Ray Dean, born in Worcester, April 29, 1890. He is at present a student in the Worcester high school.

ALEXANDER COLE MUNROE, one of the most prominent citizens of Worcester, Massachu- setts, and who has been actively identified with the steamship, railroad, insurance and musical inter- ests of that city, traces his descent to a family that has had a distinguished record ever since the days of the pioneer settlers of the state of Massachusetts. (I) William Munroe, one of the first settlers of Lexington, Massachusetts, was the ancestor of most of those bearing this name in New England. Some members of the family spell the name Monroe, and in the early history of the family in this coun- try (and probably the the same practice was observed elsewhere) the first syllable "Mun" was omitted, and the name was variously spelled "Roe," "Row" and "Rowe." William Munroe was born in Scot- land, in 1625, and belonged to the famous clan bearing that name. He came to America in 1652, probably a prisoner of war taken by Cromwell at the battle of Worcester, or soon afterward, and sold in service to an American proprietor. It is on record that in 1651 Robert Munroe, Hugh Munroe, John Munroe and another of the same family name, were among those consigned to Thomas Kemble, of Bos- ton, and obliged to work for a certain period of time for those who had bought their services from the gov- ernment. William Munroe worked out his time and acquired property in Cambridge as early as 1657. He settled in Cambridge Farms (now Lex- ington) in 1660, near the Woburn line, his farm being on Woburn street, on or near the farm now or lately owned by Hugh Graham. His sons lived with him after they had attained manhood, and it is related by his descendants that he made so many additions to his dwelling house, to accommodate the families of his sons, that the place resembled a ropewalk, it was so long. He was admitted a free- man in 1690, and subscribed to the building fund for the first meetinghouse. He was married three times, and though he was forty years old at the time of his first marriage, raised a family of thir- teen children. He died January 27, 1717, and his will, dated November 14, 1716, mentions sons-John, George, Daniel, Joseph and Benjamin-and daugh- ters-Eleanor Burgess, Martha Comee, Hannah Peirce, Elizabeth Rugg, and Mary Fassett.

He married (first), 1655, Martha and their children were: John, of whom later; Martha, born November 2, 1667; married, January 21, 1688, John Comee, of Concord; resided at Lexington ; died, April 13, 1729; William, born October 10, 1669, married Mary Cutler; George, married Sarah William Munroe married (second), 1672, Mary , born in 1651, died August, 1692. Their children were: Daniel, born August 12, 1673, married Dorothy ; Hannah, married, De- cember 21, 1692, Joseph Peirce, and had eight chil- dren. Joseph Peirce's first wife was Rutli Holland, and his third, Beriah Child, widow of Daniel Child; Elizabeth, married Thomas Rugg and had eleven children; Mary, born June 24, 1678, married, about 1700, Joseph Fassett; lived on the Page place in Bedford, from thence moved to Lexington; David, born October 6, 1680, not mentioned in the will of his father ; Eleanor, born February 24, 1683, mar- ried, August 21, 1707, William Burgess, of Charles-

town; had four children; Sarah, born March 18, 1685, married George Blanchard, about 1707; Jo- seph, born August 16, 1687; married Elizabeth -; Benjamin, born August 16, 1690, married twice. William Munroe married (third) Elizabeth Wyer, widow of Edward Wyer, of Charlestown; she died December 14, 1715, in her eightieth year.

(II) John Munroe, eldest child of William (I), and Martha Munroe, was born May 10, 1666. He was admitted to the church, February 1, 1699, to- gether with his father, and his sisters, Martha Comee, Elizabeth Rugg, and Hannah Peirce. He subscribed to the building fund of the meetinghouse in 1692, and was on the tax list of 1693. He be- came a very prominent citizen, serving the town as assessor in 1699, 1714 and 1720; constable in 1700; selectman in 1718-9 and 1726; and treasurer of the town in 1718-19-20. He held many positions of trust and honor. He was lieutenant of the militia there. He received a grant of nine hundred acres of land for his services in the battle with the Indians at Lamprey river, June 6, 1690. In addition to his many other offices and duties, he was sexton of the church and rang the bell for years in the first church in Lexington to call the worshipers to service. His death occurred September 14, 1753. He married

Hannah ,who died April 14, 1716. Their children were: John, born in Lexington, baptized 1699, probably married Rachel ; Hannah, baptized 1699, died April 14, 1716; Constance, bap- tized 1699: Jonathan, baptized March 12. 1699, dicd August 20, 1724; William, baptized February I, 1701, married twice; Elizabeth, baptized March 5, 1703; Susannah, baptized July 1, 1705, married, June 16, 1724, Ebenezer Nichols; Jonas, of whom later; Martha, born December 6, 1710; Marrett, born December 6, 1713, married, April 17, 1737, Deliver- ance Parker.

(III) Jonas Munroe, fourth son and eighth child of John (2), and Hannah Munroe, was born in Lexington, Massachusetts, November 22, 1707. He was a lieutenant of the Lexington Militia Com- pany. He married (first), June 3. 1734, Joanna Locke, born February 2, 1713, died September 17, 1748, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Mead) Locke. Their children were: Jonas, born November 2, 1735, died June 3, 1760; John, of whom later; Stephen, born October 25, 1739, married, July 8, 1766, Nancy Perry, of Woburn, Massachusetts ; Jonathan, born May 25, 1742, married Abigail Ken- dall, of Woburn; Joanna, born April 12, 1747, mar- ried, July 9, 1777, John Adams. Jonas Munroe mar- ried (second), 1750, Rebecca Watts, of Chelsea. He died November 9, 1765, and his widow married, April 19, 1773, John Muzzy, of Lexington, grand- son of the first settler and his second wife. The children of Jonas and Rebecca (Watts) Munroe were: Ebenezer, born April 29, 1752; he was a set- tler at Ashburnham, where other members of the family also located. He was an officer in the revo- lutionary war, a prominent citizen, and left many descendants. He married, May 10, 1782, Lucy Si- monds, of Woburn. Rebecca, born June 17, 1755, married, May 22, 1777, John Muzzv, Jr. Martha, born September 12, 1758, died at Ashburnham, 1793, unmarried.

(IV) John Munroe, second son and child of Jonas (3) and Joanna (Locke) Munroe, was born in Lexington, Massachusetts. February I, 1737. He was a member of the Lexington Company of Militia in the battle of Lexington, and marched to Cambridge, June 17, 1775. He probably rendered other services to his country. The names of his children were obtained from a deed in which his heirs assign their rights to his real estate in Prince-

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ton to Jonathan Page, of Charlestown. This Page married Lydia, a daughter of John Munroe. The deed bears date of February 23, 1805. One record gives the name of his first wife as Anna, and their children as: Sarah, baptized July 12, 1767, prob- ably died young; Anna, born November 18, 1759, baptized July 12, 1767, probably died young. He married (second), April 13, 1762, Lydia Bemis, of Weston, Massachusetts, daughter of John and Han- nah Bemis. Their children were: Lydia, born at Lexington, Massachusetts, May 9, 1767, baptized May 17, 1767; married, January 16, 1783, Jonathan Page, of Lincoln, Massachusetts, later of Charles- town, Massachusetts, where he kept a tavern of note. He was colonel in the militia, and was sta- tioned in Boston harbor, in 1812, to superintend the erection of some fortifications there. He bought out the interests of the other heirs of John Munroe at Princeton. Polly (Mary), married Nathaniel Brackett (intentions dated December 31, 1805). John. Lucy, married John Stone (intentions dated Feb- ruary 7, 1802). Sally, born 1782, died June 28, 1836, at Princeton, Massachusetts. Nathan, of whom sketch follows.

(V) Nathan Munroe, second son and sixth and youngest child of John (4) and Lydia (Bemis) Munroe, was born in Lexington or Newton, Massa- chusetts, June, 1773. He lived for a time in New- ton, and then bought a lot in Rutland, June 3, 1801, and settled there. He bought another lot, adjoining his farm, two years later. He was living in Rutland in 1805 when he deeded his interest in the estate of his father, in Princeton, to his brother-in-law, Jon- athan Page. He sold a piece of land in Rutland, December 3, 1817, a tract of land, to Jesse Fitts, of Oakham, Massachusetts. About that time he went to Pennsylvania on business; on his return he was taken sick, and died suddenly at Dana (Hardwick or Rutland before 1801), in 18IS. He married Deidamia Wheeler, June 2, 1799, and their children were: Charles, of whom later. Isabella, born in Rutland, Massachusetts, November 24, 1802, died August 31, 1844. John, born in Rutland, Massachusetts, July 7, 1805, married Mary Epps ; lived in Concord, New Hampshire; father of Hon. John P. Munroe, of Worcester; died February 21, 1896. George, born in Rutland, Massachusetts, April 3, 1807, died July, 1831. Cyrus, born in Rut- land, Massachusetts, December 27, 1811, died De- cember 12, 1864. Nathan, born in Rutland, Massa- chusetts, August 31, 1814, died February 8, 1839. Abigail, born in Rutland, Massachusetts, October 3, 1817, died June 14, 1818.

(VI) Charles Munroe, eldest child of Nathan (5) and Deidamia (Wheeler) Munroe, was born in Newton, Massachusetts, March 6, 1800, died June 5, 1891. He married Mary Cole, of Millbury, June 26, 1828. Their children were: Ruby Ann, born in Worcester, July 16, 1829; Alexander Cole, of whom later ; Lyman Cole, born in Worcester, Octo- ber 16, 1838, died September 6, 1904.

(VII) Alexander Cole Munroe, second child and oldest son of Charles (6) and Mary (Cole) Munroe, was born in Millbury, Massachusetts, August 22, 1831. Shortly afterward he removed with his parents to Worcester, where his youth was spent. He attended the little' white wooden, and the brick schoolhouse, formerly on the common, with Caroline Corbett as teacher and Sarah Joyce as assistant. Many of the boys who attended this school have made their mark in the world. Later he attended the "English" school at the corner of Thomas and Summer streets, under the tuition of Warren Lazell. His parents removed to Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1846, and he went with them. He

accepted a position in the Lowell postoffice, in 1850, and had charge of the mailing department for three years. He was then for six years in the employ of the Boston & Lowell railroad, in the freight and ticket departments, being superintendent of trans- portation at Lowell for the two months prior to its consolidation with the Nashua and Lowell rail- road. While living here Mr. Munroe took an active part in the work of the High Street Congregational Church, being for several years its treasurer, col- lector and librarian of the Sunday school.

He finally left Lowell to accept a position as station agent for the Providence & Worcester Rail- road, at Woonsocket, Rhode Island, in 1859, and remained there until his appointment, in 1861, as general agent for New England of the Providence & Worcester Railroad and Providence & New York Steamship Company, with headquarters at Worces- ter, Massachusetts. The competition at that time for New York freight to and from Worcester and the north was very strong. The combination be- tween the steamship line and the railroad was made in 1858, and the monopoly previously enjoyed by the Norwich line was seriously disturbed. When Mr. Munroe accepted this position, the competition was at its height. Mr. Munroe entered eagerly on this work, glad also to return to the city in which his boyhood had been spent. His work was successful and satisfactory to the companies. In spite of the fact that there were nine radical changes in the management of the companies during the twelve years he held this position, he retained his place undisturbed. He handled all the freight of both corporations and also all freight by the Neptune line from Worcester, and points north and east to New York, the south and west, amounting in through billing to more than two hundred thousand dollars annually.

Having purchased the insurance agency of Gen- eral George A. Washburn, of Worcester, in Feb- ruary, 1873, Mr. Munroe took up with alacrity the new line of work with which he has since been identified. He retained the management of the transportation business, at the request of the rail- road and steamship companies interested, until Oc- tober 1, 1873, when, finding the double duties bur- densome, he resigned as general agent. He largely extended the business of the fire insurance agency, he purchased, and has for many years been in the foremost ranks of fire insurance men in the state. He has been president of the Worcester board of fire underwriters for four years, and at the present time (1906) is president of the Worcester protective department, of which he has been for thirty years a director. On account of the increased scope of the business Mr. Munroe decided to take a partner, and on January 1, 1903, invited Edward P. Ingraham to become his business associate, the firm name be- ing A. C. Munroe & Ingraham. Mr. Ingraham is an expert in fire insurance, having been for four- teen years secretary of the board of underwriters of Worcester, and an energetic business man. The efforts of the new firm have resulted in even greater gains than before, Mr. Munroe calculating recently that the agency had earned about four hundred thousand dollars above the losses during the time he had been in the business. The firm now repre- sents the following companies : Liverpool and Lon- don and Globe Insurance Company ; Atlas Assurance Company of London : Franklin Fire Insurance Com- pany of Philadelphia; Spring Garden Insurance Company and Philadelphia Underwriters of Phila- delphia: Williamsburgh City Fire Insurance Com- pany of New York; Newark Fire Insurance Com- pany of Newark, New Jersey; Buffalo German In-

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surance Company and Buffalo Commercial Insur- ance Company of Buffalo, New York; Albany In- surance Company of New York; India Insurance Company of Boston; Camden Fire Insurance Asso- ciation of New Jersey; Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania; Worcester Mutual Fire In- surance Company ; the Merchants' and Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company; The Abingdon Mutual Fire Insurance Company ; The Dorchester Mutual Fire Insurance Company; Standard Life and Accident Insurance Company of Detroit, and the Columbia Insurance Company of New Jersey. The A. C. Munroe & Ingraham agency is located in the Clark building on Main street, nearly opposite City Hall. Mr. Munroe has for many years been the leader in his line of business in the city of Worcester. His judgment in insurance is sought by the business men of Worcester and implicitly followed. In one case Mr. Munroe had a million dollar insurance risk to place in a single day.

He comes of a musical family, and has been in- terested in musical work ever since he took up his residence in Worcester. He was at one time chair- man of the board of trustees of the Worcester Mo- zart Society; treasurer of the Beethoven Society; afterward president of the Worcester Choral Union. For thirty-four years he has been a member of the Worcester Musical Festival Chorus, and for thirty- three years of this time was executive officer of the association, having been secretary twenty-three years, vice-president eight years and president two years. He was basso of the quartette choir of the Union Church for four years, and for twenty-three years basso and director of the choir of the Old South Church. When he resigned from that position in 1888 he was substantially reminded of the good will of the congregation. Many believe that the uni- formly good music at the Old South Church is due to the faithful and constant efforts of Mr. Munroe, and that this accounts for the growth and leader- ship of that church in music over many other churches in the city.

During his official connection with the festivals, they advanced from small and modest efforts until they rivalled anything of the kind in this country or Europe and have made the name of Worcester famous in musical circles the world over.

He has not lost his interest in the association, being still one of the most earnest and persistent workers for the success of the annual festivals. While he was secretary much of the routine work and the burden of correspondence fell upon his shoulders. In an article about Mr. Munroe, Il'or- cester Light says : "Mr. Munroe has requested Light not to say much about his services in con- nection with the Festivals, claiming that the marked success achieved is due to the unselfish devotion

of a splendid body of choir leaders and teachers forming the board of government during his con- nection with it-to the location of the Festival in a region noted for a century for its love of music- to the teaching of music in the public schools-to the growth of the city itself-and to the undoubtedly high average intelligence of the population. Ad- mitting these facts, Lighit still believes that the work of Mr. Munroe has been of so conspicuous a char- acter in connection with the Festivals, that the gen- eral public will insist upon giving him a larger amount of commendation for the results attained, than he is at present inclined to receive."

Mr. Munroe is a member of the Board of Trade; the Worcester Machanics' Association: the Old South Church; the Congregational Club, of which he was formerly treasurer. He is an honorary member of the Worcester Continentals. He has been

a member of the Worcester Society of Antiquity, and of the Commonwealth Club. His executive ability and remarkable tact have been proven by the position he has held in musical circles, requiring probably more tact and judgment than any other position man is called upon to fill. He has a very attractive personality, and all his acquaintances are drawn into the circle of his friendship. He is quick to perceive and decide, but conciliatory in manner and speech, and although respecting the opinions of others, is not inclined to yield his own convictions. He is one of the best examples of the gentleman in business; of exemplary character ; re- fined and considerate of others; appreciating his duty as a citizen; loving art and music; yet thor- oughly enjoying his business career.

Mr. Munroe married, October 19, 1859, Helen Augusta Hill, born in Whitefield, New Hampshire, March 23, 1834, daughter of Peter W. and Hannah (Johnson) Hill. At an early age she removed with her parents to Lowell, Massachusetts. Mrs. Mun- roe has had an unusual musical career. She is an artist with much more than a local reputation, hav- ing been a leading member of quartette choirs for thirty-four years. For twenty-eight years she was a member of the same choir as her husband, stis- taining the soprano part for twelve years, and the contralto for sixteen years, her voice being of so extended a compass ( from G below low C, to C in alt three octaves and three notes) that she was able to sing either part with remarkable success. At the age of fourteen years she was engaged as the leading alto singer of the Worthen Street Methodist Church Choir, in Lowell, and until 1861, when she came to Worcester, sang constantly in Methodist, Unitarian, Episcopal and Congregational choirs in Lowell and its vicinity, as well as at public concerts of importance and social functions. On coming to Worcester she was at once secured as contralto for the Union Church Quartette, Mr. B. D. Allen being the organist and director. She continued to be the leading attraction at concerts for many years, notably those given by the "Hamilton," the "Mo- zart" and "Beethoven" Societies, and the Worcester "Choral Union." For fourteen years prior to 1873 she was the leading contralto soloist of the Worces- ter Music Festivals, and then declined the position. During these years Mrs. Munroe filled engagements with many associations elsewhere, in concerts, mu- sical conventions and festivals, in Boston, Provi- dence, Springfield, Greenfield, Fitchburg, Brooklyn, New York, Bridgeton, New Jersey; and many other cities. She has always been of a retiring disposition, modest and diffident, and, while enjoying church positions, disliked the notoriety of public concert work. Possessed of a remarkable voice, which ren- ders her at the present day a highly prized member of the "Home Music Club," of which association she was a charter member, she was, when quite young, offered the opportunity to visit Europe and study for the operatic field. Great success was prophesied for her; competent judges said of her voice that it was only equalled by that of the great Alboni. Possessed of a fine stage presence, she would undoubtedly have been successful, but she shrank from publicity, and at the advice of the friend whom she afterward married remained in America. Mrs. Munroe's grandfather, Asa John- son, of Whitefield. New Hampshire, was a teacher of music and singing schools, an excellent violin player, and well known throughout northern New Hampshire. He was also a prosperous farmer. His eight children-Simeon, James, David, William, Catherine, Joanna, Sarah and Hannah-were all musical, and it was said that the Johnson girls

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could "sing down anything in Coos county." Han- nah, the mother of Mrs. Munroe, could sing the "C in alt," (or "high C,") while her husband, Peter W. Hill, could as easily sing the "low C;" it would thus appear that Mrs. Munroe came very naturally by her unusual voice, and hier musical ability. The Hill family was a large one, and all the members were musical; the choir of the church in Whitefield, New Hampshire, was composed entirely of members of the Hill and Johnson families, under the charge of Asa Johnson, and was for years a very noted one. Mrs. Munroe has always been interested in re- ligious and charitable work, having been for four years president of the Old South Benevolent So- ciety, and for thirteen years president of the Wom- en's Auxiliary to the Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation.

DANIEL AUSTIN HOWE. John How or Howe (1), the immigrant ancestor of Daniel Austin Howe, of Worcester, Massachusetts, was an early settler at Watertown, Massachusetts. He was born in Warwickshire, England, it is believed, the son of John Howe, who is supposed to be a descendant of John Howe, of Hodinhall, connected with Sir Charles Howe, of Lancaster, during the reign of Charles I.

John Howe made his home in Sudbury with set- tlers from Watertown, then the adjoining town. He was there in 1639 or earlier. He was admitted a freeman in 1640. In 1642 he was one of the Sud- bury selectmen. According to tradition he was the first white inhabitant who settled in the Sudbury New Grant, as it was called. He built his cabin a little to the eastward of the Indian plantation, and in this vicinity many of his descendants have lived and are living still. His house was about one thou- sand rods from the Spring Hill Meeting House, a little to the east of the present road from Spring Hill to Feltonville, lately owned by Edward Rice.

Howe was a man of dignity and universally re- spected, even by his Indian neighbors. In 1655 he was appointed "to see to the restraining of the youth on the Lord's Day." Boys were boys even in the Puritan town of Sudbury in the days of Cron- well. He was brought into contact often with his Indian neighbors and he won their confidence and good will and often he became an arbiter in case of differences between them. The story is told of a pumpkin grown on the land of one Indian, but on a vine belonging to another. Both claimed thie pumpkin. Howe was asked to decide the owner- ship of the pumpkin. He cut it in two and gave a half to each. From 1657 till his death in 1680 he lived in Marlboro, and was the founder of most of the families of this surname in Middlesex and Worcester counties.

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Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. I, Part 80

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed Publication date: 1907 Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 824

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 824