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 84
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(V1) Benjamin Franklin Curtis, eighth child of Samuel Curtis (5), born in Worcester, September 7, 1800; bought the Plantation street homestead and was a farmer; died there in 1858. He married, April 4, 1831, at Auburn, Massachusetts, Hannah S. Wakefield, who was born in Vermont, the daughter of Henry Stone Wakefield, of Montpelier, Vermont. Children were: I. Sarah Maria, born January 25, 1832, died young. 2. Ellen Olivia, born August 21, 1835; unmarried. 3. Samuel Gustavus, mentioned be- low. 4. Charles F., enlisted in Company H, Twenty- fifth Massachusetts Regiment, and died in the service in 1864, at Newbern, North Carolina. 5. Albert W., mentioned below.
(VII) Samuel Gustavus Curtis, third child of Benjamin Franklin Curtis (6), born in Worcester June 10, 1838, on the old Plantation street home- stead in Worcester, which is situated about a quar- ter of a mile from Belmont street and is near the Insane hospital. He married, April 15, 1873, Mary Elizabeth Harrington, daughter of Benjamin Har- rington, of Worcester, an uncle of ex-Mayor Francis A. Harrington, of Worcester. She was born January 25, 1836. He lives at 370 Plantation street on the homestead which he has carried on for many years, and is one of the most prosperous farmers of the city. He is a member of the Union Congregational Church. He has never cared for public office nor been interested in fraternal societies. Their only child is Mabel, who resides with her parents at the homestead. They had a daughter, Sarah Edith, who died young.
(VII) Albert W. Curtis, fifth and youngest child of Benjamin Franklin Curtis (6), was born in Worcester, May 26, 1848. He was educated there in the public and high schools and at Yale College, from which he was graduated in 1871. He studied law under Judge Thomas L. Nelson, of Worcester, and at the Harvard law school, and was admitted to the bar in 1874. Two years later he opened an office in Spencer, where he has made his home since. As local magistrate he is generally known as Judge Curtis. He is a trustee of the public library and the Spencer Savings Bank. He has been town clerk since 1877, and member of the board of selectmen for a number of years. He is a prominent Republi- can, and a man of considerable influence in the com- munity. He a Past Grand Master of Good Will Lodge of Odd Fellows.
He married Mary R. Morse, of Spencer. They had five children: Anna S .; L. Edith; Alice W .; Charles Samuel ; Helen M.
HENRY MELLEN. Richard Mellen (1), the immigrant ancestor of Henry Mellen, was one of the early settlers of Charlestown, Massachusetts. He was admitted a freeman September 7, 1639, and had doubtless been in the colony for several years be- fore that. He removed to Weymouth in 1642 or 1643, and probably did not live long afterward. Savage calls attention to the difficulty of tracing the name because of the great variety of spelling found in the records. It is found spelled Mellins, Mullins, Mal- lins, Melling, Melen, and even Meles. He had a land grant in Weymouth in 1642 and 1641 on the back side of Kingoak Hill, but removed from there or died soon after, as his name does not appear again on the records. Some of his children were: James, born in Charlestown, June 3, 1642; Sarah, born April 4, 1643, at Weymouth; Mary, married at Charles- town, 1662, Daniel Whittemore. Simon, perhaps born in England, mentioned below.
(II) Simon Mellen, son of Richard Mellen (1), born about 1644, in New England, or before 1639 in Old England, married Mary and settled in the southern part of Framingham, Massachusetts, in 1687. He had civil privileges in Sherborn, and left descendants there. He died December 19, 1694, and when his estate was settled in 1695 all his children were mentioned. His widow died in Fram- ingham, Massachusetts, June 1, 1709, aged seventy years. Their children : Simon, born at Winemesit, Boston, September 25, 1665; (and at Malden) ; Thomas, mentioned below; Richard, born January 2, 1671-2; married, December 6, 1695,
Mary Gleason, daughter of Thomas Gleason, of Framing- ham; James, born 1681; John, born January 29, I685-6.
(III) Thomas Mellen, second child of Simon Mellen (2), was born in Malden, Massachusetts, August, 1668. He married Elizabeth - and they settled in Framingham. Ile was elected tything- man there in 1704. The children of Thomas and Elizabeth Mellen were: Henry, born August 12, 1691, mentioned below; Thomas, born August 12, 1693, at Sherborn, died February 4, 1711-2; Lydia, born at Sherborn, April 12, 1695. Sarah, born March 22, 1697, at Framingham; Mary, born October 16, 1699; Richard, born November 10, 1701; Tabitha, born January 4, 1703-4, married Mark Whitney, of Hopkinton, 1727.
(IV) Henry Mellen, eldest son of Thomas Mellen, (3), was born August 12, 1691; married, March 24, 1711-2, Abigail Pratt. He lived at Fram- ingham until 1725, when he removed to Hopkinton. About that time a colony of Scotch-Irish settled in Hopkinton and a number of Henry Mellen's chil- dren married into these families. Henry Mellen with his wife was admitted to the Framingham church, March 1I, 1720; they were dismissed to the Hop- kinton church, December 27, 1724, and received there January 3d, following. He was deacon of the Hop- kinton church in 1732. He died there May 3, 1767, aged seventy-five years. His widow Abigail died July 30, 1781, aged eighty-eight years. Their chil- dren, born in Framingham were: Thomas, mentioned below ; Daniel, born March 6, 1714-5; Sybilla, born July 20, 1717; Abigail, born November 20, 1719; John, baptized June 3, 1722; graduate of Harvard College, 1741 ; teacher at Sudbury ; ordained as min- ister at Sterling, December 19, 1744; later at Han- over; was a distinguished man; Mary, baptized June 26, 1724, married John Jones, of Hopkinton, 1749. The children born at Hopkinton, were as follows : Lydia, born April 20, 1726, married, 1747, Jacob Chamberlain; Joseph, born May 20, 1728, married Ruhamah Butler, 1747; Elizabeth (twin), born July I, 1730, married James Nutt, 1747, at Hopkinton ; Martha (twin), born July 1, 1730, married Samuel Chamberlain : James, baptized 1732.
(V) Thomas Mellen, eldest son of Henry Mel- len (4), was born at Framingham, May 15, 1713. He married Elizabeth and they had nine chil- dren. He married (second) Widow Wilson. He died in Hopkinton in 1782. The children of Thomas and Elizabeth were: Henry, baptized 1735, died 1813; Elizabeth, born May 25, 1737; James, born June 10, 1739, mentioned below ; Mary, born 1742; Sarah, born 1741; Lucy, born September 11, 1746, married Abner Stone; removed to Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire; Sarah, born May 25, 1749: Mehitable, born September 7, 1751; Thomas, born February 25, 1754; major in the revolution, died 1805. The only child of Thomas and his second wife was. Joseph, settled in Milford, Massachusetts.
(VI) Colonel James Mellen, third child of Thomas Mellen (5), was born in Hopkinton, Massa-
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chusetts, June 10, 1739. He married Elizabeth Rus- sell, daughter of James Russell, of Holliston, a man of distinction. Her brother, Jonathan, was a noted inan, ambassador to Sweden, and holding other im- portant positions. Colonel Mellen went into the revolutionary war a private and was mustered out a colonel. He marched in Captain Jesse Eames' company from Framingham to Lexington and fought during the day, April 19, 1775. He was captain of a company in Colonel Ward's regiment at the bat- tle of Bunker Hill. He soon afterward entered the Continental line and was major, commanding the Twenty-first Regiment in 1776. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel in Colonel James Wesson's reg- iment in January, 1777, and was stationed at Hud- son river, New York, and served faithfully in various responsible positions as lieutenant-colonel for four years. He was discharged January 1, 1781. He served on Washington's staff and be- came a friend, dining often with the general. He was officer of the day October 2, 1780, when Andre was hanged for a spy. He carried Andre's message to Washington, asking that he he shot in- stead of hanged. Washington's reply "The laws of War forbid it," must have been taken to the condemned man by Colonel Mellen. Another im- portant service was in taking two hundred men and supplies safely to Fort Schuyler previous to the attack of Burgoyne.
Like most of the Continental officers Colonel Mellen returned home worn out in health, poor in property and cheered only by wordy honors and promises of compensation never fulfilled. It is hard to realize the truth in some of these cases. He finally lost heart and broke down completely dur- ing the last years of his life, mentally as well as physically. He lived fourteen years at Milford and fourteen at Mendon, where he died September 27, 1812, aged seventy-three years. His widow Eliza- beth died June 19, 1830, aged ninety years. They are both buried at Mendon and their graves are suitably marked. Their children, all born at Hop- kinton, were: David, born August 17, 1763, settled at Nassau, New York; William, born May 20, 1766, married Lucretia Marsh; Mary, born January 10, 1768, married Samuel Warren, Jr., 1797; Betsey, born April 14, 1770, married Rev. John Fiske; Abigail, born June 12, 1775, married Samuel Pen- niman, 1804; James, mentioned below.
(VII) James Mellen, son and youngest child of Colonel James Mellen (6), was born in Hopkin- ton, October 28, 1780. Married (first), February 12, 1801. Submit Wheelock, daughter of Jesse and Phebe Wheelock. She was born January 18, 1782. James Mellen was a farmer and traveling merchant. His homestead was at the north end of Caleb's Hill or Inman's Hill in Mendon. His wife Sub- mit died January 29, 1823, and he removed to Spof- ford, New York, where he married (second) Maria McKnight, of Spofford, and they had one child. Mr. Mellen died at Orange, Massachuestts, at the home of his son Nathaniel. The children of James and Submit Mellen all born in Mendon, were : Nathaniel R., born August 19, 1801; mar- ried Ruth C. Wales; resided at North Orange, February 14, 1824; David, born July 1, 1803, died young; Leonard, born April 10, 1806, married Eliza- beth S. Mayo, March, 1834; William, horn Decem- ber 12, 1811, married (first) Elizabeth Odell, (sec- ond) Charlotte Jackson; Mary W., born Novem- ber 5, 1813, married Robert B. Shepard, of New Orleans; a child born December 30, 1815, died young ; James, born November 23, 1817, died young. (VIII) Leonard Mellen, third child of James Mellen, Jr., (7), was born in Mendon, April 10,
1806. He received a common school education there and became a farmer. In 1840 he removed to Hard- wick, Massachusetts, where he bought a farm. In early life he was a Whig, later a Republican. He was an active member of the Congregational church and very strict in his views. In early life he was connected with the Mendon Light Infantry. He died January 20, 1873. He married Elizabeth S. Mayo, twin daughter of Captain Peter Mayo, a sea captain, of Harwich. She was born October 24, 1810, died February 22, 1897. Their children: Ed- ward, born 1830, was a farmer in Rutland, married Abigail Bemis (see sketch of Dr. Bemis and fam- ily) ; Mary Warren, lives at Hardwick, unmarried ; Henry, died young; Henry, mentioned below ; Han- nah, lives at Hardwick, unmarried; James Frank- lin, born January 31, 1845, unmarried.
(1X) Henry Mellen, fourth child of Leonard Mellen (8), was born in Hardwick, Massachusetts, February 4, 1840. He attended the district schools there until he was sixteen. He came to Worcester August 29, 1856, as an apprentice for Alvin T. Burgess, mason and builder. He served four years, for which he received his board and $10 the first year, $50 the second year, $60 the third year and $70 the fourth year. He remained with Mr. Burgess for several years and was his foreman the last year he worked for him at the then generous wages of five dollars a day. He learned all kinds of mason's work, brick, stone and plaster. When he left Mr. Burgess he began in business for himself in a small way, but met with uniform success, and in a few years was reckoned among the leading masons of the city. He began in business in partnership with Sylvester W. Dearborn under the firm name of Dearborn & Mellen. After three years he sold his interests to his partenr and was alone until he admitted his son, Walter L. Mellen, to partnership in 1890, when the firm name was changed to Henry Mellen & Son. Mr. Mellen was the mason and contractor for all of the buildings of Jonas G. Clark, except the stone work on his residence. He built the Clark blocks on Main and Front streets, and the buildings at Clark University erected by Mr. Clark. He had the contract for building the Worcester City Hospital. He built the Chadwick building; the Armsby, Main street; the residences of Dr. Workman, Elm street; William H. Sawyer, 66 Lincoln street; Charles E. Thwing, Elm street ; and many other of the fine residences of the city. For the city he built school houses at Adams square, New Worcester, Union Hill, Adams street. He has constructed the mills and other buildings for F. E. Reed; a tack shop on Lagrange street for D. E. Somers and a large addition to the Bowler brewery. He built the Quincy high school house; the Brookfield Town Hall, and many other build- ings in the country. He went to New Bedford in' 1877 on a contract and remained three years on that and other work offered him. He built there Robeson's block with nine stores; the Masonic block; Waite's building; the Thayer & Judd candle works and the first factory of the famous Pierpont Manufacturing Co., silver-smiths.
Mr. Mellen was in Company A, of the City Guards, Captain A. B. R. Sprague company, Major Charles Devens's regiment. He enlisted in 1861. In the following year he re-enlisted in Company E, Forty-second Regiment, and was detailed as orderly at brigade headquarters with the rank of first cor- poral. He was mustered out in 1863. He was a member of the common council from ward eight in 1885 and 1886, and has always taken an active part in public affairs. He is a Republican. He was formerly a member of the Board of Trade;
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he is a member and was for three years a trustee of the Worcester County Mechanics' Association. He is a member of the Plymouth (Congregational) parislı.
He married, August 29, 1862, Mary Adelaide Felt, daughter of Elijah and Hannah (Lawrence) Felt. She was born at Templeton, Massachusetts, July 6, 1843. Their children are: Walter Leslie, men- tioned below. Bessie Frances, born March 5, 1876, died April 3, 1891.
Elijah Felt was born November II, 1799, died March 19, 1849. Married Hannah Lawrence, daugh- ter of Josiah and Tabitha Lawrence, born February 17, 1807. Elijah was the son of Samuel Felt, who was born March 17, 1788, died June 26, 1826; was a private in Captain John Bacheller's company, Colonel Ebenezer Bridge's regiment on the Lex- ington Alarm, April 19, 1775. Later he served in Captain Jonathan Brooking's company, Colonel Enoch Hale's regiment. Samuel married Naomi Woods. Samuel Felt's father was Aaron Felt, who married Mary Wyatt. Moses, the father of Aaron Felt, was born in 1651, married Lydia Felt. His father, George Felt, was the immigrant, and was born in England in 1601. The name was also spelled Felch. George Felt was a mason by trade and came to Charlestown, in New England, as early as 1633; he resided on the Malden side in 1640; he removed to Casco Bay, but returned to Malden. He married Elizabeth Wilkinson, daughter of Widow Prudence Wilkinson. He died in 1693; his widow in 1694. Mrs. Mellen is a member of the Worcester Woman's Club and of Colonel Timothy Bigelow Chapter, Daughters of the Ameri- can Revolution.
(X) Walter Leslie Mellen, only son of Henry Mellen (9), was born in Worcester, January 10, 1868. He attended the public schools there and graduated in 1887 from the Classical high school. He went to work for his father and in 1890 was admitted to partnership in the business under the firm name of Henry Mellen & Son. Some of the work done since he became connected with the business is mentioned above in the account of the business. He is a prominent Free Mason, a mem- ber of the Morning Star Lodge, Hiram Council, Eureka Chapter and the Worcester County Com- mandery of Worcester; he has taken the eighteenth degree in the Scottish Rite and belongs to Aleppo Temple in Boston. Mr. Mellen is a member of the Commonwealth Club. He is a Republican in poli- tics and a Congregationalist in religion, being a member of Plymouth Church.
He married Carrie E. Fisher, of Fisherville, Massachusetts, a village of Grafton named for her grandfather, who established a mill there. His name was Erastus Fisher. Her parents were Albert Laban and Ellen Agnes (Hill) Fisher. Her father had a grocery store at Fisherville for many years. The children of Walter and Carrie E. ( Fisher) Mellen are: Albert Fisher, born July 29, 1893; Dorothy, born December 29, 1894. They reside at 41 Queen street, in a double house, with Mr. Mel- len's parents.
JAMES HUNT, well known throughout Wor- cester county as deputy sheriff and for his promi- nence in political life, was born January 27, 1833, in Gloucestershire, England. He was the son of William and Harriet (Hodges) Hunt.
He attended private schools in his native place. In 1850, at the age of seventeen, he came to Amer- ica. He learned the trade of boot and shoe manu- facturing and worked at his trade in New Braintree, Massachusetts, and Stafford, Connecticut. In 1861
he moved to Rockville, Connecticut, and learned the trade of wool dyer at the Leeds mill. lle became boss dyer later at the Windermere mill at Elling- ton, Connecticut, and the Thomas Lewis mill at Naugatuck, Connecticut. In 1865 he went to Meri- den, Connecticut, and engaged in the retail boot and shoe business, where he remained until 1873, when he removed to Worcester. He worked at his trade of shoemaker for a number of years. First he worked for D. G. Rawson & Co., shoe manufact- urers, afterwards the firm of Goddard, Fay & Stone. He worked also for S. R. Heywood. He was ap- pointed for one year on the police force by Mayor Samuel E. Hildreth, but at the end of the year took up his trade again. He worked in the shoe factory of C. C. Houghton. In 1886 he was ap- pointed a constable for civil cases by Mayor Francis A. Harrington. He has since then devoted his time to the duties of that office and of deputy sheriff combined with the real estate business. He
was appointed deputy sheriff first
in Feb-
ruary, 1893, by
Sheriff Robert A. Cham- the vicinity of Webster square, Worcester, and on Union Hill. For the past twenty years Mr. Hunt has been occupied chiefly with the business of constable and deputy sheriff. His office is in the Walker building. In a position requiring the ut- most tact and descretion, lias has been uniformly suc- cessful.
Mr. Hunt has always been a Republican and taken his part in the work of the organization. He has shown his interest by constant activity. He served the city in the common council in 1897-98-99. He was on the committees on police, public build- ings, education, legislative matters and bills in the second reading. He represented ward six. In 1899 and 1900 he was elected representative to the general court from ward six. He was on the committees on cities, and on parishes and religious societies. He was elected an overseer of the poor in 1899 for a three-year term, and in 1901 was re-elected. He has been favorably mentioned as candidate for sen- ator in his district.
He has the unique distinction of being the senior member of the order of Knights of Pythias in Wor- cester. He took the degrees of this order in 1868 at Meriden, Connecticut, in Myrtle Lodge, No. 4. The order was at that time enjoying a period of very rapid growth. In 1885 Mr. Hunt transferred liis membership to Regulus Lodge of Worcester, and since that time has been one of the most active and prominent members of the order in Worcester. Mr. Hunt has seen the order grow from nothing to a membership of about a thousand in thirty years in Worcester. He is a member of Monta- cute Lodge of Free Masons. He is a member of U. S. Grant Commandery, Knights of Malta, and of Prince Consort Lodge, Sons of St. George. He belongs to the Webster Square Methodist Episco- pal Church and is one of the trustces. He is a trustee and president of the board of trustees of the Sterling Methodist Camp Meeting Association, which owns the grounds at Sterling Junction.
He married (first) Sarah L. Russell. She was born in Stafford, Connecticut, January 21, 1838, died May 28, 1894. He married (second) Mrs. Annie Turner, widow of William C. Turner, born in St. John, New Brunswick. He has no children.
THE CARY FAMILY in England is one of the oldest as it is one of the most illustrious and honored in the kingdom of Great Britain. The name existed in England before the Conquest and must have heen as old as the time of the Saxons.
(1) Adam de Kari (Cary) was lord of the
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Castle Kari in 1198 according to Sir William Pole. He was born about 1170 and married Ann, daughter of Sir William Trevett, Knight. The castle no longer exists, but the town is called Castle Cary still. It is in Somersetshire. During the reign of King Stephen the Lord of Cari was opposed to him; the king assaulted and took the castle; in 1153 it was again besieged and nearly ruined. The site of the old castle is very interesting to antiquarians.
(II) John de Kary, son of Adam (1), was born about 1200; married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Richard Stapleton, Knight.
(III) William de Kary or Karry, son of Sir John (2), was born about 1230; married Alice, daughter of Sir William Beaumont, Knight.
(IV) John de Karry, of Castle Karry. son of William (3), was born about 1270; married Phillippa, daughter of Sir Warren Archdeacon, Knight. Some times the "de" was used, sometimes not.
(V) Sir John Cary, son of John (4), was born about 1300: married Margaret Bozon or Bozume, of Clovelly in Devon.
(VI) Sir John Cary, Knight, son of William (5), was born about 1325; married Agnes, daugh- ter of Lord Stafford, and (second) Jane, daughter of Sir Guy de Bryen, Knight. Since the reign of Edward II the spelling has been Cary.
(VII) Sir John Cary. Knight, son of John (6). was born in 1350 at Holway in northwest Devon; married Margaret Holway; was very noted, chief Baron of the Exchequer, judge. After the king (Richard II) was put to death by Henry IV, Sir John was banished and all his goods and lands con -. fiscated to the crown. He died in Waterford, Ire- land, four years later, 1.104.
(VIII) Sir Robert Cary, son of Sir John (7), was born about 1375. He married Elizabeth, daugh- ter of Philip Courtenay, Knight. He married (sec- ond) Jane. daughter of Sir William Hanchford, Knight. He defeated in single combat a Knight of Arragon, for which Henry V restored unto him a good part of his father's lands, and at the same time Robert took the coat of arms of his opponent, which he and his successors have since borne: Argent, on bend sable three roses argent. Before that the arms were: "Gules, chevron entre three swans argent." The motto is: Virtute Excerptae.
(IX) Sir Philip Cary, son of Sir Robert (S), was born about 1.400. He married Christian Orchard. He died 1437.
(X) Sir William Cary, Knight, son of Philip (9), was born in 1437. He married Elizabeth Paulett. He was known as the Knight of Cockington. He took part in the War of the Roses on the Lancaster side. His side suffered defeat at the Battle of Tewks- bury, May 4, 1471, and Cary with others took refuge in the Abbey Church, a sanctuary where, according to the custom of the times, they could not be molested. They were enticed out on promise of par- don and two days later were beheaded. His prop- erty was confiscated. but Henry VII restored it to his son later. William left two sons: Robert, born 1460; Thomas, born 1465.
(XI) Robert Cary, son of William (10), was born about 1460. He inherited Clovelly from his father. He married (first) Jane Carew, daughter of Nicholas Carew, and they had two sons, John de Cary, born about 1485, and Thomas de Cary. born about 1495. Robert Cary married (second) Agnes, daughter of Sir William Hody, and they had one son, William, born about 1500. He married (third) Margaret Fulkeram, who bore him a son Robert. about 1510. Robert Cary died in 1540 and has a monument in the Clovelly Church.
(XII) William Cary, son of Robert (11) and
Agnes (Hody) Cary, was born about 1500. He was sheriff of Somersetshire in 1532, residing at Bristol. He was mayor of that city in 1546. He died March 28, 1572.
(XIII) Robert Cary, eldest son of William Cary (12), was born in Bristol in 1525 and died 1570.
(XIV) William Cary, eldest son of Robert Cary (13), was born October 3, 1560. He was sheriff of Bristol in 1599 and mayor 1611. He had eight sons, three of whom came to America in 1634, 1635 and 1640 respectively.
THE AMERICAN LINE.
(XV) John Cary, son of William Cary (14), was born in Bristol, Somersetshire, England. He came to New England about 1634. His brother James settled in Charlestown and his brother Miles near Jamestown, Virginia. A family record made by one of his grandsons states that when a youth the immigrant, John Cary, was sent by his father to France to perfect his education and that while he was absent his father died. On returning home to Somersetshire he differed with his brothers in the settlement of their father's estate, finally com- promising by taking one hundred pounds as his share and immediately sailed for America. John Cary was among the original settlers of Duxbury and Bridgewater, and his name is in the original grant as well as in the subsequent Indian deed. He was elected constable of Bridgewater in 1656, the first and only officer elected in the town that year, the first after its incorporation. He was elected the first town clerk and held the office until 1681. In 1656 he was one of the ten freemen of the town. In 1677 Deacon Willis and John Cary were ap- pointed "to take in all the charges of the late war (King Philip's) since last June and the expenses of the scouts before and since June."
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