Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. I, Part 91

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 91


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155


(IV) John Joy, son of Joseph Joy (3), was born February 7, 1695, married Lydia Lincoln, De- cember 19, 1724.


(V) Lydia Joy, daughter of John Joy (4), was born October 5, 1725, married Timothy Edson, as mentioned above.


(VI) Mary Edson, daughter of the preceding, born June 22, 1767, married Ebenezer Johnson.


(VII) Selenda Johnson, daughter of Ebenezer and Mary (Edson) Johnson (6), married Warren Orcutt, as stated above.


(VIII) Elvira Orcutt, daughter of Warren Or- cutt (7), married William E. Desper.


(IX) Henry A. Desper, son of the preceding, is the subject of this sketch.


(I) Deacon Samuel Edson, emigrant ancestor of Mr. Desper, was born in 1612 in England. He was living in Salem in New England in 1639 and . later removed to Bridgewater, one of the first settlers there. He built and owned the first mill; was a member of the council of war. He married, about 1637, Susanna Orcutt and they had nine children : Samuel, Joseph, Josiah, Susanna, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah, Bethiah, Benjamin.


(II) Joseph Edson, son of Deacon Samuel Ed- son (I), was born in 1649; married (first) Experi- ence Field and (second) Mary Turner. He had seven children.


(III) Timothy Edson, son of Joseph Edson (2), was born in 1689; married Mary Alden, February 10, 1719, and had five children.


(IV) Timothy Edson, son of Timothy Edson (3), was born in 1722, married Lydia Joy. He was an ancestor of Admiral George Dewey and of Calvin Edson, the famous "living skeleton." His daughter, Mary Edson, born 1767, married Ebenezer Johnson, as stated above. Their daughter, Selenda Johnson, married Waren Orcutt, father of Mrs. William E. and grandfather of Henry A. Desper.


(IV) Henry A. Desper, son of William E. Desper (3), and Elvira Orcutt (X), his wife, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, at 37 Shelby street, July 14, 1851. He has always lived either at 37 or 40 Shelby street. He attended the public schools of Worcester until he was fifteen years old, when he went to Worcester Academy for a year. He then went to work for Marcus Moore, builder, to


learn the carpenter's trade. He followed this trade for five years in Worcester, Martha's Vineyard and other places. He made patterns for his father and assisted him in the manufacture and sale of water meters. In 1873 he invented a new kind of water meter and began to manufacture it. In 1875, for about six months, he was engaged on a line of plumbing work in Boston. He returned and entered into partnership with his father in the water meter business, also doing some plumbing business. In 1892 he bought out his father and has since carried on the business under his own name. At one time he carried on an extensive plumbing business. The Desper business was located for twenty-five years at 22 Cypress street and while there was burned out six times, having a serious loss three times. In 1900 Mr. Desper moved his business to 194 Union street, his present location. He is at present manu- facturing elevator registers, plumbing specialties, hydraulic valves and water meters. He makes a specialty of large hydraulic valves for water works, etc. In 1857-8 he was superintendent of a small water works and he can fairly claim to be one of the oldest superintendents of water works in the country.


Mr. Desper is a Republican, but has had no time for public office. He has been a member of the Worcester County Mechanics' Association since 1868; is a member of the National Association of Master Plumbers, the Massachusetts State Associa- tion of Master Plumbers; the New England Water Works Association, and has been a member of the order of American Mechanics and also the Good Templars.


He married, March 13, 1876, in Chelsea, Mary Abby Frances Drawbridge, daughter of George D. and Abby ( Littlefield) Drawbridge. She was for several years engaged with some of the large de- partment stores in Boston. Her father was foreman of the paper hanging and decorating department of the Clark Sawyer Company from 1870 to 1874. Sub- sequently he removed to New Hampshire, where he held the office of selectman, postmaster, etc. George D. Drawbridge was the son of David Drawbridge, who came to America in 1846 from England, where he was an upholsterer and decorator. He was col- lector of taxes in the old country. He married Eliza- beth Doebell, in England, and their oldest son, George, was born there in 1835. David Drawbridge settled first in Chelsea, later in Wells and Kenne- bunk, Maine, where some of his descendants still live. The Drawbridge family came to England from Holland with William of Orange. There are branches of the family in Maryland and Delaware descended, it is said, from one of four brothers in England. The immigrant returned to England to claim his inheritance after fighting with the colonists against the British, and found his share confiscated.


George Doebell Drawbridge married, in Kenne- bunk, Maine, Abby Littlefield, daughter of Robert and Rebecca (Houston) Littlefield. The Littlefields were among the original settlers of Kennebunk, then a part of Wells, and the father of Robert Little- field, who owned two hundred acres of land at the "old falls" on the Mousam river where the power house of the Sanford & Cape Porpoise railroad now stands. One of the women was scalped by the In- dians and left for dead at the "Old Falls," but she recovered and lived to be an old woman, always wearing a cap to hide the disfigurement.


The children of Henry A. and Mary Abby Fran- ces (Drawbridge) Desper are: Arthur Merrit, born Jannary 6, 1877, died December 1, 1884; Flora Wini- fred, October 25, 1881, bookkeeper in her father's office; Alice Genevieve, April 30, 1889; student in


319


WORCESTER COUNTY


the English high school, Worcester ; Mabel Irene, December 23, 1892; Charles Warren, March 14, 1895; Myrtice Vivian, April 10, 1899.


DAVIS FAMILY. Dolor Davis (1), who was the immigrant ancestor of the larger part of the Worcester county branches of the Davis families, was the progenitor of John W. Davis, of Worcester. Dolor Davis came from England and settled in Cambridge before August 4, 1634, when he received a grant of land in that town. He lived later in Con- cord and Barnstable, Massachusetts. He was a car- penter and builder. He was born in England and died at Barnstable, Massachusetts, June, 1673. His wife and children came over in 1635 with his broth- er-in-law, Simon Willard, of Horsemonden, Kent county, who was one of the founders of Concord.


Dolor Davis was admitted a freeman at Dux- bury, August 5, 1638-9, and had a grant of land there in 1640. He was admitted a freeman at Barnstable, June 2, 1646, after living there three years. He and his wife were dismissed from the Duxbury church to Barnstable, August 27, 1648. He was surveyor of highways, constable and on various committees of Barnstable. In 1655 he left Plymouth colony and returned to Massachusetts, where he bought at Concord one hundred and fifty acres and a house. In 1666 he went back to Barnstable and died there.


He married (first), March 29, 1624, Margery Willard, who was baptized at Horsemonden, Kent, November 7, 1602, and died prior to 1667. She was the daughter of Richard Willard, yeoman, and sister of the famous Major Simon Willard, men- tioned above. The children of Dolor Davis were : John, born in England about 1626, inherited the Concord homestead; Mary, born in England about 1631 ; Elizabeth, born in England; Lieutenant Simon, born in Concord, mentioned in sketch of Samuel E. Davis family ; Samuel, mentioned below; Ruth, born in Barnstable, March 24, 1645.


(II) Samuel Davis, son of Dolor Davis (I), was born probably in Concord; married, at Lynn, January 11, 1665-6, Mary Mead or Meddowes, who died at Concord, October 3, 1710. He married ( second), October 18, 1711, Ruth Taylor, who died August 6, 1720. Samuel was admitted a freeman March 21, 1689-90. He settled in Concord, Massa- chusetts, in that part which became Bedford, and his homestead is now or was lately still owned by his descendants. It was on the road from Concord to Bedford, on the edge of the river meadow, and the old well which is still in use is believed to have been dug by Samuel. He was a farmer. He was living in 1714; the date of his death is not recorded. The children of Samuel and Mary were: Mary, born October 27, 1666, died December 18, 1667 ; Samuel, June 21, 1669, married at Concord, March Law, resided at Bedford; Daniel, March 16 or 26, 1673, resided at Bedford; Mary, August 12, 1677 ; 2, 1697-8, Abigail Read, married (second) Mary Eleazer, July 26, 1680, resided at Bedford; Simon, lieutenant, mentioned below; Stephen, March 30, 1686, residcd at Bedford.


(III) Lieutenant Simon Davis, son of Samuel Davis (2), was born at Concord, August 9, 1683, died 1763. He married Dorothy Hale in 1713. He removed to Rutland, Massachusetts, about 1720, to what has been known lately as the "Old King Farm" containing seventy-six acres on Muscho- pauge pond. He became one of the most prominent citizens. He was one of the first board of select- men. When he cleared his farm there was no road and he had to carry his plow on his shoulder to reach his fields before the road was built. He es- caped from the Indians at the time Rev. Mr. Willard


and the sons of Deacon Stevens were killed, as he happened to return home by a different route and earlier than usual. The Indians were lying in wait for him. His wife Dorothy died July 21, 1776, in her eighty-fourth year; both are buried in lot 6, in the Holden burying ground. Their last days were spent in Holden with their son Eleazer.


The children of Lieutenant Simon and Dorothy Davis were: 1. Simon, born May 17, 1714, died April 9, 1754; married Hannah Gates, settled in Rutland ; his son Isaac, born February 27, 1749, was the father of Governor John Davis, born January 13, 1787. 2. Israel, born August 31, 1717, died 1791, married Mary Hurlburt, resided at Holden and had ten children. 3. Rev. Joseph, born July 16, 1720 (H. C. 1740), minister at Holden, 1742-1773, died March 4, 1799. 4. Eleazer, mentioned below. The preceding were born in Concord or Bedford, the following in Rutland : 5. Martha, baptized July 27, 1729, mar- ried Smith and resided in Holden. 6. Oliver, baptized April 16, 1732, married Mary Read, resided in Princeton. 7. Azybah, baptized December 2, 1739. 8. Dolly, married Brown, settled in Maine.


(IV) Eleazer Davis, fourth child of Lieutenant Simon Davis (3), was born in Concord or Bedford about 1725; married Sarah Ward, July 27, 1748, at Holden, Massachusetts, and settled there. There is no record of service, but he enlisted in the revo- lutionary army, 1775, in Captain David Hawes' com- pany, Colonel Samuel Holden's tenth regiment. The children of Eleazer and Sarah Davis were: Asahel, born March 5, 1749; Eleazer, Jr., March 22, 1751; Bela, April 12, 1753, a son; Lucretia, June 4, 1758; Sarah, May 10, 1760; Dorothy, October 7, 1762, Molly, August 11, 1764; Jonathan, April 22, 1767; Lydia, August 28, 1769; James, see forward; Lucy, March 18, 1777.


(V) James Davis (2d), son of Eleazer Davis (4), was born in Holden, Massachusetts, June 22, 1772. He married Ruhamah Smith, of Worcester, in that town, November 26, 1801. She was the daughter of Elisha, Jr., and Persis Smith, and was born March 1, 1779. James Davis was a farmer at Holden. The children of James and Ruhamah, all born at Holden, were: Walter Hull, see forward; Charlotte Threcy (Theresa), May 17, 1804: Jane Catherine, March 13, 1807; James Sullivan Madison, June 30, 1810; Ruhamah Lusanna, January 16, 1815; Persis Smith, May 7, 1818.


(VI) Walter Hull Davis, eldest child of James Davis (5), was born on the old homestead at Hol- den, now the town farm, originally six hundred acres in extent. At the age of twenty he removed to Worcester and tor thirty or forty years engaged in farming. He invested his savings in tenement buildings, and at length devoted all his time to building and caring for his property. At the time of his death he owned sixty tenements in Worces- ter. He died February 28, 1882.


He married Roxanna Adams, of Harvard, Massa- chusetts. Their children were: 1. John Walter, see forward. 2. Francis A., born March 11, 1827, a carpenter and builder, married Harriet D. Boyden, of Holden, and had two sons: Walter, who resides in Providence, and Charles, who resides in Con- necticnt. 3. Sarah, born January, 1831, married Samuel L. Mitchell, a farmer on Long Island, New York; both are deceased; they had children: Jane E. Mitchell, unmarried, resides in Worcester; Ma- rion E. Mitchell, married A. Q. Thayer, a baker, of Worcester, formerly for twenty-five years a police- man of Worcester, and their children are: Jennie E. Thayer, Clifton Thayer, and Lottie M. Thayer.


(VII) John Walter Davis, son of Walter Howe


١


.


320


WORCESTER COUNTY


Davis (6), was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, August 21, 1829, died August 17, 1906. Married, November 29, 1849, Myra W. Kilburn, of Holden, daughter of William and Nancy Kilburn. The latter died at the age of one hundred and three at the residence of her son-in-law, William Kilburn, a car- penter and builder. J. Walter Davis, as he was generally known, came to Worcester and started in the manufacture of refrigerators, a business he fol- lowed successfully for twenty-five years. He was a builder and contractor also for many years. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity. The chil- dren of John Walter and Myra W. Davis were: William L., of whom later; Mary A., born March II, 1850, married Jolin A. Sears, son of Alden Sears, president of the Walker Ice Company, had one son who died in infancy ; Harry.


(VIII) William L. Davis, son of John Walter Davis (7), was born in Worcester. He was edu- cated in the public schools of Worcester. He went to work as clerk in the drug store of Fairbanks, Harlan & Co., then located on Southbridge street at the corner of Myrtle street. He started in busi- ness for himself on the present site of the Federal building, between Southbridge and Main streets, in 1880. When the building was sold by the owner, Ransom C. Taylor, for the postoffice, the present store at 602 Main street was built for him. Mr. Davis is a member of Athelstan Lodge of Free Masons; Eureka Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Hiram Council and Worcester County Command- ery, Knights Templar; Worcester Lodge of Per- fection; Goddard Council; Lawrence Chapter of Rose Croix. He has been at the head of the last four bodies as presiding officer. He is a member of the Massachusetts Consistory and of other Ma- sonic bodies.


He married Annette Steadman, of Bristol, Ver- mont. daughter of Oliver C. and Maria Steadman. Her father was a farmer at Bristol. The children of William L. and Annette Davis are: Herbert E., born February 17, 1878; Florence M. (twin), born May 20, 1889; Grace M. (twin), born May 20, 1889.


CHAMBERLAIN FAMILY. William (1), Count Tankerville, of Tankerville Castle in Nor- mandy, who came to England with William, the Conqueror, was the progenitor of the Chamberlain family in England. He himself returned to Nor- mandy, but his descendants remained in England on the land granted to him.


(Il) John De Tankerville, son of the former earl, was lord chamberlain to King Henry 1, and assumed his title as a surname. (III) Richard, son of John (2), was also chamberlain to King Stephen, and the surname Chamberlain has since his day been that of his family. (IV) William Chamber- lain, son of Richard (3). (V) Robert Chamber- lain was son of William (4). (VI) Sir Richard Chamberlain was son of Robert (5). (VII) Sir Robert Chamberlain, was son of Robert (6). The line continues : Sir Richard (1X), John (X), Thomas (XI), John (XII), William Chamberlain (XIII). The American family, of which William Chamberlain was the immigrant ancestor, doubtless belongs to this family, though the line of ancestry is not traced. The Chamberlain coat of arms : Gules, an in escutcheon, argent, between eight mul- lers in orle, or. Quartering : Gules, a chevron be- tween three escallops, or. Motto: Virtuti Nihil Invium. Seat: Duns-Tew in Oxfordshire, England. (I) William Chamberlain, the immigrant ances- tor of General Robert Horace Chamberlain, of Worcester, was born in England about 1620. His


brother, Thomas Chamberlain, was one of the three original purchasers of the Dudley farm at Billerica, but he settled at Chelmsford, Massachusetts. An- other brother, Edmund, settled first in Woburn, then removed to Chelmsford before 1656, when he sold land at Billerica. Savage says that Edmund finally settled in Woodstock.


William Chamberlain was admitted an inhabitant of Woburn, January 6, 1648, and permitted to buy land there. He removed to Billerica in 1654, about the time his brothers left that town, and spent the remainder of his life there. He died May 31, 1706, aged eighty-six years. His house in Shawshin (Billerica) was on the farm, probably near the Woburn road, in the southwest part of the village. His name appears first on the records October, 1654, on a petition to enlarge the bounds of the town and to change the name to Billerica. (Billerikey in the original paper). A little later, when the committee on militia ordered Sergeant Hills' house to be a garrison, William Chamberlain's family was one of those assigned to it. He married Rebecca


who died September 26, 1692, in the prison at Cam- bridge, where she was held on the preposterous charge of witchcraft. The children of William and Rebecca Chamberlain were: Timothy, born at Con- cord, Massachusetts, August 13, 1649-50; Isaac, born at Concord, October 1, 1650, died July 20, 1681 ; John, died March 3, 1652; Sarah, born at Billerica, May 20, 1655-56, married John Shedd; Jacob, born January 18, 1657-58, see forward. And these also at Billerica : Thomas, born February 20, 1659; Ed- mund, born July 15, 1660, married Mary Abbott; Rebecca, born February 25, 1662, married Thomas Stearns; Abraham, born January 6, 1664; Ann, born March 3, 1665-66; Clement, born May 30, 1669; Daniel, born September 27, 1671; Isaac, born Jan- uary 20, 1681.


(II) Jacob Chamberlain, son of William Cham- berlain (I), was born at Billerica, Massachusetts, January 18, 1657-58. He resided at Roxbury and Brookline (Muddy River, part of Boston). He should not be confused with Jacob Chamberlain, who married Experience, and lived in Newton and vicin- ity, for both Jacob and Experience belonged to a generation earlier; nor with Jacob Chamberlain, of Boston and Newton, whose wife's name was also Susanna. The latter Jacob may have been a son of Edmund Chamberlain, mentioned above. Jacob, son of William Chamberlain, was admitted a freeman in 1690. He removed to Newton in 1700 or shortly before that date, but died at Brookline. His will mentions the names of his four children. He mar- ried, January 24, 1685, Mary Child, daughter of Benjamin Child. Their children were: Jacob, born March 7, 1686, see forward; John, born at Roxbury, August 1, 1687; Mary, married Samuel Davis; Elizabeth, married Joseph Weld.


(III) Jacob Chamberlain, Jr., son of Jacch Chamberlain (2), was born March 7, 1686, and died , at Newton, Massachusetts, July 28, 1771. He came to Newton with his father from Brookline about 1700. His name is among those on a protest dated May 20, 1720, against having but one school house in the town. He was selectman in 1746. He married. about 1718. Susannah Stone, who was born at Groton, October 23, 1694, the daughter of Deacon Simon and Sarah Stone, of Groton. Their children, all born at Newton, were: Jacob, Jr., born November 28, 1719. see forward; Josiah, born November 13, 1721, died in French war about 1755: Susanna, born September 27. 1724. died February 22. 1748-49 : Isaac, born April 6, 1728; William, born September 22. 1730. died December 9. 1760, of smallpox: mar- ried. June 20, 1754, Ann Hyde; Sarah, born Septem-


.


321


WORCESTER COUNTY


ber 19, 1733, died September 5, 1796; Margaret, born September 20, 1736; Simon, born August 10, 1739, married, 1763, Rebecca Cleveland.


(IV) Jacob Chamberlain, eldest son of Jacob Chamberlain (3), was born at Oak Hill, Newton, Massachusetts, November 28, 1719. Early in 1742 he removed to Worcester, where he bought a tract of land of Richard Flagg on Salisbury street, Feb- ruary 28, 1742. (See Worcester Registry of Deeds.) This land was handed down to lus son John and from him seventy-two acres were handed down to his son Thomas, since inherited by his sons Robert H. and Thomas, Jr., who are the present owners of the property. Jacob Chamberlain was a farmer by cccupation. He hield the office of selectman in: Worcester in 1761. In 1774 he was a Tory pro- testor, numbered among "the internal enemies" by the committee of correspondence in 1775, and dis- arined by that committee. Again, June 16, 1777, he was reported among others that the selectmen deemed enemies to the "Common Cause." (See Worcester Book, No. 354.) He was deacon of the old first church on the common from 1775 to 1790. He left the church August 8, 1779, on account of the inno- vation in singing. (See Lincoln's history of Wor- cester by Franklin P. Rice, page 153.)


He died March 17, 1790, and was buried on the common and his headstone with the others there was taken down and placed under the sod. The stone bears the following inscription: "Sacred to the memory of Deacon Chamberlain who departed this life March 17, 1790, in the 71st year of his age. Who fulfilled the office of deacon in the Church of Christ in Worcester for about 28 years with satisfaction to the church and honor to him- self. He was possessed of good natural abilities useful in society of which he was a member. In- structive and entertaining in conversation. Com- passionate to the afflicted. Given to hospitality, sound in faith. And now, we trust, has entered into his eternal rest."


After coming to Worcester he married, at New- ton, June 7, 1744, Lydia Stone, born May 4, 1724, the daughter of John and Abigail ( Stratton) Stone, of Newton. Their children were: John, born July 22, 1745, see forward. Sarah, born January 26, 1746-47, died December 5, 1833; married Joseph Howard, of Holden, September 13, 1770. Thad- deus, born November 17, 1748, married Judith Barn- ard, January 27, 1774. Susannah, born June 10, 1751, died young. Jacob, born September 19, 1753, married (first) Lydia Buck, of Sutton, March 18, 1784; (second) Mrs. Esther Kingsbury, February 3. 1824. Lydia, born October S, 1755, died October 5, 1841 ; married Tyler Curtis, September 5, 1776. Su- sannah, born November 22, 1757, died December 16, 1845; married Benjamin Butman, October 22, 1,86. Abigail, horn September 16, 1760, died February 2, 1829; married Abel Heyward Jr., April 27, 1780. Mary, born July 13, 1763, died November 21, 1802; married Nathan Heywood, of Shrewsbury, July 1, 1793. William, born July 25, 1767, died May 6, 1853 ; married (first) Betsey Curtis, January 10, 1791 ; (second) Dolly Chadwick, October 11, ISIO. The child of Jacob and his second wife, Mrs. Anna Hey- wood, whom he married June 3, 1769, was Anna, born July 21, 1770, died February 1, 1838. Anna Heywood was born at Brookline, Massachusetts, widow of Abel Heywood, Sr., son of Major Daniel Heywood, of Worcester, of Indian war fame.


(V) John Chamberlain, eldest son of Jacob Chamberlain (4), was born at Worcester, July 22, 1745. He received the education common to the farmer boy of those days and worked with his father on the farm, which later came to him. He


dealt extensively in real estate and owned consid- erable propery. Seventy-two acres of the old home- stead was handed down to his son Thomas by will dated June 5, 1806. In May, 1775, he was disarmed by the committee of safety and correspondence, he being in accord with his father's principles of loy- alty to the Crown. He was a selectman during the years 1785 to 1795, inclusive, 1797, 1798, 1801, 1802. He was deacon of the First Parish Church twenty- two years, succeeding his father in 1791. He died in ISI3 .


He married, at Worcester, June 27, 1771, Mary Curtis, born October 14, 1747, daughter of Captain John and Elizabeth (Prentice) Curtis, of Worcester. The children of John and Mary Chamberlain were: John Curtis, born June 5, 1772, died December S, 1834; a lawyer of note in Charlestown, New Hamp- shire, was member of congress from his district. Elizabeth Prentice, born November 8, 1774. Henry Vassall, born January II, 1777, a lawyer of some note who settled in Mobile, Alabama, and became a judge. Mary, born April 8, 1779, married Daniel Greenleaf, April 3, 1800. Thomas, see forward. Elizabeth, horn May 25, 1785, died young. Levi. born May 14, 1788, a lawyer of Keene, New Hamp- shire, where he died. Dolly, born January 16, 1792, died unmarried.


(VI) Thomas Chamberlain, son of John Cham- berlain (5), was born at Worcester, March 6, 1783. He received his education in the common schools of this town. In early life and also after he was married he taught school. Among others in his charge were the schools at Tatnuck and Quinsiga- mond. He conducted the farm formerly owned by . his father and grandfather in what was known as the Chamberlain district. His purpose of advancing the science and encouraging and improving the art of horticulture was widened by the fact that he was one of the founders and first trustees of the Worcester Horticultural Society in 1840. His portrait may be seen on the wall of Horti- cultural Hall, Front street, Worcester. He was




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.