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. II > Part 108
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
(V) Oliver Gates, son of Amos Gates (4), was born in Stow, Massachusetts, about 1734. He mar- ried. about 1758, Lucy He was in the revo- lution, April 19, 1775, in the Stow company at Lex- ington, and in 1777 served in the Northern army under Captain Rice. He resided in Stow. Children : Oliver, born April 12, 1759. at Stow : Luther. April 6, 1761 ; David, June 17, 1763: Joel, May 4, 1765;
Isaiah, May 4, 1771, see forward; Lucy, February 28, 1774; Oliver, September 6, 1776; David, April 27, 1786.
(VI) Isaiah Gates, son of Oliver Gates (5), was born in Stow, Massachusetts, May 4, 1771. IIe settled on a farm in Stow and lived there most of his active life. He was a member of the Slow church. In politics he was a Whig, in his later years. He married, August 21, 1794, Susannah Hap- good, born in Stow, November 13, 1777. She died March 5. 1847; he died March 31, 1822. Their chil- dren : Joel, born 1796, married Piper and they had-Emily, Frank, George, Eliza, Mary. Everett, born at Stow, September II, 1798, see for- ward.
(VII) Everett Gates, son of Isaiah Gates (6), was born at Stow, Massachusetts, September 11, 1798, and removed to Ashby. He attended the common schools there, and worked on his father's farm at Ashby until he was about twenty-four years of age, when he left home and bought a farm for himself in the town of Ashby, Massachusetts, of sixty acres and had been called the Blood Hill place. He lived there until 1848, when he sold the farm to one Mansfield and returned to a farm in the West- ern part of the town. He had a blacksmith shop received in his trade with Mansfield, and this shop he conducted for a time but sold finally to John Burr. His Ashby estate was formerly known as the Job Davis farm and consisted of seventy acres of land. He died there April 20, 1860. He was a Democrat in politics. He trained with the state militia when a young man. .
He married, January 30, 1822, Chloe Constan- tine, born February 26, 1803, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Whitman ) Constantine. Her father was a farmer. Their children: I. John L., born No- vember 3, 1822, died June 2, 1829. 2. Charles Ever- ett, born February 16. 1825, died October 23, 1864, unmarried. 3. James L., born May 3, 1827, died June 16, 1829. 4. Jacob Philbrick, horn April 20, 1820, see forward. 5. George O., born May 8, 1832, died March 24, 1839. 6. Mary E., born May 6, 1835, died April 2, 1895. 7. Timothy Noyes, born Jan- uary 16, 1837, married, September 15, 1859, Mary Ann Whittemore ; children-David Everett, born An- gust 24, 1860, married Flora Hill, one child : he died Tune 2, 1897: Hattie E., born March II, 1867, mar- ried Fred Richardson : Henry C., born June 28, 1870; Carrie F., born February 8, 1873, died September 1. 1883: James A., born July 3, 1877, died March 6, 1890; Sarah E., born November 3, 1879. died Febru- ary 20, 1890. 8. Otis E., born September 26, 1839. died October 21, 1857. 9. Francis M., born April 4. 1842, married Elizabeth M. Reynolds, November 14. 1904. 10. Eliza Jane, born June 23, 1844, died June 27. 1852. IT. Eugene C., born July 16, 1847. married, October 14, 1896, in Ashby, Ellen Gold, of Groton.
(VIII) Jacob Philbrick Gates, son of Eeverett Gates (7), was born in Ashby, Massachusetts. April 20, 1829. He was educated in the common schools during the winter terms, working on his father's farm in the summer after he was old enough. He worked for a time in Ashburnham on the farm of John Wilker, whose daughter he married, and later carried on the farm for Mr. Wilker. He finally bought the Wilker farm and built his residence on it. A few years later he built a large saw mill, where he has since manufactured shingles. chair stock and other lumher. His mill is equipped with the best machinery and has steam power. Besides his lumber business, Mr. Gates, together with his son, conducts a dairy farm and delivers milk to their customers in Fitchburg. He has also made
384
WORCESTER COUNTY
butter extensively and done some market garden- ing. His farm is in the northeastern part of the town near the Ashby line and includes about two hundred acres of tilage and woodland. Mr. Gates is a man of high character and large influence among his townsmen. He attends the Unitarian Church at Ashby. In politics he is a Republican and has held the office of road surveyor in Ashburnham.
He married, September 18, 1854, Sarah Wilker, born October 9, 1835, daughter of John and Phebe (Fairbanks) Wilker, of Ashburnham, Massachu- setts. John Wilker, born where Jacob Gates lives, April 3. 1805. He was educated in the common schools and followed farming all his life on a one hundred acre farm. He died 1880. He was a son of George Wilker, born in Boston, son of John Wilker, who came as a pioneer. 1775, and built a log house nearby and spent his life here; died 1719. His son George died 1841 ; he built a house here which is still standing, where Mrs. Jacob Gates was born and married in one room. Here her grandfather died, having spent his life from 14 years of age on this farm. The children of Jacob P. and Saralı (Wilker) Gates were: 1. Flora Georgiana, born November 17, 1855, married, March 26, 1891, Andrew B. Macomber, of Worcester; he died January 4. 1906, no issue. 2. Willie Emerson, born August 15. 1862, died December 19, 1863. 3. Clara Mel- vina, born January 9, 1865, married, November 2, 1887. John Slocumb, of Westminster, Massachusetts ; child, Pearl Goldie, born April 2, 1889. 4. Fred Ellsworth, born July 25, 1869, married. September 18, 1895. Hallie Robbins; of Brooklyn, New Hamp- shire, children-Ellsworth, born October 26, 1896; Harold Robbins, August 17, 1898; Ruth Adelia, March 21, 1901.
WILLIAM B. RAMSDELL. Joseph Ramsdell (I), or as it was often spelled on the old records Ramsden, was the immigrant ancestor of William B. Ramsdell, late of Warren, Massachusetts. He was born in England, probably about 1620, and was an early settler in Plymouth. His name first ap- pears on the records of Plymouth as owner of land planted on shares in 1641. He was on the list of Plymouth men able to bear arms in 1643. He mar- ried (first), March, 1645, Rachel Eaton, who was born 1625, the daughter of Francis Eaton. He mar- ried (second), October 16, 1661. Mary Savory. The only child named on the records and the only one known to genealogists is Daniel, born at Plymouth, September 14. 1649, of whom later.
(II) Daniel Ramsdell, only child known of Joseph Ramsdell (I), was born September 14, 1649. at Plymouth, Massachusetts. His name appears 011 the Plymouth records again in 1665. He married Sarah -. The children of Daniel Ramsdell, so far as known, were: Thomas, born about 16So, of whom later; Samuel, born 1689-90; Joseph, born 1693; Benjamin, born 1699; Hannah, born 1700.
.
(III) Thomas Ramsdell, son of Daniel Rams- dell (2), was born about 168o in the Plymouth colony. He and his brother. Samuel Ramsdell, set- tled in Scituate in that part that was set off as Hanover. They removed in 1711 or 1712. His widow Sarah died in IJanover, in 1773, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. She must have been born, therefore, in 1682. He died at Hanover, September 16, 1727, a comparatively young man. The fact that Thomas was the father of Joseph, ancestor of the Warren family, is established by the death record of Thomas Ramsdell, which states that fact in as many words.
The children of Thomas and Sarah Ramsdell were: Joseph, of whom later; Gideon, born Sep-
tember 13, 1712; Sarah, born July 12, 1715; Mercy, born November 5, 1717, married Peleg Stetson, March 9, 1738; Lydia, born September 5. 1719; Elizabeth, married Ebenezer Curtis, 1747; Grace, born 1725, married Adam Prouty, 1744; Thomas.
(1V) Joseph Ramsdell, son of Thomas Ramsdell (3), was born in Plymouth colony about 1701, died August 22, 1787, aged eighty-six years. He was admitted to the Hanover Church, May 4, 1729. He settled and lived during his active life on a farm in Hanover. He married ( first) Mary Homer, April 23, 1730. She was admitted to the Hanover Church, July 6, 1740, and died June 1, 1754. He married ( second ), November 25, 1755, Mercy Prior, who died July 20, 1766. The children of Joseph and Mary Ramsdell were: Mary, born January 6, 1731, married, 1748, William Whiting; Avis, born July 14, 1732, died December 28, 1740: Priscilla, baptized September 8, 1734, married, December 25, 1755. Isaac Prouty ; Nehemiah, born November 13, 1734, married Rebecca Chamberlain, December 29, 1757, and settled in Connecticut; Thomas, born October 3. 1736, died March 13, 1757; Joseph, born April 25, 1739, died April 6, 1740; Avis, born 1741, baptized March 29, 1741 ; married Joshua Dwelley, December 24, 1761 ; Joseph, of whom later; Japhet, born Au- gust 22, 1745, died June 19, 1750; Sarah, born April 19. 1749, married Oliver Pool, January 13, 1774. The children of Joseph and Mercy Ramsdell were : Mercy, born April 28, 1757, married Ralph Estes, November 4. 1778; Lydia, born 1759, baptized Au- gust 26, married, November 6, 1791, Samuel Whit- comb.
(V) Joseph Ramsdell, eighth child of Joseph Ramsdell (4), was born in Hanover, Massachusetts, July 3, 1743. He was a soklier in the revolution in Captain Amos Turner's company, Colonel John Cushing's regiment (the Second Plymouth) in 1776 and probably other service. He died August 5. 1817. He bought or received a grant of land at Warren, where in 1800 his two sons, Joseph and Homer Ramsdell, settled.
Ile married, February 1, 1770, Elizabeth Barker, who died June 19, 1786. He married (second) Elizabeth Ellis, May 17, 1787. She died October 20, 18II, aged fifty-nine years. The children of Jo- seph and Elizabeth Ramsdell were: Mary, born July 29, 1771, married, July 20, 1780, Nathaniel Ellis; Priscilla, born March 18, 1773, died July 24, 1774; Joseph, born September 10, 1775: Priscilla, born July 7, 1776, died October 17, 1777; Barker, baptized June 13, 1779; Homer, born 1781, of whom later.
(VI) Homer Ramsdell, sixth and youngest child of Joseph Ramsdell (5), was born in Hanover, Massachusetts, 1781. `He removed Warren (formerly Western), Worcester county, Massachu- setts, in 1800, and with his brother Joseph settled on their father's land there. He became a pros- perous farmer and one of the most prominent citi- zens of the town. For many years he was on the board of selectmen. He was an able speaker and was frequently heard at town meetings and other public gatherings. He died in Warren, December 19, 1850. He was what was then known as a free thinker, a man of high character, generous, char- itable and public-spirited. He was one of the lead- ing men of his section of the county.
Ile married Betsey Stockbridge, October 27, 1816. She was born in Western in 1791, and died in Warren in 1876. The children of Homer and Betsey Ramsdell : William B., born in Warren, June 2, 1825, of whom later ; Mary E., born Septem- ber 25, 1829, married, May 2, 1851, Joseph K. Make- peace, and they have one child. Mary E. Makepeace, born February, 1852.
BUS- PUBL'
IC
Charles ETwobridges
385
WORCESTER COUNTY
(VII) William Ramsdell, son of Homer Rams- dell (6), was born in Warren, Massachusetts, June 2, 1825. He attended the public schools there and studied also at Munson Academy for a year. He qualified as a civil engineer, and for thirty years in addition to his other occupations practiced the profession in his vicinity. He was brought up on a farm and was chiefly occupied with farming until 1864, when he began to manufacture boots and shoes. He built up an extensive and flourishing business. In 1884, after twenty years, he retired with a comfortable competence and was thereafter occupied chiefly with the care of his property. For a short time he was in partnership before he retired with B. A. Tripp under the firm name of Ramsdell & Tripp. He owned considerable real estate in Warren, largely business property including the Ramsdell block, which he named in memory of his cleceased son Homer. He was greatly interested in the town and always strove to advance the public interests as well as his own. He was the first presi- dent of the board of trade, a position he filled very acceptably for a number of years. He was one of the founders of the Warren Savings Bank and was one of its board of trustees from its organization, and for many years was its vice-president and a member of its board of investment. He served the town as assessor and selectman, as tax collector and town treasurer.
In politics Mr. Ramsdell was a Republican, but not of a strictly partisan type, exercising his fran- chise in the best interests of the community, county and commonwealth. Mr. Ramsdell supplemented and broadened his early education by constant read- ing and study. He was a man of large influence among his fellow citizens, and commanded their fullest confidence and respect. He died November 15, 1905.
He married, October 12, 1859, Mary Makepeace, daughter of the late Augustus Makepeace, of West Brookfield. Their children are: Homer A., born September 4. 1860, died January 1, 1883; Jennie MI., born June 4, 1863, married George MI. Faulkner, treasurer of the Slater Engine Company of War- ren; Mr. and Mrs. Faulkner have a son, Homer Ramsdell Faulkner; Emma A., born May 27, 1869. married Joseph D. Hastings, a well-known druggist of Warren, and has a daughter, Elizabeth Stock- bridge Hastings; William B., born August 7, 1872, died November, 1879.
CHARLES E. TROWBRIDGE. The name of Trowbridge is of high antiquity in England as per- sons bearing the name are found to have lived dur- ing the reign of William the Conqueror. The first of the name are found in Trowbridge, a market town and parish in Wiltshire, England, which town received its name from that of one of the family, being their residence for many centuries and the property of one of the name in the reign of Edward I. The name of Trowbridge first appears in the Doomsday book. Trowbridge formerly had a cas- tle but no trace now remains. It was besieged by Stephen about A. D. 1135. A younger branch of the Trowbridges settled in Somersetshire as early as 1541. They resided at Taunton in that county and from this branch sprang the Trowbridges of Amer- ica. That the Taunton family descended from that of Wiltshire is sufficiently proven by their arms, pre- cisely the same as those seen in the stained glass window of the chancel of St. James' Church, Taun- ton, England. (Copied from "History of Wood- bury, Connecticut.") Jolin Trowbridge, the grand- father of the first settler in America, lived at Hut- ton, Somerset county, England, and died there in
1575. In his will, dated February 17, 1575, he names two sons, Thomas and Edmund, the former being remembered to this day for his bequest to the poor, the income of which is annually distributed in the parish church of St. Mary Magdalen, at Taunton, England. The latter, Edmund, was the father of the emigrant ancestor, Thomas. John Trowbridge's will named as executor his two brothers, both named Thomas and designated as Thomas, Sr., and Thomas, Jr., after an idiotic custom of our English forefathers. These cases of two sons of the same name living at the same time are great sources of grief to the genealogists of the present day. Edmund Trow- bridge was given five silver spoons and a gold ring by his father.
(I) Thomas Trowbridge, son of Edmund Trow- bridge, mentioned above, was born in England, about 1610. He came from Taunton, Somersetshire, Eng- land, and settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts Bay Colony, as early as 1636. His wife joined the church there in 1636, and their son was born there that year. He drew a lot of land January 2, 1637, and at various times after that. Later in 1638 or early in 1639, however, he removed to New Haven. He was in the foreign shipping business and lie continued in business, making voyages between the Barbadoes and England. He owned a house and lot in New Haven as early as 1639, but was apparently not living there. He and his wife and three chil- dren were living there in 1643 and he was rated as one of the richest men of the colony, paying taxes on five hundred pounds. In 1641 Mr. Cheever, the celebrated pedagogue, received payment for teacli- ing Trowbridge's children; evidently the children were well educated for their day. He went to Eng- land 111 1644, leaving his three sons and all his American property in charge of Henry Gibbons, who proved unfaithful to his trust. Sergeant Thomas Jeffries took the boys into his own family. Thomas Trowbridge wrote often from England to. have Gibbons brought to account, but without avail. Even a power of attorney to his sons was not ef- fective. Thomas Trowbridge died in Taunton, Eng- land, February 7, 1672, and soon afterward Gibbons gave to the sons a deed of everything he had, even. to the bed lie slept on, in an endeavor to make good. the property of the family. When Gibbons died in 1686 Thomas Trowbridge was apointed his adminis- trator and recovered all there was left of his father's. estate in New Haven. The sons of Thomas Trow- hridge (1), were: Thomas, born 1632, at Taunton, England; William, born 1634; James, born 1636, at Dorchester, Massachusetts, see forward.
(II) Deacon James Trowbridge, third and youngest son of Thomas Trowbridge (1), was born at Dorchester, Massachusetts. in 1636, and baptized two years later. In 1641 he removed with his father to New Haven, Connecticut. He lived in New Haven until nearly twenty-one years old, when he returned to Dorchester and occupied the land his father had owned before removing to New Haven. He removed in 1664 to Cambridge Village. now Newton, Massachusetts. His wife Margaret, Thomas Wiswan, Goodman Kinwright, were dismissed by the Dorchester church, July 11, 1664, to the church gath- ered at Cambridge Village. James Trowbridge was elected deacon to succeed his father-in-law, in 1075, and held that office forty-two consecutive years. In 1675 he bought of Deputy-Governor Danforth a farin of eighty-five acres with house and other buildings where the governor had lived several years, adjoin- ing his farm, and the descendants of James Trow- bridge have ever since kept in their possession a considerable part of the original homestead in New- ton. In the seventh generation the place was owned
11-25
386
WORCESTER COUNTY
by Nathan Trowbridge, He was seleetman on the very first board, elected August 27, 1679, and served nine years. He was clerk of writs 1692-93, lieu- tenant of the military company, deputy to the general court from 1700 to 1703. Ile made his will in 1709 and added a codicil in 1715; it was proved June, 1717. He mentions his rights in land at Dorchester received from his father, Thomas Trowbridge. The estate amounted to two hundred and forty pounds and seven shillings.
He married Margaret Atherton, daughter of Major-General Humphrey Atherton, December 30, 1659, and had seven children. She died August 17, 1672. He married (second) Margaret Jackson, daughter of Deacon John Jackson, January 30, 1674. She died September 16, 1727, aged seventy- eight years. Children of James and Margaret (Ath- erton) Trowbridge were: Elizabeth, born October 12, 1660, married John Myrick; Mindwell, born June 20, 1662, married Jonathan Fuller; John, born May 22, 1664, married Sarah Wilson; Margaret, born April 30, 1666, married Ilon. Ebenezer Stone ; Thankful, born March 4, 1668, married Deacon R. Ward; Hannah, born June 15, 1672, married John Greenwood. Children of James and Hannah (Jack- son) Trowbridge were: Experience, born November I, 1675, married Samuel Wilson; Thomas, born De- cember 4. 1677, married (second) Mary Goffe ; ( third) Susanna -; Deliverance, born Decem- ber 31, 1679, married Eleazer Ward; James, see for- ward; William, born November 19, 1684. married Sarah Ann Ward and (second) Sarah Fullam; Abi- gail, born April 11, 1687, probably never married ; Caleb, born November 9, 1692, married Sarah Oliver and ( second ) Hannah Walter.
( III) James Trowbridge, son of James Trow- bridge (2), was born at Dorchester, Massachusetts, September 20, 1682, died August 21, 1714, aged thirty-two years. His father deeded to him his dwelling house and land, ninety acres, situate be- tween land of Joshua Fuller and John Mirick. His estate was valued in the inventory at seven hun- dred and thirty-six pounds, fourteen shillings and sixpence. He married, January 6, 1709, Hannah Bacon; (second), 1712, Ilannah Jackson. The chil- dren of the first wife were: Margaret, born October 29, 1709, married Nathaniel Stowell; Daniel, born April 6, 1711, see forward. The children' by the second wife were: Hannah, born 1713, married Daniel Robbins; Jemima, received a bequest in will of grandfather. Abraham Jackson.
(IV) Daniel Trowbridge, son of Jomes Trow- bridge (3), was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, April 6. 1711, died there October 1, 1795. He set- tled at Pomfret, Connecticut, and was a farmer. He married Hannah Spring, at Newton, October 8, 1733. She was the daughter of Ensign John Spring, of Watertown. She died June 26, 1763. He married ( second ), April 15. 1767, Jerusha Bowen, widow, who died June 27, 1791. Children of Daniel and Hannah Trowbridge, born at Pomfret, were: Dan- iel, Jr., born June 18, 1734, died 1744; Joanna, born May 3, 1736, died August 5, 1741 ; Daniel, born July 30, 1738; James, born February 15, 1740; John, born April 11, 1742: Ephraim, born June 10, 1744; Han- nah, born August 19, 1746, died October 19, 1748; William, born May 1, 1748; Hannah, born February 19, 1752, married Philip Pearl, of Hampton; Caleb, born December 27, 1754, see forward; Elisha, born October 23, 1750.
(V) Caleb Trowbridge, son of Daniel Trow- bridge (4), was born at Pomfret, Connecticut, De- cember 27, 1754. His farm adjoined that of his father. He died September 9, 1830. He married Zylphiia Barrows, who died October 3, 1863, aged
ninety-seven years, six months, one day. Their chil- dren were: Artemas, born December 7, 1789; Maria, born May 28, 1792, married Jerome Pike; Susannah, born August 14, 1794, died December 4. 1805; George, born August 11, 1798, see forward; Charles, born 1801.
(VI) George Trowbridge, son of Caleb Trow- bridge (5), was born at Pomfret, Connecticut, Au- gust II, 1798. He was educated and brought up in his native town. Before his marriage he entered the mercantile business with his brother Artemas at Camden, New York, where he lived the remainder of his days. He married, September 29, 1829, Juliana Allin, of Pomfret. Their children were: 1. Charles Edward, see forward. 2. Julia Allen, born at Cam- den, New York, January 20, 1833, married William W. Chubbuck, of Hamilton, New York, who was the youngest brother of Emily C. Judson, the wife of Rev. Dr. Adoniram Judson, Baptist missionary to Burmah, India. Mrs. Judson was an authoress, and while employed as a teacher in the Utica Female Seminary acquired a wide reputation under the name of Fanny Forester. Mr. Chubbuck died sud- denly of heart disease at Utica in 1861. In 1873 Mrs. Chubbuck was appointed a clerk in the inquiry branch of the New York postoffice by Postmaster Thomas L. James, and has served thirty-three years continuously under the administrations of Postmas- ters James, Pearson, Van Cott, Dayton and Wil- cox. Mrs. Chubbuck's employment was in decipher- ing illegible addresses arriving at the New York postoffice and largely foreign letters, and millions of people in the United States are indebted to her skill and remarkable intuition, so that letters almost illegible were sent to those for whom they were intended and who otherwise would never have re- ceived them. She died February 21, 1906. 3. Will- iam Henry, born at Camden, January 4. 1836, is a farmer at Camden; was a soldier in the civil war and participated in the battles of Ball's Bluff and Chickamauga. 4. Elizabeth Pearce, born November 17, 1837, married Jerome Pike and resides at Cam- den, New York; she was one of the compilers of the "Pioneer History of Camden, New York," a valuable reference book. 5. George Frederick, born June 7, 1846, died June 25, 1871.
(VII) Charles Edward Trowbridge, son of George Trowbridge (6), was born in Pomfret, Con- necticut, February 3, 1831. He was educated in Pomfret, where his younger days were spent with his grandparents .. He learned the trade of machin- ist at Whitinsville, Massachusetts. He was pro- moted from place to place until he became the master mechanic of the Whitinsville Cotton Company. In 1872 he made his first important invention. We quote a sketch of it. "In 1872 Charles E. Trow- bridge, master mechanic of the Whitinsville Cotton Mill, and Arthur F. Whitin, who was then employed in the repair ship, perfected and patented special tools for making rings for spinning and twisting. They began the manufacture of rings in 1873, under the firmn name of the Whitinsville Spinning Ring
Company. By their improved methods and tools superior work is secured, and a great saving of labor is effected. With the old method the ring is passed through several hands and numerous opera- tions, and the ring was not of such uniform ex- cellenee or finish. The company began the manu- facture of rings for the cotton mills of Whitinsville and vicinity, but the fame of their superiority soon spread and arrangements had to be made for in- creased production. The rings have been sent all over the country and many have been exported. The business has increased sixfold since 1878, but its growth has been a natural one. Arthur F.
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.