Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. II, Part 109

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 732

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 109

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Whitin is treasurer ; Charles E. Trowbridge is agent and George E. Trowbridge is superintendent. MIr. Trowbridge has secured a number of patents on rings and ring holders and has recently patented a new process of producing a metallic ring, which ef- fects a great saving of travelers, on new rings, a a much better yarn is produced by the consequent saving of breakage. The company began the manu- facture of the adjustable ring in 1886 and now pro- duces all varieties of rings known to the trade. The work began in the repair shop of the mill .. In 1884, needing more room, it was moved to the old cotton mill built in 1886, on the south side of the stream, and occupied the basement and first story. In 1887 an enlargement of twenty by sixty-five feet was made and a new building erected with a furnace chimney for hardening and anncaling. The success of this concern has been due in a large measure to the inventions of Mr. Trowbridge and his business ability. Mr. Trowbridge has always been a pro- gressive man as to village and up-to-date improve- ments. He was greatly interested in electrical im- provements of the place, being the first to install electric lights and telephone in his home. He is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Whitinsville, and a liberal supporter of that de- nomination; a member for nearly fifty years, filling several of the important offices as trustee and stew- ard. Much of the credit is due him for the successful movement to pay off the Methodist Episcopal Church debt at Webster Square, Worcester, Massachusetts. The occasion of the burning of the church mortgage, December 22, 1905, was one of great joy and satis- faction to the people of this church and due credit is given Mr. Trowbridge and the others who brought about the payment of the debt. Mr. Trowbridge is a member of no clubs or secret orders. He has al- ways divided his time between business and home. He is a Republican but has never held public office.

He married, September 29, 1850, Jane E. Bray- ton, who died December 18, 1904. She was a native of Pomfret, Connecticut. Their children are : George E., sec forward; Lizzie Jane, born October 23, 1859, at Whitinsville ..

(VIII) George E. Trowbridge, son of Charles E. Trowbridge (7), was born at Pomfret, Con- necticut, December 25, 1857. He was educated in the public schools of Whitinsville and in the Eng- lish & Classical high school of Providence, Rhode Island. He entered the shop of the Spinning Ring Company and early learned the business, and in a few years became manager of the plant, a position .he still holds. In February, 1887, he married Ella J. Johnston, of Whitinsville, daughter of James Johnston. Previous to this he built a home in North Uxbridge, where their two children were born: Clara Fern, October 22, 1891, Ruth Elsbeth, July 18, 1891. In 1900 he built his present residence on Maple street, North Uxbridge. He is independent in politics and active in municipal affairs, having been on various committees of the town, trustee of the Thayer Memorial Library, trustee of the Whitins- ville Savings Bank, member, trustee, and treasurer of the Whitinsville Methodist Episcopal Church. A man of high character, public spirit and business ability.

JONATHAN DAVIS. George Davis (I), the immigrant ancestor of Jonathan Davis, of Sterling, Massachusetts, was one of the pioneers at Salem. He was born in England and came to New England when a young man. His name first appears on the Salem records in 1641, although he was living there, very likely, for four or five years before that He was probably a weaver by trad . but in !

appears to have been a ship-owner or a part owner in shipping. He removed to Reading, where he was a proprietor in 1644. He was admitted a free- man May 26, 1647. He was a man of property and influence. He was selectman of Reading.

He died at Cape Fear, July 14, 1667, on a voyage. He made liis will December 7, 1664; it was proved September 30, 1667. He mentions his wife and son Benjamin as executors ; bequeaths what he has in the ship and the weavers' looms to his son Joseph; men- tions five daughters under age; named brother Will- iam Clark ( brother-in-law?), of Lynn, as one of the overseers. Ilis children: Benjamin, executor, rc- sided in Lynn; Joseph, see forward; Hannah, born May 3, 1648, married, 1669, John Boutwell; Sarah, born October 1, 1651; Elizabeth, born January 16, 1654, married 1678, Timothy Wiley; Mary, born January 16, 1657-58; John, born July 20, 1660, died November 4, 1660; Susanna, born May 11, 1662.

(II) Joseph Davis, son of George Davis (1), was born probably in Salem about 1640-46. He set- tled at Reading, Massachusetts. But little is known of him. He was doubtless a farmer of quiet disposi- tion. The fact that his father willed his looms to him indicates that he had learned the trade of weaver and probably followed it in connection with his farming. His children: Joseph, see forward; Han- nah, born 1672; Caleb (twin), born 1673; Joshua (twin), born 1673, married, 1697, Rebecca Poor and had-Ruth and Sarah Davis; Thomas, born 1676, married Hannah Hartshorn.

(III) Joseph Davis, Jr., son of Joseph Davis (2), was born in Reading, Massachusetts, about 1609-70. He married, June 18, 1691, Rebecca Pat- ten, daughter of Thomas Patten. They settled in Billerica, where he bought a lot May 10, 1693, formerly belonging to John Poulters. It has been known lately as the I. G. Kimball place and is lo- cated on the north side of Andover street. He was one of the twenty-two pew-holders in the Billerica church in 1739-40. In 1699 he bought the Fox farm of Mr. Daniels, agent of Thomas Cooper, and there, north of Fox Hill, made his home on what is yet known as the Davis place. He was deacon of the church, prominent in town affairs, and was selectman :11 1720.

Children of Joseph and Rebecca Davis were : Rebecca, born September 11, 1692, married, May 13, 1713, IIezakiah Ballard, of Andover; Hannalı, born December 1, 1694; Joseph, born November 3. 1697; Elizabeth, born November 6, 1699, married Jacob French; Benjamin, born May 1, 1703; Mary, born May 31, 1706, married Jonathan French ; Sarah, born May 1, 1709, married Josiah Bacon ; Susanna, born December 5, 1710, married Josiah Baldwin; Joshua, see forward; Esther, born March 24. 1716, married, September 1, 1734, Samuel Par- ker, of Andover; Thomas, born July 8, 1717, dis- missed to the church at Mansfield, Connecticut.

(IV) Joshua Davis, son of Joseph Davis (3), was born October 20, 1714. He married, October 24, 1739, Hannah Jaquith, of Wilmington, a town near Reading. They settled in Billerica, where he was deacon of the church. He was an active patriot during the revolution. He was one of the con- servators appointed by the town, January, 1775, "to provide for the families of those persons who are gone out of town into the Continental Army." In 1776 he was a member of the Billerica committee of safety and correspondence. He died January 18, 1777 ; his widow August 8, 1800. Their children were : Joshua, born July 15, 1740, died August, same year ; Hannah, born September 7, 1741, married John Former : Joshua, born October 25, 1743; Joseph, born February 1, 1745-46; died March 30, 1750; Rebecca,

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born August 21, 1748, died March 21, 1749-50; Jo- seph, born March 25, 1751, died January 14, 1777, soldier in the revolution; Benjamin, born June 20, 1753, soldier in the revolution; Timothy, born April 28, 1756, soldier in the revolution; Jonathan, see forward; William, born March 28, 1761.

(V) Jonathan Davis, son of Joshua Davis (4), was born at Billerica, Massachusetts, February 13, 1758. He settled there near the Tewksbury line. In 1776 he had the old Davis place on the Long Pond road. Later he removed to Bolton, Massa- chusetts, formerly Lancaster, but returned to Bil- lerica and there died in 1800.

He is credited with service for the town of Med- ford in the revolution in Captain Isaae Hall's com- pany, Colonel Gardner's regiment, April 19, 1775. Same regiment in October, 1775, under Colonel Will- iam Brooks and later under Lieutenant-Colonel Caleb Brooks. Also in the Continental army in 1777 in Captain Abijah Child's company, Colonel Greaton's regiment. He married Mary Chapman, and their children were: Mary Davis, born Janu- ary 31, 1783; Martha Chapman, May 30, 1786; Abi- gail, May 18, 1788; Jonathan, July II, 1790; Orpha, July 1, 1793; Susannah, March 26, 1795; George, July 22, 1797, in Bolton.

(VI) George Davis, son of Jonathan Davis (5). was born in Bolton, Massachusetts, July 22, 1797. He began life as a farmer in Westford, Massachu- setts, an adjacent town. In 1846 he removed to Sterling, Massachusetts, and bought the farm that is at present owned and conducted by his son. He was a member of the Unitarian church, a man of in- tegrity and a citizen of sterling worth. He died at Sterling at the age of sixty-four years, June 8. 1862. He married Sophia H. Whitcomb, daughter of Rufus Whitcomb, a farmer. She was born in Templeton, Massachusetts, and died in Sterling, aged sixty-six years. Children of George and Sophia Davis were: 1. John A., born May 24, 1825. 2. Jonathan, June 10, 1830. 3. Ophelia, October 27, 1834, married E. A. Lynde, and resides at Daven- port, Iowa. 4. Andrew B., June 6, 1841. John died at the age of twenty years ; Andrew died in infancy. (VII) Jonathan Davis, son of George Davis (6), was born in Westford, Middlesex county, Massachusetts, June JO. 1830. When he was six- teen years old, his father removed to Sterling and the family has since then lived there. In addition to the usual common school training, he attended the Lancaster high school and the academy at New Ipswich, New Hampshire. He taught school in Sterling, Leominster, Ashburnham and Phillipston at various times until he was twenty-six years old, when he bought a half interest in his father's farm. After the death of his father he purchased his sis- ter's share and has carried on the farm since in his own name. Besides the homestead which contains about seventy-five acres, he owns a large amount of out-lying land. He has what is in many respects the best farm in town, especially famous for its dairy products, Mr. Davis is a dairy expert and deals extensively in cows. He is also engaged in the lumber business. On October 25, 1906, all the buildings on Mr. Davis' farm were totally destroyed, together with all his cattle, horses and pigs. Since that date he has purchased the P. M. Rugg farm, close to his late residence, and will probably re- build on the old site at a later date.

Mr. Davis is a Republican in politics and has always taken part in the administration of town af- fairs. Ile has served on the board of selectmen twenty years, all of the time as chairman. He has been a member of the board of health twenty-five years, and has been road commissioner, overseer

of the poor, assessor, and member of the school committee. He is a member of the Farmers' Club- and of the Worcester East Agriculture Society. He attends the Congregational Church, of which some of the family are members. He was one of the original trustees of the public library and largely instrumental in its establishment. He was chair- man of the committee when it was built and chair- man of the committee when the house on the town farm was built, also the high school house.

He married (first) 1856, Urania Ingalls, of Put- ney, Vermont. She died in 1860. Ile married (sec- ond) Ellen Smith, of Athol, Massachusetts, daugh- ter of Adin Smith, a brick manufacturer. She died November 28, 1883. The only child of Jonathan and Urania Davis was : Mary, born February 2, 1858, married A. M. Wilder, now a grain dealer in Somer- ville, Massachusetts. The children of Jonathan and Ellen were: Louisa S., born June 10, 1864; Maria, born September 22, 1866; George A., born July 5, 1868; Alice, born January 15, 1873; John A., born July 5, 1877, married Maude Shattuck, and they have one child, Jonathan, born October 7, 1905.

GOODNESS FAMILY. Anthony Olezeme La- bonté ( Goodness) (1), was born September 13, 1830, in the little town of La Machich, in the province of Quebec, Canada. lle attended the public schools of his native place, and the College of St. Anne for two years. He learned the trade of shoemaker and at the age of eighteen went to Troy, New York, where he secured employment as a custom shoe maker, and worked there for two years, when he removed to Randolph, Massachusetts. At that time the boot and shoe business was very pros- perous at Milford, Massachusetts, and he went there after working a short time at Randolph and was employed first by Benjamin Godfrey, Mr. La- bonte was a skillful workman. He remained in Milford until the financial panic of 1857 crippled the shoe industry in Alilford as well as most lines of business in the country. He went to Ogdensburg, New York, and worked there until 1863, when he returned to Massachusetts to work for Fairbanks & Brown, boot and shoe manufacturers of Grafton. After about a year he moved to Worcester and worked a year for Charles E. Houghton. He re- turned to Grafton to live but worked for some years in Worcester. During his later years he had a eus- tom shoe shop on his own account at Grafton, making and repairing shoes and doing a thriving business. lle died in East Douglas, June 7. 1900. Mr. Labonté changed his name to the English equivalent, Goodness. soon after coming to the States and all his family and descendants have fol- lowed his example.

Ile married, 1856, Mary Le Marche, daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Shortelle) Le Marche, of Lowell, Massachusetts. Their children were: I. Joseph Elezeme, born in Ogdensburg. New York. 2. Mary Delphine, born in Ogdensburg, married Joseph Quintal, in East Douglas, and they have three children-Harriet Elmo, born in East Douglas, April 17. 1880. graduated with honors from the high school, 1906; Frederick, born May 1, 1891, in East Douglas; Joseph Olezeme, born in East Douglas, June 7, 1898. 3. Amas Louis, born in Ogdensburg. 4. Frank Albert, born in Milford, Massachusetts, resides at Newport News. Virginia, is married. 5. Clemens Simmons, born in Milford, see forward. 6. Mary Ann, born in Grafton, married Henry Tetu. of East Douglas, and they have three children- Olizeme Henry Francis, born November 6, 1803. in East Douglas ; Winifred, born in Douglas, March 2. 1896; Joseph Amas, born in Douglas, March 14.

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1899. 7. Frederick, born in Douglas. S. Cora Olivine, born in Manchaug, Massachusetts, married John Condon, of Douglas, July 4, 1896; he is a butcher and has an extensive meat and provision business of his own in Douglas.

(11) Clemons Simmons Goodness, son of An- tony Olezeme Goodness ( Labonté), was born in Milford, Massachusetts. When he was five years old he went to work in a mill in Webster, Massa- chusetts. He didn't have a very important job, needless to say. In fact, when he worked in the Manchaug cotton mills, two years later, he was get- ting only a dollar a week. He went from village to village with his parents, until they settled perma- nently in East Douglas. There he worked three years in Hayward & Taft's woolen mill. After this, with $300 that he had saved, lie opened a pool room in Whitinsville on his own account. Thi business venture, which he entered upon at the age of sixteen, was successful, and he sold out and went back to East Douglas. In 1891 war threatened for a time between the United States and Chile, on oc- count of the killing of some citizens of the United States in Valparaiso. Then it was that Clemons had a desire to join the navy. This he did at Charlestown navy yard, where he was assigned to the receiving ship "Wabash" and subsequently to the receiving ship "Vermont." November 17, 1901, he was transferred to the United States cruiser "Ben- nington," on which he went to sea for the first time. On this boat he sailed to many points in South and Central America, and also to the countries along the north shore of the Mediterranean. He served the regular three years' term and then re-enlisted for a second term. Shipmates of his begged him to re- enlist for a third term, when the six years were over. He might have done so had hie not been pos- sessed at the time of a desire to go to the Klondike in search of gold. He was urged by friends and by Lieutenant Jenkins to ship with them on the United States cruiser "Maine," which was blown up in Havana harbor, February 15, 1898, and on which many of his comrades were killed. One reason why he would not do as they urged was that he thought the "Maine" a hoodoo ship. The stronger reason was that his heart was set upon try- ing his luck in the Klondike, where gold had been lately discovered. He stayed fourteen months in the gold fields. He was among the first to buy land on what is now the site of the prosperous city of Bremerton, Washington State. He left the Klon- dike when he heard that the "Maine" had been de- stroyed in Havana harbor, and that, as a result, the United States was likely to go to war with Spain. As soon as he got the news he hurried away from the interior, alone, and went to Seattle, whence he came east. By the time he arrived in the United States the war with Spain was practically over, but there were new territories to be pacified. Clemons enlisted in the navy for the third time, September 23, 1898, and served until March 8, 1901, when he received a discharge for disability.

On returning to East Douglas, at this time, he opened a newsdealer's store on Main street in that village, where he is now doing a good business. He keeps memories of experience in all corners of the earth. He has a large collection of souvenirs, which he gathered wherever he visited. He witnessed the ceremony at Honolulu, when the American flag was first raised over the Hawaiian Islands. He was present at the Foochow massacre, in the war be- tween Japan and China, in 1894. Besides observing people and their customs, he has been attentive to art, in this fostering a natural taste. From his boyhood he has had the gift of painting, doing work

in oil on canvas, shells, and many other materials. He took art lessons in Italy, and would be painting now if his right hand were not partly paralyzed.

STOWELL FAMILY. Samuel Stowell (1), the immigrant ancestor of about all of this surname in this country, was doubtless born in England, about 1620. He was mentioned in the famous Hobart diary as living in Hingham, Massachusetts, as early as 1649, and was then a proprietor of that town. He married, October 25, 1649, at Highham, Mary Farrow, daughter of John and Frances Farrow. Ile died November 9, 1683, and she married (sec- ond), October 10, 1689, Joshua Beal, a widower. The will of Samuel Stowell was dated October 27, 1683, and was proved June 30, 1683-84. The ap- praisers were John Marsh and Thomas Lincoln. The inventory showed property valued at one hun- dred and eighty-five pounds, one shilling, two pence. IIis homestead was on Fort Hill street. Children of Samuel and Mary Stowell: Mary, born October 16, 1653, married, February 25, 1682-83, John Garnet ; Samuel, Jr., born July 8, 1655, resided at Hing- ham; John, born March 15, 1657-58, resided in Hingham: David, born April 8, 1660, see forward; Remember, born April 22, 1662, married, March 16, 1687-88, Thomas Remington; child, born September 5. 1664, died September 21 following; William, born January 23, 1665-66; Israel, born April 27, 1668, died November 15, 1669; Israel, born August 10, 1670, settled in Newton, where she died 1718; he died 1725, aged fifty-five years; weaver by trade; Elizabeth, born June 7, 1673, married, December 14. 1699, George Lane: Benjamin, born June 3 or 8, 1676, resided in Hingham.

(11) David Stowell, son of Samuel Stowell (1), was born in Hingham, Massachusetts, April, 1660. He married there, December 4, 1684, and removed to Cambridge. Massachusetts, where he married (second), April 7. 1695, Mary Stedman. She died September 27, 1724. He afterwards settled in New- ton, Massachusetts, where he was known as "Old Stowell" and where he died. The children: David, Jr., married Elizabeth -; married (second) Patience - ; he died at Newton, October 1 or 21, 1724; Benjamin, died at Newton, November 29, 1729, unmarried ; Samuel, clothier, resided at Water- town; died 1748; father of Cornelius Stowell, of Worcester: Ruth, married - Osborne; John, see forward; Mary, married - King.

(III) John Stowell, son of David Stowell (2), was born probably in Watertown, where his father lived, about 1690. He married, November 1, 1722, Mrs. Sarah Ford, of Weymouth. (The Mrs. was used for maidens as well as widows at that time.) He settled in Watertown and was constable there in 1637. He lived at Newton carlier and bought land on the Boston road at Newton of Obadiah Coolidge, March 5, 1718-19. He removed to Water- town after 1723. Apparently he hesitated between Sturbridge and Worcester about 1740. John Stowell, of Watertown, sold land at Sturbridge, December 2. 1742, to Amos Shumway. John Stowell. of Watertown, sold land in Sturbridge to John Rion (Ryan), of Sturbridge, October 26, 1742. In 1744 he was of Worcester, and sold more land at Stur- bridge to his son-in-law. David Curtis, of Sturbridge, November 26, 1744. He bought his first land in Worcester in 1743 of Abisha Rice, who inherited it from Thomas Rice. He mortgaged land to Eliza- beth Dudley, widow of William Dudley, January 28, 1746, part of his Worcester property. He mort- gaged land to John Chandler, April 13, 1754, at Worcester. Another deed or mortgage to John Chandler is dated at Worcester, July 23, 1757. The

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homestead at Worcester was deeded to his son Benjamin, who contracted to support and care for his father the remainder of his life in return for the property, July IS, 1750. John Stowell and Thomas Rice joined in a deed of ninety acres of land which they bought of John Barber, November 28, 1752. The land was in Worcester and was sold to Francis Cutting, of Shrewsbury. John Stowell was of Worcester when he died in 1762, and his eldest son John, Jr., of Petersham, was adminis- trator of the estate. The inventory was made by Nathaniel Moore, Cornelius Stowell and Nathan Perry, December 3. 1762. As he had given away most of his property, the estate was small.

Children of John and Sarah, all born at Water- town except the eldest, were: Sarah, born at New- ton, August 14, 1723, married at Sturbridge, 1741. David Curtis; bought land at Sturbridge, but re- moved to Petersham, where their four youngest children, Priscilla, Thomas, Eunice and Prudence Curtis, were born; John (not given by Bond), born 1726, see forward; James, born and died at Water- town. July, 1728; Benjamin, born May 4, 1730, mar- ried at Worcester, October 23. 1755, Elizabeth Parker, and had the homestead at Worcester ; Hezekiah, born December 25, 1732, married Persis Rice and had Levi, at Worcester, January 8, 1759; Elijah, at Petersham, February 2, 1764, and Persis, at Petersham, April 2, 1766; Jerusha, born Febru- ary I, 1734-35; Jemima, baptized March 6, 1730-37 ; David, baptized April 6, 1740.

(IV) John Stowell, Jr., son of John Stowell (3), was born probably in Watertown, in 1726. He died at Petersham, Massachusetts, where he settled early in life, aged sixty-five years, April 5, 1791. He was one of the leading patriots of the town of Petersham before and during the revolution. Ile was on the committee of safety and correspondence in 1773 with Sylvanus How, Colonel Ephraim Doo- little, Johnathan Grout, Samuel Dennis, Daniel Miles, Captain Elisha Ward, Theophilus Chandler and Deacon William Willard. This committee, with the assistance of Josiah Quincy, Jr., prepared a re- ply to a circular letter from the Boston commit- tee of correspondence, a series of resolutions rela- tive to the conditions of the colonies and a series of instructions to their representatives in the gen- eral court. When the war came Jolin Stowell was a private in Captain John Wheeler's company, Colonel Ephraim Doolittle's regiment. John Stowell was at Petersham before the name was adopted. He bought land there when it was called Nichewaug, May 8, 1753, and sold October 24, 1753, to Samuel Belknap, of Woburn. ( This was the south end of lot No. 53 originally Joshua Hutchinson's. ) He bought land of John Sawyer at Petersham, January 19, 1758, and again in 1762 of Daniel Fiske in Petersham. He bought land of Edward Goddard, of Shrewsbury, on the west side of Mill brook, June 22, 1768. In 1789 he deeded land to his son Lemuel and to his son John. Ile had already given land to his son Joab. The widow of John Stowell, Sarah Stowell, died June 23, 1830, aged ninety-nine years and nine months.

Their children: I. Sarah, married (intentions August 13, 1774) Joel Bigelow. 2. Molly, married (intentions December 7, 1776) Jesse Dimick, of Guilford. Connecticut. 3. John, Jr., married Lois and had six children-John, born December 26, 1781, married, 1812, Polly Sanderson. of Shutes- bury; Sarah, born September 27, 1783; Lucy, born May 24, 1786; Henry, born June 27. 1788; Luther, born January 5, 1793; Jesse, born March 12, 1795. 4. Abel, born 1760, died January 27, 1811, see for- ward. 5. Asahel, born 1771, died June 2, 1840, aged

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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. II, Part 109

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed Publication date: 1907 Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 732

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 732