Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. II, Part 27

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 27

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He married Dorcas Dodge, born at Stoddard, September 30, 1765, died August 13, 1834. Their children were: Persis, born June 13, 1788; Mercy, September 9, 1789; Sally, March 12, 1791; Nathaniel, June 27, 1793; Nathan, Jr., October 3, 1795, see forward; Jonas, June II, 1798; Olive, January 30, 1801; Joseph, July 13, 1803; Asa, July 20, 1800; Lit- ther, September 4, 1808.

(VII) Nathan Richardson, Jr., fifth child of Nathan Richardson (6), was born in Peterborough, now Stoddard, New Hampshire, October 3. 1795. He attended the common schools of that town and received an excellent education for his time. He taught school in Stoddard when a young man. At the age of eighteen he went to Chazy, New York, where he bought a tract of land in the forest and cleared his own farm. His first dwelling house was a log cabin. He prospered and after a few years built a substantial stone house, which is still in the possession of the family and is now occupied by his son, Robbins Richardson. He cut and sold much timber from his farm, which proved an ex- cellent investment. He was a member of the Pres- byterian church at Chazy and was active in the church management. In politics he was originally a Whig, later a Republic. He served the town of Chazy as school trustee and highway commissioner. He was in the militia and was in the service at Portsmouth for a short time in the war of 1812. At the time of the Papincau Insurrection in Canada, when trouble was feared with the United States. he was drafted, (but hired a substitute, Abraham Stevens) but the trouble was confined to a brief civil war in Canada and was soon suppressed by the British government and Canada was peacefully united in 1841. It is called popularly the Papineau war from its leader, Louis J. Papineau.

Mr. Richardson married ( first), 1826, Huldah Waters, born at Champlain, New York, August 12, 1810, daughter of John and Huldah (Robbins) Waters, formerly of Deerfield. Her father was a

farmer there. He married (second) Elizabeth J. Toms, of Chazy. The children of Nathan, Jr., and Huldah (Waters) Richardson were: John Nathan, born April 14, 1827; Dorcas, born December 3, 1829, died 1893; Robbins, born June 5, 1832, resides on old homestead in Chazy; George Nelson, born August 2, 1834, died March 30, 1863, in the civil war, in the hospital at Washington, D. C .; Copeland, born, March 9, 1837, in Minnesota ; Charlotte Martha, born October 19, 1839, married Samuel A. Reed, now deceased; she resides in Winchendon; Esther Rebecca, born March 13, 1842, married Thomas Reed, resides in Lynn, Massachusetts; Delia Lucre- tia, born September 5, 1845, married Rev. H. H. An- drews of Deckerville, Michigan; Sarah Maria Anna, born March 17, 1848, married Logee, in In- gersoll, Ontario. The only child of Nathan, Jr., and Elizabeth (Toms) was : Susannah, born March 18, 1854, died March 18, 1878, married Wessley Barker.

(VIII) John Nathan Richardson, eldest child of Nathan Richardson, Jr. (7), was born in Chazy, Clinton county, New York, April 14, 1827. He was educated in the public schools and at an early age began to teach. He worked on the farm during all his spare hours during his boyhood. At the age of sixteen he entered Champlain Academy at Cham- plain, New York, where he studied two years. He was also for a time clerk in the country store at his native town. In the fall of 1845 he went to Stoddard, New Hampshire, and subsequently re- moved to Winchendon, Massachusetts, where he worked in the pail factory with Albert Richardson and also for a time followed logging for Reuben Harris. After two years he returned to Chazy and taught school there during the winter term of 18.47- 48. He studied another term in Champlain Acad- emy, and then returned to Winchendon and was employed by Mr. Harris in the pail making busi- ness. He then entered the employ of Damon & Murdock at State Line in the same line of business and remained there for five years, residing in Rindge, New Hampshire. Here he cast his first vote for John P. Hale.

He left the pail making business to accept a po- sition as station agent at State Line on what is now the Boston & Maine Railroad. Shortly afterward he established a general store there and carried on an extensive business for twenty years. He re- moved to Winchendon May 1, 1874, and shortly after opened a shoe store in partnership with his son. Soon afterward, however, he entered into partnership with Robbins & Richardson in the gro- cery business ; and his son continued the shoe busi- ness, firm of J. Richardson and Son. Mr. Robbins sold his interests in the firm to Charles A. Smith soon afterward and the firm became Richardson & Smith. After eight years of successful business Mr. Richardson sold his interests to his partner and returned to the shoe store, which he conducted until April, 1893, when he sold it to George M. Chapman. Since then Mr. Richardson has not been in active business, but has devoted his attention to his property and real estate interests. His home is on School street. He was one of the founders. July 15, 1866, and is a member of the Church of the Trinity ( Unitarian), and chairman of the stand- ing committee; only ten of the original founders are now ( 1906) living. He is a Republican in politics and while living in Fitzwilliam. New Hampshire, represented that town in the legislature two years, the second year receiving the unanimous nomina- tion. During the civil war Mr. Richardson filled the quota of his town by paying for substitutes for various citizens drafted for the service, He was

WORCESTER COUNTY

at one time a member of the Fitzwilliam Ar- tillery.

He married, July 1, 1849, Joanna Maria Cook, born August 15, 1825, daughter or John and - ( Btals) Cook. Her father was a farmer. He mar- ried (second) Sarah Ann Reed, of Durham, Can- ada, widow of his brother, George Nelson Richard- son. Children of John N. and Joanna Richardson were: I. Eugene Percival, born May II, 1856, was educated in the common and high schools of Win- chendon, and business college at Worcester. Then for nine years was engaged in the shoe business, and then began traveling and followed this for nine years. Then took a position with the Book Lovers' Library, travelling along the coast as far north as Seattle, and later going to San Francisco, where he located and here passed through the awful catastrophe that befell this city by earthquake and fire. He then received an office from the gov- ernment through Colonel Breckenridge, in charge of the sanitary arrangements at Golden City Park, where he is at this date ( 1906). He married (first) Nelle Leland, (second) Hattie Williams, of Wor- cester. 2. Elle Eugeme, born April 29, 1859, married (hrst) Martin L. Bartlett; (second) Charles A. Andrews, of Winchendon. By Mr. Bartlett three children were born: I. John P., married Sadie Cam- tron, had two children; Wallace and Martin Lewis. Mr. John P. Bartlett is in the auto transit busi- ness in Winchendon, being president of the com- pany. 2. Ray P., now in high school. 3. Edith, now in high school.

WALLACE WITHERILL. William Witherill or Wetherell (I), variously spelled, was the immi- grant ancestor of Wallace Witherill, of Winchendon, Massachusetts. Savage suggests that he may have been a nephew of the Rev. William Witherill, who came from Maidstone, England, with wife Mary, three children and a servant, in the ship "Hercules" of Sandwich, March 14, 1634-35. Rev. William Witherill was a graduate of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, July 3, 1619, from county York, took degree of B. A. and later M. A., was licensed as of maidstone, aged about twenty-five, to marry Mary Fisher, daughter of Joan Martin Fisher, now wife 01 John Martin, March 26, 1627. He settled at Charlestown and taught the grammar school, re- moved to Cambridge, thence to Duxbury, where he was a proprietor in 1640; was called as minister to the Scituate church in September, 1641, and filled that position the remainder of his life; died April 9, 1684, aged eighty-four years.

William Witherill, the nephew, came in 1643 as a cabin boy for William Dunn, captain of the vessel, and one of the original grantees of the town of Taunton, Massachusetts. Dunn returned to Eng- land, leaving the boy in charge of his property with the understanding that if he did not return that it should escheat to William Witherill. He died with- out returning and Witherill had the property in addition to land granted to him. He was admitted a freeman June, 1658, was constable of Taunton in `1662 and representative to the general court in 1671- 85. He was often selectman and was sergeant of the militia company.

He was the eldest sergeant in Captain Gorham's company in the Narragansett swamp fight, Decem- ber, 1675, at South Kingston, Rhode Island; was wounded and taken to the house of Peleg Sanford, December 24, 1675, where he remained until Octo- ber 17, 1676. The general court granted him ten pounds compensation in 1685 and five pounds in 1686. Evidently he never wholly recovered from his wounds. He owned besides his own and Captain

Dunn's rights in Taunton another in the South Pur- chase and a half right in the North Purchase. His residence after 1669 was in the North Purchase of Taunton, now Norton, Massachusetts, on the east- ern side of Winniconnet pond. In 1691 he had his dwelling house on the south side of the pond, and in 1690 had deeded part of the land on the east side to his son William, including probably the site of the first house, which very likely was destroyed during King Philip's war. He sold his original home lot in Taunton, April 29, 1669, with other lands on and near Mill river. In 1685 he was licensed to keep a tavern. He made his will Au- gust 15, 1691, and died within a month or so. His will was proved November 18 following.

He married Dorothy -, about 1650. Their children were: William, born about 1651, see for- ward; John, settled in Norton; Ephraim; Dorothy, married, August 26, 1674, Elias Irish; (second), April 1, 1686, William Wood.

(II) William Witherill, son of William Wither- ill (1), was born about 1651, in Taunton, Massa- chusetts. He settled on land given him by his father on the east side of Wenniconnet pond in that part of Taunton, now Norton. Seven or more gen- erations of his family named William Witherill have lived there. He married Elizabeth Newland, March 14, 1681. Their children were: Nathaniel, see for- ward; Hannah, baptized June 15, 1715; Mary, bap- tized February 17, 1714-15; William, Jr., Jeremiah.

(III) Nathaniel Witherill, son of William With- erill (2), was born in Norton, Massachusetts, March 5 or May 5, 1696. He settled in Norton, where his children were born. They were: Phebe, born No- vember 20, 1712, died June 11, 1729; Mary, born May 3, 1715; Nathaniel, January 18, 1717; Charity, January 7, 1719; Ephraim, November 22, 1721; Dinah, May 5, 1723; Job, see forward; Patience, July 3, 1728; Solomon, October 7, 1730, died Marchi I, 1733; Hannah, February 8, 1739.

(IV) Job Witherill, seventh child of Nathaniel Witherill (3), was born at Norton, Massachusetts, March 22, 1726. He married Jean , and they settled in Norton. He was a soldier in the Indian wars. Their children, all horn at Norton, were: David, see forward ; Molly, born August IO, 1747; Anne, December 13, 1749; Nathaniel, No- vember 27, 1752; Nathan, December 7, 1756.

(V) David Witherill, eldest child of Job With- erill (4), was born in Norton, Massachusetts, July 8, 1745. He was a soldier in the revolution, a pri- vate in Captain Israel Trow's company in the Rhode Island compaign, August, 1780, and probably had other service. He was the only one of the name in the American army. He removed to Connecticut and married Ruth Andre, said to be a relative of Major Andre who was hanged as a spy by the Americans. About 1782-83 he removed from Hart- ford, Connecticut, to Granville, Washington county, New York, where he was one of the pioneer set- tlers. Children of David and Ruth (Andre) With- erill, born in Granville, New York, except perhaps the eldest, were: Almon M., died in West Chazy, New York; David J., see forward; Harlow C., died in South Bend, Indiana; Colney, died in Wis- consin ; Prudence, married Moses Warren ; Daniel (M. D.), died in western New York; Albert, died in Moriah, New York; Amos, Frank, died in Gran- ville, aged nineteen years; Eunice, married Benja- inin Russell; Rev. Manley, was a member of the Troy (New York) Methodist conference; Martha (twin), married J. Connell; Mary (twin), married Oliver Rogers.

(VI) David J. Witherill, son of David With- erill (5), was born in Granville, Washington county,

WORCESTER COUNTY

New York, about 1785. He received a common school education there and learned the trade of tail- ner and shoe maker. Although he owned a farm, lie followed his trade and acquired a competence in this business. He served in a Washington county regiment in the war of 1812 and was in the cam- paign at Plattsburg. About 1815, after the war, he removed to Chazy, Clinton county, and settled with his family on his farm in the western part of the town. He was for many years constable in Chazy and was also on the school board there. He was a Methodist in religion and a Whig in politics. Ile married, March 11, 1819, Amanda Parish, who died July 30, 1851. He married (second ) Cynthia Wait Parker, April 24, 1853; she died Au- gust 16, 1896. Children of David J. and Amanda Witherill were: Lucy Elmina, born March 2, 1820, at Granville, New York, died June 3, 1844; mar- ried, March 23, 1841, Morrison Townsend; Orville, born April 19, 1824, in Canton, New York, died May 17, 1824; Emily Elzina, born December 26, 1825, at Canton, died January, 1899 ; married Morrison Town- send, October 16, 1854; Clarissa Emorette, born July 9, 1832, at Chazy, New York; Orville W. M., known as Wallace, born December 2, 1835, at Chazy, see forward; Daniel Mirvin, born October 8, '1838, at Chazy, married, October, 1864, Millie Wheelock; Elmira Celeste, born October 10, 1839, at Chazy, married William W. Harvey November 24, 1869; Lavinia Cornelia, born January 11, 1842, at Chazy, died February 27, 1876; married Thomas J. Coone, August 11, 1868. Children of David J. and Cynthia Wait Witherill were: Florence May, born April 1, 1854, at Chazy, married John W. Lengfield, February 23, 1887, resides at West Chazy, New York; David Gerry, born July 5, 1855, at Chazy, married, January 12, 1887, Sylvia A. Wheeler, and their children are: Harry David, born June 17, 1888, at Sheldon, North Dakota; Elwyn Wheeler, born May 13, 1893, at Chazy, New York; they re- side in Cormsh, New Hampshire; Ruphina Estelle, born February 10, 1859, married, September 9, 1885, Wilbur F. Hill.

( VII) Wallace Witherill, son of David J. Witherill (6), was born at West Chazy, Clinton county, New York, December 2, 1835. He received his early education in the common schools of that town. In 1854 he and his brother Daniel Mirvin came to Winchendon, Massachusetts, and were em- ployed by Aldrich Brothers, pail manufacturers, driving. He worked twelve years in this position. They sold out to E. Murdock & Company and he continued there two years in same position. He then began business on his own account in company with Harrison Aldrich. They bought a factory at Harrisville, where they began to manufacture pails and boxes. After eight years Mr. Aldrich's inter- ests were bought by Charles Fry. Soon afterward, Mr. Witherill withdrew from the firm, selling his interests to his partner, but continued in his em- ploy for eighteen months. Mr. Witherill then re- sumed the lumber business in Waterville, buying wood lots and selling the lumber, doing his own teaming. This has been his business since, together with farming. Most of his timber is cut for the wooden-ware factories in the vicinity. He resides at Waterville, in Winchendon. In politics he is a Dem- ocrat. He is a member of the Manomonack Lodge, Odd Fellows, No. 121, of Winchendon.

He married, July 25, 1878, Maria Ellis, born No- vember 28, 1857, in Fitzwilliam, daughter of George W. and Bethia (Pratt) Ellis, of Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire. Her father was a farmer in Fitzwilliam, where he died 1885, aged seventy-seven; the mother died in 1870, aged fifty-two. Their children were:

Florence Amanda, born April 19, 1882, died Septem- ber 14, 1882; Cortland Wallace, born September 28, 1883; Birdys Maria, born October 23, 1897.

PARKER FAMILY. Nathan Parker (1), the immigrant ancestor of the Parker family, was born in England in 1622. He was early at Newbury, but soon removed with his brother Joseph to Andover, Massachusetts. Joseph came in the ship "Confi- dence," sailing April 11, 1638, and Nathan is be- lieved to have been on the "Bevis," sailing in May of the same year. Joseph came from Newbury, England, and settled in Newbury, Massachusetts; was proprietor at Salisbury in 1639; removed to Andover where he owned a tannery and corn mill ; was a soldier in King Philip's war in 1676; men- tions his large family in his will; also brother Nathan ; bequeaths estate in England, some of which was at Rumsey. Nathan Parker was well educated and drew many of the papers for his neighbors now found in the county and town files. Perhaps he was a public scrivener by profession. He was one of the first ten members of the Andover church estab- lished in 1645. He died June 25, 1685, leaving an estate valued at one hundred and forty-eight pounds, about a quarter of the size of his brother's estate. Two sons of Nathan were killed by the Indians in the fight at Scarboro, Maine.

He married, November 10, 1648, Susan Short. who died at Andover, August 26, 1651. He mar- ried (second) Mary -, who survived him. Chil- dren of Nathan and Susan Parker were: Nathan, Jr., John, born December 20, 1653; James, August 14, 1655, Mary, April 14, 1657; Hanna, May 14, 1659; Mary, 1660; Elizabeth, January 20, 1663; Rob- ert, February 26, 1665; Sarah ( twin), April 3, 1670; Peter (twin), April 3, 1670.

(II) Jolin Parker, second child of Nathan Par- ker (1), was born in Andover, Massachusetts, De- cember 26, 1653, died 1738, aged eighty-five years, at Andover. He was a soldier in King Philip's war. He settled in Andover. He married there, May 24, 1687, Hannah Brown. Their children were: John, Nathan, see forward; Benjamin, set- tled in Pennacook (Concord), New Hampshire ; James, also settled in Concord; Joseph, who settled in Concord, said to be a brother of the other three who settled there.

( III) Nathan Parker, son of John Parker (2), was born in Andover, Massachusetts, about 1700. He attended the meeting February 5, 1725, and was one of the proprietors of Pennacook. In 1731 he had a house built on the grant and was living there with his family. His brothers, Benjamin, James and Joseph, also settled in Pennacook (Concord) and Benjamin's descendants are found there at pres- ent. Nathan seems to have returned to Andover. He married, June 26, 1735. Hannah Stevens, of Andover, perhaps his second wife. Among their children was John, see forward.

(IV) Lieutenant John Parker, son of Nathan Parker (3), was born in Andover, Massachusetts, May 19, 1742, died December 15, 1814, aged seventy- three years, at Westford, Massachusetts, where his son went to live. He was a prominent figure in the revolution. He went out first in Captain Thomas Poor's company of Andover, Colonel James Frye's regiment, on the Lexington alarm. In 1776 he was chosen second lieutenant of Captain David Whit- tier's company (Fifteenth Methuen) Fourth Essex regiment. He was commissioned again in 1777 in Captain Samuel Johnson's, late Captain Peabody's company as second lieutenant, in Colonel Wiggles- worth's regiment. That was known as the First Andover Company. Some of the revolutionary

PUBLIC LIBRARY

Frank H. Parker

WORCESTER COUNTY

records designate him as junior, indicating prob- ably that an old man of the same name was in the same town or regiment, a common practice at that time when junior did not mean that the father of the man had the same name always.

Lieutenant Parker married, February 7, 1771, Abigail Osgood, daughter of Josiah and Hannah (Kittredge) Osgood, of Andover. She was a sister of Coloney Benjamin Osgood, of Westford and An- dover. She died January 21, 1820, aged sixty-nine years. She was descended from the immigrant, John Osgood, born in England, July 23, 1595, died October 5, 1650, one of the first proprietors of An- dover. Children of Lieutenant John and Abigail Parker were: Betsey, married Jonathan Bancroft, Jr., born in Templeton, February 7, 1775; John, born at Westford, (the only one of the family recorded at Westford) 1783; Jacob Osgood, see forward; and probably others.

(V) Jacob Osgood Parker, son of Lieutenant John Parker (4), was born in Westford, Massachu- setts, August 19, 1786. He settled in Westford and was a merchant there. He was a shoemaker by trade. He died at Westford, March 25, 1822. He married, June II, 1810, Rachel Reed, born at West- ford, August 19, 1790, died there June 15, 1830, daughter of Amos and Rachel ( Prescott) Reed, of Westford. Their children were: Emeline, born August 26, 1811, married (first) Rodney Lewis; (second) L. D. W. Locke and had no children. Eliza Ann, born January 5. 1813, married Charles Townsend, of Lowell, and they have three children- Charles, Emma and Edwin. Mary, born October 3, 1814, married Warren Phillips and they have five children-Jennie, Osro, Emma M., Elville, Mary Parker Phillips. Jesse, sce forward. Hannibal, born September 28, 1818, unmarried. Elvira B., born June 15, 1820, married Otis Blake, of Pepperell, Massachusetts.

(V1) Jesse Parker, son of Jacob Osgood Parker (5), was born at Westford, Massachusetts, June 16, 1816. He attended the public schools there until he was fifteen years old, when he went to Ash- burnham, Massachusetts, to learn the trade of chair making in the old way by hand-work. Besides working in the chair shop he used to run a lathe morning and nights for Deacon John C. Glazier, from whom he received the first hundred dollars he ever earned. He attended school there during the winter terms until he was of age. He began to make chairs in his own little shop and carried on the business successfully for over twenty years. In 1800 he gave up his business to accept a position with C. and George C. Winchester, chair manu- facturers, where he was employed one year. He then began farming at South Ashburnham. After ten years he sold his farm to James Mather. He then entered the employ of B. E. Weatherby, where he was employed, in connection with several other con- cerns, for twenty years. He finally retired from active business and went to Winchendon to live with his son, Frank Hannibal Parker, where he died June 28, 1898. Mr. Parker attended the Metho- dist church. He was a Republican in politics and was a delegate to various political conventions. He was a selectman for a number of years in Ashburn- ham, also road commissioner and assessor.

He married, December 6, 1838, Elizabeth Gates, born April 25, 1818, daughter of William Gates. Her father was a farmer, and was born October 13, 1782, and married Betsey Hosley, of Hancock, New Hampshire. Her father died December 7, 1844; her mother August 22, 1872. Children of Jesse and Elizabeth Parker were: Ellen, born Au- gust 22, 1839, died July 15, 1840. Walter Osgood, 11-7

see forward; Allen Wright, born May 29, 1843, died June, 1899; married, 1873, Isabel L. Lynne, of Covington, Kentucky, and they had one child- Luella Elizabeth, married Kingsley Crawford, re- sides in Akron, Ohio; Frank Hannibal, sec for- ward.

(VII) Captain Walter Osgood Parker, son of Jesse Parker (6), was born in Ashburnham, Massa- chusetts, May 1, 1841. Ile received his education in the public schools of that town up to the age of nineteen, and while going to school helped his father on the farm. Ile soon entered the employ of C. & G. C. Winchester, manufacturers of chairs, where he remained three and one-half years. He then left for the civil war, enlisting July 23, 1862, in Com- pany H, Thirty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry, under Colonel George D. Wells, and was in the Eighth Army Corps in the Army of West Virginia, serving in the following battles: Ripon, New Market, Pied- mont, Lynchburg, Martinsburg, Winchester, Septem- ber 9, 1864; Stickney's Farm, Cedar Creek, Reemes Station, Fort Gregg, Hatcher's Run, and Appomatox Court House, and was discharged after close of the war, June 20, 1865. He shortly returned to Ash- burnham, where he resumed his old position with the Winchesters and remained three and one-half years again. In April, 1869, he entered the employ of Whitney & Greenwood, general store, where he remained until 1870, when he was admitted a part- ner with Mr. Whitney, the new firm buying out Mr. Greenwood's interest, under firm name of Whit- ney & Parker. This continued until 1876, when Mr. Parker's brother Frank H. purchased Mr. Whit- ney's interest, and Parker Bros. continued until I891. when Walter O. bought out his brother's interest and conducts a large and prosperous business.

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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 27

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