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 32
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He is numbered among the most active members of the Worcester board of trade, in which he is a director, and in that body as well as in his indi- vidual capacity bears a full share in encouraging and aiding in all movements looking to the ad- vancement of his city, whether in material concerns or in those affairs which touch upon the moral life of the community, and the upholding of its educa- tional and humanitarian institutions. His political affiliations are with the Republican party, but he has contented himself by supporting its principles and policies after the manner of a plain everyday citizen,
without care for public distinction or official prefer- 1 ment. He is fond of scenes of nature amid which to pass his seasons of recreation, and maintains a pleasant summer home at Tuftonboro, New Hamp- shire, on Lake Winnepesaukee, where each season he entertains a circle of congenial friends in boat- ing and fishing expeditions, using for them and his family his own excellently appointed steam launch.
Mr. Whittle married, October 4, 1883, Louisa Bernette Starrett, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, a mnost estimable woman, and exemplary member of St. John's ( Protestant Episcopal) Church, Worces- ter, whose death occurred January 18, 1904. Of this marriage were born five children : Mabel L., Milton H., Antoinette, Ralph E., and Philip T. Whittle. The family residence is at No. 117 Paine street, Worcester.
CHARLES F. PIERCE. John Pierce (I), the pioneer ancestor in this country of Charles F. Pierce, of Leominster, Massachusetts, was born in England about 1585 at the town of Norwich in Norfolk county. He was a weaver by trade. He passed the examination required of those who were bound for New England April 8, 1037, and gave his age as forty-nine, that of his wife Elizabeth as thirty-six and he had with them children: John, Barbara, Judith and Elizabeth and servant. John Gedney. Ile went to Watertown, where his son Anthony was then living, having preceded his father to this country.
John Pierce was admitted a freeman March, 1637-8. He died at Watertown. August 19, 1661. His will was dated March 7. 1657-8, and proved October 1. 1661. Anthony is the only child men- tioned by name, but in the will of his widow, who died March 12, 1666, aged about seventy-nine years, the names of the children and some grandchildren appear.
It is evident that the wife was nearer
forty-six than thirty-six when she left England. There is another discrepancy in the age of the son Robert. He deposed December 29, 1658, that he was thirty-eight years old, and in 1663 that he was fifty years old.
The children of John and Elizabeth Pierce were: Anthony, of whom later; Robert, born in England between the years 1613 and 1620; Esther, married Morse : Mary, married - Coldham; John; Barbara; Judith, married, December 30, 1641, Fran- cis Wyman, at Woburn ; Elizabeth, married Ball.
(II) Anthony Pierce, son of John Pierce (I), was born in England in 1609 and came to America before his father and the remainder of the fam- ilv. He was admitted a freeman at Watertown, Massachusetts, September 3, 1634. and has a very numerous posterity in the vicinity of Watertown. His homestall was near the line between Cam- bridge and Watertown on the road between the two towns. He married (first) Sarah - and (sec- ond ) about 1638, Anne He died May 9. 1678. Ilis will was dated September 6, 1671. His widow Anne died January 20, 1682-3. Their chil- dren were: John, eldest, married Ruth (Bishop) Fuller, widow of William Fuller, and daughter of Nathaniel Bishop; Mary, born October 20, 1633; Mary. 1636, married Ralph Read, son of William and Mabel Read, of Watertown; Jacob, September 15, 1637: Daniel, of whom later : Martha, April 24, 1641; Joseph, admitted freeman April 18, 1690; Benjamin, admitted freeman April 18, 1690; Judith, born July 18, 1650, married, February, 1666-7, John Sawin.
(III) Daniel Pierce, fifth child of Anthony Pierce (2), was born in Watertown, Massachusetts, January I, 1639-40. He married Elizabeth and they made their home in Groton where their first five children were born. Then the Indian war drove them from home and they returned to Water- town, where they were in 1681. They joined the church there January 16, 1686. He was a weaver by trade, a farmer by occupation most of the time. He died in 1723 and his will was filed the same year. The children of Daniel and Elizabeth Pierce were: Elizabeth, born May 16, 1665, married. Octo- ber 17. 1684, Isaac Mixer, Jr. Daniel, Jr., Novem- ber 28, 1666. married Abigail -: John, August 18, 1668, baptized at Watertown, January 16. 1686: Ephraim, of whom later: Josiah, May 2. 1675. prob- ably died young: Joseph, December 30. 1608, mar- ried Mary Warren: Abigail, January 3, 1681. died unmarried 1723; Hannah, 1685. baptized January 16, 1686: Benjamin, baptized January 16, 1686: Mary. married -- Scripture.
(IV) Ephraim Pierce, fourth child of Daniel Pierce (3), was born at Groton, Massachusetts. October 15. 1673. He married Mary Whitney, who was born July 1, 1675, and died December 20. 1740. They settled in Groton. where he died February 27. 1740-I. His gravestone is to be seen in the 'old cemetery there. He was one of the first set- tlers of the neighboring town of Lunenburg and owned lot No. 68. He was on the first hoard of selectmen of the town in 1728. The children of Ephraim and Mary Pierce were: Mary. born Att- g11st 9, 1606, married, March 17. 1710-20. Josiah Farnsworth: Elizabeth. July 24. 1608, married, De- cember 24. 1723. Thomas Farwell: Ephraim. of whom later: Sarah. March 8. 1702, married Octo- ber 27. 1720. Jonathan Parker, and both died Sep- tember 21. 1723: David, May 23. 1701, married. June 15. 1725. Elizabeth Bowers: Jonathan. April 15, 1706, died September 15, 1723: Simon, October 25. 1707, married, May 26. 1737, Susanna Parker,
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resided in Groton; Abigail, November 20, 1710, married, 1735, Ezra Farnsworth ; Lydia, Novem- ber 20, 1713, died September 24, 1723.
(V) Ephraim Pierce, third child of Ephraim Pierce (4), was born in Groton, Massachusetts, November 12, 1700, married, October 30, 1721, Esther Shedd, who died June 28, 1768. He married (sec- ond) January 12, 1773, Mrs. Huldah (Martyn) Weatherbee. He resided in Lunenburg and was deacon of the Lunenburg church. He died in 1781. The children of Ephraim and Esther Pierce were: Esther, born May 29, 1722, married, October 17, 1740, Benjamin Gould; Jonathan, November 29, 1724, married, February 4, 1745, Sarah Dodge; Ephraim, March 13, 1726, married (first) Sarah Norcross and (second) Olive Goodridge, of Lin- coln; Amos, July 8, 1729, died January 11, 1741 ; Sarah, November 27, 1731, married, January 25, 1749, Jolin Lovejoy; Mary, March 5, 1733, married, November 28. 1754, Phineas Hartwell, of Lunen- burg : Benjamin, June 3, 1736, died December 23, 1757: Prudence, February 6, 1738, married, Septem- ber 6, 1762, Reuben Smith; Oliver, July 17, 1741, married, May 19, 1768, Mary Smith; Keziah, De- cember 4, 1743, died September 18, 1746; Elizabeth, November 25, 1746, married, November 19, 1766, Jacob Steward.
(VI) Oliver Pierce, ninth child of Ephraim Pierce (5), was born in Lunenburg, July 17, 1741, married, May 19, 1768, Mary Smith, born in 1751 and died in 1827. He was a farmer in Lunenburg. He died there March 6, 1815. He was a soldier in the revolution at Lexington, April 19, 1775, under Captain Benjamin Flagg. He was in Captain Joseph Warren's company, Lieutenant-Colonel Wheelock's regiment, in 1777 with the Northern army. The chil- dren of Oliver and Mary Pierce were: Oliver, born March 8, 1769, married, October 27, 1791, Hannah Davis; Polly, May 5, 1771, married, Feb- ruary II, 1790, Nathan Adams, Jr .; Nathaniel, June I, 1773, died young; Benjamin, May 19, 1775, mar- ried Abigail Devoll, died in Leominster, June 23, 1846; Nathaniel, October 8, 1778, married Judith Kendall; (second) Zebiah Smallpeace ; (third) Visa (Clark) Knight; John, of whom later; Betsey, November 9, 1789, married - Billings, of Lunen- burg.
(VII) John Pierce. sixth child of Oliver Pierce (6), was born in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, Sep- tember 18, 1787, married, November 28, 1816, Esther Smith, born in 1782 and died March 10, 1830; mar- ried (second), July 13, 1831, Sarah (Tyler) Smith, born 1794 and died May 27, 1860. He died No- vember 12. 1867. They resided in Lunenburg. The children of John and Esther Pierce were: Betsey, born February 2, 1818, died unmarried in Lunen- burg ; Mary, March 2, 1819, married, April 21, 1853, David S. Jewett; she died in Fitchburg, 1860, leav- ing two children; Benjamin, July 27, 1820; Joseph, May 17, 1822, married Almira Russell; Nathaniel, March 20, 1824, married Melinda Willard ; resided at Ashburnham, Massachusetts; Otis, of whom later. The children of John and Sarah were: Martha A., born 1832, died July 3, 1863; George S., born July 9. 1833, removed to Fitchburg, where he died Octo- ber 23, 1898.
(VIII) Otis Pierce, son of John Pierce (7), was born in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, on the old Pierce homestead November 16, 1826. He re- moved to North Leominster and purchased a farm. He married in 1854, Mary A. E. King, born March 28, 1825. Their children. all born in Leominster, were: Abbie M., born March 31, 1856, married, October 5. 1875. William M. Campbell, born Octo- ber 16, 1849, resides at Winchester, Massachu- ii-8
setts : Charles F., of whom later; John W., horn May 13, 1860.
(IX) Charles F. Pierce, second child of Otis Pierce (8), was born in North Leominster, Massa- chusetts, February 12, 1858. He attended the pub- lic schools of his native town and then learned the trade of wood turner. He went to work for the Wellington Piano Case Company at Leominster and was advanced from place to place till he became the assistant superintendent of the factory. He is a Unitarian in religion and a Republican in politics. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He married May F. Tyler, daughter of Isaac Tyler, of a prominent Leominster family. Their children are: Irene, married F. M. Weld; Elva M., born at Leominster; Goldie, born at Leominster.
PIERCE FAMILY. John Pierce (Pers) (1), the immigrant ancestor of Miss Helen B. Pierce and Dr. Appleton Pierce, of Leominster, Massachusetts, was born 1588, a native of Norwich, Norfolk, Eng- land. He was a weaver by trade, but a farmer as well, of course. He was among the earliest settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, and was admitted a freeman March, 1637-8. His will was dated March 4. 1657-8. He died August 19, 1661. His widow Elizabeth died March 12, 1666, aged about seventy- nine years, naming her children, as below, in her will. Their children were: John, probably settled at Wethersfield, Connecticut; Barbara; Judith, mar- ried at Woburn, December 30, 1644, Francis Wy- man; Elizabeth, married Ball; Anthony, of whom later ; Robert, settled Woburn, probably came before parents ; Esther, married - Morse; Mary, married Coldam.
(II) Anthony Pierce, son of John Pierce (1), was born in England in 1609. He settled in Water- town before his father and was admitted a freeman September 3. 1634. (A sketch of him is given in connection with other Pierce families of Leom- inster descended from him.) He married (first) Sarah - - and (second), about 1638, Anne He died May 9, 1678. His will was dated September 6, 1671. His widow died January 20, 1682-3. The children of Anthony Pierce: John, born about 1631, married Ruth Bishop: Mary, October 20, 1633; Mary, 1636; Jacob, September 15, 1637; Daniel, January 1, 1639-40; Martha, April 24, 1641; Joseph; Benjamin, 1649; Judith, July 18, 1650.
(III) Daniel Pierce, fifth child of Anthony Pierce (2), was born in Watertown, Massachusetts, January 1, 1639-40. He settled in Groton where five of his children were born, but returned to Watertown on account of the Indians. He owned the covenant at Watertown church January 16, 1686, and had three children baptized on that date. His will was proved in 1723, the year of his death; it was dated February 22, 1723. He married Eliza- beth -, and their children were: Elizabeth, born May 16, 1665, married, October 17, 1684, Isaac Mixer. Jr .: Daniel, November 28, 1666; John, Au- gust 18, 1668; Ephraim, October 15, 1673; Josiah, May 2, 1675: Joseph, of whom later : Abigail, Jan- uary 3, 1681, died 1723: Hannah, baptized Janu- ary 16, 1686; Benjamin, baptized January 16, 1686; Mary.
(IV) Joseph Pierce, son of Daniel Pierce (3), was born about 1678. He was like his father and grandfather a weaver by trade. He settled in Wo- burn and was selectman in 1738-39-42. He died in Waltham, 1747. He married, December 30, 1698, Mary Warren, born May 25, 1675. Their children were: Isaac, of whom later; Mary, born February 18, 1702, married, June 24, 1725, Captain Thomas
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Fiske : Elizabeth, February 23. 1703. married Phineas Gleason; Sarah, September HI, 1705; inar- ried - Allen; Lydia, March II, 1706; Eunice, February II, 1708, married, July 2. 1729, Isaac Child, born March 5, 1699; Grace. April 27, 171I, died before 1747: Prudence, August 2, 1713. mar- ried - Merriam ; Lois, January 2. 1715; Ruhamah, January 12, 1717, married, August 15, 1758, John Child.
(V) Isaac Pierce, son of Joseph Pierce (4), was born in Watertown or Woburn, September 19, 1700. He settled in Waltham. Massachusetts. form- erly part of Watertown, and died there 1773. He was selectman of Waltham, 1744-45-53. He mar- ried, September 7, 1722, Susanna Bemis, of Lexing- ton. Their children, all born in Lexington, were : Josiah, of whom later; Joshua. March 24, 1724, mar- ried Ruth White; Abijah. May 23, 1727, married Thankful Brown; Ephraim, August 12, 1729, mar- ried Lydia White and ( second) Mrs. Lydia Parker; Susanna, May 22, 1732; Mary, June 22, 1735, mar- ried Moses Harrington ; Isaac, March 24, 1738, mar- ried Hannah Mason.
(\']) Josiah Pierce, son of Isaac Pierce (5). was born in Lexington, Massachusetts, February 13, 1723. He removed from Waltham to Worcester, Massachusetts. Prior to and during the revolu- tion he was one of the most important and in- fuential citizens of Worcester. He was a select- man 1765-71-75. He was elected March 7, 1774, on a committee of three by the town to take into consideration the acts of the British Parliament for raising revenues from the colonies. This com- mittee reported instructions from the town to its deputy in the general court in May, 1774.
He married at Worcester, March 14, 1744, Sarah Gale, born November 30, 1726. Their children were: John, born October 12, 1745, married Lydia Jones ; Oliver, March 12, 1746, married thrice ; Susannah, October 2, 1747, married Dr. Isaac Cheney ; Sarah, July 26, 1750, married Stephens ; Josiah, Mav 7, 1752, married Lucretia Bigelow : Mary, April
Molly, De- 20. 1754. died April 22, 1754:
cember 15, 1755, married Daniel Heywood ; Joseph, March 6, 1757, married Eleanor Crawford ; Lydia, November 28, 1759, married Calvin Glazier ; Levi, of whom later; Azubah, September 25. 1762, married Morse and Luther Fiske : Byfield, January 30, 1764, married Mary Hamilton and Betsey Small ; Abijah, September 22, 1765, mar- ried Sarah Bond, Nancy Gay, Chloe Merrifield ; Joel, August 27, 1767, married Lucy Davis: Han- nah, January 7. 1770, married John Ball, Jr. ; Jervis, November 8, 1671, resided Springfield, Illinois.
( VII) Levi Pierce, tenth child of Josiah Pierce (6). was born at Worcester, Massachusetts, Sep- tember 15, 1761. He settled at West Boylston, Massachusetts, an adjoining town. He married, April 9, 1789, Persis Robinson. Their children were : John, born January 23, 1790, married Martha Buck ; Nancy, October 14, 1794; Levi, of whom later : Josiah, September 13, 1706. married Sally Merriam and Mrs. Hannah Walker: Almira, June 24. 1804, married Nathaniel Johnson: Ezra B .. Feb- ruary 7, 1807, married. September 14. 1834, Mary S. Bigelow ; Persis, August 11, 1809, married Emory Pollard.
(VIII) Captain Levi Pierce, third child of Levi Pierce (7). was born in West Boylston, October 14, 1794. He settled in his native town and be- came one of the leading citizens. He was repre- sentative to the general court, captain of the militia, assessor and selectman of the town. He died March 21. 1867. In addition to his farm Mr. Pierce manu- factured baskets for many years. He was a mem-
ber of the Unitarian church and liberal in his views.
He married (first ), December 24, 1818, Polly Merriam, born April 20, 1796, died December 21, 1841. He married ( second ), May 26, 1846, Mrs. 'Roxanna Wilcox, of Clinton, who had two chil- dren by a previous marriage. The children of Cap- tain Levi and Polly Pierce were: George W., of whom later; William, born July 26, 1821, married Eliza Henderson: Marcia A., March 20, 1823, mar- ried. November 29, 1843, George Ark, born Septem- ber 9. 1813: Mary, June 16, 1825, died June 26, 1825; Henry. August 27. 1826, married Theresa Adams and ( second) Carrie E. Holt; Jane, October 4, 1828, married, March 25, 1845, Leonard Newton, born February 11, 1818, resided at Pittsfield, Massa- chusetts ; Adelia, February 18, 1831, married. Sep- tember 14, 1853, Dr. Chauncey A. Wilcox, of Ux- bridge; Levi M., June 21, 1833, married Mary H. Foster: James E., December 20, 1834, married Eliza Lovell.
(IX) Dr. George W. Pierce, son of Levi Pierce (8), was born in West Boylston, Massachusetts, October 15, 1819. He attended the district schools and Leicester Academy. He studied medicine at the Harvard Medical School, from which he was graduated in 1845. Locating for practice first in the quiet little town of Bolton he stayed there two years, then settled in the neighboring town of Leominster in 1847. He practiced there with gratifying suc- cess for a period of nearly forty years. He not only won the confidence and esteem of his patients, but of all his fellow-townsmen. He did not con- fine his attention to his profession, but gave freely of his time and means to the public. He was par- ticularly interested in public education and for many years was a member of the school committee and trustee of the public library. He was a strong anti-slavery man and in politics was a Republican. He died in Leominster. May 5, 1886.
He married (first ), February 22, 1850, Damaris Balch, born June 6, 1829, daughter of Er Balch, of Leominster. He married (second). June 1. 1869, Mrs. Charlotte A. (Billings) Carter, born March 28, 1827, at Lowell, Massachusetts. The children of Dr. George WV. and Damaris Pierce were: Sarah Eva, born February 24, 1852, married, September 17, 1873, Edwin Crosby Farwell and their children are : Harold C., born February 2, 1877, died Decem- ber 22, 1877: Minnie G., born September 21, 1878; Chester W., born November 3, 1880; Mary A., born April 2, 1854, died November 27, 1864; Helen B., born December 21, 1855, a school teacher of Leom- inster : George B., born December 26, 1860, mar- ried Addie Shattuck and their children are: Marion, Mildred, Melbourne N .: Henry W., born June 7, 1863. died August 6, 1864: Susie, born May 27, 1864, died July 22, 1864: Harriet. born October 9, 1865, married Dr. Woodbury and have had three children: Vernon, born February 22, 1893: Helen, born June 5, 1894: Paul F., born December 14, 1895, died January 20, 1898. The only child of the second marriage was: Appleton H., of whom later. (X) Dr. Appleton H. Pierce, son of Dr. George W. Pierce (9), was born in Leominster, Massachu- setts. October 4. 1870. He attended the public and high schools of his native town, Harvard College, and the Harvard Medical School, from which he received his degree of M. D. in 1895. He had two years of hospital practice in Worcester, and in 1897 began to practice in Leominster. In the past ten years Dr. Pierce has built up an excellent prac- tice in the town where his father practiced for forty years. He is also a member of the school committee on which his father served so efficiently. Dr. Pierce is a member of the Massachusetts Medi-
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cal Society and the American Medical Association. In 1903 he was appointed associate medical ex- aminer by Governor Bates. In politics he is a Re- publican. He belongs to the Leominster Council of the Royal Arcanum.
Dr. Pierce married, 1896, Marion E. Yeaton, (laughter of John C. and Marion ( Wood) Yeaton, of Worcester. They have two children: Arthur J., born February 4. 1899: Marion, June 29, 1900.
ROBERT ASIIWORTH. The names Ashworth and Jones are always associated in the minds of Worcester people. The great industry that bore the name of Ashworth & Jones made the firm name familiar in every household. Then the fact that the partners in the firm were brothers-in-law made them of one family. Neither of the partners left descendants of their own surname. Mr. Ash- worth never married, but a number of the descend- ants of 'his brother reside in Worcester. The de- scendants of Mr. Jones will be mentioned later.
(1) Richard Ashworth, progenitor of the Aslı- worth family of Worcester, Massachusetts, lived at Milnrow, Lancashire, England. He was a mechanic, a man of the middle classes. He never came to this country, but died in his native town. llis wife came to Worcester, late in life, and died in Wor- cester. She is buried in Hope cemetery. Their children, all born in Milnrow, were: Martha, mar- ried - Fielding and they had two daughters : Mary, married Charles Chadwick, and now, a widow, is living on the Edward Jones homestead near Cherry Valley, Worcester ; Hannah, married Thomas Milnes and is living at 27 Elm street, Worcester, also a widow. John; James, see forward. Thomas, see forward. Mary, married Edmund Jones, see for- ward. Robert, left Robert, George and Edward.
(II) Thomas Ashworth, son of Richard Ash- worth (I), was born January 4, 1822, at Milnrow, Butterworth, Lancashire, England. He died in Wor- cester, January 18, 1882. He received a common school education in his native town, and learned the trade of weaver there. He left England in December, 1848, with nothing but his trade and skill to depend upon. He came to New England and went first to Millbury, Massachusetts, where he remained with friends until he secured work with Harding Brothers in Oxford as weaver. He worked in that inill for four years and saved his first capital. He went to work again at his trade for Buffum & Thayer at Oxford and later for George Hodges. He began business on his own account in the year 1856, leasing and operating the Franklin Mill in Holden, where he manufactured shoddy, being one of the first if not the first to engage in this busi- ness in this country. He imported a picker from England for his work and the business proved re- munerative. After a year there he removed to Ox- ford, where he made shoddy goods in the Gates inill. Mr. Thomas Ashworth left Oxford about 1862, go- ing to Cherry Valley, where he began the first suc- cessful shoddy cloth plant in this country, making for years the celebrated Ashworth & Jones beav- ers, having as a partner his brother-in-law, Mr. Jones. They bought for a nominal sum the valua- ble water privilege at Valley Falls. In connection with this may be told the story of Mr. Ashworth's early struggles. Arriving in this country about the time gold was discovered in California. he imme- cliately started for the scene of hidden treasures in the Rockies. His hardships and toils were rewarded, for he returned in two or three years with his gold, stopping at Philadelphia to have it minted, then coming on to Millbury, Massachusetts, to the home
of James Brierly, the cotton manufacturer. and showed his western success by covering the top of a round old-fashioned mahogony table with his gold coins, the gold which pushed shoddy cloth to its first success in this country.
In 1864 the first woolen mill was erected there, and in 1870 a large brick mill was built. Ashworth & Jones built up the whole section at Valley Falls, including most of the dwelling houses. They built up a very large and prosperous business. It is said of Ashworth & Jones that they never gave a note and never asked for credit, and yet they were for many years the heaviest manufacturers in their line in that section of the county. They had what was pronounced the model woolen mill of Massachusetts.
The Spy said of Mr. Ashworth at the time of his death: "His business career here, begun soon after his arrival, has been crowned with success, which was the reward of untiring industry, personal endeavor, the strictest integrity and a careful at- tention to the details of his business of which he was a thorough master. He and Edward Jones be- gan with the same capital and built up a business remunerative as well as extensive. His reputation for business integrity was excelled by none."
In 1880 Mr. Ashworth was stricken with par- alysis and died two years later. He was of a retir- ing disposition and declined all public honors. He was a member of Athelstan Lodge of Free Masons, Eureka Chapter and Worcester County Com- mandery, Knights Templar. He never married. He left a large estate to nephews, nieces and other rela- tives in England and America.
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