Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. II, Part 33

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 33


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).


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(II) James Ashworth, son of Richard Ashworth (I), was born in Milnrow, about 1820, and resided there. All of his children were born there. Two of them, Thomas and Robert, settled in the United States. His children : Martha, Elizabeth, Thomas, see forward; Robert, died in Pennsylvania ; Mary, Hannah, Alice, James.


(II) Mary Ashworth, daughter of Richard Ash- worth (1), was born in Milnrow, Lancashire, Eng- land, about 1825, died August 7, 1889. She married there Edward Jones. He was a weaver by trade. He was born in Lancashire, February 8. 1824. He was the junior partner of the well known firm of Ashworth & Jones, and after the illness and death of Mr. Ashworth he carried on the business alone. After his death the business was sold to Edward D. Thayer. He died March 7. 1885. He was a promi- nent citizen of Worcester. He served the city two years in the common council. He was well known in Masonic circles. He left a large estate to his brothers, Robert Jones, of Worcester, William Jones, of Milnrow, England, his sister, Ann Clegg, of Bradley Bottom, Lancashire, England; the son of his sister Betty, Edward Whitworth, of Milnrow, and to his wife. He left no children.


(III) Thomas Ashworth, son of James Ash- worth (2), was born in Milnrow, Lancashire, Eng- land, January 29, 1844. He had a common school education in his native town. He came to this country when a young man and went to St. Claire, Pennsylvania, and worked as a miner in the coal region, leaving there about 1879 for Valley Falls, Worcester, to work for his uncles, Ashworth and Jones, of Worcester. where he learned the trade of dyer. He was only forty-two years old when he died, April 8, 1885, at Worcester. He married. 1865, Hannah Howard, born December 24. 1841, daugh- ter of Charles and Sarah Howard, of Milnrow. Mrs. Ashworth resides on Gould Hill. Worces- ter. Their children were: Charles Richard. see for- ward: Robert. see forward: James, see forward; Mary, born in St. Claire, October 7, 1871, resides


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with her mother; Sarah, born in St. Claire, April 6, 1874, married, June 25, 1896, Edward A. Lamb, at present a clerk in California; their children : Howard Ashworth Lamb, Anna Mae Lamb, Thomas, sec forward.


(IV) Charles R. Ashworth, son of Thomas Aslı- worth (3), was born in Milnrow, England, May 24, 1864. He received a common school education in Worcester, and learned the trade of iron molder at the Allen Boiler Works. He also worked for the Colvin foundry and others. Mr. Ashworth also knew the woolen business, and in 1903 he and his brother Robert formed the Leicester Woolen Coni- pany and have since been operating a two set mill in Leicester in the old electric light station, em- ploying forty hands. Their machinery is new and the mill has been prosperous. He married Emma Lindley, of Worcester. Their children are: Ruth Lindley, Florence May.


(IV) Robert Ashworth, son of Thomas Ash- worth (3), was born in St. Claire, Pennsylvania, April 6, 1866. He was educated in the Worces- ter public schools and at Becker's Business College. He learned the machinist's trade. In 1897 he pur- chased the grocery store of E. W. Conant, at Cherry Valley, and has conducted it profitably since then. He has also been postmaster since owning the store. He is one of the best known and most popular men in that section. He and his brother, Charles R. Ashworth, since 1903, have been manufacturing woolen goods at Leicester in the old electric light station under the firm name of Leicester Woolen Company. Mr. Ashworth is a member of the Cherry Valley Methodist church and has been its treasurer for eleven years. He married Clara Richardson. They have no children.


(IV) James Ashworth, son of Thomas Ashworth (3), was born in St. Claire, Pennsylvania, May 6, 1869. He received his early education in the public schools and at Becker's Business College in Wor- cester. He learned the trade of weaver in the E. D. Thayer, formerly Ashworth & Jones, mill, and got a thorough knowledge of the business. In 1902 he and his brother, Thomas Ashworth, began to manufacture woolens in an old mill in Charlton City, Massachusetts, formerly owned by the Aldrich Manufacturing Company. and called Copp's mill. They were burned out about two years afterward, but rebuilt a modern two-set mill and are operating the mill successfully. He married Beulah Brothers, of Worcester. They have one child, Ralph Willian.


(IV) Thomas Ashworth, son of Thomas Aslı- worth (3), was born in St. Claire, Pennsylvania, Fehruary 18, 1878. He attended the public schools and graduated at Hinman's Business College in Worcester. He is a member of Montacute Lodge of Free Masons. He is in partnership with his brother James in the woolen business with a mill at Charlton City. He is unmarried.


JOHN EMORY WINDLE. John Windle (1), father of John Emory Windle, of Worcester, born in Bernley, England; married Grace Blakely. and had by her six children. He was a confectioner in England. Ahout 1846 he came to America. His first wife died shortly before and he left behind him the six children. He went to work first in a cotton mill as dresser. Later he settled on a farm at West Boylston. He married. October 17, 1848, at Lancaster. Eliza Sargent, daughter of Stephen Sargent, of Bolton and Lancaster. (See sketch of the Sargent family for ancestors of Eliza Sargent. elsewhere in this work. ) They had five children, four of whom grew to maturity. After his second marriage some of his children by the first marriage


came to live with him in 1848 or later. His death in September, 1863, was caused by eating what he supposed were mushrooms. He was fifty-six. His widow Eliza died in 1871. His children were : James, entered the British army, and after twenty years service died in India while stationed there with his company; left one son who became a phy- sician and is living in England. Grace, Blake, Jane, Mathew, Thomas. Foregoing all born in Bernley. Mary, born in Clinton, June 21, 1849, died in Ox- ford, July, 1901. Eliza, born in Clinton, March 25, 1851. John Emory (see forward). Ade- line, born in Worcester, 1855; died 1864. Emma, born in Worcester. September 18, 1859.


(II) Thomas Windle, son of John and Grace Blakely Windle (1), was born at Bernley, England, March 6, 1845. He came to this country when very young and was brought up on his father's farm. He attended the district schools. At the age of fifteen he went to work in the woolen mill of Booth Bot- tomly, at Cherry Valley, and remained a year and a half. In 1862 he enlisted. His decision to go into the service was made one day while he was mowing, and he quit work at once to make the arrangements to go. He agreed to pay $130 for his time. He enlisted in Company K of the Twenty- Fifth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. At New- bern, North Carolina, in the vicinity of the Dismal Swamp, he contracted malaria and had pneumonia. Mr. Windle feels that he owes his life to the skill and care of the surgeon. He recovered and re- turned to his duty. He was in ten battles, and many minor skirmishes. In 1875 he began the manufac- ture of cloth in Baltic, Connecticut, in company with his brother-in-law, Edwin Hoyle, the firm being Hoyle & Windle. After being there two years he was successively in Millville, Massachusetts, Hopeville, Connecticut, and Woodville, Rhode Is- land, during part of the time managing two mills simultaneously. He came to Millbury in 1880, bought the tannery of Salem Griggs and converted it into a wool scouring mill. He has resided in Mill- bury since then and has large property interests there. Mr. Windle, Senator Samuel E. Hull and A. S. Winters together bought the Wheeler Cotton mill in Millbury about ten years ago. He deals extensively in wool. He is a Free Mason and in politics a Republican. He is a charter member of General Thomas Post. Grand Army of the Republic, No. 121. He married September 2, 1866, Hannah M. Buckley, who was then in her sixteenth year. She is the daughter of Charles and Sarah Buckley, both of whom were born in England. Mr. Buckley was a mill overseer. He had two daughters, Mrs. Windle and Mrs. Hoyle.


The children of Thomas and Hannah M. (Buck- ley) Windle were: I. William W., (see forward). 2. Arthur D., born October 3, 1878; associated with his father. 3. Grace G., born January 29, 1887.


(II]) William W. Windle, son of Thomas Windle (2), was born November 2, 1870. He was form- erly in the bicycle business and achieved a phe- nomenal record as a bicycle rider. When he was fifteen years of age he defeated the fastest rider in the county, and for the next five years held the world's championship. His highest record during that period was 2.08. He has since then made a mile in 1.42. On May 25, 1888, he won a hotly contested race in Canada from Klucky and Foster. He was the winner of many handsome trophies and souvenirs, including one prize of a thousand dollars. He has not been in training for several years, hav- ing given his whole time to business since he be- came associated with his father. He is a member of the Advent Church.


PUBLI


& Midle


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(II) John Emory Windle, son of John Windle (I), was born in West Boylston, Massachusetts, April 8, 1853. He attended the public schools in Worcester, but when a young boy went to work in the woolen mill at Cherry Valley. He worked his way up step by step until at the age of twenty-five he was superintendent. Three years later he left the woolen business to engage in the manufacture of textile machinery that he had invented. Since lie patented his first machine in 1880, he has taken out a large number of patents which he manufactures, many of which have proved very useful and profit- able. He has an extensive plant at 23 Hermon street, Worcester, and a factory at North Grafton, Massachusetts. He makes a specialty of cloth fin- ishing machinery for cotton and woolen goods. He invented the first cloth measuring machine to run by power, and his machinery has been adopted by the United States Government for their quarter- master's storehouse, United States Army. His resi- dence is at North Grafton, Massachusetts. He mar- ried, in 1886, Marietta A. Wilbur. daughter of George E. and Mary A. (Slocum) Wilbur, of Rich- mond, Rhode Island. Mr. Wilbur was in the dyeing business. The children of John E. and Marietta A. (Wilbur) Windle were: I. John E., Jr., born at North Grafton, July 4. 1887. 2. Mildred Eliza- beth, born at North Grafton, December 31, 1889. 3. Helen E., born at North Grafton, June 22, 1891 ; died August 7, 1891.


SARGENT FAMILY. (I) William Sargent, one of the first settlers of Ipswich, was an ancestor of John Emory Windle of Worcester, Massachu- setts. Much erroneous matter has been printed about William Sargent. The author of the Sargent Genealogy is uncertain as to the date or place of his birth. The most probable record shows William Sargent, son of Richard and Katherine (Stevens) Sargent, who were married November, 1602. The son William was baptized June 28, 1606, in the Abbey church at Bath, England. As there is no further record of father or son there they may have gone to London, and William Sargent shipped from there. William was a seaman and is said to have been with Captain John Smith at Agawam in 1614. when that famous adventurer landed there, and later described its attractions. As the father of Sargent's first wife, Quartermaster John Perkins, was from the vicinity of Bath in England, and was at Agawam in August, 1631, a short time after arriving in America, there is some probability that the Bath records refer to William Sargent, of Agawam, later called Ipswich.


William Sargent was at Agawam in April, 1633. when the general court passed an act to protect him and other grantees of land there. He was admitted a freeman in 1630. He was one of the first set- tlers of Newbury, Massachusetts, in 1635; of Hamp- ton, New Hampshire, in 1638; of South Merrimac, now Salisbury. Massachusetts, in 1639. He was in Salisbury in 1650. He was next located at Salis- bury, New Town, now Amesbury, and Merrimac in 1655, where he resided until his death. He mar- ried Elizabeth Perkins, daughter of John Perkins, who was born in 1618 at Newent, Gloucestershire, England. They were married about 1633, as she came to America with her parents in the ship "Lion" in the spring of 1631 and they were both at Agawam prior to 1633. She died before September 18. 1670, for he married (second), on that date, Joanna Rowell, who survived him and married Richard Currier, of Amesbury, Massachusetts. William Sar- gent was one of the "Prudential Men" in Ames- bury in 1667. He resided in that part of the town


known as the West Parish, and built a house near the church and academy. He died in March, 1675, and was buried in the graveyard at the ferry. His will was proved at Salem in 1675. It mentions his wife and children. The will was dated March 24, 1671.


The children of William and Elizabeth Sargent were: I. Mary, born about 1634; married Philip Challis, a farmer, of Amesbury, where he resided, held office and died 1681. 2. Elizabeth, died July 14, 1641, at Salisbury. 3. Thomas, born April II, 1643, Salisbury. 4. William (see forward). 5. Lydia (?), born June 17, 1647; died 1661. 6. Eliza- beth, born August 22, 1648; died September 4, 1649. 7. Sarah, born December 29, 1651 ; died young. 8. Sarah, born February 29, 1652-3 ; married December 22, 1681, Orlando Bagley, a farmer at Amesbury, who was town clerk for some years; she died Octo- ber 3, 1701. 9. Elizabeth, born about 1653; mar- ried prior to 1670. Samuel Colby, of Amesbury.


(11) William Sargent, son of William Sargent (1), born in Salisbury, Massachusetts, November 2, 1645, or January 2, 1645-6: married, September 23, 1668, Mary Colby, of Amesbury, at that town. She was born September 19, 1647. He died 1712 at Amesbury, where they resided and are buried. He was a farmer and held various town offices. He took the oath of allegiance and fidelity December 20, 1677, at Amesbury, before Major Robert Pike. His estate was administered at Salem March 31, 1712. Children, born at Amesbury, were: I. Will- iam (see forward). 2. Philip, born August 12, 1672. 3. Charles, born January 31, 1674. 4. A child. 5. Jacob, born March 13, 1687.


(III) William Sargent, son of William Sargent (2), born at Amesbury, Massachusetts, April 19, 1669; married April 6, 1689, Mary Beedle, of Ames- bury, born May 31, 1666. He was a farmer and held town offices in Amesbury. Children, all born in Amesbury, were: I. Judith, born June 7. 1693. 2. Huldah, born March 1, 1695; married February 10, 1724, Edmund Joy. 3. Daniel, born April 17, 1697 : married June 3. 1731, Judith Martin, of Ames- bury (perhaps the Daniel who paid tax at Kingston, New Hampshire, 1756). 4. William, born August 23. 1700. 5. Abigail, born May 23. 1701 ; married John Griffin. 6. David, born April 10, 1703. 7. Elizabeth, born January 18, 1705; married Joseph Davis. 8. Mehitable, born March 18, 1700: married Theophilus Grenfield. 9. John, born March 28, 1712: married Sarah Thompson.


(IV) William Sargent, son of William Sargent (3), born at Amesbury, Massachusetts, August 23, 1700: married Anna - He was a farmer. He resided at Amesbury, and his children were born there. There was a William Sargent at Kingston, New Hampshire, in 1758. . There was a tract of land granted to William Sargent, at Mendon, Massachu- setts, February, 1719, as one of the proprietors, and in 1718 the town voted William Sargent land. if he did certain work there, but there is no further record of those lots of land or of William Sargent in either town. The children of William and Anna Sargent were : I. Richard (see forward). 2. Rachel, born January 23, 1739. 3. Anna, born Janu- ary 14, 1741. 4. Hannah, born June 19, 1749. 5. Patience, horn May 7, 1754.


(V) Richard Sargent, son of William Sargent (4). was born March 28, 1737. After his birth there is no further record of Richard Sargent at Amesbury. He seems to have been in Kingston, New Hampshire, for a short time, and perhaps on his father's land at Mendon, Massachusetts. He probably settled at Bolton, near Lancaster. The Lancaster records show that he died October 14.


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1807, and he is buried at Bolton. His wife, accord- ing to the Mendon records, was Lydia Bois or Boyce. The children of Richard Sargent were: I. Lydia, married (first) Franklin; ( second)


Gates. 2. Mary, married Wheeler. 3. Mehitable, married John Goldthwait. 4. Abigail, bori November 28. 1770; married William Frye ; had ten children. 5. Stephen, born 1774; married Mary Temple. 6. Ebenezer, born December 31, 1777; married ( first) Darling ; second Polly Ball, of Bolton; he died 1861, in Blackstone, Massa- chusetts. 7. Patience. 8. Richard, Jr., married Han- nah Harkness, of Smithfield (intentions filed at Men- don June 30, 1792), resided in New York and West. 9. Thankful. 10. Rebecca.


(VI) Stephen Sargent, son of Richard Sargent (5), born in Lancaster, 1774; married, ISO1, (in- tentions February 6) Mary Temple, of Boylston, born June 17, 1780, died May 4, 1858. He died 1855. He was a farmer and also the proprietor of a saw mill and grist mill where the Lancaster mills are now located. The old home in which he lived is still standing in its original state. It is the first house on the left across the bridge as one goes from Worcester to Clinton. Sargent had a flat-bottom boat in the Nashua river at this point, and ran a ferry for the accommodation of the public. When one wanted to cross he blew the horn, provided for the purpose, to call the ferryman. The fare was two cents a trip per passenger.


Some of the children are recorded at Lancaster. differing slightly from those given in the Geneal- ogy, which are presumably from Bolton and family records. The children of Stephen and Mary (Tem- ple) were: I. Mary, born December 18, 1801. 2. Stephen, born June 24, 1803; died October 29, 1804. 3. Sophia, born October 10, 1805. 4. Seth, born October 7, 1807 : died 1815. 5. Merrick, born May 27, 1810; died 1883. 6. Luther, born November 5. 1812. 7. Elisha, ( see forward). 8. Willard, born December 25, 1816: died 1858. 9. Curtis, born Oc- tober 12 (?), 1819; died 1853. 10. Emory, born March II, 1821; died 1846. 11. Cordelia, born Sep- tember 15, 1823; died 1896. 12. Lyman C., born September 15, 1826.


(VII) Eliza Sargent, daughter of Stephen Sar- gent (6), born in Bolton, Massachusetts, December 16, 1814: died in 1871 ; married John Windle, October 17, 1848. He was born in 1808. ( See sketch of J. E. Windle in this work.)


EDWARD T. PIERCE. John Pierce (1). weaver, born in Norwich, England, 1588, was the emigrant ancestor of Edward T. Pierce, of Leo- minster. He came to Boston, 1637. He settled at Watertown where he became a freeman March 16. 1637-8. He died there August 19, 1661, mentioning his wife and children in his will dated March 4. 1657-8. His wife Elizabeth was born about 1587. died at Watertown, March 12, 1666, leaving a will which names her children. Their children were: John, born in England; Barbara, born in England ; Judith, born in England ; Elizabeth, married Ball, born in England; Anthony, born in 1609 in England; Robert; Esther, married Morse ; Mary, married Coldham; Robert, probably settled at Woburn; and John, at Wethersfield, Con- necticut.


(II) Anthony Pierce, son of John Pierce (1), born in England in 1609 and came to Watertown apparently before his parents. He was made a free- man of that town on September 3, 1634. He is the ancestor of the Pierce families of Watertown, Wal- tham, Weston, Lincoln and Lexington, Massachu- setts. The homestead was on the north side of the


road from Watertown to Cambridge, west of the house of John Stowers, which was afterwards the parsonage, occupied by Rev. Mr. Angier. The home- stead passed to his sons Joseph and Benjamin who lived there. Anthony Pierce married ( first) Sarah , ( second) about 1638, Anne - He died May 9, 1078, his will being dated September 6, 1671. His widow died January 20, 1682-3. Their children were: John, married Ruth Bishop, daugh- ter of Nathaniel Bishop; his widow married Will- iam Fuller; Mary, born October 20, 1633; Mary, born 1636, married Ralph Read, who was born in 1632, son of William and Mabel (Reed) Read, of Woburn; Jacob, born September 15, 1637, living in 1683; Daniel, born January 1, 1639-40; Alartha, born April 24, 1641; Joseph, made freeman April 18, 1690; Benjamin, born 1649, made freeman April 18, 1090; Judith, born July 18, 1650, married, Feb- ruary, 1666-7, John Sawin.


(III) Daniel Pierce, son of Anthony Pierce (2), was born January 1, 1639-40, at Watertown, Massa- chusetts. He married Elizabeth - in 1642 and settled at Groton, Massachusetts, where they had five children. Later he returned to Watertown and settled in 1681. He joined the Watertown Church, January 15, 1686-7 and his wife and three children were baptized on the same day. Their children were: Elizabeth, born in Groton, Massachusetts, May 16, 1665, married in Watertown, October 17. 1681, Isaac Mixer, Jr. ; her will is dated February 12, 1736-7: Daniel, born at Groton, November 28. 1666, by wife Abigail he had in Groton John, born February 18, 1698, and Isaac, born February 22, 1701; John, born at Groton, August 18, 1668, bap- tized at Watertown, January 10, 1686-7; Ephraim, born at Groton, October 15, 1673; Josiah, born at Groton, May 2, 1675; Joseph, mentioned in the will of his sister Elizabeth; Abigail, born at Water- town, January 3, 1681-2; Hannah, baptized at Wa- tertown, January 16, 1686-7; Benjamin, baptized at Watertown, January 16, 1686-7.


(IV) Ephraim Pierce, son of Daniel Pierce (3), was born in Groton, October 15, 1673, died in the same town February 27, 1741. He married Mary -, who died December 29, 1749. Their graves in the old burying ground at Groton are marked with stones. He was a farmer and resided at Gro- ton. Their children were: Mary, born August 9, 1696, married in Groton, Massachusetts, 1719-20, Josiah Farnsworth, of Groton, and had ten chil- dren; Elizabeth, born July 24, 1698, married in Groton, December 24, 1723, Thomas Farwell, of Groton ; Ephraim, born March 12, 1700, died young ; Sarah, born May 8, 1702, married, October 27, 1720, Jonathan Parker, of Groton; both died September 21, 1723; David, born May 23, 1704, married at Groton, June 15, 1725, Elizabeth Bowers, had seven children, resided at Lunenberg; Jonathan, born April 15, 1706, died September 23, 1723; Ephraim, born October 15, 1707: Abigail, born November 1, 1710; Lydia, born November 20, 1713, died September 24. 1793.


(V) Ephraim Pierce, son of Ephraim Pierce (4), was born in Groton, October 15, 1707. He married Esther -, who died June 28, 1768. He was selectman of Lunenburg, whither he moved about 1720 .. He drew land May II, 1720. Their children were: Esther, born May 29, 1722, married, October 17, 1739, Benjamin Gould; Jonathan, born November 27, 1724, married, February 4, 1745-6. Sarah Dodge; Ephraim, born March 13, 1726-7, mar- ried, January 3, 1760 Sarah Noreross, had seven children : Amos, born July 8, 1729, died January II, 1741-2; Sarah, born November 28, 1731, married, January 25, 1749, John Lovejoy; Mary, born March


WORCESTER COUNTY


5, 1733-4, married, November 28, 1754, Phineas Hartwell; Benjamin, born June 3, 1736, died Decem- ber 23, 1757; Prudence, born February 6, 1738-9, married, September 6, 1762, Reuben Smith; Oliver, born July 17, 1741, married, May 19, 1768, Mary Smith, had seven children ; Keziah born December 4, 1743, married, December 3, 1772, Ephraim Wether- bee; Elizabeth, born March 25, 1748, married, No- vember 18, 1766, Jacob Steward, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts.


(VI) Jonathan Pierce, son of Ephraim Pierce (5), was born at Lunenburg, Massachusetts, Novem- ber 27, 1724. He married at Lunenburg, February 4. 1745-6, Sarah Dodge. They resided at Lunen- burg and raised a family of twelve on the old farm. The children were: Jonathan, born Octo- ber 27, 1747, married Sarah Chaplin, January 5, 1769; Sarah, April 13, 1750, married, February 6, 1770, David Beaman; Esther February 5, 1752; Prudence, November 14, 1753; Mary, May 21, 1756; Tabitha, March 28, 1758; Benjamin, March 8, 1760; Josiah, October 28, 1761; Susannah, December 30, 1763; Abraham, December 20, 1767, married, Jan- uary I, 1789, Timothy Fessendon; Nahum, May 4, 1770.


(VII) Josiah Pierce, son of Jonathan Pierce (6), was born at Lunenburg, Massachusetts, Octo- ber 28, 1761. Among his children, all born at Lunenburg, was Albert. He attended the public schools of the town and took up farming for his occupation, and lived on the old homestead at Lunen- burg. He carried on the farm until age compelled him to retire.


(VIII) Albert Pierce, son of Josiah Pierce (7). was born at Lunenburg, Massachusetts, on the old homestead. He was educated in the Lunenburg public schools. He assisted on the farm when a young man and learned the trade of furniture mak- ing. He moved to Leominster where there are ex- tensive factories manufacturing furniture and in that town he followed his trade until his death. He held several town offices in Leominster. He was a Republican in politics and always interested in town matters. He married Ada Cowdrey, of Lunen- burg. Their children were : Clara, deceased ; Charles, deceased; Edward T., born November 12, 1856.




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