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 48
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126
(I) Rev. Joseph Hull, of Somerset, England, the most prominent of the Massachusetts immi- grants of this name, was the progenitor of Hon. Samuel E. Hull, of Millbury, Massachusetts. He came from England with his wife Agnes, aged twen- ty-five years ; his children, Joane, aged fifteen; Jo- seph, thirteen; Tristram, eleven; Elizabeth, seven ; Temperance, five; Dorthy, three; servants Judith French, aged twenty ; John Wood, aged twenty, and Robert Dabyn, twenty-eight years, sailing from Weymouth, England. March 20, 1635. He was al- lowed by the general court to locate or "sit down" at Wessaguscus, afterward called Weymouth, and twenty-one families with him. Less is known of him than of almost any other minister of the early settlers, because he was an Episcopalian. He did not stay long in Weymouth. Savage thinks he may have finally returned to England, and that he may have been the "Puritan" minister ejected in 1662 from Burian in Cornwall. He had a son at York,
170
WORCESTER COUNTY
Maine. He was admitted a freeman September 2, 1635. He removed to Hingham, and while there was one of the committee to assist the magistrates, September 6, 1638; was deputy to general court ; preached his farewell sermon there May 5, 1639. and removed to Barnstable, becoming a freeman and deputy of the Plymouth colony in 1639. He became pastor of the Yarmouth church. Children of Rev. Joseph and Agnes: 1. Joane, born 1620. 2. Temperance, 1626. 3. Joseph, 1627. 4. Elizabeth, 1628. 5. Grissell, 1630. 6. Dorothy, 1632. 7. Reuben (or Benjamin) born about 1635, baptized at Hing- ham, March 24, 1639. 8. Naomi, born about 1637-9, baptized 1639. 9. Ruth, baptized May 9, 1641. 10. Sarah, died 1647.
(II) Reuben Hull (sometimes Benjamin, caus- ing great difficulty in tracing the family), son of Rev. Joseph Hull (1), born about 1635, baptized at Hingham, March 24, 1639. He seems to have been at Beverly in 1643, and at Dover, New Hamp- shire, 1659-61. He married Hannah Fernside about 1670, and they settled in Dover. Another record gives their children to Benjamin and Mary (Fern- side) Hull, of Portsmouth. John Fernside had daughters, Mary and Hannah, and of course each may have been married to Ben Hull. Children recorded at Dover of Reuben and Hannah (Fern- side) Hull: I. Elizabeth, born September 9, 1673. 2. Joseph, March 31, 1676. 3. Doduah, December 31, 1681. 4. Reuben, August 2, 1684. 5. Sarah, September 25,. 1686. 6. Mary, September 1, 1688. Probably others.
(III) Joseph Hull, son of Reuben (Benjamin) Hull (2), born at Dover, New Hampshire. March 31, 1676, settled in Falmouth, Maine.
(IV) James Hull, the first ancestor of Samuel E. Hull in Worcester county, was born about 1700, and there is reason for believing him to be son of Joseph Hull of Falmouth, Maine. He was living in Sutton in 1737, when he bought of Nathaniel H. Jones, of Falmouth, and gave him a mortgage of his farm, December 30, 1737. The place was lo- cated in what was then called the "Country Gore," lying between Worcester and Sutton, near the line of Sutton. The mortgage was discharged Septem- ber II, 1741, when Jones was in Boston. He sold, September 4, 1741, to John Goddard, of Brookline, part of all of this land. Edward Lyon, of Sutton, sold land to Deborah Hull, wife of James, Novem- ber 2, 1747. He died 1759, and the will was pre- sented for probate December 3, 1759. He married, about 1726, Deborah, sister of Jeremiah Burnham, of the Ipswich family. The children of James Hull, mentioned in his will, were: Elizabeth; Lucy; Tramy (?) : Deborah; Mary; Mehitable; Hannah ; James Wake, mentioned below: Sarah; Martha; Jolın: Asa, born 1756, brother of James W., ap- pointed guardian January 7, 1771.
(V) James Wake Hull, son of James Hull (4), born in Uxbridge. January, 1738, died at Millbury, 1823. His son William administered the estate. He was a soldier in the revolution on the Lexing- ton 'Alarm, April 19, 1775. in Captain Joseph Chapin's minutemen, as drummer ; in Captain John Tyler's company, Colonel Joseph Read's regiment, 1775. the company made up of men from Upton, Uxbridge and Mendon : corporal in Captain Samuel Read's company, Colonel Josiah Whitney's regi- ment, 1776-7. in New Jersey; sergeant in Captain Benjamin Farrar's company, Colonel Benjamin Haw's regiment in the Rhode Island service, 1777; enlisted for nine months in the Continental army for the town of Uxbridge. He is described in the rolls as aged thirty years; five feet, ten inches
tall, with dark hair and blue eyes. He was dis- charged and mustered out in New Jersey without his mileage. His father died when he was a young boy, and he was brought up by Obadiah Brown, who was appointed his guardian. He learned the trade of shoemaker, or cordwainer. He mar- ried Rebecca. daughter of David Draper. Their children were: I. William, mentioned below. 2. Jesse, born 1769, settled in Sutton. 3. Joel, born 1771; settled in Uxbridge. 4. Mary, born 1774.
(VI) William Hull, son of James Wake Hull (5), born in Uxbridge, March 31, 1767, died at Millbury. August 13, 1849, aged eighty-two years, five months, thirteen days. He was brought up and educated at Uxbridge. In 1809 he bought about five hundred acres in Millbury, and lived there the remainder of his life. His grandson, Samuel E. llull, sold the last of the old farm in 1872. Will- iam Hull was a well-to-do farmer and a man of influence in his day. He bought of his brothers Jesse and Joel land given to their mother by David Draper, their grandfather. This land was in Ux- bridge. He married Martha Wood, of the well known Uxbridge and Mendon family. She died in Millbury, November 14, 1858, at the age of eighty- eight years and eight months. She and her hus- band are buried in the Millbury cemetery. Their children, all born at Uxbridge or Millbury, were: I. Jabez, born October, 1789; married Hannah, daughter of Le Baron Putnam, of Sutton; died October 1, 1844. 2. Nancy, born September 24, 1791, died September 24, 1795. 3. Martha Whitney, born September 11, 1793: married Tyler Chamber- Iain, March 19, 1817. 4. Paris, born July 29, 1795, died October 6, 1803. 5. Elias, born October 7,- 1797, died October 14, 1803. 6. William born February 19, 1800, died October 16, 1803. 7. Joel, born May 19, 1802, died October 22, 1803. 8. Will- iam, born July 23, 1804; married Lucy E. Stock- well, 1828; he died August 8, 1829. 9. Elias, born September 16, 1806; see forward. 10. Nancy, born December 22, 1808; married Stephen Stockwell, of Sutton, May 6, 1840. II. Mary, born July 19, 1811, died June 13, 1813. 12. Mary, born April 4. 1814: married George Sweetzer, of, Millbury. Those deceased are all buried in Millbury ceme- tery. As the children died, their memory was com- memorated by naming another for the lost one.
(VII) Elias Hull, son of William Hull (6), born at Uxbridge, Massachusetts, September 16, 1806, died at Millbury, October 23, 1871. He had the homestead of his father, and was intelligent and progressive, a man of high ideals, integrity of purpose, and sterling character. He married (first) Miriam. daughter of Benjamin and Rhoda (Ald- rich ) Wheeler, of Northbridge, May 28, 1839. She was born in October. 1809, and died Octo- her 26. 1846. He married (second) February 3, 1848, Sylvia H. Smith, of Southbridge. He mar- ried (third) Betsey Chase, May 30, 1860. Chil- dren of Elias and Miriam Hull: 1. Sylvester Graham, born in Millbury, January 19, 1841, died at Southbridge, November 29. 1848. 2. Samuel Elias, see forward. 3. Ellen Rhoda, born April 24, 1846; married Henry Martin Leland, of Worces- ter ; moved to Providence, Rhode Island. 1872. and to Detroit, Michigan, 1890. Henry M. Leland was one of the founders of the Leland & Faulconer Manufacturing Company, and director in the Cadillac Automobile Company. These two were consolidated in 1905 under the name Cadillac Motor Car Company, with Henry M. Leland as general manager, and his son. Wilfred C. Leland. as secre- tary and acting treasurer. Children of Henry M.
I71
WORCESTER COUNTY
and Ellen R. Leland: Martha, Gertrude, Leland, Wilfred Chester Leland, and Edith Miriam Leland, who died December 22, 1894.
(VIII) Samuel Elias Hull, only surviving son of Elias Hull (7), was born at Millbury, Massa- chusetts, August 12, 1843. He resided on the home farm and helped his father until he was twenty- one. He attended the public schools of his native town and the Eastman Business College at Pough- keepsie, New York. He enlisted, May, 1864, in Tenth (unattached) Company, Massachusetts Militia Infantry, and served at Fort Warren, guarding, among other distinguished Confederate prisoners, Hon. Alexander H. Stephens, vice-president of the Confederacy. He was honorably discharged from service in August, 1864. He entered upon business with a saw mill that had been owned by his grand- father and father before him, and which he oper- ated for about four years. He then went to Wor- cester and worked as a wood molder for five years for I. N. Keys, patternmaker. From there he went to Philadelphia, where he worked for about three years for the Hale & Kilburn Manufacturing Com- pany; was then employed about eleven years by C. D. Morse & Company; and was one year watch- man and guard in the Massachusetts State Prison at Concord.
.
In April, 1871, Mr. Hull by his quickness, courage and coolness saved five persons from drowning. He was on the bridge at Millbury when a carriage containing five persons was backed over the rail into the river by the frightened horse. Mr. Hull managed to get all five out safely. The horse was drowned, and the town was obliged to pay damages for the loss of the horse and vehicle, but, in recognition of the sum that the action of Mr. Hull had saved the town and in appreciation of his achievement, the town at a regular meeting in 1872 voted to present him with a watch, which Mr. Hull treasures with commendable pride. It bears the inscription: "In April, 1871, S. E. Hull rescued five persons from drowning. This watch is presented to him by the town of Millbury, Massa- chusetts, as a testimonial of his services at that time."
In 1882 he embarked in trade for himself, buying the business of Briggs & Company, dealers in cot- ton and wool, of Millbury, established some fifty years. In 1892 he purchased of D. C. Sumner his wool business at 112 Front street, Worcester. He has been very successful in these enterprises, and has developed a large trade with the mills of New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and some western states. Mr. Hull has also large mining interests in Alaska. He made a trip to Alaska and the West in 1905, and stayed at the mines for several weeks. He has traveled extensively in the United States, and made a trip abroad in 1903. He divides his time between his business in Millbury and Worcester, although he has always retained his residence in his native town. He is president of the Millbury National Bank and trustee of the Millbury Savings Bank, a director of the Millbury Water Company, and the only survivor of the orig- inal board.
In politics Mr. Hull has been a very active Re- publican. He was selectman for seven years, from 1892 to 1899, inclusive, and for four of these terms chairman of the board. In 1900 and 1901 he repre- sented his district, composed of the towns of Au- burn. Douglas, Sutton and Millbury, in the general court. He was on the committee on banks and banking, and on labor and prisons, and was a mem- ber of the special legislative committee which went to Georgia to dedicate the monument erected by the
Commonwealth in memory of the Massachusetts soldiers buried at the military prison at Anderson- ville during the civil war. In 1905 and 1900 lie served his district in the state senate, representing the towns of Auburn, Blackstone, Douglas, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Northboro, Northbridge, Oxford, Shrewsbury and Southboro, Sutton, Upton, Uxbridge and Westboro, containing about thirteen thousand legal voters. He received large majorities at both his elections as state senator. In 1905 he was on the committee on mercantile affairs; chairman of the prison committee, and committees on towns. In 1906 he was chairman of the committee on military affairs, and member of the committees on railroads and liquor laws. He was elected delegate to the Republican national convention at Chicago with Hon. Charles G. Wash- burn, to represent the Third Congressional District. He was a prominent figure in the convention on account of his stand for Charles W. Fairbanks for vice-president, the nominee of the convention, and the newspapers called Mr. Hull at the time the orig- inal Fairbanks man. Mr. Hull is well known in Masonic circles. He has been master of Olive Branch Lodge, of Millbury; high priest of Tyrian Royal Arch Chapter, of Millbury ; member of Hiram Council, of Worcester, and of Worcester County Commandery, Knights Templar, and of Massachu- setts Consistory, Lodge of Perfection. He is an active member of George A. Custer Post, No. 70, G. A. R., of Millbury; of the Home Market Club of Boston, Massachusetts Republican Club, Com- monwealth Club of Worcester, and various other organizations.
He married (first) May 8, 1866, Jane E. Gay, daughter of John and Margaret (Gowen) Gay, of Millbury, and sister of Frank C. Gay of Millbury. She died June 6, 1902. He married (second) June 15, 1905, Mary F. (Cole) Bowen, widow of Roland E. Bowen, late of Millbury, and daughter of Albert V. and Sophia Cole, of Millbury. She was born December 21, 1845. The children of Samuel Elias and Jennie E. Hull were: I. Nathan R., born at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 20, 1869; educated in the public school and at Bryant & Stratton's Business College, Boston ; married Annie Fisher ; died July 10, 1904. 2. Harry C. (twin), born at Millbury, December 23, 1874; educated at Mill- bury public schools, Worcester Academy (1894) ; Brown University (1898) in the mechanical en- gineering department; was connected with the Wor- cester Umbrella Company for a time ; has been for several years with his father in the cotton and wool waste business in Worcester; married Helena L. Prentiss, daughter of Frank E. and Mary Mc- Glathery Prentiss and they have one child, Samuel
P. Hull, born April 16, 1904, at Millbury. 3. Ed- ward F. (twin), born December 23, 1874; graduate of the Worcester Academy (1894) and of Brown University (1898) in the mechanical engineering department ; was for three years connected with the Millbury National Bank; since then has been with his father in business; married Bertha E. Sutton, daughter of Arthur E. and Eliza (Congdon) Sutton, born in East Douglas, Massachusetts, and they have one child, Jennie Phyllis, born in Mill- bury, October 14, 1902.
DUDLEY FAMILY. Francis Dudley (1), the immigrant ancestor of the Dudley family of Whit- insville, and also of the branch at Sutton early in the county history, and at Douglas and vicinity, is believed to have been a relative of Governor Dudley, but the connection is not known. He was born in England about 1640, and settled about 1663 at Con-
172
WORCESTER COUNTY
cord, Massachusetts, and seems to have lived there the remainder of his life. The family historian thinks that Francis may have been son of John Dud- ley, who was in Charlestown from 1655 to 1671. Francis was a soldier in King Philip's war and re- ceived twelve pounds, ten shillings on one pay-roll that has been preserved, dated February 29, 1675. Ile was living in 1702. The date of his death is not known. He married Sarah Wheeler, daughter. of George Wheeler, of Concord, October 26, 1665. and she died December 12, 1713. Their children, all born at Concord, were: Mary, born February 9, 1666, married Joseph Fletcher. Joseph, married Abigail Goble, 1691, died November 3, 1702, and his father helped settle the estate. Samuel, born June 27, 1682, see forward. Sarah. John, married, May 16, 1697, Hannah Poulter, of Medford. Benjamin. Francis, married (first) Sarah ; ( second ) Abigail
(II) Samuel Dudley, son of Francis Dudley (I), was born at Concord, Massachusetts, June 27, 1682, died at Douglas, Massachusetts, May 27, 1777, nearly a hundred years old, but not so old as represented in some of the literature about him. The writer makes him one hundred and nine years old. He removed to Littleton, Massachusetts, about 1714-15, and was town clerk there 1716-17. He removed to Sutton, Massachusetts, was among the earliest set- tlers there, and was one of the prominent settlers of Douglas in 1745. He was moderator of the Sut- ton town meeting in 1728. He had the rank of lieutenant as early as 1730, when he was elected a deputy to the general court, the first sent from the town of Sutton. He went again in 1731. His prominence in the town is shown by the fact that when the meeting house was seated he had the first place in the front pew, and March 6, 1731-32, he was given permission to build his pew in the meeting house. He was constantly in positions of trust and authority; town clerk in 1748; assessor, moderator and selectman in 1750; selectman from 1757 to 1770; constable 1759; member of the committee on school money 1764 to 1768. He was for many years sealer of weights and measures. The Dudley farm, where he first settled in Sutton, was on the county road between Millbury and Wilkinsonville. He built his house on the site of the George Dudley house. He was an extensive owner of property in Sutton. He was a man of prominence all his life, the local squire and justice of the peace. He was on the first board of selectmen of the town of Douglas, serving in 1746-47.
Ile married four times; (first), November 1; 1705. Abigail King, who died August 9, 1720; (sec- ond), 1720, Lydia Wetherbee, who died at Douglas, March 27, 1747; (third) unknown and (fourth ) Sarah Shepard. Children of Samuel and Abigail Dudley, born at Concord, were: Samuel, Jr., born July 28, 1705, married Abigail Waters ; Francis, born December 10, 1706, married Sibyl Leland ; David, born November 1, 1709 (triplet) ; Jonathan (triplet), horn November 1. 1709, married Hannah Putnam: Abigail (triplet), born November 1, 1709, died young; Sarah, born July 28, 1713; Abigail, born at Littleton, October 28, 1714; Mary, born at Lit- tleton, February 22, 1716: Patty, born September 13, 1718; Rogers, born at Littleton, August 9, 1720, see forward. Children of Samuel and Lydia Wether- bee) Dudley were: Paul, born at Littleton, Septem- ber 24, 1721, died young; Charles, born December IO, 1722, died without issue; William, horn May 28. 1726, at Littleton. The only child of the third wife was: Donglas or Douglasette, horn September 9, 1748, at Douglas.
(III) Rogers Dudley, son of Samuel Dudley
(2), was born in Littleton, Massachusetts, August 9, 1720. He settled in Sutton on the old road from Sutton to Worcester by way of Doroty Pond. He married Mary Sibley and their children, all born at Sutton, were: Mercy, born April 20, 1746; David, born January 14, 1750, married Lois Whitney, men- tioned below; Mary, born December 14, 1751, mar- ried, 1764, Jonathan Eliot.
(IV) David Dudley, son of Rogers Dudley (3), was born at Sutton, Massachusetts, January 14, 1750. He was called for obvious reasons "Fat David." He built his house in Sutton near Dorothy Pond. It is a large old house next the present John Paul place in Sutton. He married, December 16, 1773, at Sutton, Lois Whitney. Their children, all born at Sutton, were: 1. John, born about 1775, married Huldah Gould and had-Lois W., wife of Caleb Cut- ting, and their daughter Susan married Francis Strong. 2. David, born June 5, 1781, married Phehe Dudley, 1804, died No, ember 3, 1836, at Sutton ; they had-Caleb, born 1804, died October 22, 1830; Peter, born 1807, died July 31, 1840; Elbridge Gerry, born 1810, died April 12, 1834; Betsey E., born 1815, died April 19, 1834; David, born September 24, 1817, the well known shuttle manufacturer. 3. Luther, whose daughter Mary Ann married - Cutting. 4. Sally. 5. Betsey, born February 9, 1787, married, August 18, 18II, John Marsh. 6. Dr. Joseph, born March 14, 1790. 7. Amasa, horn October 17, 1792, see forward. S. Polly, born 1795, married Dwinel, of Brooklyn.
(V) Amasa Dudley, son of David Dudley (4), was born in Sutton, Massachusetts, October 17. 1792. He removed to Albany, New York, and later to Amsterdam, New York, but about 1818 returned to Whitinsville. He resided later at Manchaug in Sutton and at Uxbridge, an adjoining town. His large brick house in Uxbridge is readily found. He was a merchant, proprietor of a general store at Uxbridge and at the various other towns mentioned. He married Ann Fletcher and their children were : Joseph Amasa, see forward: Paul Whitin, see for- ward; William Neil, born April 20, 1820, died May I, 1822; William Henry, born November 23. 1823, married, January 1, 1850, Susan Johnson; settled at Charlotte, Michigan; he is a hardware merchant. (VI) Joseph Amasa Dudley, son of Amasa Dudley (5), was born at Albany, New York, Sep- tember 5. 1815. He was educated in the public schools of Uxbridge. He had a long and very suc- cessful career as a wholesale druggist in New York city. Outside of his business Mr. Dudley was in- terested chiefly in the work of the Presbyterian church, of which he was an earnest and devoted member and liberal supporter. His place of busi- ness was at 69 Beekman street, and his residence at the time of his death was on West One-hundred-and- twenty-fifth street, New York city. In his' will he bequeathed very generously to each of the Home and Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian church ; the trustecs of the church Erection Fund of the Presbyterian church; the Presbyterian hospital and Hamilton College; to the American Female Guar- dian Society and to the Board of Education of the Presbyterian church ; the Trustees or Board of Pub- lication of the Presbyterian church; the Board of City Missions and Tract Society; Harlem Union Mission; the New York Port Society. He gave to complete the tower on the Church of the Puritans, provided the tower was completed in five years and the church held the same denomination.
He married, at Rome, New York, May 10, 1839, Frances M. Blair, who died at Rome, September 2, 1844. Joseph married (second), at Romc, October 1, 1846, Ann Frances Draper, who died at New York
PUBLI LIPIDS
If. S. Schuster
173
WORCESTER COUNTY
city, April 15, 1871. Josepli A. Dudley died at New York city, April 22, 1884. Child of Joseph Amasa and Frances MI. Dudley was: Anna Lauretta, born January 5, 1844, married Clarence Edgar Oakley, at New York, April 6, 1869; residing 1906 at Buffalo, Minnesota; their children are-Grace K., born at Hudson City, New York, November 7, 1870, died at New York, October 21, 1871; Egbert Simmons, born at New York, October 13, 1872; Frances Blair, born at Buffalo, Minnesota, November 12, 1875; Walter L., born at Buffalo, September 13, 1878; Clara Lauretta, born at Buffalo, November 12, 1883. Children of Joseph A. and Ann Frances Dudley were : James \Vhitin, born at Rome, 1847
born Eliza Holmes, June .7, 1850, married William S. Lyon, at New York, October 13, 1874; she died at New York, November 10, 1879. Charles Virgil, born at Rome, September 2, 1852, see for- ward. William Blair, born at Brooklyn, New York, November 25, 1857, married Ellie Weeks Roberts, at New York, October 7, 1884; she died at New York, December 23, 1890, leaving one child-Virgil Roberts, born at New York, June 20, 1887.
(VI) Paul Whitin Dudley, son of Amasa Dud- ley (5), was born in Amesterdam, New York, April 3, 1817. His childhood like that of his elder brother was spent in Whitinsville, Manchaug, and Ux- bridge. He attended the common schools and the academy at Uxbridge. He got his early training as a merchant in his father's store at Uxbridge, and he was associated with his father in business until 1846, when he took charge of the store of P. Whitin & Sons at Whitinsville. He held this position until the firm was dissolved in 1864, when he formed a partnership with Charles P. Whitin and the busi- ness was continued under the firm name of P. W. Dudley & Company. Mr. Dudley had the active management of this business all the remainder of his life. He died at Whitinsville, July 1, 1872. Mr. Dudley was prominent in church and public affairs as well as in business circles. He was chairman of the board of selectmen of Northbridge, of which Whitinsville is a part, in the years of the civil war, 1862 to 1865 inclusive, declining a re-election the following year. He was for many years a director of the First National Bank.
He joined the Congregational church at Whitins- ville when he came to that village in 1846, and was to the hour of his death a sincere, active and gener- ous member of the church. He was chosen deacon January 11, 1866, and continued in that office until his death. He was superintendent of the Sunday school for some time. A friend who knew him well wrote of him: "He was a benevolent man. Hating waste, he used his means most generously and con- scientiously for every good cause and for individual need. Not content with giving of his means, he gave personal service freely. Many can witness of these deeds of personal service, especially during and after the war, for soldiers and their families. No good cause or deserving person ever appealed to him in vain. He was especially active in the temper- ance cause. At the time ot his death hc was presi- dent of the Worcester South Temperance Union and a member of the State Temperance Alliance. To this cause he gave freely of his *
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.