Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. II, Part 67

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 67

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Mr. Taylor was formerly an attendant and lib- eral supporter of Plymouth Congregational Church. He has also aided the Whitinsville Methodist Epis- copal church in the town of Northbridge, Massa- chusetts. His father was a Methodist and con- tributed largely, according to his means, to the building of the Methodist church in Mr. Taylor's native town, Winchester, New Hampshire. Mr. Tay- lor was one of the founders of the First National Bank of Worcester, which was absorbed by the Worcester Trust Company in 1903. For about twenty years he was one of the directors. He was also one of the original stockholders of the First National Fire Insurance Company, of which he was a director until its affairs were wound up a few years ago. Mr. Taylor built a large and handsome residence at Quinsigamond, where he lived until 1883. Then lie removed to his present home, the Dr. Kelley mansion on Main street. Mr. Taylor is a lover of fine horses and indulges this taste freely. He has in his stud the best horses in the city and enjoys a spin on the race track as much now as ever.

In 1850 he married Mary Louisa Chase, daugh- ter of Captain Abraham Chase, of Sutton, Massa- chusetts. She was an excellent and accomplished woman and aided her husband materially in his career. She died in 1878. The Chase building was so named as a memorial to her. He married (sec- ond). in 1880, Mary S. Stevens, daughter of Mer- rick R. Stevens, a flour merchant of Newton, Mas- sachusetts. He had four children by his first wife, two sons and two daughters, and he had by his sec- ond wife one son and one daughter. Children of Ransom C. Taylor are: Emma S., unmarried, lives at home; Ransom Frederick, see forward; Agnes L., married Harry P. Davis, engineer for the West- inghouse Electric Company, and resides at Pitts- burg, Pennsylvania; they have two children-Louise and Harry Ransom; Forrest W., mentioned below. Willard Stevens, see forward; Florence Clarke, un- married.

(VIII) Ransom Frederick Taylor, son of Ran- som Clarke Taylor (7), was born in Worcester He married Virginia Byrd Chapman, of York, Pennsylvania. He was educated at the Highland Military Academy, Worcester, and Phillips Andover Academy. He has for a number of years been as- sociated with his father in business and has shared the management of his property largely. In recent years he himself has been a large investor in real estate and is accounted as one of the shrewdest and most accurate judges of the values of real estate in the city. His children are: Marie Louise, Helen, Margaret, Paul.

(VIII) Forrest W. Taylor, son of Ransom Clarke

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Taylor (7), was born in Worcester. He received his education at the Highland Military Academy of Worcester and at Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts. Since he began his business career he has been associated with his father in the man- agement of his vast real estate interests and in the care of his own property. He owns a large amount of business property in the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and in Worcester. In partnership with his brother Ransom Frederick. he is owner of a busi- ness block in Boston. To him and his brother the care of the great business property acquired by their father in Worcester, Pawtucket, Taunton and Newton, Massachusetts, has come in recent years, and he is a very busy and energetic man of affairs. He is a member of the Tatnuek Country Club, of the Worcester Club, of the Boston Athletic Associa- tion and of various business and social organiza- tions in Pawtucket. He is unmarried and lives at home.

(VIII ) Willard Stevens Taylor, youngest son of Ransom Clarke and Mary Susan (Stevens) Tay- lor, of Worcester, was born there December 23, 1881. On the maternal side he is a descendant of the Stevens family, whose sketch follows this.

Willard S. Taylor was educated in the public and high schools of Worcester and at Phillips Acad- emy. Andover, Massachusetts. After attending the academy for two years, he returned to Worcester to assist his father in the management of his large real estate interests. Mr. Taylor is well and favor- ably known in the social circles of the city. In business circles he is equally well known for his successful management and knowledge of real estate investments. He is the owner of the Franklin Square Theatre building in Worcester. He is a member of the Tatassit Canoe Club of Worcester, the Tatnuck Country Club, Uptown Club, and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He married Pauline Lapham, daughter of Frederick Lapham, and granddaughter of Mowry Lapham, of Worcester, May 6, 1902. They reside in West street, Worcester. They have one son, Reginald Lapham, born October 27, 1906.

STEVENS FAMILY. Colonel Thomas Stevens was the ancestor of the Stevens family of Wor- cester county to which Mrs. Ransom C. Taylor and her sister, Caroline Weld Stevens, belong. While there are many branches of the Stevens family in England. those in Middlesex and Essex, and London, to which Colonel Stevens the progenitor of the American family belonged, had similar or identical coats of arms. The designs were of an eagle or a demi-eagle variously modified. In Middlesex the crest was an eagle displayed with two heads, sa., beaked and legged, or. In Essex, probably of the same family, an eagle, or, preying on a (lion's gamb, erased ), gu.

Colonel Stevens was born about 1575 in Devon- shire. He removed to London and followed there his trade of armorer. His shop was in Bittulph Lane. London. He contracted with the Massachu- setts Bay colony and government in March, 1629, for a supply of arms, and was himself a stock- holder in that company. Three sons and a daugh- ter settled in Massachusetts. Colonel Stevens was one of the signers of the instructions of Captain Endicott before his coming to New England.

Ilis children were: I. William, born in London, never emigrated : had three sons and three daughters, four of whom came to America. 2. Thomas, see forward. 3. Cyprian, born in England, came with his brother Thomas in 1660: married. January 22, 1671-52. Mary Willard, daughter of Maior Simon Willard, chief founder of Lancaster ; resided in Lan-

caster and Boston ; father of Deacon Joseph Stevens, of Rutland. 4. Richard, born in London, married in England and came over later than his brothers; settled in Concord, Massachusetts; died in 1683 and his widow and daughter returned to England ; his son Samuel settled in Marlboro married (first) Thankful Stow, March 29, 1710; (second) Mrs. Mary (Gove) Martin, who is said to have been kidnapped from home. 5. Mary, born in London, married in Ipswich, Massachusetts, Captain Whipple.

(II) Thomas Stevens, son of Colonel Thomas Stevens (I), was born in England, about 1623, if it is true that when he first came to America, a boy of twelve in the ship "Abigail" from London in 1635, his age was twelve as then recorded. He returned to London and learned the trade of his father, iron-monger or armorer. He and his brother Cyprian came to New England to live in 1660. They located first at Chelsea (Rumney Marsh), but soon removed; Cyprian went to Lancaster, Thomas to Sudbury to settle. He was well educated, for the town of Sudbury offered him land there if he would teach their school. He was town clerk for fifteen years. He was admitted a freeman in 1665. In the records he was called blacksmith, and prob- ably found more to do in making tools than armor in the new country. After King Philip's war he became one of the first settlers in the neighboring town of Stow, where the previous settlement had been destroyed and abandoned in 1675-76. He and ten others were allotted land there in 1681. Before March, 1686, twenty-three others had settled in the town. He was appointed by the prudential com- mittee with Boaz Brown, Thomas Gates and Stephen Hall to take charge of the new plantation, as it was at first called. This committee was invested with the powers of selectmen "for carrying on of such affairs as shall relate to the good settlement of the place," subject, however, to instructions from the prudential committee appointed by the higher authorities. In the early part of 1683 the inhabitants became anxious to take their place among the towns of the colony and made known their wishes to the prudential committee, who on the ninth of April chose Thomas Stevens of the plantation clerk and directed the inhabitants to meet and choose five selectmen to order and manage the town's affairs, etc. The meeting was held April 19, 1683, and Stevens was one of the selectmen elected. He was one of the leading citizens and town officers the remainder of his life. He died in Stow.

He married Mary -, and their children, born in Sudbury, were: Ann, born March 20, 1664; Thomas, born April 14, 1665, settled in Pomfret, Connecticut, with his cousin, Simon Stevens, son of Cyprian Stevens, of Lancaster; John, born April 23, 1667; Cyprian, born April 19, 1670; Jacob, see forward. The Stow history indicates that he had other children after settling there.

(III) Jacob Stevens, son of Thomas Stevens (2), was born in Sudbury, Massachusetts, March I, 1673-74, and removed with the family when he was very young to Stow, an adjoining town. He al- ways lived there. He learned the trade of car- penter or housewright. He owned land in Rutland, Massachusetts, which he deeded to his eldest son Cyprian, one parcel in Meeting House Meadow May 27. 1731, and twenty-five acres of common land also by deed of gift December 23, 1732. Jacob Stevens deeded various lots in Stow and vicinity, adioining the Lancaster river, October 18, 1728, to his son Israel. He may have had other children. The name of his wife does not appear in records available. The children: Cyprian, the eldest son, see forward; Israel. see forward.

(IV) Lieutenant Cyprian Stevens, son of Jacob

Allard Of Taylor

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Stevens (3), was born in Stow, Massachusetts, about 1700. He settled in Rutland about 1725. He bought of his cousin, Phineas Stevens, of Rutland, a quarter of a fortieth part of a tract of three hundred acres near Rutland, originally granted to Captain Andrew Robinson, of Gloucester, by the general court for services ( May, 1731), deeded to Stevens, Decem- ber 7, 1733. He bought land in the northwest part of Worcester (in or near Holden), May 12, 1731. His father gave him land in 1731 and 1732 as described above in Rutland. He sold various lands in Rutland to Thomas Frink, of Rutland, May 17, 1734. He bought of Moses How, of Rutland, land in or near Rutland in the Six Mile Square near the south end of the meeting house and other lands June 6, 1734. He bought a lot of land in the north part of Worcester of John Bigelow, then of Marl- boro, April 1, 1738, and he sold land the same year and in 1741 to Bigelow. He bought also of Bige- low, then of Worcester, December 10, 1740, land in the northwest part of Worcester, formerly belong- ing to John Bigelow, Sr. This land was probably in Holden, which was set off of Worcester. In 1739 or 1740 Stevens removed to Holden and lived there the remainder of his life. He was the first town clerk, serving from 1741 to 1746, inclusive. He joined the new Holden church, December II, 1742, being dismissed from Rutland, and was prom- inent in the church. The school was held at his house in 1752 and perhaps other years. He was third on the tax list for many years. He was men- ber of the school committee in 1741 and selectman 1741-44-45-46. He was lieutenant of the militia com- pany in Rutland or Holden. He died in 1754 and the inventory of his estate, dated May 16, 1754, is printed on page 399 of the history of the town. His eldest son Ephraim administered the estate. which was settled in September, 1756.

Cyprian Stevens, Sr., married Damaris - , who survived him. Their children, born in Rutland, were: Charles, baptized December 3, 1727, died young ; Thomas, born March 3, 1727-28, married, 1752. Martha Rogers, died before his father, leaving children, Thomas and Martha; Ephraim, baptized November 9, 1730, married, October 11, 1759, Syble Gay, of Needham, settled in Holden: Anna, born March IS. 1732-33; Sarah, born in Rutland, bap- tized July 20, 1736; Mary, baptized July 17. 1737. The following were born in Holden: Damaris, born September 30. 1740: Betty, born August 5, 1742; Eunice, born February 13. 1745-46, died at Holden, February 15, 1745-46; Cyprian, Jr., born August 18, 1747. see forward.

(V) Cyprian Stevens, youngest child of Cyprian Stevens (4), of Holden, was born there August 18, 1747. He resided in Holden, Worcester, Stur- bridge and Holland, Massachusetts. He learned his father's trade of housewright and carpenter. He was a soldier in the revolution in 1775 in Captain Jonas Hubbard's company. Colonel Artemas Ward's regiment. This was originally the company of Cap- tain Timothy Bigelow. for whom the Worcester Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolu- tion was named, the most prominent revolutionary patriot of the town of Worcester. When Bigelow was promoted, Hubbard became captain. After his removal from Worcester he served in 1780 in Cap- tain Abel Mason's company, Colonel Jacob Davis's regiment. on the Rhode Island alarm in 1780.

"The first deed on record of land owned by him was from Robert Cook, of Worcester, of land on the Oxford road in Worcester dated October 23, 1771. He was then living in Worcester, probably on land belonging to his father or Elisha Smith, who was Cyprian's guardian after his father's death and also lived in Worcester. Cyprian Stevens

bought land March 7, 1772, of Captain Jonas Hub- bard, in whose company he fought in the siege of Boston. Cyprian Stevens sold his lands to Ezra Cary, of Bridgewater, June 7, 1776, taking a mort- gage in part payment. He bought a farmi at Stur- bridge, part of it being in Brimfield, consisting of ninety-two acres of land, adjoining farms of Simon Tarbell and John Tarbell by deed dated February 18, 1778, of Ezekiel Upham, of Sturbridge, Mr. Stevens lived in Sturbridge on this farm until about 1810. He was living there in 1803, but in a lease dated April 6, 1803, to his son-in-law, David W. MeFarlin, he mentions twenty-one acres of land in Holland. As he sold his place to McFarlin, May 11, 1807, taking a mortgage in part payment, perhaps that is the date of removal. The mortgage was discharged August 25, 1813, when Cyprian Stevens was living in Holland. He died in Holland, 1837, aged ninety years.

He married Sarah -. Their children were: Tyler, born in Worcester, August 30, 1769, settled in Sturbridge and had children there; Phineas, bap- tized in Worcester, October 13, 1771; Asa, baptized in Worcester, May 8, 1774, at the First church ; Reuben, born in Sturbridge, December 10, 1780, see forward; Sally, born in Sturbridge, November 15, 1782, married, November 29, 1804, Stephen Lyon, of Holland, Massachusetts; Polly, born at Sturbridge, August 27, 1784, married, September 24, 1801, David WV. MeFarlin, whose son established a foundry in Worcester; Lyman, born in Sturbridge, October 12, 1786; Peircy, born in Sturbridge, October 29, 1787.

(VI) Reuben Stevens, fourth child of Cyprian Stevens (5), was born in Sturbridge, Worcester county, December 10, 1780, and died at Worcester, April 3. 1864, aged eighty-four years. He went to Holland with his father when a young man. He lived on the farm now or lately owned by L. C. Howlett in Holland, and in addition to farming was a cloth dresser or fuller. In his old age, after giving up his business in Holland, he removed to Worcester and lived with his daughter Hortense, Mrs. Frank Oliver. He died in Worcester and his gravestone in Rural cemetery is suitably inseribed.

He married (first) Abigail Richardson, of Hol- land, who died there in 1817, aged thirty-seven years, when her son Fitz Henry was an infant. She was a native of Charlestown, Massachusetts, and was of the Richardson family, a sketch of which will be found elsewhere in this work. Reuben Stevens married (second) Betsey Wells. Children of Reuben and Abigail were: Jarvis, who was a railroad man, died of heart disease while on duty; unmar- ried; Merrick Reuben, see forward; Fitz Henry, married Martha Bellows, of Northboro; Emeline, married Samuel K. Bailey and have children : Eliza, married Curtis Clapp, of Boston. The children of Rettben and Betsey were : Laura, married - Over- ton : Hortense, married Frank Oliver, of Worcester ; Martha Ellen, married (first) Moore; (sec- ond) Reuben Champion, of Worcester.

(VII) Merrick Reuben Stevens, second child of Reuben Stevens (6), was born at Holland, Mas- sachusetts, August 24. 1811, and died in Westboro, Massachusetts, July 4, 1888. In early life he at- tended the public schools at Holland, worked on his father's farm and at cloth finishing with his father. He removed to Southbridge after his mar- riage and went into business with Daniel Towne, conducting a large bakery. He resided for a short time at Sturbridge, and from there went to Boston and was for a time associated in business with Sam- utl K. Bailey, who married his sister Emeline. He went to Webster about 1816 to settle an estate in which he was interested. He finally removed, about 1848, to Newton, Massachusetts, where he resided

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for the remainder of his life, conducting business there and in Boston. He became senior partner of the firm of Stevens & Dodge, produce merchants, Lincoln street, Boston. Later the firm was Stevens, Dodge & May. His first partner was Rufus Dodge, of the Charlton ( Massachusetts) family. In 1862 he retired from active business, spending the re- mainder of his days quietly in attending to his prop- perty. Ile was a Republican in politics, but would never accept public office, though often urged by his friends to so do. He was highly respected through- out the community, and was a regular attendant and liberal contributor to church work, although not a member of any church.

He married, October 9, 1837, Susan Weld, born at Sturbridge, Massachusetts, June 4, 1815, died at Newton, Massachusetts, March 23, 1882, daughter of Willard Weld, born April 15, 1789, died September II, 1848, descended from Joseph Weld, who was born in Wales and came to New England in 1638, and his wife, Mary Peck (Church) Weld, born March 24. 1791, died November 26, 1816, descended from Richard Church, born in 1608, came to New England with Governor Winthrop in 1630 and served as sergeant in the Pequot war.

Children of Merrick Reuben and Susan (Weld) Stevens were: Caroline Weld, born at Southbridge, 1839, of whom later. Henry Merrick, born at Southbridge, September 29, 1840, of whom later. Mary Susan, born at South Boston, November 25, 1842, of whom later. George Willard, born at Bos- ton, February 12, 1845, died September 13, 1863, aged eighteen years, six months, nineteen days; he was a young man of rare promise and ability and much beloved by all his associates. Abbie Richard- son, born at Webster. January 26, 1848, married Hendrick Gordon Webster, at Newton, November 17, 1870. Emma Louise, born at Newton, Decem- ber 4. 1853. married. December 18, 1879, at Newton. Joseph Elisha Whitman. Herbert Barton, born at Newton, July 11, 1855. of whom later.

(VIII) Caroline Weld Stevens, daughter of Mer- rick Reuben Stevens (7), was born in Southbridge, Massachusetts, February 2, 1839. She married, at Newton, December 21, 1859. Alpha Entler Roden- mayer, of Baltimore, Maryland. They were divorced and she resumed her maiden name. Miss Stevens has traveled much of the time, stopping for the win- ters in the south and living at times in New York city. Washington, D. and Boston. Her life

work has been largely helping her friends and fam- ily in the ways their needs suggested. Her life, in a word, has been devoted to others.

(VIII) Henry Merrick Stevens, son of Merrick Reuben Stevens (7), was born at Sturbridge, Massa- chusetts, September 29, 1841. He became a mem- ber of Company C. Forty-fifth Regiment Massa- chusetts Volunteers. He was a brave and brainy soldier, as instanced when: In command of detach- ment detailed to escort families of camp-followers back into the southern lines, loaded some onto float- cars and proceeded until train had passed sentries. Stopping the train, he advanced alone, carrying flag of truce until mct by a considerable force of the enemy, who stated their orders were not to receive the camp-followers or a flag of truce, and to fire on bearer of flag if the advance was persisted in. Sergeant Stevens asked why they did not fire on him and, detecting a hesitancy in their reply, he coolly signaled the train to unload, while he engaged the enemy in conversation, after which he turned his back and walked back to the train, having ac- complished his duty. He died February 29, 1880, aged thirty-nine years.

He married. April 27, 1871, at Brighton, Massa- chusetts, Mary Jane Ludgate. Their children were:

Mary Susan, born at Brighton, August 14, 1874; Carrie Louise, born at Brighton, January 23, 1876.

(VIII) Mary Susan Stevens, daughter of Mer- rick Reuben Stevens (7), was born in Boston, No- vember 25, 1842. She married Ransom Clarke Taylor, March 4, 1880. at Newton, and has since resided in Worcester. (See sketch of Ransom C. Taylor and ancestry. ) Their children are: Wil- lard Stevens, born December 23, ISSI, at Worcester ; Florence Clark, born February 23, 1883,

Worcester.

( VIII) Abby Richardson Stevens, daughter of Merrick Reuben Stevens (7), born January 26, 1848, in Webster, Massachusetts, married Hendrick Gor- don Webster, of Plymonth, New Hampshire, in Newton Massachusetts, November 17, 1870. They have one son, George Gordon Webster, born in Fall River, Massachusetts, May 2, 1873.

(VIII) Herbert Barton Stevens, only surviving son of Merrick Reuben Stevens (7), was born in Newton, Massachusetts, July 11, 1855. He was edu- cated in the public schools of Newton, and com- mnenced business life in 1872 as a clerk in the woolen jobbing house of E. Allen & Co., No. 36 Franklin street, Boston, Massachusetts. Later he traveled as salesman for that house, and for one year for the woolen and tailors trimming house of Morris & Lewis, Market street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, covering territory from eastern Maine to Kansas, Kentucky and northern Vermont. He entered the employ of Gowing, Grew & Co., Leonard and Church streets, New York city, dry good commis- sion merchants, in 1880, and later in the same year made contract with Rock Manufacturing Co., Rock- ville, Connecticut, manufacturers of worsted and woolen cloth for men's wear, representing them as salesman in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore. In 1884 he became a partner in the woolen commission house of Otheman, Dyer & Southwick, 22 White street, New York city, and the following year purchased an interest in the National Worsted Mills of Providence, Rhode Island, man- aging the sale of its product through the firm of Otherman, Dyer & Southwick. In 1894 he estab- lished the firm of Stevens, Sanford & Hardy, 41 Worth street, New York city, dry goods commis- sion, and removed a few years later to 47-49 Worth street. N. L. Hardy of the firm dying, the firm became Stevens, Sanford & Jordan, who in 1906 purchased the Neurasket Worsted Mills, Middleboro, Massachusetts, also interests in woolen mills in Mas- sachusetts and cotton mills in North Carolina. also operated in real estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, and Newton, Massachusetts.

Mr. Stevens is a Republican in politics. He drafted the constitution for the Taxpayers Asso- ciation of Greenwich, Connecticut, the object of which was: "To promote an active interest on the part of its members in the management of the pub- lic affairs of the town." He is a member of the Second Congregational Church of Greenwich, Con- necticut, serving several years on the business com- mittee. He is a member of the New England So- ciety of New York, Merchants Club of New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and Green- wich Casino, Greenwich, Connecticut. Realizing at an early age that the privileges and blessings of American citizenship demanded that every citizen should participate. so far as his or her ability per- mitted, in the public concerns of the community, and being accustomed to think and act quickly, and pos- sessing a genial and attractive manner, owing to the nature and demands of his business life, has been called, and responded, to many and varied activities of public and social character.

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Mr. Stevens married, at Newton, Massachusetts, June 13, 1881, Lilla Frances Field, who was edu- cated at Bradford Academy, Bradford, Massachu- setts. She was the daughter of Deacon John Field, of Arlington, Massachusetts, and Sarah Ann ( Bald- win) Field, of Brighton, Massachusetts. Among her direct ancestors were John Alden and Priscilla Mullins. Their children were: Laurance Field, born November 25, 1882, at 655 Greene avenue, Brooklyn, New York, died March 24, 1902, while in sophomore class at Princeton University, and Weld Merrick, born June 12, 1884, graduated from Princeton University in 1904, entered Columbia Law School, New York, same year, and was admitted to New York bar in July, 1906.

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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 67

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