Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. II, Part 82

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 82

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Rufus Carter attended the public schools of Millbury and Leicester Academy, and afterward worked on the farm of his step-father, Cyrus Faulk- ner at Old Common, until he was eighteen years old. 'Being then afflicted with a lameness of the knee that interfered with active work in the fields, he secured employment with a shoemaker, becoming an expert shoemaker himself, an occupation that he followed twenty-five years in Millbury and Graf- ton, Massachusetts. From 1866 to 1891 he con- ducted the farm on which he was brought up. After living a retired life for fourteen years with his son, Henry W. Carter, he died there February 9, 1905. Mr. Carter was a Free Mason. In politics he was strongly anti-slavery before the civil war and a Republican since the party was organized. He held various town offices, in all of which he served with credit and efficiency. He was highway surveyor, selectman nine years and tax collector fifteen years. He was a inan of attractive personality and manner, of excellent character and highly esteemed.

Children of Rufus and Sarah Carter were: 1. Anna L., born October 12, 1850, died September 12, 1863. 2. Charles Sumner, born September 5, 1852, now lives in Alaska. 3. Henry Ward, see forward. 4. Fannie Ermina, born April 26, 1856, began teach- ing at Westboro at age of seventeen, continued there for a period of two or three years; then went to Millbury and taught for a number of years; then to Waltham; and later to Wakefield, where she is at present (1906) and where she has taught for about twenty years. She gave up teaching public school for several years and taught drawing in vari- ous cities and towns in Massachusetts. 5. Mary E., born April 8. 1859, married Charles F. Mansfield, has two children: Anna, born April 2, 1881 ; Ma- belle G., born May 3, 1885. 6. Cyrus F., born De- cember 18, 1861, died June 14, 1893; he studied medi-

cine with Dr. Joseph N. Bates. of Worcester; later attended Harvard Medical School, from which he graduated with high honors. For two years he was in the Boston City Hospital; he was very success- ful in his medical practice. He married Nettie Bebee. 7. Laura Emma, born January 21, 1864, died February 3, 1872. 8. William W., born 1866, see forward. 9. Lewis E., born May 9, 1868, super- intendent of cemetery at Wakefield, Massachusetts; married Maud Heath, has five children: Minot H., born February 12, 1895: Cyrus F., born August 7. 1896; Marguerite, born March 28, 1899; Cath- arine, born July 10, 1902: Pauline, born July 30, 1905. 10. Jennie L .. born September 27, 1870, grad- uated from Millbury high school. began teaching in the schools of Wakefield, then went to Lexington, and later to Boston, where she is teaching in the public schools. II. James Allison, born June 17, 1873, graduated from Millbury high school; for the past ten years he has been traveling for the F. W. Dodge Company of Boston, construction information bureau.

(VIH) Henry Ward Carter, son of Rufus Car- ter (7), was born in Millbury, Massachusetts, May 26, 1854. He attended the public schools of his

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Rufus Carter -

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native town and C. C. Foster's Commercial School of Worcester until 1874. He taught school at Bramanville and West Millbury for four years. He then entered a partnership with Austin E. Rock- wood and opened a fruit and produce store at 624 Main street, Worcester. After a year the Wor- cester store was sold and for about four years Mr. Carter was with Dr. Joseph N. Bates, of Worcester, in the capacity of bookkeeper and collector. In the spring of 1882 he leased the Sabin farm in Mill- bury. In the following autumn he removed to Savannah. Georgia. expecting to locate there, but on account of malaria he had to give up the idea, and in the spring of 1883 he returned to Millbury with his family and bought the Sabin farm, which he had hired previously. This farm, now known as Elin brook farm, was formerly owned by Elder Samuel Waters, and under the management of its present owner has become very productive. Mr. Carter made the farm pay for itself in a few years. He made a specialty of his dairy and market garden, wholesaling milk and retailing vegetables to his cus- tomers in the city of Worcester. He has also been engaged in the contracting business, and was one of the three original contractors for the construc- tion of the Worcester & Southbridge Street Railway, which was begun in the spring of 1901 and was com- pleted in the fall of 1902.

Mr. Carter has been prominent in public life. He has been a justice of the peace since 1891, overseer of the poor two years, superintendent of streets three years, assessor two years and selectman five years. In politics he is a Republican. He attends the Congregational Church. He is a member of the local lodges of Odd Fellows and Free Masons and has taken all the degrees to and including the thirty- second in Free Masonry. In the winter of 1895 Mr. Carter traveled extensively through the west to the Pacific and from British Columbia to Mexico. Again in 1905, together with his wife, he took a trip to Southern California, visiting many important points of interest.

He married, October 31, 1878, Louette Gleason Griggs, daughter of Dr. Lyman Franklin and Maria H. (Powers) Griggs, formerly of Brimfield, Massa- chusetts. The children of Dr. Lyman Franklin and Maria Griggs were: Ella M., Mary Isadore, Lydia A., Louette G. Griggs. Children of Henry Ward and Louette G. Carter are: I. Addie Louette, born February II, 1881, at Worcester, graduate of the English high school of Worcester in 1899; married Edward William Witter, of Hanover, Connecticut, September 3, 1902, and have two children-Harold Carter Witter, born August 2, 1903; Howard Bishop Witter. born November 10. 1904. 2. Clara May, born February 23, 1884, graduate of the Millbury high school, class of 1901, and of Post's Business Institute, Worcester; for four years clerk in the Quinsigamond National Bank of Worcester, mar- ried Ernest Lane Smith, son of Herbert and Helen (Lane) Smith, of Worcester, Massachusetts. 3. Rufus Henry, born May 14, 1885, graduate class of 1903, Millbury high school, studied at Amherst Col- lege one year, is now associated in business with his father. 4. Ruth, born November 3, 1892, student in public schools.

(VIII) William Woodbury Carter, son of Rufus Carter (7), was born April 21, 1866, at Millbury, Massachusetts. He attended the public and high schools there. and worked at home on the farm for two years after leaving school. He then went to Worcester as head shipping clerk for J. H. and G. M. Walker, shoe manufacturers, remaining three years. He then became paymaster for the firm of Cutting & Bishop, contractors and builders, Wor-

cester, where he remained seven years. When that firm was dissolved he went with Mr. Cutting in the firm then formed, Cutting, Bardwell & Company, and its successor, G. H. Cutting & Company. He has been a member of the last named firm for thir- teen years. The firm is at present composed of George H. Cutting, Burton C. Fiske. W. W. Carter and George B. Cutting. Mr. Carter has charge of the financial end of the business. In recent years the work of this firm has aggregated about a million dollars a year, employing from six hundred to six- teen hundred hands. At present the firm is working on contracts in Massachusetts, Maine, South Caro- lina and Tennessee. Last year they had large con- tracts in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee. Mr. Carter has traveled considerably in looking out for these distant contracts. A list of the contracts of the company and a history of the business will be found in the sketch of George H. Cutting in this work.

Mr. Carter married, October 21, 1895, Laura Grace Whitney, of Millbury. She was educated in the public and high schools of Millbury, at Lasalle Seminary. Auburndale, Massachusetts. She studied music under Clarence Hay, of Boston. Children of William W. and Laura Grace Carter are: Lor- raine Whitney, born October 13, 1898; William Woodbury, Jr., October 22, 1900: Mildred, February 27, 1904.

CAMPBELL FAMILY. Rev. John Campbell (1), immigrant ancestor of Henry Ward Carter, of Millbury, one of the most interesting figures of the early history of Oxford, Massachusetts, was born about 1690 in the north of Scotland. He was edu- cated in the University of Edinburgh, taking honors as a student. He came to New England in 1717, and in 1721 was ordained as minister at Oxford. As we are informed by the inscription on his grave- stone: "With great wisdom and fidelity he con- tinued to execute ye several parts of his office more than 40 years." He was very efficient in business matters and his name often appears in connection with real estate transactions. At the time of his settlement he received forty acres with all the rights of a proprietor in the common lands, etc., of the town. He had twenty acres additional granted in the eastern part of the town and one hundred and forty acres in the northwest part. These grants were liberally measured, it seems, for when he sold this land to his son Alexander it had become two hundred and thirty acres, more or less. In 1721 he bought three hundred acres in the North Gore. In 1736 "on account of difficult circumstances in the ministry at Oxford" he received a grant of the nominal amount of three hundred acres on Lake Chaubunagungamaug, now in Webster. Massachu- setts. Later this piece of land was sold for four hundred acres. Altogether Mr. Campbell had at least a thousand acres of land. He was attorney and counsellor for his parish as well as clergyman. He drew their wills and administered their estates, drew their deeds and arbitrated their differences. He was also the physician, having no mean knowl- edge of physic as understood in his day. He was active as minister for forty years. "In his preach- ing" says the Boston News Letter, "he was strictly orthodox. much improved in ecclesiastic councils and happy in the peace and harmony of the church." He was thoroughly Scotch in his interpretations of Christianity, impatient at innovations and a great student of the Bible. It was commonly believed that he was a political refugee, that he espoused the cause of the Stuarts in 1715 and that he had aristo-

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cratic connections, for Lord Loudon paid him a visit at Oxford and seemed to be a relative. But he never revealed his secrets, even to his children. He must have had a military education, for he himself drilled the recruits during the French and Indian war. His will was dated August 1, 1760. His son Duncan settled opposite the North Common of Oxford, where he built the Campbell house now standing there. Before 1754 he began building a mansion at the South Common, but sold it to his brother-in- law, Josiah Wolcott, before it was completed.

(II) Alexander Campbell, son of Rev. John Campbell (1), was born in Oxford. He married, 1757, Lydia Stearns, daughter of Thomas Stearns, o'f Worcester. She was born January 7, 1735. He settled on a farm given him by his father on the Sutton road near Mill brook (H. 195), where his new house was burned November 1, 1771. He after- wards lived at Lot H. 205, now owned by the heirs of Israel Sibley. Ile died there December 28, 1782. Later, his widow resided with her daughter, Mrs. Dr. Learned, at North Oxford, where she died March 19, 1816. Alexander Campbell was a man of good ability and stood well as a citizen. He was somewhat in public life. In 1776 he was chairman of the committee of the town to consider the pro- posed state constitution. He was for many years the leading physician in his section. In personal appearance he was short, thick-set and dark. Chil- dren of Alexander and Lydia were: Edward Ray- mond, born June 17, 1779, also a physician; Lydia, born October 13, 1760, settled in Westminster, Ver- mont : Alexander, Jr., born 1761, died 1762; Alex- ander, Jr., born December 20, 1762, physician at Grafton, Massachusetts, and Rockingham, Vermont ; Annis, born December 26, 1766, died April 7, 1787 ; Sally, born June 19, 1769, married, November 3, 1786, Nathan Thurston, see forward; Patty, born October 28, 1771; Polly, born April 18, 1774.

(III) Sally Campbell, daughter of Alexander Campbell (2), was born in Oxford, Massachusetts, June 19. 1769. She married, November 3, 1786, Nathan Thurston, son of David Thurston, grandson of Daniel Thurston, of Wrentham, Massachusetts, and great-grandson of Thomas Thurston, the pioneer settler at Wrentham. David was born May 9, 1726, graduated 1751 at Princeton College, and was or- dained June 23, 1752, at West Medway, Massachu- setts, he resigned February 22, 1769, and in 1772 removed to Oxford, where he bought the old tavern ; he removed thence to Ward and finally to Sutton, where he died May 5, 1777. Children of Nathan and Sally (Campbell) Thurston were : Alexander Campbell, born August 7. 1788; Sally, May II, 1790; Susanna, see forward: Mary, June 3, 1794; Nathan- iel, April 12. 1796; Hannah, April 5. 1798; Fanny, March 2, 1800: Miranda Pond, May 16, 1801 ; Emily Stearns. September 20, 1802. died young: Patty Davis, September II, 1804: Catherine Pratt, Novem- ber 29, 1806; David Thatcher, born January 16, 1810. Some of the older children were born in Vermont, at Putney. Rockingham and Westminster.

(IV) Susan Fairbanks Thurston, daughter of Nathan Thurston, was born at Putney, Vermont, September 18, 1792. She married Jonas Ward. Their daughter. Sarah Ward. married Rufus Carter, father of Henry Ward Carter, mentioned above.

CLARRIDGE FAMILY. Francis Clarridge (1), the immigrant ancestor of the Clarridge family in this country. left very meagre records behind him. He was probably born in England and followed the sea. Ile was born in 1732 and came to this country before the revolution, settling in the town of Reho- both, Massachusetts, near Rhode Island. He re-

ceived a bounty from the town of Rehoboth Decem- ber 12, 1781, enlisting at that time in the Contenental army for three years. The records present this de- scription of him: Complexion light; trade black- smith; residence Rehoboth. He gave his age as forty-nine years December 12, 1781. He was also a marine in the state ship "Tartar," Captain John Cathcart; engaged August 9, 1782, and discharged November 21, 1782.

(II) - Clarridge, son of Francis Clarridge (I), probably, had children: Mrs. Goldman, Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Morrill, Mrs. Osborne, Mrs. Bailey, Stephen, of whom later.

(III) Stephen Clarridge, great-grandfather of Arthur Preston Clarridge, was born at Westfield, August, 1798, and died at Salem, June 14, 1833. He married, September 29, 1822, Ruth Collins, who was born at Salem, Massachusetts, October 27, 1799, and died January I, 1838. She was the daughter of John and Ruth ( Hammond) Collins. Their children were: I. Stephen Henry, of whom later. 2. Fred- erick, born at Framingham, February 24, 1826, died November 9. 1882, married. December 25, 1851, Sarah Jane Atherton, of Billerica, Massachusetts, and their children were-George Frederick, born December 4, 1852, married, December 4, 1879, Louise A. Tower, of Charlestown; their children are-Ruth T. and Paul F .; Charlotte Elizabeth, born July 31, 1854, unmarried: Clara Jane, born November 18, 1860, unmarried. 3. George Bailey, born August II, 1827, died September 27, 1828. 4. George Augustus, born January 26, 1830, married, February 17, 1867, Rosanna Gladkin. 5. Mary Elizabeth, born Novem- ber 4, 1832. died December 16, 1867; married, Oc- tober 31, 1855, Charles Goldthwaite.

(IV) Stephen Henry Clarridge, son of Stephen Clarridge (3), was born at Salem, Massachusetts, March 16, 1823, and died March 22, 1854. He re- ceived his early education at Salem, removing when a young boy to Charlestown, where he learned the trade of rope making. He rose to the position of foreman in the government ropewalk at the navy yard, and held this position until March 22, 1854, when he died at his home, Elm street, Charlestown, Massachusetts. He was a member of the Bunker Hill Baptist Church, in which he was very active. He served for a long time on the parish committee. He was a Republican, and was always interested in public questions.

He married Ann Maria Learned, of East Cam- bridge, Massachusetts. She was born 1823 and died June 14, 1863. Their children were: George Henry, born November 28, 1845: Frederick Henry, 1848, of whom later ; Charles Edwin, born at Charlestown, January 4, 1850; Mary Abby, May 6, 1852; Henrietta, born at Charlestown.

(V) Frederick Henry Clarridge, son of Stephen Henry Clarridge (4), was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, April 17, 1848. He attended the public schools. From twelve to fifteen he worked in the operating room of the Western Union Tele- graph Company, and at fifteen he began to learn the trade of rope making under his father at the government ropewalk. After a year he went to work for William Churchill at Brookline, Massachusetts, remaining with him a year. He enlisted for the civil war and was accepted, but the war came to an end before he was mustered in. He worked for a time at farming in Quincy, and at the currier's trade three years in Woburn. When he was twenty- one he began to learn the mason's trade and con- tinued along this line until 1876, when he engaged in the tea and coffee business on his own account. He soon entered the grocery trade with Theo. M. Parker under the firm name of Parker & Clarridge.

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After three years he sold out to his partner and again went to work at the mason's trade, in busi- ness with John J. Skinner, of Woburn, continuing for seven years and afterwards was with Charles White for four years, the firm name being White & Clarridge. After this firm dissolved Mr. Clar- ridge continued the business for several years. In 1896 he took his son, Arthur P. Clarridge, into partnership and they continued in business at Wo- burn until 1900, when they removed to Milford and settled on a hundred acre farm which they bought there. In 1902 the son started in the mason business again and Mr. Clarridge is at present work- ing for him. He attended the Congregational Church, He is a Republican in politics. He belongs to the Woburn Council of the Royal Arcanum. He served in Company G, Fifth Regiment, Massachusetts Vol- unteer Militia, after the civil war.

He married, December 25, 1872, Abbie Frances Preston, of Revere, Massachusetts, daughter of Dea- con William B. and Rosinda ( Abrams) Preston. Her father was a manufacturer of scales, also a retail dealer in them. Their children are: Etta Frances. Rosinda, Arthur Preston, of whom later; Edwin Francis, born November 8, 1880.

(VI) Arthur Preston Clarridge, son of Fred- erick H. Clarridge (5). was born at Woburn, Massa- chusetts, September 13, 1873. He was educated in the public schools there, leaving the high school at the age of sixteen to attend Bryant & Stratton's Business College in Boston. Then he learned the trade of mason with his father, for whom he worked until he was twenty-two years of age, when he was admitted to partnership in his father's business, continuing until 1900, when he removed to Milford with his family and started in the mason and con- tracting business there on his own account. He has had the mason's contract for many of the resi- dences built of late years in Milford, and much of the work of the Draper Company at Hopedale, the town adjoining, has been awarded to him. Mr. Clarridge bought a hundred acre farm in Milford at the time they moved there. About a quarter of' this farm, which is located on Purchase street, is woodland. Mr. Clarridge and his brother have built up an extensive milk route and conduct a first-class dairy on the farm. They have a herd of extra fine cows. Mr. Clarridge is a member of the First Congregational Church at Milford. He is a Republican. He belongs to the Master Builders Association of Massachusetts, and is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

He married, October 23, 1895, Myrtle Jane Le- Baron, a lineal descendant of Mayflower stock, who was born July 21. 1875, daughter of William Henry Bradford and Ella Delight (Wood) LeBaron, of Woburn. Her father is an engineer by profession and a veteran of the civil war. Their children are: Fred Williams, born September 11, 1896; Ella Frances, September 1, 1897; Hazel Edith, January 23, 1900; LeBaron, February 23, 1902; Duane Her- bert, March 18, 1903.

ELLIOT ALDEN. John Alden (I), one of the best known of the Pilgrim Fathers, through the popular poem of Longfellow, "The Courtship of Myles Standish." was the immigrant ancestor of Elliot Alden, of Milford, Massachusetts. He was the first stripling to land from the "Mayflower," and the last to die of those who signed the civil com- pact. He was not a Pilgrim from Holland, but was one of five men hired by the Pilgrims to come with them. He was selected for his trade, a cooper being found necessary in the new colony. Captain Standish was also hired in England, but both be-

came identified with the company in religious views and enthusiasmn. Alden was the tallest man of the first colony. The name is of Scandinavian origin, Atildin or Auldine being found in Norway at pres- ent, and Van Aldens in Germany. John Alden's ancestry probably dates back to some of the inva- sion of Scandinavians. Alden settled first in Plym- outh, and his land was between Burial Hill and Main street. He gave up this location when he re- moved to Duxbury, where he settled on the south side of Blue Fish river. In 1633 he became an as- sistant to the governor, a position he held until his death, except from 1640 to 1650. when he was dep- uty to the general court from Duxbury; from 1666 to 1687 was deputy governor; and was treasurer, "1658, 1659 and 1660. He divided his estate before his death. The old Alden house in Duxbury was built in 1700. He died in Duxbury September 12, 1687, aged eighty-eight years. He married, about 1622, Priscilla Mullins (or Molines), who died be- tween 1680 and 1687. Their children: I. Elizabeth, born 1623, died May 31, 1717; married William Pay- hody (Peabody). 2. John, born 1625-6; died in Boston, March 14, 1702, aged eighty years; was for many years commander of the naval forces of the Massachusetts Bay, with title of captain ; his head- stone was recovered in 1870 and is now in the vesti- bule of the new Old South Church in Boston; he was imprisoned on a charge of witchcraft, escaped to Duxbury, returned and gave himself up, and was finally released when the delusion had passed; he was a sea captain; his home was on Alden Lane, now Alden street. He married Elizabeth, widow of Abiel Everell, daughter of William Phillips, of Watertown. Although he had thirteen children, none of his grandchildren left male issue, and none of the name of Alden are descended from him, although many of the present generation have been misled by an error in Thayer's "Genealogy of the Alden Family," making John Alden of Needham appear to be a grandson of Captain John Alden of Boston. 3. Joseph, born 1627; died February 8, 1697 : married Mary Simmons. 4. Sarah, born 1629; married Alexander Standish, son of Captain Myles Standish. 5. Jonathan. born 1632-3; died February 14. 1697; married Abigail Hallett. 7. Ruth, born 1634-5: died October 12, 1674; married John Bass. 8. Mary, married Thomas Delano. 9. David, men- tioned below. 10. Priscilla, born ahout 1635. II. Rebecca, born about 1637. 12. Zachariah, born about 1611.

(II) David Alden, son of John Alden (1), born in Duxbury, 1646, was probably the youngest son. He died in 1719, intestate. having deeded prop- erty after the example of his father to four or more of his sons. He was very prominent in public af- fairs and the church. He was a selectman ; deputy to the general court; assistant to the governor. and deacon of the church. In 1676 he was constable, and in 1701 treasurer of the town of Duxbury. His descendants settled in Billerica. Stonington, New London. Yarmouth, Abington, Dedham, Needham, and in later generations, of course. are widely scat- tered all over the United States. He married Mary, daughter of Constant and Elizabeth (Collier) South- worth and granddaughter of Constant and Alice (Carpenter) Southworth. ( Alice Southworth is bet- ter known as the wife of Governor Bradford, whom she married August 1.4. 1623. See Bradford and Carpenter families. also Southworth under sketch of Reniamin W. Childs). In the family of David Alden the name of Alice Bradford was perpetuated for many generations. Children of David and Mary Alden: 1. Henry. mentioned below. 2. Ruth, born about 1679. 5. Benjamin, about 168 -. 6. Alice,

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about 1679. 5. Banjamin, about 168 --. 6. Alice, about 1685. 7. Samuel, about 1689.

(1II) Henry Alden, son of David Alden (2), was born in Duxbury, Massachusetts, about 1671. (See p. 180, N. E. Geneal. Reg. 1900; also p. 163, 1898; also Suffolk wills, vol. xxviii, p. 486). He went to sea with his uncle Captain John Alden, and was thought by Thayer to be his son. He settled in Dedham, Massachusetts, about 1700. His name appears first in the records there August 30, 1704, when eight acres of land were granted him. He died at Dedham, February 18, 1730, and his son John was appointed administrator Mareh 2, 1729-30. His homestead was on Central avenue, as it is now called, opposite Webster street, in Needham. The house there was built in 1801 by his grandson Silas Alden. He married first, Deborah - , and (sec- ond) August II, 1719, at Weston, Elizabeth Collier, of Natick, a descendant of William Collier, an early settler at Plymouth. The children of Henry and Deborah Alden were: I. Thomas, born Rox- bury, October 29, 1696, died young. 2. Henry, Jr., born January 20, 1700. died young. 3. William, born August 14, 1709. 4. John, mentioned below. 5. Deborah, married Dunton. 6. Susanna. 7. Alice, married Thomas Collier; died before her father.

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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 82

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