Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. II, Part 9

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 9

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(III) Benjamin IIolden, son of Stephen Holden (2), was born in Groton, Massachusetts, probably about 1690. He settled at Dedham, Massachusetts. He married Hannah - and she married (second), June 5, 1746, Samuel Bullard, of Dedham. Holden

WORCESTER COUNTY

renewed his covenant with the Dedham church, April 13, 1729; his wife was received into the church and her daughters Sarah, Mindwell and Jerusha all baptized April 2, 1738. The children of Benjamin and Hannah llolden: Benjamin, born at Dedham, March 10, 1728-29, see forward; John, born Decem- ber 31, 1731, died February 19, 1731-32; Mindwell, born February 16, 1732-33, married, September 12, 1751, Samuel Farrington ; Sarah, born July 13, 1735 ; Jerusha, born 1738. baptized April 2, 1738. All were born at Dedham, Massachusetts.

(IV) Colonel Benjamin Holden, son of Benja- min Ilolden (3), was born in Dedham, Massachu- setts, March 10, 1728-29, and baptized in the Ded- ham church, April 13, 1729. He died at Prince- ton, Massachusetts, November 24, 1820, aged nine- ty-two years. Ile was prominent in the town of Princeton where he settled, and in the army. He was probably in the French war as he held the rank of lieutenant-colonel when the revolution be- gan. He was in Colonel Ephraim Doolittle's regi- inent on the Lexington call, April 19, 1775. He was in the service in 1770-77-78 with the rank of colonel. Ile was an assessor of the town of Princeton in 1773. His wife Catherine died at Princeton, July 28, 1817, aged eighty-four years. Their children, all born in Princeton, were: Lucy, born November 29, 1762, married, December 11, 1808, Captain Addi- son Richardson, of Salem; Joseph, born September 28, 1764; Katherine, born April 23, 1767, married, January 30, 1797, Ephraim Mirick, Jr. ; Benjamin, born November 19. 1769, see forward; Joel, born November 30, 1772; John Hancock, born February 23. 1775. died March 15. 1778.

(\') Benjamin Holden, son of Benjamin Holden (4), was born in Princeton, Massachusetts, Novem- ber 19, 1769. He settled there and married, Decem- 1.r 2, 1703. Hannah Gill, daughter of John and Ilannah Gill, of Princeton. His wife died there August 29, 1846, aged seventy-one years, seven months and nineteen days. He lived at Rutland after his marriage until 1805, when he returned to his native town and died there April 8, 1832, aged sixty- two years, according to his gravestone. Children of Benjamin and Hannah Holden: Catherine Richards, born at Rutland, February II, 1796, married, at Rutland. April 16, 1817, Moses Smith ; Hannah, born at Rutland, January 8, 1802, married, January 9, 1823, at Princeton, Captain Miles Demond (Damon) ; Rebecca. born at Rutland, February 6, 1804, married, April 19. 1827, Charles Demond; Benjamin, born April 5. 1806, at Princeton, see forward; Moses Gill, born November 24, 1807, at Princeton, married, at Rutland. January 3, 1837, Emeline Davis: Elizabeth, born July 13, 1812, at Rutland; William Penn, born at Rutland, March 6, 1815; Caroline, born 1817. died July 5. 1821, aged four years, at Rutland ; Abi- gail, born March 13, 1820, at Rutland, married, at Princeton, May 7, 1846, George Darling.

(\'1) Benjamin Holden, son of Benjamin (5). was born in Princeton, Massachusetts, April 5. 1806. He settled in Princeton. He married, May 16, 1833. Elmina Watson, born May 6, 1812, daugh- ter of Jacob Wheeler and Lydia Watson, of Prince- ton. Her father was born April 15, 1777, son of John and Sarah Watson, of Princeton. Children of Benjamin and Elmina Holden: Lucy Richardson, born November 12, 1833; Mary Townsend, born July 4, 1835: Benjamin, born August 12, 1836; llenry, born October 18, 1837: Eliza Waters, born June 26, 1839; John, born February 1, 1841, died August 2, 1843, aged two; Amelia Elmina, born November 14, 1842; Abba Augusta, born July 20. 1844: William, born December 11, 1845. member of the firm of Wilson & Holden-Merrick Wilson is his

partner-at 154 Main street, dealers in flour, grain, lime, cement, seeds, feed. straw, baled hay, etc., an old and prosperous concern : Mr. Holden resides at 45 Forest street, Worcester; John, born May 26, 1847. see forward; Jacob, born April 30, 1849, is a partner in the well-known firm of Holden & Earle (A. F. Earle), 43412 Main street, Worcester, dealers in tobacco and cigars; Mr. Jacob Holden resides at Sı Elm street : Milton, Francine Elmira, Frank, Hattie, deceased, aged two years. All the foregoing children were born in Princeton.

(\11) John Holden, son of Benjamin Holden (6), was born in Princeton, Massachusetts. May 26, 1847. He was educated in the district schools of his native town. He learned the carpenter's trade and, when a young man, made his home in Princeton, removing after a few years to Worcester. For the past twenty years Mr. Holden has been a prominent contractor and builder of Worcester. He has had many large contracts and built many of the resi- dences and business blocks of Worcester and vicinity. For many years his office and place of business was at 41 Central street, destroyed by fire in 1906. His office at present is on Exchange street, nearly oppo- site Worcester Theatre. He is assisted by his son in the management of his business. He resides at 24 Second street. Mr. Holden is a Republican, but has never been active in politics. He is a Free Mason, a member of Morning Star Lodge of Wor- cester. He is also a member of Chapter and Council.

He married Purses N. Waite, daughter of Aaron and Purses (Ware) Waite, of Hubbardston, Massa- chusetts. Their children: Frank Eugene, born October 22, 1871, died December 6, 1876; Albert O., July 3, 1876; Ida Blanch, February 10, 1882, died March 1I, 1895-96.

HUGH HENRY O'ROURKE. The O'Rourke family, according to the authority of Burke, was a sept who were chiefs of West Breifne, Ireland, now comprised in the counties of Cavan and Leitrim, de- riving their name from Ruarire, a chieftain who lived A. D. 893. He gives no genealogy of the, family but in this same county and district the family is to be found today. Three of this sept were kings of Connaught. Of these the most distinguished was Art O'Rorke, as the name was anciently spelled. He was king of Connaught when slain in battle A. D. 1046. His coat of arms and those of all the family of that section is: Or two lions pass. in pale sa. Crest: Out of an ancient Irish crown or, an arm in armor erect, grasping a sword ppr, pommel and hilt gold, motto over "Buagh" (victory). The family motto is: "Serviendo Guberno." (1 rule by serving. )

The family has had many distinguished representa- tives in later times. Sir Brian O'Rorke was knighted at Dublin, May 3, 1579. by Sir Henry Sydney, lord deputy of Ireland. He used the same coat of arms. Sir Tiege O'Rorke was knighted by Sir John Cary, lord deputy of Ireland. He was of county Leitrim. Shane Oge MacShane O'Rorke, son of Shane ()'Rorke, grandson of Loughlin O'Rorke, and great- grandson of Owen O'Rorke, all of Leitrim, was knighted. Ile had the same arms. Edmond Roch O'Rorke, who descended from Thady O'Rorke, lord of Breifne, county Leitrim, had in 1470 the same arms. Count John O'Rourke, also of this family, became famous in military circles. lle was born in Oghteragh, in Breifne, emigrated to France and was employed there as captain of the Royal Scotch; became major of horse in the service of Russia; colonel of horse again in France and was made count by the king of France in 1771.

DELIC DAמן

WORCESTER COUNTY

Michael O'Rourke, son of Lackey O'Rourke, was born in 1831, in Leitrim county, where his . O'Rourke ancestors have been located for a thou- sand years. Ilis father was a farmer and his an- cestors doubtless lived by agriculture from time immemorial. He was brought up on the farm and received a common school education in his native parish. In the early days of the Irish emigration to America Mr. O'Rourke determined to seek his fortune there. Ile landed in Boston, May 10, 1854. He came immediately to Worcester, where he has lived ever since, where his family has been reared, and where he has made many friends. He began work in the wire mill of Washburn & Moen at South Worcester, and was employed there for thirty- five years. He had no other employer. He was a wireworker, a skillful workman. Ile retired in 1890, and is at present living with his family at 597 Cam- bridge street, Worcester. He married Ellen Flynn. Their children are: 1. Mary, graduate of the public and high schools of Worcester, the State Normal school of Worcester, a teacher in the Millbury street public school. ninth grade, assistant principal. 2. Bernard, weaver in the Whittall Carpet Mill, South Worcester, married Bessie Burke and has three chil- dren ; resides at 5 Riley street. 3. John, journey- man plumber, in the employ of William Cahill, Pleasant street, Worcester; married Eliza Keany and has two children; resides at 595 Cambridge street. 4. Hugh Henry, see forward. 5. Michael A., hatter with the firm of Charbonman & Co., 8 Front street : attended public and high schools ; married Elizabeth Mullins, resides at 10 Irving street. 6 Nellie, educated in the public and high schools of Worcester. resides at home with her parents, 597 Cambridge street. 7. Edward. was employed as clerk by the Worcester Construction Company, rail- road contractors, for ten years; resides with par- ents. 8. Joseph, educated in the Worcester public and high schools, clerk for eight years with Pink- ham & Willis, furniture dealers, until the firm went out of business; now with the Ferdinand Furniture Company; resides at home with parents. 9. Peter, died at age of two and one-half years. 10. Ann, died at age of seven years. II. William, died aged one and one-half years.

Hugh Henry O'Rourke, son of Michael O'Rourke, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, March I. 1867. He received his early education in the public schools of his native place. He began at the age of fourteen to learn his trade in the mill of the Worcester Carpet Company, then owned by William J. Hogg. He became an expert at weaving and be- came familiar with the various departments of the carpet mill. He became the head of the finishing department, a position he held when he resigned to go into business on his own account in 1892. He started a drug store on Ward street under the name of Wachusett Pharmacy, and has been successful in business from the outset. After about three years on Ward street he removed to his present location, 360 Millbury street.

Mr. O'Rourke is well known among Worcester musicians. He organized the Lyceum Orchestra and was first violin and leader for eight years, re- signing on account of his business. He is still a member of the Worcester Musical Union, however. He is a member of William E. Russell Council, Royal Arcanum; of Alhambra Council, No. 88, Knights of Columbus; of the Wachusett Boat Club ; of the Caribou Club; of Division 34, Ancient Order of Hibernians; of the Knights of Robert Emmet ; of St. Mathew's Athletic Association and of the South Worcester Cricket Club. He is a member of the East-side Improvement Association, which has

been active recently. He is one of the trustees of St. Vincent Hospital. He was formerly connected with the Sacred Heart Cadets. Ile belongs to Sacred Heart Parish of the Roman Catholic church.

In politics Mr. O'Rourke is a Democrat, and his five years as a representative to the general court from the district comprising the fifth ward of Worcester have brought him into touch with the public men from all parts of the state. He was elected first in 1903 after an exciting contest and has been re-elected annually since then. The news- paper Practical Politics thus speaks of Mr. O'Rourke in its biographical number for 1906:

"Ilugh H. O'Rourke of Worcester, representa- tive of the Nineteenth Worcester District, has gone through this session as the friend of the Worcester children. A man who is willing to bring down three hundred children or more and devote an en- tire day to taking them around the city, paying all their expenses, must have a pretty good sized heart, and that is the way the house has taken up O'Rourke. He is deserving of it. The last session has been an interesting one for the Worcester member. His public health committee, for instance, brought for- ward a pretty drastic patent medicine bill, which provides that people shall not be dosed with prepara- tions unless they have a chance at least to know the proportion of alcohol in them. It represents an agitation which has been going on for some time. Again, the long fight of years which O'Rourke has been making with the idea that trolley cars should be provided with lifting jacks in cases of accidents, and also for a better style of fenders, has been crowned with success. Year after year the Worces- ter man has brought forward the proposition, and while he has heretofore been turned down, he dis- played as much activity cach succeeding session. It is a question if he would not have beaten the railroad commissioners in the end, and so they capitulated. This year, the big corporations which have been fighting his plan for years, allowed a bill to go through, making an appropriation for the specific purpose of investigating fenders and lifting jacks. It has been a great victory for Hugh H. O'Rourke." Few men have a better record for at- tendance and faithful performance of duty than Mr. O'Rourke.

Mr. O'Rourke is unmarried and lives at the parental home, 597 Cambridge street.

PLINY WILLIAMS WOOD. Thomas Wood (1) was the emigrant ancestor of Pliny Williams Wood, of Worcester, Massachusetts. lle is first mentioned in the records of Rowley, Massachusetts, April 7, 1654, when he married Ann -. Her maiden name is not given but there is much reason for believing that it was Hlunt and she was prob- ably of Ipswich, Massachusetts. John Grant, of Rowley, married Mary Hunt, who made her will in 1697 and called Ann Wood and Susannah Todd, wife of John Todd of Rowley "sisters"; and in papers on file in the Essex county probate court with the will both Ann and Susannah are mentioned as being about sixty years old in 1697. In the will of John Todd he mentions "Brother Hunt"; in an affidavit in the Salem records Thomas Wood calls himself about forty years old in 1675 and calls John Todd brother.

There is reason to believe that Thomas Wood was the son of William Wood, of Concord, Massa- chusetts, who came from Matlock, England, in 1638, at the age of fifty-six years with his nephew, Hon. Thomas Flint, and settled in Concord. He died May 14, 1671, aged eighty-nine. He is supposed to have been the author of a book entitled "New

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England Prospect." His will was made September 15, 1670, and proved June 20, 1672. He made be- quests to daughter, Ruth Wheeler, and son-in-law, Thomas Wheeler; to his grandchild, Abigail Hos- mer ; to sons, Thomas and Michael. Shattuck says his children were: Michael, Ruth, Abraham, Isaac, Thomas, Jacob, John and Abigail.

Thomas Wood was buried at Rowley, September 12, 1687. Flis widow Ann died December 29, 1714. All their children were born at Rowley, Massachu- setts; they were: Mary, born January 15, 1655, her history unknown (possibly married Hosmer. See will of William Wood, of Concord) ; John, born September 2, 1856, married Isabel Hazen, had eleven children; Thomas, born August 10, 1658, married Mary Hunt, probably of Ipswich; he was buried December 1, 1702, had nine children; Ann or Mary Ann, born August 8, 1660, married, January 15, 1678-9, Benjamin Plumer; Ruth, born May 21, 1662, married Captain Joseph Jewett, January 16, 1680-1; he died October 30, 1094; she married (sec- ond) John Lunt, October 26, 1096, and died Novem- ber 29, 1734; Josiah (twin), born September 5, 1664, married Sarah Elithorp, 1685, married (second ) Mary Felt, 1689, had two children ; Èlizabeth (twin), born September 5, 1664; Samuel, born De- cember 26, 1666, married Margaret Elithorp; he died November 25, 1690, had one child ; Solomon, born May 17, 1669, married Mary Hazeltine; Ebe- nezer, born December 29, 1671, married Rachel Nichols, had eight children; James, born June 22, 1674. died October 18, 1694.

(II) Solomon Wood, son of Thomas Wood (I), was born May 17, 1669. He married Mary Hazel- tine. They settled in Bradford, Massachusetts, where their children were born. They removed later to the part of Mendon that is now Uxbridge. He died there January 13, 1752, aged eighty-three years. She died February 21, 1749. Their children were: Dorcas; Solomon, born 1702, buried in Dud- ley, Massachusetts; Obadiah, Daniel, Betsey, prob- ably two or more otlicrs.

(III) Soloman Wood, son of Solomon Wood (2), was born at Bradford, Massachusetts, 1702. He married Faithful lle died June, 1780, aged seventy-eight years, and was buried at Dud- ley, Massachusetts. Will proved June 5, 1780. She died October 16, 1794, aged ninety years. Their children were: Solomon, born October 27, 1727, in Uxbridge, died November 9, 1729; Martha, born January 12, 1729; Simeon, born January 7, 1732; Sarah, born July 6, 1735, married Benjamin Lee, September 29, 1759; he died March 25, 18II, aged seventy-five years; Jemima, born February 6, 1740, married George Jessamon, August 17, 1765, in Ux- bridge, Massachusetts; had children.

(IV) Simeon Wood, son of Solomon Wood (3), was born in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, January 7, 1732. He married Margery Taft, of Upton, October 30, 1760. Ile died May 11, 1802. She died January 20, 1813. Ile inherited his father's farm, which is described as containing one hundred and seventy-two acres of land on the old road to Smithfield. The house was on the east side of the road just south of that of the late Levi Thompson. The original house has been gone many years. Simeon moved to Dudley about 1776 and bought the greater part of what is now the business section of the town of Webster, Massachusetts. He left this property to his children. Ilis son Jesse was administrator of the estate.

The children of Simeon and Margery (Taft) Wood were: Stephen, born October 14, 1761 ; Rhoda, born May 25, 1763; Jerusha, born June 28, 1765; Caleb, born June 2, 1767, died December 24,

1769; Willis, born July 14, 1769, killed by falling from a tree 1779; Nathan, born July 24, 1771; Lois (twin), born April II, 1773, died young ; Eunice (twin), born April 11, 1773, died June 28, 1791; Jesse, born August 29, 1775; Mary, born January 3, 1778, in Dudley; Sybil, born January 12, 1781, in Dudley; Simeon, born January 14. 1783. in Dudley.

(V) Simeon Wood, son of Simeon Wood (4), was born in Dudley, Massachusetts, January 14, 1783. He married Chloe Shumway, of Oxford, De- cember 14, 1803. She died December 12, 1806. He married (second) Huldah Rockwood, January 31, 1809. Ile was drowned in ISig in North Webster, then Dudley, according to the records, at the bend of the river, while drawing a seine for fish.

The children of Simeon and Chloe (Shumway) Wood were: Sophia, born April 30, 1804, married Taft, of Uxbridge; (Joshua Corbin was her guardian in 1819) ; she died about 1868; Caleb, born about 1806 (Nathan Hall was appointed guardian December 5, 1820, for Caleb Wood, then fourteen years of age. Joshua Corbin had been his guardian, appointed November 2, 1819). The chil- dren of Simeon and Huldah (Rockwood) Wood were: Otis, born December 14, 1809; Lyman, born October 12. 18II; Abial Williams, born January 13, 1814; Simeon, born October 14, 1817.

( VI) Abial Williams Wood, son of Simeon Wood (5), was born January 13, 1814, in Dudley, Massachusetts. His father died when he was a young boy and he spent his youth in Thompson, Connecticut, and Dudley, Massachusetts. He went to Worcester when a mere youth and worked his way through Worcester Academy without the assist- ance of his family and graduated in due time. He went to work soon after he left school as station agent of the Norwich & Worcester Railroad at Ma- sonville, Connecticut, in the town of Thompson. He resigned his position there to engage in the retail boot and shoe business in Worcester. It was a period of financial stringency and while he had to pay cash he had to give credit, and after a few years he gave up the business in disgust, declaring that he would never again enter business without funds enough to avoid embarrassments of the kind he met. His partner was Oliver White. He went to Millbury in 1844 to work in the boot and shoe manufactory of John Wood & Sons. It was while he was there that he overworked and brought on a long and severe illness that incapacitated him for hard labor the remainder of his life.

He joined the Pleasant Street Baptist Church when in Worcester. He became a member of the Millbury Baptist Church, May 2, 1844, and he became at once one of the most active and faithful members of the little church. He had during over forty years in which he was a member of the church filled all the principal offices in the church and Sun- day school. He was clerk of the church for twenty- three years.

One who knew him well writes of him: "During his long connection with the church he was a regular and constant attendant at public worship, rarely missing a service and frequently putting himself to much inconvenience to attend. His voice was always heard at the social and religious meetings, and none have given more largely of their means for the support of the church. Few men have done more, either with their money, their words or with their every day Christian example to support and elevate the cause of religion in the community. His loss in this direction, as well as citizen, will be severely felt. To those who have known him through all these years his life has been a most

WORCESTER COUNTY

exemplary one. He was honorable, upright and honest in all his dealings with his fellowmen, a good neighbor and ever ready to extend a helping hand to the worthy poor or needy; a kind and de- voted husband and father, few men have made greater efforts to give their children a liberal edu- cation. Those who have been closely connected with him in temperance, religious or any other work where the right was arrayed against the wrong speak in glowing terms of the ardor with which he entered into and carried on the contest." Mr. Wood for twenty years was employed by the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad and its predecessor in Millbury. He also followed his trade as shoemaker in addition to his work on the railroad.

He married in Thompson, Connecticut, Frances Angeline Kelley, January 7, 1838. She died August 26, 1892. He died April 11, 1885. The children of Abial Williams and Frances A. (Kelley) Wood were: Asbury M., born in Concord, Massachusetts, April 26, 1839, killed by the cars at Providence, Rhode Island, June 23, 1869; Frances 1., born July 2, 1840, married Dr. A. B. Eastman; resided at Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, living at present in Mill- bury, Massachusetts; Pliny Williams, born in Mill- bury, Massachusetts, December 13, 1848; Phebe Etta, born in Millbury, July 16, 1850, died October 16, 1850; Irving Alexander, born November 13, 1851, in Millbury, died September 17, 1856; Judson Irving, born in Millbury, September 11, 1856, for- merly principal of the Methuen high school; nine years superintendent of schools at Ilion, New York; now superintendent of the Gardner, Massachusetts, schools.

(VII) Pliny Williams Wood, son of Abial Will- iams Wood (6), was born in Millbury, Massachu- setts, December 13, 1848. He was educated in the schools of his native town. After graduating from the high school he went to work for Barnard & Sumner, dry goods dealers in Worcester, for the yearly salary of one hundred dollars, but soon left to go into the railroad business as flagman, first working for seventy-five cents a day. He was soon advanced, however, as he learned the Morse sys- tem, to the position of telegraph operator and ticket clerk. He was employed in this way by the Provi- dence & Worcester Railroad Company for five years. It gave him valuable business training.

He left the railroad business to complete his education at Eastman's College at Poughkeepsie, New York, from which he graduated in 1871. In that year he accepted a position with Jason Emer- son & Son, cotton brokers of Providence, Rhode Island, as bookkeeper, a position that he filled for five years. He then went to Millbury to become the bookkeeper for C. D. Morse & Co., and later to Worcester, where he was head bookkeeper for the lumber business of Charles Baker & Co. In 1881 he began his business association with William II. Sawyer, which still continues. He was engaged by Mr. Sawyer as his confidential man. Mr. Sawyer had a very extensive lumber business and interests in the west. He co-operated with Mr. Sawyer for the next ten years in building up a very large business. In 1898 the W. H. Sawyer Lumber Co. was organ- ized under the corporation laws of Massachusetts, the stock being taken almost entirely by Mr. Saw- yer and Mr. Wood, the former being president and the latter secretary and treasurer of the corpora- tion. The company has prospered as notably as the business while under the sole ownership of Mr. Sawyer.

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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 9

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