Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. II, Part 98

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 98

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(V) Jonathan Jefts, son of John Jefts (4), was. born June 1, 1767, at Mason, New Hampshire. He settled in Stoddard, New Hampshire, where he first built a log cabin, then, after a few years, the largc frame house now occupied by a grandson. He joined the Free Masons, December 30, 1805. He

married, at Mason, New Hampshire, Nancy Rich- ardson, born 1768, and resided at Alstead, New Hampshire. She was a school teacher in district No. 2, of Stoddard, when he met her. She died in. Stoddard, December 29, 1854. He died there De- cember 25, 1811. Their children, all born at Stod- dard, were: Jonathan, Jr., born 1798, died August 13, 1846, leaving children; Gilbert, born February 21, 1805, see forward; Betsey, born November 5, 1803, married Daniel Peasley, had no issue; she died May 23, 1874, at Acworth, New Hampshire,. where she resided during most of her married life ; Salome, born December 1, 1805, died without issus March 7, 1813, at Stoddard.

(VI) Gilbert Jefts, son of Jonathan Jefts (5), was born at Stoddard, New Hampshire, February 21, 1802. He was brought up on the farm and re- ceived a common schoof education. He was a Demo- crat in politics. He married, June 27, 1827, Eliza Eaton, born in Sullivan, New Hampshire, June 10, 1806, died at Stoddard, July 7, 1892, daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth Eaton, of Westminster, Massachusetts, settlers at Sullivan, New. Hampshire. She came of an old New England family of English descent. She was educated in the district schools, and was a member of the Baptist Church. The chil- dren of Gilbert and Eliza Jefts were: Merrill, born October 30, 1830, at Stoddard, died June 8, 1851, in Stoddard; Lucretia, born July 4, 1832, in Stoddard, died in Washington, New Hampshire, September 21, 1834; Cyrus A., born June 11, 1834, in Washing- ton, New Hamsphire, resides at Ashburnham, Massa- chusetts; Lucinda M., born June 25, 1837, in Wash- ington, New Hampshire, married George C. Friend, of Stoddard; died August 14, 1870, leaving one daughter who married Fred Stringham, of New York; Jonathan H., born January 5, 1840, in Wash-

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ington, died in Stoddard, May 3. 1841; George, born May 16, 1842, see forward; Eliza A., born June 12, 1844, in Stoddard, married Riley Barrett and has child Martin; Charles P., born March 23, 1848, mar- ried Hannah M. Cass, March 2, 1870, and they have children.

(VII) George Russell Jefts, son of Gilbert Jefts (6), was born at Stoddard, New Hampshire, May 16, 1842. He was educated there in the common schools and there learned the butcher's trade. He owned his business, running a meat cart for many years in the towns near his home. He enlisted September. 1864, in the Eighteenth New Hampshire Volunteers in the civil war. Its destination was City Point, Virginia. They belonged to the engineer corps for a while, then was transferred to the Ninth Army Corps and took part in the retaking of Ft. Stedman, March 25, 1865; attack on Petersburg, April 2, 1865; capture of Petersburg, April 3, 1865. On April 26 they arrived at Tennallytown, D. C., having reached there partly by way of boat and partly by marching. Here the Eighteenth was selected from the great army around Washington to do guard duty in Washington from Pennsylvania avenue to the arsenal, where the court martial was trying the conspirators against President Lincoln. It began this duty May 6 and continued it until June 6, during the entire session of the court, which prevented the Eighteenth from taking part in the great final review of the army before the president. In the general dis- bandment of the army they were mustered out of service June 10, 1865, at Tennallytown, D. C. Mr. Jefts was in the hospital three times during his army service.

Shortly after his return from the war he bought the Copeland farm of one hundred and forty acres where he lived afterward, farming and dealing in meats and provisions until 1905, when he sold out to Robert Burnett of the Deerfoot farm, Southbor- ough, Massachusetts, buying a much smaller place at Marlow, New Hampshire. There he raises cattle, swine and sheep, and does some butchering. He is a member of the Baptist denomination. In politics he was originally a Democrat, but in late years has been a Republican. He was on the school commit- tee for two or three years and was a road commis- sioner. He is a member of Stoddard Post of the Grand Army, and the Henry C. Stevens Post, No. 86,

He married, May 2, 1866, Elizabeth Martha Carr, born at Stow, Massachusetts, September 16, 1842, daughter of Joel and Martha Walcott Carr. Their children : I. Herman Eaton, born August 24, 1867, see forward. 2. Mary Lyon, born at Stoddard, April 12, 1869, married, November 7, 1899, William Henry Chapin and they have children born at Sullivan, New Hampshire. Loren Henry, born June 23, 1902 ; Helen Mary, born July 15, 1903; William Jefts, Cha- pin, born September II, 1904. 3. Anna Blodgett, born at Stoddard, September 17, 1870, married, April 24, 1895, at Winchendon, Masachusetts, Charles Asher Moore and they have children born at Ash- burnham-Alice Elizabeth, born March 4, 1896; Al- fred Charles, born February 24, 1897; Everett, born December 16, 1904. 4. Henry Nelson, born Deceni- ber 17, 1875, died July 17, 1803. 5. Walter Myron, born July 20, 1877, married, February 24, 1906, Jennie Oliver Anderson, of Worcester, Massachu- setts, where they now live. 6. Hiram Luman, born October 12, 1891, died July 23, 1893. 7. John, born January 2, 1887, resides with parents.

(VIII) Herman Eaton Jefts, son of George Rus- sell Jefts (7), was born at Stoddard, New Hamp- shire, August 24, 1867. He was educated in the public schools of that town. At the age of eighteen he went to Hillsboro, New Hampshire, to learn the

baker's trade. He worked also in the bakery of George Davis at Hudson, Massachusetts. He re- moved to Ashburnham and entered the employ of Alden Marble, and took charge of his milk business for four years. Ile went into business on his own account as a dealer in grain, feed, etc., in Ashburn- ham. In 1897 he removed to West Boylston, Massa- chusetts, where he was employed in the grist mill of E. A. Cowee for three years, in charge of the ship- ping department. He started again in the grain business at Jeffersonville, Massachusetts, and after two years admitted as partner Fred P. Speare under the firm name of Jefts & Speare, which continued for some eighteen months, when he bought out Mr. Speare. He continued the business under the firm name of Jefts & Co. until March, 1905, when he sold his entire plant to E. A. Cowee, his former em- ployer, and came to Holden Center, where he estab- lished the Worcester Grain Company, incorporated under the laws of Massachusetts, with Julia B. Jefts, his wife, president and treasurer, and Mr. Jefts, manager and director. Mr. Jefts has a large and prosperous business, doing an aggregate of one hundred thousand dollars worth of business in the year 1903.

He is a member of the Methodist Church at Ash- burnham and attends the Methodist church at Jef- fersonville, and has been treasurer of the parish and member of the parish committee. In politics he is a Republican. He became a member of Montacute Lodge, Free Masons, at Worcester, October 27, 1902; Worcester Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, December 4, 1903; Hiram Council, Royal and Select Masters, March 16, 1905, and of Worcester County Com- mandery, Knights Templar, September 28, 1905. He is a member of Worcester Lodge, No. 26, Odd Fel- lows; Holden Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, No. 78; a charter member of Sons of Veterans Camp at Holden. He is a member of the New England Grain Dealers' Association.

He married, December 25, 1894, Julia Bessie Littlefield, of Hudson, Massachusetts, born May 29, 1870, daughter of Alpheus and Sarah Newhall ( Per- kins) Littlefield. Her father was a farmer. The children : Everett Leon, born March 17, 1897; Harold Ernest, April 2, 1898; Florence Mildred, July 10, 1902; Harvey Roy, November 16, 1905.

TISDALE FAMILY. John Tisdale (1), the immigrant ancestor of Stephen A. and Albert A. Tisdale, of Leominster, Massachusetts, was born in England, about 1615-20. He settled in Duxbury, Massachusetts, before 1636. He brought suit in court June 7. 1636, against Stephen Hopkins for assault and battery, by which he was dangerously wounded and Hopkins was fined five pounds and costs. He is on a list of planters and proprietors November 5, 1638, was on the list of those able to bear arms in 1643 and was constable of Duxbury in 1645. Ile removed to Taunton and was there December 26, 1651, when he bought land at Dux- bury of William Brett. He was constable of Taun- ton in 1659 and one of the proprietors of the Taun- ton North Purchase in 1668. He was deputy to the Plymouth court in 1674 and selectman of Taunton. He owned lands also in Assonet. He was murdered by the Indians June 27, 1675, in King Philip's war. Ile was the ancestor of all of the Tisdales of American birth. The family is not large, but many of his descendants have been distinguished men. Among the earlier generations were Elkanah Tis- dale, a noted lawyer, and Nathan Tisdale, "the Old Master," an eminent classical scholar and teacher of Lebanon, Connecticut. (See N. E. Register 1858, page 62).

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John Tisdale married Sarah Walker, daughter of Widow Walker, of Rehoboth. She was born in England in 1618 and died December, 1676. His will was proved November 2, 1676; it bequeathed to sons John, James, Joshua and Joseph; gave to daughters Elizabeth, Sarah, Mary and Abigail. The court made note of the fact that the two younger sons had endangered their lives in protecting the property. An agreement was made June 4, 1677, between these four sons and the three sons-in-law, John Smith, James Dean and Nathaniel French. The children were: John, born in Duxbury, of whom later; James, born 1644, of whom later ; Joshua, born 1646, of whom later, Joseph, of whom later; Elizabeth, married John Smith; Sarah, mar- ried James Dean; Mary, born 1658, died May 18, 1731, in her seventy-third year; married, January 9, 1676, Nathaniel French; Abigail, born at Taunton, married, February 1, 1683. Edward Babbitt, son of Edward, who was born July 15, 1655. (See Babbitt sketch).

(II) John Tisdale, Jr., son of John Tisdale (I), was born at Duxbury and died about the last of December, 1677; married, November 23, 1664, Anna Rogers, daughter of John Rogers, of Duxbury. Tisdale was admitted a freeman in 1670. Their children: 1. Abigail, born July 15, 1667, married, December 2, 1685, William Makepeace. 2. John, born August 10, 1669, died January 26, 1728; mar- ried Deborah Dean, daughter of Thomas Dean, and had twelve children-John, born 1702; Abraham, 1704; Israel, 1706; Ephraim, 1708; Jedediah, 1710; Deboralı, 1712: Abigail, 1714; Anna, 1716. 3. Anna, born January 27, 1672, married, July 4, 1695, George Leonard. son of Thomas Leonard; family became very wealthy and owners of the largest landed estate in New England. 4. Remember, born July 8, 1675. (II) James Tisdale, son of John Tisdale (1), was born in 1644 at Duxbury, Massachusetts, and died there January 15, 1715, aged seventy-one years. He settled at Berkley, Massachusetts, and was one of the original proprietors of Assonet Neck when the purchase was made in 1680. He was admitted a freeman as early as May, 1670. He married, No- vember 5. 1666, Mary Avery, who died September 9. 1713, aged sixty-six years. Their children were : James, born about 1670, married, 1700, Abigail Cole- man; resided in Lebanon, Connecticut ; Mary, born 1672, married Richard Haskins, of Taunton ; Martha, born 1674, married John Hodges, of Norton; Mar- garet, born 1675, married Josiah Winslow, of Taun- ton ; Sarah, born 1677, married John Johnson, of Lebanon : Ebenezer, born 1682, died November II, 1705, aged twenty-two years.

(II) Joshua Tisdale, son of John Tisdale (I), was born at Duxbury, 1646, and died at Freetown, Massachusetts, about seventy-two years of age. He was sometime of Taunton, was of Assonet River 1682. He married, July 5, 1688, Abigail Andrews, daughter of Henry Andrews. She died 1711. Their children: Joshua, born April 1, 1689; Samuel, March 3. 1691, married Mary Church, of Little Compton, Rhode Island, and had six children : Eliza- beth, June 2. 1693; Hepzibah, March 19, 1695; Abi- gail, April 11, 1697: Henry, May 17. 1694, married, October 24. 1728, Elizabeth Billings, of Little Comp- ton; Mary, 1701 : Barnabas, 1703; Ephraim, 1707.

(II) Joseph Tisdale, son of John Tisdale (I). was born at Duxbury, 1656, and died 1721-2, in his sixty-fifth year. He settled in Taunton, of which Norton was formerly a part, and inherited a large estate of his father. He married, August, 1681, Mary Leonard, born August 2, 1663, daughter of Major Thomas Leonard. Each of these four brothers named his eldest son after himself. Their

children were: Joseph, of whom later; Elkanalı, 1684; Mary, 1686, married Joseph Winslow, of Swansea; Hannah, 1688, married, February 8, 1710- II, William Hodges of Norton, died March 7, 1715; Sarah, 1690, married Thomas Reed, of Dighton; Abigail, 1692, married Ephraim Hayward, of Bridge- water ; Elizabeth, 1692, married Elkanah Leonard, of Middleborouglı.

(III) Joseph Tisdale, son of Joseph Tisdale (2), was born in 1682 at Taunton, Massachusetts. He married there, March 13, 1706-7, Ruth Reed, and their children were: Simeon, father of James, an- cestor of Samuel T. Tisdale, merchant, late of New York city; Job, died May 19, 1755; Seth, of whom later.

(IV) Seth Tisdale, of Norton, Massachusetts, son of Joseph Tisdale (3), the only settler of his generation whose children are recorded in Norton, was the ancestor of Albert A. Tisdale of this sketch. Seth Tisdale settled at Norton, and his family is the only one on the records there. He died there August 3, 1788, aged seventy-two years, and was born therefore in 1716. He was a lieutenant in the militia. He married Rebecca - and their chil- dren were: Becke (Rebecca), born at Norton, March 21, 1745-6, married Joseph Godfrey, of Easton, September 30, 1762; Seth, born March 5, 1748-9, married Abia Hoskins, of Taunton, 1770. and had son Seth, born 1775, married Silence Hall, January 23, 1803, died January 25, 1850; Phebe, born No- vember 14. 1753, died July 8, 1756; Reuben, born April 29, 1757, married, 1780, Rachel Crane ; soldier in Captain Israel Trow's company in 1776 in the revolution ; John (twin), born March 25, 1759; Molly (twin), born March 25, 1759, married, 1786, Jonathan Pratt, of Easton; Sarah, born November 27, , 1762, married, 1784, Jonathan Smith.

(V) John Tisdale, son of Seth Tisdale (4), was born in Norton, Massachusetts, March 25, 1759. He died there December 16, 1833, aged seventy-five years. He married Hannah , who died July 15, 1812, in her fiftieth year. He was a soldier in the revolution in the company of John Allen in the Rhode Island campaign 1780.

(VI) Seth Tisdale, son of John Tisdale (5), was born in Norton, Massachusetts, April 5, 1783. When he was a boy he went to Halifax, Vermont. About 1804 he settled in Leominster, Massachusetts, where he spent the remainder of his life, and was a farmer. He married. May 8, 1816, Annas B. Barn- ard, born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, November 13. 1793. Seth Tisdale died in Leominster, Decem- ber 18, 1867. His wife died January 8, 1891. Their children were: Seth H., born April 29, 1817, died June 1. 1900 ; Eliza Ann, August 26, 1818, died March 30, 1904: Mary A., May 21. 1820, died February 10, 1822; Stephen S., July 1. 1822, died May 6, 1826; William B .. April 28, 1824, died August 22, 1904; George E., July 29, 1826: Stephen A .. of whom later : John, January 22, 1831, died June 1, 1898; Charles, September 10, 1833, died April 10, 1875; Mary, December 14, 1835, died May 1, 1836; Andrew, April 12. 1837.

(VII) Stephen A. Tisdale, son of Seth Tisdale (6), was born at Leominster, October 18. 1828. He was educated in the public schools at Leominster, and then entered the comb manufacturing business for which his native town is famous. He was one of the organizers of the Union Comb Company, do- ing all the designing, was the first to jig-saw back- combs by power. and first to cut open work on a single and double split Mandell machine. His most important invention was the use of steam in clarifying horn. He has been in various departments of the comb manufacturing business all his life and

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is at present superintendent of the Horn and Supply Company of Leominster, of which he is a stock- holder. He is as active as ever in business, al- though one of the oldest men in his line of work. Mr. Tisdale is a veteran of the civil war. He enlisted when the war broke out and served with credit and distinction in the First Massachusetts Regiment. His brothers, George, Charles, John and Andrew were also in the First Massachusetts Regi- ment as musicians. He is a member of Post No. 53. G. A. R., and Wilder Lodge, A. F. and A. M. He married Ann E. Whitcomb, of Leominster, Massachusetts, November 27, IS56. Their children were: Albert A., of whom later: Ida, born June 13, 1861, died in infancy ; Leon A., May 12, 186g, .married Maude M. Eggleston, December 9, 1903. He is foreman at the Whitney Reed Chair Company. (VIII) Albert A. Tisdale, son of Stephen A. Tisdale (7), was born at Leominster, Massachu- setts, October 7, 1857. After taking the usual course in the public schools in his native town, he gradu- ated from the high school and took a course of study in Comer's Business College, at Boston. He went to work first with the Union Comb Company, where his father was then employed. After a few years he left the comb making business and was em- ployed by his father in the manufacture of piano cases. In January, 1885, he began the manufacture of waste paper baskets. He prospered in his vari- ous ventures and soon added the manufacture of baby carriages. Year after year he has added to the varied interests of his business career. In 1894 he organized the Horn and Supply Company, of which he is the treasurer and his father, the super- intendent. He was president of the Whitney Reed Chair Company, the concern which carried on the chair business that he founded until 1902 when it was merged into the National Novelty Corporation upon which he now serves on the executive board. He was president also of the Electric Phosphate Company, which operates phosphate mines in Florida. He is counted one of the strongest, ablest and most sagacious business men of the town. In politics Mr. Tisdale is an ardent Republican. He. is a member of the local lodge of Masons and Odd Fellows, and is a member of the Leominster Club and the Country Club. He enjoys the comforts of a domestic life, having one of the most beautiful homes in the city. He and his family are Unitar- jans.

He married. January 20, 1891. Florence E. Ten- ney. daughter of William B. and Mary J. Tenney. of Keene, New Hampshire. formerly of Leominster, Massachusetts. They have had one child, Ruth M.

FREDERICK LYMAN BRYANT. The surname Bryant can be traced back in England to Sir Guy de Briant, who lived in the time of Edward III. His descendants had a seat in Castle Hereford in Wales. The arms of this family are: Or, three piles meeting near in the base of the escutcheon, azure. No connection has been established between John, Sr., Stephen and Thomas Bryant, all of the Plymouth colony, though they were probably re- lated.

(I) John Bryant, Sr., the immigrant ancestor of Frederick Lyman Bryant, of Holden, Massachusetts, was prominent in the Plymouth colony and an active public officer. IIis home was at Scituate, where he was appointed often to survey public lands. He was a deputy to the general court at Plymouth in 1657-77-78. It is said that John Bryant came from Kent, England. He lived in Barnstable before set- tling in Scituate, Massachusetts, and the first record of his name is in 1639. He was able to bear

arms in 1643, according to the list of one hundred and five Scituate men reported on that date for ser- vice. His will was dated November 4, 1684. He died November 20, 1684. He married (first) Mary Lewis, daughter of Leo and Mary (Jenkins) Lewis, of Barnstable, November 4, 1643, and they had seven children. He married (second) Elizabeth Wetherell, daughter of Rev. William Wetherell, of Scituate. He married (third) Mary Highland, daughter of Thomas Highland, of Scituate. The children : John, born August 17, 1644, see forward; Hannah, born July 25, 1646; Joseph, died June 16, 1669; Sarah, born September 29, 1648; Mary, born February 24, 1650, died April 8, 1652; Martha, born February 26, 1652; Samuel, born February 6, 1654, died 1690 in the Phipps' expedition to Canada; Elizabeth, born August, 1665, Daniel; Mary; Benjamin, born De- cember, 1669, died unmarried; Joseph, born 1671 ; Jabez, born February 18, 1672, died unmarried 1697; Ruth, born August 16, 1673; Thomas, born July 15, 1675; Deborah, born January 22, 1677; Agatha, born March 12, 1678; Ann, born November 20, 1679: Elisha.

(II) Lieutenant John Bryant, son of John Bry- ant (I), was born in Scituate, Massachusetts, Au- gust 17, 1644, died there January 26, 1708. His will was proved February 12, 1708. The inventory of his estate amounted to three hundred and ninety- five pounds. All his children were born in Scituate. He married Mary The children were: John, Jr., born March 27, 1678; Jonathan. Janu- ary I, 1679: Mary, September 3, 1682; David, Au- gust 17, 1684, see forward; Joshua, November 14, 1687; Samuel, January 15, 1689; Martha, August 22, 1691.

(III) David Bryant, son of Lieutenant John Bryant (2), was born in Scituate, Massachusetts, August 17, 1684, died at Scituate, June 21, 1731. He was called gentleman in the records, indicating high social position. His estate was inventoried at two thousand one hundred and fifty-one pounds. He married (by Rev. Nathaniel Ellis), July 31, 1706, Hannah Church, widow, who died 1736. Their children all born at Scituate, were: David, Jr., born February 14, 1707; Elizabeth. February 16, 1709; Mary, May 4, 17II; Jacob, January, 1714, see forward.

(IV) Jacob Bryant, son of David Bryant (3), was born at Scituate, Massachusetts, January, 1714. He was a cordwainer or shoemaker by trade. He bought land of Oxenbridge Thatcher, of Boston, April 24, 1740, and moved there soon afterward. His farm was in the north part of Ware meadow, bounded by land of Thomas Prince, and consisted of eighty-seven acres. He died February 7. 1781, and his will was made June 10, 1780. The children of Jacob and Abigail Bryant were : David, born 1761, died at Leicester, October 7, 1841 ; married, 1784, Abigail Eddy, and settled in Leicester; his widow died December 8, 1818, aged ninety-two years; Jonathan, born August 27, 1765, see forward ; Joseph, Lydia, Elizabeth.

(V) Jonathan Bryant, son of Jacob Bryant (4), was born in Scituate, Massachusetts, August 27, 1765, died at Leicester, March 16, 1802. Jonathan and David Bryant settled in Leicester at the same time. Jonathan married at Leicester, (intentions dated August 2) 1788, Anna Warren, of Paxton. Their children: I. John, born at Leicester, March 13. 1789. married (intentions November, 1815), at Holden, January 10. 1816, Fanny Smith and they had children-John Frink, born July 25, 1817, died August 5, 1835; Charles, born August 12, 1820, mar- ried, January 24, 1849, Mary J. Bryant, of Leicester, and they had children-(Maria Frances, born May

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9. 1850, died September 16, 1852; Frank Willis, born July 21. 1852; Charles Henry, born January IO, 1855; Abbie Melinda, born January 29, 1857 ; Joseph Edgar, born September 16, 1858; Walter David, born July 1, 1860: Arthur, born February 9, 1862, died August 25, 1862; Fred Augustus, born August 24, 1863.) ; Willis : Louisa Fanny, born 1823, married, January 1, 1849, Hervey Stratton and had Fanny. Ellen Jane and William Stratton. 2. Ira, born at Leicester, February 15, 1791, married (in- tentions November 12, 1814), Elizabeth Parsons, of Worcester, and they had children-Anna Maria, born January 7, 1816, married, September 5, 1838, Daniel R. Pratt and had (Josephine Maria, born November 8, 1845: Ella Josephine, born July 8, 1847. Arthur) : George Parsons, born September 18, 1822: Sarah Elizabeth, born March 12. 1824, married James Edwin Benchley and had one child, Howard. 3. Alice, born at Leicester, December 15, 1797, married, December 16, 1818, Daniel M. Mc- Question, of Litchfield, New Hampshire. 4. Lyman, born March 26, 1800, see forward.

(VI) Lyman Bryant, son of Jonathan Bryant (5), was born in Leicester, in the part now Pax- ton, Massachusetts, March 26, 1800. When a mere boy he was bound out as a farmer's apprentice and his opportunities for schooling were meagre. Later he learned the trade of cabinet maker, serving until 'he was of age. He had a hard task-master and though most apprentices were the victims of hard, cruel and avaricious masters, in accordance with the heartless customs of the time, his was excep- tionally hard. He worked as a journeyman at the carpenter's trade for Colonel Artemas Dryden at Holden, building and repairing mill machinery and repairing the mill itself. He worked also for Cap- tain Beaman in his mill at West Boylston, Massa- chusetts, and shortly after his marriage went to Holden, in 1827, and worked at his trade of car- penter and builder. He and a Mr. Cowden pur- chased the old Simonds place with a few acres of land and a water privilege. They moved the old "blacksmith shop down to the stream, put in a breast wheel, built a dam and started their saw mill for making lumber. They soon rented the mill to "Towne Bartlett, a manufacturer of candle wicking and cotton batting. Mr. Bryant was of an inven- tive turn of mind, and patented a corn sheller and hay cutter, labor saving contrivances for farmers. He bought out his partner and started to make doors, sash and blinds in his saw mill. In 1868 he took his son, Frederick L. Bryant, into partnership and they installed lumber dressing machinery and manufactured boards for barns and rough construc- tion. The son built a cider mill in 1873, and the father deeded the other business and property to him also and retired, and during the remainder of his life lived with his daughter Mandana in Holden. He died there June 9, 1891. He was an active mem- ber of the Baptist Church and served on its com- mittees from time to time. He was a Free Mason. He trained in the Holden company in the state militia before the war.

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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 98

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