Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. III, Part 7

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 772

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. III > Part 7

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shop at 17 Hermon street, a location that he oc- cupied until the removal of the Massachusetts Oil- less Bearings Company in 1905. He devoted his energies chiefly to experimental work. He was constantly striving with marked success to improve cotton manufacturing machinery. His first inven- tion is still in use on every yard of cloth spun in this country. He has had over fifty patents granted. Forty-eight of these have been purchased by the Drapers of Hopedale, chiefly improvements in spin- ning machinery.

He is the inventer of the oilless bearing patents owned by the Massachusetts Oilless Bearings Co. He perfected this invention after twelve years of constant thought and experiment. It seems de- stined to work enormous advantage in the mechani- cal world, practically doing away with the use of oil as a lubricant. In 1896 he was awarded the John Scott Medal for his non-metallic bearings on the recommendation of the Franklin Institute. Un- til recently he has made no special effort to push the sale of this great economical device. The quarters at Worcester, however, were outgrown, so great has been the demand for these bearings, and the corporation has located in a large shop at Malden, built for the use of the company. In June, 1905, the industry was moved there and for another year Mr. Carroll is bound to give his time to the- work of teaching the workmen to manufacture the goods and superintend the works. He will ulti- mately leave the company, however. He was the first president. Early in 1905 one hundred and' fifty thousand bearings were in use. Some have been in use for five years and have given perfect satisfaction. None have worn out. Some are used on shafts that turn thirty thousand per minute with- out heating. Some machines have been made practi- cal that were failures before on account of failure to lubricate. These oilless bearings are made of special wood hardened and impregnated with a lubricating compound. They have been tested on. all kinds of bearings, on spindles, looms, axles of wagons, printing presses, roller skate wheels, emery- wheels, trolley wheels and hundreds of other places where goods lubrication is required. Most inven- tors have contestants for their honors. Every valu- able invention has some imitator. Invention breeds litigation. Mr. Carroll has been an important wit- ness for the owners of his patents in six suits and' has been vindicated in each case.

Although Mr. Carroll has reached the age when many men are incapacitated for the active duties of life, he is the picture of health and strength. Mentally he was never more active and his inventive. genius seems to be as active and productive as it was in middle life. His inventions have been re- munerative and Mr. Carroll is well-to-do. He has not acquired great wealth as he might. perhaps, if he had taken all the possible profits from his in- ventions. Te enjoys life keenly, however, because he has done and is doing daily what he loves to do and what he is probably best fitted to do. Mr. Car- roll's work places him in the front rank among the living inventors of industrial manufacturing machin- cry. To men like him, the American people owe largely their supremacy in the industrial world. To men like him every living soul owes a debt for making life in our time more comfortable, for plac- ing better, more artistic and cheaper goods within the reach of all consumers. The city of Worcester is proud to claim as a citizen this man of over fifty important inventions. He has made cheaper by his brain and clever hand every yard of cloth produced in recent years. The later invention of

PUBLIC LIBRAS

W.T. Carroll

WORCESTER COUNTY

oilless bearings is of a revolutionary nature and will in the future be an inestimable source of saving labor and oil.

He married, January 23, 1857, in Canton, Massa- chusetts, Frances Cedelia Taft, daughter of Dr. Caleb S. Taft, then of Canton, Massachusetts. She was born at Walton, New York, August 20, 1836. Mr. and Mrs. Carroll attend the Pleasant Street Baptist Church. He is a member of the Order of United American Mechanics and of the Ancient and Illustrious Order of Knights of Malta. The children of William T. Carroll and Frances C. (Taft) Carroll are: Hattie Lodema Frances, born at Canton, Massachusetts, October 22, 1858; Ada Estelle, born at Canton, March 11, 1860; William Eugene, born at Medway, Massachusetts, March 28, 1862. died at Medway, September 28, 1862; Ed- gar Judson, born at Medway, July 17, 1864; Elbert Henry, born at Medway, April 7, 1867: Emma Lavilla, born at Medway, February 16. 1869; Will- iam Edward; horn at Woonsocket, Rhode Island, November 18, 1872: Herbert F., born in Worcester, August 21, 1874, died September 11, 1874.

(III) Elbert H. Carroll, son of William T. Car- roll (2), was born in Medway, Massachusetts, April 7, 1867. He was educated in the Worcester schools and learned the trade of machinist. He has in- herited his father's genius for mechanics and has patented several devices for the Morgan Construc- tion Company, for which he is the superintendent.

(III) William E. Carroll, son of William T. Carroll (2), was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Is- land, November 18, 1872. He attended the Wor- cester Polytechnic Institute for three years. He is a draughtsman for the Morgan Construction Company of Worcester.

(III) Edgar Judson Carroll, son of William T. Carroll (2), was born in Medway, Massachusetts, July 17, 1864. He is also an inventor of cotton manufacturing machinery and has already patented and sold to the Drapers twelve inventions of sub- stantial value. He has been educated as an engineer and machinist. For a time he was in the grocery business at Chadwick Square, but at present is working at his trade.

TAFT FAMILY. Matthew Taft (1), the im- migrant and first settler of the town of Upton, Massachusetts, was the ancestor of Mrs. William T. Carroll, of Worcester, Massachusetts. (See other sketches of descendants named Taft from Matthew Taft elsewhere in this work.) Matthew Taft and his wife Anna Quintain came from Scotland and settled among the first in what is now Upton. He was one of the proprietors of the town. He bought his land from Harvard College, which at that time owned thirteen thousand and ninety-four acres in this vicinity. He came there the same year, 1728, probably bringing with him several children. He became one of the most prominent citizens of the town. He was moderator in 1741, town treasurer in 1748-49, selectman in 1739-56 and perhaps two other years. His homestead was in the castern part of the town. He married (second) Janet Craig, of Wrentham, Massachusetts, in 1749 (intentions declared October 21, 1749). The following chil- dren of Matthew and Anna (Quintain) Taft are recorded as born in Upton. John, born April 7. 1736: Ann (twin), born April 27, 1739; Matthew, Jr. (twin), born April 27, 1739; Robert, captain of the Upton Company in the revolutionary war, and probably others. (See Milford, Massachusetts, JIis- tory for Robert).

(II) Matthew Taft. son of Matthew Taft (I), was born in Upton, Massachusetts, April 27, 1739. He married in 1760 (intentions declared July 26,

1760), Hannah Cutler, of Medway, Massachusetts. He was a soldier in the revolution. He was in Robert Taft's company in 1777, in Thomas Marshall Baker's company in 1780, and in Colonel Nathan Tyler's regiment in the service in Rhode Island. The children of Matthew Taft as recorded at Up- ton were : Azubalı, born at Upton, November 2", 1761; Eli, born at Upton, Massachusetts, October S, 1763: Moses, born at Upton, September 23, 1765 ; Reuben.

(III) Eli Taft, son of Matthew Taft (2), was born at Upton, Massachusetts, October 8, 1763. He married Esther Adams, of Franklin, Massachusetts, a descendant of Henry Adams, of Braintree, an- cestor of the Presidents Adams, in 1790 (intentions, March 14, 1790). They settled at Upton, but later removed to western Massachusetts, near Deerfield, for the sake of Mrs. Taft's health, but the change was not beneficial and she died there. Their chil- dren were: Ward Adams, born at Upton, January 17. 1793, went to New York; Elvira, born in Upton, married Rev. Mr. Wood, brother of Dr. Wood, of Upton, and went to Vermont to live; Azubah, born in Upton, never married; Philo, born in Upton, August 12, 1798; Charlotte, born in Upton, April 9, 1800, married Elijah Tupper, of Franklin, went to New York, where both died; Julia, born in Up- ton, June 22, 1802, resided at Holliston, Massa- chusetts, died unmarried; Esther, born in Upton, September 6, 1804, married Josiah Hawes, resided at Franklin, Massachusetts, died at Holliston; Caleb ' Strong, born June 23, 1807, at Upton; Milton Met- calf (Adams?), born in Upton, April 23, ISIO, went to New York, married Emeline Kellogg, of Franklin, New York.

(IV) Caleb Strong Taft, son of Eli Taft (3), was born at Upton, Massachusetts, June 23, 1807. He died at Cannonsville, New York, April 24, 1878. He moved to New York and studied medicine and practiced in Walton, New York, for some time, He married there Harriet Griswold, who was born at Ticonderoga, New York, October 30, 1816. They were married in New York. About 1837 they re- turned to Massachusetts from Walton, New York, where he first settled, and located at Franklin, Massachusetts, later removing to Canton, Massa- chusetts, where he practiced for many years. After he gave up his practice he returned to New York and died at Cannonsville, New York. He was a well known physician and greatly esteemed by the people among whom he worked.

The children of Dr. Caleb and Harriet (Gris- wold) Taft were: Frances Cedelia, born at Walton, New York, August 20, 1836; William Ferris, born at Franklin, Massachusetts, February 17, 1839, died December 4, 1843; Alpheus Stone, born July 7, 1840, at Franklin, died April 3, 1864, from disease con- tracted in the service in the civil war; was in a New York regiment, also Rhode Island regiment; enlisted two times; Harriet Lodema, born Deceni- ber 31. 1845, died September 10. 1847, at Canton, Massachusetts : Emma Lavilla, born at Canton, April 8, 1849, resides at Medfield, Massachusetts, married Rutilus E. Sherman, had three sons; Helen Augusta, born at Canton, Massachusetts, October 8, 1853. died Deceniber 12, 1877, at Cannonsville, unmarried, where' her father had gone to live.

(V) Frances Cedelia Taft, daughter of Dr. Caleb Strong Taft (4), was born at Walton, New York, August 20, 1836. She married William Thomas Carroll.

ARTHUR M. TAFT (V), son of Brigham A. Taft (4), was born at Uxbridge, Massachusetts, January 28, 1854. He is descended from Robert

WORCESTER COUNTY

Taft, of Mendon, through Mijerman Taft (III), Royal Taft (II), and his father Brigham A. Taft. When he was about a year old the family moved to East Douglas in the town of Douglas, Massa- chusetts. Here he attended the common schools. At the age of eighteen he came to Worcester and entered upon a mercantile life, which he followed for a number of years. He worked first for Bryant & Wyley, wholesale notion dealers and jobbers in fancy goods in the Stockwell building, Mechanic street. He accepted a better position in the store of Knowlton Brothers at 282 Main street, where he worked for about five years, and when this store was bought by Mrs. Martha McClelland he became the manager. In 1880 he made an important change in his life. He had been studying at every oppor- tunity to fit himself for the study of law, and in 1880 he found himself prepared to undertake the same. He entered Yale Law School and graduated in two years, receiving his degree of LL. B. in 1882. He immediately returned to Worcester and in the same year was admitted to the bar and began the practice of law.

His first law office was at 415 Main street, at the corner of Front street. but he removed in a few years to the Walker building, where he has since been located. He has never had a law part- ner, although Charles S. Dodge, of Charlton, and John B. Scott, of Grafton, share his offices. He has had a general practice with a large share of probate court business. He has had many important estates to settle and is deemed an authority in probate practice. In a financial way his practice has been quite as successful as any of the younger lawyers and he easily ranks among the leading lawyers of Worcester county.

He has become interested in several corporations at various times. When the Massachusetts Oilless Bearings Company removed early in 1905 from Worcester to Malden, he resigned as the president. He was vice-president of the Rutland Marble Com- pany until it passed into the possession of the Ver- mont Marble Company, the Senator Proctor cor- poration. He was formerly a director of the Quin- sigamond Steamboat Company, and is at present a director of the A. A. Coburn Co. He was vice- president of the Pike Manufacturing Company, which formerly made a very good liquid shoe dress- ing in a factory on Foster street.

Mr. Taft is best and most widely known through 'his legislative career. He was elected to represent Worcester in the general court of 1901, and was re- elected a representative for the years 1902-03-04-05, serving a longer time than any other Worcester representative in recent years, it having been an unfortunate custom of that city to change its rep- resentatives after a year or two of service, leaving the city usually without a strong delegation in the legislature. Mr. Taft showed himself specially fitted for legislative duties from the first and rapidly gained the confidence of his associates. He has served on the committee on rules, the steering com- mittee of the house, for four years. He was five years a member of the judiciary committee, and in 1904-05 was the accepted leader of the Republican majority in the house. He was a strong candidate for the speakership in 1904. During his service in the house he was on the important special committee to revise the laws of the state. The present excel- lent revised laws of Massachusetts is the result of the work of that committee. In 1905 he introduced the order which was finally adopted providing for a joint special committee on railroad and street railway laws. This committee, of which President Dana of the senate is chairman and Mr. Taft is

house chairman, is at work and will report to the legislature of 1906.

A typical instance of the strength of Mr. Taft in a legislative contest was shown in the session of 1905, when the Bucket Shop Bill, so-called, was introduced. When this bill was reported from the committee it provided for the suppression of the small brokers, but allowed the large stock brokers to escape entirely. In fact, Mr. Taft believes that the bill was introduced at the request and in behalf of the big brokers of Boston. Mr. Taft introduced an amendment over which there was an uproar for several days and over which there was one of the hottest fights seen in the legislature in late years, the liveliest for five years or more, anyhow. Mr. Taft won when the vote was taken in the house by an overwhelming vote. The Taft amendment, as it was called, would put all the stock dealers, big and little, on the same footing. That was not what was wanted by those who originated the bill. The brokers of all classes opposed the bill, which would have compelled them to do an honest business. The senate, which had passed the bill without the amend- ment, refused to accept the Taft amendment, re- fused to concur and appointed a conference com- mittee. Mr. Taft was one of the house members. For the first time during the session the conference committee reported in support of the house posi- tion and asked the senate to accept the Taft amend- ment. The senate, however, finding the public as well as the house in favor of Mr. Taft's amendment, which merely provided for a square deal for all the brokers. little and big, killed the whole bill. This was a notable victory for Mr. Taft in defeat- ing the purposes of the richest combination of lobbyists ever seen at the state house. Mr. Taft was a candidate for the senate in 1905 and had virtually a walk-over. Mr. Taft was a member of the Worcester school board for three years. He has always been actively interested in municipal and national politics and has always been a Repub- lican. He was prominently mentioned for congress- man in 1904.

Mr. Taft is a prominent Free Mason. He is a member of Morning Star Lodge, Worcester Royal Arch Chapter and Hiram Council. He is a member of Quinsigamond Lodge, I. O. O. F. and Quinsiga- mont Tribe of Red Men. He is past noble grand of the Odd Fellows and past sachem of the Red Men. He held office in the Masonic Lodge also. He is a member of Worcester Grange, Patrons of Husbandry; of the Board of Trade; of the Wor- cester County Agricultural Society. He attends Union Congregational Church. He is not married.

CLARENCE M. NASH. Thomas Nash (1), immigrant ancestor of Clarence M. Nash, of Web- ster, Massachusetts, was born in England and came to America with his wife and five children with the party of Rev. John Davenport, sailing July 26, 1637, in the ship "Hector," or its companion ship. The Davenport party sailed from Boston again March 16, 1638, and settled in New Haven, Connecticut. There is a family tradition that Thomas Nash came from Lancaster of Lancashire, England.

The settlers at Guilford seem to have attempted to get the New Haven blacksmith away, for he was one of the signers of the Guilford Compact, June 1, 1638. But he settled at New Haven, or Quini- piac, as the settlement was first called, and Sep- tember 1. 1640, was admitted a freeman. He was blacksmith and gunsmith for the settlers, and the sixteen muskets owned by the town were placed in his care. His services as blacksmith were also of great value. His residence was at what is now

WORCESTER COUNTY

the corner of Court street and Orange Temple, New Haven. He died May 12, 1658, and left a will men- tioning his children. He married Margcry Baker, died 1657, daughter of Nicholas Baker, of Hert- fordshire. Their children were: I. Mary, married Roger Allen. 2. John, a captain. 3. Sarah, mar- ried Robert Talmage. 4. Joseph, sergeant, of Hart- ford. 5. Timothy, born in England 1626. mentioned below.

(II) Lieutenant Timothy Nash, youngest son of Thomas Nash (I), was born in England, or Ley- den. Holland, 1626. He settled with his parents at New Haven, Connecticut, or soon afterward. He was there centainly in 1645. and was admitted a freeman March 4. 1654 He learned his father's trade of gunsmith and blacksmith. He removed to Hartford February II, 1660-61. Three years later he joined the pioneers at Hadley, Massachusetts. His home lot there was on the west side of what is now Main street, in the village of Hadley. lately owned by Captain Elijah Smith. The lot was originally drawn by Robert Webster, who sold his rights to Lieutenant Nash. He became one of the leading citizen of old Hadley, serving on important committees and in most of the town offices; was a lieutenant of militia; deputy to general court 1690, 1691 and 1695. He died May 13, 1699. aged seventy-three years. He married, 1657, Rebekah Stone, daughter of Rev. Samuel Stone, of Hart- ford. She died April 17. 1709. Both left wills. "Their children were: I. Rebekah, born March 12. 1657-8, died young : 2. Samuel, bort February 3, 1659-60; died at Hadley, 1668, killed by fall from frightened horse which he was bringing from pas- ture. 3. Thomas, born 1661, settled at Hartford. 4. Joseph, born January 27, 1663-4. died unmarried, March 28, 1740. 5. Timothy, Jr., born about 1665. 6. John, born August 21, 1667, resided at Hadley. 7. Samuel, born June 17, 1669: died unmarried May 3. 1738. 8. Hope, born November 26, 1670: mar- ried Isaac Warner. 9. Ebenezer, born October 25, 1673; married; resided at Suffield. Connecticut. 10. Daniel, born 1676, mentioned below. II. Ephraim. born 1682, resided at Granby, Massachusetts. 12. Mary, died December 19, 1687.

(III) Daniel Nash, son of Lieutenant Timothy Nash (2), was born in Hadley, or some town where the family was taking refuge from the Indians, 1676. He followed his father's trade of blacksmith. His house and shop were on what is now the corner of Bridge and Market streets, near the Episcopal Church in Northampton, Massachusetts. The old house at last accounts was still standing. In 1726 he sold his property and settled in the south pre- cinct of Hadley, later removed to the Upper Housa- tonic, now Great Barrington, 1739, and there prob- ably lived the rest of his days. He was a deacon, as shown by the record of his admission to the Great Barrington Church, April 26. 1746. He died there March 10, 1760, aged eighty-four years, and his grave in the old burying ground is marked by a stone. He married, June 11. 1710. Experience Clark. of Northampton, descended from William and Sarah Clark, who settled in Dorchester in 1636 and removed to Northampton in 1660. William Clark died July 18, 1690, aged eighty-one years, one of the principal men of the town. His son John Clark married Rebecca Cooper, July 12, 1677; she died 1678, and he married (second) Mary, daughter of Elder John Strong, March 20, 1679, one of their eleven children being Experience, mentioned above. Children of Daniel and Experience (Clark) Nash were : I. Sylvanus, born January II, 1712. 2. Zeruiah, born November 2, 1713: married John Beals, and (second) Simon Willard. 3. Daniel,

mentioned below. 4. Experience, born December 26, 1716, died 1725. 5. Joseph, born April 23, 1718. 6. Onesimus. 7. Jonathan, born December 3, 1721. 8. Rebecca, married Asahel King. 9. Josiah. 10. Phineas, settled Wyoming, Pennsylvania.

(IV) Daniel Nash. Jr., son of Daniel Nash (3), was born in Northampton, Massachusetts, Septem- ber 13, 1715. He removed to Great Barrington with the family and settled in that part of Deer- field now Greenfield, about the time of his mar- riage. He was chosen on the first board of select- men of Greenfield, July 3, 1753, and also on the committee to supply preaching for the first year; was again selectman in 1758, and afterward; was representative to Provincial Congress in 1774, ap- pointed to be held at Concord but convened at Salem. October 7. 1775, and served also on the committee on safety and correspondence. He was a very stout and corpulent man. The story is told that he was one of the three captors of a counterfeiter during the revolution, when the patriots were impovished by British counterfeits of their paper money, but as the jail was full of tories the judge had to sentence the criminal to a whip- ping. The other two were easy with their stripes, but Nash laid on heavily, breaking the wretch's skin at every stroke. That counterfeiter was never again seen in Greenfield. Nash's home was first at the centre of Greenfield, later at South Meadows, and the house at last accounts was still standing, about three-quarters of a mile from Nash's mill, on the west side of the road. He married, 1741, Abigail Stearns, who died November 26, 1749. He married (second), 1750, Martha Wells. He died July I, 1790. Children of Daniel and Abigail: 1. Daniel, born November 4, 1742, settled at Greenfield. 2. Experience, born June 29, 1745: married Matthew Severance. 3. Sylvanus, born February, 1745, set- tled at Greenfield. 4. Abigail, born June 22. 1748; married Jonathan Hoyt. Children of Daniel and Martha: 5. Onesimus, born December 27, 1751; died February 28, 1752. 6. Onesimus, born Febru- ary 10, 1753; died unmarried January 6, 1776. 7. Tubal, mentioned below. 8. Simeon, born May 15, 1756, settled at Stockholm, New York. 9. Joseph, born January 6, 1758; died September 27, 1762. 10. Zenas, born June 1, 1760, died September 20, 1762. II. Quartus, born August 16, 1761. died October 3, 1762. 12. Joseph, second, bort May 28, 1763, event- ually removed to Pembroke, New York. 13. Martha, born October 29, 1764; died November 3, 1764.

(V) Tubal Nash, son of Daniel Nash (4), was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts, October 31, 1754. He was an officer on the government side during Shays' rebellion. He was a very respectable and worthy citizen. Late in life, together with most of his family, he removed to Canton, St. Larwence county. New York, where he died October 20, 1816. He married, September 17. 1778, Mary Corse, born January 15. 1756, died at Canton, January 30, 1839. Their children: 1. Calvin, born June 16, 1779, set- tled in Canton. . 2. Onesimus, born December 17, 1780: settled in Greenfield. 3. Martha, born August 17, 1782; died December 18, 1789. 4. Mary, born August 28, 1784; married Amos Bannister and sec- ond Asa Crosby. 5. Robert. born February 28, 1786; died June 22, 1786. 6. Robert, born Novem- ber 23. 1787. 7. Martha, born April 24. 1790; mar- ried William Boyden. 8. Harriet, born December 13, 1791. 9. Richard, mentioned below. 10. Cynthia, born July 12, 1796. II. Thankful, born January 10, 1799. died September 20, 1803.

(VI) Richard Nash, ninth child of Tubal Nash (5), was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts, Febru-

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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. III, Part 7

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed Publication date: 1907 Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 772

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 772