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 82
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The story of Stark at Bunker Hill is told in all the histories. The following account by one of his captains, Dearborn, shows the personal part Stark took that day: "When we reached Charles- town Neck we found two regiments halted in con-
sequence of a heavy enfilading fire across it of round, bar and chain shot from the frigate Lively and from a floating battery lying in the river Mystic. Major McClary went forward and said to the com- manders that if they did not intend to move on, he wished them to open and let our regiment pass. This was immediately done. My company being in front I marched by the side of Colonel Stark, who was moving with a very deliberate pace. I sug- gested the propriety of quickening the march of the regiment, that it might sooner be relieved from the galling cross-fire of the enemy. With a look peculiar to himself, he fixed his eyes upon me and observed; 'Dearborn, one fresh man in action is worth two fatigued ones' and continued to advance in the same cool and collected manner." He placed his large force in three rows behind the fence and wall, directing the first rank with the best marks- men to fire, and the second and rear ranks to load rapidly as they knelt upon the ground; then, step- ping in front of his line, he planted a stake sixty yards in advance of his fence and told his men that he should shoot the first man who fired before the British passed that stake. At least 3,000 men moved forward to assail the breastworks and the fence. They were the flower of the British soldiery and doubtless expected those half-armed New Hampshire provincials in homespun clothes to fly at the first onset. But they remained behind the fence and wall as still as death until the British passed the stake, and then came a fire so intense, so continuous and deadly that the line wavered, re- coiled, rallied and again fell back. Nearly every officer of Howe's staff was killed or wounded. Stark and Reid lost but ninety men, but in front of the one company from Derryfield under Captain John Moore, at the stone wall on the beach, ninety - six bodies of the foe were counted. Stark's forces were assailed by the Welch Fusileers, a crack regi- ment that had fought at Minden with distinction. They entered the field at Bunker Hill seven hundred strong and the next morning only eighty-three answered roll-call. The ammunition of the Amer- icans was fast giving out and retreat soon became imperative. With but a few more rounds of am- munition, Stark and Reid might have turned the fortunes of the day. They brought off their forces in good condition and retired like victors from the field. Two years later Stark won the famous and decisive battle of Bennington. We quote from the description of H. W. Herrick: "The com- mander of the Americans, with the trusty Warner at his side, moved rapidly through the camp. He was in the prime of life, forty-nine years old, dressed as a Continental Brigadier, and mounted on a beautiful brown colt. His only staff officer was Warner, sixteen years his junior; and his med- ical department numbered but one or two surgeons. The entire force was about seventeen hundred and fifty, of which New Hampshire furnished about one thousand, Vermont five hundred and old Berk- shire two hundred and fifty. Baum's force com- prised about one thousand, of whom one hundred and fifty were Indians, two hundred Tories, one hundred Frasers marksmen, one hundred Canadian Rangers, fifty chasseurs and three hundred and fifty Riedesel's, dragoons or Hessians, acting as infantry. The British prisoners and dead numbered the next day over nine hundred and Burgoyne's orderly book makes his loss in the two engage- ments over twelve hundred. * * As mid-day approached the Americans were massed to receive orders; the locality was a large field, the entrance to which was by sliding bars and tall posts peculiar to the vicinity. Stark leaped to the topmost rail,
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A.c.
Leonardo Stark
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steadied himself by the tall post, and. baranged his troops in the well known sentences: "Now, my men, yonder are the Hessians; they were bought for seven pounds ten pence a man. Are you worth more? Proye it. Tonight the American flag floats over yonder hill or Molly Stark sleeps a widow." The battle was bitterly contested. After winning the first engagement Stark had to meet a second force of the enemy and after a stubborn contest put the entire British army to rout. The victory was complete. The fruits of the victory were four brass cannon, about one thousand stands of arms, two hundred and fifty sabres, horses, wagons and supplies, besides about seven hundred prisoners. Two hundred and seven of the enemy were found dead on the field next day. Stark's brigade lost only fourteen killed and forty-two wounded.
Of his home life, Mr. Herrick writes: "The vigor and decision shown by Stark in military life are traceable in the management of his secular affairs. He was emphatically a worker, and had no patience with indolence, mental or physical. His plans for farm labor were comprehensive and far- reaching in results, and for the period in which he lived he effectively wielded a large capital. This good management was noticeable in the expenses he incurred for government in his military capacity. The financial cost to New Hampshire for the Ben- nington victory was, for mustering, mileage, rations, wages and contingent expenses, a trifle over $82,000 in the depreciated paper currency of the day, or $2.500 in gold. Stark did not die a rich man, in the modern understanding of the term; he prudently used his resources, and thus answered the large demands on his hospitality and kept his estate intact. The interests of his farm and an extensive trade in lumber and tracts of woodland divided his time and labors. At one time he owned, with two partners, the present township of Dun- barton, then called Starkstown, and operated largely in lumber. The facilities for getting logs and manu- factured lumber to market were greatly increased by the completion of the Amoskeag Canal in 1807, and Stark's property in timber tracts was made much more valuable. Early in life he erected a mill for sawing lumber on Ray's brook at the present site of Dorr's pond, and it was this mill that so suddenly stopped at the news of the battle of Lexington and was permitted to rot and rust dur- ing the eight years of the revolution. The remains of the dam are yet to be seen at low water. After the revolution Stark, in connection with Judge Blodgett, erected a saw and grist mill on the east side of Amoskeag Falls, near the present entrance of the company's large canal.
The farmhouse of Stark was a plain two-story structure, with an ell, a front door and entry dividing it into two equal parts. It was erected by the general in the year 1765, and at that period was considered an edifice of notable qualities. While he had his rooms finished with the best skill and most costly material of the period, he would never suffer paint or room paper to be seen inside his house. He took great pride in pointing to the width and quality of native woods used in the large and sumptuous panels in the walls of the rooms and in the wood carving of a large buffet or French sideboard filling one corner of his dining room. * * * The house was burned about 1866, and the land adjacent, originally several hundred acres, diminished by sale and gifts to descendants, was purchased by the state as the site for the Reform School."
Mrs. Stark died in the year 1814. Among their children was John, Jr., see forward.
(III) John Stark, Jr., son of General John Stark (2), was born in Derryfield, now Man- chester, New Hampshire, about 1760. He married Mary -. He was one of the leading citizens of the town. In 1793, with other leading citizens, Amos Weston, Isaac Huse, Elijah A. Nutt, Samuel Jack- son, Benjamin F. Stark, Samuel P. Kidder and others, to the number of forty-seven, he was one of the founders of the Social Library of Derry- field. Among his children was Gerardus B. Stark, born June 10, 1785. See forward.
(IV) Gerardus B. Stark, son of John Stark, Jr. (3), was born in Manchester, New Hampshire, June 10, 1785. He lived in Manchester all his life. He married Ann and among their children was Leonard, born December 11, 1818. See forward.
(V) Leonard Stark, son of Gerardus B. Stark (4), was born in Manchester, New Hampshire, De- cember 11, 1818. He attended the public schools of his native town. He settled in Barre, Massa- chusetts, where he married, October 6, 1840, Martha Isana Haskins. She died there March 13, 1841. He moved to Fitchburg where he was living when he married (second), April 30, 1845, Elizabeth Lawrence Spaulding, of Pepperell, Massachusetts, at Manchester; the ceremony was performed by Rev. A. Richards, of Nashua, New Hampshire. They returned to Barre. Mr. Stark was a Democrat in politics and held the office of road commissioner or highway surveyor. In religion he was a Meth- odist. During the civil war he enlisted in Company K, Forty-second Regiment, Massachusetts Volun- teer Infantry, in which he served with credit to the end of the conflict. He died at Boylston, Decem- ber 18, 1898.
The only child of Leonard and Martha J. Stark was: George Henry, born January 1, 1841. The children of Leonard and Elizabeth Stark were: Leonard Spaulding, born August 24, 1847, see for- ward) : Elizabeth Ann, born at Barre, May 14, 1849; Martha F., born April 11, 1853, died June 4. 1878; Caroline D., born February 22, 1856, died February 17, 1878.
(VI) Leonard Spaulding Stark, son of Leonard Stark (5), was born August 24, 1847, at Barre, Massachusetts. He was educated in the common schools and brought up on his father's farm in Barre. He settled in Boylston and has followed farming all his life. He has been prominent in town affairs, and has been elected often to positions of responsibility and trust. He has been road com- missioner, assessor, overseer of the poor and select- man of the town for a number of years. In politics he is a Democrat but not a partisan in local politics. He is a member of the Boylston Grange, Patrons of Husbandry. He is a member of the Boylston Con- gregational Church.
He married (first) Mary Elizabeth Shattuck, daughter of Joel and Mary (Lawrence) Shattuck. He married (second) Jennie Minns, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Conlan) Minns. He has one son by his first wife, Frederick C., born at Boyls- ton, Massachusetts, September 2, 1877; married Mary Ella Young, and they have two children- Arthur L., born August 9, 1901; Marion E., born September 2, 1902.
OSCAR THOMAS BROOKS, for more than forty years a prosperous merchant of Athol, is a son of Thomas D. Brooks, formerly of Petersham, and grandson of Captain Joel Brooks of that town. Captain Joel Brooks, who was a prosperous farmer, was married December 25, 1787, to Patty Jackson. Their children were: Austin, Joel, John. Otis, Lyman. Henrv. Sally J., Charles and Thomas D.
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Thomas D. Brooks was born in Petersham, May 13, 1811. He resided at home assisting his father in carrying on the farm until reaching the age of twenty-five years, when he purchased a piece of agricultural property in the southerly part of Petersham, but shortly afterward moved to Petersham Centre and engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes. In 1841 he removed to Wendell, where he continued the manufacture of footwear, and in company with his brother Otis carried on a general store. While residing in Wendell he served as selectman, assessor, overseer of the poor, town clerk, and acted as a justice of the peace, and at Athol was appointed trial justice in 1874, retain- ing that office for two and one-half years, at the expiration of which time he resigned. During the civil war he rendered valuable assistance to the volunteers of Wendell and contributed liberally toward providing for their families while they were serving their country in the field. He was for a number of years and up to the time of his decease a trustee of New Salem Academy. Retiring from business in 1874, he purchased the Richard Moore farm in Athol, located on the old road to North Orange, and his vigorous health enabled him to participate regularly in the activities of life until within a very short time prior to his death, which occurred March 23, 1893. In January, 1836, he mar- ried Mary L. Sawtelle, daughter of Richard Sawtelle, of Templeton, this county. Their children are : Oscar Thomas, the principal subject of this sketch; Herbert F., resident of Brattleboro, Vermont ; Eliza A., who married Marcus M. Stebbins, of Erving, this state; Charles C., a successful grocery merchant of Orange, Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas D. Brooks celebrated the golden anniversary of their wedding in 1886.
Oscar T. Brooks was born in Petersham, June 6, 1839. He was educated in the public schools of Wendell, the Winchester (New Hampshire) high school and the New Salem Academy. Upon the completion of his studies he engaged in mercantile business at Wendell in company with his father, and was postmaster in that town for some time. In company with J. M. King he purchased the general country store of P. C. Tyler, of Athol, in 1862, but this partnership was shortly afterward dissolved and he subsequently resumed business in the store he now occupies in Athol, having as an associate Mr. J. F. Packard. Purchasing Mr. Packard's interest in 1870, he admitted as a part- ner Mr. C. M. Sears, with whom he was associated some fifteen years, and the death of Mr. Sears, which occurred in 1885, left him sole proprietor of the es- tablishment. In the interim of his association as above with Mr. King and that formed with Mr. Packard Mr. Brooks had partnership association for about two years in the conduct of a general store in Athol under the firm of King, Brooks & Haskell.
Mr. Brooks has long evinced an active interest in the advancement of Athol's business and financial welfare, being auditor and a trustee of the Savings Bank, a director of the Co-operative Bank and a member of the executive committee of the Athol board of trade. As a Republican he has served as selectman, assessor and overseer of the poor, and represented the first Worcester district in the lower house of the state legislature in 1898, serving upon the taxation committee and having as a colleague Mr. E. B. Crane, editor in chief of this publication. For the past twenty years he has been superintendent of the Sunday school connected with the Second Advent Church, of which he is one of the leading members. He was largely instrumental in organ-
izing the Athol Young Men's Christian Association, of which he was the first president, and has in va- rious other ways emphasized his profound interest. in the moral and religious welfare of the com- munity.
On January 3, 1866, Mr. Brooks was united in marriage with Miss Cornelia R. Smith, daughter of Abner Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Brooks have had five children, three of whom, George, Ernest and Edgar, the last two named being twins, died in early child- hood. The survivors are: Annie M., born Octo- ber 26, 1874; and Ralph O., born August 3, 1879. Annie M, Brooks, who is a graduate of Smith College and also of Columbia University, is now a teacher of Latin and Greek in Kent Place school, Summit, New Jersey. Ralph O. Brooks completed his education at the Boston University, and is now in business with his father. Politically he is a Republican. His religious affiliations are with the Congregationalists. He married Miss Grace Foote, daughter of James C. and Fanny ( Avery) Foote.
HERBERT SALMON GODDARD. The God- dard family at Athol was formerly of Royalston, this county, and Herbert S. Goddard is a son of Sal- mon, grandson of Colonel Salmon Goddard, and. great-grandson of Samuel Goddard, of Sutton, Massachusetts. Colonel Salmon Goddard, who was. a prominent resident of Royalston in his day, mar- ried for his first wife Dolly Faulkner, the daughter of a sterling patriot who won distinction in the American army during the struggle for national in- dependence. Colonel Goddard's second wife was. before marriage Lucy Goddard, a distant relative. He was the father of eight children, all of whom. were of his first union. The first and second born died in infancy. Ann married Clement Reed; Eliza- beth died single; Salmon died in childhood; Dolly died at the age of eighteen years; Salmon (2) is still living; Mary died young.
Salmon Goddard, Herbert S. Goddard's father, was born in Royalston in 1816. For many years he was one of the most prosperous farmers and public-spirited residents of his native town, serv- ing as selectman, as superintendent of highways and in other civic capacities; originally an Old. Line Whig, a loyal supporter of the Republican party from the time of its formation. He married Charlotte Augusta Joy and has reared three chil- dren, namely: Mary, who is now Mrs. Asa M. White, of North Orange: Lucy Maria, who married Cyrus D. Davis, of Langdon, New Hampshire; and Herbert S., the immediate subject of this sketch. Mr. and Mrs. Salmon Goddard, who have lived to- gether in connubial felicity since November, 1842, are now residing with their son in Athol.
Herbert S. Goddard was born in Royalston, April II, 1852. He was educated in the district schools. of his native town, the Powers Institute, Bernards- ton, this state, and at the University of Minnesota. In early manhood he became associated with C. D. Davis in carrying on lumbering operations in Royalston, Petersham, Athol and vicinity, and in connection with that business they operated a port- able steam saw mill. In 1888 hie settled in Athol, where he engaged in the manufacture of pianoforte cases as a member of the firm of Goddard and Manning, and he continued in that business until 1897, when he retired. A considerable portion of his time is devoted to civic affairs and other mat- ters, religious, philanthropic and benevolent of a semi-public nature. In addition to serving as chair- man of the board of selectmen and of the board of health, deputy sheriff, chief of police, member of the board of assessors and sealer of weights and
PUBLIC
thanks Respectfully La
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measures, he is a member of the sewer committee and one of the highway commissioners. Politically he is a Republican. He is a deacon of the Baptist Church and was for a number of years treasurer of that body ; has at different times served as presi- dent and treasurer of the Young Men's Christian Association; is one of the directors of the Asso- ciated Charities; and local agent of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
On September 15, 1880, Mr. Goddard was joined in marriage with Miss Sarah E. Forristall, daugh- ter of Philander and Sally A. Forristall, of Boston. Of this union there are two daughters,-Charlotte Pitman, born August 29, 1882; and Maud, born July 3, 1884. Charlotte P., who is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, and subsequently taught mathe- matics and science at the Bennington (Vermont) High School and other educational institutions, lias also taught in schools of Athol. Maud com- pleted her education at the University of Minne- sota.
Mr. Goddard's home is on Chestnut Hill avenue, a leading exclusive residental thoroughfare in Athol and his household, consisting of his wife, his daugh- ters, who are in the bloom of early womanhood, and his aged parents, constitute an ideal family circle.
THOMAS THIMBLIN, of Southbridge, where he has become well known during his forty years residence, is a native of West Boylston, Massa- chusetts, born October 1, 1854. His parents, An- thony and Jane (McNulty) Thimblin, were natives of county Sligo, Ireland, whence they emigrated to America in 1848. Their children were as follows : Michael, Susan, Thomas, and Annie Thimblin.
Thomas Thimblin was educated in the common schools of Worcester, Massachusetts, and at the early age of eleven years came to Southbridge, same state, and entered the employ of the Hamilton Woolen Mills Company, remaining there fifteen years. The following two years he was an employe of the American Optical Company, and during these two periods of service, by industry and thrift, lie accumulated sufficient capital to engage in the re- tail liquor business. To this in 1890 he added the wholesale liquor business, and in 1893 engaged in the wholesale manufacture of soda and mineral waters. He is a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, to the support of which he has contributed liberally, and his political affiliations are with the Demo- cratic party. He is a member of the Foresters of America, Improved Order of Red Men and Fra- ternal Order of Eagles.
Mr. Thimblin married, October 29, 1884, Mary E. Keveny, of New York, daughter of Martin Keveny, of Ireland, and their children are: Thomas F., born June 13, 1889; and Edward MI., born September 5, 1893.
HENRIE CLINTON FAY, a successful Athol merchant, is a son of the late Benjamin Fay, of New Braintree, and Jane Helen ( Presho) Fay, the latter a daughter of Zadoc and Betsey Presho, of Pelham, Massachusetts. Benjamin Fay was reared upon a farm in New Braintree, and when a young man became a butcher. He subsequently followed that occupation in various places, including Milford and Montague, this state, with prosperous results, and he figured quite prominently in local civic af- fairs, serving with ability in some of the important town offices. His political affiliations were with the Republican party. He was an active member of the Congregational Church, and labored earnestly in behalf of the moral and religious welfare of the
community. In Masonry he had advanced to the Knights Templar degree and was a member of Greenfield Commandery. Benjamin Fay died June 6, 1880, and is survived by a widow and two chil- dren, namely : Addie A., married Edgar L. Bartlett, of Montague; and Henrie C., see forward. An- other son, Benjamin Franklin Fay, married Jose- phine Benjamin, and both are now deceased.
Henrie Clinton Fay was born in Milford, this county, March 6, 1858, and accompanied his par- ents to Montague in early childhood. He began his education in the public schools and completed his studies at the Wilbraham Academy. For some time he assisted his father in the butchering business, but eventually turned his attention to mercantile pur- suits, and in 1886 accepted a position as a store clerk in Athol. In 1895 he purchased the business and has ever since conducted it with gratifying suc- cess, dealing in all kinds of hardware, farm imple- ments, saddlery, sporting-goods, etc., carrying a full line of carefully selected goods and having an ex- tensive trade, a considerable portion of which has been acquired through his own enterprise and per- sonal popularity. He is one of the directors of the Co-operative Bank.
As a Republican Mr. Fay has participated to an extent in civic affairs, and served efficiently as town treasurer of Athol for a period of five years. He is now (1906) serving upon the committee on appropriations. He was made a Mason in Bay State Lodge, Montague, in 1879; entered Franklin Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, in 1880; and Titus Strong Council, Royal and Select Masters of Green- field the same year; was subsequently admitted to the corresponding bodies in Athol, where he joined the commandery, and has since taken the thirty- second degree Scottishi Rite. He is past worshipful master of Star Lodge, Athol, past eminent com- mander of Athol Commandery, of which he has served as recorder for three years, and was district deputy grand master for the years 1902-3. He is also an Odd Fellow, having joined that order in Woodbridge, New Jersey, and was one of the or- ganizers and charter members of Tully Lodge, Athol, in which he has occupied all of the important chairs ; is a member of Mount Pleasant Encampment and district deputy. He is exceedingly fond of canine pets and has some fine specimens of the Boston terrier and other fancy breeds.
Mr. Fay married, in 1881, Eva Rebecca Rugg. daughter of Alpheus and Mary (Hartwell) Rugg. Mr. and Mrs. Fay have no children. Mrs. Fay is past noble grand of Bramer Reebekah Lodge (Athol), having served as noble grand in 1899.
JOSEPH WILCOX, an extensive comb manu- facturer at Athol, Massachusetts, was born April 21, 1861, in Yorkshire, England, in the town of Pennston and left there with his parents in child- hood. They first settled in Nova Scotia, where young Joseph began his education in the public school. Of his ancestry it may be said that it is clearly traceable for nearly five hundred years. Joseph Wilcox is the son of Joseph Wilcox, and the grandson of John Wilcox. Upon the tomb- stones in his native land, in the parish churchyard, the Wilcox (or Wilcock) family graves are numner- ous and the inscriptions show them to be very ancient in that locality. The spelling "Wilcox" is of modern origin.
When Joseph Wilcox, Jr., was but eleven years of age, the family removed to the United States, where he completed his education at Leominster, Massachusetts. When twelve years old he com- menced to work at the comb making business, and
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