Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. III, Part 87

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 87

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JAMES E. PHELPS, a representative citi- zen of West Sutton, Worcester county, Massachu- setts, was there born March 15, 1861, son of Henry Hall and Julia M. (Waters) Phelps, and grandson of James Phelps, who was also a native of Sutton, born September II, 1791, (twin of Simeon Phelps). and died May 31, 1863. He married Mindwell Hall, born in Sutton, February 8, 1798, and among their children was a son, Henry Hall Phelps. The mother died December 5, 1878.

Henry Hall Phelps (father) was born January 15, 1837, in Sutton, was a Republican in politics, and held the office of overseer of the poor. He later gave his support to the Democratic organization. He married Julia M. Waters, January 19, 1860, and they had five children, one of whom was James E., to be further mentioned hereinafter. Henry Hall Phelps died April 9, 1880, in Sutton.

James E. Phelps received his intellectual train- ing in the public schools of his native place, and im- mediately after leaving the school-room gave his at- tention to the milling business of his father. After twelve years so occupied he took up agricultural pursuits and lumbering, in which he has attained ex- cellent success. Fle is a loyal advocate of the principles advanced by Jefferson and Lincoln, and has served his town as overseer of the poor. Mr. Phelps married, April 20, 1892, Annie Laurie Sailor. born in Lisbon, Iowa, March 12, 1867, daughter of Henry and Mary Elizabeth (Myers) Sailor. the- former born December 6, 1830, and the latter Novem- ber 9, 1846. The following named children are the issue of this marriage: Henry Edison, born in Ox- ford, March 15, 1893; Heston, West Sutton, Sep- tember 12, 1894; and Sailor, February 5, 1808.

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THE SAYLES FAMILY. John Sayles (1), the immigrant ancestor of Mrs. Ellen M. (Sayles) Jenks and the Sayles family of Warren, Massachu- setts, was born in England about 1630 and came to Rhode Island when a young man. He died in 1681. According to tradition, John Sayles, with his broth- ers Richard and Thomas, came from England. Richard settled on what is now called Sayles hill in Smithfield, Thomas settled in Rehoboth, and John in Providence.

He bought a house and lot in Providence, Jan- uary 27, 1650, of John Throckmorton, and May 12, 1652, bought land of Ralph Earle. He was an as- sistant to the governor in 1653-55-58-59. He was admitted a freeman in 1655 and was a commissioner from 1655 to 1657 inclusive was town clerk of Providence from 1655 to 1657 inclusive treasurer from 1659 to 1666 inclusive; was on the grand jury in 1669-70-71 was deputy to the general assembly in 1669-70-71-77-78; was on the town concil in 1670 and 1671. He took the oath of allegiance May 31, 1666. He married, 1650, Mary Williams, the daughter of the famous Roger Williams, founder of Providence. Probably all the American fami- lies of Sayles are descended from Williams.

Roger Williams was born about 1601, the son of James Williams, citizen and merchant tailor of Lon- don, England, and of his wife Alice. Roger Will- iams arrived in Boston with his wife Mary, Febru- ary 5, 1630. He became discontented and removed to the Plymouth colony, where after a time he was chosen assistant minister with the Rev. Ralph Smith. In 1633 he removed to Salem in the Massachusetts Bay colony and became minister of the church there. While there he wrote a treatise in which he maintained that it was wrong for the colony to depend upon the King's patent as a ground of claiming the country; that the churches of England were unchristian. He was rebuked for his senti- ments by the governor to whom he sent a copy of his pamphlet and then promised to refrain from teaching such things publicly, but later he broke the truce and taught that a magistrate ought not to tender the cath of fidelity to an unregenerate man and that no Christian should pray with such a person, even though it were his own wife or child; that a man ought not to give thanks after a meal, etc. He wrote a letter to his church protesting that he would not commune with the churches at the bay who held with the magistrates nor with them unless they would refuse all such communion; and for this reason he refused to pray with his own wife. He held meetings at his own house for those who agreed with him. After much discussion he was sentenced September 3, 1635, to exile. He went to Providence and then adopted his well-known views against the baptism of infants and in favor of im- mersion of adults at baptism. He was not exiled for his baptist views. He rendered most valuable service to New England by his wise treatment of the Indians and he averted several threatened out- breaks. He went to England about 1644 and brought back a charter for Providence Plantation and letters of commendation for persons of high station. Roger Williams died April 1, 1683. His children : Mary, born at Plymouth, August, 1633. mentioned above: Freeborne, born at Salem, Octo- ber, 1635; Providence, born at Providence, Septem- ber, 1638: Mercy, born September 15, 1640; Daniel, born February 15, 1641; Joseph, born December, 1643.

The children of John and Mary (Williams) Sayles were: Mary, born July 11, 1652; John, born August 17, 1654, of whom later; Deborah.

(II) John Sayles, son of John Sayles (I), was born in Providence, Rhode Island, August 17, 1654, and died August 2, 1727. He married, November 2, 1699, Elizabeth - He was admitted a free- man May 3, 1681, and was on the grand jury in 1688. He had thirty-five acres of land of his grandfather, Mr. Roger Williams. He was deputy to the general assembly in 1694 and until 1706. He kept an inn and August 14, 1710, was licensed to sell liquors to his guests. His will was dated September 14. 1726, and proved August 21, 1727. The gravestones erected to the memory of Jolin Sayles, his wife Elizabeth and son Daniel are still to be seen in the old graveyard at Providence west of the railroad track and nearly opposite the foot of Earl street.' The children of John and Elizabethi Sayles were : Mary, born May 30, 1689, died 1754; married Will- iam Smith; John, born January 13, 1692, died Sep- tember 16, 1677; married. December 1, 1717, Eliza- beth Comstock; he was town treasurer, town clerk, member of the town council of Smithfield ; Richard, born October 24. 1695. of whom later; Daniel, born December 13. died February 3, 1608: Thomas, born February 9. 1699, and died at Smithfield, Rhode Island, November 9, 1754; was member of the town council and general assembly ; married Esther Scott, daugliter of Silvanus and Joanna (Jenckes) Scott.

(III) Richard Sayles, son of Jolin Sayles (2), was born in Providence, Rhode Island, October 24, 1695, and died at Smithfield, Rhode Island, in 1775- He was town clerk of Providence in 1731. There is a record of his delivering up the two children of his wife by a former marriage to their grandfather, Maturin Ballon, September 25. 1742. He removed in 1731-2 to Smithfield, a stronghold of the Quak- ers. 'He was captain of the militia and served in Indian campaigns. He deeded a house lot of two and three-quarters acres to his son, Richard, Jr., February 2, 1750, and deeded land to his sons Jona- than and Gideon, including his homestead, July 5, 1757. He died after May 24, 1775. when his son Richard was still junior.

He married (first), November 20, 1720, Mercy Phillips, daughter of Richard and Sarah (Mowry) Phillips. He married (second), May 14, 1738, Alice Arnold, widow of David Arnold, and daughter of Maturin and Sarah Ballou. She died in 1741. He married (third), January 10, 1742, Susannah Inman, widow of John Inman, and daughter of James and Susannah (Whitman) Ballou. She was born Jan- uary 3, 1695. The children of Captain Richard and Mercy Sayles were: Daniel, born February 7, 1721-2; Richard, of whom later; Israel, May 17, 1725-6, of whom later; Elisha, April 15, 1728; Jonathan, May 12, 1730; Gideon, May 30, 1732, at Smithfield : Joshua, mentioned in marriage records and could be son of no other Sayles.

(IV) Richard Sayles, Jr., second child of Cap- tain Richard Sayles (3), was born in Providence, Rhode Island, August 5. 1723. He removed to Smithfield when a young lad and lived there the remainder of his life. He married, September 2, 1742, at Smithfield, Abigail Hawkins. Their chil- dren, all born at Smithfield, were: Mary, born December 13, 1742; William. February 28, 1744; Sarahı, September 22, 1747; Stephen. October 6, 1749; Abigail, September 12. 1751; John, June 14, 1753; Elisha, March 15, 1755 ( date blurred) ; Dan- iel, January 18, 1758, of whom later; Smith, Au- gust 31, 1759.

(IV) Israel Sayles, son of Captain Richard Sayles (3), married Marsa Whipple, and lived in Gloucester, Rhode Island. Their children were :

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Richard, Esek, Elisha, Christopher, Royal, Ahab, Daniel, Mary, married Esek Brown; Roba, Rebecca, Mercy, married Benjamin Matherson.

(V) Daniel Sayles, son of Israel Sayles (4), was born in Gloucester, Rhode Island, October 31, 1769, died January 25, 1849. He married Phebe Smith, born July 21, 1769. died December 11, 1855. daughter of Captain Pitts Smith. He settled in Burrillville, Providence county, Rhode Island, and established the cloth making industry, a business which his descendants still carry on. The children, all born at Burrillville, were: Hardin, born March 7, 1789, died June 11, 1861 ; Mary, born September 3. 1793, died August, 1857; Smith S., born December 24, 1794, died August 31, 1879; Marietta, born 1798, died 1832; Pitts, born August 11, 1801, died Janu- ary II, 1864; Marcilla, born September 5, 1803, died January 14, 1835: Phidelia, born March 2, 1807, died 1887; Elizabeth, born October 15, 1808; Elsie, born September 2, 1811, died October 5, 1854.

(VI) Hardin Sayles, eldest child of Daniel Sayles (5), was born at Burrillville, Rhode, Island, March 7, 1789. The Sayles mill was located at what is now Harrisville, Rhode Island, and Hardin be- came associated with his father. Later his brother, Pitts Sayles, was admitted to the firm. They were among the first to begin the manufacture of sati- nets. He married Laura Wood, daughter of Captain John and Robal (Smith) Wood. Their children were: Albert Leprelet, born August 29, 1826, of whom later; Maria Maretta, June 25, 1832, died July 16, 1853; Elliot Smith, February 13, 1834; Hardin Roscoe, May 20, 1835; Ellen Augusta, Sep- tember 7, 1839, died January 11, 1864; and Addison Clark, July 18, 1841.

(VII) Albert Leprelet Sayles, son of Hardin and Laura (Wood) Sayles, born August 29, 1826, attended the common schools until fifteen years of age, when he commenced work in his father's mill. Two years later he obtained employment with Dan- iel S. Whipple, at Gazza, a manufacturing village, now a part of Mapleville in Burrillville. Mr. Whip- ple was a relative (his mother being a sister of Hardin Sayles) and had learned the business of manufacturing in the mill of Edward Harris, a successful manufacturer, business man and promi- nent citizen of Woonsocket. Mr. Sayles remained with Mr. Whipple three years, during which time he learned the art of manufacturing and finishing woolen goods. He then returned to the mill of L. Copeland & Co., of which firm his father was a member, and in 1848 took charge of the finishing department. On the retirement of Mr. Copeland, in 1850, he became superintendent of the mill, which position he held until 1853, when he purchased the interest of his uncle, Pitts Sayles, and the firm was changed to Hardin Sayles & Son. In 1861 his father died, and he continued the business under the same firm, his mother, his three brothers and a sister (heirs) retaining their share of his father's interest. In 1865 he built his new stone mill and fitted it up with machinery, all at a cost of about $250,000. Buying out the other heirs except one, in 1880, he still enlarged its capacity to fifteen sets. In 1874, with other gentlemen, he purchased the manufacturing property at Warren, Massachusetts, known as the Sibley Woolen Mills, the original cost of which was $240,000, and now owns that entire property. He also owns the Huntsville Mill at the upper village, which contains seven sets of cards and forty-six broad looms. He has also added ma- chinery to his Warren mill in Massachusetts, which now contains ten sets of cards and forty-four broad looms. It is operated by Mr. Sayles and his son-

in-law, William A. Jenks, under the firm name of Sayles & Jenks. Albert H. and F. L. Sayles, his sons, have bought the Fiske & Sayles mill property. which they own and operate under the style of F. L. Sayles & Co., and in which Mr. A. L. Sayles is also interested.

Mr. Sayles was' one of the prime movers in originating and building the Providence & Spring- field Railroad, was one of the largest stockholders of the company, and has been one of its directors since its organization. He is director and vice-presi- dent of the Third National Bank of Providence, a director in the Pascoag National Bank and a director in the American and the Enterprise Mutual Fire Insurance Companies. In politics he is a Re- publican, and was one of the delegates to the national Republican convention held at Chicago in June, 1888. He has long been an earnest and prac- tical temperance man, having prohibited the use of intoxicating beverages on his table, and provided a commodious and comfortable hotel free of rent, to be kept strictly as a temperance house for the public accommodation in the village. He is a mem- ber of the Free-will Baptist Society at Pascoag, of which he was formerly president and treasurer. He is a liberal supporter of the churches in his town and of all good works.

Mr. Sayles married, December 1, 1852, Fannie J., daughter of David and Harriet P. (Benson) War- ner of Uxbridge, Massachusetts. They have had four children : Edgar Franklin, born April 20, 1855, died March 24, 1858; Ellen Maria, born November 30, 1857, married William A. Jenks, who resides in Warren, Massachusetts, and is one of the co-part- ners in the operation of the Warren Mills; Albert Hardin, born March 25, 1863, in Burrillville, was educated at Mowry & Goff's, graduating in 1882. He was elected to the general assembly in 1888 and re- elected in 1889. He is a member of the firm of F. L. Sayles & Co. In 1887 he was married to Emma B., daughter of John Griffith and Lavinia Bird, of Newport. Frederick Lincoln, born April 13, 1865, in Burrillville, was educated in Burrillville and at Mowry & Goff's English and Classical school, Provi- dence, graduated in 1885. He began the manufactur- ing of yarn in 1887 and to make goods in 1888. He is a member of the firm of F. L. Sayles & Co. He was married in 1888 to Phebe M., daughter of Manning Wood, of Pascoag.

Sylvester Sayles, born in 1825, in Burrillville, is the eldest son of Welcome and Maria Sayles. He was representative in 1860 and 1861, has served on school committee, has been collector of taxes and president of town council two or three years.

Henry C. Sayles, born in 1839, in Burrillville, is the youngest son of Welcome and Maria Sayles. He was married to Amanda F., daughter of Stephen Eddy, of Burrillville, in 1870. He enlisted in Com- pany K, Twelfth Rhode Island Infantry, in 1862.

WILLIAM ABBOTT JENKS. In all communi- ties there are individuals who are confidently relied upon to take the initiative in the furtherance of enterprises for the public good and in rising to the emergency of the hour when danger threatens, upon such it is instinct with their fellows to thrust re- sponsibilities. Such men are almost invariably those whose private interests are extensive and who might naturally be expected to devote themselves exclu- sively to the conduct of their personal business : yet they are found willing to spend and be spent in the interests of the community in which they re- side. Of this type is William Abbott Jenks, the leading manufacturer of Warren and one of the

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most progressive and public spirited citizens. The student of biography will readily discern that both heredity and environment have conspired favorably in moulding the character and rounding out the useful and successful career of the immediate sub- ject of these memoirs and this is true as will be gathered readily of a very large majority of the men of Worcester county, whose achievements have been of largest significance. The founder of the American family Jenks (originally Jenckes) was one of the early English settlers of New England and numbered among his descendants men and women who bore their full share of the heat and burden of the day's peril in wresting fertile fields from a savage infested wilderness, of fidelity in its sup- port of the King's colonies against the invasions of France and her Indian allies: in the subsequent long struggle for independence from a rule grown tyrannous beyond endurance, and in the eventual building up of the old Bay State, one of the grandest of the Commonwealths in the great chain of states. William M. Jenks, the father of William Ab- bott Jenks, was for a number of years an occupant of a responsible position in the United States treasury department, at Washington, D. C., and in this period during the session of the thirty- eighth congress, the son was a page on the floor of the house of representatives, thus early coming into daily touch with many of the best minds of the nation, a valuable experience and one well calculated to inspire self-confidence and arouse ambition. He was fortunate too in his subsequent business asso- ciation with the late Albert L. Sayles, through whom he early gained a thorough insight and mastery of the details of woolen manufacture and by whom he was early entrusted with the manage- ment of the mill at Warren. That this association was fortunate for all concerned in this important industry is best evidenced by the facts that the plant has now the greatest output, the best quality of product and employs the largest number of oper- atives in its history.

William Abbott Jenks was born in Worcester, June 10. 1853, son of William M. and Ellen Au- gusta ( Abbott) Jenks, the former a native of Paw- tucket. Rhode Island, the latter of the village of Coldbrook, in the town of Oakham, Worcester county, Massachusetts. His education was com- pleted at Leicester Academy and his initial business training was acquired in the wholesale and retail crockery ware establishment of Clark, Sawyer & Co., Worcester. He was subsequently of the staff of clerks in the employ of Henry T. Brown & Co. (now Tilden, Thurber & Co.), jewelers of Provi- dence.

In 1880 Mr. Jenks located at Warren to assume a part ownership in the woolen mill of Sayles, Owen & Brownell, the last named retiring upon the accession of Mr. Jenks to the company. which was thereafter known as Sayles, Owen & Co. until the retiring of Mr. Owen therefrom when the firm name became Sayles & Jenks. Upon the decease of Mr. Albert L. Sayles in 1898 the business was in- corporated under the laws of the state of Massachu- setts, as the Sayles & Jenks Manufacturing Com- pany. For many years Mr. Jenks has been the active managing head of the plant which now num- bers three hundred and fifty operatives, and is ac- counted one of the most substantially constructed and best equipped mills of its kind in Worcester county. As intimated in the opening paragraphs of this narrative Mr. Jenks has not contributed to the welfare of Warren by the successful conduct of his own business alone, but has been an active cham-

pion of every measure devised for the public bene- fit. He was the leading spirit in advocating the need of a high school and the subsequent erection of that edifice; he was one of the building com- mittee of the Warren Public Library : he urged the enlargement of the town hall and with Mr. Fair- banks gave the necessary land for the enlarged structure thereupon erected and was chairman of its building committee. Since 1895 he has been president of the Warren Savings Bank and is life trustee of the library. He has been as liberal with his coin as with his counsel in all measures look- ing toward the welfare of the town of Warren.

Mr. Jenks is a pronounced Republican ; served. for twenty years as a member of the town com -. mittee and has been delegated to many conventions .. He represented the fifth district in the state assem- bly in 1901, serving with characteristic efficiency. on the manufacturers' committee. His fraternal connections is with Quaboag Lodge, F. and A. M., King Solomon Chapter, R. A. M. of Warren, Hiram Council, of Worcester, Worcester County Commandory. K. T., Aleppo Temple Shrine, Boston. and Eastern Star. While more especially interested in the welfare and growth of the Universalist churely of Warren, than any other, Mr. Jenks is not a mem- ber of that congregation, but may be characterized as a friend of the churches of all denominations of the home of his adoption.

HENRY T. DUDLEY, member of the firm of D. T. Dudley & Company, Sutton, Worcester coun- ty, Massachusetts, and a prominent and influential citizen of that place, was there born April 27, 1841. a son of David Tyler and Lucy L. ( Wilder) Dud- ley. David Tyler Dudley was also a native of Sut- ton, born 1817, died 1896. He was educated in the common schools, and later went into the shuttle. business, organizing the firm of D. T. Dudley & Son. The shuttle shop was begun by Warren Wilder in the summer of 1866, but his health fail- ing he induced H. T. Dudley to take a third inter- est in the property, which he did and proceeded to furnish the building, setting up the machinery, and. making the first shuttles in the new plant. The co- partnership of W. Wilder and H. T. Dudley was formed in November, 1866. Early in 1867 D. T. Dudley took one-third interest in the concern and a few months later D. T. Dudley and H. T. Dudley purchased Wilder's interest and formed the partner- ship of D. T. Dudley & Son. In August, 1869, the manufacture of shuttle-iron was taken up under the management of H. T. Dudley with success. The quality being from the first, second to none, and in a few years the quantity was exceeded by no shop in the United States. D. T. Dudley was a Republican in political proclivities. He married Lucy L. Wilder, and of this marriage children were born as follows: Henry T., see forward; Fred Chase, deceased : Sumner A., Charles Francis, de- ceased; Lucy Augusta, deceased ; Phoebe Jennett.

After receiving a common-school education Henry T. Dudley immediately associated himself in business with his father, and is now a director and large stockholder of the company. He is a thorough. capable business man, and from the outset his busi- ness career has been characterized by the greatest success and prosperity. In politics he accords allegiance to the Republican organization, and has served his town as constable. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.

Mr. Dudley married twice: First, in October. 1866. to Lucinda H. Chase, a daughter of Silas and Beulah (Roberts) Chase, and of this marriage two

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children were born, viz: Beulah Chase, December 9, 1867, died January 19, 1874, and Lucy Gertrude, born August 14, 1869, married Arthur C. Merrill, who is at present fish warden and has charge of the State Fish Hatchery, at Wilkinsonville, a part of Sutton. They have two children. Beulah Merrill, born April 28, 1902, and Elmer D. Merrill, born August 16, 1905. After the death of his first wife Mr. Dudley married Myra Peck, born in 1845. daughter of Joel Peck. Of this marriage no chil- dren have been born.

JAMES ALONZO BURHOE. The Burhoe family is of Anglo-Canadian origin. The grand- parents of James A. Burhoe were Richard and Sarah (Young) Burhoe, the former of whom was born in 1779, and the birth of his wife took place in 1798. They were industrious farming people, residing on Prince Edward Island. Their son, John Young Burhoe, James A. Burhoe's father, was born in Alexandra, Prince Edward Island, March 17. 1822. As a young man he engaged in agricultural pursuits, which he followed successfully for many years or until 1880, when he came with his family to Westboro and resided there for the remainder of his life, which terminated in 1897. He attended the Baptist Church. His wife was before marriage Thankful Wood. She was born on Prince Edward Island in January, 1823, and is still residing in Westboro. The children of this union are: Richard WV. : Theophilus, who died in infancy: John T., William, Mary, Elizabeth, Abigail, Theophilus Have- lock, Thomas K., James A. and George Newton.

James Alonzo Burhoe was born in Alexandra, May 2, 1864. He attended the public schools and after concluding his studies turned his attention to truck farming. Coming to Westboro in 1883 he found employment in a shoe factory, where he re- mained for some time, and he has also worked at «lifferent times for Messrs. Gould and Walker, of this town, and for John Frye, of Marlboro. In politics he acts with the Republican party. His fraternal affiliations are with the Royal Arcanum, and he is a member of the Baptist Church.

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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 87

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