Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. III, Part 96

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 96

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ROBINSON FAMILY. A brief outline of this well-known Hardwick family, represented in this work by Joseph Ruggles Robinson, will prove especially interesting to the Hardwick subscribers, as some of them, notably the Ruggleses, sprung from the same source, through the intermarriage of the Robinsons with other prominent old families of that town. The helief that the Hardwick Robinsons, to- gether with those of that name residing in Barre and other nearby towns, are the posterity of the Rev. John Robinson, the beloved pastor of the Pilgrim

Fathers in England and Holland, seems to be based wholly upon family tradition. The accounts of fam- ily origin handed down from father to son are, how- ever, entitled to some credence, even though they cannot be fully substantiated by the existing records, as is the case of the family now under consideration. The original ancestor in America of Joseph R. Rob- inson was Deacon Thomas Robinson, and from the latter the line of descent is through Thomas (2), James (3), James (4), Joseph (5), and Joseph (6), to Joseph Ruggles (7).

Deacon Thomas Robinson was in Scituate as early as 1640, and he may have arrived there prior to that date. Information at hand states that he was a son of the celebrated Rev. John Robinson, but the Rev. Lucius Paige, author of the "History of Hardwick," asserts that there is no authentic record to substantiate this fact. Isaac Robinson, who was positively a son of Rev. John, arrived in Scituate at about the same time, but there is no existing record to show that the latter was a brother of Deacon Thomas. Dean, in his "History of Scituate," states that Deacon Thomas probably first settled in Dorchester and was a brother of William Robinson. Deacon Thomas had property transac- tions in Scituate as early as 1643, in which year he represented the town in the general court of Plym- outh, and he subsequently became a deacon of the Second Church. Although he afterward spent much of his time in Boston, where he purchased property in 1654, he seems to have resided in Scituate as all of his children by his second marriage were born or baptized there except his son James.

Existing records of the children of the Rev. John Robinson do not contain the name of Thomas, a fact which places the origin of Deacon Thomas in doubt, but, considering the fact that many of the family records of that period are known to be in- complete, and that Deacon Thomas arrived in Scituate at about the same time as did Isaac Robin- son (perhaps with him), and that he retained his residence in that town, the writer maintains that it is reasonable to suppose that he was a brother of Isaac and therefore a son of the Rev. John. Deacon Thomas' Robinson was killed by the fall of a tree in 1676. On January II, 1652-53, he married for his first wife Mrs. Mary Woody (stated in the Boston records as being of Scituate). She was the widow of John Woody, and daughter of John Cogan, who is said to have opened the first shop in Boston, which stood on the northeast corner of what is now Wash- ington and State streets. She died October, 1661, and he married for his second wife Elizabeth Sher- man. His children were: John, Samuel, Josiah, Ephraim, Thomas, James, Joseph, Mary, and Mary 2d.

Thomas Robinson, son of Deacon Thomas and Mary Robinson. was born in Scituate, March 5, 1653-54. He was a "cordwainer." He inherited a portion of the homestead property in Scituate, where he resided, and he died there in June, 1700. He married Sarah, daughter of Edward Denison, of Roxbury. She survived him and her death occurred in Roxbury, November 15, 1710, at the age of fifty- three years. Their children were: Thomas, Sarah, Joseph, Elizabeth and James.

James Robinson, son of Thomas and Sarah Rob- inson was baptized in Scituate, March 15, 1689-90. He resided for a time in the Boston home of his grandfather, Deacon Thomas, which he inherited. That property, which was located on what is now Washington street, he sold in February, 1712, and purchased a house on what is Boylston street. This property he sold in April, 1714, and removed to

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Rochester, Plymouth county, which was then the residence of his wife's brother, the Rev. Timothy Ruggles. In 1757 he exchanged his farm in Roches- ter for property in Hardwick, where he died shortly before March 11, 1762. He was married July 2, 17II, to Patience Ruggles, of Roxbury. Their chil- dren were: James and Thomas, who were born in Boston ; Thomas 2d, Samuel, Sarah, Dorothy, Den- ison and Hannah, who were born in Rochester. The mother died in January, 1768, aged seventy- eight years. As previously stated, she was the sis- ter of the Rev. Timothy Ruggles (Harvard College, 1707). who was ordained pastor of the church in Rochester, November 22, 1710. "He held high rank in the ministry and was pre-eminently a man of business. He was apparently more active and effi- cient than any other individual in promoting the set- tlement of Hardwick. Through his influence and exertions six sons and a daughter of his own family, and five sons and two daughters of his sister (who married James Robinson), and their father and mother, late in life, were among the early settlers in Hardwick." He married for his first wife, Mary, daughter of Benjamin White, of Providence, Rhode Island, who died January 22, 1749, and in the follow- ing year he married for his second wife Anne Wood- worth, of Little Compton, Rhode Island. Among his children was General Timothy Ruggles (known as the brigadier), who was born in Rochester, Octo- ber 20, 1711, and became one of the most prominent early settlers of Hardwick. He was graduated from Harvard College in 1732 and became a lawyer. He figured in history as a prominent military com- mander in the service of the crown, and took a con- spicuous part in the early French and Indian wars. His property in Hardwick was carried on after the manner of estates of English country gentlemen, and was divided into several farms. His allegiance to the crown was never severed, and as a consequence his Hardwick property was confiscated during the revolutionary war. He had previously purchased a large tract of land in Bennington, Vermont. This he settled with people from Hardwick, including representatives of the Ruggles, Robinson. Barnes, Paige, Spooner, Hillman and other families. He finally went to Wilmot, Nova Scotia, where he died August 4, 1795. He married Bathsheba (or Bath- shinra), widow of William Newcomb, and only daughter of Hon. Melatial Bourne, of Sandwich.

James Robinson, son of James and Patience (Rug- gles) Robinson, was born in Boston, March 1, 1712. He was one of the pioneers of Hardwick or New Braintree, and his farm, which was located on the river road to Barre, was annexed to the town of Hardwick in 1814. He was noted for his industry and energy, and accumulated quite a comfortable fortune. He died May 21. 1790. On July 3, 1739, he married Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Benjamin Smith. She became the mother of nine children, namely : James, Elizabeth, Joseph, Benjamin, Pa- tience, Hannah, Mary, Sarah and Susan. Elizabeth (Smith) Robinson, who was also noted for her in- dustry and energy, survived her husband many years.

Joseph Robinson, son of James and Elizabeth (Smith) Robinson, was baptized April 7, 1745. He was a prosperous farmer, and his death occurred in Hardwick, April 22, 1836, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. He married Lucy Ruggles, daugh- ter of Samuel Ruggles, of Barre, February 16, 1770. She was born in 1757. The children of this union were: William, Sarah, James, Joseph and Lucy. The mother died August 4, 1826 ..

... Joseph Robinson, son of Joseph and Lucy (Rug-

gles) Robinson, and the father of Joseph Ruggles Robinson, was born in New Braintree, June 20, 1796. He resided at the homestead in Hardwick un- til 1837, when he removed to Barre. While residing in Hardwick he served as a selectman for the years 1827-28-30, and was colonel of a regiment of cavalry. He died July 10, 1877. On December 11, 1821, he married Ann Maria, daughter of Nathan Ruggles, of Hartford, Connecticut, granddaughter of Edward Ruggles, and a great-granddaughter of Rev. Timo- thy Ruggles, previously mentioned. She died De- cember 14, 1822, leaving one child, Catherine Maria, born November 18, 1822. Catherine Maria Robin- son married, June 23, 1850, in Charleston, South Carolina, James Gallier. She and her husband were passengers on the ill-fated steamship, "Evening Star," which foundered at sea October 3, 1866, while on a voyage from New York to New Orleans, and both perished. Joseph Robinson married for his second wife, February 2, 1826, Caroline C. Banister, daughter of Captain Seth Banister, of Brookfield. The children of this union are: Joseph Ruggles, of whom later; Seth Banister, born March 14, 1828; Lewis Howe, October 7, 1829; John Niles, March 29, 1833; Eliza A., May 7, 1840; and William A., January 18, 1847. Seth B. Robinson married Carrie M. Lee, of New York, June 12, 1860. Lewis H. Robinson died October 7, 1848. John N. Robinson married Elizabeth Brown, of Brimfield, May 17, 1859. William A. Robinson died August 27, 1848.

Joseph Ruggles Robinson was born in Hardwick, January 16, 1827. After concluding his attendance at the Barre high school, he turned his attention to farming and followed that occupation exclusively until about the year 1887, when he was appointed superintendent of the Hardwick cemetery, in which capacity he is still (1906) serving. Under his effi- cient supervision this cemetery has become one of the most beautiful burial places in that section of the state, its shady avenues, picturesque fountains, rare specimens of foreign trees and shrubbery, to- gether with almost every variety of native plants and foliage, fully attest his ability as a landscape decorator. He still occupies the old homestead, located in the immediate vicinity of the cemetery, and beneath its roof are preserved many valuable relics, such as antique clocks, furniture, family por- traits, etc. Mr. Robinson was one of the organizers of the Village Improvement Society, and the well- kept lawns, asphalt sidewalks, monuments and other out-of-door improvements, are in no small measure the result of his earnest efforts in that di- rection. He is also actively interested in the Hard- wick Public Library, and is a member of its board of trustees. In his earlier years he supported the Whig party, and in the time of Abraham Lincoln, he espoused Republican principles, and has ever since maintained his allegiance to that party. His religious affiliations are with the Unitarian Church.

On June 20, 1854, Mr. Robinson was joined in marriage with Miss Sarah M. Robinson, daughter of Joseph Robinson, of Hardwick, and a distant relative. They have three children, namely: Joseph, born June 6, 1858; William Albert, June 4, 1860; and Carrie Warner, December 16, 1862. Joseph married Gertrude Slaney; William A. married Alice Slaney ; and Carrie W. is the wife of Edward John- son. All are residing in Hardwick.

CHARLES DEWITT WILLIAMS, of Peter- sham, Massachusetts, was born at that place, Decem -. ber 27, 1843, the son of Harrison and Sally ( Witt) of Dana. His paternal grandfather was Jarius Williams, born November 25, 1764, died June 18,

BUS. UN PURLIS LID 7

66.5 Beaman

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18.11. His grandfather maternal was Stephen Witt, a soldier in the Patriot army during the revol- utionary war, was at the battle of Bunker Hill and with Washington at Valley Forge. Mr. Williams well remembers this grandfather. Harrison Will- iams (father) was born in Dana, Massachusetts, October 22, 1813, and received his schooling in the same place in which he was born. By trade he was a painter. February 12, 1839, he married Sally Witt, of Dana, born March 5, 1811, and they had these children: Henry H., born January 12, 1841, died September 30, 1876, in Chicago; Charles De- witt, born December 27, 1843; George W., born August 27, 1846, died November, 18.49.

Charles Dewitt Williams attended the schools of Petersham until he was fifteen years of age, when he went into the meat business, under L. A. Will- iams, a cousin, who conducted a store at Montague, Massachusetts. After about four years he went to New York city and was there employed by A. J. Brown & Co., a wholesale firm handling ladies' furnishings; he remained there five years and then returned to his native country and engaged in house-painting, which, together with farming, is his present occupation. Politically Mr. Williams is a Republican. Among the local offices held by him are those of constable, auditor and treasurer. Of the last named office he is now (1906) the incumbent and has held the position since 1898. He is an at- tendant of the Unitarian church.

August 24, 1873, he married Louisa H. Carruth, born in Barre, May 16, 1849, daughter of James H. and Maria Carruth. They have one daughter, Ella L., born at Petersham, March 19, 1874, married J. G. Cobb, of Petersham. Two children born of this marriage died in infancy.

GEORGE W. SUTHERLAND, florist and gardener, of Athol, Worcester county, Massachu- setts, was born at Winchendon, Massachusetts, March 13, 1879, son of James Sutherland, Jr., and wife, Margaret (Hayes) Sutherland. The paternal grand- father was James Sutherland, of Scotland, where James, Jr., was born, the place being Aberdeen. He was educated in that city, and after leaving school took up the occupation of a gardener and followed it throughout the active years of his life. He emi- grated to this country in 1874, settling at Boston, Massachusetts, where he followed his trade for three years, and then went to Jamaica Plains, a suburb of Boston, where he remained eight years. Subse- quently he moved to Winchendon, Massachusetts, where he worked ten years for Captain Murdoch. After leaving him, he built the Winchendon green- houses, and after a residence of eight years in that town moved to Athol and there had greenhouses built and conducted the business of a florist eight years, up to the time of his death. He was a mem- ber of the Odd Fellows Lodge, first at Winchendon and later at Athol, Massachusetts. He married Margaret Banks, of Shetland Islands, Scotland; she died at the age of thirty-six years at Winchendon, Massachusetts.

David and George A. Sutherland, cousins of George W. Sutherland, were born in Aberdeen, Scotland, and came to this country in 1879. both settling at Winchendon, Massachusetts. David died in 1904; he was in the greenhouse business and traveled as far west as Minnesota. He married and had two children, one of which is dead, and both were born at Athol, Massachusetts. His brother, G. A. Sutherland, was engaged in the same line of work and for three years was at Winchendon, from which place he moved to Boston, where. he went

into business for himself, as a florist. He married Nellie Burnell, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

George W. Sutherland was educated at Winchen- don and then learned the business of florist with his father, from the time he was fourteen years old up to the time he became of age. He then went for himself and worked at Fitchburg and other places in greenhouses. He returned to his father's busi- ness and at the time of his death he took charge of it. The date of his father's death was March 12, 1902. The business has been greatly increased since

the death of his father and is now a very prosper- ous one. Mr. Sutherland is a member of the Grange, and the Odd Fellows Lodge of Athol, No. 136. I11 church relations he is connected with the Unitarian denomination. He married Lorilla R. Rhuland, born at Bridgeport, Nova Scotia, March 23, 1877; they have one daughter-Madeline R., born at Athol, August 24, 1900.

EDWIN PHINEAS BEAMAN, belongs to an old and highly reputable Worcester county family, ancestors of which were identified with the early settlement of Sterling and other frontier towns dur- ing the colonial period. He is the only son of the late Phineas Beaman, a prosperous farmer of Hard- wick, who was born in 1815, and died January 14, 1892, and his mother, now deceased, was before marriage Eliza Atherton. Phineas and Eliza Bea- man reared but two children, Edwin P., of whom later; and Elizabeth Maria, who was born Decem- ber 11, 1841. The latter married John Harvey, of Vermont, and became the mother of two sons, de- ceased, and two living: Elmer P. and Frank E. Harvey, the former residing in Northampton, Mas- sachusetts; the latter near Boston.

Edwin P. Beaman was born in Hardwick, Feb- ruary 13, 1838. He was educated in the public schools and reared to agriculture, which he has followed successfully from early manhood to the present time, although his energies have not been confined exclusively to that honorable occupation. For years he has been prominently identified with local civic affairs, which have necessarily absorbed a great deal of his time, and he has also devoted considerable attention to the manufacture of clocks, being without doubt the most proficient amateur in that line of work in the United States. Possess- ing a natural ability for mechanics, he was in his youth deeply interested in the mechanism of watches and clocks, and without the aid of an instructor he familiarized himself with their construction to such an extent as to not only become proficient as a repairer of time-pieces, but also undertook the manufacture of clocks by hand. Specimens of his work are to be found in the church steeples and elsewhere in Hardwick and the neighboring towns. The large stable connected with his residence in Gilbertville is made conspicuous by a clock of his own manufacture, the dial of which is about ten feet in diameter, and for nearly thirty years it has preserved its accuracy in a measure that will com- pare favorably with a high grade, scientifically ad- justed watch. The clock now marking the minutes at the Gilbertville Grammar school is also of Mr. Beaman's workmanship.

Politically Mr. Beaman is a Republican. He was formerly superintendent of highways, has served with marked ability as register of voters for the past twelve years, and is sealer of weights and measures. He is also a member of the school committee, and, during his term in that capacity numerous improve- ments of importance have been carried out. In early life he united with the Congregational Church,

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and in addition to serving upon the parish com- mittee acts as librarian of the Sunday school.

Mr. Beaman has been twice married and of his union with Mary A. Wallace, daughter of William B. Wallace, Sr., of Barre, there is one daughter, Mary, who married Otis Horn, of Clinton. They are now residing in Millbury, this county. On June 24, 1872, he married for his second wife Miss Har- riet Elizabeth Webber, daughter of Josiah P. Weber, of Kinderhook, New York. She is the mother of one daughter, A. Susan Alida, who was born Au- gust 14, 1873, married Clarence E. Hodgkins, of Brattleboro, Vermont, and they are now residing in Northampton, Massachusetts. They have two children : Alida B., born October 19, 1893, and Robert C., January 25, 1899.

EDWARD DANIEL COLE, eldest child and son of Daniel D. Cole and Harriet Sampson, whose family life is mentioned elsewhere in these annals, was born in the town of Barre, January 23, 1868, and has lived in that town all his life, except for about one year spent in the far west. He was educated in the public and high schools, and after leaving school was clerk in J. E. Holden's general store at Barre Plains during six months, and later for A. G. Will- iams, of Barre, for about one year. In 1890 he went to Spokane, Washington, and spent about one year in that state and Oregon. He then returned home and in 1891 purchased the farm on which he has since lived, and where his endeavors in business life have been amply rewarded. He is a good, thorough going farmer and seeks the best results for time and labor expended. He owns two good farms be- sides that on which he lives. In 1893 he began breeding thoroughbred Holstein and Shorthorn cat- tle. His herd now numbers about one hundred head. .

Mr. Cole is an ex-member of the Sons of Veter- ans, in politics a Republican, and he and his family attend the Congregational Church. In 1895 he mar- ried Florence J. Harwood, born in Somerville, March 23, 1874, daughter of John and Margaret (Walley) Harwood. They have two children : Mar- garet Louise, born in Barre, September 5, 1900, and John Edward, born in Barre, July 21, 1905.

THOMAS ELIJAH RICH, of Barre, Massachu- setts, a manufacturer of sash, blinds and other wooden articles, was born September 25, 1843, at Charlton, Massachusetts, the son of Elijah and Pruda (Carpenter) Rich. Elijah was the son of Elijah Rich. Elijah, the subject's father, was born at West Sutton, Massachusetts, in 1801 and died in Charlton, July 17, 1853; he obtained his education in the common schools and at first took up the oc- cupation of a farmer, but finally sold his place and moved to Charlton. In 1828 he bought a larger farm and engaged in the manufacture of lumber and operated a saw mill. Politically he was a Republi- ' can and served his town as assessor for three years. He assisted in forming the first Methodist church of Charlton. He furnished and drew the first lumber for its construction. He married Pruda Carpenter, of West Sutton, and they became the parents of the following children : Paris, born in West Sutton, 1825, now lives at Charlton City; Irena, born at Charlton, 1833, died in 1905; Stephen, born at Charlton, 1836; Ellen M., born at Charlton, 1839, died in 1857; Thomas Elijah, born September 25, 1843.

Thomas Elijah Rich received his educational training at Nichols Academy, Dudley. For six years he worked as a shoemaker in Charlton, having sev-

eral men in his employ. He next went to the manufacture of sash and blinds, working at first with Taft Bros. and later engaged in the same business for himself, continuing until 1892, and then went to Holyoke, where he was made foreman of Merritts company, who also made the same kind of goods. After one year he left there and went to Athol, where for three years he was foreman for Arthur Tyler, in the same work. His next work as a foreman was at Winchendon, for Raymond & Rich. Two years later he went to Nashua, New Hampshire, where he worked for Gregg & Sons, working there by the piece until 1890, when he came to Barre Plains and since that time has oper- ated with his sons in the same line of manufacture. The T. E. Rich Company, of which he is a member, furnishes sash, blinds, baled shavings and kindling wood, and he is the inventor of and dealer in the "Rich Diamond Light Sash Machine," the Auto- matic Oval and Flat Blind Machine, the "Upright Hollow Chisel and Mortising Machine," etc.

Mr. Rich married (first), in 1864, Emily A. Knight, a native of Charlton, daughter of Albert and Susan B. (Brown) Knight. She died in 1880. He married (second), November 25, 1884. Mary Smith, born at Holden April 15, 18444. daughter of Thoret and Caroline Gilbert. By the first marriage there were these children: Charles T., born Sep- tember 17, 1869, married Mary A. Combs; Susa A., born at Charlton, died when aged but two and one- half years ; Louis E., born at Charlton, 1875, married Jennie Powers Dennis, of Hardwick; Frank Elmer, born 1877. By the last marriage was born one son-Stephen Ezra, born at Athol, February 18, 1885. He is a gifted musician and plays the pipe organ in the Congregational churel.

In politics Mr. Rich is an ardent supporter of the Republican party. He attends the Methodist Episcopal Church and takes great interest in the affairs of the church. He is a talented musician, and at one time was leader of the brass band of his town for a period of ten years. His favorite instrument was the clarionet, but he is an adept at almost any musical instrument.

PERCIVAL BLODGETT. This well-known and public-spirited citizen of Templeton is a rep- resentative of an old and substantial Bay State family, a branch of which constitutes one of Bos- ton's most aristocratic families, and one of its most prominent members of the present generation is Judge Blodgett of the Massachusetts supreme court. Percival Blodgett's grandfather, Nathaniel Blodgett, who married Mary French, of Templeton, this state, resided in that town and reared a large family of children. His son, Nathaniel F. Blodgett, Perci- val Blodgett's father, was born in Templeton in 1816. He married Dolly A. Mayo, of Orange, and was the father of two children, namely: Percival and Maria L. C., who is unmarried and resides with her mother in North Orange. Nathaniel F. Blodgett died in November, 1888.

The birth of Percival Blodgett took place in Orange, July 18, 1841. From the public schools of his native town he went to Phillips ( Andover) Academy, and after graduating from the latter in- stitution engaged in teaching, which he followed successfully for a period of five years. He then established himself in the grocery trade at Temple- ton, where he conducted a profitable business for nearly thirty years, or until 1894, when he retired from mercantile pursuits and has ever since de- voted his energies chiefly to civic affairs, and to other matters in which the public is more or less inter-

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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 96

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