Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. IV, Part 105

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 710

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. IV > Part 105

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The Damon block and adjoining outbuildings in the heart of the town, and one of its landmarks for nearly a century and a half, was destroyed by fire, May 16, 1901. The fire bore every evidence of incendiarism. The Damon building was owned by Samuel Damon, of Honolulu, Hawaii Islands, and was occupied by Allen & Gleason, grocers, Charles T. Travis, barber, and Harry C. Damon and wife, who occupied the upper portion of the house as a dwelling-house. The loss was over $6,000 the buildings were assessed for $2,900, and in- stred for $2,500. The Damon block was one of the most conspicuous and familiar buildings in Holden. It was located at the corner of Main and Highland streets at the crest of the hill, so that it was per- haps the most conspicuous building in the town, and one of the old landmarks of Worcester county.

The west forty feet of the Damon dwelling is between one hundred and one hundred and fifty years old, and for almost that period has been oc- cupied continuously by members of the Damon fam- ily. On this very site in still earlier days, stood a noted house known by the name of the old public meetinghouse.

The sale and removal of the meetinghouse made way for the dwelling which immediately followed. Contiguous to this, on the east, was erected a small low building, used as a store, both store and dwell- ing being first occupied by one Miles, who sold to Samuel Damon, Sr .. about the year 1800. Some years later his son, Samuel, built the present store extension. with its ambitious little portico of Doric columns in the style of that period.

A fine elm tree that was situated near the west door of the house was burned so that it died. The tree was planted in 1836. The trunk was torn in twain by an ice storm in 1861, one-half drooping to the ground, but the parts were put in place and bound by an iron bolt which was half buried in the living wood.

For a full century, with the exception of two years, there had been kept there a country store. This ancient edifice, counting from early days when the inhabitants gathered to worship here, has seen and touched much of the life of Holden people.

Over the grocery store was Damon hall, a small

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but pretty room in which have been frequent dances and which during the winters has been the scene of many parties and social gatherings.

A modern house has been erected on the site of the old homestead by Hon. S. M. Damon, of Honolulu, and is occupied by Harry C. Damon, son of the late Isaac Damon. .

Colonel Samuel Damon began business in the store of Samuel Damon, Sr. at this spot. He conducted the store forty-five years and in the course of time also owned stores in the adjacent towns of Rutland, Paxton and South Leicester, besides carrying on manufacturing in other places. In 1828, in company with his nephew, Jason Gould- ing, he built the cotton mill in Phillipston. In 1831 he built the mill at Quinapoxet in Holden. Later he became owner of mills at North Woods, Dry- denville, Dawsonville, North Oxford and the Trow- bridge Mill in Worcester, most of which he oper- ated many years and owned at the time of his death in 1851. He was also an extensive dealer in real estate, more than three hundred deeds of his being recorded at Worcester. He was always prominent in town affairs and held most of the town offices at various times. He was treasurer thirteen years and served in the general court four years. He was a bank director and colonel of a cavalry regiment.

(VII) Samuel Chenery Damon, son of Colonel Samuel Damon (6), was born in Holden, Massa- chusetts, February 15, 1815. He was graduated from Amherst College in 1836, studied at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1838-39, and was graduated at Andover Theological Seminary in 1841. Before studying for the ministry he was for a year prin- cipal of the academy at Salisbury, Connecticut, and while in the divinity school was tutor in a private family in Burlington, New Jersey. He was pre- paring to go to India as a missionary and was studying the Tamil language for that purpose, when an urgent call came for a seaman's chaplain at the port of Honolulu in the Hawaiian islands. He was ordained September 15, 1841, and he decided to accept the position at Honolulu. He began his work there October 19, 1842, under the auspices of the American Seaman's Friend Society. At the time that he entered upon his work from one hundred to one hundred and fifty whaling vessels entered the port every year. Dr. Damon's own statement follows: "From 1842 to 1867, at the lowest esti- mate six thousand seamen annually entered the port. During these twenty-five years iny labors were abundant and sometimes beyond my strength." For forty-two years he was the pastor of Bethel Church, and preached there every Sunday, not only to sailors but also to merchants, sea captains and many others who were drawn to this well known place of worship. He was an able speaker and was constantly in demand on public occasions. He published a monthly journal which he called The Friend. It became an important publication.

He traveled extensively. In 1849 he visited Cali- fornia and Oregon. In 1851 he visited the United States, coming by way of the Isthmus of Panama. and returning in 1852 to the Hawaiian Islands. In 1861 he made a tour of the Micronesiau Islands on the missionary ship, the "Morning Star." In 1869 he came home again and then traveled through England, Palestine, Egypt and Greece, returning to Honolulu in 1870. In 1876 he came home again and visited the Centennial Exposition at Phila-

delphia. In 1880 he came to the United States once more and made another and more extensive trip abroad, visiting England, Scotland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. It is said that he also visited China and Japan.

He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from his alma mater, Amherst College, in 1867. He hecame a member of the American Antiquarian Society of Worcester in 1869, and in 1879 a cor- responding member of the New England Historic- Genealogical Society. While still student at Andover he was invited by his towusmen in Holden to give the historical address at the celebration of the anniversary of the town. This address, which was published later, forms the basis of the history which was published by the town. In fact the Damon History is reprinted entire in the official work.

He died February 7, 1885, at Honolulu, and his funeral next day was attended by a very large congregation, including the King and his ministers. "He was one of nature's noblemen-of fine personal appearance, always pleasant and cheerful, happy and always laboring to make others happy here and here- after-a truly model Christian man * *

* and it may justly be said that the world was made bet- ter by his having lived in it."

He married, October 6, 1841, Julia Sherman Mills, of Natick, Massachusetts. Their children were: Samuel Mills, born July 9, 1843, died June 2, 1844: Samuel Mills, born March 13, 1845, who has been minister of finance under the monarchy in Hawaii; married Harriet M. Baldwin, daughter of Rev. D. Baldwin, and their son (Samuel Edward Damon, born June 1, 1873) is a Yale graduate ; Ed- ward Chenery, born May 21, 1848; Francis Will- iams, born December 10, 1852; William Frederick, boru January 11, 1857, died October 23, 1879. It was chiefly in memory of Dr. Damon that his sister gave the library and school building which was known as the Damon Memorial to the town of Holden.

(VIII) Isaac Damon, son of Colonel Samuel Damon (7), was born in Holden, Massachusetts, 1817, and many of his family are living in Holden at present. To them the Damon Memorial had a peculiar significance and meaning. He married, January 6, 1839, Mary A. Hartwell, born in 1816, died in 1867. Their children were: Helen, born in Holden, August 6, 1839, married James M. Shute; Mary Alona, horn January 5, 1844, married Emory Rogers; Marion V., born 1850, married Frank Shute; Harry C., born 1853; Annie C., born 1856.

(Vill) Susan Abigail Damon, daughter of Colonel Samuel Damon (7), was born in Holden, Massachusetts, May 7, 1833. She married Samuel C. Gale. They made their home at Minneapolis, Minnesota. Together they gave to the town of Hol- den, with the history of which the father of Mrs. Gale and other members of the Damon family have had so much to do,

THE DAMON MEMORIAL. One of the model public buildings of the towns of central Massachusetts is the Damon Memorial of Holden. It is architecturally an ornament to the village. It serves the useful purposes of both high school and free public library. Yet withal it is a magnifi- cent monument of the family for which it is named, a sketch of whom precedes this article.

Samuel C. Gale in a letter dated March 15,

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1887, announced his intention to give the building which is now known as the Damon Memorial. The building was erected on what is known as the Chenery lot in the centre of the village and was completed in August, 1888. The cost of the gift exceeded $45.000. Stephen C. Earle, of Worcester, was the architect.

The Memorial stands in a sightly location near the Common. The stone of which the building was made was quarried in Holden on the old Kendall place. It was laid in irregular ashlar. The style is Romanesque with a rustic touch that suits well the surroundings. A large uncut boulder was used for a buttress for the steps at the main en- trance. From the tower wall another rough boulder projects, bearing the words "Damon Memorial. 1888." The building is trimmed with brownstone, uncut as far as possible. The clock tower is an at- tractive feature of the building. Inside the ar- rangements for school and library have been made with great care and foresight.

The Memorial was appropriately dedicated Au- gust 29, 1888. In his address Mr. Gale, the donor, said: "Thirty-four years ago I came to this village to teach school. The frame school house, still standing and in use, was was then new and was a subject of much interest and pride. The only in- struction 1 received from the school committee as to the management of the school was that I should keep the scholars from marking and scratching the new school house. I entirely neglected my duty in this respect. At the end of the winter, marks and scratches were very abundant; and I knew it was all my fault, for no school master ever had better boys and girls.

"After thinking over my offense for thirty-five years 1 concluded that the only suitable recompense that I could make was to give the town a new school house, which I accordingly have done.

"I do not say, however, that there were no other and more serious considerations for the enterprise. Here my wife was born and reared, and this, in the opinion of at least her husband, entitles the place to monumental honors. May 1 also especially men- tion her brother, the late Dr. Samuel C. Damon, a resident of Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, a great- hearted and broad-minded man, with a deep affec-

DAMON MEMORIAL HALL

Library building in Holden. Massachusetts, and the gift of Mr. Samuel C. Gale. Minneapolis, Minnesota, who married Susan A. Damon, a native of Holden.

tion for his native town. He it was who first suggested to me the idea of aiding to establish here a public library.

"It is in memory of him and of her other kins- people and friends dear to us both, whose homes have been here in this and other generations, that we have sought to do this town some good thing, so important and permanent that the inhabitants will always kindly remember us."

Charles E. Parker, who accepted the gift in be- half of the town, assured the donors that the simple conditions of the gift would be gladly observed. In an eloquent address by Colonel Thomas Wentworth Iligginson, who lived in Holden several summers, some of the values and meanings of the Memorial were mentioned. He was the orator of the day. "As I have watched this building go up," he said, "it has seemed to me to rise-as was said by a mediaeval writer of the cathedrals-'built of the money of the rich and the prayers of the poor.' Men of almost every occupation in this town have been employed about this building, and have worked, as they did in the Middle Ages, with a zeal not measured only by the day's wages. Those who did not work with their hands have watched the laying of every stone and have contributed. without charge, sympathy enough to encourage any contractor, as well as good advice enoughi seriously to embarrass him. I am confident that no European cathedral ever had a larger share of discussion and counsel to the square inch than the Damon Memo- rial; and it may be said of it, as of the great mediaeval cathedrals, that it has been 'built of the money of the rich and the prayers of the poor.' * * And it must always be kept in view that this is but one contribution to that vast movement which is covering our state with public libraries, as Europe is covered with cathedrals."

At a town meeting Holden, September 26, 1888, formally accepted the gift and tendered its thanks and appreciation of the Memorial to the generous donors. In addition to the building Mr. Gale added $3,000 for books, and John Wadsworth, of Chicago, sent $100 "as a slight recompense to Holden for having furnished him a wife." The Holden Library Association presented its library of fourteen hundred volumes to the town and the library opened in December, 1888, with forty-five hundred volumes, to which large additions have since been made.

JOHN E. KIMBALL. Richard Kimball (1), the immigrant ancestor of John E. Kimball, of Ox- ford, Massachusetts, was the son of Henry and Ursula Kimball. His English ancestry is given in connection with the sketch of General John W. Kimball. of Fitchburg, in this work. Richard came over in 1634 in the ship "Elizabeth," William Andrews, master. He was born in England about 1595. He settled first at Watertown, Massachu- setts, where his home-stall was bounded north by the Cambridge line, east by W. Hamlet's, south by the highway. west by Edward White's lot. It is now within the bounds of Cambridge, near the corner of Huron avenue and Appleton street. Ile was ad- mitted a freeman May 6, 1635, and was a proprietor in 1636-37. He was a wheelwright by trade, and there being need at Ipswich for a man to follow his trade, he was offered inducements to go there to live. The town gave him a lot. February 23, 1637, adjoining that of Goodman Simonds in the west

STONY PUBLIC

JOHN E. KIMBALL

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, end of the town of Ipswich; he settled there and spent the remainder of his days in Ipswich. He had forty aeres beyond the river near land of Robert Scott. In 1639 he received permission from the town to pasture his two cows on the common land. He was on the list of commoners in 1641. was selectman in 1045, and contributed to the fund to pay Major Denison, December 19, 1618.

His first wife, Ursula Scott. was the daughter of Henry and Martha Scott, of Rattlesden, Suffolk, England ; her mother and brother Thomas came over in the same ship, and Kimball was an executor of the estate of Thomas Scott. He married (second). October 23, 1661, Margaret Dow, widow of Henry Dow, of Hampton, New Hampshire. She died March 1. 1675-70. Children of Richard and Ursula Kimball : Abigail, born at Rattlesden, England, died at Salisbury, Massachusetts. June 17, 1658;

married in England John Severance; Henry, born at Rattlesden, about 1615, baptized August 12. 1615; Elizabeth, born 1621; Richard, Jr., born 1623, see forward ; Mary, born at Rattlesden, 1625, married Robert Dutch; Martha, born 1029, married Joseph Fowler: John, born 1631, died May, 1669; Thomas, born 1633. died May 3. 1676 ;. Sarah, born at Water- town, 1035. died June 12, 1690; married, November 24. 1658, Edward Allen, of Ipswich; Benjamin, born at Ipswich, 1637, died June II. 1695; Caleb, born 1639, died 1682.

( 11) Richard Kimball, Jr., son of Richard (I), . was born in Rattlesden, Suffolk county, England, in 1623. and came over to Watertown with his par- ents and the remainder of the family in 1634. His first wife died September 2, 1672, and he married (second ) Mary -. probably Mary Gott. He was a grand junior in 1661, resided in Topsfield in 1664. He was a wheelright and yeoman. He was the first settler of his surname in the western part of the town near Ladd's hill and was the largest taxpayer there for some years. He sold his land July 6, 1665, to his brother Caleb for thirty pounds, in- cluding his house and an acre of land. He was se- leetman from 1658 to 1674. He was on the com- mittee to build the new meeting house December 4. 1660. The children: John, born at Ipswich, about 1650, died 1721; Samuel, born about 1651, see for- ward; Thomas, born November 12, 1657, died Oc- tober 16, 1732; Ephraim, born February 10, 1660, at Wenham, died January 16, 1731-32; Caleb, born April 9. 1665, died January 25, 1725; Christopher, Richard, Nathaniel, born 1676, died September 7, 1735-

( II1) Samuel Kimball, son of Richard Kimball (2), was born in 1651 and died October 3. 1716. He married, September 20, 1676, Mary Witt, daugh- ter of John and Sarah Witt, of Lynn. He was an ensign in the militia. He lived in Wenham, where he was road surveyor in 1676, constable in 1677 and was admitted a freeman May 24, 1682. He was selectman also in 1682. March 2, 1701, he and his wife Mary deeded to their son Samuel a house and ten acres of land. His estate was administered by Samuel, the eldest son. Their children: Samuel, Jr., born August 19. 1677, died January 20, 1745 ; Sarah, born September 6, 1678, married, January 15. 1693-94, John Herrick; Martha, born May 24, 1680, died May 24, 1680; Mary, born about 1682, married, December 23, 1709, Elisha Dodge, of Bev- erly; Richard, born about 1683, died August 1, 1713; Jonathan, born 1686, died February 19, 1758; John, born November 13, 1687, died 1754; Ebenezer. born about 1690, see forward; Martha, born about

1692, married, October 16, 1715, John Gott ; Thomas, born February 22, 1695-96; Benjamin, born April 17, 1698, died August 4, 1703; Abigail, born May 25, 1700, married, December 14, 1720. Thomas Brown; Jerusha, born April 30, 1703, died August 22, 1703.

(IV) Ebenezer Kimball, son ,of Samuel Kim- ball (3), was born in Wenham, Massachusetts, 1690, died in 1769. He married. June 9, 1712, Eliza- beth Carr, daughter of Richard Carr, of Salisbury, Massachusetts. They resided at Wenham and Beverly, Massachusetts. He was a mason, as well as a yeoman or farmer. He removed in 1740 to Hopkinton, Massachusetts, and bought a farm of the Edward Hopkins trustees, giving a mortgage back. Their children: Elizabeth, born March IS, 1712-13, married in Boston; Mary: Dorothy : Eben- ezer, born June 22, 1720, see forward; Richard, baptized at Wenham, December 30, 1722, resided at Natick, Massachusetts; Abigail, born April 13, 1726; Sarah, born April 16, 1728; Anna, born July II, 1729, married James Hiscock; Boice, born June 18, 1731.

(V) Ebenezer Kimball, son of Ebenezer Kim- ball (4), was born at Wenham, Massachusetts, June 22, 1720, married, November 24. 1743, Mary Shattuck, born August 10, 1726. They resided at Hopkinton until 1759, when they sold their farm to William Hiscock, April 7. 1759, and removed to Windham county, Connecticut. Their children settled in Thompson, Woodstock and neighboring Connecticut towns. He was a mason by trade. He died at Webster. Their children: Mary, born June 5, 1745, died August 26, 1813; Elizabeth, born March 6, 1748, died 1823: Samuel, born June 5. 1750, see forward; Ebenezer, born March 5. 1752, died 1811; Richard, born April II, 1754; Isaac, born June 5. 1757, resided at Cambridgeport, died at Grafton ; was a revolutionary soldier ; Phinehas, born about 1762, son of his second wife, settled in Hopkinton. (VI) Samuel Kimball, son of Ebenezer Kim- ball (5), was born June 5, 1750, died November 14, 1835. He married (first) Phebe Burrell, born November, 1751, died July 9. 1815. He married (second) Mary Jephson (Jefferson) (intentions dated November 30, 1816). He bought, November, 1771, forty acres of land on the shore of Lake Chaubungagungamaug at Webster and resided there. Later he removed to the farm of his father-in- law, Isaac Burrell, on Five Mile river, East Thomp- son, Connecticut, before June, 1775.

He was a soldier in the revolution, a private in Captain William Manning's company, the Second Regiment, Connecticut Line. He enlisted at Wood- stock, June 6, 1777, and served that summer and fall along the Hudson under General Israel Put- nam. The regiment was ordered November 14, 1777, to join Washington in Pennsylvania, and De- cember 8 of that year was in a sharp engagement at White Marsh, Pennsylvania. He spent the winter at Valley Forge and was honorably discharged January 9, 1778. He re-enlisted July 1, 1780, in the Fourth Connecticut Regiment, Colonel John Durkee, of Norwich, and served in the main army of the Hudson at the time of Arnold's treason ; he was honorably discharged December 10, 1780. Chil- dren of Samuel and Phebe Kimball were: Jona- than, born June 14, 1772, died May, 1776; Mercy, born August 26, 1774, died August 16, 1845; John, born March 17, 1777, died December 7, 1865; Mary, born June 26, 1779. died August 2, 1815, unmar- ried; Levine, born September 28, 1782, died Feb-

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ruary 1, 1826; Nancy, born November 22, 1784, died October 6, 1869; Amasa, born March 14. 1788, died March 28, 1862; William, born March 10, 1790, see forward; Orinda, born June 11, 1792, died February 8, 1875.

(VII) William Kimball, son of Samuel Kim- ball (6), was born at Thompson, Connectieut, Mareh 10, 1790, died at Oxford, Massachusetts, January 20, 1876. He married, December 1, 1814, Patience Newell, of Rehoboth, born September 21, 1793, died at Dudley, March 20, 1824. He married (seeond ), October 3, 1827, Polly Robinson, daugh- ter of William Robinson, of Dudley, widow of Rev. Lewis I. Seaman. He was in the war of 1812, en- listing June 21, 1813, serving as corporal in Cap- tain Alpheus Corbin's company of New London, Connecticut. He was a skillful mechanic and for ten years held the position of superintendent of Slater's mills at South Oxford.

Children of William and Patience Kimball: I. Mary, born May 28, 1816, married, March 30, 1834 Elisha Arnold, resided in New Jersey, and Hart- ford, Connecticut, where she died January 15, 1852; he died June 1, 1885, at Tolland, Connecticut ; their daughter Mary, born June 6, 1840, married Howard P. Reynolds, of Concord, resided at Plain- field, New Jersey. 2. William N., born March 8, 1819, married Mary Ann Webster; he died March 27, 1851; their children-Harriet, born 1843, died young ; Sarah J., born November 27, 1844, married Albert M. Harrington, resided at Millbury, Massa- chusetts, and Homer, Nebraska; William A., born June 25, 1846, married Lura Loper, resided at Sev- eranee, Kansas. Children of William and Polly Kimball : 3. George R., born July 1, 1828, at South Oxford, was sergeant of Company G, Sixteenth Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers, July, 1862; was twice wounded at the battle of Antietam; on his re- covery was assigned to the Veteran Reserve Corps and served until July, 1865; married, July 28, 185!, Hannah M. Phillips; married ( second ) Mary E. Bailey, of Gorham, Maine, and settled at Lewiston; was watchmaker and jeweler; removed in 1888 to Oxford; had one son George E., born August 17, 1880. 4. Harriet S., born 1831, died 1839. 5. John E., sce forward; 6. Thomas D., born December 20, 1838, studied at Yale University; graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York; captain of Company G, Fifty-first Massachu- setts Regiment ; transferred to the Second Heavy Artillery, breveted major ; married, 1869, Arabella Campbell, daughter of Dr. James C. Camp- bell, of St. Louis; he is general agent of the Washington Life Insurance Company of St. Louis and resides at Kirkwood, Missouri; children- Clinton, Clarence (twin), born May 6, 1870; Arthur C., born June 10, 1879.

(VIII) Jolın E. Kimball, son of William Kim- ball (7), was born in Webster, Massachusetts, July 18, 1833. Ile went from the public schools to Dudley Academy, and later attended Leieester Academy, where he was a schoolmate of the Hon. Richard Olney, the secretary of state in President Cleveland's last administration. He graduated at Yale College in 1858. In his sophomore year he took the second prize in English composition and in the following term was awarded the third prize for proficiency in the same subjeet and the first for deelamation. During his junior and senior years he was editor of the Yale literary magazine, orator of the Statement of Facts, and he was orator for Linonia. Among his classmates were the IIon. whence he came to America, settling first at Lon-

William T. Harris, Dr. William Garrison Britnon,. the author; Josiah Willard Gibbs, the mathema- tician; Arthur Mathewson, M. D., the noted oeulist; the Rev. Dr. Noble, of Chicago; Addison Van Name, librarian of Yale University. After leaving Yale he was principal of the Oxford high school for a year. Then he went south, and just prior to the breaking out of the rebellion was teaching a private school near Louisville, Kentucky. Having caused much excitement here, when, loyal to the Union, he cast the only vote for Lincoln and Hamlin, he went to Chicago, where a few days after his arrival he was appointed principal of the Ogden school. A year later in St. Louis he be- eame principal of the Washington school and for the succeeding eighteen years was prominently identified with the public schools of that city. He was principal of a branch of the high school four- teen years. After returning east in 18So he was made local superintendent of the public schools in Hartford, Connecticut, retaming this position for a year. Then he was elected to the position of super- intendent of schools of the city of Newton, Massa- chusetts, which he efficiently filled until he re- signed in 1884.

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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. IV, Part 105

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed Publication date: 1907 Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 710

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 710