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 4
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He re-organized the Fitchburg Fusiliers in 1866, and again took command as captain. He was ap- pointed August 17, 1870, engineer on the staff of Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler, commanding Mas- sachusetts Volunteer Militia, and served until April 28, 1876, when he resigned to take command of the Tenth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. He served as colonel until 1878, when he resigned. He has to his credit almost thirty-two years of con- tinuous service in the military branch of the gov- ernment. He was one of the most distinguished soldiers and officers of the civil war from Massa- chusetts, rising from the ranks to the command of his regiment, he was wounded, and passed through the most bloody and decisive battles of the war. He won the confidence of men and superior officers by his steadiness and coolness, his courage and confidence. He was a loyal friend and admirer of Gen. Devens, and no living man is more interested probably in the completion and dedication after forty years of a suitable memorial to Gen. Devens. During the past twenty-five years, thoughi not actively connected with the militia, Gen. Kimball has never failed to show his interest in the depart- ment he served so long and so well whenever there was an opportunity. He became a member of Ed- win V. Sumner Post, No. 19, G. A. R., in 1867, and was elected commander in 1871, 1872 and 1874. In the latter year he was also department commander. During the years since the civil war, Gen. Kim- ball has been almost continuously in the public service. He was tax collector of Fitchburg from 1865 to 1872, and at the same time was constable, member of the state police, and police commissioner. From 1873 to 1877 he was United States' pension agent. One of the most honorable and responsi- ble positions that Gen. Kimball has held was as custodian of the Bureau of Printing and Engraving of the national treasury department at Washington. He had the custody of the rolls, dies, plates and engravings used in printing bonds, treasury notes, national currency and government securities. He was recommended for the position without his knowledge, by Gen. Devens, the colonel of Gen. Kimball's old regiment, who was then attorney general of the United States. Gen. Devens said of Gen. Kimball, that he "not only urged his appoint- ment but would become personally responsible for his honesty and integrity." He resigned his po- sition of custodian at Washington to accept the ap- pointment as postmaster of Fitchburg in 1879, from President Hayes, and served the people in this ca- pacity faithfully and capably until 1887. In 1888 he was elected to the general court. He had previ- ously served during the civil war while he was recruiting in 1864 and 1865, and again in 1872, be-
ing on the military committee in 1864 and 1865, and its chairman in 1872; he served on the finance committee in 1888, and on the railroad committee from 1889 to 1891, being chairman in 1890-91; and remained in the legislature, an unusually efficient representative, until he was elected state auditor in 1891. As state auditor, Gen. Kimball will be well and favorably known throughout the state as long as the memory of faithful and conscientious public service lasts. He held this important and honorable position until 1901, serving nine years and being re- elected annually. No man in that office ever had the public confidence more fully than Gen, Kimball. Many of his friends objected to his retirement in 1901 from the position, believing he should continue to hold it for the best interests of the state.
Gen. Kimball has been trustee and auditor of the Fitchburg Savings Bank for a number of years. He is a member of Aurora Lodge of Free Masons ; Thomas Royal Arch Chapter, in which he held sev- eral of the minor chairs; Jerusalem Commandery, Knights Templar, of which he was for two years the eminent commander, and in which he held all the offices in succession from senior warden up. He is a member of the Fitchburg Grange, Patrons of Husbandry ; of the Home Market Club, and the Middlesex Club of Boston. He belongs to the Loyal Legion of Massachusetts. He is at pres- ent living at his home, 47 High street, Fitchburg. He married Almira Melissa Lesure, who was born July 15, 1831. Their children I. Emma Frances, married, April 17, 1878, Frederick William Eager. 2. Mary Elizabeth. 3. Edward Franklin. 4. Josephine White, born April 28, 1876, died Sep- tember 2, 1881.
CHARLES E. WARE. Robert Ware (I), the immigrant ancestor of Charles E. Ware, of Fitch- burg. was indeed the ancestor of all of that name known in this part of the country. Robert Ware was born in England and came to this country be- fore the autumn of 1642. He became a proprietor of the town November 25, 1642. He bought the house and three acres of land of Thomas Eames, of Dedham. His lot was on Great or Dedham Island. Grants of land were made to him February 6, 1642-3, and from time to time afterward in Dedham. He joined the church at the time of the baptism of his eldest child October 2 or II, 1646. He was admitted a freeman May 26, 1647. He became a member of the artillery company in 1644. He lived and died in Dedham, though three of his sons, John, Na- thaniel and Robert, settled in what was later and is now called Wrentham, Massachusetts, adjoining Dedham. Robert Ware paid the second largest tax in Dedham.
He married (first) in Dedham, Margaret Hunt- ing, March 24, 1644-5. She was the daughter of John Hunting, first ruling elder of the Dedham Church and his wife Esther Seaborn. Margaret, the mother of all his children, died in Dedham, An- gust 26. 1670. He married (second), May 3, 1676, Hannah Jones, born March 28, 1636, died April 20, 1721, daughter of Thomas Jones, of Dorchester. Her grave is marked by a stone in the Dorchester burying ground. She died April 20, 1721, aged eighty-four years. Richard Ware died in Dedham, April 19. 1699. His will was made February 25, 1698. and proved May II, 1699. The children of Robert and Margaret (Hunting) Ware were: John, born October 6, 1646, of whom later; Nathaniel,
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October 7, 1648, died July 10, 1724, at Wrentham ; Margaret, February 14, 1650-1, died July 22, 1664; Robert, August 1, 1653, died September 16, 1724, at Wrentham; Esther, September 28, 1655, died September 3, 1734, at Wrentham; married, May 13, 1673, in Dedham, Rev. Samuel Man, first minister of Wrentham, only son of William Man, of Cam- bridge; had eleven children; Samuel, September 30, 1657, died March, 1730-1; Ephraim, November 5, 1659, died March 26, 1753, aged ninety-three years, at Needham; Elizabeth, November 19, 1661 ; Joseph, September 8, 1663; Ebenezer, October 28, 1667. died 1765, aged ninety-seven years, at Needham.
(II) John Ware, son of Robert Ware (I), was born in Dedham, Massachusetts, October 6, 1646, died in Wrenthain, Massachusetts, April 7, 1718. He settled in Wrenthan in 1671, two years before it was incorporated as a town. In March, 1676, the town was deserted by the settlers on account of the Indians, and they did not return until 1680, after King Philip's war was over. John Ware built his house. it is thought. as early as 1668 on the south slope of Knockings Hill. The farm is now or was lately occupied by Richard Dimond. His brothers, Robert and Nathaniel, also settled in Wrentham. John was one of the first board of selectmen of the town. He was lieutenant and captain of the first military company. His commission as lieutenant of the First Company of Militia in the town of Wrentham, signed by Governor Stoughton, is still extant. He seems to have served as lieutenant from 1689 to 1704 and as captain till 1715. He was en- gaged in King Philip's war and led his men in attack against the Indians at Indian Rock, in the eastern part of what is now Franklin, Massachu- setts.
He married (first) in Dedham. December 10, 1668. Mary Metcalf, daughter of Michael Metcalf, Jr., and his wife Mary Fairbanks. (See Fairbanks Family.) She was born August 15, 1646, and died in Dedham, March 22. 1676-7. He married (sec- ond). March 24, 1678-9, Joanna Gay Whiting, daughter of John and Joanna Gay, of Dedham, and widow of Nathaniel Whiting, Jr. She was born March 23, 1644-5, and died at Wrentham, October 26, 1708. He married (third), December 21, 1709, Dorothy Wood, widow of Eleazer Wood, of Sher- born. She died in Sherborn, December 10, 1728.
The children of John and Mary (Metcalf) Ware were: John. born June 17, 1670. in Dedham, died March 29. 1751, in Wrentham: Elizabeth, born July 13. 1672, in Dedham, died February 20. 1672-3. in Dedham; a son, born and died in Wrentham, Feb- ruary 10, 1673-4, first burial in new ground ; Eleazer, died in Wrentham, September, 1675; Eleazer, born October 2, 1676, in Dedham. or September 28, 1676 (Wrentham records), died July 23. 1750, in Wren- tham. The children of John and Joanna (Gay) Ware were: Abigail, boin in Dedham, January, 1680, married in Wrentham, November 18, 1702, Thomas Throop; he died November 18, 1708: Jo- seph, born June 2, 1681, in Wrentham, died Janu- ary 20, 1754, in Sherborn; Zachariah, born Novem- ber 16. 1683, died January 13, 1684; Mary, born November 15, 1684, died December 27, 1747, in her sixty-fourth year, married, March 31. 1730, Deacon Francis Nicholson ; Hannah, born September 24, 1686, died June 8, 1730; married. December 20, 1709. Joshua, son of John and Hannah Fairbanks; Benjamin, horn Julv 8, 1688, died July 16, 1744.
(III) Joseph Ware, son of John Ware (2),
was born in Wrentham, June 2, 1691-2, and died in Sherborn. January 26, 1754. He married, Janu- ary 5, 1708-9, Hannah Wood, daughter of Eleazer and Dorothy Wood, of Sherborn. Eleazer was the son of Nicholas Wood. Hannah was born Feb- ruary II, 1688-9, died March 4, 1754. They settled on the Wood farm in Sherborn. In 1710 with Jo- seph Morse he built the first grist mill on Sawin's Brook and the privilege is still in the Morse fam- ily. He purchased half the Hull estate from Judith Cooper, daughter of Judge Sewall, and built upon it a house which is now or was recently standing. It was occupied in 1856 by Major Goulding, a de- scendant. In 1885 it was owned and occupied by Thomas Colford. Henry Ware, Sr., was born in this house. Hannah Wood inherited half this farm. His slave Duty planted the great elm tree near the house, three-fourths of a mile south of Sherborn common.
The children of Joseph and Hannah (Wood) Ware were: Hannah, born August 10, 1710, mar- ried in Sherborn, December 27, 1753, Nathaniel Haven; Zipporah. November 22. 1712, married Cur- tis Goulding : Abigail, April 27. 1715, died May 6, 1715; John, May 20, 1717, died September 18. 1779; Eleazer, November 3, 1719, died August 18, 1722; Abigail, January 7, 1722-3, died March 1, 1788; married, September 2, 1742. Nathaniel Prentice, son of Deacon Henry Prentice, of Cambridge. Massa- chusetts; settled on the south quarter of the Hill farm in Sherborn; he died January 23. 1791, aged eighty-one; Joseph, August 3, 1725. died March 31, 1743, unmarried ; Benjamin, April 18, 1730, died February 25, 1754; was captain, served as cornet of horse in expedition against the Indians; about 1710 he and Captain Joseph Morse built the first grist mill on Sewall's brook; was selectman eleven years.
(IV) John Ware, son of Joseph Ware (3), was born in Sherborn, Massachusetts, May 20, 1717. and died there September 18, 1779. He inherited the north half of the homestead in Sherborn. He was selectman in 1758. He married, June 19, 1743, Martha Prentice, daughter of Deacon Henry Pren- tice, of Cambridge, who was a son of Solomon and grandson of Henry Prentice, the emigrant, of Cam- bridge, Massachusetts. Martha was born June 27. 1724, died April 20, 1805. The children of John and Martha (Prentice) Ware were: Martha, born May 7, 1744. died April 30, 1751; Elizabeth, Au- gtist 22, 1746. died 1814; married. April 24, 1765. Peter Bullard, born September 23. 1734. had fourteen children; Mary, December 5, 1748, married, Decem- ber 6, 1770, Jonathan Holbrook, 2d., both at Sher- born; Joseph, April 30. 1751. "Esquire;" John. July 4, 1753. fought at the siege of Boston and at Bunker Hill, died September 14, 1833. at Deer- field; Martha, June 6, 1756, married, October II, 1781, Joel Coolidge, born July 19, 1759; Benjamin, January 8, 1759. died February 2, 1814: Persis. Au- gust 12, 1761, married, June 1, 1780, William Adames : Henry, Sherborn, April 1, 1764, of whom later : Azariah, January 12, 1769.
(V) Henry Ware, son of John Ware (4), was born in Sherborn, Massachusetts, April 1, 1764. and died at Cambridge, Massachusetts, July 12, 1845, aged eighty-one years. He married (first). March 31, 1789, Mary Clark, daughter of Rev. Jonas and Lucy (Bowes) Clark, of Lexington. Rev. Jonas Clark was the son of Thomas, grandson of John. great- grandson of John and great-great-grandson of Hugh
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Clark. Mary Clark was granddaughter of Rev. John Hancock, who was grandfather of Governor John Hancock, of revolutionary times. She was born May 4, 1762, and died at Cambridge, July 5, 1805. He married ( second), February 9, 1807, Mary (Otis) Lincoln, daughter of James Otis and widow of Benjamin Lincoln, Jr. She died at Cam- bridge, February 17, 1807, aged forty-three. He married (third), September 18, 1807, Elizabeth Bowes, daughter of Nicholas Bowes, of Boston. She was born May 27, 1776, and died August 30, 1850.
Henry Ware was a feeble child, but by the help of his mother's tender care in childhood he acquired a strong constitution in manhood. In his youth he attended school in winter for six or eight weeks and the remainder of the year did the lighter kinds of work on the farm. By the generous aid of his brothers he was fitted for college by the min- ister of the parish, Rev. Elijah Brown. He entered Harvard in 1781. His college course was full of honors and he delivered the Latin valedictory ora- tion at graduation. He studied for the ministry, teaching the Cambridge school in the meantime. He began to preach in 1787 and was ordained Octo- ber 24, 1787, minister of the First Church of Hing- ham, Massachusetts. He preached in the Hingham Church for eighteen years and won a place in the first rank of ministers at a time when the best minds and abilities of the people were in the min- istry. In 1805, when he was forty years old, he was elected Hollis professor of divinity at Harvard. His election marked a new era in the history of the Congregational churches in New England. It was vehemently opposed by a faction of the clergy and laymen, on the ground that Mr. Ware's theology was of so liberal a character that it was not right to place him in a professorship intended to inculcate and maintain Calvinistic doctrines. As a matter of fact Thomas Ilollis, of London, who founded the professorship in 1719. was not a Calvinist but a very liberal Baptist, who had required in his deed of gift only that his professor should "believe in the Scriptures as the only perfect rule of faith and manners and should promise to explain the Scriptures with integrity and uprightness, according to the best light that God should give him." Mr. Ware took no part in the long and bitter controversy following his election until 1820, when, by the advice of his friends, he published a reply to "Let- ters to Unitarians" by Dr. Woods and followed the discussion several years. He took his share in the Sunday pulpit service in the college chapel as well as his regular lectures and teaching. Twice he be- came the acting president. He also devised in 18II a course of regular exercises with the students of divinity who remained in Cambridge after taking their college degree and this course developed into the Harvard Divinity School, established in 1819. His son, Henry Ware, Jr., became one of the pro- fessors in the Divinity School in 1830. Dr. Ware devoted himself to these varied duties with ability and diligence for more than thirty-five years. In 1840 he underwent an unsuccessful operation for a cataract on the eye and for the last five years of his life was confined to the house most of the time.
Dr. J. G. Palfrey wrote of him: "Henry Ware's was a character of mark. I have known few minds so sagacious. none more firm, more calmly balanced, more candid or more just. Its influence has operated extensively. Nearly all the ministers of one of the
principal Christian denominations in the country have been his pupils."
The children of Henry and Mary (Clark) Ware were: Fanny and Julia (twins), born May 17. died May 22, 1790; Lucy Clark, June 6, 1791, died February 10, 1866, at Northboro; married. Febru- ary 3. 1818, Joseph Allen, son of Phineas and Ruth (Smith) Allen; Mary Cotton, December 3, 1792, died March 29, 1862; married, December 3, 1818. Jairus Lincoln, son of Hawkes and Mary Howe Lincoln, of Hingham (H. C. 1814) ; Henry, Jr., April 21, 1794, died at Framingham, September 22, 18.43 ; John. December 19, 1795, died in Boston, April 29, 1864; William, August 3, 1797. died at Cambridge, February 19, 1852; Martha, June 2. 1799, died Octo- ber 21, 1802; Harriet, December 25, 1801, died June 24, 1838; married, October 30, 1826, Rev. Edward Brooks Hall, of Northampton, Massachusetts, son of Nathaniel and Joanna Cotton (Brooks) Hall; Martha Ann. April 5, 1804. died April 16, 1805. The children of Henry and Elizabeth (Bowes) Ware were: Elizabeth Anne, June 9, 1808, died in Roxbury, March 29, 1866; married, August 24, 1831, George Putnam, son of Andrew and Jerusha (Clapp) Putnam; Edward Augustus, December 29, died December 30, 1809: Caroline Rebecca, Decem- her 11, 1811, died December, 1869, at Newton Lower Falls; married, October 27, 1835, Edward Warren. M. D., son of John and Abby (Collins) Warren; the mother was a daughter of Governor Collins, of Rhode Island ; Charles Eliot, born May 7, 1814, died September 3. 1887, at Winchendon, Massachu- setts: Edward Proctor, January 12. 1816, drowned in Charles river, July 13, 1825: Charlotte Louisa, April 12, 1818. died at Cambridge, December 8, 1903. unmarried : George Frederick, February 14, 1820, died September 29, 1849, at San Francisco, California (H. C. 1838) ; Thornton Kirkland, born February 23, 1823; Anne Storrow, March 10, 1826, died at Cambridge, October 3, 1896, unmarried.
(VI) Thornton Kirkland Ware, son of Dr. Henry Ware (5), was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, February 23, 1823, died at Fitchburg, April 26, 1892. He was graduated at Harvard College in 1842. He took the degree of LL. B. in 1844. He came to Fitchburg, Massachusetts, in 1846, and established a practice there. He had for law partners at various time, Hon. C. H. B. Snow, George A. Torrey, and his son. Charles E. Ware. He served the town as representative in 1850 and 1854. He was post- master during the civil war from 1861 to 1866. He was justice of the Fitchburg police court from the time it was established until his death. He was a trustee of the Wallace Public Library from the time it was established until his death, except one year, and was chairman from 1875 for about twenty- five years. He was president of the Fitchburg Savings Bank and a director of the Fitchburg Na- tional Bank. Judge Ware was one of the best known and most highly respected men in public life in Fitchburg.
He married in Fitchburg, January 22, 1852, Lucy Ann Adams Marshall, daughter of Chedorlaomer and Martha Fox (Upton) Marshall. She was born in Fitchburg, March 16. 1828. Their children were: Charles Eliot, 2d., born July 17, 1853; Thornton Marshall, April 27. 1866.
(VII) Charles Eliot Ware. 2d., son of Thorn- ton K. Ware (6), was born in Fitchburg. Massa- chusetts, July 17. 1853. He was educated in the Fitchburg schools, Roxbury Latin school and at
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rvard College, where he was graduated in 1876. attended the law school and received his de- e in 1878. He began immediately to practice his fession in Fitchburg. In July, 1879, he was ad- ted to partnership with his father and George A. rrey, in the firm of Ware, Torrey & Ware, after- .rds T. K. & C. E. Ware, which was among the omninent firms of the county until the death of his .her in 1892. Since then Mr. Ware has continued e business alone. He is president of the Fitch- irg Savings Bank and holds other positions of ust and honor.
He married in Roxbury, June 30, ISSI, Harriet Ficice Long, born in 1855, daughter of George Washington and Mary Elizabeth (Nash) Long. Their children were: Mary Elizabeth, born August 6, died August S, 1882; George Long, February 14, 1884: Charles Eliot, August 20, 1885; Thornton Kirkland, December 24, 1887.
HUBBARD HAMMOND BRIGHAM, M. D. Thomas Brigham (I). the pioneer ancestor of the Brigham family and of Dr. Hubbard Hammond Brigham, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, was ull- doubtedly an Englishman by birth. The name Brig- ham is from the Saxon brigg (bridge) and ham (house). There is a Manor of the name in county Cumberland, adjoining Scotland, and in ancient days part of Scotland. The Barony from which the fam- ily name is derived is now generally called by another name, Cockermouth. The old castle was one of the strongest in its day. It was built largely of material taken from an old Roman castle in the vicinity. As late as 1648 it was garrisoned and stood siege for a month. After it was captured it was nearly destroyed, but at last accounts a small part was still habitable. From this Manor the English and American Brighams get their names, and all probably are descended from the early Brig- hams of this place.
Thomas Brigham embarked at London for New England. April 18, 1635, in the ship "Susan and Ellen," Edward Pyne, master. No other of the same name is known to have embarked for the American colonies. He settled in Watertown. In 1637 he had a fourteen acre lot there, bought of John Doggett. It was situated in a part later an- nexed to Cambridge. He built his house in Cam- bridge on a lot containing three acres and a half. His neighbors were Joseph, Isaac and Simon Cros- bv. His home was about two-thirds of a mile from Harvard College, and at one point abutted on Charles river. He resided there until 1648. Ile was admitted a freeman April 18. 1637. He was one of the leading citizens, was selectman in 1640, 1642, and 1647, and was a constable in 1639 and 1642. He made a specialty on his farm of raising hogs, and in 1647 owned a third of all the swine in the town. He was fined for letting his hogs get away and run at large He owned a wind mill in which corn was ground.
He died December 8, 1653. His will was dated December 7, 1653-4, and was proved October 3. 1654. He married (first) Mercy Hurd, who is said to have come with her sister alone from England owing to religious differences from which they suf- fered annoyance and persecution at home. After the death of Mr. Brigham she married (second), March 1, 1655, Edmund Rice, of Sudbury, and Marlboro, ancestor of a notable Worcester family, by whom she had two daughters. ( See Rice sketch ).
He died 1663, and she married (third) William Hunt, of Marlboro, 1664. He died 1667, and she died December 23, 1693, after being in her third widowhood a period of twenty-six years. The chil- dren of Thomas and Mercy (Hurd) Brigham were: Mary, born probably at Watertown; Thomas, see forward; John, March 9, 1644, died September 16, 1728, aged eighty-four years; Hannah, March 9, 1649. married Samuel Wells; Samuel, born Janu- ary 12, 1652-3, died July 24, 1713.
(II) Thomas Brigham, second child of Thomas Brigham (I), was born 1640-1, died November 25, 1717, aged seventy-six years. On the death of his father and the marriage of his mother to Edmund Rice he seems to have lived with his mother in the Rice family. He bought of his father-in-law or step-father, as we now call it, Edmund Rice, a town right when he was of age. He paid thirty pounds for this valuable right to shares of the common land in Marlboro. The deed was given by Edmund Rice's executors, August 28, 1665. Through this purchase he became the owner of extensive tracts located in four of the richest farming towns of Massachusetts.
In 1686 he was one of a company to buy 6,000 acres of land near Marlboro and afterwards an- nexed to it. He drew many lots in the south- west part of Marlboro, and the adjoining towns of Northboro and Westboro as now bounded. He set- tled in the southwest part of Marlboro, known in later years as Warren Brigham's farm, on the south road to Northboro. His house built not long after King Philip's war is now or was lately standing. It was strongly built and used as a garrison house in time of Indian wars. Thomas Brigham was a leading citizen in his day. His will was made April 17. 1716, and proved January 2, 1717. He gave his sons, David and Gershom Brigham, all his lands on the west side of the Assabet river and other lands near them. He bequeathed to Nathan and Jonathan in equal shares all that part of the Eaton family's on the east side of the Assabet river. El- nathan settled on part of the homestead. Nathan, Jonathan and Gershom were executors.
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