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 48
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He married, November 7, 1875, Ida F. Paine, daughter of David S. and Diana N. ( Fernald) Paine, of Blackstone. Their only child, born September 3. 1876, was educated in the public schools and at Dean Academy, Franklin, Massachusetts.
NICIIOLAS VINCENT, of Uxbridge, Massa- chusetts, was born May 20, 1859, in Italy, of an an- cient Italian family, distinguished in many genera- tions for hundreds of years for their military serv- ice and loyalty to their country. Nicholas served the required period in the Italian army when a young man. His father served in the Italian army also during many hard campaigns and died from the hardships suffered in the service, when Nicholas was only a young lad. llis grandfather was a gen- eral in the Italian army and received a decoration for his bravery from the hands of the king.
At the age of twelve Nicholas Vincent went to Paris and remained there about three years with the hope of bettering the condition of his family, but France and Paris was not to their liking. He served in the army after his return to Italy. At the age of twenty-five he decided to make his home in Amer- ica. He arrived in New York, May 16, 1884, whence, after a short time, he went to Hartford, later to New Britain and Putnam, Connecticut. June 26, 1885. he went to Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and secured a position with the City Teaming Company, where he worked two years. He then started out for him- self as a dealer in fruit, and in June, 1888, he lo- cated in Uxbridge. His business has increased a hundred fold, and he is now one of the largest wholesale and retail fruit dealers in southern Worcester county. Personally Mr. Vincent is a gen- tleman in every sense of the word; a popular host, generous to those in need. He is a devoted Catholic and his good work toward the mother church in Good Shepherd Parish of Uxbridge is well known. He has been a generous contributor to the building fund of the new edifice of his parish. In politics he is an independent. He is a member of Court Purity, A. O. F., of St. Jean Baptiste Society, of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, New England Order of Protection.
He married, July 23, 1888, Marie Louise Pigeon, of Woonsocket. Their children: Josephine, born April 9, 1890, died October 6, 1897 ; Nicholas Donato, June 3, 1891 ; Joseph, August 25, 1892; Delia, Octo- IV-12
ber 17, 1893; Mary Matilda, December 27, 1894; Marie Louise, April 1, 1896: Frieda, December 14, 1897; George Albert, May 28, 1899; Mary Albina, May 21, 1901 ; Frank Nicholas, November 27, 1902 : Alma Eva and Joseph Albert (twins), March 30, 1904: Mary Josephine, April 13, 1905.
HENRY K. TAFT, deceased, formerly vice-pres- ident of the H. O. Barnard Manufacturing Com- pany, and identified with the straw-working industry of Worcester county during most of his active per- iod, is well remembered in the town of Westboro, which in various ways profited by his progressive tendencies and public-spirited generosity.
Henry K. Taft was born in Upton, Massachu- setts, November 18, 1842. His preliminary studies were pursued in the public schools of his native town, from which he entered the Westfield ( Massa- chusetts) Academy and was graduated at the con- clusion of the regular course. He began the activ- ilities of life as an operator in a straw factory at Up- ton, where he was initiated into the elementary prin- cipals of the business, and subsequently took a posi- tion in the same line of trade in Boston, where his practical experience was substantially increased. From Boston he went to the factory of George N. Smalley in Westboro as foreman of the blocking de- partment, and a year later was advanced to a re- sponsible position in the stock department. When the National Straw Works were organized he was offered the superintendency of that plant, which he accepted, and continued in that capacity until 1875. when he was admitted to partnership. In 1885 he became vice-president and manager of the Hl. O. Barnard Manufacturing Company, which was in- corporated that year, and he devoted his energies to both the industrial and business departments of that enterprise for the remainder of his life. This con- cern, which was one of the most extensive enter- prises of its kind in New England, employed an average force of one thousand operatives, and its products found a ready market throughout the en- tire country. Mr. Taft's knowledge of the business in all its details, together with his ability to conduct it along optimistic lines, was probably equal, if not superior to any other straw goods manufacturer of his day, and his untimely removal from the ranks of his associates was regarded as a serious calamity to that industry. His death occurred in Westboro, May 29, 1887, and was caused by a violent attack of pneumonia. Aside from his labors in behalf of the industrial resources of Westboro and their develop- ment, Mr. Taft was actively concerned in promoting various projects in the way of public improvements, was mainly instrumental in establishing the electric light plant and in numerous other ways proved him- self a progressive, public-spirited citizen.
Mr. Taft married. February 7, 1869, Annie E. Clark, of Walpole, Massachusetts, who survives him and is still residing in Westboro. The only child of this union is George H. Taft, who is a graduate of Phillips ( Andover) Academy, and resides in West- boro. The handsome residence on High street oc- cupied by Mrs. Taft and her son was erected by her late husband in 1882.
JOHN McCONNELL, late of Fitchburg, Mass. achusetts, was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, July 12, 1829. He was educated there in the common schools. He began his business career as a hand on) his father's farm and in his linen factory. When the-
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hard times and the famine drove so many of his countrymen to America in 1848, he emigrated. He located first in the south, where he followed the . trade of shoemaker. Later he removed to North Adams, Massachusetts, a flourishing shoe manufac- turing town. He established a shoe store there and conducted it with success for many years. In poli- tics he was an active Democrat, but always declined to run for office. He was a Roman Catholic in reli- gion, and man of excellent character and kindly disposition.
He married, in 1866, Mary A. Rowan, daughter of David Rowan, of county Limerick, Ireland. Their children were: James, inarried Emma Duffy, and they have one child; he is an attorney-at-law in Boston; Catherine, Mary, Joseph.
Mr. McConnell died in North Adams, January, 1893, and his widow and children removed to Fitch- burg, Massachusetts, where they are well and favor- ably known.
LOWELL MILTON MILES. John Miles (1), the immigrant ancestor of Lowell Milton Miles, of Fitchburg, came to New England from England when a very young inan. He was in Concord in 1637, a blacksmith by trade, and became a substantial citizen there. He acquired a large amount of land. He resided on the road from Groton to Concord about three-quarters of a mile west of the Concord meeting house, about opposite where the Concord Public Library now stands. He was admitted a freeman March 14, 1638-9.
He married ( first) Saralı , who died July 18, 1678. Ile married (second), April 10, 1679, Susannah Rediat, widow of John Rediat, Jr., at Marlboro. His will left some sixty pounds to widow and children. It was dated 1691; he died August 28, 1693. His widow married (third), November 10, 1098, William Wilson, of Billerica. The name Miles was frequently spelled Myles in the carlier genera- tions in England and America. The children of John and Sarah Miles were: Mary, born February II, 1039-40, left no issue, and perhaps others who died before their father. The children of John and Susannah Miles, mentioned in his will, were: John, born May 20, 1680, married Mary Prescott in 1702; Samuel, born February 19, 1682, married, 1700, Sarah Foster, of Littleton; Sarah. born May 25, 1686. married Edward Putnam, of Salem.
(II) Samuel Miles, third child of John Miles (I), was born in Concord, Massachusetts, February 19, 1682, and became a distinguished citizen there. Ile was deacon of the church and town officer. He ‹lied October II, 1758. It is difficult to trace this family on account of the similarity of a Mills or Milles family, which were often spelled alike on the old records.
Samuel Miles married Sarah Foster, of Littleton, January 28, 1706. Their children were: Samuel, of whom later; Joseph, born August 8, 1709, settled with his brother Samuel at Shrewsbury, Massachu- setts ; Sarah, born September 1, 1711; Ezekiel, born December 20, 1713: Esther, born September 10, 1716; Martha, born March 18, 1719: Nathan, born January 14, 1721 ; Reuben, born December 12, 1723: Charles, born June 28, 1727, who was a captain at the Con- cord fight.
(III) Deacon Samuel Miles, eldest child of Samuel Miles (2), was born in Concord, Massachu- setts, March 20, 1707. At the time of his marriage he removed and settled in Shrewsbury, Massachu-
setts. He was living there in 1729 on lot No. 7. He was admitted to the church in 1732 and for a num- ber of years was deacon of the Shrewsbury Church. He died about 1788.
He married, 1729, Keziah Their chil- dren : Mary, born May 31, 1730, perhaps the one who married Phineas Byam, of Templeton, October 7, 1765; Sarah, born January 29, 1732; Elizabeth, born July 25, 1734, died 1739; Samuel, born May 10, 1737, died October II, 1756; Keziah, born May 23, 1739, died 1740; Thomas, of whom later; Elizabeth, born December 6, 1746; Job, born May 7, 1749, died 1756. (IV) Thomas Miles, sixth child of Deacon Samuel Miles (3), was born in Shrewsbury, Massa- chusetts, January 1, 1743. He was admitted to the church there in 1769. He was a farmer in Shrews- bury. lle married (first), October 22, 1676, Rachel Keyes, daughter of Jonas Keyes. She died at Shrewsbury, September 5, 1803, aged sixty-nine years. He married (second), 1808, Damaris Upham, of Spencer. He died January 27, 1820, aged seventy- seven years. The children of Thomas and Rachel Miles were: 1. Jonas Keyes, of whom later ; Virtue, born April 13, 1770, married Joseph Hunt, of Sud- bury; Alfred, born May 24, 1772; Elizabeth, born January 31, 1774, married Alvan Maynard, of West- boro, November 30, 1803; Sophia, born September 28, 1776.
(V) Jonas Keyes Miles, eldest child of Thomas Miles (4), was born in Shrewsbury, January 31, 1769. He was also a Shrewsbury farmer. He was admitted to the church there in 1801. He died there May II, 1843, aged seventy-four years. He married, May 6, 1798, Mary Maynard, daughter of Nathan Maynard, of Westboro, Massachusetts. Their chil- dren: Jonas Maynard, of whom later; Mary Will- iams, born April 29, 1807, married Samuel Austin Newton, of Auburn, Massachusetts; Lucy Keyes, born June 1, 1810, died unmarried, January 10, 1834.
(VI) Deacon Jonas Maynard Miles, eldest child of Jonas Keyes Miles (5), was born in Shrewsbury, Mas- sachusetts, June 7, 1799. He was a carpenter and build- er, and lived in the early years of his life in Shrews- bury. He was deacon of the church there. He also lived in Worcester and Fitchburg. He died at Worcester, Massachusetts, March 28, 1882. He married Anstis Kendall, of Royalston, November 2, 1823. Their children: Lowell Milton, of whom later; Eugene Temple, born August 26, 1826, died June 26, 1876.
(VII) Lowell Milton Miles, eldest child of Deacon Jonas Maynard Miles (6), was born in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, June 8, 1824. He re- ceived his early education in the common schools of Shrewsbury and then attended Liecester Academy. Ile ran as express messenger between Boston and Fitchburg in I845-7, and was general ticket agent on the Boston & Worcester railroad for eleven years. Most of his active business career, however, was in the firm of Whitman & Miles, manufacturers of mowing machine knives in Fitchburg.
This concern was founded by Alfred G. Page and Alfred White in the early thirties and began busi- ness in Rockville, where the Berwick mills now stand. Page & White made edge tools of various kinds. Mr. White withdrew from the firm and F. Stiles and William E. Taylor were admitted in his place under the firm name of A. G. Page & Co., suc- ceeded in 1847 by a new firm consisting of Mr. Page and Edward Aldrich and known as Page & Aldrich. In 1852 the firm became Page, Whitman & Co. Mr. Page's partners were Augustus Whitman and Cal-
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vin Foster, and the firm made a specialty of socket chisels, planing and paper knives.
Mr. Miles became a partner in the firm in 1862. Engene T. Miles, his brother, had been a partner for several years and the firm name was Whitman & Miles. The business grew rapidly. In 1864 the Whitman & Miles Manufacturing Company was formed and the business incorporated. The works were moved to new and commodious shops in West Fitchburg, where for twelve years this industry was one of the most thriving and prosperous in the city. The company made a great success of its mowing machine knives. A branch shop was established at Akron, Ohio, and in 1876 the Whitman & Barnes Manufacturing Company was formed and the Whit- man & Miles Manufacturing Company consolidated with it. The works were finally removed to Akron and the business at Fitchburg discontinued. Mr. Miles retired and spent the later years of his long life quietly at his home. He resided at 34 Milk street. He was president for several years of the Worcester North Savings Institution. He attended the Con- gregational Church. He was devoted to his busi- ness and family. He died at Fitchburg, August 4, 1897.
He married, September 19, 1855, Rebecca B. Chase, daughter of Michael and Sarah Chase, of Brooks, Waldo county, Maine. She survives him and is living at the homestead in Fitchburg. Their children: Jonas M., born November 27, 1857, mar- ried Elizabeth B. James and have one child ; reside in Concord, Massachusetts. Alfred E., born August 30. 1860, graduated at Howard College, 1882, married Sara Duncan, of Bath, Maine, died January 8, 1890. Hester E., born March 21, 1866, died August 21, 1892; she was the wife of Kendall F. Crocker and the mother of one child, Alfred Miles Crocker.
FITCH FAMILY. The Fitch family in England traces its ancestry to John Fitch, of the Parish of Widdington in the northwest part of Essex county. His son William cecupied Fitch Castle there in 1294, in the twenty-second year of the reign of Edward I. The name is of German origin and is said to have been brought to England at the time of the invasion of Hengist and Horsa. The same name, spelled Fichte, Ficht, Fecht. is found in Germany at present. The old English forms of spelling included ffytche, Fytch, ffytch, ffitch.
Most of the American branches of the family trace their lines to Thomas Fitch, of Bocking, Essex county, England. He married, August 6, 1611, Anne Pew. He died at Bocking in 1632 or early in 1633. His widow and five of their sons came to America. If Zachariah Fitch, the ancestor of the Sterling family, and most of those in Massachusetts, were sons of this Thomas, as some writers believe. he was born of an earlier marriage. Mr. Stearns thinks he may be the son mentioned in the will of Thomas but not named. If that is the fact, the children of Thomas were: Zachary or Zacharialı. see forward ; Thomas, born 1612, settled in Norwich, Connecticut, ancestor of Governor Fitch, of Con- necticut ; Rev. James, born December 24. 1622, settled in Norwalk with brother Thomas; married Abigail Whitfield, daughter of Rev. Henry; (second) Pris- cilla Mason, daughter of General John Mason, of Pequot war fame; Samuel, settled in Hartford, teacher, representative; married Mrs. Mary Whit- ing : Joseph, settled in Windsor, married Mary Stone. daughter of Rev. Samuel Stone, ancestor of John
Fitch, who invented steam navigation ; John, married Mrs. Ann Hillier; was wounded in the Swamp fight in King Philip's war; Nathaniel, remained in Eng- land; Jeremy, Mary, Anna, Saralı.
(1) Zachary Fitch, said to be the eldest son of Thomas Fitch, of Bocking, England, was the im- migrant ancestor of the late James W. Fitch, of Sterling, Massachusetts. He deposed May 2, 1661, that he was seventy years old and that his son Josepli at that time was aged about twenty-three. fhere- fore, he was born about 1591, and, if the son of Thomas, was much older than his half brothers. That might explain why he came separately and be- fore the others. He settled in Lynn about 1633 and was a proprietor there in 1638. In 1640 he settled in the adjacent town of Reading in the southern parish, now Wakefield. The town of Lynn granted many parcels of land that fell within Reading when that town was incorporated. He and his wife were re- ceived into the Reading Church from the Lynn Church before 1648. He was admitted a freeman September 7, 1638. He was an original member of the Reading Church and its deacon from 1645 until his death. He was selectman of Reading in 1649-51- 61. In the records of the town he was frequently named and in the colonial archives his good char- acter is fully established. He spelled his first name Zachrie ; others spelled it Zachary and Zachery, while the son's name was spelled out in full Zach- ariah. He died at Reading, June 9. 1662. His will, dated March 18, 1662, mentioned his children.
He married Mary - - about the time lie set- tled in Reading. Their children were: Thomas, married Martha Fisk; Jeremiah, born about 1620; was proprietor of Reading in 1647; married Esther ; Benjamin, married Elizabeth Skerry : Sarah, married John Wesson; Joseph, born 1634 or 1638, married Hannah Sweetser; John; Samuel, see forward; Zachariah, died June 20, 1647.
(II) Samuel Fitch, son of Deacon Zachary Fitch (1), was born in Reading, Massachusetts, March 6. 1644-5. He settled there. In his will he commits his only surviving child to the care of Ro- bert Avery, who married the sister of his first wife. He married, April 23. 1673. Sarah Lane, daughter of Job Lane, of Malden. She died October 2, 1679. He married (second ), July 26, 1681. Rebecca Mer- riam. He died 1684. His widow Rebecca married ( second ), August 19. 1685, Joseph Dustin. The children of Samuel and Sarah Fitch were: Samuel, see forward: Zachariah, born February 25. 1674-5, died March 8, 1674-5; Job, born October 27, 1676, died November 7, 1676; Sarah, born October 2, 1677; Sarah, born September 27, 1679, died May 21, 1680.
(H[]) Samuel Fitch, only surviving child of Samuel Fitch (2), was born in Reading, Massachu- setts, March 4, 1673-4. He had his father's estate and also one-fourth of the Winthrop farm from his maternal grandfather, Job Lane. He lived on the Winthrop place which was in two parts, his house being on the northeast corner of the farm on the west side of the road half a mile from the Bedford Hill. One strip extended from Concord river on the east nearly to Bedford village along the old Con- cord line and was in Billerica until the town of Bed- ford, incorporated in 1729. included it. His children were therefore born in Billerica, but those of them who remained on the old homestead were residents of Bedford. He was a soldier in the war in 1706, and many of his sons and grandsons were in the
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French and Indian and revolutionary wars. He was town clerk, selectman and a leading, intelligent, useful and influential citizen of Billerica.
He married, March 20, 1695, Elizabeth Walker, born February 13, 1677-8, daughter of Joseph and Sarah ( Wyman) Walker, of Billerica. She died November 26, 1716, seven of her eight children sur- viving her. He married ( second ) Eunice Taylor, born at Concord, December 22, 1678, daughter of John and Eunice ( Wooley) Taylor. He died April 4, 1742. The widow Eunice died August 27, 1767. The children of Samuel and Elizabeth Fitch were : Sarah, born December 25, 1696, died February 4, 1696-7; Sarah, born May 4, 1698, married, August 20, 1727, Richard Hickson, of Stoughton; Samuel, born February 14, 1699-1700; Joseph, born October 2, 1702; Benjamin, born July 30, 1705; John, born February 12, 1707-8; Jeremiah; Zachariah, see for- ward. The children of Samuel and Eunice were : Elizabeth, born September 22, 1718, married, De- cember II, 1735, Joseph Alead, son of Stephen and Ruth ( Taylor ) Mead.
(IV) Zachariah Fitch, eighth child of Samuel Fitch (3), was born at Reading, ( Billerica), Febru- ary 13, 1712-3. He was a farmer of Bedford, Mass- achusetts, on the homestead. He married, October I, 1733, Elizabeth Grimes, born 1717, daughter of William Grimes, of Lexington. She died March 12, 1790. He died December 8, 1800. Their children : Zachariah, Jr., born April 1, 1734, married (first) Rebecca Davis; William, born February 19, 1735-6, soldier in the French and Indian war; Elizabeth, born January 6, 1738-9, married, December 8, 1763, Samuel Lane; Jonas, born February 5, 1740, married Annis Shattuck ; Ebenezer, born September 4, 1743. died September 6, 1749; Esther, born September 12. 1745, died September 23, 1749; Lucy, died September II, 1749; Esther, born October 13, 1749, married, Oc- tober 25, 1774, Nehemiah Lawrence; Ebenezer, see forward; Lucy, born July 6, 1753, married (first ) Joseph Hill; (second ) Peter Hill; she died July 10, 1822; Sarah, born January 2, 1755, married, April 26, 1774, Lieutenant Samuel Hemenway, of Groton; died in Groton, April 15, 1826; Phebe, born Novem- ber 25, 1756, married, July 22, 1784, John Sprague ; resided on the Fitch homestead, Bedford, where she died March 25, 1841 ; Alice, born November 10, 1759, married Captain Henry Woods; Daniel, born Feb- ruary 21, 1764, died October 12, 1843.
(V) Ebenezer Fitch, ninth child of Zacharialı Fitch (4), was brn in Bedford, Massachusetts, An- gust 5, 1751. He was sergeant in the Bedford com- pany of minutemen, April 19, 1775. He was ensign in Captain Benjamin Walker's company at the Battle of Bunker Hill and continued in the siege of Bos- ton. He removed to Rindge, New Hampshire, 1779, and was there styled lieutenant on the records. He removed after the war to Sterling, where he died January 26, 1826. He married, at Lancaster, August 29, 1780, Persis Bu-h, born March 8, 1759, the dangh- ter of Jotham and Ilepsibah ( Keyes) Bush, of Shrewsbury. She died at Sterling, May 27, 1816. Ebenezer Fitch's will is dated June 7, 1823, and filed February 3, 1826. It has a codicil mentioning the death of his son Raymond, to whose children he left five hundred dollars in place of the original share of their father. He bequeaths land bought of Ed- ward Raymond, Esq., for whom his son was named. The children of Ebenezer and Persis Fitch were: Edward Raymond, see forward. Ebenezer, Jr., re-
moved to Troy, New York, died at the home of a son in Louisiana ; had children-John, George, Ebe- nezer, Timothy, Hepsibah, born in' Sterling, 1784-5, married Martin Jennison, born June 30, 1779, son of Jonathan and Rhoda ( Ashley) Jennison, of Walpole, New Hampshire; she died January 10, 1824, leaving one son Alfred, born October 2, 1805; Martin died at Bowling Green, Kentucky, May 20, 1816. Bush, mentioned in will. William, mentioned in will. Tor- rey, born 1795, married, May 10, 1821, Harriet Thurston, born July 27, 1797, daughter of Silas and Sarah (Kendall) Thurston, of Lancaster ; innholder and merchant; died September 4, 1843, leaving sons Charles T. and Edwin Raymond. Ashley, born 1797, married Annie E. Ludlow ; resided in New York and Brooklyn and died at East New York, October 27, 1871, leaving son Charles Henry, who lives in Brook- lyn. Stillman, born December 3, 1800, had half the homestead ; married, November 22, 1831, Harriet Mellen and had-George Edward, born January 2, 1833; Harriette Mellen, born December, 1836, died 1855; John Bush, born April 1, 1841. George, born 1803, had half the homestead; married, 1827, Soph- ronia Willard Houghton, born February 25, 1806, daughter of Elijah and Ruth Houghton, and they had six children, of whom Andrew Luciaen, born January 28, 1837, married Abbie Wheeler, of Berlin ; resided in Sterling, died 1893. Cynthia, married Paul Bailey, of Sterling, and had six children. All of these ten children lived to grow up.
(V1) Edward Raymond Fitch, eldest child of Ebenezer Fitch (5), and generally known as Ray- mond, was born in Sterling, Massachusetts, about 1782. He resided on the homestead on Fitch Hill, Sterling, where he died a year before his father, Feb- ruary 17, 1825. His will mentions his farm, which was located a mile from the meeting house on the road to Princeton. Moses Thomas was appointed guardian of his children. Raymond Fitch owned a stage line from Sterling to Boston and for many years drove the stage. The children of Raymond and Susanna Fitch were: Timothy E .; James W., see forward; Edward R., to whom his father be- queathed the homestead in Sterling; Susan K., Charles B.
(VII) James William Fitch, son of E. Raymond Fitch (6), was born in Sterling, Massachusetts, Au- gust 1, 1815, and died there May 3, 1803. He was educated there in the common schools and also at the school in Templeton, Massachusetts. He then learned the turning trade, which he followed for three years. He was a pioneer in the manufacture of chairs in Sterling, a business that he followed profitably and successfully for many years. He re- tired from active business a few years before his death, having acquired a competence. He was one of the leading citizens of the town, loved and respect- ed by the entire community. He was a. Whig in politics in early life, a Democrat in after years. He was for a number of years a selectman of Sterling. He was a director of the Lancaster National Bank. He was an active member of the Unitarian Parrish at Sterling and attended that church.
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