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 54
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mention of any wife. She may have been his sister." The writer believes that Lydia was most likely the wife of Thomas. for the home was broken up in Windsor directly afterward and Thomas Gilbert went to New Haven or Hartford, where he had brothers, and died in 1659. At that time his three sons had already gone from Windsor to Springfield, Massachusetts. Early writers confuse Thomas and his son Thomas. He sold his property at Windsor to Thomas Bissell. S. O. Griswold, of Cleveland, is authority for the statement that the probate rec- ords at New Haven show the names of his heirs, but that he left no widow. The fact that no Lydia is mentioned in the probate papers is one indication that the death sentence had been executed. Chil- dren: I. Thomas, see forward. 2. Jonathan received grant of land at Woronoco ( Westfield), Massachu- setts, from the Springfield proprietors, but forfeited his rights. 3. John, had grant of land with brother Jonathan at Westfield, Massachusetts, August 9, 1656; forfeited because they did not settle there and granted 1661 to Benjamin Coolidge.
(11) Thomas Gilbert, son of Thomas Gilbert (1), was born probably about 1625 in England; set- tled with his father at Windsor, whence after the witchcraft trial he removed to Springfield, Massa- chusetts, in 1655. From the first he was a leading citizen, being elected selectman a year after he set- tled, serving 1656-57 and in 1660 was chairman with sich men as Myles Morgan and Pyncheon on the same board. He had the fourth seat in the meeting house December 23, 1659. He was appraiser, fence viewer in 1660. That same year he bought land of Benjamin Cooly and received permission to build a house on it, near the Longmeadow gate. He died at Springfield, June 5, 1662, leaving a family of young children. He married Catherine (Chapin) Bliss, June 30, 1655, widow of Nathaniel Bliss and daugh- ter of Samuel and Cisely Chapin. He married (third), December 8, 1664, Samuel Marshfield. She was born about 1630; married (first), November 20, 1640, and died February 4, 1712. Children of Thom- as, born in Springfield: I. Sarah, born February 9, 1055-56, married Samuel Field. 2. John, born Oc- tober 18, 1657. 3. Thomas, born March 15, 1658-59 (the record of him in North Brookfield history is of his son chiefly, though he was doubtless in Brookfield from 1688 to 1690, and doubtless gave his property to his son Thomas), married, August 4, 1680, Abi- lene Marshfield; she died November 26, 1689 ; mar- ried (second), April 9. 1690, Anna Bancroft; had tive children by each wife, all at Springfield; died there May 14, 1698, and widow married James Sex- ton, of Westfield, son of Thomas Sexton, of Brook- field, born November 3, 1681. 4. Henry, sce for- ward.
(IH) Deacon Henry Gilbert, son of Thomas Gilbert (2), was born March 1, 1661, at Springfield, Massachusetts. Hle settled there and his three eldest children were born there. He was a hayward for the Longmeadow district several years. He furnish- ed and set the glass in the meeting house, 1672. He was a soldier and was sent in command of a squad of men, among whom was his brother Thomas, who seems to have been a carpenter or builder, to build the fort at Brookfield, starting September 16, 1688. It was called Gilbert's Fort, perhaps because he took a house lot and lived adjoining it on the west on the south side of the road. The fort was on the school house lot in Brookfield, at the intersection of North Main and Maple streets, of convenient size, having
barracks for soldiers and their families, and was surrounded by a stockade. He acquired some six hundred and eighty-one acres before he died. He married Elizabetli - , who died April 27, 1735: married (second) Mary Wheat, widow. Children of Deacon Henry Gilbert : 1. Henry, born 1684. had one hundred and eleven acres in northwest part of Brookfield. 2. John. 3. Samuel, born 1688. 4. Mercy, born 1691, married, 1716, Samuel Barnes ; married (second) her cousin, Thomas Gilbert ; mar- ried (third) Josiah Converse. 5. Ebenezer, born 1693. 6. Thomas, see forward. 7. Nathaniel, born 1700. 8. Elizabeth, born February 20, 1722, married Enoch Hinds.
(IV) Thomas Gilbert, son of Henry Gilbert (3), was born in Brookfield, Massachusetts, 1695, and settled there. He had grants of land aggregat- ing two hundred and ten acres and lived near the pond. He is credited with service in the French and Indian wars in 1748, 1755 in Captain Thomas Buck- minster's company, and as captain of the second company in 1761-63. He married, December 2, 1718, Judith Goss. His name was on the tax list as early as 1717. Children: 1. Thomas, born June 21, 1720, died young. 2. Abner, born June 8, 1721. 3. John, born July 29, 1723. 4. Ann, born September 13, 1725. 5. Seth, born January 27, 1728. 6. Jede- diah, born May 19, 1730, died aged six. 7. Elizabeth, born July 16, 1732. 8. Philip, see forward. 9. Thankful, born March 10, 1738. IO. Thomas, born June 27, 1739. II. Jedediah, born October 29, 1742. 12. Judith, born April 6, 1745. 13. Samuel, born February 18, 1747.
(V) Philip Gilbert, son of Thomas Gilbert (4). was born in Brookfield, Massachusetts, September 10, 1734, married Martha - He died after 1811. He was a private in Captain Samuel Robin- son's company at Fort Edward in 1756, and was with Captain Abbot's company in the war during 1755. lle deeded the homestead to his son, Ezra Gilbert, September 21, ISO1, and also a meadow lot. The farm was on the road leading to West Brookfield from New Braintree and was bounded by land of Stephen Martin, Lemuel Gilbert, Jonas Gilbert, Pel- atialı Gilbert, Azariah Willis and Captain David Hitchcock. He leased the premises to his parents for life for the annual rental of "one barley-corn, if demanded." Phillip deeded land to Benjamin, per- haps his son, May 3, 1787, and to Dr. William Jenni- son, perhaps son-in-law, in 1787. Children: I. Ezra, see forward. 2. Sally, mentioned in Ezra's will.
(VI) Ezra Gilbert, son of Philip Gilbert (5), was born in Brookfield, Massachusetts, about 1760, died 1849. lle had the homestead. His will was filed May 28, 1849, and allowed July 3, 1849. Chil- dren, born at West Brookfield: I. Ezra, died 1850, unmarried, in California. 2. Solomon B. 3. Elvira P. 4. George. 5. Charles, see forward. 6. Harvey, had four children, died before father.
(VII) Charles Gilbert, son of Ezra Gilbert (6). was born in West Brookfield, Massachusetts, Jan- nary 22, 1805, died August 25, 1858. He married, January 25. 1835, Achsalı Wood, born in 1806. They lived at West Brookfield, where she died January 24, 1839. Their children: I. Charles Warren, see for- ward. 2. Achsah Wood, born January 11, 1839.
(VH11) Charles Warren Gilbert, son of Charles Gilbert (7), was born in West Brookfield, Massa- chusetts, December 1, 1835. He was one of the prime movers in the great loom manufacturing busi- ness for which the city of Worcester is famous. He
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had a valuable and varied training in early life. He attended the common schools of West Brookfield, and also at Brunswick, Maine, where the family lo- cated for a time during his boyhood. He attended the high school at Milford, Massachusetts, and thus started out with a good education. In 1852 he came to Worcester, where he began his business career as clerk in a grocery store. His ability was recognized and he advanced rapidly. Not many inen secure the training Mr. Gilbert received or win the advancement he received when a mere boy. He spent five years in the grocery, then three years as bookkeeper and cashier in Barnard & Sumner's, at that time the leading dry goods house of the section, since expanded into the Barnard, Sumner & Putnam Company Department Store. He left there to be- come paymaster at the Wire Mills of Washburn & Moen at Quinsigamond, and left the mills to go into business with Daniel Tainter, who was a manu- facturer. During the next two years he laid the foundation of his knowledge of manufacturing. In 1865 he struck out for himself in the manufacture of looms under the firm name of Gilbert Loom Com- pany. The mill in which the Gilbert looms were made was in the center of the old manufacturing district of Worcester, between Main and Summer streets. In 1898 the Gilbert Loom Compay entered the consolidation of loom manufacturers known as the Crompton & Knowles Loom Company, and Mr. Gilbert became manager of the Gilbert Loom Depart- ment of the Crompton & Knowles Company, which position he held until January 1, 1906, when he ro- tired from business. Mr. Gilbert is a Congregation- alist, auditor of Plymouth Congregational Parish and active in church work. He was an officer of the Na- tural History Society of Worcester, and the Worces- ter Mozart Society. He is interested in musical mat- ters and has been on the board of officers of the Choral Union of Worcester, and is at present the treasurer. He is a Republican in politics.
To write the biography of Mr. Gilbert adequately would require a history of the development and growth of manufacturing in this country, especially of textile machinery. He has been a part of that development, as the Knowles, the Cromptons, the Drapers and the Whitins, all of this county, hav? been. The cotton mills, the woolen mills and the carpet mills of the United States are filled with ma- chinery devised and built in this county. Mr. Gil- bert, for instance, patented and built the first ma- chine for weaving cartridge belts, and manufactured the first hundred thousand used by the United States and other countries. He also built the loom for the manufacture of pile carpets. This was about 1866, after the expiration of the Bigelow patents. He real- ized the vast possibilities of the machine, but could not command the capital to extend it as he resired. Mr. Gilbert is one of the best types of the American manufacturer ; a thorough business man, he knows the mechanical as well as the commercial department of manufacturing, and has set an example of honor and integrity, of earnest living and good citizenship.
He married (first) Calista Tainter, daughter of Daniel Tainter, for whom Mr. Gilbert worked dur- ing the civil war in the manufacture of woolen ina- chinery. She was born November, 1840, died March, 1875. (See Tainter sketch). He married ( second), March 30, 1876, Alice Street Todd, born July 23, 1853, daughter of Jehiel Todd, of Worcester. Children of Charles W. and Calista Gilbert, born in Worces- ter: I. Charles Walter, born March 10, 1862, mar-
ried, January, 1889, Nellie S. True, of Woburn, Massachusetts, and they have one child, Dora, born June 19, 1898. 2. Eliza, born June 20, 1865, married, January, 1886, George Day, of Worcester, and they have one child, Margaret born February 28, 1889. 3. Lizzie Brown, born February 18, 1868, died August 13, 1872. 4. Calista, born November 8, 1871, mar- ried, October 2, 1895, Oliver C. Crumley, of Woon- socket, Rhode Island; no children. 5. Frank Ed- ward, born March 30, 1875, graduated from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1895; married, October 8, 1897, Florence Dodge, of Worcester, and they have one child, Evelyn, born June 18, 1899. Children of Charles W. and Alice S. Gilbert: 6. Louis D., born September 5, 1878, graduate of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 1901; phosphate chemist of the Davis Baking Powder Company of Hoboken, New Jersey. 7. Ruth Alice, born April 27, 1886, graduate of the Worcester Classical High School, 1903; is now studying music.
TAINTER FAMILY. Charles Taintor (1), was born in Wales. He was a man of some prop- erty, but had it confiscated by the government owing to religious troubles. He settled at Fairfield, Con- necticut, in 1643. He was lost at sea on a ship of which he was part owner in 1654. His real estate was sold by his sons in 1656. His children were : Michael, Charles, Jr., Joseph, Marie.
(II) Joseph Tainter, son of Charles Tainter (I), came from Wales to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1644. His children were: I. Ann, born in Water- town, 2, (7), 1641. 2. Joseph, born 2, (7), 1645. 3. Rebekah, born 18, (6), 1647. 4. Jonathan, born 10, (7), 1654, married Elizabeth Marvin, 1681. 5. Sary, born 20, November, 1657. 6. Simon, see forward. 7. Dorothy, born August, 1663.
(III) Simon Tainter, son of Joseph and Mary Tainter (2), was born 30, (9), 1660, married Joanna Their children were: I. Simon, see for- ward. 2. Mary, born January, 1695-96, died January, 1697-98. 3. John, born March, 1698-99, married Joanna Harrington, May, 1720. 4. Rebecca, born May, 1701. 5. Mary, born November, 1703, mar- 'ried Benjamin Hastings, of Watertown, April, 1726. 6. Dorothy, born May, 1706.
(IV) Simon Tainter, son of Simon and Joanna Tainter (3), was born February, 1693-94, in Water- town, Massachusetts, married Rebecca Harrington, May, 1711. Their children were: I. Simon, see forward. 2. Rebecca, born January, 1716, married Timothy Warren. 3. Joanna, born February, 1717, married Joshua Kendall. 4. Susanna, born Decem- ber, 1720, married Samuel Baker, of Bolton. 5. Jonathan, born August, 1723. 6. Sarah, married Joseph Bowker. 7. Elizabeth, baptized January, 1729, at Westboro, married Stephen Sadler. 8. Jos- hua, baptized February, 1733. 9. Samuel, baptized May, 1736.
(V) Simon Tainter, son of Simon and Rebecca Tainter (4), was born at Watertown, April, 1715. He married Mary Bruce. Their children were: I. Simon, born at Westboro, 1741, died March, 1769. 2. Abijah, see forward. 3. Mary. 4. Joel, born March, 1749, married Abigail Goddard, September 1786. She died May, 1790, aged twenty-nine. He married (second) Elizabeth Bancroft, December, 1798. 5. Nahum, born 1751, married Huldah Sibley, of Sutton. May, 1781. 6. Hannah, born March, 1758, married Joseph Bancroft, September, 1780. 7. Anna, born July, 1760, married Robert Goddard, April, 1780.
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8. Daniel, born 1761, married Rebecca Jacobs, of Ward (Auburn), January, 1792. 9. David, born 176 , married Katharine Houghton, of Sterling.
(VI) Abijah Tainter, son of Simon and Mary Tainter (5), was born in Grafton, June, 1744. He married, October, 1772, Sarah Small. Their chil- dren were : I. Stephen, born at Sutton, 1776, married Polly Dyke, who died 1834; married (second) Luc- retia Gates. 2. Abijah, see forward. 3. Sally, born 1781.
(VII) Abijah Tainter, son of Abijah and Sarah Tainter (6), was born 1778. He married Mercy Shumway and Hannah Smith. The children were : I. Fanny, born at Millbury, February, 1800, married Burt. 2. David, born November, 1803, married Elizabeth T. B. Marble, October, 1836. 3. Leonard, born April, 1804. 4. Daniel, see forward. 5. Sumner, born January, 1810, died in Michigan, January, 1845. 6. Willard, born February, 1812, married Hannah Goddard, of Worcester. 7. Almira, born October, 1819, married Asa Burt, December, 1839. The following by second wife: 8. Sarah, Au- gust, 1824, married George Bradley, of Norwich, Maine. 9. Sybil, born July 8, 1825. 10. Lucy, born January 29, 1826. 11. Emeline, born July, 1830. (VIII) Daniel Tainter, son of Abijah and Mercy Tainter (7), married Sarah Johnson. Their chil- dren were: I. Calista Barnard, see forward. 2. Charles E., born March, 1846.
(IX) Calista Tainter, daughter of Daniel and Sarah E. Tainter (8), was born November, 1840, married Charles Warren Gilbert, October, 1860, died March, 1875. Her father, Daniel Tainter, was man- ufacturer of woolen machinery in Worcester.
FRANKLIN LYON. William Lyon (1), fath- er of the immigrant ancestor of Franklin Lyon, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, lived at Haton, Middlesex county, England. He came of an ancient English family whose arms are given : Arg a lion rampant as. armed and langued, within a double tressure, flow- ered and counter flowered, gu. Crest, a lady hold- ing in her right hand the royal thistle, etc. in al- lusion to the alliance with the daughter of the king. Motto : "In Te, Domini, Speravi."
(II) William Lyon, son of William Lyon (1), was born in England. He emigrated to New Eng- land at the age of fourteen on the ship "Hopewell" in 1635. He settled at Roxbury. He was one of the original proprietors of Woodstock, now in Con- necticut, but never settled there. llis sons were among the prominent pioneers of Woodstock. Hc died in 1692, and was buried May 21. His will was proved October 20, 1692. Ilis widow died August 4, 1694.
He married (first), June 17, 1646, Saralı Rug- gles, who died February 9, 1688-9. He married ( sec- ond) Martha General Nathaniel Lyon, who was born July 14, 1818, son of Amasa, grandson of Ephraim Lyon, was a descendant. The children of William and Sarah Lyon, all born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, were: John, baptized April 10, 1647, married Abigail Polly, and settled in Woodstock ; Thomas, born in Roxbury and baptized August 8, 1648, married Abigail Gould, and settled at Wood- stock; Samuel, baptized June 16, 1650; William, of whom later; Joseph, baptized November 3, or Dc- cember 3, 1654, settled in Woodstock; Sarah, bap- tized March 8, 1657; Jonathan, baptized September 9, 1666, died May 30, 1668.
(III) William Lyon, fourth child of William
Lyon (2), was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, in 1652, and baptized there July 18, 1652. He settled on his father's land in Woodstock, Connecticut, then in Massachusetts. The only known son was Will- iam, Jr., of whom later.
(IV) William Lyon, son of William Lyon (3), was born in Roxbury or Woodstock, about 1675. He married Deborah Colburn, November 8, 1699, and (second) Martha Morris, January 6, 1714-5 , at Woodstock. They settled at Woodstock. Among his children were: Williatn, Jr., born about 1705, married Patience Hale, of Bellingham, April. 1726; Henry, of whom later.
(V) Henry Lyon, son of William Lyon (4), was born in Woodstock about 1710. He bought land of his father, William Lyon, April 25, 1746. (See Worcester County records). He bought land at Royalston, Massachusetts, with his son, David Lyon, then of Royalston, May 22, 1771, from Obadiah Walker, of Royalston. He did not settle at Royals- ton himself.
He seems to have married twice in the same year, if the dates are correct. He was the only Henry Lyon at that time in the town. He married (first) Elizabeth Marcy, January 1, 1731-2. He married (second), September 10, 1732. Evidently the eldest child only was by the first wife. All their children were born in Woodstock, viz .: George, born March II, 1732; Elizabeth, born April 30, 1735; Jonna, born August 14, 1737; Henry, Jr., born May 4, 1740; Thomas, born July 4, 1742; David, born about 1745-
(VI) David Lyon, son of Henry Lyon (5), was born about 1745 in or near Woodstock. He owned land in Royalston, Massachusetts, with his father, bought in 1771. He bought land also of Ezra Pratt at Royalston. He died October 24, 1808. He was a soldier in the revolution and received a bounty for three years' service in the Continental army from the town of Royalston in 1781.
He married (first) Jerusha who died October, 1778, aged twenty-three years, leaving three children. He married (second), September 19, 1780. at Royalston, Lydia Burbank. His children : Jer- usha, born July 12, 1775; David, Jr., born February 23, 1777; Lydia, August 1, 1778; Mehitable, April 8, 1781; Samuel, December 21, 1782; Sally, November 4, 1784; Hannah, November 3, 1789; David, Septem- ber 10, 1791; Elijah, September 29, 1793; Daniel, June 14, 1795; Isaac, July 14, 1799. All born in Royalston.
(VII) Elijah Lyon, son of David Lyon (6), was born in Royalston, Massachusetts, September 29, 1793. He settled about 1814 in Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire. He was a farmer. For many years he was deacon of the Fitzwilliam Baptist Church. He died there August 23, 1862.
He married, March 13, 1818, Sarah Howe, daugh- ter of Nahum and Mary Howe; she was born Sep- tember 19, 1794, and died March 20, 1872. The chil- dren of Deacon Elijah and Sarah Lyon, all born at Fitzwilliam, were: I. Mary Taylor, February 17, 1819: married Daniel Whitcomb; Sarah Howe, born October 13, 1820, married Samuel Tenney ; Franklin, born December 7. 1822, of whom later; Thomas Johnson, born February 12. 1825, resided in Rutland, Vermont ; Alcey Melinda, born April 22, 1827, mar- ried, July 10, 1867, William Harvey Kinsman; (mar- ried second), he was born November 22, 1816, in Fitchburg.
(VIII) Franklin Lyon, third child of Elijah Lyon (7), was born in Fitzwilliam, December 7,
PUBLIC LITTRAT
Franklin Lyon
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1822. He attended the public schools there and learned the trade of stone mason. He came to Fitch- burg when he was twenty-one years old to work for Deacon Wheeler. Soon afterward he started in business for himself as stone mason. One after another he acquired several excellent quarries, among them that of Frederic A. Hale on Rollstone hill, and in the course of a long and honorable business career in the stone business he acquired a competence. For eight years he had the contract for all the stone work on the new north division of the Old Colony railroad, and either built or re-built every stone bridge on that line. Ile did a great deal of stone work for the city of Fitchburg and for private con- cerns in Fitchburg. Examples of his early work are to be seen in the retaining wall at the Sylvanus Sawyer place on Summer street and the wall oppo- site the J. P. Phillips place on High street. He sold his quarries in 1877, but did not retire from busi- ness until 1885. He built the house in which he lived at the time of his death, and built and owned nine houses in Fitchburg. He was for some time a silent partner of E. B. Macy, of Fitchburg.
He was a Republican in politics, and in 1873 represented his ward in the first common council of the city government. He was a member of Mt. Roulstone Lodge of Odd Fellows. After an illness lasting about a year he died at his home in Fitch- burg, August 12, 1895. He was a prominent Spir- itualist, and a clergyman of this faith, Rev. Juli- ette Yeaw, of Leominster, officiated. She said among other tributes to the character of Mr. Lyon : "When we remember the long years of faithfulness of our friend and think how he has enjoyed his home life and how he lived in the association of those of his religious belief, why should we mourn? * * * His life so pure, simple and sincere is his best eulogy. In the sublimity of his simple faith let us find a type of the higher life."
He married, February 22, 1849, Charlotte M. C. Haskell, of Lunenburg, the daughter of Peter Has- kell, member of an old and honorable Worcester county family. His widow survives him and re- sides in the homestead. Their children were: Al- bert E., died young; Rosa Ella, died young; Alice Norton, died young; Rosaltha P., resides at home with her mother.
BURDETT FAMILY. Hon Alfred A. Burdett, deceased of Clinton, Massachusetts, came of good old New England ancestry. The name was some- times spelled Burden and at other times "Burditt," but later Burdett. The grandfather of Alfred A. Burdett, John Burdett, was born in Leominster, 1777. The first one of his name in this country was Robert Burdett, of Malden. He was there in 1653 and bought his lands of members of the Bay Colony. John Burdett (V) was a revolutionary soldier at Bunker Hill, Lexington and Saratoga. Three of his eleven children settled in the district now called Clinton. John moved from Malden to Leominster and died there in 1643. John (VI), born in Leoni- inster, July 21, 1788; another son Phineas S., born February 19, 1797, lived some time with his brother Nathan in his youth. Three sons of Phineas-Au- gustus P., Horatio S., and Albert T., were engaged in trade in Clinton when the place was incorporated. The line through which Hon. Alfred A. Burdett, the subject, comes is as follows :
(Il) Thomas Burdett, born 1655, married Eliza-
beth -; was a prominent church man of his day. Among their children was one named John.
(III) John Burdett, son of Thomas (2), born in 1693, married Hannah Cole, July 25, 1722. They had a son John.
(IV) John Burdett, son of John (3), born 1722, married Jeremiah Green and had a son. named John.
(V) John Burdett, son of John (4), born 1746, married (first) Abigail -; (second) Sarah Shute. Among John's children was one called Nathan.
(VI) Nathan Burdett, son of John (5), born in Leominster, Worcester county, July 21, 1788, was educated in the common schools and took up farm- ing, which he followed through his life. He accu- mulated considerable property and in his later years moved to Clinton, where he died. Politically he was a Whig and never held office. He married Mar- garet Darling, of Worcester county, who is also deceased. The had nine children ; born among them was one named
(VII) Alfred A. Burdett, born in Clinton, Mas- sachusets, June 20, 1827. Owing to his father's cir- cumstances, he was unable to attend school as was the good fortune of many another boy of his time, but he assisted his father on the farm. Later on he began work in a comb shop, in which he served and saved his money with which he was enabled to attend a term of school at the Worcester Acad- eny. He was eager after education and learned very rapidly. After his first term, he was approached by Eli Thayer, one of the chief teachers in the academy, who told him he believed it was his duty to study hard during vacation, so that he could give him a district school to teach. Mr. Burdett applied himself with a right good will and when the time came he was offered the school at Lan-
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