Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. IV, Part 56

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 56

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William Merriam, son of Jonas, was born in Lexington in 1732. In the latter part of 1776, or early in the ensuing year, he moved to Harvard. His wife was before marriage Sarah Puffer, and their children were: William (see forward) ; Jonathan, born 1772; Jonas, born 1773; Abel, born 1775: Sarah. born 1776; Phoebe, born 1778; Asen- ath, born 1780; and Rebecca, born 1786.

William Merriam, eldest child of William and Sarah (Puffer) Merriam, was born in Lexington, March 23. 1771, and accompanied his parents to Harvard at the age of about five years. Like his ancestors, he was an industrious tiller of the soil, and he may have resided in Sterling for a time, if not permanently. as information at hand is un- certain as to the birthi place of some of his children. The maiden name of his wife was Ruth Fletcher, and his children were Daniel, Abel, Timothy, Phoebe. Betsey, Polly, Sarah and William.

William Merriam, Francis Merriam's father, was born in Sterling. March 22, 1799. He followed general farming in connection with cabinet-making, in which latter he was very skillful, and his services in that capacity were in constant demand by the people of Sterling and adjoining towns. Politically he acted with the Republican party in his later years, and in religious faith he was a Unitarian. He joined a lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, and was earnestly devoted to that order at a time when Masonry was regarded with suspicion by a considerable number of misinformed people who called themselves Anti-Masons, but he lived to wit- ness the passing of this antipathy and to reap the benefits of its fraternal influence. He married Rox- anna Foster, daughter of Enoch and Sally (Frence) Foster. She became the mother of fifteen children. namely : William. Harriet, Sarah, Elizabeth. Abel, Marcia Ann, George. Roxanna, Ruhama, Charles, Timothy Foster. Mary Ann. Mary Ann (2d), Lut- cretia, who became the wife of J. P. Cheeney, of Worcester ; and Francis. the principal subject of this sketch.

The birth of Francis Merriam took place in Sterling April 22, 1829. He attended the public schools. and was reared to agricultural pursuits, which have constituted his chief occupation in life. At the age of twenty years he turned his attention to the cattle business and also to butchering, both of which he carried on more or less extensively in addition to general farming for many years. In

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1871 he removed from Sterling to West Boylston, settling in the northeast part of the town, and some four years later he purchased the farm he now owns and occupies. He was formerly quite active in civic affairs, serving with ability as road commissioner and highway surveyor. In politics he is a Republican, and his religious affiliations are with the Baptists. Ile is widely known throughout his section of the county, and is highly esteemed for his numerous commendable qualities.

On December 19, 1852, Mr. Merriam married Lucy Walker, daughter of Joel and Beidamia (Stone) Walker, this county, the former of whom was a prosperous farmer and a man of considerable prominence in local civic affairs. Mr. and Mrs. Merriam have had three children, namely: Nellie Gertrude, born March 24, 1854; Hattie Louisa, born June 3, 1856, died May 16. 1872; and Edward Frank, born June 11, 1858. Nellie Gertrude, mar- ried Aaron Goodale, of West Boylston, and is the mother of four children-Leroy Arvine; Hattie Louise, born May 3, 1883; Aaron Goodale : and Dwight Merriam Goodale. Leon A. Goodale married Elsie Phelps, of Southboro, this county, and has one daughter, Lois Irene, born in August, 1904. Hattie Louise Goodale was married June 26, 1905, to Walter E. Robbins, of West Boylston. Ed- ward Frank Merriam. who is unmarried, resides in Denver, Colorado, and is in the real estate business.

GOODALE FAMILY. The ancestors of Francis William Mason Goodale, of West Boylston, were among the early settlers of Massachusetts, where the family was planted by Robert Goodale, who came from England in 1634, and whose de- scendants have ever since been residents of the old Bay State.

Zachariah Goodale (2). son of Robert (1), lived in Salem, and was the father of Benjamin Goodale (3), who was a resident of Marlboro. Edward Goodale (4). son of Benjamin (3), was horn May 23. 1715, lived in Shrewsbury, and died in 1756.

Aaron Goodale (5). son of Edward (4). was horn in 1742, in Shrewsbury, and was corporal in the company of minute men recruited in that town. Under the command of Captain Robert Andrews they marched, on the memorable night of April 18, 1775, from the second parish of Shrewsbury to Cambridge. He also served, on August 21, 1777. in Captain John Maynard's company of Colonel Joseph Cushing's regiment, but by order of Colonel Denney was discharged on the alarm at Benning- ton, after a march to Holley, Massachusetts. Aaron Goodale died August 17, 1817.

Edward Goodale (6), son of Aaron (5). was born June 22, 1772, in West Boylston, then a part of Shrewsbury. and was the father of Norman Howard Goodale (7), who was born May 7. 1830. The latter was educated in the common schools of West Boylston, and all his life followed agri- cultural pursuits. Ile served in the militia, was a Republican in politics, and a member of the Con- gregational Church. He married Olive Julia, daughter of John Reed. of West Boylston, and the following were their children: 1. Francis Edward. see forward. 2. John Reed, married Addie Davis, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island: and has two chil- dren-Addie and Lily, in California. 3. Olive Julia, born January 24. 1845. married. April 23. 1863. Charles Romine Huntley, of West Boylston. 4.

Judson, married Nellie Miller, of West Boylston, and has one child, Edward, living in New York state. 5. Justina, widow of Alfred Wright, of Worcester. 6. Bates, deceased. 7. Gertrude, de- ceased.

Francis Edward Goodale (8), son of Norman Howard (7), and Olive Julia (Reed) Goodale, was born in West Boylston, where he received his education in the common schools. He worked as a bootmaker until about forty years of age. when he became a farmer, and so remained until the close of his life. He served as assessor and road commissioner, was a Republican in politics, and an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the work of which he was deeply interested. He was possessed of more than ordinary musical abilities. Mr. Goodale married Mary Elmira, daughter of William and Relief (Henry) Mason, of West Boylston, the former a farmer. The fan- ily of Mr. and Mrs. Goodale consisted of the follow- ing children : 1. Mary Emma, born October 13, 1852, married, July 15, 1874, Joseph L. Howe, of Holden, and has two children-Ernest Warren, born August 19. 1876; and Ethel Christine, born December 12, 1886. 2. Francis William Mason, mentioned hereinafter. 3. Sarah Relief Ann, born April 25, 1862, wife of Sewell Richardson, a native of Princeton and a resident of Greendale. They have two sons-Joseph, born January 16, 1895; and Albert, born August 22, 1898. 4. Alice Elmira, born May 27. 1867, wife of Arthur C. Perry, of Worcester, and is the mother of two sons-Dwight Lincoln, born February 9, 1889; and Kenneth, born February 10, 1898. The father of the family died September 28, 1882.

Francis William Mason Goodale (9), son of Francis Edward (8) and Mary Elmira (Mason) Goodale, was born August 10, 1854, in West Boyls- ton, where, until the age of seventeen, he attended the common schools. He then engaged for a num- ber of years in lumbering and farming, and for eight years was associated with the firm of Wash- burn & Moen, of Worcester. At the age of twenty- five he returned to West Boylston, where he has. ever since been a teamster and lumberman. He be- longs to the Republican party, and adheres to the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Goodale married. August 28, 1879. Ella Cynthia Pierce, and they have two children : Frances Evelyn, born September 10. 1884: and Mason Ed- ward, born February 27, 1889. Mrs. Goodale is a daughter of Ezra Beman and Mary Sawyer ( Bige- low ) Pierce, of West Boylston. Mr. Pierce was a basket manufacturer and farmer, and held various town offices. He was a Republican in politics, and a member of the Congregational Church.

IVER JOHNSON. John Johnson, father of the late Iver Johnson, of Worcester and Fitchburg, was a farmer of Nordfjord. Norway, one of a line reaching back for a thousand years, who from father to son handed down the same extensive acres. on which they had lived and died.

Iver Johnson was born on the old homestead, February 14. 1841. and spent his early years on the farm. He became accustomed to hard work and long hours of labor when a mere child. He was ambitious as a boy, and, not contented to stay on the farm. at the age of sixteen left home to serve as an apprentice at gunmaking in Bergen, Norway. His school opportunities were meagre. Ifis only

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opportunity for getting an education had been dur- ing three months of the year in his native town, supplemented later by instruction in the Sunday schools, which in Norway combine secular and re- ligious teaching. His life as an apprentice in Bergen was one of hard toil through longer hours than even the old New England mills used to keep. He had to be in the shop from 5 A. M. to 9 P. M. in the summer, and from 6 A. M. to 8 P. M. in winter. The apprentices who survived this ordeal were hardened for any ordeal in life. In 1862, after finish- ing his apprenticeship, young Johnson went to work at his trade as journeyman in Christiania, Norway, where he worked one year. Determined to seek his fortune across the Atlantic, where opportunities were larger and more promising than in his native land, in 1863 he came to America, and settled in Worcester, where so many of his countrymen have come since then. He was in the vanguard of the Scandinavian emigration to which the United States owes some of her best citizens, and admittedly the best class of citizens coming from foreign . lands in the past fifty years. He came during the civil war. when gunsmiths were naturally in great de- mand and he found no difficulty in getting employ- ment in Worcester. He worked for eight years quietly and industriously in the gunshops of Worces- ter, saving his wages and learning the language and ways of the country. In 1871 he started in business with Martin Bye, under the firm name of Johnson, Bye & Co. They had their savings and good credit as capital, started in a small way in a little room in Church street. From this beginning the busi- ness developed so that before his death Mr. Johnson employed several hundred men in his business. In 1873 the firm had outgrown the first quarters, and removed to the building on Central street, known formerly as the Armsby Building, then owned by H. 11. Bigelow, where they had two rooms and employed fifty hands. In 1875 the firm bought the building. and as business grew took room after room, until in 1881 the whole building was occupied by their business. In 1883 Mr. Johnson bought the interests of his partner, and the business was after- ward conducted by him alone under the firm name of Iver Johnson & Co. He manufactured fire arms, police goods and bicycles. most of the fire arms and the bicycles being made under his own patents. He did drop forging of all kinds, polishing and nickel-plating. The firm has not only devised new machines and implements for the market, but has constantly built improved machinery for use in the factory. The Iver Johnson factory has always had a reputation for being up-to-date in machinery and methods. In 1881 Mr. Johnson established agencies in New York. Boston and other large cities of the country. His goods were already well known in every section of the United States, and agencies were soon found necessary in Canada and Mexico. In 1885 the firm began to make bicycles. In 1886 they were making about a thousand hicycles a year, and within five years the output had increased to 15,000 a year. The business continues large in the manufacture and sale of the Iver Johnson bicycles.

In 1891 the necessity of larger works became imperative. and Mr. Johnson selected Fitchburg as the most desirable location. He bought the plant of the Walter Heywood Chair Manufacturing Com- pany, and with that as a nucleus built the enorm- ous plant that has become one of the greatest in- dustrial factors of the city of Fitchburg. At pres- iv-14

ent the Iver Johnson Arms and Cycle Works com- prise five brick buildings, with a floor space of about 200,000 feet, equipped with all modern appli- ances and machinery, including fire alarms and auto- matic sprinklers, modern heating and ventilating apparatus, electric lighting plants, telephones and elevators. The concern has large wholesale and retail depots in New York, Boston, Worcester and Fitchburg, with offices and branches in London, England, Germany and Japan. A force of skilled and expert metallurgists and mechanics is employed, with laboratories for testing chemically and mechan- ically. A first-class sporting goods store has been maintained in Boston and Worcester, and is the rec- ognized headquarters in those cities for firearms and · sporting goods. The Iver Johnson arms and bicycles are known throughout the civilized world, and in the business world it is known everywhere that the company lives up to the motto of the founder, "honest goods at honest prices." It is claimed that the output of small fire-arms and shotguns made by this company is larger than that of all the small fire- arms manufacturers of the country. Mr. Johnson associated with him in the business his sons, and since his death they have carried on the business of the company with uninterrupted prosperity and growth. His ideas have been extended and devel- oped during the past ten years during which the. company has extended its business in every direction.

While living in Worcester, Mr. Johnson was a member and director of the Sovereign's Co-oper- ative Store and of three co-operative banks. He was president for many years of the Equity Co- operative Bank Company, and vice-president of the Home Co-operative Bank. He was a close student of economic questions. He served on a committee of manufacturers who testified before the finance com- mittee of the senate concerning the tariff when legislation was under consideration. His confidence in American institutions was greatly strengthened by his observations abroad in 1884, when he made an extended trip to his native country and many of the manufacturing centres of England and the con- tinent. He was a Republican, but never had time to accept public office. He was a prominent Free Mason and Knight Templar, having advanced to- the thirty-second degree, and was a noble of the order of the Mystic Shrine. He was trustee of the Fitchburg Savings Bank, and director of the Fitchburg National Bank, also of the Fidelity Co- operative Bank of Fitchburg. He resided in Worcester for a time after removing to factory to Fitchburg, but his later years were spent in Fitch- burg. Mr. Johnson was naturally a generous and philanthrophic man, and as his means increased he gave freely to various charities in Worcester and Fitchburg. He died August 3, 1895, and was buried at Worcester.

Mr. Johnson married, April 9, 1868, Mary Eliza- beth Speirs, daughter of John and Janet (Adams) Speirs of Norwich, Connecticut. Their children were: I. Janet Bright, died young. 2. Fred Iver, who was educated at the Worcester Academy. 3. John Lovell, who received his education at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the Bryant & Stratton Commercial College of Boston. 4. Walter Olaf, graduate of the Drexel Institute of Philadel- phia. 5. Mary L. All of the children were born in Worcester. The sons are now carrying on the affairs of the company in Fitchburg and else- where.

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BALL FAMILY. The Ball family of Boylston, which is represented in this work by Alonzo Ball, is one of the oldest in that town, and is descended from early Puritan colonists. It is also of revolu- tionary ancestry. The family was established in Worcester county by Phineas Ball, Alonzo Ball's great-grandfather, who went there from Boxford, Massachusetts, at least thirty years prior to the American revolution, and settled in Lancaster. On May 27, 1741, he married Martha Bixby, of Andover, this state, and it is known that he had three sons. Two of these, who went to New Hampshire, were never afterward heard from, and it is quite proba- ble that they enlisted for service in the French and Indian war. The third son was Elijah Ball, Alonzo Ball's grandfather, whose birth took place at Lan- caster in 1748. He was commissioned a lieutenant in Colonel Artemas Ward's regiment, with which he served throughout the struggle for national in- dependence, participating in the operations on Long Island and in General Putnam's famous retreat. After the termination of hostilities he resumed farm- ing in Boylston, and resided there until his death, which occurred March 31, 1834. He was married October 18, 1770, to Rebecca Moore, of Boylston, daughter of Levi and Rebecca (Sawyer) Moore, Lancaster, and the children of this union were: Elijah, Amaziah, Reuben, Levi, Micah, Patty, Lu- cinda Phineas, Rebecca, Jonah and Manasseh.

Manasseh Ball, Alonzo Ball's father, was born in Boylston, December 27, 1800. He resided his en- tire hie, the active period of which was devoted to agricultural pursuits. In politics he was originally a Whig, and later a Republican. In his religious faith lie was a Unitarian, and for many years he sang in the choir of that church. Manasseh Ball married Clarissa Andrews, daughter of Robert and Lucy (Holt) Andrews, of Boylston, and reared a family of six children: Phineas, born January 18, 1824; Caroline, September 28, 1827; Adeline, No- vember 5. 1828; Sawyer, March 3. 1833; Albert, May 7, 1835; and Alonzo, the principal subject of this sketch, of whom later.

Phineas, who died December 19, 1894, married for his first wife Sarah Augusta Holyoke, who bore him two children-Allard, born September 9, 1851 ( died October 6, 1857) ; and IIelen Augusta, born April 25, 1858. On November 29, 1865, Phineas married for his second wife Mary Jane Otis, who survives him.

Caroline, who died May 15, 1897, married Charles I1. Chase, of Clinton, this county, and was the mother of five children, namely: Louisa M., born 1851, died 1876, married Abiel Fisher, of Clin- ton, and left one daughter-Clara; Adliza C., born June 21. 1853; Carrie R., born January 4, 1858, died November 8, 1883; Emma, married William Felton, of Bolton, this county, and has one son-Newell: and Albert Alanson Chase, born in February, 1865, and is now residing in Clinton.

Adeline is the wife of Lorenzo Bruce of Berlin, Massachusetts. Sawyer Ball, who died August 9. 1901, married Susan W. Hazen, of Boylston, and left a family of four children-Ella, William H., Clara and Albert. His widow is now residing in Michigan. Albert Ball married Nancy M. Shaw, of Dresden, Maine; he has two sons-Frank A .. who is married : and George O. Ball. All were educated in the Boylston public schools.

Alonzo Ball was born in Boylston, June 25, 1840. With the exception of a short time spent working

for his brother Albert in the manufacture of fire- arms during the civil war, the active period of his life has been devoted to general farming in his na- tive town, and he typifies in a most excellent man- ner the honest, upright and industrious New Eng- land farmer, who knows how to appreciate the peaceful serenity of rural life undisturbed by the ceaseless flurry of the outside world. In politics he supports the Republican party, and has served with ability as overseer of the poor. He attends the Congregational Church. Mr. Ball's wife was before marriage Mary Harrington, who was reared in the family of Reed Hastings, of Boylston. They have one son-Allard Alonzo Ball, who was born September 12, 1872. He married Elizabeth Fowler, of Boylston, and has one daughter, Lillian, born October 20, 1902.

FREDERICK CLINTON HALL, one of the most successful farmers of Boylston, is a native of New York state, and went to Boylston in early childhood. His father, George Hall, who was born in Malone, New York, in 1811, was educated in the public schools and the Malone Academy. Enter- ing the clothing business when a young man, he fol- lowed it successfully for many years, and the latter portion of his life was spent in Boylston, where he died in 1872. He participated quite actively in civil affairs, serving as overseer of the poor for some time, was supervicor of various public works, and acted as a justice of the peace. George Hall married Rebecca Boyd, a native of Malone, and an orphan. She was seventeen years old at the time of her marriage, and she survived her husband more than twenty-five years, dying in 1898. George and Rebecca (Boyd) Hall were the parents of seven children, namely : Clarissa, Henry W., Mary E., Sarah J., George B., Florence and Frederick Clin- ton, the principal subject of this sketch.

Frederick Clinton Hall was born in Malone May 23. 1860, and removed with his family to Boylston, where he acquired his education. When a young man he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, in which he has attained substantial success, and is now the owner of one of the most desirable farms in Boylston. Mr. Hall is unmarried. He takes a lively interest in local public affairs, being at the present time a member of the board of assessors, and he was formerly town auditor. He is a lead- ing member of the Grange, Patrons of Husbandry. His religions affiliations are with the Congregational Church.

GEORGE WILMOT. James Wilmot (1), grandfather of George Wilmot, of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, was born in England, about 1800. Ile left London and settled at Sorel, Canada, when a young man. He died in the prime of life, leav- ing two sons: I. James, who was a drover and ranchman, settled in Montreal and has children liv- ing there. 2. George, see forward.

(JI) George Wilmot, son of James Wilmot (I) and father of George Wilmot, was born in Sorel, Canada. He was left an orphan at a tender age. He married Rose Delima Page, who was born in Canada also. They had fifteen children, seven of whom died in infancy. Those who grew to maturity were : I. Caroline, educated in a Canadian convent, died 1905, aged fifty-four years. 2. Peter, educated at Montreal, became a teacher in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, took gold medal at Paris and Phila-

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delphia Expositions for his penmanship, and is a master of languages, music and painting. 3. Rose. 4. Charles. 5. George, see forward. 6. Mary. 7. Oliver. S. Joseph.

(Il1) George Wilmont; son of George Wilmot (2). was born at Sorel, Canada, October 23, 1859. He came with his parents to Worcester when he was only three years old and lived in that city until he was of age. He was educated in the public schools of Worcester, but began to work at an early age. His first position was machinist for Henry Miniter's Screw Shop. From 1870 to 1880 he worked for the Western Union Telegraph Company, first as mes- senger and then as operator. He was telegraph operator at the Union station for a year and a half. In the spring of 1881 he went to Providence as chief operator for the Providence & Worcester Rail- road. In 1882 he was made station agent at Whit- ins, Massachusetts, and he held this position for ten years. He then became a shipping clerk at the Whitins Machine Company, Whitinsville, and has since then held a responsible position with that concern. He is at present the superintendent of the Linwood Street Railway Company. He resides in Uxbridge and has been active in public affairs there, He is a Republican and was chairman of the Uxbridge Republican town committee from 1900 to 1903. He has been a member of the school com- mittee of the town of Uxbridge since 1902. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, St. Jean Baptiste Society, Ancient Order of United Work- men, and Casino Club. He is a member of Good Shepherd Parish and is superintendent of the Sun- day school. He was also superintendent of the Sunday school at Uxbridge when he lived in the village.

He married (first) Celia Paridis. He married ( second) Emily E. (Paridis) Lebeau, sister of his first wife, and widow of Clifford Lebeau. His second wife has one child by her first marriage, Lydia E. Lebeau, born in Worcester, August 31, 1879, educated in Worcester and Uxbridge public schools and St. Anne's Seminary, Marlboro, Massa- chusetts. The children of George and Celia M. Wilmot werc: I. Ida, born 1883, died 1885. 2. Eva E., born at Linwood, March 15, 1887, educated in the Uxbridge and high schools.

DENNIS J. HARRINGTON. Michael Har- rington. father of Dennis J. Harrington, the news- dealer of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, was born in Ireland. He settled in Whitinsville and has for many years been employed in the Whitins Machine shop. At present he is the oldest man in actual service working in the shop. Michael Harrington married (first) Ann Grimes and (second) Cath- erine Brennan. His children are: Robert ; Thomas ; Dennis J., see forward : M. J., married Margaret Mc- Carthy and they have a son Francis, born 1893; Mary J .; Katie; Annie.

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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 56

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