Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. IV, Part 78

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 78

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Mrs. Hamilton was an advocate of equal suffrage, and a registered voter on election of school com- mittees, which privilege, however, she regarded as little more than a farce, save as an entering wedge for the possible hastening of full suffrage.

It was, however, in connection with the Woman's Relief Corps, Auxilliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, that Mrs. Hamilton rendered her far greater measure of public service. Becoming a mem- ber of Hubbard V. Smith, Corps No. 82, in 1888, Mrs. Hamilton at once entered with zest into the work of the order, in which she maintained a con- tinuous and active interest till she passed from earth. Her first official station was that of assistant guard; in 1891 she was senior vice-president ; in I892 corps secretary ; in 1893-4-5, corps president. bringing to her official services an equipment from observation and study which, combined with her loyal enthusiasm for the cause and her winning and tactful personality, led the Corps through three years of ef- fective work. The flag salute was first introduced in the Athol schools with flags presented by the Corps, during Mrs. Hamilton's administration, and at her suggestion, and aided by her efforts, a beautiful gran- ite monument to "The Unknown Dead" of 1861- 1865 was erected in Silver Lake cemetery, and dedi- cated May 30th, 1895. It is near that monument, in a lot of her own selection, that the mortal remains of Mrs. Hamilton now rest, and in her last hours, re- ferring to the "old soldiers" and the Relief Corps who gather around the monument on each Memorial Day, she said, "I shall always be with you there !"

In retirement from the presidency, Mrs. Hamil- ton's interest and efforts were unabated, sustaining the efforts of her several successors to maintain the excellent work and high standing of Corps 82. In iv-19

December, Ig01, she was again elected president of Corps 82, but was stricken with serious illness and resigned before time for installation. She was the fifth time elected president, installed in January, 1903, and re-elected and installed in 1904, completing her fifth year as president, in possession of the love and confidence ot her associates and the comrades of Post 1.40.

In the routine work of the Corps, Mrs. Hamilton was untiring, working diligently to assure liberal, contributions each year to the treasury of Post 140,. and giving much encouragement to Gen. W. T. Sherman Camp, Sons of Veterans. She was chair- man of the executive committeee of Corps 82 during the war with Spain, in direction of the emergency work. For many years her home was a much used council chamber for Woman's Relief Corp matters, and the days were few when she gave no thought. to that cause. In the Massachusetts Woman's Re- lief Corps Department work Mrs. Hamilton made a creditable record, having been a department aide in 1894-7 ; department instituting and installing officer in 1898; member of department executive board in 1899-1900, thus covering three years in the depart- ment council during which she was present at every meeting. In 1894 she was a delegate in the National Woman's Relief Corp convention in Louisville, Ken- tucky, and visited the National Women's Relief Corp Home in Ohio. In 1902 she was a national aide and department special aide; department aide in 1904, and department special aide in 1906, having declined a more important appointment because of failing health. In the department conventions of 1900 and 1901, she received strong support for the office of Junior Vice Department President, and only her seri- ous illness prevented the confident support of her friends in 1902, when she was cheered in hospital by a vote of sympathy from the convention. In 1900 Mrs. Hamilton represented by detail the department president at the dedication of the Soldiers' Monu- ment at Plainfield, Massachusetts, with credit to her- self and the department.

On October 19, 1901, the Nation's day of mourn- ing, Mrs. Hamilton read, in the Athol Academy of Music, Mr. Hamilton's tribute in verse to William McKinley, holding the large audience in reverent and appreciative attention. Mr. Hamilton's verses are here given :

WILLIAM MCKINLEY.

With reverent hearts we meet today, Our tributes of respect to pay

To him who from the people came, And earned a bright, immortal name As round by round he upward climbed, By honest effort and well timed ;

In early manhood at the front, In foremost ranks as was his wont, On battle fields his valor proved, And gained experience that proved Of value to his country, when The clash of arms was heard again. From field to forum then transferred His leadership was soon preferred. With fear of God, good will toward man, In truth's advance e'er in the van ; Firm as a rock the right to fend, Yet gentle as a child to lend

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A listening car to every plaint And with the truth himself acquaint,

And, tempered by immortal love.

A negative to lift above Suspicion of unkindliness Or selfish narrow-mindedness ; His verdict ever recognized As sealed with honor ever prized. A partisan of sturdy strength, Supported by the vital strength Of deep conviction, verified By search and study amplified : Inspired by an inquiring faith In God and man; a double faith

That bent a listening ear to man

While scanning the Almighty's plan. An humble spirit, leading inind, A combination rare to find :

Who in his councils sought the best,

Strong counsel to his judgment test. And heard them all, and led them all ; Wise heads, true hearts whom he did call To share the people's acred trust ;

Who loved him as all patriots must, And bow today a family In touching sorrow, brotherly. A partisan, but of the right ; Progressive in his thought, and sight That shrank not from new breaking rays Through servile liege to earlier days ; His latest counsel pointing 1 The host of progress that upon His leadership has long relied, To broader policies untried

A leader born of heavenly calling. His birthright owning, never failing, In life and death God's favor seexing, In heavenly guidance full believing. The peer of kings, yet humble ever, The people never owned one nearer. Today the land is bowed with grivi. And not a voice that called him chici. But knew that he was just a brother, Of human kind a perfect lover. No ruler of our own fair land E'er held the reins so well m hand ;-

The North and South, the Blue and Grey Are one at heart this saddened day. The one who was his tender care, Today commands a Nation's prayer ;- May the strong faith that buoyed him up Ilelp her to bide the bitter cup. And light the time that intervenes E'er she shall enter heavenly scenes.

II.

Columbia stands with head bowed low, And heart born tears of millions flow In grief for him, who in her stead Received the wound aimed at the head Of government in our fair land. Vicarious victim of the hand. The anarchistic serpent's tongue That lurks the hearts of men among, That knows 10 God, that fears no hell, That seeks to ring Columbia's knell. No harm had he to any done. The innocent and trustful one; With hand extended but to bless The one who sought his fatal stress. 'Tis ineet, tis true, thy head to bow,

Columbia, in mourning now,-

' But, rouse ye, know, within thee lurks A deadly poison, of whose works A costly warning has been given, And words of exultation even Have fouled the air of Freedom's land In praise of the assassin's hand. And, "as man thinketh, so is he"; Shall slaves of hell corrupt the free?

Not one vindictive word from him. The martyr to this vicious whim, -- No, nor distrust of Love Divine,- The Lord hath said, "vengeance is mine,

I will repay." "It is God's way, We hear the stricken chieftan say. His spirit may we largely share,- But shall we tolerate the lair

Ot deadly serpents nur-ing wrath

To devastate true Freedom's path ? Arouse the people naught else could ; The noblest life, the truest blood, Must expiate our careless crime Of giving anarchy such time, In Freedom's name to masquerade, Free speech its shiboleth, to aid ; While rival parties, timid all, Before the free speech fetish fall, The pole, the serpent that doth raise, That poisons all who on it gaze.

111.

Arouse, Columbia, set thy heel The serpent's head its power to feel, E'er to thy breast it steals its way, Its poisonous fangs thy life to slay. Who is Columbia? That is we ;- The people rule this land so free. Then let the people rule with care, With thoughtful words and wisdom rare,

Discourage every tendency To classity constituency, And, like the man we mourn today Alike to all, our duties pay Of confidence and brotherhood, Inuring to the public good ;-- While t'en beyond the boundless seas, Where floats our flag on Asia's breeze,

May Law and Liberty prevail, But first at home,-if here we fail Ignoring this dire warning given, By politics our forces riven. Then martyr's blood, and marty's pain Have flowed and suffered all in vain.

IV.

Farewell, Mckinley, martyr, saint, Who for us died without complaint. Comrades in arms surround thy bier, Columbia bathes with copious tear Thy brow, and wreathes with immortelles ; While her great heart with anguish swells. All o'er our land the cloud of grief Hangs dark, and breaks to give relief In torrents of most sacred tears ; And prayers our Heavenly Father hears, Uttered and unexpressed ascend, Before the throne of Heaven to blend With hers, who, stricken doubly sore, Mourns the companion gone before. Farewell, Mckinley, martyr, saint,

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Who for us died without complaint,- And this our parting strain shall be, "Nearer by God to Thee, nearer to Thee."

At the Athol Memorial Day service of 1904, Mrs. Hamilton read Mr. Hamilton's original Memorial Day poem, and at many installations and camp fires her voice was heard in behalf of the cause which she loved so well. In Athol's "Old Home Week" cele- bration of 1903, Mrs. Hamilton served on important committees, and presided over the Woman's Reliet Corp float in the grand parade, supported by children representing the states and territories of the Union. In the National Woman's Relief Corp convention in Boston in 1904 Mrs. Hamilton served on the com- mittees on entertainment and finance.

During Mrs. Hamilton's last illness and since her departure many letters have been received from members of the Woman's Relief Corp Department and others, the following quotations from which re- flect the esteem won by her loveliness of character and unselfish works.

From a Past National President, Woman's Relief Corp: "Please give to her a message of love and an earnest wish that she may find a ray of comfort in the thought that hundreds of hearts close around her in these h urs of her sufferings and would so gladly help her to health and strength."

From a Past Department President : "Mrs. Ham- ilten has always occupied a close place in my regard. A woman of sterling character, conscientious, and steadfast, I have always loved her."

From a Past Department President : "I want you to know, dear friend, that I love you, and always have since our first meeting.'

From the Department President: "With what sadness I read the message I cannot tell you, for l loved her as a dear sister ; she had many true friends all over the state who will deeply mourn her loss."

From the Department Council: "By her patience. her courage, and her christian spirit, she exemplified the truest principles of noble womanhood ; the mem- bers of the Department Council of Massachusetts will ever respect her memory."

From Corps 82: "In Mrs. Hamilton's death we have lost a member whose executive ability was sec- ond to none, for she could not only plan but carry cut her plan, ever ready to put her shoulder to the wheel and work with a will at whatever her hands found to do."

From Corps 90: "Mrs. Hamilton was highly esteemed and honored in this Corps; she was de- voted and earnest in her work for the veterans; we shall miss her cheerful smile and cordial greeting ; we have lost a true friend and wise counselor."

In the home Mrs. Hamilton was a model house- keeper. a loving and helpful wife, a tender and watchful mother, her cheerful and practical spirit- uality inspiring all around her. Between husband and wife was maintained the most sacred respect for individual opinions, but there was always harmony of thought and unity of action.

Mrs. Hamilton's last days were a psalmn. sad, pathetic, but harmonious, trustful, and strong in an abiding faith in immortality. Her burial was a most harmonious finale to her beautiful life, the eulogy of her pastor, the service of song, the ritual services of the Daughters of Rebekah in the church, and of Corps 82 at the grave, were all characterized by sin- cere appreciation and deep and tender feeling, espe- cially the service at the grave, in which about one

hundred members participated, while nature seemed to smile approval of their beautiful tribute of love.

JOHNSON FAMILY. James Johnson (1), the immigrant ancestor of Hon. George William John- son, of Brookfield, Massachusetts, was born in Eng- land. He was an early settler in the town of Bos- ton, where land was allotted him November 30, 1635. He was admitted a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay colony May 25, 1636. He was a leather dresser or glover by trade. He became a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in 1638; was chosen third sergeant in 1644, lieutenant, 1658, captain in the train band in 1656. He was admitted to the church April 10, 1636, and was chosen deacon in 1655. He was found November 20, 1637, among the followers of Wheelright and Ann Hutchinson, for which he was disarmed with others. He received the thanks of the general c urt for his past services when he resigned, on account of physical weakness, his commission as captain. He was approved to sell coffee and chocolate April 21, 1671, and in 1074 was given the additional privilege of selling cider to the guests at his public house. Ile was the entrusted with the settlement of many estates as administrator. and was one of the executors of the will of Major Robert Kcayne. He was a member of the committee of the milita in 1664. He died about 1074.

His house lot, where he first lived, was at the cor- ner of Court and Sudbury street, Boston. He had a garden lot on the common, which then went to the line of the present Mason street, between Tremont and Washington streets. It was in the rear of the houses facing Washington street, or that part later known as Newbury street. On this lot he built his second house in which he lived during the latter part of his life. Ile had on the lot also a barn and slaugh- ter house, in which he carried on his business as leather dresser and glover. The lot was situated be- tween West and Winter streets. and was famous dur- ing the early part of the nineteenth century as the site of the Washington Gardens. Johnson had a third let, pasture land, on the north side of Beacon hill, situate at or near the junction of West Cedar and Cambridge streets. He had another lot of land near the mill cove, and in the rear of Middle, now Hanover street, and later a part of the estate on which stood the Green Dragon tavern. January 3. 1637-38. he had granted eight acres of land at Muddy River ( Brookline) agreeable to the consent at a general meeting for allotments, December 14, 1635. On February 23, 1656, he was leased waste lands of the town on the south side of the creek, paying four pounds, ten shillings per annum to the school as rent. Ile took a mortgage July 23, 1654, on an acre and a half of land on which now stands the Adams House, and also on three acres at the east end of Spectacle Island in Boston harbor. In May, 1659. the general court granted him two hundred and fifty acres of land on the north side of the Merrimac river at Naumkeag, and he exchanged it in 1664 for a warehouse at Oliver's dock.

His first wife, Margaret Johnson, died in Boston, March, 1643, and shortly afterward he married Abi- gail Oliver, daughter of Thomas Oliver. Their chil- dren : Joseph, born September 27, 1644. died Septem- ber 30, 1044: Abigail. November 25, 1645, died young: Abigail, born February 12, 1646; Elizabeth, April 21, 1649, died November 11, 1053: Samuel, baptized March 16, 1651, see forward: James, born March 7, 1653, baptized April 15, 1655, (twin) ; John

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(twin), born March 7, 1653; Elizabeth, born April 12, 1655, died January 23, 1663-64; Mary, born March 27, 1657; Hannah, born November 23, 1659, died Au- gust 3, 1660; Hannah, born June 12, 1661.

(II) Samuel Johnson, son of James Johnson (I), was baptized March 16, 1651, died November 18, 1697. He learned his father's trade as glover and settled in Boston and Lynn, Massachusetts. He mar- ried Phebe Burton, daughter of Edward Burton, of Hingham. She was baptized at Hingham, May 12, 1644. In his will Samuel Johnson mentions his chil- dren : Samuel, Edward, Jonathan and Elizabeth, and his wife who was executrix and the principal legatee. In a deed Lib. 25, Suffolk county, mention is made that Edward Johnson, mariner; Jonathan Johnson, chairmaker ; Richard Richardson, of Lynn, ship- wright; are the only surviving sons and daughters of Samuel Johnson, of Boston, and of Phebe, his wile. The children of Samuel and Phebe Johnson were : Phebe, born August 30, 1670, died young; Sarah, born June 10, 1672, died young ; Samuel, December 15, 1676; Edward, August 1, 1679; Jonathan, Angust I, 1683, see forward; Elizabeth, married Richard Richardson.

(111) Jonathan Johnson, son of Samuel Johnson (2), was born in Boston, Massachusetts, August I, 1683. Ile was mentioned in the will of his aunt, Hannah Handley, who also speaks of her sister, Phebe Johnson. His sister Elizabeth married Rich- ard Richardson, of Boston, shipwright, son of Rich- ard Richardson, of Lynn, and probably he went also to Lynn after marriage. Jonathan Johnson also set- tled in Lynn, probably from the fact that his sister lived there. About 1718 Richardson went to Fal- mouth, now Portland, Maine, but returned to Bos- ton 111 1723.

Jonathan Johnson married, May 30, 1710, at Lynn, Sarah Mansfield, daughter of Samuel and Sarah ( Barsham ) Mansfield. She was born Novem- ber 6, 1076. Jonathan died May 8, 1741, in his fifty- eighth year, and his grave is marked with a stone. His will was proved in the Essex county court, June 14, 1741. It mentions his sons Edward and Jon- athan; daughters Mary, Phebe, Sarah and Elizabeth, and wife Susannah, evidently his second wife. Chil- dren of Jonathan and Sarah, all born at Lynn, Mas- sachusetts, were: Mary, December 12, 1712; Phebe, December 15, 1714; Sarah, January 26, 1718-19; Ed- ward, August 16, 1721, see forward; Jonathan, De- cember 3, 1723; Elizabeth, September 14, 1720.

(JV) Edward Johnson, son of Jonathan John- son (3), was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, August 16, 1721. Ile married, October 3, 1744, Bethia New- hall, daughter of Joseph' and Elizabeth ( Potter) Newhall, of Lynn. They lived at Lynn all their lives. The will of Edward Johnson was proved in the Essex probate court, March 26, 1799, and men- tions sons: Edward, Joseph, William, Jedediah, Micajah, and daughters : Elizabeth Talbot and Sarah Burrill. Edward Johnson was a member of the Mas- sachusetts provincial congress in 1755 and served on several important committees. He was also a deputy to the general court of 1776 and 1777. Children of Edward and Bethia Johnson were: Elizabeth, born August 6, 1745, married - - Talbot ; Sarah, March I, 1746-47, married - - Burrill ; Martha, July 23, 1749; Edward, August 7, 1751; Joseph, January S, 1753; William, October 13, 1754, see forward ; Bethia, November 15, 1756; Jedediah, October 14, 1758; Micajah, February 1, 1761; Micajah, January 24, 1764.

( V) William Johnson, son of Edward Johnson

(4), was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, October 13, 1754. He married, October 4, 1781, Mary Fuller, daughter of Nathaniel and Hannah ( Mansfield ) Ful- ler. She was born in Lynn, December 3, 1758. Will- iam Johnson settled in Salem, where he died 1800. He was a soldier in the revolution in Captain Enoch Putnam's company, Colonel John Mansfield's regi- ment, during the siege of Boston and was on the list of those entitled to "bounty coats" October 27, 1775. Among the children of William and Mary Johnson was Samuel, see forward.

(VI) Samuel Johnson, son of William Johnson (5), was born in Salem, Massachusetts, March 12, 1792, died August 24, 1869, at Brookfield. The fol- lowing sketch of Mr. Johnson is from the Boston Advertiser, the day following his death : "He was a resident of Boston sixty years. Many of our older citizens will remember him as a partner of Mr. Thomas Brewer half a century ago and subsequently of the firms of Johnson & Mayo, John & Curtis, J. C. Howe & Company. He was distinguished by a singular union of shrewd judgment and methodical babits in business with the energy of an impulsive temperament. His career was marked by the success which commonly attends such qualities when com- bined as in his case with that scrupulous integrity which springs from as keen a sense of duties as of rights. He was a man of rare intuitions. He saw the expedient, the right and true and acted upon them often while other men were deliberating. Re- sults seldom disproved his conclusions. The mer- cantile history of Boston has furnished few if any more worthy specimens of the honorable, liberal, Christian merchant.

"Mr. Johnson retired from business with an am- ple fortune about twenty-five years ago. Since that time he has been largely engaged in works of charity. The extent of his benevolence. can never be fully known. The benevolent institutions of Boston-the colleges and seminaries of New England and the WVest; the large circle of religious organizations supported by the Congregational churches of the country all found in him a constant and liberal friend. But probably his largest expenditure in the aggregate was in the personal care for a multitude of persons whose wants he sought out and relieved- not only dependent relatives, but young men be- ginning in life, widows who had seen better days, reformed inebriates struggling back to manhood, and multitudes of those whom Dickens describes as the 'quiet poor' received his unostentatious and often secret bounty.

"His last illness was long and depressing and withdrew him from his accustomed routine of ac- tivity for two years. Its chastening influence was very obvious in maturing his character and deep- ening his interest in the works of charity which had been so large a part of his life.

"He was for fifty years an habitual attendant upon the services of the Old South Church, Boston, and a firm believer in the faith there preached."

Ile married, June 30, 1825, Charlotte Abigail Howe, daughter of William and Abigail ( Crosby ) Howe, of Brookfield, Massachusetts. She was born January 19, 1807. Her father, William Howe, was born at North Brookfield, November 15, 1759; he was a trader and prominent citizen; married, No- vember 2, 1780, Abigail Crosby, born 1764, died De- cember 15, 1843, daughter of Jabez and Mary Crosby, of Brookfield. William was the .on of Ephraim, born in Brookfield, November 23, 1733, married, September, 1757, Sarah Gilbert. Ephraim was the

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son of Abraham Howe, who was born in Marlboro, Massachusetts, April 6, 1709, married Martha Potter, who was born at Marlboro, 1711, died at Brook- field December 20, 1791. The father of Abraham, Josiah How, was the son of Josiah and the grand- son of John How, the immigrant, who is described elsewhere in this work. Children of Samuel and Charlotte A. Johnson were: I. Samuel, born March 20, 1826, merchant of Boston, married, March 29, 1859, Mary A. Stoddard, of Boston. 2. Charlotte A. (twin of preceding), born March 20, 1826, married, June 6, 1849, Rev. James H. Means, of Boston. 3. George W., see forward. 4. Mary A., born De- cember 28, 1829, married, June 10, 1858, Professor Austin Phelps, D. D., of Andover; graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, 1837, of Yale Theo- logical Seminary, 1842, professor of sacred rhetoric at Andover Theological Seminary. 5. Amos Howe, M. D., born August 4, 1831, educated at Chauncey Hall school, Boston; Phillips Academy at Andover, 1847 to 1849; graduating at Harvard, 1853, from the Andover Thelogical Seminary in 1856, and was five years pastor of Congregational church at Mid- dleton, Massachusetts ; studied medicine at Har- vard Medical school, 1862 to 1865, and settled at Salem as practitioner of medicine; studied in Berlin and Vienna in 1869 and 1870; was secretary many years and was two years president of the Essex South Distriet Medical Society. He has written many medical papers for learned societies, was orator of the Massachusetts Medical Society for its anni- versary in June, 1883, and was president of the so- ciety for two years. He has served two years in the general court and three years on the Salem school board; he was secretary of the Essex Institute ; was deacon of the Congregational Church and former president of the Essex Congregational Club; was vice-president of the Harvard Alumni Association 1892 and 1893. Married, September 22, 1857, Frances Seymour Benjamin, daughter of Nathan Benjamin, of Williamstown, and Mary A. ( Wheeler ) Benja- min, of New York, missionaries to Athens, Greece, and Constantinople. His children-Samuel 2d, member of the firm of C. F. Hovey & Company, Boston; Meta Benjamin, wife of Francis H. Ber- gen, of Staten Island, New York; Amy H .; Cap- tain Charles A., of Colorado National Guard, real estate and rental broker, Denver; Philip S., agent in New York for the commission house of Foster Brothers, Boston, and Ralph S. 6. Francis H., born January 15, 1835, clergyman at Andover, Massa- chusetts ; married, June 6, 1867, Mary A. Dove, of Andover. 7. Edward C., born November 1, 1839, merehant.

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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 78

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