Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. IV, Part 8

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 8


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He married (first) Louisa M. Farwell, of Hoosick, New York, November 10, 1842. She died August 6, 1882. Their adopted daughter, Emily J., married George F. Fay. She died in 1866. Colonel Upton married (second), May 29, 1883, Lucy B. Putnam, widow of James P. Putnam, whose first wife was Colonel Upton's younger sister.


(VII) John Upton, fifth child of Joseph Upton (6), was born in the old homestead on Blossom street, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, where Abel F. Adams lived for many years, December 29, 1817, and died in Fitchburg, June 24, 1895, at his home at 140 Pritchard street. He was raised on his father's farm. He preferred a mercantile life and began as clerk in dry goods stores in Worcester and Lowell. He began business on his own account in company with the late Jacob Haskell in the store in Fitch- burg under the Calvinistic Congregational Church soon after the building was completed in 1844. The partnership continued for several years, when Mr. Upton bought out his partner's interest and con- tinued alone until 1862.


Soon after the internal revenue department was established during the civil war in 1862, he was ap- pointed deputy collector and inspector of internal revenue for the ninth district, a position that he held until the department was practically abolished. It was his duty as inspector to investigate the returns of manufacturers made for the purposts of taxation, and he brought to the discharge of his duties ability and integrity of the highest order. His integrity was sometimes tested by men whose returns had not conformned to the law, but they found him un- compromising in the discharge of his duty. He was assessor under the town government in 1862 and under the city in 1873. He was deputy collector of taxes from 1874 until 1890. He entered the insur- ance business in 1870 with Henry A. Willis, his brother-in-law, and continued until his death. He was a trustee of the Worcester North Savings In- stitute and a member of the examining committee from 1868 till his death.


Early in life he joined the Calvinistic Congrega- tional Church. In 1863 he became a constituent member of Christ Church and was vestryman from March 29, 1869, until March 26, 1895, when he de- clined re-election. He was much interested in music and was for many years the leading singer in Calvin- istic Congregational Church. He was chorister at Christ Church for twenty-five years. He was a good citizen in every way, exemplified the finer elements of character and was highly esteemed.


He married Louisa C. Willis, daughter of Samuel and Cynthia Willis, sister of Henry A. Wills, (see Willis Family sketch) of Fitchburg, April 5, 1848. She was born in 1828 at the home- stead on Main street, Fitchburg. Their chil- dren were : Frederick Willis, born in Fitch- burg, April 8, 1852, educated in the public schools of Fitchburg and at Highland Military Academy, where he graduated in 1870; clerk in the Rollstone


National Bank until his death, October 7. 1870, from typhoid fever ; Amy Louisa, born in Fitchburg, June II, 1858, married Herbert 1. Wallace, son of the late Rodney Wallace. (See Wallace sketch).


(VII) Joseph Upton, son of Joseph Upton (6), was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, October 15, 1807. He attended the district schools of his native town, and at the age of sixteen was apprenticed to learn the mason's trade. He worked at his trade until he was thirty, when he bought a farm in Fitch- burg and conducted it for the remainder of his life. In addition to his farm he carried on a lum- ber business. In business and private life alike Mr. Upton was a man of unquestioned integrity and universally liked and respected. He was a member of the Calvinistic Congregational Church; he loved music, and for over twenty years led the choir. He was active in town and military affairs, being cap- tain of the Fitchburg military company. He was an unusually healthy and vigorous man, never sick in his life but once. His death was due to a fall from the upper scaffolding in his barn. He lived forty-eight hours after the fall. but was unable to talk or recognize his family. He died March 14, 1870.


He married (first), January 20, 1831, Betsey Messenger, daughter of Calvin and Betsey Messenger. She died December 25, 1864, aged fifty-eight years, eleven months. He married (second), March 28, 1866, Amelia F. (Vose) Lowe, born in South Royalston, Massachusetts. August 17, 1834, the daughter of William Vose, of Leominster. She survived him and is living in Fitchburg. She is highly esteemed by her neighbors for her kindly ways and practical charity.


The children of Joseph and Betsey (Messen- ger) Upton were: I. Susan Elizabeth, born Octo- ber 9, 1831, married Marraton Upton. 2. Calvin, May 21, 1833, killed by the accidental discharge of a gun in his own hands October 3. 1847. 3. Jane Augusta, January 19, 1835, married, September 7, 1859, Edward N. Leavens, at Chicago; she died at Faribault, Minnesota. December 24, 1863, leaving one child. Frank N. Leavens, born in Faribault, May 25, 1860. 4. Emily M., December 31, 1836, married. December 20, 1859, at Fitchburg, John M. Farnsworth. 5. Louisa Adeline, February 1, 1839, married Edward J. Davis, at Pittsfield, June 25, 1862; their children are: Gertrude L. Davis, born at North Adams. January 23, 1865; Walter E. Davis. born at Fitchburg, November 2, 1866, died Septem- ber 4, 1868: Grace Upton Davis, born in Lunen- burg, August 23, 1868. 6. Harrison, December 2, 1840, married Sarah M. Greenwood, at Marlboro, New Hampshire, December 14, 1870. 7. Mary T., April 11, 1843, married, at Fitchhurg, October 19, 1868, George M. Bowker; she died at Fitchburg. June 16, 1870. 8. Daniel C., June 21, 1844, died August 29, 1844. 9. Lydia H., August 27, 1846, died August 12, 1847. IO. Abby Caroline, November 2, 1849, married, at Worcester, August 6, 1867, Simeon Fuller, and had one child: Alice C. Fuller, born in Fitchburg, November 20, 1870. The children of Joseph and Amelia F. ( Vose) Upton were : 11. Su- san A., born April 8, 1867, died February 6, 1903; married H. G. Townend, and had two children : Robert Vose and Maurice Garthwaite. 12. George Vose, July 6. 1868, married, September 28, 1891, Helen Abbott Mason, of Warren, Massachusetts, born November 19, 1867. They have five children, born


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in Fitchburg, viz .: Frances Elizabeth ; Helen Beat- rice: Dorothy Christine; George Vose, Jr., and Joseph Mason, twins.


CHARLES SIDNEY HAYDEN. John Hayden (1). the emigrant ancestor of the late Charles Sid- ney Hayden, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, was born in England and was one of the early settlers at Dor- chester. He was one of the proprietors in 1632. He was admitted a freeman May 14, 1634. He re- moved to Braintree, where he died. His will was dated October 31. 1678, and was proved July 26, 1682. He bequeathed to his wife Susanna, sons Ebenezer, Joseph, Nehemiah and John, daughter Hannah and the children of a deceased son, Samuel. He provided for his son Joseph's maintenance.


The children of John and Susanna Hayden were : John, born 1636, married, April 6, 1660, Hannah Ames, daughter of William; Joseph; Samuel, died before 1682; Jonathan, of whom later ; Hannah, born April 7, 1612; Ebenezer, born September 12, 1645, died February 13, 1718; Nehemiah, born February 14, 1647-8, married Hannah Neal.


(II) Jonathan Hayden, son of John Hayden (1), of Braintree, was born May 19, 1640, in Dor- chester. He married. April 20, 1669. Elizabeth Ladd. They settled in Braintree. His will was dated May 13, 1718, and proved June 5, 1718. Their children were: Margaret, born May II, 1670; Amy, September 16, 1672; Jonathan, February 17, 1775; Samuel, of whom later: Sarah; Elizabeth.


(III) Samuel Hayden, fourth child of Jonathan Hayden (2), was born in Braintree, Massachusetts, June 19, 1677. He married Mary , and set- tled in Braintree, Massachusetts. Their children were : Samuel, horn January 17, 1703; Jerusha, Feb- ruary 6, 1704; Mary, April 1, 1705; Jonathan, May 18, 1706; Clement, October 4, 1707, married (first) Hannah Hogin, October 31, 1734, and (second), November 17, 1762, Hannah Blancher ; his son Rich- ard removed to Concord, Massachusetts and Rich- ard and his brother Clement were both in the revolution; Richard, of whom later; Elizabeth, born March 10, 1715.


(IV) Richard Hayden, son of Samuel Hayden (3). was born in Braintree, August 1, 1710. He settled in Braintree; he married Mary


Their children were: Aminadab, born August 26, 1746, soldier in the revolution; Cozbi, daughter, No- vember 26, 1749; Asenath, daughter, November 1, 1751; Ziba, January 22, 1754, revolutionary soldier ; Cyrus, June 13, 1756, revolutionary soldier ; Sage, daughter, August 28, 1759 twin of following ; Molly. August 28, 1759, twin of preceding; Lewis, of whom later, also a revolutionary soldier, all four sons be- ing in the army.


(V) Lewis Hayden, son of Richard Hayden (4). was born in Braintree, Massachusetts, Febru- ary 6, 1763. He was one of the men raised Decem- ber 2, 1780. for the town of Braintree, and March 23, 1781, enlisted for three years. He was in Cap- tain William Treadwell's company, Colonel John Crane's regiment (Third Artillery). He seems to have lived in Boston for a time and then settled in Concord, where he had cousins and other relatives. The family historian of one branch says that there was some relationship apparent between the three emigrant Haydens, John (1), mentioned above, Will- iam Hayden, of Concord, who seems to have left no descendants of the name of Hayden, and James, of Charlestown, Massachusetts, all of whom came be-


fore 1635. (See the Hayden Genealogy). The same authority has an account of the Haydens in Eng- land. The name is most common in Devonshire.


Lewis Hayden settled finally in Harvard, where he seems to have had relatives. He bought, in 1814, of Captain Israel Taylor a tract on the road between Lancaster and Groton, where the road to Shirley branches off. Here' his son and descendants have lived and the family farm is still owned by a direct descendant ( 1906). He was an officeholder in Con- cord. He married, at Concord, May 6, 1792. Mary Beirsto, of Concord; he was then living in Boston. From the time of his marriage to 1798 he lived in Concord, and the three eldest children were born there. He was in Winchendon in 1800, when his son Nelson was born. He seems to have been in Harvard in 1802 and lived there after that date. The children of Lewis and Mary Hayden were: Levi, of whom later; William, born February 6, 1795; Hannah, May 6, 1797; Nelson, January 22, 1800, at Winchendon ; Washington, March 31, 1802, at Harvard; Mary, February 16, 1805: Warren, May 12, 1807, lieutenant of Harvard Light Infantry, 1833, died 1858: Jefferson. April 29, 1809; Lydia, October 12, 1812; Emery. May 13, 1815.


(VI) Levi Hayden, eldest child of Lewis Hay- den (5), was born in Concord, Massachusetts, March 23, 1793. He was a stone mason and gravestone cutter and had a quarry in Harvard on Pin hill. This quarry was worked from 1765 until about 1855. He married Sally Richardson, of Boylston, Mass- achusetts. Among their children were: Edmund R., born December 23, 1819, removed to Lawrence in 1853, was a stone cutter by trade, went to Cali- fornia in 1851 and to Lawrence on his return in 1853; married Charlotte Fairbanks, April 4, 1844, and they have one son, George. Edmund R. Hay- den was a policeman in Lawrence from 1854 to 1863, and was city marshal at the time of the Pemberton mill disaster in 1860; started in the wood business in 1863, bought W. B. Jolin's business, took into partnership F. L. Runals, and dealt in wood and coal under the firm name of Runals & Hayden; bought out Mr. Runals in 1874; he was mayor in 1876 of the city of Lawrence. James G., of whom later. Lewis T., died January 9, 1853. N. Gilbert, resided in Leominster.


(VII) James G. Hayden, son of Levi Hayden (6), was born in Harvard, Massachusetts, March 13, 1822, and died at his residence, 45 Oliver street, Fitchburg, November 21. 1890, aged sixty-eight years, eight months, seven days. He went to school in Harvard and learned the blacksmith's trade there. He left his native town in 1848 and in 1851 went to California. In 1852 or 1853 he returned to Harvard and followed his trade as blacksmith until 1860, when he removed to the neighboring town of Ayer, but after seven months went to Fitchburg, where he lived the remainder of his life. He was for eight years foreman for the Whitman & Miles Manufac- turing Company in their blacksmith shop at West Fitchburg. He started in business for himself as a blacksmith in 1875 in a shop at 27 Oliver street, and remained in business until 1890, when. shortly before his death, he retired on account of failing health.


He resided in various sections of the city during his thirty years of residence in Fitchburg and was widely and favorably known. He was very indus- trious and his activity made him appear in the prime of life even when he was nearly seventy. He was


PUBLIC LIPRARY


1


Himy Y. Page


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WORCESTER COUNTY


an upright and respectable citizen, a good represen- tative of the industrious and intelligent mechanics who give character and prosperity to New England cities.


He married Lucretia B. Proctor, from a well- known family of Portland, Maine, who died Febru- ary 2, 1895, at Fitchburg. Their only child was : Charles Sidney, born November 10, 1848, of whom later.


(VIII) Charles Sidney Hayden, only child of James G. Hayden (7), was born in Ilarvard on the old homestead, November 10, 1848; he died suddenly at Fitchburg in the prime of life, April 30, 1903. He received his early education in Harvard, Ayer and Fitchburg. He attended the Lawrence Academy at Groton and the Fitchburg high school, where he graduated in 1869, and fitted for Harvard Col- lege. He decided to study law and entered the law office of Hon. George A. Torrey and the llarvard Law School, where he was graduated in IS71. He was admitted to the bar in August of the same year and began at once to practice in Fitchburg.


In June, 1879, he was appointed special justice of the Fitchburg police court and took his seat for the first time at its civil session August 9 of that year. In October, 1888, he became the senior justice of the court, at the death of Judge David H. Merriam, and since June 7, 1891, was chief justice of the court. He filled these positions with ability and dignity and administered justice wisely. It has been well said of him: "Judge Hayden has rare and pe- culiar qualifications for judicial office. His decisions show careful researches and that he possesses in a marked degree a broad and judicial mind, together with those qualifications which are essential for the wise, pure and impartial administration of justice while the honors already conferred upon him and the extensive practice he enjoys are the best evi- dence of his professional standing and popularity."


He was a member of the school committee in 1886-87-88. He was mayor of Fitchburg in 1890. There were spirited contests in 1889 and 1890, both when he was elected and when he was defeated in the race for mayor. He was always a student and especially learned in French literature. Perhaps his two favored places of rest and recreation were his stable and his laboratory. Judge Hayden was a good judge of horse flesh and he indulged in fast horses. He was at his best when driving his favor- ite pair of horses. He loved scientific research and had fitted up at his house a well equipped chemical laboratory. He loved music also and played the cornet skillfully. When a young man he was a member of the First Regiment Band. He had an excellent tenor voice.


.


He married (first), in 1871, Mary E. Lawrence, of Fitchburg. Their children were: Florence L., died young. Frederick L., born March 10, 1882. He graduated from the Fitchburg high school in 1893 and was for three years a student at the Mass- achusetts Institute of Technology, leaving to become a manufacturing chemist under the name of F. L. Hayden & Co., at Cambridgeport, Massachusetts, in 1895. Judge Hayden married (second), August 27, 1898, Addie F. Gillette, daughter of Joseph Ham- mond and Harriet Susan (Stearns) Gillette. She was born February 27, 1875. Mrs. Hayden read law in her husband's office and was admitted to the bar in 1904. She succeeded to the practice of Judge Hayden and also has a Boston office. She was ad- mitted to practice in the United States courts De-


cember 13, 1905, and is the only woman practicing law in Worcester county.


HENRY TITCOMB PAGE. Robert Page (I), the immigrant ancestor of Henry Titcomb Page, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, was the son of Robert and Margaret Page, of Ormsby, county Norfolk, England. The record shows that on April 11, 1637, Robert Page, aged thirty-three, with wife Lucy, aged thirty, and children-Frances, Margaret and Sus- anna, and servants, William Moulton, aged twenty, and Annie Wad, aged fifteen, of Ormsby, passed the required examination to go to New England. They settled in Salem, where Lucy was admitted to the church in 1639. Ile was admitted a freeman May 18, 1642. He removed about 1639 to Hampton, New Hampshire, where he had a grant of land be- tween the homesteads of William Marston and Robert Marston, on meeting house green. The original grant is still held in the family, or was recently. He was selectman of Hampton six years; deputy to general court of Massachusetts two years; marshal of the old county of Norfolk; and served on many important committees of the town. He was elected deacon in 1660, and from 1671 to 1679 was the only deacon of the church. He had a brother Edward Colcord, whose wife's name was Ann (probably brother-in-law) for whom he se- cured claims in 1654 and 1679. He died September 22, 1679. His will, dated September 9, proved Sep- tember 29, 1679, bequeathed to sons Francis and Thomas ; daughters, Mary Fogg, Margaret Sanborne, and Hannah, wife of Henry Dow; grandchildren Seth, James and Hannah Fogg; Joseph, Benjamin, Robert, Hannah, Sarah and Ruth Moulton; Jon- athan Sanborne; Rebecca, Hannah, Samuel, Lucy and Maria Marston; Joseph, Samuel, Symon, and Jabez Dow; Robert, Samuel, John, Mary and Lucy Page (some of these grandchildren were called by their marriage names in the will). His age at death was given as seventy-five years. Lucy, his wife, died November 12, 1665, aged fifty-eight years. Their children : I. Margaret, born in England, 1629, married Jonathan Sanborn. 2. Francis, born in Eng- land, 1633. 3. Susanna, born in England. 4. Thom- as, mentioned below. 5. Hannah, born about 1641, married Henry Dow. 6. Mary, born about 16.44. 7. Rebecca, baptized at Salem, September 16, 1639. 8. Samuel, baptized September 16, 1639.


(II) Thomas Page, son of Robert Page (I), born in Salem, Massachusetts, 1639; married, Feb- ruary 2, 1664, at Hampton, Mary, daughter of Christopher Hussey, and settled in Hampton. Their children : 1. Mary, born May 21, 1665. 2. Robert, born July 17, 1667. 3. Christopher, mentioned below. 4. John, born November 15, 1672, settled in Nan- tucket. 5. Theodate, born July 8, 1675. 6. Stephen, born August 4, 1677. 7. Bethia, born May 23, 1679.


(III) Christopher Page, third child of Thomas Page (3), born in Hampton, New Hampshire, Sep- tember 20, 1670; married, November 14, 1689, Abi- gail, daughter of Daniel Tilton. He inherited the homestead and lived at Hampton. His children : I. Robert, born September 8, 1690. 2. Abigail, Feb- ruary 1, 1693. 3. Lydia, August 3, 1698. 5. Jona- than, December 25, 1700. 6. David, mentioned be- low. 7. Shubael, born March 28, 1708. 8. Tabitha, August 21, 1711.


(IV) David Page, sixth child of Christopher Page (3). born in Hampton, November 1, 1703; married, June 27, 1728, Ruth, daughter of Deacon


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WORCESTER COUNTY


John and Ruth (Smith) Dearborn. Her father was a resident of Hampton. David Page settled in. Hampton, near his brother Jonathan Page, on the Thomas Moore place. He was among the first set- tlers of Epping, New Hampshire, his name and that of his eldest son being among those on the first petition for the town in 1747. A number of his children lived in Epping. Children of David and Ruth Page: 1. John, born July 17, 1729. 2. Robert. born April 1, 1731; married, November 12, 1755, Sarah Dearborn, and settled in Raymond, New Hampshire; his children were baptized in Epping. 3. Deborah, born January 1I, 1733. 4. David, born March 26, 1735. 5. Benjamin, mentioned below. 6. Abigail, born June 20, 1740, died young. 7. Abi- gail, February 25, 1743. 8. Christopher, October 23, 1744. 9. Ruth, November 5, 1745. 10. Josiah, Jan- uary 13, 1749; married Sarah Marston.


(V) Benjamin Page, fifth child of David Page (4), was born in Hampton, New Hampshire, Au- gust 7, 1738; married, about 1762, Hannah


His wife joined the church at Epping, September II, 1763, and their children were baptized there. His will was dated July 6, 1796. He took the associa- tion test before the revolution. His children : I. Ruth, born September II, 1763, married .


Shaw. 2. Elizabeth, baptized December 9, 1764; married - Merrill. 3. Deborah, born August


24, 1766; married Merrill. 4. David, "eld- est son." 5. Nathan, mentioned below. 6. Sarah, married


French. 7. Abigail. 8. Molly.


(VI) Nathan Page, son of Benjamin Page (5), born in Epping, New Hampshire, July 10, 1770, bap- tized July 15, 1770. He was a farmer at Epping. He married first, Sarah Perkins, of Hampton Falls, March, 1796; she died August 23, 1812, and he mar- ried (second), 1813, Mary Weeks, of Parsonfield, Maine, born June 7, 1767, died at Epping, March 25, 1847. Their children: 1. Nathaniel Perkins, born June 7, 1797 ; died September 16, 1844, at Pembroke, Maine ; married Mary Ann Robinson, of Exeter, New Hampshire. 2. Nancy, born February 15, 1799; died May 9, 1826, at Nottingham, New Hampshire ; married Francis Harvey. 3. Samuel Plumer, born June 30, ISO1 ; died April 13, 1838; married Eliza- beth Drew, of Plymouth, Massachusetts. 4. Sally, born May 12, 1803 ; married Jolin Fellows, of Fay- ette, Maine. 5. Benjamin, born August 20, 1805; married three times. 6. Hannah, born November 27, 1807; died November 3, 1833, at Nottingham, New Hampshire; second wife of Francis Harvey, who married first her sister Nancy. 7. David Per- kins, mentioned below.


(VI) David Perkins Page, A. M., son of Nathan Page (6), was born in Epping. New Hampshire. July 4, 1810. His father was a farmer in comfort- able but not affluent circumstances, and was naturally anxious to keep his son on the farm. The son de- veloped early an ambition to become a teacher ; his father was opposed to the idea, though not opposed to education. There was a fair library in the old farm house, and the boy studied at every opportun- ity, and acquired an excellent common school edu- cation. At the age of fifteen or sixteen he had a serious illness, and at the crisis of the disease, when his father feared the worst, the boy exactcd a prom- ise from him that if he got well he should go to the academy and become a teacher. That illness gave to the world one of the leaders in the educational progress of America in the nineteenth century. At the age of eighteen he began his studies at Hamp-


ton Academy; he had his father's permission, but he made every effort not to draw on his father for expenses. In later years he confessed some of the difficulties of his academy life, with homespun clothes somewhat outgrown and very much out of fashion. In a few months he was engaged as a teacher, and his success in the school room justified his confidence that he had found his natural voca- tion, He returned to the academy and studied for a time, and then taught school at Epping, New Hampshire, Newbury and Byfield, Massachusetts, After about two years of teaching in the district schools he decided to open a private school in New- buryport, then a city of 16,000 inhabitants. He be- gan with five pupils, but before the end of the term had his school full to its capacity. One of his bio- graphers indicates that success was not as easy as it might seem. "He had been accused, opposed, sus- pected, and surmounted all attempts to put him down. But he was always calm, cool, collected. He lived down all his enemies, and there were few men over whose solemn grave such a flood of tears would so sincerely fall, He taught himself while teaching others. Punctual to a proverb, the very genius of order, and cheerful as the day, firm but not severe, dignified but not haughty, social but not trifling, there was a charm about him as irresistible as it was benign and salutary."


Mr. Page was a natural musician and had a well trained and powerful voice and a good ear, two im- portant gifts for a teacher. It has been said of his early work as a teacher : "The task was by no means light. Faculty is the most essential element of suc- cess in Yankee-land. Faculty the young teacher was found to possess in liberal measure. The school house was dingy and ill appointed, as were nearly all of its kind. He filled it with the sun- shine of a happy temperament and with the quick conceits of an inventive mind, bent on making labor light and wholesome. He boarded around among his patrons, and was subjected to many petty incon- veniences, but this enabled him to become acquainted with the home influences in his surroundings and he was keen in his perception of the elements with which he had to deal. He became master of the situation."




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