Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. IV, Part 97

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 97

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( IV) Jonathan Cunningham, son of Robert Cunningham (3), was born in Spencer, Massachu- setts, March 6, 1771, died in Leicester, April 5, 1858, aged eighty-eight years. He inherited part of the homestead and built the old house near the Baptist church in that part of Spencer incorporated as Paxton. They lived in Paxton until after their children were born, when they removed to South Leicester. He married, February 6, 1799, Deliver- ance Earle, who was descended from the immigrant Ralph Earle, as follows: Deliverance (VI), Mar- maduke (V). Robert (IV), Ralph (III), William ( II), Ralph Earle (1). She was born in Paxton, November 10, 1779. died in South Leicester, an ad- jacent town. in 1868. Children of Jonathan and Deliverance Earle were: Willard, born November 9. 1800, died November 23, 1806; Lyman, born Feb- ruary 1, 1802, married Sarah Hall; William, born September 20, 1803, married Theodocia W. Clapp, born in Spencer. 1803, died December 25, 1846; Elizabeth, born June 2, 1805, married, April 8, 1830, Talmon Trask: Adeline, born June 1, 1807, mar- ried, November 26, 1829, Edwin Johnson; Elliott P .. born December 4. 1809. married Cynthia Slocum ; died in Mexico. Missouri: Jonathan Earle, horn November 1, 1811, married Wealthy Woodruff ; Marmaduke Newhall, born October 15. 1813, set- tled in Leicester ; Homer. born April 17. 1816. mar- ried. April 10, 1838, Eveline E. Stinson ; died June I, 1876; Thomas, born April 9, 1818; Winthrop Russell, born May 30, 1820, see forward.

(V) Winthrop Russell Cunningham, eleventh

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FRANCIS E. HIGGINS

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and youngest child of Jonathan Cunningham (4), was born in Paxton, Massachusetts, May 30, 1820. He was brought up on his father's farm and went to school in his native town. Ile followed farming for a time. He removed to Millbury, Massachu- setts, when seventeen years old and lived there the remainder of his life. His 'first work in Millbury was at the old armory of Waters, Flagg & Harring- ton, on the present site of the Atlantic Mills. The firm did an extensive business in gun manufacture for many years, and Mr. Cunningham occupied a responsible position with this concern for several years, at one time representing it in the south. He left this concern to engage in the manufacture of iron fences with the late Charles Hale. He was best known, of course, for his business of plumbing, heating and tinsmith. In 1861 he entered partner- ship with L. G. Pierce under the firm name of Pierce & Cunningham and succeeded to the tin- smith and plumbing business of Pond & Spaulding, established in 1838. After a short time Mr. Cun- ningham bought out his partner and became sole owner in 1863. In the following year he admitted his son, R. C. Cunningham, to partnership and the firm name became Cunningham & Son. The busi- ness was originally established in a building now occupied by Greenwood's block on Main street. It was moved to the corner of Main and Elm streets. The store and block in which it was located was destroyed by fire, May 7, 1894, but a handsome new block was built in its place, and the firm has been located there since. They deal in stoves, ranges, tin, copper, lead pipe, iron pipe, pumps, sinks, zinc, etc., and conduct a plumbing business and tin- smithing. He was unusually successfully in his un- dertaking and from a small beginning his store grew to large dimensions and his business expanded in every department.

Winthrop R. Cunningham was for several years also engaged in the iron foundry business, located at first in the rear of the Atlantic Mills and later in partnership with John Martin he built the foun- dry near the Millbury machine shop and carried on a successful business there. He finally sold out to his partner. who continued in business for many years. In politics he was an independent. He served the town as selectman one year, and al- though never very active in town matters held a position of influence among his fellow citizens. A man of the strictest integrity, he was an exemplary citizen, devoted to his home and kindly and demo- cratic in his relations with others.

He married. 1843, Candace A. Smith, who died in Millbury, February 18, 1906. Their children : Russell Clark, see forward; Zenas W., born in Millbury, 1849, died young; Olney E., born Octo- ber. 1851, a prosperous carpenter and builder, re- siding at II Maple street, Millbury.

(VI) Russell Clark Cunningham, son of Winthrop Russell Cunningham (5), was born in Millbury, Massachusetts, September 5, 1845. He was educated in the public and high schools of Millbury, and began in business as clerk for his father. After he came of age he was taken into partnership under the firm name of W. R. Cun- ningham & Son. He took an active part in all parts of the business and assisted in developing it. The business gradually developed upon him and after his father's death he became the sole pro- prietor, continuing to use the same name, how- ever. In June, 1904, he sold the business, owing to

ill health, and is living a retired life at the old homestead. When nineteen years of age he enlisted in a Massachusetts company, Tenth Unattached Ar- tillery, and served three months, being stationed at Fort Warren, near Boston. Mr. Cunningham was a Republican, but never sought public office. He is a member of Olive Branch Lodge, of Free Masons. He attends the Second Congregational Church, Mill- bury. The family reside the homestead, 58 South Main street.

He married, in 1870, Harriet J. Taft, daughter of Elisha C. and Achsalı ( Williams) Taft, of Ox- ford. Their children were: Edith C., horn July 18, 1876, lives with her mother; Ruth C., born July II, 1878, died August 21, 1895; Jeanette F., born January 9, ISSI, married Walter Weyer, December 21, 1904; Alline (twin), born July 30, 1883, inar- ried Fred Whitworth, of Millbury, March 27, 1906; Pauline (twin), born July 30, 1883, unmarried.

FRANCIS E. HIGGINS. Richard Higgins was the emigrant ancestor of Francis E. Higgins, of Worcester. Massachusetts. (Sce sketch of Mil- ton P. Higgins for details of Richard Higgins and lıis children.)

(II) Lieutenant Jonathan Higgins, son of Rich- ard Higgins (1), was born at Eastham, Massachu- setts, July, 1637. He married (first), January 9. 1660-61, Elizabeth Rogers, daughter of Joseph Rogers, and granddaughter of Thomas Rogers. Both father and grandfather came in the "May- flower." Thomas Rogers came in the "Mayflower" to Plymouth, bringing his son Joseph: his other children came afterward. He died in the first sick- ness, but his son Joseph was married and had six children. The other children of Thomas Rogers married and had many children. Probably Joseph and John Rogers, of Duxbury, were children of Thomas, but proof is incomplete. Children of Lieu- tenant Jonathan and Elizabeth (Rogers) Higgins were: Beriah, born September 29. 1661-62; Jona- than, August, 1664: Joseph, February 14. 1666; Hannah. married Joseph Paine, of Harwich; Eliza- beth, February 11, 1680; Mary, January 22, 1682-83 ; Rebecca, November 30, 1686; James, July 22, 1688; Sarah, October 18, 1690.

(III) Beriah Higgins, probably son of Jonathan Higgins (2), was born at Eastham, Massachusetts, September 29, 1661-62. He married Desire September 27. 1665. (See Freeman's Cape Cod, page 724.) He lived at Provincetown, Massa- chusetts, 1725, and had Elisha, and probably other children.

(IV) Elisha Higgins, son of Beriah Higgins (3), probably was born at Eastham or Orleans on Cape Cod. His will was made September 1, 1749, proved August 7, 1750. He married (first) Jane Collins. He married (second) Rachel Hopkins, April 4, 1746, at Harwich. The genealogist wishes further proof of the relations of Beriah Higgins, his parents and children. Children of Elisha Hig- gins were: I. Elisha, born January 3, 1701-02, probably married Sarah Lewis, October 19, 1721, settled at Hardwick. Massachusetts. He probably married (second) Hannah Atwood, January 24, 1732. 2. Martha, born January 25, 1703-04, mar- ried Jonathan Doane, August 8, 1723. 3. Beriah, born January 15. 1705. probably married Jemima Wetherell, June I. 1730. 4. Alice, born November 27. 1707. not mentioned in father's will, probably married Solomon Doane, October I, 1730, at Stand-

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ish, Maine. 5. Apphia, born November 22, 1709, married. 1730, Simon Doane, of Standish, Maine. 6. Jonathan, born October 8, 1711, removed to Hardwick, Massachusetts. 7. Elizabeth, born 1713, probably married James Mayo, January 15. 1735. 8. Joseph, born 1717. 9. Ruth, born 1719, probably married Samuel Mayo, January 2. 1735. IO. Barna- bas, born 1722, probably married Mary Smith at Truro, Maine, March 3, 1742-43. 11. Philip, born March 17, 1724-25, probably married Phebe Lewis in Truro, Maine, March 26, 1747.

(V) Jonathan Higgins, son of Elisha Higgins (4). was born at Hardwick, Massachusetts, October 8, 1711. He married Rachel Their chil- dren were: Jonathan, born April 20, 1736; Lurania, June 9, 1738; Henry, December 27, 1740; Henry, July 24, 1743, see forward; Bethia, March 26, 1746, probably married, February 13. 1777, Joseph Col- lings. in Orleans, Massachusetts: Joshua, baptized September 18, 1748; Rachel, baptized May 19, 1751, married Andrew Harwood, of Ware, Massachu- setts. (published February 3, 1771) ; Philip, bap- tized January 13. 1754.

( VI) Henry Higgins, son of Jonathan Higgins (5), was born at Hardwick, Massachusetts, July 24. 1743. He died there March 16, 1837. He mar- ried, November 9, 1768, Mary Fisk, who died Feb- ruary 7, 1821, aged seventy-one years. He was buried where the Baptist church formerly stood in Hardwick, near the line of Enfield, at the place marked Deacon Higgins on the map. His children were: Mary, born about 1771, married Enoch Thayer, died in Amherst, Massachusetts, April 15, 1860. aged eighty-nine years ; Henry, born July 27. 1779: Rachel, born about 1782, died unmarried, March 30, 1858, aged about seventy-six years.

(VII) Henry Fisk Higgins, son of Henry Hig- gins (6), was born in Hardwick, Massachusetts, July 27, 1779. He removed from Hardwick to Ware, Massachusetts. He was an able and suc- cessful carpenter and builder, a highly respected citizen. He died February 21, 1860. He married Olla Metcalf, of Royalston, Massachusetts, born June 9. 1789. died August 19, 1866. at Hardwick. The marriage was published September 19, 1813. Children of Henry Fisk and Olla ( Metcalf) Hig- gins were: Henry Melville, born October 22, 1814; Olla Metcalf. April 8, 1816; Sarah Luthera, January II, ISIS; Whitman Fisk, February 26, 1821, resides in Salem Square, Worcester: Lurania Maria, De- cember 12, 1822: Elon Galusha, born May 11, 1825, married Lucy M. Graves, 1845; five others, all born in Hardwick.

( VIHI) Elon Galusha Higgins, son of Henry Fisk Iliggins (7), was born at Hardwick, Massa- chusetts, May TI, 1825. He was educated in the district schools of Hardwick. Enfield and North Brookfield, Massachusetts. His opportunities for school were limited, much of his time in boyhood being given to work on his father's farm. At the age of fourteen he left home to work on a farm in Ware, Massachusetts, and all his earnings were paid to his father. When he was seventeen, he was given his time and shifted for himself thereafter. Ile worked in shoe shops in North Brookfield and Worcester. In 1847 he learned the trade of paper- hanger. After a few years he put in a small stock of wall paper at his house on William street. As a workman he achieved a reputation for skill and thoroughiness that brought new business to him. The sale of wall paper soon became an important

factor in his business and he altered the basement of his residence into a store to handle it. In 1869, in company with his brother, F. W. Higgins, he- stocked with wall paper a small store about fifteen by thirty on Pleasant street on the site of the Rogers building. The brothers attended to the busi- mess with the aid of one salesman. F. W. Hig- gins withdrew from the business in 1876 and E. G. Iliggins continued it alone. He moved from Pleasant street to a store on Maple street, where a portion of the State Mutual building now stands, and in 1880 he moved to 284 Main street. His trade continued to increase and in 1893 he decided to in- corporate it. The corporation was called the E. G. Higgins Company. The officers were: Presi- dent. E. G. Higgins : treasurer and manager, Francis E. Higgins. The wholesale business had become very large. The company soon afterward moved to their present quarters in a building erected by John E. Day. From time to time more room had been added. The company has two basements and two floors of the building 274 and 278 Main street, fifty-six by one hundred and twenty feet. It has also a large store room in a new building in the rear about seventy feet square. The entire stock of wall paper of the company was destroyed by fire, March 21, 1002, but business was carried on with hardly any interruption, and as soon as the building was rebuilt it was filled with a new stock larger than ever. For a number of years this house has been the largest customer east of New York of the National Wall Paper Company, commonly known as the Trust. Over a million rolls of paper among which are many foreign novelties imported expressly for them, are received and shipped to cus- tomers or sold in the store every year. The com- pany control for New England the products of many of the foreign manufacturers. Mr. Higgins died November, 1904. and since then the business has been conducted by his son. Francis E. Higgins, who was for many years active in the management of the business. Until his last sickness Mr. Hig- gins was at his office daily though his son had taken the burden of management some years before. His other son, William E. Higgins, has a retail wall paper store on Pearl street, and his sons, Edward L. and Arthur C., are both in the wail paper busi- ness also.

The career of Mr. Higgins is one of the most remarkable among those of the self-made men of Worcester. He worked his way from the position of a poor boy to the head of the largest wall paper business in New England. Success came to him gradually, if not slowly. It was the price of hard toil and unremitting industry, careful study of busi- ness methods and the public tastes. Mr. Higgins inherited from his Puritan ancestry a clean charac- ter and intense piety. He was a constant reader and student of the Bible. He was a strong temper- ance advocate, abstaining himself from tobacco as well as from alcoholic drink. He was a member and leader of the Second Adventists for nearly sixty years and gave generously to the support of their church in Worcester He had a personal acquaintance with the leaders and preachers of that faith in the United States and had entertained many of them at his home in Worcester. Mr. Higgins took pride in the fact that he never saw a theatrical performance. Few instances of the survival of the Puritan ideals was to be found in Mr. Higgins's day and generation. He lived consistently with his-

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own austere religious beliefs, and thereby com- manded the respect alike of employees and fellow citizens of all classes.

He married, February 1, 1845, Lucy Maria Graves, at Worcester. Her father was born in Hopkinton and also her grandfather. She was the daughter of Lawson Graves and Polly Childs, his wife, who was a descendant of William Child or Childs, a pioneer settler of Watertown, Massachu- setts. Mr. and Mrs. Higgins celebrated their golden wedding February 1, 1895, and an appro- priate poem was read on that occasion by Mrs. E. E. Miles. Children of Elon Galusha and Lucy Maria ( Graves) Higgins were: Abbie Maria, born Au- gust I, 1847, at Worcester : Charles Albert, July 10, 1849: Francis Elon, October 15, 1851 : William FI- liston. September 20, 1853, resides at 89 May street, Worcester, in business as dealer in wall paper at 22 Pearl street, Worcester ; Frederick Othello, Jan- uary 23, 1856, died young; Etha E., October 29, 1858: Albion Galusha, July 1, 1860, died young ; Edward Lawson, January 5, 1863, connected with the business of E. G. Higgins Co., at 278 Main street, resides at 10 Oxford street ; Arthur Clar- ence, May 29. 1867, salesman for the E. G. Ilig- gins Co., resides at 15 Lancaster street.

(IX) Francis E. Higgins, son of Elon Galusha Higgins (8), was born in Worcester, Massachu- setts, October 15, 1851. He was educated in the Worcester schools. For a short time after leaving school he worked in the office of the Ames Plow Company of Worcester, but in 1869, when his father and uncle formed partnership, he went to work for his father. Four years later he became a partner in the business and for many years owned a half interest and worked with his father to develop the business to its present handsome proportions. When he entered the firm the wholesale department was added and it soon became the most important part of the business. When the corporation was formed in 1893. Mr. Higgins became treasurer and general manager. His energy and systematic conduct of the business resulted in large and constant growth. The amount of business has quadrupled since he became the manager, and the house gained its posi- tion of leadership under his management. If ever a son successfully developed and increased the busi- ness his father had established, that son is Francis E.'Higgins. The house receives and disposes of more than a million rolls of wall paper every year. The company represents in central New England three of the leading French manufacturers and four of the largest English firms. Some of the modern wall papers are very costly and artistic. The com- pany has a number of salesmen on the road to handle their goods. Mr. Higgins owes some of his success in his business probably to his gifts as an artist. He is clever with the brush in oil and water colors. He was for seven years the treasurer of the Worcester Art Students' Club. He has studied abroad the subject of interior decoration, and he is doubtless one of the most competent experts in his line in the country. The success of the business demonstrates that he has unusual business and exe- cutive ability.

Since the death of his father he has been treas- urer of the company and virtual owner of it. Be- sides the wall paper business the company deals largely in window shades, metallic window screens and Venetian blinds. The paper hanging depart- ment is very large, and a large staff of men are

kept at work throughout the year. The fire, March 21, 1902, destroyed a large stock of goods, but Mr. Higgins opened temporary offices at once and the trade was not seriously damaged. The company returned to the same quarters as soon as the re- pairs and rebuilding was completed and since then the storage rooms have been increased. Mr. Hig- gins is a member of the Commonwealth Club, the Builders' Exchange, and the Worcester Board of Trade. He is also a member of Quinsigamond Lodge, A. F. and A. M.

He married, October 12, 1885, Sarah C. Heald, daughter of Solomon O. Heald. Their children are: Gladys, born September 8, 1891; Etha Hazel, born May 23, 1897, died 1899; Francis Raymond, born October, 1896, died 1899. All reside at home, 51 William street.

ALEXANDER S. PATON, one of the promi- nent and enterprising business men of Worcester county, a resident of Leominster, was born on the banks of the Clyde, Scotland, November 20, 1854, a son of the late James and Margaret (Sinclair) Paton, whose family consisted of three children. James Paton (father) was a printer of cloth by trade, an honorable and upright man, and his death occurred at the early age of thirty-five years. His wife survived him many years, passing away in Scotland, in 1904, aged eighty-two years.

In IS70, at the age of sixteen years, Alexander S. Paton set sail from Scotland on the ship "An- gelia" and after a stormy and tedious voyage landed in New York city. He at once proceeded to Leom- inster, Massachusetts, where he secured employment with a horn company. Later he became an employe of the Union Horn Company, with whom he re- mained until 1879, when he started in the business for himself and so successful has the enterprise proved that a frequent increase in the number of workmen and increased mechanical facilities have been needed to fill the contracts. By close applica- tion and good judgment he has built up a business standing and won an enviable reputation, and he is now (1905) owner and president of five horn and celluloid comb companies in Worcester county, viz: Paton Manufacturing Company, Viscoloid Company, Sterling Comb Company, Horn & Supply Company, Howard Novelty Company, Mr. Paton was the first president of the Leominster & Clinton Street Railway Company, and has also been largely inter- ested in other electric roads, as a director in the Greenfield & Turner Falls road, the Gardner road, the Leominster & Clinton, the Pawtucket Valley road in Westerly, Rhode Island. and the George- town & Haverhill road. He was also president of the new Worcester & Clinton Street Railway, a director of the Columbian Life Insurance Company, at Boston, and of the Planer Company, at Ayre, Massachusetts : a director of the Leominster National Bank, and has been moderator of town meetings in Leominster for nearly fifteen years.

Mr. Paton is a progressive and broad-minded citizen, and takes an active part in questions of public interest. He served three years on the board of selectman, being its chairman during the last term. In 1895 he ran as an independent can- didate for representative to the legislature, but was defeated by the small majority of thirty votes. Two yeras later he was nominated hy the Republican caucus and elected as representative to the legis- lature, where he in 1898 and 1890 was chairman of

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the committee on banks and banking, also monitor, having served on the important committee of ways and micans. In 1898, having been nominated un- animously by his party for re-appointment, was elected by a large majority, the same occurring the following year, 1900. He is chairman of the county Republican committee of that part of the county. He was president of the Town Improvement Society during its existence, and served as vice-president of the board of trade. He is a member of Wilder Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Aleppo Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; Leominster Lodge, No. 86, Independent Order of Odd Fellows: Daugh- ters of Rebekah, of the same order ; Wachusett Tribe, No. 41, Improved Order of Red Men; Columbian Lodge, No. 100, Knights of Pythias. He is also a member of the Leominster Club, and president of the Country Club. He has passed all the chairs in the Odd Fellows and in the Red Men's organi- zations, and is past grand master of the same. He is a member of the Unitarian Church, in which he takes great interest and to which he contributes liberally. He is known throughout the entire state as a philanthropic man in the true sense of the word, and no man with a worthy object in view has ever been refused aid by him.

In 1882 Mr. Paton was married to Clara M. Somers, daughter of the late Winter Somers, a representative of an old family of Leominster. Their children are as follows: Phoebe S., who became the wife of Frederick L. Perry, and they are the parents of one child, Francis Perry ; Somers, Agnes, Paulina P., and Clara M. Mr. Paton and his family reside in a handsome home in Leominster, modern in all its appointments, and here they are surrounded with all the comforts of life.

HUBBARD FAMILY. George Ifubbard (1) was the emigrant ancestor of the Hubbard family of Holden. Massachusetts. He was born in Eng- tand, probably in the southeastern part, and came to New England in 1633. He was at Watertown until 1635. He left Watertown, October 15, 1635, in a company of sixty men, women and children who went to Wethersfield, Connecticut, to settle. He was a surveyor and was employed to survey the lines of Windsor, Connecticut, (then called Dor- chester) and Wethersfield (then called Watertown). For a year or so the Connecticut colony was under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Bay govern- ment, which appointed commissioners for the pur- pose. George Hubbard was a delegate to the first general court in which Wetherfield was represented in 1638-39. The records show that he was a promi- nent surveyor in the Connecticut colonies for many years. He lived in the eastern part of Wethersfield which later became Glastonbury, Connecticut, and some of his original farm is now owned or was recently owned hy descendants ever since the origi- nal grant. After living in Wethersfield for three years he went to Long Island Sound, where he set- tled in the town of Milford. Later he sold Milford Island to Richard Byran.

He married Mary Bishop, who died at Guilford, Connectient. September 14, 1675. She was the daughter of John and Anne Bishop. who first stopped in Wethersfield and in 1639 settled in Guild- ford. Connecticut, where John Bishop was one of the seven original proprietors. George Hubbard died February, 1661. Children of George Hubbard were : Mary, born about 1625, in England, married John Fowler: John, born 1630, in England, resided at

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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 97

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