USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Historic homes and places and genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume III > Part 5
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He married (first), February 20, 1868, Helen Maria Mair, who was born December 31, 1846, and died May 4, 1872, the daughter of George and Lucretia (Emery) Mair, of Boston. Her father was a sea captain. Mr. Rawson married (second), September 23, 1874, Sarah Elizabeth Mair, who was born March 14, 1845, the daughter of Peter and Sophronia (Emery) Mair. Her father was a carpenter. Children of Warren W. and Helen Maria Rawson: I. Mabel Louisa, born No- vember 19, 1869, died May 2, 1905; married, November 13, 1889, Louis Hall Ross, of Bos- ton; children: Helen Marie Ross, born September 11, 1890; ii. Beatrice Eleanor Ross, born March 21, 1892; iii. Louis Warren Ross, born July 18, 1893; iv. Madeline Ross, born May 29, 1895, died September 5, 1906; v. Donald Gunn Ross, born April 13, 1897. 2. Eleanor Hovey, born May 4, 1871, died Sep- tember 4, 1871. Children of Warren W. and Sarah Elizabeth Rawson: 3. Alice, born Oc- tober 21, 1875. 4. Herbert Warren, born July 2, 1877, mentioned below. 4. Arthur Mair, born October 15, 1879, died April 24, 1881.
(IX) Herbert Warren Rawson, son of Warren Winn Rawson (8), was born at Arl- ington, July 2, 1877. He received his early education in the public schools there, graduat- ing from the Russell grammar school and attending the high school one year. In the fall of 1892 he entered Massachusetts Agri- cultural College at Amherst and continued until the spring of 1895 when he entered Cor- nell University, graduating there in 1897 with the degree of Bachelor of Science of Agricul- ture. He then entered the employ of his father at 34 South Market street, Boston, as clerk. After four years, during which he learned the details of the business carefully, he was admitted to partnership under the firm name of W. W. Rawson & Company. Mr. Rawson is manager of the business in Boston and also of the plant at Arlington that sup- plies the concern with hardy and greenhouse plants. The firm makes a specialty of plants and bulbs and all kinds of vegetable seeds, having customers in all parts of the country. Many of their specialties are grown for them under contract in Germany, England and Hol- land, as well as the United States. Special considerations of soil and climate determine where certain seeds shall be cultivated. Mr. Rawson's home is at 295 Broadway, Arling- ton. In politics a Republican, he has been a member of the school committee two years
and chairman of the Republican town commit- tee in 1906 and 1907. He has been a delegate to various senatorial, representative and county conventions of his party and is secre- atry of the sixth district councillor Republican committee. He was made a member of Hiram Lodge of Free Masons, November 12, 1903; of Menotomy Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, March 20, 1906. He belongs to the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity of Amherst and Cornell; of Theta Nu Epsilon fraternity at Cornell. He was president of his college class at Amherst for two years. He belongs to the Arlington Boat Club; to the Boston Market Gardeners' Association; the Home Market Club; the Massachusetts Republican Club; the Boston Club and is a life member of the Massachu- setts Horticultural Society.
He married, January 14, 1901, Martha Davis Griffin, who was born at Annisquam, Massachusetts, January 21, 1878, the daughter of Willard P. and Marilla (Gunnison) Griffin, of Annisquam. Her father is a coal dealer at Annisquam. Children: I. Marilla Gunnison, born May 17, 1902. 2. Warren Winn, 2d., born April 4, 1906. 3. Elizabeth, born June 20, 1907.
The Delaney or Delany fam- DELANY ily of county Galway, Ireland, has an ancient and honorable history. It has been especially distinguished by the sons and daughters it has given to the church. Of the present generation we may mention the Right Rev. Dr. Delaney, Coad- jutor Archbishop of Hobart, Tasmania, Aus- tralia, a near relative of the late Right Rev. Dr. Delany, of Manchester, New Hampshire, mentioned below; Rev. Father Delaney, of Beechworth, Australia, a cousin of the Amer- ican bishop. But the Irish Delanys were not all priests. Many stories and traditions of deeds of valor in battle, of patriotism and self-sacrifice are repeated to the children of each generation. The Delanys were stout of heart and strong of body, leaders of men in their native land; the history of the family would indicate how much the honored sons of this generation owe to heredity, especially in giving faith, hope, courage and persistence, the qualities of mind and heart that have been conspicuous in many of the name.
(I) Bryan Delany, the American pioneer, was born in Ballanimore Bridge, county Gal- way, Ireland. He married Mary Children : I. Thomas, born 1836, mentioned
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below. 2. Bernard, a tailor in business at 157 Middlesex street, Lowell. 3. John, re- mained in Ireland.
(II) Thomas Delany, son of Bryan De- lany (I), was born at Ballanimore Bridge, county Galway, Ireland, in 1836, and died in Lowell, Massachusetts, October 1, 1900. He had a common school education in his native parish, and learned the tailor's trade. In 1857 he came to this country, the first of his family to leave Ireland. He resided for six months in Boston, then came to Lowell and entered the employ of McEvoy, the tailor, in that city, as a journeyman. A few years later he start- ed in business on his own account as a mer- chant tailor with a store on Market street. He was successful. Frugal and economical, he invested his savings wisely and in the course of time attained the leading position in his line of business in the city of Lowell. He accumulated a comfortable fortune and for many years held a position of influence and importance in the community. He was an earnest advocate of temperance, and a member of various Catholic societies intended to en- courage total abstinence. He was industrious, capable and intelligent ; honest and upright in all his dealings ; kind, sympathetic and helpful in his relations with other men. He was well known in Lowell and enjoyed the respect and esteem of all classes of his townsmen. At the time of his death he was the oldest mer- chant tailor in the city, He believed thor- ougly in education and his children were en- couraged to study and cultivate their minds. It is an interesting fact that Notre Dame Academy of Lowell had one or more of his five daughters as pupils constantly for a per- iod of twenty-seven years.
Mr. Delany, like his Irish ancestors, had a sturdy physique, an active brain and a heart big enough to embrace not only those bound to him by ties of blood or marriage, but also those united to him only by the common bond of charity, if they were in need for anything he had to give. "Manly, whole-souled, a model citizen, a fervent Catholic, he was eas- ily the most respected member of St. Patrick's parish in Lowell."
He was an earnest and loyal Democrat in politics, but never sought public office. He was a member of no clubs or organizations, being devoted to his business, his home and his church. He lived at 791 Broadway, Low- ell. Soon after coming to Lowell Mr. Delany married Catherine Fox, daughter of James and Bridget Fox. She was born in county
Monaghan, Ireland. Her mother was a re- markable woman. Bridget Fox was born De- cember 23, 1793, near the town of Bellatrain, county Monaghan, Ireland, which is beauti- fully situated between Lakes Egish and Sillan, about twenty miles west of Dundalk, county seat of Louth; married in Ireland in the spring of 1814 at the age of twenty. She had seven sons and one daughter, Catherine, men- tioned above. In 1848 her husband and two sons and daughter went to the United States by way of Canada and settled in New York state, where he found employment in railroad construction. In 1852, four years later, Mrs. Fox joined the family in America, having re- ceived a letter telling her the sad news that her husband and one son had fallen victims to the cholera during an epidemic. She joined her two sons and daughter in Lowell. Her other children died in the old country. She was then nearly sixty years old, but her won- derful constitution made her as active as many women of half that age and she went bravely to work to earn her living, starting a boarding house that enabled her in time to establish a comfortable home. She died in Lowell, Jan- uary, 1898, having reached the remarkable age of one hundred and five years and one month. Up to the day of her death she retained her faculties to a wonderful degree. A pleasant incident of the quiet celebration of her cen- tennial birthday was the receipt of a poem by her granddaughter, Sister Florence Louise, of Waltham :
" A hundred years of labor! What conqueror can wear A crown of nobler laurels Entwined with deeds so fair? Deeds of love and kindness, Of sacrifice and care, As patient and as silent As whisperings of prayer.
"A hundred years of labor And glories are thine; The laurels most befitting May angel hands entwine; And may the King of Glory Who only knows thy worth, Each moment make a diadem Of thy hundred years on earth."
Mrs. Fox came of a family noted for long- evity. A sister in Ireland lived to the age of one hundred and two, dying in 1896. Her mother was more than a hundred years old when she died. Mrs. Delany survived her mother but a few years. She died at her home in Lowell, December 29, 1906, after a brief illness, at the age of seventy years. The death
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of her well-beloved son, the Bishop of Man- chester, undoubtedly shortened her life. Near- ly one hundred clergymen showed their re- spect for her memory by attending the funeral and letters of regret were received from many more, including one from the present Bishop of Manchester, Right Reverend Dr. Guertin, who succeeded Bishop Delany. Although Mrs. Delany's force for good in the world was unseen of men and almost unknown, the poor and unfortunate of the city had special rea- sons for lamenting her death. The character and worth of Mrs. Delany were appreciated by her family and friends. The beautiful tribute of the bishop, her son, at the time of his consecration is a notable instance. While still within the sanctuary after his consecra- tion, he looked at his mother and then out up- on the congregation. "All that I am," he said, "I owe to the home influences which have sur- rounded my youth," and, descending the steps, he went to her, kissed her and thanked her. All her days have been devoted to doing good for others. Even in her later years she re- mained the moving spirit in many of the char- itable enterprises of the city of her home. She was one of the most faithful parishioners of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church.
Children: I. Rose J., married Patrick Gil- bride, a prominent dry goods merchant and business man of Lowell. 2. Rev. John Ber- nard, mentioned below. 3. James, died young. 4. Minnie F., married, 1894, John A. O'Hearn, formerly manager of the Merrimack Clothing Company of Lowell, now of Boston, Massachusetts. 5. Catherine L., educated at Notre Dame Convent of Waltham, Massachu- setts; now Sister Florence Louise of the Order of Notre Dame; at present secretary of Trinity College, Washington, D. C. 6. Thom- as, Jr., died at Lowell, June 23, 1903. 7. Rev. Frederick J., educated in St. Patrick's Parochial School, Lowell; at Boston College, from which he was graduated in 1896, and in Paris and Rome, where he studied for the priesthood. He was ordained in New York City in May, 1901, by Archbishop Corrigan at St. Patrick's Cathedral, and is priest of Bos- ton. 8. Grace C., educated at Notre Dame Academy, a teacher in the Lowell Training School. 9. Clotilda Augusta, a graduate of the State Normal School at Lowell, teacher in the Concord Street Kindergarten School, Bos- ton. Mrs. Gilbride was a school teacher in Lowell before she was married.
(III) Right Reverend John Bernard De- lany, son of Thomas Delany (2), was born in
Lowell, August 9, 1864. His early education was obtained at the Greene grammar school of his native city and Lowell high school. He attended the Holy Cross College at Worces- ter, Massachusetts, for two years, and then entered Boston College, from which he was graduated in 1887. It was during these years with the Jesuits that the talents and tastes of Bishop Delany were developed. Though a close and conscientious student, he never sought the medals and premiums for high marks. He showed a distinct love for good literature, and his knowledge of English books and authors was beyond that of his classmates. He read widely in his college days and com- mitted to memory many poems, especially those of Tennyson who appealed with especial force at that time to both student and profes- sors. Often Delany's efforts in prose and verse were read to his classmates as models of good work. With the assistance of Pro- fessor J. M. Colgan, S. J., a class paper was issued rudely printed on an old gelatine hek- tograph, called The Diary. Many of Bishop Delany's first literary efforts were published in this paper and its successor, The Dawn. He spent most of spare time in the Boston public library with kindred spirits among the students, and their constant presence caused one corner of the library to be called by its frequenters the Boston College Corner. Of Delany as a student Father Colgan said : "Young Delany was a boy of steadfast pur- pose. You always knew where he stood, and he always stood on the side of truth and jus- tice and principle." A classmate writing of those days said of him: "I do not remember an angry word ever escaping his lips. He had an abundance of good nature, which revealed itself in quips and witty sayings. He did love a good joke or a funny story and his laugh was the most infectious I have ever listened to." * * "Such a man was bound to be a
favorite." From his earliest years he had been bent on being a priest, but he never expressed his determination until after his graduation from college. But he seemed naturally gifted for his chosen career. His modesty of de- meanor, his reserve and seriousness as well as his mental and intellectual gifts seemed admir- ably adapted to his chosen career. Immediately after graduating he went to Paris to study for the priesthood at the Seminary of St. Sulpice, perhaps the most famous in the world. Found- ed two hundred and fifty or more years ago, this seminary numbers among its alumni two canonized saints, one of whom, John Baptist
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de la Salle, founded the Institute of the Chris- tian Brothers. Nearly all the eminent French ecclesiastics, living and dead, including Car- dinal Lavigerie and the great preacher Lacor- daire, were students there. During his study abroad his mind was broadened by travel during vacations. He visited most of the his- toric spots in France, Italy, Germany, Aus- tria and Switzerland. His ordination took place May 23, 1891, at the hands of Cardinal Richard, archbishop of Paris. Father Delany said his first mass at St. Sulpice. He then offered the Holy Sacrifice at some of the famous shrines in and about Paris and at Lourdes, where he journeyed especially to ask the blessing of the Mother of God on his new life and work. He then visited England and Ireland and finally returned to America. After passing a few days at his father's home in Lowell, he reported for duty to his superior, Bishop Bradley, of Manchester. New Hamp- shire was then in urgent need of priests, espec- ially those familiar with the French language, and it was the need that induced Father Delany to offer himself. He began his priestly life at St. Anne's parish in Manchester. While there his admirable qualities of mind and heart and his zeal for every good work en- deared him to both priest and people. After two years and a half of faithful service in this parish he was transferred to the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Portsmouth. The rector of that church was the Very Rev- erend Eugene M. O'Callaghan, now pastor of St. John's Church at Concord, New Hamp- shire, who as vicar general of the diocese under Bishop Bradley, was continued by Bishop De- lany. After five years at Portsmouth Father Delany spent a few months in charge of the parish at Hinsdale, New Hampshire, during a European trip of the pastor.
He came to St. Joseph's Cathedral in Man- chester, New Hampshire, in 1898, as chan- cellor of the diocese and secretary to Bishop Bradley. In this position he entered all un- consciously upon the course of training that was specially to fit him for the high office to which he was later called. He performed his duties with the efficiency and faithfulness that had characterized his previous work in his profession. In addition to his other duties he preached in his turn with the other priests of the Episcopal household, and assisted in hear- ing the parish confessions. When the Monas- tery of the Precious Blood was opened in 1898 Father Delany was assigned as chap- lain, and every morning he said mass at the
chapel of the Sisters, heard their confessions and had general charge of the affairs of their institute. In 1902 he accompanied twelve of the members of the order to Cuba and estab- lished at Havana a new foundation of the order. To no other class in the community, perhaps, was his elevation to the Episcopal chair more pleasing than to these Sisters whose welfare and interests he guarded and directed so wisely for six years. One of the most con- genial and important duties of Father Delany came to him in August, 1898, when Bishop Bradley placed him in editorial charge of The Guidon, a new Catholic magazine, which he made a success financially and an organ of large influence and importance. He remained its editor until the time of his consecration as bishop. At present this magazine is owned by a stock company composed of the priests of the diocese. Much of the material for this sketch has been suggested by a memorial num- ber of The Guidon, published soon after the death of Bishop Delany. Nowhere were his tact, patience and perseverance more needed and more in evidence than in his building up of this paper. Its publication began in the face of difficulties that would have daunted one less strong. Catholic papers and maga- zines already existed in great numbers. Mem- bers of the clergy were skeptical of the suc- cess of the undertaking and the laymen were not encouraging. But Bishop Bradley felt the need of this publication and Father Delany established it. In six years The Guidon under his management grew from a small paper with few advertisers and a nominal circulation to a large and handsome magazine with a large and extensive circulation and liberal advertising patronage, taking rank with the best publica- tions of its class and receiving the approba- tion of the highest dignitaries of the church. Cardinal Martinelli sent a special message of commendation to Father Delany for the good work being done by The Guidon. Bishop Delany had a high ideal of the mission of journalism and he kept the pages of this maga- zine singularly free from anything like sensa- tionalism or cheap literature. His own edi- torials were widely quoted in both Catholic and Protestant papers. They dealt with all manner of public questions, such as strikes, education, temperance, woman suffrage, di- vorce, the conditions of the church in France, various social and political topics which he dis- cussed openly and fearlessly in the light of his own faith. He never hesitated to point out to his people and his readers their rights and
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duties as citizens of the United States and as members of the Catholic church.
In addition to the multifarious duties already mentioned Father Delany found time for other priestly duties. Prior to his elevation to the bishopric he was diocesan director of the League of the Sacred Heart, branches of which he established even in remote parts of the State. He was director of the Society of the Holy Childhood and had charge of the non-Catholic missions of New Hampshire. At one time he was a member of the State Conference of Charities and Corrections, and he was state chaplain of the Knights of Co- lumbus from the time of their organization until shortly before his consecration. His last appointment from Bishop Bradley was a dio- cesan director of the Priests' Temperance League, an organization the members of which pledge themselves to further the cause of tem- perance by every means within their power. But with all these cares and duties Father Delany found time to write many prose sketches and occasional poems of more than ordinary merit for the magazine of which he was editor, and to deliver public lectures and addresses on subjects ranging from art and travel to theology. In 1903 he delivered the baccalaureate sermon at Boston College, the highest honor which his alma mater had to bestow.
The qualities that made Father Delany suc- ceed in the discharge of these diverse and varied duties commended him to his super- ior, and he came thus to be not only Bishop Bradley's secretary but his confidential friend and adviser. He often accompanied the bishop on his travels and frequently repre- sented him on public occasions. His duties as chancellor too brought him into intimate rela- tions with the pastors throughout the state and it was natural enough that when Bishop Brad- ley died, Father Delany was the first choice of the priests of the diocese to succeed him. The official announcement of the appointment of Father Delany as bishop was received from Rome, August 9, 1904. There was general rejoicing and satisfaction over the appoint- ment outside as well as inside the church.
Bishop Delany was consecrated September 8, 1904, at St. Joseph's Cathedral, Manches- ter. The consecrator was the Most Reverend Diomede Falconio, the apostolic delegate. The assistant consecrators were the Right Rever- end Edward P. Allen, bishop of Mobile, Ala- bama, and the Most Reverend William H. O'Connell, coadjutor archbishop of . Boston,
both intimate friends of Bishop Delany. A representative gathering of clergy and laymen from all over New England attended the ser- vice. At the close of the ceremony Bishop Delany made his first address to his people and gave to them his first Episcopal blessing. Then came a dinner to the clergy in Mechan- ics Hall, where he was presented with a purse of gold by the clergy of his diocese. In the evening he sang pontifical vespers. The first official act of the bishop was the celebration of a mass for the school children of the city, their teachers and members of the religious orders, Friday, September 9, and on the Mon- day following he celebrated his first pontifical mass for the repose of the soul of the Right Reverend Denis M. Bradley, his worthy pre- decessor. The civic celebration in his honor Monday, September 12, was a notable occa- sion. Delegations from all parts of the state joined the people of his parish in a represent- ative gathering in his honor. In the speeches the love and affection, the confidence and rev- erence felt by his people were admirably ex- pressed, and a substantial testimonial was left to show the general appreciation.
His career as bishop was cut short by death after twenty-one months in his high office. Bishop Delany was indefatigable in his efforts to build up the diocese along the lines laid down by his predecessor. A few weeks after his consecration Bishop Delany made a pilgri- mage to Rome. The visit to the Vatican, the interviews with the Pope, the memorable voy- age home on the "Princess Irene," when the Bishop allayed the terror of hundreds of storm-bound passengers, the race home from Halifax where the vessel finally made port, coming by special train in order to be with his people on the first Christmas after his conse- cration, and his arrival in the early hours of Christmas morning and his greeting at mass are fresh in the memory of his people. Bishop Delany at once began to enlarge and extend the work already well begun by his prede- cessor. Even before his consecration he had installed in the cathedral and residence a sys- tem of electric lighting, and this became his consecration gift, valued at about twenty-five hundred dollars, to his parish. His next thought was of the little ones and he dispensed with the children's mass in the low-studded, unattractive basement and had the young peo- ple attend the regular mass that he himself said when at home. He then did away with the adult choir and introduced congregational singing by the children, an experiment that
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proved a delightful success. He was especially beloved by the children, and he had the happy faculty of speaking not only within the com- prehension of the children but his speech at the same time reached and interested his adult audience. On Sunday, March 19, 1905, the bishop paid his first official visit to the Holy Rosary Chapel. He said the two regular masses there that day and announced at each his intention of erecting at once a new chapel which was greatly needed, the old structure being inadequate either for church or school purposes to which it was put. Eight months later, Sunday, November 5, 1905, he had the pleasure of dedicating the new structure, the old chapel being used afterward for school purposes. The bishop improved St. Joseph's school and renovated from top to bottom the boys' high school an old and dingy building, unattractive without and unsanitary within. It was made as healthful and clean as any school building in the city. He brought the course of study up to date and introduced new typewriting machines for the students. The old wooden passageway between cathedral and church was removed to give place to a brick cloister and to make room for the monument erected by the priests of the diocese to the memory of their first bishop. Bishop Delany was very active in carrying out to the letter Bishop Bradley's wishes as to the form of the memorial which was dedicated December 24, 1905, and Bishop Delany caused to be placed in the cathedral itself a tablet bearing a more extended inscription. He laid plans for the Bradley Memorial High School to take the place of the boys' school, and some months later he bought a site for the proposed build- ing, a large tract of land facing Tremont Common and near by the cathedral itself. But the project nearest to the bishop's heart was nearest to fulfillment at the time of his death. When the city farm was discontinued in 1905 the city offered to sell to the bishop for the nominal price of one hundred dollars seven acres of land for a new orphanage, but there were objections and the bishop declined the gift, asking the privilege of buy- ing the land at public auction. The auction took place and he paid the market value of the land, sixty-one hundred dollars. The location is ideal. Just before his death Bishop Delany turned the first sod; the plans and specifica- tions were completed. Another project the bishop had in mind was the erection of a modern hospital building for the Sacred Heart Hospital, and he would undoubtedly have car-
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