USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Historic homes and places and genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume III > Part 71
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Of the American families of the surname Webster there are two important branches, from one of which came the great statesman, Daniel Webster, and from the other Noah Webster, of dictionary fame. David Webster, a resident of Edinburg, Scotland, was a tailor by trade. He married Margaret Hay, whom it was believed was of the same family as the late Hon. John Hay, the distinguished Amer- ican statesman and diplomatist. David and Margaret had at least two sons-David, through whom the present line is traced; and James, who remained in Scotland, and pur- sued his father's occupation in the city of his birth.
David (2), son of David (I) and Margaret (Hay) Webster, was born in Edinburg, Scot- land, in November, 1799. When a lad of some fourteen years he was impressed into the British navy and forced to serve on board a man-of-war bound for America to participate in the second conflict between the United States and Great Britain (1812-15). While the ship lay at anchor in Halifax harbor, Nova Scotia, he made his escape from a ser- vice which was distasteful to him, and having succeeded in reaching the United States, he located permanently in New Sharon, or Rome, Maine. He died October 9, 1854. In his reli- gious belief he was an Episcopalian. His wife was before marriage Mary Allen. She became the mother of eight children: William, who married Electa Foster, of Dracut, Massachu- setts. Mary A., who became the wife of James French, of New Sharon. David, who married Asenath Tracy. Charles Vaughn, who married Almena Pettingill, of Hancock, Maine. Betsey, who became the wife of Owen McGrath. James Batchellor, who will be men- tioned at greater length presently. John Chandler, who married a Miss Baker. Lydia Margaret, wife of Charles W. Shaw, of Win- throp, Maine. Of these William, Mary A., David, Betsey and John C. are no longer living.
James Batchellor Webster, fourth son and seventh child of David and Mary (Allen) Webster, was born in Rome, Maine, March II, 1834. He was educated in the public schools of his native town and resided there until twenty-three years old, at which time he decided to seek his fortune in Boston, arriving in the New England metropolis on July 3, 1857. Without much difficulty he succeeded in obtaining an agreeable mercantile position as clerk in a large hay and grain establishment at 250 Commercial street, and perceiving the
possibilities for advancement open to him he determined to acquire as rapidly as possible a full knowledge of the business. Practical ex- perience soon developed his natural ability for mercantile pursuits, and when his employer became incapacitated by ill health from giving personal attention to the business, its man- agement devolved upon Mr. Webster, who for some time conducted its affairs ably and faith- fully in the interest of the owner. He finally acquired possession of the business by pur- chase and admitting Mr. Lord to partnership established the well-known firm of Lord & Webster, which has ever since continued with prosperity at the old stand. This concern is now one of the largest hay and grain houses in New England and employs a numerous clerical force. In 1873 Mr. Webster estab- lished his residence in Malden, where he has frequently been solicited to accept public office, but has invariably declined. Politically he is a Republican. He is an influential and highly respected member of the Boston Chamber of Commerce. He is well advanced in the Ma- sonic Order, belonging to the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery, is among the orig- inal members of the Kernwood Club, Malden, and an attendant of the Universalist church.
In 1868 Mr. Webster was united in mar- riage with Lydia Brownell Smith, of Berwick, Maine, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Butler) Smith, both of that town, the latter a grand- daughter of Samuel Butler, of Berwick, who married Lydia Kimball, a native of Dover, New Hampshire. Mrs. Webster's paternal grandparents were Isaac; Sr. and Nancy (Straw) Smith, of Sandwich, New Hamp- shire. Nancy Straw was a daughter of Thomas Straw, a Revolutionary soldier who went from Chester, New Hampshire, to Sand- wich. Mr. and Mrs. Webster have had two children: Harrison Maynard, born in East Boston in 1870, died 1905. Lillian Mary, who was born in Malden and educated in the public schools of that city. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
HILL James Hill, son of James Hill, was an early colonist in Charlestown, Massachusetts. There were many Hill families among the early settlers in Bos- ton, Malden, Charlestown and vicinity, and it is not known whether James Hill belongs to the Malden or other family or whether he. himself was an immigrant. As to his parent- age we know only that he was called Junior
JamesWebster
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on the records some of the time, implying that his father was James, and in this country. He was born about 1700. He was a miller by trade, and with Peter Hay and John Gould built a grist mill in what is now Stoneham, Massachusetts. The families of these three men have been prominent throughout the his- tory of the town of Stoneham. Hill's farm was on the north side of Marble street, near High street. He is recorded as present at the first town meeting December 24, 1725, and therefore is entitled to the honor of being counted among the founders of the town. He married, December 30, 1726, Lois Upham, of Malden. Children: I. Joseph, mentioned below. 2. John, was a soldier in the French and Indian wars under Captain Ebenezer Nichols; taxpayer in Stoneham in 1784.
(II) Joseph Hill, son of James Hill (I), was born in Stoneham, Massachusetts, about 1730. He was on the tax list first about 1760, when he had "one horse and two cows" taxed as personal property. He was a soldier in the Revolution in the Reading company of Cap- tain John Bachiller, regiment of Colonel Eben- ezer Bridge, on the Lexington alarm, April 19, 1775. Children, born at Stoneham: I. James, mentioned below. 2. Joseph, Jr., a soldier in the Revolution ; probably the eldest son.
(III) James Hill, son of Joseph Hill (2), was born about 1770 in Stoneham. He was a prominent citizen of the town of Stoneham, and was appointed with several of the leading citizens on a committee of which Captain Caleb Richardson was captain to consider national affairs in 1812; doubtless he and his fellow committeemen were trying to find measures to prevent the war with Great Bri- tain which found practically no support in Massachusetts. He was selectman in 1802-03- 04-06. He married Mary Holden. Children : I. John, born 1794, mentioned below. 2. Luther, born February 3, 1808, mentioned below. 3. Levi, father of Amos Hill, a prom- inent citizen of Stoneham.
(IV) John Hill, son of James Hill (3), was born in Reading in 1794. He came to Stone- ham when a small boy and lived in the old Hill homestead on Marble street. He settled when he left home in the southern part of the town of Stoneham, and built a house opposite the end of Wilson Lane, owned by the late Jesse Green. He learned the trade of shoe- making in his youth, as nearly all the boys of that vicinity did, and he became a manufac- turer in a small way early in life. He carried
his shoes to Boston to sell and bought his stock there. It is said that at first he used to leave his hired vehicle on the Charlestown side to save ferriage and lugged his goods to market from the ferry on his back. After a time he removed to what is now Central Square, Stone- ham, and bought of Reuben Geary the build- ing afterward enlarged and converted into the hotel called the Central House. At that time Mr. Geary kept a store there. The frame was gotten out by Captain David Geary who intended the building for a tavern, and Mr. Hill subsequently carried out the original intention of the builder and made it a tavern which he opened to the public December 31, 1829. After keeping hotel a few years he sold out to Benjamin Goldsmith, and erected soon afterward the house in which he lived the remainder of his days and in which he died. At first, part of his house was used for business purposes, but in 1840 a building was erected for his shoe factory on the corner of Main and Franklin streets. With the additions made to it from time to time it grew into the spacious building still in use by the shoe man- ufacturing concern known for many years as John Hill & Company. In 1832 he took his brother Luther into partnership, and in 1844 John Hill, Jr., his son.
Mr. Hill had for several years a large inter- est in a pork packing establishment at Mere- dosia, Illinois. Some years prior to his death he retired from active business, and passed the final years of his long and useful career in the care of his property and the enjoyment of some degree of ease in the society of his friends and family. The firm name continued in use, the firm consisting of Luther Hill and John Hill, Jr. The Hill shop has been for many years the principal shop in the town. John Hill died in 1858. He was much loved and respected, a leader in the Whig party and gentleman of the old school, dignified, polite, courteous. He married Mary Wiley; chil- dren: I. John, Jr., mentioned above, suc- ceeded his father in the shoe business. 2. Aaron, mentioned below.
(IV) Luther Hill, son of James Hill (3), was born in Reading, Massachusetts, Febru- ary 3, 1808. He was educated in the public schools and at the South Reading Academy (now Wakefield) under the principalship of Professor Heath. He taught school for some years at Stoneham and Danvers. At the age of eighteen years he struck out for himself with a capital of twenty dollars and a good knowledge of the trade of shoemaking. From
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small beginnings his business grew to large proportions. He joined forces with his brother John in 1838 under the firm name of John Hill & Company. Luther Hill was responsible chiefly for the success of the firm in its mechan- ical department, the actual manufacturing. Theirs was the first firm to use power to oper- ate shoemaking machinery. He invented .the die for stamping out the lappets and tongues, operated by steam power, and a great improve- ment over the old process of cutting with knives by hand. He applied power first to the machines for stamping out the vamps, quar- ters and soles. In 1858 the large shop was erected and equipped with steam power to operate the machinery. His inventive ability was in constant demand during the rapid devel- opment of the shoe manufacturing industry. He was a man of positive and original con- ceptions. In 1857 he put into use the first pegging machine; in 1862 the first heeling machine ever used, developing it until with Gordon Mckay and others the stock company of the Mckay Heeling Machine Association was formed. This Mckay machine with addi- tional patents is still in general use in the shoe factories ; Mr. Hill was the first to apply and develop the machine, the first to operate it with steam power. Many of the most useful and most complicated machines used in the manufacture of shoes to-day have sprung from the ideas and inventions of Mr. Hill. After a successful and honorable career in business, lasting forty years, he retired No- vember 10, 1866.
He enjoyed the love and esteem of all who knew him, and had ever at heart the welfare and progress of his native town. He helped to promote the growth of Stoneham; invested in real estate there; was instrumental in having street lighting by gas introduced and with six other public-spirited men planned and built the Stoneham Street Railway. He was a strong character, of decided convictions, and a nat- ural leader. His good judgment and dispas- sionate manner during debate gave weight to his opinions and strengthened his influence in public affairs. He served the town as select- man, on the school committee, on the board of overseers of the poor and as assessor, always with commendable fidelity, honesty and integ- rity. He was among the first in his vicinity to join the then unpopular anti-slavery movement led by George Thompson and William Lloyd Garrison. He was one of the founders of the Stoneham Unitarian Church, and was a liberal supporter and constant attendant upon
its services. He was an advocate of woman suffrage and other progressive movements. He died at Stoneham, October 31, 1877. He was a man of model private life, upright in business dealings, of spotless character, gen- erous to the unfortunate, liberal in his thoughts as well as his benevolences.
He married, June, 1840, Sarah Atwell Ste- vens, daughter of Darius Stevens, and grand- daughter of Rev. John H. Stevens. Children : Mariah, unmarried. Frank A., deceased, was an extensive traveller through Egypt and the Holy Land and lectured in this country on that subject. Octavia, deceased; she was the wife of Harry Holden, also deceased. Walter, a teacher in New York. Charles, shoe manufac- turer in Peabody, Massachusetts. Nellie, teacher in New York.
(V) Aaron Hill, son of John Hill (4), was born in Stoneham, March 23, 1825. He was educated in the public schools of his native town. He removed in early life to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he engaged in business as mem- ber of the firm of Wooley & Company, manu- facturers and dealers in leather, from about 1856 to 1861, when he returned to Stoneham, succeeding to his father's business, which he conducted until his retirement in 1877; is still living. He served as town treasurer ; is mem- ber of Wyoming Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons. In 1849 went around the Horn to California in ship "Albetross," Captain Walton ; worked for a time in lumber, later in the mines, then back to the Isthmus where he fol- lowed butchering, thence back home. He mar- ried Mary J. Farnum, of Rumford, Maine. She was born May 27, 1831, in Rumford, Maine. Children: I. Mary. Josephine, born 1853, died in 1856. 2. Aaron, Jr., born April 2, 1858, mentioned below.
(VI) Dr. Aaron Hill, Jr., son of Aaron Hill (5), was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, April 2, 1858. He was educated in the public schools and studied for his profession in the Boston Dental College. He established him- self in the practice of his profession in Mel- rose, where he resides, and has been very suc- cessful. Dr. Hill is a Republican in politics and active in the duties of citizenship. He has served the city of Melrose seven years as an alderman and during four years was presi- dent of the board. He gave to the city his time and zeal in the interests of good government, and was an able and efficient public servant. He is a member of Melrose Lodge, No. 157, Odd Fellows, of Melrose, and of Wyoming Lodge, Free Masons, of that city. Also the
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Melrose Club. He married, September 9, 1880, Anna M. Thompson, daughter of Charles A. Thompson, of Stoneham. Children, born in Stoneham: I. Arthur, born November 3, 1881, registered pharmacist. 2. Charles A., born April 5, 1886, electrical and marine engi- neer. 3. Mary J., born June 12, 1891.
GIBSON Samuel Gibson, the immigrant ancestor of many of the New Hampshire Gibsons, was born in Ulster, Ireland, 1693. One authority gives his birthplace as Lisbon, parish Artrea, Tyrone, Ireland, and his trade as weaver. He was of Scotch descent, and his parents were probably born in Scotland. He came to Massachusetts with the Scotch-Irish about 1730. He married second, August 30, 1733, at Boston, Ann Mc- Affee. He resided in Boston until 1741-2, when he removed to Hillsborough, New Hampshire. His daughter Elizabeth was the first white child born in that town, May 19, 1742. It is possible that he had a brother James, although tradition alone seems to sup- port the statement that the name of the "first settler" was James. In 1744 he removed to Litchfield, New Hampshire, on account of Indian troubles; later he was at Merrimac, New Hampshire, where he died September 4, 1779. Several of the sons settled at Sanborn- ton, New Hampshire. According to the best authority the children of Samuel were: I. Barnabas, said to have been born on the voyage over ; settled at Pelham, New Hampshire. 2. William, born in Boston, April 1, 1735. 3. James, born May 23, 1736, probably died young. 4. Samuel, born August 24, 1737, at Boston ; died in Amherst, New Hampshire, November 3, 1820; married Elizabeth Stewart, daughter of John Stewart, who came with Rev. James MacGregor in 1719, and was of the royal Scotch family; this marriage prob- ably explains the traditions of noble blood in the Gibson family; their son John settled in Francestown, New Hampshire. 5. Jeremiah, lived in Sanbornton, near the south end, on what is called the Lakeman Place; married Eleanor Forrest, sister of Jane ; removed with four children to Canada ; children: i. Robert. ii. John. iii. Judith. iv. Comfort. 6. Enoch, was also at Sanbornton; removed to Canada. 7. Thomas ; mentioned below. 8. James, born July 12, 1741 (perhaps a nephew).
(II) Thomas Gibson, son of Samuel Gib- son (I), located directly across the river from Sanbornton, on the Gilmanton side, at Union
Bridge, having previously settled in Canter- bury. He married Jemima Shepard, daughter of James Shepard, a soldier in the revolution. Children : 1. Abigail, died young. 2. Martha, died young. 3. Enoch, born March 19, 1784; died in Canterbury, November 28, 1862, at the age of seventy-eight years eight months ; mar- ried first, Polly Gibson, in 1810, and she died September 14, 1817, aged twenty-six. He married second, Nancy (McCrellis) Clough, widow of Nehemiah Clough, of Canterbury ; children : i. Thomas, born April 1, 18II, at Union Bridge, died April 28, 1833; (was six feet four inches tall) ; ii. Caroline, born Octo- ber 15, 1814, married first, May 7, 1840, Sam- uel Tallant, farmer, who died April 1, 1846, having one daughter, Mary Tallant, born No- vember 10, 1842, died April 8, 1872; married second, David Morrill Clough, of Canterbury, June 17, 1856, at one time famous as the Corn King of New Hampshire; iii. Enoch, had a son Nehemiah, settled in Hamilton, Missouri ; iv. Polly, married Moses Elkins, of Lake Vil- lage. 4. Polly, married John Prescott, a farmer of Gilmanton, at Lake Village; died at Manchester, aged seventy-two years. 5. Nancy, died young. 6. Elsey, married Robert Smith, of Gilmanton. 7. Naaman ; mentioned below. 8. Jemima, married Benjamin C. Swasey, and left five children. 9. Naomi, married David Lane, of Lowell; children: i. Jemima Lane, married Amos Whitney, and had Inez Blanche Whitney, born September 10, 1861, in Lowell; ii. Elsey Lane, married Samuel Farson; children: Isora Farson; Frank Farson, born June 19, 1845; Fred Far- son, born June 1, 1846; Mary Farson, born November 30, 1848, married Frank Stanwood, and had three children, Elsie, Sarah and Harold Stanwood; Lettie Farson, born March I, 1851, married Edwin Vinall, and had one child, Lucena Inez Vinall; Minnie Frances Farson, born December 19, 1852, married Dr. Gerry Bradt, and had two children, Alice Helen Bradt and Elsie Farson Bradt; Flora Inez Farson, born May 2, 1855, married George Scribner and had two children- Arthur, died aged eight years, and Harold Scribner. 10. Royal, married Harriet Thorne, daughter of Phineas Thorne, then of Canter- bury, August 17, 1825, afterwards of Lind, Wisconsin ; children : Hollis, Charles, Lucia and Alice. II. John, died unmarried.
(III) Naaman Gibson, son of Thomas Gib- son (2), was born in Canterbury, New Hamp- shire, August II, 1794. He married Mary Hutchins, and died July 28, 1874, at Stan-
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. bridge, Province of Quebec, Canada. She was born April 24, 1801, and died August 24, 1839. Children: I. Edwin, married Susan Fuller, and had two children: Thomas, who married Lilla Simms, and they had: Edwin, died in infancy ; Blanche, Edwin, Grace Doris and Lizzie. 2. Martha, married - Corey. 3. Thomas, born February 14, 1835; men- tioned below. 4. Lizzie, married Ephraim Hitchcock, of New York, fur manufacturer ; she died at Pelham Manor, New York; no children. 5. Abbie, died unmarried.
(IV) Thomas Gibson, son of Naaman Gib- son (3), was born in Highgate, Vermont, Feb- ruary 14, 1835, and died December 9, 1882. He attended the district schools of his native town until he was eighteen years of age. In 1853 he came to Lowell, Massachusetts, to learn the machinist's trade with his uncle, David Lane, on Willie street. A short time after completing his apprenticeship he left his employer and in 1860 located in Yonkers, New York, where he had charge of the pistol department in a firearms factory, and remained there until the close of the civil war, his duties being considered equivalent to military duty, exempting him from the draft law. After the war he worked in factories at Norfolk, Con- necticut, and Norwich, Connecticut. He then became overseer of the tap and die works for about five years, at Bridgeport, Connecticut. Then he became a contractor under the old system of manufacturing at the Howe Sew- ing Machine Works at Bridgeport, Connecti- cut. His health failed a few years later, and he found it necessary to leave the shop. He engaged in the grocery business in a store on Middlesex street, Lowell. Two years later he went to Brooklyn, New York, and while work- ing there took out a patent for a machine for clipping fur. In politics he was a Republican ; in religion a Congregationalist. He was a member of the lodge of Odd Fellows, Lowell. With no advantages of education or wealth or influence, he made his way in the business world to positions of trust and responsibility, and won the confidence and esteem of his townsmen. Of good natural ability, he had supplemented his early education by. study and extensive reading. He was capable and re- sourceful in his own line of business.
He married, June 29, 1861, Isora D. Farson, who died in August, 1899. She was born in Lowell, December 26, 1842. Their only child, Grace Isora, born June 16, 1870, mar- ried September 5, 1893, Amos Francis Hill, of Lowell, cashier of the Traders' National Bank
of Lowell; he is a Republican in politics; a member of William North Lodge of Free Masons, and of the Country Club. Mrs. Hill is a member of the Middlesex Club of Lowell, of the Bay State Daughters American Revolu- tion, and of the Elliott Congregational church.
BIRD William Morris Bird, of Chelms- ford, England, was a celebrated physician and surgeon, and acted as assistant to Sir Bransley Cooper, physician and surgeon to Queen Charlotte, wife of King George. Ascending to the etiquette of royalty, Dr. Bird always visited the Queen in court dress on every occasion of professional ser- vice. He married Mary Blanche Pugh, daugh- ter of the Rev. Dr. Pugh, a well known cler- gyman of the Established Church at Bath, England, and all their sons except George Bird were physicians and their daughter mar- ried Dr. Watson, a well known English phy- sician.
(II) George Bird, the youngest child of Dr. William Morris and Mary Blanche (Pugh) Bird, was born in Chelmsford, Eng- land, February 3, 18II, and he was the only member of the family to make a home in America. He sailed from London, England, to Cape Breton in 1852, and came thence to Boston, Massachusetts, where he worked for the municipal government as a carpenter. He next engaged in the collection and sale of second hand furniture, principally old styles of imported antique. He went from this to the theatrical business as a manager, and he leased the old National Theatre, Boston, for ten years and successfully managed the busi- ness, introducing to the Boston public Char- lotte Cushman shortly after she had made her first appearance in New York on the dramatic stage as Lady Macbeth to the Macbeth of Wil- liam Barton in 1836. He also engaged Madale Celeste, and all the other famous actors of the day, making the National the chief theatre of the city in point of high class performances. Edwin Forrest Macready, the English actor, William Warren, Barney Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Vincent, Fannie Essler, the dancer, and other celebrities were attractions he offered to the Boston public. He purchased for $II,- 000 the Federal street theatre building, and sold it for old lumber. He then purchased the Tremont Theatre then located where Tremont Temple now stands, and in which house Char- lotte Cushman made her debut, April 8, 1835, as Countess Almaviva in the "Marriage of
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Figaro" and during this engagement also sang in "Guy Mannering." The Tremont Theatre building he also demolished, converting the material to second hand lumber. He was married in 1835, to Mrs. Mary Steele, of Bos- ton, and removed about 1838 to Brighton, where he erected a number of dwelling houses. His next place of residence was at Harvard and Columbia streets, Cambridge, where he resided for many years. He married (second) Elizabeth Corbett, of Cheshire, England, in 1891. He resided at No. I Forest street, Cam- bridge. Here he passed his time in managing his estate and in the enjoyment, under the watchful care of a devoted wife, of the last days of a well rounded and useful life. He was always a charitable man but his gifts were a matter between the benefactor and the objects of his benefactions, his public gift of $10,000 to build the Epworth League Church on Massachusetts avenue, North Cambridge, being a noted exception as to publicity. He died at his home in Cambridge, December 2, 1907.
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