USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Historic homes and places and genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume IV > Part 114
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1896. Children, all born in West Cambridge : i. Ellis Gray Blake, born August 16, 1857; married, September 25, 1883, at Harvard, Illinois, Mary Ann Pierce, of Harvard, Illi- nois, born at Truxton, New York, October 21, 1857, daughter of Alpha Stone Pierce, born at Truxton, New York, June 4, 1818, died in Harvard, Illinois, December 23, 1882, and Diantha Elizabeth (Bliss) Pierce, born at Truxton, New York, June 27, 1822, died at Harvard, Illinois, October 9, 1899. Child : a. Stephen Pierce Blake, born at Lombard, Illi- nois. ii. Stephen P. Blake, Jr., born January 15, 1862; died December 10, 1862. iii. John Bidwell Blake, born May 7, 1864; married May 28, 1891, Martha Wadsworth Claflin, of Lom- bard, Illinois, born at Lombard, Illinois, No- vember 18, 1867, daughter of Isaac Claflin, born at Hopkinton, Massachusetts, June 12, 1826, died at Lombard, Illinois, May II, 1895, and Mary Watts (Towne) Claflin, born at Troy, New York, April 15, 1834, died at Lombard, Illinois, July 26, 1900; no children. iv. Helen Blake, born August 7, 1866; died January 16, 1868. v. H. Sophia Blake, born August 18, 1869; died October 25, 1869. vi. Elizabeth Adams Blake, born November 12, 1871; married, July II, 1896, at Lake Helen, Florida, Albert Baxter Hurst, born at Brown- helm, Ohio, March 4, 1871, son of John R. Hurst, born at New Cumberland, Pennsyl- vania, July 6, 1837, and Sarah J. (Clough) Hurst, born at Cleveland, Ohio, 1840, died at Lake Helen, Florida, December 4, 1899; chil- dren, all born at Lake Helen, Florida : a. Helen Hurst, born January 13, 1897. b. John Blake Hurst, born July 6, 1899. c. Mary Elizabeth Hurst, born July 1I, 1903, (see sketch of Stephen P. Blake).
(VII) William Thorning Wood, son of Leonard Wood (6), born at Burlington, Mas- sachusetts, June 20, 1824; died at Arlington, July 5, 1871. He moved to Lexington with his parents when an infant, and was brought up on the old William Thorning farm on Wood street, receiving his education in the common schools, and helping his father on the farm. He also worked on the Norcross farm. In 1841 he came to West Cambridge and be- gan an apprenticeship under Abner P. Wy- man to learn the blacksmith trade. Mr. Wy- man, who succeeded his father, Samuel Wy- man, in the blacksmith business, was a pioneer in the business of making and repairing tools used in the harvesting and handling of ice in 1834. Each year this branch of his work in- creased. Young Wood was set to work mak- ing these ice implements, and when Mr. Wy-
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man retired in 1845, Mr. Wood succeeded to the business and carried it on without a part- ner until 1858. Then he formed a partnership with his brother Cyrus, who was also a black- smith and iron-worker, recently returned from California. The brothers built a double house, now numbered 362 and 364 Massachusetts avenue, and William T. Wood occupied his half the remainder of his life. They took down the old shop and built a new one in the rear of the new house, leaving a driveway on the west side of the house. They were able to do with their own labor and a few apprentices and one or two journeymen all the work that came to them at that time. After two years Cyrus Wood retired from the firm in order to take up out-door work and bought the Sprague farm, turning his attention to market garden- ing, working winters with his brother William. The blacksmith shop was burned December 29, 1865, in the midst of the busiest season while ice was being harvested, but Mr. Wood, with the assistance of his brothers Cyrus and Isaac, proved equal to the emergency, and in a few days his men were at work in three other shops in town, filling the orders. In the early spring preparations were made for re- building, and the new shop was occupied the following July. He built up a flourishing busi- ness, gaining and maintaining a high reputa- tion for superior workmanship, and his ice tools became well known throughout the United States and Canada.
He was a popular man, gifted with an ami- able disposition, and appreciative of the friend- ship and esteem of his neighbors. He had a good tenor voice and possessed much musical talent. In his youth he learned to play the violin and piano, and for some years he was pianist at church meetings and Sunday school exercises. He bought his first piano many years before his marriage. For years he was leader of the Baptist church choir, and was a member of the music committee. He joined the Baptist church in 1851 and was active in all its work. For five years next preceding his death, he served in the office of deacon, the only regularly elected deacon at that time be- ing John C. Hobbs. He was also clerk of the Arlington Baptist Society (incorporated), a member of the standing committee, and a member of the music committee at the time of his death. He was a reader of good books and literature, and associated himself with various musical societies. In politics he was originally a Whig, and later a Republican.
He married, October 17, 1850, Sophia Ma- tilda Blake, born September 7, 1827, daugh-
ter of Ellis Gray and Ann Elizabeth (Wyman) Blake. Her father was a printer by trade. (See sketch). Children of William T. and Sophia (Blake) Wood, all born in Arlington, (West Cambridge before 1867) :
I. William Ellis Wood, mentioned below.
2. Sophia Wood, born March 23, 1853, died April 30, 1853.
3. Stephen Blake Wood, born April 5, 1854, died at Westborough, Massachusetts, December 31, 1906. Stephen B. Wood entered Harvard University in 1874, and after being with the class of '78 over two years was obliged to take a vacation on account of an affection of the eyes. He graduated in 1879, and graduated from the Harvard Law School in 1882. He was immediately afterwards ad- mitted to the Massachusetts bar, practised law at 30 Court street, Boston, for some years, being associated with Gorham D. Williams during several years of the latter part of his legal career. Mr. Williams has recently (1908) died in Greenfield, Massachusetts. After a few years Stephen became interested in a granite business in Vermont and in some coal fields in Nova Scotia, which matters came to his attention in his legal practice. These re- quired considerable traveling and served to interrupt the practice of his profession. As they did not prove profitable he finally accepted a position with his brother and cousin in the ice-tool business, which was then being con- ducted under the title of Wm. T. Wood & Co., in the factory at Arlington. This work he followed for several years until failing health in 1904 developed into invalidism which re- sulted in his death, December 31, 1906. He was an unusually well-read man and was a brilliant conversationalist. He wrote numer- ous editorials on special subjects for the Bos- ton Transcript. As a musical critic he was keen and exact in his judgment, and wrote for the regular newspaper critics as substitute at times. His taste for music developed while he was a young man, and he sang tenor in quartet choirs in various churches. He had filled this position in the First Baptist Church of Ar- lington at the time he relinquished it in 1901, for many years. He was also chorister of the Sunday school of that church for a long period, and was able in this work and in chorus conducting to develop an interest among those under him in the highest grade of music. He was long a member of the Cecilia Society of Boston, and served as its librarian for a number of years. He was also secre- tary of the Committee of Twenty-One for the Town of Arlington, which position he was
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obliged to give up on account of ill-health.
He married, June 27, 1885 at Dorchester, Massachusetts, Amy Louise Blandy, born at Zanesville, Ohio, March 27, 1861, daughter of Henry Blandy, born at Bristol, England, Oc- tober 26, 1810, and of Amy A. (Douglass ) Blandy, born at Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1828. She is an accomplished pianist and music teacher, and has a broad education in French and German. Children: i. Myra De Normandie Wood, born May 12, 1886; ii. Marjorie Wood, born October 4, 1887; iii. Grayson Blandy Wood, born August 25, 1889.
4. Annie Wyman Wood, born December 23, 1856, married first, December 31, 1877, George Tileson Freeman, of Arlington, Massa- chusetts, born July 5, 1854, son of John Doane Freeman, born
at Boston, Jan- uary 22, 1800, and Elizabeth (Brown) Freeman, born in Livermore, Maine, Sep- tember, 1815. George T. Freeman was a watchmaker and jeweller, a member of the firm of Harrington & Freeman with Luther T. Harrington, at 59 Court street, Boston. He learned that business of Hiram W. Smith, a well-known watch-maker of Boston, in 1870. Mr. Freeman was a man of unusual popular- ity and belonged to many organizations, in- cluding the First Baptist Church of Arling- ton, order of Masons, and the Arlington Boat Club, and he was much engaged in athletics and camping excursions when off duty from business. He owned an attractive home at No. 200 Pleasant Street, Arlington, where he died March 16, 1899. Children of George T. and Annie (Wood) Freeman, all born at Ar- lington: i. Sophia Wood Freeman, born No- vember 3, 1878; married, December 31, 1901, Harold Locke Frost who was born in Belmont, Massachusetts, August 15, 1875, son of Syl- vester C. and Alice (Locke) Frost. Harold L. Frost is a graduate of Amherst Agricultural College and formed the firm of H. L. Frost & Co., forresters, who have an extensive busi- ness which covers a large area in Eastern Massachusetts. His office and warehouse are located at Arlington, where he lives. He is a member of the First Baptist Church of Ar- lington, and is superintendent of its Sabbath school at this time (1908). Children, born at Arlington: a. George Freeman Frost, born May 17, 1903 ; died October 4, 1907. b. Ed- mund Locke Frost, born March 12, 1908. ii. Warren Eugene Freeman, born November 18, 1880 ; married, September 20, 1905, Clara May Salisbury, born February 21, 1882, at Allston, Massachusetts, daughter of George Franklin and Fonnie (Mosher) Salisbury. Warren E.
Freeman is member of the firm of H. L. Frost & Co., forresters, Arlington, and lives in that town. Child: a. Dorothy Wood Freeman, born at Arlington, May 3, 1908. iii. Ernest Harrington Freeman, born July II, 1884; un- married. He is in the employ of a firm of stockbrokers. Annie Wyman (Wood) Free- man married (second), April 17, 1902, Wen- dell E. Richardson, born August 30, 1853, at Arlington, Massachusetts. He has been a shoe manufacturer since early manhood, and was member of the firm of Chase, Merritt & Co., until it closed out business. He is a dea- con of the First Baptist Church of Arlington, and was its Sunday school superintendent for twenty-five years. He is one of the' standing committee of the Arlington Baptist Society (incorporated), and is one of the trustees of its fund. He has been active in all interests of the church and society, and has filled many other positions. In politics he is a Republi- can. No children by this marriage.
(VIII) William Ellis Wood, son of William Thorning Wood (7), was born in West Cam- bridge, now Arlington, Massachusetts, Janu- ary 27, 1852. He attended the public and high schools of his native town until 1868, when a pistol shot wound, nearly causing the loss of his right hand, interrupted his col- lege preparatory course. From the age of twelve he spent his spare hours working in his father's tool factory and keeping his fath- er's books. While he played the piano and violin at a very early age under the instruction of his father, (his father bought him a violin when he was eight years old), and of Professor Samuel P. Prentiss, of Arlington, it was not until 1868, upon leaving school, that he studied music to any extent. He then began to take piano lessons of George Henry How- ard, of Boston. He also studied piano under James M. Tracy, and harmony and composi- tion under Professor Benjamin F. Baker, of Boston. He took part in numerous entertain- ments of those days, both in Arlington and in other towns, and was pianist for the rehears- als of the Arlington portion of the great chorus of the Boston Peace Jubilees of 1869 and 1872, under command of P. S. Gilmore, as well as other choruses under leadership of Professor Samuel Payson Prentiss. Some years later, (1879) on the occasion of putting a new organ into the Baptist Church, he studied the organ under Professor S. B. Whit- ney, organist of the Church of the Advent, Boston, for a period of two and a half years, while pursuing his regular business duties. He was appointed organist of the Arlington
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Congregational Church in May, 1868. He had previously played a month at the Baptist church as substitute. He resigned in October, 1871, to take a similar position in the Arling- ton Baptist Church, a position that he still holds. Mr. Wood is possessed of an unusual aptitude for church organ work and director- ship which has caused him to achieve a more than local reputation in this field. He was a member of the Handel and Haydn Society, 1868-1872.
He began to work regularly in the tool fac- tory at the age of seventeen, and after the death of his father, in 1871, entered into part- nership with his uncle, Cyrus Wood, to con- tinue the business, retaining the old name of William T. Wood & Company. Cyrus Wood superintended the factory, and the junior partner looked after the correspondence and procuring of new business. New and im- proved machinery was installed, several addi- tions to the original buildings were made, and the business from that time to the present has grown constantly. In 1883, Cyrus and Wil- liam E. Wood bought a half interest in the firm of Parker & Gannett, seed merchants at 49 North Market street, Boston. This firm sold the goods made by the Woods in Arling- ton, and later the firm name became Parker & Wood. Cyrus Wood remained in this business only a year, and William E. Wood bought out Mr. Parker's interest, reorganizing the firm and admitting as partners Edward A. Hatch and Joseph B. Robinson under the firm name of Parker & Wood, as before. In 1890 Mr. Robinson sold his interest to his partners, and in August, 1893, Parker & Wood consolidated with Joseph Breck & Son, an old and success- ful seed house at 51 North Market street, un- der the name of Joseph Breck & Son Corpora- tion, and Mr. Wood sold his interests to the new company, who immediately converted the two stores into one. Since then he has devoted his entire attention to the tool factory, and has occupied his leisure time with music. His business has caused him to travel extensively throughout the United States since early man- hood, as their system of selling ice tools in- volves the maintenance of selling agencies, where stocks are carried, covering all sections, even to California. In 1893 Mr. Cyrus Wood was obliged to retire from active work on ac- count of failing health, and his only living son, William B. Wood, who had grown up in the business, took his father's place and became superintendent of the factory, and when his father died in 1896 succeeded him in the firm. In December, 1904, the wooden forge shop
was practically destroyed by fire, and a new brick structure fully double the size of the old one was erected to take its place. The firm of William T. Wood & Company was con- solidated February I, 1905, with the firm of Gifford Brothers, of Hudson, New York, forming the present corporation of Gifford- Wood Company. Mr. Wood is the president of the new corporation. The firm of Gifford Brothers was established in 1814, as founders and machinists, and had been making ice ele- vating machinery for half a century. Both firms had the same customers-the ice dealers of the country-one making the elevating ma- chinery, the other the ice cutting tools, etc., and it has proved, as was expected, economical to join forces. The company now employs at the Arlington shop about one hundred hands, and it has floor space in this plant aggregating over thirty thousand square feet.
Mr. Wood is a member of the Arlington Baptist Church; he has been deacon since 1882; he was twice the superintendent of the Sunday school; is a member of the standing committee, the music committee, and the board of trustees of the Arlington Baptist Society, and has been interested in its finances and other important features since early man- hood. From 1873 for many years he was clerk of the society. In politics he is a Republican, and has been delegate to state and other con- ventions of his party. He was a member of the school committee six years from 1882 to 1888. In 1887 he raised by subscription for the committee on building the soldiers' monu- ment the sum of six thousand dollars. He is a trustee of the Pratt school fund, of the El- bridge Farmer memorial fund for the Robbins Library, and is actively interested in other en- terprises. He was a member of the Seeds- men National Association ; belongs to the Mas- sachusetts Ice Dealers' Association and sim- ilar organizations in Connecticut, Vermont, New York and Iowa; the Middle States Ice Producers' Association; the Western Ice Manufacturers' Association ; the Southwest- ern Ice Manufacturers' Association and the Southern Ice Exchange. He is a citizen of high character, interested in the welfare and progress of the town, and was active in the temperance movement in the days when Ar- lington was not as strongly in the no-license column as it now is.
He married, May 7. 1874, Susan Tileston Freeman, born at North Bridgton, Maine, January 23. 1851, daughter of John Doane and Elizabeth (Brown) Freeman. John Doane Freeman was born January 22, 1800,
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and died March 16, 1893; he was a printer in Boston since 1821, and was prominent in Ar- lington town affairs since 1854, being on the school committee many years and chairman at one time. Children: I. Elizabeth Freeman Wood, born February 13, 1875; died July 29, 1875. 2. John Freeman Wood, (twin) born June 3, 1876; married, December 26, 1906, Emma Louise Jacobus, born at Mata- wan, New Jersey, June 16, 1877, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Snow) Jacobus, of Springfield, Massachusetts. J. Freeman Wood is a graduate of Harvard University, class of 1898, and is president of the Plymouth Press Company of Springfield, Massachusetts. Child: i. Carleton Ensworth Wood, born at Springfield, February 29, 1908. 3. William Thorning Wood, (twin) born June 3, 1876; unmarried; graduate of Cambridge Manual Training School; is now (1908) manager of Chicago branch of Gifford-Wood Company at Chicago. 4. Ellis Gray Wood, born Septem- ber 24, 1877; married August 29, 1905, Mar- garet Phillips True, born at Waterville, New York, May 19, 1882, daughter of Dr. Richard S. True and Thankful (Jackson) True. Ellis G. Wood studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and is now assistant superin- tendent of Gifford-Wood Co.'s works at Ar- lington, Massachusetts. Margaret (True) Wood died June 26, 1906. Child : i. Margaret True Wood, born June 4, 1906, at Marble- head, Massachusetts. 5. Harold Blake Wood, born March 14, 1879; married November 5, 1902, Annabel Parker, born at Arlington, Sep- tember 7, 1878, daughter of Charles S. Park- er, editor of Arlington Advocate, and Cor- nelia Frances (Swaney) Parker, of Arlington. Harold B. Wood finished four years' course at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1901; is now superintendent of mechanical engineers at Gifford-Wood Co.'s office and works at Hudson, New York. Child: i. Wil- liam Parker Wood, born at Arlington, Massa- chusetts, January 22, 1905. 6. Helen Crosby Wood, (twin) born April 12, 1881, now liv- ing at Colorado Springs, Colorado. 7. Annie Wyman Wood, (twin) born April 12, 1881 ; married, January 19, 1907, James Nowell, of Winchester, born August 1, 1876, who grad- uated at Harvard University, class of 1899, son of Joseph S. and Mary D. (Allen) Now- ell, of Winchester. James Nowell is with Lee, Higginson & Co., bankers, Boston. 8. Susan Freeman, born November 9, 1882; died No- vember 14, 1882. 9. Oliver Wiswall Wood, born July 24, 1892.
WOOD (VII) Cyrus Wood, third son of Leonard Wood (6), born at Lex- ington, Massachusetts, January 6, 1829, died at Arlington, Massachusetts, July 21, 1896. He was reared on his father's farm, acquiring the usual education of a farmer's son at that period, attending school until the age of nine years, when he was put out to work, gaining some education during the winter months. In 1845 he came to Arl- ington, then West Cambridge, where he learned the trade of blacksmith of his brother, William T. Wood, who had just bought out the business, and who was continuing the manufacture of farmers' forks and ice tools in the old blacksmith shop of Abner P. Wy- man near the present ice tool factory. He there followed his trade, boarding at the home of Mr. Wyman. When the gold fever awak- ened the country, Cyrus decided to seek his fortune in the new country of riches, and in October, 1849, started on a voyage around the Horn, arriving in San Francisco after a voyage of one hundred and fifty-six days. He en- gaged in placer mining for a few months, but soon found that by working at his trade there was a surer profit,-tradesmen in those days receiving large wages. A large portion of his work was the making of iron shutters used in building in San Francisco and Marysville, engine work, mining and blacksmithing. In 1853 he returned east for a visit, going and returning by way of the Isthmus. In the win- ter of 1857, on his return home, he resumed work with his brother, William T., and soon a partnership was formed for the manufacture of ice tools and forks. His experience with the blacksmith trade while in California was great, and his brother soon saw in him a valu- able associate, which fact resulted in the brothers, joining in business. In 1858 they purchased the shop property and additional land of Mary Wyman, mother of Abner P. Wyman, and built a double dwelling house, 362-364 Massachusetts Avenue, now owned by William E. Wood, each occupying it, and also replaced the old blacksmith shop with a new factory, farther removed from the street, and back of the dwelling house. (This new factory was burned December 29, 1865). The partnership continued up to 1860, when Cy- rus, wishing to get out-doors, sold his inter- ests to his brother William and purchased a twelve acre farm in Arlington, known as the old Pratt place, corner of Medford and War- ren streets. Here he devoted his attention to market gardening, working during the win-
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ter months at ice tool making for his brother. He was successful in everything he undertook, and his gardening products brought good prices in the Boston market, as produce was not then brought from the South. He con- tinued on the farm up to the death of his brother, William T., in 1871, when he formed a partnership with William E. Wood, July 10, 1871, retaining the old firm name of Wm. T. Wood & Company. This connection con- tinued for a quarter of a century, Cyrus Wood taking charge of all the manufacturing, while William E. Wood attended to the office management and traveling.
Mr. Wood early learned to play the violin for home amusement and for many years sang bass in the choir of the Arlington Baptist Church. He was a man of great energy, an indefatigable worker, a man of dignified char- acter and stability, very punctual in all his business transactions. He was one of the most fair-minded of men, and was considered an excellent advisor. He was generous and philanthropic, contributing largely to the cause of right and to church work. He was a dea- con of the Arlington Baptist Church, serv- ing on its various committees, also treasurer and collector of the society. He was an ardent and active Republican, but never sought or held public office, preferring to devote his time to his family and business. He was in- terested in the organization of the Reform Club in 1875, and was one of its most promi- nent supporters. From 1861 to 1865 he was a member of the old State Guard, which per- formed guard escort duty at home during the civil war. At the time of his death he was an associate member of the Grand Army Repub- lic, Post 36, of Arlington. He was one of the original stockholders and directors of the Arl- ington First National Bank.
Cyrus Wood married, August 20, 1857, Harriet Morse Blake, born at Lexington, Massachusetts, January 17, 1837, died at Arl- ington, Massachusetts, April 5, 1878, daugh- ter of Ellis Gray and Ann Elizabeth (Wy- man) Blake, of Lexington. Ellis Gray Blake, born in Boston, March 21, 1796, died June 25, 1841, was a printer by trade, and was engaged in business in Petersburg and in Richmond, Virginia, in his early years, returning to Bos- ton in 1817 or 1818. He was marine reporter for the Boston Journal in the early 30s. (See sketch ).
Children of Cyrus and Harriet Morse (Blake) Wood, all born in Arlington; I. Mat- tie Blake, born July 28, 1862, died February 22, 1865. 2. Hattie Frances, born December
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