USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Historic homes and places and genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume IV > Part 33
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Hannah, born May 13, 1786. 12. Jonas, born July 1, 1789; mentioned below.
(VI) Jonas Barrett, son of Joseph Barrett (5), was born at Malden, July 1, 1789. He was a master mason. The most notable per- haps, of his undertakings, was the construc- tion of the wall around the United States navy yard at Boston, which stands as a monu- ment to his skill and industry. He bought the estate at the corner of High street and Green street, Charlestown, where he lived un- til his death in 1850. He married at Charles- town, August 11, 1816, Hannah Runey, daughter of Captain George Runey. (See sketch of Runey family herewith.) Children: I. George H. 2. Sarah Spring, born May 1824; married William C. Lears (see sketch of Lears family herewith). 3. John. 4. Eliza- beth. 5. Joseph. 6. Jonas. 7. William S. M .; married Matha L. Burbank, and resides in Malden, Massachusetts.
LEARS John Christian Lears was born in Prussia, Germany. He came to this country when a young man, and was a soldier in the war of 1812. He settled in Boston. He was married at Christ church, Boston, July 23, 1818, to Mary Tasker, daughter of Mathew and Mira (Ham- lin) Tasker, of Boston, married December 16, 1792, by Rev. John Elliot. Children, born in Boston, baptized in Christ church: I. Mary, born 1819; married Henry Caryl. 2. William Charles, baptized September 9, 1821; men- tioned below. 3. John Mathew, baptized July 31, 1825. 4. Eliza Ann, baptized Septem- ber 25, 1826. 5. Susan Amanda, baptized April 30, 1829 ; married John Mullay, of Som- erville, Massachusetts. 6. Sarah Ann, bap- tized June 17, 1832. 7. Helen Augusta, bap- tized November 8, 1835. 8. Margaret Louisa, baptized June 16, 1839.
(II) William Charles Lears, son of John Christian Lears, was born in Boston July 26, 1821, and died at Somerville April 1, 1889. He was a printer by trade, and as a boy worked on the Saturday Evening Gazette, of which he afterwards became foreman, and later founded the Boston Sunday Times, of which he was proprietor and publisher for many years. He was a Mason and Odd Fellow, and member of St. John's Episcopal church of Charlestown. He married Sarah Spring Bar- rett, daughter of Jonas and Hannah (Runey) Barrett, born in Charlestown, May, 1824, died in Somerville, March 18, 1897. (See Runey and Barrett sketches herewith). They lived in
Charlestown until 1859, when they removed to the house they had just completed at 429 Broadway, Winter Hill, Somerville, Massa- chusetts, which is still owned and occupied by the family. Children: I. Ella Francis, born in Charlestown, April 21, 1854; married Peter Roos, September 9, 1880 ; lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts; have one daughter, Annette Isabel, born in Champaign, Illinois, October 28, 1888. 2. William, born in Charlestown, June 21, 1857; lives at 429 Broadway, Winter Hill. 3. Georgiana Turner, born in Somer- ville, March 26, 1859; lives at 429 Broadway, Winter Hill. 4. Sarah Spring, born in Som- erville, June 26, 1862 ; lives at 429 Broadway, Winter Hill.
William Lears retired from business in 1902, and since then has been interested in the care of his real estate.
O'SULLIVAN
The history of the O'Sul- livan family is traced back to the very beginning of
history in Ireland, as attested by the "Annals of the Four Masters" and other ancient chron- icles and genealogies. The ancient home of the family was in the counties of Cork, Kerry and Limerick. The chief of the family bore the title of Prince of Beare and Lord of Dunk- erton. In business, church, state and pro- fessional life the family won distinction and took a foremost place in Irish history. Branch- es of the family settled in every county in . Treland, and in later years have also achieved honor and fame; they have made their homes in America and Australia and become pros- perous and honored. Many of the descend- ants have abbreviated the name by omitting the prefix "O," while others preserve it jeal- ously, preferring the ancient name of their forefathers, unaltered and unchanged.
No sketch of this great family would be complete without the story of the struggle in which, in common with their fellow-country- men, the O'Sullivans as a clan lost property and prestige, in the land where formerly they flourished, struggling against the British agression and rule. During the reign of Eliza- beth, two of the most thrilling episodes of Irish history were the defence of the Castle of Dunboy by Donal O'Sullivan, Beare, and his famous retreat from Glengariff, at the head of Bantry Bay, to form a junction with the north- ern Irish forces at Leitrim. Donal set out on this retreat over the mountains of northwest- ern Cork and of Kerry with four hundred fighting men, and six hundred women, chil-
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dren and servants. On his rear hung four thousand English soldiers, commanded by Sir George Carew. O'Sullivan marched day and night, constantly harassed by the enemy. With the remnant of his fighting men, O'Sullivan made a stand on the banks of the Shannon and gave battle to the English vanguard while the few surviving women and children were carried across the river in boats made from the skins of his horses killed for that purpose ; and he crushed the English advanced line, killing their commanding officer, Manby, and then resumed his retreat. When he finally reached his destination at Leitrim he had left but eighteen soldiers, sixteen servants and one woman, out of the thousand that started from Glengariff. This woman was the mother of the famous Philip O'Sullivan, of the Spanish navy, one of the most erudite writers of the age, and of his brother Daniel, of the Span- ish army, who fell fighting the Mohammedans. O'Sullivan himself found refuge in Spain, where he was appointed governor of Coruna. The O'Sullivans had their estates confiscated and their lives declared forfeited by the English crown. "The harrow of the merciless conquer- or was over the scattered clansmen of Beare, many of whom still clung with grim tenacity to their lowly homes among the mountains and glens of Cork and Kerry."
The following ballad, written by one of the family, the Irish Laureate, T. D. Sullivan, is as proud a possession of the O'Sullivans as the coat-of-arms with its lions rampant and the crest with a dove holding an olive branch in its beak.
"Who will hold back when O'Sullivan loudly Calls on his people to haste to his aid ?
Who will not rush to him gladly and proudly, Fire in his heart and an edge to his blade ? Kindred ! Clansmen ! Seamen and landsmen !
Young men and old men, afar and anear Together! Together ! In calm or wild weather,
When called by the shout of O'Sullivan Beare !
"Never a coward, a cringer or quailer, Was chieftan of Beare of late or of yore ; Ever a hero, a soldier and sailor Fearless at sea and valiant on shore ! Landsmen! Seamen! Fearless and free men,
Namesake and kinsmen afar and anear. Together ! Together! From sea-foam and heather,
Come to the call of O'Sullivan Beare ! .
"Come with a rush when O'Sullivan needs you, Worthy your cheerful devotion is he, Gaily dash on where O'Sullivan leads you. Fearing not. caring not. where it may be ! Tall men ! Small men ! Stout men and all men !
Horsemen and boatmen afar and anear, Together ! Together ! In calm or wild weather,
When called by the shout of O'Sullivan Beare !"
(I) Timothy O'Sullivan, a descendant of the O'Sullivans of Cork, and father of
Humphrey O'Sullivan, of Lowell, was born in the parish of Castle Haven, East Division of West Carbury, county Cork, Ireland, near which his family has been resident for more than a thousand years. He was educated at the common schools of his day, took up farming for his calling, like his ancestors be- fore him and accumulated what for his day and generation passed for a competence. He was known through all that section of the country for his thrift, honesty and uprightness. His character was an example for children and neighbors to follow. He was a faithful Ro- man Catholic in religion, and a useful citizen. He married Catherine Barry, daughter of James Barry, of the parish of Caheragh, coun- ty Cork. He died in Skibbereen. Children: I. William, born May, 1844; mentioned be- low. 2. James, born December, 1848; men- tioned below. 3. Humphrey, born October 7, 1853 ; mentioned below.
(II) William O'Sullivan, son of Timothy O'Sullivan (I), was born in the town of Skib- bereen, county Cork, Ireland, May, 1844. He came to America when a young man, and soon afterward enlisted at Boston in the Second United States Cavalry for three years, and was stationed on the frontier during his term of service from 1864 to 1867. He took an ac- tive part in police work and skirmishing with the hostile Indians. He was mustered out at Tucson, Arizona. He remained in that terri- tory for a time, and was a member of the Pioneers' Society of Arizona. He returned east and followed his trade as a carpenter un- til disabled by an accident that injured his spine. After suffering for many years from this injury, he died from its effects in 1898, at his home in Tucson, Arizona. He left a widow and a son Humphrey, born 1873. An- other child died young.
(II) James O'Sullivan, son of Timothy O'Sullivan (I), was born in Skibbereen, coun- ty Cork, Ireland, December, 1848. He was educated in the national schools and ap- prenticed to the shoemaker's trade. He fol- lowed his elder brother's example in coming to America, landing in Boston in March, 1867. He found employment at his trade there, and later in New York, but in the following year made his home in Lowell, where he has con- tinved to reside to the present time. He worked at his trade for about seven years. In 1875 he purchased a shoe store in Lowell, of Frank Brady, and has conducted a large and successful business to the present time, alone at first, later in partnership with his brother Humphrey. When the firm of O'Sullivan
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Brothers was organized, January 26, 1877, the combined capital was only about eighteen hun- dred dollars. From this modest beginning the business has grown to its present vast propor- tions. The brothers established their clothing business in 1893 and built the building in which the store is located. He has been as- sociated from the first with his brother in the rubber heel business, (See sketch of Humph- rey O'Sullivan) and is president of the O'Sul- livan Rubber Company. He married Cather- ine Connolly, in Lowell, Massachusetts, and had ten children: Timothy, William, (de- ceased), James, Helena, Humphrey (deceas- ed), Catherine, Francis, Jeremiah, Mary and Julia.
(II) Humphrey O'Sullivan, son of Timothy O'Sullivan (1) and Catherine Barry, was born October 7, 1853, in Skibbereen, county Cork, Ireland. His early education was received in the National school of his native town. He showed a marked prediliction for study, and such was his progress, that the position of teacher was offered him in a rural school.
Conditions at home had become so changed, his father having been accidentally killed and two elder brothers having gone to the United States, that young Humphrey manfully strove to fit himself for life's conflict by learning the printers' art, and, at the same time, be of as- sistance to his now widowed mother. He be- came an apprentice in J. W. Potter & Sons office in July, 1868, and served five long years of practical training in job and newspaper work, in the meantime rising to the position of sub-foreman, and when Mr. Potter Jr. was selected as general manager of the Irish Daily Telegraph in Cork, young O'Sullivan was put in charge of the afternoon edition of this en- terprise.
While serving his apprenticeship, O'Sulli- van, under the vigilant eye of the accomplished scholar and gentleman, Rev. D. McCartie, de- voted himself to general literature, improve- ment of voice and acquirement of those graces which best win men. The training under Fr. McCartie stood him in good stead when he took part in an oratorical contest for a prize of five pounds sterling, in Munster Hall, Cork, donated by Sir. Wilfred Lawson, Bart., M. P. O'Sullivan won the prize, as he did also upon a subsequent occasion in the Rotunda, Dublin, A. M. Sullivan, M. P., chairman of the judges of the contest. His earnestness, perspicuity of thought, clearness of expression and excel- lent delivery brought to rebel Cork the coveted prize, and Humphrey O'Sullivan looks back on that day as one most memorable in his life.
Having served his apprenticeship and joined the Typographical Union (a step necessary for a journeyman printer), he worked for a while with Guy Brothers, job printers in Cork. Be- ing discontented with conditions in Ireland, he took out his travelling card from the Print- ers' Union in Cork and came to New York in the S. S. "City of Chester" (Inman Line) June, 1874, as a steerage passenger. On his arrival he immediately sought employment, having deposited his printers' card with the "Big Six," and worked for a while in Yonk- ers. Then, coming to Lowell, where his . brother James resided, he worked for a while upon the Courier and Vox Populi. He went to Lawrence, being offered better inducements, and worked on the Sentinel. At that time there was no Typographical Union in either Lowell or Lawrence, and his printers' card was of no use to him. Change of management there made a change in the destiny of Mr. O'Sullivan.
He returned to Lowell, gave up the occupa- tion of printer, joining with his brother James under the title of O'Sullivan Brothers in the retail and custom shoe business. The co-part- nership of the O'Sullivan Brothers brought to the surface the latent qualities of Humphrey, which needed but the field for display of ten- acity, far-sightedness, and positive genius, in the creation of an enterprise that became a revelation to Lowell, as to the possibilities of the boot and shoe trade, when grasped and mastered by the dominating and. ambitious force of an O'Sullivan. Though the store was not advantageously placed, and quite limited in space, yet the determination to succeed, and the means taken for this end enabled the firm in a short period to enlarge their quarters. The members of the firm were content for years to draw ordinary wages from profits made, and put the remainder in enrichment of stock, ac- quiring a reputation for excellence of goods carried, and financial strength, that people sat up and took notice. It was something of an achievement for this graduate of the printers' office to devise and bring to successful com- pletion plans which made his firm so well known throughout the United States, as that of any other firm of years of existence, so that it possessed a distinction all its own-like Cammeyer of New York City, Nolan of San Francisco, and Tuttle of Boston. The firm reached out and dealt directly with makers of shoes of international reputation, and created in Lowell and vicinity a taste for the choicest goods, of established merit, goods made in Paris, London, and the very cream of Ameri-
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can skill and industry. The O'Sullivan shop became the Mecca of Lowell people for foot- wear, and most worthily retains the prestige won by the skill, perseverance and sacrifices of earlier years, and is recognized as the store of quality, of excellence.
While developing trade and gaining force in his chosen avocation of shoe dealer, Humph- rey O'Sullivan saw the possibilities of the rub- ber heel attachment to boots and shoes. His practical mind grasped the thought, and he knew no rest until he had devised a rubber heel of enduring quality, which the commercial world recognized at once as an article of prac- tical value, and undoubted merit. He had his invention protected by patent granted by the United States, likewise in Great Britain, Ire- land and upon the continent of Europe. With- drawing from active participation in the af- fairs of the shoe firm, Humphrey O'Sullivan devoted his talents to the exploitation of the rubber heel. His name is as naturally asso- ciated with the creation of this vast new in- dustry as that of Bessemer with the steel in- dustry. Wherever the phrase "rubber heel" is used, the name "O'Sullivan" suggests itself, and Humphrey O'Sullivan can arrogate to himself the title of originator, patentee, and exploiter of the merits of the rubber heel. In the pages of the leading magazines of the coun- try and in the columns of the great dailies of the Republic, he keeps continually before the public (in characteristic telling fashion) the imperturbable value of his invention. Count- less imitators, in all countries, have paid their sincerest flattery, by their unscrupulous at- tempts to foist upon the public, their imita- tions of rubber heels, with the inevitable re- sults, that none have been, as. yet, successful, each claiming for his own to be as good as the "O'Sullivan"-"The Standard"-the yard stick of the rubber heel industry. The name of the corporation of which Humphrey O'Sul- livan is treasurer and advertising manager is the "O'Sullivan Rubber Company," incorpor- ated August 28, 1899, with James O'Sullivan, president ; Humphrey O'Sullivan, treasurer ; J. Munn Andrews, secretary and manager.
O'Sullivan is an honored name in the Old Land, and stands for fidelity to race and re- ligion. Its prowess has been shown under the fleur-de-lis of France, its valor bringing glory to the Eagles of Spain and Austria, and not unknown in America, when the idea of liberty was first heralded as the inalienable right of a people. But its celebrity is on the increase, for wherever the English tongue is spoken and civilization prevails, wherever the interchange
of the world's commodities goes on-in Japan, China, in the countries of the Orient, the name O'Sullivan has penetrated as the originator of a worldwide enterprise, the rubber heel in- dustry. From Lowell, the distributing point of his unique invention, is sent to all parts of the universe the O'Sullivan Rubber Heel .. Australia and New Zealand are great marts for these goods. The New Zealander, whom Macaulay describes as sketching the ruins of St. Paul from the broken arches of London Bridge, will come, upon his self-imposed pil- grimage, shod with the "heel of New Rubber," resilient and bounding, with the consciousness of inspiring ease, and bless that eminent bene- factor of coming generations, Humphrey O'Sullivan of Anglo-Saxon fame, Hibernian extraction and citizenship of the great Western Republic.
Mr. O'Sullivan has one other enterprise in Lowell which claims his attention, and de- manded his best efforts-vigilance, courage and persistance-to bring the success now in evidence in the prosperity of the Merrimack Clothing Company. He looks back to the early years of business stagnation, when, only for his courage, the strength he had won in business circles, his forcefulness, brought to him the regard and admiration of strong finan- ciers who stood by him and enabled him, well- nigh bearing the burden alone, to direct the new business on his own lines and in his own way, so that from imminence of disaster he placed the business in such successful condi- tion that to-day the Merrimack Clothing Com- pany is Lowell's choicest morsel in its line, under the efficient management of Daniel S. O'Brien, a native of Lowell, and trained under the eye of Mr. O'Sullivan, and richly com- pensates its stockholders for investments held.
Mr. O'Sullivan is an honored citizen of his adopted city. He is forceful and foremost in every work that makes for the progress of civic greatness. Of goodly height, graceful carriage, and kindly mien, his is a winning personality. His name in Lowell, is synonym- ous with business integrity, financial strength, and kindly qualities of heart and mind, which endear him to those who best know him. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church of St. Patrick's, Lowell, and his activities are not bounded by parish limits. His name is a household word for kindness done for every worthy cause. Within measure of his means, his charity is boundless as the wants of human- ity, and this generosity, so characteristic of his kindly heart, endears him to the good-will of his fellow citizens. Forceful with determina-
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tion to conquer all obstacles, the dominant quality of an aggressive personality, he has climbed the ladder of success and stands pre- eminent in Lowell for sound judgment, finan- cial strength, a leader of men in business pur- suits.
This sketch of his life would be incomplete without unfolding other pages of the varied life of Mr. O'Sullivan, and telling the story of the reputation enjoyed in the very words of his neighbors and associates.
The Typographical Journal, official organ of the printers, said of Mr. O'Sullivan, in Oc- tober, 1905 : "Thirty-one years ago Mr. O'Sul- livan was a printer and a member of the New York 'Big Six.' He came to Lowell, worked at the printing trade a while, drifted into the shoe business, and eventually into the rubber heel manufacture. Today he is a man of large means, a fine fellow in every walk of life, and has a great love for the friends of his youth -- the typos. The eight-hour movement for the craft awakened all the enthusiasm of the old days, so upon being initiated into the Low- ell Union, in acknowledgment of the applause which greeted him, he said: 'Boys, this is one of the happiest moments of my life. I feel at home among you. The days of my youth are brought back to me; the grand old print- ing trade, to which I owe all the measure of success that has blessed me, has my warmest support and my best wishes. You are strug- gling for an eight-hour working day, and you will win. If I can assist in any way command me. If money will win, the victory is yours. If you stand together, I will pay the bill.' He gave five hundred dollars at once, and later from time to time sums amounting to six times that amount."
That Humphrey O'Sullivan is popular with the union printers of the country goes without saying ; his support in his liberal and charac- teristic way helped the fight for eight hours throughout the country.
He went further than to merely give his money to the printers; he withdrew his support and his advertising from all magazines, newspapers and job of- fices declared "unfair" by the Typographical Union. He has the unique distinction of be- ing the only man in this country who has all the corporations, of which he is treasurer, issue their bank checks bearing the Lithographers' and Allied Printers' label.
As a silent proclamation of his loyalty to unionism, he possesses the additional unique distinction of being the first man in this coun- try to issue his check upon a union bank, bear-
ing the Allied Printers' Union label, in pay- ment of his union dues and assessments (to the Lowell Typographical Union, No. 310) of which he still is a member, always carrying his union card. He belongs to the front rank of active, leading, influential citizens who have co-operated to advance the interests of the city of Lowell whenever an opportunity offered. When an effort was made to raise funds for a gateway to the Lowell Cemetery, he wrote this letter to the treasurer of the fund, Charles L. Knapp : "I have read your appeal for money for purposes of erecting the new gateway at your cemetery. I recently saw the work. I have noticed, too, that you are dealing in this matter in a broad-spirited way and class it as a public improvement. It certainly is a fine piece of work and does credit to the Lowell cemetery and to our city. If I can do so with- out seeming to seek notoriety, I would like to make a contribution in money toward the cost of the work. I send you a signed blank check for you to fill out the balance you need. It would seem I can do no more. I should not want to do less. I wish matters had come to my attention earlier. If you accept my giving, the satisfaction will all be mine." In his ac- knowledgment, Mr. Knapp said: "Your con- tribution is accepted in the spirit it is given. I bespeak to you from our Lowell people grate- ful thanks. * * Both of us remember as boys when such an act as yours was next to the improbable, if not the impossible. We have lived to see conditions change; we have lived to see the day when the Protestant gives his money toward the Catholic undertaking, the Father Garin monument in Merrimack street, and other daily acts bearing witness, while the Catholic responds to the Protestant's . call with equal cheerfulness. It is but the truth to say that the barriers of the old days are broken and are breaking down. * * You are not the only Irish Catholic who has come forward in this work with money offer- ing and I assure you it has delighted me be- , yond power to express to have had such acts occur and to have been a part of the happen- ing. Somewhere I have read of an extremely well advertised article on the market that is classed as being "Next to Wings." I don't know that you would look better than you look already, if you had wings, but you certainly are deserving of a pair-white ones at that."
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