Historic homes and places and genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume IV, Part 34

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 912

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Historic homes and places and genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume IV > Part 34

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In 1893 Mr. O'Sullivan built the Associate Building, in which he located his business, one of the largest business buildings in the city. The two events in Lowell most talked about in recent years originated with Mr. O'Sullivan

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and were carried out through his consummate executive ability to successful issue-the great St. Patrick's Day parade of 1906 and the mem- orable Fourth of July celebration of 1907. For some years the old custom of celebrating St. Patrick's Day by a public procession was all but abandoned. Some persons held that the celebration should be confined to banquets and similar festivities, and the annual parade grew smaller instead of larger as the years went by.

In 1906 Humphrey O'Sullivan was con- sulted, and he favored a procession-a large parade with every able-bodied Irishman old and young in line. "Show that you are live, earnest Irishmen, although three thousand miles from the motherland," he said. He in- spired the luke-warm and aroused the apathet- ic. The Irish societies of Lowell unanimously elected him chief marshal with full power to direct the celebration. He took hold with characteristic energy and word was sent out that Lowell would have the greatest demon- stration in its history. Low railroad rates from towns in every direction were secured for St. Patrick's Day by the Chief Marshal, and thirty thousand people took advantage of them to witness the parade, and Lowell had the finest St. Patrick's Day parade ever wit- nessed in a city of its size. The business men of the city, who profited by the influx of sight- seers, were well pleased. It goes without say- ing that the Irish citizens who took part were pleased and proud of the day's events. The Lowell Sun said: "The greatest St. Patrick's Day in the local history has come and gone, but the day and its observance will long be re- membered with keen delight by Lowellians of all races and creeds, but particularly by the Irish residents of this city and the children of Irish parentage. Never before in local history was St. Patrick's Day so generally observed. People of all races wore the green, while the Portugese residents of this city paid a grace- ful tribute to the Irish Catholics who assisted them materially in building their church in Gorham street, by turning out in the parade with their own band, while their zealous pas- tor, Rev. Father Rosa, was a prominent figure both in the parade and at the Chief Marshal's banquet, where he invoked the Divine blessing. The celebration reflects the highest credit upon Chief Marshal Humphrey O'Sullivan and his hard-working chief of staff, Fred H. Rourke. To these two men belong the lion's share of the praise, and, while they did not appear be- fore the public in the matter, the employees of the O'Sullivan Rubber Company are entitled to credit for a vast amount of clerical work.

The parade, the entertainment of the visitors, and the other auxiliary features formed a mammoth undertaking, when one considers that one man had the entire affair, including the cost, in his charge, and Mr. O'Sullivan was most fortunate in the selection of a man of such hustling executive ability as Mr. Rourke to assist him with it." At the chief marshal's banquet James F. Miskella presided, and the chief speakers were John H. Harring- ton, editor of the Lowell Sun, Mayor Casey, Senator Hilton, Rev. Mr. Fisher, Rev. George F. Kenngott, John C. Burke, James O'Sulli- van, Edward F. Slattery, two of whom are Protestant clergymen, who commended with much feeling the non-sectarian and broad- minded spirit of the celebration. Mr. O'Sulli- van was given an ovation when he rose to speak. He expressed his gratification at the success of the day. In a serious and thought- ful speech he talked of the political conditions of Ireland. He said he could not understand the blindness of England in refusing to grant the demands of Irish statesmen. There is a far greater Ireland across the ocean in this country, and an Ireland firmly opposed to the commercial interests of Great Britain, as long as she held Ireland in subjugation and until such time as Ireland is granted justice. But for the influence of the Irish in this country, we might see a treaty between the United States and England, worth a great deal more to the latter than her treaty with Japan. He would advise England, he said, to give Ire- land all she asks and then join, hand in hand, with the United States in having the English- speaking races dominate the world. In this, Ireland, if her rights are restored, would take an honorable part.

Mr. O'Sullivan, himself, contributed several thousand dollars to insure the success of the St. Patrick celebration. There is no more earnest and influential friend of his native land than he. He was a prominent speaker at the celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Lowell. In January, 1906, he contributed five hundred dollars to the Home Rule Fund. He was the only man in this country who cabled to King Edward VII upon his accession to the throne a plea for the freedom of Ireland.

A month after the St. Patrick's parade a banquet was tendered the chief marshal by the business men of the city. Seven hundred gathered at Associate Hall April 26, and the banquet was a brilliant success. The hall was decorated with the stars and stripes and the ensign of the Emerald Isle, while over the

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table at which the speakers were seated was hung a fine portrait of the guest of honor. The menus were elaborate and the several speakers set forth in glowing terms the excellent quali- ties of Mr. O'Sullivan. John H. Harrington, the toastmaster, made a felicitous speech and graceful introductions. Ex-Mayor Josiah Quincy of Boston, in response to the toast, "Our Country," paid an appreciative tribute to Mr. O'Sullivan, and said that the magnifi- cent gathering of the evening was evidence that the gates of opportunity stand open in America to everyone who is honestly seeking for success and is willing to do the work that lies before him. Mayor Casey of Lowell spoke eloquently on the theme "Our City," giving credit to Mr. O'Sullivan for a large in- dividual share. Mayor Fitzgerald of Boston, unable to attend, was represented by W. T. A. Fitzgerald. Nathaniel C. Fowler, Jr., of Bos- ton made a witty speech on "Gumption," and commended that quality in the guest of the evening. John A. McKenna, secretary of the Board of Trade, spoke for that body and John C. Burke on "Our Honored Guest," and the part he had in the industrial development of Lowell. The last speech was by Mr. O'Sulli- van, who in expressing his thanks and pleasure at the event, again spoke for Ireland, stating that his greatest ambition in life was to see the day when his native country would be inde- pendent and the English-speaking nations would rule the entire earth.

It was perhaps the great success of the St. Patrick's parade that led to the idea of the Fourth of July Celebration of 1907. The city of Lowell had been spending money from the public treasury for a perfunctory and spirit- less demonstration of joy over the nation's birthday. In 1907 it looked as if the whole affair would be a fizzle when those in charge of the celebration gave up the attempt about the middle of June. Mr. O'Sullivan was ap- pealed to and asked to save the day. He final- ly consented to do his best. He announced that a popular subscription would be requested for the two thousand dollars necessary to pay the bills, and headed the list with a hundred dollars, guaranteeing to pay the whole amount or any part of it necessary. He called to- gether a committee that he appointed, and things were set in motion ·with the speed of a whirlwind. The newspapers co-operated and public interest soon became aroused to a high pitch. Those who were jealous of the success of Mr. O'Sullivan on similar occasions, ex- pected him to fail in the matter of a parade, but they reckoned again without their host.

He said nothing of his plan to anybody until sure of its success. He slipped out of town one day and hunted up the Governor of New Hampshire, a friend of his, and asked his per- mission for the militia to leave the state to take part in the Lowell parade. Then he secured the necessary permit from Governor Guild of Massachusetts, for the troops to enter the state, and the problem was solved. He himself guaranteed the expenses of the militia. In a few days he had succeeded in getting all the New Hampshire companies within a feasible distance to promise to take part in the parade, and had offered large cash prizes for the militia.

As soon as the military display was assured, Mr. O'Sullivan as chairman of the committee, and chief marshal of the day, telephoned and telegraphed in every direction until he was as- sured of an attractive automobile contest. Fin- ally he arranged for a great display of fire- works. The story of the celebration is a rec- ord of his forethought, energy and executive ability. The military parade had three thou- sand men in the line of march and was an event in the history of the city. Ten thousand people watched the automobile races on the Boulevard, and saw one of the big cars do a mile in forty-five seconds. This was a unique event in this section of the country. The dis- play of fireworks is said to have been the fin- est ever shown in the city. Thousands of vis- itors were in the city day and evening. The Lowell Sun said: "The generality and com- pleteness of the celebration seemed to have charmed the people, and as a result, although the streets were crowded at every point, yet there was no disturbance, and everybody seemed happy and good natured. There was a very striking absence of drunkenness on the streets from the night before until the close of the celebration."

The Boston Traveler said of it: "The O'Sullivan-Humphrey of Lowell-gave Low- ell a first-class Fourth of July celebration, and set an example that some of the "tight-wads" in Lowell and elsewhere might well emulate. The O'Sullivan is å scion of a race of kings, and he is not above celebrating in a royal way the expulsion of the kings from America, who robbed the O'Sullivans of their crown at Cork. Some kings carry the insignia of their royalty on their heads, but the Lowell king gets his fame from the other end of his anatomy- from his heels. May 'he live to celebrate a lot of other Fourths, and so forth."

In addition to the popular subscription of about $1,200, raised in two weeks, Mr. O'Sul-

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livan spent his own money freely, as he had promised, but, to use his own words-"no man will ever know what it cost me, for I didn't give the money to brag about it. I did it for the pleasure of seeing my townspeople and those from adjoining towns enjoy them- selves, and because when I set out to do any- thing I mean to do it."

Another act of public spirit and generous impulse was his prompt contribution of five hundred dollars to the San Francisco relief fund. Afterward he added another hundred dollars to this contribution. Mr. O'Sullivan contributed a large part of the sum of one thousand dollars for the uniforms of the O. M. I. Cadets of Lowell July 20, 1907.

Mr. O'Sullivan is one of the foremost Dem- ocrats of the commonwealth. For several years he has served on the Democratic State Central Committee, and his cool judgment and wise counsel have often brought harmony out of threatened factional fights. He is a mem- ber of the executive committee. He has de- clined various opportunities to fill public of- fices on account of the pressing demands of his large and continually increasing business, but has given freely of his time, his influence and his money to support the candidates of his party in municipal and state campaigns. In city affairs he has been known to use printer's ink to advocate what he thought right and he is energetic and fearless in expressing his opinions when he believes it necessary. He is fond of travel, both in his own country and abroad.

Mr. O'Sullivan is prominent in financial and banking circles of Lowell. He is treasurer of the O'Sullivan Rubber Company, O'Sullivan Bros. Co., and the Merrimack Clothing Com- pany ; director of the Lowell Trust Company, trustee of the Washington Institution for Sav- ings. He is a faithful communicant and lib- eral supporter of Saint Patrick's Roman Cath- olic Church of Lowell.

To the church edifice which was recently burned, he donated a marble shrine, and when the present church was being rebuilt, he do- nated the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,- 000.00) to the building fund, for its immediate reconstruction, also, giving one of the large and valuable stained glass windows, which is a most artistic reproduction of "The Resur- rection." He is a member of the Lowell Coun- cil, Knights of Columbus; the Celtics; the Yorick Club; the Ancient Order of Hiberni- ans; the American-Irish Historical Society ; the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks ;

Court Merrimack, Foresters, and the K. W. Society.

The Hibernian of Boston, April 30, 1906, said of him: "We are glad to note that the people of Lowell, as represented by its leading citizens, recently honored Mr. Humphrey O'Sullivan by giving him a public banquet. Mr. O'Sullivan besides being a most enter- prising and successful business man, is one of the most public-spirited men in Massachusetts, and if the honors are measured out to him which he certainly deserves, the people of Lowell-and it may be said of the entire state -will scarcely limit them to a seat in Con- gress, for which he has already been men- tioned."

The Sunday Telegram of Lowell, February 18, 1906, said : "Mr. O'Sullivan is a fine type of what for want of a better phrase we are ac- customed to call "the self-made" man ; but he is lacking in the egregious conceit and purse- proud complacency which mark the great ma- jority of that ilk. He is in every sense a man of the people, familiar with their needs and wants, their aspirations and desires-a fact to which all his business and personal relations and doings bear eloquent testimony. From the day he landed in New York, a poor boy from Ireland-his only capital his printer's trade, his union card and his determined am- bition to make a place and name for himself in the land of his adoption-down to the pres- ent time, Humphrey O'Sullivan has been a worker as well as a dreamer-a rare combina- tion, and one which enables a man to rise to the highest pinnacles of success-the kind of success which is worth winning and which is good for others as well as himself. While he has worked to get ahead in the world, he has dreamed of making good use of what measure of worldly success might come to him, and he has made his dreams come true in larger meas- ure than any but himself has knowledge. Many. a life has been made happier, many a man has been helped over a rough spot and had his faith in himself and the world revived and re- newed by the sympathetic and practical as- sistance extended by Humphrey O'Sullivan in the hour of need. Many a good cause has been advanced by the aid and comfort extended to it by Humphrey O'Sullivan. And in doing things like these he has not asked: "Will it pay ?" but rather : "Is it right?" "Will it tend to make people happy-to make life better worth living?"

Such a man is a help and inspiration in any community, and he deserves the best that can

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be had at the hands of the community and its official representatives."

Of the many extensive advertisers in this country who use the columns of the magazines and big dailies, Mr. O'Sullivan stands pre- eminently at the head, as was demonstrated by his first prize winnings offered by the San Francisco News Letter in 1905, and Appleton's Booklovers Magazine in November, 1905.

In the Christmas issue of the San Francisco News Letter of 1905, there appeared an "ad." which won first prize of five hundred and twenty ($520.00) dollars offered by that paper for the best display advertisement, and that prize was won by Mr. O'Sullivan. When one considers that this contest was an open com- petition for the National advertisers (being such firms as expend from one hundred thou- sand, to a half a million of dollars each year on advertising) it can be readily seen that the winning of such a prize is not measured by the dollars and cents that go to make the prize, but rather, that to the winner belongs the credit and distinction of possessing a charac- teristic advertising acumen, second to no man in the country.

As truth is never flattery, these facts, there- fore, attest the ranking of Mr. O'Sullivan among the National Advertisers of the United States. Another prize-winning contest of note in which Mr. O'Sullivan again received first honors was that offered by Appleton's Book- lovers Magazine of New York in November, 1905, and open to the advertisers throughout the country. This prize amounted to one hun- dred and fifty ($150.00) and was jealously sought for by each contestant, but once again Mr. O'Sullivan demonstrated his mental prow- ess by capturing the first prize.

As he attends strictly to his own advertising, these prize-winning "ads." were conceived and executed by himself.

He married January 26, 1877, Hannah Dris- coll, daughter of Daniel and Mary (Walsh) Driscoll of County Cork, Ireland. (See sketch of the Driscoll family.) They reside at 105 Butterfield street. They had two children, both dying in infancy.

. ANDREWS

Joshua Andros (the origi- nal form of the family name) of Berwick, York county, Maine, ancestor of J. Munn Andrews, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was baptized August 7, 1720, and died March 12, 1790. He was married February 9, 1743, to Olive Emery, of Berwick, Maine, who was baptized February

9, 1724, and died February 13, 1817. They lived in that part of Berwick called Beaver- dam, a name given to the locality on account of the large numbers of beavers found in the so-called Beaver Brook.

(I) Some of the early descendants of Josh- ua Andros declare the first settlers of this family to have been three brothers who were sons of an English Lord, while others credit him with Scottish parentage. During the lifetime of some of Joshua's children a con- siderable sum of money was left in England to these descendants, and an advertisement for information and location of the heirs fi- nally appeared in several papers. Although they knew they were the rightful claimants, and were able to establish their identity by line of descent, yet England would accept no proof without their coat-of-arms, which they, harassed as they were with the cares and trib- ulations of those early days, had neglected to preserve. Information was afterward re- ceived that no other claimants appeared, and the money was turned over to the govern- ment, and used in the construction of a street.

The earliest habitation of the pioneer An- dros family was a log cabin which in 1787, ac- cording to will of Joshua Andros, and prob- ably earlier, had been replaced by a dwelling house. Up to the present time (1908) the old homestead and lands have been in pos- session of, and occupied by, the direct de- scendants, having passed from father to son, and are thereby still retained in the family name.

In the early days Berwick and vicinity was the scene of many severe Indian encounters, and during Joshua's time this locality was not free from disturbances. For protection a garrison was stationed at Blackberry Hill, so- called, in Berwick, which frequently respond- ed to signals for assistance from these early settlers. For a long time the lands around this homestead were infested with wolves, and members of the family were often terri- fied by their sudden appearance while passing along the road. They became so numerous that instances are recorded where travelers on the highway were attacked by them, and a bounty was offered by the government for their destruction. It is a matter of family tradition that Joshua traveled on foot from Berwick, Maine, to Amesbury, Massachu- setts, to learn the art of catching them, and purchased a trap which he brought home on his shoulders. This wolf trap of Joshua's is still in existence and carefully preserved. The records show the receipt by Joshua of a

S e s re

as re- as- 10 en to

an cam

end tter

ing

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bounty for catching wolves, and in this con- nection the following, taken from his account book,1 (which is still in possession of one of the descendants), is of some interest:

John Andros to Joshua Andros, 1762, August.

Dr.

To learning you the art to catch wolves, 2-0-0

Joshua had a brother John, who lived alone at Blackberry Hill, and this brother is un- doubtedly the one referred to in the above ac- count. That he also had a mother living at that time is evident from the following ac- count with this same John Andros :

John Andros to Joshua Andros. Dr.

1758, Nov. To a days work with four

oxen moving my mother, 0-9-0

To keeping my mother, finding her a room and firewood from the 20 of November to the first of May next following, 7-04-0

1759, May. To 1 days work with my- self and 4 oxen moving mother home again, 0-9-0

Nothing is known of this mother spoken of in this account, but there was one Re- bekah (Weymouth) Andros living in 1751, who was at that time a widow, and related to this Joshua, but there is nothing to show what the relationship was. She was the daughter of William Weymouth, of Dover. Children of Joshua and Olive (Emery) An- dros: I. Oley, born December 2, 1744, bap- tized May 30, 1756; died young. 2. Moley, born July 4, 1747, baptized August 23, 1747, died September 23, 1819; married, Septem- ber 8, 1768, to Benjamin Hurd., 3. Joshua, born August 1, 1749, baptized September 8, 1749, died September 21, 1806; unmarried; served in the Revolutionary war. 4. William, born October 9, 1751, baptized July 24, 1754. 5. Charity, born March 4, 1754, baptized July 24, 1754; married Heard. 6. Oley, born May 24, 1756, died December 24, 1789. 7. Elisha, born August 19, 1758, bap- tized January 10, 1760, died January 27, 1791. 8. Benjamin, born September 25, 1760, bap- tized November 15, 1761. 9. Sarry, born September 13, 1763, baptized June 30, 1765, died November 14, 1791; married

Dudley. 10. Simeon, born April 26, 1765; see forward. II. Susey, born April 23, 1769, died November 5, 1833; unmarried.

(II) Simeon Andros, tenth child and youngest son of Joshua and Olive (Emery) Andros, was born April 26, 1765, and died July 27, 1839. He was married September 5, 1791, to Sarah Chick, of Berwick, who was born March II, 1766, and died July 9, 1834. They had the following children: I. Apphia, born November 18, 1791; unmarried. 2. Le- vi, born June 26, 1795; married, January 16,

1818, Lydia Hurd, daughter of Silas Hurd. 3. James, born November 24, 1798; see for- ward. 4. Daniel, born April 12, 1801; mar- ried, October 26, 1823, to Eliza Goodwin. 5. Olive, born January 17, 1804; unmarried. 6. Susan, born December 2, 1805; married Ivory Knight. 7. Mary, born October 21, 1807; married Stephen Harvey. 8. William, born Au- gust 20, 1811; married, December 18, 1842, to Abigail Lord. A child was born Febru- ary 12, 1793, and died the following April 20th, unnamed.

(III) James Andrews, third child and sec- ond son of Simeon and Sarah (Chick) An- dros, was the first to adopt the present form of the family name, Andrews. He was born in Berwick, Maine, November 24, 1798, and died August 8, 1869. He married Patience Chick, daughter of William and Eleanor (Ste- vens) . Chick; she was born June 18, 1800, and died April 30, 1878. Children: I. Luther Munn, born in Berwick, Maine, November 28, 1833; see forward. 2. Howard, born in Berwick, died at Lynn, Massachusetts; mar- ried, at Wolfboro, New Hampshire, Mary Hatch. 3. Albert, born in Berwick; mar- ried, at Somersworth, New Hampshire, Al- meda Webber. 4. Martin Van Buren, born April 23, 1837; unmarried. 5. Charles, born August 21, 1839, died December 4, 1903; married, January 1, 1881, to Orilla F. An- drews, daughter of Edmund Griffith and Mary (Seavey) Andrews.

(IV) Luther Munn Andrews, eldest child of James and Patience (Chick) Andrews, was born in Berwick, Maine, November 28, 1833. He received his education in the schools of his native town. He located in 1864 in Low- ell, Massachusetts, where he died, March 4, 1897. He was affiliated with Pentucket Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Lowell, Massachusetts. He was married in Great Falls, (now called Somersworth) New Hampshire, November 27, 1856, to Lois Wilkins, born at Waterford, Maine, January 5, 1837, daughter of William Kimball and Lorena (Lovejoy) Wilkins. William Kim- ball Wilkins was born in Waterford, Maine, February 14, 1809, and died in Somersworth, New Hampshire, February 28, 1850; he mar- ried, December 3, 1831, at Waterford, Lo- rena Lovejoy, born May 1, 1810, died at Somersworth, October 10, 1895. Children of Luther Munn and Lois (Wilkins) An- drews: I. J. Munn; born May 7, 1865; see forward. 2. Frances Eleanor, born in Low- ell, Massachusetts, June 24, 1869. 3. Edith Alberta, born in Lowell, October 3, 1877.

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Historic homes and places and genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume IV, Part 34

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed Publication date: 1908 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 912

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 912