USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Historic homes and places and genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume IV > Part 55
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(VI) William H. Anderson, son of Francis D. Anderson (5), was born on the homestead in Londonderry, New Hampshire, January 12, 1836, and died in Lowell, Massachusetts, April 14, 1902. He attended the common schools of his native town and fitted for college at Phil- lips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts. He entered Yale University in 1855 and was grad- uated in 1859. He then went south and was engaged for a time as private tutor in Natchez, Mississippi. In 1860 he returned to Massa- chusetts and began the study of law in the of-
fices of Morse & Stevens. He was such an apt student that he was able to pass his bar exam- ination in December, 1862, and he immediately began to practice law in Lowell. He rose rap- idly to prominence and success and became one of the leading lawyers of the Common- wealth. He was especially strong as a trial lawyer and was a very strong and effective speaker, not only before juries but in various public capacities. He was active also in politi- cal life. In 1868 and 1869 he was a member of the Lowell common council, and afterwards served with great credit on the school board. He represented his district in the general court in 1871 and 1872, served on many important committees, and was often heard on the floor of the house. He was an influential and ef- ficient legislator. He was a member of the William North Lodge of Free Masons of Lowell, and attended the John Street Congre- gational Church. He was a director of the Lowell National Bank for many years. He was well known and esteemed by his towns- men, and at the time of his death a beautiful tribute to his worth as a man and citizen was signed by all the leading citizens of Lowell and published. He gave freely of his means to the poor and unfortunate and likewise gave his time and professional service to many un- able to pay him.
He married, October 1, 1868, Mary Hine, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Hine, of Springfield, Massachusetts. She was born August 19, 1840, and survives her husband, living at the homestead in Lowell. Their only child, Frances W., born December 20, 1877, resides with her mother.
This surname has been EDGARTON spelled in many different ways, and usage is divided at present in the family, some spelling their names Edgarton, others Egerton and Edger- ton. The first settler of this name in New England was from England-Richard Eger- ton, who settled in Norwich, Connecticut, and married at Saybrook, April 7, 1653, Mary Sylvester. He was in Saybrook until the fall of 1659. He left four sons -- John, Richard, Samuel and Joseph -- each of whom became the head of a family. The Edgertons of Con- necticut and Vermont belong to this family.
(I) Dennis Egerton (or Edgarton) the first ancestor known of the Shirley (Massachu- setts) line, was- probably the pioneer. He ap- peared in East Bridgewater about the time of the coming of the Scotch-Irish to Massa-
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chusetts, but may be a descendant of the pioneer Richard, of Norwich. The fact that after the father's death the children were all baptized in the East Bridgewater church at the same time, April 18, 1734, indicates that the family was not of Puritan upbringing be- fore that time, and would accord with the idea that Egerton was a Scotch or English Presbyterian from the north of Ireland. The son Hezekiah removed to Nova Scotia in 1757, came back, but finally returned again. Chil- dren of Dennis and Experience Egerton: I. Hannah. 2. John, mentioned below. 3. Re- becca. 4. Experience. 5. James. 6. Heze- kiah. 7. Miriam. 8. Dennis, Jr.
(II) John Edgarton, son of Dennis and Experience Egerton or Edgarton (I), born 1721, married, November 27, 1746, Abigail, daughter of James and Ruth Snow. He died 1779, aged fifty-eight years; his widow mar- ried, 1780, Jonathan Beal. Children, born at East Bridgewater : I. Ruth, 1747. 2. John, mentioned below. 3. Joseph, born 1756, sol- dier in the revolution, died in the service. 4. Abigail, born 1760. 5. Benjamin, born 1763, came with brothers John and James to Shir- ley ; married Sarah, daughter of James and Sarah (Dickerson) Parker, December 7, 1788; lived in Shirley till near close of the century, when he removed to Lancaster, where he died April 2, 1806. 6. Hannah, born 1765, mar- ried Samuel Whitman, removed to Cumming- ton, Massachusetts. 7. James, born March I, 1753; removed to Shirley, where his de- scendants retain the spelling Egerton: those of his brother John spell their names Edgar- ton; and of his brother Benjamin, also in Shirley, Edgarton. 8. William, died young. 9. William.
(III) John Edgarton, son of John Edgarton (2), was born in East Bridgewater, Massa- chusetts, December 26, 1750. About the time he came of age he settled in Shirley with his brothers James and Benjamin, and remained there till the end of his life, a useful and honorable citizen. He owned the farm now or lately occupied by William P. Wilbur, and erected the house-the first brick building of the town-now the property of the town. He was a volunteer to Cambridge on the Lexing- ton alarm, April 19, 1775; ensign in Captain Joshua Parker's company, Colonel Jonathan Reed's regiment, in 1776, and perhaps later ; town magistrate, and was called 'Squire Ed- garton for many years. He was twice elected representative to the general court, and for twenty-one years was a selectman of the town, indicating that he was one of the foremost if
not the first citizen of the town. He was elected to many other positions of trust and honor. He married, January 21, 1773, Abi- gail Parker. Children, born at Shirley : I. Leonard, born September 23, 1773; married first, July 12, 1798, Betsey Parker; second, Nancy Claverly, . of Lancaster. 2. John, born April 1, 1775, settled when young in Madison, New York ; died April 4, 1844 ; mar- ried Mercy Lewis, of Madison. 3. Joseph, mentioned below. 4. William, born Decem- ber 27, 1780; married Allaseba Bennett, of Lunenburg, in 1804; eleven children; died 1864, Madison, New York. 5. Abigail, born July 15, 1784; married Thaddeus Bailey, of Townsend, Massachusetts. . 6. Sally, born January 2, 1788; married, July 6, 1806, Levi Wilds. 7. Sylvia, born February 28, 1794; married, May 4, 1820, John Davis, of Shirley ; removed to Charlton, Massachusetts, thence to Chicago.
(IV) Joseph Edgarton, son of John Edgar- ton (3), born in Shirley, Massachusetts, No- vember 8, 1777 ; married first (published June 28, 1802), Miranda Parker, of Harvard, Mas- sachusetts, who died January 8, 1808; mar- ried second, December 23, 1810, Mehitable Whitcomb, who died September 28, 1862. He died October 6, 1845. The third clothier's mill in Shirley was built by him on the Cata- cunemaug, but was soon converted to other uses. He established the firm of Joseph Ed- garton & Company, and manufactured cottons in Shirley until 1834, when the financial panic and depression caused the failure of the concern, together with most other manufac- turers of New England. The second cotton mill, known as the Fort Pond Mill, was built by Joseph Edgarton and Lemuel Willard on the southern branch of the Catacunemaug, and is on the more western privilege of that stream. About 1840 it became the property of Hiram Longley. Mr. Edgarton was the chief actor in the establishment of manufactur- ing in Shirley, and to his enterprise and skill much is owing. He was not interested like his father in politics, but his endeavors opened up new lines of employment in the town, and benefited almost every family. "But Mr. Ed- garton," according to the testimony of his family, "shone in the clearest light amid the scenes of his own household. He was pleasant and affectionate in his daily intercourse with his wife and children, made them happy in his society, and sought to guide them in ways of honor and integrity. In life he was the object of their warmest love and reverence, and his death was to them a source of sincere
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bereavement." He had fifteen children, all
born in Shirley. Children of first wife : I. Joseph B., born December 28, 1803; died at Waterloo, Canada, 1876; married, February 8, 1836, Susan Hobby ; one child, Mary, mar- ried G. W. Allen, of Waterloo (child, Henry Allen). 2. Stillman, born May 25, 1805; died May 25, 1805. 3. Rowland P., born May 9, 1806; married, August 8, 1835, Louisa Hob- by ; resided at Oshkosh, Wisconsin; four chil- dren. 4. Charles A., born December 30, 1807, died March 25, 1808. 5. Miranda, born October 25, 1811 ; died at Waltham, February 15, 1846; married, January 23, 1844, Jonas H. Priest; one child, Herman, born at Wal- tham, October 20, 1844. 6. Mary, born Feb- ruary 21, 1813 ; unmarried ; resided at Shirley. 7. Sarah, born December 1, 1814, died July 14, 1818, at Shirley. 8. William Whitcomb, born October 28, 1816; married Elizabeth Fowle, of Shirley, November 25, 1841; died February 9, 1880; wife died May 8, 1857; children; i. Elizabeth, born September II, 1842, died at Shirley, February 27, 1845; ii. William B., born at Shirley, February 2, 1847 ; married Lucy Foster, of Waterloo, Canada. 9. Sarah Carlton, born March 17, 1819, married Rev. A. Dwight Mayo, July 28, 1846 ; she died at Gloucester, July 9, 1848; only child, Caro- line Mayo, born at Gloucester, September 23, 1847; died May II, 1852. Mrs. Mayo was a leader in the literary world of her day; she was for several years editor of the Ladies' Re- pository, a magazine, and of the "Rose of Sharon," an annual religious souvenir. IO. Henry, born December 29, 1820; married, July 23, 1844, Cynthia Ann Longley, of Shir- ley; children : i: Henry L., born March 8, 1847, married Eva Burnham, resided at Willi- mantic, Connecticut, and had one son, John ; ii. John B., born April 18, 1849, died Febru- ary 1, 1852; iii. Clarabel, born December 7, 1851; died February 4, 1852; iv. George Munson, born October 17, 1857, resided in Shirley ; v. Carrie, born December 26, 1859; lived in Shirley ; vi. Mamie, born January 27, 1861, lived at Shirley ; vii. Annie, born Sep- tember I, 1864. died August 1, 1865; viii. Joseph Rodman, born March 16, 1868; died January 12, 1876. II. John Marshall, born January 24, 1823; died at Shirley, October, 1847. graduate of Harvard in 1847. 12. Helen Maria, born April 2, 1825; died July 12, 1825. 13. Charles Austin, born October 13, 1826, mentioned below. 14. Edward Everett, born February 8, 1829; married, De- cember 24, 1857. Emily Bennett : children : i. Lizzie Estelle, born January 3, 1860; ii. Clara
Gertrude, born January 24, 1865, died July 22, 1871. 15. Frederick Adolphus, born May 5, 1851; married Caroline Taylor, of Shirley, April 4, 18 -; lived in Clinton, Mas- sachusetts.
(V) Charles Austin Edgarton, son of Jo- seph Edgarton (4), born in Shirley, October 13, 1826; married, June 17, 1852, Jane A. Longley. He died August 30, 1891 ; his wid- ow resides in Shirley. Children: I. Charles Frederick, born January 14, 1854, mentioned below. 2. Mehitable Whitcomb, born at Shir- ley, May 27, 1860. 3. Sarah Miranda, born at Shirley, April 25, 1863.
(V) Edward Everett Edgarton, son of Jo- seph Edgarton (4), was born at Shirley, Mas- sachusetts, February 8, 1829, and educated there in the common schools. Upon leaving school he was associated with his father and learned the business of manufacturing paper. He helped manage the farm for many years, and assisted in the saw mill conducted by his father. At one time he was engaged in man- ufacturing nails, and for a time was in the railroad business. For two years he was en- gaged in the manufacture of railroad ties from timber in Connecticut. When he returned to Shirley he bought a suitable piece of land and began the culture of cranberries, in which he has been eminently successful. He built the attractive residence which he occupies. He is one of the best known and highly respected citizens of the town. A Republican in poli- tics, he has never sought public office. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, but withdrew some years ago. He is a member of the Universalist church of Shirley. He married, December 24, 1857, at Lowell, Massachusetts, 'Emily Marcella Ben- nett, who was born in Groton, Massachusetts, died January 20, 1907, daughter of Abijah and Mary (Green) Bennett. Her father was born in Groton and lived in Shirley. Children of Edward E. and Emily .M. Edgarton: I. Liz- zie Estelle, born at Chelmsford, Massachu- setts, January 3, 1860; married Samuel H. Longley, a lawyer, practising in Worcester, Massachusetts; five children: Clara, Mary, Samuel, Edward, Emily Josephine. 2. Clara Gertrude, born at Shirley, Massachusetts, Jan- uary 24, 1865; died July 22, 1871.
(VI) Charles Frederick Edgarton, son of Charles Austin Edgarton, (5), was born in Shirley, Massachusetts, January 14, 1854. He attended the public and high schools of his native town, the Lawrence Academy at Gro- ton two years, and the Lancaster (Massa- chusetts) Academy two years. He is engaged
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in the manufacture of suspenders and similar goods. His mill at Shirley employs about four hundred hands, and is one of the largest in the country in this line of manufacture, while Mr. Edgarton is undoubtedly the best known and most successful manufacturer of these goods in the United States. The well advertised and popular "President" suspend- ers are made by his house. Since 1899 Mr. Edgarton has resided in Concord, Massachu- setts, where he has a beautiful residence. He married Sarah Helen Morse, daughter of Gardner and Mary A. (Willard) Morse, of Leominster, Massachusetts. (See Morse fam- ily). Children of Charles Frederick and Sarah Helen (Morse) Edgarton: I. Mildred, born June 18, 1890. 2. Charles G., June 1, 1892.
Joseph Morse, immigrant an- . MORSE cestor of Sarah Helen (Morse) Edgarton, born in England, about 1587, settled in Ipswich, Massachusetts, where he was a proprietor in 1637, and a planter. His son Joseph, also in Ipswich, later of Watertown, came earlier. Joseph (I), married in England, Dorothy His will, dated April 24, 1646, bequeathed to wife Dor- othy, sons Joseph and John, and daughter Hannah. His children: I. Joseph, mentioned below. 2. John, died 1694-95 ; married Dinah -; resided in Ipswich, Groton and Wat- ertown. 3. Hannah, married Thomas New- man, June 8, 1665, at Ipswich.
(II) Joseph Morse, son of Joseph Morse (I), born in England, 1610, came to America in ship "Elizabeth," sailing April 30, 1634, and settled finally at Watertown, Massachu- setts. He was then twenty-four years old. In 1636 he was one of the proprietors at Watertown. He died there March 4, 1690, and his estate was administered by his son John. He married Esther, daughter of John and Elizabeth Pierce, of Watertown. Chil- dren: I. Joseph, born April 3, 1637, died 1677, settled at Groton, proprietor. 2. Dea- con John, mentioned below. 3. Jonathan, buried May 12, 1743, at Watertown. 4. John- athan, born November 7, 1643, died July 31, 1686; town clerk of Groton, etc. 5. Esther, born March 7, 1645-46, married, December 23, 1669, Jonathan Pollard, lived at Watertown. 6. Sarah, married Timothy Cooper, June, 1669, lived at Groton. 7. Jeremiah, died Sep- tember 27, 1719, at Newton, proprietor of Gro- ton. 8. Isaac, lived at Newton; wife died 1714.
(III) Deacon John Morse, son of Joseph
Morse (2), born in Watertown, February 28, 1630, settled there, was admitted a freeman May 15, 1672, died there July 23, 1702. His estate was administered by his son James. He lived at Lancaster for a time, and was one of the first deacons of Rev. Mr. Angier's church. He married Anne, daughter of John Smith, of Lancaster, and (second) Abigail Stearns, April 27, 1666; she died October 15, 1690. Children of Deacon John and Anne Morse: I. Lydia, born April 6, 1660. 2. John, - born April 7, 1662, probably died young at Lan- caster. Children of Deacon John and Abigail : 3. John, born May 10, 1667, died young. 4. James, born November 25, 1668, died 1718; married Abigail Morse. 5. John, mentioned below. 6. Joseph, born August 25, 1671, died June 24, 1709, settled at Guilford, Con- necticut. 7. Abigail, born December 23, 1673, died March 6, 1673-74. 8. Abigail, born August 6, 1677, died April 13, 1683. 9. Isaac, born January 6, 1677, died November 24, 1694, at Watertown. IO. Samuel, born June 21, 1682. II. Nathaniel, died March 10, 1729-30; married Grace Dyer; (second) Phebe
(IV) John Morse, son of Deacon John Morse (3), born in Lancaster or Watertown, March 15, 1669-70; resided in Watertown and Needham, Massachusetts; admitted a free- man June 2, 1699-1700; was living in Need- ham in 1718. He married, January 8, 1689- 90, Elizabeth Goodin (Godding), died No- vember 21, 1701. He married (second), Jan- uary 7, 1702, Hepsebath Stone. His first wife owned the covenant at the church October 3, 1697. Children of John and Elizabeth Morse : I. John, baptized October 3, 169 -. 2. Sus- annah, born January 5, 1694-95, died at Wat- ertown. 3. Isaac, mentioned below. 4. Eliza- beth, baptized October 3, 1697. 5. William, born November 18, 1699, died 1752 without issue. Children of John and Hepsebath Morse: 6. Hepsebath, born February 14, 1703. 7. Henry, born September 14, 1704, married Mary Follett, and resided at Attle- borough, Massachusetts. 8. John, born 1705, died 1767; joined the Cambridge church in I730. 9. Rebecca, born November 16, 1706. IO. Sarah, born June 3, 1708. 1I. Abigail, baptized March 5, 1709-10. 12. Sarah (twin), born October 9, 1712, died March 28, 1714. 13. Susanna (twin), born October 9, 1712, died March, 1714. 14. Mary, baptized June 19, 1715.
(V) Isaac Morse, son of John Morse (4), was born in Watertown, Massachusetts, Feb- ruary II, 1696-97, baptized October 3, 1697.
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He was received in the Cambridge church in I737; lived for a time in Attleborough. He married Elizabeth Turner. Children : I. Elisha, born November 2, 1727, died young. 2. Elisha, mentioned below.
(VI) Elisha Morse, son of Isaac Morse (5), was born at Needham, Massachusetts, No- vember 2, 1741. He was a soldier through the entire Revolution, a private in Captain Joseph Morse's company, Colonel Samuel Bullard's regiment, on the Lexington alarm ; afterward in Captain James Miller's company, Colonel Jonathan Wood's regiment; also in Captain Amos Perry's company, Colonel Haws's regiment in Rhode Island in 1779; in Captain Joshua Fisk's company, Colonel Ab- ner Perry's regiment in 1780; enlisted for three years in the Continental army. He re- sided at Natick, Massachusetts. He married, 1762, Jemima Tomblin, born April 6, 1742. Children, all born at Natick: I. Mehitable, born June 4, 1763, married Hezekiah Bacon. 2. Lurana, born May 3, 1765, married Levi ·Sawin, of West Dedham. 3. Isaac, born Feb- ruary 3, 1769, married Deborah Cleveland ; re- sided at Needham; had thirteen children. 4. Elisha, mentioned below. 5. Arnold, born May 15, 1774, married, April 6, 1792, Sally Hunting (according to the church records) ; resided at Millbury, Massachusetts, and Pom- fret, Connecticut. 6. Rebecca, born October I, 1778, married Luther Broad, 1802, and had ten children; resided at Natick. 7. Persis, born April 1, 1780, married Elisha Robbins, who died without issue. 8. Reuben, born October 4, 1782, died 1835. 9. Betsey, born October 27, 1786, died about 180I.
(VII) Elisha Morse, son of Elisha Morse (6), born at Natick, Massachusetts, June 2, 1771. Lived for a time in Needham. Mar- ried Sally More. Children: I. Arnold, men- tioned below. 2. Gardner, born September 3, 1792, at Needham.
(VIII) Arnold Morse, son of Elisha Morse (7), was born at Needham, March, 1791. He had a common school education. He was a farmer, later a papermaker. He resided at Needham, where he was married and finally about 1827, settled in Leominster and followed the papermaking business the remainder of his life. He married, at Needham, December, 1810, Jane Giles, of Needham.
(IX) Gardner Morse, son of Arnold Morse (8), born in Dorchester, now part of Boston, 18II. He attended the public schools, and at the age of sixteen removed to Leominster, Massachusetts, with his parents, and learned the business of comb making, as most boys of
his day in that town had to do. As soon as he had completed his apprenticeship he went into the business of comb manufacture in Leo- minster and built up a large and flourishing business in which he was engaged in active life. His home for more than half a century was in what is still known as the Morse place, on West street, whither he moved in April, 1836, and where he died October 15, 1894. In 1857 he took into partnership with him his son, George F., and William Booth, and Jo- seph F. Goodhue, under the firm name of G. Morse & Company, the first stock company manufacturing in the town of Leominster. Within the year this company lost its factory by fire, and did not rebuild, but the G. Morse and Company firm continued the business un- til the beginning of the war in 1861. He married, in 1833, Mary Ann Willard, daugh- ter of Manasseh and Sarah McDuffee Willard, of Sterling, Massachusetts, whose children were: Mary Ann, George W., Caroline A., Joseph W., Manasseh B., Orissa, Amelia, Frances. Children of Gardner and Mary Ann Morse: I. Mary C., born 1834. 2. George Franklin, born October 16, 1835. 3. Anna M., born 1838. 4. Elizabeth A., born 1842, married J. H. Rice. 5. Henrietta A., born 1844. 6. Charles A., born 184 -. 7. Sarah Helen, mentioned above. 8. Albert G., born 184 -.
· The name of Burnes or Burne, BURNES and the more common form of Burns is common in Scotland and Ireland. Its origin may have some con- nection with the county of Sterling, Scotland, whence several of the family competent to bear arms appear to claim their origin. It is believed that the name was originally Burn, the different members later assuming the name of Burnes instead of Burn. The an- cestor of Morlie Ackman Burnes, the subject of our sketch, claimed that his ancestors were of Scotch origin. The name has been made famous by the poet, Robert Burns, (1759- 1796) whose father's name was spelled early in the last half of the eighteenth century Bur- ness. The father of Robert Burns, described as a staid and worthy man, named William Burness, was a native of Kincardenshire, Scotland, and emigrated to Ayrshire in pursuit of a livelihood. He hired himself as a gar- (lener to the laird of Fairlee, and from this circumstance appears to have been of hum- ble origin. It is said that William Burness inherited respect for education from his fath-
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er, who in his young manhood was instru- mental in building a school house on his farm. Aside from receiving such an educa- tion as his village afforded, Robert Burns by his song made the name of Burns
"One of the few. the immortal names, That were not born to die."
(I) Richard Burnes, the first of this family to come to America, was born at London, England, in 1769. Having lost his parents when he was quite young, was brought up by a rich uncle on the maternal side who resided at Hull, England. He had expected to re- ceive much of his uncle's property, but was deprived of his inheritance by the action of others. He learned early the trade of a car- penter and followed that occupation through life. He moved his family to America after his second marriage, leaving Hull, April 6, 1819, in the ship "Dixon," in which a son, Richard Dixon, was born to him, May 10, 1819. He landed at St. John, New Brunswick, and later went to the nearby parish of Hamp- ton. He followed his trade in both places and was also engaged at farming during his active years. In the course of three years he removed his family to Upham in King's coun- ty, where he had purchased three hundred and twenty acres of farming land in the east- erly part of the township. He bought this farm of James H. Fowler for £150 on August 23, 1822. It was bounded southerly by the Hammond river. He built his first house of logs on this tract, but latterly built a frame house. Here he farmed and followed his trade of carpenter, building many houses in that neighborhood including the Methodist church edifice. He also built carts and sleds and farming machines for the neighboring farmers, raised cattle, sheep, and horses, and was known as one of the most honest men in the community. He was a member of the Methodist church. In his time the spelling of his name was usually Burns. The form of Burnes was adopted at a late period by a few of his descendants. He died in King's coun- ty, Canada, November 21, 1848. He was twice married; his first marriage was to Ly- dia Peckitt, May 7, 1801. Of this union was born the following children: I. Isaac, born June 15, 1803; married Martha Thompson, December 14, 1825. 2. Mary Ann, born June 16, 1805; married John Boggs, Novem- ber 7, 1830. 3. George Cockerill, born May 7, 1807; died September 10, 1807. 4. Lydia Burns, born December 28, 1808. Lydia (Peckitt) Burns, mother of the aforemen- tioned children died October 19, 1809, age
twenty-eight years five months and twelve days. Richard Burns married second, Jane Smith, October 13, 1811, and of this union had born to him the following children: 5. Jane, born August 6, 1812. 6. George Cock- erill, born October 20, 1815, married Sarah Hicks, July 22, 1840, and had children: Rich- ard William Hicks, born June 28, 1841; John Henry, born February 14, 1843; Harriet Ma- ria, born December 23, 1845. 7. Richard Dixon, see forward.
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