USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Spencer > Historical sketches relating to Spencer, Mass., Volume IV > Part 20
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As early as 1844 he became a member of the constabulary force in Spencer and was a member of this body when he re- ceived his first appointment as deputy sheriff in 1853, under Sheriff George Richardson. His succeeding appointments to this office were under Sheriffs Knowlton and Sprague and un- der the latter his services were continuous from 1871 to 1890, making a grand total, since first appointment, of thirty-one years. Mr. Hersey was a fearless officer and this trait was so predominant in the discharge of his duties, that he soon be- came a terror to evil doers. His stature gave him an imposing appearance and this feature, together with a strong arm and well developed muscle, enabled him to enter a crowd, single handed, and make arrests, where two or more ordinary men
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would prefer not to go. He did not parley with obstinate pris- oners, but was lenient and kindly disposed to those who did not seriously object to do his bidding.
A story is told of a prisoner, who, on being asked why he submitted to him without a struggle, said : "Why, Hersey makes a prisoner feel as though he was doing him a favor, by arrest- ing him." He was always cool and self-possessed and when called upon to assert the authority of his office, these qualities served him well in the discharge of his arduous and oft-times dangerous duties. As a public official, his services as chief
NATHAN HERSEY
marshal, on the occasion of a public parade, were always in demand and being a good horseman he made a commanding ap- pearance, when in uniform and mounted on his favorite horse, at the head of his corps of deputies.
Mr. Hersey served the town as selectman, assessor and col- lector, holding the latter office for thirty years or more; was one of the incorporators of the Spencer Savings Bank, a trus- tee and member of the Investment committee for twenty years and his services, upon the latter board, were particularly valu- able, as he was considered a good indge of real estate and its
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value ; was a careful and considerate investor for the institution and took pride in exercising his best judgment as one of its managers and advisors.
Mr. Hersey was a genial man to meet on all occasions, making many friends, who did not forsake him in his old age, as was in evidence upon the occasion of the celebration of his eightieth anniversary. His house was thronged at this gather- ing, and congratulations were cordial upon his rounding out four score years, so hale and hearty and among such a host of friends. Mr. Hersey was four times married. In 1833 to Miss Harriet Barnes, daughter of Amos Livermore, by whom he had four children, two dying in infancy, and Alonzo Henry, born in 1836, who died March 23, 1883. The others died in child- hold. Mrs. Hersey died in 1836 and in 1838 he married Harriet, daughter of Major Isaac Lamb, and of this union he had three daughters, two of whom survive him, viz: Mrs. W. U. Stone of Leicester and Mrs. J. E. Bacon of Spencer. His second wife died October 20, 1849 and in 1853 he married Caroline, daugh- ter of Joseph Cheever. She died in 1867 and in 1874 he mar- ried Mary E. Johnson of Andover, Mass., and she died June 20, 1895. There were no children by the last two marriages. Mr. Hersey died November 2, 1895, aged eighty-seven years, ter months and fifteen days.
BIOGRAPHY OF ISAAC LOTHROP PROUTY
BY JOSEPH W. TEMPLE
Isaac Lothrop Prouty was born January 30, 1831, at the old homestead in the northerly part of Spencer, recently owned and occupied by his younger brother, Vernon Prouty.
He was of the third generation in decent, from Richard Prouty, who came from England at the age of fourteen, about 1667 and settled in Scituate, Mass. Isaac, the youngest son of Richard. was among the first settlers in Spencer and was great-grandfather of Isaac L. Prouty, the subject of this sketch.
Isaac L. was the son of Captain John Nazro and Melinda (Luther) Prouty, their family consisting of five sons and one daughter, viz: Thomas A., Melinda, Theodore C., Isaac L., and Vernon, the last named, deceased May 19, 1906. Captain Prouty was a successful farmer and esteemed citizen, was chosen captain of the state militia. served the town as select- man, overseer of the poor and filled other minor offices of the town with honor.
Isaac L. Prouty received his early education at the district school in North Spencer, supplemented by a short season at a private school taught by Miss Harrington, whose small home stood on the spot now occupied by the residence of the late Thomas A. Prouty. These advantages, although meager, he made the most of and they, together with a native sagacity which early developed, practically fitted him for the business life in which he held high rank. He passed the minor part of his life on his father's farm, but upon reaching his majority left the farm and entered the service of his uncle, Isaac Prouty, to learn the art of boot manufacturing as it was practiced in those days. Remaining with him a few years, he left this em- ploy and went to Paxton with his brothers, John and Thomas A., to enter upon the first business venture of his life, viz- the manufacture of boots and keeping a general store, he and
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his brother John to manage the former and Thomas A., the latter. Although of short duration, he never had cause to re- gret this first experience, but rather regarded it as a success, inasmuch, as it developed a desire for a larger field, and con- fidence in the ability to assume the management of a more ex- tended business. At times it came to him that this larger field for expansion was the west, and after carefully consid- ering the matter, with his brother John, they decided to close
ISAAC LOTHROP PROUTY
their Paxton business and seek a western field, but before their plans were consummated, however, and acting upon the advice of his uncle Isaac, in 1859, he came to Spencer and formed a partnership with David Prouty in the manufacture of boots, under the firm name of David Prouty & Co.
Their business relations continued until 1879, when David Prouty retired from the firm. The business was continued, however, by Charles A. Bemis and Charels H. Allen, two young
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ISAAC LOTHROP PROUTY.
men formerly in the employ of David Prouty & Co., the firm being known as Bemis & Allen, with Mr. Prouty as their silent partner, director and manager. Before the close of this re- lation, Mr. Prouty, with his son-in-law, Myron A. Young, en- tered into business arrangements with John E. Bacon and Van R. Kent, in the same line of business, in the brick factory form- erly occupied by Bush & Grout, under the firm name of Bacon, Kent & Company. Mr. Prouty retired from this firm in 1893.
In '94, he, with Mr. Young, became stockholders in the Isaac Prouty Company. was elected president and financial manager of the corporation, and occupied these positions until his decease.
The important, active positions he held in all these busi- ness relations, naturally brought him in contact with a large circle of business men outside his own town and he very soon established the reputation of being a shrewd, conservative and adroit manager. These rare qualifications inspired a degree of confidence among the trade, which added largely, to that other important adjunct, money capital, and early established for him a credit that for all his needs was never questioned. He possessed a social temperament, naturally, and in his con- tact with the diversity of interests, in the purchase and sale of merchandise. whether customer, salesman or competitor, he made himself agreeable to each and this characteristic was a potent factor in the consummation of his plans. In any sub- ject under consideration, he had the faculty, first, learn the pri- vate, or prevailing opinion, in regard to it; then in an earnest, but quiet way, make his carefully studied suggestions, and they were generally accepted, as safe to follow.
He was an important man. in the business history of the town, having been identified with it from the close of his first venture to the closing days of his life, with but few short sea- sons of absolute rest from its responsibilities and continuous cares. He was considered a man of more than ordinary judg- ment and was often called upon in matters of vexed contra- versy in his own town and county, and his opinion on all such occasions was a guarantee of a fair and equitable adjustment and generous treatment to all parties interested. Ostentatious display was no part of his nature. This feature was ob- served in his personal and home surroundings and was soon noticeable in the absence of his name from the business address of the several firms of which he was an important member.
His home life was especially attractive to him, enjoying the neighborly call from friends. The tributes of respect and af- fection which were manifested at his obsequies, showed the deep
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hold he had upon those who were favored with his friendship. Was happy in his domestic life and its environments, and his memory, there, will ever be held in grateful remembrance, as he was a dutiful husband and a kind, considerate and indul- gent father.
He served the town as selectman in 1874 and '75 and in '82, represented the district in the General Court in the winter of 1881 and '82, and performed these duties faithfully, but in his case his services to the town were not measured by the num- ber of terms he had served the town in an official capacity, but by the kind of service he had rendered it as advisor, or arbi- trator, or in matters of complicated litigation. They were greater in number than the citizens generally realized and they called for the keen, discriminating, well balanced judgment, which he possessed. He had a natural aptitude for finance and in its application, his opinions and advice were valuable, even to those who had made this school a study for a life time. Son of a farmer's son, he never lost his interest in the pursuit of the farmer and was, consequently, deeply interested in the Spencer Farmers and Mechanics' Association, of which he had been president, and for many years on its finance committee ; was an active and influential member and gave to it liberally, of time and money.
Was a Republican in politics and always took a lively in- terest in the affairs of the party, whether local, State or Na- tional.
He married Mary L. Skinner of Paxton and by this union one son and one daughter were born to them, the son dying young and the daughter became the wife of Myron A. Young. The widow, Mrs. Young, and grand-daughter, Louise Prouty (Young) Hyde, survive him. Mr. Prouty died February 6, 1904.
LEVI H. ADAMS
Levi H. Adams, the long-bearded man, was born in Spen- cer in April, 1836, and died at Honesdale, Pa., January 22, 1887.
LEVI H. ADAMS
He was a son of Levi and Betsey Adams of Pleasant street, and brother of Daniel W. Adams, who now occupies the old homestead. When a young man a fever resulted in perpetual
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baldness of his head, but his beard grew amazingly until it attained the unusual length of thirty-six inches. In its way it was as much of a curiosity as the long tresses of the seven Sutherland sisters, whose fame has become world-wide. Mr. Adams was quite sensitive in regard to showing or talking about his beard and always carried the bulk of it inside his vest hidden from public gaze. He could have made a small fortune by going on exhibition, but resolutely refused all offers looking toward that end.
INDEX
PAGE
Adams, Levi 233-234 Bacon, John Edward, Biography of 222-225
Big Trees of Spencer
Bemis Memorial Park .77-80 . 116 Cuban, Philippine and China Wars, Spencer Boys in . . 204-221 First Baptist Church of Spencer, History of . 5-33
Gold Hunters, Spencer Forty-Niners 90-94
Gold Mine of Lot Berry 95-96
Green, Josiah, Biography of
Hersey, Nathan, Biography of 72-76
226-228
Howland Oak . 159-160 Impounding Cattle . 161
Indians and Negroes in Spencer 165-171
Industries of Spencer in 1845, 1855 and 1865 163-164
Irrigation in Spencer . 89
Jones, Ruel, Biography of 83-88 Livermore, Charles F. 127-128 Museum, The Spencer 81-82
North Spencer Life, Glimpses of, by Rev. Otis Cole 34-55 Powder Mills of Spencer, History of 132-158
Prouty, Augustus B., Biography , 129-131
Prouty, Captain Isaac, Biography of . . 56-71
Prouty, Isaac Lothrop, Biography of 229-232
Reminiscenses of Spencer by Rev. M. E. Wright 106-115
Rice, Asher . . 97-98
School Records of District No. 2, Extracts from 121-126
Shay's Rebellion 185-203
Spencer Phips . 1-4
Sumner, William, Biography of 99-105
Temple, Colonel, Biography of 117-120
Washington Temperance Movement 172-184
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