USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume II pt 2 > Part 43
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
HON. JOSEPH WHITE, L.L. D.,
The people of the commonwealth of Massachusetts point with pride to their institutions of learning and it is their boast, that, with the best system of free schools in the Union, the children of the humblest mechanic have facilities for acquiring an education equal to those of the rich and opulent.
Few men in their day have done more to promote the canse of educa- tion than the Hon. Joseph White of Williamstown. Mr. White was born at Charlemont, Franklin County. Mass .. November 18th. 1811. His father was Joseph White and his mother's maiden name was Rebecca Rice. He is a descendant of John White, and, ou the maternal side, of Edward Rice, settlers from England, of the towns of Lancaster (1650), and Sudbury (1639) respectively.
His ancestors were of that genuine old Puritan stock whose love of civil and religious liberty was deep and abiding, and who, with the Bible in one hand, and the sword in the other, were ready at all times to lay down their lives in defense of what they believed to be right. Jonathan. the great-grandfather of Mr. White, was a lieutenant colonel in the war between the French and English, and was in the engagement at Crown Point, in 1755.
The childhood of Joseph White was like that of most New England boys. At the age of 18 he commenced teaching school in his native town and by this means was soon enabled to enter upon a preparatory course for college in Bennington Seminary, supporting himself at the same time by teaching. His preliminary course was brief but thorough. He entered Williams College in the autumn of 1832 and was grad nated in 1836, with the First English Oration. While in college he supported himself entire- ly by teaching, annually spending in this occupation a period of twenty weeks, taken in part from term-time. as was then permitted in such cases. And after graduation he passed several months as instructor in the semi- nary at Bennington.
In March, 1837, Mr. White entered the office of Judge JJ. D. Willard, of Troy, as a student of law, going thence. in October following, to the office of Hon. Martin I. Townsend and brother, where he remained until Jannary, 1839. He then returned as tutor to the college, serving as such with acceptance until commencement in 1840.
In 1841 Mr. White married Hannah, daughter of Keyes Danforth. sen .. of Williamstown, and soon after formed a copartnership in Troy with his brother-in-law. the late Hon. A. B. Olin, which continued for some years. The firm built up a large and lucrative practice, and during this period Mr. White acquired considerable distinction as a lawyer, and. had the opportunity been afforded him, would have excelled as a special pleader.
While a student in Troy he assisted in organizing the Young Men's Association, for mutual improvement and the intellectual development
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of its members. This society has continued its existence for over fifty years, and in the meantime has acquired a large and extensive library to the foundation and support of which Mr. White has been a liberal con- tributor. He still retains his interest in the association, and at the recent celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the organization he was invited to deliver the address.
In December, 1848, he removed to Lowell and took charge of the Massachusetts Cotton Mills, then one of the largest manufacturing cor- porations in New England. In the management of the extensive and complicated affairs of the company he evoked the strongest expressions of praise from his associates. In the legislative session of 1857 he repre- sented Middlesex county as Senator, and, although this was his first ex- perience in the Legislature, he was made chairman of the joint standing committee on education. He was chairman of a large special committee on retrenchment and reform, and secured the adoption of important measures relating to the objects and modes of legislation. In April IS. he was appointed Bank Commissioner which position he filled with great credit until his resignation in 1860.
In 1848 Mr. White was elected trustee of the college in place of Hon. David Buel. At commencement, in 1855, he delivered an oration before the Society of Alumni in memory of the founder, Col. Ephraim Williams. which was printed at the society's request. In March, 1859. be was chosen college treasurer, to succeed Hon. Daniel Dewey, deceased : he accepted the appointment, and, on the Ist of Jannary following removed to Williamstown, since which time he has continued to hold the office and has made this his permanent home.
In July, 1860, at the earnest solicitation of his many friends he was induced to accept the appointment of secretary to the state board of education in place of Governor Boutwell, and was re-elected annually until 1876.
In 1868 the degree of LL. D., was conferred upon him by Yale Col. lege.
Mr. White served as a member of the Legislature a second term in the session of 1875 acting as chairman on the part of the House of Rop resentatives, of the joint committee on education. In 1877 he was chosen president of the Northern Berkshire Conference of the Congregational Church.
He has been foremost among the advocates of temperance reform, and his eloquent appeals, his thrilling narratives, and magnetic power as a public speaker have done much toward awakening an interest among those who hitherto had evinced a spirit of apathy or indifference to the great evil of intemperance.
Mr. White has taken an active interest in the public affairs of Wil- liamstown, and has been a liberal contributor to worthy benevolent ob- jects. While he has passed " three score years and ton." the allotted age of man's existence, his form is still Preet. and his elastic step and mental
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vigor indicate that his " lines have fallen in pleasant places, " and that he has "enjoyed a goodly heritage."
During recent years he has withdrawn for the most part from public office, devoting his time mainly to his duties as College Treasurer, to the management of his farm on which he resides, and to the consultation of the large and well appointed library which he has for many years been engaged in collecting.
JOHN MANNING COLE.
Fifty years ago there was little in the village of Williamstown to at- tract the eye of the stranger. Nature had been lavish in her gifts but art had done comparatively nothing. With the exception of the college building's there were only a few plain looking. farm houses, while broken down and dilapidated looking fences bordered the highway. Many of the trees were decayed and unsightly looking. Within a few years every- thing displeasing to the eye has been removed. Old fences have disap- peared. beautiful shade trees have been planted, parks have been laid out, and the change wrought is like that of the uncut diamond to the bright and polished jewel after it has passed the hands of the lapidary. The passing traveler expresses surprise at the discovery of such unexpected and unsurpassed beanty and prolongs his stay. His natural inquiry as he lingers here in the enjoyment of this lovely scene is, whose mind con - ceived and whose hands wrought the change that meets the eye of the beholder in every direction.
To no two individuals are the people of Williamstown more indebted than to Professor Hopkins and John Manning Cole. The one conceived and planned, while the other enlarged upon and executed the plans of the former. Professor Hopkins has ceased from his labors and gone to his rest, while the good work begun by him has been continued by his friend and associate, Mr. Cole.
John Manning Cole was born at South Adams, Mass .. May 11th, 1818. He is descended from a long line of Scotch ancestry, some of whom were distinguished in the English wars. His parents were both of immediate Scotch descent. His father, Israel Cole, who died at Cheshire in 1859 at the ripe age of $7 years, was born in Royalston, Mass. He was bred a farmer and by industry, thrift, and economy accumulated a fortune of $70,000. most of which was invested in real estate. He was one of the farmers who contributed curds for the mammoth cheese presented to President Jefferson in 1801, and in 1829 he sent to President Andrew Jack- son a cheese weighing 100 pounds.
Mary Brown, the wife of Israel Cole, to whom she was married in 1796, was a no less remarkable personage. She was the daughter of Caleb Brown and was born in Cumberland. R. I., in 1777. She was a woman of strong determination, great ambition, andl considering her limited ad- vantages, a woman of great mental attainments. She lived to be ninety-
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three years of age, retaining her mental faculties and unclouded memory to the last.
John M. Cole inherited from his mother that strong will and force of character that made her conspicuous among women. He was sent to the public school, and for a short time to the academy. He early in life evinced a taste for mathematics and practical surveying, and by dint of self application and close study he became very proficient in both without the aid of a teacher. He was prevented by circumstances from following his natural inclinations, but the knowledge thus acquired, combined with great natural ability in this direction, led others to seek his counsel and advice on important matters requiring great engineering skill and mechanical ingenuity. He was frequently called into consultation during the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel, and of the several lines of railroads that intersect Berkshire county. While he might have become eminent as a civil engineer, circumstances over which he had little control changed the whole current of his life. His father owned a large traet of land in Williamstown and he was persuaded to settle on and take care of the property. He subsequently became the sole owner and through the ex. tensive improvements which he made the land was greatly enhanced in value. He sold off portions of the original farm and bought other prop- erty on which he continued to make improvements. Among the most important of his investments and one which has been of great benefit to the public was the forest of pines trees lying on a beautiful elevation east of the railroad track. The dense thicket of pines has been changed in- to a beautiful grove. The trees have been trimmed and shaped. the under- growth removed, crooked and unsightly trees ent down, and the whole appearance changed, so that not only the townspeople find it a delightful place of resort during the hot summer days, but invalids, afflicted with hay fever or pulmonary complaints. find great benefit from the exhala- tions of the pine trees.
Mr. Cole's life has not been confined to real estate operations. For some years he carried on two extensive stores in Pittsfield and one in Williamstown. To manage these successfully required great executive ability and a thorough knowledge of human nature. After a few years Mr. Cole retired from the business with a fair competence. In 1868-9. owing to his failing health, he made a trip to Europe with his family and while enjoying all the pleasure of the tourist he availed himself of every opportunity to acquire a knowledge of the people and their habits and thus added greatly to his store of useful knowledge : enabling him on his return to enjoy with a keener zest the means and facilities which his beautiful and attractive home afforded.
While Mr. Cole has always evinced a deep interest in the public affairs of Williamstown he has engaged but little in politics. In 1858, however, he was induced to accept the democratic nomination for the Legislature and was elected by a large majority. . He also received the
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appointment of postmaster under President Pierce's administration, which position he held for some three years.
Hle was married in 1844, to Phobe, daughter of Seymour Wilcox, of Lanesboro, Mass. His wife is descended from one of the earliest families of America many of whom at different periods have been prominent in the public affairs of the country.
THE PHELPS FAMILY.
The Phelpses are an ancient Staffordshire English family. From high and reliable authority, Rev. Professor Austin Phelps, of Andover. Mass., John J. Phelps. Esq., of New York city, and Judge Phelps, of Vermont, assert and many more besides affirm of this ancient honorable family, whose earliest traces date back to the eleventh century, that about ten years after the Mayflower landed her first installment of 101 live Yankees on Plymouth Rock, in New England, the Mary and John. and another British ship of 400 tons burdens, after a passage of of ten weeks, disbarked another installment of 140 passengers. May 30th. 1630, at Boston, Mass., among whom were William Phelps, his wife, and four sons, William, Sanmel, Nathaniel, and Joseph, and George Phelps. William's brother, with his son, Richard. the first Phelps pioneers, all of whom came from the Boroughtown of Exeter. in the beautiful county of Devonshire, England. Isaac Phelps, Esq., of Patchway, near Bristol. Eng- land, writes a member of the family under date of Angust 31st. 1859. that the Phelps family's coat of arms, is " A Mail Arm, two Wolves Heads." John J. Phelps also writes, September 21st. 1859. that arms have been granted by the English Herald's College, Phelps. Russell Square, London. Walter Phelps. Esq., of Hartford. Conn .. sent from Cherry Valley, N. Y., a pencil sketch of still another description. of the family coat of arms, drawn by his nephew, James L. Phelps, jr., son of Dr. Phelps. of New York city. From colonial and other records we learn that William Phelps, sen., the Pilgrim father and pioneer sire, with his wife, were original members of Rev. John Warham's church, in Exeter. England, that on the 9th of November. 1630, he was chosen a member of the first jury impaneled in the colony to try Walter Palmer for killing Austin Bratcher on the 9th of May, 1632, and was also one of two com- missioners for the Dorchester Plantation, appointed to confer with the General Court about raising public stock, and that on the 14th of May, 1634, he was a member of the General Court held at Boston. At this court he was appointed one of four commissioners to view the place and certify to the next General Court whether Boston shall have convenient enlargement at Mount Wallaston, that on the 6th of May, 1635, he was a member of the General Court held at New Town, and that in the course of this year by order of the General Court he established the bounds he. tween Hingham and Weymouth, and that on the 15th of October. 1635. William Phelps and family, and his brother. George Phelps, set forth from Dorchester. Mass., on the then long, tiresome, and wilderness journey
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to the valley of the Connectiont River. Never before had the forests of America witnessed such a scene. The compass was their only guide through the unbroken forest. Dr. Stiles says that William Phelps was an excellent, pious, and upright man, both in his public and private life, that he was a pillar of the church and State, and that he was one of the most prominent and highly respected men in this then British colony. In the year 1658, he was appointed magistrate.
Nathaniel Phelps third son of William Phelps was born in Exeter. England, 1624, married Elizabeth Copley, September 17th, 1650, removed to and was one of the pioneers of Northampton. Mass., where he died May 1st, 1690. He had four children, viz: 1st. Mary Phelps, born June 21st. 1651, who married Matthew Classon: 2d, Nathaniel Phelps, born April 2d, 1653, who married Grace Martin from England : 3d, Abigail Phelps, born April 5th, 1655. died 1756. aged 101 years ; 4th, William Phelps, born at Northampton, Mass., June 22d, 1657, and died young. Spencer Phelps, son of Nathaniel 2d. was bom and died at Northampton. Mass. He was the father of Martin Phelps, who was born at North- ampton, Mass .. June 3d. 1724, and died November 12th, 1795. Martin married, and had nine children : Spencer, Eliphalet, Martin. Seth, Daniel, Andrew, Martha, Sarah, and Mehetable. Sarah, second daughter of Martin, removed to Williamstown, and married Dr. Porter, of that place. Daniel, fifth son of Martin, born at Northampton in 1762, mar ried Mary Hanes, removed to Williamstown July 4th. 1790, bought a small farm, and settled about one mile north of the south village of Williamstown, where he commenced business as a manufacturer of hats, which business he carried on successfully. He lived and died on the old homestead an honored and respected citizen. His family consisted of three children: Weltha, born August 22d, 1791 ; Maria, born 1793, died March 14th. 1798: and Thomas Cooley Phelps, born July 24th, 1705. Weltha Phelps married Eliakim Foster, of Leyden. Vt., in December, 1815, by whom she had five daughters and two sons: Maria L., boru December 21st, i$16; Mary A., born October 19th, 1819 ; Caroline, born June 12th, 1820 : Weltha P., born September 18th, 1822 : Harriet E., born February 20th 1825; Horace B., born April 26th, 1828 ; and Lucius Foster, born April 26th, 1831.
Thomas Cooley Phelps, Esq., only son and thirl child of Daniel Phelps, removed with his parents from Northampton, July 4th, 1799, to Williamstown, Mass., where he resided continually till his death, which occurred September 7th, 1866, aged 71 years. The funeral services were conducted by the Rev. Dr. Mark Hopkins. Mr. Phelps was one of Northern Berkshire's most prominent men. He spent a long life of use. fulness. highly esteemed by his fellow citizens for his integrity and up- rightness, and was repeatedly honored by them in the election to offices of trust and responsibility, which he filled worthily and acceptably. . 1 man of refined principles and endowed with a high intellect, and sincere whether the occasion was political or otherwise, his words carried weight
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because his hearers knew that he meant and believed what he said. In his interviews with men he was genial and he met the humblest individual and most exalted diguitary with the same cordial greeting. It was this that endeared him to the whole people and made them feel that a friend and peace-maker was at hand. He always took a keen interest in the town, and was ever ready in word and deed to help forward every worthy cause. In polities he was a republican and represented the town in the General Court at Boston, in the winter of 1837-8. He was a magistrate for twenty-eight years. Mr. Phelps was a member of the M. E. Church. In the various relations of life. as citizen, neighbor, friend. he was above reproach and it is seldom that life thus lengthened is found so free from unpleasant memories. He made a name that will always be held in grate- ful remembrance by a community which loved to honor him. He was a farmer by occupation and lived on the homestead and added largely to it, extending it to the Green River. Mr. Phelps was twice married. first to Miss Lucy Hall, of Pownal. Vi., November 28th, 1819, who died December 20th, 1830, aged 30, by whom he had fonr sons and four daughters as fol- lows: George W., born November 10th, 1820 ; Francis E., February 8th, 1822; Daniel H., March 4th, 1823; Mary A., September 7th. 1824: Thomas C. jr., June 18th, 1826: Seth, July 7th, 1827; Weltha M., May 9th, 1829; and Lucy J. H., November 8th, 1830. For his second wife he married Miss Sophia Hosford, September 8th, 1831, by whom he had eight daughters and one son namely: Thirsa R., born September 18th, 1832; Martha M., born April 9th. 1834 ; Louisa A .. born March 17th. 1836 ; Sophia, born May 28th. 1838: Henry S., born April 16th. 1841 ; Charity E., born August 20th, 1842: Emma L., born July 11th. 1814 : Sarah F., born February 18th. 1847; Nancy A., born February 17th. 1849. Daniel H. Phelps, third child and second son of Thomas C. Phelps. was married and had three sons and three daughters : Cassius D., Gershom C., George L., Lucy Elizabeth. Weltha S., and Ella A. B. He lives and occupies the old homestead where his grandfather and father lived before him and to which he has added several hundred acres. He is one of the most successful farmers of Williamstown, and one of the wealthiest of North Berkshire, and one of our most prominent and reliable citizens, a man whose word is as good as his bond in all his deal ings and intercourse with men.
Life forever runs its endless race. And like a line death but divides the space, A stop which can but for a moment last. A point between the present and the past.
CHESTER BAILEY.
Chester Bailey, now a successful manufacturer of Janesville. Wis- consin, is well known to the residents of Williamstown, Adams, and North Adams, as well as other parts of the county. He bas spent more than fifty years in a cotton mill, and the secret of his success lies large-
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ly in the fact that he is his own superintendent, boss carder, boss spinner. and weaver. His grandfather, Jeremiah, and father. Charles, were born in Petersburgh, N. Y., adjoining Williamstown. The latter settled in early manhood in Williamstown and married a daughter of Agur Tredwell. a native of Rhode Island, who served as teamster in the Revolutionary army. Chester Bailey was born September 30th. 1821. His father died when he was twelve years of age, and the youthful Chester then entered a cotton mill at Williamstown. Six years later he found employment in a North Adams mill. and on reaching his majority he bought a cotton mill at Williamsburg, which he continued to operate for some years. He afterward removed to North Adams and took charge of various cotton mills, among them the Arnold and Richardson mills, well remembered by citizens of Adams. Beside superintending several mills for O. Arnold & Co., he was for some time a sixteenth owner of their business. and in 1872-3 was a partner in the manufacturing firms of Doane & Bailey and Gallup, Bailey & Co.
In January. 1875, Mr. Bailey removed to Janesville to superintend the construction and adjustment of the Janesville Cotton Manufacturing Company's mill. for which he had previously drawn plans and selected machinery. This is a mill of four hundred looms, which he successfully and profitably operated for nine years. In 1884 he built and started a three hundred loom mill for the same company, and then retired from its employ. In 1879. he built a batting mill for his son, which the latter op. erated and managed until his death. By various additions, the plant has been increased until it represents a value of $17,000, and is em- ployed in the manufacture of batting, twine, carpet warp, and bags.
While he is doing a profitable business and leads a very busy life. Mr. Bailey finds time to consider the public welfare, and is a liberal con- tributor to all Protestant churches, although not a member of any. In the days of the whig organization, he was among its active supporters. and now yields allegiance to its successor, the republican party.
Mr. Bailey married Betsey Brown, of Pownal, Vt. The only off. spring of this union, Emmett C., married Jane, daughter of Peter G. Tower, of North Adams. Both are now deceased, leaving two sons. Ar- thur Emmett and Walter R .. to the care of their grandparents. One is learning the cotton business with his grandsire and the other is employed in a drug store.
STEPHEN WILLIAMS.
Stephen Williams, one of the early settlers of Williamstown, came there from Cooperstown, N. Y., and died there. Albert, the youngest of his four children, remained there and died on the home farm. He mar- ried Phobe Foster, a native of Bakersfield, Vt. They reared four children, now resident as follows : Hubbard H. and Charlotte F. (Mrs. David S. Clark,, North Adams ; Mary J. omarried Henry N. Chamber- lain, deceased), Hammond, Wis .; George W., Beloit, Wis. The latter
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has four children: Elizabeth C., wife of William Maxwell ; Cora A., wife of George Cram ; George A., and Palmer R.
ENOS BRIGGS.
Enos Briggs lived many years on a farm in Williamstown, where he reared a large family. He married Bethany, daughther of Isaac Samp- son. The husband died in 1825, aged 68, and his wife in 1863, aged 96. Enos, son of this couple, was born in Williamstown in 1808, and now lives at Beloit, Wis.
ABEL J. BROWN.
Abel J. Brown, farmer, settled in Williamstown in 1812, and dwelt there till his death, in 1860. He married Lucinda Jones, and had nine children. Rensselaer Hoxey, the youngest, is the only one now living. and dwells at Beloit, Wis. He was born in Williamstown, March 5th. 1828, and married a native of the same town, Celistia M. Hickox, daughter of Henry D. and Bethany (Briggs) Hickox, both natives of the same town. Two daughters are the only descendants living : Frances A. (Mrs. M. O. Rockwood) and Harriet E. (Mrs. John Doan) Osage, Iowa.
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