USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1630-1913 > Part 33
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time prior to his death been vice-president of the Puritan Trust Company, of Boston. His clear understanding of financial and business questions was highly esteemed by the directors and other officers of that institution. His long experience in dealing with men and things had furnished him with a large fund of information; hence his decisions were prompt. Men engaged in important enterprises often came to him for advice, and the success of many undertakings might be traced to his counsel.
Mr. Smith never sought or accepted public office from his fellow-citizens. He was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, and was a member of Coeur de Lion Commandery and of Aleppo Temple, Mystic Shrine. His benefactions, though unostentatious, were numerous.
Mr. Smith died February 3, 1912, at his home, 34 Linnaean Street. He was sixty-seven years of age.
By sound judgment and signal business suc- cess, William Baldwin Smith achieved the highest standing in the Boston manufacturing and financial world. By a long and consistently upright life he showed himself to be one of the State's best men. Such men-modest, faithful to all trusts, and advanced and liberal in thought -make the prosperity of their localities and insure the stability of the Commonwealth.
JOHN E. SOMERS
SOMERS, JOHN E., physician, was born in Nova Scotia. He obtained his early education in the schools of his native place, and then matriculated at the Saint Francis Xavier Uni- versity. After leaving the University with the degree of LL.D., he began the study of medicine at the Harvard Medical School, and continued it at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College. He graduated and received the degree of M.D. from the latter institution. A year and a half in Vienna he devoted to further studies.
Dr. Somers commenced his professional career in Cambridge, and has ever since continued to practise here. He is now at the head of the visiting medical staff of the Holy Ghost hospital, and was formerly president of the Cambridge Medical Society. He is also a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society, the American Medical Association and numerous clubs. He has served on the Cambridge School Committee,
and is at present a trustee of the Public Library of this city. His political affiliations are with the Democratic Party.
JOHN E. SOMERS
Dr. Somers is a member of the Roman Catho- lic Church. His home and office are in North Cambridge.
ALVIN FOYE SORTWELL
SORTWELL, ALVIN FOYE, banker and rail- road president, was born in Boston, July 21, 1854, son of Daniel R. and Sophia Augusta (Foye) Sortwell. He was educated in the Chauncy Hall School, and at Phillips (Andover) Academy, where he was fitted for college. In- stead of entering college, however, he engaged actively in business, and at the age of eighteen was a partner in the firm of Sortwell & Co., and had full charge of the business in East Cambridge established by his father. After a successful and prosperous career he retired from active business in March, 1891. He had, however, retained his interests in banking and railroad business, and in other corporations, and at the time was president of the Cambridge National Bank, of which he had been a director
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BIOGRAPHIES
for twelve years; and a member of the invest- ment committee of the East Cambridge Savings Bank; president of the Cambridge Trust Com- pany; president of the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad, of Vermont; vice-president of the Barre Railroad; president of the Colonial Mining Corporation of New Mexico; director in the B. and R. Rubber Company, and National Binding Company; and treasurer of the Co- lumbia Water Power Company, of Columbia. He was prominent in Cambridge affairs for many years and served for a long period in the city government; first elected to the com- mon council in 1878, he served during the year 1879; then, moving into another ward, he was again chosen in 1885, and returned in 1886, 1887 and 1888. The last year he served as president of the body. He was next elected an alderman for 1889, and re-elected for 1890, the latter year being chosen unanimously presi- dent of the board. During five years of this long service he was a member of the committee on finance, and chairman both on the part of the council and of the aldermen; five years also on the committee on roads and bridges, and its chairman on the part of both branches; a member of the committee on the Harvard Bridge; chairman of the committee on ordi- nances during their revision in 1889; and a member of the committee on purchase of a site for the new city hall. He was a member of the Cambridge water board for a number of years, and was chairman of the board at the time of his death. He was a member of the committee on the revision of the city charter; and served as a trustee of the Cambridge public library for six years, treasurer of the board, resigning the latter position on the first of January, 1895. In 1897 and 1898 he was mayor of the city of Cambridge. Mr. Sort- well was a very bright and able man. His administration of the city's affairs was a task well accomplished, one of the best since Cam- bridge became a city. He was a member of lodge, chapter and commandery of Free Masons; and a member of the Algonquin and Athletic Clubs of Boston; of the Eastern Yacht Club; the Oakley Club; of the Country Club of 'Brookline, and of the Union, Colonial, and Cambridge Clubs of Cambridge, of the latter a charter member. He was married December 31, 1879, to Miss Gertrude Winship Dailey,
daughter of William and Mary Elizabeth (Winship) Dailey, of Cambridge. They have six children: Clara, Frances Augusta, Daniel R., Marion, Edward Carter and Alvin F. Sort- well. Mr. Sortwell died March 21, 1910. He is survived by his wife and the above-named children. Mr. Sortwell will be greatly missed in the community to which he has been bound by peculiar bonds of tenderness. He leaves to his family that choicest of all legacies-an honored name and a reputation for uprightness, integrity, gentleness and courtesy. Daniel R. Sortwell, the eldest son has succeeded his father in the various positions which he occupied.
DANIEL ROBINSON SORTWELL
SORTWELL, DANIEL ROBINSON, of Cambridge, manufacturer and railroad president, was born in Barton, Vt., July 10, 1820; died in Mont- pelier, Vt., October 4, 1894. His father was John Sortwell, of Barton, who was for many years selectman of the town. His maternal grandfather, Jonathan Robinson, was a soldier of the Revolution. His mother was Percy (Robinson) Sortwell. His boyhood was spent on the farm and in the local public schools; and at the age of seventeen he started out to seek his fortune. Gathering his wordly goods in a bundle, he worked his way to Boston by assist- ing a cattle drover, doing the entire distance on foot, and there began his business career in a small position in the produce trade. From this humble beginning, through unflagging industry, perseverance and economy, he so advanced that within a few years he was enabled to enter busi- ness on his own account; and at the time of his death he was reported to be worth upward of two millions. His first venture was a produce store in Faneuil Hall market, in which he con- ducted a flourishing trade. In 1848 he formed the firm of Sortwell & Co., commission merchants, with the late Thomas L. Smith as partner, which firm continued until 1856. Then he sold out this business, and established the "Sortwell Distillery" in East Cambridge, in which he prospered from the start. Later he became a stockholder in the Connecticut & Passumpsic River Railroad; and subsequently, through this connection, a bond-holder in the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad at its inception. In January, 1877, he was elected president of the latter road, which position he held at the time
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A HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
of his death. He was also the promoter of the Barre Railroad, Vt., the line known as the "Sky Route" to the well-known Barre granite quarries, which was begun in July, 1888, and a length of five miles completed in 1889. In the construc- tion of this road Mr. Sortwell took much interest; and he was chiefly instrumental in building the branch from Montpelier to Barre, giving the
Railroad, Mr. Sortwell, at the time of his death, held the positions of president of the Cambridge National Bank, trustee of the East Cambridge Five Cents Savings Bank, and treasurer of the Columbia (S.C.) Water Power Company. In Cambridge he served for five years as a member of the Board of Aldermen. He was connected with the Masonic order.
DANIEL ROBINSON SORTWELL
Barre road direct connection with the Mont- pelier & Wells River Railroad. He was a large stockholder in both of the Barre railroads, and also owned nearly ninety-eight per cent. of the stock of the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad, besides being a large real estate owner in Barre. He did much in upbuilding that town and for the advancement of Montpelier. In addition to the presidency of the Montpelier & Wells River
Mr. Sortwell was married May 19, 1850, to Miss Sophia Augusta Foye, of Wiscasset, Me., daughter of Moses and Sophia A. Foye. They had one daughter and one son: Frances Augusta (born June 8, 1851; died August 19, 1857) and Alvin Foye Sortwell (born July 21, 1854; died March 21, 1910). Sophia A., wife of Daniel R. Sortwell, died on September 26, 1890, at Cam- bridge.
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BIOGRAPHIES
CHARLES WINTHROP SPENCER
SPENCER, CHARLES WINTHROP, lawyer, was born at Cambridge, May 13, 1868, his parents being Charles H. and Clara M. (Palmer) Spencer. He graduated from the Cambridge Latin School in 1886; from Harvard College, with the degree of A.B., in 1890; and from Harvard Law School, with the degree of LL.B., in 1892. From 1894 to 1901 he was assistant clerk of the Superior Court, Suffolk County.
CHARLES WINTHROP SPENCER
His law offices are in Barrister's Hall, Boston, but much of his time is spent with the T. E. Moseley Company, 160 Tremont Street, of which he is president and treasurer.
He was married to Ethel M. Wheeler, April 28, 1896. They have four children: Winthrop W., Henry W., Ethel Beatrice and Robert Palmer.
JOHN P. SQUIRE
SQUIRE, JOHN P., who died January 7, 1893, was a son of Peter and Esther Squire, and was born in the town of Weathersfield, Windsor County, Vt., on the 8th day of May, 1819. His father was a farmer. The years of his boyhood were spent at his home, attending the public schools and working on the farm.
On the first day of May, 1835, he entered the employment of a Mr. Orvis, the village store-
keeper, at West Windsor, Vt., and remained with him until the winter of 1837, when he attended the academy at Unity, N.H., of which the Rev. A. A. Miner was then principal. He taught school at Cavendish during a part of the winter of 1837-1838. On the 19th of March, 1838, he came to Boston; entered the employ of Nathan Robbins, in Faneuil Hall Market, and continued with him until April 30, 1842, when he formed a co-partnership with Francis Russell, and carried on the provision business at No. 25 Faneuil Hall Market, under the style of Russell & Squire, until the year 1847, when the co-partnership was dissolved.
Mr. Squire continued the business alone at the same place until the year 1855, when he formed a new co-partnership with Hiland Lock- wood and Edward Kimball, under the name of John P. Squire & Company Corporation. The changes in the partners have been as follows: the retirement of Edward Kimball in the year 1866; the admission of W. W. Kimball in the same year, and his retirement in 1873; the ad- mission of Mr. Squire's sons, George W. and Frank O. Squire, in the year 1873; the death of Hiland Lockwood in the year 1874; the retirement of George W. Squire in the year 1876; the admission of Fred F. Squire, Mr. Squire's youngest son, January 1, 1884, and the death of the founder of the house in 1893.
In 1855 Mr. Squire bought a small tract of land in East Cambridge and built a slaughter house. Since that time the business has grown to such an extent that the corporation of John P. Squire & Co. has today one of the largest and best equipped packing houses in the country, and stands third in the list of hog packers in the United States.
On October 5, 1891, a fire partially destroyed the large refrigerator of this corporation. This necessitated rebuilding. A system of artificial refrigeration has been adopted in place of the old method of refrigerating with ice, whereby the capacity of their packing house has been increased about double its capacity before the fire. The melting capacity of the ice machines used is one hundred and fifty tons of ice per day. A new chimney two hundred and twenty- five feet high, with a flue nine feet across at the base, and with walls four feet thick, has been built to run the refrigerating machines. With
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A HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
these alterations and improvements, their plant, as far as equipments and conveniences are con- cerned, is second to none in the country.
In the year 1843 Mr. Squire married Kate Green Orvis, daughter of his old employer. Eleven children were born of the marriage, eight of whom are now living, as follows: George W., Jennie C., Minnie E., John A., Kate I., Nannie K., Fred F., and Bessie E. Squire. One son, Charles, died in infancy, and a daughter, Nellie G., died October 13, 1890.
In 1848 he moved to West Cambridge, now called Arlington, where he lived up to the time of his death.
Mr. Squire joined the Mercantile Library Association when he first came to Boston, and spent a great deal of his leisure time in reading, of which he was very fond. The high position which he held in commercial circles was due to his untiring industry, undaunted courage and marked ability.
HENRY C. STETSON
STETSON, HENRY C., president of the Com- mon Council of Cambridge, in 1907, and who died April 16 of that year, was born in Bangor, Me., in 1869 and spent his early life in the Pine Tree State. He attended Phillips Academy, in Andover, and then entered Yale College, graduating in 1893. He came to Cambridge and entered the Harvard Law School, from which he took his degree in 1896. Three years later he received the degree of A.M. at Yale. He was admitted to the Maine bar and subse- quently to the Suffolk bar.
He took up his residence in Cambridge in 1894, and lived here practically all of the time up to his death. He took an active interest in Cam- bridge public affairs. From the start he was with the Non-Partisan movement. He was chosen a member of the original committee of one hundred which formed the Non-Partisan Municipal Party. He was president of the Ward Nine Non-Partisan Club and performed a great deal of service in connection with regis- tration. He was a member of the Oakley Club, the University Club and the Economy Club; a director of the Y.M.C.A., and a member of the executive committee of St. John's Chapel.
In 1904, Mr. Stetson received the nomination of the Non-Partisan party to the Common Council from Ward Nine, being unopposed in the primaries. He was again elected in 1906 and once more in 1907, being the only member of the council of this year having two years' experience. This fact and the fact that he had endeared himself to his fellow members won for him the presidency of that body, the election being unanimous.
In 1907, Mr. Stetson was chosen treasurer of the Non-Partisan City Committee. He was an incorporator of the Cambridge Savings Bank. He is survived by a wife.
EDMUND HORACE STEVENS
STEVENS, EDMUND HORACE, surgeon, was born at Stansted, Canada, January 2, 1846, being the son of Horace and Louisa J. Stevens. He decided to follow the profession of his father, who was a physician. In 1864, when the Civil War was raging, he proffered his services to the country, which stood in need of men that had knowledge of surgery. As medical cadet in the United States Navy he was under fire with Farragut at Mobile Bay. Later in the year he was made medical officer in charge of the United States Steamship Philippa. Hon- orably discharged from the Navy, he obtained the appointment of acting surgeon in the Army, and was afterwards promoted to be assistant surgeon. This was in 1865, and he was attached to the Army of the Potomac. The experience . gained in both branches was invaluable.
After the war his studies were completed at the Harvard Medical School, from which he received the degree of M.D., in 1867. In 1871 he came to Cambridge, and has practised here ever since. The city owes much to him on account of his conscientious work at the Cam- bridge Hospital, where he is surgeon.
Among the organizations of which he is a member are the American Medical Association, the Boston Society for Medical Improvement, the Boston Obstetrical Society and the Cam- bridge Society for Medical Improvement.
He was married in Boston, in 1867, to Melissa E. Paine. His home is at 79 Raymond Street in this city.
Fra Shatter
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BIOGRAPHIES
ENSIGN-STRATTON
STRATTON, SAMUEL, the immigrant ancestor of the Strattons of Cambridge, Mass., was born in England, in 1592, and married his first wife there; she probably died soon after her hus- band, herself and their two sons arrived in America. Samuel Stratton appeared as a surveyor of town lots in Watertown, Massa- chusetts Bay Colony, in 1647, and took the freeman's oath, May 18, 1653. He married, as his second wife, August 28, 1657, Margaret, widow of William Parker, of Boston. He resided in that part of the town of Watertown subsequently set off to the town of Cambridge, in the neighborhood of the present Lowell Park, and contiguous to land that became the estate of James Russell Lowell. Samuel and Margaret Parker Stratton had three sons: Samuel, John and Richard. Richard, son of Richard last named, settled in Easthampton, Long Island, N.Y., where both his uncle John and his father Richard lived for several years. Samuel Stratton the immigrant, died Decem- ber 18, 1676, aged eighty-one years.
John (2), son of Samuel and Margaret (Parker) Stratton, was born in England, 1633, and settled with his father in Watertown, Mass., in 1647. He became a freeman of the town of Watertown, May 27, 1663, and married, March 10, 1659, Elizabeth Traine, and their children were: Elizabeth, born in Watertown, died in infancy, 1659; John, born August 24, 1661; Elizabeth, born July 2, 1664; Joseph, born January 13, 1666; Samuel, born Sep- tember 18, 1669; Rebecca, born May 16, 1672; Ebenezer, born November 2, 1677, died in infancy; Ebenezer, born October 2, 1678; Jonathan, born March 6, 1679. John Stratton, the father, died in Watertown, April 7, 1691; and his widow died May 7, 1708.
Joseph (3), second son of John and Eliza- beth (Traine) Stratton, was born in Watertown, January 13, 1666, and married Sarah How, November 14, 1695.
Jonathan (4), son of Joseph and Sarah (How) Stratton, was born in Weston, Mass., 1714, and was married November 1, 1738, to Dinah Bemis, of Waltham. He served as a private in Colonel Lamson's company, and marched to Lexing- ton on receiving the alarm, April 19, 1775, and served for three days, when he was discharged.
Jonathan (5), son of Jonathan and Dinah (Bemis) Stratton, was born in Weston, March 8, 1746, and was married September 20, 1768, to Sarah Childs. He served as a private, according to the muster and pay rolls of Cap- tain Jonathan Fiske, of Weston, in Colonel Brook's company, called out March 4, 1776, for five days' service, and was stationed at Dorchester Heights, and also performed vari- ous other military service.
Shubael C. (6), son of Sarah (Childs) Strat- ton, was born in Weston, Mass., December 6, 1768. He married Betsey Cook.
Ira (7), son of Shubael C. and Betsey (Cook) Stratton, was born in New Salem, Mass., January 6, 1804. He attended the common schools in his native town, leaving it when fourteen years old to go west. At the age of sixteen he returned home and worked in a brush factory in Boston until he had learned the trade. Flavel Coolidge (1775-1848) op- erated a brush factory in Cambridgeport, Mass., and he made Ira Stratton his foreman as soon as he had completed his apprentice- ship in the Boston establishment. Mr. Strat- ton continued in that position up to the time of the death of his father-in-law, in 1848, when he became sole owner of the factory. He subsequently opened a brush shop on Exchange Street, Boston, in co-partnership with Sheriff and Eastham, and the enterprise was very successful, enabling him to acquire a compe- tence. His next business venture was in the manufacture of glass, in partnership with Amory Houghton, the factory being located in Somerville. The business proved to be uncongenial to Mr. Stratton, and he sold out to his partner, and gave the remainder of his life to the care of his estate.
He was married, November 6, 1835, to Martha Ann, daughter of Flavel and Anna (Wilds) Coolidge, and in this way became owner of the brush factory of Mr. Coolidge. Flavel Coolidge, father of Mrs. Ira Stratton, was the son of Elisha S. Coolidge, of Ashburn- ham, Worcester County, Mass., and the young- est of eleven children. He was born in 1775, and in 1786 his father, with his entire family, joined the Shaker community at Shirley, Mass. This remarkable society, inaugurated in America by Ann Lee, who with eight of her
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followers embarked at Liverpool, England, May 19, 1774, and arrived in New York, August 6, following, purchased land in the woods of Watervliet, N.Y., in 1776, and while the colonists were engaged in the war of the
there was a religious awakening at New Leba- non, Columbian County, N.Y., thirty miles distant, and many of the subjects of the revival there, visited "Mother Ann," at Watervliet, and became converts to the new faith. Ann
J. le. Stratton
Revolution, these frugal and industrious people were building up a society that took within its fold the spirits of religious unrest wherever a religious awakening arose. After the society at Watervliet had been successfully planted,
Lee and her elders and friends became mission- aries, and after establishing what proved to be their most successful settlement at New Leba- non, they held forth in Hancock, Tyringham, Howard and Shirley, in Massachusetts, and
Martha A Phattou
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BIOGRAPHIES
Enfield, in Connecticut, and societies were planted which gathered many followers and each became models of industrial communism that attracted the attention of idealists not alone in America, but abroad also. After little more than two years of missionary work "Mother Ann" returned to Watervliet, where she received inquirers, and after a ministry of fourteen years, she died, September 8, 1784. It was three years after her death before regu- larly organized communities were established. The society at New Lebanon, N.Y., was organ- ized in September, 1787, and furnished the model for the others. It grew to six hundred members, and the community owned six thousand acres of land. Watervliet grew to three hundred members; Groveland, Living- stone County, N.Y., to one hundred and fifty; Hancock, Berkshire County, Mass., to two hundred; Tyringham, Berkshire County, Mass., to one hundred; Harvard, Worcester County, to two hundred; Shirley, Mass., to one hun- dred; Enfield, Hartford County, Conn., to two hundred; Canterbury, Merrimac County, N.H., to three hundred; Enfield, Grafton County, N.H., to three hundred; Alfred, York County, Me., to one hundred and fifty; and New Gloucester, York County, Me., to one hundred and fifty members. These societies were formed between 1787 and 1792, and it was not until 1805, that Ohio and Kentucky were invaded by the disciples of Ann Lee; like the Salem Witches and the Roman Catholics, the Shakers did not escape persecution from the Puritans of New England, and the society at Shirley, when "Mother Ann" was preaching there, was subjected to mob violence, not only from the outside world, but from dissenting members of the society, notably on March 3, 1802.
Flavel Coolidge left the community after he had learned the trade of brush-making, and attained his majority, in 1796. He journeyed to Cambridgeport, where he engaged as a carpenter with Josiah and Thomas Mason, and while thus engaged built a house of five rooms for himself, preparatory to his contemplated marriage, and in January, 1806, he married Anna, daughter of Elijah, Jr., and Eunice (Safford) Wilds, and granddaughter of Elijah (1718-1791) and Anna (Hovey) Wilds, all
converts to the Shaker faith under the preach- ing of Ann Lee, and by so doing severed all family ties, and they with their children were merged in the Shaker community, and Elijah Wilds, Jr., was appointed an elder at the organ- ization of the society in Shirley, and continued in office up to the time of his death, March 14, 1829, at the age of eighty-three years. Anna Wilds was born February 15, 1779, and with her parents and grandparents became members of the Shaker community at Shirley. Here, she met Flavel Coolidge, son of Elisha Coolidge, who was born January 19, 1775, died February 1, 1848. He was one of the founders of the First Universalist church of Cambridge, and a deacon for many years. Elisha Coolidge was born July 20, 1720; died August 18, 1807. Flavel Coolidge was also a convert to the faith. When he left the community in 1796, Anna Wilds also deserted it, and went to live with relatives in Lancaster, Mass., and it was there that her lover found her and they were married. Flavel and Anna (Wilds) Coolidge had three children born at their home at Cambridgeport, where the mother died, June 28, 1874, aged ninety-five years and four months. The children were: Merrick, born October 6, 1806; married Sarah Ann Tucker, November, 1831; died, 1850; he had two children, Helen and Anna. Martha Ann, born January 19, 1814; died, January 2, 1890. She married Ira Strat- ton, and their children were: Flavel Coolidge, born in Cambridge, Mass., October 4, 1836; died February 15, 1840. Flavel Coolidge (2), born in Cambridge, Mass., February 14, 1840. He prepared for college at the New Salem Academy, entered Harvard University 1858, and was graduated from there with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1861, the year in which he attained his majority. He studied law and then went abroad, visiting England, where he engaged in the banking business with Beld- ing, Keith & Co. After returning to Cambridge he removed to Erie, Pa., where he engaged in the dry goods business. Upon the death of his father, August, 1873, he retired from busi- ness and resided with his mother in Cambridge, where he died suddenly of heart failure, July 23, 1906. He was a member of the Masonic Fraternity. He was unmarried. A friend speaking of Flavel C. Stratton, said, "he was
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