History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 177

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 177

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Dr. Cogswell was born in Ipswich Sept. 27, 1786. He prepared for college at the Grammar School, and in his twenty-first year graduated at Harvard.

He then made a voyage to India as supercargo. Returning, he practiced law in Bangor, Me., with not much success. He was then called to a tutorship in Harvard. In 1816 he visited Europe with George Ticknor. He was two years at the University of Gottingen a student in literature and bibliology, wherein he ranked with the highest. He spent two years more at various European capitals with the same purpose. Returning in 1820, he was appointed professor of geology and mineralogy in his alma mater and librarian. He resigned in 1823, and with George Bancroft, the historian, established the Round-Hill School at Northampton, based upon the most ap- proved English and German systems. Mr. Bancroft retired from the school in 1830, and Mr. Cogswell continued until 1835, when he went to Raleigh, N. C., in a similar institution. He was next editor of the New York Review, one of the ablest critical journals of its period, a position he retained till 1842. His intimacy and friendship with John Jacob Astor made him, with Fitz-Green Halleck and Washington Irving, one of the projectors of the Astor Library. He was also one of the trustees.

Wlien Washington Irving was appointed minister to Spain, he wished Mr. Cogswell to accompany him, and accordingly wrote Washington to appoint him as Secretary of Legation. Irving wrote: "He is a gentleman with whom Iam on confidential terms of intimacy, and I know of no one who by his various acquirements, his prompt sagacity, his knowledge of the world, his habits of business and his obliging dis- position is so calculated to give me that counsel, aid and companionship so important in Madrid, where a stranger is more isolated than in any other capital in Europe."

He was appointed, and Astor finding he was to lose him, made him librarian in embryo. He went abroad to purchase books, and his selections are marked with economy and discrimination.

He gave to the Astor Library his own valuable works in literature, and he presented to Harvard a valuable cabinet of minerals. He prepared, in a series of eight volumes, a critical and analogical cat- alogue of the Astor Library, wherein he exhibited "an extraordinary knowledge of the history, compar- ative value and significance of the hooks he had col- lected." He served the library with industry and fidelity. After 1862 he resided in Cambridge.

He is authority for the statement that Essex County had "given birth to more literary people than any other in the country," and he substantiated the re- mark by naming a remarkably long list.

He married young, and his wife died young; he never married again. He died November 26, 1872.

CHILDREN OF DR. JOSEPH DANA .- Joseph was born June 10, 1769; graduated at Dartmouth College in 1788; approbated a preacher June 9, 1795; taught school in Newburyport and studied law ; removed to Athens, Ohio, 1817 ; was Professor of Ancient Lan- guages in Ohio University twelve years from 1822; died November 18, 1849, at the ripe old age of eighty years.

Daniel was born July 24, 1771 ; graduated at Dart- mouth in 1788; approbated May 14, 1793; ordained and installed over the First Presbyterian Church, Newburyport, November 19, 1794; dismissed to take the presidency of Dartmouth College, November 19, 1820 ; resigned the presidency in 1821; installed over the Presbyterian Church, Londonderry, N. H., May 31, 1822, and was dismissed in April, 1826; installed over the Second Presbyterian Charch, Newburyport, May 31, 1826, and was dismissed October 29, 1845. He died August 26, 1859.

Samuel was born May 7, 1778; graduated at Dart- mouth in 1796; ordained at Marblehead, October 6, 1801, and installed.

Sarah was born May 6, 1780, and married Hon. Israel Thorndyke, of Bostou.

JOHN C. DONOVAN, ESQ., is yet a young man. He was born in Ipswich Village, March 18, 1861. He pursued his studies in the Ipswich public schools, graduating from the academic department and rank- ing high as a scholar. He then entered the law- office of Hon. Charles A. Sayward as student. He was examined October 1, 1885, for admission to the Essex bar, and was admitted the 15th of the same month. He is now practicing his profession in New- buryport. In 1885 he was commissioned by Governor Robinson a justice of the peace for the Common- wealth. In connection with his other work, he has taken an active interest in politics. He identified himself with the Democratic party at an early age, and has, by voice and action, aided in promoting its welfare. Early in life he was forced to rely mainly upon his own exertions and native ability, through which he must achieve success.

PROF. LEVI FRISBIE, son of Rev. Levi Frisbie, of the First Church, was born September 15, 1783. He graduated at Harvard in 1802; was tutor there from 1805 to 1811 ; professor of Latin language and litera-

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ture from 1811 to 1817; Alford professor of natural religion, moral philosophy and civil polity from No- vember 5, 1817. He died at Cambridge July 9, 1822, at the age of thirty-eight.

REV. NATHANIEL HOWE, third son of Captain Abraham and Lucy-Appleton Howe, was born in Ipswich, Linebrook, October 6, 1764. In preparing for college he studied at Dummer Academy, Byfield, theu with Rev. George Lesslie, of his native parish, and later with Rev. Ebenezer Bradford, of Rowley. While with Mr. Bradford he made a public profession of faith in Christ, and joined Mr. Bradford's church. In September, 1784, he entered the junior class of Princeton College, New Jersey, a fact which speaks well for his scholarship. He asked and obtained an hon- orable dismission at the end of the year, and then entered the senior class of Harvard College, where he graduated with the usual honors.

He studied divinity with a Dr. Hart, of Connecti- cut, and completed his course with Dr. Emmons, of Franklin. He was licensed to preach by the Essex North Association May 8, 1787. His was the first license granted by that association. He preached at Londonderry and Francistown, N. H .; at Hampton, Conn .; and at Grafton, Mass., where he received a call to settle which he declined. In January, 1781, he began to preach at Hopkinton as a candidate, and was unanimously called in the May following. He was settled for life, as was the custom iu those days, October 5, 1791, on a salary of £70 and the use of ministerial land-one hundred acres-and a settle- ment of £200. Rev. Ebenezer Bradford, his old in- structor at Rowley, preached the installing sermon. For more than thirty-eight years he was the minister at Hopkinton, and during the time added two huu- dred and forty-five to the church. He was a preacher of the Gospel for half a century ; he died February 15, 1837.

Mr. Howe married, some three months after his settlement, Miss Olive Jones, the sixth daughter of Colonel John Jones, of his parish. She proved a very estimable lady, and adorned her station. One who knew her well says, -- " I ever viewed her as a person of superior mind, quick perception, peculiar energy, and an unconquerable fortitude and resolu- tion. She was as distinguished as her husband for unaffected affability, unwavering and affectionate friendship, as well as for correct thinking, keen pene- tration and sound judgment." She was a careful and judicious honsewife, she was a praying mother, and a lady of unostentatious piety. She died Decem- ber 10, 1843.

Their children were Appleton, born November 26, 1792, a distinguished physician of Weymouth, State Senator by two elections, major-general of militia, a man who possessed a strong character resembling his father's for manly independence, made fast friends and commanded universal respect ; Eliza, born June 4, 1794, and died of consumption, December 27, 1815;

Mary Jones, born February 2, 1802, married Rev. Samuel Russell, of Boylston, and died November 26, 1836 ; Lucy Ann, born August 27, 1805, married John Fitch, son of Deacon Elijah Fitch, and is thus honor- ably mentioned in the Century Sermons. "Whose descendants can vie with the descendants of Rev. Elijah Fitch."

Soon after his marriage he purchased the messuage and farm of Deacon S. Kinsman, lying contiguous to the ministerial lands and some half a mile from the church. At that time his status was excellent and his prospects bright. Says Rev. Elias Nason, to whose memorial of Mr. Howe we are much in- debted, ---

" He had married into an influential family; bis pecuniary circum- stances were easy, his health good and his church flourishing. His prospects of usefulness were unclouded ; and buoyant with hope, he dedicated all his energies to the work before him. But increasing family expenses and the decreasing value of his salary drove him from his study to the field and the woods. He was obliged to adopt a rigid economy ; but his economy was not parsimony, for by dint of hard labor and by frugality he was enabled to educate hie son liberally, maintain bis respectability and keep out of debt. This was bis oft repeated maxim, -- ' The second vice is lying, the first is running in debt.' "'

He frequently chided his people, because they neglected to provide fully for his support. He felt that the laborer was worthy of his hire, and that the cause of God suffered from neglect. He chided though " more in sorrow than in anger." His people under- stood the justice of his demand and respected him, yet replied : "a bargan is a hargain." After years, the rise in real estate and legacies from relatives en- abled him to store a few thousand dollars; neverthe- less, his legacies at interest till his death would have amounted to three times the value of his estate at that time.

Mr. Howe was charitable and generous. He wanted property for the good he could do with it. One day noticing the need of a family of his parish, he went to his woods, and drew out a load to the door of the needy and offered it for sale. The lady replied, she could not huy for she had no money ; he answered. I ask only one cent, and exacting that unloaded the wood. When his parish would settle a colleague, he relinquished a good part of his salary, when with propriety he could have replied, "a bargain is a har- gain." One winter he supplied a family with two loads of wood, and left a third near the house and told the family to use it if they had need. Later, noticing it was not nsed, and perhaps hardly needed, he reloaded it and left it at the door of another that needed it more. Several young men, hy his advice and pecun- iary aid, obtained liberal educations, and some of them became distinguished. He frequently visited the widow, the fatherless, and the unfortunate and usually took some substantial token of his sympathy. He often carried provisions to the poor hy night, that he might " not be seen of men."

He did much to encourage the youth. He always noticed them with a cheering word. He was particu- lar to visit all the schools in town several times each

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year. He was very fond of children, and had a rare faculty of interesting thiem in whatever he said and of winning their respect.

In 1822 he was made a life-member of the Ameri- can Bible Society; and in 1827 of the American Educational Society.

There was no place in his theology for isms, new mcasures, or innovations. Yet those of varying belief from his, he treated with respect and tolerance. He was no bigot; the erroneous views of others he claimed were not suppressed by calumny, but by better action than theirs and by dint of merit.

Mr. Howe practiced in his reading that excellent motto of the great Webster :

Legere multum, non multa.

He read much, Baxter, Bunyan, Saurin, South, Hopkins, Witherspoon and Emmons, and not many others. He thought much, as the field, the woods and the road offered him opportunity, and many of his thoughts found expression in concise and pointed language. He wrote :

Q. Who are the wise ?

A. None but such as are determined to be wiser still.

Q. What is the reason that man is so unhappy in his family ?

A. Because he keeps a bottle of rum in hie house.

Q. What hurt does that do ?

A. None at all if he let it alone.

Q. What has the rich man more than the poor ?

A. Nothing but what God has given him.

Q. What reason, then, has he to exult over the poor ?

A. None at all.

Q. Who are the rich ?

A. All such as have health, peace and liberty and none to make them afraid.

Q. What is the reason that man is more prosperous than his neighbor? A. Because he always takes care of little things; he lets nothing be lost; strikes when the iron is hot ; and keeps his dish right-eide up.

"To do nothing is to be nothing. Leisure is the time to do something useful. The careless man is seldom fortunate. Would you have a faith- ful servant and one that suits yon, serve yourself. If you will not hear reason, she will rap your knuckles. A dead fish can swim with the stream, but a live one can swim against it. Great minds are always can- did. Common sense is the best sense in the world. Who marries for money huys money dear. Many thingscan be proved by facts that never happened. Whoever does not feel himself to be a sinner cannot become a Christian. We can enjoy nothing but what God is pleased to give us. We can lose nothing but what He is pleased to take away. We can suf- fer nothing but what He lays upon us."

He was a remarkable man. "The cast of his mind was original and severe; the bent of his genius, to be useful. He was a man of sterling probity ; he thought correctly, and said what he thought. In politics he advocated the leading measures of the Whig party. He despised every kind of political artifice. As a citizen he was public-spirited and liberal-minded. As a husband and a father he was uniformly kind and affectionate. He was constant iu his friendships, so- cial and amiable in disposition and a lover of good men. His friends at his home have remarked his cordial hospitality. The standard trait of his char- acter was his regard for truth. He was indeed a Na- thanael.

His publications were, a sermon on the death of

three persons, 1808; a century sermon, delivered De- cember 24, 1815; a sermon on "John's Baptism," preached before the Mendon Association, and pub- lished at their request, 1819; a defense of the same, in reply to Rev. Dr. Baldwin, 1820; and a catechism for the children under his pastoral care, 1834. The century sermon was celebrated. It was noticed by the North American Review, passed through several editions, and was translated into foreign languages.

As a preacher he was unaffected, plain and impres- sive. His sermons were often composed during the toil of the day, and written after the family had re- tired at night. He aspired not to be eloquent, but useful. Perhaps no other man practiced more scru- pulously what he taught ; his life was a living epistle of his doctrine.

REV. DAVID TENNEY KIMBALL'S CHILDREN .--- Father Kimball had seven children, two daughters and five sons :---

David Tenney was born September 7, 1808. He graduated at Middlebury College in 1829, at Andover Theological Seminary in 1834, preached at Hartford, Conn., and in the West, but was obliged to relinquish preaching on account of bronchitis. He married, October 10, 1837, Miss Harriet W. Webster; he lived the greater part of his life in Lowell, where for twen- ty years he was a deacon in the John Street Congre- gational Church, and where he died iu 1886, much respected.

Daniel was born May 25, 1810. He was educated at Middlebury College, from which he received his Master's degree in 1855. He has spent more than ten years exclusively in the cause of temperance-a part of which time as editor of the Middlesex Wash- ingtonian, Lowell, and the Massachusetts Temperance Standard, Boston. He lectured in all the principal towns in this State and in many in Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont with good results. He excelled as a lecturer. The Salem Observer said of his lecture at Ipswich October 16, 1846, before the E-sex County Teachers' Association, " It was not only well- written, but in the manner of delivery it was supe- rior. We have rarely listened to a lecture which gave such evident satisfaction." Of a temperance address at Shelburne Falls, July 4, 1847, the American Repub- lic said, " It was of a very high character as a literary composition, and very impressive from its matter and manner of delivery. His appeal to young men was full of energy, pathos and power." He was engaged in teaching niue years, one as principal of the Cen- tral Grammar School at Woburn, and eight as pre- ceptor of Williams Academy, Stockbridge, in both of which places he was a member of the school boards. He was au officer in the Boston Custom-House twelve years. He resided at Lexington, 1876-82. He now resides at Woburn.

Augustine Phillips was born September 9, 1812. He was a merchant in Boston many years,-a man of enterprise, generous and public spirit. Prosperity at-

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tended him in his business for a considerable period, but, his health failing him, he returned to Ipswich and passed his later years in horticultural pursuits. He died August 13, 1859.

Elizabeth, born July 9, 1814, married, August 8, 1839, Eugene F. W. Gray, son of Rev. Cyrus W. Gray, of Stafford, Conn., and some time editor of the Ipswich Register.

John Rogers was horn August 23, 1816; wax for more than twenty years an enterprising and success- ful merchaut in Boston. He married, May 30, 1844, Lydia Ann Coburn, of Dracut. In 1866 he retired with a competency and established his permanent home in Woburn, where he soon became identified with many public interests. He nnited with Rev. Jonathan Edwards' church, and was atterwards one of the deacons. He was an efficient worker in every good cause ; was one of the most prominent and use- ful citizens. He represented his town in the Legis- lature one year, during the period of the late war, and did good service. In announcing his death, which occurred in 1859, the Woburn Journal said, "Deacon Kimball was a man of marked individuality, influen- tial, of great integrity, commanding the respect of every one. He was active in good works, set a good example-a real Christian, charitable, kind and greatly beloved."

Levi Frisbie was born April 25, 1818, and died May 9, 1818.

Mary Sophia was born August 16, 1820, and, March 25, 1849, married John Dunning Coburn, merchant, of Brunswick, Me. He died, and she married, sec- ondly, John Quincy Peabody, of Ipswich. Both daughters gradnated at the Ipswich Female Semi- nary.

JOSEPH E. KIMBALL, son of John Kimball, was born in this town, June 12, 1839. He enlisted in the service of his country, for the war, in April, 1861, and was mustered in May 23d. He entered Company B, First Regiment Massachusetts Infantry, Colonel Cow- din commanding, who reported at Washington, D. C., June 17th.

His brigade, under colonel, afterwards Major-Gen- eral Richardson, who was killed at Antietam, formed the advance of General McDowell's "on to Richmond " army, and the first blood shed was in the reconnoissance, known as the battle of Blackburn's Ford, July 17th, three days before the main engage- ment. They took no part in the panic, and so felt no subsequent chagrin, remaining near Centerville till after midnight, when they marched to Washing- ton, covering the main army's retreat.

In the autumn of 1861 he was in Hooker's brigade, afterwards Hooker's division, which won the dis- tinction of "Fighting Joe Hooker's Division." With that, in the spring following, he participated in the operations before Yorktown, the battles of Williams- burg, Seven Pines, and Fair Oaks.

Immediately before the Seven-days Retreat he was

stricken down with "Chickahominy fever," yet left his sick hed, joined his company, and engaged in all the battles of that toilsome and distressing retreat. At Harrison's Landing the fever returned, but an effort to join in the expedition, under Hooker, against Mal- vern Hills, caused a relapse, and he was taken to the hospital and thence to Fortress Monroe, where the fever raged for several weeks.

He next joined his company near Alexandria, and was in the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. On this march his shoes gave ont, and he trod more than sixty miles of the mountain roads and macadamized pike with swollen and bleed- ing feet.

General Hooker, at Harrison's Landing, recom- mended him to Governor Andrew for a commissioner, and again at Gettysburg to the Secretary of War. While in pursuit of Lee's army his regiment was ordered to quell the draft-riots in New York. While there, 1863, he was commissioned second-lieutenant and ordered to report to General E. A. Wild, at New- hern. That done, he was enrolled in the Thirty- seventh United States Colored Regiment.

In the following spring he joined the Army of the James, which was afterward merged in the Army of the Potomac, under General Grant.

In the September following he commanded a com- pany in the successful assaults upon Deep Bottom and New Market, and was commissioned first-lieuten- ant in the One Hundred and Sixteenth United States Colored Regiment. Delaying to report to his new command, he was a volunteer commander of a com- pany iu the fiasco against Fort Fisher. He then joined his new regiment; was engaged in the oper- ations about Petershurg ; was in the final assault that precipitated Lee's flight, whence he was hreveted captain, followed by forced marches and intercepted his retreat, and witnessed the final triumph of our arms.

Later in the spring he joined Sheridan's "army of observation," of the Rio Grande, and served till the overthrow of the Imperial Government of Mexico.

He was mustered out in February, 1867, having served five years and ten months, the last campaign being in the regular service. He bears upon his per- son reminders of many a struggle, yet in all the time, wonderful to relate, he received no disabling wound. He entered the service when bounties and pensions and pecuniary rewards were unsought, and gave a singleness of purpose, a devotion of heart, and a pa- triotism that found their full reward in the emanci- pation and the final restoration of his country.

Mr. Kimball was in the rndiments of his trade when the war broke out, and when he returned from the conflict he returned to his trade, and associated him- self with his brother in Abington, in the manufacture of tack and nail machinery for hoot and shoe manu- facturing, and they were enabled so to improve them that they gained an enviable reputation at home and

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in foreign countries. Their reputation was such that a powerful combination of tack mannfacturers to control these goods in the United States paid them a considerable sum in cash, with the sole right to man- ufacture their machines and no others.

In 1876 and 1877 Mr. Kimball perfected and pat- ented a nailing machine. This aroused a powerful antagonist,-the Mckay Metalic Fastening Company. A hard struggle ensued. His brother retired from the firm. At last the McKay Company offered, on the score of economy, to purchase the surrender of his patents rather than expend more money in litigation. Just then, very opportunely, Mr. James E. Mayna- dier, a patent lawyer, took the case, cleared the patents, and was instrumental in establishing a com- pany with a capital of twenty-five thousand dollars to utilize them. The capital was soon increased to fifty thousand dollars, then to one hundred thonsand dollars, and then to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, which is now paying good dividends. Mr. Kimball received twenty thousand dollars for his in- vention and held stock in the company.

Ere long appeared a fastening called the " Estabrook and Wire-clinching screw," which was cheap and pos- sessed other merits, but had to be worked by hand. Mr. Kimball invented machinery to make it a suc- cess. He then removed to Milford.

Within the last two years he has invented an im- proved metalic fastening and all the new machinery for its manufacture. This is now his main product.

Lastly he has invented a machine for sole-fastening, upon which is placed a simple coil of threaded wire from which at each revolution of the machine a clinching screw is completed, automatically governed in length to conform exactly to the thickness of the material to be fastened together at the exact point necessary to be fastened, inserted in the material and securely riveted. By this machine, within a period of abont fifteen seconds every fastening is made, in- serted and riveted, necessary to fasten the sole to a boot or shoe. The machine is on trial, with apparent prospect of success.

Here is a lively epistle to young men, showing what may be done by energy, perseverance and dili- gence, and calling upon them to improve their minds, be watchful of their opportunities, husband their energies and work for a purpose. The world needs such, and will amply reward them.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 177

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1 Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1538

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538