USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Grafton > History of Grafton, Worcester county, Massachusetts, from its early settlement by the Indians in 1647 to the present time, 1879. Including the genealogies of seventy-nine of the older families > Part 42
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54
Children,
1. SARAH J., b. Feb. 9, 1827, d. Jan. 30, 1832.
2. JULIA L., b. May 10, 1828, d. Jan. 31, 1832.
3. ALBERT B., h. Feb. 28, 1830, m. Sarah Fillebrown, rev. to Quincy, III.
Albert B. Kingsbury was born on the 28th of February, 1830, at Grafton, Massachusetts, and is the son of Benjamin and Hannah Kings- bury. During his youth he attended the common and High Schools of his native place ; but while yet a lad engaged to work in a dry goods store in Worcester, Mass., and remained two years as errand boy and clerk. At the end of this time he spent two years as clerk in the fac-
1
- -
---*
yours Respectfully Benya Kingsbury
515
FAMILY GENEALOGIES.
tory and store of Wright & Morse, in Farnumsville; afterward two years at Gloucester, Mass., as clerk in a dry goods house. In 1852, being then twenty-two years of age, he moved to Quincy, Ill., and en- tered the boot and shoe house of E. K. Stone, remaining as clerk till August, 1855, when he purchased an interest in the business, which was conducted under the firm name of E. K. Stone & Co., till 1865. At this time his brother, Lyman E. Kingsbury, purchased Mr. Stone's interest in the business, and the firm was changed to Kingsbury Brothers. In 1866 ' the business was confined wholly to jobbing of boots and shoes, being the first house of the kind in Quincy. In 1873, the death of Lyman E. necessitated a change, and on January Ist, 1874, the firm was changed to Kingsbury, Blasland & Co., under which style it still exists.
Mr. Kingsbury is an Odd Fellow, and a member of the Masonic order. In polities he has been Republican since the organization of that party, but is in no sense a politician.
He was married on the 22nd of February, 1859, to Miss Sarah A. Fillebrown, of Roxbury, Mass., by whom he has one son, Albert B., Jr., boru July 7, 1860 (who is now at Harvard College), and one daughter, Carrie, born December 17th, 1863.
4. HENRY W., b. Dec. 31, 1832, m. Annie I. Morey. Rev. to Custer, Pa.
He went to California at the age of sixteen, at the time of the first discoveries of gold there. Soon after he went to sea, visiting the prin- cipal ports of the world, and rapidly rising to the quarter-deck. In 1857 a vessel, which he commanded under a letter of marque from Nicaragua, went ashore in a hurricane in the Caribbean Sea, drowning all aboard except himself. He subsequently traveled extensively in the interior of Brazil, the Argentine Republic, Ecuador, Chili, Costo Rica and Honduras where he at one time owned a plantation. Since 1865 has been an oil operator in Pennsylvania. Is also interested in oil lands in Peru, which he visited in 1874, crossing the Andes from Arequipa, and boring for oil near Lake Titieaca.
5. WILLIAM B., b. April 24, 1835, d. Dec. 19, 1837.
6. HANNAH S., b. July 18, 1837, d. Jan. 9, 1844.
7. LYMAN E., b. July 17, 1841, m. Nettie Brown. Res. Quincy, Ill. 8. CHARLES E., b. Nov. 6, 1843.
He received his education in the common schools of his native town, and at the age of eighteen removed to Western New York; he subse- quently resided in Quincy, Ill. ; Hannibal, Mo. ; Perey, Ill. ; and finally located in Chester, of the latter State, in 1876-7. He is Treasurer and General Manager of the Chester and Iron Mountain Railroad and Gene- ral Agent of two of the principal Coal Mines in that locality.
9. HORACE A., b. 1845.
He was educated in the schools of Grafton, and after being employed by Wood, Kimball & Co., here, and a firm in Westborough, in 1870 he removed to Titusville, Pa., and entered the employ of Gibbs, Sterrett & Co., as clerk, where he is at present residing.
10. EDWARD M., b. July 16, 1854.
He was fitted for college at Grafton Academy, and was graduated at Harvard University in the class of 1875; graduated at the Harvard Law School 1876; and the following year read law in the office of Hon. George F. Hoar, of Worcester. He was admitted to the Worcester County bar in June, 1879, and opened an office in Worcester the follow- ing month. He resides with his father.
LELAND.
HENRY LELAND, the ancestor of the family of this name in America,
516
HISTORY OF GRAFTON.
was born in England abont 1625, and died in Sherburne, Mass., April 4, 1680. His grandson, James Leland, b. in Sherburne in 1687, m. April 5. 1710, Hannah Learned, b. Sept. 10, 1690, dau. of Dea. Benoni. He d. 1768.
When James Leland left Sherburne, in 1723, for the County of Wor- cester, the place where he settled was a new and uncultivated country. He acquired a large tract of land npon the Blackstone River, in the. southwest corner of the township of Hassanamisco, and in the adjoin- ing town of Sutton, now including a part of the villages, viz., Saun- dersville, Fisherville and Farnumsville. Six of his children were born in Sherburne, and five in Grafton. He established his place of resi- dence on the eastern bank of the river in Grafton. All of his children, who attained the age of twenty-one, married and settled near him; Moses and Thomas in Sutton, Thankful in Northbridge, and the others in Grafon. From his large traet of land he furnished his sons with farms. All his sons but James remained at or near the places where they first settled through life. James, at an advanced period of his life, removed from Grafton to Ashfield, and after a few years he left there and settled in Hopewell, Ontario County, New York. Thank- ful resided in Northbridge, and after the death of her husband she went to Croyden, N. H., to reside with her children. Deliverance joined the Shakers, and lived with them in the northern part of the County of Worcester.
All the children of Jerusha Leland were born here. Her son James, soon after his marriage, went to Hardwick, and remained there through life. Jerusha, on her marriage, settled in Framingham. Moses was one of the first settlers in Croyden, N. H., and experienced, in full mea- sure, those hardships and privations which are allotted to those who first settle new countries. In the latter part of his life he removed to Charlestown, N. H. Hannah, after her marriage, lived in Shrewsbury. Prudence lived in Grafton, Mass., Croyden and Newport, N. H. Eliza- beth always resided here, and Susannah and Jemima, on their marriage, went to Upton, and remained there as long as they lived.
Moses Leland's children were all born in Sutton.
The children of Hannah were born here. Those of them that were married settled here, in Sutton, and in Conway. Sarah here; Hannah, Mary and Daniel, in Sutton; Elizabeth, Israel, Timothy and Caleb, in Conway ; and they all remained through life where they first settled, except Caleb, who removed to Phelps, N. Y.
The ten children of Thankful Leland were born either in this town or Northbridge. Deliverance resided in Northbridge; Ezekiel, Lydia, Prudence, David, Sarah, Thankful, Mary and Samuel, went to Croyden, N. H., and all except Thankful always resided there. She married and settled in Charlestown, N. H., and Lemuel* in Stillwater, N. Y.
The three children of Thomas were born in Sutton.
Children,
1. JERUSHA, b. 1710, m. Jacob Whipple.
2. THANKFUL, b. 1713, d. 1714.
1 3. BENJAMIN, b. 1715, m. Rebecca Parker.
4. MOSES, b. 1716, m. Dec. 11, 1738, Abigail Robbins.
2 5. JAMES, b. 1720, m. Lucy Warren.
* Rev. Lemuel Powers, Jr., resided in Stillwater, N. Y., and died there shortly after marriage. His danghter, Abigail, married Hon. Millard Fill- more, President of the United States.
517
FAMILY GENEALOGIES.
6. HANNAH, b. 1722, m. Joseph Rice.
7. THANKFUL, b. 1724, m. Leinnel Powers.
8. THOMAS, b. 1726, m. Margaret Wood.
9. DELIVERANCE, b. 1729, m. John Maynard.
10. PHINEAS, b. 1730, m. Lydia Fletcher and Sarah Warren.
11. PRUDENCE, b. 1732, d. 1732.
1-3 BENJAMIN LELAND, (James, Ebenezer, Henry), b. 1715, m. Rebecca Parker. He d. 1790.
All the children of Benjamin Leland were born here; and all, except Deborah, Lucy and Benjamin, remained here through life. Deborah left here at an advanced period of life, for Cato, N. Y., to live with her only daugliter, Lucy, who was twice married; lived in Sutton during the life of her first husband and until after her second marriage. She then resided here until the death of her second husband, and after his death she went to Worcester to live with her son. Benjamin sold his paternal estate here in 1795, and in 1804 removed to Weathersfield, Vt., and after residing there seven or eight years returned to Massachusetts, and settled in Barre, where he remained a short time, finally returning to his old home here. Children,
1. DEBORAH, b. 1738, m. Samuel Minard.
2. LUCY, b. 1740, m. Eleazer Fletcher (F).
4 3. LEVI, b. 1742, m. Phebe Barton, Anna Bellows and Sarah Moody.
4. REBECCA, b. 1744, m. Simeon Keith (K). Rev. to N. Y. State.
5. HANNAH, b. 1746, m. Elijah Stanton (S).
5 6
6. BENJAMIN, b. 1747, m. Sally Brigham.
7. EBENEZER, h. 1749, m. Molly Lyon.
8. MARIA, b. 1751, m. Eliphalet Smith (S).
9. TABOTHY, h. 1753, m. John Roberts.
7 10. SAMUEL, b. 1755, m. Abigail Gale.
2-5 JAMES LELAND, (James, Ebenezer, Henry), b. 1720, m. June 21, 1744, Lucy Warren (W). He d. 1807, in Phelps, N. Y.
James Leland's children were all born here. His oldest son, James, resided in Sherburne from 1769 to 1775. He went to Ashfield in 1775-6, where he remained for twenty or twenty-five years. He then removed to western New York and settled in Hopewell. Lydia married here and removed to Conway. Lucy married in Conway and removed to Phelps, N. Y. Abigail married here and remained during the life of her first hushand. On her second marriage she went to Sutton, and continued there as long as she lived. Martha married in Conway, and settled there. Anna married and settled in Ashfield. Benlah married in Con- way, and removed to Phelps, N. Y. Children,
1. JAMES, b. June 2, 1745, m. Feb. 22, 1770, Anna Gale.
2. LYDIA, b. Sept. 10, 1747, m. John Batcheller.
3. LUCY, b. Jan. 25, 1748, m. Caleb Rice.
4. ABIGAIL, b. May 23, 1750, m. Timothy Darling and Josiah Brown.
5. MARTHA, b. Mar. 24, 1752, m. Moses Hayden.
8 6. JOHN, b. May 4, 1754, m. Sarah Divine.
7. MERCY, b. Jan. 21, 1756, d. 1774.
8. ANNA, b. Feb. 6, 1760, m. John Fiske.
9. BEULAH, b. June 14, 1762, m. Jonathan Melvin.
3-10 PHINEAS LELAND, (James, Ebenezer, Henry), b. 1730, m. Sept. 19, 1749, Lydia Fletcher (F); m. 2nd, Mar. 12, 1752, Sarah Warren (W).
3
518
HISTORY OF GRAFTON.
He d. 1773, and his widow then m. Ziba Abby.
Phineas Leland was appointed by Thomas Pownall, Esq., Captain- General and Governor-in-Chief of the State, Oct. 3, 1759, a Lieutenant of the military foot company commanded by Noah Brooks, in the third regiment in the counties of Middlesex and Worcester, whereof Artemas Ward, Esq., was colonel.
The eleven children of Phineas were born upon the homestead estate, which he received from his father, situated upon the Blackstone river. Lydia married and died young here.
Joseph was in the army during a great part of the Revolutionary war. He entered the army as a private, or non-commissioned officer; was commissioned lieutenant in Wesson's Ninth Regiment, December 28, 1777 ; in M. Jackson's Eighth Regiment, in 1783. Was a member of the Massachusetts-Cincinnati Society. After peace was established he settled in Saco, Me. During the whole active period of his life he was connected in business there as a merchant. He was a judicious and dis- creet man; highly respected and much esteemed among the people of his acquaintance. He was once a senator in the Legislature of this State. He was, on one or more occasions, an unsuccessful candidate for a seat in Congress; but as, in the political divisions of his day, he belonged to the minor party in his town and county, he could not expect often to be a successful candidate for political honors. He was a man of quiet, domestic habits, and sustained an irreproachable moral character.
Joseph's wife was a sister of Gov. William King of Bath, Me., and of Hon. Rufus King. Her dau. Betsey m. Rev. Nathan Lord (gr. Bowdoin, 1809); Sarah, m. Abel Boynton (gr. Harvard, 180+), and Hon. Edmund Parker. (gr. Bowdoin, 1803); Mary, m. Benjamin F. French (gr. Dartmouth, 1812) ; Harriet, m. William Richardson (gr. Bowdoin, 1839). Her son Joseph W. (gr. Bowdoin, 1826).
Thomas married young. He remained in town three or four years after his marriage. He then went to Conway, but finally returned here and continued to reside here until 1795, when he removed to Chester, Vt., and settled in a wilderness part of the town. The hardships and privations of new country life were his lot for several years; but by great effort and constant labor, in the course of a few years he reclaimed from its native wilderness a well-cultivated farm.
The widow of Phineas Leland married for her second husband, Ziba Abby, of Chatham, Conn. When she removed to Chatham with her husband, her two daughters, Sarah and Deliverance, accompanied her and both were married there. Deliverance remained in Chatham as long as she lived; but Sarah removed to the part of New York State now Oswego, where she resided until her death.
Joshua married here, but soon after his marriage, went to Chester, Vt , and settled in a new and uncultivated part of the town. He brought the land on which he established himself into a good state of cultiva- tion, and continued there as long as he lived.
Caleb married here and continued to reside here for several years. But about 1800 he removed to Chester, Vt., and soon after to the adjoining town of Baltimore, where he continued to live until his death.
The second Lydia removed after her marriage to Weathersfield, Vt., and resided there for twenty years or more; then removed to Spring- field, Vt., and resided there as long as she lived. Her husband was a Representative for three years in the Vermont Legislature; and also Judge of Probate for some time for Windsor County, Vt. Children,
1. LYDIA, b. Aug. 14, 1750, m. Nathaniel Batcheller.
2. PHINEAS, b. Jan. 28, 1753, m. Sarah Winchester and Polly (King) Rawson.
519
FAMILY GENEALOGIES.
9 |3. ELEAZER, b. Feb. 1, 1755, m. Elizabeth Sherman.
4. JOSEPH, b. Dec. 30, 1757, m. Dorcas King, rev. to Saco, Me.
10 11 6. THOMAS, b. Aug. 16, 1760, m. Lydia Sherman, rev. to Chester, Vt.
5. DAVID W., b. July 18, 1758, m. Polly Rawson.
7. SARAH, b. Oct. 19, 1763, m. Eliakim Goodrich, rev. to Oswego, N. Y.
8. CALEB, b. Aug. 31, 1765, m. April 8, 1789, Lakin Willard, rev. to Baltimore, Vt.
9. JOSHUA, b. Aug. 31, 1765, m. Thankful Sherman, rev. to Chester, Vt. 10. LYDIA, b. 1767, m. Jonathan Whipple, rev. to Springfield, Vt.
11. DELIVERANCE, b. 1770, m. Andrew Shepherd, rev. to Chatham, Ct.
4-3 LEVI LELAND, (Benjamin, James, Ebenezer, Henry), b. 1742, m. Phebe Barton; m. 2nd, March 13, 1777, Anna Bellows; m. 3rd, Oct. 12, 1780, Sarah Moody. He d. 1797. Children,
1. JUDITH, b. 1775, m. - - Bardwell.
2. PHEBE, b. 1776, m. Amos Baker.
3. ZADOCK, b. 1781, m. Lefe Morse and Betsey Hagar.
4. LEVI, b. Jan. 16, 1783, m. Sybil Forbush.
5. SALLY, b. 1784, m. Robert Broderick. 6. REUBEN, b. 1787, d. 1790.
7. REUBEN, b. 1793, m. Lacretia D. Ellis.
12 13 5-6 BENJAMIN LELAND, (Benjamin, James, Ebenezer, Henry), b. 1747, m. Sally Brigham (B). He d. 1828.
The three children of Benjamin Leland married in this town. Huldah with ber husband, went to Springfield, Vt., in the year 1804-5, and after residing there a few years, removed to Weathersfield. Daniel left here 1803-4 and settled in Weatherstield. In 1813-14, he removed to Barre, Mass., and after residing there ten years, returned to Weathersfield. Benjamin was employed as a manufacturer of boots and shoes in this town, a few years after his marriage ; he then removed to Boston and was in business there until 1816, when he left for New York, finally settling in Philadelphia. Children,
1. HULDAH, b. 1774, m. Asahel Warren.
2. DANIEL, b. 1776, m. Mary Forbush and Sally Morgan.
3. BENJAMIN, b. 1779, m. Lucy Barnes.
EBENEZER LELAND, (Benjamin, James, Ebenezer, Henry), b. 1749, m. June 25, 1778, Molly Lyon. He d. 1837. Children,
16 1. EBENEZER, b. 1779, m. Hannah Putnam and Eunice H. Bellows.
2. POLLY, b. 1781, m. Ebenezer Burrell.
3. JOHN L., b. 1784, m. Sally Batcheller.
4. SALLY L., b. 1788, m. James Alexander and Joel Monroe.
5. JOSIAH, b. 1794, m. Sophia Dutton, Almira Slocomb and Marrady Neff.
7-10 SAMUEL LELAND, (Benjamin, James, Ebenezer, Henry), b. 1755, m. Dec. 10, 1778, Abigail Gale. Children,
1. TABOTHY, b. 1779, m. Solomon Prentice, res. in Vt.
2. ABIGAIL, b. 1782, m. Ezra Marble, res. in Sutton.
3. NANCY, b. 1785, m. Elijah Hicks, res. in Charlton.
4. SAMUEL P., h. 1787, m. Ruth Woodbury, res. in Charlton.
18 5. ROYAL, b. 1790, m. Margaret L. Roberts.
8-6 REV. JOHN LELAND, (James, James, Ebenezer, Henry), b. May 14, 1754, m. Sept. 30, 1776, Sarah Divine. -
14 15 6-7 17
520
HISTORY OF GRAFTON.
The Rev. John Leland, better known in the sections of the country where he resided as Elder Leland, was born here, May 14, 1754. He possessed a strong native vigor of intellect, and a genius purely original. He spent his early years with his father, who could afford his son no other educational advantages than those at that time furnished by the common schools of his native town. At the age of eighteen, his mind became deeply impressed upon the subject of religion and he made a public profession of his faith, by being baptized in June, 1774. At the age of twenty-two he married and with his wife moved to Virginia, where he resided fourteen years ; while here he baptized precisely seven hundred persons. He returned to Massachusetts and settled in Cheshire, where he died Jan. 14, 1841. His wife died Oct. 5, 1837. He labored in Cheshire 67 years, " to promote piety and vindicate the civil and religious rights of all men."
Ch.,
1. BETSEY, b. 1777, m. John Barker.
He had eight other ch. ; seven were b. in Virginia, and the other one in Cheshire, Mass.
PHINEAS LELAND, (Phineas, James, Ebenezer, Henry), b. 1753, m. July 6, 1774, Sarah Winchester; m. 2nd, Polly (King) Rawson, b. May 30, 1779, d. Oct. 14, 1864.
Of his children Sarah Leland was born here, married and continued to reside here until her death. Susannah was also horn here. Upon her marriage, in 1808, she removed with her husband to Boston. They continued to reside in Boston and the adjoining town of Roxbury for about ten years. In 1818, they removed to Philadelphia, where she died in 1819.
Charles was born in this town, married, and continued to reside here about twenty years. He removed from here to Madison County, N. Y., and remained there ten years, then went to Milwaukee, where he died in 1844.
Joshua W. was born here and resided on the farm owned by his father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He held the office of colonel in the militia for several years, and for one or two years was a Repre- sentative from this town to the General Court.
Children,
1. PHINEAS, b. 1775, d. 1777. 2. SARAH, b. 1777, m. Elijah Case.
3. SUSANNAH, b. 1780, m. Andrew Adams (A).
19
4. CHARLES, b. 1782, m. Mary Adams.
5. JOSHUA W., b. 1786, m. Polly Ryder. 6. CLARISSA, b. 1787, d. 1806. 7. CANDACE, b. 1791, d. 1811.
20
10-3
ELEAZER LELAND, (Phineas, James, Ebenezer, Henry), b. 1755, m. Elizabeth Sherman (S). He d. March, 1827.
Prudence Leland, of this branch of the family, was born in Croyden, N. H. When she was about one year old her parents removed to this town. Here she resided with her parents until her marriage In 1799. She lived with her husband, Gregory Stone, in Weathersfield, Vt., from 1799 to 1810, the time of his death. She then returned to this town, and resided until her death in Westborongh.
Salmon, born here, first settled upon a farm In Westminster; after a few years he removed from that place to Cato, N. Y. His wife was also a descendant of the Leland family, and was sister to the wife of his brother Luke.
9-2
521
FAMILY GENEALOGIES.
Betsey resided here until her marriage, in 1814, when they removed to Barre. From there they removed to Cato, N. Y., where they resided ten years, finally settling near Alton, Ill.
Polly after her marriage removed to Barre. They remained there until 1843-4, when they removed to Bowling Green, Ky., where they resided until her death in 1846. Her husband, Tyler Adams, was a farmer. Her only son, George B. Adams, was a lawyer in highly re- speetable standing at the bar in Kentucky. He was educated in Capt. Partridge's Academy, Norwich, Vt.
Patty died here in 1830. She was born and always lived here. Her husband was Thaddeus Reed, a respectable farmer. He was a useful man In the town, and on one occasion he represented the town in the Legislature. His son, Hason L., gr. Amherst College, and A. B. 1848.
Children,
1. PRUDENCE, b. 1778, m. Gregory Stone (S).
2. JOHN, b. 1781, m. Abigail Parker.
22 3. SHERMAN, b. March 29, 1783, m. Elizabeth Adams.
4. CYRUS, b. 1785, m. Betsey Kimball.
5. SALMON, b. 1787, m. Ezra Melleu.
6. BETSEY, b. 1789, m. Rev. Jeremy F. Tolman.
7. POLLY, b. 1790, m. Tyler Adams.
24 8. LUKE, b. 1792, m. Sally Mellen.
9. PATTY, b. 1796, m. Thaddeus Reed (R).
11-5
DAVID W. LELAND, (Phineas, James, Ebenezer, Henry), b. July 18, 1758, m. Jan. 21, 1778, Polly Rawson, d. Jan. 14, 1826, aged 68. He d. 1832. Hannah R., was twice married and always resided here.
Mary m. John Page, a merchant of Beverly. She resided several years in Beverly and finally settled in Salem.
Sally always resided here.
Mahalea was married here and then moved to Vernon, Conn.
David W. before attaining his majority, went to Charleston, S. C., and early became a partner in the firm of Leland, Brothers & Co. He was an extensive traveler in this country and Enrope, and was distin- guished for his acts of liberal private benevolence.
Children,
1. HANNAH R., b. June 18, 1779, m. Levi Heywood and Benjamin Hey- wood (H).
2. MARY, b. Jan. 12, 1782, m. Jolin Page.
3. SALLY, b. Dec. 17, 1784, m. Joseph Merriam (M).
25
4. JOSEPH, b. Oct. 24, 1786, m. L. M. Wheeler and Charlotte Merriam.
5. SABRA, b. May 27, 1789, d. unm. Nov. 7, 1856.
6. MAHALEA, b. Aug., 1791, m. John Wyman.
7. BETSEY, b. Sept. 27, 1793, d. March 5, 1795.
8. DAVID W., b. Feb. 13, 1795, m. M. W. Howe.
9. GARDNER S., b. Jan. 1, 1797. He was in business in Charleston, S. C., and d. of consumption in Nice, Italy, 1821.
IO. PHINEAS W., b. Oct. 4, 1798, m. Parmelia T. Wood.
He entered Brown University, Providence, R. I., in 1821, but left college before the expiration of the usual term of four years and studied medicine with Dr. George C. Shattuck of Boston. He received the degree of M. D. at Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Me., in 1826, and prae- tised his profession for some time at Medfield, Mass., but abandoned it in 1834, and removed to Fall River where he received the appointment of Collector of Customs from President Jackson. This position he held in all about twenty years, being reappointed by the successive democrat-
66
21 23
522
HISTORY OF GRAFTON.
ic administrations. He retired from this office in 1860, at the begin- ning of President Lincoln's administration, and since that time has lived in retirement. In the fall of 1842, Dr. Leland was elected to the State Senate, and on taking his seat in 1843, was elected President of the same. This, we believe, is the only political office be ever held. He retained through life his early affection for the democratic party, and up to a very recent period has been a constant attendant at the con- ventions of that party.
The excellence of Dr. Leland's personal character, his large public spirit, and above all the high standard of his literary attainments gave him a marked individual prominence in our community. He was always interested in anything that tended to improve the literary taste of the community, and was identified with many plans to effect this result. He was one of the founders and for many years President of the Fall River Atheneum, and when the public library was organized he was elected one of the Trustees, a position which he held till the time of his death. He served on the building committee of the City Hall, and delivered the address on the occasion of its dedication in 1846. He was always active and ardent in all literary enterprises.
Dr. Leland was for many years connected with the press, and his writings were distinguished for a peculiar piquancy and brilliancy. He was the editor of the Fall River Patriot, a journal which was started in 1836, and continued four years. He was also the first editor of the Weekly News, started in 1845, and since his connection with our journal was severed, he has been an occasional and welcome contributor. While a member of the State Senate, he contributed a series of articles to the Boston' Post; entitled " Pen-and- Ink Sketches, from the Gallery of the Senate Chamber," which were widely read and admired.
He always delighted in the study of Indian history, and was thoroughly acquainted with all the Indian lore connected with this part of New England .- [From an obituary in the Fall River News, Jan. 24, 1870].
12-4 LEVI LELAND, (Levi, Benjamin, James, Ebenezer, Henry), b. Jan. 16, 1783, m. April 7, 1803, Sybil Forbush (F), b. April 13, 1783, d. Feb. 22, 1876. He d. May 23, 1848. Children,
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.