History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 126

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1278

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III > Part 126

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In 1844 Mr. Converse removed to Boston aud formed a partnership in the shoe and leather business with Benjamin Poland, under the firm-name of Poland & Converse. During this period he lived with his brother, Deacon James W. Converse, on Pearl Street, and also at Jamaica Plain. Fu 1847 he removed to Stoneham, where Poland & Converse had a branch business of grinding and preparing drugs, spices, etc. This partnership was dissolved in 1849, and Mr. John Robson became associated with Mr. Converse, and the business was continued under the firm-name of Converse & Robson until 1853, when Mr. Converse withdrew from the partnership, and founded the Boston Rubber Shoe Company. He was elected its treasurer, in which capacity he has remained to the present time. This company is one of the representative institutions of New England.

Mr. Converse carly manifested landable interest in religious matters. Ile united with the First Baptist Church of Thompson, at Brandy Hill, in 1832, and while living in Boston was a member of the Federal Street Baptist Church. He became a member of the Baptist Church in Malden in 1847 and was chosen deacon in 1854, and officiated until his resignation,

Dramati Keren

David Flyers.

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March 17, 1865. He removed to Malden in 1850, locating on Linden Court.

Upon the organization of the Malden Bank, in 1851, he became one of its directors, and in 1856 was chosen president, and has occupied that position to the pres- ent time, a period of thirty-four years.

September 4, 1843, he united in marriage with Mary Diana Edmands, and their family consisted of four children, viz. : Frank Engene, born October 1, 1846, and died December 15, 1863; Mary Ida, born January 7, 1853, married January 4, 1882, Mr. Costello C. Converse, of Boston ; Harry Elisha, born May 7, 1863 ; and Francis Eugenia, born May 14, 1865.

All measures tending to advance the interests of Malden have found in Mr. Converse an earnest advo- cate. He represented the town in the General Court in 1878 and 1879, and in 1880 and 1881 was a member of the Senate, and upon the incorporation of Malden as a city he was chosen its first mayor by an almost unanimous vote. He is the man whom the citizens of Malden most delight to honor.

In 1863 a sad affliction was visited upon Mr. and Mrs. Converse by the tragic death of their eldest son, who at the time was assistant cashier of the Malden Bank. He was shot and killed in the bank at noon- day by E. W. Green, of Malden, the motive being robbery. He was a youth of seventeen, of great promise and of singular purity, the inspiration and delight of a wide circle of loving hearts to whom he stood for sweetness and light. The Converse Memorial Building, erected as a memorial to Frank Eugene, was dedicated October 1, 1885.

In 1888 Mr. Converse gave a fund of $25,000 for the extension of the memorial building when necessary, and has recently given, in money and land, about #30,000 in aid of the Free Hospital.

DAVID AYERS.

David Ayers, the son of David and Sarah (Seaverns | Ayers, was born in Needham, Mass., in that part of the town which is now Wellesley, July 27, 1818.

The only school education which he received was in the common schools of his native town, with the exception of about four months' instruction in 1838 in the private school of Mr. Marshall S. Rice, of New- ton. In 1832 he removed to Boston, and for a little more than a year was office boy for the late Theophilus Parsons, Esq., at that time practicing law in Boston. When not needed at his office he worked at Mr. Parsons' house, doing such work as was required of him.

After leaving Mr. Parsons' office he entered Mr. Rice's school, as stated above, and in the fall of 1833, he left school again, returned to Boston, and became salesman and helper in the retail grocery store of Benjamin Dutton, his brother-in-law. In 1835 he entered the employ of Baxter & Dutton, and in 1837 that of Stratton & Houghton, both firms being

wholesale grocers. He remained with Stratton & Houghton until 1843, when he became a partner with Mr. John Stratton, under the firm-name of Stratton & Ayers. At the end of about a year this partnership was dissolved. He remained, however, in Mr. Strat- ton's employ until 1847, when he again became a partner in the firm of Stratton & Ayers. In 1850 John Stratton retired from the firm, and his son, George F. Stratton, took his place. In 1861 Mr. James F. Eaton became a member of the firm, the name of which was then changed to that of Stratton, Ayers & Eaton.

In 1865 Mr. George F. Stratton retired, and Ayers & Eaton continued in business Dutil 1875, when they also retired from active business. In 1856 he was married to Martha E., daughter of Ivory Lord and Nancy (Hill) Iluckins, of Great Falls, N. 11., by whom he had four children, of whom two sons and one daughter are now living, viz., George D. Ayers, a member of the Suffolk Bar; Charles H1. Ayers, a merchant of New Haven, Conn., and Cora E. Ayers, still residing in Malden. Mr. Ayers joined the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in 1843, and is still a member of that fraternity. In that order he is a member of Massachusetts Lodge and Massasoit Encampment, and also the Grand Lodge and Grand Encampment of Massachusetts. lle is a Past Grand of Massachusetts Lodge, and Past Chief Patriarch of Massasoit Encampment, Past Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge, and was for several years one of the District Deputy Grand Masters. He is also a Past Grand Patriarch of the Grand Encampment of Massa- chusetts. In 1858 he became a citizen of Malden, and has taken an active part in its affairs, especially in town-meetings. Never, unless sick, was he absent . from any of them. He served on many important committees, took an active interest in schools, and served seven years, from 1873 to 1876 inclusive, and from 1884 to 1886 inclusive, on the School Committee.

From 1872 to 1878, inclusive, he was a member and secretary of the Board of Road Commissioners of the town of Malden. Ile is careful, methodical and painstaking in all matters, especially where public interests are concerned. He thoroughly studied all public questions in regard to which he was called upon to act. In all the positions he occupied he took great pains to know his duty, and was just, firm and resolute in the performance thereof. He has been one of the trustees of the Malden Savings Bank since 1878, and one of the examining committee of the bank sinee 1880, both of which positions he now fills. He has also been one of the vice-presidents of that institution.

His views are broad and progressive. lle always endeavors to keep abreast of the times, is boll and outspoken, but tolerant of the opinion of others. In politics he is a progressive Democrat, a taritl' and civil service reformer. fle is one of the vice-presi- dents of the Malden Civil Service Reform Association.

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

REV. M. F. FLATLEY, P.R.

Rev. M. F. Flatley, P.R., Malden, Mass., was born in Ireland, where he made his early studies in a pri- vate classical school, and in St. Jarlath's College, Tuam.

When about eighteen years of age he arrived in Boston, and the same week entered the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Mass. Here he studied rhetoric and philosophy, and graduated with the highest honors, June, 1865. In September of the same year he entered the Theological Seminary of St. Mary's, Baltimore, Md., conducted by the Sulpie- ian Fathers.

After a theological course of three years and a half, he was ordained priest, December 28, 1868, in the old cathedral, by the Most Rev. Martin J. Spaulding, D.D., Archbishop of Baltimore.

His first mission was Brookline and Brighton-at that time, January 1869, forming but one parish. July 12, 1869, he was appointed to St. James' Church, Boston, as assistant to Rev. James A. Healey, now Bishop of Portland, Maine. After serving four years in this large and important parish, embracing the entire centre of the city, he was appointed by His Grace, the Archbishop, in June, 1873, to be the first pastor of Wakefield and Reading.

While in St. James' Parish, Boston, he was a con- stant and zealous worker in the cause of temperance. He organized the St. James' Young Men's Total Ab- stinence Society, and was its director for four years. He won for it the most costly and beautiful banner in the State, and made the society the largest and most flourishing in the city. He was one of the chief or- ganizers of the Massachusetts Catholic Total Abstin- ence Union, also of its first convention, and was elected its treasurer five successive years.

Being the first priest to live in Wakefield, he had to provide everything for church and parochial house. Lle raised the church-only a portion of it was built- fourteen feet, had it wheeled round to face up-town, built a brick basement, and purchased the land for its extension. He also purchased a parochial house and grounds. Notwithstanding the panicky times, he paid off' a debt of $14,000 and left the church and church property entirely free from debt, when he was transferred from Wakefield to Malden, In July, 1884, Archbishop Williams appointed him administrator of Malden, and in September of same year he was ap- pointed its pastor. In the year 1888 he was promoted and appointed permanent rector of Mahlen.

During his short stay in Malden he has already greatly improved the exterior, and at much expense has beautified the interior of the brick church. He has purchased land for school purposes, and on one of the lots he is now erecting a brick school-house, to cost about $75,000. 1le has also purchased land for a new cemetery, and a costly estate of three acres near the centre of Mallen, on which church and school will be erected, and form the beginning of a new parish.

Father Flatley has lately returned from an extended tour of Europe, Egypt and the Holy Land.

REV. JOSHUA W. WELLMAN, D.D.

Rev. Joshua W. Wellman, son of James Ripley and Phebe (Wyman) Wellman, was born in Cornish, Sullivan County, N. H., November 28, 1821. His father, Deacon James Ripley Wellman, was born in Cornish, N. H., February 21, 1789, and died there November 1, 1860. He was the son of James and Althea (Ripley) Wellman. James Wellman, the grandfather, was the son of the Rev. James Wellman, who was installed the first pastor of the First Church in Cornish, September 29, 1768. He was born in Lynn, Mass., was graduated at Harvard College in 1744, and died in Cornish, aged eighty-five years, De- cember 18, 1808. Althea (Ripley) Wellman, the grandmother, was a descendant in the sixth genera- tion from Governor William Bradford, of Plymouth Colony. Joshua Wyman Wellman, after attending the public schools in Cornish till he was fifteen years of age, was fitted for college at the Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, N. H., from which he was grad- nated in 1842, entering Dartmouth College that year, and graduating in 1846.

In the winter of 1838-39 he taught school in Hart- ford, Vt., and later, during his college course, in Up- ton and East Randolph (now Holbrook), Mass. From 18-16 to 1849 he taught in Kimball Union Academy a part of each year, and in 1847 was for two terms principal of the academy in Rochester, Mass. Enter- ing the Andover Theological Seminary in 1847, he was graduated in 1850, and was then a resident lieen- tiate in the seminary for one year.

He was ordained to the Christian ministry and in- stalled as pastor of the historie First Church in Derry, N. H., June 18, 1851, where he remained five years. He was installed pastor of the Eliot Church, Newton, Mass., June 11, 1856, and dismissed October 23, 1873. ITis pastorate in Newton included the exciting period of the Civil War. During the early period of the con- fliet he visited the South and saw something of the horrors of war. He was strongly opposed to slavery and supported the war as necessary to save the Union. His plain statement of his views in his sermons pro- duced considerable excitement at a time when many believed that the pulpit should be silent on such subjects. He continued, however, in every way which seemed to him to be proper, to help forward the cause of justice. The church became eminently patriotic, and twenty-seven men from the congrega- tion enlisted in the war.

During this pastorate the church grew from small membership to be one of the largest and most promi- nent churches in the State.

March 25, 1874, Mr. Wellman was installed pastor of the ancient First Church in Malden, Mass., the

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Truly yours. M. Mellomun.

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history of which is given at length in this volume; and which, under his care, grew into a large and in- fluential church. He remained in this position till May 6, 1883, since which time he has not been set- tled, but has continued to preach in various locali- ties, while using much of his time for literary work.

October 24, 1854, he married Ellen M., daughter of Caleb Strong and Prudence (Durfee) Holbrook, of East Randolph (now Holbrook), Mass.

Their children are: Arthur Holbrook, who married, October 11, 1887, Jennie Louise Faulkner; Edward Wyman, who married, October 1, 1884, Emma R. Patch; Ellen Holbrook, who married, October 24, 1883, Robert Cushman King, and Annie Durfee Wellman.

Mr. Wellman was elected a corporate member of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in 1867, and he has been one of the man- agers of the Congregational Sunday-school and Pub- lishing Society since 1870; and a trustee of Phillips Academy, in Andover, since 1870. He is a member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, a corporate member of the General Theological Li- brary, of Boston, and for many years a director of the American College and Educational Society, of which he is now vice-president. He was a leading advocate of the formation of the Congregational Club of Bos- ton, of which he was an original member. Olivet College, in 1868, and Dartmouth College, in 1870, bestowed upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity.

He has published : "The Church Polity of the Pil- grims ;" "Review of the Sabbath Hymn and Tune- Book ;" "Our Nation under the Government of God," a war sermon preached in 1862; "Christianity and our Civil Institutions ; " "A Review of Dr. A. V. G. Allen's Biography of Jonathan Edwards ; " besides numerous sermons, addresses and magazine articles. He made an argument before the Visitors of Andover Theological Seminary, in the famous "Andover Case," so called, which was published in the book called the "Andover Case."

CHAPTER XL. ASHLAND.

BY GEORGE T. HIGLEY.

THE SURFACE .- The town of Ashland is situated in the southwesterly part of Middlesex County, and is bounded northeast by Framingham, east by Sher- born, south by Holliston, southwest and west by Hop- kinton, and northwest by Southborough. Its meas- nrement from east to west is four miles, from north to south three miles, and it contains twelve and five- eighths square miles. Its population in 1885 was 2633, and its latest valuation (1889), was $1,300,901. Its out- line is irregular, the only straight divisional line

against neighboring towns being the Holliston bound- ary. The Framingham line is nearly straight, having but a slight bend at Winter Street. Against South- borough there are three bearings, against Hopkinton four, and in the short distance bounding on Sherborn, there are two, the bend in this line being but slight. The town was incorporated March 16, 1846, being composed of portions of the towns of Framingham, Holliston and Hopkinton. The part taken from Hop- kinton was the territory lying between Cold Spring Brook and Sudbury River; from Holliston, that lying east of Cold Spring Brook and down the river to the old Framingham line traced below ; from Framingham, the rest of the territory on the south side of the river and all on the north side. The old line between Framingham and Holliston, beginning at a point on the river a few rods below the iron bridge, crossing Uniou Street, ran easterly nearly parallel to the north boundary of Wildwood Cemetery, to a stone bound near the northeasterly corner of the "Old Orchard," in the woods on the Town Farm, thence southerly to a bound in the road about ten rods north of the house of the late W. D. Cole, and thence easterly with a slight southerly deflection past a stone bound situated on land of Mrs. W. H. Wright, at the entrance of the Cozzens meadow, to the angle in the middle of the Sherborn line. This old boundary line cut in two the farms of the two Grouts, Higley, Dearth and others. The surface of the land is moderately hilly. Taking a bird's eye view, the most marked feature is the de- pression caused by the Sudbury River, which flows through from west to east. A hardly less noticeable depression is the valley of Cold Spring Brook, which stream, after traversing the southwest part of the towu, joins the river well to the east. Indian Brook, com- ing down to the river from the southwest, in the west part of the town, yields another line of low-lying sur- face. Away in the extreme east there is a wide plain of low land, mostly swamp and peat meadow, lying south and west of Waushakum Pond. Into this pond flow two brooks coming from the south, one from be- yond the Holliston line. From these various depres- sions, in all directions, the land rises to hills of mod- erate elevation. The low lands are wide or gently slope upward, and upon the elevations are plains, tile surface everywhere affording convenient farms. On most of the elevated lands, woods and cultivated fiel Is are intermingled.

But few points in the landscape are so conspicuous as to have acquired distinctive names. What is now "the village" was, before the incorporation of the town, called Unionville. The extended hill which rises slowly at the southwest of the village is called " Magunko," in remembrance of an Indian settleme,it of the same or a similar name once located upou ics eastern slope. In the north part of the town a slight- ly higher elevation has received the name of " Wild- cat Hill;" north of the river, in the east, " Ballard Hill" and "Banner Hill," at the southwest of the

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

cemetery, are names now seldom heard. Of the names which have formerly been applied to certain districts, names not always euphonious, none seem to survive except that of " Oregon," which designates a small cluster of houses bordering on Southborough, and "Chattanooga," which is the name of the new factory village at the westerly end of the town. These names are also applied to the schools in their respec- tive districts. For the rest of the town the names given to the schools apply to the districts : " Number Two" designating the southwest part of the town, and "Number Six " the southeasterly district. Ref- erence is still made to the " Cutler District," to des- ignate the school and territory about one mile north- east from the village, and otherwise known as " Dis- trict Number Five." But this appellation is going out of use, the family for whom the district was named having now moved away. While to point out any particular locality the name of the person living near may be given, yet, at the present time, the in- fluence of no family seems to be so pervasive as to give its name to the neighborhood.

Of the population of the town, which is now, doubtless, somewhat above the figures of 1885, abont one-third live upon its farms, these inhabitants being scattered evenly over its surface, though somewhat less thickły in the northern part than elsewhere. The remainder are gathered in a village situated at nearly the geographical centre of the town, upon an almost level plain lying at the junction of the river and Cold Spring Brook. Before these waters meet, the river, whose general flow is easterly, sweeps round by a bend to the south, thus entting off or blunting the sharpness of the angle which would otherwise be formed by the junction of the streams, and forming an almost circular boundary to the village on the east. On the southwest this plain pushes up Cold Spring Brook, and up the river valley to the west, while it presses back against the land lying between these two valleys. Thus is formed the village plain, a basin more than half a mile in width, and extend- ing far up the river, and having pleasant overlooking hills on all sides. Sudbury River forms the norther- ly and northeasteriy boundary of the village, Cold Spring Brook the southeasterly and southerly, and the steadily-rising slope of land which, at its eleva- tion, is called " Magunko," the southwesterly.

The whole town is traversed from west to east by the Boston and Albany Railroad, of which the Ash- land Station is twenty-four miles distant from Boston. The New York and New England Railroad Company run their cars from Ashland Centre, at their junction with the Boston and Albany, through Hopkinton and Milford to Providence, Rhode Island.

INCORPORATION,-In 1837 the first petition for setting off the town, signed by James Jackson and 130 others, was presented to the Senate. The Com- mittee on Towns reported a bill which, however, was denied a " third reading." The petition was afterward

referred to the next General Court. In 1838 the sub- ject was again brought up, many remonstrances from clusters of individuals being sent in. Each of the three towns from which it was proposed to take a portion of the territory voted to oppose the measure, and sent agents to carry out their wishes. The peti- tion got no further than the committee of the Senate, whose report of " leave to withdraw " was accepted. The matter rested till 1846, when a new petition, drawn up and circulated by Calvin Shepherd, Jr., and signed by James Jackson and 209 others, was again presented to the Senate. This petition was re- inforced by others until about all the voters residing within the limits of the proposed town had become petitioners. At this time the towns of Framingham and Holliston voted not to oppose; while Hopkinton passed a contrary vote-yeas, 159; nays, 115-and ap- pointed their resident lawyer, Samuel Walcott, Esq., agent to act for them in opposition. Remonstrances were sent in from various persons residing in the three towns interested. The petitioners were repre- sented by a lawyer from Sudbury. A very thorough hearing was had before the joint Committee on Towns ; all the facts favorable, or the contrary, were brought out by the opposing parties. The reports of this committee and of that of 1838 recite at length the statistics of population, resources and business, and present a showing favorable to the petitioners. The bill, as proposed by the committee, with the excep- tion of the change of name from Unionville to Ashland, suggested by Calvin Shepherd, JJr., who was then a member of the House of Representatives, was passed by both Ilouses, was signed by Governor Briggs, and took effect upon its passage, March 14, 1846. The boundaries of the town, which had been determined by the survey of William F. Ellis, are fully defined in the act of incorporation. Within a year or two afterwards the selectmen of Ashland, meeting in con- ference with those of the neighboring towns, set up monuments at each of the angles. There have been several efforts made, by persons interested, to change the boundaries, but only one has been successful. In 1853, for the benefit of parties who then occupied the mill at Cordaville, the bound on the south side of the river, which stood at first west of the road leading from the mill to Hopkinton Centre, was carried down stream to its present position, leaving that road wholly in the town of Hopkinton.

The act of incorporation attempted to apportion equitably the town burdens. Ashland was to support, during their natural lives, one-twelfth of the Fram- ingham paupers, one-fifth of those belonging to Ilop- kinton, and one-eighth of the Holliston poor. Hollis- ton pauper-farm, which remains to the present time within the Ashland limits, was not to be taxed, a provision which, at the request of Ashland, was an- nulled by the Legislature of 1848. Ashland was re- quired to assume six hundred dollars of Hopkin- ton's debt, which sum was soon afterwards paid. It

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seems to have been admitted that Ashland became owner of all the public property located on its ter- ritory, which consisted principally of a very few school-houses. Hopkinton, however, craved the fire- engine, which one night certain of its inhabitants carried away, but in the law suit which followed, the Court decided that the engine must be returned, which was done.

ORGANIZATION .- The first town-meeting was held March 31, 1846, in the Chapel Hall. At this meeting, which was called by Major Calvin Shepard, as a jus- tice of the peace, a full corps of town officers was chosen. The town's first honors were bestowed upon Calvin Shepard, Jr., Josiah Burnham, Dexter Rock- wood, Audrew Allard and Albert Ellis, they being chosen selectmen. Benjamin Homer began his twenty-years' term as treasurer. Among the other officers elected familiar names appear : William F. Ellis, S. N. Cutler, William Eames, William Seaver, James Jackson. Daniel Eames began his service as moderator. C. F. W. Parkhust was chosen town clerk, perhaps for his even, free penmanship, an illus- tration of which could afterwards, for many years, usually be seen posted at the side of the meeting- house door, where he "published " all the proposed marriages. At that first meeting a rule was estab- lished, which has prevailed ever since, that warrants for town-meetings must be posted at least eight days before the meeting, and another attempt was then made, which has failed, whenever tried, to the present day, to enact a code of town by-laws.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 126

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co Number of Pages: 1278

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1278