USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > New Bedford > History of New Bedford, Volume III > Part 30
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Mr. West married, January 5, 1887, in New Bedford, Abbie W. Lewis, daughter of Elijah W. and Mary (Simmons) Lewis. They are the parents of one child, Elsie M., born May 14, 1888.
CHARLES STETSON MENDELL.
Charles Stetson Mendell, president of the Mendell Manufacturing Company, whose factories are located at New Bedford and Mattapoisett, is a native of Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, born November 29, 1861, son of John and Abby (Bolles) Mendell, old and prominent residents of Mattapoisett. the former named proprietor of a country store.
Charles S. Mendell attended the public and high schools of his native place, and early in life identified himself with the electrical industry and has held many important positions, having served the E. & T. Fairbanks Company, of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, as electrical engineer ; the Eco- nomic Electric Company, of Brocklin, as superintendent : and the Union Street Railway Company, of New Bedford, as electrician, when the sys-
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tem was changed from horse to electric power, and for the Dartmouth & Westport Street Railway during construction. For the past twenty years Mr. Mendell has been actively engaged in the manufacture of electrical switch boards, and is at present (1918) president of the company that bears his name. He has always taken an active part in the affairs of his native town, and served in the capacity of chairman of a committee of twenty in charge of the semi-centennial celebration of the town in 1907. At the present time he is serving as chairman of the board of water com- missioners of Mattapoisett, and he was formerly a member of the New Bedford Board of Trade. He attends the Congregational church, is a member of Machacam Club, the Mattapoisett Grange, Patrons of Hus- bandry, and a former member of the Wamsutta Club of New Bedford.
Mr. Mandell married (first) in Mattapoisett, December 6, 1888, Carol Barstow Dennis, daughter of Captain John S. and Mary Mason (Bars- tow) Dennis, old and prominent residents of Mattapoisett. Children : Annie Dennis, born December 6, 1891 ; John Dennis, born September 12, 1893 ; and Abby. born in July, 1895. Mr. Mendell married (second) Flor- ence Freman Purrington, daughter of George, Jr., and Olivia H. (Fre- man) Purrington. They are the parents of one child, Charles Stetson, Jr., born March 7, 1910.
ALFRED E. RICHARD, M. D.
Prominent among the members of the medical profession in the city of New Bedford is Dr. Alfred E. Richard, a native of St. Paschal, Prov- ince of Quebec, Canada, a son of George and Henriette (Frechette) Rich- ard, old and prominent residents of St. Paschal.
He attended the St. Anne Lapacatiere Seminary at St. Anne, Prov- ince of Quebec, Canada, graduating therefrom in 1879 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He then entered Lavalle University at Quebec, Can- ada, where he pursued a course of study for three and one-half years, and later matriculated at Victoria College, Montreal, from which institution he graduated in 1884 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He began the practice of medicine at his native town and continued for a period of two years, after which he came to the United States and located in Somersworth, New Hampshire, where he practiced for about three years, then removed to New Bedford, Massachusetts, continuing the practice of his profession for several years ; in 1900 changed his place of residence to Attleboro, Massachusetts, remaining there two years, engaged in the practice of medicine, then returned to Canada, where he remained for several years, and finally again took up his residence in New Bedford, where he is engaged in active practice at the present time (1918). He is a member of the Mutual Medical Association, Inc., and of St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church. Dr. Richard married, at Fall River, Massachu- setts, February 6, 1910, Malvina Levesque.
Charles F. Mendell
Robert S. Bennett
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ROBERT GILBERT BENNETT.
Robert Gilbert Bennett, for many years a resident and one of the prominent business men of New Bedford, Massachusetts, is a native of this State, and a son of Robert and Weltha (Jenney ) Bennett, old and highly respected members of the community, where the former was engaged in business as a cabinet-maker in connection with the ship build- ing industry here.
Robert Gilbert Bennett was born in Marion, Massachusetts, August 19, 1840, but came to this city at an early age, and has made his resi- dence here ever since. He had very little opportunity for education in his boyhood, but was full of energy and ambition and was always striving to better himself and his environment. He earned his first dollar work- ing in the gardens of the late Mayor Willard Nye, of New Bedford, when a little lad, but in spite of the necessity of earning a living at so early an age, he managed to spend some time at the public schools here, time of which he took the very best advantage. His first regular position was that of clerk in the grocery store of William B. Dwight, and after remain- ing some little time in this concern he worked in various positions in mercantile establishments of the city, selling dry goods, furniture and other commodities. Throughout these experiences, which covered a period of years, the young man had, with praiseworthy energy and thrift, laid by a considerable portion of his earnings and found himself in the year 1893 in a position to engage in business on his own account. Accord- ingly he opened at that time an undertaking establishment at No. 356 Acushnet avenue, and at the same time, desiring to make a specialty of this business and profession, he took a course in one of the best schools of anatomy and embalming in the country, where he studied most dili- gently and mnade himself an expert in the science. His enterprise was successful from the outset, and after seven years, in which the business had steadily grown, he removed from Acushnet avenue to his new and finely equipped establishment at No. 7 South Sixth street, New Bedford. For fifteen years he remained at this place doing a highly successful business, and at the end of that time retired from active life. This retire- ment was caused by Mr. Bennett's failure of health and was made much against his will as it was his feeling that a man should always remain active as long as health permitted. His achievement is one that he can look back upon with pride, however, for he remained for twenty-two years in the same enterprise and in the course of that time built up what was considered the best establishment of its kind in the city. His retire- ment occurred in the year 1915, and since that time Mr. Bennett has de- voted himself to his family and home life. He is a man of retiring dispo- sition and nature, and his domestic life means more to him than to the average man. He is justly proud of his home at No. 57 South Sixth street, where he and his wife are hosts to many visitors. Mr. Bennett is affiliated with the Republican party and takes an active interest in local
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politics, but only in the capacity of voter. He has often been urged by his friends and associates to take a more direct part in affairs, but here, once more, his retiring nature asserts itself and he has preferred not to emerge from private life. He never fails, however, to do his duty as a citizen and is quite independent in casting his vote for the candidate or cause that he believes best for the community, whether local or general. Mr. Bennett is a Methodist in his religious belief and is a member of the County Street Church of that denomination, and for many years was one of the church officials.
Robert Gilbert Bennett was united in marriage, June 5, 1864, with Mary Elizabeth Gifford, born November 30, 1839, at New Bedford, a daughter of Peleg and Eliza (Brightman ) Gifford, of this place. To Mr. and Mrs. Bennett the following children have been born: Albert Case, who died in infancy ; Lillias Mason, born March 31, 1870, educated in the public and high schools of New Bedford, and became the wife of Cyrus J. Gidley, of New Bedford.
LEANDER ALLEN PLUMMER.
Three of New Bedford's business men have borne the name, Leander Allen Plummer, two of them now deceased, the third is one of the young business men of the city. Leander Allen Plummer (1) was one of the pioneer business men here, and one of the founders of the New Bedford Cordage Company. He married Elizabeth Merrihew, and they had four sons, amongst them being Leander Allen Plummer (2), who was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, June 12, 1857, and died February 10, 1914. He was educated in the Friends' Academy at New Bedford, and Harvard University, graduating with the class of 1880, after full courses in which he specialized in civil and mining engineering, the professions he later followed for a short time. He then went to France and studied art at one of the well-known Paris art schools. He returned to America and made that his life's work. Mr. Plummer attained a wide reputation in this country for his specialty in wood carving. His carvings of marine life has no equal, perhaps, and many of his specimens are on exhibition at various museums of natural history. He married, in Fairhaven, Massa- chusetts, September 22, 1886, Amelia Hallet Hawes, daughter of John A. and Amelia (Hallet) Hawes. They were the parents of: Leander Allen (3), of further mention; Elizabeth, married Francis B. Grinnell ; Anna ; and Marianne.
Leander Allen (3) Plummer, only son of Leander Allen (2) and Amelia Hallet (Hawes) Plummer, was born in Fairhaven, Massachu- setts, September 15, 1887. He was educated in Mosher's Home Prepara- tory School, and Groton Preparatory School, at Groton, Massachusetts. After completing his studies he engaged in business as a cotton broker, and has since continued in it. He served two and a half years in the
Argustus Agnune
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Fourth Company Coast Artillery, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, and served as first lieutenant of the machine gun company, Seventeenth Regiment, Massachusetts State Guard. He is a Republican in politics, and a member of the Wamsutta Club. Mr. Plummer married, January 16, 1917, Margaret Theresa McGrath.
FREDERICK G. CHADBOURNE.
Frederick G. Chadbourne, a native son of the State of Massachusetts, interested at the present time in real estate operations, with offices in New Bedford and Fall River, was born in Brighton, Massachusetts, No- vember 14, 1862, son of Charles H. and Ida A. (Jorrie) Chadbourne, who were for many years residents of Brighton, Massachusetts, well and favorably known, Mrs. Chadbourne a daughter of a prominent elder of a Methodist church in Potsdam, New York, author of religious books.
Frederick G. Chadbourne obtained a practical education in the pub- lic schools of Providence, Rhode Island, and this was supplemented by a course in Jencks Mowry Academy of Providence. From the completion of his studies until the year 1905 he engaged in mercantile pursuits, then embarked in the real estate business in company with others, continuing until 1910, in which year he branched out for himself as the owner of the Cooperative Land Company, conducting operations as such until it was merged into the Citizens' Ice Company in Providence, Rhode Island, of which Mr. Chadbourne was the president. Thus the Citizens' Ice Com- pany became a holding company for the Cooperative Land Company, both companies coming under the same executive. Desiring to concen- trate his efforts in real estate development, Mr. Chadbourne organized the F. G. Chadbourne Land Trust, in 1917, with offices in New Bedford and Fall River, and this association has recently acquired an enormously large tract of land in the outskirts of Fall River, on Sanford road, on and near the South Watuppa Lake, which will take a number of years to develop, but when completed will be a most attractive residential section, adding greatly to the immediate surroundings. Although deeply inter- ested in his business activities, Mr. Chadbourne has found time to devote his attention to political affairs, his allegiance being given to the Repub- lican party, the principles of which he believes to be for the best interests of the people. For a period of three years he served as a town council- man in Johnston, Rhode Island, which is now part of the city of Provi- dence, and he also served as secretary of the Republican town committee.
GREENE & WOOD.
The business of Greene & Wood dates back in New Bedford's earlier history, having been originated by Samuel Leonard in the year 1835. He started in the lumber business at the bend of Clarks Cove, and for many
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years all the timber that was brought from the East by vessels into the cove was rafted ashore. After a few years he built Leonard's Wharf on the water front, now Greene & Wood's Wharf, and the business was removed there, and here it has since remained. About this time Samuel Leonard's son, Henry T. Leonard, took over the business, forming a partnership with Augustus A. Greene, a prominent young carpenter, who had come here from Providence to build the houses now occupied by Dr. John G. Hathaway, Miss Julia Delano and the homestead of the late Frederick Grinnell. Under the firm name of Leonard & Greene, the business was continued until 1848, when Henry T. Wood bought out Henry T. I.conard and the name became Greene & Wood. Under this name it has remained for seventy years, and in one location has car- ried on the business with success.
William G. Wood, a brother of Henry T. Wood, entered the firm in 1861, and so remained until his death in 1906, and Augustus A. Greene retired in 1872. On the death of Henry T. Wood, in 1883, his two sons, George R. and Edmund Wood, entered the firm, and in 1906 they became the sole owners of Greene & Wood. This well-known plant has been worthily conducted and developed by the sons, both of whom are the active, efficient heads of the business to-day. Their yards, mill and offices are on Pine street, off South Water street, New Bedford. Their share in the upbuilding of New Bedford has been an important one, and although their identity is somewhat obscured in the firm name, Greene & Wood, all New Bedford knows that the Wood energy, spirit, progres- siveness and propelling force has for many years maintained the high speed at which this firm has moved and kept to the front.
Greene & Wood now owns and occupies eleven acres of land on the water front, including a wharf, and the entire area is utilized in that busi- ness. There is a large and modernized planing mill, a part of this estab- lishment is probably the oldest planing mill in Massachusetts, and here are kept as relics two of the earliest planing machines ever constructed, one bearing the date 1838 and the other 1845. This firm carries a com- plete stock of building lumber. It also carries on a large wholesale busi- ness in yellow pine timber and plank received directly by vessel from Florida and the Gulf States. A branch of the business is maintained in the town of Falmouth under the name of the Wood Lumber Company.
EDMUND WOOD.
Edmund Wood is a public-spirited man and very active in all that pertains to the welfare of his native city. He graduated from Brown University in the class of 1876. He early took an interest in city affairs and civic duty. He represented Ward Six in the common council for four years and two years was its president. When the board of public works was established, he was one of the first members appointed and
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George Ti Wood
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served for two years. A Republican in politics, he was in those earlier years quite active in party affairs, and for eight years was secretary or chairman of the Republican city committee. In 1893 he was elected a member of the water board and served for six years. It was during his term of office that the new water supply was planned and constructed. The city by vote gave to the water board a credit of $1,200,000, and this extended an important project was carried out within the time set for its accomplishment and without running over the amount appropriated. This work attracted the attention of other cities of the Commonwealth, because of the novel and daring exploit of securing for the city by pur- chasing, apparently for private individuals, all the land surrounding the two Oquittacas ponds. The amount paid was insignificant when com- pared with the prices other cities have been and are paying for the control of the water shed of the city's supply. This was a memorable and most valuable service to the community which will be more fully recognized in a few years, when these hundred of acres of woodland are used and beautified by the city as a great municipal reservation.
Mr. Wood is chairman of the school committee of the Swain Free School of Design ; also a member and chairman of the advisory council of Brown University, and in 1918 was elected a trustee. In 1909 he was elected secretary of the New Bedford Institution for Savings, succeeding his uncle, William G. Wood, who served for twenty-four years, and his father, Henry T. Wood, who served twenty-two years, so for fifty-five years, since 1862, this venerable institution has had but three secretaries. In 1907 he was elected to succeed Mr. William W. Crapo and became the second president of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society and held the office for six years. In the published proceedings of the society are many short historical addresses delivered by him.
Mr. Wood married, in 1905, Margaret C. Earle, daughter of Oliver K. Earle, of Worcester, Massachusetts.
GEORGE RUSSELL WOOD.
George Russell Wood, a well-known and active business man of his native city, after completing grammar and high school courses, entered the Moses Brown School in Providence, Rhode Island, and was there graduated with the class of 1870. Since 1883 he has been a member of the firm of Greene & Wood, and in 1906 became one of the sole owners of the business. He is a trustee of the Five Cents Savings Bank, affiliated with the Republican party, served for three years on the school commit- tee, in the cighties ; a member of Pacific Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Abraham H. Howland Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and member and director of the New Bedford Yacht Club, and in reli- gious faith is a Friend.
Mr. Wood married, in 1888, Isabelle Richmond, who died in 1905.
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She was a daughter of Joshua Richmond, a clothier of New Bedford. Their children are: Richmond, born in 1889, graduate of Moses Brown School, a lumber salesman, now a member of the United States Coast Patrol (1917); Russell, born 1892, educated in New Bedford schools and at Berkshire School, graduated from Harvard College, and now a student at the Harvard Medical School.
GEORGE IRVING MACY.
George Irving Macy, one of the representative business men of New Bedford, Massachusetts, and a member of the well known firm of Fred- erick B. Macy & Company, cotton, yarn and cloth brokers, of this city, is a son of Frederick and Helen M. Macy, old and highly respected resi- dents here.
George Irving Macy was born at New Bedford, March 8, 1860, and has made his home here during practically his entire life. He attended in boyhood the local public schools and proved himself an apt and indus- trious student, and upon completing his studies at these institutions entered the employ of the Wamsutta Cotton Mills Company, a large New Bedford concern. He was a hardworking and intelligent youth, and soon learned the process of manufacture very thoroughly and made himself of great value to his employers. This value they acknowledged by advanc- ing him rapidly, and he continued to remain in the same concern until the year 1895, when he was made superintendent of spinning there. He then received an offer of the position of superintendent of the North Dighton Mills, which he accepted and continued to hold for a matter of two years. In 1897, however, he took a similar position with the Grin- nell Mills of New Bedford and remained there for fourteen years in all. In 1911 he became the superintendent of the Soule Mills, and in 1914 entered the firm of Frederick B. Macy & Company, where he is now situ- ated. This concern is a large and influential one, and Mr. Macy is a prominent figure in the business life of the city.
In politics Mr. Macy is a strong Republican, his beliefs and sym- pathies being in accord with its principles, but although he is keenly interested in the great issues of his time, the demands made upon his energies by the conduct of his business are such as to leave him but little opportunity for active participation in public affairs. He is well known in fraternal and club circles here, however, and is a member of Star in the East Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Odoniram Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; New Bedford Council, Royal and Select Masters ; and Sutton Commandery, Knights Templar. Besides these Masonic bodies he is affiliated with the Veteran Firemen's Association ; the Ameri- can Cotton Manufacturers' Association of New Bedford ; a director of the Protective Society of New Bedford, and a member of the Kolon Club of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. In his religious belief Mr. Macy is a Con- gregationalist and attends the North Church of that denomination.
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George Irving Macy married (first) October 4, 1892, Eliza L. Luce, a daughter of Captain Thomas and Hannah Luce. Her death occurred April 27, 1908. He married (second) October 18, 1910, Helen C. Hervey, daughter of James W. and Elizabeth Hervey.
ALBERT GARDNER MASON.
Mr. Mason inherits sound business ability and traits from his father and grandfather, which heritage has contributed to his success as treas- urer of the Whitman Mills, one of the largest corporations of New Bed- ford, Massachusetts. The Whitman Mills is capitalized at $2,000,000, has two mills of about 200,000 spindles and 5,000 looms, employing about 2,000 operatives on the finest plain and fancy cotton goods, cotton and silk mixtures, and fine yarns. It has helped supply the United States Government with very particular fabrics during the war.
Albert G. Mason comes from an old family long identified with Worcester, Massachusetts. His grandfather, John Coolidge Mason, was the inspiration for many progressive enterprises of his day. He was a partner in the old firm of Ruggles, Nourse & Mason, which firm manu- factured the farm plow invented by Joel Nourse and other agricultural implements. This firm was later absorbed by the present Ames Plow Company. John Coolidge Mason was also president of the Central National Bank of Worcester, and first president of the Peoples' Savings Bank of Worcester, which he organized.
John Frederick Mason, son of John Coolidge Mason, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1839, and died in September, 1907. He was a prominent manufacturer and well-known citizen.
Albert Gardner Mason, son of John Frederick Mason, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, January 19, 1878. He completed a full public school course and was graduated from the Worcester Classical High School in 1896. He then entered Harvard University, and graduated with the class of 1900. In college he was identified with Harvard ath- letics, being on the Mott Haven team, of which he was also manager, and also president of the Inter-Collegiate Athletic Association. From Har- vard, Mr. Mason went into the banking and brokerage business, being for a time associated with Kinnicutt & De Witt, of Worcester. After six months with them, dating from August, 1900, he went with Kidder, Pea- body & Company, of Boston, in April, 1901, remaining with that well- known house four and one-half years. He then became assistant man- ager of Fisk & Robinson, bankers of Worcester, Massachusetts, continu- ing with that firm until the summer of 1907. He became assistant treas- urer of the Whitman Mills, New Bedford, Massachusetts, July 1, 1907, and in December, 1907, on the death of William C. Taber, succeeded him as treasurer. He is also secretary and director of the Mason Brush Works, of Worcester ; a director of the American Mutual Liability Insur-
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ance Company, of Boston, and director of the Worcester Manufacturers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company. His clubs are the Harvard Club of New York ; Harvard Club of Boston, Varsity Club of Cambridge, Hasty Pudding Club of Cambridge, Institute 1770 Cambridge, Arkwright Club of Boston, and Wamsutta Club of New Bedford.
Mr. Mason married, in Cohasset, Massachusetts, June 3, 1911, Caro- line Humphrey Gay. daughter of Harry Howard and Caroline Louisa (Dorr) Gay, of Boston.
CHARLES MITCHELL.
On paternal and maternal lines, Charles Mitchell, an honored prac- titioner at the Bristol county bar located in New Bedford, descends from pure Scotch ancestors, who settled in the north of Ireland, later moving to Sligo, on the northwest coast. There Robert Mitchell lived, and there in the city of Sligo his son, John Mitchell, was born, and there owned and operated a small grist mill. He married Elizabeth McKim, and they the parents of five sons: Robert, of further mention; William, Charles, Kim, and a daughter Jane, married a Mr. Ferguson. John Mitchell was a member of the Episcopal Church, his wife a Wesleyan Methodist.
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