USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 112
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the Upper Falls Church, so that on the organization of the former thirty-four members were united with it by letter from the latter. The society, from the spring of 1867 to the summer of 1876, worshiped in a hall in the centre of the village. Its business, a fine woolen and silk hosiery, was prosperous, and its population, mostly English immigrants, increased rapidly, and the question of building a house of wor- ship became one of deeply interesting discussion. In 1876 a beautifully-situated and convenient church edifice was completed. The enterprise, from its initiation to its consummation, was inspired by the pastor, Rev. G. R. Bent. The cost of the site, edi- fice, and furnishing was ten thousand dollars. Soon after its dedication the business of the village became greatly depressed, in common with that of the coun- try at the time, and greatly embarrassed the financiers of the society. An effort has just been made for the
Changes in Boundary-Line.2-By an act of the General Court, passed in the year 1797, an alteration was made in the line between Needham and Natick. By virtue of this act sixteen hundred and fifty-six acres of land were set off from Needham to Natick, and in exchange four hundred and four and one-half acres, exclusive of pond, were set off from Natick of Natick of twelve hundred and fifty-one and one- half acres.
1875 it took a business form, and in the summer of | and annexed to Needham, leaving a balance in favor
An island in Charles River, at the Upper Falls, set off from Needham and annexed to Newton, June 21, 1803.
The westerly part of the town, comprising about six thousand acres of land, with a population of about two thousand seven hundred, set off and incorporated as the town of Wellesley April 6, 1881.
2 From Rev. Stephen Palmer's " Century Sermon," page 9.
1 By Rev. Z. A. Mudge.
-
The number baptized since its organization is seventy ; admitted by letter, one hundred and one. Total, one hundred and seventy-one. The present membership is seventy-one, and the officers are, Dea- cons William Moseley and R. W. Ames, trustees ; John Moseley, treasurer ; Thomas Sutton, clerk ; Thomas J. Crossman, superintendent of Sunday- school.
533
NEEDHAM.
VALUATION 1883.
Value of real estate.
$1,625,198
Value of personal estate. 185,792
Total valuation
$1,810,990
Acres of land assessed
7715
POPULATION.
1765.
945
1850 1944
1776
912
1860.
2658
1790 ..
1130
1 1865.
2793
1800 ..
1072
1
1870 ..
3607
1810
1097
1875
4548
1820.
1227
1
1880
52521
1830
1418
1
1883 about
2600
1840
1488
DOCUMENTARY.
"NEEDHAM, July 17, 1737.
"This day died here Mrs. Lydia Chickering in the eighty- sixth year of her age. She was born at Dedham in New Eng- land, on July 14, 1652, and about the year 1671 went up from thence to Hadley, where, for the space of about a year, she waited upon Col. Whalley and Col. Goffe (two of King Charles' first judges), who had fled thither from the men that sought their life. She was the daughter of Capt. Daniel Fisher, of Dedham, one of the magistrates of this Colony under the old charter. Having lived a virtuous life, she died universally re- spected and came to her grave in a full age, as a shock of corn cometh in in his season."
REPRESENTATIVES TO THE GENERAL COURT.
Capt. Robert Cook, 1712, '26, '39. John Smith, 1714.
Timothy Kingsbury, 1723.
Josiah Kingsbury, 1728, '29, '31.
John Fisher, Esq., 1735-38, '40, '41, '51.
William Bowdoin, 1752-55.
Lieut. Amos Fuller, 1756, '59, '60, '61, '66.
Capt. Eleazer Kingsbury, 1768, '69-70, '71, '74, '79.
Col. William McIntosh, 1776, '80, '81, '83, 1804.
Deacon John Fisher, 1777, '78.2
Nathaniel Fisher, 1782, '85.
Robert Fuller, Jr., 1787.
William Fuller, Esq., 1789, '90.
Col. Jonathan Kingsbury, 1793, '98, '99, 1801, '03. Col. Silas Alden, 1796.
Daniel Ware, Esq., 1805-07, '10-13.
James Smith, 1808, '09.
Jonathan Gay, Jr., 1814. Elisha Lyon, Esq., 1816, '39, '40.
Seth Colburn, 1824. Aaron Smith, Esq., 1827.
Gen. Charles Rice, 1829, '31. George Fisher, 1830.
Rufus Mills, Esq., 1832, '33. Thomas Kingsbury, Esq., 1834-36, '48, '49.
Solomen Flagg, 1834; the District, 1861.
William Flagg, 1836, '37.
Asa Kingsbury, 1837, '38, '42.
Emery Fisk, 1840, '41. Capt. George Smith, 1843, '44.
Daniel Kimball, 1846. Edgar K. Whitaker, 1847.
Henry Robinson, 1850, '51. Lauren Kingsbury, 1855 ; the District, 1858.
1 Wellesley set off, 1881.
2 Son of the first named John Fisher.
Jonathan Fuller, 1856.
George K. Daniell, 1857; the District, 1866, '68, '70.
Charles C. Greenwood, the District, 1863.
Galen Orr, the District, 1864.
John M. Harris, the District, 1872.
Joseph E. Fiske, the District, 1874.
James Mackintosh, the District, 1876, '77, '81.
Lyman K. Putney, the District, 1880.
For the years not mentioned above, prior to 1858, the town was not represented.
From 1857 to 1877, Needham, Dover, and Med- field comprised the Fourteenth Norfolk District.
At the present time, Needham, Dover, Medfield, Norfolk, and Wellesley constitute the Ninth Norfolk District.
Joseph E. Fiske was a member of the State Senate in 1876 and in 1877.
Galen Orr was chosen special commissioner in 1868, and served three years. Chosen commissioner in 1871, and served eight years.
Edgar K. Whitaker was a member of the Ex- ecutive Council in 1851.
The following served as delegates to the several conventions held in Massachusetts :
Capt. Eleazer Kingsbury, delegate to the First Provincial Congress held at Concord, October, 1774, and also to the Second, at Cambridge, February, 1775.
Col. William McIntosh, delegate to the Third Pro- vincial Congress, convened at Watertown, May 31, 1775, and also to the Convention which met at Cam- bridge, Sept. 1, 1779, to frame a new “ Constitution or Form of Government." He was also delegate to the Convention held in Boston in January, 1788, which ratified the Constitution of the United States.
Col. William McIntosh and Robert Fuller, Jr., were chosen to attend a Convention held at Concord in October, 1779, "to take into consideration the prices of merchandize and country produce, &c."
Col. Jonathan Kingsbury, delegate to a Convention of Delegates from the towns in Norfolk County, vu May 15, 1794, at Henry Vose's, Milton, " to consult on matters respecting said County."
Aaron Smith, delegate to the Convention held at Boston to revise the Constitution, 1820.
Emery Fisk, delegate to the Convention to revise the Constitution, 1853.
SELECTMEN.
Deacon Timothy Kingsbury, 1711-18, '20, '21, '23, '24, '32, '33, '36, '39, '47.
Capt. John Fisher, 1711-14, '22-26.
John Smith, 1711-16, '18-20.
Benjamin Mills, 1711, '19.
Capt. Robert Cook, 1711-15, '18-20, '21-24, '27-31, '34-35, '37, '39-47.
534
HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
Joseph Daniels, 1712.
Deacon Jeremiah Woodcock, 1712-14, '19, '22, '33.
Richard Moore, 1712-14. Lieut. Thomas Metcalf, 1714-15, '18, '23, '27, 30-31. John Rice, 1715, '16, '18, '20.
Josiah Kingsbury, 1716-17, '20-23, '25-26, '28, '38. Deacon Eleazer Kingsbury, 1716, '17, '21, '27, '29-31, '33, '36, *39, '11, '16-48.
Benjamin Mills, Jr., 1717. John Smith, Jr., 1717, '19, '22, '24, '26, '28. Josiah Newell, 1719, '22, '24, '25. Joseph Hawes, 1719. Joseph Boyden, 1721.
Joseph Mills, 1723. Henry Pratt, 1725, '26, '28-31, '34, '35. Andrew Dewing, 1725, '27.
Capt. Robert Fuller, 1726, '28-32, '34, '35, '37, '39, '42, '43, '46- '49.
Ensign Thomas Fuller, 1727, '29, '39.
James Kingsbury, 1732, '41, '43. William Mills, 1732. John Fisher, Esq., 1732, '36, '38, '45, '47, '50.
Zechariah Mills, 1734, '35, '43, '46, '47, '49.
Jonathan Hunting, 1734, '35. John Underwood, 1736.
Jonathan Smith, 1736, '38, '49.
Lieut. Amos Fuller, 1737, '42, '43, '52, '54-58, '60, '61, '64, '65, '69.
Benoni Woodward, 1737, '40.
Ensign Aaron Smith, 1737, '40, '42, '44, '47-51.
Nathaniel Bullard, 1740, '46.
John Goodnow, 1740.
Jeremiah Fisher, 1742, '44, '45, '47, '48, '50.
Samuel Parker, 1744, '45.
Josiah Newell, Esq., 1744, '45, '47-51, '53, '61, '62, '64-66, '69, '74, '77.
Eliakim Cook, 1750, '51, 59, '66.
Joseph Daniel, 1751.
Nathaniel Mann, 1751. John Alden, 1752.
Capt. Caleb Kingsbury, 1752, '54, '59, '62, '70, '73.
Thomas Metcalf, 1752-58, '60. Ephraim Ware, Jr., 1752.
Lieut. Robert Fuller, 1753-62, '67, '68, '70, '72, '74, '76-78,
Capt. Eleazer Kingsbury, 1753, '56-58, '60, '62, '64, '65, '67, '68, '70, '73.
John Mills, 1753. Samuel Mackintyre, 1755-57, '60.
Ebenezer Skinner, 1754. Samuel Daniel, 1755. Jonathan Smith, 1758. Nathaniel Fisher, 1759, '62, '73, '74, '77, '78, '82, '85.
Lemuel Pratt, 1759-63, '73.
Ephraim Bullard, 1761. Michael Metcalf, 1763-65, '67, '68, '71,'72.
Deacon John Fisher, 1763-65, '68, '75, '81. Jonathan Denning, 1763. Timothy Newell, 1763, '69, '72, '76. Josiah Eaton, 1766, '74.
John Kingsbury, 1776. Capt. Ephraim Jackson, 1766.
Col. William McIntosh, 1767, '68, '70, '75, '78, '80, '81, '83-85. '91, '92. Seth Wilson, 1767, '69. Lieut. Ebenezer Fisher, 1769.
Capt. William Smith, 1770, '75, '79. Jonathan Day, 1771. Amos Fuller, 1771, '72, '76.
Benjamin Mills, 1771, '84. Lieut. John Bacon, 1771.
Isaac Underwood, 1772. Josiah Ware, 1773.
Ebenezer Fuller, 1774, '75.
William Fuller, Esq., 1775-81, '84-86, '88-92, 94-96, '98, 1800, '01.
Col. Silas Alden, 1776, '80, '87, '88, '91, '93, '97-1802.
John Slack, 1777, '78.
Lieut. Oliver Mills, 1779, '86, '87, '89, '92, '94, '95.
Sergt. Thomas Fuller, 1779, '80.
Samuel Daggett, 1779.
Capt. Aaron Smith, 1783, '89.
Aaron Smith, 1781, '90-99, 1801-04, '08-12.
Stephen Bacon, 1781.
Robert Fuller, Jr., 1782, '83, '87, '88, '92
Enoch Parker, 1782.
Eleazer Fuller, 1782-83, '99, 1800-02.
Col. Jonathan Kingsbury, 1782, '90, '93-96, '98, '99, 1800-02.
Jeremiah Daniel, 1783.
Jonathan Smith, 1784.
Deacon Isaac Shepard, 1784.
Lieut. Samuel Townsend, 1785.
Samuel Brown, 1785-86, '88.
Nathaniel Ware, 1786.
Ebenezer Day, 1786.
Enoch Fisk, 1787-88.
Lieut. Ephraim Bullard, 1787.
Amos Fuller, 1789-90.
Moses Fisk, 1789.
Capt. Josiah Newell, 1790, '91, '93.
Capt. Robert Smith, 1793-95.
Dr. Timothy Fuller, 1797.
Lieut. Jonathan Gay, 1796-98.
William Farris, 1796-97.
Col. Moses Mann, 1799, 1800, '04.
| Samuel Pratt, 1802.
George Fisher, 1803, '04, '16, '18, '19.
Lieut. Moses Garfield, 1803, '04, '06, '08, '12-19.
| Maj. Ebenezer McIntosh, 1803-07, '18, '19, '21, '23.
Daniel Ware, Esq., 1805-16.
Royal McIntosh, 1805, '07.
Amos Fuller, Jr., 1805.
David Smith, Jr., 1805-11.
Benjamin Slack, Esq., 1806, '19-22, '24-26, '31.
James Smith, 1807-11.
Dr. Samuel Gould, 1809-12.
Jonathan Gay, Jr., 1812-15. Daniel Hunting, 1813-15.
Capt. Jonathan Fuller, 1813-16, '22-44, '28, '29.
Capt. Elisha Lyon, 1816, '19-21, '23, '25, '27, '37-41, '45-47. Aaron Smith, 1817-18, '20, '22, '28, '29.
Capt. George Smith, 1817, '20, '22, '23, '26.
Seth Colburn, 1817, '19.
Peter Lyon, Esq., 1817, '20-23, '25, '26, '34.
Artemas Newell, Esq., 1820-23, '26-28, '30. Israel Whitney, 1824, '34.
Capt. Reuben Ware, 1824-26, '43.
Gen. Charles Rice, 1825, '27-28, '30, '32, '33.
Capt. Ebenezer Fuller, 1827.
Capt. Curtis McIntosh, 1827, '28. Thomas Kingsbury, 1829, '30, '32, '33, '35. Ameaphel Smith, 1829, '31.
535
NEEDHAM.
Deacon Benjamin Fuller, 1829, '31. Joseph Newell, 1831, '32, '33. William Flagg, 1831, '32, '33, '35, '36, '44, '45, '52, '59, '60. Davis C. Mills, 1832, '33, '43, '44. Solomon Flagg, 1833, '42, '43, '46-49.
Dexter Ware, 1834, '35. William A. Kingsbury, 1834. Tyler Pettee, 1834. John S. Bird, 1835. Col. Warren Dewing, 1835, '36, '45-48. Otis Sawyer, 1836, '52-55. Michael McIntosh, 1836.
Reuel Ware, 1836-38.
Spencer Fuller, 1837, '38. Deacon Lauren Kingsbury, 1837, '38, '56, '57. Jonathan Fuller, Jr., 1837, '53-57.
Emery Fisk, 1838-40. William Eaton, 1839, '42-44. William Pierce, 1839, '40-44, '48-51.
Moses Garfield (2d), 1839-41. James Smith, 1840, '41. John Mills, 1841, '42. Joshua B. Lyon, 1842. Daniel Grant, 1844.
Timothy N. Smith, 1849-51. George K. Daniell, 1850, '51. Josiah H. Carter, 1852-54. Galen Orr, 1855, '58-65, '72.
Charles C. Greenwood, 1856, '57. Nathaniel Wales, Jr., 1858-60.
George Howland, 1858. Silas G. Williams, 1861-68. Augustus Stevens, 1861-68. Charles H. Dewing, 1866-69, '71.
Dexter Kingsbury, 1869, '70, '72. Freeman Phillips, 1869, '70. James Mackintosh, 1870, '75-77, '81, '84. George Spring, 1871, '72. Edmund M. Wood, 1871. Hezekiah Fuller, 1872. Joseph E. Fiske, 1873-76. William R. Mills, 1873, '74.
Everett J. Eaton, 1873, '74. Mark Lee,1 1875-82. Lyman K. Putney, 1877-80. Joseph H. Dewing, 18, -- >". Enos H. Tucker, 1881-83. Henry Blackman, 1882, '83. William H. McIntosh, 1882, '83. F. P. Glover, 1884. William Carter, 1884.
. TOWN CLERKS.
Timothy Kingsbury, 1712-18, '20-24. Richard More, 1714 (four months). Josiah Newell, 1719. John Fisher, 1722, '25-27.
Capt. Robert Fuller, 1728-35, '37, 41-43, '46-59.
Thomas Fuller, 1736, '38. Jeremiah Fisher, 1739, '40, '44. Eliakim Cook, 1745, '50, '51. Thomas Metcalf, 1752-60.2
1 Resigned May 5, 1882, and Henry Blackman elected to fill the vacancy. 2 Died Oct. S, 1760, and Lieut. Robert Fuller chosen to serve the rest of the year.
Lieut. Robert Fuller,3 1761-88.
Moses Fuller, 1788-96. Dr. Timothy Fuller, 1796-98. Daniel Kingsbury, 1799. James Smith, 1800. Daniel Ware, 1801. Col. Jonathan Kingsbury, 1802-04. Jonathan Gay, Jr., 1805-15, '23.
Solomon Flagg, 1816, '17, '22. Dr. Samuel Gould, 1818-21.
Asa Kingsbury,4 1824-50. Solomon Flagg, 1850-S1. Charles C. Greenwood, 1881-84.
TREASURERS.
Capt. Robert Cook, 1712, '16, '18, '33-35, '39-45.
Thomas Metcalf, 1713.
Josiah Kingsbury, 1714, '19-22, '28-30, '36-38.
Eleazer Kingsbury, 1715.
Benjamin Mills, Jr., 1717.
Thomas Fuller, 1723, '24.
Timothy Kingsbury, 1725.
Benoni Woodward, 1726. John Fisher, 1727, '31, '32.
Capt. Robert Fuller, 1746-49.
Jonathan Parker, 1750-55.
Capt. Eleazer Kingsbury, 1756-63. Timothy Newell, 1761 (two months).
Nathaniel Fisher, 1764, '65. Capt. Caleb Kingsbury, 1766-68.
Amos Fuller, 1769-90. Moses Fuller, 1790-92. Col. Jonathan Kingsbury, 1793-1806.
| Daniel Ware, Esq., 1807-17. Capt. Jonathan Gay, 1818-21, '25-29. Aaron Smith, 1822-24.
Israel Whitney, Esq., 1830, '35-37.
Rufus Mills, Esq., 1831-34. William Flagg, 1838. Elisha Lyon, Esq., 1839-52.
[ Thomas Kingsbury,5 1853-59. Solomon Flagg, 1860-81. Levi Ladd, 1881, '82, '84. John M. Harris, 1883.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
EDGAR KIMBALL WHITAKER.
The ancestors of this gentleman were of Saxon origin. The ancient family-seat was in Warwickshire, upon a tract called Whiteacre or Whitacre in Domes- day Book (A.D. 1086). Part of this tract is still so designated. It was "enfeoffed" to the ancestors of Simon de Whitacre, knight, of the reign of Henry I.
3 Died May 12, 1788.
4 Died Aug. 17, 1850, and Solomon Flagg appointed by the selectmen, Aug. 19, 1850, to serve the rest of the year.
5 Died May 14, 1859, and Solomon Flagg appointed by the I selectmen to serve the remainder of the year.
536
HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
(A.D. 1100-1135). The chiefs of the family, knights and barons, were many times called to be of the " king's council," under the first three Edwards and Richard II., a period of near one hundred years. Their coats-of-arms bore invariably three lozenges, or three mascles. Since feudal times, when their men of mark were soldiers, the Whitakers have achieved | distinction as scholars, historians, divines, jurists, and physicians. The limits of this paper will not permit a recapitulation of their names and record. Suffice | Mr. Whitaker the degree of D.D. while he was in it that the family history is honorable.
Branches of the family settled, first, in Lancashire and Yorkshire, and afterwards in Wiltshire, Dorset- shire, and other counties. Later on, representatives emigrated to Ireland, Germany, and America. In 1611, Rev. Alexander Whitaker, known as the " apostle of Virginia," and son of Rev. William Whitaker, LL.D., Master of St. John's College, Cambridge, came to Virginia with Sir John Dale, and was established at Henrico.
Of the immediate ancestors of Edgar Kimball Whitaker, Jonathan, born about 1690, is said to have " left England on account of religious persecution, settled first in Connecticut, then on Long Island, and afterwards in New Jersey." He resided at Hunting- ton, Island of Nassau (now Long Island), in 1724. He removed to Mine Brook Farm (purchased in 1734), near Basking Ridge, Somerset Co., N. J., where he died in 1763. A lineal descendant occu- pies the old homestead. He was a Puritan of the Puritans. He left a portion of his estate in trust for the Christian education of the Indians.
Of his eight known children, Nathaniel was sev- enth, and the third son. Nathaniel was born in 1730; was educated at Princeton, N. J., where he was grad- uated in 1752. He became a Presbyterian clergy- man, and was first settled at Woodbridge, N. J., in | 1755. In 1759, he was " called" by the Chelsea Society " to settle in the work of the gospel ministry" at Norwich, Conn., and, having accepted, " arrived with his family and goods, by water, April 12, 1760. A room for preaching had been prepared in the tavern kept by Samuel Trapp, and a bell, to take the place of the Sabbath drum, was suspended in the rear of the house, from a scaffolding erected upon a rock." Early in 1766 he was selected by the Board of Commis- sioners of the London and Edinburgh Societies for Propagating the Gospel in New England to visit Eng- land and Scotland in behalf of Rev. Eleazer Whee- lock's Indian school at Lebanon, Conn., and during an absence of eighteen months, procured donations to the amount of eleven thousand pounds for the school, the final result being the founding of the in-
stitution at Hanover, N. H., which takes its name from Lord Dartmouth, one of the principal donors, and a warm friend of Mr. Whitaker. In one of his letters to Mr. Wheelock (March 19, 1766), he says, " Yesterday the good King went to the house, in the midst of the shouts and acclamations of a joyful people, in order to sign the Bill for Repealing the | accursed Stamp Act; of this I was a spectator. A joyful day it was." St. Andrew's University gave Scotland. In 1768 he resumed his pastorate at Nor- wich. In 1769 he was installed as pastor of the Old Tabernacle Church, in Salem, Mass., where he remained until 1784, when he organized a Presby- terian Church at Norridgewock, Me., retaining his charge there for six years. In 1790 he removed to Hampton, Va., where he died in 1795. His portrait -presented to him in London, by Lord Dartmouth, according to family tradition-is in the library at Dartmouth College, where it was deposited by its owner, Judge J. S. Whitaker, of New Orleans, his grandson. He was learned, a powerful writer and preacher, prone to controversy and skilled in it, an ardent patriot, and a man of indomitable will. His appearance was prepossessing, and his manners winning.
Jonathan was the seventh of Nathaniel's eight chil- dren, and was the fourth son. He was born in Salem, Mass., in 1771; was graduated at Harvard College in 1797, and became a Unitarian minister. His first pastorate was at Sharon, Mass., where he was ordained and installed in 1799, Rev. Abiel Holmes, the father of Oliver Wendell Holmes, preaching the ordination sermon. In 1817 he removed to New Bedford, Mass., where, in addition to his pastoral duties, he assumed the charge of an academy, with decided advantage to the then growing town. In 1823 he went to Sum- merville, S. C., where he remained some years. His next residence was in Ogdensburg, N. Y., whence he removed to Henrietta, in that State, where he preached and conducted the Monroe Academy, and where he died in 1835. He married Mary Kimball, of Brad- ford, Mass., sister of Rev. Daniel Kimball, long an honored resident of Needham, and of Rev. David Tenny Kimball, for fifty years Unitarian clergyman at Ipswich, Mass. Jonathan Whitaker was a thor- ough scholar, gifted as a public speaker, devoted to his sacred calling, and eminently successful as a teacher. During the second war with Great Britain, although an ardent Federalist, he went at the head of a company of one hundred of his parishioners to assist in throwing up the earthworks upon Dorchester Heights, near Boston, when invasion was expected.
E. K. Whitaker
537
NEEDHAM.
Edgar Kimball was his fourth son, and the sixth of his ten children. He was born in Sharon, Nor- folk Co., Aug. 27, 1806, and died in Boston, Nov. 10, 1883. He received his early instruction in the school of Rev. Dr. Richmond, pastor of the Unitarian Society at Stoughton, in whose family he lived until after his father's removal to New Bedford. At New Bedford he continued his studies at the academy estab- lished by his father, in preparation for matriculation at Harvard College, but, preferring a mercantile life, he entered the house of W. & G. Allen, of that place, in his fifteenth year. In 1823 he went to Boston, and was employed in the old dry-goods house of Lane & Lamson, and on a change of the firm, remained with his valued friend, David Lane. In 1827, his health failing, he was advised to choose a country residence, and found employment in the charge of the books of the manufacturing firm of Crocker, Rich- mond & Co., of Taunton, Mass. After a pleasant year in that then delightful town, with health re- stored, he returned to Boston, and to his old employ- ers,-Lane & Lamson. In 1829 he went into business on his own account as a dry-goods merchant, succeed- ing David Lane, on Cornhill. Subsequently he established himself at the corner of Water and Wash- ington Streets. The business of his firm was large, but its capital was mainly in the energy and business qualifications of its managers. It went down in the dark days that ended with the grand financial crash of 1837. After winding up its affairs, Mr. Whitaker went to New York, where he found occupation, first, as a clerk, and afterwards in the office of Gen. James Lorrimer Graham, in conveyancing. In the summer of 1839 he left New York for East Needham, where he purchased a farm, and soon became identified with the interests of the town. Here he had two honored relatives,-Rev. Daniel Kimball, a college friend of his father, and his maternal uncle, and Mrs. Clarissa Ritchie, his mother's sister, and wife of Rev. William Ritchie, the Unitarian clergyman of the East Parish.
He had married, Oct. 28, 1830, Catharine Cravath Holland, daughter of John Holland, of Boston.
During the rebuilding of the house upon his farm, in the winter of 1839-40, Mr. Whitaker taught the Upper Falls district school, and many of the substan- tial, older residents of that part of Needham were among his pupils. His experience as a teacher was one of his pleasantest recollections, and it was of essential service to him in the making of friendships which made Needham always dear to him. Inter- ested in the cause of popular education, and an earnest promoter of the common-school system in Massachu- setts, his practical acquaintance with the require-
ments of the teacher's calling, and the defects of our old district schools made him an efficient coadjutor of his cherished friends, Horace Mann and Barnas Sears, in their great work.
In all matters affecting the prosperity and the moral progress of Needham Mr. Whitaker took a lively interest, and was indefatigable and judicious in his efforts. He devoted himself with unremitting zeal to the temperance reform. He connected him- self with the Sunday-school of the Unitarian Church, and for many years was its faithful superintendent. The village Lyceum, an organization for lectures and debates (founded by Rev. Daniel Kimball, who was its presiding officer until advancing age compelled him to relinquish the charge), owed a great share of its prosperity to his constant support. He served for a long series of terms upon the town school committee, and gave much of his time to the supervision and improvement of the schools. The forlorn condition of the parish cemetery attracted his attention at an early day, and the task of its extension and embel- lishment was accomplished mainly in consequence of his efforts and appeals. He was foremost in the organization of the Norfolk County Agricultural So- ciety, of which he was the first corresponding secre- tary, Marshall P. Wilder being its first president. At his own cost he laid out public streets. He planted shade-trees by the highways. He labored assiduously, in the face of constant opposition and discouragement, to bring the railroad through East Needham, sustaining the project almost unaided when other men grew disheartened.
Mr. Whitaker received the unsolicited appoint- ments of justice of the peace and trial justice from Governor Briggs, a political opponent. In 1843, and several times afterwards, he was Democratic candidate for the State Senate. In 1846 he represented the town in the lower house. In 1848 he was nominated by the Democrats to succeed John Quincy Adams in Congress, and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Baltimore. In 1849 he was elected one of the Governor's council. For three years he was agent of the commonwealth for the in- spection of charitable institutions. In 1853 he re- ceived a position in the Boston custom-house, and re- mained in that service until after the inauguration of President Lincoln. In 1862, Secretary Chase gave him an appointment in the Treasury Department, and during the remainder of his active life he was in gov- ernment employment, at Washington generally, but with intervals at New York and New Orleans. At the latter place he was auditor of customs from 1866 until relieved at his own request, in 1869. Finally,
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