History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 147

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 147

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Warren Bird, 1838, 1841.

Joseph A. Kingsbury, 1876.

Silas Ripley, 1839.

James F. Leonard, 1878.

Nehemiah Carpenter, 1842.

Benjamin F. Boyden, 2d, 1879.

Fred. H. Williams, 1883-84.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

Warren Bird.

Alfred Fales.

R. Walter S. Blackwell.

Thomas M. George.

William Boyd.

Freedom Guild.

Seth Boyden.

Edward D. Hewins.

David Capen.

Henry Hobart.

James Capen.

Noah Hobart.

Erastus P. Carpenter. Alfred Hodges.

James E. Carpenter.1

Charles W. Hodges.

Robert W. Carpenter.

David Huston.

Edmund Carroll.

Robert W. Kerr.

Julius Carroll.

Joseph Kingsbury.

Otis Cary.

James F. Leonard.

Edwin W. Clarke.

John Littlefield.

Aaron Everett.

John Q. Lynch.

John M. Everett.

Elias Nason.

Melatiah Everett.1

Swift Payson.

William Payson.

Isaac Smith.

Gardner M. Peck.

A. Thomas Starkey.

Edward M. Phelps.

William H. Thomas.

Joseph E. Pond, Jr.

Ebenezer Warren.

Abijah Pratt.

Joseph Warren.

1 Also Justices of the Quorum.

Francis Dane, 1843-44.

John M. Everett, 1846.

Otis Cary, 1860-61.

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FOXBOROUGH.

Carmi Richmond. Frank I. Sherman.

George Sherman. John Sherman.

Samuel S. Warren. Daniel B. Whittier. Fred. H. Williams.

SELECTMEN FROM 1778 TO 1878.

Josiah Pratt, 1778-79, 1781- Joseph Kingsbury, 1833-35. 85, 1794.

Alpheus Bird, 1834-36, 1841.

John Everett, 1778-79, 1788, | Ezra Carpenter, 1836-40, 1853 1792-93, 1798-99. -59,1862-66, 1871.

Benjamin Pettee, 1778-79.

Daniel Robinson, 1778.

Joseph Shepard, 1778.

George Sherman, 1841-45. Willard Plimpton, 1842-45. Freedom Guild, 1846-49, 1852 -61.

Oliver Carpenter, 1846-47. Martin Torrey, 1846-47.

Otis Cary, 1849-51, 1867-69, 1874-75.

Job Sherman, 1848-51. Albert Fisher, 1850-51.

James Stratton, 1852-57. M. Merrick Torrey, 1852. James Capen, 1858-61, 1868- 70.

Jeremiah M. Shepard, 1860- 63.

Elisha White, Jr., 1862-66.

William H. Thomas, 1864-66.

Edmund Carroll, 1867-68. Charles W. Hodges, 1867.

William H. Cobb, 1869.

James F. Leonard, 1870-71, , second intermediate schools, on the second floor by

1875-77.

Eli Phelps, 1870-73.

Henry G. Warren, 1872-73, 1876-77. Michael Ryan, 1872. Benjamin B. King, 1873.

Alfred Hodges, 1874.

James A. Comey, 1874-75. Newland F. Howard, 1876-78, 1883.

Erastus P. Carpenter, 1878-83. Willard P. Turner, 1878-80.

Joseph A. Kingsbury, 1879- SO. Isaac P. Carpenter, 1881.

Francis D. Williams, 1881-83. Carmi Richmond, 1881-82.

William H. Torrey, 1881-83. William B. Crocker, 1882-83.

TOWN CLERKS.

Swift Payson, 1778-79. Amariah Marsh, 1780-83.

Nehemiah Carpenter, 1784-85. Abijah Pratt, 1786-88. Aaron Everett, 1789-1800. George Stratton, 1801-8. Beriah Mann, 1809, 1815-19.

William Payson, 1810-14. Shubal Pratt, 1820-22. James Paine, 1823-31.

Melatiah Everett, 1831. Otis Hodges, 1832-33. Warren Bird, 1834-47. Silas Ripley, 1848-49. Nathaniel T. Shepard, 1850- 54.

James E. Carpenter, 1855-60. William H. Thomas, 1861-72. James F. Leonard, 1872-77.

William H. Torrey, 1878-83.

First omitted to chose tithingmen, April 3, 1837. Chose five tithingmen in 1860; none since.

The town house was built in 1857, at an expense of $15,496.79, which amount includes the cost of the land. The building committee were E. P. Carpenter, Otis Cary, Henry Hobart, Oliver Carpenter, and F. D. Williams. Vote to build passed March 14, 1857 ; first town-meeting held in new hall March 29, 1858. This meeting was opened by prayer by Rev. N. S. Dickinson. In 1874 an addition was built for school purposes at expense of $26,244.31. The building is heated by steam from a boiler in the basement, and is lighted by gas. The basement contains the lock-up (three cells), cistern (containing thirty-three thousand gallons of water for use in case of fire), the boiler-room, coal-bins, etc. The first floor of the main structure contains the lower town hall, thirty-six by fifty-four feet, with anterooms, town officers' office (with ante- room), in which is situated the safe recently erected at an expense of six hundred and fifty dollars, second pri- mary school-room, public entrance to town hall, and ticket-office. The second floor is occupied by the town hall, fifty by seventy-five feet, with two ante- rooms, each twelve by twenty feet. It has a platform fifteen by twenty-six feet, and gallery seventeen by forty-five feet. The hall and gallery seat eight hun- dred persons. The school-house addition, so called, is occupied on the first floor by the first primary and

the grammar and first intermediate schools. Each of these schools occupies a room thirty-five by twenty- four feet, furnished with the most improved school- furniture, and has commodious clothes-rooms, sink- rooms, and water-closets connected. On the second floor are also two dressing-rooms, each fourteen by fifteen feet (with water-closets), connected with the platform of the town hall. The upper floor is occu- pied by the high school,1 which has a room fifty feet square, with commodious clothes-rooms and water- closets. The number of children which can be seated in these six school-rooms is over three hundred.

The town house is situated on elevated ground, having a large common in front of and between it and South Street. Foxborough steam fire-engine house is situated a few rods northeasterly of the addition. Cocasset engine-house is similarly situated, southeasterly of the building.2

The Union Straw-Works stands on Wall Street, and occupies, with machine-shop, foundry, gasometer, bleach-house and yards, stables, etc., about two hun- dred and ten thousand feet of land. Opposite are

I Foxborough high school was established by vote of the town passed April 3, 1865.

2 April 6, 1857, selectmen directed to establish a legal fire department.

Samuel Billings, 1779, 1786. Nathaniel Clark, 1779, 1782- 85, 1791-92.

Nehemiah Carpenter, 1787.

Swift Payson, 1780-81.

Ebenezer Warren, 1780, 1786, 1789-93.

Aaron Everett, 1781-85.

Simon Pettee, 1786, 1789-90. Samuel Baker, 1787-88.

Joshua Armsby, 1788.

Joseph Hews, 1789-90, 1795- 99.

George Stratton, 1791-93, 1798 -1808.

Spencer Hodges, 1794-97.

Abijah Pratt, 1794-99, 1801, 1819.

William Summer, 1799-1805. Seth Boyden, 1802, 1811, 1813, 1815, 1817, 1829.

Joseph Kingsbury, 1806-8. Elias Nason, 1809-12. Jesse Hartshorn, 1810-11. Ethridge Clark, 1812, 1814. Stephen Sherman, 1812, 1830- 33.

Jacob Leonard, 1813-14. Harvey Pettee, 1813-14. Peter Carpenter, 1814. Beriah Mann, 1815-19. John Sherman, 1815-28. Daniel Everett, 1818-28. Joseph Warren, 1820-22. Asa Plimpton, 1823-26. David Capen, 1827-33. Silas Smith, 1829. Henry Hobart, 1830-32, 1834- 40, 1842-45.

1780,

Ephraim Grover, 1837-40. John M. Everett, 1841.

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

the Veranda and Hamlet Houses, boarding-houses | cover on." The cover referred to is a cast-iron urn, owned by the proprietors of the Union Straw-Works. surmounted by an acorn dated 1810, and there is set The expense of building these works, including the in the urn a slate tablet, inscribed, "The grave is addition built in 1856, exceeded one hundred and waiting for your body, and Christ is waiting for your soul ; O may this be your cheerful study to be pre- pared when death doth call." This slab and urn having been broken, it was replaced by the Centennial Committee, the original acorn being retained. The granite capstone is inscribed, " Wrought by the de- ceased, 1810," and " Repaired by his son, Z. Howe, M.D., 1841." fifty thousand dollars. Connected with these works, and owned by the same corporation,-the Union and Bay State Manufacturing Company,-are the " West Branch," a large three-story building on Main Street (formerly the manufactory of Foxborough Jewelry Company), and the "South Branch" (known as " Nason's Factory" when built, in 1810), situated on Water Street. These buildings are managed by William T. Cook & Co. (W. T. Cook and L. Porter Faught) for the corporation.

The Old Carpenter House was the first building erected in the Centre. It stood on a leading way off South Street, and near the town house. It was built in 1749-50 by Nehemiah Carpenter, who came to this place from Rehoboth. It afterwards served as an inn, and was known as the " Old Tavern." It was torn down in 1880.

The Old Stone Factory, or Foxborough Laundry, is located in the section known as "New State," on Granite Street, at the head of Cocasset Pond. It was erected about 1825 by Simon Pettee, and was for many years used for the manufacture of cotton cloth.

Memorial Hall was erected by the town in 1868, in the old burying-ground near the common, at a cost of thirteen thousand dollars. It is built of pebble- stone with granite trimmings, with slated roof and dome, on which is a large figure of a Union soldier with arms at rest. The interior is handsomely finished in oiled chestnut, the sides not occupied by the me- morial tablets being fitted with cases containing the books of the Public Library. Over the entrance is a marble tablet inscribed, "Soldiers' Memorial. Erected by the Town, A.D. 1868," with bronze coat of arms of the United States at the right and of Massachusetts at the left. At the right of the entrance is the marble tablet with names of Revolutionary soldiers, and on the left the tablet with Foxborough's roll of honor ; immediately opposite, and surmounted by a large figure of the Goddess of Liberty in colored glass, is the tablet containing the names of "Our Honored Dead."

The Warren House was one of the first houses of the modern style of architecture.

The Howe monument stands in rear of Memorial | living on the stream now known as Rumford River,

by Dr. N. Miller to the memory of his friend, Mr. | fore Foxborough Centre had a resident.

Hall. It is inscribed, " This monument was erected ZADOCK HOWE, who died 1819, æt. 77, and who fought under the Great WASHINGTON. To those | who view, before you're gone, be pleased to put this

Change in Boundaries .- Since the incorporation of the town the following changes in its boundary- lines, etc., have been made,-viz., June 20, 1793, county of Norfolk established, thus removing Fox- borough from Suffolk County. Feb. 3, 1819, boun- dary-line between Wrentham and Foxborough estab- lished. Feb. 7, 1831, part of Wrentham annexed to Foxborough. Jan. 30, 1833, boundary-line between Sharon and Foxborough established. March 27, 1833, and March 28, 1834, part of Foxborough an- nexed to Walpole. Feb. 28, 1850, part of Sharon annexed to Foxborough.

The fire department consists of steam fire-engine and hand-engine, hose, three carriages and supply wagon, two engine-houses.

St. Alban's Lodge, A. F. and A. M., was first in- stituted in Wrentham in 1818. Charter returned to Grand Lodge in 1844. Reorganized in American Hall, Foxborough, in December, 1855, by fourteen members, since which over two hundred and fifty have joined it. Since reorganization, four flourishing lodges have been set off from it.

Historical Items.1-" Oct. 20, 1635, about sixty men, women, and children, with their property of all kinds, left Dorchester for the valley of the Connecti- cut,-or Quonticut, as it was then called,-which had been described as extremely fertile. Among these were Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Grant, Mr. Smith, Mr. Car- roll, Mr. Morse, Mr. Leonard, Capt. Clapp, and others. A portion of this number found a well-watered place, about twenty-five miles southwest of Dorchester, in what was afterwards known as Stoughtonham, and here they decided to remain." (From Baker's " His- torical Collection of Massachusetts.")

Leonards, Morses, and Clapps were names found among earliest settlers. Three Morse brothers were about a mile from East Foxborough village, long be-

" Cæsar Augustus Weatherbee died in Foxborough

1 Furnished by Robert W. Carpenter, Esq.

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FOXBOROUGH.

in 1808, aged one hundred and twenty-six years." (Foxborough Journal, Oct. 17, 1873.)

" A large tract of land, on which is situated Sharon, Wrentham, Walpole, and Foxborough, was purchased in 1663 or 1665 of King Philip by the Massachu- setts Bay Colony, by Capt. Daniel Fisher, a lawyer of Dedham. Fisher was a captain of Ancient and Heavy Artillery Company ; representative from 1658 to 1682, except 1659 and 1670; Speaker of the House of Deputies in 1680; assistant in 1683; died in Dedham, November, 1683." (From " History of Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, 1842.")

Foxborough Local Newspapers .- The Salma- gundi Journal, edited by J. E. Carpenter and pub- lished by Edson Carpenter, was issued from Novem- ber, 1849, to January, 1850.

Bonnet Case (a fair paper), was issued Jan. 12 and 13, 1853.

Country Times, edited and published by Henry C. Buffum, was issued from April 12, 1856, to April 5, 1857.

Home Library, edited by John Littlefield and pub- lished by William H. Thomas, was issued from June 13, 1857, to Dec. 12, 1857.

Eagle and Flag, edited by T. E. Grover and Ed- win M. Bacon and published by William H. Thomas, was issued from January, 1863, to November, 1863.

Norfolk County Chronicle, edited by E. W. Clarke and E. M. Bacon and published by William H. Thomas, was issued from Nov. 14, 1863, to Oct. 1, 1864.

Foxborough Journal, edited by Robert W. Car- penter and published by James M. Stewart, was issued from Feb. 21, 1873, to Sept. 27, 1878.

Foxborough Times, edited by E. W. Clarke, R. W. Carpenter, W. C. Macy, D. L. Lowe, and F. H. Williams, and published by Pratt & Clarke, Pratt & Carpenter, Pratt & Macy, Pratt & Lowe, and Pratt & White, has been issued from March 28, 1873, to the present time.

Gazette, edited by R. W. Carpenter and published by J. E. Carpenter & Son, was issued from Nov. 28, 1874, to March 6, 1876.

The Centennial Celebration .- The centennial of the incorporation of the town of Foxborough was celebrated June 29, 1878, with imposing ceremonies. Hon. Otis Cary was president of the day, and Hon. E. P. Carpenter delivered the historical oration.

The Foxborough Times, in referring to this event, says,-

"The close of the first century of the corporate existence of our beautiful town was most appropriately and successfully ob- served, after a long and laborious work of preparation, on Satur- day and Sunday last.

"That the one hundredth birthday of a town which has made the progress during that period that this has done should be joyously and thankfully observed, with a certain degree of pride and self-commendation, is not to be wondered at.

"One hundred years ago the residents of Foxborough were but few in number, and they were of a poorer class, even of those poverty-stricken times. They had of town property one small church building, without doors, and with unglazed win- dows, used as a place of worship and for the storage of powder.

"Their principal industry was the tilling of the soil ; yet a few hoop-poles and considerable charcoal were produced and exchanged with the citizens of larger places for the few neces- sities of life which could not be produced from our own soil, such as new rum, molasses, and codfish.

" The number of inhabitants of this newly-organized town did not exceed four hundred and fifty.

" At the present time we have a population of nearly thirty- two hundred souls ; a town house that cost nearly twenty-five thousand dollars, with a school-house addition worth as much more ; six other school-houses, valued at from six hundred to two thousand dollars each; a thirteen thousand dollar me- morial hall, with an excellent public library of nearly three thousand volumes therein; two commodious engine-houses ; fire apparatus (with an able department to use it), which cost not less than ten thousand dollars, and which is worth, when it is considered the amount of property it has saved to our citizens, a much larger sum. We have an excellent and nearly self- supporting town farm. Our church societies, four in number, have each a convenient church edifice. Our common, at the Centre, is a prettily laid out green, with fence, walks, and shade trees, second to none in the State. We have an assessed valuation of over one and a half millions of dollars; an in- dustry which tends to cultivate the taste of our citizens for that which is neat and tasty, that stops not its refining influences at the portals of the manufactory where they are inculcated, but they are carried into the homes and every-day life of our citi- zens, causing them to vie each with his neighbor in prettily arranging and keeping his grounds and buildings, thus making our town, as a whole, so neat as to give it the title of 'the Gem of Norfolk County.' We refer, of course, to the straw business, -an industry which has given employment in a single year to 3291 persons, and paid for labor in this town and vicinity $399,- 676.15. It has produced 2,473,819 hats, caps, etc., in one year, valued at cost at $1,493,986.40 ; and that we have other indus- tries will not be doubted by those who witnessed the trade pro- cession of Saturday. Our citizens are, on the whole, an intel- ligent, energetic, and generous people, well-to-do in this world's goods, and above the average communities in morality. Our town is noted for its enterprise and liberality, which caused people to expect from it a celebration of its centennial anni- versary which should be second to none, and one which would be an honor to the town and its citizens."

Population .- In 1790, 640; in 1800, 779; in 1810, 870; in 1820, 1004; in 1830, 1166; in 1836, 1416; in 1840, 1294; in 1850, 1978; in 1855, 2570; in 1860, 2879; in 1865, 2778; in 1870, 3057; in 1875, 3168; in 1880, 2954; in 1883, 3000.

Statistical .- Population, 3000. Valuation, $1,- 500,000. Averate rate of taxation in five years but $12.45 per $1000. Public property, consisting of town house and school building ($40,000), fire appa- ratus and engine-houses ($10,000), memorial hall and

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

public library-2500 volumes-($17,500), town farm ($4000), school-houses ($8000), and other property, making total value over $80,000. Town debt but $15,000, funded at 4 per cent. Excellent streets, | growth and continued prosperity of the town.

with sidewalks lined with beautiful shade trees, graded schools, public library, liberal supply of well-stocked stores, good postal, railroad, telegraphic, telephonic, and hotel accommodations.

Distance from Boston 25 miles, from Providence 20 miles, from Taunton 15 miles, Attleborough 9 miles. Boston and Providence and northern division of Old Colony Railroads pass through the town, giving un- excelled freight facilities. Freight rates the same as from Boston. Nine passenger trains daily to Boston.

Societies .- Royal Arch Chapter, Masonic Lodge, Knights of Honor, Good Templars, Order of Golden Cross, G. A. R. Post,-nearly all being flourishing and prosperous and occupying commodious halls. Foxborough Brass Band, organized 1844; Foxbor- ough Savings-Bank, incorporated 1855.

Public Halls .- Town hall seats 600, lower town hall seats 200, Samaritan Hall seats 300, Union Hall seats 100.

Among the business enterprises now located in this town are the manufacture of straw hats (the largest straw-factory in the world), felt hats, sewing-machines, leather-board, packing-boxes, lumber, paper boxes, tin- ware, stoves, boilers, hollow-ware, stereoscopic views, slates, clothing, millinery goods, harnesses, carriages, baskets (2), toilet and common soaps (4), boots and shoes (6), brooms, music-clamps, dental goods, ex- tracts and medicines (3), cider and glue, two iron foundries, planing- and saw-mill, steam laundry, steam printing-office, wool scouring-mill, two grist-mills, two granite-quarries, and others. Other products are lumber, wood, hoop-poles, charcoal, blacksmith work, florists' and green-house goods, ice, meats, cranberries, butter, milk, garden and farm produce.

Foxborough is a growing village, one of the pret- tiest and healthiest in the State, with town house, school-houses, engine-houses, memorial hall, public library, excellent fire department, and other public property valued at nearly one hundred thousand dol- lars, with a debt of but sixteen thousand dollars (funded at four per cent.), and the rate of taxation is small and constantly decreasing ; situated but twenty- five miles from Boston, with seven trains to that city cach day; freights to all points the same as from Boston.

The Union straw-works, the largest straw shop in the world, is located here, and residents are desirous | of having new industries located in the town, and will encourage and assist any which may come.

The manufactory of the Rotary Shuttle Sewing Machine has just been established here, and other new enterprises are under way, all of which insures the

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ISAAC SMITH, M.D.

Isaac Smith, born March 5, 1809, in Milton, Mass., was son of Lemuel and Mercy (Sumnee) Smith. Isaac Smith, grandfather of Dr. Isaac, was probably a native of Bridgewater, as that was the residence of his father, but passed most of his life in Randolph, engaged in agriculture. Lemuel, his son, was a shoe- maker. He had six sons and one daughter,-(1) Lemuel, Jr., who died aged twenty-three years. (2) Clarissa, she married first Mr. Ham, of Lisbon, Me., and second, Mr. Horton, of Gloucester. She is now a widow, has one child living, a son, Albert Ham. (3) Isaac. (4) Edmund, he was a physician in Bos- ton for many years, where he died, and is buried at Milton, his native place. (5) Albert is a wholesale boot and shoe dealer in New York City. (6) Luther N. married in Lisbon, Me., moved to Aroostook County, and died there of heart-disease. He was a farmer. (7) Francis A. married a Miss Bosworth, of Plympton, and resides in Stoughton ; is a book- maker. Isaac Smith had only such educational ad- vantages as the common schools of his native village

afforded. After his twelfth year he left the paternal home to battle with the world and win such fame and fortune as might fall to his lot. He had only a bright mind, a brave heart, determined will, and will- ing hands; he shrank from no labor, however dis- tasteful, that would help him in his onward and up- ward course. He first hired out as a chore-boy and general farm laborer, living two years with one family ; then he went to Stoughton, and obtained employment in a boot and shoe manufactory as a cutter. His in- dustry and perseverance soon won for him the con- fidence of his employer, and in the absence of the regular manager he acted as superintendent. Here he remained five years. During this time every spare hour and moment was devoted to study. When he was nineteen years of age he went to South Reading (now Wakefield) Academy. Here he continued his study for two years, working out of school hours to pay his board. In the course of these two years he was authorized to preach, and was called as pastor of the Baptist Church at East Stoughton. His means

Oscar Smith CD. s.M. g.

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FOXBOROUGH.

were very limited, and he accepted the call, and at twenty-two years of age he was settled as a pastor. His parish being small, the young minister had here ample time and opportunity for the continuance of his beloved studies. He remained in charge of this pas- torate for twenty-three years, making many and strong friends. In the session of 1850 he represented the town of Stoughton in the State Legislature. His predilection had always been for the study of medi- cine, and, after having pursued a scientific and classi- cal course, he commenced his study with special refer- ence to the practice of medicine. Dr. Smith did what probably no one else has ever attempted,-he took the college catalogue, and with that as his guide he purchased the necessary text-books, and completed the entire course of study as set forth therein, and with such success that Dartmouth College granted him the degree of A.M.

degree of " D.Ph." from Göttingen University. He is now at Boston, as Massachusetts State assayer. He has one child, Inez. (4) Isaac, Jr., graduated at Dartmouth, receiving degrees of A.M. and M.D. He married Annie L., daughter of Oliver Carpenter, and had one child, Bertie C., now at Brooklyn, N. Y. He was a prominent surgeon and physician of Fall River, and but a short time prior to his death (Jan. 20, 1881) received an appointment as Professor of Clinical Surgery in the Boston College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Dr. Isaac Smith is a self-made man of the highest order. His energy and perseverance have been re- warded by both a high social position and sound financial standing. In all the relations of life he has done his work well. His strong adherence to friends, and chivalric, steadfast, and tender devotion to wife, children, and a large circle of friends, have often been marked, and caused him to be reverenced by many who will long remember his pleasant and instructive words. He has honored the positions he has held, and from the stand-point of a hale old age, can look back upon a laborious, useful, and well-spent life.

His early medical education, like his other attain- ments, resulted mainly from private application, with occasional assistance in the society of his father-in- law, Dr. Macomber, and subsequently a full course of study with Dr. Haines, a graduate of Castleton Medi- cal College, Vermont. After several years' assiduous and earnest study, he passed examination and obtained the degree of M.D. from the University of Vermont. In 1854 he accepted a call to preach from Foxbor- JAMES EDSON CARPENTER. ough, Mass., and came to that place as pastor of the James Edson Carpenter, the eldest son of Edson Carpenter and Sarah Reed (Jones) Carpenter, grand- son of Peter Carpenter, and great-grandson of Nehe- miah Carpenter (the first resident of Foxborough Centre), was born in Foxborough, in a building then standing where the " Cocasset House" now is, Jan. 30, 1829. His great-grandfather, Benjamin Jones, was a soldier in the French and Indian war. Baptist Church, where he officiated for twelve years, when his voice failed, and he gave up the ministry and adopted the practice of medicine, which, for the last seventeen years, has been his work. About the time of his entering the ministry, July 30, 1832, he married Angelina Macomber, of Marshfield. (Mrs. Smith's paternal grandmother was descended from Peregrine White. Her maternal grandfather, Gad An ambition to obtain knowledge was early fos- tered by his mother, who had been a school-teacher, and was of a naturally studious family. From in- struction obtained from her and from the public school he became fitted for Day's Academy, Wren- tham, at the age of twelve. He attended this academy two years and a Mansfield school one term, and then gressed in mathematics and Latin beyond the point now expected of a high school graduate. The above completed his elementary instruction, yet he never ceased to be a student, becoming, by attentive study at leisure moments, a proficient Greek and Latin reader. Hitchcock, was a physician, and a graduate of Har- vard College in 1768 ; he was also a surgeon in the Continental army. Her great-grandfather, Gad Hitch- cock, Sr., was an Armenian minister, and graduated at Harvard in 1743. Her father, Charles Macomber, was a physician and a Harvard graduate in 1799. The Hitchcocks and Macombers were both of Scot- I became a clerk in his father's store, having pro- tish origin, Macomber being a Gaelic name, signifying | son of the counselor.) Their children were, (1) Alonzo, who died in infancy ; (2) Angelina M., died aged six years ; (3) Charles M., now pastor of Spring Hill Baptist Church, of Somerville, where he has been for thirteen years. He received degree of D.D. from Judson University, Arkansas; has one child, He remained in his father's employ until he was twenty-two years of age, during which time he showed abilities as salesman and book-keeper of no W. French, a Harvard graduate, who, after finishing his college course, went to Germany, where he con- tinued his studies for two years, and received the | mean order. He edited and published, in 1849, the

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History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 147

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1534