History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 7

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 7

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It is quite safe to assume, that had he given him- self to the study and practice of the fine art of music as the leading object of his life, the natural qualities of his voice, so finely attuned, combined with a power of passionate musical expression, born of genius, would have given him distinguished rank among the great tenors of the age. As an ama- teur he has been always heard with favor at the musical festivals, parish churches, and society meet- ings in the county, and whenever he consents to take the " baton" and assume the conductor's rôle, as he does sometimes in the old " Stoughton Musical So- ciety," he discovers the ability to impress large bodies of performers with his own enthusiasm, and to lead them to fine musical results.

He has also been a very industrious writer for the public press, and his historical and local essays have often a picturesqueness and vivacity which are charm- ing. He is fond of ancient lore, and of gath- ering and reading out-of-the-way literature of the personal and archaic kind, from which he gathers rare sayings and incidents to adorn his contributions to the press. His special taste is towards the old English writers of the age of Addison and of John- son, while his knowledge of Shakespeare, and of the famous actors who have represented him for the last forty years on the American stage, is extensive. He is a member of the New England Historic and Genealogical Society, of the New England Agricul- tural Society, of the Massachusetts Press Associa- tion, of the Bunker Hill Monument Association, and of the Stoughton Musical Society, of which latter he is a member of the committee of arrangements for the centennial celebration of its anniversary in 1886.

Socially, Mr. Noyes is a hale and hearty friend, with nothing negative in his make-up, but abounding

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

in positive points of a warm and strong personality. | Of Puritan stock, he has not a shade of Puritan austerity, but rather the reverse, and his good fellow- ship is a Boston proverb. He is Saxon rather than Norman in temperament, and his friends find in him a certain mellowness, as of an older civilization than our own, which makes him well met with the agree- able and those who make merry.

In the affairs of a busy and exacting profession he has retained and developed his taste for literature and history, and while a New Englander by birth and education, his temperament has always led him to that wider society of mankind, where

" One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."

NEHEMIAH C. BERRY .- Attorney and counsellor, Court of Common Pleas, Dec. 24, 1846. He had an office for some years at Randolph, and practised in this county, but he many years since removed to Roxbury, and took an office in Boston, where he continues to practise in his profession.

ELIJAH Fox HALL .- Attorney and counsellor, Court of Common Pleas, September term, 1847. He began practice as a partner with Jonathan P. Bishop, of Medfield. He afterwards was a partner with Fisher A. Kingsbury at Weymouth, where he continued to practise until his death in 1867. He acted as a magistrate in Weymouth.

JAMES HUMPHREY was born in Weymouth, Jan. 20, 1819. He was educated at the Phillips Acad- emy in Andover, where he was graduated with the first honors of his class in 1839. He was a teacher until 1852, when he entered the office of D. W. Gooch, in Boston, and was admitted to the Suffolk bar in 1855. He held the office of selectman in Weymouth for twenty years, and during a large part of the time was chairman of the board. He was Rep- resentative to the General Court in 1852 and 1869, and was a Senator from the Norfolk and Plymouth District in 1872. He was elected a county commis- sioner in 1874, and held the office until November, 1882, being chairman of that board during a great portion of his term of service. In November, 1882, he was appointed justice of the District Court of East Norfolk, which office he now holds. He resides at Weymouth.

county of Worcester, where he remained until the winter of 1850-51. He then removed to Boston, and has since had an office there. On the 1st of October, 1858, he became associated in business with George M. Hobbs, a copartnership which still con- tinues. Mr. Avery has for many years been a lead- ing practitioner in all the courts of Suffolk and other counties, and the firm has up to the present time al- ways had an extensive practice. Mr. Avery has given especial attention to cases arising under the insolvent laws of Massachusetts and under the United States Bankrupt Law, and in this branch of the law he has been eminently successful, although he has always attended to general practice. Mr. Avery, since he has had an office in Boston, has always been a resi- dent in Norfolk County. For some time he resided at Quincy, but for many years past he has lived at Braintree. He has been employed as counsel in the trial of many important causes in this county, and has thus been identified with the Norfolk bar. In 1866 he was a Representative to the General Court from Braintree, and in 1867 was re-elected to the House, and also to the Senate from the Norfolk and Plymouth District.

EDWARD LILLIE PIERCE .- Admitted at the Feb- ruary term of the Supreme Judicial Court, 1853. He was born March 29, 1829, and is a son of Col. Jesse Pierce, of Stoughton. He was graduated at Brown University in 1850. During his college course he distinguished himself in several prize essays and in articles which appeared in the Democratic Review. He entered the Law-School at Cambridge, and re- ceived the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1852. He was the author of the successful prize essay offered to his class upon the "Consideration of a Contract," which was printed. He afterwards wrote an essay upon " Secret Suffrage," which attracted attention in England, and was there reprinted. He was after- wards in the law-office of Salmon P. Chase, at Cincin- nati. In 1857 he published the first edition of his work on " American Railroad Law." He took an active part in politics in 1857 as a member of the Republican party, advocating the most liberal treat- ment of foreigners against the proscriptive policy which then was popular in Massachusetts.

He continued to practise in his profession, having an office in Boston, as a partner of Asaph Churchill. At the breaking out of the war, in 1861, he enlisted as a private in the Third Massachusetts Regiment. He afterwards, in 1862, by appointment of Secretary Chase, had the charge of the freedmen and plantations of the Sea Islands, and his official reports of this trust

EDWARD AVERY was born in Marblehead, March 12, 1828. He was educated in the schools of his native town, and afterwards in the classical school of Mr. Brooks, in Boston. He studied law in the office of F. W. Choate in Boston, and at the Dane Law- School in Cambridge. He was admitted to the bar in April, 1849, and began practice in Barre, in the were widely read. He was on duty at Morris Island

Onistas Horchwicylow

THE BENCH AND BAR.

in August, 1863, when he was appointed collector of internal revenue for the Third District of Massachu- setts, which office he held for three years.

He was appointed by Governor Bullock, in 1866, to the office of district attorney of the Southeastern District, to which office he was elected by the people in 1866, and again in 1868. In October, 1869, he was appointed secretary of the Board of State Chari- ties, and held that office until 1874, when he re- signed it.

In 1875 and 1876 he was Representative from Milton in the General Court, and in the latter session was chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary. He is the author of the " Act to Limit Municipal Indebtedness." He was appointed by President Hayes in December, 1878, assistant treasurer of the United States at Boston, but he declined the appointment.

Mr. Pierce has been one of the lecturers at the Boston Law-School since its foundation. In 1881 he published a new edition of his work on " American Railroad Law," much enlarged and enriched by co- pious notes and citations. In 1874 he prepared an elaborate " Index of the Special Railroad Laws of Massachusetts."

Mr. Pierce was one of the literary executors of Charles Sumner, and was the author of the memoir of Mr. Sumner, published in 1877, an elaborate and excellent biography. He has also been the author of many articles contributed to the reviews and news- papers, of official reports, and public addresses upon a variety of social and political topics, all of which are marked by such ability, breadth, and exhaustiveness of treatment of their respective subjects as to entitle them to hold a permanent place in the current dis- cussions of vital questions. Mr. Pierce has made several journeys to Europe, one in 1873, to inspect European prisons, reformatories, and asylums, the result of which was given in his report for 1873 as secretary of the Board of State Charities.

Mr. Pierce received the degree of Doctor of Laws from Brown University in 1882. He resides at Milton, and has an office in Boston.

ASA FRENCH was born on the 21st of October, 1829, in Braintree, where his ancestors have lived since the town's earliest settlement.

He received his early education in the public schools, was prepared for college at the Leicester Academy, Worcester County, Mass., and was graduated at Yale College, in the class of 1851. Upon leaving college, ! he began the study of law at the Albany Law-School, and afterwards entered the Harvard Law-School, where he received the degree of LL.B. in 1853. He sub- sequently pursued the study of his profession in the

office of David A. Simmons and Harvey Jewell, in Boston.

Mr. French was first admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of New York, at Albany, in 1853, and afterwards at Boston. He has always had an office in Boston ; but has made Braintree his home, and has been identified with the Norfolk County bar.

He represented Braintree in the lower branch of the State Legislature in 1866. In 1870 he was ap- pointed by Governor Claflin district attorney for the Southeastern District, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Hon. Edward L. Pierce, and held this office by successive re-elections until October, 1882, when he resigned.

In 1882 he was tendered the appointment of justice of the Superior Court of Massachusetts, but declined it. He has been one of the commissioners on inland fisheries for the State of Massachusetts since 1873.

He is president of the board of trustees of the Thayer Academy and of the Thayer Public Library, both in Braintree, and both founded and endowed by the late Gen. Sylvanus Thayer.

In 1883 he was placed by President Arthur upon the annual Board of Visitors to the West Point Mili- tary Academy.

Mr. French was appointed judge of the Court of Commissioners of Alabama Claims in Washington, under the act re-establishing that court, approved June 5, 1882.

ERASTUS WORTHINGTON .- Attorney and coun- sellor, February term, Supreme Judicial Court, 1854. He is the son of Erastus Worthington, of Dedham, where he was born Nov. 25, 1828. He was gradu- ated at Brown University in 1850. After residing nearly a year in Wisconsin, he entered the Dane Law- School, at Cambridge, where he received the degree of LL.B. in 1853. He completed his professional studies in the office of Ezra Wilkinson, at Dedham. He began practice in Boston, and was for some time a partner with David A. Simmons, of Roxbury. In 1856 he was elected register of insolvency, which office he held until July, 1858, when he resumed practice in Dedham. He was trial justice from 1857 to 1867. In 1866 he was elected clerk of the courts for Norfolk County, and entered upon the duties of that office in January, 1867, and has since been elected for three terms of five years each. He continues to hold the office, and resides in Dedham.

CHARLES ENDICOTT .- Attorney and counsellor, April term, Court of Common Pleas, 1857. He was born in Canton, Oct. 28, 1822. He was for several years town clerk, selectman, and held many town

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

offices. He was a deputy sheriff of the county from 1846 to 1853, and commissioner of insolvency from 1855 to 1857. Upon his admission to the bar he began practice in Canton, where he continues to re- side. He was a Representative to the General Court in 1851, 1857, and 1858, and a Senator from Norfolk County in 1866 and 1867, and a member of the Ex- ecutive Council in 1868 and 1869. He was county commissioner from 1859 to 1865. He was State Auditor from 1870 to 1875, and Treasurer and Receiver-General for the Commonwealth from 1876 to 1881, when he became ineligible for re-election by reason of the constitutional limitation in the term of that office. He now holds the office of tax com- missioner. He resides in Canton.

JOSEPH MCKEAN CHURCHILL is the son of Asaph Churchill, and was born in Milton, April 29, 1821. He was graduated at Harvard College in 1840, and pursued his professional studies in the Dane Law-School, Cambridge, where he received the degree of LL.B. in 1845. He began and continued the practice of law in Boston for many years. He was Representative to the General Court from Milton in 1858, and a member of the Executive Council in 1859 and 1860. He was also a member of the Con- stitutional Convention of 1853, and for twelve years was an overseer of Harvard College. He was a cap- tain in the Forty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts In- fantry in the war of the Rebellion. He was a county commissioner from Jan. 1, 1868, until April, 1871, and chairman of the board during two of those years. He was then appointed a justice of the Mu- nicipal Court of Boston, which office he continues to hold. He resides in Milton.

JAMES E. TIRRELL was born in Weymouth, March 28, 1833. He was educated in the schools of Wey- mouth, and studied law with Fisher A. Kingsbury and Elijah F. Hall, in Weymouth. He was admitted to the bar in Suffolk, July 16, 1856. He now resides and has an office at Quincy.

JOHN L. ELDRIDGE was born in Provincetown, Mass., Dec. 25, 1842. He was fitted for college at the Boston Latin School, and was graduated at Har- vard College. He pursued his legal studies at the Dane Law-School, and received the degree of LL.B. in 1866. He also studied in the office of Joseph Nickerson, in Boston. He was admitted to the bar | ham. He began practice in Franklin, and was a trial in Suffolk in November, 1867. He resides at Quincy, but has an office in Boston.

United States during the civil war. He served with some intervals until the war ended, both as private and officer. He pursued his studies while in the army, and at the close of the war he entered the office of Edward Avery, and was admitted to the bar in Suffolk, May 10, 1867. He was a trial justice at Weymouth from 1868 to 1872, when he was appointed Justice of the District Court of East Norfolk, which office he resigned Oct. 1, 1882. He was then nomi- nated and elected the district attorney for the South- eastern District, to succeed Asa French. He was re-elected in 1883 for the term of three years, and now holds that office. His residence is in Quincy, but he has an office in Boston.

FREDERICK D. ELY .- Attorney and counsellor, Superior Court, Oct. 8, 1862. He was born in Wrentham, Sept. 24, 1838, was fitted for college at Day's Academy, in Wrentham, and was graduated at Brown University in 1859. He studied law in the office of Waldo Colburn, in Dedham. He has been a trial justice from 1867 to the present time. He was Representative to the General Court from Ded- ham in 1873, and Senator in 1878 and 1879. He resides in Dedham, but has an office in Boston.

JOHN D. COBB .- Attorney and counsellor, Superior Court, April 23, 1867. He was born in Dedham, April 28, 1840, and was graduated at Harvard Col- lege in 1861. He studied law in the Dane Law- School, and received the degree of LL.B. in 1866. He also was in the office of Waldo Colburn, at Ded- ham. He entered the military service of the United States Aug. 16, 1862, and served until the end of the war as sergeant, and was promoted to be lieutenant and acting adjutant of the Thirty-fifth Massachusetts Infantry. He was Representative to the General Court from Dedham in 1876 and 1877. He was appointed assistant register of probate Jan. 1, 1879, which office he has since held. He resides in Dedham.

EDMUND DAVIS .- Attorney and counsellor, Supe- rior Court, Oct. 1, 1867. He was born in Canton, Dec. 12, 1839, and was graduated at Dartmouth College in 1861. He entered the military service of the United States Aug. 16, 1862, and was severely wounded at the battle of Antietam, by reason of which he was discharged from service Sept. 16, 1862. He studied law in the office of Waldo Colburn, at Ded- justice for some time. He then removed to Hyde Park, where he now resides and has an office.

EVERETT C. BUMPUS was born in Plympton, Nov. THOMAS E. GROVER was born in Mansfield, Feb. 9, 1844. He studied law principally in the office of Ellis Ames, in Canton, and was admitted to the bar 28, 1844. His parents subsequently removed to Braintree, and he left the Braintree High School in April, 1861, to go into the military service of the Sept. 7, 1867. Mr. Grover has held the office of trial

THE BENCH AND BAR.

justice for many years. He resides in Canton, and has offices both in Canton and Boston.

JAMES E. COTTER was born in Ireland in 1848. He came to this country in 1856, and resided in Marlborough until his admission to the bar. He was educated in the public schools, and at the State Normal School at Bridgewater. He studied law with William B. Gale, of Marlborough, and was admitted to the bar in Middlesex, Jan. 2, 1874. He removed to Hyde Park, where he now resides. He has an office in Hyde Park and in Boston.

GEORGE WINSLOW WIGGIN .- Attorney and coun- sellor, Superior Court, Oct. 17, 1871. He was born in Sandwich, N. H., March 10, 1841. He was edu- cated in the course for four years at Phillips' Acad- emy, Exeter, N. H. He was afterwards a teacher in the Friends' Boarding-School at Providence, R. I., and principal of the Wrentham High School for four years. He studied law in the office of Samuel War- ner, of Wrentham. He began practice in Franklin in 1872, where he has since resided and practised law. He has been a trial justice since 1872, and was elected a county commissioner in 1878, and was re-elected in 1881. He has been chairman of the board during the past year. He has also an office in Boston.

JAMES HEWINS was born in Medfield, April 27, 1846. He was educated in the Medfield and Wal- pole High Schools, and entered Amherst College. He studied law with Robert R. Bishop and at the Dane Law-School, in Cambridge. He was admitted to the bar in Suffolk, Feb. 26, 1868. He has been a trial justice, and is Representative to the General Court in 1884. He resides in Medfield, but has an office in Boston.

OSCAR A. MARDEN was born in Palermo, Me., Aug. 20, 1853. He was educated at the Westbrook Seminary, in Deering, Me. He studied law in the Boston University Law-School, where he was grad- uated in 1876. He also studied in the office of S. K. Hamilton, in Boston. He was admitted to the bar in Suffolk, Oct. 8, 1876. He has been a trial justice for several years, and resides in Stoughton, but has an office in Boston.

The following gentlemen were admitted to the bar in Norfolk County, and are now practicing attorneys in the county :

Asa Wellington, Quincy, admitted April, 1852.

Charles J. Randall, Wrentham, admitted Jan. 3, 1859.

Henry B. Terry, Hyde Park, admitted April 4,1871. Don Gleason Hill, Dedham, admitted Oct. 18, 1871. Charles Amory Williams, Brookline, admitted Oct. 1,1873.

Zenas S. Arnold, Boston, admitted Jan. 20, 1874. Charles A. Mackintosh, Dedham, admitted Oct. 4, 1875.

Frank Rockwood Hall, Brookline, admitted Jan. 8, 1878.

William G. A. Pattee, Quincy, admitted May 14, 1879.

John Everett, Canton, admitted May 14, 1879.

Nathan Hyde Pratt, Weymouth, admitted Jan. 1, 1880.

James J. Malone, Quincy, admitted May 18, 1881. Charles Francis Jenney, Hyde Park, admitted Oct. 4,1882.

Albert Everett Avery, Braintree, admitted Jan. 23, 1883.

The following gentlemen were admitted to the bar elsewhere, but are now practicing attorneys in the county :

Charles H. Drew, Brookline. Office in Boston.

Moses Williams, Brookline. Office in Boston.

Bradford Kingman, Brookline. Office in Boston.

Thomas L. Wakefield, Dedham. Office in Boston.

Alonzo B. Wentworth, Dedham. Office in Boston. John R. Bullard, Dedham. Office in Boston. Horace E. Ware, Milton. Office in Boston.

Henry F. Buswell, Canton. Office in Boston. Jonathan Wales, Randolph. Office in Boston.

John V. Beal, Randolph. Office in Boston. Charles H. Deans, West Medway.

Emery Grover, Needham. Office in Boston. E. Granville Pratt, Quincy. Office in Boston. George Fred. Williams, Dedham. Office in Boston.

Orin T. Gray, Hyde Park. Office in Boston.

W. H. H. Andrews, Hyde Park. Office in Boston. Artemas W. Gates, Dedham. Office in Boston. Robert W. Carpenter, Foxborough. Fred. H. Williams, Foxborough.

Edward Bicknell, Weymouth. Office in Boston. Fred. J. Stimson, Dedham. Office in Boston. Charles E. Perkins, Brookline. Office in Boston. John C. Lane, Norwood. Office in Boston.

Sheriffs.1-Hon. Ebenezer Thayer, of Braintree, the first sheriff of Norfolk County, was the son of Hon. Ebenezer Thayer, also of Braintree, and was born Aug. 21, 1746. His father was for many years a prominent citizen of the town, having served in the office of Representative eighteen years, and was chosen Representative to the General Court seventeen years

I The following sketches of the sheriff's and county treasurers of the county are mainly taken from the "Norfolk County Manual," by Henry O. Hildreth, Esq., by the permission of the author.

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

successively, and in 1776 was a member of the Ex- ecutive Council. His mother was Susanna, daughter of Rev. Samuel Niles, of Braintree. Mr. Thayer served the town many years as selectman, town clerk, and treasurer; was Representative to the General Court in 1796, 1800, and 1801, a member of the Senate in 1795, '96, '97, '98, '99, and a member of the Executive Council in 1793 and 1794. He was also a brigadier-general in the militia. On the or- ganization of the county, in 1793, he was appointed Sheriff, but owing to ill health, resigned early in the following year. He died May 30, 1809, aged sixty- three years.

Atherton Thayer, half-brother to the preceding, was born in Braintree, Feb. 9, 1766. His mother was Rebecca Miller, of Milton, who was the second wife of Hon. Ebenezer Thayer, Sr. On the resigna- tion of the office of sheriff by his brother, in 1794, he was appointed to fill the vacancy, and continued in the office until his death, July 4, 1798, aged thirty- two years.

Benjamin Clarke Cutler, of Roxbury, was born in Boston, Sept. 15, 1756, and was for many years a merchant, removing afterwards to Jamaica Plain. He was appointed sheriff July 31, 1798, and held the office until his death. He died very suddenly at his residence on Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, April, 1810, aged fifty-four years.

Elijah Crane was born in Milton, Aug. 29, 1754, and was the son of Thomas Crane, for many years a prominent citizen of that part of Stoughton, now Canton. He early removed to Canton, where his regular business was that of a farmer, in which he met with marked success, although much of his time was devoted to public life. He was a man of large and erect stature, well-developed form, and graceful carriage, and was noted for his splendid horseman- ship. He early took a deep interest in military mat- ters, rising by successive appointments to the rank of brigadier-general of the Second Brigade, First Di- vision, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, to which he was promoted Aug. 1, 1803, and promoted and com- missioned major-general of the First Division June 16, 1809, which position he continued to hold until his discharge, June 8, 1827, a period of service in

political reasons by Governor Gerry. The following year he was reappointed, and continued in office by successive reappointments until his death, the longest term of service as sheriff ever held in the county. He died Feb. 21, 1834, aged eighty years.

William Brewer, of Roxbury, was for many years a prominent citizen of the town, having been chair- man of the Board of Selectmen for several years, and was Representative to the General Court from 1801 to 1811, inclusive, and again from 1814 to 1817, in- clusive. In 1811 he was appointed sheriff of Nor- folk County by Governor Gerry, which position he held for one year. He died Aug. 2, 1817, aged fifty-nine years.

John Baker (2d) was born in Dorchester, Feb. 27, 1780. He learned the trade of a wheelwright in Roxbury, and soon removed to Dedham, where for | some time he carried on the same business. He was a coroner, and for several years a deputy sheriff of the county. On the death of Gen. Crane, in 1834, Mr. Baker was appointed sheriff, and held the office until his death, which occurred Jan. 1, 1843, at the age of sixty-three years.

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History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 7

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