History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. III, Part 60

Author: Thompson, Elroy Sherman, 1874-
Publication date: 1928
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 642

USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. III > Part 60
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. III > Part 60
USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. III > Part 60

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EFF Lumeon

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from Hingham and from a large section of the county surrounding that community. Dr. Underwood was a member of the New Hampshire and Vermont State and County Medical societies, and has always been progressive, keeping thoroughly abreast of the improvements, inventions, and discoveries of his profession, and ready to try for the benefit of his patients those newer methods and processes which had been well tested and proven, but having no use for the numerous fads which develop in the medi- cal profession as elsewhere. He was a member of the Board of Health of Hingham; trustee of the High Street Cemetery Association, and was for nine years a member of the School Board of Hing- ham. He gives his support to the principles and the candidates of the Republican party, and is active in the Masonic Order, being a member of the Blue Lodge and of the Order of the Eastern Star. He is also a member of the Wampatuck Club, and his religious affiliation is with the Congregational church.

Dr. David G. Underwood married, October 7, 1896, Maude Johnson, and they are the parents of two children: 1. Rodney J. 2. Dorothy, who married Herbert Crawford.

ROBERT W. LEATHERBEE-Although not a native of Falmouth, Robert W. Leatherbee has taken up his residence in the town and developed in it an interesting and successful experiment in "making farming pay." Starting with the purchase of the nine acres around the old Silas Hatch homestead in Hatchville in 1921, Mr. Leatherbee has worked out his ideas progressively until in 1927, Brae Burn Farms includes nearly five hundred acres and is noted for its dairy with a herd of Federal-tested Guernsey cows, its poultry and farm products for whose mar- keting Brae Burn Farms maintains a year-round store in Falmouth village.

Robert W. Leatherbee was born in West Newton, Massachusetts, March 1, 1882, the son of Charles W. and Harriet (Felton) Leatherbee. His father was a well-known lumber merchant of Boston, the Leatherbee family having been leaders in the lum- ber business for several generations. Robert Leather- bee's education was secured in the Newton schools, Hopkinson School in Boston and Harvard University, where he was a member of the class of 1905 and played on the Varsity football squad. On leaving college he spent some time in the lumber business with his father, but later settled in Chicago where he was associated with the Crane Company until 1916, finally serving as general manager and assistant secre- tary. His residence was in Lake Forest, Illinois, where he had his first interest in agriculture and owned his first "Brae Burn Farm."

Upon the entrance of the United States into the World War, Mr. Leatherbee offered his services and was assigned to the United States Shipping Board and Emergency Fleet, in charge of Industrial Relations, living in Washington, District of Colum- bia, from 1917 until 1919. In the summer of 1919 he was sent to the Pacific coast to investigate labor troubles in the shipyards.

The following year he came to the Cape and eventually decided to make his home here, con- centrating chiefly upon the working out of the de- velopment of Brae Burn Farms.

Outside interests include directorships in the Leatherbee Lumber Company, and the Leatherbee-

McDonough Lumber Company of Boston. He has interested himself in local movements, being a mem- ber of both the Boston and Cape Cod Chambers of Commerce, a charter member of the Falmouth Ro- tary Club and belonging to the Falmouth Board of Trade. He is a director of the Barnstable County Tested Herd Owners' Association. His clubs in- clude the Harvard clubs of Boston, New York City, and Chicago, the Chicago and Woods Hole Golf clubs, the Quissett Yacht Club and the University clubs of Boston and Chicago.

In 1925 he married Helen Everhardt of Falmouth, daughter of John and Nine (Dutten) Everhardt, and they have one son, James William, born in March, 1927. There are three sons by a former marriage: 1. Charles W. Leatherbee, Harvard, class of '29. 2. Robert W., Jr. 3. Richard C. Mr. Leatherbee's home is in Hatchville, adjoining Brae Burn Farms, and overlooking Coonamessett Lake.

Brae Burn Farms is the largest farm under single ownership in Falmouth Township. During the busy seasons it employs about fifty men, exclusive of cas- ual labor in the strawberry fields, et cetera. A fleet of motor trucks is required to make its deliveries of milk and fresh farm produce over a territory from Vineyard to Wareham above the canal.

ERNEST F. LAMSON-Prominent among the manufacturers of Abington for many years was the late Ernest F. Lamson, who was engaged in the manufacture of machinery, specializing in the Hoop block-cutting machine, invented and patented by his father, Daniel Lamson. Mr. Lamson was very well known throughout this section of the State, and the business which he established is still (1928) one of the prosperous manufacturing concerns of Abington.

Ernest F. Lamson was born in East Weymouth, Massachusetts, October 27, 1860, son of Daniel and Emily J. (Fiske) Lamson, the former a native of Washington, Massachusetts; the latter of Temple, New Hampshire. The father, Daniel Lamson, was a man of much mechanical ability, and an inventor who devised many improvements upon existing ma- chines, but who was best known as the inventor and patentee of the Hoop block-cutting machine. He was a veteran of the Civil War, and was killed in the battle of Fredericksburg.

Ernest F. Lamson received his education in the public schools of his birthplace, and then, like his father, became deenly interested in mechanics. After his father invented and patented the Hoop block- cutting machine he established a machine manufac- turing concern, which is the oldest of its kind in Abington, and, while he took contracts for the man- ufacture of various kinds of machinery, he devoted most of his attention to the production of his father's invention. He was successful in his enterprise and continued in that line to the time of his death, Au- gust 12, 1922. Politically, Mr. Lamson gave his support to the principles and the candidates of the Republican party, but he never sought the honors and emoluments of public office. He was a thorough mechanician, and an able business man, always ready to serve his community in the quiet ways in which a private citizen can best advance the interests of the community in which he lives, and he had a host of friends in Abington. Fraternally, he was identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and in his religious interests he was a Protestant.

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Ernest F. Lamson was married (first) to Althea Reed, daughter of George F. and Maria A. (Faxon) Reed; (second), at Providence, Rhode Island, in 1906, to Corinne G. Thresher, of Freetown, Massachusetts, daughter of Andrew J. and Laura P. (Hathaway) Thresher. To the first marriage were born: Grace L., Daniel R., and Emily. To the second marriage was born one daughter, Corinne G.

HARRY A. STONE-A prominent Plymouth County industrialist, who through his own personal industrial motive has won his present leading position as a manufacturer and realtor, Harry A. Stone is a Bridgewater citizen of great ability and enterprise, and one whose influence and attainments in business matters, and particularly in the development of at- tractive land holdings, is far more than county wide. In all matters that have to do with civic and general community improvement, Mr. Stone is a factor of proven reliability. He is a son of Abraham Stone, a rabbi, a native of Warsaw, Poland, who died in 1901, and of Tiba C. (Noretwer) Stone, also a native of Warsaw, who died in 1917.

Harry A. Stone was born January 9, 1867, in War- saw, Poland, where he attended the public schools. He then learned the shoemaking trade, and worked about four years making uppers; he also learned the woodworking trade, and at the same time made a study of theology. Mr. Stone came to the United States in 1888, and went to work in New York City as an operator of sewing machines, and a manufac- turer of men's clothing. Removing to Boston, he engaged in the same line of business there until 1891 when he went into business for himself in clothing manufacture.

Coming to Brockton in 1898, Mr. Stone worked at custom tailoring until 1904, when he began to engage in real estate business, in which he has continued with great success, particularly in his association with Stone Moor Heights, one of the largest realty de- velopments in Southeastern Massachusetts.

The Independent Nail & Packing Company of Brockton was started in 1916, by Harry A. Stone, George Folsom, and after a time, George C. Stone, H. James Stone, and Leo Stone were received into the business. At first, the company employed only three men, and had but twelve hundred feet of floor space. At the present time (1928), forty-five people are employed, the plant has twelve thousand square feet of space, and is the largest manufacturer of wire nails in Plymouth County, with office and factory at No. 106 Hale Street, Bridgewater. When Mr. Stone became associated with this industry in 1916, he installed all modern automatic machinery for the manufacture of nails and tacks; and all the machines used for packing nails and tacks are the invention of Mr. Stone and his sons, these machines enabling the company to count and pack about five million pack- ages of nails and tacks a month for the shoe trade and the rubber heel trade. The company also man- ufactures a huge quantity of nails for the roofing in- terests, as well as all kinds of machine driven nails. The officers of the company are: Harry A. Stone, treasurer and manager; George C. Stone, vice-presi- dent; H. James Stone, assistant manager; Leo Stone, director and designer.

In political matters, Mr. Stone is a Republican, and with his vote and influence he supports the principles of that party. During the World War, he was a

member of the Plattsburg Military Company, of Brockton. He is a member of the Associated In- dustries of Massachusetts; and he is president of the Congregation of the Brockton Hebrew Temple.

Harry A. Stone married, in 1890, Esther M. Rosen- berg, a native of Warsaw, Poland. Their children: 1. Pearl. 2. Bertha C. 3. George C., who served in the United States Army during the World War. 4. H. James, who served in the United States Navy during the World War. 5. Ina S.

W. PORTER PRATT, M. D .- It frequently hap- pens that after thorough preparation for one pro- fession a man decides to enter a quite different field. This was the case of Dr. W. Porter Pratt, of Quincy. He was trained as a musician and followed that pro- fession for some six years after graduation from the New England Conservatory of Music, but in 1903 he began medical study and since his graduation from Tufts Medical College and the completion of his interneship in 1909, has been engaged in general medical practice. He came to Quincy in 1912, and since has been located here, with offices at No. 26 Adams Street.

Dr. W. Porter Pratt was born in Weymouth, Mas- sachusetts, April 27, 1877, a son of James B. Pratt, a native of Weymouth, who was engaged as a shoe manufacturer to the time of his death in 1924, and of Lucinda B. (French) Pratt, who was born in Wey- mouth, and died in 1922. He attended the public schools of his birthplace, and, having early evidenced musical ability, and being very much devoted to that art, he entered the New England Conservatory of Music, from which he was graduated with the class of 1897, having specialized in piano and organ music. After graduation he devoted his entire time to the piano and the organ for a period of six years, but in the meantime he had become interested in medicine, and in 1903 he became a student in Tufts Medical College, where he finished his course with graduation in 1907, receiving at that time the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He served an interneship of two years in the Boston City Hospital, after which he opened an office in Braintree, Massachusetts, where he was successfully engaged in general prac- tice for three years. In 1912 he came to Quincy, and since that time he has built up a large and important practice here. Faithful service has won for him the confidence and esteem of those whom he has served professionally, also cf his fellow-practitioners, and he has a host of friends in this part of Norfolk County. In 1919-20 he took post-graduate courses at Harvard Medical School, receiving the degree of Doctor of Public Health. He is a member of the Norfolk South District Medical Society, the Massa- chusetts State Medical Society, and the American Medical Association. In addition to the responsi- bilities of his general practice he is also a member of the staff of Quincy City Hospital. He is a member of the Boston City Hospital Alumni Society, and of Alpha Kappa Kappa College Fraternity, and is well known socially in Quincy. Politically, he gives sup- port to the Republican party, and for one year he served as secretary of the Quincy Board of Health. Dr. Pratt's professional career has not caused him to deny himself the pleasure which he finds in music, and throughout his career this has been his de- light and his favorite form of relaxation. Both to himself and his friends his musical ability has been a

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lasting source of pleasure and when the anxieties of his professional life press heavily he has always been able to regain poise and calm by the exercise of this gift. His religious interest is with Christ Episcopal Church.

WILLIAM A. SMITH, founder of the well-known Smith Granite Company, at No. 299 Centre Street, South Quincy, Massachusetts, was born December 19, 1856, at Aberdeen, Scotland, a son of James and Ellen (Adamıs) Smith, both of whom are now de- ceased. James Smith, the father, was a native of Aberdeenshire, Scotland; and he was a farmer for all of his days. Ellen (Adams) Smith, the mother, was also native born to Aberdeenshire.

William A. Smith received his education in the school system of Aberdeen, and later was apprenticed to the stone-cutter's trade. He mastered this dif- ficult art and continued at the work until 1880, when he came to America, settling in Quincy. He was employed by the Mckenzie & Patterson Quarries for a short time, after which he went with the Mitchell Granite Company, remaining with this con- cern until 1884. He then became associated with An- drew Milne and George Chalmers, and with these two men formed the firm of Milne & Chalmers. From 1884 until 1887 he was a partner of this organization, but at the end of that time he sold his interest in the company and formed a concern of his own under the style of the Smith Granite Company, with offices at No. 299 Center Street, just as it is today. In 1903 he took his son, James Mitchell Smith, into the busi- ness with him, and it is thus that he has continued ever since, carrying on general work in monument and memorial shaping and polishing. Since 1903, however, the business has greatly expanded so that now this concern maintains two branch offices, one at Marshfield, Massachusetts, and the second at South Paris, Maine.

Despite the varied and often exacting duties of the work in which he has been engaged, Mr. Smith has found time in which to take a keen and active interest in the civic and political affairs of his com- munity. In his political views, he is a staunch sup- porter of the Republican party, and as such he has served as chairman of Ward Three Republican Com- mittee, for over twenty consecutive years. He is active, as well, in those organizations which pertain to his profession, among the more important of these being the Quincy Granite Manufacturers' Association and the American Granite Manufacturers' Associa- tion. He has taken an interest in the social life of his world and he is affiliated with the Clan McGregor, of which he is a past secretary. Order of the Scottish Clans; and the Scots Charitable Association. He still keeps up an active interest in all forms of ath- letics and outdoor sports.

William A. Smith married, in 1881, Maggie H. Hall, who was born in Alloa, Scotland. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are now the parents of six children: 1. William A., Jr. 2. James M., in business with his father. 3. William H. 4. Albert E. 5. Ellen J. 6. Norman C. Mr. Smith and his family maintain their residence in Quincy, in which community they attend the First Presbyterian Church, of which Mr. Smith is a charter member.

GEORGE E. MANSFIELD-For three decades, George E. Mansfield has been engaged in the under-

taking business in Rockland, and his association with embalming and funeral directing there is even longer, for prior to the organization of his own estab- lishment, he was associated with Mr. Rice of this place in the same line of business. He is one of the progressive men of his calling, though in point of time during which he has been in business he is the oldest undertaker in Southeastern Massachusetts. In addition to the responsibilities and interests of his well-established business in Boston, he is also presi- dent of an insurance company in Boston.

George E. Mansfield was born in Abington, Massa- chusetts, November 2, 1864, son of James Mansfield, who was born in Ireland and died in this country in 1882, and who was engaged as a shoe manufacturer during the greater part of his active career, and of Catherine (O'Brien) Mansfield, born in Ireland, who died in this country in 1888. Mr. Mansfield attended the public schools of his native town, and then as- sociated himself with Mr. Rice of Rockland, Mas- sachusetts, with whom he learned the embalming and funeral directing business. In 1888, as a young man of twenty-four years of age, he engaged in the under- taking business for himself in Rockland, and he has been continuously and successfully engaged in that enterprise during the years which have passed. In point of service he is the oldest mortician in South- eastern Massachusetts, and thus it is natural that he should have been the first of his calling to use a motor ambulance in Rockland. Many of the mod- ern processes now commonly used by undertakers were first utilized in this section by Mr. Mansfield, and throughout his career he has been progressive in his methods. His long familiarity with the wishes and needs of the people of the community which he has served for four decades has made him and his service peculiarly acceptable to the residents of Rock- land and vicinity. As a citizen Mr. Mansfield is in- terested in the welfare of the community in which he lives, and he has also been active in political affairs outside his own community. He gives his sup- port to the Democratic party, and in 1913 was elected to represent his district in the State Legislature, where he served during the term 1913-14. Fratern- ally, he is identified with the Knights of Columbus, the Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters, and the Ancient Order of Hibernians, being a charter member of the Rockland Chapter of the last-named fraternity. His religious affiliation is with the Ro- man Catholic Church of the Holy Family.

George E. Mansfield married, in 1880, Katharine Chauncey, of Jersey City, New Jersey, and they are the parents of one son, George C., who was born in 1891.

OTIS E. KELLEY-In the romantic days when New England clippers were familiar sights in all the ports of the world, Otis E. Kelley, then a youth, sailed the seven seas. With his uncle, Ebenezer Kelley, he gave up the life of the sea and they be- came associated in the retail lumber business in Den- nisport. After his uncle's death, he continued this trade until 1880, when he engaged in the business of general merchandise, paints and hardware, building up a successful and progressive mercantile establish- ment until 1914, when he sold out and has since lived retired. At the present time, Mr. Kelley takes a great interest in civic affairs and is active in all cam- paigns for community welfare and improvement.

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Mr. Kelley was born in Chatham, November 17, 1855, son of John and Eliza A. (Kelley) Hawes. John Hawes followed the sea until he died, and his son was adopted by his uncle, Ebenezer Kelley, his name being changed from Otis E. Hawes to Otis E. Kelley. Ebenezer Kelley was engaged in the retail lumber business, in which he continued until his death in 1879.

Otis E. Kelley received his early education in the public schools of Dennisport, having moved here when he was two years of age. After the comple- tion of his formal education, he went to sea with his uncle, but discontinued his maritime career when his uncle decided to retire to the life of a business man on land. Mr. Kelley takes a great interest in civic affairs and was elected as selectman for the town of Dennisport for the term of March, 1925, to 1928. In fraternal circles, he is a member of Mount Horeb Lodge of West Harwich, Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Order of the Eastern Star. His religious affiliations are with the Baptist church.

Otis E. Kelley married, November 14, 1878, Lydia Howes, daughter of Sears and Mary Ann (Weaver) Howes of Dennisport, and they are the parents of two children: 1. Otis E., Jr. 2. Athaleh, married Eldon Jenkins, and they have one son, Ebenezer K., born in February, 1906, who attends Tufts College.

EUGENE W. HAINES-Born in Sandwich, Mas- sachusetts, December 13, 1865, died (lost at sea) No- vember 19, 1927, Eugene W. Haines was the son of George L. and Sarah Maria (Marstins) Haines. George L. Haines fought in the Civil War, with the Forty-fifth Massachusetts Regiment of Volunteer Militia, a man of valor on the field of battle, and of courage and honesty in all the days of his life. He worked with the Boston & Sandwich Glass Com- pany of Sandwich, having had charge for many years of the lamp department, and acting also as book- keeper. Both he and his good wife gave to their son the best of home trainings, early inculcating in him those principles of conduct and thought which marked his life throughout and made of him a man to be respected, admired, beloved, a worthy descendant of his Pilgrim ancestry and that hardy forefather who came to the New England shores in the "Mayflower."

Eugene W. Haines received his academic train- ing in the public schools of Sandwich, and, upon leav- ing his studies, undertook to learn glass-cutting, as an employee of the Boston & Sandwich Glass Com- pany, of Sandwich, where his father worked, under N. Packwood. For seven years Mr. Haines continued with that now defunct company as glass-cutter, then took to the sea, spending thirty years upon it, as fisherman, out of Sandwich. In 1921, he went into the insurance business, and likewise retained an in- terest in lobster pots, together with other commercial affairs. He was a director of the Sandwich Co-opera- tive Bank, for twenty years, until the time of his death. As chairman of the board of trustees of the Sandwich Free Public Library, he was of service to the community, and served the community still more directly as town selectman. For more than seven years he was on this board, until 1925 with the extra offices of assessor, and always as overseer of the poor. Fraternally, Mr. Haines was affiliated with DeWitt Clinton Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he was Past Master, and he attended the Federated Church of Sandwich.

On June 27, 1899, in Sandwich, Mr. Haines was united in marriage with Mary F. Lovell, daughter of Benjamin and Frances C. (Fish) Lovell, of Sand- wich. They were blessed with one child, Mary F., named after her mother, born January 3, 1901, and who is now (1928) the wife of Wallace S. Morrow, Jr. Mrs. Haines is a woman of great refinement and appreciation for the good things that life holds. She continues to reside in the family residence, on King's Highway, Sandwich.

There came that tragic day when newspapers carried dispatches from Sandwich under date of No- vember 21, 1927, telling of the fate feared to have befallen Eugene W. Haines, whose absence from the town had first been remarked the Saturday afternoon preceding, when he failed to attend a meeting of the selectmen. A searching party was organized at once, and worked well into the night, without success. One newspaper dispatch said in part:

While the citizens of Sandwich of both sexes, young and old, were offering up prayers today for the safety of Eugene W. Haines, who mysteriously disappeared last Saturday while hauling his lobster pots, scores of men in boats were out at the first streak of dawn, combing the seas. . . . All through the day, spyglasses that had not seen duty since their owners stood on the quarterdecks of their long-gone ships were fixed and waiting for the missing power boat and its loved owner to come speeding in from the restless sea. All churches joined in union prayer service for the missing man.

Mrs. Haines, wife of the selectman, refuses to give up hope that her husband is alive. In the opinion of the Coast Guardsmen. . . . there is little hope for his safety.

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History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. III, Part 60

Author: Thompson, Elroy Sherman, 1874- Publication date: 1928 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 642

Author: Thompson, Elroy Sherman, 1874-
Publication date: 1928
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 642