History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 105

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1706


USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 105


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169 | Part 170 | Part 171 | Part 172 | Part 173 | Part 174 | Part 175 | Part 176 | Part 177 | Part 178 | Part 179 | Part 180 | Part 181 | Part 182 | Part 183 | Part 184 | Part 185 | Part 186 | Part 187 | Part 188 | Part 189 | Part 190 | Part 191 | Part 192 | Part 193 | Part 194 | Part 195 | Part 196 | Part 197 | Part 198 | Part 199 | Part 200 | Part 201 | Part 202 | Part 203 | Part 204 | Part 205 | Part 206 | Part 207 | Part 208 | Part 209 | Part 210 | Part 211 | Part 212 | Part 213 | Part 214 | Part 215 | Part 216 | Part 217 | Part 218 | Part 219 | Part 220 | Part 221 | Part 222 | Part 223 | Part 224 | Part 225 | Part 226 | Part 227 | Part 228 | Part 229 | Part 230 | Part 231 | Part 232 | Part 233 | Part 234 | Part 235 | Part 236 | Part 237 | Part 238 | Part 239 | Part 240 | Part 241 | Part 242 | Part 243 | Part 244 | Part 245 | Part 246 | Part 247 | Part 248 | Part 249 | Part 250 | Part 251


37TH REGT. INF., M. V. (3 years). Company E. Sherman, Thomas B., Dec. 26, 1863. Unassigned Recruits. Leach, John A., Aug. 24, 1861. 38TH REGT. INF., M. V. (3 years).


Allen, Chas. F., July 16, 1863. | Bates, Jas. E., June 17, 1865.


Allen, Chas. F., Aug. 14, 1862. Nash (2d), F. A., Aug. 14, 1862. Washburn, Jerome, March 8,


Reed, Timothy, Nov. 1, 1862. Reed, Timothy, Aug. 14, 1862. 1863. Caton, Jos. W., Oct. 26, 1864.


Nash, F. A., March 3, 1863.


Company C.


Bates, Jas. E., Aug. 20, 1862. Bickford, J. E., Aug. 20, 1862. Caton, Jos. W., Aug. 20, 1862. Ewell, Wm. T., Aug. 20, 1862. Powers, H. W., Aug. 20, 1862. Tuttle, E. G., Aug. 20, 1862.


Washburn, J., Aug. 20, 1862.


Alden, E. C., Aug. 20, 1862.


Cole, E. T., Aug. 20, 1862.


Holbrook, N. O., Aug. 20, 1862.


Nash, Chas. D., Aug. 20, 1862. Newton, H.O.F., Aug. 20, 1862.


Towle, James S., Sept. 28, 1861. Atwood, T. S., Aug. 6, 1862. Cook, Joshua, Aug. 1, 1862. Gould. O. E., Dec. 21, 1863. Leavitt, B. F., Dec. 24, 1863. Leavitt, C. I., Nov. 6, 1861.


196


HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.


Osborne, J. A., Ang. 20, 1862. Pierce, HI. G., Aug. 20, 1862. Ripley, Edwin, Aug. 20, 1862. Sampson, Niles, Aug. 20, 1862. Teague, 1 .. , Ang. 20, 1861. Bicknell, W. H., Ang. 20, 1862. Ilcaley, J. A., Aug. 20, 1862. MeKinney, Samuol II., Aug. 20,1862.


Allen, C. W., Ang. 20, 1862. Bailey, James, Aug. 20, 1862. Baldwin, C. L., Ang. 20, 1862. Baldwin, I. B., Aug. 20, 1862. Barrett, B. K., Aug. 20, 1862. Bany, David F., Aug. 20, 1862. Bates, Charles, Aug. 20, 1862. Bates, David B., Aug. 20, 1862. Bates, Edwin, Aug. 20, 1862. Beal, Daniel W., Aug. 20, 1862. Beal, George E., Aug. 20, 1862. Bieknell, Allson, Aug. 20, 1862. Bushnell, C., Aug. 20, 1862. Capen, S. G., Aug. 20, 1862. Carney, Frank, Aug. 20, 1862. Cook, Josiah G., Aug. 20, 1862. Corthell, D. M., Aug. 20, 1862. Corthell, J. H., Aug. 20, 1862. Donovan, F., Aug. 20, 1862. Downey, Brino, Aug. 20, 1862. Dyer, E. L., Aug. 20, 1862. Edson, J. H., Aug. 20, 1862. Ellis, Calvin C., Aug. 20, 1862. Ellis, Jason, Aug. 20, 1862. Elmes, George, Aug. 20, 1862. Finnigan, J., Aug. 20, 1862.


Foster, Iliram, Ang. 20, 1862. French, C. II., Aug. 20, 1862. Gurney, A. II., Aug. 20, 1862. Ilopkins, Isaac, Ang. 20, 1862. Howe, G. H., Aug. 20, 1862. Knowles, W. W., Aug. 20, 1862.


Lovewell, G. B., Aug. 20, 1862. Manchester, George W., Aug. 20, 1862.


McGill, Darius, Aug. 20, 1862. Merrows, J., Aug. 20, 1862. Morris, E. G., Aug. 20, 1862. Millett, H. C., Aug. 20, 1862. Nash, E. E., Aug. 20, 1862. Perry, J., Ang. 20, 1862. Powers, D. W., Aug. 20, 1862. Prior, E. O., Aug. 20, 1862. Ramsdell, P. W., Aug. 20, 1862.


Randall, J. W., Aug. 20, 1862. Riee, Alvin, Aug. 20, 1862. Ripley, Joseph, Aug. 20, 1862. Sampson, John, Ang. 20, 1862. Sharpe, G., Aug. 20, 1862. Stewart, N. M., Aug. 20, 1862. Sullivan, J. N., Aug. 20, 1862. Swain, Levi A., Aug. 20, 1862. Talbot, Peter, Aug. 20, 1862. Thorpe, T. H., Aug. 20, 1862. Truet, Joseph, Aug. 20, 1862. Walker, C. H., Aug. 20, 1862. Washburn, Jr., Ezra E., Aug. 20, 1862. Willey, J. H., Aug. 20, 1862.


Company D. Haverstock, John H., Aug. 20, 1862.


Company I. Farry, James, April 30, 1864.


Company K. Estes, Daniel B., Aug. 20, 1862. 39TH REGT. INF., M. V. (3 years). Company D. Curtis, Albert, Aug. 13, 1862.


Company E. Hutter, John, Jan. 5, 1864.


Company H. Gammon, Randall T., Aug. 3, 1863.


54TH REGT. INF., M. V. (3 years).


Reed, Lewis, June 19, 1865. Reed, Lewis, July 9, 1863. Reed, Lewis, Feb. 4, 1864.


Company I. Means, Ernsley B., Oct. 10, 1863. 56TH REGT. INF., M. V. (3 years).


Randall, A. B., May 17, 1864. | Randall, A. B., Nov. 21, 1863. Company D.


Coy, George W., Dec. 29, 1863. | Mann, E. M., Dec. 29, 1863. Barry, Michael, Dec. 29, 1863. Everson, D. H., Dec. 29, 1863. Lawless, James, Dec. 29, 1863.


Mullen (2d), Michacl, Dec. 29, 1863.


Whiting, W. L., Dec. 29, 1863.


Company F. Downey, Dennis, Jan. 12, 1864.


57Th REGT. INF., M. V. (3 years). Company G.


Hayes, James, March 4, 1864. | Loyden, Daniel, March 4, 1864. Kennedy, Jr., Patrick, March MeCarthy, D., Feb. 20, 1864. 4, 1864. Miller, W. T., March 10, 1864.


58TH REGT. INF., M. V. (3 years). Company B. Reed, S. Bryant, Feb. 8, 1864. Company F. Caswell, George A., March 12, 1864. Company II.


Fernald, B. W., April 18, 1864. | Willis, Benj., April 18, 1864. Company I.


Graham, Wm., May 13, 1864. | Reed, Nath. L., May 13, 1864.


59TH REGT. INF., M. V. (3 years). Company G.


Connor, Thos., March 4, 1864. Kennedy, P. J., March 4, 1864. Hayes, James, March 4, 1864. Leyden, Daniel, March 4, 1864.


Willard, M., March 4, 1864. McCarthy, D., March 4, 1864.


Company K. Smith, Henry B., April 21, 1864.


62D REGT. INF., M. V. (1 year). Seavey, William B., March 13, 1865. Company A.


Sharp, Alfred, April 10, 1865. Sharp, E. S., April 10, 1865. Sharp, E. G., April 10, 1865. Stetson, C. F., April 10, 1865.


Company C. Bebee, Chas. W., April 12,1865. | White, Henry M., April 12, Swain, H. F., April 12, 1865. 1865.


REGULAR ARMY.


Additon, Otis R., March 22, Morse, Job L., March 22, 1864. 1864.


Bates, Watson, March 22, 1864. Beale, F., March 31, 1864. Blanchard, Benj. S., March 18, 1864.


Brown, G. A., March 22, 1864. Brown, H. H., March 22, 1864. Brown, J. W., Jan. 21, 1864. Cobb, David, Feb. 18, 1864. Crocker, T. W., March 26, 1864.


Cushing, W. H., Feb. 18, 1864. Everson, L. T., March 26, 1864. Harding, Edw. C., March 22, 1864. Hathaway, Thomas H., March 22, 1864. Holbrook, N. O., March 29, 1864.


Murray, C. D., Jan. 1, 1864. Nelson, Cyrus, Feb. 20, 1864. Noyes, E. L., March 22, 1864. Packard, Chas. W., March 22, 1864.


Packard, H. P., Jan. 4, 1864. Poole, H. E., March 22, 1864. Pratt, S. L., March 22,.1864. Raymond, Walter A., March 22, 1864.


Robbins, L., March 22, 1864. Robbins, T. P., March 29, 1864. Sanborn, James H., March 22, 1864.


Sturtevant, George E., Oct. 26, 1864.


Sullivan, J., March 22, 1864. Turnor, Nathan, Jan. 4, 1864.


OTHER STATE ORGANIZATIONS.


Loud, Sam'l M., Dec. 29, 1863. | Wood, Benj. F., Dec. 29, 1863. [ Bly, Charles F., Jan. 20, 1864. | Wheeler, E. H., Jan. 16, 1864.


James r. Ward.


------


-


HISTORY OF ABINGTON.


497


LIST OF VOLUNTEERS AND NAVAL MEN MENTIONED IN HO- BART'S " HISTORY OF ABINGTON," BUT NOT FOUND IN THE " RECORD."


Freeman, Harvey P.


Pettee, Lemuel.


Jewett, John.


Flynn, Thomas.


Henis, Richard R.


Joncs, William A.


Bnrke, James.


Jones, Samuel W.


Cronan, Dennis.


Thayer, Franklin P.


Galliher, Owen.


Jones, Charles H.


Donovan, John F.


Smith, George W.


Lyden, Martin.


Smith, Charles.


Flynn, James.


Fleming, Peter.


Beal, George E.


Nash, Elmer II.


Bennett, Jr., Seth W. Nash, Francis A.


Lahay, Thomas.


Lee, James.


Lyden. Morton.


Murphy, Dennis.


Rendergrass. John.


McIlvaine, Hugh.


Mahoney, Thomas.


O'Connell, Jeremiah.


Leavitt, Thomas.


O'Donnell, Hugh.


Driscoll, Timothy.


Russell, George H.


Stetson, Oliver.


Penniman, George.


Riley, Michael.


Cnshing. Samuel F.


Campbell. William M.


Farrar, Calvin.


Caswell, Benjamin.


Churchill, Rohert.


Rider, Edmund.


Hooker, Edward.


Mead, John. Madin, John.


Joyce, Thomas.


Pettee, Michael.


Randall, Osias.


Smith, George H.


Witherell, Ebenezer A.


Brown, James H. Pool, Peregrine W.


French, Charles L.


Baldwin, Henry.


Bates, Edwin. Perkins, Joshua L.


Mellon, Joel B.


Cronin, Daniel.


Capen, A. Augustus.


Robbins, Edwin R.


Cushing, Henry L.


Sprague, Jr., Seth C.


Naval, Thomas.


Cassidy, Thomas.


Cole, Ephraim T.


Steingardt, Benjamin.


O'Connell, James.


Chandler, J. B.


Farrar, Lucian W.


Soper, Henry A.


Mathews. Warren.


Davis, John T.


Folsom, George W.


Townsend, Newton.


Randall, George P.


Downey, Dennis.


Tirrell, Jr., Americus V. Tirrell, Major.


Foster, S. Boardman. Hatch, George.


Quinlan, James.


Maxwell, Charles W. McGill, Florence.


Fish, Isaac H.


Cassaland, James W.


Manary, Frank.


Cushman, Isaiah.


McGrath, William.


Henry, Philander.


O'Brine, Daniel.


Ryerson, Simeon.


Bourk, John. Wales, William. Moore, Horace D. Hallihan, Dennis.


Ring, Osgood. Lane, Andrew.


Leavitt, Peter M.


Gnrney, Francis M.


Harris, John H.


Lealey, Patrick.


Hall, Ichabod G.


Cnshing, Henry G. Merritt, Quincy. Clark, John. Cobb, Henry.


Hall, Alonzo. Hayes, John. Birmingham, Richard. Hatch, John T.


Swain, Theron L. Corthell, Elmer L. Breck, M. V. B.


Bowden, Dennis. Damon, Edwin H.


Driscoll, Patrick.


Holbrook, William. Webster, William. Campbell, John. Callihan, Daniel. Briggs, Geo. W. Gurney, Silaz. Gurney, Winfield S. Dolan, Michael. 32


McGill, Alexander. Waters, James. Whitney, Hiram L. Foley, Cornelius.


Foster, Alonzo T. Meserve, Solomon. Claton, Henry. Sheean, Michael.


Gurney, Francis M.


Millett, George L.


Nash, Francis H.


Thomas, David.


Kelly, Thomas.


Hobart, John T.


Coran, Michael.


Bates, Napoleon P.


Foley, Edward.


Pease, William H.


Wheeler, Charles H.


Driscoll, Timothy.


McCarthy, Felix. Roles, George.


Holland, John.


Wilder, James.


Leroux, Lewis.


Washburn, Jerome.


NAVAL MEN.


Barry, David F. MeQuire, James.


Grady, John O.


Friary, Peter.


Bennett, Benjamin V. Noyes, Ephraim L.


Campbell, James. Ripley, Joseph.


Cushing, William H.


Ripley, Edwin.


Claxton, Robert. Robbins, Loring.


Dugan, Michael.


Cavanaugh, William.


Hathaway, George.


Saunders, Edward.


Hathaway, Thomas.


Thorillett, Peter.


Jackson, Henry O. .


Trott, Thomas.


Lawless, James.


Washburn, -.


Lynch, James.


NAMES NOT FOUND IN "RECORD" (CONTINUED).


Allen, Calvin W. Mitchell, Seth W.


Alden, Edward C. Phillips, David T.


Fish, Andrew W. Teague, Lysander. Taylor, John G.


Foster, William E.


Hunt, Seth, Jr.


Witherell, Robert E.


Hudson, John.


Whiting, Thomas F.


Howland, Nathaniel T.


Conlan, Edward.


Hill, Morton E.


O'Connell, James.


Loud, Lemuel J.


Randall, Anson B.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.


REV. JAMES W. WARD.


The Rev. James Wilson Ward was one of the in- fluential men and marked characters of Plymouth County, and distinguished for his learning, his energy, and his public spirit. He was born in Alna, Me., May 21, 1803, where his father, the Rev. Jona- than Ward, long known in the churches of New Hamp- shire as " Father Ward," was then preaching. His grandfather, the Rev. Nathan Ward, was one of the original settlers of Plymouth, N. H., and the minis- ter of the colony. Young Wilson spent his boy- hood in Plymouth, N. H., whither his father returned from Alna, serving for a number of years as minister


Snell, Jr., Samuel L.


Churchill, Millard F.


Ford, Charles E. Snooks, John G. Fay, William. Griffin, Michael.


Josselyn, James E.


Dngan, John.


Cooney, Patrick.


198


HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.


of the church there. He was graduated at Dartmouth College in 1826, where he stood at or next to the head of his class. After teaching for a few years in the academies at South Berwick, Me., and Ipswich, Mass., and studying theology at Andover and New Haven, he settled, in 1834, as pastor of the First Congregational Church in Abington, where he re- mained for nearly a quarter of a century.


Mr. Ward was a remarkably clear thinker, a man of great will-force and moral power. It is not strange that he soon became one of the leading ministers in the county at a time when the influence of the min- istry was not small. It was in the early days of the anti-slavery movement that he came to Abington, and he was soon found to be an abolitionist. He preached and spoke freely against slavery, and in 1835, when the English abolitionist, George Thomp- son, was visiting this country, he invited him to oc- cupy his pulpit on Sunday. Public sentiment did not support the innovation, and the church was bat- tered with stones, and the mob outside was threaten- ing. Mr. Thompson left the meeting-house protected on one side by Mr. Ward's young wife, and on the other by Mr. Ward's aged father, and from the near- est house Mr. Ward took Mr. Thompson through the fields to his own home. The next Sunday he preached a sermon against mobs. It was in great part due to Mr. Ward's active influence that Abing- ton was one of the first towns to welcome anti-slavery sentiment, and to cast an anti-slavery vote.


.


Mr. Ward was deeply interested in education. He was always active in the cause of the public schools, and it was chiefly due to his influence actively ex- erted in earnest discussions in town-meetings that the old system of district schools was replaced by the system of graded schools. He was the father of the present system, and carried it against great opposition. A fine scholar himself, versed in Latin, Greek, He- brew, French, and German, he sought out promising boys in the schools and persuaded them to take a college course. His own children he educated chicfly himself, carrying both boys and girls through a full course of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. He was a number of times invited to take a professorship or presidency in a college or theological seminary, but declined, preferring the quiet of a pastorate in Ab- ington.


As a pastor he was active and faithful, as the growth of the church and the swarming of another church from it showed. His interest in public affairs, however, forced him somewhat in public life, and for a number of years he represented the town in the State House of Representatives, and the county in the


Senate. In both of these capacities he served with more than usual success. In the State Legislature he took especial interest in questions of education and in laws giving equal property rights to women. He was deeply interested in the organization of the Lib- crty party and afterwards of the Free-Soil party, and, later still, of the Republican party.


During his pastorate in Abington Mr. Ward was a faithful student of the theological questions of the day, ranking with the more liberal wing in the Con- gregational body. He was for some time one of the corresponding editors of the Congregationalist, and contributed some of its ablest articles to the " Bibli- otheca Sacra."


His voice failing him in 1856, he left Abington and spent a few years in Madison, Wis., and Daven- port, Iowa, but after marrying again, in 1862, he re- turned to Plymouth County, and made his home for the last ten years of his life in Lakeville, Mass., where he supplied the pulpit of the Congregational Church, though without formally assuming the full responsibilities of a pastor.


Mr. Ward was married, in 1834, to Miss Hetta Lord Hayes, daughter of Judge William A. Hayes, of South Berwick, Me. She died Dec. 11, 1842, leaving behind her five young children. Of the care and education of these children Mr. Ward assumed the charge, not marrying again until they had left his home. In 1862 he was married to Mrs. Caroline L. Ward, of Lakeville, Mass., who survived him. For some years they spent the winters in New York, and it was while there that he niet with an accident, in getting from a street car on a very icy street, which caused his death three days later, Jan. 30, 1873, in the seventieth year of his age. He was buried from the church of which he was so long pastor, and fol- lowed to the grave by multitudes who desired to honor his memory.


MOSES N. ARNOLD.


The family of Arnold is of great antiquity, having its origin among the ancient princes of Wales. Ac- cording to a pedigree recorded in the College of Arms they trace from Ynir, king of Gwentland, who flour- ished about the middle of the twelfth century, and who was paternally descended from Ynir, the second son of Cadwaladr, king of the Britons, which Cadwal- adr built Abergavenny in the county of Monmouth, and its castle, which was afterwards rebuilt by Hamlet ap Hamlet, ap Sir Druce, of Balladou, in France, and


Th


fath


of


183


for


ing


low


asSE


The


Re


ma


18


bu


pat


TỈ


Res


H


pat


Isiti


to


thị


ter


the


499


HISTORY OF ABINGTON.


portions of the wall still remain. This family has produced in England many eminent men, notably that great teacher Dr. Arnold, of Rugby ; the cele- brated lecturer, poet, and critic, Matthew Arnold; Edwin Arnold, author of " Light of Asia," etc. The first American ancestor of Moses N. Arnold was Thomas, whose descendants were among the early set- tlers of Watertown. His great-grandfather, Thomas, was a resident of Abington (Rockland). His grand- father. Jonathan, born about 1794, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and one of the constituent members of the First Universalist Church of Abington, in 1836. His father, Jonathan Arnold, Jr., was born in Abington, April 5, 1818. From early youth he worked at his trade, shoemaking, receiving his educa- tion at common schools, where he became qualified for teaching, and when twenty years old, began teach- ing winter terms of school, and for twenty years fol- lowed this avocation in district and grammar schools. He has served fifteen years on school committee, ten years-from 1847 to 1857-consecutively, and in 1875 and 1876 was selectman, which office then included assessor and overseer of the poor. In 1865 and 1866 he represented Abington in the State Legislature as a Republican, and as a labor reformer in 1870. He married Aug. 3, 1841, Abigail, daughter of Moses and Lucy E. (Bennett) Noyes. They have had fifteen children.


MOSES N. ARNOLD, son of Jonathan and Abigail (Noyes) Arnold, was born in Abington, Jan. 31, 1844. He attended the schools of his native town, but while yet a lad commenced to work at shoe- making. He was only about seventeen years old when the civil war broke out, and, like many of the patriotic youth of our loyal Massachusetts, left home and joined the army of the brave and gallant many who jeopardized their lives for their country, enlisting April 19, 1861, in Company G, Twelfth (Webster) Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, for three years. He served in the Army of the Potomac, and was en- gazed with his regiment in all the bloody, destructive, and historic battles in which that grand army partici- pated, except the Peninsular campaign. From a po- sition in the ranks, by his gallantry and attention to duty, he advanced step by step until when, after thirty-eight months' service, his regiment was mus- tered ont, Jnly 8, 1864, he was in command of his company, with commission of captain. He was wounded in the battle of Antietam by a ball through the neck.


Returning to Abington, he worked " on the bench" about one year, and then in a small way engaged in manufacturing. This was in 1865. By his thrift,


energy, and business qualities Mr. Arnold has rapidly placed his name and factory among the leading insti- tutions of the kind in this great centre of shoe manu- facturing. He now employs about five hundred opera- tives. Although strongly Republican in political principles, Mr. Arnold has had no time to meddle in politics, as his largely-increasing business has absorbed his entire attentiou and given solid financial results. He has taken Masonic degrees to Knights Templar, and is a member of McPherson Post, G. A. R., of which he has been commander.


He married, Sept. 17, 1867, Martha, daughter of Deacon James and Deborah (Jones) Ford. They have six children,-Abbie, Agnes, James, Ethel, Percy, and Helen.


As an evidence of the harmonious relations existing between Mr. Arnold and his employés and the way he pushes business, we quote from the Plymouth County Journal of Aug. 1, 1884:


" A HAPPY FAMILY .- It would be hard in all Plymouth County, or in any other county, to find a happier, jollier, more contented, or better paid army of working people than the four hundred and fifty, more or less, men and women in the great brick shoe- factory of Moses N. Arnold, at North Abington. From the basement to the fifth story the hum of men and machinery reminds one of a veritable hive of industry.


" From humble beginnings Mr. Arnold's factory has grown to be one of the leading factories in the State. Increasing business has led to constant addi- tions to his building, the latest being the erection of a brick addition on the south side of the centre, five stories high, thirty-five by twenty-five feet. Its pur- pose was to get the main stairways out of the main building. These the addition now contains, and be- sides them it contains the elevator and a large room on each floor. The first is a stock-room ; the second, office; the third, office of the bottoming department ; the fourth and fifth are occupied by cutters. These four hundred and fifty employés are now turning out about one hundred cases of fall goods per day. Thus far this season there has been no slacking up, and Mr. Arnold thinks there will be none. This is one of the factories which will pull through without even a tem- porary shut down."


Mr. Arnold is a man of sterling integrity, honest, and sincere. As a citizen, he is public-spirited, ener- getic, industrious, and progressive, and has always favored and earnestly supported whatever tended to the advancement and the best interests of his com- munity. As a soldier, he did his full duty. All in all, Mr. Arnold is one of the live, enterprising men


500


HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.


of the day, and a specimen of a class of which Mas- sachusetts is justly proud,-her self-made men.


Capt. M. N. Arnold entered upon the manufacture of boots and shoes iu October, 1865. He worked at the bench as a shoemaker for Mr. M. C. Wales about a year after he was discharged from the United States service, and then began business for himself. At this time he cut his own sole-leather, and, as he had no rolling machine, lie was accustomed to take the leather to the shop of a neighboring shoemaker and roll it by hand. In 1867 he moved to the fac- tory that had been occupied in former years by S. R. Wales. Here his business greatly increased until 1870, when he was obliged to have more room. He then moved into the south part of the steam-mill of Amos Reed, which had been specially fitted up for him. The business was prosecuted here successfully for five years, at the end of which time it demanded still larger accommodations, and the present factory was built.


The building was originally one hundred and twenty-five by forty feet, and four stories high. Seventy-five feet have since been added to the length, and a south wing, thirty-five by twenty-five feet and five stories high, has just been completed. This factory is fully equipped with modern machinery, em- bracing the most recent results of man's inventive genius, and is well-nigh perfect in all its appointments. The chimney-stack, which may well be termed a land- mark, is one hundred and ten feet high.


Capt. Arnold carries on the largest boot and shoe business in Plymouth County. The grade of goods produced is very high, and prominent manufacturers inform me that there is no firm in the United States manufacturing so finc a quality of goods that is doing so large a business. It may be well to state, in order to give some idea of the extent of the business, that there are eighty-four employés in the stitching de- partment alone. The total number of employés is five hundred, and the sum paid for wages for the year ending July 1, 1884, was two hundred and forty thousand dollars. For the same period there were produced twenty-three thousand cases of boots and shoes, aggregating two hundred and seventy-six thousand pairs, at a market value of seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.


The business has had a steady growth, and is in a sound and healthy condition. Since 1867, Mr. Ar- nold has had a mutual interest in the firm of Potter, White & Baylie, Summer Street, Boston.


WILLIAM E. LYON.


Next to Capt. Arnold, Mr. William E. Lyon car- ries on the largest manufacturing business in the north part of the town. He began manufacturing shoes Jan. 1, 1866, and took as a partner Henry C. Buck, under the firm-name of Buck & Lyon, cach contrib- uting five hundred dollars. The value of their man- ufactures the first year was only about five thousand dollars, which gave employment to only three em- ployés besides themselves. At the expiration of the first year Mr. Lyon bought out his partner, and has since conducted the business himself, increasing a little each year, until about five years ago, when he began to manufacture lawn-tennis and base-ball can- vas shoes. Since then his trade has rapidly increased, and he now owns a large factory thoroughly equipped with power and all the modern machinery, and gives employment to one hundred persons. The product of the factory last year was six thousand three hun- dred cases, or one hundred and fifty-one thousand two hundred pairs. The value of the production was one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.


Mr. Lyon is, like Capt. Arnold, a public-spirited citizen, and throws his influence on the side of every good cause. He is a ready public speaker whenever occasion demands. Educated in the public schools of Abington, his native town, he was ambitious to pur- sue his studies further, and so spent some time at the academies then existing at South Braintree and Mid- dleboro'. Both Mr. Lyon and Capt. Arnold are striking examples of what young men may become, even though born in the so-called humbler walks of life, provided they are endowed with that very essen- tial gift known as common sense, and are correct in their habits of life, and have received the quickening mental impulse afforded by the common schools.


HENRY B. PEIRCE.


Henry B. Peirce was born in Duxbury, Aug. 6, 1841, but has resided in Abington for the past thirty- eight years. He is a lineal descendant of one of the early heroes of the Old Colouy. His aucestor, Capt. Michael Peirce, of Scituate, was sent out by the Governor and Council of Plymouth, in 1676, to stay the ravages of the Narragansett Indians and drive them back to Rhode Island. Capt. Peirce was a man of the most resolute and undaunted courage, and when his comuand, which consisted of fifty Englishmen and twenty friendly Indians, encountered a large force of the Narragansetts at Attleboro' Gore, they




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.