History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 160

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 160

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REV. ZACHARIAH HOWARD was the son of Robert and Abigail (Snell) Howard ; born in North Bridge- water (now Brockton), May 21, 1758. For a short time he was a soldier in the Revolutionary army ; graduated at Harvard College in 1784; settled in the ministry as successor of Rev. Samuel Dunbar, over the First Church in Stoughton,1 1787, where he died in 1806, leaving no children. His widow died at Canton, March 11, 1856. aged ninety-five years.

REV. NATHANIEL WALES was the son of Thomas and Polly ( Hobart) Wales; born in North Bridgewater (now Brockton), April 2, 1793; studied theology at Bangor Theological Seminary ; settled in the ministry at Belfast, Me., Sept. 26, 1827. At the time of his entering the ministry the church over which he was settled was supported partly by missionary aid, and was in a neighborhood where he met with an unusual opposition from those who differed from him in their belief. They were unusually hostile to the faith his church professed. The wealth, fashion, and influence of the place were arrayed against its young men, who were early taught not to frequent their house of worship. Seldom has a church sprung up with such a strong opposition as the one over which he was placed. To breast this influence and make progress against it they needed a man of strength of mind and moral courage. In Mr. Wales the church found such a man. He, having entered the ministry late in life, had the advantage of mature years. He had no fear of man ; for, having been called of God to preach the everlasting gospel, he shunned not to declare the counsel of God, however received by men. He warmly embraced the " faith once delivered to the saints,"-the faith of the Pilgrim fathers,-not doubt- ing that its faithful exposition and enforcement were God's appointed means of spiritual profit. His was no time-serving policy ; he had not learned that to win souls the offensive features of divine truth must be ignored or kept out of sight.

As a speaker, Mr. Wales was bold, emphatic, and impressive. He grasped the truth with a strong band, and sent it forth on its mission all glowing with the ardor of his own intense feeling. His honest pur- poses, his ardent desire to do good savingly, to bless those to whom he ministered, could not be doubted. He sought to make his influence teil upon the eternal

well-being of his people. He was abundant in labor, preaching much in the surrounding towns, striving to win and save wherever he went. He was an earnest student, an able preacher, a faithful pastor, cheerfully spending and being spent, that he might enlarge the boundaries of the Redeemer's kingdom, and bring glory to Hini on whom all his own hopes reposed ; nor did he labor in vain. While his ministry was too brief to reap large results, he still made an imu- pression on the community in favor of the true gospel and a faithful ministry, whose influence is felt to this day ; so that the once feeble church has, under his and his successors' instrumentality, gathered courage and strength till it has grown to be one of the able churches of that vicinity. In stature Mr. Wales was above the medium ; he had a manly countenance and dignified bearing; the sight of him inspired respect. In the warm season of 1828, while returning home from a publie meeting, he took a severe cold, which fastened upon his lungs and brought on consumption. His disease baffled medical skill and the most assidu- ous care. He gradually declined till, on the 20th day of January, 1829, he sunk peacefully to rest, and a rising light was thus early quenched. His early death was one of those mysterious providences that try the faith, and one which was sincerely mourned by the people of his charge and by numerous friends. " Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." " The memory of the just is blessed." Says one who was an intimate friend,-

" My recollections of Mr. Wales are very pleasant, and I cherish great respect for his memory, and as being a man of more than ordinary power."

REV. MATTHEW KINGMAN is the son of Eliphalet and Zilpha (Edson) Kingman ; born in Brockton, Feb. 24, 1807. He was engaged in early life in teaching school; studied theology at Gilmanton, N. H .; was afterward agent of that institution for one year ; was ordained in the ministry June 26, 1845, at Bethel, Vt. ; dismissed from there April 19, 1854 ; was installed pastor of the First Congregational Church in Charlemont, Mass., June 6, 1854. While preaching at Bethel, the degree of Master of Arts was conferred upon him.

THOMAS JEFFERSON SNOW was the son of Jona- than and Huldah Snow; born Feb. 21, 1802, in that part of North Bridgewater (now Brockton) called Northwest Bridgewater, or West Shares (now Brock- ton Heights). He had early in life acquired a fond- ness for books, and his parents, discovering that he had more than ordinary thinking powers and a desire for learning, decided to give him a collegiate educa- tion ; he fitted for college under the tuition of Dr.

1 That portion of Stoughton where this church is located was incorporated into a town by the name of Canton, Feb. 23, 1797. 1

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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

Caleb Swan, of Easton, Mass., and Thomas Tolman, Esq., of Canton, Mass. ; he entered Brown Univer- sity, Providence, R. I., a year in advance, and gradu- ated in 1825, with the usual honors. His natural inclinations were of a literary order. He never pub- lished works of any kind, but was frequently em- ployed to deliver lectures. The most of his life was spent in teaching, with the execption of three years. He was a very successful teacher. He was first prin- eipal of Hingham Academy ; afterwards principal of Franklin High School, in Nantucket, Mass .; he then accepted the principalship of the Milton Academy, Milton, Mass., where he taught six years, and was elected honorary member of Harvard College. This position he resigned for the purpose of removing West, which was in 1835, when he moved to Michi- gan City, in the northern part of Indiana; from thenee he removed to Kentucky, where he resided twelve years, teaching and educating his sons; but fearing to have his sons brought up and coming under the influence of slavery, he removed to Illinois in 1851. He opened a school the same year in Pe- oria, where he taught till his death, Oet. 6, 1851, aged forty-nine years. He was buried in the Masonic Cemetery with the honors of that order. He held the office of Royal Arch Mason. He left a wife and seven children to mourn his loss as a kind friend, a good teacher, and good counselor; he was a warm receiver and firm advocate of the doctrines of the New Jerusalem Church. His eldest son, Hector O. Snow, was formerly professor in Shelbyville College; also professor in the commercial colleges, Chicago, and is now principal of the Tazewell High School, Tazewell County, Ill. ; his second son, Orin T. Snow, is principal of Batavia High School, Kane County, Ill. ; Croyden P. Snow is principal of the Second Distriet Grammar School, Peoria, Ill .; Herman W. Snow was a teacher in the last-named school for seven years, when he resigned to enter upon the profession of law, and is now settled in Peoria, Ill., attorney-at- law, member of Peoria bar.

REV. SAMUEL FULLER DIKE is the son of Samucl and Betsey (Burrill) Dike; was born in North Bridge- water (now Brockton), March 17, 1815 ; fitted for col- lege under the instruction of Rev. Daniel Huntington, and at the Weymouth and Braintree Academy, Samuel T. Worcester instructor, and the Bridgewater Aead- emy, Hon. John Shaw instructor; entered Brown University, Providence, R. I., in 1834 ; graduated in 1838; was a preceptor of Yarmouth Academy, Yar- mouth Port, Mass., one and a half years; studied theology with Rev. Thomas Woreester, of Boston ; completed his studies for the ministry in 1840; was

ordained as minister of the New Jerusalem Church at the session of the General Convention of New Jerusalem Churches, at Philadelphia, June 7, 1840, by Rev. Thomas Worcester, of Boston ; commenced preaching as a candidate in Bath, Me., June 14, 1840. At the end of the same year he received a call to settle with the society where he now labors; this eall he accepted, and was duly installed Sunday, Oct. 10, 1841. He has continued his labors of love to that church and society to the present time. On the Sab- bath, June 13, 1847, he was made an ordaining min- ister of the New Jerusalem Churches by the General Convention holden in the city of New York. He has been president of the Mainc and New Hampshire Association of the New Jerusalem Churches for nearly twenty years; also superintendent of the public schools of Bath for over twenty years, from 1847.

FREDERICK CRAFTS, A.M., was the son of Rev. Thomas and Polly (Porter) Crafts, born June 5, 1797. In early life he resided in the West Parish of Mid- dleboro', Mass., of which his father was pastor ; he fitted for college at Pierce Academy, Middleboro'; graduated at Brown University, Providence, R. I., in 1816; studied law, and was admitted to the bar of Plymouth County. He soon left the practice of law, and after teaching at Boston, Taunton, and other places was appointed principal of the Bridgewater Academy, where he remained till 1861, when he re- signed. He was a resident of Bridgewater at the time of his death.

v DEACON HEMAN PACKARD, born in North Bridge- water (now Brockton ) about 1800; was the son of Levi and Ruth (Snow) Packard; resided in that town teach- ing school for many years ; at length, his health being such that he could not reside in the northern climate, he engaged in traveling as colporteur ; for four years he distributed tracts up and down the Mississippi among the flatboat- and rafts-men coming down the river. In the year 1842 he was appointed colporteur for the American Bible Society in the eity of New Orleans, afterwards receiving the ageney of the Southwest Bible Society and American Sunday-School Union, also of the Presbyterian Board of Publication. He was a warm-hearted, devoted Christian man, whose whole aim and purpose seemed to be devoted to doing good, ehcerfully giving of his time and substance to that objeet. He left his native town about the year 1838 or 1840, having spent about twenty years in his labor of love. He died Jan. 12, 1858, at New Orleans.

At a meeting of the Bible Society, held at New Or- leans on the day of his death, resolutions were passed expressive of the sorrow for the friends of the departed, also, " that in his death the society has lost one of its

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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.

best and truest friends and servants. So long as he lived we always felt that it had the earnest, faithful, effectual, and fervent prayers of a righteous man ascending to the throne of God's grace in its behalf."

FREV. ABEL KINGMAN PACKARD is the son of Deacon Simeon and Harmony (Kingman) Packard ; was born in North Bridgewater (now Brockton) March 19, 1823 ; became a member of the First Congrega- tional Church in Brockton, Nov. 6, 1836 ; graduated at Phillips Academy, Andover, August, 1841; en- tered Amherst College the same year, and graduated Aug. 14, 1845 ; became principal of an academy at Millbury, Mass., where he remained two years ; grad- uated at Andover Theological Seminary, Andover, Mass., Sept. 4, 1850 ; was a resident-licentiate and student one year ; was ordained pastor of the Congre- gational Church at Yarmouth, Mass., Dec. 16, 1851; was dismissed, at his own request, Oct. 17, 1859, and removed immediately to Minnesota ; supplied the Con- gregational Church at St. Anthony six months, during the absence of their pastor, and was installed pastor of the church at Anoka, Minn., June 14, 1860, where he now resides.

REV. LYSANDER DICKERMAN is the son of Ly- man and Vienna (Sproat) Dickerman ; born in North Bridgewater (now Brockton), June 8, 1825; began a preparatory course of study with the Rev. Paul Couch, of that town; entered Phillips Academy, Andover. Mass., under the care of Samucl H. Taylor, LL.D. In the autumn of 1847 he entered the Freshman Class of Brown University, Providence, R. I., and graduated in 1851; was principal of Rockingham Academy, Hampton Falls, N. H., two years; entered the Theological Seminary, Andover, Mass., in 1853, and graduated in 1856. And on leaving the seminary, his health being poor, he was not settled till April 29, 1858, when he was ordained and installed pastor of the Congregational Church in Gloucester, Mass. ; was dismissed by an ecclesiastical council from the pastorate of that church Jan. 19, 1860, and was installed as pastor over the Congrega- tional Church and Society in Weymouth, where Rev. Jonas Perkins had preached for forty-six years, Jan. 17, 1861.

-REV. ZENAS P. WILD was born in North Bridge- water (now Brockton), Oct. 16, 1818; united with the church under the care of Rev. John Dwight, at Campello, Mass., 1837 ; fitted for college at Pierce Academy, Middleboro'; became a member of the Baptist Church at North Randolph, Mass., and was there licensed to preach ; afterwards studied theology at Thomaston and Waterville, Me., also with Rev. E. B. Smith, D.D., of New Hampton, N. H., and Rev.

John Newton Brown, D.D., graduating in 1844. He then received an invitation to preach at Unionville (now Ashland), Mass., where he was ordained in March, 1845. With this people he remained two years, laboring with great success, large numbers being added to the list of church members. He next became pastor of the Baptist Church in Marblehead, Mass., remaining there two years. Receiving a call to settle with the Baptist Church in Rowley, Mass., he remained with them three years, with satisfactory results ; was pastor of the Baptist Church in Billerica, Mass., two years ; since then settled at West Boylston, Mass. ; from thence he removed to New York, where he labored as pastor for four years, when, his health failing, he resigned the office of pastor and received an appointment from the City Tract Society as city missionary April, 1860, where he now resides.

REV. AZARIAH B. WHEELER is the son of Beriah and Lucy Wheeler, of East Haddam, Conn .; born March 23, 1817. He pursued his academic studies at the East Haddam Academy ; was ordained in the ministry in 1840. After preaching in various places, he was stationed at Brockton as pastor of the Second Methodist Episcopal Church in April, 1851. He has held several public offices ; at one time was presi- dent of the North Bridgewater Loan Fund Associa- tion. In 1855 he was a representative to the General Court from North Bridgewater. In 1856 was senator from Plymouth County, also a member of the Fremont Electoral College.

-REV. ADELBERT FRANKLIN KEITH is the son of Franklin and Betsy (Bailey) Keith, born in Cam- pello Aug. 2, 1841. After usual studies in the schools of his native village, Mr. Keith fitted for college in the North Bridgewater Academy, and became a clerk for three years in the Treasury Department at Wash- ington ; afterward studied theology in the seminary at Hartford, Conn., graduating in 1870; settled in Wind- ham, Conn., from 1870-1875; in Danielsonville, Conn., 1875-1877 ; in North Providence, 1877-1884.

PROFESSOR HENRY BRADFORD NASON, son of Elias and Susanna (Keith) Nason, of Campello, was born June 22, 1831 ; fitted for college at Adelphian Academy at Brockton and Williston Seminary, East Hampton, Mass .; graduated at Amherst College in 1855, and Göttingen in 1857; and, after extensive study in this and foreign countries, became manager of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy, N. Y. He is also a skillful chemist, as well as author.

- HON. OTIS CARY, son of James and Hannah (Wales) Cary, was born in Brockton June 14, 1804. . He has been a very active and successful business

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man, engaged in the manufacture of iron castings and foundry business. He has been selectman of Foxboro' for several years, and represented that town in the Legislature in 1860 and 1861 ; senator from Norfolk County in 1863-64, justice of the peace since 1852, president of Savings-Bank in Foxboro', also of the Loan Fund Association, and vice-president of the Norfolk County Agricultural Society.

. AUGUSTUS T. JONES, A.M., was born in North Bridgewater (now Brockton), May 21, 1832 ; fitted for college at Adelphian Academy and at Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass. ; entered Amherst College September, 1854, where he remained two years ; en- tered junior class at Yale College, New Haven, Conn., September, 1856, and graduated in July, 1858; had the degree of Master of Arts conferred upon him in 1862 ; was principal of high school at Williamsburgh, Mass., from 1860 to 1862; began to publish the North Bridgewater Gazette in September, 1863, of which he was publisher and editor till Sept. 1, 1884. He has also been postmaster of Brockton.

HEMAN PACKARD DE FOREST1 is the son of Isaae and Jane Baker (Paekard) Paekard, born Aug. 20, 1839. After receiving the usual common-school education in his native school distriet, at the age of fifteen he entered the North Bridgewater Academy, which had then been in existence but a short time ; commenced fitting for college in the fall of 1856; graduated at Yale College in July, 1862; entered Yale Theologieal Seminary in September, 1863. Mr. De Forest is now an Orthodox clergyman ; was in- stalled at Westboro', Mass., Aug. 10, 1871.

- S. D. HUNT was born in Sudbury, Mass., June 8, 1823; son of Sewall Hunt; reecived his education at the academies in Derry, N. H., and Framingham, Mass. ; taught high school at Concord, Mass., eight years, ending 1854; removed to North Bridgewater (now Broekton), and cstablished the North Bridge- water Academy in 1855.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

BENJAMIN KINGMAN.

Benjamin Kingman was the third son of Scth and Judith ( Washburn) Kingman. He was born in the North Parish of the old town of Bridgewater, now Brockton, Dec. 3, 1793, and, like most men in his

day, worked upon the old homestead farm, which he afterwards owned, situated in what is well known as the Kinginan neighborhood, on Summer Street, in the easterly section of the city of Brockton. Besides the service rendered to his father on the farm during the summer season, he with his brothers spent their leisure time during the days and long winter evenings by hammering and making wrought nails, then the only nail used which were all made by hand. At the age of seventeen years he commenced his apprentice- ship with Josiah Perkins, near his house, to learn the blacksmith trade. Upon arriving at the age of twenty-one, he embarked in trade, keeping a variety store in the house now standing at the corner of Main and Chestnut Streets, formerly the residenec of the late Isaac Keith, in Campello. He afterwards removed his business to the store at the corner of Main and Belmont Streets, now occupied by Hotel Belmont.

While engaged in trade at the latter plaec, about 1821, the year of the incorporation of the town of North Bridgewater (now Broekton), he commenced the manufacture of shoes for the wholesale trade, and was one of the earliest manufacturers in this city. During the winter season he would go to Savannah, Ga., to sell his goods, where he had a store, and at the time of the great fire, in which a large portion of the eity was destroyed, his was the only one in his section that was saved. He afterwards spent one win- ter in Cuba, West Indies, selling his goods.

In 1812 he was a member of Capt. Nehemiah Lincoln's company of militia, and was ealled to do duty at Plymouth. His widow now draws a pension for the same. He was the first person engaged in the sale of lumber in the town. He opened a lumber- yard on the land now occupied by the brick dwelling- house of the late Hon. Edward Southworth, on Main Street. He was also engaged in building houses on contract. When the third meeting-house was ereeted, in 1827, Mr. Kingman was the most active member of the building committee, and was the agent to carry out all the plans in removing the old church and building the new, and at the dedication of the same he was on the committee of arrangements. Aug. 10, 1835, he was appointed agent to build the parsonage house for the First Congregational Church, which stood on the spot now occupied by " Perkins' Brick Bloek."

In 1833, in company with Bela Keith, Esq., Mr. Kingman built the public-house, which was the only one in the city for a long time, and reeently destroyed by fire, at the corner of Main and School Streets, now occupied by " Washburn's Block." He was the first

1 The name of De Forest is an adopted name in honor of David C. De Forest, who had left a sum of money to Yale Col- lege to be appropriated to the edueation of those who should adopt his name.

Bory'n Kingman.

Eny by.AH.Ritchie

Henry Southworth

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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.

proprietor, where he remained but a few years. At another time he became joint owner of the public- house now known as the Hyland House, in Bridge- water.

In all the walks of private and daily life, Mr. King- man was highly respected as a citizen, unostentatious, quiet, honest, and decided. He was possessed of an active mind, and was very communicative to others and highly enjoyed life, fond of society, and felt a deep interest in all the great topics of the day. A person of excellent judgment, calm and considerate in all of his movements, his conduct was prudent and discreet, and in public affairs ever reliable. He seldom took part in the strife of political life, except- ing as a voter, but was always firm as a Whig and unwavering as a Republican.

That he enjoyed the full confidence of his fellow- citizens may be seen in his having frequently been called to fill offices of trust and responsibility. He was prominent in all the public affairs of his native town, and filled nearly all the offices in the gift of the town. He was one of the selectmen, overseers of the poor, represented the town in the Massachusetts Legislature. and for upwards of thirty years was a deputy sheriff for the county of Plym- outh. He was one of the first directors of the Ran- dolph and Bridgewater Railroad corporation, now merged into, and forming a portion of, the present Old Colony Railroad Company. At the time of the incorporation of the first bank of discount in the city, Mr. Kingman was the chief promoter and organizer, and became one of its directors. At the time of his death he was an agent and director of the Hingham Mutual Fire Insurance Company.

Although Mr. Kingman never made any public profession of religion and belonged to no particular denomination, yet there was no person more devoted to the interests of and success in the First Parish than he. In his early life, and almost to the close, he was a regular attendant on the public services of the sanctuary, and had a deep interest in its prosperity. He was the principal man in maintaining the legal rights of the parish, in court and out, during the long term that the same was in litigation ; and in the settlement of all matters pertaining to the same, where there were any differences, he was the leading spirit. He was the principal in building and completion of the present elegant meeting-house, erected in 1854.

Mr. Kingman passed peacefully away from the scenes of carth on the 13th of April, 1870, at the age of seventy-seven years.

reception of which the society passed the following resolutions, which we find on their records :

" WHEREAS, by the resignation of Benjamin Kingman, in the office of Chairman of the Standing Committee of this parish, after having filled the same for a long series of years, and therein acted a prominent part in our history as a parish, we, the members of the Parish, are led to consider the energy, the large experience, the sound judgment, and the puhlie spirit which he has manifested in the discharge of the duties of that office; now, therefore,

" Resolved, That his services in said office are entitled to our grateful acknowledgments, and that we deem it a just and proper act, as well as a pleasant one, to place upon the record this testimonial of our appreciation of those services and of the benefits resulting to us therefrom.

" JONATHAN WHITE, " JONAS R. PERKINS, "WILLIAM F. BRETT, " Committee."

HENRY SOUTHWORTH.

The Southworth family is one of the most ancient in the commonwealth, Widow Alice Southworth having arrived at Plymouth in the ship "Ann," August, 1623. Her two sons arrived in 1628, and both became distinguished men in the Old Colony. The widow married Governor William Bradford. The line of descent to the subject of our memoir is as follows : Constant, Edward, Edward, Perez, and Martin, who was born Jan. 2, 1788, and married Ruth Packard Nov. 11, 1811, and had four children, of whom Henry was the third.

Henry Southworth was born in North Bridge- water, Jan. 12, 1820. He was always a resident of this place, as his father was before him, and was noted all through life for his sterling integrity, hon- esty of purpose, and his high standing as a man and a citizen. He was a man of few words, but of sound judgment, and he will be long remembered by those with whom he was accustomed to associate. In early life he followed the trade of a shoemaker, but at the age of thirty, after a short connection with a store at Factory Village (now Salisbury Square), he entered the employ of the late William F. Brett, a prominent merchant in this place, with whom he remained sev- eral years. In 1861, just after the breaking out of the Rebellion, Mr. Southworth went into partnership with E. O. Noyes in the hardware and grocery busi- ness, under the firm-name of Southworth & Noyes. His connection with the firm extended over a period of fourteen years, until 1875, when he retired from active business life and engaged in the management of his home estatc. In 1877, Mr. Southworth was elected a member of the Board of Selectmen, and

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History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 160

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

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