History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 218

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 218

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).

Calvin D. Kingman, youngest child of Bela and Lydia (Dean) Kingman, was born April 29, 1825, on the farm where his grandfather settled, in North Middleboro'. He diligently improved the common- school advantages afforded to the farmers' boys of that period, and by the time he was sixteen years old, the savings he had accumulated, by extra work for neigh- bors in haying and pegging shoes in winter evenings, sufficed to pay his expenses at the academy in Bridge- water, which he attended three terms. Commencing teaching when but seventeen years old, he at once at- tained high rank in that profession, and taught pub- lic school in Taunton three winters. During this time he worked at haying in summer, attending the spring and fall terms of the academy, and three terms at the normal school. While attending the latter, and only about twenty years of age, he was surprised to receive a communication from J. N. Ballou, prin- cipal of Taunton Academy, asking him to take the position of assistant in that institution. On Mr. Kingman's showing this letter to Mr. Tillinghast, the principal, and asking his advice as to its acceptance or

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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

rejection, he said, " Go by all means, it is too good a chance to be lost." Prior to this time, and before he was two weeks in the normal school in its spring session, Mr. Kingman had made an engagement to teach the West Bridgewater school the next winter, which engagement, after teaching three terms in the academy, he was compelled to keep. Although giv- ing general satisfaction as an instructor, and having promising engagements offered him, Mr. Kingman concluded not to make teaching his life-work, and, at the close of his winter's school, he went to work on a bench in a shoe-shop aeross the road from his father's residence, and from that time to the present he has been a manufacturer of shoes.

In the fall of 1846 he went to live with his brother, Hosea, who was manufacturing shoes in what is now Lakeville. Here he married, Oct. 3, 1847, Sarah P., daughter of Caleb and Mary (Holmes) Bassett. Commencing housekeeping at Lakeville, he bought leather and made it into shoes on his own account, and soon entered into company with Hosea, which partnership continued about one year, when Hosea died, leaving Calvin the entire business. In the spring of 1862, Mr. Kingman removed both his resi- dence and business to Middleboro', where he is now (1884) located. From humble beginnings, by care, diligence, and integrity, his manufacturing has in- creased steadily and satisfactorily, until it is employ- ing, at the present, fifty operatives, and producing men and boys' calf, kip and buff brogans, balmorals, English and Oxford ties, etc. Mrs. Sarah P. Kingman died Jan. 21, 1875. Her children were Sallie R. (married Henry F. Tillson ; they have one child, Marian, and now reside in Los Vegas, New Mexico, whither Mr. Tillson was compelled to remove for his health, which was much broken by his many years' service at Macullar, Williams & Parker's, Boston), Charles W. (married Lizzie E. Cole, has four chil- dren, Lydia D., Sadie B., Delia R., and Walter R.), Philip E. (married Nellie Shaw), and Henry C., a bright, promising young man, who was accidentally drowned May 14, 1883, in his twenty-first year (Charles W. and Philip E. are associated with their father in business). Mr. Kingman married, Nov. 16, 1876, Mary A., daughter of Andrew J. and Abigail (Snow) Pickens.

Mr. Kingman has devoted his time and attention mostly to business. He is one of the trustees, and on the investment committee of the Middleboro' Savings- Bank. He is largely interested in cattle raising in Colorado, and has passed several months in each year, since 1880, in enjoyment of the sports of the far West, and probably no man of the present generation in

this State has ever killed so much large game, deer, antelope, elk, bear, buffalo, etc., as he. Of an active and vigorous temperament, he is an enthusiastic lover of the chase. Formerly a Whig, of late years he has been independent in politics, voting for the measures and men he deemed the best, and steadily refusing to take office. In religious belief he is a Congregationalist, is a diligent worker in the church, has held the office of deacon for six years, and also that of Sunday-school superintendent for about the same length of time. During his twenty-one years' residence in Middleboro', every Sabbath he has been at home has found him in attendance at Sabbath- school and meeting, with the exception of two or three, when he was detained at home by illness of himself or family. A social companion, a strong friend, a successful business man, and a law-abiding citizen, Mr. Kingman merits and enjoys the esteem of all who know him.

JOHN B. LE BARON.

There is an air of romance and mystery surround- ing the history of the first of the Le Baron family. The following facts were mostly obtained from an article in the " New England General Register" for 1871, written by one of his descendants : In the fall of the year 1694 a French privateer cruising on the American coast was wrecked in Buzzard's Bay, near Falmouth. The officers and crew were taken pris- oners and marched to Boston, but they were com- pelled to leave the surgeon of the ship, Dr. François Le Baron, at Plymouth on account of sickness. During his stay at the inn he performed what seemed at that time a wonderful surgical operation on the landlady. From this fact, and there not being a competent surgeon or physician in the town, the selectmen petitioned Lieutenant-Governor William Stoughton, then acting Governor, that Dr. Le Baron " might be permitted to tarry in the town of Plym- outh as physician, surgeon, and apothecary." This request was granted, and he settled down into the staid manner of life of the Puritans with the name of Le Baron, thus becoming the founder of a new fam- ily. It is presumed that he was a scion of a noble house of Normandy or Provence, but he scdulously refrained from giving any information concerning his early life. He never assimilated with the religion of the colony, was a Roman Catholic through life, and always wore a cross upon his breast. No record can be found of cither the name of the privateer or the port from which she sailed, and an impenetrable veil

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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBORO'.

of mystery must forever lie over the European life, ' purchased the interest of Mr. Tinkham, and conducted family, and even name, of this talented physician.

From these romantic incidents a brilliant writer has made him the hero of a pleasing tale,-" A Nameless Nobleman."-in which many facts are blended with imaginative statements, so as to make a readable book. In 1695 he married Mary, daughter of Edward and Elizabeth (Ames) Wilder, and died in 1704, aged thirty-six years. The children of Dr. Francis and Mary (Wilder ) Le Baron were James, born May 23, 1696; Lazarus. born Dec. 26, 1698; and Francis. born June 13, 1701. On the crest of Burying Hill, Plymouth, even yet may be seen a stone of black marble, bearing this inscription : .. Here lyes y body of Doctor Francis Le Baron, a native of France and Physician of Plymouth, A.D. 1704. There have been many physicians among his descendants.

From Dr. Francis Le Baron to the fifth generation we find the line. Dr. Francis1. James2, John3, John 4, John B.5 John' was born Oct. 18, 1787, and lived in the part of Middleboro' called Rock, until his later years, when he removed to Middleboro' vil- lage, where he died in his ninety-third year. He was an iron-molder. but fully conversant with all departments of the iron business. In connection with this industry, he also carried on a farm. He held a commission in the old militia, and in the war of 1812 was captured by the Britislı.

John B. Le Baron, son of John and Bethany (Ryder, Le Baron, was born Sept. 19, 1817, in Mid- dleboro'. His educational advantages were limited to the common schools. He remained at home until he was about eighteen years old, when he went to Norton furnace and served an apprenticeship at the foundry business. At the completion of his apprenticeship, he worked at Norton for some years, and during this time was married. From Norton he went to Field's furnace, at Taunton, where he also remained several years. He then engaged as foreman in a foundry at Bourneville (now part of Fall River) for two years; then he went to Somerset to superintend the build- ing of what is now the Co-operative Foundry. He occupied that position for two years. In 1855 he and Samuel M. Tinkham, of Taunton, began to build the foundry in Middleboro', with which Mr. Le Baron was so long connected. He lived in Taunton until the autumn of 1859; then he purchased the Ichabod Thomas place in Lakeville, and resided there between five and six years, when he removed to Middleboro', of which place he was ever after a resident. This firm of Tinkham & Le Baron con- tinned until the fall of 1864. Then Mr. Le Baron

the rapidly-increasing business until Jan. 1, 1884, when he was succeeded by his sons, J. Baylies and Eugene P., who formed the Le Baron Foundry Company, which is now doing business.

He married, first, Aug. 16, 1841, Keziah, daughter of Charles and Keziah (Rounds) Baylies, of Taun- ton. She was born June 9, 1818, and died Oct. 10, 1861. Their children were Adelaide (died young), John Baylies (born Jan. 24, 1845, married Lucy S., daughter of Thomas and Abigail (Bisbee) Lovell, and has three children), Maria C. (born Jan. 18, 1847, married Samuel S. Lovell, has three children), Eugene P. (born Jan. 16, 1849, married, first, Lucy H. Morrill; she died in 1871, leaving one child ; second, Georgiana Loring, of Plympton, who has one child), Charles H. (died young), Clara J. (born Jan. 7, 1855, married George R. Sampson, has two chil- dren), and Harriet J. (died young).

Mr. Le Baron marricd, second, Mary J., daughter of James Chase, a native of Dighton, who survives him. His death occurred March 1, 1884. Mr. Le Baron was an incorporator and director in the Do- mestic Needle Company, and its successor, Union Needle Company, of which he owned one-fourth in- terest. He was one of the trustees, and on the board of investment of the Middleboro' Savings-Bank. He owned quite an amount of land, laid out numerous village-lots, and erected a number of houses. He was the originator of the coal business in Middle- boro'. Democratic in politics, as such he was elected to represent Middleboro' in the State Legislature in 1875. He was for years a member of the board of trustees of the Methodist Episcopal society, one of its building committee, and contributed liberally to build the present church edifice, and to the sup- port of the society. He united with the church in 1877, and, up to the time of his death, held the offices of steward and trustee. During the temper- ance reform movement he was active in its support, and was a member of the Assawampsett Division, Sons of Temperance. He was for many years a prominent member of Mayflower Lodge of F. and A. M., Middleboro', Sutton Commandery, and Adon- iram Chapter of New Bedford. Social, cheerful in disposition, fond of hearing and narrating good stories, of large and robust physique, and positive nature, Mr. Le Baron threw his whole soul into whatever he undertook. He was a man of strong will-power and tremendous energy and a hard worker, and from humble beginnings, by his own exertions, acquired a handsome competency. Of strong integ- rity, he was noted for his frankness and candor ; of an

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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

active temperament, carnest and impulsive, sometimes impetuous, but always sincere, he was a man of marked generosity and liberality of character. As a business man he was successful, and as a member of society respected and beloved.

ELIJAH E. PERKINS AND DANIEL SUMNER PER- KINS.

ELIJAH E. PERKINS is of good old Saxon stock, and a descendant in a direct line from one of the first families to settle in Ipswich, Mass. We find in early records the name of John Perkins. He was born in 1590, at Nervent, Gloucester County, England, and probably came in the " Lion" to Boston, February, 1631, with Roger Williams. He had three sons, John (2d), who was a commoner in 1641, Jacob, and Thomas, all of whom were subscribers to Maj. Denison's allowance in 1648. From one of these three sons descended Mark4, who came from Ipswich to North Bridgewater, was a farmer, married, and had a large family. His son, Isaac, born about 1730, settled in North Middleboro', possessed a farm of a hundred acres, a portion of which is now held by his grandson, Elijah, and on which he was born July 22, 1804. Isaac held a commission in the old French war, was a deacon for many years, and a man of sound, practical, common sense. He married Joanna Edson, of North Bridgewater, and died in 1811, at the age of eighty- one. Their children were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Azel, Asa, Cyrus, Joanna, and Sally. (Cyrus grad- uated at Dartmouth College, and was a distinguished physician of New York City.) Azel was born in 1765, received a common-school education, became a farmer, and always resided on the old homestead. He married Lucretia, daughter of Deacon Elijah and Sarah (Shaw) Eaton, of Middleboro'. Deacon Elijah Eaton's second wife was Thankful Alden, daughter of John Alden4. He, John Alden, was a very religious man, lived to be one hundred and two years old, and had read the Bible through as many times as he was years old, it is said, and could tell on hcaring a verse the book and chapter it was from, and continue the quotation.

The children of Azel and Lucretia (Eaton) Per- kins were eleven, of whom Elijah was the ninth, and is now the only survivor. Mr. Azcl Perkins was a man of medium size and very active, steady, indus- trious, and quiet, preferring to work at his own busi- ness than to take office. He retained his activity to old age, and when over eighty years old would as often run to his barn as walk. He died August, 1852, aged eighty-seven.

The educational advantages of farmers' sons in those days were limited to the winter school of a few months, and Elijah attended only eight weeks during each year, after he was ten years old, until, on ac- count of ill health, he went to Boston in 1823, and was employed as clerk for two years. He then rc- turned to North Middleboro', where he has since re- sided. In December, 1833, Mr. Perkins married Elizabeth Eddy Hall, daughter of Asa and Lucy (Leach) Hall, of Raynham. They have had six chil- dren,-Francis H., born Sept. 5, 1835, dicd July 12, 1855 ; Daniel S., born Sept. 4, 1837, died Oct. 22, 1881 ; Lucretia E., born Feb. 3, 1842 (married Enoch Pratt, had one child, Miriam E., and died Nov. 26, 1877); Cordana E., born Nov. 17, 1844 (married Harrison Otis Pratt, Sept. 16, 1869, has one son, Harry Sumner, and resides with her parents) ; Wil- liam Sawyer, born May 17, 1847, died Oct. 13, 1849 ; Mary S., born July 6, 1852, married Benjamin E. Holmes.

Mr. Perkins was one of the pioneers of the shoe business, having in 1836 taken a contract of Seth Bryant, of East Bridgewater, for bottoming shoes, took many apprentices, and continued at this until he had bottomed twenty-five thousand pairs. In 1846 he started on his own account as a manufacturer, the first in Middleboro' to venture in this line. He em- ployed only half a dozen men, but by integrity soon acquired a valuable reputation for his work, and the business steadily increased. Hard working, diligent, and economical, he was prospered. Alone, and in company with others for forty-five years, he was iden- tified with every stage of the development of this great industry of our country. In 1860, when fifty- six years of age, the handsome property acquired by long years of hard labor was swept away to the last dollar by the wholesale repudiation of their Northern debts by Southerners, when they attempted to secede from the Union. Now was shown the value of a character built up by years of honest dealing, perfect truthfulness, and strict adherence to his word. Men who had known him long, and with whom he was ac- customed to deal, gave him the material aid and credit to continue in his business, which, under the brisk times of the war, surpassed its former prosperity. In 1865 he admitted his son, Daniel S., in partner- ship. The business had increased to such an extent that they employed sixty operatives, and enjoyed the reputation of making as good goods as were made, and had a steady New England trade. The new firm was E. E. Perkins & Son, and continued so, until the death of Daniel S., in 1881, of typhoid fever.

DANIEL SUMNER PERKINS, who died in the

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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBORO'.

prime of life, was a diligent laborer and an industri- ous man ; deeming the secret of success strict atten- tion to business. he overtasked himself and sank beneath the burden. He held a high ideal of Chris- tianity. and. although a sincere Christian, never con- sidered himself worthy to belong to the church or- ganization. He was highly esteemed, and his death was a great sorrow to his aged father and mother, and to a great number of appreciative friends who loved him for his worth and many amiable qualities. We copy the following as an instance of the high place he occupied among his fellow-citizens :

" WHEREAS, It has pleased the Almighty Father of Infinite Mercy to remove by death from our number our esteemed friend and colleague, D. Sumner Perkins, be it, therefore,

" Resolved, That we lament his decease socially and officially, becanse his many virtnes of hand, mind, and heart endeared him to us : becanse his snggestions and calm counsels were in- dicative of keen observation, patient investigation, and careful deliberation.

" Resolved, That we bear sacredly in mind his uniform amia- bility, sterling worth, unequivocal integrity, and unswerving fidelity to correct principles.

" Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be sent to his honored parents as an expression of good will and happy mem- ory ; and that these resolutions be entered upon the records of Pratt Free School, North Middleboro', Nov. 25, 1881.

" ZEBULON PRATT,

" AUGUSTUS PRATT,

" J. K. PRATT, " C. C. K. PRATT.

" Trustees of Pratt Free School."

Mr. Elijah E. Perkins early in life became con- nected with the Congregational Church of North Middleboro' (in 1831), and has ever since been a prominent and valued member. He has been deacon for nearly thirty-four years. He very generously bore the expense of the monument erected to the memory of the three Indians,-James Thomas, Job Abanton, and Stephen David, who, in early days" (1750), gave " thirty-eight acres of land for the site of church edifice, parsonage, burying-ground, and ' training-field,' at Titicut.

Mr. Perkins has always resided in his native town, and known of all men, is universally esteemed for his sterling worth, honesty of dealing, integrity, modesty, and unostentation, and in his old age, with the com- petency his faithful labor and business ability of years has brought him, can look back and proudly say that not one dollar has been acquired unjustly. He is one of the best types of a self-made man ; has started many boys on the same road he has trod, and his success is the result of steady industry, careful economy, business thrift, and enterprise, combined with consistent religious principles, reaching over a long period of years. He has never had time to

meddle either with politics or speculation, and has refused all public positions. Whig and Republican in political belief, he has supported by his influence and votes the nominations made by these parties.

SHADRACH ATWOOD, M.D.

One of the old families of Plymouth County is the Atwood family, and from its representatives of the present generation we can select no more worthy subject for illustration or biography in the county's history than Dr. Shadrach Atwood, now a resident of Franklin, Mass. He was born in Carver, May 17, 1801. His parents were Francis and Elizabeth (Ward) Atwood. His grandfather, Benjamin Ward, was prominent in the Revolutionary army (see biog- raphy of George Ward, Lakeville), and his grand- father, William Atwood, was a lieutenant in the same service. Francis Atwood was a farmer, and in 1811 he purchased a farm in Middleboro', and removed thither. Shadrach remained with his parents until he was twenty-one, having advantages of education only in a small district school until he was nineteen, when he attended the academy at South Bridgewater. A few months after he engaged as teacher in a district school, but, becoming acquainted with a new and remarkably successful system of teaching gram- mar, he engaged in teaching that as a specialty for some time, with marked results. He then began the study of Latin preparatory to a college course, and · when twenty-two years old he went to Amherst and, after some preliminary academical study, entered Amherst College, where he remained about eighteen months. Here he made rapid progress, showing those qualities of determination and tenacity of pur- pose so strongly shown in his entire career, and which, when a mere child, caused his father to say, " I never told Shadrach to do a thing which he did not accomplish, and never heard him say, 'I can't do it.'" The difficulties with which Dr. Atwood had to contend in preparing for the work of life were nei- ther few nor small. But these adverse circumstances did not crush his spirit, nor prevent his doing and rising in the world. They only served to develop his manhood, to bring out those sterling qualities which constitute a truly noble character, as they always do in every genuine man. About 1825 he began the study of medicine under Dr. Arad Thomp- son, of Middleboro', but after a few months went to Boston, and attended three courses of lectures at Harvard Medical School, becoming also a student in the office and assisting in the practice of the cele-

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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

brated Dr. Winslow Lewis. He made good use of the opportunities afforded him, and was graduated from Harvard in February, 1830. He soon com- menced his long and successful medical practice by establishing himself at Marlboro', whence, after cigh- teen months' time, he removed to Bellingham, where he was located for several years. In 1836 or 1837 he changed his residence to Franklin, which, with temporary absences, has been his home to the present.

In 1878 he gave up active practice and retired after a professional career of success and profit of nearly half a century. He built up a large prae- tiee, was active, energetic, and won many friends. His nature is positive, and from peculiar cireum- stanees he was early thrown entirely on his own re- sourecs in his profession, and developed self-reliance, care, and elose observation-almost minute-of all his cases. He was remarkable for his skill in diag- nosing disease, and very successful in his treatment. He made his profession his life-work, and gave to it all the strength of his manhood and the vigor of his nature. In 1866 he removed to Wrentham, where he resided four years. He then returned to Frank- lin, and while some of his goods had been conveyed thither an incendiary fire burned the house in Wren- tham, with his library, books of account, and much other valuable property. Notwithstanding these and other reverses, he is to-day one of Franklin's sub- stantial citizens. In polities, in early life, he was an Old-Line Whig, departing from the Democratie prin- ciples of his fathers, but after the dissolution of the Whig party he affiliated with the Demoeratie party, and has since supported it and its candidates. In 1847 he was elected to represent the town of Frank- lin in the State Legislature by an unprecedented majority, and while iu the Legislature was largely in- strumental in securing the charter for the Norfolk County Railroad (an extension of the railroad from Walpole to Blackstone), which gave railroad facilities to Franklin, and marked a new era in its growth and prosperity. Of this road he was one of the ineor- porators. He was at one time a director of the Ben- jamin Franklin Savings- Bank, of Franklin.

He married, first, Nov. 28, 1832, Mrs. Ruth M. Pond, daughter of Cyrus and Ruth (Makepeace) Snow (she died, leaving no offspring, Nov. 7, 1862) ; second, Nov. 27, 1872, Charlotte M., daughter of Walter Harris and Sally A. (Hawkins) Gay.

Dr. Atwood has stood high among his professional brethren ; has honored his domestic relations, his social and official obligations, and enjoys the csteem of a large and honorable cirele of friends and ac- quaintances,

THOMAS WESTON.

Thomas Weston, of Middleboro', was the fifth generation from Edmund Weston, who came to Plym- outh from England in the " Ann and Elizabeth" in the year 1636. He was born March 20, 1770, in that part of the town called Warrentown. His father, Edmund Weston, was a gentleman much respected and a man of influence. In Revolutionary times he kept a hotel in the house now owned and occupied by his son, Col. Thomas Weston. He was very pro- nouneed in his opinions against the tyranny of the crown, and did much towards rousing the patriotism of Middleboro' in those exciting times. He had six children, the youngest being the subject of this sketch.

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History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 218

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