USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Stoneham > History of Stoneham, Massachusetts > Part 17
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Mr. Gilmore was married in Malden, December 25, 1864, to Miss Abbie S. Bonney, of Norway, Me., and two daughters, Nellie and Susie, have been born to them and are both living. Mr. Gilmore resides in an attractive and substantial home on Main street. He is an attendant of the Congregational Church.
He is a member of King Cyrus Lodge, F. and A. M., has taken a card from the Royal Arch Chapter and Hugh de Payens Commandery, of Melrose, of both of which he was a member, and is a member of Stoneham Council, American Legion of Honor.
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HON. ONSLOW GILMORE.
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He enjoys the confidence of his fellow citizens to as great a degree as any citizen of the town, and has been honored with various town offices, including Selectman for four years, Assessor for two years, Chief Engineer of the Fire Department for five years, Trustee of Lindenwood Cemetery for sixteen years, Auditor for five rears, Highway Surveyor for two years, a member of the Water Committee for four years, in fact he has been chosen to about all the town offices except Overseer of the Poor, School Committee, and Trustee of the Public Library, and has been appointed on various important special committees, including school houses, appropriations, new streets, revising by-laws, &c.
EDWIN A. VINTON.
Edwin Augustus Vinton, of the firm of Vinton & Jenkins, shoe manufac- turers, was born in Melrose, Mass., August 29, 1841, and is the son of Na- than A. and Mary G. (Brown) Vinton. His education was obtained in the public schools of Melrose, and in that town he also learned the trade of a shoemaker, at which he worked until twenty-one years of age.
At that time, 1862, the civil war was in progress and Mr. Vinton enlisted in Company G, 42d Mass. Vol. Infantry.
January 1, 1863, he was taken prisoner at Galveston, Texas, and detained for three months, when he was paroled and discharged, and afterwards en- listed for one hundred days in Company A, 8th Mass. Vol. Infantry, this company being the Richardson Light Guards of Wakefield. During the time he was on this service the company was in Maryland. It was mustered out at the end of the term and Mr. Vinton returned to Melrose and resumed shoemaking.
In 1870 he came to Stoneham and for eight years worked in the shoe fac- tories of the town, and was agent for the Middlesex Co-operative Boot& Shoe Co., when in 1878 he formed a copartnership for the manufacture of shces with Frank B. Jenkins, which firm has continued since under the name of Vinton & Jenkins, a sketch of their business being given below.
Mr. Vinton was married in Stoneham, December 25, 1870, to Miss Cath- erine C. Campbell, of this town. Five children have been born to them, three of whom are living, namely: Walter S., Edna Pearl and Katie May. Two sons have passed away.
Mr. Vinton is a member of King Cyrus Lodge, F. and A. M., J. P. Gould Post 75, G. A. R., Stoneham Board of Trade, Stoneham Lodge, No. 371, K. of H., of which he is a Past Dictator, and Beulah Chapter, No. 11, Order of the Eastern Star.
FRANKLIN B. JENKINS.
Franklin B. Jenkins, of the firm of Vinton'& Jenkins, shoe manufacturers, was born in Bradford, Vt., July 23, 1837, and is the son of Joseph C. and Olive (Jackson) Jenkins.
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When eight years of age, 1845, he came with his parents to Stoneham, where he attended the public schools, and in his time out of school between the ages of nine and eleven years he worked in a cotton factory and at the age of eleven commenced work at shoe making. He continued at school until his first year in the High School, which he attended a few months, since which time he has always been engaged at shoe making or in business. for himself. His first work after leaving school was at pegging shoes on a "team" up stairs in the northern portion of the brick building now occupied by Mrs. Ira. Gerry. Since that time he has learned the trade thoroughly in all its branches.
FRANKLIN B. JENKINS.
For three years, 1861 to 1864, he lived in Wisconsin, but previous to that had taken out work from Sweetzer & Battles and C. C. Dike & Co.
After his return to Stoneham he manufactured' women's pegged shoes on his own account in 1865 for a short time for'Westernparties.
He then bought out a custom shop in a building where the Odd Fellows' building now stands, where he continued making custom boots and shoes for awhile until his health began to fail, when he sold out.
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He afterwards worked for Daniel Sprague for a short time and then went into the employ of F. S. Hill & Co., and remained with them for thirteen years, until they gave up business. For two years of this time he was on "team" work, and during the remaining eleven years finished bottoms of shoes by contract, from which he saved money enough to furnish him with capital with which to start in business for himself.
In 1878 he formed a copartnership with Edwin A. Vinton under the firm name of Vinton & Jenkins, which firm has continued to the present time. A sketch of the firm is given below.
Mr. Jenkins was married October 3d, 1858, in Salem, Mass., to Miss Caroline Louise Lowe, of that city, and they have had three children, all of whom are living, namely : Carrie Louise, Edward Chester and Frank Austin, all of whom are married, and the two sons are employed in their father's factory.
Mr. Jenkins resides with his family in a home of his own on Middle street .
He is a member of Columbian Lodge and Columbian Encampment, I. O. O. F., has passed through the chairs of both and is a member of the Grand Lodge and Grand Encampment, and one of the Directors of the Odd Fellows' Hall Association. He is also a member of Evergreen Lodge, D. of R., and of the Board of Trade and is an attendant at the Congregational Church. .
VINTON & JENKINS, SHOE MANUFACTURERS.
The firm of Vinton & Jenkins was formed in 1878 and they commenced business in one room in the factory now occupied by Sanborn & Mann, mak- ing one case per day of misses and children's grain boots and shoes by machinery, and employing from twelve to fifteen hands.
In 1881 they removed to the Fitzgerald building, then just completed, on Hancock street, and increased their business while there to about ten cases per day and employed about seventy-five hands.
In 1887 they removed to the factory of Drew & Buswell on Franklin street, succeeding to and adding the business of this firm to their own.
There they remained two years when they bought the factory and good will of the business of the old Stoneham Co-operative Boot and Shoe Co. , and removed to that building, located on Main street next south of the fac tory of Sanborn & Mann. There they have continued to the present time, and are among the largest manufacturers in Stoneham.
They have also a factory in Barnstead, N. H., where they manufacture their cheaper class of goods, turning out ten cases per day and employing seventy hands. The Stoneham factory is now devoted to misses' and chil- dren's fine kid and goat boots and shoes, the output being twenty-five cases per day of seventy-two pairs each, one hundred and sixty-fivel hands being employed.
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They dispose of their product to the wholesale trade of the Western and Middle States. Their success is largely due to close application and careful attention to the details of their business.
See Page 68 for view of their factory.
J SON B. SANBORN.
Jason Basford Sanborn, of Sanborn & Hill, Boots and Shoes, etc., was born in Holderness, N. H., August 18, 1834, and is the son of Jeremiah and Caroline (Basford) Sanborn.
He was educated in the schools of his native town finishing in the Academy at Sanborntown Bridge, now Tilton, N. H.
JASON B. SANBORN.
He worked on his father's farm for a time and learned the trade of a shoe- maker in Holderness. He came to Stoneham in 1852 and worked at his trade forfabout twenty years, when he bought out the retail boot and shoe storefof Andrew M. Latham, this being now the oldest in the town. For a yearfor more he conducted the business alone and in 1874 received as a part- ner Sidney A. Hill, who was then manufacturing children's hand-sewed boots and shoes for the New England trade. The two branches were combined
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and have been continued in the same store on Main street up to the present time, the name of the firm being Sanborn & Hill.
Mr. Sanborn was married in Stoneham, October 21, 1860, to Miss Emily J. Osgood, of this town. They have two children, viz .: Emma Florence, wife of J. E. Dutton, formerly of Stoneham, and Warren Elmore, who is also married.
Mr. Sanborn is a man much esteemed by his fellow citizens, is a leader among them, and has been honored by them in many ways. He is now Chairman of the Board of Registrars of Voters, a position which he has held for several years, was Selectman, Loing Clerk of the Board, for three years, 1872, 3 and 4, was President of the Stoncham Board of Trade for two years, was one of the incorporators of the Stoneham Co-operative Bank, is now its President and has been a Director since it was organized, and is now a Di- rector in the I. O. O. F. Building Association. He is a member of Colum- bian Lodge and Columbian Encampnunt, I. O. O. F., of this town, having been through all the offices of both and become a member of the Grand Lodge and Grand Encampment, and is a member of Stoneham Lodge, K. of H., and of the Unitarian Church.
SIDNEY A. HILL.
Sidney Adelvin Hill, of Sanborn & Hill, Boots and Shoes, etc., son of Nehemiah and Hannah (Carter) Hill, was born in Stoneham, August 26, 1849. He was reared and educated, and has, with the exception of a short period, always lived in this town.
After leaving school he worked in the shoe factories of Stoneham for four years, and in Haverhill, Mass., for two years. He then engaged in the man- ufacture of children's hand-sewed boots and shoes for a time, and in 1874 became a partner with Jason B. Sanborn, under the firm name of Sanborn & Hill, and a steadily successful business has been the result. Combining his manufacturing with the retail business of Mr. Sanborn, already established, they have continued to manufacture ladies' and children's hand-sewed boots and shoes for the New England trade, and also to retail boots and shoes to our own people, both branches of the trade being done in the store on Main street.
Mr. Hill was married in Andover, Mass., June 20, 1871, to Miss Elizabeth H. Bardwell, of that town. They have one daughter, Ora Bardwell Hill, who was the Salutatorian of the graduating class of 1891 of the Stoneham High School.
Mr. Hill is a member of King Cyrus Lodge, F. & A. M., Columbian Lodge and Columbian Encampment, I. O. O. F., and Stoneham Lodge, K. of H. He has been through the High Priest's chair of Columbian Encamp- ment and is a member of the Grand Encampment. He was one of the incor-
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porators of the Stoneham Co-operative Bank, has been a director since it was organized and is now Vice President, having held that office for several years.
LYMAN DIKE.
Colonel Lyman Dike was born in Stoneham, August 24, 1821, and is the son of Jesse and Elizabeth (Willey) Dike.
He was educated in the public and private schools of the town, after which he went to work in the general store of his brother, Geo. W. Dike, by whom he was employed five years.
LYMAN DIKE.
In 1843 he formed a co-partnership with Alfred J. Rhoades and commenced the manufacture of shoes, they doing the work themselves at first and gradually putting on and increasing their help as the business progressed. From small beginning the business increased rapidly on account of their making a finer grade of goods than other manufacturers in the town. They virtually introduced a new class of goods which in time revolutionized the business here. Previous to their going into business only two kinds of sewed and one kind of pegged shoes were made, these being largely a cheap class
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of children's red bottom goat and kid shoes. Rhoades & Dike manufactured light kid and goat, light bottom, pegged shoes, and orders came faster than the firm could fill them, and this led other manufacturers to making the same kind of goods.
The firm of Rhoades & Dike was dissolved in 1848 and was succeeded by the firm of Lyman Dike & Co., consisting of Lyman and George W. Dike. They continued in business until 1855, manufacturing about half a million dollar's worth of goods a year, for the Western and Southern trade.
After 1855 Lyman Dike continued in business alone until 1885, when he retired, and has since devoted his time to farming, being now the proprietor of Marble Ridge Farm, a tract of about 150 acres in the southwestern part of the town. Much of this land is what is called Bear Hill meadow and has been redeemed by Col. Dike;from the most improductive land into as produc- tive as any in the town. Through this meadow runs the brook which supplies the Winchester reservoir with water. At one time Col. Dike kept between 60 and 70 milch cows and raised large quantities of milk, but about two years ago he sold off most of the cows and now keeps about half a dozen. He has also curtailed his vegetable raising and only cultivates six acres for this pur- pose and about thirty acres for hay. He leases eighteen acres to Captain D. T. Strange of Woburn, for market gardening. Col. Dike also owns real estate in other parts of the town ; including his homestead on Franklin street, corner of Pine, which he built in 1858 and has resided there ever since.
Col. Dike was married at Reading, Mass., December 18, 1845, to Miss Eliza G. Wiley, of Stoneham, who is still living. Two daughters have been born to them, Sarah Jane, wife of Daniel S. Davis of Boston, and Cora Eliza who is unmarried and lives with her parents.
Col. Dike has taken a great interest in the militia in his day and was largely instrumental in raising and forming Co. C, of the Seventh Regiment, in 1851 and was unanimously elected the first Captain of this company, which he commanded for two years when he was chosen Major of the regiment and served in that capacity until 1855, when the regiment was disbanded by Gov. Gardner but was immediately re-organized and he was unanimously re-elected as Major.
In 1856 he was elected Lieutenant Colonel and 1858 Colonel of the regi- ment, receiving every vote in both elections.
In Camp Banks, in 1859, at Concord, Mass., when all the militia of the State were gathered together for the only time in their history, he was the Senior Colonel and for two days was in command of the Fourth Brigade.
In 1861 he was detailed by Governor Andrew to command a camp of instruction at Lynnfield, where four regiments were formed and sent to the seat of war, the 17th, 19th. 22d and 23d.
Early in the war of the Rebellion, Col. Dike offered to form a regiment
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composed exclusively of colored troops, but the proposition was not accepted by President Lincoln.
On the second call for men for service in the militia, Col. Dike's regiment was the first to report at headquarters in Boston outside of the regular Boston troops.
In 1858 Dr. Wm. H. Heath proposed to Col. Dike that if possible, all the private libraries in Stoneham be formed into a public library. These two gentlemen soon set to work to bring about this result and were successful, and over 1400 volumes were contributed by the various libraries of the town, and the Public Library opened in 1859. Col. Dike was chairman of the Board of Trustees for thirteen years, and also of the Purchasing Committee. This Library was one of the first public libraries organized in the State, and it was instituted before the law was passed allowing towns to tax themselves. for the support of libraries.
Col. Dike has been a leading citizen of the town, and has been honored with a number of public offices. He was a Selectman in 1853, 1881, 1882, 1886, and Assessor for several years, a member of the School Committee for eight years, of the Water Committee for four years, when water was intro- duced into the town, was also on the Committee on Appropriations for a number of years and chairman for some time, and has served the town on various other important committees.
He has been a Special County Commissioner for nearly twenty years and still holds that position, and also represented his district in the Legislature in 1860.
Mr. Dike was one of the seven men who built the Stoneham Street Rail- way. Was Director of the same from 1860 to the date of its transfer to the East Middlesex in 1888, being Superintendent for seven years, and Treasurer for twenty-six years; is at present one of the Directors. He was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1851 and has held the office to the present time ; has been a Notary Public since 1885. He has been a trustee for fifteen years and Vice President of the Middlesex Agricultural Society for three years, and is a. trustee of the Bay State Agricultural Society.
He was active in the Fire Department at one time and was foreman of the Gen. Worth Engine Co. for a year and its Treasurer for two years.
He is a member of Columbian Lodge, I. O. O. F., being the next to the oldest Odd Fellow in Stoneham, having joined Crystal Fount Lodge, in Woburn, in 1843. He has been through the chair of Columbian Lodge sev- eral times and is a member of the Grand Lodge. He also belongs to Co- lumbian Encampment, I. O. O. F., was a charter member of King Cyrus Lodge, F. and A. M., a charter member of Waverly Royal Arch Chapter, of Melrose, and was its Senior Warden, was a charter member of the Royal and Select Masters, of Melrose, and a charter member and Captain General of Hugh de Payens Commandery, of Melrose. He is a 32d degree Mason.
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He was one of the original members of the Stoneham Board of Trade, and one of the organizers of the Unitarian Church and was on the standing committee of the Church during its separate existence as a society.
He was the first President of the Stoneham Co-operative Bank, being one of its organizers, and was continued in that office for nearly three years, and has been one of the Trustees of the Stoneham Five Cent Savings Bank since soon after its organization. He was President of this bank for eight years, and one of the Investing Committee for about twelve years.
For several years during the war he was a director of Monument Bank of Charlestown, Mass.
DR. A. H. COWDREY.
Arthur Harris Cowdrey, M. D .. was born in Acton, Mass., January 17, 1836, and is the son of Harris and Abigail ( Davis) Cowdrey. His father was a physician and practised for fifty years in Acton, although he was born on Cowdrey's Hill, in Wakefield.
The subject of this sketch obtained his early schooling in Acton, and afterwards attended the Lawrence Academy, in Groton, Mass., where he fitted for college and graduated, but owing to ill health he did not take a collegiate course but studied medicine with his father. He attended one course at the Berkshire Medical School, in Pittsfield, Mass., and three courses at Harvard Medical School, from which he graduated in 1857. He then practised med- icine with his father in Acton for six months and spent the next winter in Philadelphia, attending the Jefferson Medical School and the University.
In the spring of 1858 he went to Stowe, Mass., where he remained in the practice of his profession until August, 1862, when he went into the army, having been appointed by Governor Andrew Assistant Surgeon of the Seventh Mass. Vol. Infantry. He was in the second battle of Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, under- Generals Burnside and Hooker, and at Gettysburg under Gen. Meade, his regiment being of the famous Sixth Corps. In Oc- tober, 1863, he was appointed Surgeon of the 37th Regiment, U. S. Colored Troops, by President Lincoln, and went first to Newbern, N. C., where he stayed a short time and then went to Norfolk, Va., his regiment joining the Army of the James under Gen. Butler. Here they passed the winter and in the spring went up the James River with Gen. Butler's troops. The 37th Regiment landed at Powhatan, remained there awhile, and were then located at Wilson's Landing until General Grant came from Cold Harbor across the river. The 37th Regiment, then of Gen. Wilde's Brigade, joined Gen. Grant's forces and went to front of Petersburg, being there during a portion of the summer and at the camp near Dutch Gap during the balance. Dr. Cowdrey was on detached service through the fall at the hospital near Point of Rocks, on the Appomattox River.
DR. A. H. COWDREY.
EUER
DR. COWDREY'S RESIDENCE.
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When Gen. Butler went on his Fort Fisher expedition Dr. Cowdrey was ordered on to the steamer Western Metropolis as Surgeon in charge of medi- cal supplies. Under Gen. Terry, who relieved Gen. Butler, Dr. Cowdrey was returned to duty in the 37th Regiment and went with his regiment through Wilmington, N. C., to Raleigh, the regiment being engaged in some skir- mishing on the way. From Raleigh they went back to Wilmington and the war being over Dr. Cowdrey resigned. His resignation was accepted June 22, 1865, and he was mustered out.
July 22a of that year he came to Stoneham and has practised surgery and medicine steadily ever since. Being a skilful surgeon and a physician ofknowl- edge and good judgment he has acquired the confidence of the people and has an extensive practice. He boarded for two years with Mrs. John Hill, and then built the house in the square where he lived until 1889, when he purchased the magnificent mansion on Maple street where he now resides. It is one of the finest and most costly residences in Middlesex County.
He was married in Boston, February 16, 1859, to Miss Mary W. Emery, of Boston, and they have had two daughters, both living, namely: Maud Harlow and Helen Walcott Cowdrey.
Like all active and busy men Dr. Cowdrey is connected with numerous societies and institutions. He is a prominent member of the Congregational Church, of which he has been an assessor for years, is a member of King Cyrus Lodge, F. and A. M., and was formerly an active member of the Royal Arch Chapter and De Molay Commandery, of Melrose, but being unable to attend the meetings on account of press of other duties he took out a card from these societies. He is a member of Columbian Lodge, I. O. O. F., Stoneham Council, American Legion of Honor, Middlesex East District Medical Society, and State of Mass. Medical Society, served three years on the Board of School Committee in the early part of his residence in Stone- ham, is now Town Physician, Vice-President of the Stoneham Five Cent Savings Bank, of which he was a Trustee for nearly fifteen years, a Director in the Stoneham National Bank and Stoneham Co-operative Bank. He is a public spitited citizen and has been one of the most active pushers in bring- ing to a successful issue the railroad scheme by which the town is to be con- nected by a short route to Boston via the Boston & Maine R. R., this latter project when completed, being considered the most important event in the history of the town.
FRED E. NICKERSON.
Fred Everson Nickerson, Assistant Treasurer of the Stoneham Five Cent Savings Bank, is the son of Joseph G. and Isabella E. (Fort) Nickerson, and was born in Chelsea, Mass., June 16, 1862. His parents removed to Stoneham when he was an infant and he has since resided in this town.
He was educated in the public schools of Stoneham, and afterwards at-
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tended the Bryant & Stratton Commercial College, Boston. Upon leaving the College he was engaged by a Boston firm as bookkeeper. After remain- ing there two years he was appointed Assistant Treasurer of the Savings Bank, which position he has now held for nine years.
FRED E. NICKERSON.
Mr. Nickerson was married in Stoneham November 22, 1888, to Miss Ida B. Clemson, of this town. They have no children. They reside on the corner of Pine and Middle Streets and are attendants at the Unitarian Church.
Mr. Nickerson was a Town Auditor for four years, from 1886 to 1890. He is an expert accountant and a young man much liked and greatly respected in the community.
HUBBARD COPELAND.
Hubbard Copeland, of the firm of Copeland & Bowser, Dry Goods Deal- ers, Stoneham, Woburn and Reading, was born in Reading, Mass., Decem- ber 18, 1845, and is the son of Elbridge and Ruth (Mead) Copeland.
When about six years of age he went to live with a relative in Washing- ton, N. H., where he worked on a farm until he attained his majority. While there he attended the public schools of the town and also Marlow Academy, in the adjoining town of Marlow.
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He then returned to Reading and became a clerk in the dry goods store of Franklin Fletcher, where he was employed until 1871, when he formed a partnership with Robert Bowser and opened a dry goods store in Reading. In 1874, Richard L. Bowser, a brother of Robert Bowser, was admitted to the firm and Copeland, Bowser & Co. opened another store in Stoneham, still continuing the Reading store.
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