USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Stoneham > History of Stoneham, Massachusetts > Part 21
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Mr. Stevens has been married twice, the first time in Stoneham, October 20, 1868, to Miss A. Josephine Hill, daughter of John Hill, of this town. She died in 1869. The second marriage was also in Stoneham on Septem- ber 30, 1873, to Miss Mary Williamine Green, daughter of James A. Green, of this town. Four children have been the fruit of the second union, three of whom are living, viz: Josephine Flint, Mary Burnham and Frances Osgood. A son, William F:, came to his death by accidental drowning when quite young.
Mr. Stevens is an attendant at the Congregational Church, and is a mem- ber of J. P. Gould Post 75, G. A. R., and Columbian Lodge, I. O. O. F.
In public affairs he is active in whatever pertains to the town's interests, and is one of the most influential citizens, his judgment being consulted and accorded great weight in all matters of importance. He has been honored with a number of public offices and is usually appointed on important committees. He was for fifteen years or more a Trustee of the Public Library, was a member of the school committee for a number of years and has been a Trustee of Lindenwood Cemetery for some time.
He is now, and has been for years, President and a Trustee of the Stone- ham Five Cents Savings Bank, and was one of the incorporators and is a Director of the Stoneham National Bank.
He is chairman of the committee on the new railroad from Stoneham centre to Fells Station and has been one of the most active in forwarding this project.
He lives in an attractive residence on Main street.
The condensed general history of Stoneham contained on pages 1 to 105 of this book is the work of Mr. Stevens.
PATRICK COGAN.
Patrick Cogan, shoe manufacturer, was born in the County Monaghan, Ireland, March 5, 1831, and is the son of James and Julia (Crimmy) Cogan. He attended school in his native place, where he also learned the trade of a tailor.
When seventeen years of age he left home and sailed from Liverpool on the finest ship sailing from that port in those days, and after a trip of thir-
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teen weeks landed in Boston. From that city he went to Woburn, remain- ing there six months, where he obtained employment at out of door labor, receiving fourteen dollars per month as compensation. From Woburn he went to New York City where he remained ten months, also engaged in out of door labor.
In 1851 he came to Stoneham and has been here ever since. Here he worked out of doors until 1853 when he went to making shoes, and in three months after he commenced was earning $1.25 per day, which was good wages at that time. He did not serve an apprenticeship as was the custom then, but has gained a good knowledge of the business by observation and application. He worked in the shoe factories of the town until 1878 when
PATRICK COGAN.
he began the manufacture of shoes on his own account in a small front room on the lower floor of the building he now occupies on Main street, just north of Montvale avenue. This room he rented of the Middlesex Co-operative Shoe Co., which company then had a lease of the building. Here Mr. Cogan, assisted by his two sons, Bernard H. and James, began with the making of twenty pairs of misses' grain shoes per day. In 1880 the Middle- sex Co. gave up the lease of the building and Mr. Cogan was obliged to seek
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other quarters, which he obtained in the Round's Building, where he remained two years, then removed to the Drew Building, on Franklin Street, where he was located for three years. His business had steadily increased, and in 1885 he purchased the old factory in which he commenced, and there he has con- tinued until the present time. It was then that he took into partnership his son Bernard H., and the firm has since been called Patrick Cogan & Son. The output of the factory is nearly all sold directly to the retail trade exclu- sively, with no intermediate agency, the son making two trips a year among the customers of the firm in the New England and Western States. The business has every year shown an increase over the previous year until now about one hundred hands are employed and about six hundred pairs, or ten sixty pair cases, are manufactured per day, the shoes being boys' and youths' split, veal calf, Milwaukee and Dongola grain leather, ladies' misses' and children's Dongola goat, grain and Milwaukee and glove grain. Preparations are being made to build an addition to the factory with the intention of doubling its capacity and turning ou from ten to twelve hundred pairs per day.
Mr. Cogan was married in Lowell to Miss Alice Halpin, of that city, July 5, 1851, and seven children have been born to them, four of whom are now living, viz. : Annie, widow of William Logue, Julia C., wife of S. P. Finne- gan, James and Bernard H., both of whom are married.
Mr. Cogan enlisted for three years in the war, in the 17th Mass. Volunteer Infantry, in June, 1861, but was taken sick in the latter part of October of the same year and came home in December, when he was discharged for dis- ability.
He is a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, of this town.
CHARLES B. MELVIN.
Charles Butterfield Melvin, son of Charles and Susan (Hunt) Melvin. The well-known and familiar face will be at once recognized by all our citizens and more especially by all the travelling public who have ever had occasion to supply the wants of the inner man. It is said some men were born with a silver spoon in their mouths, but it might be safely said that the subject of this sketch was born with a cook book in his hand, so successfully has he catered to the public in the past forty years.
Mr. Melvin was born in Lowell. Mass .. in 1823, and commenced his suc- cessful career by serving an apprenticeship with the well-known Capt. Mars- ton from 1843 to 1846. In 1847 he started and successfully ran the first express between Lawrence and Lowell. but after a year he concluded to return to his old trade and accordingly opened the first regular eating house ever in Lawrence, which he managed till 1857 when he took possession of the Frank- lin House, remaining there five years. While there Mr. Melvin had the
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honor of entertaining President Pierce, Hon. B. F. Butler and all the prom- inent men of those days. In 1861 bė disposed of his interest, and in 1865 came to Stoneham, where he has resided ever since, and by judicious man- agement of the Central House, (the only Hotel in this place), has succeeded in[amassing a fortune which will comfort him in his declining years.
CHARLES B. MELVIN.
Besides catering to the wants of the inner man, Mr. Melvin is a large real estate owner in Stoneham and Lawrence, Mass.
Mr. Melvin retired from the hotel business July 1, 1891, having catered in Stoneham 26 years.
CHARLES H. BROWN.
Charles Hamilton Brown, retired leather manufacturer, is a native of Leo- minster, Mass., where he was born February 27, 1839, and is the son of Hamilton and Adelia (Spaulding) Brown.
He attended the common schools of Leominster until he was sixteen years of age, and in the following year went to North Woburn, Mass,, and served an apprenticeship at the currying trade with the firm of Bond & Tidd until he was twenty-one years of age.
In March, 1860, he came to Stoneham and went into the employ of Tidd &.Bloomer and worked for them until they dissolved their partnership and
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closed their factory in 1861. He then went to Woburn and worked for Gen. Abijah Thompson and Tidd & Blake until February, 1862, when he returned to Stoneham and went to work for Wm. Tidd, Jr., who was then just start- ing in business alone after having closed up the business affairs of Tidd & Bloomer.
Mr. Brown continued in the employ of Wm. Tidd, Jr., and afterwards with Wm. Tidd & Co. until January, 1866, when he was admitted as a part- ner in the firm and continued until November, 1890, when he withdrew and retired with a competency. His son, William T., was admitted to the firm in 1887 and is now a member.
CHARLES H. BROWN.
Mr. Brown was united in marriage in Woburn by Rev. R. P. Stebbins, November 27, 1862, to Miss Oriana Tidd, daughter of Wm. Tidd, of this town. Mrs. Brown was born in Woburn. Two children have been the fruit of this union, both of whom are living, namely: William Tidd and Annie Hamilton.
Mr. Brown formerly belonged to Wyoming Lodge, of Melrose, and was a charter member of King Cyrus Lodge, of Stoneham, F. and A. M. ; he was also a member of Hugh de Payens Commandery, of Melrose, but has with-
MANSION OF CHARLES H. BROWN.
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drawn from the above, but is a life member of Waverly Royal Arch Chapter, of Melrose. He is an attendant at the Unitarian Church.
He was formerly a Director of the First National Bank of Woburn, and is a Director and was one of the incorporators of the Stoneham National Bank.
He resides in one of the finest homesteads in Stoneham, situated on the corner of Maple and Chestnut Streets.
HENRY HOLDEN FRENCH.
Henry Holden French, son of Reuben and Abigail (Holden) French, was born in Billerica, Mass., Jan. 15, 1827.
He was educated in the public schools of his native town and assisted his parents on the farm prior to 1851, when he came to Stoneham and entered the employ of Allen Rowe & Son, clerking in the store and assisting in the manufacture of shoes until 1861, with the exception of one year, in which he was employed by Sweetser & Battles, shoe manufacturers. From July I, 1861, to Dec. 9, 1869, he held a position of responsibility and trust with Aaron Hill, grocer, and during the later years has worked at shoe cutting in several factories of the town.
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Mr. French has always been much interested in town affairs and has been elected several times to fill important positions. He is now serving for the fifteenth consecutive year on the Board of Overseers of the Poor. In 1860- 61 he served as Assessor, 1862 Selectman, Assessor and Overseer of the Poor.
He was married in 1858 to Harriet E. Kimball, who died in 1873. Of this union were two children, Zoe and Harriet, both of whom are living. His second marriage was in 1874, with Mrs. M. A. Woodward.
Mr. French has been a member of Columbian Lodge, I. O. O. F., since 1878.
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WILLIAM FLINT COWDREY.
Wm. Flint Cowdrey, son of Lieut. Geo. and Rebecca S. (Bucknam) Cow- drey, was born in Stoneham, Mass., January 22, 1827, and received his education in the public schools. He learned the trade of shoemaking, in which occupation he is now employed. Mr. Covdrey sailed from Boston October 31, 1849, for San Francisco, California, in the ship Argonant via Cape Horn, arriving there March 13, 1850, returning by the Isthmus of Pan- ama, and reached home July 19, 1852. He enlisted August 16, 1864, in Co. K, Fourth Regiment Mass. Heavy Artillery and served until the close of the
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war. He has held the office of Selectman for two years. He has also been a member of the board of registrars of voters for three years. He is a charter member of Miles Standish Colony No. 7, of the Pilgrim Fathers, also a. member of Columbian Lodge, No. 29, I. O. O. F., and a member of J. P. Gould Post 75, G. A. R., and is a member of the society of California. Pioneers of New England.
WILLIAM H. FARNHAM.
William Henry Farnham, manufacturer of shoe lasts, was born in Smith- field, Maine, November 20, 1855, and is the son of Samuel and Harriet A. (Foss) Farnham.
He attended the common schools of Norridgewock, Me., and the High School at Waterville, Me., from which he graduated.
From sixteen to nineteen years of age he worked in a cotton mill in Au- gusta, Me., and afterwards with a partner went into the business of manufac- turing shoe stock at Auburn, Me., the firm being Simonds & Farnham. He remained in this business for two years and then took up the business in which he is now engaged, first learning the trade with the Auburn Last Co., where he served three years.
After this he was employed by the Day Process Shoe Co. in experimental work and on September 1, 1882, he came to Stoneham and went into the last making business on his own account.
He started in the basement of the shop now occupied by P. Cogan & Son, Main Street, he furnishing power for his rent to Wm. P. Fletcher, box maker, and a laundry, both in the same building.
He put in only one turning machine at first and employed three hands besides himself. At the end of two years he removed to larger quarters in the factory now occupied by L. V. Colahan and added another turning ma- chine and three more men. He remained there about three years and then removed to his present quarters where he occupies one whole floor in the upper part of the factory of Hamilton Hay, on Montvale avenue.
He has now four turning machines and in busy times employs fourteen men. His Boston office is at 116 Bedford Street, room 505. Mr. Farnham gives a great deal of time to inventing new lasts and designing new shapes, in order to be abreast of the times, and his lasts are of desirable patterns. and of the best finish. He manufactures for all the Stoneham manufacturers as well as for others in different parts of the country.
Mr. Farnham has been twice married, first in 1877, in Auburn, Me., to. Miss Margaret Flynn, of Lowell, Mass., and second in Stoneham, in the fall of 1888, to Miss Minnie F. Libbey, of Salem, Mass.
By his first wife were born four children, two of whom are living, namely : Herbert Francis and Albert William. By his second wife he has had no.
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issue. His first wife died in May. 1886, and was buried in Lindenwood Cem- etery.
Mr. Farnham is a member of Columbian Lodge, I. O. O. F.
POLICE.
Stoneham has the good fortune to be specially favored in the character of the men who hold the positions of police officers. The citizens are to be congratulated on having men on the force who are considerably above the average of policemen in intelligence, morality and gentlemanly qualities.
This is partly due to the carefulness and good judgment of those whose duty it is to select and appoint these officers and partly owing to the fact that the town is a peaceable, law-abiding community, which makes the posi- tion of a policeman a more attractive and agreeable one than in communities where the criminally disposed reside and are continually resorting to acts of lawlessness.
The force consists of three regular police, whose time is wholly command- ed, three special police, who are employed as occasion demands, and three special police for the third and fourth days of July.
The regular officers are Rix L. Newton, chief, J. C. C. Small and W. W. Houghton.
RIX L. NEWTON.
Rix Lyman Newton, Chief of Police of Stoneham, is the son of Charles F. and Roxanna A. (Ladd) Newton and was born in Tunbridge, Vt., March 14, 1853.
He is a seventh son in a family of ten children and his father and mother are both living at the ages of 96 and 88 respectively, and both are in good health and retain all their faculties, his father being able to work about the farm.
He attended the district school of the town of Washington, Vt., leaving when about fifteen years of age and going to work on his father's farm and at carpentering, his father being a carpenter and following that trade in connec- tion with his farming.
In 1873 he went to carpentering for himself and continued to the fall of 1879, when he went into the saw-mill of A. W. Tewksbury & Sons, working there until September 16, 1886. September 17, the next day after leaving the mill, he came to Stoneham and went to work for his brother-in-law, J. B. Swan, contractor and builder. He remained with him for two years and during the second year was a special police officer, having been appointed by the Selectmen in April, 1888. In April, 1889, he was appointed as Chief-of- Police, which position he still holds, giving much satisfaction to the Board and to the people in general. He succeeded Col. O. H. Marston.
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Although not old enough to serve in the war three of his brothers enlisted in Vermont regiments, and one of them starved to death in Andersonville prison.
Mr. Newton has been three times married ; first, at Chelsea, Vt., to Miss Jennie O. French, of that town, on November 30, 1873. Two daughters and one son were born to them, one daughter, Myrtie Belle, being alive and residing with her father in Stoneham. His second marriage was also at Chelsea. Vt., January 16, 1886, to Miss Georgie Swan, of Granville, Vt. She died without issue. His third union was to Miss Julia S. Cleaveland, of Newport, Vt., September 19, 1889, at Stoneham.
Mr. Newton attends the Baptist Church, of which his wife is a member' and is a charter member of Highland Council, No. 36, O. U. A. M., and Fells Lodge, No. 63, A. O. U. W.
J. C. C. SMALL.
John C. C. Small, police officer, was born in Bethel, Maine, February 10, 1860, and is the son of William and Emily J. (Dow) Small.
He acquired his education principally in the public schools of Harrison and Bridgton, Maine, and at the age of sixteen went to work in a woolen mill in Bridgton where he was employed as a weaver about one and a half years, when he removed with his parents onto a farm into the adjoining town of Waterford.
After working on the farm for four years he came to Newton, Mass., where he was employed for about a year and a half and then came to Stoneham.
This was in the fall of 1882, when he went to work in the shoe factory of Brackett & Poole, where he was employed about three years, and later worked for about three years in the factory of Sanborn & Mann.
In 1888 he was appointed a special police officer and in 1889 as a regular officer, which position he now holds.
Mr. Small was united in marriage at Newton, Mass., October 1, 1882, to Miss Georgianna E. Horr, of Waterford, Me., and two daughters have been born to them, both of whom are living, viz: Esther May and Lillian Emily. They reside in a house built by Mr. Small recently on Gould Street.
Mr. Small is an attendant at the Congregarional Church, and is a charter member of Highland Council, No. 36, O. U. A. M., and a member of Fells Lodge, No. 63, A. O. U. W.
WM. W. HOUGHTON.
William Wallace Houghton, police officer, is a native of Putney, Vt., where he was born August 1, 1849, and is the son of Curtis G. and Susanna R. (Beckwith) Houghton, who had ten children.
He attended school first at Putney, then at Westmoreland, N. H.
On the very day he was 21 years of age he went to work for the Cheshire
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REGULAR POLICE FORCE.
W. W. HOUGHTON. 3'LE A.T.& RIX L. NEWTON, CHIEF.
J C. C. SMALL
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R. R. as fireman on a locomotive engine and later became an engineer. He was engaged at this employment a little over six years, residing at Keene, N. H., during the period working a portion of the time in the office of the Mas- ter Mechanic, making out schedules. In the fall of 1876 he was obliged to leave on account of ill health. He visited the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia, and from there came to Stoneham and soon after erected a homestead on Spring Street, in the easterly part of the town.
In 1877 he went to work in the shoe factory of Shaw & Worthen, where he was employed about eight years, and subsequently was engineer at the box factory of Jewett & Cate.
About this time he sold his house on Spring street and built his present residence, which is pleasantly located on Marble street.
In 1886 he went to work for Sanborn & Mann, running a heeling machine, where he remained three years, until the spring of 1889, when he was ap- pointed a regular police officer by the Selectmen and is still a member of the force.
Mr. Houghton was married in Keene, N. H., to Miss Ada E. Kingsbury, daughter of Seth Kingsbury, Esq., of Roxbury, N. H., June 10, 1871. She died in 1873. One son, Oscar Wallace, was born to them and is now living with his father. On March 1, 1875, Mr. Houghton was married to Miss Lois R. Kingsbury, a sister of his first wife. The sisters had both been teachers in the public schools of Keene and other towns in Cheshire County. By his second wife three children have been born, all of whom are living, viz : Clarence Willie, Rosie Estella and Leroy Kingsbury.
Mr. Houghton has been a member of Beaver Brook Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Keene, N. H., for twenty years, is also a member of Fells Lodge, A. O. U. W., Highland Council, O. U. A. M., and Evergreen Lodge, D. of R., all of Stoneham.
CHESTER F. JONES.
Chester Francis Jones, druggist, was born in Stoneham, December 5, 1865, and is the son of William Henry and Maria Eaton (Hadley) Jones.
He received his education in the public schools of this town and at the age of fifteen entered the employ of J. F. Goodnow, druggist, to learn the business, and remained there six years.
On January 25, 1887, he opened a drug store near Farm Hill Station and remained there until last year, when he purchased the Wm. S. Lothrop bui ding on Central Street, repaired and remodeled the same, and removed his business to his present location in that building December 20, 1890.
Mr. Jones is unmarried, is a member of John H. Dike Camp, S. of V., in which he has held the office of Color Sergeant and Camp Guard, and also belongs to the Golden Grail.
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DR. C. E. HELAH.
Charles Eugene Helah, dentist, son of William and Anna B. (Magoon) Helah, was born in Gardiner, Maine, November 4, 1864. He attended the public schools of Gardiner, and upon leaving school went to work in a den- tist's office in Wakefield, where he remained about a year and a half, and then took a course in the Boston Dental College, finishing in March, 1885.
In June, 1885, he came to Stoneham and opened his present dental rooms on Main Street, continuing at that location since he commenced. Dr. Helah is unmarried.
He is a member of Columbian Lodge, I. O. O. F., of this town.
FRANCIS L. WHITTIER.
Francis Lester Whittier, of F. L. & W. E. Whittier, newsdealers and stationers, printers and proprietors of the Storelen Independent, is a native of Stoneham where he was born April 10, 1848. : nd is the son of Edward T. and Elizabeth J. (Young) Whittier.
In his early days he attended the public schools of the town, but in 1861, after the breaking out of the war, he was obliged to leave school and assist his father on account of his two elder brothers enlisting in the service of their country. The father was at that time Postmaster of Stoneham in addition to running a printing office and keeping a store for the sale of stationery, toys, fancy goods, etc., and being a sufferer from asthma, needed Frank's help in the various departments. About two years later Mr. Whittier en- gaged other help and Frank was allowed to further his education at Waitt's Greenwood Academy, at Wakefield, and Eaton's Commercial College, Bos- ton, the latter of which he attended for several terms, but during all the time he was at the academy and college he occupied 1 is spare hours in assisting his father.
After getting his education he continued working for his father until the latter's death in December, 1878, never demanding or receiving any salary for his services, although upon him devolved the responsible management of the business. By faithfulness, care and close application to his father's af- fairs he succeeded during the years of the war in accomplishing the payment "of mortgages amounting to a considerable sum which rested upon the build- ing and land, and upon which eight per cent. inter st was being paid, and at his father's death they were free of all incumbrine.s. He with his brother Willie succeeded to the business and have carried it on to the present time. A short sketch of the business is given below.
Mr. Whittier was united in marriage in Boston by Rev. A. A. Miner, D.D., March 31, 1875, to Miss Lizzie R. Cochran, of Holderness, N. H., and they have had one son, Edward Tuck, who is now living. Mrs. Whittier passed away June 16, 1888.
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FRANCIS L. WHITTIER.
Mr. Whittier is an attendant at the Congregational Church and is a mem- ber of King Cyrus Lodge, F. and A. M., Columbian Lodge, Columbian En- campment, Canton Fells, P. M., and Evergreen Lodge, D. of R., I. O. O. F., Wamscott Tribe, I. O. R. M., Granite Lodge, Order of the Solid Rock and Odd Fellows' Mutual Benefit Association. He was a member of the General Worth Engine Co. for nearly fifteen years and for a time was its clerk.
WILLIE E. WHITTIER.
Willie Elmer Whittier, the younger brother and junior member of the firm of F. L. & W. E. Whittier, was born in Stoneham, June 27, 1854, and is. the son of Edward T. and Elizabeth J. (Young) Whittier.
He attended the common schools of the town until he was thirteen or fourteen years of age at which time he went to work in his father's store.
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WILLIE E. WHITTIER.
There and in the newspaper and printing office he has since remained, suc- ceeding to the business with his elder brother on the death of their father in 1878. His life and business career have been closely identified with that of his brother, and the history of one is largely that of the other, as they have always lived and been associated in business together. Eoth brothers have gained their knowledge of the printing business in their own and their fath- er's office. The running of the large cylinder press has always devolved upon the younger brother. he having fed the cylinder presses since the first one was introduced into the office.
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