USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Stoneham > History of Stoneham, Massachusetts > Part 24
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From February 1862 to January 1866 Mr. Tidd was in business alone but on the latter date he took his son Charles into company with him under the firm name of Wm. Tidd & Co., and from that time on the active manage- ment of the business devolved upon the son. In January, 1866, Mr. Tidd's son-in-law, Mr. Charles H. Brown, was admitted as a partner. Good times prevailed for years and the firm worked hard, rapidly increased its business and made money fast. Since the factory was first built it has been enlarged a number of times and is now an extensive plant. This firm has employed at one time more than 225 hands and has turned out immense quantities of leather, keeping the help employed all through the year and never stopping the factory even when business was dull.
Ahout the time of the great Boston fire Mr. Tidd retired from active busi- ness but continued as a member of the firm for a number of years later. He
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has no interest in the business at present although his name remains at the head of the firm, and he owns the buildings.
Mr. Tidd is now accounted the wealthiest man in Stoneham and is the largest taxpayer. He owns considerable real estate and the mansion on Main Street where he lives is one of the finest residences in town. Although nearly seventy-seven years of age Mr. Tidd is in perfect health, is active, bright and smart and appears good for the enjoyment for many years to come of the fruits of his labors and close attention to business.
Mr. Tidd was united in marriage in North Woburn while a resident of that village, September 11, 1836, to Miss Harriet H. Flagg, of that place. The ceremony took place in the house where Count Rumford was born, it being the home of Miss Flagg's mother at the time of the wedding. They have had six children, four of whom are living and reside in Stoneham, viz. : Oriana, wife of Charles H. Brown, Charles William, John Buckman and Hattie Flagg, wife of Frank A. Walker.
Mr. Tidd has never had any inclination or ambition for office, political or otherwise, and has therefore not been prominent in town affairs, but possesses the respect of the people of the town to whose prosperity he has contributed much.
He is an attendant at the Unitarian Church, is a member of Wyoming Lodge, F. and A. M., Waverly Royal Arch Chapter and Hugh de Payens Commandery, all of Melrose.
He was for twenty-four years a Trustee of the Stoneham Five Cents Sav- ings Bank and was for a number of years chosen as one of the Vice Presi- dents.
JOHN M. NOYES.
John Murray Noyes, shoe manufacturer, was born in Auburn, Me., Jan- uary 1, 1848, and is the son of Nathan Whitney and Sally (White) Noyes.
He attended the common schools of Auburn until he was about sixteen years of age and during his school days learned to make shoes of his father, that being the latter's trade.
Soon after finishing his schooling he took out work from a shoe manufac- turer and did bottoming of shoes by contract on his own account. This he continued up to the time he came to Stoneham in the summer of 1867.
He went to work here for R. W. Emerson & Co., and was employed at shoe making by that firm until the fall of 1872, when he went back to Auburn and worked for the shoe manufacturing firm of D. Harwood & Co.
In the summer of 1875 he returned to Stoneham and was employed in the factory of John Hill & Co. for two years and then by John Barrett, of Mel- rose, for two years.
In the spring of 1879 he went into company with Vinton & Jenkins, of this town, shoe manufacturing, and was with them until November, 1887,
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when he went into business alone in the FitzGerald Building, on Hancock Street, and has remained there since.
When he first started alone he manufactured about three cases per day of misses' and children's, boys' and youths' medium grade shoes for the retail trade, and employed about twenty-five hands. About a year and a half ago. he stopped selling to the retail trade and now manufactures wholly for job- bers. His business has steadily increased until it has reached eight cases. per day, employing about fifty hands.
In June, 1890, Mr. Noyes went to Warren, R. I., where he manufactured the majority of his goods for nine months and then gave up and returned to Stoneham. He is now preparing to make ten to twelve cases, seventy-two pairs to a case, per day, which will employ sixty or more hands. He now manufactures a medium line of misses' and children's grain and glove grain heel and spring-heel boots and shoes for the Western, South Western and Southern trade.
Mr. Noyes was married in Auburn, Me., November 7, 1868, to Miss Mary S. Frye, a native of Andover, Mass., but a resident of Auburn at the time of marriage. She died without issue February 20, 1887.
Mr. Noyes united with Tranquil Lodge, F. & A. M., of Auburn, June 30, 1868, and is still a member of that lodge. He is a charter member of Wam- scott Tribe, Imp. O. R. M., was elected its first Sachem and has held the office three terms and has recently been elected to the same office again. He was a member of the Knights of St. Crispin when that order was in existence , and was also a member, and for a time Dictator, of Stoneham Lodge, K. of H., but withdrew in good standing in 1887.
LENNÆUS C. PRESCOTT.
Lennæus Clayton Prescott, railway conductor, was born in Fitchburg, Mass., August 24, 1855, and is the son of Nathan Otis and Lucy A. (Rich- ardson) Prescott.
His parents removed to Nashua, N. H., when he was about five years of age and he attended the public schools of that city. Afterwards going to Providence, R. I., to live with his uncle he took a course in the Bryant and Stratton Commercial College in that city, after leaving which he assumed the charge of real estate and kept accounts for his uncle until 1876.
In that year he returned to Nashua and entered the employ of the Boston & Lowell R. R. as train baggage master between Nashua and Boston.
He held that position for eight years when he was transferred to Stoneham and appointed as conductor on passenger trains between this town and Bos- ton. He has remained here since, continuing in the capacity of a conductor and running between Stoneham and other places on the railroad, now a part. of the Boston & Maine system, and Boston. Through his efforts since he
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has been a conductor Stoneham has secured additional trains and other im- provements and by being affable and courteous he has become very popular with the regular patrons who travel on his trains. This is evidenced by sev- eral elegant presents he has received from them. The class of 1887 of Tufts' College presented him with a valuable gold-headed cane; in 1889 he was the recipient from the students of the same college of a magnificent gold watch, the works being the best movement made by the American Watch Co. of Waltham, and the heavy gold cases being properly inscribed within and containing his monogram engraved on the outer case; and on January I,
LENNÆUS C. PRESCOTT.
1891, his friends and patrons of the road, among them being the college boys and passengers from all points on the line, gave him a costly solid silver lantern, together with a gold watch chain and a charm in the form of a gold ticket punch, which is an exact miniature counterpart of the one he uses on his daily rounds.
Mr. Prescott was married in Stoneham, September 27, 1886, to Miss Min- nie E. Burtt, of this town. A son and daughter have been born to them both of whom have passed away.
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Mr. Prescott is a member of Fells Lodge, A. O. U. W., of Stoneham, and an attendant at the Baptist Church, Tremont Temple, Boston.
JAMES W. MACDONALD.
James Wallace MacDonald, Principal of the Stoneham High School, was born in Holton, Me., June 26, 1844, his parents being Alexander and Nancy MacDonald.
When he was about a year old his parents removed to Bangor, and his early education was obtained in a district school in a suburb of that city, where, with a course of ten weeks of each year and private study at home, he fitted for the Bangor High School, from which he graduated in 1864.
J. W. MACDONALD.
By extra study he entered Bowdoin College a year in advance, beginning with the sophomore class and graduating in 1867. He then came to Rock- land, Mass., and took charge of the High School there for a time and for a year[afterwards had charge of the Academy at Hanover, Mass. Following that[he was principal of the High School at South Abington, now Whitman, Mass., for five years. While there he started the South Abington Times which he published in connection with his school duties. He was also Pres- ident of the Plymouth County Teachers' Association.
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In 1876 he sold out the Times and gave up his position as teacher in Whit- man to accept the principalship of the Stoneham High School, entering upon his duties here in September of that year and continuing in charge to the present time.
Mr. MacDonald is much interested in his work and his influence as an ed- ucator is felt not only at home but extends to other parts of the country. He has published works on Geometry and has a reform method of teaching this study, published within two years, which is attracting considerable attention. He has also lectured on this method before the Mass. Institutes in charge of the Board of Education of the State. The present natural method of teach- ing Latin which is now spreading over the country was first taught in the Stoneham High School in 1880, during his principalship.
Through his efforts the Stoneham Teachers' Association was formed and he has been its president since its organization. He is also a member of the Mass. Teachers' Club and of the Mass. High School Teachers' Association, and was president of the latter for two years. up to the present year. He is also a member of the Mass. State Teachers' Association and was secretary for three years.
Mr. MacDonald was united in marriage in Whitman, Mass., November, 24, 1874, to Miss Emma F. Prouty, of that town. His residence is on Montvale Avenue.
While living in Whitman he joined Puritan Lodge, F. and A. M., from which he took a demit when he came to Stoneham. He is a charter member of Stoneham Council, A. L. of H., and for a few years was its treasurer.
He was one of the incorporators and assisted in the organization of the Stoneham Co-operative Bank and has been secretary of this institution for the past year.
Soon after Mr. MacDonald came to Stoneham he became impressed with the fact that the town was peculiarly adapted by natural beauties for a resi- dential town and its progress in this direction seemed to him to be prevented only by lack of proper railroad facilities with Boston.
He gave much attention to this subject and satisfied himself that a railroad from the centre through the Fells was feasible, and in 1890 he caused a dis- cussion of the subject to be brought up in his school as a portion of the ex- ercises of the graduating class which created general public interest and had great influence in stirring up the citizens to bring about the building of such a road.
The Board of Trade took the matter in hand and has had the hearty co- operation of Mr. MacDonald in accomplishing the desirable result which is now about to be secured.
He was chairman of the combined railroad committee of the Board of Trade and citizens up to the time of the town meeting at which money was voted to insure the building of the railroad.
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CHARLES E. HORNE.
Charles Edwin Horne, chairman of the Board of Assessors, is a native of Farmington, N. H., where he was born September 25, 1838, and is the son of Peter M. and Mary E. (Pendexter) Horne.
He attended the common schools at Farmington and the academy at Wolfboro, N. H., and assisted his father about the farm during the same time.
In the spring of 1858 he came to Stoneham and went to work in the shoe shop of W. F. Knowles to learn the trade. He was employed by Mr. Knowles and others until the war broke out, when he enlisted in Co. G, Thirteenth Regiment Mass. Vol. Infantry, from Stoneham. He was mus- tered into the service as a sergeant July 16, 1861, and served three years in the various capacities from sergeant to first lieutenant. He was wounded slightly at the battle of Gettysburg, and lost his right arm from a wound received at the battle of Spottsylvania Court House, May 8, 1864, where he was also taken prisoner and confined in Libby Prison, at Richmond, for about five months. He was then paroled, came home, and was discharged in September, 1864, his regiment having been mustered out while he was in prison.
Since the war he has continued to live in Stoneham.
In 1866 he was appointed to a position in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and was employed there about ten years.
He was appointed Postmaster of Stoneham by President Grant and held the office for nearly sixteen years, until he was removed by President Cleve- land.
In 1887-88 he was Collector of Taxes of Stoneham, and for the past five years has been on the Board of Assessors, of which he is now chairman.
Mr. Horne was married in Bethel, Maine, October 20, 1875, to Miss Addie C. Steveus, a native of Bethel, but a resident of Stoneham at that time. They have had one daughter, who died in January, 1890.
Mr. Horne is a member of J. P. Gould Post 75, G. A. R., of Columbian Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Stoneham Council, A. L. of H., a member and a Past Dictator of Stoneham Lodge, K. of H., and attends the Unitarian Church. He owns and resides in a pretty residence on Central Street.
A. W. RICE.
Arthur William Rice, newsdealer, stationer, etc., was born in. Sturbridge, Mass., July 14, 1846, and is the son of William H. and Mary A. (Phillips) Rice.
He obtained his schooling in the common schools of his native town, and afterwards served an apprenticeship of four years in printing offices in Worcester and Boston.
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Following this he was travelling salesman for about a year, and on May I, 1869, he came to Stoneham and opened a news, stationery and periodical store on Franklin Street, nearly opposite his present location, and in the fall of 1888 removed to the store he now occupies, which was built for him by the Stoneham Odd Fellows' Hall Association.
Mr. Rice is a member and Past Master of King Cyrus Lodge, F. & A. M., and a member of Beulah Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, both of Stone- ham, also of Waverly Royal Arch Chapter and Hugh de Payens Command- ery, of Melrose, and of Aleppo Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Boston ; also of Highland Council, O. U. A. M., of Stoneham.
He is now Tax Collector of Stoneham, to which office he was elected at the annual March town meeting of 1891.
JAMES E. WHITCHER.
James Edgar Whitcher. son of Amos and Polly Whitcher, was born in Benton, Grafton County, N. H., November 29, 1847.
He received his early education in the public schools of his native town, after which he was a student at the Newbury (Vermont) Seminary, and at the New Hampton (New Hampshire) Literary Institution and Commercial College.
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When twenty-two years of age he entered the employ of A. W. Arnold, the veteran grocer, and after an experience of seven years, formed a partner- ship with his brother under the firm name of Whitcher Brothers, conducting the grocery business for ten years at the corner of Main and Winter streets, when he sold out to his brother, later engaging in the same business for A. F. Willey with whom he still remains. )
Mr. Whitcher was married in Salem, on the 8th of September, 1875, to Susan R., daughter of Person C. and Lucy (Webber) Thompson, of Stone- ham.
They reside in the modest but pretty house, recently erected by Mr. Whitcher, at the corner of Benton and Warren Streets, in the Lincolnville district.
In politics he is an ardent Republican. Mr. Whitcher has enjoyed the confidence of his party, having been for many years a member of the town committee and its present chairman.
In 1887 and '88 he was a Representative to the General Court, defeating for the first time George Cowdrey, for several years the Dean of the House ; serving upon the committee on drainage, performing the duties of Secretary. In 1888 he also held the office of Selectman.
In religious and social circles he has ever been active and prominent. Since 1869 he has been a steward or trustee of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Stoneham, and for several years Superintendent of the Sunday School and director of the musical service. In temperance work he has been equally active having been early a member of the Good Templars, Secretary of the Law and Order League, and for two years Grand Worthy Templar of the Temple of Honor of Mass. He is also a member of Columbian Lodge, No. 29, I. O. O. F., and was the first president of the Stoneham Board of Trade, in all departments winning the respect and approval of his associates as an active progressive citizen.
J. ALDEN STOCKWELL.
James Alden Stockwell, attorney and counsellor at law, was born in Stone- ham September 16, 1860, and is the son of Albert S. and Fannie E. (Bryant) Stockwell. His great-grand-father on his father's side was one of the pioneer settlers of Lancaster, N. H., and on his mother's side his ances- tors have lived for two hundred years in the territory included in Stoneham.
In the acquirement of his education Mr. Stockwell has struggled very manfully and to his own efforts solely is the credit due for what he possesses. When he was but three years of age his father died in Andersonville prison, in 1864, leaving the wife and mother with four children to support and without means.
The subject of this sketch was kept in the public schools of his native
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town until he was fourteen years of age when he was obliged to leave and go to work. He was employed in Hill & Rowe's shoe factory for a short time and then went onto a farm in Richmond, N. H., where he remained a year and then returned to Stoneham and entered the shoe factory of Brackett & Mann, at Farm Hill. There he worked for four years at the bench, at the end of which time he felt warranted, with what money he had saved, in attending Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham, Mass., for the purpose of fitting for college. He took the regular four years classical course in two years and two terms and earned as much money as he could during vacation time.
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In 1882 he entered Wesleyan University, at Middletown, Conn., but his funds giving out after he had been there a short time he was obliged to give up and come back to Stomeham to work. He was employed by Hill & Rowe and afterwards by Sanborn & Mann at lasting shoes until 1884, when with the money he had saved from his wages he continued his college course at the Boston University College of Liberal Arts, having an opportunity to teach in the evening schools of Boston and in private schools and at tutor- ing, thus being enabled to cover his expenses.
In 1886 he entered the Boston University School of Law from which he graduated in 1888 and took the degree of L. L B., acquiring the three year's. course in two years. During the first year he had charge of the English department of Comer's Commercial College and in the second year gave lectures on Commercial law in the same school, earning over $1000 in the two years besides keeping up his studies.
He was admitted to the bar in July, 1888, and immediately opened an office in Boston, at 29 Pemberton Square, and in November he opened an office in Stoneham, being now located in Chase's Block, Central Square.
Mr. Stockwell is unmarried, is an attendant at the Congregational Church, is a member of the Theta Delta Chi of the College Fraternity, King Cyrus Lodge, F. & A. M., Columbian Lodge, I. O. O. F., Wamscott Tribe, Imp. O. R. M., John H. Dike Camp, S. of V., and the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, and is a special Justice for the Fourth District Court of Eastern Middlesex.
He was one of the first promoters and organizers of the Stoneham National Bank, and it is largely due to his energy that the town is now favored with this institution.
J. W. SPENCER.
John Willard Spencer, carpenter and builder, was born in Berwick, Maine, December 13, 1831, and is the son of Jonathan and Abigail (Wentworth) Spencer.
He obtained his schooling in the common schools of his native place and afterwards worked on his father's farm for a time.
In 1849 he removed to Lawrence, Mass., where he served as an apprentice
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at the trade of carpenter and joiner, for two and a half years. He remained in Lawrence working for others and during the latter part of the time in business for himself, until July 5, 1858, when he came to Stoneham.
He went to work on the new factory of John Hill & Co., then in process of erection, and when that was finished went into business with Elijah H. Clement, with whom he was associated until the spring of 1861, when he en- listed for three years as a private in Co. G, Thirteenth Mass. Vol. Inf. and was mustered in July 16. He was promoted to Corporal August 1, 1862, to Sergeant January 1, 1863, and to Orderly Sergeant Nov. 1, 1863.
He served in the Army of the Potomac, and was in the second battle of Bull Run, Chantilla, Antietam, South Mountain, Fredericksburg, Wilderness and all the battles in which his regiment participated, except Gettysburg, when he was in the hospital.
He was made a prisoner at the battle of Laurel Hill but was soon after recaptured by Sheridan's Cavalry near Beaver Dam Station. In about a fortnight he was returned to his regiment after going down around Richmond with Sheridan to the James River.
He was mustered out in front of Petersburg in July, 1864, and came home and after being discharged resumed his former business alone, Mr. Clement having died in the meantime.
In 1882 he took his son, Frank W., into business with him and they have continued together since. Among the prominent buildings which he has erected are the Hill & Rowe factory, most of the factory now occupied by Vinton & Jenkins, one of the large factories owned by M. H. FitzGerald, the residences of Arad Gerry, William Tidd, E. L. Patch, Onslow Gilmore and T. H. Jones. He has also built many others, in all amounting to over one hundred.
Mr. Spencer has been married twice, the first time in Lee, N. H., May 21, 1853, to Miss Elizabeth A. Brown, of Nottingham, N. H., to whom one son, Frank W., was born and is now living. She died in 1856.
His second marriage took place in Melrose, Mass., February 20, 1863, to Miss Eliza A. Sanborn, of Brookfield, N. H. Two daughters, Lizzie and Addie, both living have been the fruit of this union. Mr. Spencer and family reside on Hancock Street.
Mr. Spencer was Representative to the Legislature in 1882 from this district, is a member of King Cyrus Lodge, F. & A. M., and Stoneham Council, A. L. of H., of Stoneham, and is an attendant at the Unitarian Church.
THOMAS H. JONES.
Thomas Henry Jones, shoe manufacturer, was born in Lancaster, Mass., October 14, 1835, and is the son of Thomas and Mary (Tweed) Jones.
His education was obtained in the common schools of Lancaster, Lunen-
JOHN W. SPENCER.
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burg and Stoneham, Mass., and for a time he attended the commercial col- lege of Payson & Dunton, in Boston.
He came to Stoneham March 19, 1850, and went to work for Allen Rowe & Son, doing all sorts of work about their factory and grocery store, when not attending school. After finishing his schooling he continued with this firm until 1860, about ten years in all. He then went to work in the shoe factory of Sweetser, Battles & Co., where he was also employed about ten years, when he accepted a salaried position with R. W. Emerson, at Mel- rose, as general manager of Mr. Emerson's shoe factory. Here he remained about a year when Mr. Emerson removed his business to Stoneham, Mr.
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THOMAS H. JONES.
Jones continuing with him in the same capacity for several years when he be- came a general partner, the firm being called R. W. Emerson & Co. In 1880 Mr. Jones bought out the business and went into partnership with H. H. Mawhinney and H. H. Seaver, under the firm name of H. H. Mawhin- ney & Co., and he has continued in company with these gentlemen up to the present time.
When Mr. Jones first became a partner with R. W. Emerson the firm em- ployed about 125 hands and manufactured about fifteen cases of women's,
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misses' and children's shoes per day. They did business in the Tidd factory on Pine Street, corner of Tidd Street, the factory being enlarged for them twice during the ten years. They continually increased their output and in 1880, when they dissolved they were making about thirty cases per day and employing about 200 hands.
H. H. Mawhinney & Co. remained in the Tidd building until 1890, the business growing until they were turning out about 2500 to 3000 pairs per day and giving employment to nearly 275 hands.
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