USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Westminster > History of Westminster, Massachusetts (first named Narragansett no. 2) from the date of the original grant of the township to the present time, 1728-1893, with a biographic-genealogical register of its principal families > Part 104
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115
The first N. E. immigrant by the name of Sever (as it was spelled for three or four generations), so far as is known, was Robert1, who came hither in the ship Mary and John, in 1634, and located at Roxbury. He had a s. Shubael2, the f. of Joseph3, who m. Mary Reed, Dec. 10, 1750, and who,
864
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
after residing awhile in Dorchester, rem. to Framingham, or what was then prob. Sudbury. He had a large number of chn., two of whom found their way to Westminster at an early period of its history.
By the kindness of Rev. Nathaniel Seaver of Milbury, a " Coat of Arms" belonging to a titled branch of the English family, is herewith presented.
SUME
SUPERBIAM
QUES
I. SEVER, ROBERT4, s. of Joseph3 and Mary (Reed) Sever, was b. in 1703 and m. Sept. 2, 1726, Eunice Raymond of Boston. He and his two oldest sons enlisted in the first Louisburg ex- pedition, and were present at the surrender of that redoubtable fortress, June 28, 1745. His house at Sudbury with its be- longings was consumed by fire in Oct., 1748, whereupon he petitioned the Col. Leg. for relief as follows: "My house was burned and consumed all the little substance I had in the world, it being in movables and bonds and bills of credit, and amongst the money yr petr lost was one Spd one 3pd and one 3pd and one 4pd all of this Province old Tenor." In view of which and of his patriotic services the court granted him £3 15s. Soon after the loss of his dwelling, he came with his family to Nar. No. 2, and set. upon right lot No. 70, in the S. E. part of the township, which he purchased of Josiah Brown of Sud- bury, Nov. 20, 1750. In the spring of 1751 he had "a frame of a house, 3 acres of land fenced, 2 cleared and I broken up ready for planting." This frame of a house was located upon the highlands, nearly a mile N. E. of the outlet of Wachusett Lake. (See A. H. No. 88.) The death of Mr. Sever occurred prob. early in 1752. Three years later his wid. sold the property to Luke Brown, Worcester, and he in turn to John Estabrook in 1760. She however continued to res. in W., where she d. in 1773 or 74. The chn. of Robert and Eunice (Raymond) Se- ver, so far as ascertained, are named below :
2. JOSEPH5, b. Sudbury, June 10, 1727; nothing more kn.
3. BENJAMIN5, b. Framingham, Oct. 8, 1728.
4. THANKFUL5, b. Fram., Oct. 6., 1731.
5. NORMAN5, b. 1734 or 5, place unknown; m. Sarah Reed; res. W., etc.
6. HANNAH5; place, date of birth, etc., unkn.
7. SAMUEL5, b. Sudbury, April 8, 1747; m. Sarah - ; res. W.
865
THE SEAVER FAMILY.
[5.] SEAVER, NORMAN5, the s. of Robert4 and Eunice, was b., according to tonibstone, in 1734 or 5, either at Fram. or Sud- bury. He seems to have come to Nar. No. 2 with his f., money being paid him for work for the Proprietors in 1751. After his f.'s death he returned to Sudbury, where he m. March 14, 1755, Sarah, dau. of Jacob and Experience Reed, and lived for a few years, rem. thence to Shrewsbury (now Boylston). Early in 1773, prob., he came again to W. and purchased lots Nos. 76 and 122, 3d Div., of Heman Kendall. The estate was the same so long occupied by his gd.s., Isaac Seaver, lying between Pros- pect and Beech Hills. He was a carpenter by trade, and took the contract for a certain portion of the work on the second meetinghouse of the town. At the time of the "raising," July 31, 1787, he fell from the frame, receiving injuries which proved almost immediately fatal. His wid., Sarah (Reed) Seaver, d. in 1808. They had a large fam., as set forth in the register below :
S. EUNICE6, b. May 3, 1755; m. Elisha Whitney; res. W .; sev. chn.
9. BENJAMIN6, b. April 21, 1757; m. Martha Whitney; res. W.
IO. SARAH6, b. Jan. -- , 1759; m. Josiah Cutter; res. W .; 4 chn.
II. JOSEPH6, b. March 13, 1761; d. in Rev. war.
I2. 13. ISAAC6, b. Feb. 18, 1763; d. in Rev.
ETHAN6, b. Sept. 24, 1765; m. Lydia -; res. Gr .; 3 chn.
14. DANIEL6, b. June 28, 1767; res. Batavia, N. Y.
15. HEMAN6, b. May 6, 1769; m. twice; res. Montreal; 4 chn .; d. Dec. 19, 1835.
16. LUTHER6, b. April 13, 1771; res. Gr. and Temp .; m. and had sev. chn.
17. RELIEF6, b. Sept. 25, 1774 ?; d. Ang. 20, 1795.
18. ASAHEL R.6, b. Oct. 2, 1775; m. Hannah Gager; res. W.
19. FAITHFUL6, b. Aug. 2, 1777; m. Isaac Brooks; res. Ash .; 3 chn.
20. LUCINDA6, b. March 23, 1780; m. -- Frost; res. Montreal; 2 chn.
Heman Seaver6 (15), of the above family, was a highly successful teacher in Marlboro'. He finally settled in Montreal, Can., where he became wealthy. He m. (1) Elizabeth Weeks and (2) Sarah Rice, and had 4 chn. A son, Wm. R. Seaver, was recently a clergyman in Pontiac, Mich. A dau., Sarah R., is wife of Prof. Horace Day of New Haven, Conn.
[7.] SEAVER, SAMUEL5, bro. of the last, m. ab. 1771, Sarah , and lived in tn. some 12 years. He was a soldier in Co. of Capt. Edmund Bemis, enlisting for 8 months' service immedi- ately after the battle of Lexington, and was very likely at the Bunker Hill fight. Nothing has been learned of the family subsequent to the close of the Rev. Chn., natives of W .:
21. SAMUEL6, b. May 9, 1772.
22. ROBERT RAYMOND6, b. Oct. 7, 1774; d. Sept. 24, 1778.
23. GEORGE D.6, b. Sept. 24, 1776. 24. BETSEY6, b. May 1, 1779.
25. PERLEY6, b. Dec. 17, 1781.
[9.] SEAVER, BENJAMIN6, s. of Norman5 and Sarah (Reed) Seaver, was b. in Sudbury, April 21, 1757, m. Martha, dau. of Samuel and Abigail (Fletcher) Whitney (pub. May 15, 1783), and set. upon the homestead of his f. He d. July, 1816, a. 59. She d. Sept. 2, 1832, a. 70. Chn .:
26. ACHSAH W.7, b. Dec. 30, 1784; m. Abram Mosman; res. W .; 11 chn.
27. ABIGAIL7, b. Dec. 2, 1786; m. Jabez Fairbanks; res. Gr .; 2 chn.
28. JOB7, b. May 1, 1789; d. July 4, 1868; a. 79; unm.
29. BENJAMIN™, b. Nov. 15, 1791; m. Abigail Gates; res. W.
55
866
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
30. SUSANNAII W.7, b. July 27, 1794; d. ab. 1880.
31. MARTHA7, b. Feb. 10, 1797; m. Amasa Leland; res. Gr .; 8 chn.
32. SILAS W.7, b. Nov. 24, 1799; m. Rhoda Leland; res. W. and Sud .; large family.
33. ISAAC7, b. Dec. 20, 1802; m. Abigail, wid. of Benj .; res. W.
34. ROSILLAT, b. March 16, 1806; d. Sept. 18, 1825.
35. MARY JANE7, b. April 14, 1812; m. Charles Harrington; res. Pn .; sev. chn .; d. 1892.
[18.] SEAVER, ASAHEL R.6, bro. of the last, m. Hannah, dau. of Jeremiah and Ruth (Walker) Gager (pub. Sept. 24), 1800, and set. upon the farm originally owned by his w.'s' gd.f., Daniel Walker, in the south part of the town, on which his s. Isaac res. for many years. He d. July 14, 1849, a. 75. His wid., Hannah, d. March 5, 1853, a. 74. Chn .:
36. ASAHEL7, b. March 5, 1802; m. Tamer R. Hill; res. W.
37. LUCINDA7, b. March 19, 1804; m. Daniel Foskett; res. W .; 6 chn.
38. HANNAH7, b. Oct. 31, 1806; d. Nov. 10, 1806.
39. ISAAC7, b. Aug. 1, 1808; m. Betsey Perry; res. W.
40. HEMAN7, b. Feb. 9, 1811; m. Felinda N. Wilder; res. W., etc.
41. WILLIAM7, b. Dec. 11, 1812; m. Ruth E. Elmore, etc .; res W., etc .; I chd .; d. March 6, 1872.
42 . J. MILTON7, b. Oct. 4, 1816; m. Augusta Hinds; res. Oakham; d. Feb. 18, 1869; a physician.
43. JULIA ANN7, b. March 22, 1820; m. Josiah Foster; res. W .; 4 chn .; living.
44. AUGUSTUS W.7, b. Jan. 4, 1825; m. Jane Elmore; res. Worc .; 1 chd .; d. 1890.
[29.] SEAVER, BENJAMIN7, s. of Benjamin6 and Abigail, m. Abigail, dau. of Nathan and Abigail (Knowlton) Gates of Gr., March, 1817, and succeeded to the estate of his f., who had d. the previous year. His life was brief, terminating May 25, 1825, when he was but 33 years old. His wid. m. (2) his bro. Isaac, as noted below. Chn. :
45. ABIGAIL8. b. Aug. 7, 1817; m. Samuel A. Monroe; 2 chn .; 1.
46. LUCINDA,8 b. Oct. 18, 1821; m. James R. Bruce; res. W.
47. ISAAC8, b. Oct. 16, 1823; m. Lucretia T. Smith; res. W. and Leom .; 5 chn.
48. BENJAMINS, b. Feb. 21, 1825; d. by an accident, Aug. 26, 1836.
[33.] SEAVER, ISAAC7, bro. of the last, was m. to his wid., Abigail (Gates), Nov. 13, 1832, and set. on the same estate. He d. March 1, 1870, a. 67. His wid. d. Jan. 4, 1867, a. 69. They had :
49. LYMAN8, b. April 23, 1834; m. Ann S. Gordon; res. W .; I chd .; d. July 19, 1888.
50. LORING B.8, b. Nov. 15, 1837; went Cal. and m .; no chn .; d. Nov. 10, 1884.
[36.] SEAVER, ASAHELT, S. of Asahel R.6 and Hannah, m. Tamer R., dau. of Nathaniel and Annis (Whitcomb) Hill, Gr., May 14, 1826. After res. at various points in town, he located near Cedar Swamp, where he d. Dec. 16, 1862, a. 61. His wid. d. March 27, 1873, a. 67. Chn .:
51. NORMAN8, b. Feb. 7, 1828; m. Christiana Lovewell; res. W.
52. HIRAM8, b. Feb. 27, 1833; m. Mary S. Chickering; res. Temp.
53. THOMAS8, b. Feb. 16, 1837; d. Dec. 8, 1839.
54. MARY E &, b. Oct. 9, 1838; m. Otis W. Sawin; res. W .; I chd .; living.
55. SEWALL W.8, b. March 5, 1843; m. Mary J. Bickford; res. W.
56. JULIA ETTA8, b. Jan. 26, 1849; drowned Gr., May 24, 1870.
867
THE SEAVER FAMILY.
[39.] SEAVER, ISAAC, bro. of the last, m. Betsey, dau. of Joseph Perry, in 1837. After res. elsewhere in tn. awhile he set. on his f.'s homestead, where his later years were spent. He d. June 18, 1891, a. 82. His w. d. April 1, 1888, a. 72. Chn .:
57. ELLEN E.8, b. Aug. 26, 1838; m. S. M. Sawin, etc .; res. W.
58. Silas W.8, b. March 14, 1841; m. Ellen M. Garfield; res. W.
59. EDWARD A.8, b. March 16, 1845; m. twice; res. W., etc.
60. ADALAIDE A.S, b. May 13, 1849; m. Ansel Bishop; res. W.
61. FRANK H.8, b. Feb. 26, 1855; d. June 4, 1865.
[40.] SEAVER, HEMANT, bro. of the last, m. Felinda N. Wilder of Lanc., March 27, 1836, and after res. here awhile rem. to Schenectady, N. Y., where he d. Nov. 10, 1875, a. 64, and his w. at unkn. date. They had but I chd .:
62. GEORGE ().8, b. Oct. 11, 1838; a merchant at S.
[47.] SEAVER, ISAAC8, s. of Benjamin7 and Abigail, m. (1) Juliette, dau. of Reuben Glazier of Rutland, but she seems to have d. Sept. 21, 1847, a. 21, s. p. He m. (2) Lucretia T. Smith of Medfield, by whom he had 2 chn. He served in the Civil war. (See p. 412.) Chn. :
63. LIZZIE LUCINDA9, b. March 26, 1858.
64. ELLEN MONA9, b. Oct. 16, 1861.
[49.] SEAVER, LYMAN8, half-bro. of the last, m. Ann Sophia Gordon and had I chd .:
65. EMMA ESTELLE9, b. May 3, 1859; m. Hubert T. Clark; no chn .; living.
[51.] SEAVER, NORMAN8, s. of Asahel" and Tamer, m. May 22, 1862, Christiana, dau. of Jesse and Betsey (Cowee) Lovewell of Hub. He was a chair maker by trade, and came to his death by falling into an elevator well at A. Merriam's factory, So. W., Aug. 29, 1879, at the age of 51. His wid. is still living. Chn .: 66. DELLA M.9, b. July 11, 1867. 67. FLORA A.9, b. Sept. S, 1870.
68. IDA L.9, b. Nov. 14, 1873. 69. SARAH E.9, b. Oct. 8, 1875.
[55.] SEAVER, SEWALL WHITCOMB8, bro. of the last, m. Mary Jane, dau. of Francis and Lydia Bickford, Gr., March 21, 1863. He d. May 30, 1881, a. 38. Chn .:
70. JENNIE A.9, b. Jan. 9, 1864. 71. EMMERGENE9, b. Jan. 4, 1867.
72. CORA A.9, b. May 13, 1869. 73. HENRY W.9, b. July 26, 1871.
74. -- , b. Nov. 9, 1878. 75. MILO S.9, b. Sept. 19, 1881.
[58.] SEAVER, SILAS W.8, s. of Isaac7 and Betsey, m. Ellen M., dau. of Paul and Alone (Cheever) Garfield, Pn., Aug. 7, 1864. He is a mechanic and res. at So. W. Chn. :
76. HATTIE A.9, b. Aug. 30, 1868; m. Geo. C. Baker; res. W .; 1 chd.
77. HARRISON E.9, b. Nov. 29, 1871.
78. MARY E.9, b. Oct. 19, 1883; d. Jan. 5, 1884.
[59.] SEAVER, EDWARD A.8, bro. of the last, was pub. to Almesta R. Foster of Temp., according to the records, in Nov.,
868
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
1861, when but 16 yrs. of age, but no further account of him is found till 1885, when he is reported as m. to Julia F. McDonald, a native of Prince Edward's Island. He left town several years since. His chn., as recorded, are:
79. ETHEL M.9, b. Feb. 3, 1885. So. MABEL C.6, b. May 31, 1886.
SI. FRANK A.9, b. Dec. 12, 1887; d. Jan. 24, 1888.
82. FRANK G.9, b. July 16, 1890.
83. SEVER, NATHANIEL4, bro. of Robert4 (1), was b. prob. at Sudbury, April 1, 1709. He m. Rebecca Willis of that town, Feb., 1737-8, who, after bearing him 8 chn., d .; and (2) Judith Treadway of Fram., who added 7 to the number. The different records relating to this family involve problems not easy of solu- tion. For want of space they are not detailed here.
Mr. Sever came to Nar. No. 2 evidently as early as 1750, and settled on lot No. 30, the second from the pond on the E. side, where F. A. Taylor now lives. In the spring of 175 I he had erected on that lot "the frame of a house, had cleared and fenced 3 acres of land, and was residing there with his family."
On the 14th of December, 1758, he sold the estate to Na- than Parker of Reading, but remained in the place nine years longer, whether as tenant of Mr. Parker or otherwise does not appear. He was undoubtedly very poor, being moved to Tem- pleton in 1767 at the town's expense. He d. in Temp. in 1777. His oldest s., Elijah, seems to have been located awhile on lot 23, 2d Div.,-the Edward Jackson, Jr., place, Beech Hill,-which was drawn on home lot No. 30, but no record of a family has been found. One of his younger sons, Richard Crafts Sever, studied medicine and became a physician of large practice and of envia- ble reputation in Phillipston and vicinity. The entire family of Mr. Sever is appended.
8.4. ELIJAH5, b. June 16, 1739. 85. ANNA5, b Jan. 3, 1740-I; d. young.
86. JOSIAH W.5, b, July 18, 1742. 87. REBECCA5, b. Feb. 3, 1743-4,
88. JOSEPH5, b. Jan. 26, 1745-6. 89. MARY5, b. Jan. 26, 1745-6; d. young.
90. CATHARINE5; bap. Aug. 28, 1748. 91. NATHANIEL5, b. prob. 1750.
92. LUTHER5.
93. CALVIN5.
94. FANNY5.
95. ROBERT5.
96. BETTY5.
97. RICHARD CRAFTS5.
98. JOHN REED5.
99. SEAVER, JOSEPH8, s. of Aaron7 and Louisa (Fairbank) Seaver of Gr. and gd.s. of Ethan (13), was b. Sept. 11, 1835. He m. Nancy, dau. Anson and Emily (Jackson) Ray, Dec. 5, 1855, and after residing at Gr., Fg., and Leom., came to W. in 1884 and settled on the Edward Jackson, Jr., place, Beech Hill. Chn. :
100. EMMA L.9, b. Gr., Feb. 15, 1857; d. Nov. 7, 1857.
IOI. FRANK J.9, b. Gr., Feb. 14, 1859.
102. CHARLES O.9, b. Fg., March 21, 1864.
103. ALICE E.9, b. Leom., Jan. 27, 1873.
104. CARRIE9, b. Leom., March 4, 1880.
869
THE SHARON, SHEPARD), AND SHUMWAY FAMILIES.
I. SHARON, EDWARD, ptge. unkn., was b. Boston, Dec. 24, 1844 ?. He m. March 29, 1866, Emily M., dau. of Geo. W. and Emily W. Merriam of Pn., and has had 4 chn .:
2. GEORGE E., b. April 23, 1868. 3. MARY L., b. Oct. 10, 1875.
4. FRANK L., b. Feb. 3, 1884. 5. MAUDE B., b. Sept. 16, 1886.
I. SHEPARD, W. H. H., M. D., s. of Wm. A. and Altania (Haston) Shepard, was b. Warren, July 16, 1841. He received his academic education at Westfield, and studied for his profes- sion at the Berkshire Med. School, Pittsfield. He began prac- tice in Sturbridge, but came to W. in 1866, and here remained through life. For sev. yrs. he was the only physician in town. His health becoming impaired, he started for the Azores in Nov., 1885, hoping to be essentially benefited by the change. The vessel on which he was a passenger was wrecked at Funchal, Madeira, Dec. 16, and he ret. home via Liverpool, arriving Jan. 17, 1886. He d. three weeks afterward, Feb. 7, a. 44.
Dr. Shepard m. (1) Jennie, dau. of David W. and Caroline (Wheeler) Hill, June 27, 1871. She bore him 3 chn. and d. Nov. 1, 1879. He m. (2) Jessie L., dau. of David W. and Lucia (Marvin) Hill, June 16, 1881. She still survives him. Chn. :
2. GRACE A., b. March 24, 1872.
4. HERMAN A., b April 2, 1877. 3. EDNA E., b. Jan. 30, 1874.
SHUMWAY.
This family was no doubt of French origin, and prob. belonged, in its transatlantic home, to the greatly persecuted Protestant sect of Huguenots, so celebrated in the history of civil and religious liberty. Its first represen- tative in N. E. was Peter Shumway1, who appeared ab. the middle of the 17th century and set. in the town of Topsfield. He was a soldier in King Philip's War, and is said to have been present at the taking of the fort in the memorable swamp fight. He had a s. Peter2, b. June 6, 1678, who went to Boxford and m. there Mariah Smith, Feb. 11, 1700-1. Of this union 6 chn. were b. before 1713, when the family rem. to Oxford, to join the declin- ing Huguenot settlement there, and in that place three more were b. Of these three was Amos8, from whom, by his w., Ruth Parker, sprang the branch that was transplanted to W.
I. SHUMWAY, ABISHAI4, s. of the last named, was b. Oxford, Oct. 3, 1754. Of his early life little has been learned. Choos- ing a professional career, he fitted himself for the practice of medicine. He m., when ab. 30 yrs. of age, Abial Stone, and some 2 years afterwards came to this town, being first taxed here in 1786. He seems to have located to begin with in what is now the central village, and for a while taught in the public schools in connection with his medical practice, but he soon gave himself wholly to his profession, in which he gained an honor- able and gratifying success. An old account book, covering some 12 or 15 years of practice, in possession of his grandson, Handel M. Shumway of Cleveland, O., is an interesting testi- monial to the professional character and general standing of Dr.
870
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
Shumway in the community at large. After res. in town ab. 3 years, he bought a small lot of land three-fourths of a mile from Main st., where he built the house now occupied by Charles Mosman, and where he lived till his removal to Gr. in 1830. He d. Feb. 9, 1844, a. 89. His w., Abial, passed away long be- fore he left W., Oct. 14, 1815, a. 63. Chn .:
2. LUCINDA5, b. Feb. 18, 1786; m. Samuel Cobb; res. W .; I chd .; d. 1818.
3. NEHEMIAH5, b. Dec. 25, 1790; m. Matilda Bolton; res. W. and Gr.
[3.] SHUMWAY, NEHEMIAH5, m. Dec. 24, 1815, Matilda, dau. Capt. Aaron and Dorcas (Winship) Bolton. He was a hatter by trade, and had a small manufactory in the gully a few rods E. of his father's house. He subsequently owned and run a store on or near the site now occupied by the W. bank. In 1830 he rem. to Gr., taking his aged father with him, and engaged in such light labors as his impaired health and waning strength would allow. He d. Sept. 16, 1838, a. 47. His wid. m. (2) a Mr. Townsend. She d. March 26, 1880, a. 83. The chn. of Nehemiah and Matilda were:
4. CAROLINE A.6, b. Feb. 5, 1817; m. Amasa Bancroft; res. Gr .; 2 chn .; d. Sept. 12, 1858.
5. CHARLES A.6, b. April 27, 18IS; m. Adaline Davis; res. Gr .; 2 chn .; living.
6. ALMIRA M.6, b. April 17, 1820; d. Sept. 29, 1838.
7. ALBERT A.6, b. Jan. 7, 1824; d. Oct 30, 1848.
8. EDWIN S.6, b. Aug. 14, 1826; d. Sept. 10, 1838.
9. HANDEL M.6, b. March 21, 1828; m. Martha Underwood; res. Cleveland, O .; 3 chn .; living.
I. SIMONDS, CHARLES A., s. of Albert G. and Sarah (Wood- cock) Simonds of Athol (lineage unascertained), was b. Nov. 13, 1842. He m. Nov. 13, 1866, Martha A., dau. Greenwood and Emily Partridge of Winchendon, and after living awhile in that tn., and later at Athol, came here in 1877 and located at So. W., where he entered the service of A. Merriam as a mechanic. Chn. :
2. IDA E., b. Winch., Sept. 12, 1867; m. F. A. Merriam; res. W.
3. LEON M., b. Athol, July 17, 1871.
4. SIMONDS, S. DWIGHT, bro. of the last, was b. Athol, Feb. 4, 1846, came to W. in his early manhood, and m. Ida E., dau. of Artemas and Salome (Holden) Merriam, Dec. 15, 1875. He is a bookkeeper in the counting-room of his father-in-law, and res. at So. W. He is active in public affairs, and has been honored with an election to the office of Selectman for four successive yrs. He also represented (in part) the District to which W. belonged in the Legislature of 1888. Chn. :
5. RALPH MERRIAM, b. Oct. 24, 1878.
6. ERNEST WINIFRED, b. May 28, 1880; d. infancy.
7. DONALD DWIGHT, b. Oct. 20, 1885.
SMITH. A considerable number of families bearing this name have res. in W. at different periods of its history, a few of which are still repre-
871
THE SMITH FAMILY.
sented here. But all efforts to trace them to their immigrant ancestor have in every instance proved unsuccessful. Whether or not they were of the same original stock has not been determined, nor has any bond of kin- ship been found to exist between different branches of them, though it is more than probable that some of those branches were not very distantly related to each other. The multitude of Smiths in the country renders the tracing lines of descent, in most cases, little else than a " wild goose " chase, more tantalizing than satisfactory. The record below begins with the first upon the W. territory.
I. SMITH, ASAHEL, from Sudbury, was in the place as early as Oct., 1757, when he had a road laid out from his lot, where Edmond T. Smith now res., southward across the river to a point near the No. Common. This lot he had bought early the same year of Nathaniel Sever. His w. was Mary Puffer, but no complete record of his chn. has been found. They were prob. all born elsewhere, and there is some doubt whether or not he ever located his family on his estate, or even built a permanent dwelling there for his own occupancy. The date of his d. is unkn., as is that of his w.
2. SMITH, SILAS, s. of the last, was b., prob. in Sudbury, 1759. He located in this town ab. 1787, in which year he was first taxed. His father conveyed the above named lot to him June 18, 1791, and there he had his home. He m. (1) June 8, 1788, Hannah, dau. Jonas Winship. She d. s. p. at an unknown date, and he m. (2) Hannah Burgess, May 31, 1796. He d. Jan. 30, 1821, a. 61. Date of her d. unkn. Their chn. were:
3. SILAS, b. Jan. 11, 1797; m. Sarah W. Wilder; res. W., etc.
4. SIDNEY, b. July 20, 1798; m. twice; res. W., etc.
HANNAII, b. July 20, 1800; m. Edmund Tarbell, 2d w.
6. SOPHIA, b. Aug. 29, 1802; m. Edmund Tarbell; res. Groton; sev. chn .; d.
7. ASAHEL, b. June 15, 1804; m. Clarissa Rand; res. Columbus, O .; sev. chn.
S. ANNA, b. Feb. 12, 1807; m. - Hughes; res. Leom .; no chn.
9 GEORGE, b. Dec. 24, 1808; m. Lucy Gates; res. Leom.
IO. DOLLY, b. Nov. 26, 1810; d. Aug. 19, 1814.
II. EMELINE, b. July 12, 1813; m. - Richardson; res. Leom.
12. BENJAMIN S., b. Aug. 26, 1815; m. - Worcester; res. Vermont; sev. chn.
13. I OLLY, b. June 6, 1818; in. Henry Abbott; res. Brockton.
14. ISAAC N., b. Sept. 28, 1820; m. Susan G. Hosmer; res. W.
[3.] SMITH, SILAS, s. of the last, m. Sarah W. Wilder in 1826 (pub. April 5), and lived for some years on the old homestead, Bragg Hill. Ab. 1837 he rem. to Farmington, Ia., where his youngest chd. was b. When the California fever broke out, he joined a party to go thither, accompanied by his two oldest sons. On their way by the overland route, he d. His sons proceeded to their destination, but subsequently returned to Farmington. Mrs. Smith d. in 1889, at a very advanced age. Chn. :
15. GEORGE W., b. Aug. 5, 1827. 16. SARAH ANN, b. Jan. 6, 1830.
17. THOMAS J., b. Jan. 20, 1832. 18. JAMES M., b. Nov. 9, 1834.
19. ABBY C., b. Aug. 24, 1836. 20. NANCY, b. Iowa, ab. 1838.
[4] SMITH, SIDNEY, bro. of the last, m. (1) Harriet, dau. of Joel and Thirza (Wheeler) Page, in 1827, and set. on the place
872
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
now owned and occupied by J. Hervey Miller. He sold out in 1836, and rem. to Sterling, where his remaining days were spent. His w., Harriet, d. by her own hand, Aug. 6, 1843, a. 34, leaving 4 chn. He then m. (2) Wid. Abby W. (Houghton) Whitney, by whom he had 9 more chn. He d. May 19, 1871, a. 72. His wid. d. March 1, 1880, a. 61. Chn. by Ist w .:
21. HARRIET M., b. W., June 30, 1830; m. Henry Babbitt, Boston; 5 chn .; living.
22. JANE W., b. Sept. 9, 1834; m. John W. Kendall; res. Camb .; I chd .; living.
23. CHARLES S., b. June 30, 1838; m. Elvira Raymond, etc .; res. W .; 6 chn .; 1.
24. ELIZABETH M., b. May 20, 1840; m. Wm. Hartwell; no chn .; living.
[14.] SMITH, ISAAC NEWELL, youngest s. of Silas and Han- nah (Burgess), m. Susan G. Hosmer of Leom., and after res. in sev. localities a few yrs., set. on the Cowee place near No. Common, where he d. Feb. 11, 1893, a. 72. His w. d. ab. 1863. Chn. :
25. SARAH E., b. May 9, 1846; m. Horace L. Hicks; res. Leom .; 2 chn .; living.
26. JOSIAII H., b. Aug. 26, 1847; res. W .; unm.
27. SIDNEY N., b. Dec. 2, 1848; m. Elvira Smith; res. W .; 3 chn .; living.
28. ABBY F., b. June 24, 1850; m. Augustus W. Newell; res. W.
29. HANNAH B., b. Aug. 2, 1852; m. Albert Smith; res. W .; 2 chn .; living.
30. LUCY A. W., b. March 25, 1854; m. Thomas T. Morrill; res. Brockton; 9 chn .; ].
31. SOPHIA A., b. Oct. 26, 1856; m. Solomon Ashline; res. Fg .; 3 chn .; living.
32. EDMOND T., b. March 22, 1858; m. Jennie Fram; res. W .; 2 chn .; living.
33. CHRISTOPHER, b. Feb. 12, 1860; d. Oct. 20, 1867.
[27.] SMITH, SIDNEY N., s. of the last, m. Jan. 3, 1878, Elvira, dau. of Lorenzo and Betsey Smith of Ash., and has 3 chn. :
34. FRANK S., b. March 9, 1879.
35. MARY E., b. May 28, 1882.
36. G. GERTRUDE, b. Sept. 9, 1889.
37. SMITH, CHARLES, S. of Asahel and Mary (Puffer) Smith, was b. Sudbury ab. 1766, and came to W. soon after attaining his majority. March 26, 1792, he bought of his bro., Silas, lot No. 86, 2d Div., on which Albert Minott now res., and located there. He m. Polly Burgess of Ash., and had a large family. He d. March 26, 1840, a. 74. His wid. survived him 21 yrs., d. May 10, 1861, a. 80. Chn. :
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.