USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Vol. III > Part 58
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George Palmer Wilkinson, son of Alexander Stewart and Julia (Watrous) Wilkinson, was born in Mystic, Connecticut, March 21, 1865. He was left fatherless at the age of nine years, and his boyhood was thereafter spent in Hudson, Massachusetts, where he obtained a public school education. He was variously employed for the first five years after leaving school, but then secured a permanent position with the Whitney-Reed Corporation of Leominster, and became a foreman. He remained in that employ for fourteen years, resigning in 1903 to engage in business for himself. Twenty years have since elapsed, and the business he then started in a small way has grown to be a most important factor in Leominster's business life. The store at No. 75 Main Street is devoted to the sale of wall paper, paints, and mouldings, and a prosperous business has been developed along those lines.
Mr. Wilkinson is an ex-member of the Massachusetts National Guard, serving three years, 1883-1886. He is a member of the Masonic order, the Royal Arcanum, Order of the Eastern Star, of which Mrs. Wilkinson is also a member; and the Masonic Club. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, Leominster.
Mr. Wilkinson married, April 20, 1886, Lavina A. Morse, born in Leominster, Massachusetts, daughter of George W. and Ann Augusta (Crowle) Morse. George W. Morse, born in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, engaged in farming until his death in 1910. His widow, born in West Boylston, survived him until 1916. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson are the parents of three children : I. Ethel V., married L. Scott Wood, of West Newbury, Massachusetts. 2. Harold G., a' veteran of the war with Germany, enlisting in Company A. 55th Regiment, Coast Artillery, United States Army, in December, 1917, and serving until March, 1919. He was for twelve months overseas with the American Expeditionary Forces, and at Chateau-Thierry was wounded in action. He mar- ried Mildred A. Pierce, of Leominster. 3. Ruth, mar- ried Roger K. Beedle, of Keene, New Hampshire.
STEPHEN WESLEY HAYNES, prominently iden- tified with constructive activities in New England as the head of the firm of Haynes & Mason, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, has attained a gratifying measure of success, and stands in a noteworthy position in the business world of Worcester County. A native of this county, he is a son of Willis R. and Tressie Elizabeth (Wood) Haynes, his father a carpenter by occupation, and for many years an esteemed citizen of Leominster.
Stephen W. Haynes was born in Leominster, Massa- chusetts, September 2, 1892. His education was begun in the local public schools, and following his completion of the course at the Leominster High School, he took up the study of architecture at the Beaux Arts Atelier at the Boston Architectural Club, also identifying him- self with the Boston Architectural Club. Devoting four years to this intensive preparation for his career, Mr.
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Haynes then entered the employ of the firm of Peabody & Stearns of Boston, and other Boston and Worcester architects, where he was active until his enlistment as pilot in the army air service in the World War. This occurred in July, 1918, and he was commissioned second lieutenant United States military aviator at Fort Worth, Texas. When the armistice was signed he was engaged as a student in the aerial gunnery course at Otay Mesa, in San Diego County, California. He received his hon- orable discharge from the service at Rockwell Field, in San Diego, California, on January 7, 1919, and returned to the State of Massachusetts. Locating in Fitchburg in 1920, he later formed a partnership with Harold E. Mason in 1921, and these progressive men have since gone forward under the title of Haynes & Mason, architects with offices at No. 280 Main Street, Fitch- burg. They specialize in the designing of school build- ings, and the very creditable list of forty schools have been built from their plans in the first two years of their experience as partners. These structures are scattered throughout the New England States.
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Mr. Haynes is otherwise affiliated with the business advance of the day as a member of the Nashoba Fruit Growers' Association, and member of the Aero Club of Massachusetts, and keeps broadly in touch with the gen- eral progress of the day. By political affiliation he is a Republican, and fraternally is identified with Wilder Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Leomin- ster, also the American Legion, and his clubs are: The Fitchburg, Rotary, Leominster, Fitchburg Masonic, and the Oak Hill Country.
DR. WILLIAM L. EDGAR, born in Rhode Island, is a son of Edwin Francis Edgar, born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, but later of Providence, Rhode Island, where he learned the trade of toolmaker with the Brown & Sharpe Tool Company, and never worked for any other corporation or firm as long as he lived. He married Ellen M. Hill, who died in Providence in 1918, she surviving her husband eighteen years.
William L. Edgar, son of Edwin Francis and Eller M. (Hill) Edgar, was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, October 16, 1872. He began his education in Providence public schools, and after graduation from high school. class of 1891, he entered Hahnemann Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, whence he was graduated M. D., class of 1894, (May 10). On June 23, following graduation Dr. Edgar located in Athol, Massachusetts, where he has now been in practice for thirty years. He ministers to a very large number of people, many of whom he attended in the earliest adventure in life, and is the trusted friend, counsellor, and physician in fam- ilies to which he was called in his first years of prac- tice. He has not only risen to leading position in the profession he adorns, but as citizen, neighbor, friend, his reputation is equally high.
During the war with Germany, 1917-19, Dr. Edgar was medical examiner to the Draft Board, although not a member of that board, the regularly appointed medical member of the board being prevented from serving by illness. He was a member of the Volunteer Medical Service Corps, authorized by ahe Council of National Defense. He was one of the incorporators of the Athol Savings Bank, and is a director of the Athol Co-
operative Bank. In politics he is a Republican, holds membership in all the Masonic Bodies of his city, and Boston Consistory, is an Odd Fellow, and a Knight of Pythias; his clubs the Greenfield Country and the Poquaig, of Athol. In religious faith he is a Baptist.
Dr. Edgar married, December 15, 1917, at Hartford, Connecticut, Minnie A. Woodward, daughter of Charles and Louisa P. (Cook) Woodward, her father born July 4, 1828, her mother born at Stillwater, Saratoga County, New York, June 18, 1830, dying at the age of ninety years.
WILLIAM M. LEE-A well-known merchant of Clinton, Massachusetts, who has been an important factor in commercial circles here for many years, is William M. Lee, proprietor and executive head of the store which bears his name.
Mr. Lee is a native of Carlisle, Massachusetts, where he was born on November 3, 1867, his parents being Marshall Lee, a native of Concord, who was engaged as a blacksmith until his retirement in 1902 and is now in in his eighty-eighth year, and Mary (Tyler) Lee, who came originally from Lexington, and whose death occurred January 2, 1898. It was in 1903 that Mr. Lee first entered the hardware business in Clinton by pur- chasing the store of Charles A. Bowman, located on Church Street. Mr. Lee formed the firm of William M. Lee and continued to carry on operations at the old location until 1915, when he removed to No. 172 High Street, and has remained there ever since. The firm carries a complete line of general hardware, stoves, ranges, farm implements, seeds, and fertilizers, and is ranked among the foremost in the field in Clinton. In addition to the merchandising departments, a sheet- metal shop is also maintained in connection with the business, and turns out a' large amount of work in its line.
In the social and civic affairs of the community Mr. Lee is an active participant, and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and of the Knights of Pythias. He is especially interested in religious work, being a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Clinton, and of the Men's Club of that denomination.
On November 1, 1893, Kathleen M. Baldwin of Phillipston, became the wife of Mr. Lee, and they have a family of six children, as follows: 1-2. Alice M. and Annie L., twins. 3. Marshall Baldwin, who enlisted in the United States Navy for war service, entering in June, 1918, and was discharged in 1922 with the rank of ensign. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts Insti- tute of Technology, and holds the degree of Bachelor of Science. 4. Florence K. 5. William Bradford, who is associated with his father in the hardware business. 6. Kathleen.
REV. PAUL C. HERMAN-Since the earliest set- tlers left the coast and pressed forward into the interior of the colony of Massachusetts, the church has born its part in the progress of the community and the well being of the people, and as the pioneers of later years came to the land of religious liberty to establish their families and homes, the church and its various denominations has come with them as protector, guide and spiritual leader. Only a few years ago the Slovak Roman Cath-
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olic Church of St. Anthony's was founded in Webster, Massachusetts, by the present pastor, Rev. Paul C. Herman, and under his devoted care has built up a prosperous church body. Father Herman has been in iAmerica for more than twenty years, and has served other churches in other States, and his work in Web- ster is in line with the civic and social progress of the day.
Rev. Paul C. Herman was born at Zvolen, Slovakia, January 4, 1862, and is a son of Paul and Annie (Knop) Herman, his father a butcher by trade. As a child he attended the parochial schools of his birthplace, then as a young man he entered college at Banska, Bystrica. His theological course was covered at the Seminary of St. Charles, in the same city, and he was ordained in 1885 by Bishop Arnold Ipolyi. For the first eight years of his priesthood, Father Herman served as curate among the different churches of his native land, then his first charge as pastor was the Church of the As- sumption, at Motycky, which he served for a period of nine years. He then went to Austria, where he was associated with the Benedictine Fathers for one year, after which in 1901 he came to America. His first charge in this country was at Streator, Illinois, as pastor of St. Stephen's, and there he remained for two years. Thereafter, for short periods, he served as pastor of dif- ferent churches in many other States, going here and there at the call of duty. In 1912 Father Herman re- turned to Slovakia for a year's stay, and upon his return to America in 1913 he was appointed to a church in South Chicago, Illinois, where he was active for about four years. In 1917 Father Herman came to Webster, Massachusetts, for the special work of gathering to- gether the Slovak people of this community in a parish of their own. This was named St. Anthony, and Father Herman bought a Protestant church building, which he remodeled and enlarged for the home of this congre- gation. He has also built a rectory and improved and beautified the church property. Beginning with a small membership he has had the satisfaction of seeing the church grow steadily, the spiritual life of his people has developed wonderfully. They look up to him and revere him as their moral and spiritual guide and teacher, and his work is having a broadly beneficent influence in the community. In political matters Father Herman supports the Democratic party, and personally and in his sacred office he gives encouragement and aid to all movements which make for the progress and well being of the community. He has won the esteem of the people, including his contemporaries in religious work, irrespective of denomination or creed.
EARL S. FISHER-President and secretary of the Bay State Comb Company, Mr. Fisher is widely known in Western Massachusetts business circles. He was born at Brattleboro, Vermont, May 7, 1885, son of Fred S. and Lilian A. (Smead) Fisher. His father, who was a master carpenter by trade, moved to Leominster in Worcester County, Massachusetts, when Mr. Fisher was only twelve years old, and the family home has ever since been in that town.
Mr. Fisher received his education in the public schools of Leominster and proceeded from grammar school to
high school. His talents were of a decidedly practical nature, and when he was graduated from high school he determined to begin his business career immediately. He took advantage, therefore, of an opening in the office of Alfred Burke & Company, manufacturers of combs. Entering the Leominster office of this company, he held various positions, working as shipper, as receiver, and as order clerk. He found this work interesting and the intricacies of the manufacturing processes, as well as the trade problems encountered in this special field of industry, engaged all his attention. He retained his connection with Alfred Burke & Company for some time, acquiring an excellent knowledge of the comb manufacturing business and developing those qualities of business sagacity, foresight, and devotion to his work which have since brought him so substantial a measure of success. He finally left the firm in order to learn the manufacturing end of the business. He became president of the Bay State Comb Company in 1920, believing that his abilities would find fuller scope in a firm in which he was an officer than in one in which he held a position as an employee, however valued. During his presidency of the Bay State Comb Company Mr. Fisher developed the company's business and established it upon so sound a financial basis that in 1922 it became necessary to reorganize the business in order to keep pace with the greatly increased volume of sales made yearly. In this reorganization Mr. Fisher resigned the presidency of the company and became its secretary and general manager. In this capacity his long practical experience and personal force as an organizer have been of inestimable value to the firm, and he has won for himself a secure place in the business world, where his success is recognized as the true reward of his ability and self-sacrificing devotion to the best interests of his firm. In 1923 he became president and secretary.
In religious faith Mr. Fisher is a member of the Uni- versalist church. He has always devoted all his attention to the interests of his business and has consequently taken no active part in political affairs. He believes that in an age so complex as ours it is better for those whose business affairs monopolize their time to abstain from seeking office or engaging in political discussion, than to enter into the field of politics without due re- flection and a careful consideration of all the factors determining legislative policies. In a similar manner he has never found it advisable to join the ranks of any fraternal or social organization; yet it must not be sup- posed that he does not take the keenest and most lively interest in everything that can advance public welfare and prosperity. He is always ready to lend his support to progressive movements, and takes a great pride in the position of eminence enjoyed by Leominster as a busi- ness center.
On September 27, 1910, he married, at Fitchburg, Julia Viau, daughter of John and Delia (Sarah) Viau. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have one child, Francis, who was born December 8, 1911, and is a pupil in the Leominster grammar schools.
ALBA JONES MARSHALL-To those who devote their energy and ability to the work of "feeding the world" every country owes much. It is the agriculturist
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who lays the foundations of prosperity. Without his work the fabric of organized human activity must col- lapse. Without his work the occupations which in a material sense are "non-producing," but yet which add so greatly to the sum of human happiness, must go out of existence. One of the skilful and successful agricul- turists of Worcester County is Alba J. Marshall, of Southboro, Massachusetts, who through a long and ac- tive career has been engaged in cultivating the homestead farm, first as his father's assistant and then as owner and manager of the farm.
Mr. Marshall is a descendant of John Marshall, who was born in England in 1621, and sailed for America in September, 1635, in the ship "Hopewell," accompanied by his brother, Christopher Marshall. Both brothers settled in Boston, but after a few years spent in that city Christopher Marshall returned to England. John Marshall was for a time in the employ of Edward Hutchinson, and later became a landowner and a pro- prietor of the town, having been admitted an inhab- itant of Boston, February 24, 1640. This John Marshall was a descendant of another John Marshall, of South- wark, England, whose son John founded Christ Church at Southwark, and to whom was granted a coat-of-arms, which his descendants bear :
Arms-Argent, a chevron, cotised, sable, between three bucks' heads gules.
Crest-A greyhound sejant argent, gorged with a collar gules, ringed or, resting the dexter foot on a buck's head, cabossed of the second.
(I.) John Marshall, of Boston, Massachusetts, was engaged in agricultural pursuits. He married, in 1645, Sarah - -- , who died September 28, 1685, aged sixty- six years. John Marshall died at Boston, March IO, 1715. His children were: Joseph, of further mention; Samuel, Sarah, Hannah, John, Thomas, Christopher, Benjamin, Christopher (2), and Peter.
(II.) Joseph Marshall, son of John and Sarah Mar- shall, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and was bap- tized August 12, 1655. He resided in Ipswich, Massa- chusetts, and served in King Philip's War under Cap- tain Prentice in the Mount Hope campaign. His name is on the tax list of Ipswich, 1678. His children, born at Ipswich, were: Joseph, Deacon Thomas, of further mention ; Benjamin, Abiezar (Ebenezer).
(III.) Deacon Thomas Marshall, son of Joseph Mar- shall, was born at Ipswich, Massachusetts, March 28, 1692, and died at Holliston, Massachusetts, April 3, 1766, aged seventy-five years. He was a blacksmith by trade. He settled first in Newton, Massachusetts, where he bought a shop and six acres of land adjoining John Park's place. After a few years he removed to Hollis- ton, where he was deacon of the church for a period of thirty-eight years, and was on the Board of Selectmen ten years. He married (first), November 2, 1715, Esther Leonard, of Watertown. She died December 10, 1761, aged seventy-one years, and he married (second) Abigail Cutler, widow, in 1762. Their grave- stones are in the Holliston burying ground. Children of Deacon Thomas and Esther (Leonard) Marshall were: Joseph, born January 4, 1717, married in 1737, Mary Leland, and settled in Milford, Massachusetts; Thomas, of further mention; Ebenezer, born September 18, 1721, millwright, settled in Framingham, Massachusetts. The
foregoing were born at Newton, the following in Hol- liston : John, born in 1723, married Mary Farnsworth ; Dinah, born in 1725, died in 1729; Ezra, born in 1729, died in 1732; Nahum, born in 1732 (Harvard College, 1744), married Martha Lord; James, born in 1734, mar- ried Lydia Harrington, of Framington.
(IV.) Thomas Marshall, son of Deacon Thomas and Esther (Leonard) Marshall, was born at Newton, Massachusetts, October 8, 1719, and died at Temple, New Hampshire. He lived at Holliston, Massachusetts, during his active years. He and his brother John re- moved with their families to Temple, New Hampshire, and Thomas was Constable there in 1769. Thomas mar- ried (first), April 19, 1744, Beriah Grand; (second), September 12, 1754, Abigail Cobb; (third) Mary -
at Holliston. The children of Thomas and Beriah (Grant) Marshall, born at Holliston, were: Keziah, born March 2, 1745; Thomas, born January 24, 1746, was lieutenant in Temple Company, in the Revolution ; Aaron, born November 8, 1747, resided in Temple; David, of further mention; Jonathan, born October 26, 1752, resided in Temple. Child of Thomas and his second wife, Mary Marshall: Jonathan, born January 24, 1757.
(V.) David Marshall, son of Thomas and Beriah (Grant) Marshall, was born at Holliston, Massachu- setts, December 13, 1750, and removed with his parents to Temple, New Hampshire. He later resided in Dublin, New Hampshire, where several of the family settled. He was a soldier in the Revolution and fought in the battle of Bunker Hill. He served in Captain Ezra Towne's company, Colonel James Reed's regiment, in 1775; in Captain Samuel McConnell's company, Colonel David Gilman's regiment, in 1776-77. These were New Hampshire regiments. About 1777 he removed to Maine, settling first for a short time at Fryburg then at Sudbury, Canada, now the town of Bethel, Maine, of which town he was the fifth settler. He was driven away by the Indians August 3, 1781, and his home de- stroyed, but his wife had been warned of the approach of the Indians, and when he saw them coming he gath- ered together what provisions he had (a piece of meat and a little sugar) put them in a bag, took his gun, and with his wife and two children, one two years old, the other an infant, took to the woods. They started for Jackson's Camp, now the town of Paris, Maine, and nearly starved before they reached the safety of the camp, for he did not dare to fire his gun to kill game for fear of the Indians. His wife was the first white woman to take lodgings in what is now Paris, Maine. They went from Jackson's Camp to New Gloucester by the aid of blazed trees, and stayed until the danger from Indians was past. They then settled in the town of Minot, Maine, where their son Moses was born. Find- ing that the title to his farm in Minot was not clear, he moved into the adjoining town of Hebron, formerly Sheperdsfield, cleared his farm, built a saw mill and a grist mill and spent the remainder of his days there. He died at Hebron, November 20, 1828. He married (first), September 15, 1772. He married (second) Lucy Mason, daughter of Moses Mason, who died in Hebron, August 25, 1824. The only child of the first marriage was: Thomas, born May 12, 1773, at Temple, New Hampshire. The children of David and Lucy (Mason)
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Marshall were: David, Jr., born at Bethel, February I, 1779, married Sarah Goss; Asahel, born March 9, 1781 ; Lucy, born at Hebron, May 8, 1783, died unmarried ; Walter, born at Hebron, August 17, 1785, was a minister, married Thirza Gurney; John, born at Hebron, Novem- ber 15, 1787, married Sally Gurney; Moses, of further mention ; Aaron, born January 19, 1792, married (first) Elipha Dunham, and (second) Bethia Bumpus; Nathan, born January 16, 1795; and Miriam, born in April, 1798, married Joseph Irish.
(VI.) Moses Marshall, son of David and Lucy (Mason) Marshall, was born at Minot, Maine, July 25, 1789, and died at Hebron, Maine. He succeeded to his father's farm and mills and added to these a shingle mill and a carding mill. He trained with the militia' during his youth and was called out during the War of 1812 to serve in the defense of Portland in 1814. He was a member of the Hebron Baptist Church. He married Ruth Whittemore, who was born and died in Hebron. She was also a member of the Baptist church there. Their children were: Isaac Whittemore, born in January, 1816, and died November 21, 1903; Miranda, born January 18, 1818; Deborah, Moses Mason, born December 15, 1822; Thomas; Joseph Irish, of further mention; Elizabeth, who died in infancy; Elizabeth, Albert Quincy, Frank Adelbert, and Ruth Whittemore.
(VII.) Joseph Irish Marshall, son of Moses and Ruth (Whittemore) Marshall, was born in Hebron, Maine, March 26, 1826. After receiving a good practical educa- tion in the public schools of his native district, he be- came his father's assistant on the farm and eventually devoted his entire time to agricultural pursuit. Polit- ically he gave his support to the Republican party and always took an active interest in local affairs. He was highly esteemed by his fellow townsmen, and was one of those who quietly gave his support to all movements for the improvement of the public welfare. On April I, 1868, he removed to Southboro, Massachusetts, where he died January 26, 1902. He married, March 8, 1851, Vilona Jones, of Turner, Maine, who was born in Turner October 19, 1832, granddaughter of Benjamin and Tabitha (Leavitt) Jones, of Taunton, Massachusetts, who were among the pioneer settlers in Turner. Chil- dren of Joseph Irish and Vilona (Jones) Marshall were : Alba Jones, of further mention; Fred Alton, born Au- gust 5, 1858, and died December 7, 1858; Nellie Ger- trude, born October 27, 1861, and died April 30, 1862.
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