History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 147

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 147

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Among other distinguished men of Brookfield, the following may be mentioned. Jedediah Foster was born in Andover, October 10, 1726, and died October 17, 1779. He graduated at Harvard in 1744, and set- tled in Brookfield in the practice of law. He was a delegate to the Provincial Congress in 1774-75, and was an influential member. He was chosen council- lor in 1774, and disapproved by General Gage, and re-chosen in 1775. He was judge of the Superior Court of Judicature from 1776 to his death, and had previously been probate judge and judge of the Wor- cester County Court of Common Pleas.

Dwight Foster, son of Jedediah, was born in Brookfield, December 7, 1757, and died in that town April 29, 1823. He graduated at Brown University

Aaron Pinball

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BROOKFIELD.

iu 1774 and practiced law in his native town. He was Sheriff and Common Pleas Judge of Worcester County, a member of the House and Senate in the General Court, member of Congress from 1793 to 1799, and United States Senator from 1800 to 1803. On the death of his father, in 1779, while a member of the State Convention for framing the State Con- stitution, he was chosen in his place.

Jabez Upham, son of Phinehas Upham, was born in Brookfield in 1764 and graduated at Harvard in 1785. He studied law with Dwight Foster and was admitted to the bar in 1788. He practiced a few years in Sturbridge, Mass., and Claremont, New Hampshire, and thence removed to Brookfield, where he died, Nov - ember 8, 1811. He represented his native town in the General Court and the Worcester South District in Congress, resigning his seat in 1809.

Wm. B. Banister was born in Brookfield, November 8, 1773 and graduated at Dartmouth in 1797. He was a distinguished member of both the Worcester and Essex bars and died in Newburyport, where a considerable portion of his professional life was spent, July 1, 1853.

Amos Crosby was born in Brookfield in 1761 and graduated at Harvard in 1786. He was a preceptor in Leicester Academy and tutor at Harvard. He afterwards practiced law in Brookfield until his death in June, 1836.

Alfred D. Foster was born in Brookfield July 26, 1800, and graduated at Harvard in 1819. He studied law with S. M. Burnside, but after a few years' prac- tice retired from active business. He was three years a member of the Executive Council, and a member of the Massachusetts Senate in 1848.

Daniel Gilbert, a native of Brookfield, graduated at Dartmouth in 1796 and was admitted to the bar in 1805. He died, March 11, 1851, at the age of seventy-six.

Lovell Walker was born in Brookfield in 1768 and graduated at Dartmouth in 1794. He practiced law in Templeton and Leominster, and was a member of the Senate in 1830 and 1831. He died March 25, 1840.

Among other natives of Brookfield who have dis- tinguished themselves either at home or in wider fields of enterprise may be mentioned Joseph Dwight, Josiah Converse, Phinehas Upham, Thomas Hale, Oliver Crosby, Simeon Draper and Oliver C. Felton. These belonged to past generations and of the living it is not proposed to speak.

With these sketches this imperfect narrative must clase. It is only necessary to say in conclusion that the writer has drawn freely from Temple's valuable " History of North Brookfield" as a source of supply of historical material, for which he desires to ex- press the fullest acknowledgment and the sincerest thanks. That history being a town publication, he has esteemed it a sort of town record, and therefore free for public use.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

AARON KIMBALL.

Aaron Kimball was the son of Aaron and Silence (Bartlett) Kimball, and was born at North Brook- field, June 19, 1796. His paternal grandfather, Benjamin, came from Ipswich to Brookfield prior to 1755, and since that time the family name has been prominently associated with Brookfield and her interests.

He married Eliza Cooley of Long Meadow, by whom were the following children : Harriet Cooley, born, February 3, 1830, died February 6, 1860 ; Adeline Augusta, born October 1, 1832 d; Mary Ann, born November 15, 1834-died, 1884; Franklin Olcott, born October 26, 1838-died December 24, 1856.

June 21, 1853, he married Persis Stebbins of Wil- braham : the issue was : John Cone, born August 16, 1857.

Aaron Kimball began business at Brookfield as a country merchant, in 1821, with small capital, except force and perseverance. In 1830 he formed a partner- ship with J. P. Robinson, and commenced the manufacture of shoes at Brookfield. 1n 1851 they opened a shoe and leather store on Fulton Street, Boston, from whence they removed to the well-known warehouse on Hanover Street, opposite the American House.

For thirty-four years Mr. Kimball was the senior partner of the wholesale boot and shoe house of Kimball, Robinson and Co., Boston.

During the financial storms of this period all their business engagements were met with great prompt- nexs. The panic of 1837 especially tested Mr. Kimball's executive ability with great credit to him- self.

He belonged to that school of men who did business on honor, and whose word was considered as good as their bond. He possessed sterling integrity, great firmness, a pure character, and was considered the leading business man of his day at Brookfield.

He retired from active business in 1864, and died at Brookfield, May 17, 1866.

JOHN PARMELEE ROBINSON.

Rev. John Robinson, the supposed ancestor of the subject of this sketch, was the well-known pastor of the Pilgrim Church. He became connected with that church at Scrooby soon after 1606 while it was under the ministration of Richard Clyfton. He was born in Lincolnshire in 1576, and entering Emanuel College in 1592 he took the degree of M.A. in 1600 and B.D. in 1607. He began his ministerial labors in Mendham, where on account of his puritan tendencies he was at length suspended from his func- tions. Retiring to Norwich, after preaching a short time to a small puritan congregation, he at last re-

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

nounced all communion with the church. Robinson afterwards said " that light broke in upon him hy de- grees. that he hesitated to outrun those of his puritan brethren who could still reconcile themselves to re- main in the establishment." He was called even by an opponent of separatism "the most learned, polished and modest spirit that ever the sect en- joyed."

In 1608 he went with the church to Amsterdam where it remained a year and to Leyden in 1609. Mr. Clyfton having decided to remain at Amsterdam, Mr. Robinson was chosen pastor and at his house on Clock Alley in the rear of St. Peter's Church, in Leyden, his congregation probably met on the Sab- bath. Here Robinson lived from the 5th of May, 1611, the date of the deed of the premises, until his death in 1625. The records of the church of St. Peter's show that he was buried under its pavement and that the sum of nine florins was paid for the right of burial. This sum, however, only secured a place, of deposit for the term of seven years and it is there- fore probable that at the end of that time either his coffin was removed to an unknown grave or his ashes were scattered in the burial of others.

Subsequent to the death of Mr. Robinson his widow and son Isaac came to New England and from this son the subject of this sketch was probably descended, the line of descent from John being Isaac, Thomas, i only sold their own goods but those mannfactured by

David, David, Noah, Hezekiah and John Parmelee.

John Parmelee Robinson was the son of Hezekiah and Rebecca (Cooley) Robinson and was born in West Granville in the county Hampden, Massa- chusetts, April 24, 1809. Rebecca (Cooley) Robin- son, his mother, was the daughter of Josiah Cooley, of Longmeadow, and descended through him and another Josiah and two Eliakims from Benjamin, who came from England about 1635 and not long after settled in Springfield. Benjamin Cooley is first mentioned in the history of Springfield as owning land at the "long meddowe" in 1645, a part of the town which was incorporated as a pre- cinct in 1715 and a separate town in 1783. It is evident from the records that the Cooley family always retained their lands at the Longe Meddowe in Springfield and in Longmeadow after its incor- poration. Mr. Cooley was one of the selectmen of Springfield as early as 1646, and occupied a position on the Board many years. At later dates he is called Ensign Benjamin Cooley and is spoken of as distinguishing himself in the Indian Wars.

The other children of Hezekiah Robinson were Josiah C., of Longmeadow, and Noah H., of Elmira, New York, both deceased, and Henry A. of Spring- field and Emeline and Harriet R., both unmarried. The subject of this sketch attended school at West Granville and afterwards at the Westfield Seminary where a more thorough education was possible than the public schools of his native town could furnish. After leaving school he was in 1828 and a part of

1829 employed as teacher in West Granville, and for a short time afterwards in Longmeadow, the old home of his mother. At the age of twenty-one he removed to Brookfield where with Aaron Kimball he engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes. With devoted labor and careful management the business of Kimball & Robinson after a solid foun- dation had been laid assumed large proportions, soon requiring more attention to the sale of goods in Boston than visits to that city twice in a week could furnish. In 1852 Mr. Robinson removed to Boston and there took up his permanent residence. Up to that time the Boston business had always been transacted by Mr. Robinson while Mr. Kimball gave his attention more particularly to the busi- ness of the factory. Mr. Robinson had occupied for the transaction of his business a part of the office of William C. Murdock in Fulton Street (that part of Boston then being the headquarters of the shoe and leather trade), who did a commission busi- ness in boots and shoes. This business Kimball & Robinson bought out in 1852 and for several years they carried on a large and increasing business at the old stand. During Mr. Robinson's connection with Mr. Kimball and afterwards in other business connections, his house may be said to have been the largest in their line of business in Boston. They not others in Brookfield, Medway, Hudson, Massachusetts, and Dover, New Hampshire, the manufacture being carried on on joint account and Mr. Robinson always making the purchase of leather.

After remaining in Fulton Street a few years Kimball & Robinson removed to Hanover Street and occupied a store opposite the American House. While there two trusted employees of the house were taken into partnership and the firm-name be- came Kimball, Robinson & Co. It so remained un- til December 1, 1864, when the partnership expired by limitation, and Mr. Robinson formed a new firm, as-ociating with himself James Longley, Jr., under the name of Robinson & Longley. Mr. Longley had been brought up in the house and on the 24th of October, 1866, married Julia Frances, Mr. Robinson's daughter.

At the beginning of the War of the Rebellion Mr. Robinson's house, like other large boot and shoe con- cerns of that period, suffered heavily from losses at the South, but by shrewd management and persistent effort his firm not only successfully went through the financial storm, but as isted many others, as in the struggle of 1857. In 1865 Robinson & Longley re- moved to Pearl Street, where they continued in busi- ness until 1867, when they were succeeded by Loring & Reynolds, in whose concern Mr. Robinson and Mr. Longley were special partners. Mr. Kimball died in 1866, but Mr. Robinson continued his interest in the Brookfield factory until September, 1881, when he sold the property.

John P. Robinson

Francis Nowo

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BROOK FIELD.

Mr. Robinson died at North Conway, N. H., August 5, 1882. He married, February 18, 1835, Eliza A., daughter of Stephen and Fanny (Paige) Rice, of Hardwick, and had four children,-Frances Eliza, Julia Frances, John Cooley and Anna Eliza, all of whom died young except Julia Frances, the wife, now living, of James Longley, of Boston, as has been already mentioned. Stephen Rice, of Hard- wick, the father of Mrs. Robinson, was descended, through Stephen, of Westboro', who married Dorothy Woods, of Marlboro', Beriah Rice, of Westboro'. who married Mary Goodenow, of Marlboro', Thomas Rice, of Marlboro', who married Anna Rice, his cousin, Thomas Rice, of Sndbnry, who married a wife Mary, from Edward Rice, born in England about 1594, who came to New England before 1639, and settled in Sudbury in that year.

During the residence of Mr. Robinson in Brook- field he was a leading man in the town, prominent in every good work, but, with the exception of the office of postmaster, which he held under the Whig ad- ministration inaugurated by the election of Zachary Taylor in 1848, he held no public office. Aside from his interest in the Unitarian Society, of which he was an active and useful member, and his interest in the general welfare of the town and the comfort and happiness of its people, he devoted his time and energies to his business, and neither sought nor de- sired public station.

After he came to Boston, he first associated himself with the church at the corner of Beach Street and Harrison Avenue, of which Rev. James I. T. Cool- idge, then a Unitarian, was pastor, and later with that of Rev. Edward E. Hale, near his residence, which was at the corner of Washington Street and Chester Park. In the ministry at large, of which he was once an officer, he felt a special interest, and did much to sustain it and promote its usefulness.

Like other business men who, by the cultivation of all their powers, build up and maintain prosperous enterprises in business, Mr. Robinson looked on his school instruction as only the beginning of knowl- edge, and continued through life to build on the foundation laid in his boyhood, and educate himself in wider fields of knowledge than the demands of his daily vocation required. Possessed of an exceedingly genial temperament, of good common sense, an un- erring judgment, an unswerving integrity, a capacity for honest and thorough investigation, and tastes in- clined as his mind developed to literary pursuits, it would have been difficult to find a station in public or private life which he could not have creditably filled. For many years he was a director in the Eliot Insurance Company, and afterwards one of the or- ganizers and a director of the Eliot Bank and its successor, the Eliot National Bank, until his death ; and to his conservative prudence and sagacious in- sight these institutions owed a debt of gratitude which they were ever ready to acknowledge.

FRANCIS HOWE.

Francis Howe, whose portrait 'accompanies this sketch, was descended from John Howe, the first American ancestor. John Howe came from Eng- land and first settled in Watertown whence he removed to Sudbury where he was living in 1639, and made a freeman in 1640. In 1642 he was a selectman in that town. He was one of the petitioners for the grant constituting the town of Marlboro', and in 1657 re- moved to that place. The petition for the grant was presented to the General Conrt in May, 1656, and besides Mr. Howe, the petitioners were: Edmund Rice, William Ward, Thomas King, John Woods, Thomas Goodnow, John Ruddocke, Henry Rice, John Bent, Sr., John Maynard, Peter Bent and Edward Rice. In compliance with the petition a plantation known by the Indian name Whipsnppe- nicke, was granted and laid out containing 29,419 acres.

It is said that John Howe was the first white man to take up his residence on the grant. He built a house and there lived until his death in 1687. By a wife, Mary, whose death occurred not far from the time of his own, he had eleven children-John, 1640; Samuel, 1642; Sarah, 1644; Mary, 1646; Isaac, 1648; Josiah, Mary again, 1654; Thomas, 1656 ; Daniel, 1658; Alexander, 1661 ; and Eleazur, 1662. Josiah, one of the above sons, married March 18, 1671, Mary Haynes and had five children-Mary, 1672; Mary again, 1674; Josiah, 1678 ; Daniel, 1681; and Ruth, 1684. Josiah, one of these children, married June 14, 1706, Sarah Bigelow, and November 22, 1713, Mary Marble, and died September 20, 1766. His children were-Phinebas, 1707; Abraham, 1709; Rachel, 1710; Sarah, 1714; Mary, 1716; Josiah, 1720; Jacob, 1724. Abraham Howe, one of the above, settled in Brookfield, and married Martha Potter. His children were-Ephraim, born September 23, 1733; Abraham, 1735; Abner, 1736; Sarah, 1738; Rachel, 1741 ; Martha, 1744; Persis, 1749; Eli, 1752; and Abraham again, 1758. Ephraim, one of the children of Abraham, married in September, 1757, Sarah Gilbert of Brookfield, and had William born in 1759; Molly, 1761; Rachel, 1763; Sarah, 1766; Martha, 1768; Lncy, 1769; and Josiah, 1774. William Howe, one of the above children, born November 15, 1759, was a trader in Brookfield, and married November 2, 1780, Abigail, daughter of Jabez Crosby of Brookfield, and had Sally, 1782; Nancy, 1784; Jabez C., 1787; Otis, 1788; Otis again, 1790; William, 1792; George, 1795 ; Amos, 1797 ; Francis, 1799; Oliver, 1801; Charlotte Abigail, 1804; and Charlotte again, 1807. Jabez C. and George Howe were the late distinguished merchants of Boston, known as partners in the well-known house, of J. C. Howe and Co. Otis Howe was also a merchant in Boston, and the three daughters,; Sally, Nancy, and Charlotte Abigail, married Darius Hovey and Cyrus Dean, of Brookfield, and Samuel Johnson of Boston.

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

All the children are now deceased. Mr. Hovey was the father of the late Charles F. Hovey and George Hovey of Boston.

Francis Howe, the subject of this sketch, married in September, 1824, Maria A., daughter of Ephraim Richards, of Enfield, and had eight children, three of whom died young and five of whom survived him. A daughter, Abbie J., married S. R. Pattison, an at- torney of London, England, who has acquired some distinction as an author and scientist, and also as a philanthropist. Lucretia P., another daughter, mar- ried Wm. J. Pingree, of Boston, of the firm of Wm. J. Pingree & Brother, one of the leading dry goods com- mission houses in that city. Among the living chil- dren there are two other brothers-William, for many yearsa planter in Mississippi, and Frederick A. Howe, an esteemed and prosperous commission merchant in Boston. Albert R. Howe, another son, born January 3, 1840, died in Chicago, June 1, 1884. He was major of the 5th Massachusetts cavalry in the War of the Rebellion, and after the war settled with his brother, William, in the South and engaged in the business of cotton planting. He was a member of the 43d Con- gress from Mississippi, and afterwards until his death was a merchant in Chicago.

Francis Howe was educated in the schools of his native town, and began business in Enfield. As his business grew and his capacity for its management developed he found the field in which he operated too narrow for the full satisfaction of his active spirit, and he removed to Boston, where, for some years, he was engaged in the West India business as a member of the well-known firm of Pope & Howe. With the competence which he had acquired as the result of his successful business career in Boston, he returned to his native town, whose inland air was more conge- nial to him than he had found the harsher airs from the sea. In Brookfield, after his return, he was asso- ciated for some time with Chester W. Chapin, of Springfield, and Frank Morgan, of Palmer, in the ownership of a stage-line between Worcester and Hartford, and at the same time carried on a large and successful country store. He always felt a deep in- terest in State and national politics, and was an active and influential leader of the democratic party of the town. As the candidate of that party he repre- sented the town in the house of representatives in 1841-43, and represented Worcester County in the Senate in 1846. Subsequent to the Kansas outrages and in consequence of the attitude concerning them assumed by the party to which he had always been warmly attached he became a member and one of the founders of the Republican party, and to that organi- zation and its success he lent his aid and energies.

As a member of the Orthodox Congregational Church, with which he became connected in 1867, he was always generous in his benefactions, and in private charities his hand was always found open and his heart warm. In all the varied fields of labor into

which he had entered he carried with him a sound judgment, good common sense, a firm will, unswerv- ing integrity, a generous spirit and a determination to win success. It was said, by one who knew him, "he will be long remembered as a gentleman of kind and generous feelings, courteous manners and uncompro- mising integrity. The church, society and the com- munity have suffered a serious loss and his death will be severely felt by a large circle of friends and rela- tives." Mr. Howe died in Brookfield January 4, 1879, leaving, besides the children above mentioned, a widow, who is still a resident of that town.

LUTHER STOWELL.

Luther Stowell was the son of Luther and Lucy (Richardson) Stowell and was born at Sturbridge December 22, 1799. He came to Brookfield with his parents when young and spent his life here. Many of his winters when a young man were devoted to school teaching. May 11, 1827, he married Sophia Barret, of Brookfield. Mr. Stowell was a man who gave close attention to his own pursuits, which were principally agricultural. He was esteemed a good citizen, represented his town as selectman and in 1840 and 1860 represented his district in the Legisla- ture of the State. Mr. Stowell was a man of good judgment and in his business affairs was successful. He died at Brookfield August 5, 1865.

WILLIAM A. BANISTER.

William A. Banister was born at Brookfield, Mass., June 4th, 1807. He was the son of Seth and Dolly (Cutter) Banister, and belongs to the sixth generation bearing the name at Brookfield. His paternal grand- father, Seth, was a leading man in military affairs. In 1777 had served in the Revolutionary army nineteen months, the highest average in the third precinct ; commanded a company in the service and rose to the rank of colonel. He married Marcy Warriner, of Brimfield. Their children were William Bostwick, born November 8, 1773, a benefactor of Newbury- port; Liberty, born October 16, 1775; Seth, born January 4, 1778, was a captain in the War of 1812 and died at Brookfield September 7, 1857.

The issue of Seth and Dolly Banister was : Caro- line C., died July 11, 1879 ; William A. the subject of this sketch ; Eliza Ann, died 1828; Sarah, died young; and Seth W., born January 15, 1811, and died Octo- ber 5, 1861.

William A. Banister spent his boyhood at Brook- field, and from there went to Boston. In 1831 he en- gaged himself at Charleston, S. C., as a salesman.

His close attention to his duties through three suc- cessive yellow fever seasons showed his devotion to business entrusted to him. Shortly afterwards the mercantile house of Banister & Ravenel was estab- lished for direct trade between Charleston and Europe, with Mr. Banister at its head. Mr. Meminger, after-

Luther Howdle

W.C Banit

Euroin Price

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BROOKFIELD.

wards Confederate Secretary of the Treasury, was a special partner in this house.

After this time Mr. Banister made annual business visits to Europe, and in 1838 was a passenger on the Great Western, the finest Atlantic voyage made by passenger steamer from America to England. He witnessed the demonstrations at the coronation of Queen Victoria in that year. In 1845 he moved to New York city, and was associated with several large importing and jobbing houses, taking rank with the first merchants of his day, and doing a business of several millions annually. He always showed the courage, capacity and high honor which most become a merchant. He retired from active business in 1859.

In 1861 he was South on business, and witnessed the bombardment of Fort Sumter and the surrender of the same on the afternoon of April 13th.

Mr. Banister has shown his interest in humanity by his works. He has assisted in educating his three nephews, sons of his brother, Seth W .; has given several thousand dollars to the home for aged men at Newburyport, a beautiful gate-way to the cemetery at Brookfield, in conjunction with Otis Hayden, Esq., and donated ten thousand dollars for founding a public library at Brookfield.

Of late years Mr. Banister has lived in compara- tive retirement, with New York City as his home.

EDWIN RICE.

Edmund Rice, the American ancestor of the subject of this sketch, came from Barkhamstead, in the County of Hertfordshire, in England, and settled in Sudbury, Massachusetts, in 1638 or 1639. He was a Selectman in 1644 and for some years afterwards, and deacon of the church in 1648. His son Thomas Rice also lived in Sudbury and by a wife Mary had thirteen children, one of whom was Peter, born October 24, 1658. Peter Rice, of Marlboro', married Rebecca, daughter of Abraham and Hannah (Ward) Howe, of Marlboro', and had eleven children, one of whom was Elisha, born December 2, 1690. Elisha Rice, of Brookfield, married Martha Rice October 6, 1720, and had seven children, one of whom was Elnathan. Elnathan Rice, of Brookfield, married Lucy Walker in October, 1754, and had six children, one of whom was Rufus, born February 7, 1764. Rufus Rice, of Brookfield, married Betsey Moore October 2, 1786, and had nine children, one of whom was Shepard, born September 20, 1790. Shepard Rice, of Brookfield, married Mahala Carpen- ter April 22, 1810, and had Elsie (1812), who married John E. Ainsworth, of Brimfield ; Elliot (1814), who married Harriet Nickols; Edwin, April 11, 1817; Miriam, who married Sylvanus King, of Monson and Leprelet.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 147

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1576

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576