History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 88

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 88

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although these estates exceeded a hundred thousand dollars in value.

In religious convictions Mr. Haws is a Unitarian of the old school, and has been, during all his active life, an active and influential member of the First Congregational (Unitarian) Society of Leominster. In his political faith he is a temperance Republican, straightforward and consistent in his devotion to its principles, although hardly to be classed as an active partisan. That his fellow-citizens consider Mr. Haws worthy of honor appears from the fact that the pro- posal to offer his name as a candiate for Presidential elector from the Eleventh District, when made in a large meeting of his party, was received with marked approval.

Mr. Haws is a man of decided opinions, positive and determined in his purposes when convinced that they are right, and fully able to give a reason for his convictions.

After an active life, successful and helpful, Mr. Haws is spending an age of comparative leisure in a home which he built for himself, just over the way from the place of his birth.

March 5, 1843, he married Lucy Ann Graham, of Lunenburg, Mass. They have no children.

GEORGE FRANKLIN MORSE.

The Morses, whose descendants now live in Leo- minster, came to this country from England before the middle of the seventeenth century, for it is on record that Joseph Morse, the not remote ancestor of the subject of this sketch, settled in Ipswich, Mass., as early as 1635. It appears from the town records of that town that Joseph Morse was a man of high intelligence and sterling character-one of those men whose religious convictions, views of civil polity and faithful allegiance to duty, as they understood it, have made New England famous and influential in this republic.

George Franklin Morse is the second of eight chil- dren of Gardner and Mary Ann Morse, and was born in Leominster, Oct. 16, 1835, in the house known as the Micah R. Ball place, on West Street. His father is a native of Dorchester, Mass., but he moved to Leominster in the year 1827, when he was sixteen years of age. Like most Leominster boys of his time, Gardner Morse was apprenticed to learn the comb business. Indeed, the old apprentice system then prevailed in all trades, and it was held necessary for one to learn all parts of a business before he was considered competent to work as a journeyman or to manufacture for himself. There was, under this method, a loss in time, but a gain in intelligence.

Mr. Morse, after finishing his apprenticeship, began business at once. He married, in 1833, Mary Ann Willard, of Sterling, and was an active part of the social and business life of Leominster until forced by his advanced years to husband his remaining strength.

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His home, for nearly half a century, was in what is familiarly known as the Morse Place, on West Street, to which place he moved in April, 1836. Here all the family were born, except George F., already named.

By force of location, therefore, George F. Morse began his education at what is called No. 2; at that time, however, a large and flourishing school. When the High School was organized, he was admitted as one of its first pupils, continuing his connection for the next four years. At the age of sixteen he went to Boston to learn the importing business with the honse of Hill, Burrage & Co., two members of which were natives of Leominster-Alvah and Charles H. Bur- rage. With this house Mr. Morse remained two years, when he returned to Leominster and entered the employ of G. & A. Morse, spending the years 1855-56 with them. This firm was engaged in the comb business, and also, as was quite the custom of that time, had a large store for the sale of general mer- chandise. Mr. Morse served as book-keeper for them.

In 1857 Gardner Morse, William Booth, Joseph F. Goodhue and George F. Morse formed a partnership, under the name of G. Morse & Co., which continued until the Morse Comb Company was organized, with George F. Morse as secretary. This was the first stock company organized in Leominster. Within the year this company lost their factory by fire and did not rebuild, but the firm of G. Morse & Son took the place, and continued until the beginning of the war in 1861.

From 1861 to 1863 Mr. Morse was in the Quarter- master's Department of the army. In 1862 he joined the Third Division of the Third Army Corps, then under the command of Gen. Whipple, and remained with the division until after the battle of Fredericks- burg.

After leaving the army and before returning to Leominster, in connection with Gen. Augustus Morze, he bought the City Hotel property at Annapolis, Md., and held it for one year.

From 1864 to 1868 Mr. Morse was again engaged in the comb business in Leominster, but the year follow- ing he spent in Boston, as proprietor of the Creighton House ; but as he had little desire for this business, he sold the property, after a year of successful manage- ment, to Mr. F. E. Balch, and returned to his native town.

In 1871 Mr. Morse again commenced the comb business, this time adding the sale of horns to the work of manufacturing. The name of the firm was G. Morse & Co., and the following year George F. and Albert G. Morse assumed that part of the business which pertained to the buying and selling of horns, organizing the firm of G. F. Morse & Co. For the next twelve years they pushed this business with great energy and marked success. The constantly increas- ing demand for horns during these years, for the manufacture of combs and jewelry, rendered extensive traveling necessary in order to obtain the goods,

which must be gathered from countries where large herds of cattle are found. In furtherance of his business, Mr. Morse, in 1875, visited California, in 1880 Cuba and Mexico. Returning from Havana to the City of Mexico he had the good fortune to travel in company with Generals Grant and Sheridan, as the former was completing his tour of the world. Iu 1881 also Mr. Morse made a brief tour of Europe.

In 1882 Mr. Morse was elected president of the South Hill Gold Mining Company of Amador, Cali- fornia, and spent a part of that year at the mines. He still holds this office and frequently spends the winter in California, looking after the interests of this property. When the Hecla Powder Company of New York was organized Mr. Morse was elected its president and served till 1888, when he refused a re-election. Ile is also a director of the Leominster Gas-Light Company.

At the first annual meeting of the Wachusett National Bank of Fitchburg, Mr. Morse was elected one of the directors, to which office he has been annually re-elected, and where he has rendered valuable service. In 1874 he was appointed notary publie by Governor Thomas Talbut and still holds the office. He has also filled with credit to himself and with satisfaction to those who elected him many other places of honor and trust.

Mr. Morse is an energetic and successful business man. Beginning life with no special aids from fortune or position, the success which he has achieved may fairly and justly be attributed to his own skill and energy, and in it he may take lasting satisfaction.

In his religious views Mr. Morse is a Unitarian, and has always been warmly interested in that society ; in political faith, he is a temperance Republican, a decided, active and influential member of that party.

In his home life Mr. Morse has been most fortunate. In 1859 he married Miss Mary Tufts, of Fitchburg, a most admirable lady, pleasant and helpful, and their delightful family of five children-one son and four daughters-is not only one of the pleasantest of home cireles, but must be strength and inspiration to any man. It is homes like this which force upon our attention the fact, that after all, very much of any man's power and success depends upon the fire-side.

As a native of the town, Mr. Morse has always been actively interested in all that pertained to the welfare and development of Leominster, and has been one of the important factors in her growth.

NAHUM HARWOOD.

The old homestead of the Harwood family is in Littleton, Mass. Here the elder brother, Hon. J. A. Harwood, still makes his home; at the same place Col. Nahum Harwood, the father, spent his life, and from this centre, for several generations, have come worthy representatives of the best New England life and thought.

Nahum Harwood

S. Minim

LEOMINSTER.

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Into this family and at this homestead Nahum Harwood, now of Leominster, was born, September 4, 1833. He was well born in the best New England sense-that is, born to an inheritance of ideas and character rather than of wealth. Young Harwood received both a common school and academic educa- tion : the first in the schools of Littleton and the last at the academy at Westford, Mass., and in that at Lud- low, Vt. This was the general course of education at that time, when it stopped short of the full college training.

After leaving school Mr. Harwood spent three years with T. & J. Doane, of Boston, and in their service became master of the business of civil engineering. To this profession he devoted several years in Massa- chusetts and Maine, and also at Omaha, Nebraska, but did not desire to make this the business of life.

Mr. Harwood's first business enterprise was that of making flour. For that purpose he operated for several years a mill at Harvard, Mass. This mill was sold to capitalists from Newburyport, who formed a company for the manufacture of leather board. Of this company Nahum Harwood was treasurer and active manager until 1868, when he formed a partner- ship with his brother, J. A. Harwood, of Littleton, Mass., and the company purchased the Cozzen's Mill, so called, situated on the Nashna River, North Leominster. They at once began the manu- facture of leather board. In time the business of making boot and shoe stiffenings and chair-seats was added and the capacity of the plant increased by new machinery and buildings until the manufactured products were trebled. The business now employs more than sixty workmen, many of them skilled laborers, and requires a one hundred and twenty-five horse-power, furnished by three water-wheels and a Putnam engine of large capacity. The works are run twenty-four hours each working day. This business has been from the start one of the thriving and profitable industries of Leominster ; it is conducted by Mr. Harwood on the most honorable and satis- factory business methods and has been a most decided success.

Of late years other business interests have taken some of the time and attention formerly given to the manufacture of leather board. Mr. Harwood has large business relations in California and often spends a part of the year in that State. He is also filling many places of honorable trust, more or less of a public nature. He is one of the directors of the Leominster National Bank and, of the Leominster Gas-Light Company, and is the vice-president of the Eastern Associates, a mutual benefit insurance association of Boston.

Mr. Harwood has also served the town as one of its selectmen for two terms, 1874 and 1875.

In politics Mr. Harwood is a Democrat, and favor- ably regarded by the men of his party. This will appear from the fact that he has three times been

named as the Democratic candidate for State Senator. He was a delegate from the Tenth Massachusetts Dis- trict to the National Democratic Convention at St. Louis in 1876. In 1880 he was the candidate of the party for the office of Presidential elector from the same district, and in the next year a candidate for representative to the General Court. In all these contests it is much to the credit of Mr. Harwood that his vote much exceeded the average vote of his party, and nothing to his discredit that he was not elected from a district so strongly Republican.

In 1858 . Mr. Harwood married Miss Sarah J. Mullikin, daughter of the late John W. Mullikin, of Charlestown, Mass. They have two daughters; the younger is the wife of Mr. W. H. Chase, of the Leo- minster Worsted Co.

The prompt and effective business habits of Mr. Harwood have been implied in the description of his manufacturing interests. Whatever he undertakes is pushed by honorable methods, with characteristic energy and usually with good success.

Mr. Harwood has a most pleasant home and family ; has built up in Leominster a business which con- tributes greatly to the prosperity of the town ; is a man of marked ability and character, honored by his fellow-citizens and esteemed by all who know him. He must rank with Leominster's best business men.

SAMUEL MERRIAM.

Dea. Samuel Merrriam was for many years an active and influential part of the civil, business and religious life of Leominster. He was not a native of the town, but was born in Mason, N. H., July 29, 1818, and received his education in the public schools of that town. At the early age of seventeen he was entered as an apprentice to learn the tin and stove business with a firm having the somewhat suggestive name of Scripture & Ames. As the custom of the times was, he remained with this firm until he reached his majority, and then began work as a journeyman, first at Woonsocket, R. I., and then at Nashua, N. H.

The first business venture in which Mr. Merriam engaged was in West Boylston, Mass., in the spring of 1844; but as the business failed fully to meet his expectations, he sold it in the fall of the same year, and moved to Worcester, Mass., where he began busi ness with P. D. Russell. Here he remained nntil 1850, when he moved to Fisherville, N. H., as it was then named, but is now Penacook, and at once entered into business relations with H. H. Amsden. In 1853, in connection with this gentlemen and B. F. Caldwell, he began the manufacture of pine furniture under the firm-name of Caldwell, Amsden & Co.

Wherever Mr. Merriam had his home, he was warmly interested in the prosperity of the place, and took an active part in the conduct of its civil affairs. Thus, while a citizen of Penacook, he served for several years as a member of the Common Council

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and as alderman. In 1863 and 1864 he was a mem- ber of the State Legislature of New Hampshire.

In the spring of 1864, Mr. Merriam came to Leo- minster, and in connection with George Hall, of Nashua, N. H., purchased the land and water privi- lege at North Leominster now owned and occupied by the firm of Merriam, Hall & Co. At that time there was only a dam on this site, the remains of an old paper-mill. The new company at once erected the necessary buildings and prepared for the manu- facture of chamber furniture. The business thus established has been continued under the same firm- name-Merriam, Hall & Co .- to the present time ; but it is now owned and managed by George Hall & Son. Mr. Merriam was an active and energetic part- ner in this business until a few years before his death, when failing health compelled him to seek partial release from care and work.

In Leominster, Mr. Merriam exhibited the same public spirit which had marked his thought and action in other places. He served the town most acceptably as one of the selectmen, and was chairman of the board at the time of his death. He was a director of the First National Bank; and in other ways also rendered able and honorable service for the community.

Mr. Merriam was evangelical in his religious faith and a Baptist in his denominational affiliations, having united with a church of this order while still a young man in his native town. He was greatly interested in all that related to the Baptist Church, willing to spend time and money for the success of his denomi- nation. He was an active member of the Central Baptist Church, one of its deacons and its Sabbath- school superintendent for many years. In all ways he was helpful in the work of the church and influen- tial in its councils. And yet Mr. Merriam was not simply a Baptist ; he was an earnest and most worthy Christian gentleman, whose affections took in the broad interests of the faith which he loved.

Mr. Merriam was interested in matters outside his own town and immediate church ; be was connected with the Baptist Vineyard Association and greatly interested in its work. He worked wisely for the development of that property and the success of that religious movement.

April 15, 1844, Mr. Merriam married Miss Sybel Preston, of New Ipswich, N. H. Of this union were born two children-a daughter, who died in infancy, and a son, Edward Preston, a graduate of Harvard College, who died suddenly at Cottage City, August 15, 1885. Those acquainted with the facts in Mr. Merriam's life must admit that he was one of the potent factors in the best life, thought and growth of Leominster. He died December 30, 1880.

HIRAM W. PITTS.

Mr. Hiram W. Pitts was, for some years previons to his death, a prominent citizen of Leominster, ac-

tively interested in the prosperity of the town, al- though not directly a part of her industrial life.

The immediate ancestors of that branch of the Pitts family to which the subject of this sketch be- longed lived in Taunton, Mass., and were, for several generations, actively engaged in manufacturing. In proof of this, it may be mentioned that the great- grandfather of Hiram W. Pitts was a successful mann- facturer of brass clocks ; that his son owned and oper- ated a grist-mill, spending his life in Taunton; that, in the next generation, James Pitts, after marrying a daughter of Major Zebulon White, of Norton, Mass., who had won fame and honor during the Revolution by casting cannon for the Government, engaged in the business of a millwright in East Bridgewater and also devoted some time to the manufacture of cotton machinery. His children were: James, William, Hiram W. and Seth Pitts.

Of these Hiram W. was born December 2, 1814, and during the following year his father moved to what was then Lancaster, but is now Clinton, Mass. The land and mill privilege now owned by the Lan- caster Mills Corporation was purchased by Mr. Pitts when that entire section of country was nearly an unbroken forest. He immediately erected a large saw-mill and also a small cotton-factory. These dif- ferent kinds of business Mr. Pitts continued until his death, in 1835. It was in his father's mill that Hiram W. learned his first lessons in the business of cotton manufacturing. Until he was eighteen he spent the larger part of each year in such work in the cotton factory as suited his age and strength. Still, after the manner of those days, eight weeks of each winter and, until he was twelve years old, ten weeks of each sum- mer were scrupulously given to the business of ac- quiring an education. It was during this time that young Pitts, impelled by hereditary tendencies or for some other good reason, devoted all the time he could save from school to the repairing of clocks and to making and fitting knife-blades. In this way he was able to buy a few books and save some money for future use.

The first business venture in which Mr. Pitts en- gaged covered the time from 1835 to 1842. During these years, in company with his brothers, he success- fully manufactured satinet-warps in the cotton-mill above named. About the year 1842 this mill prop- erty was sold to E. B. Bigelow and the Lancaster Mills Corporation formed. After six months spent in Wor- cester, Mass., Mr. Pitts moved to West Fitchburg and was for two years superintendent of the mills owned by Colonel Ivers Phillips. He then spent one year in the mill which he owned at the time of his death. At the expiration of this year Mr. Pitts, in company with Edwin F. Wheeler, began running a mill located at Sanquoit, N. Y. This mill was operated by Messrs. Pitts & Wheeler under contract, and soon after the owners of the property desired the company to take another mill owned by them and located at Coopers-

Vai

H.M.P.tto

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town, N. Y. The offer was accepted, but Messrs. Pitts & Wheeler dissolved partnership and Mr. Pitts took the mill at Cooperstown, removed there at once and remained most of the time until he hegan busi- ness with Benjamin Marshall, of Troy, N. Y. ,

Mr. Marshall was an Englishman by birth, but came to this country in 1803. He was at first largely and successfully engaged in commerce, but in 1825 he turned his attention to manufacturing. In that year he built the mills at Utica, N. Y., and in 1826 he built the Hudson Print Works and the Ida Cotton- Mills, at Troy, N. Y. Later he came into possession of a cotton-factory at Middlebury, Vt. It was only in connection with this last mill that Mr. Pitts entered into partnership with Mr. Marshall. By the terms of the agreement, Mr. Marshall furnished the mill and capital, and Mr. Pitts managed the business, bought the stock and sold the goods.

In 1851, in order fully to relieve Mr. Marshall of care, Mr. Pitts assumed the entire business, furnished the capital and continued the business of making sheetings and carpet-warps. There was a partnership entered into at this time with Frederick W. Harris, but it lasted only one year; hut in 1854 Mr. Pitts permanently increased his facilities by purchasing an adjoining mill privilege, a fourth interest in which he sold to Harmon A. Sheldon. Here they built a grist- mill and conducted a successful husiness until 1866.

In 1858 Mr. Marshall died, but Mr. Pitts continued to occupy the cotton-factory at Middlebury, Vt., nntil 1862. In 1864 he acquired by purchase the mill- property in Fitchburg, which he owned and occupied at the time of his death, but he did not begin to manufacture there until the year 1867. In 1866 Mr. Pitts moved his family to Leominster, and remained a citizen of this town during the remainder of his life, although his chief business interest was in Fitch- burg, and for a time after 1867 he again operated the cotton-factory at Middlebury, Vt.

Immediately after taking possession Mr. Pitts en- larged his Fitchburg mill, making its capacity more than three times what it had been before, and ten years later he erected a new mill, 101 feet by 48, with a large boiler-room and ample power. For the first year in Fitchburg, Mr. Pitts manufactured sheetings, but after that the whole plant was devoted to the making of carpet-warps, a business in which Mr. Pitts was remarkably successful.

Mr. Pitts was twice married. His first wife was Miss Betsey Burdett, of Leominster, who lived only one year. His second marriage was with Miss Mary A. Merriam, of Fitchburg, and occurred in the year 1846. This wife and their three children survived him ; Abby E. and Ella L. live with their mother, at the old homestead in Leominster; B, Marshall Pitts, the only son, continues his father's business, and resides in Fitchburg.

Mr. Pitts was a careful and successful man of busi- ness, a good citizen, honored and respected in the

communities where he resided. He devoted most of his time and energy to his private business affairs ; still Mr. Pitts did good service for the town of Mid- dlebury in places of honor and trust, and was a director of the Safety Fund National Bank of Fitch- burg from its organization until his death.

CHAPTER CLX.

MILFORD.

BY WILLIAM T. DAVIS.

THE town of Mendon was originally called the Quinshipaug Plantation, and its territory was within the jurisdiction of the Nipmuck Indians when they were living in their glory before King Philip's War. It consisted of land eight miles square, and was granted by the Massachusetts Colony Court October 16, 1660, on the petition of Gregory Belcher, James Penneman, Thomas Mekens, Moses Payne, Edmund Quincy, Robert Twelves and Peter Brackett. On the 22d of April, 1662, for the consideration of the sum of twenty-four pounds sterling, the Indian proprietors of the land released their title, and a deed running to Moses Payne and Peter Brackett, of Braintree, was signed by Annawassamauke, alias John, and Quash- aamit, alias William of the Blue Hills, and Great John Namsconont, alias Peter, and Upanbohqueen, alias Jacob of Natick. The deed described the land "as eight miles square, lying about fifteen miles from Medfield, and is bounded one mile to the east of a small river which lieth about three miles to the eastward of Nipmug Great Pond, and so from the line of one mile on the east of that small river is to run eight miles west or westerly, and is to lie three miles to the south or southward of the path that leads to Nipmug Great Pond, and five miles on the other side of that part north or northwards."

On the 15th of May, 1667, the town of Mendon was incorporated, and on the 19th of February, 1691-92, an additional tract of land, which has since been designated as the "North Purchase," was, for the consideration of three pounds sterling, conveyed to a committee of the town, consisting of Ferdinando Thayer, Joseph White, Sr., Josiah Chapin, Abraham Staples, Sr., Samuel Hayward, James Lovett and Samuel Read. The grantors were John Awasomog and Amos Awasomog and Peter Ephraim, heirs to John Awasomog, late of Natick. The land was de- scribed in the deed as " laying upon the north side of the township of Mendon, butted and bounded as fol- loweth : Sontherly upon Mendon line and easterly upon Sherburne line to the height of Maspenock Pond, and northerly upon a line of marked trees until it comes to Maspenock Pond, westerly partly upon the abovesaid Maspenock Pond and partly upon a

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 88

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1464

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464