History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 111

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896

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Mr. Dickinson has been quite largely interested in the sale and purchase of real estate in Springfield for years past. Ilis life has been one of activity. He is interested in the various

892

HISTORY OF THIE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

enterprises of the city designed for its improvement and for the benefit of its citizens. In 1877 he was elected a member of the city council and placed upon the finance committee and committee on city property. He served as alderman in 1878, and was again chosen for 1879. In politics he is identi- tied with the Republican party.

Jan. 11, 1859, he married Mary Jane, daughter of Edward Clark, of Petersham, Mass. By this union he has one child living,-Henry Smith Dickinson. His wife died in 1863. For his second wife he married, in 1864, Hattie A., daughter of Edward Clark, then of Worcester, though formerly of Petersham.

ALEXANDER BIRNIE

was born in Porto Bello, Scotland, May, 1803. He received his preliminary education in the schools of Edinburgh. His father, George Birnie, was a native of Aberdeenshire, and emigrated to America with his family in 1827, settling in Morris Co., N. J. His oldest son, George, Jr., had previously come to this country, which fact probably induced the father to emigrate. George Birnie, Sr., was a master-builder, and upon reaching this country at once took a contract to construct the mason-work on the Morris Canal. About one year after arriving here he died, leaving the contract to be completed by his son, Alexander, who was associated with him in busi- ness. Ilis wife was Ann Inery, also a native of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Their children were twelve, only seven of wbom reached maturity, viz. : George (deceased), Alexander (de- ceased ), Euphemia (Mrs. William Ross, Batavia, N. Y.), Joseph (deceased), Catherine (Mrs. Alexander Ross formerly, but now Mrs. George Robb, of Genesee, Wis.), Ann ( Mrs. Wm. Lemon, of Oxford, Province of Ontario), and William, of Springfield.

Mr. Alexander Birnie, after completing the contract taken with his father, contracted for his first railroad work in the construction of the Patterson and Hudson River Railroad, followed by the construction of the bridge over the Passaic River. About 1832 he removed with the family to Massachu- setts, settling in Berkshire County, where his mother died a few years after. In this State he took contracts on the Boston and Providence line, one of the earliest in the Eastern States ; extensive contracts on the Stonington, and also on the Western or Boston and Albany Railroads. He was continuously en- gaged as a contractor for some thirteen years, until abont 1842, when he bought a place at Hastings, on the Hudson River, and erected a stone dwelling, where he resided about twenty years. Very soon after he purchased another place, adjoining his former one, and erveted a fine brick residence ; but while engaged in beautifying his grounds, in the prepara- tion of an artificial fish-pond, he was accidentally killed while blasting rock, Aug. 13, 1858.

Mr. Birnie was a plain, unostentatious man, gave little attention to polities, and led a strictly business life. He was a man of great activity, courage, and force of character, and carried forward to successful completion whatever he under- took. In the year 1836 he married Mary S., daughter of Joel and Azubah (Whitney) Adams, of Providence, R. I. She was born in 1807. ller father and mother were natives of Worcester Co., Mass.

Their children are Mrs. James Haviland, of Ludlow, George A., of Brooklyn, N. Y., Mrs. Andrew Bryant, William A., and Mrs. Charles A. Dresser, of Springfield.

WARREN H. WILKINSON

was born in Marlborough, N. H., July 9, 1825. He is the lineal descendant, in the sixth generation, of John Wilkinson, who settled in Attleboro', Mass., about 1700. His grand- father, David Wilkinson, was a soldier under Benedict Ar-

nold in the war of Independence, and was quietly stowed away in a sleigh, under some bean straw, when the British were expected to take possession of West Point, betrayed by the traitor Arnold. le was also present at the execution of the spy, Maj. Andre. At the close of the war he finished learning his trade of harness- and saddlery-making, at Wal- pole, and moved to Marlborough, Cheshire Co., N. H., where he died at about the age of eighty-one years.

It was at this place that David Wilkinson, Jr. (father of Mr. Warren II.), was born. He has spent a long life in the same business carried on by his father, and at the age of seventy-nine is still in the business and in robust health. In 1823 he married Patty Hubbard, of Putney, Vt., who bore him four sons and five daughters, of whom only two of the sons were living in 1878, viz., Warren H. and Solon Stone Wilkinson, the latter of Keene, N. I. During his boyhood, besides the routine of attending school and farmi- labor at home, Mr. Wilkinson began as early as the age of ten to work in the harness-shop of his father, and during his minority acquired a thorough knowledge of the business by which mainly he attained the competence he enjoyed in later years.

Before reaching his majority he attended two terms at an academy, which completed his school-days. At the age of twenty-three he became a partner with his father, and con- tinued in the harness business in Marlborough until 1853, supplying not only the home demand, but also stores in Keene, Peterboro', and Greenfield, Mass. Ile was in business in Greenfield for six years, and removed to Springfield, which has since been his home.

Upon the breaking out of the late civil war, Mr. Wilkinson received an order for military work from the quartermaster of the State of Connecticut, which, being satisfactorily filled, led to orders from other States and from the United States govern- ment for the manufacture of military leather goods of various kinds during the continuance of the war. For many of these he furnished improved patterns, which were adopted, and are still used in the service. For the past three years he has received orders for military work in large quantities from foreign countries.

Since 1869 he has been engaged in the manufacture of horse- blankets, first at Marlborough, then at Winchester, Mass., and, as his business increased, removed the work to Holyoke, Mass,, where he has one of the largest mills of the kind in the country, and has, since the war, kept in his employ from fifty to four hundred persons.

Mr. Wilkinson's life has been devoted to business, yet he has not failed to remember early benefits by liberally giving to institutions needing pecuniary support, and especially to the Church of his choice,-the Congregational.

He has never been active in politics. He first voted with the Whig and later with the Republican party. He has served as alderman of the city for some three years. He mar- ried first Almira, a daughter of Asa Frost, of Marlborough. She died in 1874. He has since married Emily J., daughter of James Brown, of Brimfield, Mass.

The line of descent of the Wilkinson family is as follows : Warren H., son of David, son of David, Ir., son of David, Sr., son of Joseph, who was the son of John, mentioned in the beginning of this sketch.

DR. HENRY A. COLLINS

was born at South Hadley, Mass., Aug. 27, 1826. He was the youngest of the family (three sons and one daughter) of Henry Collins, who was also a native of South Hadley. His father dying while Henry was an infant, the mother and children were cared for by his grandfather, Deacon Josiah White, of the same place, where Henry's boyhood was spent at school. llis preparation for college was made at the Williston Semi-

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Alex Birmie

gravid by

Matt. Wilkinson

Choro, acums,

M. A. Clyde

Daniel Hitchcock

893

HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.

nary, and in 1847 he entered Yale, under the tutorship of Dr. Nathan B. Ives. He was graduated an M. D. from that insti- tution in the year 1850, and began in the same year as a reg- ular practitioner in Conway, Mass., where he remained nearly three years and removed to Springfield. While a student of Yale College and during the days of the cholera in New Haven, Dr. Collins was impressed with the idea that other treatment of cases than that of the regular practice would yield better results, and while at Conway, by study, actual practice, and experiment, he became convinced of the feasibility of the theory of Hahnemann, or the homeopathy practice, and upon reaching his new field of labor at once began the practice of it. At that time only Drs. Swazey and Graves were prac- titioners of that school in Springfield. The former subse- quently removed from Springfield, and the latter continued there in practice until his death.

Dr. Collins met at the outset the difficulties of a new-comer and a comparatively new theory, but a will to do and the merits of the practice he represented soon won for him a place in the profession, and now, as the oldest living of his school in the city, he enjoys the confidence of a large circle of friends in both city and country, among the most intelligent and wealthy families.

He is a member of the American Institute of Homeopathy, and also of the Homeopathie Medical Society of Western Massachusetts. He was first married to Juliette, daughter of Jesse P. Bliss, of North Wilbraham, Mass. His wife dying January, 1855, he was married, in November, 1856, to Mary J., daughter of Martin Graves, of Springfield.

DANIEL HITCHCOCK

was born in Springfield, Jan. 30, 1796. The family of Hitch- cock is one of the oldest in the valley, and settled here about the same time as the Pynchon and Chapin families. Stephen Hitchcock, his maternal grandfather, was a farmer by oceu- pation, and the homestead occupied by him is now owned and occupied by the only daughter of Daniel Ilitcheock,-Miss Harriet B. Hitchcock.

Of Stephen's two brothers, one, Daniel, was a prominent lawyer of Providenee, R. I., and the other, Gad, settled in Connecticut.

On the paternal side little is known of the family, definitely , .. farther back than his grandfather, Josiah Hitchcock, who re- sided near Springfield, and was a large land-owner during his time. His children were Josiah, Luther, and Heber. Of these, the first was father of the subject of this narrative, and had other children,-Festus, Erastus, Pamelia (Mrs. Wm. Ball), Gad, John and Catharine (twins), and William. Mrs. Ball and William only are living.

Mr. Hitchcock, following the occupation of his father, was a farmer, and to some extent dealt in real estate. He was a man of strict fidelity to principle, of correet habits, and good judgment. He never sought the excitement coincident with politics, but affiliated first with the Whig and subsequently with the Republican party. He only asserted the right of every citizen,-that of free suffrage. At one time he was chosen a member of the city council. March 18, 1824, he married Lydia, daughter of Asa Day, of Granby, Mass. She was born Feb. 7, 1796, and died June 28, 1870. Mr. Ilitch- cock died July 1, 1877, leaving an only daughter, before men- tioned. A view of his late residence will be found on another page of this work.

MILTON A. CLYDE

was born in Windham, N. H., in 1816, and early learned the stone-mason's trade. Coming to Massachusetts when the Western Railroad was being constructed, in 1838, he worked for Capt. Horace Stone, laying stone along the line of the

road. Developing a rare business tact, he soon formed a partnership with Capt. Stone, which was continued many years. The firm of Stone & Clyde took numerous small con- tracts on the road west of Springfield, and on its completion to Albany, Mr. Clyde came to Springfield, and contracted to fill the meadow, east of Main Street, where the old Boston and Albany freight-yard and side-tracks are located. On the completion of this work Stone & Clyde took a contract for grading on the Hartford and Springfield Railroad, and in 1843 contracted with Boody, Ross & Co. for the stone-work along the line of the road. Mr. Clyde was afterward con- nected with Mr. Boody in various enterprises, among which was the building of the Niagara Falls and Buffalo Railroad. In 1853-54, Mr. Clyde built the old Hampshire and Hampden Railroad (now a part of the New Haven and Northampton), from Westfield to Northampton. Soon after he became asso- ciated with Sidney Dillon, who afterward became president of the Union Pacific Railroad, under the name of Dillon, Clyde & Co., of which Mr. Clyde was the working manager, and for many years afterward the firm was noted as one of the greatest contracting concerns in the country. One of their earlier operations, and a most profitable one, by the way, was the " great fill" on the Lake Shore Railway, between Cleve- land, O., and Erie, Pa. Afterward they were engaged in a similar operation on the New Jersey Central Railroad. The firm of Dillon, Clyde & Co. were also heavy contractors on the still unfinished portion of the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, between Waterbury, Conn., and Fishkill, N. Y., in which they were engaged for several years. About 1868, Mr. Clyde built the first Hartford reservoir, and subsequently the firm of Dillon, Clyde & Co. built the Connecticut Valley Road, from Hartford to Saybrook. They also built the Rock- ville branch of the Providenec and Fishkill Road, and the Springfield and Providence Railroad, from Providence to Pas- coag, R. 1., in which Mr. Clyde was a director. But the great work of Mr. Clyde's life was the building of the famous un- derground railway at New York, from Harlem Bridge to the Grand Central Depot, on which Dillon, Clyde & Co. were engaged for more than two years. The contraet price for this great work was five million three hundred thousand dollars. The success of this enterprise was largely due to Mr. Clyde's wonderful executive ability, which was ever the marked fea- ture of his character. It was a common remark among con- tractors that Mr. Clyde could do a job of work cheaper than any other man in the United States. Of an iron constitution, he spared neither himself nor his men in carrying out his enterprises, and it was his untiring devotion to business that caused his death, which occurred Jan. 24, 1875.

The rugged, honest, determined spirit which Mr. Clyde possessed in a remarkable degree, joined to an exceptionally strong and healthy body, highly fitted him for success in the vocation which he pursued. Being almost entirely without educational advantages in youth, his success in life was due to the native integrity and force of character which charac- terized him during a life of almost unceasing activity.

In 1848 be married Miss Caroline V., daughter of Joseph E. and Sybil (Valentine) Read, of Fall River. Their chil- dren are an only son (died at birth), Evelyn L. (Mrs. James D. Gill), Carrie Minnie (died at the age of sixteen), and Hattie F.

JOIIN B. ADAMS

was born in Marlboro', Middlesex Co., Mass., Der. 10, 1814. Ile was the third son (in a family of four sons and one daughter) of Joel Adams, a native of Northbridge, Worces- ter Co., Mass., and a resident at various periods of Marlboro', Mass., of Greenbush, N. Y., and of Providence, R. I. At the latter place he died, Aug. 31, 1841, aged sixty-two. His mother, Azubab (Whitney) Adams, was a native of West-

894

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

boro', Mass., and died in Providence, June 29, 1835, aged forty-nine. Of the children, besides Mr. Adams, only the sister, Mrs. Alexander Birnie, is living. Until Mr. Adams was eighteen years old, his time was mostly spent at school in Providence. For the three following years he was a clerk in his father's store, where he acquired a practical business edu- cation. Upon reaching his majority, he was for two years engaged on the construction of the Stonington Railroad, and for four years afterward on the Western and the Norwich and Worcester Railroads, with contractors Birnie, MeManus & Co., until the completion of the roads in 1841. In this capacity Mr. Adams displayed such integrity of character and business ability as to retain the confidence of his em- ployers, and command their influence for the future. In the year 1841, and before the full completion of the road, Mr. Adams was appointed a conductor on the Western (now Bos- ton and Albany ) Railroad, and ran the first train of passenger- cars over the road, from Albany to Springfield. In this posi- tion he remained, conducting the morning train from Spring- field to Albany and return, for thirty-two years, probably the longest time served by any one man in a publie position of this kind in the State. During these years the distance traveled was equivalent to traveling around the world about seventy- four times. It is said that during eighteen months of these years he was on the road continuously, without losing a trip.

In 1852, Mr. Adams received, as a token for his courtesy, fidelity, and kindness to all classes of society, for his sleepless vigilance and assiduous attention to the duties he had in charge, a service of silver plate, with the following inscription engraved thereon :

" To John B. Adams, Conductor of W. R. Road, for his unfailing kindness, his unremitting attention, and his constant care, this testimonial is presented by a few of his friends, Jan. 1, 1852."

Nov. 26, 1873, Mr. Adams resigned his position as conduce- tor, to take effect on and after December Ist of that year ; since which time he has resided in Springfield. An engraving of his residence may be seen on another page of this work.

During his service as conductor on the Boston and Albany Railroad, he was also interested in the construction of the Pittsfield and North Adams Railroad.

It is a fact worthy of note that Mr. Adams received many expressions of confidence and esteem from prominent person- ages who traveled upon his train, and one in particular from Henry Clay, during his last trip to the New England States, written unsolicited, and showing the uniform attention he gave to all who came in his way.

He was originally connected with the Whig party, and was quite active in the ranks, but since the disappearance of that party he has looked rather to principles than to party, and is therefore independent in politics.

In the year 1838 he married Alice A. II., daughter of John Cook, of Tiverton, R. I. By this union there have been born two sons and two daughters,-Mrs. Charles E. Winton, of Springfield, John C., Alice W., and William II., -all living.

THE SOUTHWORTH FAMILY.

The history of the Southworth family can be traced with entire certainty through many generations of the English squirarchy and gentry from Sir Gilbert Southworth, of South- worth Hall, Lancaster, England, in the fourteenth century, down through ten generations, the unbroken line in England being as follows : Sir Gilbert, Sir John, Sir Thomas, Richard Southworth, of Salisbury, Sir Christopher, Sir John, Sir Thomas, of Warrington, Richard, of London, Sir Thomas, recorder of wills, Somersetshire, to Edward, who, in 1598, married the beautiful and gifted Alice Carpenter, daughter of Alexander Carpenter. Mr. Southworth, with his two sons, Constant and Thomas, fled to Holland with that company of

Pilgrim Fathers which left England on account of the great persecution of the Dissenters by the Church of England. He died after a few years' residence in the city of Leyden, where most of the pilgrims had settled. Hlis widow Alice followed the fortunes of the " Mayflower" exiles on the ship, and ar- rived in Plymouth in August, 1623, where she soon married William Bradford, second Governor of the Plymouth colony. The two sons followed their mother to America, in 1628, and both became distinguished men in the colony. Thomas had two children, both daughters. Constant married Elizabeth Coltier, of Duxbury, on Nov. 2, 1639, by whom he had a large family. Ile was one of the original proprietors of the town of Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., Mass. Ilis son Edward married Mary Peabodie, of Bridgewater, in November, 1671, while his son Edward, second, married Elizabeth Bosworth, June 11, 1711, and his son Edward, third, born in Decem- ber, 1718, married Lydia Packard, of Bridgewater, Dec. 16, 1750. They had four sons and five daughters. The names of the sons were Uriah, Perez, Edward, Abiah ; all the family except Perez removed from Bridgewater to Pelham.

IION. WELLS SOUTHWORTHI

was the son of Dr. Abiah Southworth, who was born March 6, 1760, and studied medicine with the celebrated Dr. Wells, of Montague, Mass., and was a practicing physician in Pelham for more than forty years. He married, in 1794, Kezia Boltwood, of Amherst, Mass,, daughter of Solomon and Mary Boltwood. Mr. Boltwood was high-sheriff under King George (III.) for the county of Hampshire, Mass. Dr. Southworth's children were Rufus, Mary, Wells, Edward, and Martha. Rufus was born Feb. 3, 1796, and died in Charleston, S. C., Oct. 11, 1828; Wells, Aug. 17, 1799; Ed- ward, July 3, 1804, died Dec. 11, 1869; and Martha, born May 10, 1807, who is the wife of Robert Curtis, Esq., of Bridgewater, residing now in Elmwood, Mass. Dr. South- worth died in South Hadley Falls, Mass., Dec. 27, 1835, and his wife April 28th previously.

Mr. Wells Southworth has been married three times. His first wife was Miss Rebecca C. Woodburn, of Salem, Mass., whom he married September, 1828, and who died at Chicopee Falls, Mass., in 1839. For his second wife he married Widow Frances Rebekah Lyon, daughter of Mr. E. T. Smith, of South Hadley, Mass., in November, 1840, and she died in March, 1844. On March 17, 1845, Mr. Southworth was mar- ried to his present wife, Miss Harriet Maria Jillett, of Rome, N. Y., whose father, the Rev. Moses ,illett, was pastor of the Presbyterian Church in that eity for thirty-four years. Mr. Southworth has had six children, only three of whom are living,-Horatio Woodburn, born Jan. 15, 1839; united in marriage in New York City, Oct. 22, 1862, with Florence C. Allen ; Harriet Mills, born Dee. 13, 1846, and married, Jan. 27, 1876, to Col. George Hastings, of New York; and Edward Wells, born Jan. 14, 1854, an attorney in New York City. Horatio W. is now associated with his father in business.

Mr. Southworth first engaged in business in 1823 as a iner- chant, in Pelham, Mass., but in 1828 he removed to Chicopee Falls, Mass. (a precinct of Springfield), where he followed the same business up to 1839, when he removed to Mitten- eague, West Springfield, where he built a fine writing-paper mill, now owned by the Southworth Paper Company, and for more than fifty years has been the president of this cor- poration. Hle is still an active business-man, and is to-day the only active paper-manufacturer in the United States who was born in the eighteenth century. In the year 1854, Mr. South worth removed his residence to New Haven, Conn., for the purpose of educating his children, and has been interested in many of the business enterprises of that city and State. In the spring of 1855 he organized the City of New Haven Fire Insurance Company, and was for ten years its president. The institution, under his management, was very successful. He

Wells Southworth

O.K. Southworth

895

HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.

was also a stockholder and director in the Tradesmen's Bank of New Haven, and has been one of the largest stockholders and a director in the Second National Bank of New Haven since its organization. He is also a large stockholder in the New York, New Ilaven and Hartford Railroad, besides being engaged in other enterprises. Politically, in early life, Mr. South worth was a Whig, and took an active part in the ques- tions of the day. On the organization of the Republican party he became a member of it, and has twice represented Springfield, and once West Springfield, in the Massachusetts Legislature. He has long been a member of the Congrega- tional Church, which he has assisted largely with his means, as he has many other worthy objects.

HON. EDWARD SOUTHWORTH,

a younger brother of Wells South worth, was born in Pelham, Mass., July 3, 1804. Ilis boyhood was passed at his home, where he enjoyed whatever advantages the common schools could offer. At the age of sixteen he was sent to the acad- emy at Amherst, Mass., where he prepared for college. He entered Harvard College in 1822, and graduated in 1826, in a class which numbered among its members Andrew P. Peabody, LL.D., of Cambridge ; Dr. Willard Parker, of New York ; Hon. Samuel II. Walley and Hon. Stephen M. Weld, of Boston, and other distinguished men. After graduating, he went at once to Charleston, S. C., where he took the posi- tion of instructor in ancient languages, in an academy estab- lished by his brother Rufus, and of which the latter was principal. Ilis brother dying in 1828, Mr. Southworth sue- ceeded him, and carried on the school until 1833, when ill health compelled him to return to the North. For the next six years he was engaged in business at South Hadley Falls, Mass., and in 1839 removed to West Springfield, and with Mr. Wells Southworth, of New Haven, established the South- worth Manufacturing Company, for making paper. He also held the office of postmaster in West Springfield for several years. In 1853, Mr. Southworth was elected representative to the Massachusetts Legislature, where he served two years. In 1854 he was elected to the State Senate, and was given his seat by a vote of that body over his opponent; but his sense of honor would not allow him to accept it, because of some irregularity in the election, and he immediately re- signed. In connection with Mr. John H. Southworth, of Springfield, Mr. Wells Southworth, of New Haven, and others, he organized the Hampshire Paper Company, at South Hadley Falls, Mass. JIe resided in West Springfield until his death. At that time he held the positions of president of the Hampshire Paper Company, of South Hadley Falls, and of the Hampden Paint and Chemical Company, of Springfield, Mass. ; treasurer of the Southworth Company, of West Springfield ; director of the Springfield Fire and Marine In- surance Company, and the Agawam National Bank, of Spring- field, Mass., and of the Massasoit Paper Company, of IIol- yoke, Mass., and trustee of the Hampden Savings-Bank, of Springfield, Mass.

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 111

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 896

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896