USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Bedford > History of the town of Bedford, Middlesex county, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to the year of Our Lord 1891 > Part 25
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Samuel,3 m. Mar. 20, 1695, Elizabeth Walker, dau. of Joseph. She d. Nov. 26, 1716. He m. 2d, Eunice Taylor. He d. April 4, 1742; she d. Aug. 27, 1767, aged 91. Ch. Sarah, b. and d. 1696. Sarah, b. May 4, 1698, m. Richard Hixon. Samuel,4 h. Feb. 14, 1699, m. 1732. Joanna Kidder, settled in Westford, d. Jan. 1775. h Joseph,+ b. Oct. 22, 1 1702. lı Benjamin,+ b. July 30, 1703. John,+ b. Feb. 12, 1707-8, settled in Lunenburg 1728, and doubtless the one for whom Fitchburg was named. h Jeremiah,4 h. (?). h Zachariah,4 b. Feb. 13, 1712. By 2d wife, Elizabeth. b. Sept. 22, 1718, m. Joseph Mead. For the homestead of Samuel Fitch3 see Brookside. His will dated Nov. 13, 1741, gives wife Eunice west end of dwelling-house and cellar, and corn, rye, beef, pork and necessaries, to be pro- vided by son Jeremiah, who was to have all at his mother's decease, excepting legacies to other ch.
Joseph,4 Capt. (see William W. Farrell Homestead), m. Jan. 31, 1731, Sarah Grimes of Lexington (first marriage
recorded in Bedford). She d. Jan. 22, 1750. He m. 2d, Mrs. Rachel Convers, widow of Joseph. He d. Feb. 7, 1769, and she m. John Page. Ch. Sarah, b. Mar. 25, 1732, bap. with her father, April 30, 1732, m. 1750, Josiah Crosby, settled in Amherst, now Milford, N.H., in 1753, on the Souhegan river. They were pioneers in the wilderness, where they founded a noted family. Molly, b. Oct. 16, 1737, m. Jonathan Blodgett. Susannah, b. July 26, 1743, m. Josiah Munroe. Joseph,5 b. Oct. 2, 1746, settled at No. 2, N.Il., conveyed estate in 1769 to Joseph Converse, q. v. By 2d wife, It Thaddeus,5 b. March 23, 1755.
Benjamin+ (son of Samuel3) bought the Bacon mill on the Shawshine, q. v., m. Feb. 28, 1732, Miriam Gray of Andover, and d, July 7, 1770. Ch .. Hannah, b. Jan. IO, 1733, m. Aug. 1, 1751, David Tarbell. Miriam, b. Jan. 23, 1734-5, m. Sept. 11, 1778, Timothy Jaquith. Benjamin,5 b. Jan. 6, 1736-7. Louis, b. Oct. 31, 1740, m. Nov. 21, 1776, Edward Powers. h David,5 b. May 22, 1743. Lydia, d. young. Eunice, b July 26, 1747, m. Daniel McNickole. Nathan,5 d. young. Isaac,5 b. May 18, 1752 (see epitaph). Nathan, b. May 13, 1755.
Jeremiah+ (son of Samuel3), m. Feb. 3, 1735-6, Eliza- beth, dau. of Col. John and Catherine Lane. Ch. Sam- uel,5 b. Nov. 9, 1736. Elisabeth, d. young. h Jeremiah,5 b. Sept. 25, 1742. John and Matthew, twins, b. Aug. 14, 1745. John d. May 31, 1820; Matthew m. Aug. 25, 1774, Lydia Lane, and d. Aug. 3, 1811. Joanna, b. Feb. 29, 1747-8, m. Benjamin Tidd of Lexington. Pattie, b. July 14, 17 50. Elizabeth, b. Aug. 7, 1752, d. Mar. 1, 1825. h Moses,5 b. Mar. 3. 1755. All of the sons of Jeremiah4, excepting Sam- uel, are recorded as in the war of the Revolution.
Zachariah,4 m. Oct. 1, 1733, Elizabeth Grime, of Lex- ington ; she d. Mar. 12, 1790. Ch. Zachariah,5 b. April 1, 1734, m. Rebekah Davis, settled in Groton. William,5 b. Fel). 19, 1735-6, killed in the French War. Elizabeth, b. Jan. 6, 1738-9, m. Samuel Lane. Jonas,5 b. Feb. 5, 174C-1, settled in Groton. He was a man of great mechanical genius, especially in the art of clock making; all the movements of his clocks were made by his hand -. These timepieces are still owned in l'epperell and Groton. A grandson and namesake inherited his mechanical aptitude. Masonic Temple, Fitchburg depot, and City Hall, in l'os- ton, are monuments of his skill. Ebenezer, Esther, and Lucy d. young. Esther, b. Oct. 13, 1749, m. Nehemiah Lawrence. Ebeneser,5 b. Aug. 5, 1751, was a Minute Man ; removed to Rindge, N.H., in 1779; was duly "warned out," but settled and became prominent. Lucy, b. July 6, 1753, m. Joseph Hill of Billerica. Sarah, b. Jan. 2, 1755- Phebe, b. Nov. 25, 1756, m. April 1, 1784, John Sprague. (See Homesteads.) Alles, b. Nov. 10, 1759, m. Henry Woods, Jr Daniel,5 b. Feb. 21, 1764, d. Oct. 12, 1843.
Thaddeus,5 a Revolutionary pensioner, son of Joseph+ and Mrs. Rachel Converse, m. Sept. 14, 1779, Mary, dau. of John Moore, Jr. and Mary Wheeler. Ch. Mary, b. Dec. 29, 1779, m. Oliver Reed. Sarah, b. Sept. 22, 1781. Joseph,6 b. July 10, 1797, d. Dec. 30, 1830.
David,5 son of Benjamin, + inherited the homestead and mill from his father. Hle m. April 3, 1770, Mary Fowie of Woburn. lle d. July 27, 1813 ; she d. Sept. 19, 1829. Ch. Polly, b. Oct. 23, 1770, m. Benjamin Wheeler of Concord, N.H. Lydia, b. Dec. 7, 1772, m. Nathaniel Page. h Da- vid," b. June 28, 1777. Isaac.6 (See epitaph.)
Jeremiah,5 son of Jeremiah,4 m. April 19, 1770, Lydia Smith of Waltham. He d. Dec. 29, 1808; she d. Sept. 10,
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1823. Ch. Alford and two Lydias d. young. h Jeremiah,6 b. May 14, 1778. h Almon,6 b. Aug. S. 178o. h Ar ys,6 b. July 26, 1782. John,6 b. Feb. 6, 1785, d. Feb 2, 1820. It Al- ford,6 b. Aug. 2, 1786. Jeremiah Fitch5 was sergeant in the company of militia of Bedford in 1775. (See Stone Croft Farm, Chap. XXXIV.)
Moses,5 son of Jeremiah,4 m. Nov. 14, 17S2, Rachel, dau. of Edward and Lucy Stearns. He d. Oct. 12, 1825, she d. May 23, 1817. Ch. Solomon,6 b. Nov. 8, 1783, settled in Ltitleton, N.H., had large family. Lucy, b. July 17, 1785, m. John Page. I Moses,6 b. Mar. 28, 1787. Elijah,6 b. Jan. 10, 1790, settled in Boston. He d, Mar. 7, 1840, leaving a family. Rachel, b. Nov. 30, 1791, m. Joseph Brown. h Joel,6 b. June 12, 1794. Nathan, d. young. Moses Fitchª was at Concord, entered the Continental army, was wounded at the battle of White Plains, N. Y., and was a pensioner. He was deacon from Jan. 10, 1805, till death. He, with son Joel and daughter Rachel (Fitch) Brown, are honored by a me- morial window in the meeting-house of the Trinitarian Congregational society (a gift of their descendants).
Davide continued the family possession of the mill and homestead. He m. Nov. 12, 1799, Hannah Proctor, d. Dec. 22, 1803; 2d, Jan. S, 1805, Olive Simonds, d. Sept. 20, 1858; 3d, MIrs. Susan Adams of Billerica. He d. May 24, 1860. Ch. h David,7 b. Feb. 20, 1802. Hannah Proctor, b. Dec. 10, 1803, m. Dr. Bela Gardner, q.v., d. Jan. 20, 1844. By 2d wife, Mary Fowle, d. an infant. Mary Fowle, b. May 29, 1807, m. Benjamin F. Hartwell. I .Abel,7 b. April 25, ISog. It Nathan," b. Feb. 13, 1811. Jonathan Simonds," d. young. Martha Simonds, b. May 29, IS17, m. Nathan O. Reed. Olive, b. April 24, 1820, m. May 23, 1854, Robert A. Cook, d. May 29, 1891, at Sackville, N.B. Isaac and Lucy, twins, b, Dec. 23, 1824; Isaac d. Feb. 13, 1825; Lucy d. May 5, 1854. Mary Fowle (Fitch) Hartwell received from her father the homestead in the centre of the town, which she continued in the family possession by deed of gift to her daughter, Mary Alzina (IIartwell) Fletcher.
Jeremiah, 6 m. May 10, 1804, Mary Rand of Chelmsford .* He d. July 10, 1840; she d. Mar. 3, 1840. Ch. two named Caroline Matilda d. young. Caroline MMatilda, b. Sept. 1, tSOS. Jeremiah George,7 b. Feb. 19, ISIo, Harvard College 1831, d. Feb. 25, 1845. Mary Rand, b. Aug. 30, 1813, m. April 7, 1841, John Henry Jenks, d. June 13, ISSI, had 6 children, four of whom survived her. The author is happy to insert here a biographical sketch prepared, at his request, by Kev. Henry Fitch Jenks.
Jeremiah Fitch, the eldest son of Jeremiah, Jr., and Lydia (Smith) Fitch, was born in Bedford, May 14, 1778. Hle received the common education of a country town. Ilis father wished him to devote himself to farming, and as an inducement offered him the paternal farm; but, being of an enterprising spirit, and not having any inclination to agricultural pursuits, nor finding any other occupation which it was possible for him to follow in the town con- genial, he left Bedford, at the age of fourteen, and came to Charlestown, with a capital of twenty cents, and, unaided by any one, set himself to procure employment.
He soon secured a situation with Mr. Samuel Ruggles,
* Mary Rand was born at Chelmsford, whither her mother had gone from Boston, owing to the excitement in the latter town when occupied by the British. Her physician was Dr. Danforth, and she was helped away by his son Tom, who was a Tory. She carried with her a trunk of gold. The sentinel opposed her going, but Danforth interfered in her behalf with seeming roughness of manner, and said, "Oh, let the old woman go!"
and from that time relieved his father from all pecuniary responsibility for his support. By diligent attention to business, he won the confidence of his employers, and gradually rose to higher positions.
After a time he removed from Charlestown to Boston. When he became of age he was assisted to begin business for himself, but by the failure of his patrons he was involved in embarrassments, from which it took him a long time to extricate himself. His conduct under these circumstances, however, won him friends, who offered him capital and assistance. The offers were accepted, and diligence and carefulness secured him success. Prosperity followed his efforts, and he accumulated what for those days was a re- spectable fortune.
He first began business under the firm name of Nolan & Fitch, in 1799. Later he continued as an importer of dry goods under his own name, or that of Jeremiah Fitch & Co. He first occupied in Boston, in 1802, what was then 27 Cornhill (now Washington Street); in IS19 he removed to 5 Market Street (now Cornhill), and later, in IS26, after the great fire, to 38 and 40 Central Street.
He was always esteemed for straightforwardness and integrity in his dealings. For nearly twenty years he was a director of the Union Bank and of the Mercantile Marine Insurance Company. For many years he was a member of the Board of Health, retiring in IS21 to become a mem- ber of the last Board of Selectmen of the town of Boston ; in 1824 he was a member of the Common Council, and in 1825 an overseer of the poor of the City of Boston.
He was an attendant at the church in Brattle Square, under the ministrations of Mr. Buckminster, Mr. Palfrey, and Mr. Lothrop, and long a member of the standing com- mittee. During his service the old cannon ball which struck the Church during the siege of Boston and then had done duty for many years as a weight on the front gate of a neighboring residence, was by his instrumentality imbed- ded in the front of the edifice, where it so long remained, an object of interest not merely to strangers visiting the city, but to many now living who can well remember it.
He was hospitable to a high degree. Retaining the old farm which had been his father's, he kept to the last his interest in his native town, and always welcomed to his city home his country friends and neighbors, and gladly did whatever he could for the benefit of the town. To the old church which he habitually attended he gave a clock and a pulpit Bible ; and when the separation of the churches - which he greatly deplored-took place, he gave to the newly formed society, of which his old friend Rev. Samuel Stearns remained the minister, a piece of land on which to build the meeting-house .*
* Mr. Fitch's benevolence was not of the post mortem kind, but he freely and quietly gave of his accumulating wealth during his life, his dunations being frequently made by the hand of his friend and early pas- tor, Rev .. Samuel Stearns, with whom there was a mutual understanding. The pastor's notice was sufficient to bring relief in any case of need in the town. The spacious kitchen of the old Fitch Tavern was turned to a storehouse at the annual Thanksgiving season, and from it was dis- pensed that which brought cheer to many a widow's home. When driv- ing to his native town, Mr. Fitch often dropped packages of books at the schoolhouse door, and each pupil had a share. Souvenirs of these days, when books were rare and costly, are carefully treasured in many of the old homes of the present. Adults were not infrequently remem- bered. The author's library contains a volume of the " Panoplist," the Trinitarian organ during the religious controversy, in which is the fol- lowing, written on the fly-leaf: "Presented by Jeremiah Fitch, and distributed, with a few other volumes, at his request, by Rev. Samuel
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The name of l'ond Lane in Boston was changed to Bedford Street in compliment to him.
He was married in Boston, May 10, 1So4, by Rev. Wil- liam Emerson, pastor of First Church, to Mary, daughter of Robert Rand of Boston, and took up his residence in Hanover Street. Subsequently he lived in Cornhill (Wash- ington Street), Portland Street, and Hamilton Place.
Mrs. Fitch was born Dec. 14, 1776, and died March 3, IS40, four months previous to his decease, which occurred at his residence, 1 Hamilton place, July 10, IS40. They were both buried nearly opposite their old residence in a tomb in the Granary Burying Ground.
Almon,៛ son of Jeremiah,5 m. Mar. 28, IS14. Martha Wood. He d. Nov. 23, 1820; she d. May 27, IS73. Ch. Lydia S. b. May 14, 1815, m. Joseph Skinner, d. Nov. 3, 1857. Albert,7 b. Feb. 14, 1817, lives in Lexington.
Alford, 6 son of Jeremiah,5 m. June 4, 1818, Sally Reed. She d. Aug. 23, 1820; he d. June 22, 1852. Ch. Sally Reed, b. Feb. 19, 1820.
Amos,6 son of Jeremiah,5 m. April 7, IS13, Martha Starr of Roxbury, d. Dec. 14, IS26. Ch. Martha L. b. Feb. 5, 1814, m. Joseph W. Page. John A. d. in infancy. John A. b. Jan. 10, IS17.
Moses,6 son of Moses,5 m. Dec. 6, ISIO, Polly Brown, d. Aug. 1, IS24. She m. 2d - Brown, and settled in Mich- igan, d. about 1886. Ch. John Moses,6 b. July 8, ISII, m. Catherine Bacon, settled in Michigan and became promi- nent.
Joel,6 son of Moses,5 m. Feb.IS, 1819, Susanna Hill. He d. Aug. 4, 1845; she d. Oct. 21, IS82. Ch. three d. young. Susanna, b. Feb. S, IS27, grad. at Mt. Holyoke Sem. IS47, m. Joseph G. Marchant of Illinois, has a laige family. Rachel Ann, b. Aug. 14, 1829, grad. at Mt. Holyoke Sem. IS49, m. David G. Rabb of Indiana, has a large fam- ily. Moses Josiah,7 b. Aug. 24, 1834, studied at Lawrence Acad. Groton, m. Carrie E. Starr, settled in Chicago, Ill .; is the founder of the Fitch Paper Co., deacon of a church, and a man of wealth and influence. Delia Adelaide, b. May 17, 1840, d. Oct. 24, 1846. Joel Fitch6 settled on the home- stead, and later moved to the village and engaged in mer- cantile business, which he followed till death. He was a deacon of the Church of Christ from IS35 till death, a justice of the peace, and a man of prominence.
David, son of David,6 m. Mar. 31, IS25, Betsey But- trick. He d. May 19, IS51 ; she d. Oct. I, ISS9. Ch. Betsey, b. June 26, 1826, m. Lorenzo Poor of Derry, N.H. Emily, b. Dec. 26, 1827, m. Henry F. Marshall of Pelham, N.H. David,8 b. Mar. 3, 1832, m. Sarah Williams of Lexington, has 4 ch. . 4un, b. Sept. 15, 1834, m. William S. Jordan of Woburn. John,8 b. June 17, 1836, d. Sept. 4, 1855. Sarah, b. July 6. IS3S, d. April 9, 1855. Abel,8 b. May 10, 1840, m. Mrs. Thompson of Cambridge. Albert,& b. Nov. IS, 1842, was killed at battle of Chancellorsville in the Civil War in 1863. Hlelen, b. Mar. 29, 1846, d.
Stearns." Early in this century there was but one newspaper subscribed for in the town, yet many homes were supplied with the current news by Mr. Fitch.
Miss Caroline M. Fitch possesses many of the commendable traits of character of her father. The same unostentatious benevolence has char- acterized her life. Early inventions for the relief of the bed-ridden were furnished by her, books were freely dispensed, and the Public Library is now a channel through which she scatters blessings to all ages. At the organization of the High School, in 1885, she gave one hur dred vol- umes as a nucleus for a school library. AUTHOR.
Abel,? son of David,6 m. Oct. 6, 1835, Nancy Bacon, d. Oct. 16, 1839. She m. 2d Nathan O. Reed. Ch. Nancy Jane, b. Aug. 16, 1836, m. Joseph B. Lawrence. lı Abel Porter,8 b. Sept. 17, 1837. Henry Braniard,, b. and d. 1839
Nathan," son of David,6 was the fourth and last genera- tion of the family to follow the business of a miller, m. Sept. 9, 1834, Louisa Burnham. He d. Mar. 21, ISgo; she d. May 30, ISS9. Ch. h Nathan Andrew,8 b. Sept. 9, 1835- It Isaac Emerson,8 b. Nov. 30, 1836. h Benjamin,8 b. Sept. 30, 1838. h Silas,8 b. Aug. 1, 1840. hi Alamanzo,8 b. Mar. 12, 1843. Marshall, b. Dec. 16, 1844, d. April 28, I845. Martha, b. Oct. 28, 1846, m. Henry Davis of Somerville. Olive M. b. Oct. 2. 1848, m. George A. Ilartwell. h David L. B.8 b. Oct. 17. 1851. It Franklin P.,8 b. Oct. IS55.
Nathan Andrew,& m. 1859, Calista Tarbell of Rindge, N.II. Ch. Nellie Louisa, b. Dec. 23, 1860, m. 18S2, Silas B. Fales. Henry Warren,9 b. Jan. 25, 1866, m. 1890, Fontinelle A. Wilbur. Lucy Beatrice, b. April 16, 1876. Nathan A. Fitch8 left his native towu at the age of sixteen years, and engaged in the provision business in the city of Boston, which he still follows. His only advantages for early education were such as could be obtained at the dis- trict schools. In IS5S he became associated with the Bap- tist Bethel, devoted to the interests of seamen. He has been superintendent of the Sabbath school connected with that church thirty years, and a faithful friend of the sail- ors. He was a member of the Board of Aldermen of Somer- ville in 1883-4, and is prominent in the fraternities of Free Masons and Odd Fellows. He has followed the injunc- tion, "Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord," and been abundantly prospered.
Isaac Emerson,& son of Nathan,7 a carpenter, m. Mar. 27, ISGI, Sarah C. Pearson. Ch. Bessey Ida, b. Nov. 16, 1863, mn. Clinton De Witt Fox. Florence, b. 1869.
Benjamin, s a merchant in Boston, m. Martha 'S. Good- win of Milton, N.H .; 2d, Elizabeth W. Shute of Boston. Ch. Mary Alice. Louis B. b. 1868, d. 1875. Nathan Good- win Albert M. b. 1874, d. 1876. Arthur S.9
Silas" m. Julia fI. Rollins of Concord, N.HI. Ch. Nellie. Alamanzo,s a merchant, m. Annie M. Steinhilber. Ch. Mertie S. m. William H. Dowd. Wallace A.º Willie B.9
David L. B. 8 son of Nathan," a farmer, m. May 23, 1877, Lizzie Crother. Ch. David IV.9 b. Sept. IS, 187S. Edward B.9 b. May S, ISSo. Walter F.9 b. June7, ISS7.
Franklin P.,8 son of Nathan7, a farmer at the mill homestead, m. June 22, 1879, Mary E. Hensley. Ch. Franklin P.º b. and d. 18So. Nathan H.9 b. May 26, ISSI. George A.º b. April 15, ISS4.
Abel Porler,s son of Abel,7 m. Mar. 30, 1865, Ellen A. Davis. Ch. Winfred Porter,9 b. Aug. 3, IS70, was one of the first class that graduated from Bedford High School. Alice Maria, b. Jan. 5. 1872. Horace Wilbur,9 b. and d. IS74.
(For French, see Homesteads.)
FLINT. The name has never been common in Bed- ford. Those who have settled here, as far as known, descended from Hon. Thomas, who came to Concord, in 1638, from Matlock, Derbyshire, Eng. "He brought with him £4,000 sterling. He possessed wealth, talents, and a Christian character. He represented the town four years, from 1638 to 1641, and was an assistant eleven years, 1642 to 1653. In 1640 he was allowed to perform the marriage service in the towns of Concord and Sudbury. He accom-
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GOODWIN.
panied the Apostle Eliot in his visits to the Indian settle- ments on the Merrimac River and vicinity. He settled in Concord about half a mile north of the Old North Bridge. The house was built very near the Concord River, on a slight rise of land. It is said that he selected the spot because of its resemblance to the location which he left in England, near the Darwent River." He d. Oct. S, 1653, aged 50 years. His will is the first recorded in Middlesex County Probate Records.
Abel and Edward, probably of the sixth generation, were attracted to Bedford by the shoe business. Abel m. Susan Bowers. He d. 1863; she d. ISS7. Ch. Charles Lucius, b. Aug. 5, 1832, m. Aug. 3, 1863, Lucy A. Dutton. Edward m. 1831, Sarah Bacon. He d. Mar. 14, 1873; she d. Sept. 13, 1875. Ch. Sarah Caroline, b. Mar. 16. 1833, m. I. P. Libby, d. Aug. 25, 1868, had son Frank P.
Sarah J. b. in Shrewsbury, Aug. 14, 1848, is of the seventh generation. The line is Thomas, John, Thomas, John, Joel, Henry Harrison, Sarah J. She came to Bed- ford in 1872, as a teacher in the grammar school, m. Oct. II, 1877, Abram English Brown.
Rev. Franklin (. of the seventh generation, brother of the above, d. at Shrewsbury, Mar. 23, 1876, leaving family genealogy in process of completion. His three daughters were later associated with this town. They are Cyrene Louise, a teacher, who prepared the pen sketches for this volume, Genevieve Sarah, a teacher, and Marion Lenore.
FROST, William F. son of Benjamin, b. July 26, 1818, is of the fifth generation from James of Billerica (who was b. 1640), m. Rebecca Cutler. She d. April 30, 1864. He m. 2d, Angie P. Watts, and d. May 25, 1886. Had 4 ch. 3 are living, William F., Lucy J. and Frank.
GILLOOLY, Bryan, settled on Reuben Bacon home- stead in 187S, m. at Boston, Oct. 19, 1852, Margaret Doyel. She d. Feb. 5, ISS9. Ch. Mary, b. July 19, 1853, m. Nov. 24, 1882, William McLaughlin, d. Nov. 17, ISS4. Lizzie, b. Dec. 1, 1854. John, b. June 9, 1856, m. Nov. 1, ISS6, Nellie Vaughan. Ch. Bernard Vaughan and John Arthur. Peter T. b. Jan. 19, 185S, m. June 22, 1887, Nellie Gilbert. James H. b. Nov. 10, 1859. Katie F. b. Feb. 12, 1862, m. July 3, ISSI, Denis Whalen. Margaret Anne, b. Nov. 17, 1863, m. Nov. 17, IS86, Oscar Needham. Nellie A. b. Oct. 12, 1865. Susan Alice, b. July 30, 1868. Clara, b. Jan. 29, 1871. Agnes B. b. June 25, 1874, d. Nov. 29, 1874.
GLEASON, Jonas, was an early proprietor of the Vine Brook Mill. lle m. Ruth Wilson, who d. April, 1793; m. 2d, Abigail Danforth, who d. Sept. 1815. He d. Feb. IS15. They had 7 ch.
The founder of the present Gleason family was Lewis Putnam. He was a representative of the fourth genera- tion in the country. The first is not known, the second was Elisha, and the third John Augustus, b. at Pomfret, Conn., June 24, 1770.
John Augustus,3 m. May 12, 1799, Elizabeth Waldo, dau. of Samuel Waldo and Molly, dau. of Gen. Israel Put- nam ("Old Put.") Ile d. July 11, 1842; she d. July 14, IS46. Ch. h Lewis Putnam,4 b. at Pomfret, Conn. Feb. 28, 1800. Caroline, b. Feb. 5, 1804, m. Daniel Clark of Arling- ton. Mary Waldo, b. Aug. 15, 1807, m. William Webber. Elizabeth, b. Aug. 22, 1810, m. David Clark of Arlington.
Jan. 22, 1SS5. Ch. Caroline, b. and d. 1827. It Henry Augus- tus,5 b. Jan. 6, 1829. h Charles Edwin,5 b. April 18, 1830. Caroline Maria, b. June 10, 1832. d. Jan. 27, 1833. Eliza- beth Frances and h John Francis,5 twins, b. May 23, 1835; Elizabeth m. Marcus B. Webber. Lewis Putnam5 and Alfred Waldo,5 d. young. Lewis Putnam,5 b. June 1, 1839, d. July 27, 1872. Lucy Caroline, d. young.
Lewis Putnam Gleason4 early learned the trade of a shoemaker. At the age of twenty-one years he set out from his home on foot, carrying his possessions with him, intending to walk to the state of Maine to pay a visit to his Grandmother Waldo. On reaching Bedford he found employment at his trade, and entered the service of Benja- . min Simonds, an extensive shoe manufacturer. In this brave and resolute young man family history seems to repeat itself. He started from the same point and fol- lowed the same route, as far as Concord, that his great- grandfather, Israel Putnam, had travelled forty-six years before, when his military spirit, aroused by the news of the attack by the British at Lexington and Concord, led him to mount his horse and gallop to the relief of the Provin- cials. The manner in which this young man grappled with the stern realities of life was befitting a descendant of that gallant general and leader in the Continental army. He followed the business of a shoemaker until his death. A window to his memory is seen in the meeting-house where he worshipped.
Heury Augustus,5 son of Lewis P., shoemaker, deacon of Woburn church and later of Bedford church, m. Mar. 11, 1852, Sarah A. Webber. She d. Dec. 23, 1876. Ch. It Frank Waldo,6 b. Mar. 25, 1853, m. June 3, LSS5, Mary Isabel Wood of Worcester; have Jennie Frances, b. Dec. 7, 1886, Waldo Wood,7 b. June 8.1890. Alfred Webber, 6 b- Nov. 30, 1856, m. Oct. 19, ISS7, Nelly G. Bonney. Mary Wilder, b. Jan. 25, 1857, m. June 1, 1881, Edward G. Pierce. Herbert Lewis,6 b. Sept. 15, 1861. Henry Walter,6 b. Jan. 29, 1866, m. Sept. 25, ISS6, Eda M. Titus; ch. Harold A. b. June 25, 1887, and Raymond C. b. July 6, 1891. Herman Page,6 b. Jan. 9, 1871.
Charles Edwin,5 son of Lewis P.,4 deacon of Medford church, m. April 12, 1860, Caroline F. Munroe. Ch. Charles Munroe,6 b. April 22, 1861, m. Dec. 15, 1886, Mary E. With- ington of Medford ; have Marie Withington, b. July 5, 1890. Alice Stearns, b. Sept. 11, 1863. Edith Clifford, b. Nov. 1, 1867. Carrie Lillian, b. Feb. 10, ISSO.
Jolın Franeis,5 son of Lewis P.4 m. Sept. 18, 1861, Olive M. Jeffords. Ch. Edwin Putnam,6 b. May 3, 1866.
John Francis Gleason followed the business of a shoe- maker when young. He early manifested a literary taste, which was gratified as fast as personal effort would admit. He taught school during his preparation for Amherst Col- lege, where he took a partial course. He left college, and entered the Union army ; was later employed in the Treas- ury department at Washington, in which city he pursued the study of theology. He was settled as pastor at Wil- liamsburg, Mass. It was during his pastorate in that town that the Mill River disaster occurred, in which one hun- dred and twenty of his parish were lost, and he with his family had a narrow escape. Ile was later pastor at Nor- folk, Conn., and Needham, Mass.
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