USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Berlin > History of the town of Berlin, Worcester county, Mass., from 1784 to 1895 > Part 28
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William Newton m., Nov. 15, 1798, Sarah Hoar ; both of Berlin. Had a family of nine children, namely : Dorinda, Sally, William, Dinah, Anselm, Alvin, David, Susan, Amelia, and Benjamin F., who d. while preparing for practice of law. Of the above-named, only Alvin and David appear to be connected by marriage or residence with this town; Alvin m. Sarah Whitcomb of Berlin Jan. 7, 1809, and David m. Beulah Johnson June 18, 1807 ; David and Beu- lah had a s., John F., b. Feb. 6, 1809, m. Elizabeth Brigham, sister of Capt. Paul Brigham ; was several years town clerk here; kept a store at West Berlin and finally rem. to Northboro, where he d. It is not known what connection, if any, this family had with the other Newton family.
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NOURSE.
Dr. Benjamin Nourse, from Bolton, m. Sibella, dau. of Benjamin Bailey of Berlin, Nov., 1777 ; she d. Feb. 20, 1799, and he m., 2d, Kate, sister of Sibella; he practiced first in New Hampshire ; he settled here on the place recently occupied by E. C. Shattuck, but finally rem. to his father-in-law's place, where Marcus M. Goddard now lives, and there d. Feb. 24, 1804. Kate, his wid., d. Oct. 14, 1819. Had by his wife, Sibella, Sibella, who m. Nathan Egery; Nabby, m. Amasa Holt; Theophilus, b. April 9, 1787; by his wife, Kate, had Theodore, b. Oct. 25, 1801.
Theophilus Nourse m. Lois, dau. of Daniel Brigham, May 3, 1815 ; the family rem. to Westboro. Had Benjamin Bailey, b. March 31, 1816, m. in West- boro, has been a prominent man in that town, and has held many public trusts, has a s., an architect in Worcester, who gratuitously furnished the plan of the Unitarian Church; Jane, m. Charles Rice of Westboro; Catherine, m. - Stevens of West- boro, now Marlboro; Lois Brigham, m. Henry W. Baldwin of Shrewsbury. Capt. Theophilus d. April 24, 1824; his wid. was alive and in good health a few years ago at the age of 91.
Theodore Nourse m. Rebecca, dau. of James God- dard, 2d, in 1822; they lived on the old Bailey place, where Marcus M. now lives. Had Rufus, b. March 9, 1823 ; James G., b. Jan. 24, 1828, d. April 3, 1834. Theodore d. June 21, 1866; she m., 2d, Calvin Smith, by whom she had Angenette, b. Nov. 11, 1843, d. Nov. 16, 1876; Rebecca d. in Hudson with her nephew, Stephen Smith.
JOHN O. OSGOOD.
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TOWN OF BERLIN.
OSGOOD.
John O. Osgood, s. of Daniel Osgood, b. in Bolton June 12, 1833, m. Harriet Jane, dau. of George W. Maynard, Aug. 4, 1852; lives in south part; house erected by himself; a farmer. Had Sophia, b. March 3, 1853, d. Dec. 24, 1853; George E., b. April 27, 1855 : Emma J., b. Jan. 6, 1858, d. May 4, 1868 ; John W., b. June 6. 1873, d. Aug. 23, 1873.
George E. Osgood, s. of John O., m. Ida May, dau. of Andrew J. Johnson, June 24, 1877; res., Hudson; shoemaker and poultry farmer. Had George R., b. April 17, 1878 ; Charles E., b. Feb. 20, 1880.
PARMENTER.
Appleton D. Parmenter, s. of Isaac of Sudbury and a descendant of John Parmenter, one of the early settlers of Sudbury, came to Berlin with his family in 1875; he m. Julia Bancroft of Nelson, N. H., and lived awhile on the old Parmenter place in Sud- bury : his present res. is in New Worcester (so-called), and is by trade a painter and paper-hanger. Had Ella R., b. May 1, 1852, m. Edward P. Holden ; Etta F., b. June 8, 1856, m. Charles D. Mills, res., Florida; Emma N., b. March 10, 1858, m. James W. McLaren, killed by Indians in 1877 in the Custer massacre ; m., 2d, William Allen, he d. 1888; Isaac F., b. Sept. 14, 1860; E. Jennie, b. April 6, 1862, m. John K. Mills, res., Northboro.
Isaac F. Parmenter, s. of Appleton D., m. Adelaide R. Cottle of Martha's Vineyard Sept. 28, 1887 ; lives in the house he built near New Worcester.
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HISTORY OF THE
PARKS.
James Russell Parks, s. of James Parks of Holliston and grands. of Richard Parks of Watertown in 1636, m. Anna Leland in 1786; he bought the mills at the south part, together with the farm now owned by George W. Tyler in 1790; he was one of the suc- cessors of William Goddard, the miller, who made the long dam and erected the first mill at the south part; the original house stood in the lot southeast of the present buildings; he was a prominent citizen and influential in town affairs. Had Joseph, b. Nov. II, 1787; Anna, b. Oct. 13, 1790, m. Edward John- son ; Charlotta, b. 1794, d. 1796; Pamelia, b. Oct. 3, 1797, m. John Powers. He d. July 13, 1813, at 53 ; wid. d. 1828.
Col. Joseph Parks", James R.1, m. Anna Meriam Nov. 29, 1807; wife, Anna, d. 1825; he m., 2d, Mrs. Eliza (Blood) Cole of Bolton; she d. 1842; he d. in Holliston in 1881, at 94; he was the successor of his father in the mill and farm property and continued in possession until he sold the mills and farm to Samuel Williams, about 1844. when he rem. to Holliston; he was a highly esteemed citizen of the town and his de- parture was much deplored. Had by Anna, Beulah Leland, b. Feb. 8, 1808, d. June 21, 1834; Russell, b. Aug. 21, 1810; Melissa, b. June 18, 1812, d. Nov. 28, 1851 ; Lawson, b. Sept. 2, 1815, d. 1821.
Russell Parks", James', James R.', m. Ann Green April 16, 1834; he built the house where Elisha M. Whitney lately lived; worked with his father in the mills and on the farm; rem. with his father to Hol- liston, but lived a part of the time afterwards in
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Worcester. Had by wife, Ann, one child, Beulah Ann. b. March 3. 1835. Wife, Ann, d. 1839 ; he m., 2d, Harriet Newell Fay, dau. of Dea. Dexter Fay, April 2. 1840, and by her had: Harriet Josephine, b. Aug. 3. 1843: Joseph Russell, b. 1847. Wife, Har- riet, d. May 21, 1848 : m .. 3d, a Mrs. Bemis April 4, 1849.
PAINE.
Tyler Painc, s. of Tyler Paine of Smithfield, R. I., m. Mary Ann. dau. of Asa Wheeler of Bolton, May 7, 1848 ; he lived on the farm where Robert New- some now res., for several years; he finally bought of Samuel Williams the place where Philo Bruce now lives, where he continued until after the death of his wife, which occurred suddenly Oct. 20, 1862; he enlisted in 1864 in the 3d Regt. of Cavalry, Mass. Vols., and d. in New Orleans June 15, 1864, age 40. Had Asa W., b. May 28, 1849: Lewis W., b. Nov. 17, 1850 : Abbie Alice, b. Dec. 7, 1851, m. Clifford Walcott. res .. Hudson: Ruth, b. Sept. 6, 1854, m. Henry A. Stone, d. March 4, 1883.
PARKER.
Dea. John Parker. b. in Framingham June 16, 1798, m. Mary Ann Fales of Shrewsbury Sept. 3, 1823 ; he was s. of John, the sixth in descent from Thomas Parker, who was one of the first settlers of Reading in 1638 ; he was the father of Charles F. and John H. Parker, the shoe manufacturers here, as also the father of Mrs. Milton Day and Mrs. Sarah L. (Parker) Sawyer, the noted singer; he lived while here in the Dr. Hartshorn homestead, then owned by his dau., Mrs. Sawyer; he is well remembered here as a man
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of sterling integrity and high moral worth. His wife d. here July 16, 1885 ; he d. in Marlboro.
PETERS.
Dea. Luther Peters, s. of George Peters of Felton- ville, now Hudson, b. April 20, 1806, m. Abigail Holman of Bolton May 31, 1832; she d. June 4, 1839; m., 2d, Maria Gould April 12, 1848, she d. Nov. 12, 1855 ; m., 3d, Lydia (Howe) Leland Sept. I, 1857, she d. June 2, 1882; his father was a black- smith in Hudson previous to 1800, and Luther con- tinued the business at the old stand for many years until he exchanged his estate in Hudson for a farm in Sterling; after the death of his second wife, he came to Berlin and built the splendid house in which he now resides; is now living with his s., John G., and is at the date of this writing (Jan. 1, 1895) the oldest man in town. Had by Abigail, Luther H., b. May 30, 1833, res., Boston: Irene F., b. Feb. 16, 1838, m. Edwin Babcock; Onslow B., b. May 21, 1839; War- ren S., b. Oct. 7, 1845, res., Maynard. Had by Maria, John G., b. May 8, 1850; Edwin R., b. March 30, 1853, d. May 3, 1855. Dea. Peters d. Feb. 27, 1895.
John G. Peters, s. of Luther, unm .; occupies the homestead with his father on the site of the old Solomon Howe store; was the successor of Amos Sawyer in the express business from Berlin, Hudson and Maynard to Boston.
PIERCE.
Rev. Granville Pierce, from Townsend, was the second pastor of the Unitarian Church; m., 2d, Georgiana H. Damon Dec. 24, 1881.
MRS. W. A. HOUGHTON.
MRS. L. PETERS.
Mary Grace ( Howe) Houghton, daughter of Solomon and Sarah Howe, born here in 1515, married Rev. W. A. Houghton, then pastor of Northboro Congregational Church, in 1^44. The older citizens of that town remember her faithful services, as she devoted her rare talents in every way to aid in all that ministered to her husband's success in the ministry, Returning after ten years to her native town, she entered with the same fidelity in the work of his twenty five years' pastorate here, till prostrated by paralysis. she lived in comparative retirement and died in 1582. Mrs. Houghton purchased the Dr. Puffer estate, and she built the barn and remodeled the house (since burned). which were ornaments to the town.
Lydia (Howe) Peters, daughter of Solomon and Sarah Howe, and wife of Deacon Luther Peters, born and passing most of her life in Berlin, died here in 1882, leaving a pleasant memory of Christian kindness and beneficence. After the death of her brother, W. A. Howe, she purchased his estate, to carry out his intentions, and planned and erected, as . a memorial to her brother," the spacious buildings now owned by W. II. Hartshorn. She bequeathed to the town the clock which now strikes the hours so con- veniently and agreeahly for a grateful people. She also gave five hundred dollars to the Congregational Church, of which she was many years a devoted member.
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POLLARD.
John Pollard, b. 1729, s. of William Pollard and Ex- perience (Wheeler) Pollard of Bolton and grands. of Thomas of Billerica, settled in the west part of Berlin, the homestead just back of George Felton's; later on the Merrick Rand homestead; he was.an early owner of the Barber mills and land adjoining ; he built the Barber house, which formerly stood nearly opposite the res. of Levi Babcock; he bought of John Butler in 1756 151 acres, with mill place and mill. Thomas, a bro. of John, settled on the present Moran estate. John m. Elizabeth Williams of Gro- ton : they had John, William, Walter, Betsey, Abner, Amos, Moses, Aaron, Gardner, Mary, Susan ; of these Moses m., July 22, 1793, Mary, dau. of Elisha Crosby of Shrewsbury, near Westboro line; she was cousin to Mrs. Stephen Bailey; Moses was lost at sea in his own ship, returning from a personal visit to the Holy Land; their dau. m. Stephen Winship of Boston, who res. here with his family awhile, as will be recollected by the older inhabitants; Aaron rebuilt the Barber mills in 1822; Gardner was among the early comb makers of Lancaster; he lived on "The Acre," the present res. of George Colburn; his father d. there in 1815; his father was at the siege of Fort William Henry in 1755; his bro. William was also a soldier in those tedious wars with the French and their Indian allies ; William, s. of John, lived on the Merrick Rand estate, and Walter also, and d. there unm .; Amos m. Phebe Phelps in 1790; Abner m. Achsah Phelps in 1789; John Pollard, Jr., m. Polly Ball, was a trader in the present Bullard house;
30
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Betsey m. Amos Johnson. In 1791 John and Elizabeth deeded to s., William, "forty-one acres, on which I formerly lived;" the mills were sold before; in 1797 deeded to s., Gardner, the homestead where he was then living, 120 acres; here he d .; also his s., William, after the death of his wife in Berlin. The Gardner Pollard family made favorable impression on society-a large family of worthy daughters and two sons. Levi settled in Leominster and Seth went to Chili, S. A. On the earlier records of Lancaster the Pollards are hardly named. Incidentally, John and Oliver, sons of Edward, appear as soldiers in an expedition organized against the marauding Indians in 1724, towards the Kennebec, now Wakefield, N. H. Lancaster annals give the names of sixty-two at the killing of "them ten Indians;" John and Oliver were in the list. Asa, s. of John of Billerica, was the first killed at Bunker Hill; his bro., Thaddeus, was father of Amory Pollard of Pollard's mills, built by Thomas Sawyer and deeded to Amory for his fidelity. This was probably Thomas Sawyer, 3d, b. 1790; probably John Pollard, Sr., bought of John Butler of Billerica, s. of James, 3d, of Bolton, the southwest section of Third Division hill.
Thomas Pollard, s. of William and Experience (Wheeler) Pollard and bro. to John of West Berlin, b. Aug. 1, 1744, m. Deborah Wood of Bolton Dec. 16, 1773; he settled on the farm now owned by John F. Moran; the old buildings were rem. some years ago and new ones now replace them. He had three sons : Calvin, b. Sept. 13, 1774, d. young ; Stephen, b. July 29, 1776; Luther, b. Dec. 18, 1782. Tradition
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TOWN OF BERLIN.
holds that Thomas built the Barnes mill for his s., Stephen. He d. Oct. 7, 1827, at 84 ; she d. Oct. 13, 1837, at 87.
Stephen Pollard3, Thomas', William', m. Betsey Hastings of Boylston, sister to Ephraim ; he occupied the homestead of his father. Had Sarah, b. March 29, 1814, m. Erastus Wheeler of Worcester; Abigail, b. June 10, 1818, d. unm. ; Ezra, b. Nov. 21, 1823, d. Nov. 5, 1850. He d. May 23, 1853; she d. July 25, 1851.
Luther Pollard3, Thomas?, William', m. Matilda, dau. of Timothy Bruce, Jr., Nov. 6, 1806; his father settled him on the farm now owned by Francis Bab- cock. Had Calvin, b. Dec. 8, 1808, res., Philadelphia ; Rebecca, b. Oct. 28, 1810 ; Joseph, b. Jan. 2, 1814, d. 1822, by falling as he ran upon a corn cutter ; Abel, b. April 6, 1816, m. Mary A. Knight, res. in Bolton; Almira, b. Jan. 1, 1818, m. - Kilbourne of Bolton: Thomas, b. Sept. 25, 1820; Amory, b. May 4, 1822 ; Luther, b. Aug. 7, 1824, d. in infancy. He d. - ; she d.
Thomas Pollard', s. of Luther3, m. Persis, dau. of Luther Carter. Oct. 3, 1841 ; he is by trade a carpenter and mason, and has been a merchant, res., Hudson. Had Joseph Marshall, b. 1843, d. Oct. 8, 1851; Her- bert Asa, b. June, 1848.
Amory Pollard', s. of Luther3, m. Sarah F., dau. of Capt. John D. Merrill; she m., 2d, Jonathan Ridley ; he is a carpenter and built a number of houses in Carterville; is now blind, and consequently unable to work. Had Oscar A., b. Jan. 13, 1852; Clarence, b. July 18, 1855.
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HISTORY OF THE
Aaron Pollard, s. of John, Sr., b. July 14, 1772, m. Anna Taylor of Harvard Nov. 28, 1798, res., Boston. Had Anna W., b. Feb. 16, 1799, m. - Rand, (see Rand family) ; Clarissa W., b. July 23, 1801 ; Eliza T., b. Feb. 23, 1802, m. - Raymond; Mary W., b. July 4, 1804; Merrick R., b. March 11, 1807; Sarah A., b. May 3, 1809; David T., b. June 19, 1813; Aaron, b. June 10, 1816; Maria S., b. Feb. 3, 1819; Martha J. L., b. May 21, 1821, m. Fenno; Emeline R., b. April 19, 1825, m. Parkman. Aaron, Sr., d. in Lancaster Jan. 20, 1853, at 80; wife d. April 2, 1888, at 89.
William Pollard, s. of John, m. - ; had no child; d. at his bro., Gardner's, in 1830.
POWERS.
Capt. Henry Powers, probably a s. of Robert Powers of Harvard, m. Hannah Moore of Boylston Jan. 2, 1774; he settled on the farm now owned by C. B. Rathbun; was a prominent man in town affairs; was Berlin's first representative to the General Court; served 1812-13-14-15. Tradition has it that Capt. Powers was the veritable man whom the fox deceived by feigning death. Reynard had squeezed into the sheep fold, gorged himself on lamb and could not get out; so he was found by the captain all laid out. The captain tossed him over the fence, but he came down all right side up, and was off in a jiffy. He appears to have been a good family dis- ciplinarian and a strict observer of the ordinances of the church. His fifteen children were promptly baptized in due season. Hannah, his wife, d. 1812;
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he m., 2d, Mrs. Eunice, wid. of Capt. Samuel Spof- ford, in 1814; he and his wife, Eunice, d. in 1825. Had by Hannah, his wife, Anna, m. Silas Jones; Hannah, m. Cornelius Moore of Bolton; Edward ; Robert ; Henry ; Polly, d. young ; Polly, m. Roberts of Kingston; Moors; Rebecca, d. young ; Betsey, d. young; Prudy; Betsey, b. May 22, 1796, m. Joel Dakin; Abijah, b. Nov. 24, 1798; John, b. Oct. 31, 1800; Rebecca, b. Sept. 10, 1808, m. Amos Proctor.
Henry Powers, s. of Capt. Henry, m. Elizabeth, dau. of David Southwick, Nov. 10, 1810; he settled near the old homestead, on what is now called the Dakin place; although brought up a strict Congre- gationalist, he joined the Quakers, to which society his wife belonged. Had Hannah, b. Sept. 5, 1811, d. unm. May 22, 1846; Henry, b. Nov. 28, 1813, was fatally wounded by an assault with a knife in the hands of one Brooks, at Grafton, just at his majority; Tamzen, b. March 13, 1820, d. Feb. 26, 1845 ; Eliza- beth, b. May 23, 1826, d. May 4, 1846, age 20; Mary, b. Feb. 9, 1828, m. Asahel Dakin of Sudbury, where she still res.
Dea. John Powers, s. of Capt. Henry, m. Pamelia, dau. of James R. Parks, April 10, 1825 ; he retained the homestead of his father; he, like his brother, for- sook the way of his father and veritably became a John the Baptist; he rem. to Bolton ; his family were all reared in Berlin. He d. in Bolton June 20, 1875 ; she d. Aug. 31, 1871. Had Pamelia A., b. Aug. 23, 1826, m. Joel Proctor, she d. July 27, 1890; Edward L., b. Jan. 3, 1828, d. April 28, 1834 ; Andrew Apple-
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ton, b. Dec. 21, 1829; Aaron R., b. Sept. 23, 1831, m. - ----; Henry R., b. Aug. 28, 1835, d. Oct. 31, 1860; Joseph L., b. April 25, 1841, d. Dec. 1, 1841.
PRATT.
There are known to have been ten persons of the name of Pratt who settled in New England between 1621 and 1650. They were doubtless of the same family.
From what places in England they came, or who were their immediate ancestors, or in what ship each arrived, is uncertain.
The name of Pratt from a very remote period has been common in England, especially in the more southern counties.
The family is of Norman descent, and had many distinguished representatives even before the Con- quest.
"The family has embraced many noteworthy members, both in church and state. For example, Charles Pratt, the son of Sir John Pratt, chief justice of the Court of King's Bench under George First, who was born in 1713, educated at Cambridge, admitted barrister, distinguished for his professional knowledge and eloquence, and appointed lord high chancellor of Great Britain. He sympathized with the American colonies, and thus incurred the royal displeasure and was obliged to resign his high office -his conscience and not his king supreme,-but was subsequently restored to honor and office."
"The love of liberty and loyalty to truth have been strong traits in the family from its earliest history."
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The pages of the book from which these extracts have been taken ("A Genealogical Record of Mathew Pratt of Weymouth," by Rev. Francis G. Pratt, Jr.) show that "there have not been lacking many in this country who from the very beginning of its history have honored their descent, and who have been honored for their uninterrupted integrity, their un- usual success in business, their marked intelligence, their patriotism, and their noble Christian pur- pose."
About the beginning of August, 1623, a permanent settlement was made by the Georges Company at Weymouth, the next after Plymouth in the Mas- sachusetts Bay territory. Here the records seem to establish Mathew Pratt among the first settlers, for he is found among the list of land owners in about 1643, and recognized as "an old resident."
The stock would seem to be very prolific, for his descendants are numerous, and scattered throughout the United States. Ninth in the direct male line of descent from Mathew Pratt stands the subject of this sketch, Rev. George Franklin Pratt.
His grandfather was Spencer Pratt, M. D., who practiced medicine in Franklin, Mass.
His father was Hon. Spencer A. Pratt, a graduate of Brown University, a lawyer, and for many years judge of the Municipal Court of Bangor, Me.
His mother was Mary R. Gilmore. George Frank- lin Pratt was born in Bangor, Me., April 5, 1852.
He was fitted for college in the high school, and graduated from Bowdoin College in the class of 1876.
At intervals of his college studies, he taught a dis-
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trict school in Bath, Me., and the free high school, Orrington, Me. In the fall of 1876 he assumed the principalship of the free high school in Brewer, Me., where he remained two years. He then entered the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church in New York city, graduating in 1881.
At the seminary he was awarded the Seymour prize (a gold watch) for excellence in extemporaneous preaching. From 1881 to 1884 he was rector of the Episcopal Church at Bath, Me.
From 1884 to 1888 he was rector of the Episcopal Church in Clinton, Mass.
In 1888 he experienced a change in his theological views and became a Unitarian. In 1889 he was invited to become pastor of the First Unitarian Society of Berlin, Mass., and began to preach there. Jan. 22, 1890, he was installed, Rev. E. E. Hale, D. D., preaching the installation sermon. Mr. Pratt . has been chairman of the School Committee of the city of Bath, Me .; secretary of the School Commitee, Berlin, Mass., and also scribe of the Worcester Association of Unitarian Ministers.
He is a member of a number of secret societies, including the Berlin Grange.
Mr. Pratt married Miss Fannie Dearth Harlow of Brewer, Me., July 27, 1881. She died of consump- tion in Brewer July 11, 1884. Their son, Philip F., died of diphtheria Aug. 11, 1883, aged one year.
Feb. 18, 1886, he married Miss Fannie Morse Greene of Clinton, Mass. They have three children : Charlotte Elizabeth, born in Clinton, Jan. 2, 1887 ;
-
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IP SIMONOSTC.
JOE PRIEST AND THE WIDOW.
.
JPSIM
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C.
LUTHER PRIEST AND THE SOW.
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TOWN OF BERLIN.
Fannie Antoinette, born in Clinton Jan. 11, 1889; Mary Gilmore, born in Berlin May 21, 1892.
The first settler on the farm now owned by F. Sherman Wheeler was Willson Pratt, the father of Josiah and Abijah Pratt; the latter was in possession of the premises from 1755 to 1786, when he sold to Jonathan Wheeler, Jr., and rem. to Boylston. Had sons, Stephen and Abijah, Jr .; dau., Mary, m. Amos Allen, and a dau. m. Jonathan Green.
PRIEST.
Joseph Priest, s. of John Priest of Woburn and later a settler on Bare hill, Lancaster, was b. 1693, m. Hannah -- , b. 1684; both buried in our old cemetery; the latter the earliest born of any there buried, it is probable that she was disinterred from some other cemetery; she d. Aug. 6, 1772, and he d. Nov. 30, 1781, both arriving at the age of 88; he settled in the southwesterly part of the town, and the place has since been owned by Enoch Whitcomb, Solomon Bowker, Adam Bartlett, Timothy Bailey, and Rufus R. Wheeler, the present owner; the house was burned a few years ago; he was a blacksmith. and one of the first settlers in town about 1733. Had Gabriel, b. Jan. 17, 1720; Joseph, b. 1732; Hannah, b. June 22, 1735, m. Enoch Whitcomb. He was in the expedition against Crown Point in 1757 under Col. Whitcomb of Bolton; record incom- plete.
Gabriel Priest, probably a s. of Joseph, Sr., had two sons: Holman, b. Qct. 3, 1745, and Luther, b. Sept. 27, 1772, both of whom settled in Berlin; no other
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HISTORY OF THE
record of Gabriel here; not sure as to dates and con- nection.
Joseph Priest", Jr., Joseph', bought the east part of his father's farm, consisting of sixty-three acres, in 1773 ; in conferring the title the father limits the confirma- tion "to the heirs of his body," so we suppose there was a reversion, as Joseph, Jr., d. unm., but he sold ten acres to Simeon Bowman the year the father d .; the farm on which this Joseph lived is still known as the Priest place, and is now owned by Martin Flagg; the buildings disappeared years ago.
Among the names that blest the town Stands Joseph Priest's, of fair renown; The gift he gave, what good it's done To you and me and every one, In Berlin schools who've had a share In the learning gained here and there.
This first of gifts, by no means least, The town received from Joseph Priest; Peculiar gifts in him adhered, Peculiar speech and garb appeared; He joked the parson with all grace, And dared the widow face to face.
He was noticeably expressive in sayings. Dr. Puffer once used a then common expression in prayer: "Thou hast found out a way of salvation." Uncle Joe (as he was called) met the parson and said to him : "Well done, Puffer! Well done! Found out! Found out! The Almighty has found out something, has He?" Ephraim Babcock on our Mc- Pherson place was for an open road to his house. Uncle Joe made him a call one day on foot. "Well, Ephraim," he said, "I am glad Mr. Puffer prays for you every Sunday." "How is that?" says Mr. Bab-
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cock. "Why, he prays that the uttermost parts of the earth may have the gospel sent to them." I heard Luther Priest say of him: "Uncle Joe was almost blind before he died, but he could see a pistareen edgewise further than I could hear it thunder." (A pistareen was a very thin shilling piece, then in com- mon use.) Many a man is called "stingy" who yet has the public good in view in his savings. As a result of his economy, we have the Priest fund of $500, the income of which has yearly been appro- priated for schooling. This fund has yielded an average income of $30 annually for about seventy-five years, hence the town has received during the time about $2,200, but the fund, if invested at six per cent. compound interest, would have been at this date about $32,000, and this accumulation all within the lifetime of persons now living.
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