USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Franklin > History of the town of Franklin, Mass., from its settlement to the completion of its first century > Part 16
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He married Lois Metcalf, who died in Medway, 17th March, 1787. One child only survived, Miranda, who married Abner Merrifield of Newfane, Vt. It was in Mr. Pond's family that Judge Aldis had his early training.
Dr. ELISHA POND was the son of Elisha and Margaret (Met- calf) Pond, born in Franklin 21st February, 1749. He was prac- ticing physician in town for many years. He married Olive Dean and died 21st December, 1807, leaving two children, Edna, who is believed to have married Timothy Hill, and Olive, who married Abijah Richardson, Jr. His widow married Ebenezer Clark, of Medfield. .
Dr. ERASMUS ALLINGTON POND is a son of Franklin, being born in Unionville, 6th July, 1828, and eldest son of Goldsbury, Jr., and Julia Ann Pond. He was educated partly in the Franklin Academy and by private instruction. He studied medicine with Dr. S. Atwood, of Franklin, and Dr. Lynch of South Carolina. He resided at Baltimore a while and attended medical lectures in the Maryland University in that city ; also in the Tremont Medi- cal School, Boston, and at the Medical Department of Harvard University, where he received the degree of M. D. in 1853.
Dr. Pond soon after established his office in Rutland, Vt., where he still is widely known and employed in his profession. He, for the first time in New England, successfully performed tracheot-
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omy in diphtheria. He is also the inventor of the " new sphygmo- graph " for measuring and tracing arterial pulsation, which proves of great value to the profession.
Dr. Pond was married 19th August. 1850, to Adela M. Morse, daughter of George W. and Esther (Pond) Morse, of Franklin, and has five children.
GILBERT C. POND. son of Timothy and Rachel (Adams) Pond, was born in Franklin, 4th November, 1812. He studied the lan- guages at the Medway Class. Institute, and entered Williams Col- lege, but left to engage as teacher in Lexington, Ky., where he died unmarried 5th November, 1835, at the early age of 23.
Dr. METCALF EVERETT POND is the youngest child of Golds- bury, Jr., and Julia Ann Pond. He was born in Franklin, Union- ville. 26th October. 1845, graduated Dean Academy 1869, stud- . ied dentistry three years with Prof. I. J. Wetherbce, of Boston, and graduated D. D. S. from the Boston Dental College in 1874. He is now practicing in his profession in Auburndale, Mass.
SAMUEL METCALF POND, Esq., the youngest son of Oliver and Anne (Metcalf ) Pond, born in Franklin 16th November, 1777, graduated at Brown University 1802 ; studied law and opened an office in Bucksport, Me. He became well known through the State for his intelligence, energy and moral worth, and stood high at the bar and as Judge of Probate. He was a leading temper- ance man. A notice says of him, " the State, the public, and the town have sustained a heavy loss."
He married Margaret Danforth, and had seven children. He died 23d January, 1849.
Rev. TIMOTHY POND, born in Franklin 15th September, 1729. Was son of Baruch and Abigail (Slocum) Pond. H. U., 1749. Studied for the ministry but is not known to have settled. He was Lieutenant in Capt. Lemuel Kollock's company, which marched at the Concord alarm, and private under Capt. Samuel Fisher in Rhode Island, 1776. He lived on his father's homestead, which he sold to Dr. Emmons, and which is now in part the site of Dean Academy. He then removed to Wrentham and died there sud- denly 10th November, 1804.
He married Elizabeth Bullard of Dedham, and had six children.
Dr. JENNER LEWIS SWEETING PRATT, son of Dr. Spencer and Jane (Wheeler) Pratt, was born in Franklin 16th October, 1825.
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He prepared for college at Smithville Academy, now Lapham In- stitute, North Scituate, R. I., and also under Rev. P. B. Talbot of Woonsocket, R. I. He graduated from Columbia College, New York city, and studied medicine with Dr. Hiram Allen of Woon- socket, and surgery with Dr. Arnold Hazzard Potter of the same town. He then spent the years 1845 and 1846 in the Bangor Hos- pital. After practicing a while in Woonsocket he was appointed to and did make a botanical survey of the State of Rhode Island. He was also for a time assistant surgeon under Dr. Francis L. Wheaton of Providence, in the Mexican War.
Dr. Pratt ultimately settled; 1851, in Michigan as physician at Minnesota Mines, Ontonagon river, Lake Superior, where he sur- veyed, laid out, and named the town of Rockland. At the time of his death he was engaged under appointment of the Smithson- ian Institute, in writing the natural history of his region. He was a devoted and public temperance advocate, and a successful busi- ness agent, accumulating quite a property. His death was sudden and painful, being upset Angust, 1854, in a birch canoe on the lake by a sudden gale and drowned with two of his companions, only one of the four escaping ..
Dr. Pratt married in Sault St. Marie, fall of 1852, Minerva B. Aldrich of Cumberland, R. I. He left no children. His widow died a few years since in Woonsocket, while on a visit to her friends.
SPENCER ATKINSON PRATT, Esq., son of Dr. Spencer and Eliza- beth (Wood) Pratt and half-brother of the preceding, was born in Franklin Center 10th October, 1808 ; fitted for college at Day's Academy and with Rev. Simeon Daggett of Mendon, and gradu- ated in 1830 at Brown University. He studied law two years with Hon. Theron Metcalf at Dedham, and spent one year in the office of Warren Lovering, Esq., at Medway village. He also taught the Center schools in Franklin and Milford, and was post- master for a part of 1835. In 1836 he went to Bangor, Me., and opened a law office. He also engaged in newspaper writing and acted as superintendent of schools in the city. In May, 1846, he was appointed municipal judge, which office he held until 1860.
In 1836 he married Mary R. Gilmore, daughter of David G., Jr., of Newburgh, Me., at that time residing in Franklin.
Rev. JOHN BOWERS PRESTON, who becomes connected with this
Photo Electro co Boston
RESIDENCES OF
JAMES P. RAY.
JOSEPH G. RAY.
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history by the marriage of a Franklin daughter, was a native of Fairfield, N. J., in 1770. Early left an orphan, he still made his way through college, graduating at William and Ann College, Philadelphia, 1793. Traveling for his health, he came to Frank- lin, where he found his theology with Dr. Emmons, and his wife at Dea. James Metcalf's. He was settled Sth February, 1798, at Rupert, Vt., where he suddenly died 21st February, 1813. He was a remarkably faithful minister and man.
Mr. Preston married, 6th January, 1799, Polly, daughter of Asa Haven, then resident with Dea. James Metcalf, and niece of his wife. They had five children, of whom two sons graduated and entered the ministry, and two daughters married ministers.
Mrs. Preston afterwards married Dea. James Fisher of Gouver- neur, N. Y., where she died 23d March, 1848. She was of unusual talents, carrying by her own energy, in spite of poverty, her two sons through college and into the ministry.
LYDIA PAINE RAY, the first lady collegiate graduate from Frank- lin, is the daughter of Hon. Joseph G. and Emily (Rockwood) Ray. She was born in Bellingham 22d July, 1854, but came with her parents to Franklin in her infancy and has ever since been a dweller in the town. Miss Ray began a full course of classical study in Dean Academy, graduating in 1872. Thence she en- tered Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and graduated with honor in 1878. She is now an active member of the firm of J. T. & L. P. Ray, Franklin, manufacturers of felt and woolen goods.
A view of the residences of the Ray brothers is given opposite. They occupy the site of Dr. Emmons' house on Main street.
WILLIAM FRANCIS RAY is the only son of Francis B. and Susan B. (Rockwood) Ray. He was born in the Makepeace House at Unionville, Franklin, 2d March, 1854, graduated from Dean Acad- emy 1870, and from Brown University 1874 ; was the youngest in a class of forty-five ; A. M. 1877. He is engaged now in the woolen business in his native town, also chairman of school com- mittee, and has been parish clerk.
Mr. Ray married Hattie, daughter of Charles A. Richardson, Esq., of Chelsea, and has one child.
ALBERT DEAN RICHARDSON, born on the ancestral farm in North Franklin 6th October, 1833, was youngest child of Elisha and Har- riet (Blake) Richardson. Having attended the Franklin and Hol-
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liston Academies, he went West in 1850. At first he taught school near Pittsburg, Pa., but soon became reporter for the Pittsburg Commercial Journal, and afterwards editor of the Cincinnati Ga- zette. He was in Kansas during its troubles, and reported them for the Boston Journal. He was, while there, Secretary for a time of the Atchinson Legislature, and Adjutant-General on the Gover- nor's staff. He became finally connected with the New York Tri- bune, and became its Southern reporter in the beginning of the rebellion. He succeeded in getting to New Orleans at the begin- ning of the rebellion, and thence could pass at will within the Con- federacy. He was in Charleston at the assault and capture of Fort Sumpter. He attended the opening of the Confederate Con- gress at Montgomery, Ala., taking notes with a pencil in his coat- tail pocket, and sending his reports to the Tribune under cover to an associate in Canada. He finally succeeded in reaching home through the Mississippi States. After a short visit to his family, he returned West, but in attempting to pass Vicksburg, then be- sieged in the summer of 1863, the tug on which he was was sunk by a rebel shot, and he, on landing, was taken prisoner. He was confined eighteen months in Libby and Salisbury prisons, but finally escaped December, 1864. He subsequently traveled West as far as California. Of his experiences in the saddle, the camp, and the prison, vivid pictures are given in the volumes he after- wards published.
He retained his connection with the Tribune up to his death, which occurred from a pistol in the hands of Daniel McFarland, for alleged interference with his domestic affairs. He died 2d De- cember, 1869, at the early age of 36. "The affair caused im- mense excitement at the time." It was regarded generally as a case of chivalry interfering with brutality.
Mr. Richardson married, first, M. Louise Pease, a native of Ohio. She died 4th March, 1864, while he was in prison. He married, second, Mrs. Abby L. Sage, the divorced wife of Daniel McFar- land, during the last hours of his life.
Rev. ALBERT M. RICHARDSON, second son of Eli M. and Meli- ta (Norcross) Richardson, was born in Franklin, 28th July, 1822. After a school season in the Franklin Academy, he completed his studies at Oberlin College, Ohio, and was approbated to preach in 1846, at Kelloggville, O. He was installed March. 1847, over the
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Congregational church in Lenox, Ashtabula county. O., and re- mained three years. He next went, in 1850, to Jamaica, West Indies. as missionary of the American Missionary Association. After four years' service there, he was compelled by his health to return. He preached again in Lenox. O., four years longer, and thence went for two years to Austinburg, and afterwards preached nine years in East Cleveland. In 1870 he removed to Kansas, and was settled as pastor of the Pilgrim church in Lawrence, where he still is.
Mr. Richardson married. 30th May, 1845, Miss Eliza W. Allen. and has three children.
CHARLES ADDISON RICHARDSON, son of Elisha and Harriet (Blake) Richardson and elder brother of Albert D., was born in Franklin, 9th October, 1829. He began a preparation for the ministry, at Holliston Academy, but poor health compelled him to resign the idea, and he turned to teaching. He attended a course of study at the Westfield and Bridgewater normal schools, and taught afterwards in Medway. Franklin, Dedham, and other towns. In 1854 he became clerk in the bookstore of J. P. Jew- ett & Co., and in 1856 entered the Congregationalist, of which he has since been a proprietor and office editor.
Mr. Richardson married Mary J. Phipps. of Ashford, Conn., and a graduate of the Normal School at Westfield. They have had six children, of whom the oldest, Harriet Phipps, is the wife of W. F. Ray, as already mentioned. . ...
Dr. ERASTUS RICHARDSON was son of Amasa and Lydia (Haven) Richardson. He was born in Franklin 3d April, 1794. He went to Maine in early life and practiced his profession of medicine in that State with success until his death of a fever, August, 1855, while residing in Eastport.
Dr. Richardson married, first, Mary Johnson, of Robbinston. Me. ; second, Mary Shumway, of Oxford, Mass., and formerly of Frank- lin. He had six children, of whom George Nelson graduated at Bowdoin College, 1847, became a Unitarian minister, and died in Worcester, 11th September, 1870, aged 43.
Prof. HENRY BULLARD RICHARDSON, son of Stephen Wilkes and Eliza R. (Bullard) Richardson, was born in Franklin 21st May, 1844. He fitted for college at Phillips' Academy, Andover, and graduated at Amherst College, 1869. After graduation he was
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appointed instructor in Latin and Greek in the college for five years. In 1876 he took charge of the High School in Springfield. He went to Europe for study in 1873, and again in 1876, where he made philology a specialty in the Leipzig University. On his return last summer he was elected to the professorship of Latin and German in his Alma Mater, which he entered upon at the fall term.
Professor Richardson married Mary E. Lincoln, of Amherst, and has two children.
Rev. WILLIAM TYLER RICHARDSON, son of Eli M. and Melita (Norcross) Richardson, was born in Franklin 24th December, 1820. He prepared for college in the Franklin Academy, under the prin- cipalship of M. Blake, A. Bigelow and J. D. Baker, but was pre- vented by ill-health from completing a collegiate course. After a few years in business, which recruited his strength, he studied the- ology with his brother, Rev. A. M. Richardson, then in Lenox, O. He was ordained to the ministry at Saybrook, O., 5th August, 1859. He has since preached in Gaines, Orleans county, N. Y., in Kel- loggsville and Thompson, O., and is now in Orwell, O., as pastor of a Congregational church.
Mr. Richardson has been for six years in the service of the American Missionary Association at the South among the Freedmen, " where, " he says, "scoffs, threats and stones were among the highest commendations." Three years he acted as " United States Indian Agent and Special Commissioner" in Wisconsin, which he describes as " the most desperate struggle of my life - not with Indians, to save my own scalp. but with rings and rascals who lived to wrong and rob the poor Indian."
Mr. Richardson married, 20th April, 1842, Ellen M. Gay of Franklin, daughter of Oliver and Maria Burton Gay.
Rev. EBENEZER WEEKS ROBINSON, who married Sarah Bacon, daughter of Dea. James Adams of Franklin. 21st June, 1838, was the son of Rev. Ralph and Anne (Weeks ) Robinson, both natives of Connecticut. His father was a graduate of Middlebury College, and preached for half a century in New York State.
Rev. Ebenezer Weeks was born 1st May, 1812, in Granville, N. Y., fitted for college with Rev. W. R. Weeks, D. D., of Newark, N. J., and graduated at Hamilton College, N. Y., and at Auburn Theo- logical Seminary. He preached from 1836 to 1845 in Assonet vill,
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Freetown, a year at Carver, and in 1849 to the Hanover Society in Lisbon, Conn. From 1855 to 1864 he was pastor in Bethany, Conn.
In March, 1864, he was appointed clerk in the Paymasters' De- partment at Washington, where he devoted his extra hours to Sun- day and night schools. He also performed chaplain duty at Cliff- burne barracks, until the army was removed. To such labors Mr. Robinson devoted himself until his death at Washington, 8th April, 1869.
Mr. Robinson had seven children. His second son, James A., entered the army, became clerk of the Ninth Corps, and was at the siege of Vicksburg, but was taken sick and died on his way home from the hospital.
FRANK ERNEST ROCKWOOD, Esq., son of Abijah and Sarah (Peck) Rockwood, was born in Franklin 20th December, 1852 ; prepared for college at Dean Academy and graduated B. U. 1874, A. M. 1877. After a year's study of law in his brother's office, he became teacher of mathematics and natural philosophy in the South Jersey Insti- tute at Bridgeton, N. J., where he still is a bachelor, with declared purpose of continuance unless defeated.
LUCIUS OSBORNE ROCKWOOD, Esq., son of Abijah and Sarah (Peck) Rockwood, was born in Franklin 15th January, 1847. Grad- uated at Brown University in 1868, and commenced the practice of law, 1871, in Providence. He is now in the firm of Lapham & Rockwood.
Mr. Rockwood married, 12th June, 1872, Miss Eliza G. Ham of that city, and has one child, Thurston Rockwood.
Dr. HENRY ELMORE RUSSEGUE was born in Franklin, 11th August, 1850. He is the son of Alpheus A. and Mary (Walker) Russegue. After the usual preparatory studies he took a medical course in Homeopathy at the Boston University, and graduated as M. D. in March, 1878. He is now practicing in his profession at South Framingham. He is at this date unmarried.
GEORGE L. SAYLES, Esq., son of Oren W. and Almira (Ballou) Sayles, was born in Franklin, 28th September, 1830. He was educated at Saxton's River Seminary in Rockingham, Vt., and afterwards spent some time in traveling, visiting California, Mex- ico, Panama, and both the eastern and western coasts of South America. On his return he established himself in the profession of law in Providence, R. I., where he now resides unmarried.
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HERBERT L. SAYLES AND LYCURGUS SAYLES, as appears by the town records, are also sons of Oren W. and Almira (Ballou) Sayles, and natives of Franklin. They are lawyers in Providence, R. I. We have failed to secure responses to further inquiries. '
Dea. WILLIAM SLOCUMB was born in Franklin, 5th February, 1783, and was the son of William and Jerusha (Richardson) Slo- cumb. His family removed to Sutton in 1784, but William not long after returned to Franklin, where he joined the church at 17, under Dr. Emmons, whose teachings he often affirmed left a strong impression upon his character. In 1811 he returned to Sutton, where. by his earnest enthusiasm, he became chief in forming " The Religious Charitable Society for the County of Worcester," whose object was to aid young men in studying for the ministry, feeble churches and foreign missions, and which preceded the Ameriean Education Society by four years .* In 1816, Deacon Sloeumb removed to Marietta, O., greatly prospered here, and still impelled by the same zeal for an educated ministry, he prominently aided in the founding of Marietta College, and to which he gave largely, especially to its library. In acknowledgment of his gen- erous gifts, one of its buildings has been called " Slocumb Hall." He also started in Marietta the first Sunday-school west of the Alleghanies, and he wrote and published an arithmetic, for many years the only one used in the then West. IIe was also a school- teacher for years. In 1855, he came to Rochester, N. Y., where he was for seventeen years an elder in St. Peters Presbyterian church. He died 9th May, 1873, aged over 90 - a long and widely shining light kindled by Dr. Emmons in the beginning, and a speci- men of the many laymen so enkindled.
Deacon Sloeumb married Selah Cushing of Franklin, but had no children. He made Christian students his family and heir.
GEORGE W. SMALLEY is a son of Franklin, being born here dur- ing the pastorate of his father, Rev. Elam Smalley, although his birth is not recorded. After Dr. Smalley's removal to Worcester, he began classical studies and graduated, we believe, at Yale Col- lege. From College he turned to journalism, and became an army reporter of the New York Tribune during the rebellion. As an instance of his unusual fitness, it is said that his remarkable cool-
* See Semi-Centennial Report of American Education Society, page 7.
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ness under fire at the battle of Gettysburg attracted the notice of the General-in-Chief and he employed him, in the temporary ab- sence of his aids, on a perilous mission, which he executed with the utmost sang-froid. After the war Mr. Smalley went to Europe as the Tribune's foreign correspondent, and still remains in that position. His signature, G. W. S., is regarded as a warrant for clearness of facts and soundness of conclusions, and his articles form no small part of the value of that widely-circulated news- paper. His address is London, but his presence is Europe.
Mr. Smalley married a daughter (adopted) of Wendell Phillips and has three children.
Dr. JOHN WATERS TENNEY, a son-in-law of Franklin through his wife. was a son of Daniel and Betsey (Waters) Tenney of Sutton, where he was born 25th December, 1802. He graduated at Brown University 1823. and studied medicine first with Dr. David Smith of Sutton, then with Dr. N. Reno Smith of Baltimore, in which city he received his diploma of M. D. Ile afterwards returned to Sutton, where and in Webster he practiced until his death in the latter town, April, 1851.
Dr. Tenney married. 27th October, 1829, Eliza Tileston, daugh- ter of Caleb and Sally (Cushing) Fisher. She is still living in St. Johnsbury, Vt. He left two daughters - Catharine Beecher and Helen Everett, now wife of David A. Alden - both residing in Windsor, Vt.
Dr. CHARLES HI. THAYER, a son of Nathaniel and Caroline (Taft) Thayer, was born in Unionville, Franklin, 24th December, 1840. After studying in the ordinary public and private schools of the town until 14, he went into a store in Providence, R. I., at- tending during the time Austin's Academy and the Commercial College in that city. In 1858 he returned to Franklin to attend the Walpole Academy. On his return to Providence, in 1861, he began the study of dentistry in the office of Dr. W. H. Helm, but at the outbreak of the rebellion, he, with his two fellow students, enlisted in the Union army. His experiences in camp and battle- field are briefly mentioned in our military chapter. He served over three years, was in thirty-one engagements, a prisoner in Libby prison, and rose to the rank of Captain.
After the war Captain Thayer was appointed Special Agent of the United States Treasury, and located at Memphis to look after
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confiscated rebel property. But becoming sick in his travels, he resigned and came to Baltimore to complete his studies. He grad- uated from the Baltimore Dental College in the spring of 1856, and not long after opened an office in Mattoon. Ill. In September, 1869, he removed to Chicago, where he is now practicing his pro- fession.
Dr. Thayer married at Chicago, 12th July, 1871, Juliette Marga- ret Reed of Stykersville, Wyoming county, N. Y., and has one daughter, born 6th August, 1877.
Rev. WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THAYER is the son of Major Davis and Betsey (Makepeace) Thayer. He was born 23d February, 1820, fitted for college at the Franklin Academy, and graduated at Brown University 1843 ; studied theology with Rev. Jacob Ide, D. D., of Medway, and was approbated by the Mendon Associa- tion 16th October, 1844. He taught school in Attleboro, Frank- lin and South Braintree. He preached nearly two years in Edgar- town, M. V., where he declined to settle, and was finally installed over the church in Ashland 20th June, 1849. In 1857 he was compelled by a throat disease to resign his charge and leave the pulpit altogether for a season. But able still for student work he was engaged as editor of the Home Monthly and Mother's Assis- tant from 1857 to 1862, when he felt sufficiently recovered to ac- cept the Secretaryship of the Massachusetts Temperance Alliance, and has held it until the present year, 1878. In this office he vis- ited and addressed large audiences in almost every town in the Commonwealth, and many out of the State.
While in Ashland Mr. Thayer represented the town in 1856 in the Legislature, also the town of Franklin in 1863. Mr. Thayer has also published several volumes, the best known of which are "Life at the Fireside," "The Bobbin Boy," "The Printer Boy," " The Pioneer Boy," ' The Poor Boy and Merchant Prince," " Youth's History of the Rebellion," 4 vols. More than 200,000 copies of these have been sold.
Mr. Thayer married Miss Rebecca Richards of Dover, and has had five children, two of whom are living. Eugene is married and lives in Denver. Addison is at present at home. He resides in Franklin and is engaged in authorship, having published a new work since our Centennial.
Rev. EDWIN THOMPSON, a two-fold son-in-law of Franklin, was
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son of William D. Thompson, a native of Marblehead, and his wife Eunice Breed T., of Lynn. He was born in Lynn, 23d JJuly, 1809. His parents were Friends, and he was educated in the Quaker School of his native town, and became afterwards, like all Lynnites, a shoemaker. He was also for twelve years carrier of the first Lynn newspaper. In 1837, at the suggestion of Wendell Phillips, he became agent for Essex county of the anti-slavery cause. In 1841 he was settled as pastor of the Universalist So- ciety in South Dedham - now Norwood. But his deep interest in temperance as well as anti-slavery led him to resign his charge after three years and devote himself wholly to these more conge- nial causes. From that time he has become better known through- out the State as a temperance advocate than almost any other man.
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