USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Sutton > History of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, from 1876 to 1950, Volume II > Part 42
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Mr. and Mrs. Dudley's daughter Edith was graduated from Millbury High School and also attended school in Worcester. She was a teacher in Sutton for five years, until her marriage in 1902 to H. True VanOstrand of Millbury. He was a graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a mining engineer. They lived in Pittsburgh, Pa. and also in Mexico. After his death in 1912, Mrs. Van- Ostrand returned to Sutton to live. They had one son, Dudley, born in 1910. He and his mother both reside in Millbury at the present time.
The other daughter, Gertrude, was born in 1889. She was graduated with honors from Millbury High School and also from Wellesley College. She was a teacher of mathematics for fourteen years in Connecticut, New York and in Millbury High School. In 1924, she was married to Daniel M. Chase of Wilkin- sonville, but they made their home at Dudley Farm. Mrs. Chase bought out her sister's half-interest in 1939 and continued to operate the farm, having a herd of dairy cows. Mr. Chase operated and conducted the D. T. Dudley and Son Co. of which he is the chief stockholder. They have three children: Cynthia Ann, born in 1927, was graduated from Skidmore College and is employed in Boston; Paul Dudley, born 1930, is a graduate of Marietta College as Petroleum Engineer and is serving as Ensign in Navy; Richard Wellington, born 1933, is attending University of Massachusetts.
In 1906, George Dudley moved the north ell of his house away, to a position nearby, and used it as a portion of a new six-room cottage. By so doing, he reduced the length of the house from one hundred fifteen feet to eighty-five feet. This cottage was used as living quarters for farm help until 1943, when it was rented. In June of that year, Axel Swenson and family came here to live, they just having sold their farm at Pigeon Hill. At that time, Harold was living at home and was employed at D. T. Dudley and Son Co. Everett was in the Air Corps where he served four years, all of it at bases in United States. Roy was in the Air Corps, serving three out of four years in Europe. Doris, who was the wife of Clayton Blanchard, was also living at home, while her husband was in service in California. In October 1943, her son Francis was born and in October
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1944, her son Wayne was born. In the winter of 1945, her husband was dis- charged from service and they went to Sutton Center to live. But, the following June, Doris contracted poliomyelitis and died two days later. Wayne came back to Dudley Farm with his grandparents and Francis went to live with relatives in Millbury. In 1950, Harold married Emma Girard and they live at the Girard home on the Boston Road. Also in 1950, Everett married Barbara Morris of Worcester and they are building a house in Millbury.
Louis A. Kimball, in 1923, bought from the George W. Rice heirs twenty-five acres of land bordering on the land of George J. Dudley, on the west side of Dudley Road. The land, as he purchased it, was sproutland, but through hard work and perseverance Mr. Kimball cleared thirteen acres of the land and erected a seven-room house. The house was completed in 1924 and Mr. Kimball moved into it with his wife and son Albert L. and daughters, Jeanne and Penelope. Three children were born here: John Thomas, Nov. 15, 1925; Daniel Butts, May 25, 1928 and Eleanora, Nov. 7, 1933. Mr. Kimball came here from Vermont, although he was born in Arlington, Mass .; Mrs. Kimball was born in Millbury, the former Helen Winter. Mr. Kimball was in the Navy from 1909 to 1921, the last four years of which he was Chief Gunner's Mate. He was a mechanic and was employed by Watson-Williams Mfg. Co.
The son Albert was graduated from Sutton High School with honors in 1937. He enlisted in the U. S. Army in January 1940 and served all through World War II. He reenlisted in 1946 and is now a Captain, stationed in Germany, where he lives with his wife and two children. Jeanne married an army sergeant, who is still on active duty in Alaska. Penelope was graduated from Massachu- setts General Hospital and is married to a professor, and lives in Indiana. Thomas was graduated from Boston University and is now in business. Daniel, a veteran, is a student at the University of Maryland. Eleanora is still in school and living with her mother in Seattle, Washington. Mr. Kimball died in 1946 at Hingham, Mass.
In 1941 the Kimballs sold their place including fourteen acres to John Moorey of Millbury. He came there to live with his wife and one daughter Joan. In 1942 a son John Jr. was born, and in 1945 a daughter Karen L. was born. Mr. Moorey is employed at Watson-Williams Mfg. Co.
In 1910, John Crouch of Worcester bought a piece of land of forty-five acres from the George W. Rice Heirs, east of the Dudley Road, and developed it for cultivation, to a remarkable degree, with his own hands. He put up two small buildings in one of which he lived. After the death of Mr. Crouch, in 1920, the property was sold to Cornelius Donovan of Millbury. He had a caretaker on the farm and developed the land still further, so that now some twelve acres are in a high state of cultivation. He erected a fine barn. Mr. Donovan died, in 1949, and since then the property has been rented.
In 1924, George Gardner of Worcester purchased from Mr. Donovan a small plot, east of the Dudley Road. He built a house there, in 1941, meantime using for a temporary home the small building moved from the Donovan lot. The grounds are carefully landscaped and very neatly kept. He lives here with his wife and son Ralph. Ralph was in the Navy four years in World War II, serving as Aviation Ordnance Man, 2nd Class, in the Carolina Islands and in Leyte. Both Mr. Gardner and Ralph work at Graton Knight Co., Worcester.
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Ralph Hicks of Millbury, son of Mrs. Agnes J. Hicks of Sutton, purchased in 1928 an acre of land, next to Kimball's, from the George W. Rice heirs and put up a temporary building, expecting to build a permanent house later. How- ever, he moved here with his wife and six children, and they remained in the temporary house for seven years. A son Stanley was born here in 1932.
In April 1939, Joseph E. Russell of Worcester purchased the property from Mr. Hicks and came here to live with his invalid wife. Mrs. Russell had been bedridden with spinal arthritis for eleven years. That summer Mr. Russell moved the little two-room house to a different position, about one hundred feet away, and built a very good four-room house completely around the original one. Afterwards he wholly removed the inside house, little by little, using all the material in connection with his building. During all this time Mrs. Russell lay on a fracture bed in the house, except the latter part of the time, when she was able to recline in a wheel chair. While Mr. Russell was in the process of building the house around her, she decided she would make an attempt to walk. August 15, at seven o'clock in the evening, with the help of Mr. Russell and a neighbor, she was pulled to her feet, where she stood for two minutes. The fol- lowing evening the process was repeated and so on for a week, when she deter- mined to try a step. She soon mastered this and within two weeks was able to take steps unaided. By the middle of September, the wheel chair was abandoned and taken to the attic. The best medical skill in Worcester and other cities had been engaged throughout the period but pronounced the case hopeless. Her ability to get up and to walk can be attributed to her great courage and persever- ance. Mrs. Russell was able to be about her home and attend to her household duties until her death in 1951. Mr. Russell is employed at Watson-Williams Mfg. Co.
In 1928 Luke Minor of Sutton bought a piece of land on Dudley Road, south of the Russell property, from Anthony Kamaitis and built there a four- room house and garage. Mr. Minor had lived in various places in Sutton, having come from Vermont several years before. He was a veteran of the Spanish American War. For five years before building his house, he lived at the Dudley Farm where he was employed. He occupied his new home with his two sons; Everett, now proprietor of Harmony Acres, and Lester, who is married and lives in Worcester. He worked as farmer and as lumberman.
In January 1950, Mr. Minor died. Three months later the property was sold to Paul E. Desjardins of Worcester, who moved there with his wife. Their daughter Barbara Ann was born July 1950. Mr. Desjardins is employed at Bancroft Motors Inc. of Worcester.
The place on Harback Road, now owned by George Lamothe, was originally the Gilbert Searles home. Charles H. Searles, his son, lived there, the brothers and sisters having gone to other towns. The daughters of Charles were born here, Mabel in 1865 and Cora in 1867, but in 1867 the family moved to Leland Hill, to the Jackson place, later owned by Josiah Norcross, Sr. In 1878, they sold that property and moved to Millbury where Mr. Searles died in 1912, his wife in 1915 and Mabel in 1931. Cora still lives on Church Street in Millbury. In 1867, David, another son of Gilbert, came to the old home in Sutton from Providence. Two sons, Charles E. and J. Henry, grew to manhood here. A daughter, Martha, was married to Erwin L. Hill of West Upton. Charles E. was
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a carpenter and building contractor; he built the Ducharme Block and other buildings in Millbury. J Henry was in the C. D. Morse Sash and Blind Shop in Millbury and later a member of Clemence & Searles Co. in Worcester. He lived in Millbury on Canal Street, but later moved to Pawtucket where he died.
In 1889, David Searles sold the place to Isaac Gonya. His married sons, Israel and Adolph, both went there to live. Israel and his wife had five children there: Arthur in 1894, Alfred in 1895, Lily, now Mrs. Frederick Comptois of Millbury, born in 1897; Joseph in 1899 and William in 1901. One night in April 1902, fire broke out in the barn and quickly spread to the house. Albert Pariseau, a neighbor, took his horse and rushed down the street to Millbury, shouting, "Fire." Such were the means of communication and of fire protection at that time. In less than an hour, everything was flat. The family lost all their belongings, but neighbors helped until they could get settled in a home in Millbury. Later they had a place on Water Street in Millbury where they lived until Mr. Gonya died in 1948. Eight more children were born to them there, the youngest of whom is Henry, proprietor of Henry's Shoe Store in Millbury.
In 1940 George Lamothe started to develop the property again, using the foundations of the barn and house for new buildings.
On Harback Road, after leaving the Lamothe place, going toward the Worces- ter-Providence Highway, are two houses built by Harry Rose on land he pur- chased from Alex Gwozdouski. Both are on the side near Marble's Pond and were built in 1950. The first one is occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Homer Rochlieu and their children, James and Sharon. Mrs. Rochlieu is a daughter of Mr. Rose.
The other house is occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Loren Bell and son Robert. Mrs. Bell is also a daughter of Mr. Rose.
The Willard Rice farm on Dudley Road was owned and occupied by his son George Rice and wife and their son Arthur. The twin brother and sister of George were Alvear and Almy. Alvear married and went to live at a place he bought in Millbury. Almy continued to live alone in the ell of the house until 1916, when she went to Millbury to live with her nephew a few months before her death.
In 1896, after the death of George, a widow, Mrs. Frank L. Adams, with four children came to make her home here. In 1897, Mrs. Adams and Arthur Rice were married; in 1899 their son George W. was born and the next year they all moved to Millbury where Arthur had purchased property on South Main Street.
The Rice farm was sold to Cyrus Eaton, in 1920, and for many years the house was rented to various people. In 1930, Cyrus Eaton sold the buildings and one acre of land to Harry Colby of Millbury and the wood lot to Edward Coombs of Millbury.
In 1935, Oliver Eaton, son of Cyrus, bought the property from Mr. Colby and went there to live with his family. Five children were born there: Vera in 1935, Larry in 1937, Dale in 1940, Van in 1945 and Cheryl in 1946. There is an apartment in the ell which at present is rented by George Brady and family.
Mr. Eaton with Rufus Colby are proprietors of a meat market which they have conducted for several years in Millbury.
The house on Dudley Road, now owned and occupied by Channing W. Smith and family, was formerly owned by Henry F. Rice. Mr. Rice, who had devel- oped a manufacturing business, having invented the Rice-Dobby chain, sold
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this place to Albert Pariseau in 1893 and moved to Sutton Centre. Mr. Pariseau was a young man, who brought with him his parents and brother Homer, all of whom had previously lived in West Warren. The two young men and their father were carpenters. Two years later, in 1895, Albert Pariseau married Vic- toria Perrin from Millbury and brought her here to live. Two children were born to them: Clarence, born in 1900, who died in infancy and Virginia, born in 1902, who was married to Harry Carl. Mr. Pariseau's parents died in Sutton.
In 1907, Mr. Pariseau sold the place to Joseph A. Minor and moved to Mill- bury. Three children were born to the Minors: Evelyn Marguerite, born 1909, Ernest Albert, born 1911 and Lena Edna, born 1915. The mother Julia died here in 1920.
In 1920 Mr. Minor sold to Van R. Aldrich. The place was rented to several occupants.
Mr. Aldrich, in 1936, sold to Channing Smith, who has been living here with his family since 1932. Their children are Marilyn Ethel, born in 1926, Channing Wilder, born in 1928 and Adelle Trussell, born in 1930. Mr. Smith is employed at the Leland Gifford Co. in Worcester. Mrs. Smith is a graduate of the Massa- chusetts Normal Art School of Boston and taught in the Sutton Centre Grammar School. She is the niece of Rev. Herbert B. Trussell, former rector of St. John's Church in Wilkinsonville. Her father, Wilbur E. Trussell, was station agent at Wilkinsonville. Mr. Smith is a veteran of the First World War and was in the Army of Occupation in Germany for fourteen months after the armistice was signed. Mrs. Smith was also in World War I, a member of the Naval Reserve, stationed in Philadelphia and in Boston, serving two years.
Marilyn Smith was graduated from Clark University and is on the Woman's Staff of the Worcester Telegram. Channing Jr. was in the U. S. Army of Occu- pation one and a half years after World War II, fourteen months of which was in Tokyo, Japan. Adelle is a student at the Museum School in Worcester.
The oldest house in Marble Village, now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Ezra W. Marble, was built by Aaron and Thaddeus Marble and occupied, in 1876, by Mr. and Mrs. Orlando McIntire, Mrs. McIntire being Elinor Marble, aunt of the present owner. In 1910, Mrs. Ezra W. Marble, mother of the present owner, bought the place and lived there until her death in 1939.
Her son, Ezra W., made his home there most of the time. He is an expert automobile mechanic. In 1899, he married Jennie Putnam, daughter of Marble Putnam. They had two children, both born at Marble Putnam's in Eight Lots: Wesley born 1901 and Luella, now Mrs. Ralph Gurney, born 1903. Jennie Marble died in 1906. In 1922 Mr. Marble married Gladys Slocomb and they had one daughter Marion, born in 1929. He married Agnes Mitchell in 1948.
Wesley Marble married Alice Ray, daughter of Herbert Ray. He was formerly employed at Watertown Arsenal and later at Raytheon in Waltham. In 1947, he and his wife returned to Sutton to live on Carter Road. He has been Supt. of Purgatory Reservation since 1949.
The Gurney house is owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Gurney. This house was known as the Joseph Hathaway house and occupied then by Mr. and Mrs. Ezra S. Marble and their daughter, Mrs. Julia Lathe. Julia died soon after, and her sister, Elinor McIntire, came here to live. Lyman Laythe, a cousin, also lived here. He pegged shoes for a living and sold them in Grafton. Then
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the son, Ezra W. Marble, married Ella Wheelock of Worcester and they made their home there until 1880. One son, Ezra W., was born here in 1877. The place passed to Ezra W. Marble Sr. and his brother, Fred Marble, who later sold to Frank Barnes. Mr. Barnes and his wife lived here until he sold to Ralph Gurney of Millbury, in 1925. Mrs. Gurney was Luella Marble, daughter of Ezra W. Marble Jr. The Gurneys came here to live with their daughters, Carolyn and Barbara, who were born in Millbury. A son Ralph was born here in 1925 and another son Stephen in 1938. For a few years the Gurneys lived in Hartford, Conn., but returned to make their home here, in 1947. Mr. Gurney is employed at William Allen & Son Co., Worcester. The son Ralph was in the Air Corps in Germany for three years, and is now proprietor of Park Hill Shell Service Station in Millbury. Carolyn married Rex Spaur, in 1945, and lives in Iowa. Barbara married William Weaver, in 1942, and has two children: Merrilee Ann born 1943 in Hartford, and Rose Emmett born 1948 in Sutton. The Weavers live in the first floor apartment of the Gurney house and Mr. Weaver is employed at Christie and Thomson.
The Gwazdowski house was built by Ezra S. Marble, but owned and occupied by Albert Stockwell with his sons George and Abner until 1880. Then Mr. Marble bought it again and made his home there. He operated the Sutton Spindle Shop. Mr. Marble was a lover of fine horses and raised a number of driving horses and fast horses, one of which was Benton M. Benton M. was taken to many tracks for racing, even as far away as Ottawa, Canada.
Mr. Marble died at this house in 1904. In 1910, his widow sold the house to Charles Harwood and Mrs. Marble went to live at the old house. Mr. Harwood lived here a short time, and then moved with his family to California. Since then the house has been owned and occupied successively by Peter Kawalis, Sobel, Chiplis and Alec Gwazdowski. A son Francis was born here, in 1921, to Mr. and Mrs. Peter Kawalis.
Alec Gwazdowski bought the place, in 1926, and came here to live with his wife and seven children. One more, Stanley, was born here in 1931. The children are: Georgia, married and living in Millbury; Helen, married and living in Worcester; Mary, wife of Joseph Bettick, Captain in the Army, now located in Indiana, but formerly serving in Germany and Italy; Alec, married and living in Millbury; Edward, married and living in Millbury; Stella, married and living in Millbury; Viola, married and living in Whitinsville and Stanley, at home.
The Ruggles house was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Ruggles in 1876. Mrs. Ruggles, who was Ann Marble, died soon after, and her husband continued to live there. He died in 1904. The new owner was Mrs. Caroline Demary, sister of Mr. Ruggles. A few years later, she sold it to James Cronin, who had previously lived near Clark's pond. Mr. and Mrs. Cronin lived here with their two sons, Timothy and John. Timothy is engaged in Mill business in New York State. After Mrs. Cronin's death in 1924, John J. came here to care for his father, who died in 1925, John J. was a retired Army officer, who had served in the regular Army from 1898 to 1924. He was Sergeant in the Boxer Rebellion, saw service in the Philippines and was 1st. Lieut. in World War I. In 1937, he sold the place to Emil Schellschmidt. During this period, 1924-1937, Charles Putnam and his wife and family lived here. Mr. Putnam was employed by N. E. Power Co. The children were Mary Louise, Dorothy and David. In Nov. 1927,
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HISTORY of SUTTON
during the severe flood, which washed out four dams, Dorothy and her mother were standing with others on the dam at Malkasian's, when the dam gave away and they were instantly hurled into the stream. Both were drowned and their bodies were found many hours later a quarter mile down the stream.
Mary, the other sister, trained at Memorial Hospital, Worcester, graduating in 1939. During World War II she distinguished herself for much brave and faith- ful work as an Army nurse for three years in India, having the rank of Captain at her discharge. Later she served two years in Halloran Hospital on Long Island. Now, having completed her nursing course at Boston University with a B. S. degree, she is teaching at Children's Medical Center, Boston. David married Anita Veinot and lives in North Oxford.
In 1938, Frank A. Freeland, son of John Freeland of Sutton, went there to live with his wife and family. His wife was Harriet Moreland of Essex, who had been a teacher in Sutton. Their children were: Beverly Ann, born 1929; Louise Elwilda, born 1930; John born 1931; Judith born 1936 and George in 1947. Lawrence, born 1946, has been adopted by them. Beverly lives in Las Vegas where she is employed. Louise is a graduate of Bridgewater Teachers' College. Mr. Freeland works at N. E. High Carbon Wire.
Mr. Schellschmidt has greatly developed the Cronin apple orchards.
The small house, built for Mr. and Mrs. John Marble, was the home of Ezra W. Marble until 1894. From then until 1904, it was occupied by various families. In 1904, Henry Wheelock, brother of Mrs. Ezra W. Marble, bought the house and shop. He and his wife came from Attleboro where both had been employed in the watch and jewelry business. Mr. Wheelock made shuttle irons in the Marble shop. He died in 1931 and his wife in 1939. The present owner of the shop is Lawrence Tebo who makes dies. The house is owned by Charles Tebo and wife. Their children are John, who served two and one half years as Storekeeper in the Navy in North Africa. He is married to Rita LeMay of Mill- bury and has one daughter Cynthia. They live in Woodbury Village. The daughter of Charles Tebo is Shirley, wife of John Moriaty of Mendon.
The first place in Sutton, going south on the Worcester-Providence Highway from the Millbury Line, is a building known as the Sutton Canteen. It was built, in 1940, by Louis Coache of Millbury on land purchased in 1938 from Mr. LaFleur, but it was formerly part of the Burnap farm.
The lower floor is used as a restaurant, and the second floor is divided into two apartments. The present manager is Ovide Langway.
The first dwelling in Sutton, on the west side of the Worcester-Providence Turnpike, going south, is owned by Charles E. Paquette, who lives there with his family. They came from Millbury, in 1947. The land which comprises four acres was purchased from Mr. LaFleur but was part of the old Burnap farm.
The children are: Elizabeth, recently married to William Butryn of Worces- ter; Joseph, married and living in Millbury; Robert, also married and living in Millbury; Patricia, Marie and James, all of whom are in school.
Mr. Paquette has built the house himself, adding a room at a time. He is employed at the Haywood-Schuster Mills.
Next to the Paquette property, on the Providence-Worcester Pike, is a partly finished house belonging to Raymond Sweeney, who lives there with his wife.
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Mrs. Sweeney is the former Viola Black, daughter of Leon Black. She was mar- ried previously to Daniel Keefe, who served four years in the infantry, World War II, and was killed in action in France in 1944, just after D-day. A few months later, Viola joined the WAC and was Medical Technician for two years at Fort Bragg Regional Hospital, N. C. In 1947, she married Mr. Sweeney, who was a veteran of World War II, serving in the African, Sicilian and Euro -. pean campaigns with the 2nd Armored Division. He is employed at Johnson Steel Co., and his wife is laboratory technician at Whitin Machine Co.
Half a mile from Paquette's is Trailer Park, owned and operated by William VanTwyver and his wife. The buildings include a ranch-type house with two apartments, also a small house where the VanTwyvers live with their daughter Delores. In the rear, there is an area equipped for trailer service and living, with a landscaped spring-fed pond in the center. The land was purchased from Louis Kimball, in 1941.
Adjoining Trailer Park is the home of Robert F. Jones and family, who came from Douglas. They purchased the place from Julia Zalinske, who in turn had purchased it from William VanTwyver, in 1946. The latter built the house in 1941. Mr. Jones is a truck driver for Worcester-Taunton Express. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have one daughter Sharon, three years old.
Joseph Jessome owns the property next to that of Robert Jones. He built the house on land he purchased from Mrs. Anthony Kamaitis in 1940, and moved there with his wife and son James. A daughter Geraldine was born there that year and a son Philip, in 1945. Mr. Jessome is employed at Whitin Machine Co.
South along the highway from Mr. Jessome's home is the property of James F. Harris, Jr., which was purchased, in 1950, from Harold Stevens, who had built the house, in 1945, on land acquired from Mrs. Anthony Kamaitis.
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