USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Leominster > Leominster, Massachusetts, historical and picturesque > Part 15
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For several years after the failure of his newspaper business, Charles Prestiss continued the publication of books, one vol- ume of his own, "Essays," in prose and poetry, "The Philoso- phy of Love," by the late Rev. Charles Stearns, of Lincoln Mass., also a 12 mo. volume of "Dramatic Dialogues," by the same author. He also published several miscellaneous volumes for himseli and others, and kept a bookstore and bindery.
Doctor Adams, who was settled here, published several editions of his "Scholars Arithmetic" and his "Understanding Reader," two valuable school books, which were afterwards enlarged and much improved. The Arithmetic became very celebrated, and in 1806-7 Mr. Prentiss purchased the copyright and large editions of it were published. In 1828 the author
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COMMERCIAL.
revised it in order to supply the demands of the times, and from that time until 1848, large sterotype editions were published of the new 12 mo. work, Adams' New Arithmetic. Another revision was then made and the "Revised Edition" was, for several years published by J. W. Prentiss & Co.
For several years, prior to 1872, there was no newspaper in town. June 3d of that year Mr. F. N. Boutwell commenced the publication of the "Leominster Enterprise" having three years previous to that, established a printing office in town. The paper was conducted by Mr. Boutwell, (as stated further on), until 1884. He worked during the year 1884 on the paper in connection with A. G. Morse, to whom the plant was leased . that year. Jan. I, 1885, the office was purchased by J. D. Mil- ler, and since that time the paper has been conducted by Mr. Miller as Editor and Proprietor.
CHARLES H. RICE, local reporter and business agent of the "Enterprise," has been connected with the paper in that capac- ity for the past four years. He is a native of Marlboro', Mass. He graduated at Monson Academy, having taken a three-years course, and for a few years taught in the public schools. He was afterwards, for nine years, in a dry goods and grocery store. He came to Leominster in 1881, and engaged in news- paper work, having been an agent for the Associated Press for several years. For fifteen years he has held an auctioneer's license, and dealt in real estate and personal property. For five years he has been one of the police officers of the town.
For several years previous to 1881, a Job Office was run by Charles Smith, later on, by Charles Tenney, who sold out to Moses Leger. ' Mr. Leger continued from 1881 until the fall of 1883, when he discontinued business and went to Lynn, where he is now foreman of a large Job Printing Office.
There is but one other printing office in town at the present time, that of Boutwell & Co.
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
F. N. BOUTWELL is a native of Craftsbury, Orleans County, Vermont, where he was born July 30, 1835. His early educa- tion was acquired at the district school. At the age of sixteen he commenced the apprenticeship of a printer in Amherst, N. H., and served three years. He then worked as journeyman in Montpelier, Vt., Boston, and Fitchburg, Mass., and Nashua, and Milford, N. H., until 1858, when he purchased the "Milford Republican," and was the editor and publisher of that paper until 1862, when its publication was suspended on account of the war. After this he worked as a journeyman most of the time until 1867, when he established a job printing office in Milford, N. H., which was purchased the following year by Mr. J. M. Blanchard. In May, 1869, he established a printing office in Leominster, occupying a room in a building on the site which is now occupied by the Leominster Hotel. In 1871, the office was moved to a room in Wood's Block. June 3, 1872, he commenced the publication of the "Leominster Enterprise". In 1874 the office was moved to Fosters' Block, and in 1879 to Morse's Block on Water street, where he continued as editor and proprietor until Jan. 1884, when the business was leased, for one year, to A. G. Morse, and on Jan. I, 1885, it was sold to J. D. Miller. In 1886 he established a second book and job printing office on Water street, where the business is still car- ried on.
In 1857 he married Miss Abby L. Melendy, of Amherst, N. H., who died in 1855. They had one child, a daughter, who is now connected with him in business.
In 1854 he became a member of the M. E. Church, in which he has held important official relations for many years. After the close of the war he received a local preacher's license, and went to Charlestown, S. C., and spent several months in teach- ing the Freedmen. In 1869 he returned to Fitchburg, where he married Miss S. Elizabeth Willard, of Ashburnham, and shortly afterward removed to this town.
GEORGE H. WHEELOCK.
F. N. BOUTWELL.
A. E. LYON.
J. M. ROBBINS.
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COMMERCIAL.
THE LEOMINSTER BOOK BINDERY, was established about 1876, by Z. S. Phelps, proprietor He is a native of Fitchburg, and for thirteen years he was employed in the bindery connected with the old and well known Book-store of Stephen Shepley. He started in business for himself on the corner of Laurel and Main street, and soon after removed to Leominster.
THE NEWS STAND, Allen C. Hosmer, proprietor. This business was first established by A. J. Parker, in an old build- ing where Wood's block now stands. The business was after- wards carried on by a Mr. Simonds, and Edward Sawyer. In 1875, Eugene Damon established the P. O. News Room which was afterwards carried on by Edward Sawyer, Charles E. Smith, E. M. Harrington and Henry G. Edgerly who sold out to Mr. Hosmer and the stand was removed to its present loca- tion when the Post Office was enlarged.
PHOTOGRAPHERS.
L. A. RICHARDSON is the oldest established photographer in town. His father and two brothers also followed the same business. Mr. Richardson is a native of Leominster, born Oct. 17, 1840. At the age of 17 choosing Photography as a busi- ness, he started out and for nine years travelled, as was the custom in those days, from place to place, locating afterwards in a permanent studio in Boston. Three years later he re- moved to Ashland, Mass., and after the expiration of another three years came to Leominster, where, after the first few months, he located in the rooms he now occupies. This is his thirtieth year in the business, fifteen of which have been spent in this town.
EDMOND G. DAVIS, although not now classing himself with the Photographers, has been the greater part of his life in the business. Although born in Lowell in 1847, he has been a res. ident of this town for the past 35 years, and is a lineal descend-
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ent of Gershom and Tamah Houghton, the first settlers of the town. He first established himself in the photograph business in a travelling car on the old training field ; changing in 1874, to rooms in Allen's Block, corner of Pleasant and Pearl streets, where he was located for several years. Later he engaged with his father in the upholstering and furniture repairing business in Morse's Block, where he is at present located, continuing however in landscape photography as a pastime.
Mr. Davis has always taken an active personal interest in public matters, particularly in improving and beautifying the town, and has done efficient service as Curator of the Museum.
Among those who were photographers in former years may be mentioned William T. Allen, Oren Buck, Charles Pierce, and I. A. Collins.
THE WORCESTER STUDIO located here Sept. 1, 1888. The proprietors are John Kivlan, a native of Princeton, Mass., and H. F. Donovan, who is a native of Brighton, England. He has worked in Toronto. Canada, Buffalo, N. Y., Boston and Wor- cester, previous to coming to Leominster.
SURVEYOR.
JONAS W. GATES is a native of Worcester, Mass., received his education in the Leominster Public Schols, and engaged in Civil Engineering in 1865, in which business he has continued to the present time.
UNDERTAKER.
CHARLES H. RICHARDSON has been for several years a furnishing undertaker in this town. He was born in Leomin- ster, on the old homestead, Sept. 3, 1840. During the early years of his life, he was most of the time with his father, Silas Richardson, who was for so many years the village sexton, be- ing associated with him during the last of his life, and succeed- ing to the position previous to his father's death. Mr. Rich-
L. A. RICHARDSON.
DR. F. E. NIMS.
C. H. RICHARDSON.
W. T. ROBBINS.
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ardson has been located at his present residence and place of business for the past seventeen years.
DRY GOODS, ETC.
The Dry Goods business of D. C. Nickerson was estab- lished in 1874, by Loring Sears, who sold out to Mr. Nickerson in May, 1874. In 1880, the store was enlarged and remodelled. Mr. Nickerson is a native of Harwich where he was born Jan. 21, 1848. He received his education in Boston, and learned the Dry Goods business of N. H. Skinner & Co., in Taunton, Mass. He is a prominent business man and a Trustee in the Leominster Savings Bank.
O. A. TAFT was born in Uxbridge, Mass., Jan. 17, 1850, but moved to Douglas when quite young. He attended Scho- field's Commercial College, in Providence. He was a clerk in country stores and in 1869, went into the employ of Bryant & Wiley, afterwards Solon Bryant & Co., wholesale dealers in Notions and Fancy Goods, in Worcester, Mass., having an in- terest in the firm. After some time he went into partnership with E. A. Merrill in the wholesale and retail toy business. In 1880, owing to poor health, he sold out his interest, came to Leominster, and purchased the Dry Goods business of D. I. Harthan, in Wood's Block, removing, in 1884, to his present location in Hotel Block.
L. F. BURRAGE is a native of Leominster, where he was born Nov. 2, 1853. He was the successor of T. B. Grimes, who established the business several years before in Union block. Before engaging in the Dry Goods trade he was interested in the Horn Business in the firm of Wheelock & Burrage.
MRS. ELLA M. WILDER has been engaged in the Ladies Furnishing goods business, in Woods' Block since the Summer of 1886. (Sketch in Educational Chapter.)
R. B. ANDREWS was born in Conway, N. H., April 16,
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
1855. He worked in a country variety store and was after- wards engaged in the Paper Hanging and Grocery business in Fitchburg, removing to Leominster in [1877, buying out G. E. Litchfield & Co., in the Hotel Block, removing to his present location in 1883.
D. H. WHEELOCK'S Variety Store. Mr. Wheelock has been engaged in trade most of the time for fifteen years or more, and was a manufacturer of horn goods prior to that time.
W. C. KNOWLTON bought out the Variety Store of F. B. Frye, in the Hotel Block in the spring of the present year, and in October removed to his present location in Bassett's new block.
MISS. M. E. CHAMBERLAIN, in North Leominster, has also bee.) engaged in the fancy goods business in Chute's Block for the past two or three years.
MILLINERY GOODS.
MRS. M. E. BOWEN has been engaged in the millinery bus- iness on the corner of Main and Merriam street for the past twenty years. The business was carried on for thirty years previous to that in the same building by Mrs. S. S. Woodbury, an aunt of Mrs. Bowen.
MRS. L. W. Jov started in business twenty-five years ago in the rooms now occupied by Mrs. M. N. Straw, in Union Block, continuing for nine years, when she removed to Fitch- burg, In March 1885. she returned to Leominster, and opened millinery rooms in Hotel Block.
MRS. L. J. MUNSIE started in the rooms she now occupies, in Wood's Block, in 1875. For five years she was out of busi- ness, but eight years ago opened rooms in Union Block, mov- ing to Wood's Block in 1886.
MRS. M. N. STRAW bought out the Millinery business of George W. Gates, September 1886, in No. 3 Monument Square,
1
JOHN KIVLAN.
HARRY DONOVAN.
MARTIN F. FOSTER.
HUGH M. FOSTER.
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She has since carried on the business. She was in the same business nine years at Franklin, N. H.
CLOTHING.
SHAPLEY BROTHERS have been longest established in the clothing trade. The firm, consisting of G. H. and C. H. Shap- ley, located in Monoosnock block, October 1, 1872, removing to Cook's Block, July Ist, 1874. They removed to their present location at II Monument Square, Dec. 1, 1880.
J. B. SPERL, Merchant Tailor, located here Aug. 1, 1874. He is a native of Munich, Bavaria, and came to this country in Sept. 1866, residing in Baltimore and afterwards in Philadel- phia, New York and Boston, removing to Worcester in the spring of 1870, where he remained until he came to Leomin- ster.
I. F. GORHAM is a native of Welfleet, Mass. He came to Leominster in 1876, and engaged in the clothing business in Allen's Block, removing, two years later to his present location in Wood's Block.
W. H. UPHAM worked in Manchester, N. H., in the cloth- ing trade, for four years previous to coming to Leominster in April, 1866. He is a native of Amherst, N. H.
RETAIL BOOT AND SHOE BUSINESS.
This business is carried on by F. W. Polley, M. A. Green- wood, George M. Powers, and by several others in connection with other business.
A. M. POLLEY & SON. This business was established in 1848, by A. M. Polley, who afterwards associated with him F. W. Polley, his son, who had grown up with him in the busi- ness, and who has since succeeded to the entire proprietorship, but retaining the firm name. Sketches of A. M. Polley in the Biographical Chapter, and F. W. Polley in the Military Chapter.
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
M. A. GREENWOOD started in business at his present loca- tion, 5 Union Block, Nov. 1, 1871. Mr. Greenwood is a native of Hubbardston, Mass., where he was born Dec. 22, 1839. He remained on a farm until he was 22 years of age, when he went to Worcester and was successively employed by W. D. Hol- brook, flour and grain dealer, Dwinnell & Taft, retail grocers, and in the wholesale house of L. M. Leonard.
He enlisted in Co. G, 42d Mass. Regt., and at the expira- tion of his term of service, went to Hubbardston and was in a grain store until the spring of 1871, when he came to Leomin -. ster, and worked for A. O. Wilder, until he began business for himself. Mr. Greenwood was elected Representative from the 14th Worcester district in 1887, serving on the committee on claims, and in 1888 on the committee on towns.
GEO. M. POWERS is a native of Leominster, born Sept. 9, 1846, educated in the schools of Leominster and at the Bridg- water State Normal School. He spent six years in teaching, two years in Shirley Village, one year in Saybrook, Conn., one year in Groton and two years in West Brookfield. He returned to Leominster and purchased of Solon Perry, the corner store where he is at present located. Mr. Perry was the successor of Robert Glover who bought out Foster Brothers, the original proprietors.
HARDWARE-STOVES-PLUMBING.
The hardware business is at present carried on by Amos B. Merrill in Wood's Block, and Sawtelle & Estabrook, in Cook's Block.
AMOS B. MERRILL was born in Derry, Mass., Jan. 5, 1847, on the old family estate which has been kept in the Merrill name since 176), and which is now in his possession. Mr. Merrill lived in Atkinson, Mass., and Haverhill until 1879, when he came to Leominster and started in his present bus- iness.
AMOS B. MERRILL.
CHARLES F. NIXON.
DR. DANIEL FARRAR.
CHARLES WILD.
H. F. SAWTELLE.
J. W. ESTABROOK.
E. F. PIERCE.
H. E. BURRAGE.
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COMMERCIAL.
SAWTELLE & ESTABROOK started in 1888. Mr. Sawtelle had previously been in the employ of Mr. Merrill, residing in Leominster the past five years. He is a native of Bolton, Mass. and received his commercial education in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. Mr. Estabrook was born in Princeton, lived in Sterling and Marlboro', and was employed at the F. A. Whitney Carriage Co.'s works about ten years, and was with Mr. Merrill about a year previous to starting in his present business.
RAILEY & BURRAGE, Stove Dealers, etc. This business was established as far back as 1870, by Mr. Knapp. He is a native of Mason, N. H., where he was born June 25, 1819. He came to Leominster in 1840, and served his apprenticeship with Benjamin Merriman, in the tin and stove business, and con- tinued with Mr. B. S. Nichols, Mr. Merriman's successor, after- wards Nichols & Elliott, and some years with Mr. Elliott alone, and for some time with George S. Jones and a Mr. Atherton. In 1870 Mr. Knapp bought out Wm. Fish and started in the rear of A. O. Wilder's store, removing afterwards to the corner of Water and Mechanic street, and then to Monument Square. Mr. Knapp worked for every man but one who carried on the business from 1840 to 1870. Jan. Ist, 1885 Mr. Knapp retired from active business, disposing of his business to J. J. Railey and H. E. Burrage, who formed the present co-partnership. Mr. Railey is a native of Boston, a carpenter by trade. He served during the war as a private in Berdan's 2d Regt. U. S. Sharp- shooters. In 1873 he came to Leominster, and worked at his trade until 1878, when he entered into partnership with A Draffin, in the firm of Railey & Draffin, Slate Roofers, in which he continued until 1885, when he sold his interest and bought in with Mr. Burrage. Mr. Burrage is a native of Wor- cester, removed to Leominster in 1860, and worked on a farm and at cabinet making until 1869, when he served an appren- ticeship as a tin smith with W. T. Fish, in which business he
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
has continued to the present time. He is a skilled workman.
T. E. KENDALL, Stoves, Tinware and Plumbing. Mr. Kendall started the business in his present location in 1879. He was born in Leominster, Oct. 31, 1829. He learned his trade in Waltham. He was engaged in rail-roading for three years previous to the war. He served in the 59th Indiana Regt., and after the close of the war worked in Boston and Providence, until he returned to Leominster.
STEAM AND GAS FITTER.
The business of Steam and Gas Fitting and Plumbing was established here Nov. 1, 1878, by Mr. John B. Farnsworth, who occupied the upper story of the building now occupied by Rai- ley & Burrage. Mr. Farnsworth was born Aug. 6, 1833 in Ware, Mass, and at the age of two years his parents moved to Athol. At the age of 18 he left the farm and entered the employ of Seth Twitchell, building mover, in Fitchburg. He worked at his present business for Levi Stevens, J. W. Allen & Co., H. R. Barker, and A. W. Hubbard. After leaving J. W. Allen & Co.'s, he was, for several months, employed by the Springfield Gas Machine Co., setting up . their machines in Connecticut and Long Island. Later on he worked for H. J. Kimball and Parks & Carpenter, both in Fitchburg and Leom- inster, until he commenced business for himself. Having be- come established here he began to do work for Clinton parties, and in 1883 started a branch there, which is conducted there by Wm. H. Walker, of Leominster. Mr. Farnsworth employs, on an average, about ten men in both places. He was the first man in this section to introduce hot water heating eight years ago, and is doing a good business in that line. In the manage- ment of his Leominster business he has the assistance of his son, Frank S. Farnsworth. His place of business is located opposite the Old Colony passenger Depot.
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CÔMMERCIAL.
GROCERS AND PROVISION DEALERS.
The A. L. Williams & Co., corner store, was built by J. Q. A. Pierce, who sold it to Goss & Harthan, grocers. It has been occupied for the grocery business by George Lawrence & Co., Kendall & Lawrence Brothers, Jones & Lehy, Lehy & Goss, G. B. & M. F. Lehy, Foster Bros. & Kenney, Oscar C. Marsh, and the present firm, A. L. Williams & Co. Mr. Williams was previously engaged in business here in the firm of Parmenter & Williams, but sold out and returned to Fitchburg. In Nov. 1886 he bought out Oscar C. Marsh, and continues the business at the corner store under the firm name of A. L. Wil- liams & Co.
W. K. RICHARDSON. This business was started, when Allen's Block was built, by Edmund T. Packard, who afterward associated with him, Mr. L. F. Burrage, the firm being Pack- ard & Co. In June, 1879, W. C. Richardson & Co. bought the business. In Sept. 1882, the firm dissolved and the junior partner, W. K. Richardson, took the business. Mr. Richard- son is a native of Leominster and has always been in the gro. cery business.
L. W. CONANT has been located in Baldwin Block, North Leominster, since 1861. It is not known when the original part of this block was built, but it was a little, old, country store within the memory of the oldest inhabitant, in the days when the sale of wet groceries formed a not inconsidera ble item in the business. The original building was moved a little to the north, a story added, and the long part built in 1844. Those who kept the store previous to Mr. Conant, were Farns- worth & Wilder, who bought out J. Q. A. Pierce, Mr. Pierce bought out Joseph B. Brigham. David Ware, Bezaleel Law- rence and others carried on the business previous to that.
A. O. WILDER came to Leominster in 1866, and since that time, with the exception of about eighteen months, when D. P.
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
Waite carried on the business, has been engaged in the general merchandise business. Mr. Wilder is a native of Wendell, Franklin County, where he was born August 4, 1833. At the age of five he went to Sterling to live, where he was employed in 1856-7 by J. S. Butterick. He afterwards lived for a time in Lancaster. His first business connection in Leominster was under the firm of Wilder, Kidder & Co., Mr. Kidder being a tailor by trade. He was associated for four years with T. A. Hills in the firm of Wilder & Hills. Mr. Wilder has served the town in various offices ; as Selectman in 1876-7-8, and as Assessor in 1883-4-5-6.
BOSWORTH & BRUSH. The retail grain and grocery busi- ness of this firm was established by Geo. E. Carter, who con- ceived the idea of a grain store. Previous to that time grain had been sold only at the mill. He started the business, to- gether with G. W. Sheldon, the firm being Carter & Sheldon, selling out in about two years and a half to Thomas Harris and Frank Cozzens ; Cozzens & Harris selling out to Joseph Cozzens in about two years, the latter in turn disposing of the business to Bosworth & Brush, the firm consisting of M. H. Bosworth and I. B. Brush. Mr. Bosworth is a native of West Springfield, and Mr. Brush of North Stockholm, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. The firm rented the store in 1881, and in 1886 acquired it by purchase. They have, also, operated a grist mill in connection with their other business.
O. A. BALCH's grain mill has not been run for the past eight months. The mill was built in 1872, by W. F. Howe, and run by him until about three years ago.
E. C. WILLIAMS, Water street, started in the wholesale and retail butter business in May, 1884, and in his present gro- cery business at the commencement of the present year. He was one year with Mr. C. E. Hudson in the Apple Parer busi- ness. He is a native of Rochester, Vermont.
C. H. COLBURN.
CEPHAS DERBY.
J. Q. CONANT.
L. W. CONANT.
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COMMERCIAL.
MARKETS.
CONANT & MORSE. The business of this firm was estab- lished by Stratton & Carter ; Hallett & Wood carrying it on previous to its purchase by Mr. Conant in April, 1879. The present firm consists of J. Q. A. Conant and Clement E. Morse. Mr. Conant is a native of New Ipswich, N. H., where he was born April 13, 1835. He lived for a time in Lunenburg, locat- ing here in 1857. Mr. Morse is a native of Boston. The partnership was formed March 1, 1888.
D. A. WILDER started in the business in Allen's Block, in 1884, buying out Wilder & Osborn, who were, for many years engaged in the business. Prior to that time, the business was conducted by Albert Clark, Frank Sheldon, Charles Fletcher, Joseph S. Darling, Curtis & Hastings, and Capt. Abel Bowers. Before Capt. Bowers' time it was not uncommon for farmers and others to go around disposing of meat usually selling by the quantity, either "fores or hinds", as the quarters were des- ignated.
WM. R. DIVOLL, North Leominster market. The building occupied by Mr. Divoll, was built by W. F. Howe, who let it to Capt. Leonard Wood, for seven or eight years. The busi- ness was afterwards carried on by Smith & Wilder and Frank B. Holden, for a number of years, and then sold to Fred Divoll and after his death it was taken by his brother, the present proprietor.
CHAS. T. WILDER has been engaged in the provision bus- iness for several years. He is a native of Leominster, and a son of T. B. Wilder.
HENRY D. LusK opened a meat market in Paton's Block, Oct. Ist of the present year. He is a native of Goshen, Orange Co., N. Y. He was a resident for thirty years, and lived in Gardner seventeen years, returning to Leominster as stated.
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
W. H. FAIRBANKS & Co., of Clinton, started a branch market here about a year since in charge of Mr. John Mudgett.
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