USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Leominster > Leominster, Massachusetts, historical and picturesque > Part 21
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The business prospects of Leominster are excellent. The variety and nature of her industries are such as to promise con - stant employment for her citizens, while the natural beauty of the place, its well kept condition, its social, educational and religious advantages make it most a desirable place for a home.
It may not be improper to add that the pictures of several gentlemen whose business is described in this chapter, are found in other parts of this book. Those of Mr. Rockwell and Mr. Foster are with the School Committee, that of Mr. G. F. Colburn with the town officers. Mr. Geo. Hall, who should
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have been mentioned as a trustee of the Leominster Savings Bank, and not a director of the National Bank, is with the trustees of that institution.
In this chapter all statements touching the amount of the business of any firm, are made on the authority of some mem- ber of that firm.
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CHAPTER XIII.
R EV. Francis Gardner, the second minister of the First Congregational Church in Leominster, was a son of Rev. John Gard- ner, of Stowe, Mass., who REUBEN GIBSON HOUSE PEARLH BUILT -IN -1744, was a descendent of Rich- ard Gardner, who came from England and settled in Woburn, in 1642. Rev. Francis Gardner married Sarah, daughter of John Gibson, of Lunenburg. The family of Gibson are men- tioned in the history of Worcester County, page '446, Vol. I, among the early settlers of Fitchburg, on Pearl Hill, when the Indians were in that vicinity. Stephen Shepley, Esq., says in a paper which was carefully written by him on the subject : "On the southwesterly slope of the hill, the Gibsons lived, good fighting men, famous for their great strength and courage. The house of Isaac Gibson was fortified, and called Fort Gib- son. It is said that the Indians, after carefully watching these hardy, athletic men, did not dare to attack them."
The mother of Sarah Gibson was Elizabeth, daughter of Judge Hartwell of Lunenburg. In a genealogy of the Hart- well family, lately published, he is mentioned on page 48 ;
D. W. SALISBURY.
.
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"Edward Hartwell, born 1689, died 1785 : soldier in 1707-8 ; Major in 1745, Judge of Common Pleas, 1750-62, Representa- tive in the General Court until past 80 years of age ; member of Committees of Safety in 1773-6. Judge Hartwell was a man of gigantic size and strength, a strong mind, great force of character, especially fitted for a leader in the troublous times of the new settlement,-altogether he was one of the most con- spicuous persons of the region and time in which he lived."
Rev. Francis Gardner had a large family of children, sev- eral of whom lived in Leominster and are buried in the old burying ground of the town. His eldest son, John Gardner, passed his life in Leominster, dying at the age of 88 ; his eld- est son, John, went into business in Boston, was highly es- teemed and filled with great ability an important financial office in a large manufacturing corporation. He left no sons. John Gardner's second son, Francis, was a merchant in Boston, re- sided in Roxbury, and had three sons, the only descendants of Rev. Francis Gardner, who bear his name.
The other son of Rev. Francis Gardner, named Francis, was a prominent lawyer in Walpole, N. H., and was sent to Congress from there in 1807-8 ; he afterwards removed to Bos- ton and died in 1835. This son, also named Francis, was for many years principal of the Boston Latin School and a very distinguished classical scholar. He died unmarried.
Nancy, the youngest daughter of Rev. Francis Gardner, married Samuel Salisbury, an old time Boston merchant, and two of her children, Daniel Waldo and Rebecca Salisbury, are the only descendants of Rev. Francis Gardner, who reside in Leominster at this time. They live on the site of the old par- sonage, which, together with the farm which belonged to it, came into the possession of the Salisbury family. Mr. Salis- bury has since added to the original farm, purchases in various parts of Leominster, which make it nearly 400 acres.
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
WARD M. COTTON was a lineal descendant of John Cotton, the learned Puritan minister, and was born in Boylston, March II, 1804. He had been in business but a short time in Lancas- ter, Mass., when he came to Leominster in 1829, and here was engaged for many years in the manufacture of comb ma- chinery and tools. He was deacon and treasurer in the First Congregational Society for more than thirty years, and secre- tary of the Northeast District Temperance Union for twenty- five years, which office he held at the time of his death. He was at one time captain of the famous old artillery company belonging to this town. He died May 22, 1875, aged 71 years.
LUKE LINCOLN was a son of William Lincoln, and a native of Leominster. He was a harness maker by trade, and worked for some time with a Mr. Gay, of the firm of Lincoln & Gay, in a building which stood between the present Allen's block and Bosworth & Brush's store. He afterwards purchased a resi- dence on Main street, where, for several years he continued in the harness business. Later on he moved on a farm, where he spent the rest of his days. Mr. Lincoln served the town in places of responsibility and trust, holding the office of Town Clerk from Dec. 16, 1837, until March 3, 1845. He died Aug. 22, 1870, aged 69 years, 6 months and 10 days.
MAJOR SENECA COLBURN was, in his younger days, deeply in- terested in military and other public affairs, having been cap- tain of the Old Artillery company for many years, and after- ward receiving a major's commission. He several times served the town on its Board of Selectmen, and was among the active pioneers in the comb industry, carrying on business in what is known as the W. D. Somers' place on Central street. He mar- ried, for his first wife, Miss Sally Lincoln, sister of the vener- able Timothy Lincoln, by whom he leaves four daughters, Mrs. Thomas Tenney, Mrs. Luke Tenney, Mrs. Joseph P. Lockey
CHARLES HILLS
BEZALEEL GIBSON.
DAVID WILDER.
WARD M. COTTON.
DANIEL R HAYNES.
B. A. PHELPS.
MAJ. SENECA COLBURN.
CAPT. DAVID ALLEN.
CHARLES GROUT.
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and Miss Abbie Colburn, He died at his home on Lancaster street, Jan. 31, 1888, in his 90th year.
CAPT. DAVID ALLEN was a native of Medfield, Mass., and served seven years at his trade as a carpenter. When a young man he came to visit relatives in Leominster, and, being pleased with the place, decided to settle here, remaining a resident du- ring the rest of his life and working at his trade. He superin- tended the building of many of the substantial dwellings of this day in Leominster and the surrounding towns. He also made all the caskets and coffins in town for nearly thirty years. He was a strong temperance man, and one of the first to es- pouse the cause in this town. He was also greatly interested in military affairs, and received his title through his connection with the militia. He died Nov. 9, 1857, at the good old age of eighty-one.
CHARLES GROUT was born in Wayland, Mass., in 1789. In early life he purchased a tract of land in No-town, cleared it of wood, made it into a pasture, and afterwards bought the farm in the east part of the town. He came to Leominster in 1818 and for many years held responsible offices in the town and in the First Parish Church. In 1830-'31-'32 he represented Leo- minster in the Legislature. His life was one of industry and economy, and never, until his last sickness was he laid aside from active work. He was surveyor, conveyancer, farmer and justice of the peace, fond of reading and a constant patron of the public library. On the Sabbath he read the Bible before going to church, and after service his favorite book was " Young's Night Thoughts." He died Nov. 1, 1876.
EMERSON PRESCOTT, was a native of West Boylston, but came to Leominster when he was about eighteen years of age and learned the comb maker's trade of Bezaleel Gibson. He began the manufacture of combs in 1836, and with the excep-
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tion of about two years which he spent in the west, he con- tinued in that business until his death which occurred October 17, 1870. He married Sophia P. Chase, of West Newbury. Their daughter, Adelia F. married D. B. Stratton of Leomin- ster.
JOSEPH HASKELL was born in Lunenburg, June 3, 1805. He learned the carpenter's trade, working a few years in Lowell and coming to Leominster in 1830, he built and oc- cupied the house on Main street now owned by Mr. Cogswell, his shop being just across the railroad. He worked at his trade nearly all the time, employing a large number of men and erected many of the houses built at that time in this town, and many in adjoining towns. In 1846 he went in company with Isaac Cowdrey, and during the ensuing years built largely for the mill corporations just starting in Clinton. When the part- nership was dissolved, he took a large shop by the railroad bridge and continued his business for many years. He built the Town hall during this period. Mr. Haskell disposed of his shop to J. H. Lockey, and for eleven years was ticket agent at this place on the Fitchburg & Worcester railroad. He served the town in many offices of trust, as selectman, on important committees, and was for a number of years a director of the Fitchburg & Worcester railroad.
During his residence in town he was an active member of the Orthodox Congregational Church, and always stood ready to do his duty there and lend a helping hand when he could. He was twice married-Dec. 9, 1826, to Mary Prescott, of Westford, and March 18, 1834, to Sarah Trumbell, of Shirley. He died July 31, 1870, leaving a wife and four children.
CYRUS KINSMAN was born in Fitchburg May 2, 1818. At the age of 18 he went to North Leominster, where he was for seven years employed in the paper mill, having charge of some
GEO. S. BURRAGE.
CHARLES CARTER.
JOSEPH HASKELL
CRYUS KINSMAN.
JACOB PUFFER.
BARTIMUS TENNEY.
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of the first machinery used there for paper making. Removing to Newton, Mass., he, for several years held a similar situation in the paper mills there.
Mr, Kinsman afterwards engaged in civil engineering, and assisted in laying out the Boston & Lowell railroad. He remained in this business until his health failed, when he re- turned to Fitchburg, and remained a few years. He then re- moved to North Leominster, where he spent the remainder of his life, acquiring a considerable amount of land, which he cul- tivated ; he also engaged in carpentering to some extent. He died at his home in North Leominster Jan. 22, 1884.
Mr. Kinsman was a quiet, unassuming man and persevering in his business affairs, was much interested in the welfare of the church and community and much attached to his home. He was twice married-first to Mary F., daughter of Capt. David Allen ; their children were George, who died, and Louise. who married A. H. Lawrence. His second wife was Helen D., also a daughter of Capt. Allen ; their children were Frank E., now an electrician in New York city, and Ar- thur M., who chose civil engineering as a business, and is now engaged in division engineering on railroads in Illinois.
JACOB PUFFER was born in Ashby, Mass. He came to Leo- minster at an early age and served an apprenticeship with Bezaleel Gibson, and afterwards went into business at the old tavern stand, on the corner of Exchange and West Sts. Later on, he gave up manufacturing combs and went into the wholesale peddling busi- ness. Subsequently, he went to Boston, and was salesman for different firms in that city. The later years of his life he spent in Leominster, and with his son Charles, carried on business under the firm name of J. Puffer & Co., horn dealers. Mr. Puffer was a staunch temperance man and an honest advocate of the anti-slavery cause. He died April 16, 1880, aged 78.
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
BARTIMUS TENNEY, the second son of Major Joseph Tenney, was born in Leominster Sept. 8, 1802, and died July 5, 1853. He was a shoemaker by trade and spent the whole of his life in North Leominster. He married Thirza Tyler, and their only surviving daughter, Thirza A., resides at the old homestead in North Leominster.
BARNEY S. PHELPS was born in Milton, Mass., March 28, 1819. At an early age he commenced the manufacture of lum- ber in Lancaster. He also engaged in the business of making marbleized paper for bookbinders' use at the same time. In 1873 he came to Leominster, where he continued in the lumber business until the time of his death, November 4, 1880. Mr. Phelps served his native town in the office of Selectman, and was a prominent business man both in that town and Leomin- ster.
PORTER M. KIMBALL was a native of Mt. Vernon, N. H., came to Leominster from Fitchburg when he was a boy, and engaged in the business of keeping a country store. This bus- iness he continued for some time, until he began the manufac- ture of combs in company with F. P. Shumway, in the building near the bridge, on Mechanic street, where Porter & Tenney are now located. The firm afterwards manufactured agricultural implements, building and occupying what was known as the " Fork Factory." This was the last business in which Mr. Kimball engaged. He was but thirty-two years of age at the time of his death, which occurred June 14, 1866. Mr. Kimball was a young man of great promise, respected and esteemed by a large circle of friends. His wife, who was the daughter of Dea. Wm. Burrage, died about three years before her husband, leaving one child, an infant son, who survived her but a short time.
DR. DANIEL FARRAR, son of Daniel W. and Betsey Farrar, of
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Troy, N. H., was born in that town May 29, 1836. After ac- quiring a very good academic education, he turned his attention to the study of medicine. He prosecuted his medical studies systematically and thoroughly, and graduated from the Harvard Medical College in the spring of 1862. While he was careful to fit himself for general practice he had a special love for sur- gery, and in order to perfect himself in this branch, spent the summer of 1861 with the late J. Mason Warren, of Boston, to get the benefit of instruction from that distinguished sur- geon. Soon after graduating, Dr. Farrar was appointed assis- tant surgeon to one of the N. H. regiments. Returning, he practiced his profession in his native town. In the spring of 1866 he removed to Leominster, where he soon established an honorable reputation and gained an extensive practice. His death occurred June 3, 1875.
HENRY STEARNS was a native of Leominster. He pursued various occupations, at one time being engaged in the coal busi- ness ; but for the last twenty years of his life he was in the heavy jobbing and teaming business. His death, which oc- curred Jan. 14, 1882, was the result of an accident. He was thrown from a carriage and sustained fracture of a thigh. Re- covery from this injury, however, seemed probable, when heart disease supervened, from which the patient died. Few men would have been more generally missed than Mr. Stearns. He was active and stirring, and things had to move when he was round, and if anyone wanted a job of moving done or any kind of work that required skill and judgement, there was no man in town who could engineer it better than he.
ALBERT LAMB, a native of Maine, was born in Oct., 1808, and died August 7th, 1885. When two years of age his parents moved to Hubbardston, Mass., where he lived with his father until he was 21 years of age, working in a saw mill nearly all the
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time. After working at Concord, Mass., one year, he came to Leominster and engaged in the mill business with his brother, Carter Lamb. For a number of years they owned the mill property known as the Stratton Mills, occupied by Tenney & Kenney. He also owned the estate on West street, where S. S. Crocker now lives, and afterwards bought and occupied the homestead on Main street, and so attached to this home did he become that he promptly refused all offers to sell. It will be remembered that Mr. Lamb was for many years a great suf- ferer from rheumatism, but was, in spite of it an an active, hard working man, and is missed by many in town, particularly the older citizens.
COL. HERVEY D. LOOK was born in Conway, Mass., Sept. . 7, 1812. He was for several years engaged with his two bro- thers, Joseph A. and Dwight B., in the manufacture of horn combs in that town, and, after coming to Leominster, was in the same business together with them and William Tilton, in the firm of Look, Tilton & Co.
After about a year, Col. Look withdrew from the firm and was associated with his son Charles E., and in business with other parties.
At the time of his death, which occurred Sept. 8, 1879, he was a member of the firm of H. D. Look & Co., comb manu- facturers. He went to New York to transact business for the firm, and while there, stopping at a hotel, was stricken with paralysis. He recovered sufficiently to allow of his being brought home, but did not rally from the shock.
Col. Look was married to Althana Munson, of Whately. They have one son, Charles E., already referred to, who married Margaret Stilphen ; and one daughter, Nellie S., the wife of Rev. Horace Parker, of Lunenburg.
JOSEPH A. LOOK, brother of Col, HI. D. and Dwight B.
COL. H. D. LOOK.
JOSEPH LOOK.
Y
DR. SEWELL RICHARDSON.
CAPT. ER. BALCH.
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Look, was also a native of Conway, Mass., where he was born April 22, 1818. During the principal part of his life he was in business with his brothers, as has been stated, but was asso- ciated for the greater length of time with Col. Look. He was married to Elvira T. Risley, of Gill, Mass. Their two sons, George H. and William A., are both residents of Leominster. During his life here Mr. Look was an active worker in the Or- thodox Congregational Church, of which he was a valued mem- ber, his genial qualities also making his influence felt in the community. He died June 6, 1871.
1
DR. SEWALL RICHARDSON, the youngest of ten children of Lieut. Luke Richardson, was born in the house called " The Lealand," more recently "The Old Abbey," from its fancied resemblance to that in a story, Aug. 15, 1734, married 1758 Damaris Carter. They lived and died on what is known as the " Marsh Farm," on the road to Fitchburg. Their youngest son Sewall was born July 30, 1784, married first April 9, 1815, Abi- gail Kendall, born June 4, 1783, only daughter of John Ken- dall, Sr., of Leominster, whose native place was Woburn. Her mother was Rebecca Hills of Leominster. She, Abigail, died Sept. 18, 1853, aged 35. Second, April 25, 1831, Mary Cutler, born Feb. 22, 1801, daughter of Jacob Cutler, of Wendall, Mass., a very estimable lady. She died May 10, 1842. Dr. Sewall Richardson lived in his native Leominster. He was very active in his habits, was fond of the dance und took a lively interest in military matters. He was genial in his nature, of a hopeful temperament, never looking on the dark side, re- markably cheerful and trustful in his feelings. An ardent lover of nature, he enjoyed almost, if not quite perfect, health till the day previous to his death, which was caused by falling down stairs, rendering him unconscious for twenty-four hours. He died Jan. 20, 1867.
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
His children by his first wife Abigail were : Clarissa Ken- dall, born Aug. 27, 1816, who married Charles H. Colburn ; Abigail Rebecca, born July 2, 1820, who married, first, Daniel Rundlett Haines, born in Greenland, N. H., 1821, and for many years in the piano-forte business in Leominister and a promi- nent citizen. Her second marriage was with Col. Ivers Phil- lips, Jan. 19, 1869, who was born in Ashburnham, Mass., July 28, 1805. Col. Phillips was for many years connected with large manufacturing and other business interests in Fitchburg, as well as important railroad interests in Worcester county and in the West. In 1873 he removed to Colorado, and after spend- ing the greater part of nine years in travel, he built a substan- tial residence of the Rocky Mt. sandstone in Boulder, and set- tled down probably for the remainder of his life.
CAPT. ER. BALCH came to Leominster at the age of 18, and for a short time was engaged in the comb business with Abel Bowers. He afterwards took the old tavern which stood on the corner of West and Exchange streets, remaining for some time, when he moved to the centre of the town and kept hotel there for over thirty years. The rest of his days were spent on the Dr. Pierce place where he died in 1853. Capt. Balch was quite a politician, being an ardent Whig, while that party was in the ascendancy. When the first bank in Fitchburg was started, considerable sums of their money were entrusted to him to be put in circulation in Leominster. He received his title of cap- tain as the commanding officer of the Old North company, at the time when there were two companies in town.
GEORGE A. BISHOP was born at North Orange, Sept. 23, 1836. He was for many years in the furniture manufacturing business in Leominster-first, in the firm of Blodgett & Bishop, then Bishop & Hogan. He also conducted a retail furniture store under the firm name of G. A. Bishop & Co. Mr. Bishop
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was, during his life in Leominster, a prominent citizen and an active member of the Central Baptist church.
He enlisted in November, 1862, in Co. C, 53rd Regiment, returning at the expiration of his term of service to Leomin- ster. He died Dec. 4, 1878.
The following are among the number now living, who are not actively engaged in business, but have in various ways con- tributed to the general prosperity of the community in their several callings :
ISAAC COWDREY Was born in Lunenburg March 26, 1811. Removing to Leominster at the age of 19, he learned the car- penter's trade of Samuel Heywood. After working three years for Joseph Haskell and a year in Worcester, he started as a contractor and builder in Leominster in 1836, continuing in the business for a quarter of a century. In 1844 he purchased the land between Wood's Block and Mechanic street, including Luke Wilder's old blacksmith's shop on Monoosnock brook, on the site of which he built a carpenter's shop for his own use, making additions from time to time, and renting to other par- ties. His residence for several years was on the corner west of the shop. It overlooked the tract of land on which the railroad and depot were afterwards located, it then being a cow pasture with a pair of bars, where the Water street crossing now is.
In 1845 he built the depot at North Leominster, and the two bridges below, on the Fitchburg railroad, and at the invita- tion of Alvah Crocker, rode into Fitchburg on the first loco- motive that went over that road.
From 1846 to '50 Mr. Cowdrey was associated with Joseph Haskell, doing a business of $40,000 in Clinton alone, building the Lancaster Town Hall, as well as several houses in Leo- minster, and including in their business the purchase of wood lots and getting out of lumber for building.
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
In the winter of 1849 they built all the depots, freight houses and bridges on the Worcester and Fitchburg railroad be- tween Fitchburg and Sterling Junction.
Upon the dissolution of the co-partnershipin 1850 Mr. Haskell located on the stream below Mr. Crowdrey, remaining in business alone. About this time, however, he became interested with J. C. Lane and Carter Lamb, in building a reservoir at the head of Monoosnock brook, near the Fitchburg line, for improving the water power below, and soon after, in company with Carter & Patch, he built the dam at the E. M. Rockwell mill ; also a shop which was used by James H. Carter for comb manufac- turing and by J. C. Lane for piano making.
To show the changes that have since taken place in the wood working industries of the town, it may be of interest to state in this connection that in Mr. Cowdrey's shop was run the first Daniels' planer as well as the first cylinder planer ever operated in Leomister, and that when Mr. Lane began the manufacture of piano cases in 1845, his only machinery was a circular saw. For seven years Mr. Cowdrey carried on business with Joseph G. Tenney. The partnership dissolved in 1861, when Mr. Cow- drey retired permanently from business, disposing of his shop and privilege to Tilton & Look.
In all these years Mr. Cowdrey has been a thorough going temperance man, and in the stirring times of the anti-slavery movement a prominent worker. He was a member of the Leominster Anti-Slavery Society, and also of the Anti-Man Hunting League. He has been a member of the First Con- gregational Society (Unitarian) for half a century, and of which he is a deacon. He was for several years on the Board of Over- seers of the Poor, and served the town on various building com- mittees at different times.
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