USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Leominster > Leominster, Massachusetts, historical and picturesque > Part 22
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He has been twice married, first, in the spring of 1836, to
ISAAC COWDREY.
S. S. CROCKER.
F. W. HUDSON.
E. J. MARSH.
MANUFACTURING.
Catherine Whitman of Westminster. Their only daughter married George H. Carter of Leominster, and they now live in Springfield, Mass. Second, in June, 1878, to Serena N. Fisk, of North Leominster. For the past four years their home has been in North Leominster.
JOHN DICKEY was born in Londonderry, N. H., Feb. 13, 1824. He attended school at Pinkerton, Derry, N. H., for sev- eral years after engaging in farming and lumbering, and in the winters school teaching. During those years he was interested in town affairs, holding the office of Town Clerk for a quarter of a century, and serving on the Board of Selectmen for four years. He represented his town in the Legislature in 1860-61, and in 1876 was a member of the convention for revising the constitution of the State. He has been for some time inter- ested in collecting information for a genealogy of the original settlers of Derry, the Dickey family.
S. S. CROCKER was born Oct. 30, 1813, in North Leominster. He was the seventh son of Samuel Crocker, and a brother of Alvah Crocker. He began work in the paper mill at 10 years of age, and at 16 entered the employ of his brother Alvah in West Fitchburg. Here he remained for two years, after which he learned the carpenter trade of Justin Stearns and engaged in millwright work for a time. He purchased in 1839 the water power of what is now the Crocker, Burbank & Co's upper mill. (This mill was burned and afterwards rebuilt by Mr. Crocker.) In 1853 he sold his mill to Benjamin Snow, Jr., and moved to Lawrence, Mass., and built the first paper mill in that place. After twelve years he returned to his native town, and in 1855 built the Crocker Woolen Mill, the history of which is given in the manufacturing chapter. Upon giving up the woolen busi- ness, he became associated with his eldest son Daniel, in the Crocker Manufacturing Co. of Holyoke, in the paper business,
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
buying up the majority of the stock, so that it is now largely owned in the family. Mr. Crocker is president of the com- pany. Daniel Crocker acted as clerk and Treasurer until his death in Feb. 1887, since which time Clifton Alvah, the young- est son, has filled that position. His other surviving son, Frederick William, enlisted with his brother in the famous Sixth Massachusetts Regiment, accompanying his regiment through Baltimore and to the seat of war. He had been but six months in the service when he received an appoint- ment to the naval school at Newport, R. I., where it had been been removed from Annapolis temporarily. After the close of the war the school was again located in Annapolis, where he finished his studies. He has worked his way up through the different grades of the naval service, until he is now Lieutenant- Commander. He has visited nearly every country of the habit- able globe, and is now preparing to ship from San Francisco on the U. S. Ship Mohegan for Japan or China, the vessel not hav- ing received full orders.
Mr. Crocker was one of the constituent members of the Baptist Church in Fitchburg, a deacon of the First Baptist Church in Lawrence, afterward of the Second Baptist Church in that place. He also held the same office in the Central Baptist church in Leominster. Dea. Crocker has been a con- stant attendant at Sunday school for seventy years, serving either as superintendent or teacher most of that time.
PORTER PIPER was born in Royalston in April 2nd, 1810, and lived on a farm in that town until he was seventeen years of age, when he went to Templeton to work in a woolen mill ; afterward to Fitchburg to work at the same business, remaining in each place about three years.
Mr. Piper then opened a variety store, remaining in that business about ten years, after which he bought one-quarter in-
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MANUFACTURING.
terest in the Fitchburg Woolen Mill, and sold out to William H. Vose in 1848.
In 1840 Mr. Piper was chosen director in the Fitchburg Bank, and held that position until 1870, and was also trustee in the Savings Bank quite a number of years. In 1850 he came to Leominster and was in company with Gardner & Augustus Morse in the comb business for a short time. In 1852 was chosen treasurer of Leominster and re-chosen annually until 1866. His business in Leominster has been varied, farming in a small way and various other occupations.
FREDERICK W. HUDSON was born in Leominster, Nov. 4, 1818, where he has been most of his life engaged in business. He was for some time in the employ of Lockey & Howland, in the manufacture of apple parers, afterwards engaging in the business alone, and with his son, Charles E., until 1881, when he retired permanently from business.
E. J. MARSH was born in Cabot, Vt., March 21, 1811. At the age of 15 he went to Randolph, Vt., and boarded with Wm. Nutting, Esq., doing chores for his board and tuition. He taught district schools in his own and other towns, and in 1833 graduated at Middlebury College. He taught the Academy at Jericho, Vt., the two succeeding years, and then entered the Seminary at Andover, Mass., but was soon compelled to leave on account of poor health. In the fall of 1836 he took charge of the High School at Concord, Mass., for one year. He also taught the Academy at Thetford, Vt. He then taught five years at Milton, Mass., two years at Dorchester and eight years in Groton Lawrence Academy, but his health again failing, he gave up teaching and moved to Leominster in 1855, where some five years later he purchased a farm on the road to Fitchburg, a mile from the Centre, where he now lives.
As to his success as a teacher, it is only necessary to state
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
that Mr. Marsh fitted a hundred students for college, and that not one failed to be admitted without " conditions."
STEPHEN AUSTIN MILLER, son of Joseph and Zipporah (Ellis) Miller, was born in Ashburnham July Ist, 1819, removed to Leominster April, 1854, and in company with Oliver G. Caldwell, commenced the maanufacture of tubs and pails, at the place on Lancaster street, now known as the fork factory. In the spring of 1860 their shop was burned, and they removed their business to Water street ; in 1870 they were burned out there ; they rebuilt and started again.
The firm was known as Caldwell & Miller, for about twenty years, when Mr. Caldwell was succeeded by his son-in-law J. W. H. Lawrence, and the firm became Miller & Lawrence. Their shop was burned July Ist, 1887 ; they built up, and started business once more, but on account of ill health Mr. Miller did not wish to continue it, and the business was closed up in the spring of 1888, and the shop rented to the Leominster Rattan Company. Mr. Miller served on the Board of Selectmen in 1867-68-69-the last year as chairman.
ALANSON RICHARDSON is a native of Orange, born March 26, 1820. When he was 4 years of age his parents moved to Athol, and at the age of 17 he came to Leominster, where he worked on the farm with his father and taught school six win- ters. He learned the comb-maker's trade of A. B. Gibson. He was one of the original members of the firm of B. F. Blodgett & Co., and was afterwards engaged with his son Arthur A., in the manufacture of horn buttons. Mr. Richardson has served the town as a member of the School Committee. He was two years on the Board of Overseers of the Poor, nearly twenty years on the Board of Assessors, which office he now holds, for six years on the Board of Selectmen, and in 1855 represented the town in the Legislature,
STEPHEN A. MILLER.
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MANUFACTURING.
WILLIAM B. WHITNEY was born Aug. 23, 1841, in West- minster, Mass. He came to Leominster in 1853 and attended school two years. He was then employed in Mr. J. H. Lockey's piano shop until the hard times of 1857. He then entered the employ of F. W. & F. A. Whitney, in the children's carriage business, where he remained until the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted as a private in Co. A, 15th Mass. Vols. ; was taken prisoner at Ball's Bluff, Oct. 21, 1861, and after being held a prisoner in Richmond about five months, was exchanged and returned to his regiment at the front ; was again taken prisoner on the last day of McClellan's retreat from Richmond. He was sent to Bell Island and held prisoner one month; was then exchanged, sent north and discharged for disability. A few months later he re-enlisted in the Mass. Heavy Artillery, and served until the close of the war. Returning to Leomin- ster, he again entered the employ of F. W. & F. A. Whitney. When the Whitney Carriage Company was formed, he became a stockholder, and acted as superintendent of an important department of the business until July Ist, 1886, when he was obliged to retire on account of impaired health.
SUMNER M. FROST was born in Orange, Mass., Jan. 28, 1841. His family moved to Phillipston, Mass., when he was two years old. In 1858 he came to Leominster and entered the employ of F. W. & F. A. Whitney, remaining for a few months. Afterwards engaged in different kinds of employment until the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted in the 15th Mass. regiment. He was captured at the battle of Ball's Bluff, was a prisoner at Libby and Salisbury for a little over seven months, when he was paroled and discharged for disability. Later on was drafted and exempted, and in 1864 re-enlisted this time in the 4th Heavy Artillery, and served until the close of hos- tilities. Returning to Leominster, he, in 1865, entered the
40
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employ of F. A. Whitney, and continued until he became a member of the F. A. Whitney Carriage Co., from which he re- tired in 1885.,
FRANCIS H. SHAW was born in the town of West Spring- field, Mass., March 30, 1833, where he resided until he was 9 years old, when he removed to Blandford, Mass. At the age of 16, he was apprenticed to Silas Cook, of Springfield, Mass., for a term of three years, to learn the carpenter's trade. Having completed his apprenticeship, he went to Montague, Mass., where, for four years, he was engaged in veneering piano-forte cases. He next moved to Leominster, and entered the employ of J. C. Lane on piano-forte case work. The " hard times" of 1857 making business in that line very dull, he moved West and located in Mendota, Ill., where he engaged in the manufac- ture and sale of furniture.
On August 26, 1851 he enlisted for three years in the U. S. volunteer infantry, and was assigned to the 55th Illinois regi- ment, with the rank of first lieutenant, and was soon promoted to the rank of captain.
In 1866 he returned to Leominster, and has since then been engaged in piano-forte work and in the manufacture of children's carriages, retiring from the F. A. Whitney Carriage company July 1, 1888.
J. W. H. LAWRENCE is a native of Concord, Mass., where he was born Sept. 14, 1837. At the age of 18 years he went to Milford, Mass., and served three years at the carpenter's trade. He returned to Concord in 1861, but in 1865 removed to Leominster and entered the employ of Blodgett & Bishop, working at the cabinet business for them and other parties un- til 1874, when, upon the retirement of Mr. Caldwell, he formed a co-partnership with Mr. S. A. Miller in the manufacture of
WM. B. WHITNEY.
SUMNER M. FROST.
FRANCIS H. SHAW.
J. W. H. LAWRENCE.
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MANUFACTURING.
wooden ware. The business was discontinued in the spring of 1888, the firm still owning the property.
CLARENCE KENNEY is the youngest son of Timothy P. and Louisa C., and brother of Clesson Kenney, of the firm of Ten- ney & Kenney. He was born in Leominster March 15th, 1842. For several years he was engaged with Look & Damon in the manufacture of horn goods. Later, he was for some years a member of the firm of Foster Bros. & Kenney, grocers, etc. Mr. Kenney is gifted with superior musical talent, and is es- teemed as one of the best bassos in this region. He was for many years the center of a musical circle in Leominster ; and for eighteen years has held the position of chorister in the Orthodox Congregational Church. In 1868 he married Lizzie C., only child of William M. and Louisa S. Howland, of Leo- minster, by whom he has one son, William Howland, a youth of 17, who fills very acceptably the position of leading basso in the Baptist Church.
WILLIAM BOOTH was born in Royton, Old England, Aug. 25, 1829. He came to America in the ship Soldan, with his father and family, landing in Boston July 28, 1848, after a six weeks passage. He first obtained employment in the cotton mills of Millbury and Northboro, Mass., afterwards serving three years at the comb makers' trade with Samuel Gibson, of Northboro.
Coming to Leominster, he worked at the same business for Gardner Morse until 186t. He then entered the employ of the India Rubber Comb Co. at College Point, L. I., remaining fifteen years. He spent a year in experimenting for the Cellu- loid Brush Co., in Leominster, of which company he was after- wards Superintendent for seven years, both in Leominster and Newark, New Jersey, after which he was with the Merchants Mfg. Co., also of Newark, as manager, and after a year bought
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
them out, the firm then being Wm. Booth & Co.
Since 1884, Mr. Booth has manufactured Celluloid goods in Leominster, together with A. G. Morse and alone, and was for a year and a half with J. Wm. Wetherbee in the eye-glass bus- iness.
During the past year he has been engaged with Professor Carmichael of Boston experimenting on wood fibre as a substi- tute for Celluloid, with such success that the Duralite Manu- facturing Company has just been formed with a paid up capital of $25,000 for the manufacture of these goods in Leominster. The officers of the Company are : John E. Toulmin, Prest .; F. C. Bryant, Treas .; J. C. Smith, Sec .; J. H. Emery, General Manager ; Henry Carmichael, chemist ; Wm. Footh, Supt.
Mr. Booth is a thorough mechanic and the inventor of num- erous valuable machinery and process patents, in connection with the different kinds of business in which he has been en- gaged.
August 16, 1854, he was married to Elvira, daughter of Arnold, and sister of Gardner and Augustus Morse. Their son, Austin W., is also a resident of Leominster.
The following are well known Leominster men who are either engaged in business or reside elsewhere.
REV. ELI FAY, D. D., now a resident and prominent citizen of Los Angeles, California, is remembered with pleasing recol- lections as the pastor of the Unitarian parish more than a quarter of a century ago. As may be inferred from a previous chapter, Mr. Fay was one of the most patriotic men that lived in Leominster during the war. From Leominster he removed to Newton and then went to Europe, where he was settled over a parish. Before leaving, he placed the small sum of $700 saved from his yearly salary, with Mr. Tyler, brother-in-law of N.
317
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Harwood, who invested it in Calumet and Hecla mining stock. This stock accumulated for him $23,000 when it was sold.
Returning to this country about the time the land boom was going on in Kansas City, he invested his money in land within the city limits, and later on withdrew his largely increased capital and invested it in California. This also proved a fortunate venture, and so far as this world's goods are concerned, the good wishes of Leominster people for their former townsman have been more than realized. His recent proposition to give to the Unitarian denomination $750,000 towards establishing a female seminary in Massachusetts shows that his zeal for noble work has not abated, and that he holds the same warm attach- ment for the Old Bay State and her institutions as of old.
NATHANIEL GOODWIN WOOD, son of Merritt and grandson of Nathaniel Goodwin Wood, was born in Leominster, Dec. 5, 1824. He went early into the jewelry business, first with Moses Wood for a time ; then engaged with Wm. P. McKay & Co., of Boston, to finish his trade and learn the general busi- ness ; he remained with them about three years, after which he went to Saco, Me., establishing first a jewelry store on Factory Island, so called, and after about eighteen months established another store in Biddeford, Me., and continued the two for about 18 months.
In 1848 he removed to Boston, where he has been eminently successful in his business, and is a man of wealth and influence. Although not a resident of Leominster, he is a large real estate owner there, the large brick business block which bears his name being a prominent landmark in the business center.
Mr. Wood's father was for many years a well-known and respected citizen of this town, where he died Nov. 3, 1873. Mrs. Martha L. Holt, the only surviving daughter, resides in Leominster,
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
T. B. GRIMES was born in Hubbardston, Mass., April 22,
1844. Came to Leominster in May, 1869, and after working for Wilder & Hills two years and seven months, started in the dry goods business for himself in 1871, in Allen's new block, continuing until July, 1884, when he removed to East Boston, where he is engaged in the same kind of business.
J. F. CHAFFIN is a native of Oxford, Maine. He removed to Leominster in 1859, remaining until the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted Oct., 1861, in the 23rd Mass. regiment as a musician. When the regimental bands were disbanded by act of congress, he was made forage master of the 3rd division, 3rd army corps, then stationed at the corps headquarters of Gen. Sickles. He afterward re-enlisted in the band organized by P. S. Gilmore for service in the Gulf States.
He was mustered out of the service at New Orleans in Aug., 1865, returned to Leominster, where he remained until 1878, working at the piano and cabinet business, and also taught sing- ing school evenings. He was a charter member of Post 53, G. A. R., and its first adjutant.
Since 1878 Mr. Chaffin has resided in Fitchburg, and is pro- prietor of a large music store in that city.
FRANK H. POPE, of Boston "Globe" editorial staff, born at Sandwich, Mass., March 7, 1854. Was a student at the Sand- wich Academy, and.at Dean Academy, Franklin, Mass. Moved - to Marlboro in July, 1872, and was connected with the furni- ture trade until 1877, and from that time until 1881 was con- nected with the stage and platform, with the latter as a dramatic reader and delineator. Was for three seasons the "leading man" of " Your Versatile Guests," which was managed by the New York Literary Bureau, and played West and South. Du- ring the summer seasons he did reportorial work for the Marl- borough Times, edited the Northboro Farmer, and did special
LIEUT. F. W. CROCKER.
CLIFTON A. CROCKER.
HERBERT C. BURDETT.
FRANK N. LOOK.
T. B. GRIMES.
JOEL G. TYLER
REV. ALBERT H. WHEELOCK.
DR. D. P. RICHARDSON.
J. A. RICHARDSON.
------------ -
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work for the Boston papers. From October, 1877, Mr. Pope made Northboro his home, although away from the town most of the time. July 12, 1881, he became an attache of the Bos- ton Globe, with which paper he is yet connected. In August, 1882, the subject of this sketch moved to Leominster.
B. MARSHALL PITTS, son of Hiram W. and Mary A. Pitts, since 1882 proprietor of Pitts' Mill in Fitchburg, and engaged in the manufacture of cotton and carpet warps. Reference is made to Mr. Pitts in the sketch of his father.
WILBUR B. TENNEY, son of Joseph G. Tenney, was for a little over nine years connected with the First National Bank of Leominster as bookkeeper and teller. He went to Fitch- burg in 1881 to take the position of cashier in the Rollstone National Bank, is also a director in this bank, a trustee of Je- rusalem Commandery Knight Templars and treasurer of the Fitchburg Home for Old Ladies.
JOEL G. TYLER, son of J. J. Tyler, is a native of Leomin- ster. He was a bookeeper for the Arlington Piano Co., Ken- dall, Lockey & Co., and others in Leominster, and for C. M. Converse in Fitchburg. In 1882 he took the position of book- keeper in the Safety Fund National Bank, and has been teller in that institution since May, 1888.
FRANCIS H. COLBURN, son of Jonas Colburn, now engaged in the carpet, crockery and furnishing goods business in the firm of L. Sprague & Co., Fitchburg.
LOREN SEARS, for some four years in the dry goods business in Leominster, a dealer in wall paper in Fitchburg.
JAMES C. BROOKS, president and manager of the Oconto Lumber Co., Oconto, Wisconsin, with an office in Chicago, is a son of Sarah Carter, of Leominster.
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LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
HENRY JACKSON, for twenty-one years town and city clerk, and present city auditor of Fitchburg.
GEO. ROBBINS, who, since 1854, has been engaged in the gas fitting and plumbing business, also in Fitchburg, and was its seventh mayor.
GEO. REED, who was for seven years chief of the Fitch- burg Fire department.
The late WILLIAM H. VOSE, for many years a prominent woolen manufacturer in Fitchburg, and the fifth mayor of that city, was also a native of Leominster.
ERRATA.
PAGE 22. Eighth line word "furniture" omitted.
PAGE 26. Fourth line for "1857" read : 1757.
PAGE 84. In eighth line instead of "Rev. Thomas Gardner" read : Rev. Francis Gardner.
PAGE 96. After "Roll of Honor Front Tablet," read : All whose names are inscribed on this tablet were members of the 15th Mass. Regiment.
PAGE 107. In sketch of Col. George C. Joslin, eighth line from foot for "Charlestown" read: Charleston. Seventh line from foot instead of "upon be- ing exchanged returned to his regiment" read: Col. Joslin was captured by the enemy late in the year 1863 and released in August, 1864. His regiment com- pleted their three years' term and were mustered out of service the previous month ( July, 1864,) which caused his retirement from the army and return to civil life.
PAGE 130. Sixth line from foot for "veteran" read : vatman.
PAGE 137. Seventh line for "Treasurer" read : Selectman.
PAGE 145. Tenth line from foot for "now owned" read : afterwards
owned.
PAGE 149. Eighth line for "Emory" read : Emery.
PAGE 167. Fifth line from foot for "John the second son" read : John the first son.
PAGE 168. In sketch of A. A. Burrage, seventh line from foot, after "Boston" read : and two years, 1878 and 1879, in the Massachusetts Senate.
PAGE 169. After the seventh line the following sketch of Charles Henry Burrage should appear : Charles Henry, the thirteenth and youngest child of the family, and one of the three surviving children. He remained at home working on the farm and attending the public school until eighteen years of age. He then studied one term each at the academies of Newton and Lunenburg and at nineteen followed his brothers to Boston and entered upon a mercantile life in the store of Richardson, Burrage & Co. He afterwards went with Wilkinson, Stetson & Co., and Newton, Eaton & Co., and in 1853 became a partner in the firm of Hill, Burrage & Co., subsequently continuing in the firm of Burrage Bros. & Co., and in 1873 in the firm of Burrage, Cole & Tucker, now Burrage, Cole & Co Mr. Burrage is the only one of the six brothers who went to Bos- ton to live that remains in active business.
PAGE 213. Last line for "Conway, N. H.," read : Conway, Mass.
PAGE 223. Thirteenth line instead of "purchasing his present business of George A. Bishop & Co.," read: Engaged in business, occupying the old stand of G. A. Bishop & Co.
PAGE 247. Fifth and sixth lines from foot, should come at foot of the page and read : Last Sept. he (M. F. Morse instead of P. F. Lane,) bought out the Fitchburg Spirit Level Co.
PAGE 254. Third line from foot for "J. C. Anthony" read : J. S. Anthony.
PAGE 314. Sixteenth line instead of "1851" read : 1861.
PAGE 319. Five lines from foot for "Loren" read : Loring.
Add to list of portraits James M. Bronson, page 84.
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