USA > Massachusetts > Massachusetts of today; a memorial of the state, historical and biographical, issued for the World's Columbian exposition at Chicago > Part 49
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
388
MASSACHUSETTS OF TO-DAY.
C OLONEL JOHN HENRY CUNNINGHAM is president and treasurer of the J. H. Cunningham Iron Company, one of the leading iron manufacturing companies in Massachusetts. The business was founded in 1852 by Thomas Cunningham, and in 1873 the firm became Thomas Cunningham & Son by the admission to partnership of John H. Cunningham, the latter suc- ceeding to the sole control of the business at the death of his father in 1882. Last year the firm was incorpo- rated under its pres- ent style. Wrought- iron pipes and fittings for steam, gas and water, together with several patent valves and radiators, con- stitute the firm's specialties. In Bos- ton business circles Colonel Cunningham has often been called to positions of honor and responsibility, filling them with credit and ability. He is an active mem- ber of the Master Builders' Association, the Master Flumbers' Association and the Massachusetts Street Railway Association. Colonel Cunningham has done and is still doing much to de- velop the South. He is vice-president of the Lone Star Iron Company, the largest iron manufacturing concern in Texas, and is interested in several street rail- ways in Texan cities. His investments in Massachusetts are also extensive. He is president of the Plymouth & Kingston Street Railway, vice-president of the Gloucester Street Railway, vice-president of the Boston Construc- tion Company, and is a large stockholler and director in the Worcester, Leicester & Spencer Street Railways, the New Haven & West Haven Street Railway, the Ha- verhill & Amesbury Street Railway and the Black Rock
JOHN H. CUNNINGHAM.
& Salisbury Street Railway companies. Colonel Cun- ningham was born in Boston, March 9, 185 1, and attended the public schools. Twenty years ago he moved to Chel- sea, and has since been prominently identified with the city's public, business and social life. He has served in the city government. He founded the Winnisimmet Na- tional Bank, and is its president. He was one of the incorporators of the County Savings Bank, and is now a member of its Committee on Investments. He is the largest stockholder in and a director of the Winnisim- met Ferry Company, and a director of the Lynn & Boston Rail- road. His appoint- ment two years ago, and reappointment one year later, on the staff of Governor Rus- sell, as assistant ad- jutant-general, with the rank of colonel, testify to his high and popular standing in social circles. Colonel Cunningham is a thirty-second degree Mason, and is a member of the highest Chelsea Ma- sonic lodges. He has been a member of the Most Wor- shipful Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, and for two years was deputy senior grand warden of the third Masonic district. He is president of the Chelsea Democratic Club, a member of the Young Men's Democratic Club of Massachusetts, of the Boston Athletic Association and the Review Club of Chelsea. His military career extends over eleven years, nine being passed in the Fifth Regiment, and two upon the governor's staff. In April, 1873, Colonel Cun- ningham was married to Miss Francis E. Prouty, of Co- hasset, and to them three children have been born, two of whom, John H., Jr., and Sara M., are living.
1
389
CHELSEA.
E VER since attaining his majority, Hon. Arthur B. Champlin has been in public office, rising from councilman, in his native city of Chelsea, to State sen- ator, and becoming one of the best-known young Re- publicans in Massachusetts. Mr. Champlin is publisher of the Chelsea Gazette, but is best known through the acts of his public life. His political career opened in 1878, when he was elected to the Common Council, and immediately took an active part in municipal matters. For six consecutive years he was returned to the Council, and during his last two years in that body was its président, be- ing the youngest man recorded to occupy that position. In the fall of 1887 Mr. Champlin was elected a representative to the Legislature, serv- ing during his first term on the Com- mittee on Street Rail- ways. The following year he was returned, and served on the Committee on Towns, serving as clerk both terms. In 1888 he was elected mayor of Chelsea, being then the young- est man but one who had ever held that office. He was re- elected the next year. During his adminis- tration the city was vigorously improved, electric lights were introduced throughout the city, miles of sewer and water pipe and brick sidewalks were laid, the police and fire depart- ments were reorganized, and, withal, the tax rate was lowered. While mayor he was nominated and elected senator, taking his seat when the Senate was equally divided politically. He was made chairman of the Committee on Liquor Law and a member of the com- mittees on Public Charitable Institutions and Public Ser-
ARTHUR B. CHAMPLIN.
vice. On being again elected to the Senate, he became chairman of the committees on Liquor Law and Taxa- tion and a member of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments. During his two terms in the Senate he displayed great activity on the floor of that chamber as well as in committee work. While he was mayor of Chelsea he was the only Massachusetts mayor to indi- cate Chicago as his preference for the location of the World's Fair. In 1892 he was appointed on the Senate Committee to attend the dedication of the fair at Chicago. Mr. Champlin was born Feb. 7, 1858, and until he was sixteen years of age attended the Chelsea public schools. At that age his newspaper career commenced, with his employment on the Boston Globe as a district reporter. Two years later the Chelsea Record was established, and Mr. Champlin, then not out of his teens, was made manager. He successfully built up the paper and con- tinued manager until 1 886, when he started a paper of his own, the Chelsea Gasette, which he still pub- lishes. Mr. Champ- lin is a member of many fraternal socie- ties. He is a mem- ber of all Masonic branches in Chelsea; of the Odd Fellows ; of the Knights of Pythias; of the Improved Order of Red Men, and is connected with several social clubs. He is a trustee of the Walnut Street Methodist Church, and has been identified with the Young Men's Christian Association since its foundation. Mr. Champ- lin is unmarried. With such a record of active useful- ness as he has made, Mr. Champlin's friends anticipate for him still higher honors in the future.
VERI
H AVERHILL, with its fine residences resting upon an amphitheatre of hills, and its mercantile buildings and manufactories stretched along the bank of the Merrimack, is one of the busiest and most prosperous cities in the State. It is indeed an ancient town, having been settled by the English in 1640, and was made a city in 1870. Few of its old buildings are now standing, but many historical spots are marked with monuments, stone and board, and are full of interest. Its two hundred and fiftieth anniversary was celebrated July 2, 1890. Many of the descendants of the old families are still active in the life of Haverhill, and the nature of her industries has attracted many of the best young men and women from other States. In very recent years, however, the present population of thirty thousand people has grown more mixed, as in all manufacturing places. It has raised up sons and daughters prominent in all walks of life, foremost among whom is the late John G. Whittier, the great poet of Freedom.
In public buildings, Haverhill can boast of one of the best city halls in New England, and of an excellent public library well equipped in all branches, while the Old Ladies' Home, City Hospital and Children's Home are models of their kind. The twenty-five churches are well attended, and testify to the character of the people. There are many fine school-houses, some of which are of recent origin. The school system is equal to any in New England. The natural location of Haverhill and its exceptionally fine stores make it a centre of trade for many surrounding towns, and the recent entrance of the Haverhill, Merrimack & Amesbury Electric Road has brought an increased patronage. The local Haverhill & Groveland Street Railway is now changing to electric equipment, and the two roads will give a still greater boom to the building of more homes, though the city has expanded very rapidly during the past few years. Its future is therefore full of promise.
The banking facilities are very large, with plenty of capital in the five national banks, three savings banks, two co-operative banks, and one loan and trust company. The recent purchase by the city of the aqueduct which gives a water supply at an expense of $637,500, will prove to be a safe investment, and with the same conservative policy which has been pursued by its owners in the past, will within twenty years wipe out the debt, and put the city in possession of an aqueduct, which in all its appointments and purity of water supply is unexcelled in this country.
The statistics of Haverhill's manufacturing industry in the census of 1890 gives the following : Number of establishments, 722 ; number of industries, 64 ; capital invested, $7,925,810; hands employed, 14,988 ; wages paid, $6,815,474 ; cost of material used, $13,561,592, and value of product, $25,340,361. The product of the hat industry, contemporary in age with the shoe industry, both having been started as early as 1795, is over $1,000,000 each year. The other varied industries share $7,000,000 of the above-named product, while the shoe industry will claim a division of over $15,000,000 annually. It is chiefly to the shoe business that Haverhill owes her growth, wealth and prosperity.
The conflagration of Feb. 17, 1882, destroyed the old factories, and the large area known as the shoc district is now covered with new and substantial brick buiklings that are increasing in number each year. In all of them may be found the latest improvements in machinery, and a large number of the best skilled workmen. The reputation of Haverhill for fine goods is now established in the trade, and large orders are daily received from all parts of the world. Haverhill's contribution of $5,600, towards the erection of the Shoe and Leather Trade Building at the World's Fair, demonstrated her interest in that project, and it is safe to predict that the Haverhill shoe exhibit will sustain her well-earned prestige.
391
IIAVERHILL.
M AYOR OLIVER TAYLOR is one of the best- known and most successful business men in the Queen City of the Merrimack, Haverhill. He was born in Atkinson, N. H., in the year 1827, and is the son of Oliver and Lettice Taylor. He was educated in the common schools, and at the academy of his native town. Upon the completion of his school career he engaged in farming, which pursuit he followed until the year 1852, when he moved to Haverhill, and at once decided to learn the grocery business. H e accepted the posi- tion of clerk in the grocery store of Cur- rier & Taylor, where he faithfully per- formed his work un- til engaged by John Davis in a similar position in the same business. After hav- ing acquired a thor- ough knowledge of all the details of the work, he entered into a partnership with Ebenezer Webster, under the firm name of Webster & Taylor, which firm continued to do a successful business for several years. The partner- ship was then dis- solved, and Mr. Tay- lor went into the clothing business with his brother, Levi Taylor, a former honored mayor of Haverhill. They built up a large trade, and the firm continued as Oliver and Levi Taylor, partners, until Martin Taylor was taken in as a member of the firm, when the name was changed, and is now styled, "The Three Taylors." It is one of the largest and most reliable business houses in Essex County. In addition, Mr. Taylor has been a member of the firm of Taylor, Goodwin & Co., the largest coal and lumber dealers in Haverhill. He is also a large real estate owner, and
OLIVER TAYLOR.
consequently a heavy tax payer. Mr. Taylor's marked business qualities were soon recognized by his associ- ates, and he has been called to serve in many respon- sible positions, among which are the following : Presi- dent and director in the Essex National Bank, and di- rector in the Citizens' Cooperative Bank and Pentucket Savings Bank, all of which are doing a good business, and are among the best banking institutions of the city. He is also director in the Merrimack Valley Steamboat Company, and in the Amesbury Carriage Company. Mr. Taylor married Mary E. Fellows, daughter of Samuel Fellows, and they have one daughter, Edith. Mr. Taylor is a stanch Republican in politics, and has seen something of public life. He has been a member of the Board of Over- seers of the Poor for the past twenty-nine years, and has been a careful and val- uable official in the department. He was elected a mem- ber of the Board of Aldermen in the year 1873. In 1876 he was chosen to repre- sent his district in the lower branch of the State Legislature, and was assigned to several important committees, being made chairman of the State House Committee. He proved to be a good legislator, and his record was such as met the general approval of his con- stituents, who honored him with a re-election the fol- lowing year. He then retired from politics until the present year, when he became a candidate for the may- oralty in mass caucus, and received the nomination by a large majority. The contest which followed was sharply fought, but Mr. Taylor was elected.
392
MASSACHUSETTS OF TO-DAY.
W ILLIAM H. MOODY, a well-known lawyer of Haverhill, is a native of Newbury, Mass., having been born in that town on the twenty-third day of December, in the year 1853. His early education was obtained in the public schools of Salem, where his early boyhood was spent. He is the son of Henry L. and Melisha A. Moody. His father then moved his family to Danvers, Mass., where his son took a course of study in the Danvers High School, and then decided to fit himself for college. With this in mind, he naturally sought one of the leading preparatory schools in this section of the State, in the well- known institution, Phillips Academy, Andover. Upon completion of the course there, he entered Harvard College, from which university he gradu- ated in the year 1876. The bent of his mind was toward the legal profession, and he entered upon the study of law in the office of the late Richard H. Dana, of Boston, continuing his studies until April. 1878, when, upon passing a suc- cessful examination, he was admitted to the bar. He had in the year 1874 taken up a legal residence in Haverhill, and at once decided to open an office in the city of his adoption. He there- fore made arrangements to enter into a law partnership with E. N. Hill, under the firm name of Hill & Moody. This firm continued to do business for the period of two years, when Mr. Hill decided to seek another city, and the partnership was dissolved. Mr. Moody then asso- ciated himself for one year with the late Joseph K. Jen- nen, under the fim name of Jennen & Moody, their
WILLIAM H. MOODY.
business relations being severed by the death of Mr. Jennen, whose memory is still dear to the citizens of Haverhill. For a time following the decease of Mr. Jennen Mr. Moody was alone until his present law partner, Horace E. Bartlett, assumed an interest, and the firm has since continued under the name of Moody & Bartlett. Mr. Moody has served one term of three years as a member of the Haverhill School Board. He was elected to the position of city solictor during the year 1888, and was re-elected to con- tinue in office the following year of 1889. Mr. Moody is a Republican in politics. His careful administration of the duties connected with the office within the gift of his own municipality served to attract the atten- tion of those in- terested in county affairs, and he was made a candidate for the position of dis- trict attorney of Essex County, and was elected upon the Republican ticket by a handsome majority in the fall of 1889. The appreciation of his work is seen in the fact that he has since continued to hold the office. Mr. Moody is a member of the Order of Elks, and was the first exalted ruler of the order in Haverhill. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity. Mr. Moody possesses rare common-sense, and, being en- dowed with ability and great capacity for work, may well anticipate many years of honor and usefulness. Ilis high standing at the Massachusetts bar, his legal attainments and his many fine qualities conspire to render him one of the most prominent figures in the official life of the city of his adoption.
393
HAVERHILL.
JOHN A. GALE, formerly a leading shoe manufac- turer, but of late engaged in the banking business, was born in Newton, N. H., Nov. 24, 1848. His pri- mary education was received in the public schools of Newton and the higher branches were pursued at Kings- ton Academy, Kingston, N. H. He took up his resi- dence in Haverhill in the year 1869, and at once en- tered into the shoe business under the firm name of Gale & Currier. This partnership was soon dissolved by the death of Mr. Currier. Mr. Gale then associated him- self with Charles N. Hoyt for three years, at the expiration of which time he con- ducted business for himself until 1889. His accumulation of a large property dur- ing these years marked out for him a successful financial career, which he is now following as one of the leading bank- ers in this section of the Commonwealth. He married, in 1870, Mary A. Simonds, and they have one daughter, Mabel J. Gale. Mr. Gale is a Democrat in poli- tics. He first ran for office as an inde- pendent candidate for the Common Council, and was elected by the largest vote cast for any nominee on the city ticket for that year. He was re-elected to the same office the year following, being a member of the city government during the years 1877 and 1878. In 1879 he was elected as overseer of the poor, and remained in the position until the year 1892, during which time many reforms in this department of city affairs were insti- tuted and expenses greatly reduced. Mr. Gale served two terms of three years each as a useful member of the
JOHN A. GALE.
Haverhill School Board. In the fall of 1890 he was nominated as one of the candidates to represent his district in the lower branch of the Massachusetts Legis- lature and was elected by a handsome plurality, a vic- tory hardly to be expected in what had heretofore been regarded as a Republican district. He showed himself to be an able legislator, and was especially strong in the discussion of all financial questions. Through his efforts a charter was obtained for the Pentucket Savings Bank and the Haver- hill Loan and Trust Company. He was unanimously renom- inated to serve in the same capacity the following year, but declined the honor. In 1886 Mr. Gale organized the Second National Bank of Haverhill, and has since con- tinued as its presi- dent. From this time on he made a public financial rec- ord, of which one may well be proud, as will be seen from the responsible posi- tions mentioned be- low which he now holds, in addition to the presidency of the Haverhill Second National Bank. He has been a member of the Investment Committee con- nected with the Pen- tucket Savings Bank, the Haverhill Loan and Trust Company and the Citizens' Cooperative Bank ever since their organization. In 1890 he was elected president of the Amesbury National Bank. In 1892 Mr. Gale, with others, organized the Somerville National Bank, of which he is vice-president. He is also one of the directors in the Haverhill and Groveland Street Railway. Mr. Gale is regarded as one of the ablest financiers in the Commonwealth.
394
MASSACHUSETTS OF TO-DAY.
E DWARD G. FROTHINGHAM, a prominent resi- dent of Haverhill, and son of Edward G. Froth- ingham, Sr., the editor of the Haverhill Gasette for twenty-six years, was born in Gloucester, Mass., and educated in the Haverhill schools. He studied at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and later estab- lished himself, and continued in the drug business in Haverhill until 1885. He did much to raise the stan- dard of pharmacy, serving as the first president of the Essex County Phar- maceutical Associa- tion, as well as offi- cer and member of the city, State and national pharmaceu- tical associations, and trustee of the Massa- chusetts College of Pharmacy for several years. His interest 1 in literary and educa- tional matters was shown in his work as assistant editor of the Haverhill Gazette for several years, and as president of the Haverhill High School Alumni Asso- ciation. During the late war he enlisted and served as hospi- tal steward until its close. He first ac- cepted public office in 1885, and was elected representa- tive to the General Court, where he proved himself an able legislator, participating frequently in discussions upon the floor of the House and notably as champion of the famous Pharmacy Bill. He helped to secure its passage after it had been defeated in eight previous Legislatures. As an advocate of wise legislation for the workingmen he proved himself a conservative but true friend of the labor interests. He was handsomely re-elected the next year by a majority of seven hundred votes in a close district. He is a stanch Republican,
EDWARD G. FROTHINGHAM.
striving to keep his party in sympathy with the indus- trial classes, and the wisdom of this course is now more generally recognized in the platforms adopted. Mr. Frothingham would doubtless have been returned for a third term, but was prevailed upon to enter the sena- torial race in 1887, and received the support of thirty- six out of forty-two of the Haverhill delegates to the convention. Unfortunately, however, Newburyport at the lower end of the district had been unavoidably divided into two dis- tricts by the Senato- rial Redistricting Committee of the previous Legislature, of which Mr. Froth- ingham was a mem- ber. He did not favor the division, but Newburyport at- tributed the change of boundary to him, and caused his de- feat at the polls. Haverhill, however, gave him the unprec- edented majority of nearly one thousand votes. As a vindi- cation he was strongly urged to enter the mayoralty contest, but he pre- ferred a rest from political excitement. Mr. Frothingham is a thirty-second de- gree Mason, an en- campment Odd Fel- low, and has been master workman of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is also a charter member of Major How Post, was its surgeon for sixteen years, and its historian upon the celebration of its twentieth anniversary. He has been Memorial Day orator for his own and other posts. He was chairman of the Republican City Committee for five consecutive years. In 1889 he was appointed by the president special examiner of drugs, medicines and chemicals, for the port of Boston and Charlestown.
395
HAVERHILL.
B ENJAMIN FRANKLIN BRICKETT, son of Frank- lin and Mehitable Dow (Bradley) Brickett, was born in Haverhill, Essex County, Mass., April 10, 1846. He belongs to one of the oldest and best-known fami- lies in Haverhill on both the paternal and maternal side, his ancestry upon the Brickett side embracing Gen- eral Brickett of Revolutionary fame. His father, Frank- lin Brickett, was famous in his lifetime for his enterprise and courage in helping to build up and promote the best interests of Ha- verhill, and no man of his time did more than he for Haver- hill, in the erection of substantial blocks and dwelling-houses. Benjamin F. was edu- cated in the public schools of his native town, and fitted for college at the well- known institution, Phillips Exeter Academy. He en- tered Dartmouth Col- lege in 1863, and was graduated therefrom in the class of 1867. He chose the profes- sion of the law, and began his prelimi- nary studies in the office of D. & C. Saunders, in Law- rence. After being with them a year, he entered the Harvard Law School, com - pleted the course there, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1869. He then taught the high school two years in Glendall, Ohio. He returned to Haverhill in 1872, and commenced the practice of his profession, in which he is still successfully engaged. On both the civil and criminal side of the court he has acquired the reputation of being a fearless, discreet and zealous advocate. He has attained considerable prominence as counsel in many of the noted criminal causes of Essex County, and he has acted as leading
BENJAMIN F. BRICKETT.
counsel successfully in a capital case of some note in New Hampshire. Mr. Brickett has been closely iden- tified with the politics of city and State for some years, and is a stanch Democrat. He was chairman of the Democratic City Committee from 1882 to 1886, and from 1889 to 1892, inclusive ; city solicitor of Haverhill, 1883, 1884 and 1885 ; a member of the School Com- mittee from 1876 to 1882 ; a member of the State Sen- ate from the fourth Essex senatorial district for the year 1891, and a delegate from his congres- sional district to the National Democratic Convention at Chi- cago, which nomi- nated Cleveland and Stevenson. He was an active worker for the candidacy of Mr. Cleveland. Until Mr. Brickett took the chairmanship of the Democratic City Committee in 1889, the city of Haverhill had always been strongly Republican, but under his leader- ship it has become quite evenly bal- anced. His efforts in behalf of his party, and in defence of his principles and con- victions have gained him prominence and distinction through- out the State. As a member of the State Senate in 1891, he was conspicuous for his very able work on the Judiciary Committee. He was also appointed chairman of the Joint Committee on Probate and Insolvency by a Re- publican president of the Senate. While he was an especial champion of all legislation intended to benefit the wage earner and farmer, he carefully guarded all the varied interests of the fourth Essex district, and won the admiration of his constituents. Mr. Brickett was married in Great Falls, N. H., in 1889, to E. Jennie Guptill.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.