USA > Massachusetts > Memorial encyclopedia of the state of Massachusetts > Part 25
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The birth of Alexander Boles occurred at White Hill, near Florence- Court, Ireland, January 13, 1840, the youngest son and child of James and Polly (Johnson) Boles. He attended the schools of his native parish until fifteen years old, and then left his home and native land to come to the United States. At the time of his departure for the New World, the mod- ern steamboat had not made its appearance, and the journey was made in a slow sailing vessel, which took many weary days to reach its destination. Mr. Boles located first at Winchester, Massachusetts, where he immediately found employment with William Adams, a farmer there, and afterward with Josiah Locke. Mr. Boles remained in Winchester for about four years, and then decided to remove to Arlington, Massachusetts, where he entered the employ of the Schouler Print Works, working there for six months. He then spent four years at Belmont, Massachusetts, where he worked for John S. Crosby, market gardener. In 1867 Mr. Boles resided in Wayland, Mass- achusetts, for a time, but soon returned to Arlington, Massachusetts, and bought the farm of seven acres which was the nucleus of his market gar- dens. Subsequently Mr. Boles added as much more land to his place and had fourteen acres of the best tillage land in Arlington. Part of his place was formerly the Elijah Cutter estate. Mr. Boles became a very successful market gardener, and made daily trips to market with his own team, driv- ing all the way to Boston, where there was always a great demand for his products. Everybody in that region of those days knew Mr. Boles, "Sandy" Boles as he was called, and all liked and trusted him. He was an honest, hard-working man, and one of those men who did so much towards making this part of the State of Massachusetts famous for its fine gardens. Mr. Boles was especially fortunate in the culture of celery, strawberries and onions. He had some twelve acres in cultivation, much of it covered with hot beds. At the time of his death, his gardens were considered as among the finest in that section. The town of Arlington, Massachusetts, purchased four acres of Mr. Boles' land for reservoir purposes. As time went on, Mr. Boles became interested in the real estate situation in Woburn, Massa- chusetts, and invested largely in valuable properties there. In due time he became a man of considerable property, his judgment and business fore- sight seeming to be practically infallible, and his investments in real estate were uniformly successful. Mr. Boles was upright, straightforward and honorable in all his dealings, and was never known to wrong any man, but on the contrary it was one of the articles of his faith to do as much good as he could in this world. He was kindly, sympathetic, open-hearted, and gave freely to those in need. Having a strong sense of humor, Mr. Boles was very fond of a good joke, and constantly on the alert for the humorous in any
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situation. In his religious belief, Mr. Boles was a member of the Episcopal church, but attended the Arlington Baptist Church, to which he generously contributed. He was a stern advocate of temperance and other reform movements. In politics he was a Republican, but never aspired to hold pub- lic office.
On April 27, 1867, Alexander Boles was united in marriage at North Cambridge, Massachusetts, with Dolly Morton, who was born July 22, 1843, near Florence-Court, Ireland, a daughter of William and Catherine (Gaddes) Morton. Her father, William Morton, was a farmer, who passed away in the North of Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. William Morton were the parents of a large family ; among them were: Dolly, who is now the widow of Alexander Boles; Jennie; Mary; Thomas, deceased; William, also deceased; and John, who re- sides on the old farm in Ireland.
Mrs. Dolly Boles came to America as a young girl, with friends. She was very fond of children, and upon her arrival in this country made her home with the Dodge family, where she was treated like one of the family, and was greatly loved by the Dodge children. Mrs. Boles, like her late husband, has proved herself capable in business, for since the death of Mr. Boles she has not only kept the estate together, but has had two fine houses erected on Paul Revere Road, which she rents. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Boles was blessed with four children, as follows: I. Alexander Robert, born March 18, 1869, and resides in Dorchester, Massachusetts; he has been an engi- neer on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad for many years; he was united in marriage with Emily Nannie Stewart, December 6, 1889, and she is a daughter of William T. S. and Elizabeth (Damon) Stewart, of Co- hasset, Massachusetts; Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Robert Boles became the parents of six children, namely: Leila Emily, born July 2, 1890; Jeannette, born July 31, 1892; Robert Stewart, born January 9, 1894; Thelma Eunice, born October 8, 1895; Inza Almena, born December 13, 1898, and Orlow Alexander, born August 13, 1902. 2. Mabel Prescott, born September 8, 1878, died at the age of three years. 3. James William, born in 1880, and died at the age of two years. 4. Florence Marion, born February 19, 1883, and became the wife of John Wiggins, their residence being in East Lexing- ton, Massachusetts.
Mrs. Boles, as did her husband, attends the Baptist church, in Arlington, and has seen many changes for the good in that section. Coming to this country virtually a stranger, Mr. Boles deserves great credit for the success which he achieved. A man of great enterprise and industry, his effort right from the very start was to engage in business on his own account. His suc- cess was largely due to his close and careful attendance to all the details of his business, never leaving important matters to the judgment of any one else, but over-seeing all himself.
Luke Smith Brooks
IT is said of an eminent man of old, that he had done things worthy to be written, that he had written things worthy to be read, and by his life had contributed to the welfare of man- kind. He of whom this eulogy can be pronounced, with even partial truth, is entitled to the gratitude of the entire race. Nowhere within the broad confines of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has there died a man over whom this might more truthfully have been spoken than the late Luke Smith Brooks. When he passed away on November 17, 1910, at his residence on Summer street in Maynard, Massachusetts, he left an irreparable loss behind him. He was the possessor of executive ability, keen discrimination and that energy which prompts an individual to accomplish whatever he undertakes. As the years passed he gained a most enviable reputation and position in the regard of his social acquaintances, and his business associates found him at all times true to every trust reposed in him, and faithful to a high standard of man- hood. The memory of this distinguished gentleman is cherished by the town of Maynard, Massachusetts, as one of those whom she delights to honor. Mr. Brooks was a true citizen, and deeply interested in all those enterprises which meditated the moral improvement and social culture of his adopted community. Among his many sterling qualities of character his strict in- tegrity and unswerving loyalty stood out in a marked manner. His self- reliance never once failed him. Always willing to listen to and respect the opinions and theories of others, when the time for action came, Mr. Brooks acted for himself and according to his own good judgment. He surrounded himself with faithful friends, whose admiration for his abilities was sur- passed only by their deep respect for his sterling qualities and by the af- fection which his many lovable traits of character never failed to inspire.
From his ancestors Luke Smith Brooks inherited a rare combination of qualities that formed a noble manhood. The Brooks family of Maynard, Massachusetts, trace their ancestry to Thomas Brooks, who was born in Eng- land in 1613. In company with two of his brothers he came to America in 1636, and first settled in Watertown, Massachusetts, removing very soon to Concord, Massachusetts, where he was constable and representative. He was called captain, probably of the military company at Concord. He died in Concord, May 21, 1667, the death of his wife preceding his by three years. His eldest son was Joshua Brooks, who was united in marriage with Han- nah Mason, of Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1653. They had a son named Thomas Brooks, who had a son, Luke Brooks, of Concord, Massachusetts. Luke Brooks was united in marriage at Concord, then removed to Stow, or
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what is now known as Maynard, Massachusetts. To him was born a son, Silas Brooks, who was the first of this line born in Maynard, Massachusetts. Silas Brooks was united in marriage in May, 1806, with Polly Haynes, in a house which stood until recently on part of the old Brooks farm, in Maynard. To Silas and Polly (Haynes) Brooks was born Thomas Haynes Brooks, who was the father of Luke Smith Brooks, in whose memory we are writing. Thomas Haynes Brooks was a farmer, and the old Brooks farm, which he owned, is now valuable residential property in Maynard. He was united in marriage with Rebecca Bacon Smith, who was a member of the old Smith family of Sudbury, Massachusetts. Thomas Haynes Brooks passed away in 1872, and his wife in 1887. They were the parents of four children, as fol- lows: I. Thomas Haynes, Jr., at the age of seventeen years enlisted in the service of his country, and took part at the close of the Civil War; his health became impaired, and he went to South America with the hopes of recovering what he had lost; he became very prominent in the affairs of his adopted country; he was united in marriage there with Isabella Laws, a Spanish girl of English extraction; his death occurred in Montevideo, South America, and his wife passed away in 1916; of their nine children two, Thomas and Eben C., are now in business in New York, as thorough Yanı- kees as were members of the old Massachusetts Brooks before them. 2. Mary Jane, became the wife of Joseph Wheeler Reed, who died in Maynard, Massachusetts, November 7, 1902; he was a lawyer, having practiced law at one time with ex-Governor Andrew; he was a graduate from Harvard Uni- versity in 1867; he was the father of a son, Brooks Reed, a well known Bos- ton art dealer, who was united in marriage with May Isadore Sproul; they are residing with Mrs. Mary Jane (Brooks) Reed in Maynard, Massachu- setts. 3. Luke Smith, who derived his middle name from his mother; his birth occurred in Stow, Massachusetts, now known as Maynard, in August, 1847, being at the time of his death, in November, 1901, in his sixty-third year. 4. Clarence Eben, who died at the age of seven years.
Luke Smith Brooks, to whom this sketch is dedicated, was a descendant of the early settlers of Maynard, his grandfather settling upon what is known as the old Bent farm on Summer street, and which was then in Stow, Massachusetts. On the death of his grandfather, Mr. Brooks' father took charge of the farm, and his early life was spent on the same place. He obtained his education in the public schools of Maynard, and later attended Exeter Academy. Through strict attention to business, Mr. Brooks was able to branch out and invested in orange groves in Florida, with which he had great success. He was also a dealer, on a large scale, in apples, and handled large shipments of them every year until the last few years prior to his death, when he devoted less attention to this line of endeavor. In public and private life Mr. Brooks was the same quiet, unassuming gentleman, pos- sessing sterling characteristics which won for him the respect of the entire community in which he lived. He was essentially a home-loving man, and
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did not enter into either the political or social life of the town of Maynard, to any great extent, and was not associated with any society or fraternal or- ganization. Mr. Brooks was a public-spirited citizen, but always refused to hold public office. He was one of the few remaining old-time residents of Maynard whose circle is rapidly narrowing and whose influence was always exerted for the public betterment of the town and its people. Mr. Brooks was a lover of nature and through a desire to beautify Maynard he had for several years acted as tree warden, devoting much time to this work, for which there was no renumeration. Out-door life strongly appealed to him, therefore a great deal of his time was passed amidst Nature's wonders. He became an expert marksman and trout fisher. He was long known as a man of the kindliest disposition, and this was manifested in no way stronger than in his love for dumb animals. He was always touched by their sufferings and in many ways manifested his love for them. In his religious belief, Mr. Brooks was a Congregationalist and an attendant at the Congregational church in Maynard, Massachusetts. Shortly after his death, his widow erected a beautiful drinking fountain, in his memory, which is located in front of the Maynard Congregational Church. This is greatly appreciated by the town, and has cherished Mr. Brooks' memory in the hearts of many.
During the year 1875 Luke Smith Brooks was united in marriage with Zipporah Hapgood, a daughter of Captain Gilman and Susan (Wright) Hap- good, who were the parents of five children. Captain Gilman Hapgood was an old market-man of Hudson, Massachusetts. His large wagon and four fine horses were a familiar sight on the roads between Hudson and the city of Boston before the days of modern transportation. Both Captain and Mrs. Hapgood have long since gone to their reward.
Luke Smith Brooks was typically a "gentleman of the old school," and in him the ideals and customs of a more gracious age seemed exemplified. It was more as a man, as a personality, than for anything which he achieved in the business world, that Mr. Brooks was loved and admired. Indeed, in this direction, he may he said to have held a unique position in the commu- nity. His sunny good temperament was proverbial and attracted friends un- til he doubtless possessed more than any other man in the town. He be- longed to the community in a very unusual manner, and quite aside from any material advantage which may have accrued to the place from his activities, his life is woven into the fabric of Maynard's history and become an essen- tial part thereof.
John Kennedy
IT 'would be difficult to find a better example of the successful Irishman who, leaving his own country, has made his way to the great republic of the West, there to seek his fortune, than John Kennedy, of Dedham, Massachusetts, whose career in this country has been such as to further emphasize how valu- able an element in the social fabric of this country his country- men have proven themselves. His death, which occurred De- cember 31, 1892, removed from Dedham one of its most substantial and public-spirited citizens and was a distinct loss to the community-at-large.
. Born June 24, 1823, in County Antrim, Ireland, John Kennedy was a son of Nicholas and Isabella (Crane) Kennedy. His parents were both na- tives of Ireland and lived and died in that country. Nicholas Kennedy was a farmer in County Antrim, and was much respected throughout the community in which he dwelt. He and his wife were the parents of several children, John being one of the elder among them, and he was the only member of the family to come to this country. To sail from Ireland to America in those days was an enterprise which required high courage on the part of those who undertook it. In the first place the voyage itself occupied three or four weeks, and the young men and women who took the voyage must of necessity have felt that they were leaving all that was familiar to them and venturing out upon an unknown world. It was this venture which John Kennedy undertook after having spent the years of his childhood on his father's farm and attend- ing school in the neighborhood. It was shortly after his father's death that the young man set out upon his journey with the intention of making his own way in the world, and several weeks afterwards he arrived in Amer- ica, where he went at once to Dedham, Massachusetts, and permanently lo- cated there. Upon reaching the town, Mr. Kennedy, who had practically no money in his pocket, found employment in a livery stable at Dedham, where he worked for a time. He was gifted with an unusual ability to make friends and rapidly made his way upward in the community. It was not long before he owned a livery stable of his own, in partnership with James McClure, and these two young men not long after built a large stable of their own, where they met with a high degree of success. Somewhat later, Mr. Kennedy entered the grain business, in which he was equally successful, and in this connection made several trips to Canada, where also he spent his time purchasing horses. These animals he bought by the carload and used many of them in his livery business. From this he also rapidly drifted into a business as horse dealer, and this line finally claimed most of his atten- tion. He was a splendid judge of horses and indeed was extremely fond of
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the animals and very rarely made a mistake in his judgment concerning them. Besides the property which he purchased and upon which he had erected his large livery stables, Mr. Kennedy became the owner of many other valuable tracts and eventually the care of his real estate nearly rivaled his business as horse dealer in the demands it made upon his time and atten- tion. Not long after his coming to Dedham, Mr. Kennedy joined the organi- zation known as the Horse Thief Protective Association, which in those days did much good work in checking horse stealing. Indeed it was every young man's ambition to become enrolled as one of its members in those days. Now, however, since the automobile has so largely taken the place of the horse, comparatively little horse stealing is done and the original objective of the so- ciety is removed. It is still strong in numbers, however, and has become very largely a social organization. Mr. Kennedy and his family are Catho- lics in their belief and they are members of St. Mary's Church at Dedham. During his life Mr. Kennedy liberally supported this church and was an active and prominent member of the parish.
It was at Dedham, Massachusetts, not long after his arrival there, that Mr. Kennedy was married to Mary Ryan, in February, 1861. Like himself Mrs. Kennedy was a native of Ireland, having been born in County Tip- perary, a daughter of Philip and Julia (McDonald) Ryan. Her parents came to this country when she was a young girl of twelve years of age, the entire family embarking on a sailing vessel, which took seven weeks and four days to make the voyage. Upon arrival in this country they joined relatives at Roxbury, Massachusetts, and shortly afterwards removed to Ded- ham, where the parents both died. Mrs Kennedy was one of nine children, as follows: Margaret, deceased; Mary, the widow of Mr. Kennedy; John, de- ceased; Martha, deceased; Hannah, deceased; Julia, who is now a sister in a Convent at Philadelphia; Bridget, a resident of Providence, Rhode Island; and two children who died in infancy. To Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy six chil- dren were born, as follows: Julia G., Ida J. and Mary T., all of whom now make their home with their mother at Dedham; Isabella, Louis and John, all deceased. Mr. Kennedy gave to all his children an excellent education, realizing from his own experience how valuable a factor in life it is. Mrs. Kennedy survives her husband, and since his death the family has removed from the old residence at No. 19 Eastern avenue to No. 20 Marion street. Here the two daughters, Julia G. and Ida J., have erected a beautiful resi- dence, where they dwell with their mother and sister, Mary T. Kennedy.
Mr. Kennedy was a self-made man in the fullest sense of the term. Starting as a friendless youth in a strange city, he, by dint of his unaided efforts, worked into a position of great prominence and won an enviable rep- utation for himself in his adopted community for integrity and capability. His sense of duty was ever the strongest motive in his life, and his friends used to remark, in reference to his devotion to his church and business, that he divided his time between "mill and meeting." They should have
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added home, however, for there was never any one more devoted to his fam- ily than Mr. Kennedy. The same sterling qualities which made him loved at home, and respected universally in his public and business life, also gathered about him many faithful friends whose fidelity he repaid in kind. He was never weary of working for the benefit of the community and identified him- self with many movements undertaken for the general good. He was an unusual combination of the conservative and the progressive, seeking to find the good in both the old and the new.
Andrew Owens
T HERE is perhaps no country in the world that unites a greater number of the elements of natural duty with more of the de- lightful atmosphere that comes from great traditions of the past, reaching backward into the age of the myth, which we call romance, than does Ireland, from whose green shores so large a proportion of our best citizenship has been derived. One of the most delightful spots in this lovely and roman- tic world is Ireland, where the family of which Andrew Owens, the excel- lent gentleman whose name heads this memoir, is a member, had its ori- gin. There, too, Mr. Owens was born, so that he formed one of the great army of emigrants who, coming from Ireland to the United States, has played such an important part in our National life and destiny. Mr. Owens him- self became one of the prominent citizens of Roxbury, Massachusetts, and there identified himself so closely with the community's affairs and took so vital a part in the civic life that his death, which occurred there October 12, 1912, was felt as a severe loss by the entire community. His passing away left a gap in the life of that city impossible to fill and difficult to forget. He was indeed a worthy example of the capable and successful Irishman who, coming to this country, without friends or influence, rapidly makes his way to a position of trust in the community which he has chosen for his home, and quickly identifies himself with all that is best in American life and tradition. Mr. Owens was a self-made man in the truest sense of that term, and was successful in his business operations, which he undertook in a most unassuming and retiring way. Among the varied and diverse elements which go to making up the complex fabric of our American citizenship, and which are drawn from well-nigh every quarter of the globe, there are few larger and none more important and valuable in proportion to its size than that formed by the great Irish population in our midst. There were many of this race conspicuous among the earliest Colonial settlers here, and from that time down to the present a steady tide has set from their oppressed land to this region of comparative freedom and opportunity. From first to last they have brought with them those virtues peculiar to the race, and engrafted upon the Anglo-Saxon stock the more brilliant Celtic qualities of ready wit, imagina- tion and a remarkable blend of the keenest practical sense. Mr. Owens was certainly a fine example of the best Irish type in this country, and it is no won- der that his death was the cause of a general regret and grief.
Andrew Owens was born in Ireland, October 29, 1841, the son of Bar- tholomew and Ann ( Armstrong) Owens, who never came to the United States. Bartholomew Owens was a man of considerable prominence, having
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been an educator and school teacher for many years, and the owner of a fine farm. He enjoyed a splendid reputation in that region, and he and his wife were the parents of a large family of children, mostly all of whom found their way eventually to America. Mr. and Mrs. Owens, Sr., remained in their native land, however, where death overtook them. Andrew Owens ob- tained his education in his native land, and proved to be an exceptionally bright and diligent student. Upon leaving school, Mr. Owens worked on the farm in Ireland, gaining there amid those wholesome surroundings the splen- did heritage of health which stood him in such good stead during the remain- der of his life. He remained upon the farm, doing odd jobs, until about twenty-five years of age, when he set sail for the United States, where he felt better and larger opportunities were in store for him. Upon arriving in this country, Mr. Owens went directly to the city of Boston, which be- came his home from that time until the end of his life. Mr. Owens was of an extremely independent and enterprising character, and in 1876 engaged in business for himself on Shawmut avenue, Boston, continuing until 1912.
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