USA > Massachusetts > Memorial encyclopedia of the state of Massachusetts > Part 9
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Samuel Parcher Tenney was born in Barre, Massachusetts, December 6, 1838. He began his commercial career in 1853, when but fifteen years of age, with Henry Rice, stock, note and real estate broker in Boston, remaining there until 1855, when he entered the employ of E. Munroe, a real estate broker. On October 1, 1858, Mr. Tenney held a position with Lawrence, Stone & Company, selling agents for several manufacturing companies, including the New Eng- land Worsted Company, afterward the Saxonville Mills, and later the Rox- bury Carpet Company. Mr. Tenney was a man who, by his own exertions and perseverance, had achieved success in all that he had attempted both as a busi- ness man and in public life, and socially was one whose friendship was to be highly prized. He was a man of manly qualities and rare character, and pos-
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hon. Samuel Darcher Gennep
sessed of business principles of a very high standard. Men who are the pos- sessors of Mr. Tenney's qualifications for ability and integrity, that are will- ing to sacrifice their business interests and comfort for public service, are in- deed too rarely found, and his place in the community cannot be easily forgot- ten. He was one of those men who seemed to take possession of the public heart, not alone by flashes of genius and brilliant services rendered, but by kindness and the force of personal character.
Upon his arrival in Chelsea, Massachusetts, Mr. Tenney at once identified himself with its many interests, and was elected a member of the Chelsea Com- mon Council, in which capacity he served for five years. That was the begin- ning of his activity in civil and political life. Later he became an alderman, serving for four years, then chairman of the school board. He was a member of the board of water commissioners from 1882 to 1885, and was reelected in 1888 for another term of three years. He was a justice of the peace and notary public, having received his first commission from Governor Washburn. In 1881, Mr. Tenney was elected mayor of Chelsea, and in this capacity served his adopted home city well and with honor. He filled the various offices of public trust with honor to himself and honor alike to the city whose interests and welfare were made his own. He stood forth as a typical man in the community, and was most conspicuous for his public serv- ice. He was indeed a "four square man," and as alderman and as chief ex- ecutive gave thought, time and service to grapple with the problems and other difficulties that confront our executive branches. He was a man of the staunch- est integrity of character, a man who ever used his best judgment and firmly adhered to what he believed was right and best for his adopted city. During his office as mayor, Mr. Tenney gave his entire time to the duties of his high office. The door to it was always wide open and every one received cordial greetings and courteous attention.
Mr. Tenney had an ideal home, in which his presence never failed to ra- diate happiness and contentment. Reaching out beyond that sacred circle, he was connected with many organizations, especially in fraternal orders. He was a member of Star of Bethlehem Lodge, Shekinah Chapter, Naphthali Council and Palestine Commandery, F. and A. M .; of Crescent Council, R. A .; of Bellingham Assembly, R. S. G. F .; of Bay State Lodge, A. O. U. W .; of Mystic Lodge, Samaritan Encampment and Ridgeley Canton, I. O. O. F .; of Alpha Lodge, N. E. O. P .; Lincoln Council, Home Circle; Atheman Coun- cil, O. U. F., and a trustee of the Soldiers' Home. He took great interest in the Soldiers' Home, and was instrumental in having the Soldiers' Home built in Chelsea. Mr. Tenney was a charter member of Powhatan Tribe of Chelsea, Massachusetts, and was its first Sachem. He had been representative to the Great Council of the United States, repeatedly, and also a trustee of the Great Council of Massachusetts. In the New England Order of Protection, Mr. Tenney was one of the most prominent members. At the organization of the order in November, 1887, he was elected as supreme vice-warden. On May
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15, 1888, he was elected again to fill this important office. On December 6, 1888, he was unanimously elected as supreme warden, and again in May, 1889, was unanimously reelected. Many years prior to his death, Mr. Tenney be- came a member of the Central Congregational Church, and until the time of his death was an influential member of the society. He liberally supported the church, was very charitable, philanthropic, broad-minded, and kindly- hearted.
On July 23, 1862, Samuel Parcher Tenney was united in marriage with Hannah Jane Stickney, a daughter of Edward B. Stickney, of Andover, Massachusetts. This union was blessed with two children, namely: 1. Flor- ence, who is now the wife of Andrew Woodman, a manufacturer of Evans- ton, Illinois; they are the parents of three children: Catharine, Samuel Ten- ney and Dean Whitney Woodman. 2. Gertrude, became the wife of Newell C. Cook, now deceased, who was engaged in the fur business; since the death of her husband, Mrs. Cook has resided in Newton Center, Massachusetts, with her daughter, Gretchen Cook.
Mr. Tenney's services to Chelsea, Massachusetts, in the many fields of usefulness, and especially in the office of mayor, were of great and lasting value. He elevated the standards of the public service, he secured many pub- lic movements and improvements, he extended the good name of Chelsea, and promoted the welfare of all its people. In his death the city lost one whose unselfish services will long be remembered with appreciation and affection.
George Moody Cotone
T 'HE thoughtful person finds no cause to wonder at the unparal- leled growth of the American commonwealths when he takes into consideration the quality of the pioneers of civilization who laid the foundations of our great Nation, and gives credit to the inherited characteristics that have distinguished the American people, and especially those of New England. The same elements that made the ancestors successful colonists, two centuries ago, are making their descendants successful in a hundred ways to-day. The members of the Towne family performed well their part in earlier days; the sons and daughters of the old familes are to-day worthy of their sires. George Moody Towne was a business man of marked force and energy, and well exemplified the fact that constant labor, well applied, especially when joined with sterling personal qualities, must inevitably win the respect and es- teem of his fellow-men. His methods in business were clear and concise, and the system of ability which he displayed would have been equally as effectual had fate decreed to place him in any other line of endeavor. The death of Mr. Towne, which occurred in Chelsea, Massachusetts, February 17, 1909, was widely lamented by all who knew him or had in any way come in contact with him. He was a gentleman in the truest and best sense of the word. His manners were always unaffected and marked by chivalry, recognizing the rights of the lowest as well as those of the highest to the courtesies which sweeten the intercourse of life. In thought, word and deed, his daily life was characteristic of a Christian and guided by Christian purity. Among the busi- ness men of Chelsea, Massachusetts, there are not many who fill the space in the community and command the attention of the chronicler of passing events as did Mr. Towne. He was a man of more than ordinary merit, and one who was the possessor of the confidence of his fellow-citizens. His name will al- ways stand high up on the honor roll of Chelsea, while his life has left a last- ing impress upon the city itself.
The birth of George Moody Towne occurred in Nashua, New Hampshire, during the year 1837, and he was the son of Moody Towne, who passed away in Londonderry, New Hampshire. The surname Towne is ancient in Eng- land, but not of frequent occurrence. The earliest mention of it is tound in England in 1274, when William de la Towne, of Alvely, a village in Shrop- shire, acted as a juryman. The coat-of-arms of the Towne family were on the windows of a church in Kensington, Kent County, during the reign of Henry the Fourth.
It was at the local schools in New Hampshire that Mr. Towne gained his early education. His actual schooling did not last very long, as it became
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necessary for him to earn his livelihood at an early age. His achievement in educating himself is all the more remarkable in view of this fact, for to those who knew him he always seemed to have enjoyed the greatest of educational advantages. As a matter of fact, Mr. Towne was entirely self-educated, his method being to devote every moment he could spare to reading and studying. A quality that greatly assisted him in this process of self-education was his habit of keen observation. While still a very young man, he left the parental roof and made his way to Boston, where he felt that a larger opportunity awaited him. Once there, in the city, his evident aptness and talent for busi- ness rapidly commended him to the notice of all with whom he came in con- tact. He started his business career in a belt manufacturing concern in Bos- ton, and shortly after engaged in a very small way in the harness and carriage trimming business, located at No. 174 Broadway, Chelsea, Massachusetts. Mr. Towne continued in this line of work the remainder of his life, and was active up to the time of his death, at the age of seventy-two years. His busi- ness increased rapidly until it became well known in the community, and Mr. Towne was an acknowledged leader in business affairs. His years of activ- ity extended over half a century. In later years, Mr. Towne bought the block in which his business was located, besides investing and becoming greatly interested in other real estate values. He was a splendid example of a self- made man, also of what a poor boy may become and do in this world. He was a man of fine tastes, good judgment, strict habits, business integrity and unquestioned honesty. He had the confidence of all who knew him, not only as to his honesty, but also his judgment in matters of business. In his religious belief, Mr. Towne was a Universalist, and liberally supported the Universalist church in Chelsea. Upon engaging in business in Chelsea, Mr. Towne decided to make his home there also. He built the Towne residence at No. 57 Clark avenue about twenty-seven years before his death.
On September 25, 1883, George Moody Towne was united in marriage with Annie W. Cruickshank, a daughter of James and Isabella (Farquer) Cruickshank, of Scotch descent. James Cruickshank and his wife died in Nova Scotia. The wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Towne was performed by the Rev. Charles Conklin, pastor of the Universalist church. This union was blessed with one child, George W., who was united in marriage with Alice Wright, of Chelsea, Massachusetts; they are now residing at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and are the parents of two children, namely: Virginia, and George W., Jr. Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Towne has continued to live in Chelsea, Massachusetts, in the house which was built by Mr. Towne many years ago. For five years after his death, Mrs. Towne successfully managed the harness and saddlery business which her husband had so well es- tablished. At the end of that period, she sold out the stock and disposed of the building.
Mr. Towne ranked among the public-spirited citizens of Chelsea, and was a prominent member of the Board of Trade, and of the Chelsea Veteran
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Firemen's Association, in which he took a deep interest, serving as treasurer for many years. He was also socially inclined, having been a member of the Mystic Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; of Powhatan Tribe, Im- proved Order of Red Men, and of the Old Suffolk Chapter, Sons of the Amer- ican Revolution. Delegations from these orders attended the funeral services in a body, the Rev. R. Perry Bush, D.D., officiating. Interment took place in the family lot at Woodlawn.
The story of George Moody Towne's life is that of the self-made man, who starting the battle of life alone not only made a name for himself, but as- sisted his family while struggling to become successful in business circles. His married life was indeed an ideal one, Mrs. Towne, like himself, looking be- yond the dark cloud to find the silver lining, and there can be no doubt but that his success was due in no small way or measure to her wise counsel and able assistance. Mr. Towne was possessed of true democratic instincts, easy of access to all men and as ready to lend his ear to the humblest as to the proudest and most influential. These qualities gave him a host of admirers and friends from every rank and class of society. The "best portion of a good man's life," says the poet Wadsworth, "is made up of his little nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love." This was strik- ingly true in Mr. Towne's case. His life seemed filled with daily acts of thoughtfulness, consideration and kindness, many of them trifling in them- selves, but altogether making up the good in life to which this poet refers. The same sterling qualities of character which made him loved at home, and re- spected universally in his public and business life, also gathered about him many faithful friends. That he conducted his business affairs with an exceptional measure of capability is a fact which Mr. Towne demonstrated to the unqual- ified satisfaction of the citizens of Chelsea, Massachusetts, where he was so well known, loved and respected.
oseph Morrison Talade
T HE gaining of material success for himself and a position in the business world was in no ways incompatible in the case of the late Joseph Morrison Wade, of Roxbury, Massachusetts, with the great and invaluable service rendered by him to the community of which he was a member prior to his death there in that city at his home, May 21, 1909. The passing away of Mr. Wade from life's fleeting drama marked the end of a ca- reer in all respects of value to his immediate friends and to the community at large. The city of Boston was the scene of his many important activities, and his memory is there held in the highest veneration and respect by all who knew him, or had come in contact with him even in the most casual manner. His strong and winning personality seemed to impress his associates from the very start, and the community greatly felt the debt of gratitude it owed him for his many services rendered. Strong common sense and an invincible will, the lat- ter tempered with tact and judgment, were the basis of Mr. Wade's character and incidentally of his success in life. His business acumen was of the highest type, and there were many other sides of his nature which, while not so conspic- uous, were quite as worthy of praise. His activities in the business world, based as they were upon the best and most honest motives, were a valuable fac- tor in his life. His sterling good qualities were very generally recognized, while his honor, candor and democratic attitude that he held toward all men . won for him an enviable reputation, and the admiration and affection of a host of friends.
The birth of Joseph Morrison Wade occurred in Charlestown, Massachu- setts, November 19, 1842, the son of John and Harriett (Walker) Wade. Al- though no complete genealogy of the Wade family has ever been compiled, suf- ficient data has been discovered as the result of tracing a number of lineages to make it appear almost beyond doubt that all of the name in this country have descended from Nicholas Wade, the immigrant ancestor, who was born in Eng- land, and settled early in Scituate, Massachusetts. He took the oath of fidelity and allegiance as early as 1638. His house was located on the west side of Brushy Hill, northeast of the road where Shadrach Wade resided a generation after. Nicholas Wade died in 1683, at an advanced age. John Wade, father of Joseph M. Wade, made the small wooden models from which some of the best battleships of his time were designed and built at the Navy Yard in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He had retired from active business pursuits several years before his death, which occurred in Roxbury, Massachusetts. His widow died there later. John and Harriett (Walker) Wade were the parents of four children, namely: I. John, a well known real estate and in-
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surance dealer of West Medford, Massachusetts. 2. Joseph Morrison, in whose memory we are writing. 3. Sarah, now deceased. 4. Mary, died De- cember 4, 1917; she was the wife of William R. Cordingley, a prominent wool merchant of Boston.
Joseph Morrison Wade passed the early years of his life in his native town, where he attended the local grammar and high schools for his education. His actual schooling did not continue very long, and he was, in a great meas- ure, self-educated, for all through his life he was a lover of good books and the better and more intellectual magazines, thus becoming a great reader and a keen observer. Perhaps it was this latter trait which assisted him greatly in the process of self-cultivation. Mr. Wade's achievement in educating himself is the more remarkable in view of this fact, for to those who knew him he al- ways seemed to have enjoyed the greatest advantages, and it was difficult for his friends and business associates to believe that he was not a college gradu- ate.
At the outbreak of the great conflict between the North and the South, in 1861, Mr. Wade was one of the first to offer his services to the army. He was too young to enlist without the consent of his parents, and his mother could not give up her son. This was one of the greatest disappointments of Mr. Wade's life that he could not march away with the "Boys in Blue." A short time afterward his mother proved, however, that deep down in her heart she was also a true patriot, and like many another New England mother of that day and age, as well as of to-day, she consented to allow her son to fight for his country and die for the flag that he loved so dearly. Mr. Wade accordingly enlisted in the navy, so what the army lost the navy gained, for he proved to be a man of rare courage and ability. He was in several severe battles, and his record in the navy was a brilliant and an honorable one. His ship was just coming into port when the sad news of President Lincoln's assassination was first flashed to the world.
At the close of the Civil War Mr. Wade returned to his native town of Charlestown, Massachusetts. Later he became identified with Mr. French, one of Boston's former well known real estate dealers. Not long after, Mr. Wade engaged in the real estate business on his own account, and for many years had an office opposite Park street, at No. 126 Tremont street, in Bos- ton, and later located at No. 10 Tremont street, where he continued success- fully until the time of his death. During these years many of the most im- portant real estate developments of the city of Boston materialized, as much building was being done, and the suburban tracts beautified and developed. In all this Mr. Wade was a prominent factor, for his shrewd foresight had led him to make large investments in real estate.
Mr. Wade was not selfishly absorbed in his business interests, but was emphatically a public-spirited citizen, keenly interested in actively helping all beneficial enterprises. He stood back of every movement which was for the benefit of his community, and his fellow-men showed their appreciation of MASS .- 3-6
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his sterling integrity and rare business ability by choosing him to serve in one of the highest offices within their control. He was a Republican in his po- litical ideas, and the office which his party wished him to fill was that of can- didate for the Legislature. Mr. Wade ran in what was then a Democratic district, and considering also that the liquor element was strong against him, the race was so close that it necessitated a recounting of the votes before the election was decided in favor of his opponent. Mr. Wade was at differ- ent times a member of the State Central Committee, and of the Ward and City Committees. As in his individual business, Mr. Wade was always just and honest in his political dealings, fidelity, ability and courtesy being the characteristics of his work in the offices which he held. Patriotism in every form was a marked feature of his life story and he never forgot the duty to cast his vote on every election day. He was indeed a model citizen, a kind neighbor, an incorruptible public official, and as head of his homestead, a true man. His friends still recall an incident, in particular, when Mr. Wade was intrusted with funds to conduct a political campaign in behalf of a friend. After the campaign, Mr. Wade found that he had not made use of all the money given him, so he accordingly returned it. "I have had a great many men come to me at different times for more money to conduct a political campaign," said the candidate, "but you are the first man who has ever come to return money."
Mr. Wade was a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Repub- lic. In his religious belief, he was an Episcopalian, and a member of the church of that denomination in Roxbury. Broad in religious thought, Mr. Wade recognized obedience to the law of God as essential to good citizenship.
Mr. Wade was twice married, his first wife being Delia Hanaford, who died, leaving one daughter, namely: Alice Wade, now the widow of Lyman A. Bowker, and resides in Waltham, Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. Bowker became the parents of three children, Eleanor, Edith and Lyman A., Jr. Mr. Wade married (second) Emma M. Blackmer, August 15, 1883. Mrs. Wade is a daughter of Greene and Maria A. (Luther) Blackmer. Her father passed away in Malden, Massachusetts, and her mother, a very bright elderly lady of eighty-nine years of age, resides with her only daughter, Mrs. Wade, in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Wade has sold the old residence on Forest street, and now makes her home across the street at No. 62 Forest street. Mrs. Wade is one of a family of four children, the others being: Herbert, Henry, and Walter Blackmer, all deceased.
Joseph Morrison Wade was a self-made man, and his success in life was due to hard work, honest dealings and a thorough understanding of his own particular line of business. He was liberal, charitable and easy to approach, and in all the relations of life he deserved and received the respect of his fellow-men. The uniform happiness of his family relations were but the mer- ited result of his strong and fine personality. Behind the things a man does
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lies the still more important thing that he is, and it was from this final, fundamental term most of all that the virtue went forth from Mr. Wade to affect the world about him. It was in his example of good citizenship and worthy and virtuous manhood that the chief value lay. His many friends are thankful that such a man lived among them so long, that his example is their possession, and that amid his activities he had a conscience void of offense toward God and toward his fellow-men.
Benjamin Tastings
T HE general tone and character of any community is unques- tionably the result in a large measure of the careers of those enterprising, progressive men, such as Benjamin Hastings, whose successes, through their appeal to popular imagination, have caused them to be instinctively set up as models to be copied and their examples cited as worthy of imitation by the young business men of our country. Certainly nowhere have there appeared a greater number of those whose lives have exemplified the qualities needed for success in the industrial world than in the New England States, and nowhere have the people been provided with more or better exam- ples of industrial leaders who might stand as types for universal imitation. The death of Benjamin Hastings occurred in Hudson, Massachusetts, in his ninetieth year, and marked the passing away of a positive force for good in the community which he had adopted. He was a man of strong character and delightful personality. Throughout his life he retained a keen love of out- door life, and for this reason in the latter years of his life became inter- ested in farming. He was a man of very strong domestic instincts, but none the less enjoyed the society of his fellow-men, and was a conspicuous figure in the social world of Hudson, Massachusetts. The life of New England has developed many self-made men and prosperous citizens, whose industry and close application have brought to them success and won for them the confidence and esteem of their fellow-men, and such a man was Benjamin Has- tings, whose lifetime, during which he advanced to a position of importance, was passed in the State of Massachusetts. His advice and judgment were much sought after, and he was ever willing to be of aid to others who were endeavoring to establish their concerns and make a name for themselves.
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