Men of progress one thousand biographical sketches and portraits of leaders in business and professional life in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Part 103

Author: Herndon, Richard; Bacon, Edwin M. (Edwin Monroe), 1844-1916
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Boston : New England Magazine
Number of Pages: 1036

USA > Massachusetts > Men of progress one thousand biographical sketches and portraits of leaders in business and professional life in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts > Part 103

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was business manager of the paper. He remained in Kansas City with the Times until 1891, when he was called to New York to become publisher of

CHARLES E. HASBROOK.

the Commercial Advertiser and Morning Advertiser. In October, 1894, he came to Boston, having ac- cepted the editorial and business management of the Traveler, and has since been engaged in the upbuilding of that journal, displaying a notable adaptability to new conditions and fresh inter- ests. With his Western birth and training and the alertness which is associated with men from his section, he has shown a thoroughly Vankee conservatism and soundness, - a combination that should make for success anywhere. Although devoting his best energies to the profession of newspaper-making, Colonel Hasbrook has not neg- lected the many other sides of life. In ISSo he was appointed to the staff of Governor Crittendon of Missouri, with the rank of lieutenant colonel. In the period from 1884 to 1888 he acceptably performed the duties of collecting the United States internal revenue in the Sixth Missouri Dis- trict, in addition to his regular journalistic work. During his seventeen years' residence in Kansas City he was known as a citizen of marked public spirit, always to be found on the side of progress and good government. Socially, too, he was

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prominent. He was a charter member and the first secretary of the Kansas City Club, the lead- ing organization of the kind there; was also a member of the University Club and of the Elks. He served some time as secretary and vice-presi- dent of the Missouri State Press Association, and in New York was a member of the Press Club of that city. Colonel Hasbrook was married Octo- ber 24, 1871, to Miss Delia Grant Ekins, of Galesburg. They have four children : three daughters, Adah May, Ethelberta, and Dorothy, the two former at present (1895) studying at Wellesley College, and a son, Charles Phillips. The family residence is in Newton Centre.

HAYES, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, of Medford, city solicitor and member of the Suffolk bar, is a native of Maine, born in Berwick, July 3, 1836, son of Frederick and Sarah (Hurd) Hayes. His primary education was acquired in the Berwick schools, after which he attended the West Lebanon (Me.) Academy and the New Hampton (N.H.) Academy, where he was fitted for college,

B. F. HAYES.

and graduated from Dartmouth in the class of 1859. He studied for his profession in the law office of Wells & Eastman at Great Falls, N.H.,

and at the Harvard Law School. He was ad- mitted to the Suffolk bar in April, 1861, and, mov- ing to Medford, established himself there in part- nership with the Hon. Elihu C. Baker and George S. Sullivan, son of Attorney-general Sullivan of New Hampshire. The next year, 1862, he was appointed by Governor John A. Andrew a trial justice for the county of Middlesex, which posi- tion he held for ten years, finally resigning in 1873. From 1864 to 1870 he was an assistant United States assessor. He was appointed to his present position, as city solicitor, in February, 1893, upon the organization of the first city govern- ment of Medford. Under the town government he was a member of the Board of Water Com- missioners, and for a number of years chairman of the appropriation committee of the town. He had also represented the town in many important cases before the courts and legislative committees. He was a member of the School Committee in 1868, representative for Medford in the lower house of the Legislature in 1872-73-74, and sena- tor in 1877-78. During part of his legislative ser- vice he was chairman of the committee on towns, and was congratulated by the speaker on his suc- cess in carrying every measure upon which his committee had reported favorably and in defeating all those against which it had decided. Mr. Hayes has been a trustee of the Medford Savings Bank since its incorporation in 1869, and is now also a member of its investment board. He is a Freemason, member of Mt. Hermon Lodge, and a member of the Medford Club. In politics he is a Republican. He was married in 1867 to Miss Abby D). Stetson, of Medford, daughter of Jotham and Harriet (James) Stetson. His wife died in 1869. In 1876 he married Miss Mary H. Harlow, of Medford, daughter of Thomas S. and Lucy J. (Hall) Harlow. He has no children.

HILL, WARREN S., of Boston, manufacturer of electrical apparatus, is a native of New Hamp- shire, born in the town of Pembroke, April 19, 1839, son of Parmenas and Jean (Kimball) Hill. His grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier, and fought at Bunker Hill; and the grandson has had the satisfaction of having fired the old flint lock musket that the former carried in the war. Mr. Hill's mother was daughter of Jesse and Sarah Kimball, whose ancestors were among the early settlers in New Hampshire. His father was born

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in Newburyport. His education was attained in the common schools of his day, mostly in the towns of Exeter and Brentwood, N. H. ; and he

W. S. HILL.

spent one year in an academy in Kingston, N.H. He began work in a carriage factory when he was but fourteen years of age, and he has been in mechanical business from that time to the present. In 1863 he began the manufacture of sewing machines in Manchester, N.H., and made quite a respectable fortune through this enterprise within a few years. Being burned out in the extensive fire of June, 1870, in the following December he removed to Hyde Park, Mass., and engaged in business in Boston, where he has since been estab- lished. His work on electrical apparatus was begun in 1875, and he has now in his possession a successfully working motor which he made in 1876. The following year he made the first elec- trie are lamps that were constructed within the State of Massachusetts. In the summer of 1880 he made a number of these lamps, which were placed on towers erected for the purpose on Nan- tasket Beach, and an attempt was made to play a game of base ball under the then novel light dur- ing the evening. In 1884 Mr. Hill, as superintend- ent of the electrical exhibition in the Massachu- setts Charitable Mechanic Association's Building,

constructed and put in operation the first elec- tric railway motor car that was made in this country, in which all the essential features of the present electric street railway cars were used. At that time capitalists were so sceptical as to the possibility of operating street cars by electric power that he was unable to secure any financial aid in the introduction of the system. Mr. Ilill is at present the president of the electric company which bears his name, and is doing a successful business in the manufacture of special and general electrical apparatus. He is in politics a Republi- can, and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. He was married March 7, 1861, to Miss Annie M. Small, of Eastport, Me. They have two sons : Louis E. (born June 2, 1863) and Fred W. Hill (born March 22, 1871).

HOAG, CHARLES ENOCH, of Springfield. lawyer. author, and editor, is a native of New Hampshire, born in Moultonborough, September 18, 1849, son of Uriah Jillson and Mary Flint ( Bancroft) Hoag. He was the eighth of nine children, five of whom are still living. His paternal ancestry is traced back to Wales, whence, it is said, his great-great- grandfather came to this country in 1690. On his mother's side he is a direct descendant of John and Priscilla Alden, so famous in the annals of Puritan New England. His father's family belonged to the society of Friends or Quakers, wherein they were quite prominent as teachers and preachers, His brother, Alpheus Bancroft Hoag, was at the time of his death, in 1873, a popular song-writer. Mr. Hoag's early ambition to become a lawyer was not so far approved by his family as to gain their assistance; and at six- teen years of age he began life for himself, during the summer working through the day and reciting in Latin and French to a clergyman in the even- ing, and attending school during the winter. His struggles were the usual struggles of a determined youth who had an object in view. and allowed no obstacle to prevent his attaining that object. He began reading law with the late Judge Hill, of Sandwich, N.H., in 1871, supporting himself while so doing by taking charge of an apothecary store owned by his brother. It was a small store in a small town, and left him ample time to prose- cute his studies. He finished his law-reading with his uncle, and was admitted to the bar at Bos- ton in 1876. He at once opened an office in

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Peabody, and later in Boston. His career as an attorney was marked with success from the begin- ning : but his too close application to his profes- sion broke down his health, and obliged him to take a rest, which he did by travelling in the South. Returning and resuming his practice, he was, a few years after, again stricken down, this time with typhoid fever. On his recovery he was married, and, after a protracted bridal trip, re- turned home, feeling that his financial condition would warrant his giving up active work in his profession. Before this time he had, besides at- tending to his legal duties, written several books,

CHAS. E. HOAG.

as well as articles for magazines and papers. It was but natural, therefore, that in looking about for something to occupy his mind he decided to purchase a small local paper which was then for sale. Under his editorial management the circulation of this paper increased more than fourfold the first year, and he was then obliged to move into more spacious quarters. Soon after a Boston edition was published, which obtained a large circulation throughout the country. Then for the second time the newspaper plant was en- larged ; and, no suitable building being found, Mr. Hoag erected a business block, now known as " Hoag's Block," for its accommodation. In the

mean time he had become connected with other publications, being director of one company pub- lishing a paper, and president of another which published two. He was the first president of the corporation which is now publishing one of the leading dailies in Boston. At no time, however, was he free from his legal practice. His old cli- ents would not leave him, and new ones came, so that in 1893 he was compelled by the state of his health, which was injured by the overstrain, to sever his connection with both his literary and his legal affairs. Accordingly, he settled up his business with the determination to make a pro- tracted trip abroad. Before the final arrange- ments were completed, however, he was so much pleased with the city of Springfield, where he went to attend some business, that he purchased a house at Forest Park Heights, near the magnifi- cent Forest Park, and there settled. Recovering in health and strength after a rest, and being a man of too much nervous energy to remain idlle, he opened an office in Springfield, and again began the practice of his profession. Mr. Hoag is the author of " \ Double Life," " Starr Cross," the " Fall of Eona," " The New Commonwealth," and other books. He is also the author of numerous pamphlets written under a nom de plume. A book of poems entitled " Chords and Discords," a com- pilation of verses written by himself and his talented wife while he was publishing his papers, is the last work of his issued. Although a mem- ber of the Masonic order, the Odd Fellows, and other like organizations, Mr. Hoag has never taken an active part in secret societies. Neither has he ever been in any sense a politician, refus- ing all political preferments offered him. The only elective office he ever consented to take was that of trustee of the Peabody Institute for six years. During his twenty years at the bar Mr. Hoag has been connected with many important cases both in the Commonwealth and in the United States courts. To-day his professional and financial standing speak well for his success. From both father and mother Mr. Hoag inherited great strength of character and the determination to succeed in whatever he undertakes. Illustra- tive of this trait in his father's family is the story of the late Paul Hoag, who was a devout Quaker, and unswerving in his duty as he saw it. For several years no regular service was held in the Friends' meeting-house of his native town, the society there having become small and scattered.

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But Paul did not believe it right that the place of worship should be closed, so every first and fourth day he opened its doors, went in, performed his devotions in solemn solitude, then went out, locked the door, and returned to his home. An- other trait which Mr. Hoag inherited from his Quaker ancestry, is the love of domestic quiet and decided dislike to mix in the wrangles and dis- turbances of the outside world. He is a life mem- ber of the Essex Agricultural Society, a member of the Springfield Board of Trade and Improve- ment Society. Mr. Hoag married October 29, 1884. Miss Carrie W. Bomer, of Peabody. They have three daughters : Ena (born October 7, 1885). Ila (born July 14, 1887), and Dorothy (born No- vember 13. 1891). Mr. Hoag's present residence is one of the finest in the Park section of the "City of Homes "; and there, with his family, he enjoys his leisure hours, being a devoted lover of books and possessing an extensive miscellaneous library.

HOGNER, PER GUSTAF RICHARD, M.D., of Boston, is a native of Stockholm, Sweden, born February 15, 1852, son of Per Gustaf and Augusta Elisabeth (Carlen) Hogner. His father was an engineer and surveyor-general in Sweden, known in his profession as an author ; and his mother was of a celebrated Swedish literary family. His early education was acquired at Strengnäs, Sweden, where he was under the care of his uncle. Richard C'arlen, a Swedish judge, author, and Congressman. He graduated from the High School at Strengnäs in April, 1871, and then began his medical course. He studied in the medical schools at Upsala, Lund, and Stockholm, and graduated : Med. Ph. Cand. (Upsala) Septem- ber 14, 1872, Med. C'and. (Stockholm) May 27, 1876, Med. Lic. (Stockholm) October 15, 1879. and Med. Doctor ( Upsala) May 31. 1884. While a student, he was a volunteer in the Swedish Royal Södermanlands Regiment. He was " ma- gister of swimming " at Upsala, August 23, 1872. In addition to his regular courses he took courses in Swedish medical gymnastics at the Royal Gymnastic Institute in Stockholm; studied at Kiel, Germany, in Esmarck's Clinik, in the sum- mer of 1882 ; in Moscow, Russia, in Schlefasoff- sky's Clinik, in the winter of 1883-84; as a sti- pendiary of the Swedish State studied one year (1890-91) bacteriology and hygiene at L'Institute de l'asteur, Paris, at Hygienische Institute, Ber-

lin, and at the Hygienische Institute in Leip- zig. He was a physician in the Swedish army and navy from October, 1873. to October, 1879 : assistant physician in the General Military Hos- pital in Stockholm from October, 1873, to Sep- tember 30, 1874; head physician in the Military Hospital at Carlsborg from January to March, 1877 ; government's physician in Nordmaling from October, 1879. to April. 1880; house phy- sician in the Seraphimer Hospital in Stockholm from May to September, 1880: house surgeon in the same from October, ISSo, to January, 1881; head physician and surgeon in Ljungby Hospital

RICH HOGNER.

from January, 1881, to July, 1882 : and govern- ment's physician ( provinsialläkare) from Sep- tember, 1882, to May. 1894, in O. Kalix, N. Kalix, Hessleholm. He has travelled extensively through Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and to some extent in Russia, Belgium, Germany, Eng- land, and France, and first came to America in June, 1893, for a year's vacation. He, however, decided to remain here ; and, since the day follow- ing his arrival, he has been living in Boston. He resigned his position as government's physician in Sweden in May, 1894. He is a member of the Medical Society, Lund ; of the Medical Associa- tion, Stockholm: the Swedish Medical Society,

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the Swedish Provincial Physicians' Society, the Massachusetts Medical Society, the Gynacologi- cal Society, Boston ; and the Medical Library As- sociation, Boston. Dr. Hogner has written a number of articles for the Swedish medical journals, and also for the New York Medical Rec- ord, the Journal of the American Medical Associa- tion, and the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal ; and he has read several papers before Boston medical societies. He has constructed an instru- ment for the contemporary uni-bilateral measure- ments of the chest expansion. He has been speaker at many patriotic or temperance festivals, among others at the Swedish celebration, in the People's Church of Boston, December 9, 1894, of the third centennial birthday of King Gustaf Adolf IT. Dr. Hogner is married to Adrienne Lindström. Their children living are: Per Rich- ard Leonard (" Pierre "), Elsa Margareta Alexan- dra. and Nils Richard Alexander Hogner.

HOLT, SAMUEL LELAND, of Boston, machinist, is a native of Maine, born in Bethel, September 5,

S. L. HOLT.

1837, son of Samuel and Elvira (Estes) Holt. His grandfather, Timothy Holt, was an early settler of Maine, when the latter was a district

of Massachusetts; and he reared a family of thir- teen children. Mr. Holt himself is the fourth in a family of eight children. His mother died when he was fifteen years old; and his father, marrying a second time, had three children by his second wife. Mr. Holt was educated in the district school in his native town. At the age of seventeen he entered a machine shop; and from that day to this he has been engaged in this line of work, having been in business for himself, under the firm name of S. L. Holt & Co., since November, 1870. Mr. Holt served in the Massa- chusetts Volunteer Militia at the beginning of the Civil War, and later held commission in the United States naval engineer corps. He is a member of the Massachusetts Charitable Me- chanic Association ; of St. John's Lodge, Free Masons ; St. Paul's R. A. Chapter ; Boston Coun- cil R. A. M .; Boston Lafayette Lodge of Perfec- tion ; Giles F. Yates, Princes Jerusalem; and Mount Olivet Chapter, Rose Croix. His life has been spent in mechanical pursuits. He attended the centennial exhibition at Philadelphia in 1876, the Paris Exhibition of 1878, and spent six months travelling through the iron-works of Eng- land, Scotland, and France. Mr. Holt was mar- ried July 23, 1857, to Miss Mary A. Farnsworth, of Brookline, N.H. They have one daughter : Abby Elnora, now Mrs. Arthur L. Wing.

HOLYOKE, CHARLES FREEMAN, of Marlbor- ough, insurance business, was born in Marlbor- ough, Dec. 27, 1855, son of Freeman and Hen- rietta .A. (Brigham) Holyoke. He was educated in the public schools. In March, 1875, when he was nineteen years old, he went to California, and there worked for some time on a wheat ranch. Subsequently he was in an insurance office, and then was with a secretary of mining companies for about five years. Returning East in February, 1883, he entered the insurance business with Edward R. Alley in Marlborough. This partner- ship existed until 1889, when it was dissolved ; and Mr. Holyoke continued the business alone for the next five years. Then in April, 1894, he formed a second partnership, taking as associate Clifton B. Russell, who had been in his employ for six years, under the firm name of Holyoke & Russell. In January, 1895, he was elected treasurer of the Marlborough Savings Bank. Mr. Holyoke has been prominent in Marlborough city affairs for a

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number of years. He was a member of the first city council, and resigned to take the city treasurer- ship, to which he was elected in May, 1892. While

CHARLES F. HOLYOKE.

living in California, he was a member of the Na- tional Guard. Enlisting in Company F. First In- fantry, Second Brigade, he went through the inter- mediate grades to first lieutenant : was appointed June 13, 1881, adjutant of the First Infantry ; elected captain of his company April 17, 1882 ; and resigned January. 1883, just before his return home. He is a member of the United Brethren Lodge of Free Masons, of the Houghton Royal Arch Chapter and Trinity Commandery, and is prominently connected with the Odd Fellows, mem- ber of Marlborough Lodge No. 85 and of King Saul Encampment. He belongs also to the Union Club of Marlborough. In politics he is a Repub- lican. He was married June 2, 1887, to Miss Blanche E. Corey, of Marlborough. They have two children : Thomas Corey and Charles F. Hol- yoke, Jr.

HOMER, JOHN, M.D., of Newburyport, is a native of Maine, born in Bucksport, December 6, 1835, son of John C. and Harriet (Blaisdell) Homer. His grandfather, William Homer, was

a farmer and lumber-dealer ; and his maternal grandfather, William Blaisdell, was a Baptist min- ister. Both were native-born Americans. His early education was received in the public schools ; and he was fitted for college at the East Maine Conference Seminary, Bucksport. He left Bow- doin College in the year 1862. Previous to en- tering college, he spent some time in the West as a volunteer, where he experienced considerable active military service on the border. He took the course of the Harvard Medical School, gradu- ating in 1865, and has since been engaged in ac- tive practice as a physician and surgeon, and in clinical and medico-legal study, a period of thirty years. He was surgeon for the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railroad and the Kansas Pacific Railroad at Topeka, Kan., in 1872-73 ; and he has been for many years the local surgeon for the Boston & Maine Railroad. He is also a reg- istered pharmacist, conducting the High Street Pharmacy in Newburyport, of which he is pro- prietor. He is the inventor of numerous mechan- ical designs which are recognized as valuable both to the medical, surgical, and pharmaceutical

JOHN HOMER.

professions. He became a member of the Mas- sachusetts Medical Society immediately after graduating from the Harvard Medical School,

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MEN OF PROGRESS.

and for some time past has been a member of both the State and American Pharmaceutical As- sociations. Besides his professional work Dr. Homer is interested in municipal affairs, being a member of the Newburyport Board of Trade ; and he has a taste for military matters, being a mem- ber of the Veteran Artillery Company. He is connected with the Masonic fraternity, the order of Odd Fellows, and the order of United Amer- ican Mechanics. He has been a member of the Alumni of the Harvard Medical School since its organization. In religious faith he is a Bap- tist. He was married June 23, 1886, to Miss Alice Johnson, of Newburyport. The only child is a daughter, Josephine Homer. Within the past two years Dr. Homer has erected a new block on the corner of Summer and High Streets, Newburyport, in which are combined a fine resi- dence, a modern office, and the High Street Phar- macy.

HOPKINS, JOHN, of Millbury, justice of the Superior Court of the Commonwealth, is a native

JOHN HOPKINS.

of England, born at Leonard's Stanley, Gloucester- shire, March 19, 1840, son of James and Eliza- beth ( Hancock) Hopkins. He attended the Bur-

lington Union High School, Burlington, Vt., and was fitted for college at Phillips (Andover) Acad- emy. Entering Dartmouth, he graduated from the Scientific Department in the class of 1862. Meanwhile he had received an additional train- ing for active life as an operative in the finishing department of a woollen mill and in a machine shop, and as teacher of public schools. He read law with Joseph A. Cook, of Blackstone, and was admitted to the bar at the March term, 1864, in Worcester County. He was in general practice in Millbury and Worcester from the time of his admission until the first of April, 1891, when he was appointed to the bench as associate justice of the Superior Court. Judge Hopkins has served in various town offices, as selectman, member of the School Committee, assessor, and trustee of the Town Library; and he represented his district in the General Court two terms, 1882- 83. In politics he is a Democrat. He is now a trustee of the Millbury Town Library, vestryman of St. Luke's Mission, and visitor to the Chandler Scientific Department, Dartmouth College. Judge Hopkins was married November 21, 1864, to Miss Mary C. Salisbury, of Blackstone. They have had five children : Grace E. (born January 17, 1866), Paul Fenner (born March 12, 1867, died August 6, 1867), Herbert Salisbury (born February 5, 1868), John Earl (born February 14, 1869, died August 4, 1869), and Herman Philip Hopkins (born January 22, 1873).

HOWE, OSCAR FITZALAN, of Boston, manu- facturer, was born in Fitzwilliam, N.H., November 24, 1834; died in Boston, November 10, 1894. lle was the son of Nelson and Eliza (Sweetser) Ilowe, of Scotch and Pilgrim blood. He ob- tained his education in the public schools, and early took an interest in trading, showing marked ability in this direction when very young. He came to Boston in 1848 with his father, who es- tablished in the city a wholesale business in wooden ware of every description, at No. 42 South Market Street, having his factories in Howeville, N.H., a town named for him. The son entered the firm with his father in 1864, and in 1868 took the business alone. In 1877, not content with the business of one house, he bought out the old establishment of Daniel Cummings & Co., founded in 1830; and through his enterprise New England manufactures of the class he was

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Men of progress one thousand biographical sketches and portraits of leaders in business and professional life in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Part 103

Author: Herndon, Richard; Bacon, Edwin M. (Edwin Monroe), 1844-1916 Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Boston : New England Magazine Number of Pages: 1036

Author: Herndon, Richard; Bacon, Edwin M. (Edwin Monroe), 1844-1916
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Boston : New England Magazine
Number of Pages: 1036