Men of progress one thousand biographical sketches and portraits of leaders in business and professional life in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Part 6

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 6

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).

than twenty years he has maintained an inde- pendent political bureau, known as the " Temper- anee Republican Headquarters," at No. 36 Brom- field Street, Boston, the active management of which now devolves upon Miss Eva M. Brown, who has been his private secretary for fourteen years. His office is a perfect arsenal of information for opponents of the saloon, being fully supplied with facts and figures with which to demolish the rum power. In his anti-liquor labors Mr. Faxon has expended upwards of $100,000. In his own city

HENRY H. FAXON.

of Quincy he has served as constable since 1881. with the exception of three years (1886-89), ap- pointed at his own request, in order that he might personally conduet the crusade against violations of the liquor law. He has faithfully performed all the duties of the office, declining the salary appro- priated, and turning over to his brother officers all the fees attending the service of warrants. Up- wards of five hundred cases of prosecution of illegal liquor sales brought about by his vigorous constabulary work are on record. In several in- stances he has suppressed the liquor traffic in Quiney through the purchase of property devoted to it. He bought the Hancock House, leased it for a term of years as a boarding-house for Adams Academy students, and has recently built a block

MEN OF PROGRESS.

of stores around it; purchased the building now known as the Quincy Hotel, and, the deed being withheld, sued the owner for a violation of the agreement. He also secured an estate locally known as the " Saville Place," where it was in- tended to sell liquor. Faxon Hall, erected in 1876 for the Reform Club of Quincy, is a permanent memorial to his name. Toward its cost, $11,000, he contributed four-fifths. He is a member of the Massachusetts Total AAbstinence Society, of the Norfolk Republican Club, of the Norfolk Uni- tarian Club, and of the New England Tariff Reform League. Mr. Faxon was married Novem- ber 18, 1852, to Miss Mary B. Munroe, daughter of Israel W. and Priscilla L. (Burbank) Munroe. She died September 6, 1885, leaving one son, Henry Munroe Faxon, born May 22, 1864.

FESSENDEN, FRANKLIN GOODRIDGE, of Greenfield, justice of the Superior Court of the Commonwealth, is a native of Fitchburg, born

FRANKLIN G. FESSENDEN.

June 20, 1849, son of Charles and Martha E. (Newton) Fessenden. He is a descendant of the Lexington branch of the Fessenden family, whose first ancestor in this country settled in Cam- bridge about the middle of the seventeenth cen-

tury. His great-grandfather, Nathan Fessenden, of Lexington, was in Captain Parker's company at Lexington, AApril 19, 1775. His early education was acquired in the Fitchburg grammar and high schools, and subsequently he studied abroad in Paris. He entered the Harvard Law School in September, 1870, received the degree of LL. B. therefrom in 1872, and remained in the school, taking a post-graduate course, during the follow- ing year. He was admitted to the bar of Massa- chusetts in June, 1873, and ten years later (in December, 1883) to practice in the United States courts. After practising a year in Fitchburg, he established himself in Greenfield, where he con- tinued until his elevation to the Superior bench in August, 1891, by appointment of Governor Russell. While engaged in general practice, he was especially concerned in corporation matters, as counsel for various railroads as well as for pri- vate corporations. He was also some time coun- sel for the first National Bank of Greenfield and for the town of Greenfield. He was twice (in 1884 and (889) district attorney pro tempore for the north-western district of Massachusetts, and for many years was a master in chancery. For a year after his graduation from the Law School ( 1872 73) he was an instructor in Harvard Col- lege, and later, also for a year ( 1882-83), a lecturer in the Law School. Since 1881 be has been a trustee of the Prospect Hill School, Green- field, and clerk of the board. He has served in the State militia as captain of Company L, Sec- ond Regiment, and as assistant inspector-gen- eral. Since 1884 he has been a trustee of the Franklin Savings Institution of Greenfield. In politics Judge Fessenden is a Democrat. Ile is a member of the Greenfield Club of Greenfield ; of the University Club, Boston; and of the Co- lonial Club of Cambridge. He was married October 3, 1878, to Miss Mary J. Rowley, daugh- ter of James W. and Anne Rowley.

FIELD, WALBRIDGE ABNER, chief justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, is a native of Vermont, born in Springfield, Windsor County, April 26, 1833, son of Abner and Louisa (Griswold) Field. He is of old New England stock,- on his father's side a descendant of the Fields of Rhode Island, and on his mother's side of the Griswolds of Connecticut. He was educated in private schools and academies and

MEN OF PROGRESS.

at Dartmouth College, where he graduated in the class of 1855. Immediately after graduating he spent two years in the college as tutor, and then began the study of law, in Boston, with the late Harvey Jewell. In the spring of 1859

WALBRIDGE A. FIELD.

he took charge of the professorship of mathe- matics at Dartmouth for the spring and summer terms, and then entered the Harvard Law School. in 1860 he was admitted to the bar. He began practice at once with Mr. Jewell. Five years after (in 1865) he was appointed assistant United States attorney for Massachusetts, under Richard Il. Dana ; and he remained with Mr. Dana and George S. Hillard until 1869, when he was ap- pointed by President Grant assistant attorney- general of the United States, under E. Rockwood Hoar. In the latter relation he continued until August, 1870, and then, returning to Boston, formed a law partnership with Mr. Jewell and William Gaston, under the firm name of Jewell, Gaston & Field. When Mr. Gaston became gor- ernor of Massachusetts, in 1875, he retired from the firm, and Edward O. Shepard was admitted into the partnership and the firm name changed to Jewell, Field & Shepard. And so it remained until the appointment of Mr. Field to the Su- preme Bench, as associate justice, by Governor

Long, in February, 1881. He became chief jus- tice in 1890, appointed by Governor Brackett upon the resignation of Chief Justice Morton. In 1876 Mr. Field was a Republican candidate for Congress in the Third District, and was de- clared elected. But the election was contested, and after about a year's service he was unseated. In the next election he was again a candidate from the same district, and, being elected. took his seat, and served his term without a contest. During the early years of his residence in Bos- ton he served two terms on the School Board (1863-64); and subsequently he was a member of the Common Council three terms, from 1865 to 1867. He received the degree of LL. D. from Harvard College in 1886, and from Dartmouth College in 1888. Mr. Field was first married in 1869 to Miss Eliza E. Mcloon, of Rockland, Me. She died in March, 1877, leaving two daughters : Eleanor Louise and Elizabeth Len- thal Field. He was again married in October, 1882, to Miss Frances E. Farwell, daughter of the Hon. Nathan A. Farwell, of Rockland, Me.

FITCH, ROBERT GERSHOM, chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners, Boston, is a native of Sheffield, a Berkshire hill town, born May 19, 1846, son of Gershom M. and Almeda L. (Rood) Fitch. Until nearly twenty years of age he worked on his father's farm, getting what educa- tion he could through instruction at home during the winter months. Then he went to the South Berkshire Institute, New Marlborough, and fitted for college, and, entering Williams, graduated therefrom, in due course, with the class of 1870, taking an honorary oration at commencement. His bent was early toward journalism, and while at college he was editor of the Williams Quar- terly, the college magazine. After graduation he at once found employment in the editorial depart- ment of the Springfield Republican, where he re- mained about two years, serving in various capaci- ties. From that office he went to the Boston Post, becoming a member of the staff of the latter paper early in 1872, under Nathaniel G. Greene, then the managing editor. Here he rose through the different editorial departments to the position of editor-in-chief, which he ably filled from 1881 to 1885. Then, retiring upon the incoming of a new business management, he engaged in general journalistic work as a contributor to several jour-

MEN OF PROGRESS.

nals till his appointment by Mayor O'Brien to the Fire Commission in May. 1886, for the term of three years. In this position he has continued

ROBERT G. FITCH.

since through successive reappointments by Mayors Hart and Matthews. He has been chair- man of the board since August, 1886. He is a member of the Papyrus. Press, and University clubs of Boston; of the Chief Engineers' Club : and of the Young Men's Democratic Club of Massachusetts. Mr. Fitch was married in Detroit, Mich., September 26, 1878, to Miss Emma H. Emmons, daughter of Burton and Minerva Emmons of that city. She died in 1888, leaving two chil- dren, Helen M. and Emma M. Fitch.

FOWLE, ARTHUR ADAMS, managing editor of the Boston Globe, is a native of Woburn, born December 3, 1847, son of James Leonard and Luthera (Tay) Fowle. On his father's side he is of English stock, and on his mother's of Scotch. He was educated in the public schools of Wo- burn ; and his training for active life was in actual work in store and shop, begun at the age of nine. He first learned the trade of a currier, and worked at this for several years. His first newspaper work was as a "district reporter " for the Globe,

covering his town. This was in 1873, when he was twenty-six years old. The next year he was taken on to the city staff, and assigned to the work of a general reporter. In this capacity he developed rapidly, displaying such ability as a quick, intelligent, and enterprising news-gatherer that he early won a leading place in this depart- ment of the paper. In 1878 he was made city editor, and since that time he has successfully occupied every position on the editorial floor with the exception of those of musical critic and financial editor. He became managing editor in September, 1884, holding the position during the period of the greatest development of the Globe, when it grew from a small undertaking to a great journal of many departments and metropolitan size. In politics he is Democratic. He is a member of the Boston Press Club and of several other newspaper organizations, and of the Corinthian Yacht Club. He has never held public office, devoting himself entirely to his professional work. Mr. Fowle was married on June 12, 1877, to Miss Kate Wallace Munn, of Woburn, daughter of Charles Munn and Eliza-

A. A. FOWLE.

beth Minerva (Kane) Munn. They have two children : Leonard Munn and Donald Adams Fowle.

MEN OF PROGRESS.

FOXCROFT, FRANK, associate editor of the Boston Journal, is a native of Boston, born Janu- ary 21, 1850, son of George .\. and Harriet Eliza- beth (Goodrich) Foxcroft. His father was well known as a newspaper writer, and especially as the originator of "Job Sass," whose phonetic humor antedated "Artemas Ward," "Josh Bill- ings," and the rest. His mother was a daughter of Levi Goodrich, a prosperous farmer and con- tractor of Pittsfield. He was educated first in the public schools of Boston and Pittsfield, and after- wards at Williams College, where he was gradu-

FRANK FOXCROFT.

ated in the class of 1871. His inherited liking for newspaper work showed itself early : when a boy he spent much of his vacation time in news- paper offices, and was editor of the Vidette and the Quarterly at college. In his Freshman year, also, he collected certain bits of verse which he had contributed to the Boston Transcript and other journals, and published them under the title of "Transcript Pieces." In September, 1871, two months after his graduation from college, he be- came connected with the Boston Journal, and has been identified with that paper since, at first as literary editor, then as leading editorial writer, and more recently as associate editor. He has been a contributor to the Atlantic Monthly, the

Andover Review, and to the weekly literary and religious press, and he edited a collection of Easter poems which was published by Lee & Shepard (1879) under the title of "Resurgit." with an introduction by the late Andrew P. Pea- body. D.D .; but his writing has been mainly for the columns of the Journal. Since 1871 his home has been in Cambridge, which has rarely been without a Foxcroft among its citizens for the past two hundred years. He has held no political office, unless two terms of service upon the School Board of Cambridge ( 1875-78) are to be thus de- scribed. He is a member of the Cambridge.

Congregational, and Appalachian clubs. Mr. Foxcroft was first married in September. 1872. to Miss Elizabeth True Howard, of Columbus, Ohio. She died in October, 1888. In Septem- ber, 1891, he married Miss Lily Sherman Rice. daughter of the Rev. Charles B. Rice, of Dan- vers. He has four daughters living : Faith, Ruth Darling. Esther Margaret, and Mary Goodrich Foxcroft, the last-named by the second marriage.

GAUGENGIGL, IGNAZ MARCEL, painter of genre pictures, is a native of Bavaria, born in Passau, January 16, 1855, son of Ignaz Marcel and Barbara V. Minuzy (Hauser) Gaugengigl. His father was professor of Oriental languages in the Bavarian capital. He was educated in Mu- nich, graduating from the gymnasium in 1873. and afterwards become a student in the Academy of Fine Arts under Professor Raab and Professor William Diez. After leaving the Academy, he studied the old masters, and received orders from the King of Bavaria, painting for him " The Hanging Gardens of Semiranius." Subsequently he went to Italy, and there further pursued his studies, and in 1879 travelled in France, sketch- ing by the way, and visiting the Paris Exhibition. The next year he came to the United States to visit his sister, intending to remain a few months : but he soon concluded to establish himself here. Since that time he has followed his profession in Boston, early achieving a reputation for the deli- cacy and finish of his work, its richness of color and refinement of technique. Among his best known paintings are: " An Affair of Honor." a duel on the seashore, the victim lying on the sand with two men bending anxiously over him, the victor standing apart, sheathing his blade, all the characters attired in rich old Spanish costumes ;

MEN OF PROGRESS.

" The Duel," the scene in a paved court-yard, en- closed by high stone walls and lofty buildings, the victor in the act of delivering a fatal sword- thrust : "The Refugee," a young Huguenot, just escaped the violence of a mob, knocking for shel- ter at a friend's door, an expression of anxious suspense in the listening attitude : "Adagio," representing a monk clad in a pale brown robe, playing on a violoncello; "After the Storm." the prostrate form of a man in evening dress, who has evidently shot himself with the revolver still held in his hand, lying on the ground at dawn, under a

1. M. GAUGENGIGL.

tempestuous sky ; "The Revenge ": "The First Hearing"; "The Amateur "; " Incredulity," two stubborn men in the high-colored costume of the time of the Directory, engaged in a debate ; and "The Surprise." Mr. Gaugengigl is a mem- ber of the St. Botolph, Tavern, and Paint and Clay clubs, of various art societies, and of the permanent art committee of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

GASTON, WILLIAM, governor of the Common- wealth in 1875, was born in Killingly, Conn., October 3, 1820; died in Boston, January 19. 1894. The family moving to Roxbury in 1838, he was a resident of Massachusetts during his

active life, identified with Roxbury and Boston interests, and for upwards of a quarter of a cen- tury was a leading member of the Suffolk bar. He was of French and English ancestry, - on the paternal side from Jean Gaston, a Huguenot, and on the maternal side from Thomas Arnold, who, with a brother William, came to New England in 1636, and joined Roger Williams in Rhode Island in 1654. His father and grandfather both served in the Connecticut Legislature, and the former was a merchant well known in his day. William Gas- ton was educated in the Brooklyn (Conn.) and Plainfield academies, and at Brown University. entering at the age of sixteen and graduating with high honors. He began the study of law in Rox- bury, in the office of Judge Francis Hilliard, sub- sequently reading with Charles P'. and Benjamin R. Curtis in Boston ; and he was admitted to the bar in 1844. Two years later he opened an office in Roxbury, and there practised for nineteen years, early ranking among the leaders of the Norfolk bar. For many years he was eity solici- tor of Roxbury. In 1865 he extended his prac- tice, forming with the late Harvey Jewell and Walbridge A. Field, now chief justice of the Su- preme Judicial Court, the law firm of Jewell, Gas- ton & Field, with offices in Boston. This relation continued till his election to the governorship. when he withdrew from the firm and relinquished his practice. Upon his return to private life and resumption of business he practised a few years alone, and then, in 1879, formed a partnership with C. L. B. Whitney, subsequently admitting his son William A. Gaston to the firm. His distin- guished professional record, both as a jury law- yer. skilful in the examination of witnesses and convincing in argument, and as a counsellor, possessed of a profound knowledge of the law and extreme conservatism, closed with his retire- ment from active practice in 1891. Mr. Gaston's public career began with his election in 1853 to the Massachusetts Legislature as a Whig. Ile was returned the next year, and in 1856 was re- elected by a fusion of Whigs and Democrats in opposition to the Know-Nothing candidate. In 1861 and 1862 he was mayor of Roxbury, and during his service was active in raising troops for the war and earnest in the support of war meas- ures. In 1868 he was elected to the State Senate as a Democrat. In 1870 he was a candidate for Congress, but failed of an election. In 1871 and 1872, after the annexation of Roxbury to Boston

MEN OF PROGRESS.

(1868), he was mayor of Boston. He was candi- date for a third term, but in one of the most closely contested elections ever held in Boston,

WILLIAM GASTON.

was defeated by Henry L. Pierce, the Republican candidate on a non-partisan platform, by seventy- nine votes. Two years later he was elected to the governorship for the term of 1875 as the Dem- ocratic candidate, over Thomas Talbot. the regu- lar Republican candidate, by a plurality of up- wards of seven thousand votes, running many thousand votes ahead of his ticket. His admin- istration was conservative and dignified ; and he well represented the State on public occasions, notably at the centennial celebrations of Lexing- ton and Bunker Hill. Among his appointments while governor were those of Otis P'. Lord to the Supreme Bench, and of Waldo Colburn and Will- iam S. Gardner to the Superior Bench. He was not again a candidate, but gave his hearty support to Charles Francis Adams, who was nominated by his party for the term of 1876, and was de- feated at the election by Alexander H. Rice. While occupying the governor's chair, Mr. Gas- ton received the honorary degree of LL. D. from Harvard and from Brown. He was married May 27, 1852, to Miss Louisa A. Beecher, daughter of Laban S. and Frances A. (Lines) Beecher, and

by this union were one daughter and two sons : Sarah Howard, William Alexander, and Theodore Beecher Gaston. (Theodore, born February, 1861. died July. 1869.)

GASTON, WILLIAM ALEXANDER, member of the Suffolk bar, is a native of Roxbury, born May 1, 1859, son of William and Louisa Augusta (Beecher) Gaston. On the paternal side he is of Huguenot descent, from Jean Gaston, born in France about the year 1600, who, banished late in life, settled in Scotland, and whose descend- ants were early in America, settling in Connecti- cut : and on the maternal side he is connected with the distinguished Beecher family. His pa- ternal grandfather was a leading merchant in Connecticut, for many years in the Legislature : and his father, William Gaston, was a foremost member of the Massachusetts bar, and served as mayor of Roxbury, mayor of Boston, member of the General Court, and governor of the Common- wealth. [See Gaston, William.] William A. Gaston was educated in private schools, in the

WILLIAM A. GASTON

Roxbury Latin School, and at Harvard College, graduating in the class of 1880. His law studies were pursued in the Harvard Law School and in

MEN OF PROGRESS.

the Boston office of his father. Admitted to the bar in 1883, he began practice as a member of the firm of Gaston & Whitney, the senior partners of which were his father and Charles L. B. Whit- ney. Subsequently Mr. Whitney retired, and Frederick E. Snow was taken into partnership, the firm name being changed to that of Gaston & Snow. In 1891 William Gaston, senior, retired from active practice ; and since that time the firm has been making a specialty of corporation law, and has acted as corporation counsel for several of the largest corporations having headquarters in Boston. Mr. Gaston is a director of the Manu- facturers' National Bank of Boston, a trustee of the Proprietors of Forest Hills Cemetery, and a director in several large Massachusetts corpora- tions. He is a member of the Boston Bar Asso- ciation (of the council), of the Somerset, Univer- sity, and Curtis clubs of Boston, the Country Club of Brookline, and the Commodore Club of Maine. During the three terms of Governor Russell (1891-92-93) he was assistant adjutant- general on the governor's staff. He was married in April, 1892, to Miss May D. Lockwood, daugh- ter of the late Hamilton D). and Annie L. Lock- wood.

GEIGER, ALBERT, extensive operator in real estate in Boston, is a native of Switzerland, born in Zürich, October 23, 1850, son of Jaques and Elizabeth (Zimmer) Geiger. His father was a shoe manufacturer in Zürich. His early educa- tion was attained in the schools of his native city ; and, after his graduation from the high school in 1865, he received a thorough business training in Marseilles, France, where he spent the years 1866-67-68. Early in 1869 he came to Boston, and entered the services of Naylor & Co., long prominent iron and steel merchants. Subse- quently, when this firm was succeeded by the Nor- way Steel and Iron Company, he was made sec- retary and treasurer of that corporation, which position he held for many years. It was after the iron industry had ceased to be profitable in New England that he entered the real estate business. In this his transactions have been large from the beginning, and his investments have been of an important character. He has built a number of apartment houses in the Back Bay district of Boston, which are prominent among the finer structures of that quarter, such as the "Ilkley,"

the "Windermere," the "Chesterfield," on the corner of Exeter and Marlboro Streets, and the houses Nos. 290 and 293-295 Commonwealth Avenue ; and the building of the Copley Square Hotel was his enterprise. He is a member of the Algonquin, the Athletic, and the Megantie Fish and Game clubs, of the De Molay Commandery, and other fraternal organizations. Mr. Geiger

ALBERT GEIGER.

was married September 8, 1872, to Miss Emma Pfeiffer, of Boston. They have three children : Albert, Emily, and Arthur Geiger.

GEORGE, ELIJAH, register of probate and in- solvency, Suffolk County, is a native of New York, born in New Rochelle, September 6, 1850, son of William E. and Elizabeth (Deveau) George. He was educated in New York City, receiving a high- school and academic training, and there began the study of law. Then, coming to Boston, he continued his studies in the law office of Uriel H. and George G. Crocker and in the Boston Univer- sity Law School, graduating therefrom in 1873. He was admitted to the Suffolk bar in 1874 and to the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States in 1889. In 1875 he was appointed assist-

MEN OF PROGRESS.

ant register of probate and insolvency for the county of Suffolk, and two years later was elected to the position of register for the term of five

ELIJAH GEORGE.

years, which he has since held by repeated re- elections. He has been for a number of years prominent in military affairs, and was for some time a member of the First Corps of Cadets. In 1881-82 he was judge advocate, with the rank of captain, of the First Brigade, State militia ; and since 1882 he has been judge advocate of the Second Brigade. He is a member of the Boston Bar Association, of the Curtis Law, the Union, the Algonquin, the Athletic, the Massachusetts Yacht, the Roxbury, and the Abstract clubs ; and of the Beacon Society of Boston. Mr. George was married May 25, 1876, to Miss Susan Virginia Howard, of Baltimore, Md. They have three sons : Elijah Howard, William Leigh, and Ernest George.

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.

Men of progress one thousand biographical sketches and portraits of leaders in business and professional life in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Part 6

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