Men of progress one thousand biographical sketches and portraits of leaders in business and professional life in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Part 80

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 80

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sonic fraternity, a member of the Blue Lodge and Samoset Chapter of Plymouth ; and is a member of the Merchants' Mgonquin, and Exchange clubs of Boston and the Commercial Club of Plymouth. He was married May 27, 1869, to Miss Nancy Sprague Loring, daughter of Samuel and Laura A. B. Loring, of Duxbury, grand-niece of the Hon. Seth Sprague and Judge Peleg Sprague. Their children are : Laura Loring (born May 27, 1870, married September 19, 1894, to Thomas Russell, ex-representative to the General Court, son of William G. Russell, of the law firm of Russell & Putnam, Boston), Samuel Loring (born in 1872), John Ward (born in 1879), and Bettina Loring Parks (born in 1884). Mr. Parks resides in Dux- bury on the Loring homestead, which has been in the Loring family since about 1707, and has from that time never been passed by deed, always by will. The old manor house on the homestead. still in an excellent state of preservation, was built in 1738. Mr. Parks's family occupy the commodious modern brick house on the old place, built by Samuel Loring in 1879.

PERRIN, REV. WILLARD TAYLOR, of Boston, pastor of St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church, South Boston, is a native of Cambridge, born June 2, 1850, son of Noah and Philenia W. (Stone) Perrin. He is of the eighth generation of American Perrins, whose ancestor, John Perryn, came to this country from London, England, in the ship "Safety " in August, 1635, and landed at Braintree, where he resided until with others he founded Rehoboth, where his body lies buried. Samuel Perrin, of the fourth generation, bought land of the Indians at Pomfret, Conn. ; and upon this estate Perrins of six generations occupied the same homestead. Noah Perrin, the father of Willard T., came to Boston in 1832, and entered the wholesale grocery business, and was later a provision dealer. He retired from business in 1859, and spent the latter part of his life in what is now Wellesley Hills. He died January 15, 1894. On the maternal side Mr. Perrin belongs to the tenth generation of American Stones, whose ancestor, Gregory Stone, came over from England in the ship " Increase," and landed in Boston about 1634, settled in Cambridge, and owned lands north-west of the college grounds. Mr. Perrin attained his early education in the district schools of Grantville (now Wellesley Hills), where

he found wise and kind teachers. He entered the Cambridge High School in 1863, and gradu- ated therefrom in 1866, delivering the salutatory in

WILLARD T. PERRIN.

Latin, and then entered Harvard, where he was graduated in 1870, in the same class with Lieuten- ant Governor Wolcott. He stood number twelve in scholarship in his class, which was eminent for its high rank. He was honored by his classmates with the position of third marshal on Class Day. He was also a member of the Harvard base ball nine for the two seasons of 1869 and 1870, in which it did not lose a game to any nine in the country which was strictly amateur. As a mem- ber of the nine, he visited the principal cities of the North and West. After graduation Mr. Perrin was sub-master in the Boston Latin School for one year. Then in 1871 he began his theo- logical studies, entering the School of Theology of Boston University, and was graduated there in 1874 with the degree of S.T. B. During his course he was instructor in Greek for one year ; and he spent the summer of 1873 in the employ of the United States Fish Commission, visiting Cali- fornia in this service. Mr. Perrin was born of Methodist parents, and was received into the church when fifteen years of age. He was ad- mitted into the ministry of the Methodist Episco-

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pal Church in the New England Conference in 1874, being settled in Allston in April that year. He was ordained deacon in 1876 by the honored Bishop Matthew Simpson, and elder by Bishop W. L. Harris in 1878. His services at Allston covered two years. He was next assigned to Wilbraham, the site of Wesleyan Academy, where he spent three years, April, 1876, to April, 1879 ; then to the State Street Church, Springfield, serv- ing from April, 1879, to April, 1882 ; then to the Monument Square Church, Charlestown, Boston, 1882-85 ; to Trinity, Worcester, 1885-SS ; Worthen Street, Lowell, 1888-91; and to St. John's, South Boston, his present pastorate, in 1892. His ability and strength have been chiefly devoted to the pressing calls of large parishes,- connected with preaching, pastoral visiting, pay- ing church debts, remodelling church edifices. He has, however, occasionally appeared on the lecture platform, and has been called to various responsibilities in the general work of his denomi- nation and in reform movements. In 1885, upon the nomination of the alumni of the School of Theology, he was elected a trustee of Boston Uni- versity, as the first representative of the alumni upon the board, and has been twice re-elected for the term of five years. Mr. Perrin was married April 12, 1876, to Miss Lucy Ellen Denton, of Newton. In 1891 Mrs. Perrin and himself spent nine months abroad, visiting England and Scot- land; the continent of Europe, including Greece and Constantinople ; Egypt, going up the Nile to the first cataract ; the Holy Land, travelling through the country on horseback in winter : Malta and Sicily. Mr. Perrin's only brother, Marshall Livingston Perrin, is a professor in Bos- ton University and superintendent of schools in the town of Wellesley.

RAMSAY, REV. WILLIAM WARWICK, D.D., of Boston, is a native of Ohio, born at Winchester, Adams County, September 11, 1835, son of the Hon. Richard and Priscilla (Reese) Ramsay. His mother was the daughter of Jonathan Reese, a major in the War of IS 12. His father occupied many positions of trust, and the great esteem in which he was held was evinced by his having been chosen a member of the Ohio Legislature when among his constituency the political party with which he was identified was in the minority. Dr. Ramsay's early education was acquired in the

common schools of his native village, and his col- legiate training was in the Ohio Wesleyan Univer- sity at Delaware, then under the presidency of that eminent educator, afterward a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Rev. Edward Thompson, LL.1). Here he enjoyed most con- genial and helpful educational advantages, which, however, because of ill-health, he was obliged to terminate before graduation. Subsequently, in 1871, he received from the university the honor- ary degree of A.M .; and in ISSo the honorary degree of D).1). was conferred upon him by Alle- gheny College at Meadville, Pa. The earlier years of his active life were devoted to teaching, and during part of these years he was engaged in superintending the Union Schools of Manchester and Aberdeen in Southern Ohio. But, being deeply impressed with the conviction that the Christian ministry was to be his real vocation in life, he joined the Cincinnati Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He began preaching in the year 1863 ; and, owing to the limited pastoral term in the church of his choice, he has served quite a number of churches in the

W. W. RAMSAY.

thirty years of his ministerial experience. During that period he has been connected with the Cin- cinnati, Erie, Kentucky, Pittsburg, Detroit, and

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New England conferences, and has been stationed at the most prominent churches in Cincinnati, Dayton, and Akron, Ohio; Erie and Pittsburg, Penna. ; Covington, Ky. ; Detroit and Ann Arbor, Mich. ; and in Boston, Mass. He is now (1895) in the fifth year of a most prosperous pastorate at the Tremont Street Church, Boston, one of the oldest and strongest Methodist churches in that city, and the most prominent church in its de- nomination in New England. He has also made a successful venture in authorship, having pub- lished through Lee & Shepard a little book en- titled " Sky Wonders," presenting the features of astronomy in popular and inviting fashion, which has received warm praise from the press. As a man, Dr. Ramsay is modest, unassuming, a devout Christian, and a faithful friend. As a preacher, he is forceful, logical, and oftentimes eloquent in a high degree. His pulpit preparation is always most thorough, and gives evidence to the hearer of a cultured mind and a warm, sympathetic heart. For many years he has ranked as one of the fore- most preachers of his denomination, and, largely because of his reputation in this direction, has been carnestly sought after by the most prominent churches of the country. In every instance thus far in his ministerial experience he has gone to the churches he has served at their urgent request, and in one instance, that of Central Church, Detroit, was returned for a second pastorate in the same manner. While he thus excels as a preacher, he is also a model pastor. He is in the very prime of his physical and mental powers, and will undoubtedly be able to give yet many years of service to the church he loves and whose growth he has advanced by his ministry. Dr. Ramsay was married April 6, 1857, to Miss Lida A. Gabriel, of Winchester, Ohio, a daughter of the Rev. James Gabriel, a Baptist minister, and a woman of high intelligence and devotion, who has proved a worthy helpmate to her husband in all the work of his ministry. They have had two bright and promising sons, one of whom died in 1872, aged ten years; and the other, W. B. Ramsay, in 1891, at the age of twenty-three, soon after his graduation from the law school of the University of Michigan, having previously grad- uated from the College of Liberal Arts of the same university.

REED, CHARLES ANDREW, of Taunton, member of the bar, mayor of the city 1895, was born in

Weymouth, June 16, 1836, son of Samuel and Caroline (Nash) Reed. He is of the eighth gen- eration in direct line from William Reade, of Wey-

CHARLES A. REED.

mouth, who is said to have sailed from Gravesend, Kent, England, in the " Assurance de Lo," Brom- well, master, in 1635, upon his arrival settled in Weymouth, and made a freeman September 2, 1635, the line running as follows: (1) William, born 1605, supposed to be son of William; (2) William of Weymouth, eldest son of William of Weymouth ; (3) John of Abington, eldest son of William of Weymouth ; (4) John of Weymouth, eldest son of John of Abington : (5) Samuel of Weymouth, eldest son of John of Weymouth ; (6) Samuel of Hull, eldest son of Samuel of Wey- mouth ; (7) Samuel, eldest son of Samuel of Hull ; (8) Charles A., eldest son of Samuel of Weymouth. He was educated in the public schools of Wey- mouth, fitting for college at Fore River High School, Weymouth Landing, and at Amherst Col- lege, from which he graduated in the class of 1856. After graduating he was principal of Hanover Academy, Hanover, until March, 1859. Then he studied law with Ellis Ames, of Canton, and was admitted to the Suffolk bar July 15, 1861. Im- mediately after his admission he began practice, established in Taunton, where he has since re-

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mained. His first partnership was with James Brown, of Taunton, formed in February. 1862. under the title of Brown & Reed. This was dis- solved in 1870 ; and in 1878 he formed a second partnership with James H. Dean, under the style of Reed & Dean, which continued till the first of June, 1893. Since that time he has been alone. His practice began in the Supreme Judicial Court, October term, 1862, the cases then argued being reported in 5 Allen ; and from that date to the present he has been engaged in many cases in various departments of law, but quite largely of late in municipal law, reported in 5 Allen to 160 Massachusetts Law Reports. From 1880 to 1894, with the exception of a few years, he was city solicitor of Taunton, his terms covering the years 1880-81, 83-84, 90-94. His public service began as a member of the Taunton Common Council in 1879. In 1881 and 1882 he was a representative in the General Court, serving on the committee on the judiciary both years, and on the com- mittee on revision of the statutes in 1882; and in 1886 and 1887 a senator, serving during his terms on the committees on the judiciary, on pro- bate and insolvency, on cities, and on taxation. He was elected mayor of Taunton for the year 1895 on the Republican ticket. In general politics he is a Republican. Mr. Reed is much interested in historical matters, and has been secretary of the Old Colony Historical Society since 1880. He has also been a director and the auditor of the Bristol County Agricultural Society for many years. He is vestryman of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Taunton, which position he has held since 1870. He was first married in 1871 to Weltha V. Dean, daughter of Silas Dean, by whom he had two children : Silas Dean and Frances Augustina Reed. The first Mrs. Reed died June 30, 1884. He married second in 1889. Miss Myra L. Dean, also daughter of Silas Dean.

RICE, MARSHALL OLIN, of Boston, merchant, was born in Newton Centre, July 12, 1842, son of Marshall S. and Mary (Livermore) Rice. He is of the early New England Rice family, founded by Edmund Rice, who emigrated to this country from Berkhampstead, England, in 1638, and set- tled in Sudbury, Mass. His education was at- tained entirely in the public schools of Newton, and his training for active life was in hard practi- cal work. He came to Boston in 1860, and began

his business career at eighteen years of age, as boy with Leland & Mason, then at No. 61 Milk Street, in the wholesale clothing trade. In 1862, this firm being dissolved, Mr. J. 1). Leland and himself went with the firm of Philip Wadsworth & Co., at No. 95 Devonshire Street ; and three years later (1866) he was admitted a partner in the firm, which did a large business in Boston and Chicago. In 1869 this firm dissolved, Mr. Wadsworth tak- ing the Chicago part of the business and Mr. Leland and himself the Boston part, forming a partnership under the firm name of Leland, Rice, & Co. The business thus organized steadily in-

MARSHALL O. RICE.

creased, and in 1871 the firm took a larger store at No. 105 Devonshire Street. Here they were burned out in the great fire of 1872, making nearly a total loss. Starting again, they con- tinned successfully till December 31, 1889, when the partnership was terminated by the death of Mr. Leland. Thereafter Mr. Rice continued the business for one year with William S. Sayward under the old name of Leland, Rice, & Co., liqui- dating all the affairs of the firm, and on Jan- uary 1, 1891, with Mr. Sayward, Mr. Whitten, and George M. Rice, his son, formed the present firm of Rice, Sayward, & Whitten. Mr. Rice is vice-president of the Clothing Manufacturers' As-

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MEN OF PROGRESS.

sociation of Boston, and vice-president of the Plymouth Clothing House of Minneapolis, Minn. In politics he is and always has been a Repub- lican. He has never held or desired any political office, and his public life has been always among his associates and competitors in business. He belongs to the Newton Club, and has served one term on its executive committee. Mr. Rice was married June 1, 1864, to Miss Mary E. Rand, daughter of George C. Rand, of Rand, Avery, & Co., Boston. The only child of this marriage was George M. Rice, now his partner in busi- ness. Mrs. Rice died January 3, 1866 ; and on September 15, 1867, he married Miss Mary Paul, daughter of Deacon Luther Paul, of Newton. The children by this union were: Helen R. and Will- iam H. Rice. Helen R. is a graduate of Smith College, and William H. is employed in Mr. Rice's business.

ST. DENNIS, JOSEPH NELSON, M.D., of Med- ford, was born in St. Philippe, P.Q., October 16, 1865. He is the second of ten sons of Napoleon and Rose Delima (Peladeau) St. Dennis. His father is the eldest of three sons of Paul and Lucie (Senecal) St. Dennis. Paul St. Dennis descended from early French settlers in Canada ; and Lucie St. Dennis's parents were natives of France. His mother is the fourth daughter of Edward and Mary (Bunker) Peladeau, the father of Edward l'eladeau a native of France and his mother of English descent, his wife's father, John Bunker, a native of Boston, Mass., having settled in Chambly, P.Q., at the age of twenty. Her mother was of Irish and Scotch descent. Dr. St. Dennis was educated in Massachusetts, in the public schools of Somerville and Medford, finishing with a complete business course at Comer's Commercial College in Boston. He en- tered a wholesale business house on State Street, Boston, at the age of nineteen, and remained there for about three years, displaying much ability in the positions in which he was placed. But, preferring professional to commercial life, he finally withdrew, and went to Montreal to secure the proper training. Being admitted to McGill's Medical College, he began with two courses there ; and, as it required at least four years' study to obtain a degree at Montreal, and desiring to economize time, immediately at the close of each of these he entered the Burleigh Medical College, thus taking two courses each year. Then, as Bur-

leigh did not graduate students till July, 1892, he entered Baltimore University School of Medicine, and graduated there with high honors in March that year, having taken five courses in less than three years' time. Upon his graduation Dr. St. Dennis established himself at his home in Med- ford, and early earned a reputation as a skilful physician, after only a few months' practice be- coming recognized as one of the busiest and most successful practitioners in his town. He is active, conscientious, of excellent judgment, broad and liberal in his views. In politics he is Independent. He is a member of many societies,

NELSON ST. DENNIS.

fraternal and social, for several of which he is medical examiner. He is also examiner for a number of insurance companies. He is a contrib- utory member of the "Lawrence Light Guard," Company E, Fifth Regiment Infantry, Massachu- setts Militia, in which he served three years, re- signing, after having been appointed first sergeant, by reason of his firm sending him out as a com- mercial traveller. While a soldier, he was awarded badges as a qualified third, second, and first class marksman ; and he holds several medals and prizes won at target shooting, competitive drills, and for efficiency as a soldier. On two occasions he declined election to a lieutenancy. He is also

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a contributory member of St. Lawrence Post, No. 66, Grand Army of the Republic. He was ad- mitted a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society in October, 1894. He is unmarried.

H. W. SANBORN.

SANBORN, HENRY WARREN, of Boston, dep- uty superintendent of sewer division of the street department of the city, was born in Brighton, March 16, 1853, son of Noah Warren and Eliza- beth (Farwell) Sanborn. He was educated in the public schools of Brighton, graduating from the lligh School in 1870. While at the latter, he made a specialty of the higher mathematics, and after graduation took a short course at Bryant & Strat- ton's Commercial College, Boston. He began professional work in 1871, when he entered the office of Fuller & Whitney, civil engineers, Boston. His principal work for the next two years was on the filling and laying out of the Back Bay District, and in the city proper after the great fire of 1872. [n 1873 he entered the employ of the city in the office of the city engineer. In 1874-75 he was of the firm of Smilie & Sanborn, civil engineers, in Newton. In 1876 he became one of the engineer- ing force engaged on the construction of the Bos- ton Main Drainage Works, and continued on this work till ISS1, when he was appointed assistant

engineer on the construction of Basin No. 4 of the Boston Water-works. He resigned the latter position in 1883, to accept an appointment as as- sistant engineer in charge of hydrographic work on surveys for a new supply of water for the city of Philadelphia. Upon the completion of this work, in 1886, he returned to Boston, and was appointed assistant engineer in charge of con- struction of Basin No. 5 of the Boston Water Works. In 1887 he was made executive engineer of the Boston Main Drainage Works, and in this position continued until the formation of the new street department by consolidation in 1891, when he was appointed to his present position of deputy superintendent of the sewer division. Mr. San- born is a member of the Engineers' Club of Phila- delphia, of the Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective Association, and of the Megantic Fish and Game Club. He was married in 1887 to Miss Ella A. Sanborn, of Chicago, Ill. They have three children : Herbert Warren, Lillian Esther Washington, and Grace Marion Sanborn.

WILLIAM SCHOFIELD.

SCHOFIELD, WILLIAM, of Boston, member of the Suffolk bar, was born in Dudley, Worcester County, February 14, 1857, son of John and Mar- garet (Thompson) Schofield. His early education

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was acquired in the common schools ; and he was fitted for college at the Nichols Academy, Dud- ley. He entered Harvard, and graduated in the class of 1879, afterwards spent a year on special studies, principally the Roman Law; and then, entering the Harvard Law School, was graduated there in June, 1883. For the two years following he was secretary of Mr. Justice Gray at Washing- ton, meanwhile being admitted to the Suffolk bar in the spring of ISS4. He began to practise law in the autumn of 1885 in Boston, and has been established there ever since. He was for three years, 1886-89, instructor in Torts at the Harvard Law School; and, after the death of Professor Ernest Young, was instructor in Roman Law for two years, 1890-92, in Harvard College. Since the latter date his whole attention has been given to his law business. Mr. Schofield has written a number of articles on legal subjects, which have appeared in the Harvard Law Review. He was married December 1, 1892, to Miss Ednah M. Green, of Rutland, Vt.

SIDNEY, AUSTIN WILBUR, M.D., of Fitch- burg, was born in Westminster, February 27, 1824, son of Leonard and Lucinda (Sawin) Hoar. By an act of the Massachusetts State Legislature in 1846 his name was changed from Iloar to Sidney. He traces his lineage on the paternal side back to John Hoar, who was connected with the early history of New England, and down to the late Judge Hoar, of Concord, and Senator Hoar, of Worcester. His grandfather was of Con- cord, and moved from that town, when a young man, to Westminster, where he afterward lived, married, and reared a family of nine or ten chil- dren. Dr. Sidney's parents were both natives of Westminster. They had ten children, seven still living, of whom he was the oldest. He received his early education in the common schools of his native town, and finished at the Westminster Academy. He took up the study of medicine first with Dr. John Andrews, late of Taunton, and subsequently attended the Eclectic Medical Col- lege of Pennsylvania, graduating there in 1860. Later in life he studied at the Dartmouth Medical College, and graduated there in ISSo. He began the practice of medicine in 1861, settled in the town of Sterling, where he remained until 1866, when he removed to Fitchburg, which has since been his field of successful labor. He became a

member of the Massachusetts Medical Society in ISSI, of the Fitchburg Society for Medical Im- provement the same year, and of the American Medical Association in 1883, and he was a mem- ber of the Ninth Medical International Congress in 1887. In 1891 he was president of the Fitch- burg Society for Medical Improvement ; and was one of the censors of the Worcester North Medi- cal Society during the year 1892. In Fitchburg he is much interested in local affairs, being a member of the Fitchburg Board of Trade and serving on the School Committee. He was a charter member of the corporation of the Fitch-

A. W. SIDNEY.

burg Home for Old Ladies, incorporated in 1883, and held the office of president and physician of the corporation for several years, resigning in IS92. He became a member of the Baptist Church in IS44, and was early identified with local church matters. He was for many years one of the prudential committee of the First Baptist Church of Fitchburg; and in IS91, when the Highland Baptist Church of Fitchburg was organ- ized, he united with that society, and was duly elected one of its deacons and chairman of its prudential committee. He has been prominently connected with the building and repairing of the four Baptist church buildings in his city. Dr.

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MEN OF PROGRESS.

Sidney is connected with the Masonic fraternity and with the order of Odd Fellows. In politics he is a stanch Republican, in favor of prohibi- tion. He was first married April 15, 1845, to Miss Esther Whitaker, of West Boylston. He married second, January 6, 1875, Miss Mandana M. Walker, of Clinton. He has one child (adopted), Laura M., now wife of the Rev. W. L. Stone, pas- tor of the Baptist church of South Penobscot, Me.

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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 80

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