USA > Massachusetts > Men of progress one thousand biographical sketches and portraits of leaders in business and professional life in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts > Part 97
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CLAFLIN, FRED HARRIS, of Boston, business manager of the Daily Standard, was born in Hudson, October 21, 1861, son of Dr. William T. and Julia M. Claflin. He was educated in the public schools of Marlborough and at the Worcester Academy. His mother dying when he was a boy, he lived during his early youth with his uncle, Dr. E. D. Wyman, in Montague City ; and while there he published the first amateur paper in western Massachusetts, called The Press. When at the Worcester Acad- emy, he started a paper called The Academy, which is still in existence. He served his first time as a
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printer with Pratt Brothers in Marlborough, Mass., remaining in their office for about three years. Then he removed with his uncle to Malden, and began work in Boston printing-offices. He was first in charge of the office of Babb & Stevens on Water Street, next with Deland & Barta, and next in charge of the office of Colburn Brothers. Leaving the latter place in 1886, he went to Worcester, and after doing some work for the late Henry J. Jennings, who was then chairman of the Republican city committee of Worcester, he was employed by Mr. Christie, also a member of that committee, to assist in starting the Worcester Tele-
F. H. CLAFLIN
gram. He remained with the Telegram for about two years, serving as reporter, then on special work, and the second year as assistant editor. and was finally obliged to retire, having lost his eye- sight. For two months he was totally blind, and was told by his doctor that he must give up news- paper work. Upon his partial recovery, however, and having returned to Boston, he took a position as special reporter on the Boston Evening Trar- eller, then under the direction of Colonel Roland Worthington. He spent four years in this office, part of the time as city editor and the last year in charge of the business department, and then entered the employ of the Boston Journal, being
offered by Stephen O'Meara, the general manager at that time, the position of superintendent of the circulation department. He continued with the Journal also four years, until the change in the management and the retirement of Mr. O'Meara in the spring of 1895,- having the direction of the delivery and subscription departments as well as the circulation,- and from there went to the Standard as general manager. Mr. Claflin is prominently connected with the order of Odd Fellows, having occupied nearly all the chairs from the lodge to the canton. He is a member of the Malden Lodge, of the Paul Revere En- campment of Boston, and the Grand Canton, Shawmut, Boston; was for two years quarter- master of the First Regiment, Patriarchs Militant, under Colonel John E. Palmer, and one year quartermaster of the division of the East, under General Foster, New Haven, Conn .; and is now chief of staff of the Massachusetts department Patriarchs Militant, under Brigadier-General Frank M. Merrill, of Lowell, the position being second in the State.
CLARK, BENJAMIN CUTLER, of Boston, man- ufacturer, is a native of Boston, born October 10, 1833, son of Benjamin Cutler and Mary ( Pres- ton) Clark. His great - grandfather, Benjamin Clark, was one of the " Boston Tea Party." He was educated in Chauncy Hall School, where he was fitted for college, and at Harvard College, graduating in the notable class of 1853, which embraced among its members Charles W. Eliot, now President Eliot of the University, Professor Adams S. Hill, James M. Peirce, James C. White, and Elbridge J. Cutler ; the librarian and histo- rian, Justin Windsor : Francis W. Vaughan, libra- rian of the Boston Social Law Library; General Charles J. Paine, John Quincy Adams, Arthur T. Lyman, Edward King, president of the Union Trust Company of New York, and others who after graduation achieved place and fame. Mr. Clark's training for business life was in the count- ing-room ; and he has been steadily in active busi- ness from October. 1853. Since 1862 he has been head of the firm of B. C. Clark & Co., in the Mediterranean and West Indies business and ship- owners, and since 1874 treasurer of the Pearson Cordage Company, now also president of the cor- poration. He has been consul for the Republic of Hayti since 1863, the oldest in term of office in Boston ; and the late minister Preston once stated
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that among all their diplomatic posts there were no accounts kept so clearly and systematically as those at the Boston consulate. Mr. Clark is also trustee for a large amount of property. He is interested in practical philanthropic work in Bos- ton, as treasurer of the Tyler Street Day Nursery, and treasurer for many years of the Poplar Club, an organization of workingmen at the West End. He is president of the Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective Association, secretary and treas- urer of the Massachusetts Agricultural Club, which has existed for fifty-five years, and a mem- ber of the Boston Art Club, for six years one of
BENJ. C. CLARK.
the executive committee of the latter, and for three years vice-president, declining re-election. He is a fisherman and a sportsman, and has shot more than four thousand ducks at Cohasset, which exceeds all known records in that locality. Mr. Clark married September 29, 1859, Miss Ad- eline Kinnicutt Weld, eldest daughter of Aaron D. Weld, of West Roxbury. Their children are : Benjamin Preston, Alice Harding, Gertrude Weld, and Ellery Harding Clark.
CLARK, REV. FRANCIS EDWARD, of Boston, president of the United Society of Christian En-
deavor, was born in the town of Aylmer, on the upper Ottawa River, Province Quebec, Canada, September 12, 1851, son of Charles Carey and Lydia Fletcher (Clark) Symmes. His parents were always citizens of the United States, but lived temporarily in Canada. He is of early New England stock, being on his father's side a de- scendant in the eighth generation from the Rev. Zechariah Symmes, who came to Boston in the ship "Griffin " in 1634, and was the first minister of Charlestown. This Zechariah Symmes was a graduate of Emanuel College, Cambridge, chosen lecturer at St. Anthony, London, but, because of persecution brought upon him by his espousal of non-conformity, he left England. His ancestors were eminent Church of England ministers ; and several of his descendants, Dr. Clark's immedi- ate ancestors, were ministers. On his mother's side Dr. Clark is descended also from Puritan stock for many generations in Massachusetts. His great-uncle, Charles Symmes, originally of Symmes's Corner (now in Winchester), was the founder of Ayliner. He was but two years old when his father died of cholera, and seven when he was bereft of his mother; and, then being adopted by his uncle, the Rev. Edward Warren Clark, of Claremont, N.H., his name was changed by the latter to "Clark." His early education was received at home, in the Claremont Academy, and at Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, N.H .; and he was graduated at Dartmouth College in the class of 1873, from which college he received the degree of D.D. in 1886. Subsequently he attended the Andover Theological Seminary, and was graduated there in 1876. He became pastor of the Williston Congregational Church, Portland, in the following autumn, October 19, and seven years later, October, 1883, was made pastor of the Phillips Congregational Church, South Boston. In the autumn of 1887 he was dismissed to accept the presidency of the United Society of Christian Endeavor, and the editorship in chief of the Golden Rule. His life-work, which has given him a wide reputation abroad as well as in his own country, has been in connection with the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, which he founded in ISSI, and which now numbers in all parts of the world nearly two and one-half mill- ions. This movement was begun by him while pastor of the Williston Church, and was the result of a revival which brought a number of young converts to the church. Its purpose was to pro-
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vide an organization through which young converts could be held true, and trained for the duties of church membership. The first meeting was held in the parsonage, on an evening of February, 1881 ; and, after Dr. Clark had presented and ex- plained to his young guests a constitution which he had previously drawn up of the " Williston Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor." fifty-seven signed as active members and six as associate members. This constitution, the main point of which was the " prayer-meeting pledge" by which each active member agrees to attend and participate in the weekly prayer-meeting. was essentially the same as that adopted by the great majority of Societies of Christian En- deavor which have followed the parent one. The original society rapidly increased, and at the close of the first year numbered one hundred and twenty-seven members. The second year it had two hundred names on its roll. In August. 1881, an article published in a religious journal of Bos- ton, entitled " How One Church Cares for its Young People." gave the first knowledge of Mr. Clark's experiment to the outside world. This.
F. E. CLARK.
and other articles following, brought letters from pastors and workers in all parts of the country : and similar organizations in other places were in
course of time effected. In June, 1882, when six societies were recorded with four hundred and eighty-one members, the first convention was held in the Williston Church. At the next annual con- ference fifty-three societies were recorded, with twenty-six hundred and thirty members; at the
next, in 1884, one hundred and fifty-one, with
sixty-four hundred and fourteen members ; in 1885, two hundred and fifty-three, with fourteen thousand eight hundred and ninety-two members in all parts of the country, and several societies in foreign lands. That year the " United Society of porated under the laws of Maine, and head- Christian Endeavor" was founded and incor- quarters were established in Boston. The con- vention of 1887 held at Saratoga, at which Dr. Clark was chosen president of the United Society,
was attended by two thousand delegates ; that of
eight thousand : 1891, over fourteen thousand; that of 1889, over sixty-five hundred ; 1890, over ISSS drew together over five thousand delegates :
1892 (in New York), thirty-five thousand ; 1893 (held in Montreal, Canada), sixteen thousand ; enrolled at the headquarters in Boston more than 1894, thirty-five thousand. In 1895 there were forty thousand societies, with a membership of
about nine thousand were junior societies. In over two million four hundred thousand. Of these
the spring of ISSS Dr. Clark visited England in the interest of the movement, and again in 1891, the second visit in company with three trus- tees of the United Society. Large meetings were held in various places, and zealous work resulted,
the societies in England increasing from one hun- dred and twenty in 1891 to one thousand in 1894. Dr. Clark next made a trip around the world, tak- ing with him his wife and eldest son. Starting in August, 1893, he first visited Australia, touching on the way the Hawaiian Islands and the Samoan Islands, where are several flourishing societies. In all the principal cities of Australia great con- ventions were held, and soon after his departure the Australian United Society of Christian En- deavor was formed. From Australia, after a brief stay in Canton, he pressed on to Japan. There large gatherings were held in many places under the auspices of the missionaries and the Endeavor Societies, and there a Japanese United Society of Christian Endeavor was also formed. Again in China similar meetings were held in various places ; and, as in the countries earlier visited, a United Society was subsequently formed. India
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and Ceylon were next visited, Calcutta and Bom- bay, with the same gratifying results. Then Dr. Clark journeyed to Egypt and to Palestine : after a short stay in Syria, to Constantinople : thence to Spain ; next to Paris ; thence across the Channel to Great Britain ; and from there back to the United States. This journey covered about thirty- nine thousand miles, more than twelve nations ; and the addresses before audiences aggregating over one hundred thousand were largely made through interpreters in more than twenty different languages. Dr. Clark has written several volumes, the chief being " Young People and the Church," " Young People's Prayer-meetings," "Our Jour- ney around the World," " The Mossback Corre- spondence," " Christian Endeavor Saints," " Dan- ger Signals," and "Looking out on Life." Hle has held various ecclesiastical offices and trustec- ships ; and he has been for three years a member of the prudential committee of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. He is a member of the Monday Club, the Congre- gational Club, and of other minor clubs. He was married October 3, 1876, to Miss Harriet Eliza- beth Abbott, of Andover, who is a direct descend- ant in the eighth generation of John Alden of " Mayflower" fame, and who has been of great assistance to Dr. Clark in all his work for young people. They have had five children : Maude Williston, Eugene Francis, Faith Phillips, Harold Symmes, and Ernest Sydney Clark, of whom all except the third are living.
CLARK, JAMES SAMUEL, M.D., of Westfield, was born in Bellows Falls, Vt., July 21, 1854. son of Abijah Stone and Clara (Swan) Clark. His father was the grandson of Samuel Clark, an officer in the Revolutionary War; and his mother was descended from Governor Thomas Dudley, whose grand-daughter, Deborah Wade, married Thomas Swan. He was graduated from the High School at Bellows Falls in 1870 ; and the following year, his father moving to Turner's Falls. Mass., and establishing the Clark Machine Company, he entered the latter's shop, and spent three years there, learning the machinist's trade. Subsequently, after spending the years 1875 and 1876 in the Worcester School of Technology, he became superintendent of the machine shop. In 1878 he began the study of medicine with Medical Examiner Waterman of Westfield, and in 1881
was graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York City. The same autumn he began practice in Stafford Springs, Conn ..
JAMES S. CLARK.
where he remained until August, 1887, at which time he returned to Westfield to go into partner- ship with Dr. Waterman, whose health had failed. He has since made Westfield his home, and for three years served as town physician. He spent the summer and autumn of 1894 in travelling through Europe, giving especial attention to the hospitals in London, Edinburgh, Dublin, and Paris. Though not actually engaged in politics, Dr. Clark entertains a keen interest in the Republican party. He was married October 9, 1889, to Miss Patty Lee Waterman, youngest daughter of his former preceptor.
COLLINS. ABEL CHALKLEY, of Great Barring- ton, member of the bar, is a native of Connecticut. born in North Stonington, New London County. March 27, 1857, youngest son of Abel Francis and Electa Jane (Collins) Collins. His mother, still living, was a daughter of Job S. and Ruth Collins, of Utica, N.Y. He is descended from Henry Col- lins, who with wife and three children sailed from London, England, in 1635, in the ship " Abigail."
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He had a certificate from the minister of the parish of Stepney " of his conformitie, and that he was no subsidy man." He settled in Essex Street in Lynn, where he carried on the business of man- ufacturing starch. He held several local offices, and in 1639 was a member of the Salem Court. This branch of the Collins family became early identified with the Society of Friends. John, a grandson of Henry, was a prominent minister, and for many years one of the leading members of the society in New England. Mr. Collins's mother and her father, and his grandfather, Abel Collins, were also well-known ministers. His father, Abel
A C. COLLINS.
F. Collins, was a man of good education and sound judgment. He taught school for a number of years, part of the time at the Friends' Boarding School of Providence, R.I. He settled upon the family homestead in North Stonington, and was a successful farmer. He was also a justice of the peace in that town. Abel Chalkley prepared for college at the Friends' Boarding School, Provi- dence, and took a classical course at Brown Uni- versity, graduating in 1878 with the degree of A.B. In 1881 he received the degree of A.M. After graduating from the college, he taught school for three years. Then he took up the study of law in the office of Judge Justin Dewey in Great
Barrington. He was admitted to the bar before the Supreme Court at Pittsfield in May, 1884, and im- mediately opened his office in Great Barrington. He has had some important criminal cases, but has confined his attention more especially to civil cases, and with good success. He has been counsel for a number of corporations, and has had charge of settling many estates. He is also a director of the National Mahaiwe Bank and a trustee of the Great Barrington Savings Bank. He has been prominent in town affairs, and taken much interest in local institutions. He has been chairman of the Board of Selectmen for two terms, 1887-89, a member of the School Committee since 1890, and one of the directors of the Great Bar- rington Free Library for a number of years and actively interested in it. He was chosen presi- dent of the Young Men's Christian Association upon its organization in 1893, and re-elected in 1894. While in college, he was a member of Alpha Delta Phi Society and of the Phi Beta Kappa. In politics Mr. Collins is Republican. He has never sought office; but he accepted the Republican nomination for representative to the Legislature in 1892, in a district then Democratic. He, however, did not succeed in overcoming the Democratic tidal wave of that year. He was married January 2, 1890, to Miss Sarah D. Shel- don, daughter of Seth L. and Phebe Sheldon, of Great Barrington. They have two sons : Sheldon Chalkley (born January 21, 1891) and Theodore Abel Collins (born May 10, 1895). He resides at Indiola Place, formerly the residence of his uncle, Clarkson T. Collins, M.D., deceased. Of his two brothers, Francis W. died in 1887, and Clarkson V. is now practising law in New York ('ity.
CONEY, HUBERT MASON, of Ware, member of the bar, is a native of Ware, born March 18, 1844, son of John and Sophronia (Allen) Coney. His first ancestors on the paternal side in America came to Boston from "Coney Green," England, about 1650, and settled in Sharon and Walpole. The branch from which he sprang came to Ware in 1774, and settled on what is known as "Coy's Hill"; and from that time the place was occupied by one descendant after another till 1871, when John Coney, father of H. M. Coney, removed to Ware Village. They all followed farming. Mr. Coney's education was begun in the common schools of Ware. He graduated from the High
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School in the spring of 1860, prepared for college ; but, his work being needed on the farm, he re- mained at home for another year, meanwhile con- tinuing his studies. In the autumn of 1861 he was fitted for the sophomore class at Amherst, but again was prevented from entering college, this time by the call for service in the Civil War, which was paramount. Accordingly, he enlisted on the 11th of October that year at Ware, and on the 20th of November following was, at Pittsfield, mustered into the service for three years in Company D), Thirty-first Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. Ile served his full term, participating in the en-
HUBERT M. CONEY.
gagements of Bisland, Port Hudson, Yellow Bayou, and others of minor importance, and was honorably discharged at New Orleans, La., November 19, 1864. Upon his return from the army he entered mercantile life, in the hardware business in Ware, which he followed till February, 1872, when he sold out, and began the study of law. While pur- suing his studies, he supported himself by doing some fire and life insurance business and serving as town clerk, holding the latter office from 1872 to 1876. He was admitted to the bar at the March term at Springfield in 1876, and imme- diately began practice there. In 1882 he removed his office to Boston, where he continued until 1889,
when he returned to Ware, in which place he has since been established. in the enjoyment of a large and steadily increasing practice. In 1892 he was town counsel for Ware. While residing in Springfield. he was a representative in the General Court for that city from Ward Two, in 1881. He has served in the State militia for a number of years,-from 1877 to 1882,- first as second lieu- tenant and finally captain of Company G, Second Regiment. In politics he has always been a Re- publican. and now holds the chairmanship of the Republican town committee of Ware. He is a Freemason, member of the Eden Lodge of Ware, the Royal Arch Chapter, and the Springfield Com- mandery Knights Templar : and is a leading mem- ber of the Grand Army of the Republic, being a charter member of J. W. Lawton Post, No. 85, of Ware, and having been in 1895 aide-de-camp on the staff of the commander-in-chief, and judge ad- vocate on the staff of the department commander. Mr. Coney was married April 17, 1867. to Miss Eleanor L. Brainerd, of Ware. They have had one son: Edwin B. Coney, who died April 17. 1889, aged fourteen years.
CONVERSE, ELISHA SLADE, of Boston, manu- facturer, president of the Boston Rubber Shoe Company, was born in Needham, July 28, 1820, son of Elisha and Betsy (Wheaton) Converse. He is a descendant in the eighth generation of Edward Converse, who with his wife came from England to this country in 1630, and settled in Charlestown, where he became one of the fore- most men of the settlement, establishing a ferry between Charlestown and Boston the first year after his arrival, being chosen a selectman in 1634 and serving six years, and in 1640 one of the founders of the town of Woburn, where he built the first dwelling-house and served continuously on the board of selectmen until his death in 1663. Elisha S. was the youngest child of Elisha and Betsy Converse. When he was four years of age, his parents removed from Needham to a farm in Woodstock, Conn .; and his early education was attained in the public schools of that town. In his thirteenth year he was sent to school in Bos- ton,-to the McLean Grammar School, - making his home temporarily in the family of his elder brother, James W. Converse. Shortly after com- ing to Boston, he obtained a place for the employ- ment of part of his time in the shop of Aaron
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Butler, then carrying on a general merchandise trade, principally in dry goods and boots and shoes. Three years were thus diligently spent in study and work. . At the end of this period he returned to the farm, and spent nearly another year there in farm work and in the local school. When he had reached the age of seventeen, he went to Thompson, Conn., to learn the clothier's trade, making an engagement with Albert .I. Whipple, a clothier there. Two years later, before he had completed the stipulated term of service originally agreed upon, Mr. Whipple took him into partnership. Three years later he bought out
E. S. CONVERSE.
Mr. Whipple's interest, and continued the business alone until 1844, when he disposed of it, and re- moved to Boston to engage in the boot, shoe, and leather trade. He was led to this change through the influence of his elder brother, who was then prosperously engaged in the city in the wholesale hide and leather trade. Forming a copartnership with Benjamin Poland, under the firm name of Poland & Converse, he opened a wholesale boot and shoe store on North Market Street, at that time one of the principal streets devoted to this branch of trade in Boston, and made a promis- ing start. Soon after the firm also engaged in the business of grinding and preparing drugs,
spices, dye-stuffs, and other similar articles, with mill near Stoneham; and to that place Mr. Con- verse moved his residence in 1847, where he re- mained until 1850, when he removed to Malden, with which place he has ever since been promi- nently identified. In 1849 this partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Converse formed a new part- nership with John Robson, under the firm name of Converse & Robson. In September, 1853, Mr. Converse was elected to the position of treasurer of the Malden Manufacturing Company, successor of the Edgeworth Rubber Company, an unsuccess- ful enterprise started in 1850, and then began his
long and remarkably successful career as a rubber shoe manufacturer. Upon the change of the name to the Boston Rubber Shoe Company, the act of incorporation by the Legislature being ap- proved May 30 of that year, he gave up active interest in his old business, and devoted himself
entirely to the development of the manufactory and its interests, assuming, in addition to the duties of treasurer, those of general buying and selling agent. From this time the business rap- idly increased, and the product of the manufactory early came to be favorably known throughout the
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