USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Metropolitan Boston; a modern history; Volume IV > 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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55
(I) William. Nickerson was born in 1604, at Norwich, England, and emigrated from this town, in April, 1637, as a passenger on the ship, "John and Dorothy" of Ipswich, or the "Rose," of Yarmouth, bound for the colony at Boston, where he arrived on June 20, 1637, accompanied by his wife, her parents, her broth- er, and his four children. For a time the party resided at Watertown, later removed to Boston, and finally settled in Yarmouth, in or prior to the year 1641, William Nickerson having been a selectman at Yarmouth in 1643, and was a deputy to the general court in 1655. He founded the town of Monoyick (now Chatham), in which vicinity he acquired large land hold- ings from the Indians, and was religious teacher in the community for many years. William Nickerson died in Massachusetts between Au- gust 30, 1689, and September 8, 1690. He mar- ried, in England, Anne (living as late as 1686), daughter of Nicholas and Bridget Busby. Chil- dren: Nicholas, Robert, Anne, Elizabeth, Sam- uel, William, of whom further, Joseph, John, and Sarah.
(II) William Nickerson, son of William and Anne (Busby) Nickerson, was baptized at Yarmouth on June 1, 1646. He lived at Chat- ham, where he was clerk and treasurer of the first town meeting on May 12, 1694, and served in King Philip's War in 1676. His estate was
subject to administration in April, 1719. He married, on November 30, 1668, Mercy, daugh- ter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Tate) Williams, who died in Chatham on April 7, 1739. Chil- dren: William, Thomas, of whom further, Robert, Mercy, Elizabeth, Judith, Nathaniel, and possibly others.
(III) Thomas Nickerson, son of William and Mercy (Williams) Nickerson, was born in 1670 and died in 1735-6. He bore the title of "Lieu- tenant," resided in Brewster, and was selectman for two years about the year 1700. He married Mary, daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Mayo) Bangs, who was born in Eastham in 1671 (April 14). Children: Jonathan, of whom further, Mercy, Thomas, William, Ebenezer, Edward, Nathaniel, Mary and Thankful.
(IV) Jonathan Nickerson, son of Thomas and Mary (Bangs) Nickerson, served as selectman of Provincetown in 1749. He married (first) Jane Covill and had children: Judith, Jane, Jo- nathan, Simeon; he married (second) Sarah Collins, of Truro, and had by this marriage a son, Seth, of whom further.
(V) Seth Nickerson, son of Jonathan and Sarah (Collins) Nickerson, was born on May 28, 1734, at Provincetown, and there died on September 10, 1789. He married Martha, daugh- ter of Stephen and Sarah Atwood, born in Wellfleet in 1736, died in Provincetown, on August 28, 1817. Children: Jonathan, of whom further; Stephen, Martha, Joshua, Seth, Re- becca, Bethia, Ruth, Sarah, Nathaniel, Reuben.
(VI) Jonathan Nickerson, son of Seth and Martha (Atwood) Nickerson, born July 5, 1754, died in Provincetown on June 17, 1807. He married, on December 9, 1776, at Wellfleet, Bethiah Young, born in 1755, died at Province- town on October 19, 1834. Children: Abigail, died young, Isaiah, Jonathan, of whom further, Elisha, Bethiah, Thomas, Anna, Betsey, Abigail, Sally.
(VII) Jonathan Nickerson, son of Jonathan and Bethiah (Young) Nickerson, born at Prov- incetown, August 19, 1781, was a sea captain, his vessel having been captured by the British during the War of 1812; later engaged as a merchant and ship owner. He married Sally,
Bos.i-3
34
METROPOLITAN BOSTON
daughter of William and Rebecca (Nickerson) Miller, born at Provincetown on September 22, 1785, a direct descendant of William Nicker- son, the immigrant ancestor. Children: Amos, lost at sea; Jonathan, Franklin, Sarah Miller, Stephen Peck, Josiah, and Amos, of whom fur- ther.
(VIII) Amos Nickerson, son of Jonathan and Sally (Miller) Nickerson, was born in Province- town on November 6, 1823, engaged as a mer- chant, was for some years councilman at Som- erville, belonged to the Universalist church, and joined the Republican party after its founding. He married, on November 15, 1852, Mary Abby, daughter of William and Lucy (Covil) Emery, born in Hampden, Maine, on July 16, 1830, a descendent of Anthony Emery, of Newbury, Massachusetts, who came to America in 1635. Children: William Emery, of whom further; Alice May.
(IX) William Emery Nickerson, only son of Amos and Mary Abby (Emery) Nickerson, is a native of Provincetown, Massachusetts, where he was born on November 5, 1853. He acquired his elementary education in the Provincetown public schools, was graduated from the high school in that community, in 1870, thereafter matriculated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, department of chemistry, and was duly graduated from that institution as a mem- ber of the class of 1876. Following comple- tion of his collegiate education, Mr. Nickerson was engaged for two years as a chemical en- gineer in association with various tanners of sole leather. Thereafter, until 1881, he was oc- cupied in chemical development. From the lat- ter year until 1886, he was engaged in the gold mining and lumbering industries in the State of Georgia; from 1886 until 1890 was engaged in improvements and inventions relative to ele- vators; from 1890 until 1895 was connected with the manufacture of electric incandescent lamps, having invented and perfected vacuum pumps and other machinery used in the industry; from 1896 until 1901, invented and improved many mechanisms for the automatic weighing of and packing of coffee, tea, cereals, powder and other commercial articles; and onward from 1902 has
been associated with the Gillette Safety Razor Company, one of his special interests in con- nection with this mammoth enterprise being re- search work upon the heat-treatment and tem- pering of steel, and also the invention of ma- chinery used in the manufacture of the com- pany's products. The number patents achieved by Mr. Nickerson is probably exceeded by few American inventors.
Mr. Nickerson is a member of the various Masonic bodies, being a thirty-second degree Mason; belongs to the American Electro- Chemical Association, the American Society for the Advancement of Science, has been, since 1909, an honorary vice-president of the British Rose Society (he having formerly been an en- thusiast in the culture of roses), member of the Engineers' Club, Algonquin Club, Exchange Club, Belmont Spring Club, Winchester Club, and Nashua Country Club. He is a director of the State Street Trust Company, and the Atlantic National Bank, of Boston.
Mr. Nickerson married, on September 1, 1875, at Somerville, Massachusetts, Nellie Rosalie Partridge, daughter of Horace and Martha Ann (Stratton) Partridge. To this union was born one son, William Emery, Jr., whose birth oc- curred on February 9, 1880, and who died on April 21, 1881, in the town of his birth, Somer- ville, Massachusetts.
FRANK JOSEPH FAHEY-Vice-president and treasurer of the Gillette Razor Company, Frank Joseph Fahey has been associated with this company for many years. He first formed the connection as a young man, realizing the possibilities for development in the field, and his services have proved of repeated value in his company's continued success.
Mr. Fahey was born in Baltimore, Maryland, a son of John Fahey, and of Catherine (Mori- son) Fahey. His father was a veteran of the Civil War, serving for four years as a member of the 7th Maryland Artillery Corps, and in
Mia Q. Stone
35
1247268 METROPOLITAN BOSTON
later life was superintendent of railroad right- of-way in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Frank Joseph Fahey received his education in the Baltimore public schools, and following graduation from the high school in 1892, he went to New York in preparation for his finan- cial career. For several years he was em- ployed in positions of minor responsibility with the firm of Ware and Leland, bankers and brokers, and later he became a partner in this firm. But in 1906 he joined the Gillette Safety Razor Company, becoming its treasurer and one of the executive vice-presidents. This associa- tion has been continued very satisfactorily until the present time. Mr. Fahey is also a director of the Old Colony Trust Company, and a well- known figure in Boston financial circles.
In politics he supports Republican principles and candidates, although he has never cared to seek public office either for himself or others. He is a member of several clubs including the Brae Burn Club, the Exchange Club, the Uni- versity Club, the Algonquin Club, the East- ern Yacht Club, and the New York Club.
In 1917, at Brookline, Massachusetts, Frank Joseph Fahey married Florence Meyer, daugh- ter of John C. and Elizabeth (Stanard) Meyer, of Lowell. Her father was a Massachusetts thread manufacturer. One child has been born of this marriage, Frank Joseph, Jr.
ORRA LAVILLE STONE-As varied a career as could be found in one person is rep- resented in the legal and journalistic experi- ences of Orra Laville Stone, of Worcester, who has contributed substantially to the upbuild of his State and community and at the age of fifty-four has many more years of usefulness before him. Mr. Stone has had the advantage of a thorough newspaper training, also many years as a member of the Massachusetts bar, four years in Washington as private secretary
to the Hon. Calvin D. Paige, former Congress- man, of Southbridge, and a decade as general manager of the Associated Industries of Mas- sachusetts.
Mr. Stone was born at Worcester, May 27, 1873, the son of Louis L. and Josephine A. (Cheney) Stone, both members of families which have long been prominent in New Eng- land affairs. His father was for many years an employee of the Government postal service; he served valiantly in the Sixtieth Massachu- setts Infantry during the Civil War, and in his retirement is a leading figure among the mem- bers of the Grand Army of the Republic. His mother is descended from the English family of Cheney, of which the Massachusetts branch is a part, and Mr. Stone traces his ancestry to the same country and on down through the Bay State.
It was in the grammar schools of Clinton that Mr. Stone received his first tutoring, and from the high school of that city he graduated in 1890. After finishing the high school he en- gaged in business pursuits for several years as a means of raising money to continue his education and to give him a proper perspective on a college course. First, he became a court reporter of the Worcester "Daily Spy," in 1890, and served in this position and others until 1893, when he became, at the age of twenty years, local editor of the Clinton "Daily Item," which position he filled with credit un- til 1898. Then, deciding that the law offered more lucrative emoluments, he determined to become a lawyer, and with this purpose defi- nitely in view he entered the law school of Boston University. Bringing to the study of law a poise and adaptability that go with news- paper training, able to see clearly through all kinds of propositions, especially shams in trade practice, he fell naturally into those streams of learning which lead back to the foundation sources of Bacon and Blackstone. He made fine progress as a student, and graduated in 1901 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, cum laude. During this experience in his ca- reer Mr. Stone was elected to the Sigma Alpha
36
METROPOLITAN BOSTON
Epsilon Fraternity and the Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity. In September, 1901, he was admit- ted to practice at the bar of Massachusetts on satisfactorily passing the tests, and thereupon formed a partnership with a friend as Buttrick & Stone, and this partnership continues to this day, and has enjoyed a fine measure of success. In April, 1904, Governor Bates appointed Mr. Stone to the office of clerk of the Second Dis- trict Court of Eastern Worcester, and in 1909 Governor Draper reappointed him, and he held the office until 1913, when he resigned. On as- suming the duties of clerk in April, 1904, he was also appointed probation officer by the presiding justice, and he served also in this ca- pacity for nine years. He resigned the two offices to become private secretary to Congressman Paige at Washington, who represented the Third Massachusetts Congressional District. He was associated wih Mr. Paige in this ca- pacity from November, 1913, to March, 1917, and it was remarked in secretarial circles in the national capital that few men had a better grasp of things, nationally and internationally, than did Mr. Stone in this period just pre- liminary to the World War. His Congressional secretaryship was resigned because he wished to accept an offer of the membership secre- taryship of the Associated Industries of Mass- achusetts. This duty continued until Decem- ber, 1918, when he was promoted to the gen- eral management of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, a position he still holds with great credit to himself and the members of the organization. It was while he was serving in that capacity that the World War began, and in 1917 Mr. Stone enlisted as a private (al- though he was considerably above the age for enlistment when he offered his services) in the Massachusetts National Guard, awaiting a call to service that never came.
In politics Mr. Stone has been consistently and devoutly a Republican. From 1901 to 1912 he served as secretary, and in 1910 he was elected chairman of the Fourth Massachusetts Congressional District Committee; and served as such until 1917; in 1918 he was elected
chairman of the School Committee of Clinton, and held this office three years.
In fraternal work he is eminent archon of the Sigma Epsilon Fraternity, in which his chap- ter is Beta Upsilon. He has at various times held the office of Commander of the Lieutenant A. L. Fuller Camp, No. 19, of the Sons of Veterans of Clinton. From 1902 to 1903 he was Division Commander of the Massachusetts Division of the Sons of Veterans, and during his incumbency the organization gained 1200 members. He is a member of Trinity Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, at Clinton; Clinton Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Clinton Lodge, No. 199, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Clinton Lodge, Knights of Pythias; and Clin- ton Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In religious affairs Mr. Stone is ac- tive in the First Unitarian Church of Clinton, was clerk of the church corporation, and for many years was superintendent of the Sunday school. For two years, in 1912, and 1913, he was president of the Worcester County Con- ference of Unitarian and Liberal Churches. In club life he was president and treasurer of the Lamsdec Club, and he is also a member of the Prescott Club of Clinton.
HON. ANDREW J. PETERS-Many works of great and permanent value to the municipal progress and prestige of Boston were achieved to the credit of the administration of Hon. An- drew J. Peters as occupant of the office of Mayor. He came to the executive chair after a distinguished service of several terms in Con- gress, being also a former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the State Senate. His tenure as Mayor was colorfully featured by one of the most serious labor disturbances in American history-the strike of the Boston police force. Impartial critics have treated in a commendable light
37
METROPOLITAN BOSTON
Mayor Peters' attitude in that unique and far- reaching event, and his part in the settlement of the difficulty. He had the distinction of hav- ing entered office, pledged to a nonpartisan ad- ministration, with the largest plurality given a candidate for Mayor in the fifteen years pre- ceding his election. He was Boston's "War Mayor", and few, if any, of the executives of our larger cities emerged from that time of stress and trial, and the post-war reconstruction period, with a finer record than his.
Hon. Andrew James Peters was born in Ja- maica Plain, Massachusetts, April 3, 1872, the son of Andrew James and Mary Richards (Whitney) Peters. In boyhood and young man- hood he showed scholastic ability that augured well for a career of usefulness in whatever avenue of service he might enter. From a course in preparatory training he enrolled at Harvard University, from which he was gradu- ated Bachelor of Arts in the class of 1895. Hav- ing been wooed by the law, he forthwith bent all his energies in the direction of fitting him- self for that profession, and pursued his studies to that end at Harvard Law School, whence he received his degree of Bachelor of Laws at graduation in 1898.
Admitted to the bar of Suffolk County, he soon gave evidence of legal ability out of the ordinary, and won a place for himself among the younger group of barristers in the Boston area. He continued to advance in the favor and confidence of the judiciary, his legal brethren and an increasing clientage. Having declared his allegiance to the Democratic party on the attainment of his majority, he made a deep study of the political history of his and other parties, and exhibited a grasp of the great political questions and issues of earlier and lat- ter times which revealed an extraordinary acu- men. In fact, by the time he had reached the age of thirty he was deemed by his partisans and many in the Republican fold as sound and desirable legislative timber. Possessing an open mind, and manifesting those liberal tendencies that brought him into serviceable contact with his fellows and public situations, he drew to his side a large and enthusiastic following, which
was bent on furthering his political fortunes.
The public career of Mr. Peters, from the viewpoint of more important service, had its inception with election to the lower House of the Massachusetts Legislature for the session of the General Court of 1902. Powers that had been latent to a considerable degree during his law practice were revealed to the admiration of his colleagues and the delight of his constit- uents. On the floor of the House and in com- mittee work he became favorably known as a vigorous, aggressive legislator, a champion worthy of any foeman's steel, a redoubtable ad- versary and a master of forensic display. In less colorful, but none the less practical, serv- ice he was a prodigious worker, whose inde- fatigable labor was often the envy of his fellow- members. Before his term ended, he accomp- lished much work for the benefit of his district and for the State at large. It was to be ex- pected that his efforts as a representative would receive the indorsement of his constituents in their desire to have him don the toga, and they advanced him to the Massachusetts Senate for the session of 1904. He was returned for the session of 1905 also, and his stay in the upper body of the Legislature was distinguished for brilliant discharge of the trust reposed in him by his people. Especially did he increase in legislative stature, and there was no mistaking the fact that, with the arrival of opportunity, he would be called to a higher service. On all sides, within his own party, and outside that faith, he was looked upon as a man of Con- gressional calibre whose coming more promi- nently to the fore could not be successfully delayed. Events, already in the offing, soon brought about a fulfillment of the prophecy.
It is a matter of the Record of the National House of Representatives that Congressman Andrew J. Peters added much to the lustre of his name by his splendidly rendered service as a member from the Eleventh Massachusetts District, in the Sixtieth, Sixty-first, Sixty-second and Sixty-third Congresses. All told, his ten- ure of office at Washington embraced the years from 1907 to 1914. His term in the House did not expire until March 4, 1915, but he resigned,
38
METROPOLITAN BOSTON
August 15, 1914, to accept the appointment of assistant secretary of the Treasury in President Wilson's administration. His ability for na- tional finance, in charge of customs, won him the acclaim of the Executive and his depart- mental senior. To the great regret of the President and the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Peters tendered his resignation of his of- fice, March 15, 1917, that he might enter the lists as a candidate for Mayor of Boston. It appeared that a kindly fate had destined him to be the executive head of Massachusetts' chief city.
In the municipal election of 1917, Mr. Peters came off victor handsomely over his opponent. His plurality was 9,075, the largest figure that had been rolled up by a successful candidate for Mayor since 1903. There had been a well- nigh popular demand for a nonpartisan admin- istration, and it was on a platform pledged to that broadly related program of politics to city government that he had ridden into office. Known as a man of his word, he went about the business of managing the city in as strictly a nonpartisan manner as he was able. One of the high lights of his mayoralty career was the practically complete liberation of city em- ployees from political thraldom.
An exigency of the World War brought Mayor Peters financial problems that would have staggered a weaker man. This situation was caused by a decrease in revenue and in- creasing costs, and the Mayor was faced with the necessity of asking the Legislature to in- crease the tax limit for the financing of city projects from $6.52 to $9.52. To this request the Legislature of 1919 acceded. Other grants of a similar nature, made by the Leg- islature, brought the increase in the tax rate for 1920 to $10.52 and that for 1921 to $11. By the latter year the rate had reached the then unprecedented figure of $24.70. What was true in many other cities, was patent also in Boston-a considerable part of the in- crease was due to the augmented budget offered by the School Committee. Boston's tax rate did not, however, take such a flight as was the case in a number of other large cities. Re-
gardless of this great additional burden upon Mayor Peters' management of the municipal finances, his administration was responsible for a reduction of the net debt by $4,657,166, an achievement that in the circumstances, was held to be remarkable, and a reflection of credit upon the Mayor's resourcefulness.
Public works of a most extensive program were either carried out or begun during Mayor Peters' tenure of office. Notable among these was the construction of Stewart Street, the building, or repaving, of three hundred and thirteen miles of highway and seventy-five miles of sidewalk. In addition, there were completed two new pumping stations of the high-pressure fire service; two new public build- ings, costing $1,582,000, were finished; two steel ferryboats were purchased and the others rehabilitated. An outstanding accomplishment was the passage of an ordinance merging the control of the charitable and penal institutions in one body under the charge of a paid com- missioner in place of the former unpaid boards of trustees.
It had been Mayor Peters' fond ambition to see the Metropolitan District known as Greater Boston brought under one municipal govern- ment. As had a number of his predecessors in office, he earnestly championed the proposition for this consolidation. He introduced a bill in the Legislature to that effect, but a decided majority refused to yield the prerogative to the city as such, and the bill failed of passage, having met the same fate accorded to all sim- ilar measures looking to that end.
The strike of the Boston police force, which taxed Mayor Peters' resourcefulness and pa- tience to the utmost, came on as an attempt to decide the issue as to whether the force as a body shoud be granted permission to incorpo- rate its association as a labor union under the jurisdiction of the American Federation of Labor. The Mayor was diplomatic, kindly intentioned and, nevertheless, officially firm in his handling of the delicate situation. He ap- pointed a committee of citizens, at whose head as chairman he placed the late James J. Storrow, to offer a suggestion of a way out of the di-
39
METROPOLITAN BOSTON
lemma, but their plan was not accepted. In opposition to its operation, Police Commis- sioner Edwin U. Curtis stood adamant. Mayor Peters suggested to the Governor that the militia be held in readiness, but the Governor and Police Commissioner did not deem this necessary and the suggestion was not followed. The result was, that on September 9, 1919, out of a total strength of 1544 police, 1117 deserted their posts, abandoning the city to the menac- ing hazards of riot and lawlessness. To make a heroic, yet nevertheless feeble, attempt to guard the city, there was only a small force of volunteer special officers and those members of the regular force who had refused to betray their trust. Mayor Peters was the first official
back after the police quit their posts.
On
Wednesday morning, the morning of the strike, he acted promptly. He called out the militia located in Boston, took over the Police de- partment and called on the Governor for three additional units which were located outside the city. The mayor had command of the militia and restored order in the city, during Wednesday. After order was restored, the militia was taken command of by the Governor on Thursday at four o'clock. Forthwith began the reorganization of a new police force for the city of Boston, and this work virtually was brought to a conclusion before the expiration of Mayor Peters' four-year term in 1922. In the calm, clear light of unprejudiced retrospect, Mayor Peters stands forth as one of most efficient executives the city has had. He came through trying situations unscathed by the heat of conflicting passions, and administered the affairs of the municipality with ability and an eye single to the best interests of the people, regardless of political lines. His official career was noted also for the execution of the high resolve to be the "people's Mayor," under which he became head of the City Government. His name has its place in that grouping of Boston's Mayors whose acts have brightened the pages of the city's history.
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.