USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Metropolitan Boston; a modern history; Volume V > Part 24
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Adams Grammar School and the Boston English High School. He attended the Suffolk Law School and was graduated in 1925 with the de- gree of Bachelor of Laws. He took a post- graduate course of one year at the Boston Uni- versity, and in 1926 was admitted to the practice of law. He has served the Democratic party as a delegate to its State convention and was a candidate for the Boston City Council in 1927 on the Non-partisan ticket. In July, 1918, he enlisted in the United States Navy. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Bos- ton Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the American Federation of Labor, the Boston Bar Association, and the Sons of Italy. His religion is Roman Catholic and he attends the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and belongs to the Holy Name Society of that or- ganization.
Henry Selvitella married, in Boston, May 22, 1921, Lena Naples, born in Boston, daughter of Patrick, deceased, and Mary (Petraglia) Naples, living in East Boston. They are the parents of two children: 1. Frances Marie, born October 4, 1923. 2. Gloria Lorraine, born August 21, 1927.
The family home is at No. 80 Orient Avenue, Orient Heights, East Boston, Massachusetts.
SAMUEL SUSSER-Prominent among the attorneys of Boston is Samuel Susser who is also well known in the business spheres of the city.
He was born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, January 10, 1888, son of Moses and Bette (Lemler) Susser. His father was born in Cracow, Austria, in June, 1850; came to the United States in the early "eighties," took resi- dence in Boston shortly after his arrival, and here succeeded at business. His father's death
occurred in Boston, October 28, 1919. Bette (Lemler) Susser became the wife of Moses Susser in Austria, and came with him to the United States, with the two children whom they then had. She survives Moses Susser, who had been in retirement for several years at the time of his demise. Bette Susser was also born in Cracow, Austria. She continues to make her home it Boston. In the family were eight children. Two died in infancy. The others are: 1. Mary, wife of Edward A. David- son, of Brookline. 2. Lottie, wife of Henry Meyer, of New York City. 3. Rose, wife of David Rubin, of Brookline. 4. Samuel, of whom we write. 5. Pauline, wife of Harry Falkson, of Boston. 6. Harry, of Boston.
Samuel Susser attended the Thorndike Gram- mar School in Cambridge, completing the ele- mentary course there in 1903. He took his secondary work at Cambridge High School and at Ballou and Hobigand Preparatory School in Boston, from which he matriculated in Boston University Law School September, 1908, receiving therefrom the degree of Bach- elor of Laws in June of 1911. Mr. Susser was admitted to the bar of Massachusetts in August of the same year and has engaged in practice, independently, through the years that have succeeded. His offices are in the Carney Build- ing, at No. 43 Tremont Street; his clientele is large and of importance; and his reputation, which has mounted with the years of his ac- tivity, is fast becoming one of some celebrity.
While in high school and college, Mr. Sus- ser was interested in athletics, having been a sprinter in high school and at Boston Univer- sity. He now enjoys hiking, and in this man- ner keeps his body in trim for the hard work in which he engages at the profession. He takes pleasure, also, in other out-of-door sports. He is a member of Zeta Beta Tau, a national fraternity, and belongs to the New England Graduate Club of this collegiate organization. Mr. Susser is active in the Boston University Law School Association and is also a member of the Boston City Club, the New Century Club of Boston and other societies of social
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and professional character. He is popular in the circles he frequents. In the matter of in- vestments, his interest has leaned consider- ably toward real estate. He has realty hold- ings in Boston and in other cities of Massa- chusetts. The results of these investments have proven to be lucrative, though Mr. Susser has not considered seriously the advisability of giving up his large legal practice in its favor. As an attorney and counselor-at-law, he spe- cializes in trial work. In the community of Roxbury, where he resides, he is widely and favorably known. He supports all worthy projects directed toward advancement of the community.
Mr. Susser has a daughter, Gladys Muriel.
MICHAEL J. PORCELLA-On North Bennett Street, Michael J. Porcella has for twenty-eight years been conducting an up-to- date embalming and funeral-directing business of his own. He is a graduate of the Massachu- setts College of Embalming and does a large amount of business. The fact that Stephen Porcella, father of Mr. Porcella, was born in Northern Italy, is largely responsible for the specialized character of Mr. Porcella's business contacts. Stephen Porcella came directly to Boston and engaged in the fruit business, which he followed to the time of his death at the age of sixty-two years. He married and became the father of ten children, six of whom are still (1929) living: Mary, Louisa, John, Mich- ael J., of further mention; Joseph and Rose. The mother of this family died at the age of sixty-two years.
Michael J. Porcella was born on North Ben- nett Street, Boston, Massachusetts, January 2, 1875, and was reared in this section of the city,
receiving his education in the public schools of Boston. He was graduated from Eliot Gram- mar School, which is now one hundred years old and is probably the oldest grammar school in the United States. Many men of prominence who have been members of the classes gradu- ating from this school include several lawyers, of whom six later became judges, a number of prominent business men, four captains of fire departments, and five captains of police depart- ments. After graduation Mr. Porcella engaged in the meat business, becoming an expert meat cutter, and in this line of activity he continued until June 1, 1901. In the meantime, however, he had been looking forward to the time when he might establish a business of his own in quite a different line, and had been preparing himself for success in another field. He had entered the Massachusetts College of Embalm- ing for training as an undertaker, and he had also, through the years of toil as a meat cutter been thriftily saving. After graduation he pur- chased the oldest Italian undertaking business in the section of the city in which he lived, that of A. A. Badaeacco, and since that time he has been continuously engaged in developing that business .enterprise. Twenty-eight years of superior service and sound business manage- ment have placed Mr. Porcella among the lead- ing Italian undertakers in the city of Boston and have made for him an enviable reputation among those whom he serves. He is director of the Revere Trust Company and also a mem- ber of the Massachusetts Funeral Directors' Association, in which he takes an active in- terest, and in 1923 and 1924 he served as presi- dent of that organization.
Michael J. Porcella was married, in Boston, June 18, 1900, to Clara Repetto, and they are the parents of three sons: 1. Arthur S., who is a graduate of the Massachusetts School of Em- balming, and is associated with his father in the undertaking business. 2. Francis, a grad- uate of the School of Business Administration, of Harvard College. 3. Joseph, a graduate of Holy Cross College, of Worcester, Massa- chusetts.
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MAYER SALOMON-All over this broad land may be found men who have come to America from other lands in order that they might achieve success in business and enjoy the blessings of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness untrammeled by the restrictions of the Old World. Many of them came in boyhood, accompanying enterprising parents who were willing to brave the dangers of a long voyage and the hardships of making a beginning in a strange land. These last are fortunate, indeed, for they have received in larger measure than their parents the benefits of their adopted coun- try, acquiring in the public schools not only command of the English language, but fa- miliarizing themselves with American customs along all lines. Among the many who came as boys is Mayer Salomon, a native of Poland, who since 1907 has been engaged in the undertaking business in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He is one of the advanced and progressive morticians of the city, who has made many changes in the methods of burial among Hebrew people.
Mayer Salomon was born in Poland and at- tended the schools of his native district until he was fourteen years of age. He then came to America, landing in New York City, and for a period of four years was a resident of the me- tropolis, learning there, in the schools and by observation and association the ways of the people among whom he had come to live and work. When he was eighteen years old he left New York City and came to Boston. Here he learned the trade of tailor, which he followed until 1907. With characteristic foresight and pru- dence he had early resolved to engage in busi- ness for himself as soon as possible, and with that end in view he was frugal and hard-working. When he had accumulated sufficient capital and had found the opportunity he sought, he, in 1907, engaged in the undertaking and funeral directing business for himself. In his new venture, he ap- plied himself closely, and by 1917 his business had grown to such proportions which made larger and better quarters necessary. He then re- moved to No. 580 Blue Hill Avenue, where he remained until November, 1928, when he moved to his present location at No. 504 Blue Hill
Avenue, in Dorchester, thus placing himself upon one of the prominent streets of the city. Never satisfied until he had acquired the high- est possible skill in his profession, Mr. Salomon gave his best thought to the question of the general methods of burial among the Hebrew people, and, being a man of progressive mind, of originality, and of initiative, he, as time passed, brought about many changes in the Hebrew burial customs. He has built up a large and important clientele, and at the present time (1929) is known as one of the older un- dertakers of the city, and one of the most re- liable. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias of Boston, and the Ohabei Sholom Temple.
Mayer Salomon was married, in 1882, to Esther G. Yeretsky, who was born in Poland, and they became the parents of nine children, of whom the following six are living (1929): 1. Benjamin, who is in business with his father under the name of Mayer Salomon and Son. 2. Jacob. 3. Flora. 4. Isadore, who is engaged in the jewelry business in Hyde Park. 5. Sadie. 6. Francis.
DAVID H. CURTIS-A leader among mor- ticians of Eastern Massachusetts is David H. Curtis, of Roxbury, Massachusetts, who has been in this profession since 1892. During his first ten years as funeral director he was one of the firm of Crosby and Curtis, with an office and establishment at No. 100 Hampden Street, later at No. 387 Dudley Street, and in 1921 moved to the present location, No. 333 Dudley, corner of Vine Street, and during the succeeding years Mr. Curtis has built up a very prosperous bus- iness. The Curtis Funeral Home, established in 1922, is devoted to the use of his large pat- ronage and is one of the largest in Boston, the establishment consisting of eleven rooms. The Funeral Home is comparatively recent in the
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David & Courtes)
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East, having its origin in the West, thence moving eastward. Mr. Curtis has not only ex- tended his professional services throughout Bos- ton, but as a member of the Massachusetts Fun- eral Directors' Association and also the Nation- al Funeral Directors' Association he is able to perform services, through its representative members, anywhere in the United States or Canada.
The National Funeral Directors' Association is composed of some 10,000 morticians in the United States and it stands for all that is best in the profession. Mr. Curtis was on the Board of Governors of this association in 1921-22- 23-24-25-26, and took an active part in the work of that society, representing morticians in the Eastern territory.
Mr. Curtis has for more than a quarter of a century (to be exact, thirty-one years) been a delegate from Massachusetts to the conventions of the National Association, and for thirty years has been a member of the Massachusetts Funeral Directors' Association.
MARTIN PACKARD-For nearly half a century Martin Packard has been engaged in the work of transforming a rough farm prop- erty into the beautiful burial ground which is known as Melrose Cemetery, in Brockton, Mass- achusetts. The seventy-five acres which com- prise this beautiful and well-kept cemetery were once a part of a farm owned by Mr. Packard. When, after he had sold this acreage, it was re-sold for cemetery purposes, it was quite fitting that a representative of the family in whose possession it had been for so long should be chosen to take charge of its development and up-keep, and it takes but a glance to make plain the fact that Martin Packard has done this work exceedingly well.
He was born in North Bridgewater (now Brockton), Massachusetts, October 14, 1849, in the homestead farmhouse, in which his father Henry and his grandfather Daniel had been born. The farmhouse was probably built by the great-grandfather, who was one of the pioneers of this section, and the farm was operated by Henry Packard for some years. He was a butcher, as well as a farmer, but after follow- ing that line of business for some years he re- moved with his family to Boonville, Indiana, where he was one of the pioneer settlers, but after about three years spent there he returned to North Bridgewater and engaged in the mak- ing of boots, combining with this occupation the one he had learned of his father, that of the butcher. In these lines he continued for a num- ber of years, until the time of his retirement. He died at the age of sixty-four years, respected by all who knew him and one of the very well- known men of this section. He married El- meda Howard, who was born in Brookville, Massachusetts, and died in 1850, and they reared a large family of children, of whom only four are now living (1929): Daniel, who for sev- eral years was in the employ of the Douglas Shoe Company, but is now retired; Frank; Mary, who married Henry Colburn; and Mar- tin, of whom further.
Martin Packard attended the public schools of North Bridgewater, now Brockton, and at the early age of eight years went to work on a farm. There he continued until he was twelve years old, when he made a change and entered the employ of his father, with whom he re- mained until he was nearly twenty-one. He then, following one of the customs of the time, "purchased his time" from his father for the sum of one hundred dollars, and entered a shoe factory. Some time later he began to take small contracts for digging wells and cellars, building reservoirs, etc., and meeting with suc- cess, he continued at this until 1884. In the meantime he had sold his farm to John J. Whipple who sold it for use as a cemetery. Mr. Packard was chosen to supervise the de- velopment and the up-keep of the new burial place, and he has since been devoting his at-
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tention to the transformation of a rough, partly unkept farm into a burial place of beauty and of distinction. He has supervised the laying out of avenues and walks, staking out of lots, planting of shrubbery, the general up-keep of the place, and has made of the acreage under his care a place of appealing beauty. Of the seventy-five acres in the original tract, fifty are now fully developed. A most effective sys- tem of drainage has been used, the walks being dug to a depth of from two to six feet and filled with stone up to within six inches of the surface, in order to make sure that there will be no muddy pathways. When Mr. Packard first took charge he was assisted by the city engineer, but for some years now he has done all the planning and has supervised all of the work. At the present time (1929) about 14,000 people are buried in Melrose Cemetery. The cemetery is kept in first-class condition and for the up-keep of this extensive acreage twelve men are employed. Mr. Packard takes a keen interest in his work as superintendent, and each year he is bringing the cemetery to a higher state of perfection. The fact that he has been connected with this burial ground for nearly half a century and has developed it from a farm makes it peculiarly his creation, and his long association with the families whose dead are resting here has made him an integ- ral part of the organization. Every nook and corner of the cemetery is as familiar to him as the rooms of his own home, and without chart or plan he can locate most of the graves here. Mr. Packard is a member of the Knights of Malta, and he was formerly a member of the local volunteer fire company, which he joined in 1865. In this organization he served in all capacities, and he has always been proud of the fact that this company established a world rec- ord by throwing a stream of water farther than any company in competition, a distance of two hundred and forty-nine feet and eleven and five- eighths inches. As a citizen Mr. Packard has always been ready to contribute his share to the advancement of the general good, and dur- ing the many years of his residence in Brockton he has well earned the esteem of his fellows.
Martin Packard was married on Thanksgiving Day, in 1870, to Alice Howard, who was born in Randolph, Massachusetts, and they had ten children, six of whom are living: 1. Walter, who is married and has two daughters, Alice and Bertha. 2. Archie Preston, employed by Governor Fuller as a salesman for Packard cars; he is married and has one son, Preston. 3. Henry, married and has two daughters, Mildred and Natalie. 4. Helen Amanda, married and has a daughter, Dorothy. 5. Alice Belle, mar- ried and has two children, Reginald Cameron and Margery. 6. Estella, a bookkeeper.
EVERETT S. CHAPMAN-Thirty-nine years ago Everett S. Chapman came to Arling- ton, Massachusetts, and in 1897 he was made superintendent of Mount Pleasant Cemetery. He was born in Brooklyn, Nova Scotia, Decem- ber 31, 1866, but the family later removed to Cumberland, Nova Scotia, where the father operated a wood and grain mill to the time of his death, which occurred at the age of sixty years. The mother, Eliza (Smith) Chapman, reared a family of thirteen children, of whom five are still living. She died at the age of eighty-eight.
Everett S. Chapman attended the schools of Brooklyn and of Cumberland, Nova Scotia, continuing in the high school until he was eighteen years of age. He then, like many boys of all ages and localities, decided to seek larger opportunity and came to Boston, where for six years he was associated with one of the well- known business concerns. At the end of that time he came to Arlington and took a position with N. A. Pierce, who was engaged in the hay, grain, and coal business, but later he sev- ered that connection and associated himself with Wood Brothers Ice Tool Company. Here he remained until 1897 when he was appointed superintendent of Mount Pleasant Cemetery, in Arlington, and here he has since remained,
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completing, with the current year (1929), a period of thirty-two years of continuous service.
Mount Pleasant Cemetery was organized in 1843, and was consecrated by the Rev. David Damon on June 18th of the same year. Five days later, Rev. Damon was stricken with a serious illness and died, and on June 25th, one week after his delivery of the consecration address, he was buried, the first to be laid to rest in the new cemetery, which at this time contained only twelve acres. By 1893 the acreage had been increased to fifty-five acres, and at the present time (1929) it com- prises seventy-five acres, though only fifty are developed. During the past thirty-two years Mr. Chapman has performed a vast amount of work. Roads have been built, paths have been cut and properly prepared for efficient drainage, lots staked off and graded, and landscape gardening has transformed the place into a scene of quiet beauty. Mr. Chapman himself has sold eighteen hundred lots, has laid out five miles of drive- ways, and the same number of miles of walks, and has superintended the burying of nine thou- sand people. Only twenty-five hundred people had been interred here when Mr. Chapman came, but each year the annual number of burials has increased, until now the population of this beautiful city of the dead is growing very rap- idly. Mount Pleasant Cemetery is acknowl- edged to be one of the very beautiful ceme- teries of this section and a goodly share of its present attractiveness is due to the assiduous labors of Mr. Chapman. He is a member of the New England Association of Cemetery Sup- erintendents, and interested in its affairs. In addition to his continuous interest in the de- velopment of Mount Pleasant Cemetery, he is a well-known member of the Middlesex Sports- men's Association. He is an expert rifleman and, being especially interested in birds, has been able to secure a very large number, now running into the thousands, of the rarest birds. He is a skilled taxidermist and has mounted in the most scientific and artistic manner large numbers of his specimens, forming valuable collections which are greatly admired not only by his numerous friends, but by all who see
them. Cases of his mounted birds are to be found in his office at the cemetery, in his home, and in the City Hall, also in the rooms of the Sportsmen's Association, and his knowledge of birds of this locality is extensive. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce of Ar- lington in which he has held office, and he was formerly a member of the Volunteer Firemen's Association, being now a member of the Vet- eran Firemen's Association. He has been a special police officer for several years, and is always ready to contribute to the advancement of the general good. Mr. Chapman has for thirty years been a member of the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows and has filled all the chairs, and was a charter member of the Daughters of Rebekah. He is a member also of the Knights of Pythias, in which he has held all offices, and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
Everett S. Chapman was married, in 1890, to Lennie M. Wildes, who was born in Topsfield, Massachusetts, member of an old family there, which, through the grandmother and the grand- father, is connected with the Chapman family. Mrs. Chapman's father was engaged in the shoe business for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Chap- man have had five children, three of whom are living: 1. George S., a graduate of the local high school, soon after graduation secured a position in Porto Rico, West Indies, where he has since remained. He married Miss Bark- house, and they have one son, George S., Jr. 2. Everett Perley, married Nellie Ryan, and they have one daughter, Pearl, who is a nurse in Arlington. 3. Louis W., who is an electrician in the employ of the Westinghouse Electric Company, is married, and has four children: Louis, May, Virginia, and Royce.
HENRY L. DOLAN-One of the old ceme- teries of Greater Boston is Evergreen Ceme- tery, founded in 1848, located on Commonwealth Avenue. Each year thousands of tourists visit this little burial ground because, though it con-
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tains but fourteen acres of land, its landscape gardening is such that it has become noted for its beauty. Here, too, many people of note are buried, and the location on Commonwealth Ave- nue makes it easily accessible to those who are searching out the beauty spots of the city. Since 1924, Henry L. Dolan has been the effi- cient custodian of Evergreen Cemetery, and he is giving such close attention to every detail of its up-keep that it is safe to say that there is not a better cared-for burying ground in the State of Massachusetts. Mr. Dolan has spent all of his active life to the present time in cemetery care and management and is, there- fore, an expert in this particular field.
Henry L. Dolan was born in Boston, Massa- chusetts, June 13, 1885, son of Timothy Dolan, also a native of Boston, who spent his life here. Reared in his birthplace, Mr. Dolan re- ceived his education in the public schools of Boston, including the high school, and then, at the age of seventeen years, engaged in his present occupation, that of caring for ceme- teries. He was employed in the famous Mount Hope Cemetery, which is a part of Boston City Cemetery and perhaps better known than any other of the eighteen burying grounds which make up what is known as the Boston City Cemetery. There he received excellent train- ing under Mr. Donoghue and when the oppor- tunity came to accept the position of custodian of Evergreen Cemetery Mr. Dolan was well prepared to take upon himself the larger re- sponsibility. In these modern days when ceme- teries are kept in much better condition than most private lawns, the task of caring for four- teen acres is no small one, and Mr. Dolan usu- ally has about ten men working under his supervision. While skillful landscaping is re- sponsible for much of the beauty of Evergreen Cemetery, it is also true that the sculptor's art also contributes to its loveliness, for in some of the plots there are memorials which repre- sent the highest expression of monumental grace and beauty. As Mr. Dolan had been employed in Mount Hope Cemetery for twenty-three years when he came to Evergreen Cemetery, he was prepared to give the highest type of serv-
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