USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts, Volume III > Part 23
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James Edgar Barnes was born in Lynn, Massa- chusetts, May 14, 1869, and received his early edu- cation in the public schools of the city. His musi- cal education was begun at an early age, and while still very young he played professionally, also teach- ing the violin. At the age of thirty-six years he took up the study of law under private tutors, and was admitted to the bar in February, 1909. He has since practiced in this city very successfully, and is now esteemed one of the leading men of Lynn. He is a member of the Lynn Bar Association and of the Essex County Bar Association. He is also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, and of the Lynn Historical Society.
On October 17, 1892, Mr. Barnes married Jennie Lambert Murkland, daughter of Robert and Mary (Derby) Murkland; her father at one time was con- nected with the Noble Stove Company, of Lynn. Mr. and Mrs. Barnes are the parents of three chil- dren: Jean Lambert, born December 2, 1893; Ed- gar Schellinger, born March 20, 1895; and John Murkland, born May 22, 1898. Both sons served in the World War, Edgar S. Barnes enlisting in the 101st Engineers, 21st Division, and served in many battles overseas, losing, partially, the sight of his right eye. He was mustered out at Camp Devens, Massachusetts, about March, 1919. He is now in the engineering department of the Boston and Maine railroad. John Murkland Barnes served in the Naval Reserve, and is now attending the Boston University Law School. Mrs. Barnes is a member of the "1884" Club, of Lynn.
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Franklin Katchelder
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ARTHUR W. BECKFORD, of Danvers, Massa- chusetts, has for many years been active in the mer- cantile life of the town, and is still engaged in the line of business in which he started, the furniture business. He was born in Topsfield, Massachusetts, on November 23, 1864, and is a son of Samuel and Julia A. (Dodge) Beckford. Samuel Beckford was born in Topsfield on October 25, 1836, and was a shoemaker. They were the parents of two children: Arthur W., of whom further; and Otis, who was born in 1868.
Attending the schools of his native town, Mr. Beckford came to Danvers at the age of eighteen years, and here entered the employ of J. Frank Porter, then a leading furniture dealer here. After ten years in Mr. Porter's employ, Mr. Beckford be- came a partner in the business, and about ten years thereafter, bought Mr. Porter's interest, and became sole owner of the business. This transaction occur- red in 1903, and Mr. Porter is still a leader in this section in this branch of mercantile endeavor.
Mr. Beckford has attained prominence in various civic and fraternal interests. He was a trustee of the Peabody Institute from 1916 to 1922. From 1904 to 1917 he was water commissioner of the town of Danvers, and he has been a trustee of the Danvers Savings Bank since 1905. Politically he supports the Republican party. He is a member of the Uni- versalist church, and has been a trustee of the church organization, his period of service in this capacity being from 1895 to 1908.
In the Masonic order Mr. Beckford is very prominent, and holds the thirty-second degree. He is a member of Mosaic Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and from 1898 to 1899 was past master of the order; during 1896-97 he was high priest of Holton Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and past grand king of Grand Chapter. He was a charter member of St. George Commandery, Knights Temp- lar, and during 1904-05 was eminent commander of this body. In 1910 Mr. Beckford was district dep- uty grand master of Masonic lodges, and was also grand lecturer of Grand Commandery.
Mr. Beckford married, in 1890, Harriette Putnam Bell, of Danvers, and they had one son, Arthur Courtenay, who was born June 4, 1896.
JOHN T. CARROLL-In business circles in Dan- vers, Massachusetts, the name of John T. Carroll has long been well and favorably known, and in the public life of the town he has become a force for progress. He is a son of Samuel B. and Caroline (Phillips) Carroll. Samuel B. Carroll was born in Marblehead, in 1833, and was a hard working man, both sailor and shoemaker. He was drowned in 1858. They were the parents of two children: Samuel B. Jr., born September 19, 1855, and John T., of further mention.
John T. Carroll was born in Stoneham, Massachu- setts, June 80, 1858. Receiving his early education in the public schools of Marblehead and Danvers, he later attended a private commercial school, in preparation for his business career. After com- pleting his studies he started a business enterprise,
combining the sale of periodicals and men's fur- nishings, locating in Danvers for this purpose. He was successful from the first, and continued this store for a period of twenty-seven years. It was founded in 1878, and until 1905 it was his prin- cipal interest. In the latter year Mr. Carroll dis- posed of the long established business and entered the field of real estate and insurance. His long ex- perience and thorough familiarity with the town and its vicinity were of great value in the new venture, and he soon became a power in the field which he had chosen. He has been identified with many important deals in this section, and is still going forward. Mr. Carroll was one of the men who built the old skating rink, which later was sold and constructed into the fine armory now occupied by Company K, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia.
Mr. Carroll has been a member of the Board of Trade of Danvers for the past seven years, and for a much longer period has been prominent in the public affairs of the town. He has served as asses- sor for sixteen years, and was chairman of the board of assessors for ten years. He served as sealer of weights and measures for six years, and as selectman for five years. He also served as a trustee of the Peabody Institute for three years. A staunch supporter of the principles of the Repub- lican party, he was treasurer of the Republican Town Committee for ten years. He was for many years sergeant of Company K, Massachusetts Vol- unteer Militia, of which he was one of the or- ganizers. He also was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic drum corps.
Personally, Mr. Carroll is widely known in the fraternal world. He is a member of Mosaic Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; of Holton Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; of Salem Council, Royal and Select Masters; and of Salem Commandery, Knights Templar. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; of the Ancient Order of United Workmen; and has been a member of the Improved Order of Red Men for twenty years. He attends the Universalist church.
Mr. Carroll married Cora I. Griffin, of Haver- hill, and they have one son, Arthur E., who was born in 1883, and is now associated with his father in business; he married Irene B. Briggs, now de- ceased, and they had one child, Winston B.
J. FRANKLIN BATCHELDER, lawyer, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, was born December 24, 1870, in West Amesbury, now Merrimac. Horace Jackson Batchelder, his father, was born Septem- ber 6, 1829, at Raymond, New Hampshire, and has been and is now engaged in the building of auto- mobile bodies at Amesbury, Massachusetts. He married Helen Adaline Merrill, born May 16, 1835, in South Hampton, New Hampshire. Mr. Batchel- der's father and mother have been married over sixty years, and both are now living.
Mr. Batchelder was educated in the public schools and graduated from the high school at Amesbury in 1888. He was admitted to the Boston bar on October 2, 1896, and in 1897 he received his B. A.
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degree from Boston Law School. He engaged in the practice of his profession at Haverhill and so continues to the present time. Mr. Batchelder is very prominent among the legal fraternity of the Essex County Bar Association, and has also taken an active part in the public affairs of Haverhill. From 1898 to 1900 he was a member of the Com- mon Council of Haverhill, and in 1901 and 1902 represented his party, the Republican, in the Massa- chusetts State Legislature. For three years he was a member of the Republican State Committee and has also served as chairman, secretary and treasurer of the Republican City Committee.
Mr. Batchelder is a member of Sagahew Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Pentucket Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Haverhill Council, Royal and Select Masters; Haverhill Commandery, Knights Templar; Princes of Jerusalem; Rose Croix; Boston Consistory, and is a member of Aleppo Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He has attained the thirty-second degree in Ma- sonry. Other fraternal affiliations of Mr. Batchelder include membership in Mizpah Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is past grand; Grecian Lodge, No. 154, Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the Haverhill Historical Society; of the Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, and the Pen- tucket Club of Haverhill.
During the World War Mr. Batchelder devoted much of his time to aiding those making out the questionnaires, and in common with many other prominent lawyers throughout the country, this service was gratis.
Mr. Batchelder married, June 19, 1901, at Haver- hill, Bessie Louise Howe, daughter of James and Sarah (Walker) Knowles Howe. Mrs. Batchelder is a member of the Haverhill Historical Society and the Women's City Club. Mr. and Mrs. Batchelder attend the North Congregational Church of Haver- hill, of which he was the clerk for twelve years, de- clining reélection in 1922.
Mr. Batchelder is a director in several corpora- tions, and trustee of several large estates.
SAM CROSSLAND-One of the attractive mer- cantile establishments of Danvers, Massachusetts, is the jewlery store at No. 6 Maple street, of which Sam Crossland is the proprietor. Mr. Cross- land was born in Bradford, England, on Septem- ber 21, 1875, and is a son of John E. and Levina (Akroid) Crossland. John E. Crossland is of Eng- lish birth, and for many years has been a mas- ter mechanic in the industrial world of Cali- fornia. John E. and Levina (Akroid) Crossland are the parents of seven children: Mrs. S. E. Webster, of Canton, Massachusetts; J. E. Cross- land, of Arlington, Massachusetts; Firth A., of Los Angeles, California; Sam, of whom extended mention follows; Blanche C., and Burmont C., . also of Los Angeles; and Mrs. M. C. Hall, of Utica, New York.
Sam Crossland came to the United States when only six years of age, with the family, and gain- ed his education in the public schools of Law-
rence. After completing his studies he became a carpenter and millwright, and continued in this field of endeavor until he was thirty years of age. Thereafter he was on the road for seven years, setting up machines for the Dillon Machine Company. In the course of his duties along this line he worked for J. H. Horn & Sons, Davis & Furber, the Lawrence Machine Shop, Hollingworth &. Vose, the General Electric Company, and the United Shoe Machine Company, also, for a period of fourteen years, having charge of their clocks. In 1920 Mr. Crossland went into business for him- self, establishing a jewelry store in Danvers, also founding the Crossland Company, which is lo- cated in the Walker building, in Boston, for the sale of electric clocks. He has made a most prom- ising beginning, and in the short period which has since elapsed, has developed the business re- markably, his future success thus being assured.
In various activities Mr. Crossland is promi- nent. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, also of the Encampment and the Rebekahs, and of the Manchester Unity Odd Fellows, of which order he has been past grand for the last twenty-two years; and the Loyal Order of Moose. He is a member of the Get Together Club, and was formerly treasurer of that organization. Politi- cally he supports the Republican party, and he at- tends St. Peter's Episcopal Church, of Beverly.
Mr. Crossland married Caroline E. Gribben, of Boston.
JOHN B. LEONARD, a dental surgeon of Haverhill, Massachusetts, was born in that city on August 10, 1881, son of Seraphin and Melende (Prevost) Leonard, both of whom were of Can- adian birth, the former of Montreal and the lat- ter of St. John's. Seraphin Leonard was for the greater part of his life identified with the shoe industry, and for many years with the Massachu- setts shoe industry. They lived in Haverhill for many years, and the son, John B., has spent al- most the whole of his life in it.
John B. Leonard was educated in Haverhill pub- lic schools, passing from the graded to the high school, and graduating from the latter with the class of 1899. Some time later he decided to enter the dental profession, and with that object in view, became a student in the Baltimore Medical College, dental department, in 1902, and in due course re- ceived his professional degree, being graduated in the class of 1905. Soon, thereafter, he took up the practice of dentistry in his native place, and has had an office in Haverhill ever since, experi- encing satisfactory development in practice, both in extent and workmanship.
Dr. Leonard has taken close interest in public affairs, but has not been able to take as active a part as he would have liked, his professional duties restricting his opportunities in that connection. Still, he is a member of the Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, and for three years has been a mem- ber of the Haverhill School Board. Fraternally, he
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Christopher . Rogers, -
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BIOGRAPHICAL
belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of which he is past exalted ruler; and the Knights of Columbus. His professional affiliations include membership in the Haverhill Dental Society, and the Northeastern Massachusetts Dental So- ciety, of which organization he is a vice-president. Socially, he belongs to the Wachusett and Island Golf clubs.
Dr. Leonard married, in 1914, Alice C. Donovan, of Newburyport. They are devout Catholics, and attend St. Joseph's Catholic Church of Haverhill.
FRANK LESLIE SIMPSON-Simpson is one of the Scotch-Irish names which has been identified with New Hampshire from a very early Colonial period, and people by that name were active and prominent in the development of Northern Ireland a century before the transplanting of the name to New England. The name is derived from Simpson or Simon, a good old Bible name. Simpsons were conspicuous in the settlement of Londonderry, New Hampshire, and early appeared in that part of an- cient Portsmouth which is now Greenland, and is found in other sections of the State. Representa- tives of the Portsmouth branch settled in Windham, New Hampshire, and this review deals with a des- cendant of that ancient family.
Frank Leslie Simpson, son of Charles Edward and Sarah Abbie (Clark) Simpson, was born in South Barnstable, New Hampshire, March 19, 1875. He prepared in the public schools, and after gradua- tion from the Classical High School, of Lynn, Mas- sachusetts, entered Boston University, whence he was graduated A. B., class of 1893. Later,. deciding upon the profession of law, he prepared in Boston University Law School and was graduated LL.B., summa cum laude, in 1903. After graduation he continued at the law school as an instructor, 1903- 1907, when he was advanced to an assistant pro- fessorship, and since 1910 has been professor of law. He is an editor of "Bigelow's Cases on Bills and Notes," also of "Simpson's Cases on the Law of Tort." He maintains offices in Boston and conducts a private law practice.
Professor Simpson is a member of lodge, chapter, council, commandery, consistory of the York and Scottish Rites of Masonry, and is a noble of Aleppo Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is a member of Phi Delta Phi frater- ity; an honorary member of Phi Beta Kappa; and a member of the Boston Art Club.
Professor Simpson married Mabel Elizabeth White, September 20, 1905, and they have a son, Donald Robert.
JOHN BAKER PEARSON, a lifelong resident of Essex county, Massachusetts, has been familiar with the business world of Lynn for thirty-three years, and has long been prominent in the insurance busi- ness here.
Mr. Pearson was born in Newburyport, Massachu- setts, December 30, 1864, and is a son of John G. and Ruth A. (Thurlow) Pearson. Receiving a lim-
ited, but thoroughly practical education in the pub- lic schools of his native place, Mr. Pearson, as a boy of fourteen, came to Lynn. He began life as paper boy, filling in his time by selling lunches in a shoe factory. In 1887 he secured a position as clerk in the men's furnishing store conducted then by Henry H. Green, and was thus employed for about two years, after which he started in business for himself in the same field. This business he conducted for about twenty years very successfully, then entered the insurance business, not long there- after receiving his son into partnership, and carry- ing on the business under the name of John B. Pear- son & Son. This concern is located at No. 44 Central Square, in Lynn, and is still carrying on a prosperous and steadily increasing business.
Mr. Pearson is a member of the Lynn Chamber of Commerce, and served as secretary of the Re- tail Bureau for a number of years. He served for two years on the Lynn School Board. For about fourteen years he has been a member of Damascus Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons. He is a mem- ber of East Lynn Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which he has served as financial secretary for twenty-five years, and also is a member of Lynn Encampment of the same order. He is a member of St. Stephen's Church.
Mr. Pearson married, in 1886, Maud R. Cook, daughter of Philip Cook, and they have two chil- dren: Edward C., born September 26, 1893; and Ruth A., born August 15, 1902.
CHRISTOPHER H. ROGERS-The legal pro- fession is represented in Lawrence, Massachusetts, by a group of the leading attorneys of the State. One of the prominent members of this group is Christopher H. Rogers, who for twenty-five years has practiced law in Massachusetts.
Mr. Rogers is a son of William M. and Caroline (Howe) Rogers, the former born in Newbury, Mas- sachusetts. He taught school for a time in Milford and East Haverhill, but later became a widely- known attorney and trial justice at Methuen, this covering a period of fifty years. He was a Repub- lican in politics, and represented that town in Legis- lature. He was a member of the Masonic order and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Christopher H. Rogers was born in Methuen, Massachusetts, on May 6, 1871. Receiving his early education in the public schools of his native town, and continuing through the high school there, he early made the decision to follow in his father's footsteps and to make the legal profession the field of his career. He entered Amherst College, and upon his graduation from that institution in 1893, with the B. A. degree, entered Boston University Law School, from which he was graduated in 1896, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, cum laude. In the same year he was admitted to the Essex county bar. Mr. Rogers began the practice of law in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where he remained for two years. Coming thereafter to Lawrence, he entered into a partnership with William J. Brad-
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ley, and for eight years Bradley & Rogers was one of the leading law firms in this district. Since 1905, when this partnership was dissolved, Mr. Rogers has carried on his practice alone, with most gratifying success. He handles a general practice of law, and has been justice of the peace for about twenty- five years and a notary public for many years.
Mr. Rogers stands high in the profession, is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, of the Essex County Bar Association, and of the Lawrence Bar Association. He is also a member of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. For some years he has been a director of the Nevins Home for the Aged.
Fraternally, Mr. Rogers is a member of John Hancock Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons. His college fraternities are the Phi Delta Theta, at Amherst, and the Phi Delta Phi, at Boston Univer- sity. He is a member of the Methuen Club. For a number of years he was chairman of the Methuen Republican Town Committee and also served on the School Committee.
In December, 1905, Mr. Rogers married Alice P. Clark, who died in December, 1908. They were the parents of one son, Francis Clark Rogers. Mr. Rogers resides in Methuen and his office is in the Bay State Bank building in Lawrence.
FREDERICK E. SWEETSER, M. D., who has been in practice in Merrimac, Massachusetts, for more than thirty years, was born in Saco, Maine, November 11, 1866, son of Steven E. and Mary V. (Knight) Sweetser. His father was originally of Buxton, Maine, and until his retirement in 1911 a machinist by trade, and his mother, originally of Waterboro, Maine, died in 1911. Steven E. Sweetser served through the Civil War, and was a member of the Lowell, Massachusetts, post of the Grand Army of the Republic. His son, Frederick E., re- ceived his general education in the public schools of Saco, Maine, graduating ultimately from the high school of that place. With a view to qualify- ing in medicine, he became a student at the Port- land, Maine Medical School, and took further medi- cal instruction at the Bowdoin Medical College, graduating in medicine therefrom with the class of 1888, and then receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He took special graduate study at the New York Post Graduate Medical School, but soon after he had graduated he entered upon gen- eral practice in Merrimac, which has been his centre ever since. He has a wide practice, and is general- ly esteemed. During the war period (1917-19) he acted as a member of the Medical Advisory Board to the Draft Board at Newburyport, and he has had many professional affiliations. He is an ex- president of the Essex North District Medical Asso- ciation, and is a member of the American Medical Association, Massachusetts Medical Association, and the Haverhill Medical Club. Socially, he belongs to the Home Club.
During his long residence and professional ac- tivity in Merrimac, Dr. Sweetser was necessarily drawn into much public work, especially in educa-
tional matters. He has been a member of the Merrimac School Board for twelve years, and has fostered many local movements of public class. He is also a director and vice-president of the First National Bank of Merrimac. Fraternally, Dr. Sweet- ser is a Mason and Odd Fellow. Of the former, he belongs to the Bethany Lodge of Merrimac, the Trinity Chapter of Amesbury, and the Haverhill Commandery, Knights Templar.
He was married, in 1894, to Grace Holbrook, of North Adams, Massachusetts, daughter of William and Frances (Mitchell) Holbrook. Her father was of British birth, born in Manchester, England, was a brick manufacturer, and died in 1886. Her mother, who died in 1894, was of a North Adams, Massa- chusetts, family. Mrs. Sweetser enters much into church and social work in Merrimac, and is an ex-president of the Women's Club of that place. Mrs. Sweetser is a member of the Congregational church of Merrimac. They have two children, Vir- ginia and Frederick Nelson.
JOHN E. PITMAN-For many years prominent in Andover, Massachusetts, as a builder and con- tractor, John E. Pitman has been identified with a great deal of the construction work of the past three decades which has counted for the progress and development of the town.
Mr. Pitman was born in Lower Bartlett, New Hampshire, August 22, 1852, the son of Joseph and Sarah (Charles) Pitman. Joseph Pitman was born in 1822, at Lower Bartlett, New Hampshire, and died, aged eighty-seven years. He was first a school teacher, later a surveyor and land lawyer. He was a Democrat and served as selectman, county commissioner and representative to the General Court. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in North Conway.
John E. Pitman received his education in the public schools of his native town, then learned the trade of carriage builder, at Cornish, Maine. Fol- lowing this trade for several years, he thereafter, at the age of twenty-five years, went to Fryeburg, in Oxford county, of the same State, and there entered the carriage business. After carrying on this business for about twelve years, Mr. Pitman, in 1889, came to Andover, working here for different contractors until 1895. In that year, in association with Adam C. Richardson, Mr. Pitman established a contracting business under the name of Richard- son & Pitman, builders. Three years later, upon the withdrawal of Mr. Richardson from the firm, Mr. Pitman carried on the business as sole owner, under his own name. He has been most successful, and has handled many important contracts in this vicinity. About three years ago he established a side line in the retailing of lumber, and this in it- self is a thriving interest. Mr. Pitman still per- sonally continues the oversight of the business, although his son is his able assistant. His business location adjoins his residence at No. 45 Whittier street, Andover.
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