USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts, Volume III > Part 52
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He attended the grammar and high schools, and became interested in newspaper work at an early date. For ten years Mr. Sawyer was advertising manager of the "Lawrence Telegram," and had previously been associated with the "Lawrence American" for fifteen years. For the last sixteen years of his life he had been a member of the "Bos- ton Globe" staff, as correspondent for Methuen. Mr. Sawyer was very aggressive and active, and in addition to his early newspaper work, he served as assistant postmaster. His fraternal connections included membership in the John Hancock Lodge of Masons, and Hope Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was a member of the Methuen Club and of the Essex County Press Club.
Mr. Sawyer married, in Methuen, July 8, 1897, Harriet Martha Snell, of Dover, New Hampshire, daughter of George Calvin and Hannah Marion
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Snell. They were the parents of a daughter, Persis Low Sawyer, born June 21, 1902, a graduate of the Methuen High School, in the class of 1920. Mrs. Sawyer's ancestry traces to an old honored family of early New England days. Her father followed the sea for many years and after his marriage en- gaged in the business of market-gardening, and through her grandmother's line she can trace de- scent to Governor Roger Conant, the first Governor of the Cape Ann Colony. Mrs. Sawyer and her daughter make their home in Methuen, and are active members of the Universalist church.
MELVIN A. FARQUHAR, of Merrimac, Mass- achusetts, a building contractor, was born in New York, August 22, 1872, son of William and Mary (Easton) Farquhar, and grandson of William Farquhar. The last-named was born in Scotland, and of his four children were William and Robert.
William Farquhar, father of Melvin A., was born in Rockburn, Canada, in 1828, died in Merrimac, Massachusetts, in 1912, at the venerable age of eighty-four years. He was a man of fine record, a veteran of the Civil War, and an industrious re- sponsible citizen. For many years he was a con- tractor and builder in Massachusetts, and esteemed by those who knew him well. The family home for many years was in Chautauqua, New York, and there William Farquhar married Mary Easton, who was born in that place. She died in October, 1892. Their children were: Robert, John, William, Alex- ander, James, George, Mary, Melvin A., Maggie, and Gene. William Farquhar lived for a further twenty years, and was a respected comrade of the Chautauqua Post, of the Grand Army of the Re- public.
Melvin A. Farquhar was educated in the public schools of his native place, ultimately graduating from high school. For seven years after leaving school, he worked at carpentry, associating with his father. After that time, he decided to enter in- dependently into business in Merrimac as a build- ing contractor, and in such occupations and respon- sibilities the time has passed to the present. Mr. Farquhar has undertaken several important con- tracts successfully, and has reached a satisfactory state in material affairs, and he has been steady in his adherence to the church of his father and grand- father, the Methodist church.
He married, in Chautauqua, New York, July 4, 1905, Cora E. Gotuhier, daughter of Henry and Hattie (Miner) Gotuhier, of Chautauqua, the for- mer a painting and paper-hanging contractor there. Mrs. Farquhar was born in Chautauqua in 1884.
M. F. WHEATLEY, owner of the Wheatley Motor Car & Garage Company, of Lawrence, Massa- chusetts, is one of the efficient and progressive busi- ness men of that city. He is also the owner of the Wheatley Transportation Company, sole agent of the H. J. Heintz products, and of the Brockway truck.
Mr. Wheatley was born October 6, 1882, at North Billerica, Massachusetts, son of William Wheatley,
a native of Ireland, who was occupied as a station- ary engineer for many years; he died in 1919, sur- viving his wife, Margaret Kilbride, a native of England, eight years. Mr. Wheatley was educated in the public schools of Andover, Massachusetts, and at Holy Angel College, Buffalo, New York. Soon after returning to Lawrence, he engaged in the garage business and has been singularly successful. He added the transportation line in a few years, and each week delivers by automobile truck more than one hundred tons of Heintz products, for which he has the sole agency, from Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill. As before stated, Mr. Wheatley has the agency for the Brockway truck. His garage covers about ten thousand feet of floor space, with a cap- acity for fifty cars, and is very modern and up-to- date in every particular.
He married, in 1920, Norah C. Donavan, dangh- ter of Lieutenant William Donavan, of the Law- rence Fire Department, and Hanna (Rice) Don- avan. With his wife, Mr. Wheatley attends St. Patrick's Church, in Lawrence.
HARRY T. PLUMSTEAD, of Haverhill, manu- facturer of shoe patterns, is widely known to shoe manufacturers in that part of Massachusetts. He has been making patterns for eighteen years in Haverhill, and is, in fact, the second oldest pattern maker of that city.
He was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, August 22, 1874. In his boyhood he attended the public schools of Lynn, and after leaving school found employment in the plant of J. A. Niles, al maker of shoe pat- terns. There he learned the trade which he has followed throughout his life. He worked in New York for a while, and later in Philadelphia and other cities. In 1903 he established himself in in- dependent business in Haverhill, opening a shoe- pattern plant at No. 110 Washington street. He .has been at that address ever since, and has a good share of the local trade. He makes all kinds of shoe patterns. Mr. Plumstead is a member of the Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, and frater nally belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of Haverhill, and the Lynn Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a mem ber of the Congregational church of Haverhill.
LAWRENCE AUTO BODY COMPANY, INC .- In the manufacturing world of Lawrence, Massa- chusetts, the Lawrence Auto Body Company, Inc., is taking a permanent place. With Domnick Car anci as president and business manager, and John H. Harward as treasurer and production manager, the success of the enterprise is assured.
Mr. Caranci was born in Italy, September 7, 1884, and came to this country at the age of fourteen years. His father is still living in Italy, but his mother is deceased. Locating in Providence, Rhode Island, Mr. Caranci learned wool sorting, and was engaged in this occupation for a period of eight years. Coming to Lawrence in 1907, he took up life insurance for the John Hancock Mutual Life In- surance Company, of Boston, and during the year
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and a half of his experience in this line was the leader of fifty-two insurance solicitors. Mr. Car- anci's next business experience was as a retail grocer, and for about seven years he conducted two stores in Lawrence, one at the corner of Lowell and Amesbury streets, and the other at the corner of Lawrence and Stearns avenues. He was very suc- cessful in this field, but having an opportunity to sell to advantage, he disposed of both stores, after which, for two years and a half, he was employed in the Arlington mill.
During this time Mr. Caranci was on the alert for a good opportunity of investing his capital in a profitable and permanent interest. Becoming associated with Mr. John H. Harward, an expert automobile body maker, the Lawrence Auto Body Company was formed, Mr. Caranci being the presi- dent and Mr. Harward the treasurer, Mathew Har- ward acting as clerk. The business has grown so rapidly in the short time which has elapsed since the date of organization (February, 1920), that the company is erecting a handsome new structure in South Lawrence for its accommodation. The new building will cost about $20,000, and is one of the most complete and modern examples of industrial construction work in the city. It is fire-proof and dust-proof, and includes up-to-date paint shops. They build bodies for closed and open cars, also new tops, and do trimming as well. Entirely by their own efforts these young men have become the most representative concern in their line in this vicinity. The business was incorporated in Feb- ruary, 1920. Mr. Caranci is a member of the Knights of Columbus, of Lawrence, and of the Fra- ternal Order of Eagles. He is a member of the Roman Catholic Church of the Immaculate Concep- tion, and of the Holy Name Society of this church.
On November 18, 1907, Mr. Caranci married Annie T. Linehan, of Lawrence.
John H. Harward, treasurer of the Lawrence Auto Body Company, was born in Amesbury, Mas- sachusetts, December 7, 1887, and is a son of Patrick Harward, of Amesbury. His mother is deceased. Receiving his early education in the public schools of his native town, he early entered the world of industry, later attending Case High School, in De- troit, Michigan, a celebrated drafting and engi- neering school, taking a two years' course. Mr. Harward has always been in similar work to that in which he is now engaged as an executive. He did more than eight hundred jobs of body building in the middle west, and was employed by the Pierce- Arrow Company, at Buffalo, for a year and a half. During the World War he had charge of the alumi- num work on airplanes, at Waltham, Massachusetts, for the Metz Automobile Company. Coming to Lawrence in 1920 he became associated with Dom- nick Caranci, in the founding of the Lawrence Auto Body Company, of which he is now treasurer. With fourteen years of actual experience in the making of bodies for many types of cars, he is an expert in the work, and is especially fitted for the manage- ment of this business. The new factory is being constructed according to special plans which, from
his fund of experience, he has approved. He is now applying for a patent on an adjustable door bumper for automobiles, which will eliminate one of the every-day annoyances of the motorist. Mr. Har- ward is a member of the Benevolent and Protec- tive Order of Elks, No. 909, and is a member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church.
In April, 1918, Mr. Harward married Lucy Taffe, of Haverhill, Massachusetts.
ABRAHAM GLOVSKY-Although admitted to the bar only three years ago, the name of Abraham Glovsky is already carrying weight in legal mat- ters in Essex county. Mr. Glovsky was born in Rus- sia, December 10, 1896, a son of Meyer and Sadie (Bramborg) Glovsky, both of Russia.
Coming to this country with his parents as a child, Mr. Glovsky received his early education in the public schools of Salem. Choosing the law as his field, he entered Boston University Law. School, and was graduated in the class of 1917. Following his graduation he spent about a year in the offices of McSweeney & McSweeney, the prominent Salem attorneys, then in March, 1918, was admitted to the Essex county bar. At that time he established himself in the profession, and now has offices both in Salem and Beverly, residing in the latter place. He has made a most promising beginning, and now has gained an assured position in his chosen pro- fession. Mr. Glovsky is a member of the Essex County Bar Association, and of the Salem branch of the same organization. Residing in Beverly, he is active in civic affairs there, and is a member of the Beverly Republican City Committee, also of the Chamber of Commerce of Beverly. He has also been active as a speaker in the interests of the Re- publican party.
In his more personal interests, Mr. Glovsky reaches out in various branches of endeavor. He is a member of the Young Men's Hebrew Association, of Salem, and served that organization as president in 1917 and 1918. He is a member of the Beverly Zionist Club, and was its president in 1919. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, of Beverly, and also of the Young Men's Christian Association, of that city. He worships with the Sons of Abraham and Isaac Congregation of Beverly.
Mr. Glovsky married, in June, 1917, Ruth M. Slotneck, of Wakefield, Massachusetts, and they have two sons, Charles Henry, born March 26, 1918, and William M., born October 3, 1921.
REV. SILAS LIVINGSTONE MORSE-A city is doubly blessed when a minister comes to serve it who has arrived at the height of his profession by a route that took him not only through the edu- cational and theological institutions, but for years as well in secular business and trade. Rev. Silas Livingstone Morse, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, was for several years a master printer. His religious bent led him in Young Men's Christian Association work and he was for several years secre- tary of an important association. He then became
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a missionary to the sailors in Boston, Massachu- setts, and all these various vocations and experi- ences came before he entered a theological seminary. After graduation, he became a noted preacher, a helpful pastor, and a loved humanitarian. He is the son of Thomas Ansley and Margaretta Maud (Ox- ley) Morse. Thomas Ansley Morse was one of the famous old-time ship builders of Medford, Massa- chusetts, when the vessels were all made of wood and the American clipper ship was known the whole world around. He made vessels for the United States Government during the Civil War. In later years he moved his yards to Nova Scotia and con- tinued his business there.
Silas Livingstone Morse was born January 25, 1859, at Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, Canada. He at- tended the public school of his native city and also gained an academic education in the Bridgetown Academy. His first effort at self-support was in a print shop, and in 1877 he came to Boston and went to work as a printer for Rand, Avery & Company, publishers and printers, with whom he remained for eleven years.
Of a religious temperament, he joined the Young Men's Christian Association and became so useful in its work that he was persuaded to become a secretary and for three years served as such in the Somerville (Massachusetts) Association. Re- alizing the needs of the sailors of our ports, and also how few people would sacrifice themselves and their time in that cause, he felt called to go among them, and for a five-year period served as missionary pastor of the First Mariner's Baptist Church of Boston.
Seeing the need of further training for his voca- tion, he entered the Newton Theological Institution of Newton, Massachusetts, from which he was graduated with the class of 1892, his ordination as a Baptist minister taking place in June of the same year at the above named church, where he continued as assistant pastor for one year, and then accepted a call to the First Baptist Church of Plymouth, Massachusetts, remaining for six years. During this same period he was a bril- liant editorial writer for the Brockton "Times," until 1898.
Pastorates followed in the First Baptist Church of Medfield, Massachusetts, four years; the First Baptist Church of Merrimac, Massachusetts, seven years; and then for seven years in the Mt. Wash- ington Baptist Church of Haverhill. Since 1915 Mr. Morse has been the assistant pastor of the First Baptist Church of Haverhill. Possibly one of the greatest honors that came to Mr. Morse, and certainly one of the best things that Northern Essex county ever did, was to appoint him pro- bation and court officer for all that section of the county.
Mr. Morse is a Republican, but politics had noth- ing to do with his appointment. As the newspapers said, "for once, here was an office seeking a man, and not a man seeking an office." It is Rev. Mr. Morse's duty and pleasure to appear before the Cen- tral District Court of Northern Essex County at
Haverhill and investigate and plead the cases of delinquent and wayward children. The good he has done is incalculable. Many boys, who but for him would have spent a part of the most formative time of their lives in association with criminals, were rescued through his efforts and given the chance to make good, respectable citizens under more favor- able conditions.
. He has also been secretary and chairman of the school commission of the town of Merrimae, Massachusetts, for three years.
Mr. Morse fraternizes with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Olive Branch Lodge, No. 78, Bos- ton, Massachusetts; the Ancient Order of United Workmen, Plymouth Rock Lodge, Plymouth, Mas- sachusetts; the Masons, being a member of Merri- mack Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Haver hill, which he has served as chaplain for three years; and the Lodge of Perfection, Scottish Rite, in which he has served as prelate.
On September 8, 1881, at Somerville, Massacha setts, Mr. Morse was married to Julia Ella Reed, the daughter of William Henry Harrison Reed, and Mary (Peters) Crowninshield, residents of Lexington, Massachusetts. Rev. and Mrs. Morse are the parents of five children: 1. Silas Living- stone, Jr., born November 28, 1882, who is a graduate of Webb Academy for Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, New York City, is now vice-president and manager of Pier 14, Jersey City, New Jersey, and conducts a business in ship re- pairing and building. 2. Harrison Reed, born January 5, 1884, civil engineer, a graduate of Washington and Lee University, of Lexington, Virginia; is now with the Standard Oil Company, and is the supervisor of their stations in the States of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 3. Ella Ansley, born January 21, 1889, and died March 10, 1899. 4. Ruth Evelyn, born August 19, 1890, the wife of John Frank Mc- Innis, who is a graduate of Webb Academy. 5. Mary Marguerite, born February 11, 1893, married Waldo Salisbury Quinney, a shoe dealer.
CHARLES SEWALL GOODRIDGE-For the past thirty-four years active in the insurance busi- ness in Lynn and Essex county, Charles S. Good- ridge has long been a leading figure in this field of endeavor and is still handling large interests, al- though he has reached an age when many men retire.
Mr. Goodridge was born in Boston, October 11, 1854, and is a son of Sidney S. and Catherine (Quig- ley) Goodridge. The family removing to Lynn when Mr. Goodridge was a child of eight years, the greater part of his public school education was received in this city. For several years after com- pleting the course he attended private evening schools, supplementing his education broadly. His first occupation was in the employ of Spaulding, Hay & Wales, a leading dry goods firm of that day, but remaining only a short time, he entered the employ of Richardson, Bird & Company, in the wholesale woolen business, where he continued
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for two years. Returning to Lynn, be accepted a position with Samuel P. Valpy, clothing and hat dealer, and was with him for about two years, after which he entered the clothing store of Wil- liam Filene, in Lynn, with which he was identified for six years. Following this he was with Aaron Slater for about one year. Then Mr. Goodridge started in business for himself, in the field of hats and men's furnishings, and this venture proving eminently successful, he continued for seven years. He was then induced to accept the office of treas- urer of the People's Loan Company, and in con- nection with the duties of this office, he also acted as agent for the Mutual Life Insurance Company, of New York city, and also for the Employers' Liability Assurance Company. For seven years he carried forward these combined interests, then be- came district agent for the Employers' Liability Assurance Company, devoting his attention solely, from that time to the present, to the interests of this concern. He is still regularly at his desk, and holds the active management of the office. He was for five years president of the Lynn "News."
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Mr. Goodridge is a member of the Lynn Cham- ber of Commerce, and is widely known in frater- nal and club circles. He is a member of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and of the Lynn His- torical Association. His clubs are the Oxford, Park, Swampscott, and Homestead Golf Club, also the Massachusetts, the Middlesex county, and the Essex County Republican clubs, member of Repub- lican State Committee, 1918-1919-1920, and was a member of the executive committee, 1919 and 1920. Mr. Goodridge has always taken a keen interest in political affairs, and was a member of the City Council, Lynn, 1899-1900. He is a member of the Unitarian church.
In 1881 Mr. Goodridge married Nellie Marsh, and they have two daughters, Bessie B., wife of Harold A. Osborn, and Elbra F., wife of Cornelius Connor.
JOHN EDWARD KOEN-To the progressive business man, who is alert to every demand of the people, opportunity is not a fugitive visitor, but a daily servant. John Edward Koen, of Salem, Massa- chusetts, saw the trend of the times, when the moving pictures took the world by storm, and has made opportunity serve him at every turn.
Mr. Koen is a son of John and Mary (Scollon) Koen. He was born in Salem, January 18, 1878. Receiving a practical education in the public schools of that city, he started in life as a news boy. With his native capacity for making use of every scrap of information, his experiences along this line became of inestimable value to him. An opening in the leather business offering, he ac- cepted it, and while thus engaged, managed to save a little capital for future business operations. His next step was an interest in a little store in North Salem, which he soon took over, and conducted for
seventeen years, with ever increasing success.
But this business did not satisfy the young man's ambition, neither was he content to sit down and wait for something better to seek him out. The moving picture idea was then beginning to take a strong grip on the people, and at the "Willows," the summer theatre, under the management of Mr. Gorman, was attracting large audiences. Mr. Koen secured the position of operator for the evening shows, and when his day's business was over at the store, ran the picture machine until the theatre closed for the night. But this side line ended with the close of the summer season.
Nevertheless Mr. Koen had become interested in the theatre idea, and in one form or another, was determined to carry it through, to at least, some measure of success. Accordingly he ar- ranged moving picture shows and musical enter- tainments for lodges and other organizations, cover- ing frequent dates all through the winter. His success along this line was, perhaps, augmented by certain appreciation of the element of suitability, and the faculty for gauging the taste of his audi- ence, in advance of the occasion.
This carried Mr. Koen's interests in the line of entertainments, down to the time when Edison's improved projecting machine, revolutionized the still new moving picture world. Mr. Koen bought one of these machines, and hiring Odell Hall, open- ed it to the public with regular shows. The urge for independence was strong, however, and taking a lease of half a store, he fitted it up, what was then, the largest moving picture theatre in Salem, the "Cozy Theatre," with a seating capacity of 144 people.
This was the beginning of the group of theatres, now conducted under the Koen name, every building at present being owned by the company. Mr. Koen's progress was steady, if gradual at the be- ginning. The second step upward was the "Com- ique Theatre," with its greater seating capacity of 226. The growing audiences soon filled this to over- flowing, and then Mr. Koen and his brother, Wil- liam H. Koen, enlarged the "Comique" to a seating capacity of 500. They established a branch theatre, bearing the same name, in Beverly, and this was conducted very successfully, for a period of two years. This division of interests, in the feature of locality, appeared to them as inadvisable at this stage of the game, however, and their interests in Beverly were disposed of. Their next step was to take over the "Salem Theatre."
Centering their attention on the possibilities within the city of Salem, they launched a project, which, in the face of the criticism they met, was little short of daring. This was the purchase of the site of the "Federal Theatre," and the erection of the handsome structure, in which it is now housed. This theatre was opened, March 23, 1918, still early in the history of the "screen," as it is today. The response of the public was ample vin- dication of the enterprise of the Koen brothers, and the continued success of this theatre is still
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one of the significant facts of the world of re- creation in Salem.
Meanwhile, the Koen interests extended to in- clude the "Colonial Theatre" in Haverhill, Massa- chusetts, and then the "Empire" in Salem, the lat- ter being devoted to the Keith productions in vaude- ville, as well as high class pictures. Their latest development is the purchase of the "City Theatre," in Brockton, which was recently opened under their management, and is making a striking success. The four buildings which house the Salem theatres of the Koen brothers are owned by them, and the theatres proper are models of artistic decoration, convenience and comfort. The "Federal" and the "Empire" each contains a fine organ, and the music is considered one of the principal attractions.
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