USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts, Volume III > Part 9
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Richard Barry passed peacefully from this tran- sitory pilgrimage to his Eternal Abode prepared by his Creator, last Saturday afternoon at his late resi- dence, 80 Washington street, Peabody, surrounded by his faithful wife, loving children, and other members of his family, after an illness of a few hours' duration. Born of humble parents, on the Emerald Isle, forty-nine years ago, and coming to this country in tender childhood, it may be well said of him, "he was one of Ireland's staunchest supporters, and America's model citizens." Starting at the foot of the ladder of life, with no asset other than a determination to succeed in his humble voca- tion by earnestness, zeal and endeavor, he succeeded in reaching a pinnacle of fame seldom attained by man. His endeavors in the interests of others of mankind, and his labors on all matters pertaining to the welfare of his country, state, and his home town of Peabody, have won for him the respect and esteem not alone of those of his own religious beliefs, but the admiration of all true mankind who hold all different religious views, but respect men for what they are and what they do for themselves and others. A staunch Catholic, true to his beliefs, he set an example that all men might do well to emulate.
He served the town in many capacities to the last, with credit to his church, his town, and him- self. He leaves a wife, four children, and two brothers, who have the sympathy of his vast circle of friends in this time of affliction. Those who know him best believe that he has but gone to take his place with those who, during this earthly probation, prove true to their wives and families, as well as all other duties assigned to them, in order that they may merit that place prepared by man's Creator, where trials and tribulations are unknown and where joy and bliss abound for all Eternity. T. P. F.
MICHAEL LEO SULLIVAN-A successful at- torney, deeply loyal to the city chosen for his resi- dence and also for his professional field, and a lead. er in every movement for the good of humanity, Michael Leo Sullivan, of Salem, Massachusetts, is broadly representative of that Americanism which is satisfied, so far as personal activity is concerned, with nothing short of constructive, wide-reaching forward-looking endeavor. Mr. Sullivan was born November 9, 1872, and is a son of Owen P. and Elizabeth (Sheedy) Sullivan, both of whom are now deceased.
Receiving his early education in the public schools of Salem, Mr. Sullivan entered the Boston Univer- sity Law School, from which he was graduated, class of 1892. Full of the ideals and enthusiasms of young manhood, he entered upon the profession which is his life work, and as is too seldom the case, has clung to these ideals and enthusiasms, and
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made them a constructive force behind all his work. Mr. Sullivan was admitted to the Suffolk county bar in the year of his graduation, and practiced for a time in Boston, also having an office in Salem. Later, as he became identified with various inter- ests in Salem, he foresaw the future of the city, and determining to cast in his lot with the public interests of Salem, and bear a part in its develop- ment, he discontinued his Boston office and devoted all his time to his Salem practice. Aside from his extensive individual interests of a professional nat- ure, he has become a leading figure in the public life of this city.
Mr. Sullivan has served as city solicitor of Salem since 1914, when he was elected by the City Coun- cil, later, in 1918, being appointed to this office by Mayor Sullivan. After the disastrous fire of 1914, which placed such a stupendous problem before the city, he was a member of the re-building commit- tee, and labored untiringly for the rehabilitation of the stricken community. During the World War he was chairman of the War Savings Stamp drives, and gave lavishly of his time and energies in sup- port of our forces overseas. He was in charge of all the work of the Amercian Protective League in and about Salem, and spoke many times as "Four Minute Man."
Politically Mr. Sullivan has always been affiliated with the Democratic party, and as if by universal consent, has been called upon to take a leading part in the affairs of the party. He was made delegate to the National Democratic Convention in Balti- more, was chairman of the Massachusetts Delega- tion to the St. Louis Convention, and was delegate to the San Francisco Convention in 1920.
In many activities Mr. Sullivan takes a prominent part. He is president of the Essex County Bar As- sociation; is a member of the Knights of Columbus, of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and of the Father Mathew Total Abstinence Society, holding an influential position in all these organiz- ations.
On April 30, 1895, Mr. Sullivan married Mary E. Crouse, daughter of William E. and Mary E. (Carr) Crouse. They are the parents of two children: Grace E., born 1899, and George A., born December, 1902. The family are all members of the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
ALFRED T. LE BOEUF, M. D .- Dr. Alfred T. Le Boeuf, of Salem, Massachusetts, is one of the well-known professional men of that city, a skil- led physician and surgeon. Dr. Le Boeuf is a son of Thomas and Emma (Paris) Le Boeuf, and was born in Ashland, Massachusetts. His father is a blacksmith by trade, but has lived retired from ac- tive work for the last sixteen years. The five chil- dren of Thomas and Emma (Paris) Le Boeuf are: Joseph G .; Philip J .; Victor A., the prominent Salem dentist, a sketch of whose life appears else- where in this work; Alfred T., of whom extended mention follows; and Josephine E.
The family moved to Worcester, Massachusetts,
when the doctor was a young lad, and there he received his early education at the public and high schools of that city. He decided upon the medical profession for his career, and entered the medical school of the University of Maryland, at Baltimore, from which institution he was graduated in 1908. He spent one year as an interne at the Maryland General Hospital, then passed the examinations of the Massachusetts State Medical Board, in 1909, and opened an office in Salem, for the general practice of medicine and surgery. This is the barest out- line of facts in a useful life. The doctor is still a young man, but commands a wide and ever broad- ening practice. He enjoys the esteem and conf- dence of the people of Salem and vicinity, and has an enviable outlook for the future.
Dr. Le Boeuf married, June 5, 1911, Elmina L. Nadeau, daughter of Fred E. and Angel (Martin) Nadeau. Mrs. Le Boeuf was a graduate of Salem Normal School, and a successful school teacher be- fore her marriage. They are the parents of five children : Jeannette Marie, George Henry, Alfred T. Jr., James Henry, and Margaret J.
Outside of his professional and home life, Dr. Le Boeuf is a man of broad and far-reaching in- terests. He is a member of the Salem Golf Club, and takes much needed relaxation on the links. He is a member of the Young Men's Christian As- sociation, and active in all its work. He is a Re- publican by political affiliation, but while never seeking nor accepting office, he is devoted to the principles of the party. He gave largely of his time to the welfare work in connection with the recent World War, particularly in the Y. M. C. A. drives. Dr. Le Boeuf is a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society, and of the American Medical As- sociation; he is a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters, of which he is examining physician; & member of the Washington Associates; the Artiz- ans; and St. Jean le Baptiste; being examining phy- sician also, of the two latter. He is on the staff of the Salem Hospital. The Le Boeuf family have always been devout members of the Roman Catholic church.
GEORGE WELTON PITMAN-In the world of construction the breadth of opportunity is limitless, and in Salem, Massachusetts, the Pitman & Brown Company, contractors and builders, are placing the stamp of high achievement on the visible records of progress.
George Welton Pitman, the head of this great concern, is of English descent, and is a son of George Trefy and Eliza (Welton) Pitman. The elder Mr. Pitman was born in Yarmouth county, Nova Scotia, and his wife was born in Annapolis county, Nova Scotia. Both are now deceased.
George Welton Pitman was born in Yarmouth county, Nova Scotia, on October 26, 1856. Edu- cated in the public schools of Yarmouth, and com- pleting his studies at the age of sixteen years, he began work at the carpenter's trade, and thor- oughly mastered its details. But from childhood
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the boy had possessed a love of adventure, and at nineteen years of age he accomplished the realiza- tion of a long-cherished dream, by going to sea. He started before the mast, then later became ship's carpenter, and studying navigation, finally became first mate. He followed the sea for three years, during which time he was in the Western Ocean and West India trade. At the end of this time he married, and his people persuaded him to relinquish the roving and hazardous life of the sea.
In the year 1879 Mr. Pitman came to Salem, Massachusetts, and became associated with the firm of Hamilton & Balcomb, contractors and builders, Mr. Hamilton being Mrs. Pitman's uncle. Here he worked at his trade as journeyman, and gradually worked up until he held the position of foreman and superintendent. It was under Mr. Pitman's man- agement as superintendent that the firm of Hamil- ton & Balcomb built the new Salem Court House, the Salem jail, and the Peabody Town Hall. Mr. Pitman's association with this company continued for a period of ten years, and in that time he gained a wealth of experience which he later found of the utmost value.
In April, 1889, Mr. Pitman started in the line of contracting and building for himself. But although he was beginning as an independent contractor, he was prepared for important work by his experience with the other concern. His first job was the Win- negan Hotel, at Baker's Island, in Salem Harbor, at that time considered the leading hotel of its kind in this vicinity. In August of the same year Mr. Charles W. Brown was admitted to the firm, and for a number of years it was continued as a part- nership.
The mill and yard, during the early years of the firm's history, were located on Derby street. Their facilities were limited, and they did only the car- penter work, subletting the masonry and other branches of construction. But they grew rapidly, and soon began to buy lumber in car load lots. They added machinery and milling equipment, and began building their own doors and windows and producing all their mill work. Later they broad- ened the scope of their work, and handled every branch of construction except the plumbing and electrical installation. The growth of the business was steady as well as rapid, and the firm long since became a power in this field of endeavor. It was incorporated in 1905, and felt the impetus of the new form of organization going forward to ever increasing success.
But the history of the Pitman & Brown Company was not without its period of disaster and discour- agement. Their first location, at 249 to 255 Derby street, was in the path of the terrific conflagration of 1914, and the plant was completely wiped out. Relocating immediately, at 40 Bridge street, the company made this calamity a means of further growth and development. In rebuilding they in- creased their facilities to include the manufacture of all lines of builders' materials, and extended their scope, and now they handle paint, roofing, cement,
lime, and all other materials that go into the con- struction of a modern building. At the yard and mill plant they now employ more than seventy-five men, and at the office and salesroom, which is lo- cated on Washington street, an office force is em- ployed which numbers seventy-five more people, men and girls. In 1919 Mr. Pitman purchased the holdings of Mr. Brown, but the firm name remains the same. Mr. Pitman is now president and treas- urer of the company.
The part which the Pitman & Brown Company has borne in the growth and development of Salem, and in fact, of the county of Essex, is one in which they may well take pride. The long list of indus- trial buildings to their credit, includes factories at Salem, Beverly, Peabody, and Danversport, in Es- sex county, others at Revere and Waltham, in ad- jacent counties, and still others as far away as Win- chester, New Hampshire. They have erected many of the most important business structures in and about Salem, including the Rogers building, Bever- ly, with its imposing street front, the attractive mercantile establishment of Daniel Low & Company, with fixtures complete, the splendid building of the Naumkeag Trust Company, the Gifford-Packard Block, and very many others. Among the note- worthy structures of varied character, should be mentioned the Masonic Temple at Salem, the main lodge room of which is said to be one of the most beautiful lodge rooms in the country, the Massachusetts State Armory, at Salem, and the Witch and Plaza theatres. It would be impossible to do justice to their work in any review of this compass.
One of the recent developments in the construc- tion line which the Pitman & Brown Company is featuring, is the standardized dwelling, of which the company is building hundreds. They are made in two types, small single family houses, and larger houses designed to accommodate two families. They are of standardized construction, and all the lumber is cut at the mill, and delivered byl motor truck ready to set up in place. This minimizes waste and economizes time. The houses are of a substantial type, and are designed by a Boston ar- chitect whose experience makes them models of convenience and comfort. They are being built everywhere within reach of the company's plant, a recent trip of delivery taking one of the trucks thirty-one hours' run out of Salem.
As the head of this great business, Mr. Pitman is, of necessity constantly in the public eye, and has been called upon many times to lend his ability to some cause which involved the public welfare. During the World War the entire plant of the com- pany was turned over to the Government for the manufacture of all wood parts of airplanes. At that time Mr. Pitman was a member of the Salem Committee in charge of labor conditions, securing labor for the industries of the city, and after the war, finding work for discharged men.
Mr. Pitman is vice-president and one of the di- rectors of the Morris Plan Bank, and also a director
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of the Salem Co-Operative Bank. He was a mem- ber of the Common Council of Salem, and is now a member of the Chamber of Commerce.
In fraternal and social circles Mr. Pitman is wide- ly known. He is a member of all the Masonic bodies, in which order he holds the Thirty-second degree. He is also a member of the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and of the Masonic Club. He is a member of the Salem Club, of the Colonial Club, and of the Rotary Club.
Mr. Pitman married Ettie Meade Allen, daughter of William and Fannie (Hibbard) Allen, of Yar- mouth county, Nova Scotia. They had three chil- dren: Mabel; Oscar; and George; all of whom were lost in the diphtheria epidemic. They adopted a son, George Melvin, now seventeen years of age and a student at the Salem High School. Mr. and Mrs. Pitman are members of the Lafayette Street Metho- dist Episcopal Church, of Salem, of which society Mr. Pitman is a trustee.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SPINNEY-After a long and useful life in manufacturing and financial worlds of Essex county, Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin Spinney is now retired from all direct par- ticipation in business affairs, but is often sought in an advisory capacity by the interests in which he was so long an active factor.
Mr. Spinney was born in Taunton, Massachusetts, September 1, 1832, and is a son of Benjamin and Mary B. Spinney, both long since deceased. His father was one of the early shoe men of that sec- tion. As a boy Mr. Spinney attended the public schools of Taunton, also Bristol Academy of that city, and the Taunton High School. Undoubtedly his father's business had its influence in governing the trend of his career, for when his education was completed the young man entered the shoe business as a manufacturer. He continued thus without interruption until year 1918, about seven- ty years of activity in one of the most practical avenues of effort. Retiring in 1913, Mr. Spinney has lived in retirement, although he has still held an interest in various enterprises. But the manage- ment of all his interests he has turned over into other hands.
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For many years Mr. Spinney has been an honored officer of various financial institutions. He was a director in the First National Bank of Lynn, now the Essex Trust Company, for several years, and also trustee and vice-president for several years of the Lynn Institution for Savings. He was one of the organizers, and for nearly thirty-five years president, of the National Security Bank of Lynn, and its successor, the Security Trust Company, retiring therefrom in 1917. Mr. Spinney is a mem- ber of the Oxford Club and many minor clubs, and is a member of the First Universalist Church of Lynn.
On November 2, 1858, Mr. Spinney married Sarah Caswell, daughter of Samuel and Nancy Cas- well, and their only child, Frank Caswell Spinney, who was born December 14, 1864, is now retired.
DEERY BROTHERS-The firm Deery Brothers was started in 1907, for the manufacture of all kinds of split leather, the partners being John A. and Edward F. Deery. "The original plant of the com- pany was located on Goodue street, Salem, and for fourteen years the business has been located at the same address. The firm is a member of Boston Chamber of Commerce, and has won a secure posi- tion in the business world. The Deery Brothers are sons of John Deery, of Salem, Massachusetts.
John A. Deery was born June 26, 1886, in Salem, Massachusetts, was educated in Salem public schools, and there has ever resided. He is a partner of Deery Brothers of Salem, a director of the Fed- eral Trust Company of Boston, director of the Farmington- Shoe Company of Dover, New Hamp- shire, and is a member of the Trust Fund Com- mission of the city of Salem.
Edward F. Deery was born in Salem, Massachu- setts, April 10, 1888, and was there educated in the public schools. He is a member of St. James Rom- an Catholic Church, and of the Knights of Colum- bus, and Ancient Order of Hibernians. The brothers are successful business men, and are popular soci- ally. In politics they are Democrats, and interested in public affairs.
WILLIAM F. GERRY, of Lynnfield, son of El- bridge F. Gerry, comes of one of the New England families of distinguished Revolutionary and early Republican record. Perhaps the most noted of this name, but not of this direct line, was Elbridge Gerry (1744-1814), who became vice-president of the United States. This distinguished man was born in Massachusetts, was a member of the Massachu- setts Colonial House of Representatives from 1772 to 1775, and a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1776 to 1780, and from 1788 to 1785. Ho signed the Declaration of Independence and aided in framing the Constitution, but refused to sign it, believing that too great powers were delegated to the National Government. He was elected a repre- sentative from Massachusetts to the first U. S. Con- gress in 1789 and served till 1793. He was a spec- ial commissioner to France in 1797 with Pinckney and Marshall, and was elected governor of Massa- chusetts in 1810, serving for two years. He was elected vice-president of the United States in 1812, as a Democrat, and served until his death in 1814. There are many branches of the old Gerry family of Massachusetts. To one of the branches belongs the present United States Senator Peter G. Gerry, of Rhode Island. The branch to which William F. Gerry belongs has held residence in Massachusetts throughout the generations. Elbridge F. Gerry, father of William F., was born in Lynnfield, Mass., in 1850, and in 1872 established a business in Lynn- field which is still conducted. Since 1872 Elbridge F. Gerry has operated his cider and vinegar mill there, and the firm of E. F. Gerry Company, manu- facturers of apple juice and cider vinegar, is widely known throughout New England. In fact, the com- pany's products go to almost all parts of the United
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States, and the E. F. Gerry Company is said to be one of the largest producers of cider vinegar and kindred products in the East. Elbridge F. Gerry established his cider mill on the site of the old woolen and grist mill at Lynnfield. This property gives the company control of the water rights of Pilling's Pond, a dam having been erected in 1848 directly in the rear of the present mill, and from it the water is supplied to the present plant for power. .At one time, the Gerrys did business in Barberry root, which was gathered extensively for tanning purposes, but the business in this root was discon- tinued soon after aniline dyes came into use by tanners. Elbridge F. Gerry, though now in his seventy-second year, still maintains an active inter- est in the cider mill. He married Jennie F. Won- son, of East Gloucester, Mass. She died in 1907.
William F. Gerry was born in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, on April 13, 1881, and began his education in the public schools of his native place. He graduated in 1900 from the Wakefield High School, soon after becoming a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating in the class of 1904. He gained further engineer- ing knowledge during the eighteen months he spent in the Baldwin Locomotive Works, at Philadelphia, Pa., whither he went soon after graduating. In 1906, however, he returned to Lynnfield, and became associated with his father in the vinegar manufacturing enterprise the latter had brought to such dimensions. The two have been associated in the business ever since. The company was incor- porated in 1910 under the name of the E. F. Gerry Company, Wm. F. Gerry, president, E. F. Gerry, treasurer, E. H. Gerry, clerk, and while the father still is comparatively active in the business, the burden of it has probably been assumed during recent years by the sons. At all events, the enter- prise is a growing one, and while the old woolen, grist and cider mill is a familiar landmark in Lynn- field and leads thoughts backward, the business con- ducted by the Gerrys is still one of the chief indus- tries of the town.
William F. Gerry has shown a great interest in the public affairs of his native place. His brother, Elbridge H., has for the past six years been trustee of Lynnfield Public Library. He is identified with the Masonic order, belonging to the local Blue Lodge, and to the Eastern Star. He also maintains membership in the Massachusetts Insti- tute of Technology Alumni Association.
He was married on January 29, 1909, to S. Ethel Haynes, of Danvers, Mass., daughter of Joseph W. and Emma P. (Ordovan) Haynes. The mother of Mrs. Gerry is still living, and was originally of a Newburyport, Mass., family; her father, Joseph W. Haynes, was of Charlestown. He was a Civil War veteran, and died in 1917. Mr. and Mrs. William F. Gerry have two children: Elbridge F., 2nd, who was born in 1911; and Roger H., born in 1915.
EUGENE MALCOLM DOLLOFF, M. D .- Dr. Dolloff has by years of arduous devotion to the ad-
vancement of the medical profession and tireless en- deavor for the relief of suffering humanity placed himself in the front rank of the city's physicians. His record forms part of the medical annals of Lynn.
Eugene Malcolm Dolloff was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire, September 9, 1867, the son of John E. and Rowena Maria (Holbrook) Dolloff. His pre- liminary education was obtained in the public schools of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, after which he entered St. Johnsbury academy where he prepared himself for college, and from which he was gradu- ated in 1886. Having at first decided to adopt the law as a profession he matriculated in the law de- partment of Boston University where he remained for but one year when he decided to change to the medical profession and accordingly entered the med- ical department of this university, from which he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medi- cine in the class of 1893. Immediately after gradu- ation he went to Rockport, Massachusetts, where he engaged in the practice of his chosen profession for three years, subsequently coming to Lynn, where since that time he has continued in the practice of medicine, holding the high esteem of his professional brethren and gaining for himself an ever increas- ing clientele. He is a member of the Lynn Medical fraternity.
Upon our entrance in the World War Dr. Dolloff enlisted in the medical corps of the United States army. He was commissioned first lieutenant and was first stationed at Fort Strong, then at Fort Warren, but later was transferred to the Common- wealth armory at Boston, Massachusetts. On De- cember 12, 1918, he was ordered to Camp Devens, where he received the commission of captain and was honorably discharged from the service in June, 1919, with the rank of major in the Reserve Corps. In religion Dr. Dolloff is a Methodist and attends St. Paul's Church of this denomination at Lynn.
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