USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts, Volume IV > Part 17
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Mr. Taylor was born in Amesbury, Massachusetts, on February 25, 1886, son of Worthington and Ida (Walker) Taylor. His parents were both of Amesbury, and they had three children, Elmer H. being the only son. His mother died in 1894, but his father, who is a carriage worker and trimmer, is still living.
As a boy Elmer Harland Taylor attended the public schools of Amesbury, passing through the high school, from which he was graduated in the class of 1904. For three years, thereafter, he was in the employ of S. R. Bailey & Company, of Amesbury. That was followed by three years at the Powow Foundry, after which he went to Laconia to work, where he remained for about a year, going back to Manchester, New Hampshire for a short while. He afterwards came to Newburyport and entered the employ of the G. W. Richardson Com- pany, with which company he was connected for twelve years, for the greater part of the time being the fore- man of the plant. In 1920, as before mentioned, he acquired the business and plant of the Davis Machine Company, of Newburyport, the change of ownership bringing a change of trading name. Mr. Taylor now trades in that connection as E. H. Taylor, and has sought to bring all kinds of machine work and repairing into the scope of his business. In addition he has built in the rear of his plant an up-to-date garage, that busi- ness being entirely distinct from the machine work enter- prise, and is now known as the Hudson & Taylor Garage.
Mr. Taylor is a member of the Masonic order, and the Loyal Order of Moose. He attends closely to his busi- ness, and in both enterprises is trying by good service to bring increasing trade.
Mr. Taylor married, in 1907, Helen Hudson, of New- buryport, daughter of Joseph Hudson, who was of English birth, but now lives in Newburyport, Massachu- setts, a retired business man of that place. They have one child, Worthington Hudson Taylor, who was born in 1909.
WARREN F. ABRAMS-After almost four decades of residence and active participation in business in Haverhill, Warren Franklin Abrams, now one of the largest florists in Haverhill and vicinity, may be con- sidered to be widely known in Haverhill and Essex county. Undoubtedly he is, for he has been the head of a substantial florist business in Haverhill for more than twenty years, that business bringing him into contact with all classes of Haverhill residents.
Mr. Abrams was born in Kingston, New Hampshire, on November 13, 1864, the son of Lyman H. and Mary E. (Young) Abrams of that place. His father, who died in 1915, was a minister, well known and respected in many parts of New England during his years of activity in the church ministry. For very many years the family lived in Kingston, and there Warren F. received his education, attending the public schools of the place. For five years after leaving school, he found employment in his native place, working in the shoe shop of Claron Tuck, of that place. In 1882 he came to Haverhill, Massachusetts, which has been his place of abode and business ever since. Soon after coming to Haverhill he worked for George H. Nichols, of that city, and during the next eighteen years was in the employ of various local shoe companies. In 1899 he
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decided to venture into business for himself as a florist, and did so in that year, trading under his own name, at No. 19 Proctor street, where the space at his disposal was only 16 feet by 8 feet. From there he removed to a lot on Observatory avenue, where he remained for more than fourteen years, moving in 1914 to another lot at No. 38 Observatory avenue, where he built his present greenhouse, and where he has had opportunity to expand in many branches of floriculture. During his long period of business in Haverhill he has developed with the assistance of his son, a worth-while business, which is one of the largest and best known in that line in Essex county, Massachusetts.
Mr. Abrams belongs to local bodies of several fraternal orders, being identified with the Knights of Malta, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, and Red Men organiza- tions. He is a Methodist, member of Grace Methodist Church of Haverhill.
Mr. Abrams married, in 1888, Ella F. Marshall, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, daughter of Joseph A. and Mary A. (Manser) Marshall, both of Nova Scotia, and both deceased, the former passing away in 1917 and the latter in 1911. Joseph A. Marshall was a contractor and mason in Nova Scotia. Mr. and Mrs. Abrams have two children : Charles W., and Arthur P. Both sons are veterans of the World War. The military service of Arthur P. Abrams began when he enlisted on October 5, 1917, and was sent to Camp Devens, Massachusetts. He was soon transferred to Camp Gordon, Georgia, and from there went overseas, with the 307th Sanitary Com- pany, Field Hospital, Eighty-second Division. He was in active service in France for about a year, and was present in several of the major battles-St. Mihiel, Toul, and Argonne fronts. He finally returned to this country, and was honorably discharged at Camp Dix, New Jersey, on May 10, 1919. He at once became associated with his father in business, and is one of Haverhill's most popular business men. The military record of Charles W. Abrams began at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio; he went overseas and served in Italy, returning to the United States in May, 1919. He is now located in Cleveland, Ohio, where he is manager of the College Conservatories.
NORWELL ATHERTON PHILLIPS-Although his professional career has not yet embraced many years, Norwell Atherton Phillips, who now lives in Amesbury, Massachusetts, and is manager of the Merri- mac Valley Power and Building Company, has held some responsible positions, and gives promise of advancing well as an engineer.
Mr. Phillips was born in Chatham, Massachusetts, the son of Jacob F. and Inez H. (Ellis) Phillips. His father was a native of Harwich, Massachusetts, born there, July 31, 1867, and there he has lived for the greater part of his life, being the owner of a good farming estate. The mother of Norwell A. Phillips was also of Harwich, although it was not her birthplace. She was born on October 14, 1877, and died at Harwich, in 19II.
Norwell A. Phillips was reared to manhood in his native place. He attended the Harwich public schools, including the high, and afterwards became a student at the Carnegie Institute of Technology at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, graduating from that well known technical
college in the class of 1917. Soon, thereafter, he secured employment with the Rondolph & Holbrook Power and Electric Company, serving them for a year in the capacity of business manager. He next secured appointment as power engineer for the Union Light and Power Com- pany, and was stationed at that company's plant at Franklin, Massachusetts, for a year. He left that com- pany to take his present office, that of manager for the Merrimac Valley Power and Building Company, so it would seem that he is advancing in his profession very satisfactorily.
Mr. Phillips is a Republican in political allegiance; he is a member of the Amesbury Chamber of Commerce and fraternally is a Mason, being a member of Pilgrim Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons of Harwich, Massa- chusetts, and of the Lodge of Perfection ( Scottish Rite). In his religious preference he is a Congregationalist.
Mr. Phillips married, in 1920, Grace Giles, of Haver- hill, Massachusetts, who was born on September 21, 1896, daughter of Edward C. and Cora M. (Lewis) Giles. The Giles family is of Haverhill, where Mr. Giles is well known, especially in shoe manufacturing circles ; Cora M. (Lewis) Giles, however, was born in Boothbay, Maine.
Like most other young and able-bodied men of Amer. ica, Mr. Phillips cast aside his own personal affairs during the World War. He voluntarily enlisted not many months after war was declared, joining the Signal Corps of the United States army on August 10, 1917. He was in military service until February 15, 1919, being then honorably discharged in the grade of sergeant.
EDWARD A. LOOMIS, a member of the under- taking firm of the Kimball, Hall & Loomis Company, of the Bradford district of Haverhill, Massachusetts, was born August 12, 1867, in Boston, son of Charles E. Loomis, of that city. The latter was engaged in the shoe industry until his death. He married Katherine King, of Alexandria, Virginia.
The public schools of Haverhill afforded Mr. Loomis his education, and soon after leaving school he went to work for Joseph Cummings, a prominent undertaker of Haverhill. He remained there for two years and was then employed by the N. F. Centre Company, leaving there a year later to enter the shoe business, remaining in that for four years and then entering the employ of Richards & Dole, undertakers. Three years later they dissolved partnership, and George A. Childs then became a partner of Mr. Dole's, Mr. Loomis remaining with them for seven years. He then accepted a position with Charles A. Twombly, with whom he remained a year. At the end of this time he became one of the corporators of the Kimball, Hall & Loomis Company, an undertaking firm originally founded in 1912 by Allison A. Kimball, William A. Hall and Mr. Loomis. This firm bought the interest of Frank H. Ballard. Mr. Ballard's place of business was at No. 29 Fifth avenue, Haverhill, and a year after the new firm started they removed it to No. 69 Main street, Bradford, where they have since remained, the leading members of their profession in that district.
Fraternally, Mr. Loomis is a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows; the Knights of Pythias, and the Masonic order, affiliating with Pentucket Chapter,
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Royal Arch Masons. He is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce.
Mfr. Loomis married (first), in 1890, Minnie Brown, of Chicago, Illinois, and she died in 1897; he married (second), in 1901, Emily Schlenker, of Haverhill, Mas- sachusetts, and they attend and aid in the support of the Baptist church of that city.
WILLIAM E. HOW, a business man of Haverhill, Massachusetts, was born January 10, 1858, the son of Dr. James C. and Helen L. (Whitney ) How, the former a practicing physician in Haverhill; he died in 1888. His wife was a native of Oneida Castle, New York, and she died in 1913.
The early education of William E. How was obtained in the public schools of Haverhill, and at Amherst College, class of 1881. Subsequent to leaving college, Mr. How worked as a reporter and later was editor. of the Haverhill "Daily Bulletin," and of the Man- chester "Mirror." He was the writer of editorials on the Lowell "Times" and held a similar position on the Syracuse "Herald," continuing in this line of work for about fourteen years. He resigned from newspaper work to enter business on his own account as a sta- tioner, locating at No. 27 Washington Square; this busi- ness has been located there for a half century and is the oldest store of its kind in Haverhill.
Fraternally, Mr. How is a Mason ; he is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; the Rotary Club and the U. O. G. C. He is active in a pub- lic way, having been president of the Haverhill Adver- tising Club, and a director of the Chamber of Commerce, and was one of the most active citizens in having white lights installed in that city. He was the first secretary of the first Board of Trade.
FREDERICK L. CLARK, active head of the F. L. Clark Last Remodeling Company, was born December 20, 1892, at Bradford, Massachusetts, son of J. Lewis and Susan (McCabe) Clark. The mother was a native of West Newton, Prince Edward Island, and the father a native of Vermont. Mr. Clark's grandfather, James H. Clark, was a veteran of the Civil War, serving with the Vermont Heavy Artillery.
Mr. Clark attended school in Bradford and Haverhill and also attended the Haverhill Business College. For the five years following the completion of his schooling, he was at Bangor, Maine, employed by the Great North- ern Paper Company. On his return to Haverhill in 1919 he succeeded his father in the management of the last manufacturing business, continuing to the present time.
During the World War Mr. Clark served overseas for fourteen months. He was a member of the Medical Department of the Second Cavalry until the forming of Base Hospital No. 66, in November, 1917, and was with same until its disbanding, February 27, 1919. He is actively interested in all public affairs of Haverhill and holds a prominent position among the younger business men of that city.
WILLIAM R. WHITNEY, manufacturer of Lynn, Massachusetts, was born July 31, 1863, in Lynn, the son of James and Lucy Ann (Sturgis) Whitney, the former a native of Boston, the latter of Barnstable. James
Whitney was engaged in the bakery business for many years, and with his wife attended the Baptist church. They spent their last days in Lynn.
William R. Whitney's early education was received in the grammar and high schools of Lynn, and soon after completing the courses in the latter institution, he entered the business world at the age of sixteen years in the employ of Samuel J. Hollis, a pioneer shoe manufac- turer of Lynn. For thirteen years Mr. Whitney worked as a salesman for Mr. Hollis and during this time was learning each detail of the shoe manufacturing business, which had become the leading industry of that section of the State. He went to Kennebunk, Maine, to assume the management of the Mason & Cobb Company of that place, thence to Manchester, New Hampshire, where for two years he was superintendent of the Crafts & Greene Company. The following eleven years were spent in Richmond, Virginia, as superintendent of the Davis Shoe Company, and returning North again, Mr. Whitney located in Raymond, New Hampshire, in a similar posi- tion with the Chase, Chamberlain Company there. His experience, gained in the most practical way, was of untold value to him, and for many years Mr. Whitney had cherished the hope of all ambitious men to enter business on his own account, which he did in May, 1920, at which time he bought the Sheridan Brothers' husiness in Haverhill, manufacturers of ladies' footwear, and which the following month was incorporated, with Mr. Whitney as president, and Thurman Leslie, for- merly with Clapp & Tapley, of Danvers, as treasurer. Fraternally he is a Mason, and also a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows; he attends the First Baptist Church.
Mr. Whitney married, June 2, 1886, Susan L. Emer- ton, daughter of Ezra M. Emerton, born in 1862.
LOUIS P. BERWICK-An enterprising young busi- ness man of Lawrence, Massachusetts, and one who knows his business, is Louis P. Berwick, who is an expert electrician, specializing in electrical repairs of automobiles.
Mr. Berwick is a native of Lawrence, born in the city on November 6, 1890, son of Frank G. and Elizabeth Isabelle (Brozzs) Berwick, his father being of English birth. His mother was of Methuen, Massachusetts, and died in 1910, his father is now in South Barre, Massa- chusetts, a mill superintendent for the Willis Company.
Louis P. Berwick is the eldest of four children, three of whom were sons. His education was obtained mainly in the public schools of Lawrence, Massachusetts, and he later took a business course at a business college in Scranton, Pennsylvania. His first employers were the American Woolen Company, and for some time after leaving school he worked in the textile mills of that company in Lawrence. Eventually, however, he took up electrical construction work for the Lawrence Electrical Supply Company. During the World War, 1917-18, Mr. Berwick was stationed at the Charlestown Navy Yard, where he was assistant in the electric and storage bat- terics department. He was honorably discharged from the United States navy on February 18, 1919, and resumed civilian occupations. On September 1, 1919, he ventured into business for himself, opening in the Back Bay garage, in Lawrence. The following June he removed
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his business to his present address, corner of Knox and Jackson streets. There he confines his electrical work to automobile repairs, and is stated to be the most expert man in this line in Lawrence. Indeed, in electrical appa- ratus and batteries in general, he seems to have compre- hensive knowledge, and his advice is often sought to clear difficult problems of electrical construction.
Mr. Berwick is a member of Lawrence Lodge, No. 65, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and of the Knights of Columbus of Lawrence. In his church affilia- tion he is a member of St. Laurence's Catholic Church. of Lawrence.
Mr. Berwick married, in 1914, Yvonne Camire, who was born in St. Flavie, Canada, of French-Canadian parents, Joseph A. and Flore (Couture) Camire, who later came to Lawrence, where Mr. Camire is now employed as a carpenter in the Pacific Mills. Mr. and Mrs. Berwick have four children: Thorndyke Louis, born in 1915; Marie Louise, born in 1916; Flore Mar- celle, born in 1919; and Louis Philip, Jr., born in 1920.
FRED L. FOSTER, of Lynn, Massachusetts, began life in the industrial world of Lynn, and after serving in the United States army, returned to his native city to take up executive work in the same line.
Mr. Foster is a son of Linwood R. and Clara L. (Knight) Foster, long residents of Lynn. Linwood R. Foster was born in Parsonfield, York county, Maine, and came to Lynn in his youth. He has for many years been a shoe salesman here, first for the Thomas & Tarr Com- pany, and later for the Eastman Shoe Company. The mother was a native of Naples, Maine.
Fred L. Foster was born in Lynn, on December 29, 1894. He received a practical education in the public schools of this city, then went to work for the J. H. Sutherland Company, where he remained until 1916. For a year thereafter he was in the employ of A. E. Little & Company, of Lynn, and from there he enlisted in the aviation service of the United States army. Transferred two months later to the ordnance department, he was stationed at Camp Travis, Texas, then later was sent to the Wentworth Institute, in Boston, where he took up a course in gas engines. He was honorably discharged from the service February 7, 1919.
On October 15, 1919, Mr. Foster became a member of the firm of the Whitcomb Pattern Company, Inc., and was elected president of the company. As the head of this rapidly growing interest, he is now a part of the industry which bears so large a share in the prosperity of the city. Mr. Foster is a member of the Lynn Chamber of Commerce, and is interested in every phase of civic advancement. He is a member of the First Uni- versalist Church of Lynn.
Mr. Foster married, in 1917, Gladys E. White, of Lynn, daughter of John T. and Elizabeth (Richmond) White. Mrs. Foster's father has long been engaged in the shoe industry here. Her mother was born in Con- cord, New Hampshire.
PENN VARNEY-A prominent figure in the busi- ness life in Lynn, Massachusetts, where he is established as an architect, is Penn Varney. The welfare and advancement of the city has always been uppermost in his mind, and since coming to this community in 1882,
Mr. Varney has given his earnest support to all move- ments calculated to advance business development. He is a business man of keen ability and has attained a high degree of success.
Penn Varney was born at Wolfeboro, New Hamp- shire, November 15, 1859, the son of Augustus J. and Mercy (Hussey) Varney, both old and respected resi- dents of the town. The education of the boy Penn was obtained in the public schools of his native place. In 1882 he came to Lynn and started to learn architectural drafting with H. K. Wheeler. Being naturally adapted to this particular line of work, he soon made rapid strides and in 1888 established himself in business. As an archi- tect Mr. Varney is well known not only in Lynn but in Schenectady, New York, where the public library, the Gleason building. the Brown building, the Vendome Hotel and the private residence of H. S. De Forest are fruits of his labors, as well as the Elks' Home at Amster- dam, New York; the Porteous Mitchell and Braun building of Portland, Maine; Saco and Biddeford Insti- tution of Savings at Saco, Maine; Sanford Town Hall at Sanford, Maine; public library at Barre, Vermont ; Classical High school, Lynn, Massachusetts; and the First National Bank Building at Skowhegan, Maine. At present, 1921, Mr. Varney is at work on the plans for the Gardner Memorial building and Town Hall, whose cost of erection it is estimated will be one-half million dollars.
On June 13, 1893. Penn Varney was united in marriage with Emma L. Hussey, daughter of Samuel B. and Caroline M. (Doe) Hussey. Mr. and Mrs. Varney are the parents of one child, Kenneth P., born November 6, 1898.
The career of Mr. Varney from its beginning is characterized by much hard work and persistent expen- diture of energy, and the substantial position which he has come to occupy in the life of the community is the obvious and appropriate reward of application and men- tal qualifications of a high order. He is devoted to his home and finds his chief happiness in the intimate inter- course of his own hearthstone, although he has a great host of friends whose devotion he returns in kind.
WILLIAM M. CAMPBELL, owner of a good busi- ness in Lawrence, Massachusetts, has quite an interest- ing record and much of it is connected with military affairs. He is a veteran of the Spanish-American War, and has come into note as a marksman.
Mr. Campbell was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, on July 15, 1873, son of Joseph M. and Annie M. (Thorn) Campbell. As the patronymie indicates, he is of Scottish antecedents. Both of his parents were born in Scotland, his mother in Banff. After coming to this country, his father was identified with the Massachusetts shoe manu- facturing industry. He died in 1918, survived by his widow and their six children, three sons and three daughters, William M. being their first-born. The family lived in Lynn, Massachusetts, and there William M. and his brothers and sisters received the greater part of their education. After leaving school, William M. Campbell found employment in the machine shop of David Knox, at Lynn, Massachusetts. He remained with him for seventeen years, for the greater part of that time heing foreman of the plant. In 1906 he decided to venture into
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business for himself, in a different line, however. He went to the city of Salem, Massachusetts, and there opened a laundry, which became known as the Up-to- Date Laundry. He continued that enterprise for two years, but after he had acquired the Lawrence business of L. H. Farnsworth, he transferred his activities to that city. Mr. Campbell is an enterprising and distinctly ener- getic man, and soon developed Campbell's Wet Wash Laundry, under which name his Lawrence business was conducted, and it became a well-paying concern. He has held to the business ever since, and by efficient and good service, has expanded his operations until he has, it is stated, the largest wet-wash laundry in Lawrence. His laundry plant, at No. 26 Island street, occupies an entire building, giving him over 5,000 square feet of floor space for this purpose, and in it Mr. Campbell finds almost constant employment for about thirty people.
Mr. Campbell has a military record extending over nine years, including one year of war service in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. He went to Cuba with the Eighth Massachusetts Regiment, and in Com- pany D rose rapidly. He was finally honorably dis- charged with the grade of sergeant-major. But he continued his interest in military affairs after reëntering civil life, and joined the State forces. He has come especially into note as a marksman. He holds the Dis- inguished Marksman Medal, which is the highest honor possible in competitive shooting, and he led the entire State one year in revolver shooting. He was a valned member of the State team, and took part notably in many competitions.
Mr. Campbell is a member of the Spanish War Vet- erans Association ; belongs to the Lawrence Fish and Game Association, and the Haverhill Yacht Club; and fraternally is an Odd Fellow. By religious belief he is a Presbyterian, a member of the Lawrence church.
Mr. Campbell married, in 1896, Alice M. Durkee, of Nova Scotia, and they have one child, Dorothy H., who was born in 1903.
HIRAM C. STRAKER, chief engineer and master mechanic of the Pemberton Mills, of Lawrence, Massa- chusetts, is highly skilled in his line of work, having had many years of actual experience combined with natural ability.
Mr. Straker was born in the Province of Quebec, Canada, March 3, 1876, son of Thomas Straker, a native of Yorkshire, England, who died in 1898. He had been engaged in the real estate business and was also an extensive dealer in horses. His mother was Mary (Wallace) Straker, of Scotland, who died the same year as her husband.
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