USA > Massachusetts > One of a thousand, a series of biographical sketches of one thousand representative men resident in the commonwealth of Massachusetts, A.D. 1888-'89; > Part 102
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cuit courts of the United States, and the supreme court at Washington.
Mr. Woodbury declined the mission to Bolivia in 1853. He was elected as a rep- resentative from Portsmouth to the New Hampshire Legislature in 1857. He was appointed United States district attorney for Massachusetts in 1857 ; and elected to the Legislature of Massachusetts in 1870 and '71.
He is a member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, and an hon- orary member of the historical societies of Maine and New Hampshire. In the Masonic organizations he has held high offices in the York and Scottish Rites, and is now an active member of the supreme council of the latter body, and its second officer. He is a member of the board of trustees for the Grand Lodge of Massa- chusetts, and also of the board for the supreme council.
CHARLES LEVI WOODBURY.
Though unwilling to let a political usurp the place of a professional life, yet he has been a frequent speaker in many States during presidential campaigns, and has often held prominent positions in the Democratic organizations, but has not as- pired to political offices.
Mr. Woodbury was one of the compilers of "Woodbury & Minot's Reports," three
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volumes ; editor of the second and third volumes of " Levi Woodbury's Writings," Nahum Capen having edited the first volume of the work. Mr. Woodbury has also contributed various papers on histori- cal, antiquarian, political, and Masonic sub- jects, and delivered numerous orations on these topics. He has also published several pamphlets on diplomatic relations with Great Britain, notably those concern- ing the fisheries.
Mr. Woodbury has long been a conspic- uous and familiar figure in the city of Bos- ton, his present residence.
WOODS, EDWIN HUTTON, son of John and Abby Ann (Fessenden) Woods, was born in Boston, October 6, 1843.
His early education was received in the public schools of Boston, supplemented by a course at Comer's Commercial College. He began business life as a clerk, in the hardware business, with Allen & Noble, Boston, when he was but fourteen years of age. He remained until 1862, when he was made sergeant of company B, 40th regiment, Massachusetts volunteers. On September 11th of that year, while march- ing to Miner's Hill, Virginia, he received a sun-stroke, causing a partial paralysis of the lower limbs, on account of which disability he was discharged from the army in the spring of 1863.
On September 24th of that year he entered the employ of the "Boston Herald," under Edwin C. Bailey, as a book-keeper in the circulation depart- ment, where he at once devoted his ener- gies to the interests of the paper. The results showed that he had made no mis- take in his choice of vocation. It had been the custom of the "Herald " to sell its Sunday edition to three large wholesale houses in Boston, who in turn wholesaled them to the dealers. Mr. Woods con- ceived the idea of selling directly to the dealers, and incidentally suggested to the proprietors of the "Herald" that they increase his salary, and allow him to sell the papers direct. This was done, and he followed this method for about three years, to the satisfaction of the publishers. Later on it was suggested, that instead of receiving cash over the counters, as had always been done in years past, a form of ticket be issued and sold to the dealers, these tickets representing so many papers. Mr. Woods was the first man in the news- paper business who adopted this method. A few years later he inaugurated the sys- tem of running special Sunday trains throughout New England to distribute
WOODS.
the "Sunday Herald." This has proved a great success and accommodation to the patrons of that paper. Mr. Woods has had the entire management of the circula- tion of the "Boston Herald," and it is because of his quick, inventive genius and knowledge of the business that the "Herald " has succeeded in obtaining its immense area of distribution. It is due to him to say that his methods of distri- bution were original with him, though now quite generally adopted by metropolitan dailies.
On March 1, 1888, Mr. Woods was ad- mitted as partner in the firm of R. M. Pulsifer & Co., and on May ist of the same year, when the firm was changed to a corporation, under the title of the " Bos- ton Herald Company," Mr. Woods was
EDWIN H. WOODS.
elected vice-president and business man- ager. In October of the same year he was elected president, and is now its presi- dent and business manager.
Mr. Woods was a member of the Boston common council, from ward 8, in 1873, '74, and '75 ; was charter member of Post 7, G. A. R., and has held all the offices in succession, to that of commander ; was lieutenant of company E, 7th regiment, Massachusetts volunteer militia, three years. He is also a member of Joseph
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Warren Lodge, F. & A. M., and in 1889 was appointed on the staff of Governor Ames, as assistant adjutant-general, with the rank of colonel.
Mr. Woods was married in Boston, August 20, 1868, to Mary Frances, daugh- ter of Pardon and Mary (Parkinson) Smith. Of this union are two children : Walter Hutton and Fred Lester Woods
WOODS, SOLOMON ADAMS, son of Colonel Nathaniel and Hannah (Adams) Woods, was born in Farmington, Franklin county, Me., October 7, 1827. He is a descendant of Samuel Woods, an original landed proprietor of Groton, Mass., where the family dwelt till Mr. Woods's grand- father became a pioneer at Farmington.
On his mother's side he is a descendant in the sixth generation from Captain Sam- uel Adams, magistrate and representative at Chelmsford, in its first half-century, a younger brother of Joseph, the ancestor of the presidential line.
Mr. Woods's early advantages were those of a boy in the country where his father was a leading man in his town, on a good farm, within reach of a district school The education here received was supple- mented at the Farmington Academy, four miles distant, where the young man could just catch a glimpse of profounder study. All this was over before he was twenty years of age.
In the spring of 1847 he engaged with a local carpenter to learn the use of tools and the art of house-building. In 1851 he came to Massachusetts with the view of purchasing a steam-engine and boiler, together with machinery for the manufac- ture of doors, sashes, and blinds, and erect- ing a mill in his native town, contemplat- ing forming a co-partnership with his former employer. This trip resulted, however, in an abandonment of the factory enterprise, and his engagement in the same business, as journeyman with Solomon S. Gray in Boston. Within the first year Mr. Woods purchased the plant, went into the business on his own account January 1, 1852, and so continued for thirteen years.
In 1854 the firm of Gray & Woods was formed for the manufacture and sale of a wood-planing machine, originally designed by Mr. Gray, but greatly improved and rendered more practical by Mr. Woods's inventions. This co-partnership lasted five years, during which valuable improvements were patented. In 1865 Mr. Woods added to his business the manufacture of the Woodworth Planer, with the Woodbury patented improvements, of which he was
the sole licensee. To meet the demands of this extensive business, he commenced the erection of manufacturing works at South Boston, and established branch houses at New York and Chicago. In 1873 a corporation was formed with a paid-up capital of three hundred thousand dollars, - the S. A. Woods Machine Co., of which Mr. Woods became president, which position he still holds.
To the successive firms of Gray & Woods, S A. Woods, and the S. A. Woods Machine
SOLOMON A. WOODS.
Company, have been issued more than fifty patents for devices and improvements in machines for planing wood, and making mouldings. They have received nearly one hundred gold, silver, and bronze medals from the Massachusetts Charitable Me- chanic Association, and numerous other similar institutions.
Mr. Woods was the organizer and leader in the successful defense of the manufact- urers of wood-working machinery in the celebrated suit brought in 1875, by the Woodbury Patent Planing Machine Com- pany, vs. the users of planing and mould- ing machines, the expense of the litigation on both sides aggregating nearly one hundred thousand dollars.
In 1869, '70, and '71, Mr. Woods was a member of the city council of Boston ; in
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1870 and '71, a director for the city of the East Boston ferries ; since 1870, a trustee of the South Boston Savings Bank, and for many years a member of its board of investment, a position he still holds. In 1878 he declined to accept a nomination tendered him by both the Republicans and Citizens, to represent his ward in the Bos. ton board of aldermen.
Mr. Woods was married in Boston, Aug- ust 21, 1854, to Sarah Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin F. and Lurana (Morrill) Weathern, of Vienna, Me., who died in 1862. He was again married in October, 1867, to Sarah Catharine, daughter of Charles S. and Sarah (Fishburn) Watts, of Boston. He has three children : Frank Forrest, Florence, and Frederick Adams Woods, and resides in Boston.
WOODWARD, CHARLES F., son of James F. and Arvilla (Whitney) Wood- ward, was born in Wakefield, Middlesex county, November 19, 185.2.
His education was drawn from the pub- lic schools of Wakefield, and commercial colleges in Boston. His first connection in business was in 1872, with the firm of James F. Woodward & Son, tool and ma- chinery manufacturers, and this business still engages his attention.
Mr. Woodward was married September 4, 1878, to Susan D., the daughter of Alex- ander and Dorothy (Thompson) Turnbull. Of this union were two children : Charles A. and Susie A. Woodward.
He was assessor in Wakefield seven years, 1883 to'S9, inclusive ; and also tax collect- or the same years. He was a representa- tive to the General Court from Wakefield, in 1887, '88, and '89 ; 2d and ist lieutenant and captain of company A, 6th regiment Massachusetts volunteer militia ; elected major, February, 1882, and holds the same office at the present time.
He is president of the Wakefield board of trade.
WOODWORTH, DWIGHT SIDNEY, son of Sidney and Gratia L. (Reed) Wood- worth, was born in Greenfield, Franklin county, September 3, 1851.
He was educated in the public schools of Fremont, Ohio, where his parents moved when he was quite young. His father dying, and there not being suf- ficient to maintain all in the family, he hired out to a grocer, working noons and evenings for his board and clothes, and the privilege of attending school. He remained in the West until 1870, being engaged successively in the grocery, clothi-
ing, and dry-goods trade. He then re- moved to Boston and entered the employ of C. F. Hovey & Company. Here also he began the study of medicine, and re- moving to Fitchburg in 1873, continued his studies with Dr. H. H. Brigham. He was graduated from the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons in New York City, in the class of 1876, and returning to Fitch- burg, at once entered upon the practice of his profession.
Dr. Woodworth was married in Fitch- burg, September 25, 1875, to Emma L., an adopted daughter of Hubbard H. Brig- ham, M. D. They have two children : Laura A. and Ethel A. Woodworth.
DWIGHT S. WOODWORTH.
He has always been actively identified with many of the social and benevolent orders of the city. He is past grand of Mt. Roulstone Lodge, I. O. O. F .; is past chief patriarch, King David Encampment, 1. O. O. F .; past master of C. W. Moore Lodge, F. & A. M .; past eminent com- mander of Jerusalem Commandery, Knights Templar ; a 32d degree Mason in the Massachusetts Consistory ; past grand chancellor of Massachusetts, K. of P .; surgeon-general, division east, Patriarchs Militant, I. O. O. F., and a member of numerous other local organizations. He is a member of the Massachusetts Medical
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Society, medical director of the Massachu- setts Mutual Aid Society, and medical examiner of numerous secret societies. He is surgeon of the board of examiners for pensions. He served as city physician for Fitchburg in 1879, '80, '81, '84, '85, and '86 ; has been a member of the school board, and is now president of the common council, the school committee and the board of overseers of the poor of Fitchburg.
Dr. Woodworth's father died when he was but fourteen years of age, which made it necessary for him to gain not only his own livelihood, but to lend a helping hand to the other members of the family. His has been an eminently successful career, characterized by hard work and energetic struggle, and he is now reaping a well- earned reward for his intelligent and con- scientious labor.
WORCESTER, WILLIAM E. C., son of James and Prudence (Blood) Worcester, was born February 24, 1826, in Damaris- cotta, Lincoln county, Maine, where his family, who were residents of Charlestown, Mass., were at the time temporarily stop- ping. They soon returned to Charlestown, where Mr. Worcester lived until twenty- one years of age. His education was ob- tained in the public schools of that town and in the academy at Reading.
In 1849 he took up his residence in Hud- son (then Feltonville), where he has since lived, with the exception of a few years in Marlborough. As early as 1846 he chose the vocation of sign and fancy painting. He carried on the same business in Hudson until 1854, when he took the superintend- ence of the factory of F. Brigham & Co, until 1861, when he took charge of Boyd & Corey's shoe factory in Marlborough.
Early in the war of the rebellion he en- listed in company I, 5th regiment, Massa- chusetts volunteers, and was elected cap- tain and promoted to major before leaving the State. In 1864 he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the same regiment. He did service in North Carolina with the nine months' men, and again at Baltimore with the three months' troops.
When he returned to Hudson he resumed his business of painting. He has been an active worker in the Republican ranks for many years. He was appointed postmaster of Hudson, October 14, 1884, by President Arthur, and still holds the office, being re- appointed by President Cleveland, Decem- ber 18, 1888.
Mr. Worcester was married in Charles- town, June 17, 1847, to Harriette L. S., daughter of Gershom Teel, of Charlestown.
Of this union were four children, of whom Edward Franklin Worcester is the only liv- ing child.
WORTHINGTON, ERASTUS, the son of Erastus and Sally Ellis Worthington, and the youngest of a family of three sons, was born in Dedham, Norfolk county, No- vember 25, 1828. His father was a native of Belchertown, and a graduate of Williams College in the class of 1804. He practiced law in Dedham for many years, and in 1825, having been active in the formation of the Norfolk Mutual Fire Insurance Company, he became its first secretary, which office he held until 1840. He was a member of the General Court in 1814 and '15. He was the author of " An Essay on the Estab- lishment of a Chancery Jurisdiction in Massachusetts," published in 1810, and of the " History of Dedham," published in 1827. He died June 27, 1842.
Mr. Worthington received his early edu- cation in the public schools of Dedham, and was prepared for college at an acad- emy in Attleborough. He entered Brown University in 1846, where he was graduated in the class of 1850.
Soon after his graduation he went to Milwaukee, Wis., and entered the office of his brother, Ellis Worthington, who was there established in practice as a lawyer. Mr. Worthington remained here for nearly one year, and returned in the autumn of 1851 to enter the Harvard law school at Cambridge. After remaining one term at the law school, he was employed during the winter of 1851-'52 as an assistant teacher of the Dedham high school, and at the same time pursued his legal studies in the office of Ezra Wilkinson, in Dedham. In September, 1852, he again returned to the Harvard law school, where he remained during the next two terms, and received the degree of LL. B. in 1853. He was ad- mitted to the bar in Dedham at the Feb- ruary term of the supreme judicial court in 1854
Mr. Worthington began his professional practice in Boston, and after a few months formed a co-partnership with the Hon .. David A. Simmons, of Roxbury. In 1856 he was offered the position of register of the court of insolvency, then first established, and he was elected to this office by the people of the county in that year. In 1857, this court having been consolidated with the probate court, the office of regis- ter of insolvency was abolished, and Mr. Worthington then opened a law office in Dedham. He was commissioned by Gov- ernor Banks as a trial justice in 1858, which
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office he held eight years. He continued the practice of law in Dedham until 1866, when he was nominated and elected the clerk of courts for Norfolk county, and entered upon the duties of that office, which he still holds, in January, 1867.
Besides attending to duties strictly per- taining to his office, Mr. Worthington has been frequently selected by members of the bar, and appointed by the court, as auditor and master to hear cases pend- ing in the courts. He also has been the public administrator of the county since 1882.
Mr. Worthington was a member of the school committee of Dedham for eight years, and has taken an active part in town affairs. He was selected to deliver the address at the dedication of memorial hall, Dedham, September 19, 1868, and he also delivered the historical address at the cele- bration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of Ded- ham, September 21, 1886, both of which addresses were ordered to be printed. He also wrote a short history of Dedham, pub- lished in the " History of Norfolk County" in 1884.
Mr. Worthington is much interested in historical and antiquarian researches, es- pecially such as refer to the local history of Dedham. He was one of the original corporators of the Dedham Historical Society, of which he has always been an active member, and for many years has been curator, and is now its vice-president.
In politics Mr. Worthington has been a Republican since the formation of that party. He is now a warden of St. Paul's (Episcopal) church, Dedham.
Mr. Worthington married, November 25, 1861, Elizabeth Foster, daughter of the late Robert Briggs, of Boston. He has a family consisting of one daughter and five sons : Caroline Morton, Erastus, Jr., Rob- ert Briggs, Alvan Fisher, Arthur Morton, and John Winthrop Worthington.
WORTHINGTON, ROLAND, son of Jonathan and Fanny Worthington, was born in Agawam, Hampden county, Sep- tember 22, 1817.
Ile received his early education at the district schools, and after the manner of the farmer's son of the period, began the real labors of life at the early age of twelve. From that time till he was twenty he supported himself, gathering an edu- cation as he could by the way. In 1837 he removed to Boston and found employ- ment in the office of the " Daily Adver- tiser."
WORTHINGTON.
In 1843 impaired health obliged him to go abroad, and upon his return he spent a winter at the South, returning to Boston in 1845 to take charge of the " Daily Evening Traveller." The first number appeared April 1, 1845, and the history of the " Daily Traveller " and Mr. Worthington have since been inseparable.
Not only the " Traveller," but the entire newspaper life of Boston, owes much to the courage, foresight, and energy of Mr. Worthington. When he introduced the innovation of newsboys crying the paper upon the streets, it was frowned upon by everyone, but he persisted until it be- came a feature of newspaper life, and the day of sales "by subscription only " disappeared. At this time was inaugur- ated also another feature common enough now, but a radical change from the older conservative custom - the use of bulletin boards for the display of the news of the day.
Mr. Worthington was one of the first Free Soilers of Massachusetts, and upon the establishment of the Republican party he at once entered its ranks, and has made his paper a fearless and able supporter of its creed.
Mr. Marble, the distinguished editor of the " New York World," Mr. Bowles, well known as the founder of the "Springfield Republican," and many other prominent writers have passed through the editorial rooms of the " Traveller " on their way to distinction, while Mr. Worthington has gained for himself and his paper an en- viable reputation for political foresight and accuracy.
In 1860 his was the first paper to sug- gest as successor to Governor Banks the man who became the great "war gover- nor " of the Commonwealth. In 1879 he brought forward the name of Hon. John D. Long as a standard-bearer against the formidable candidacy of General Butler. In 1883 he emphatically urged the nomina- tion of George D). Robinson for a like ser- vice. Mr. Worthington's prediction against the fears of many of his cotemporaries of the press of the conservative, capable and patriotic administration by President Ar- thur were abundantly realized. In April, 1882, President Arthur appointed Mr. Worthington collector of the port of Bos- ton, and while the appointment was op- posed by Senator Hoar and others on po- litical grounds, it is generally conceded that Mr. Worthington proved a most ethi- cient officer, and amply justified the selec- tion made by the chief executive.
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WRIGHT, ANDREW J., son of Josiah and Sarah (Sherman) Wright, was born in Enfield, Hartford county, Conn., June 8, 1842. At eight years of age he went to Springfield and received his early educa- tional training in the public schools of that city, graduating from the high school in 1860.
He immediately took a clerkship in the Springfield post-office, where he remained until August 15, 1862, when he enlisted in company A, 46th regiment, Massachusetts volunteers ; was mustered into service Sep- tember 25, 1862, and honorably discharged after one year's service. In 1865 he was captain in the Massachusetts volunteer militia.
Early in 1864 he entered the office of the Springfield Fire & Marine Insurance Company, as book-keeper, and April 9, 1872, was elected treasurer of the company. This office he has since held, and in addi- tion to the duties of this position he takes an active part in the management of the company's fire business.
Mr. Wright was married in South Man- chester, Conn., May 22, 1867, to Mary J., daughter of Charles and Mary Ingalls (Clough) Case. Of this union are five children : Fred Case, Grace Sherman, Harry Andrew, Royal Josiah, and Josephine Mary Wright.
Mr. Wright has been a member of the Republican city committee ; was a member of the Springfield common council in 1876 and '77 - the latter year its president ; was nominated for alderman in 1879, but de- clined, and has since repeatedly not only declined that office, but also, in 1888, the nomination for mayor . f the city. He was president of the Republican club - over seven hundred members - during the last presidential campaign. In politics he is an enthusiastic and consistent Repub- lican.
In 1877 he was one of the managers of the city hospital. He is a director in the Agawam National Bank, Springfield, and of the Franklin County National Bank, Greenfield ; a trustee and member of the finance committee of Hampden Savings Bank ; a director in the Springfield Printing & Binding Company, and member of E. K. Wilcox Post 16, G. A. R.
WRIGHT, CARROLL DAVIDSON, son of Nathan R. and Eliza C. Wright, was born in Dunbarton, Merrimack county, N. H., July 25, 1840.
The common schools of Washington, N. H, and Reading, Mass., were his first sources of education. He subsequently
WRIGHT.
attended the academies at Washington, Al- stead, and Swanzey, N. H., and Chester Academy, Vt. After the preparatory stage that has fitted so many New England young men for a career of future useful- ness, as teacher, both in New Hampshire and Vermont, he studied law, and was ad- mitted to the Cheshire county bar at Keene, N. H., in 1865, but did not begin practice till August, 1867, owing to ill health-the interim being occupied by an unsuccessful venture in the furniture business in Lynn, Mass.
From August, 1867, until the spring of 1876, Col. Wright was actively engaged in law practice in Boston, his specialty being patent law. From June, 1873, till Septem- ber, 1888, he had charge of the Massachu- setts bureau of statistics of labor ; and since January, 1885, has been at the head of the United States bureau of labor, now the department of labor.
He was elected to the state Senate in 1872 and '73, and was a presidential elec- tor in 1876. He was supervisor for Mas- sachusetts of the United States census for 1880, and special agent for the United States census for the factory system in 1880 and '81.
At twenty-two years of age he enlisted as a private in the 14th New Hampshire volunteers, in September, 1862 ; was com- missioned 2d lieutenant in October of the same year, and was made adjutant in De- cember, 1863. December, 1864, he received his commission as colonel, and left the ser- vice by resignation in March, 1865, being compelled to this step by a protracted ill- ness.
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