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 72
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PERRY, EDWARD BAXTER, son of Bax- ter E. and Charlotte S. (Hough) Perry, was born in Haverhill, Essex county, February 14, 1855.
When about two years of age he received an injury to his eyes, from the effect of which he has ever since been totally blind. He attended the ordinary public schools with other children, memorizing the daily lessons by having them read aloud to him at home.
He entered the Perkins Institution for the Blind in 1864, remaining two years. Later he became an enthusiastic student of music, under Junius Hill, of Boston. In 1875 he went abroad, and for three years, studied music, languages and æsthetics in Berlin,
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Stuttgart and Frankfort ; was a private pupil in piano music of Kullak, Purckner and Liszt. Returning home, from 1878 to '81 he was a private teacher in Boston. From 1881 to '83 he was professor of music at Oberlin College. In 1883 he once again went abroad for study and travel, returning in 1885. Since that time he has made his headquarters in Boston, as concert pianist and teacher of piano. Each fall, for the space of three months, he makes a concert tour through the South and West, teaching the balance of the year.
June 21, 1882, at Peoria, Ill., he married Netta A., daughter of Judge H. B. and Emily (Hough) Hopkins.
Mr. Perry is a remarkable instance of the independence of one totally blind. Entirely alone he goes about the town of Medford, where he resides, and the city of Boston, where he teaches, and makes all his concert tours without any traveling companion. He never plays by ear, but memorizes all music by having it read aloud from the notes. He has played in concert in the leading German cities, and in this country is well and most favorably known to the musical public in all places of note this side of the Rocky Mountains. He gives annually some one hundred lec- ture recitals at colleges and conservatories of music throughout the United States.
PERRY, EDWARD Y., son of Elijah and Chloe (Stetson) Perry, was born in that part of the town of Pembroke now Hanson, Plymouth county, November 4, 1812. He was left an orphan at the ten- der age of two years, and was taken in charge by his paternal grandparents, both of whom lived to an advanced age, Mr. Perry being ninety-five and Mrs. Perry over ninety-nine at the time of death.
Mr. Perry remained with his grandpa- rents during his minority, working as a farmer's boy, tilling the ancestral acres. At twenty-one he made his first venture as a country merchant in Hanson, where he continued several years ; he was suc- cessful, but lost all by endorsing paper for others.
Not despairing on account of his mis- fortunes, he in company with Charles Dyer engaged in the manufacture of tacks in Hanover, under the firm title of Charles Dyer & Co. At this time neither partner had a dollar in the world, and both had failed in business. They started on credit in a small way, advanced very slowly, and at the end of fifteen years Mr. Perry pur- chased the interest of his partner, contin- uing alone three years. He purchased
another mill property, associated with himself Ezra Phillips and Martin W. Stet- son, under the firm name of E. Y. Perry & Co. After a short time Mr. Stetson withdrew, and Messrs. Perry and Phillips carried on the business. The association of these two partners was a happy one, and their success was uniform and rapid. They continued for a period of thirty years, and became one of the largest tack manufacturing concerns in the country. The partnership was dissolved by the with- drawal of Mr. Perry, whose outside inter- ests had become so large and demanded so much of his time as to make his former business relations burdensome. During their partnership they had invested in many outside enterprises - steam mill for grist, lumber and box business, at West Hanover ; coal and grain business in Rock- land and Hanover, and a leather and find- ings store in Boston. At the dissolution of the co-partnership these outside interests fell into the hands of Mr. Perry.
He has since enlarged his field of man- ufacturing and mercantile operations. To Mr. Perry's persistent efforts is mainly due the building of the railroad from North Abington to Hanover. He has been jus- tice of the peace for twenty-five years ; has done much probate business; was a member of the House of Representatives in 1867. He was early identified with the anti-slavery cause, being connected with the Garrisonian movement from its inception to the emancipation of the slaves. He is an earnest advocate of temperance in its strictest signification, and in this, as in all other matters, his views are pronounced and outspoken. On the first of July, 1880, he stopped taking interest on any of his loans, and on many mortgages which he now holds he collects no interest. He does this not as a matter of philanthropy, but because he is opposed to the principle of exacting a rate per cent. for the use of money. He holds the principle to be un- just and opposed to the spirit of progress.
Mr. Perry was married in Pembroke, July 8, 1834, to Mary B., daughter of Da- vid and Deborah B. Oldham. They had but one child, Mary E., who died in earliest infancy. The fiftieth anniversary of their wedding was celebrated July 8, 1884.
PETERS, ALVAH H., son of William and Hannah (Johnson) Peters, was born at Charlestown, Middlesex county, December 23, 1846.
He was educated in the public schools of Boston, and at the age of seventeen, he
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entered the office of the " Boston Journal " with the intention of making journalism his profession. Five years later, in 1868, he was appointed assistant messenger for the Boston city council, and in 1872 he was unanimously elected Boston's city messenger.
Mr. Peters is the third city messenger in the line of succession since the incorpora- tion of the city of Boston, in 1822, and his holding the office for seventeen years, un- der so many changes of administration, is sufficient evidence that he is a man of re- markable tact and popularity, and well qualified for the position which he fills.
Mr. Peters was married in Boston, June 17, 1873, to Etta J., daughter of Captain Thomas Damrell, of Boston. They have a daughter : Martha Nellie Peters.
Mr. Peters has held the office of secre- tary and treasurer of the Barnicoat Fire Association since its organization ; has
ALVAH H. PETERS.
been the chief executive of the Massachu- setts City Messengers' Club, of which he was one of the organizers, and has held positions of trust in the American Legion of Honor, Royal Arcanum, National Lan- cers, Bunker Hill Monument Association, Knights of Honor, Ancient Order of United Workmen, and other social and benevolent organizations.
PHELPS, AUSTIN, son of Eliakim and Sarah (Adams) Phelps, was born in West Brookfield, Worcester county, January 7, 1820. The Phelps family in America trace their descent from an ancient Staffordshire house in England. They are believed to be a branch of the Welfs ( ffelfs) or Guelphs, eminent in European history. The advent of the family to this country was in 1630.
The usual training of a clergyman's son gave him his preparatory education in the schools of West Brookfield and Pittsfield, Geneva, N. Y., and Philadelphia, Pa. Heen- tered Hobart College, Geneva, N. Y., at the age of thirteen ; was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in the class of 1837. He received his theological educa- tion in New Haven, New York and An- dover.
He was ordained pastor of the Pine Street (now Berkeley Street) church, Boston, in 1842. He became professor of sacred rhetoric in Andover Theological Seminary in 1848, which position he held until 1879, when he resigned. He is professor emer- itus in Andover Theological Seminary, en- gaged chiefly in writing for the periodical press.
Professor Phelps was first married in Andover, in 1842, to the daughter of Pro- fessor Moses Stuart. His second wife was a sister of his first, the marriage occurring in 1856. Bereaved the second time, he was again married in Boston, in 1858, to Mary A., daughter of Samuel and Char- lotte A. (Howe) Johnson. His children are : Elizabeth Stuart (now Mrs. Ward), Moses Stuart, Lawrence, Francis Johnson, and Edward Phelps.
Professor Phelps has been president of Andover Theological Seminary, trustee of Wellesley College, director of the American Education Society, chaplain of the state Senate, chaplain of the House of Repre- sentatives, and was preacher of the " Elec- tion Sermon" before the government of Massachusetts in 1861. He is an honorary member of various missionary, educational and charitable societies of the Congrega- tional church. His summer residence is Bar Harbor, Me., and his winter residence is in Andover.
Professor Phelps was scholarly from boy- hood, quick to learn, conscientious in detail, of retentive memory, and felt from child- hood that he had been called to a predes- tined life-work. His labors have been crowned with success, both in the pulpit and lecture room. The work of a man imbued with his spirit and energized by his devotion cannot be over-estimated. His
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lectures were wise, conscientious, scholarly, and exhaustive discourses. The whole at- mosphere of the class-room was clear and bracing. Many a minister looks back to his experience there as to the most quickening period of his education - quickening not only to his intellect and executive powers, but to his spiritual culture as well.
His literary work since he resigned his professorship is the matured fruitage of the industry of his whole previous life. It be- longs to the best thinking of his time. His published volumes are : "The Still Hour," " The New Birth," "Studies of the Old Testament," "Sabbath Hours," " The Sol- itude of Christ," "The Theory of Preach- ing," " Men and Books," "English Style in Public Discourse," " My Portfolio," " My Study ;" and he has now in preparation for the press " My Note Book, or Frag- mentary Studies in Theology." He is also the author, with Professor E. A. Park, D. D., and Rev. Dr. Furber, of "The Sabbath Hymn Book," and " Hymns and Choirs." He also published various ser- mons and addresses from 1848 to '68.
PHILLIPS, HENRY M., son of Alonzo D. and Mary A. (Robinson) Phillips, was born at Athol, Worcester county, August 11, 1845.
He received his early education in the common schools of Athol and Fitchburg, at the academy at Deerfield, and finished at the Military University, Norwich, Vt., from which place he enlisted at the age of sixteen in the volunteer army. In the spring of 1865 he was honorably mustered out, and became private secretary to Hon. Henry Alexander, Jr., at Springfield.
In 1871 Mr. Phillips was appointed deputy collector in the United States internal revenue service, and assistant assessor of the ioth Massachusetts district.
In 1871 he organized the firm of Phillips, Mowry & Co., for the manufacture of steam-heating apparatus, which was incor- porated in 1876 as the Phillips Manufac- turing Company, and of which he is now the president and treasurer.
Mr. Phillips was a member of the Spring- field city council two years ; representative to the General Court two years, 1880 and '81 ; mayor of Springfield, 1883, '84, and '85, and was a member of the state Senate 1886 and '87.
He was for two years post commander of Wilcox Post, G. A. R., Springfield, and senior vice department commander one year. He is a companion of the Massa- chusetts Commandery of the Military Or- der of the Loyal Legion of the United
States. He has held several Masonic offices in lodge and commandery of Knights 'T'emplar, and is a Mason of the 32d degree.
He is a director in the Second National Bank and Springfield Five Cents Savings Bank, a director and member of the finance committee of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company at Springfield.
HENRY M. PHILLIPS.
Mr. Phillips was married at Springfield, in December, 1874, to Julia (Bowles) Alex- ander, by whom he has one son : Henry Alexander Phillips.
PHINNEY, SYLVANUS BOURNE, son of Timothy and Olive (Gorham) Phinney, was born in Barnstable, Barnstable county, in October, 1808. The early instruction from which he drew the incentives to self- education was received in the common schools of Barnstable, and the printing- office of the " Boston Daily Advertiser." 'The latter was in charge of Nathan Hale, father of Edward Everett Hale, D. D. This office he entered as an apprentice in 1823, being but fifteen years of age. He established the " Barnstable Patriot," June 30, 1830, and continued as editor and pro- prietor for forty years. He disposed of his interest in the same, and was chosen a director of the First National Bank of Ilyannis in 1862, at its foundation, and has
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been its president and a director for the past seventeen years. He is also special agent for the United States treasury de- partment.
Mr. Phinney has always enjoyed the re- laxation incident to agricultural pursuits, and, as a wide-awake Democrat, has never lost his interest in political movements. In 1853 he represented the town of Chatham in the Constitutional Convention. He was col- lector of the port of Barnstable under the ad- ministrations of Polk, Pierce, Buchanan and Johnson, and was three times elected to national Democratic conventions. He was elected a trustee of Humboldt College, Iowa ; has been twelve years a member of
SYLVANUS B. PHINNEY.
the state board of agriculture ; was major of the Ist regiment, 3d brigade, 5th divis- ion, under Governor Lincoln ; eighteen years president of the Unitarian Cape Cod Conference ; and twenty-five years chairman of the parish committee of the Unitarian Society of Barnstable.
He was a candidate for representative to Congress from his district. During the war of the rebellion he was appointed by Gov. Andrew one of the " Committee of One Hundred," and presented the Sand- wich Guards, company D, 3d regiment, Massachusetts militia, with a memorial flag. In visiting the Guards at Fortress
Monroe, in March, 1862, he was present to witness the battle between the iron-clads " Monitor" and " Merrimac." He was unswerving in his fidelity to the Union, and his determination to support the ad- . ministration.
Before the close of the war with Great Britain in 1812-'14, he was taken prisoner of war by the British frigate " Nymph," in Massachusetts Bay. The sloop " Enter- prise," on which he was a passenger, was fired into, and was afterwards boarded and burned.
Major Phinney was present at the laying of the corner-stone of Bunker Hill Monu- ment, and met General Lafayette at the time. He was one of the earliest advo- cates of steam railroads in the days when even Nathan Hale, after one of his pow- erful arguments in their favor, was de- nounced by a Boston capitalist, who said : "It is a pity that a man of such ability as Nathan Hale should be engaged in such humbugs."
Major Phinney has been twice married. His first wife, to whom he was married in Concord, May 8, 1832, was the daughter of Colonel Jonathan Hildreth of Concord, by whom he has three married sons and one daughter: Gorham Palfrey, Cordelia Eliza, Theodore Warren, and Robert John Walker, all living, and Cordelia Hildreth and Laura Henshaw, deceased. His sec- ond wife, whom he married in Fairfield, Conn., October 11, 1866, is the youngest daughter of the late Hon. Isaiah L. Green, who represented the district of Barnstable in Congress as early as 1805.
In 1862 Major Phinney represented Provincetown at Washington, upon the subject of the fishery treaty, when a hear- ing was held under President Grant.
He has been largely interested in, and closely identified with, the business indus- tries of Plymouth county, is a prominent Mason, member of Boston Commandery, K. T., and a valued and respected citizen.
PHIPPS, MARCUS CHAUNCY, son of David and Elizabeth Phipps, was born in Milford, Worcester county, March 14, 1825.
The common district school of those days furnished the facilities for his educa- tion, of which he availed himself until of age. He worked at the trade of box-mak- ing by the day for ten years.
In 1856 he went into business for him- self as box manufacturer, in Hopkinton. In 1863 he enlarged his establishment, re- moving to a better location in the town, and is still engaged in this line of work.
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Mr. Phipps was married in Hopedale, in 1849, by the Rev. Adin Ballou, to Amy, daughter of Andrus and Louisa Wheelock, of Mendon. Of this union were four chil- . dren : Austin Wheelock, Walter Andrews, Cora, and Fred Oscar Phipps.
Mr. Phipps was a member of the board of selectmen from 1865 to '69, from 1871 to '76, '79, '82 and '83, and road commissioner for many years, and was a member of the Legislature in 1869.
He is a lineal descendant of Sir William Phipps, governor of Massachusetts in 1692.
PICKERING, EDWARD CHARLES, son of Edward and Charlotte (Hammond) Pick- ering, was born in Boston, July 19, 1846.
He was graduated in the civil-engineer- ing course of the Lawrence scientific school, Harvard University, 1865. During the year following he was called to be instructor of physics in the Institute of Technology, Boston. He held the full professorship from 1868 to'77. Professor Pickering devised plans for, the physical laboratory in the Institute, and introduced the experimental methods of teaching physics, at a time when this mode of instruction had not been adopted else- where. His scientific work during these years consisted largely of researches in physics, chiefly the polarization of light, and the laws of its reflection and disper- sion. He also described a new form of spectrum telescope, and in 1870 invented a telephone receiver, which he publicly exhibited. He observed the total eclipse of the sun August 7, 1869, at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, with a scientific party sent for that purpose, and was a member of the United States coast survey expedition to Xeres, Spain, to observe that of December 20, 1870, having charge of the polariscope.
In 1876 he was appointed professor of astronomy at Harvard, and under his man- agement its observatory has become one of the foremost in the world. His princi- pal work since he accepted this position has been the determination of the relative brightness of the stars. He has prepared a catalogue giving the brightness of more than four thousand stars. He has also made photometric measurements of Jupi- ter's satellites while they were undergoing eclipse, and also of the satellites of Mars.
Professor Pickering has also devoted much time and labor to the surveying of mountains, and determining the height and velocity of clouds, the result of which has been the contribution of many papers to the Appalachian Club, of which he was president in 1877 and '82.
PIERCE.
He is an associate of the Royal Astro- nomical Society of London, from which he received in 1886 the gold medal for photo- metric research. He also received mem- bership in other scientific societies in the United States, Great Britain, and. Europe. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, by which body he was honored in 1887 in the award of the Henry Draper Medal for his work on astronomical physics. He also received the Massachusetts Chari- table Mechanic Association Medal in 1884. In 1876 he was elected vice-president of the American Association for the Advance- ment of Science. His scientific writings are numerous and valuable.
Professor Pickering was married in Cam- bridge, March 9, 1874, to E. W., daughter of Jared and Mary C. (Silsbee) Sparks.
He has won and received four degrees : S. B., Harvard, 1865 ; A. M., Harvard, 1880; LL. D., University of California, 1886, and the University of Michigan, 1887.
PIERCE, ANDREW G., son of Otis N. and Susan Grinnell (Cross) Pierce, was born in New Bedford, Bristol county, Au- gust 9, 1829.
His early educational training was re- ceived in the public schools. He gradu- ated from the New Bedford high school.
He began his business career as clerk with Edward L. Baker of New Bedford, manufacturer of oil and candles. When Mr. Baker became treasurer of the Wamsutta Mills, at the organization of the corporation, Mr. Pierce remained with him as clerk.
Mr. Pierce was married in New Bedford, July 17, 1854, to Caroline Lincoln, daugh- ter of Zachariah and Sylvia Jenney Hill- man. Of this union were six children : Edward T., Mary H., Andrew G., Jr., Louisa C., Albert R., and Elsie H. Pierce.
Mr. Pierce has been a member of the New Bedford common council ; member of the board of aldermen, and was mayor of the city for two years, 1868 and '69. He was elected treasurer of the Wam- sutta Mills in 1855, and its president in 1885. He is one of the leading business men of New Bedford, and much of the manufacturing prosperity of the city is due to his energy and business sagacity.
PIERCE, CHAUNCEY H., son of Chaun- cey and Florilla (Cooley) Pierce, was born in Amherst, Hampshire county, May 16, 1848.
His education was what could be obtained in a country school between the ages of four and twelve years His mother being left a widow when he was one year old, it was necessary for him to contribute to the family
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support as soon as possible. Thus being deprived of further schooling at this early age, he entered Marsh's book-store in Northampton at twelve years of age ; changed to Merritt Clark's clothing store at sixteen, and at twenty went into insur- ance on his own account. He was after- wards in company with A. Perry Peck, un- der the name of Peck & Pierce, from 1871 to '80, and since then has continued in the same business alone. He is also largely interested in real estate and mortgages, and is manager and treasurer of the Northamp- ton Electric Lighting Co.
Mr. Pierce was married in Northampton, October 16, 1871, to Isabella D., daughter of Lucius and Arabella A. (Warner) Lewis. Of this union are : Mabel A. and Alvin L. Pierce.
CHAUNCEY H. PIERCE.
Mr. Pierce served on the last board of selectmen of the old town of Northamp- ton, and was president of the common council during the first three years after the adoption of the city charter. He is now a member of the trust fund commit- tee ; treasurer and director of the North- ampton Electric Lighting Co., and a direct- or of the Farmers' Loan and Trust Co. He started in poverty, with the care of a mother who depended upon him for sup- port, and has been signally prospered.
PIERCE, EDWARD LILLIE, son of Jesse and Eliza S. (Lillie) Pierce, was born in Stoughton, Norfolk county, May 29, 1829.
He received his early education from his father, and was prepared for college in the academy at Bridgewater, and in a classical school at Easton. He was graduated from Brown University in the class of 1850, standing in some departments at the head of his class, and carrying off an un- usual number of literary prizes. In 1848 and '50 he published articles in the " Dem- ocratic Review " on " The Independence of the Judiciary," " The Executive Veto," and "Sir Thomas More." His essay on " The Relation of Education to Wealth and Industrial Prosperity " was published in the " Transactions of the Norfolk Agri- cultural Society " in 1852. From college he went to the law school at Cambridge, where he was graduated in 1852. Here he received the first prize offered to his class for an essay on " The Consideration of a Contract."
Mr. Pierce was married in Providence, R. I., April 19, 1865, to Elizabeth H., daughter of John Kingsbury of that city. Of this union were six children : Edward Lillie, Mary Mackie, George Burgess, Charles Sumner, Arthur Johnson, and Reginald Kingsbury Pierce.
In 1853 he wrote an able and learned article on " Secret Suffrage " for the " Bos- ton Post." This was re-printed and widely distributed in England by the " Ballot So- ciety," and referred to as an authority in Parliament.
At the beginning of his professional life Mr. Pierce passed nearly a year at Cin- cinnati, Ohio, in the law office of Salmon P. Chase, then a senator, and subsequently Chief Justice of the United States. He continued the practice of his profession until the breaking out of the rebellion. In 1860, '76, and '84 he represented his district in the national Republican con- vention at Chicago, and in that of 1860 supported the nomination of Mr. Lincoln.
In the very first week of the civil war Mr. Pierce enlisted in company L, of the 3d regiment, Massachusetts militia, went to Old Point Comfort and took part, before the week was out, in the destruction of the Norfolk navy-yard. In July of the same year he was detailed to collect the negroes at Hampton and set them to work on the intrenchments of that town. This was the beginning of the employment of negroes on military works. His article on " The Contrabands at Fortress Monroe," pub- lished in the " Atlantic Monthly " of No-
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vember, 1861, attracted much attention. In December of the same year, Mr. Chase, secretary of the treasury, despatched Mr. Pierce to Port Royal to examine into the condition of the negroes upon the Sea Islands. In February, 1862, he returned to Washington and made a very able and exhaustive report, which was published in the " New York Tribune," and extensively copied, both in England and America. Largely owing to his suggestions, freed- men's aid societies were formed.
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