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 84
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106
He began the study of law in 1855, and in March, 1858, was admitted to the bar. He immediately began legal practice, and formed a co-partnership with Daniel Saun- ders, under the firm title of Saunders & Sherman. These relations lasted until 1864. He was subsequently associated with John K. Tarbox, under the firm name of Sherman & Tarbox, until 1870, after which he was in practice alone until 1878, when he formed a partnership with Charles U. Bell, under the name of Sherman & Bell, which terminated in 1887.
Mr. Sherman was appointed clerk of the Lawrence police court, holding the office from 1859 to '61, when he resigned. In the year 1862 he enlisted as a private
SHERMAN.
soldier in the 48th regiment, Massachu- setts volunteers, and was soon elected and commissioned captain of company F. He was sent to the department of the Gulf under command of General N. P. Banks, doing excellent service, notably at the second assault on Port Hudson, June 14, 1863, and for which he was brev- eted major for gallant and meritorious conduct.
At the expiration of his term of service he returned home, and when the enemy at- tempted a raid on Washington, he organized a military company at two days' notice, and again went to the front as captain in the famous 6th Massachusetts regiment. With it he completed the required term of service and then returned once more to civil life.
In 1865 Mr. Sherman received his first election to the House of Representatives, and served on the committee on the judici- ary and on federal relations. In 1866 he was re-elected and served on several important committees ; the same year he was appointed judge advocate upon the division staff, state militia, with the rank of major. In 1867 he was promoted to the position of assistant adjutant-general and chief of staff, with the rank of colonel. This office he held until 1876. In 1868 Mr. Sher- man was elected district attorney for the eastern district of Massachusetts, served to popular acceptance, and received the honor of five consecutive re-elections. He re- signed this office to accept that of attorney- general of the Commonwealth, to which of- fice he had been nominated and elected in 1882 on the Republican state ticket. This office he resigned October 1, 1887, to accept the appointment of associate justice of the superior court. He was appointed register in bankruptcy by Chief Justice Chase in 1877.
For many years he has been a member of the standing committee of the Essex Bar Association, of which he is an acknowledged leader. He has been a di- rector in the Lawrence - National Bank since 1872 ; and a trustee of the Broadway Savings Bank several years. He is in- debted for his brilliant success to his own native abilities, assiduous self-culture, in- domitable persistence, and commendable self-reliance.
Mr. Sherman was married November 24, 1858, to Abbie Louise, daughter of Stephen P. and Fanny B. Simmons, of Lawrence. Of this union were six children : Fred Fran- cis, Fanny May, Elizabeth, Melvina, Roland Henry, and Abbie Maude.
552
SIIILLABER.
SHILLABER, BENJAMIN PENHALLOW ("Mrs. Partington."), son of William Shilla- ber and Sally (Cutts) Sawyer, was born in Portsmouth, Rockingham county, N. H., July 12, 1814.
His education was obtained in the public schools of those days.
At sixteen, in 1830, he was an appren- tice on the " New Hampshire Palladium," Dover, N. H. He went back to Ports- mouth in 1832 and worked on the " Chris- tian Herald " and "Courier."
He worked as a book printer in Boston from 1833 to '36, and from 1836 to '38 on the "Royal Gazette," Demerara, British Guiana, having gone to the tropics for his health. He returned from Guiana in 1838. From 1840 to '55 he was on the " Boston Post," excepting two years spent on the "Carpet Bag," 1851 to '53, and on the "Saturday Evening Gazette " from 1856 to '67.
His present vocation is that of miscel- laneous writer and general newspaper cor- respondent.
Mr. Shillaber was married in Boston, August 15, 1838, to Ann Tappan, daugh- ter of Maximilian John de Rochemont and Sarah Ham Moses. Of this union were eight children : Ann Maria, William, Ben- jamin Penhallow, Caroline Wheeler, Emma Frances, Louis Ira, Lucy Grace and Lizzie Chase (twins) Shillaber.
Mr. Shillaber was a member of the school board, Chelsea, nine years. He has been connected since 1843 with the I. O. O. F., the Franklin Typographical Society since 1847, and the Masonic fraternity since 1857. He has filled the various positions incident to a literary life as printer, reporter, editor and publisher. He has brought out eight books which have been successful, viz. : " Rhymes with Reason and With- out," "Life and Sayings of Mrs. Part- ington," " Mrs. Partington's Knitting Work," "Partingtonian Patchwork," "Lines in Pleasant Places," " Ike Partington and His Friends," "Cruises with Captain Bob," and " The Double Runner Club,"_ with one completed and ready for publi- cation.
He is liberal in his religious belief and a Democrat in politics. He is an honorary member of the Dartmouth chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.
While suffering latterly from painful and protracted disease, he has been, as ever, sunny and unsoured, the consciousness of his having tried to make the world happier enabling him to smile at the inevitable and make no wry faces at fate.
SHORES.
SHIPLEY, JOSEPH LUCIEN, son of John and Rebekah (Dickey) Shipley, was born in Londonderry, Rockingham county, N. H., March 31, 1836.
By making the most of every facility offered at the district school, while work- ing upon the farm and at the carpenter's trade, he succeeded in entering Kimball Union Academy, at Meriden, N. H., and there fitted for Yale College, where he was graduated in 1861.
Immediately after graduating, he ac- cepted the position of principal of Bacon Academy at Colchester, Conn., which posi- tion he held for two years, resigning it in 1863 to become night editor of the "Springfield Republican." In 1869 he became connected with the editorial staff of the "Boston Journal," which position he held for three years. For three years following he was connected with papers in Scranton and Allentown, Pa., and in 1872 accepted an editorial position on the "Springfield Union." He has since then resided in Springfield, and since 1882 has been editor of the " Union " and president and treasurer of the company which owns that paper.
Mr. Shipley is a deacon of the First church of Springfield, and in 1885 and '86 was vice-president of the Connecticut Valley Congregational Club, and a dele- gate from the Massachusetts general asso- ciation of Congregational churches to the national Congregational council in Chi- cago, in 1886.
On the 4th of October, 1864, Mr. Ship- ley was married, in Malden, to Margaret Il., daughter of Captain Hiram and Mar- garet (Dunham) Weeks of Colchester, Conn. They have no children.
SHORES, DAVID, son of Rev. Silas and Abigail (Stacy) Shores, was born in Falmouth, Barnstable county, November 27, 1823.
His early training was under the per- sonal care of his parents, and the public school supplemented his home instruction until he had prepared himself in turn to give instruction in writing and vocal culture. Later in life he adopted farming as a vocation, and to this added the manu- facture of charcoal in kilns and the manu- facture of lumber.
Mr. Shores was married in Shutesbury, December 7, 1845, to Emeline A., daugh- ter of Nathan and Melita (Fish) Paull. They have eight children : Silas S., Henry D., Benjamin, George H., Jonathan Ed- wards, Charles B., Mary A., and Nellie M. Shores.
553
SHUMWAY.
Mr. Shores has served on the school board of Pelham, his present residence ; held the office of assessor and selectman ; been forty years superintendent of the Sab- bath-school, and director of sacred music.
SHUMWAY, AMOS WIGHT, son of John and Abigail Shumway, was born May 13, 1819, at Dover, Norfolk county.
He received his education in the public schools of his native town, and after leav- ing school, entered upon the occupation of farming, which he has ever since followed.
He has been chairman of the Democratic town committee, and has held the office of selectman for twenty-three years, and that of assessor for thirty-four years. He has been a member of the school committee for six years, and in 1873 he was sent as a representative to the General Court from the 9th Norfolk district. He was commis- sioned a justice of the peace in 1874, and has held many offices of trust, to the satis- faction of his fellow-townsmen.
Mr. Shumway was married December I, 1847, at Dover, to Hannah, daughter of Oliver and Sarah Harding, by whom he has three children : Hannah Louisa, Amos Wight, and William Frederick Shumway.
SHUMWAY, ELIEL, the son of Peter and Sarah (Spaulding) Shumway, was born in Townshend, Windham county, Vt., Sep- tember 29, 1809.
After attending the public school at Townshend for one year, his parents re- moved to Oxford, Mass., where he was sent to the public school, in which he re- mained eight years.
In 1835 he started in business at the West Groton grist and saw mills, where he remained twelve years. In 1847 he removed to Groton Centre, upon the farm he still owns. In 1856 and '57 he held the office of selectman for the town of Groton. In 1858 he was elected to represent his dis- trict in the House of Representatives. Mr. Shumway was recruiting officer for the town all through the war, and also held the position of deputy provost-marshal.
In the spring of 1862 he was elected chairman of the board of selectmen, asses- sors, and overseers of the poor, and was re-elected for five successive years. In 1873 he was again elected to the same offices, and was honored with a successive re-election in 1874 and '75.
He was for fifteen years treasurer, and for twenty years trustee, of Lawrence Academy, Groton. At the time of re-build- ing the academy, he was appointed to superintend the same.
SIMONS.
Mr. Shumway was married October 24, 1833, to Lucy E., daughter of Noah Ball of Townsend, Mass., who died December I, 1864. He married again May 16, 1867, Mrs. Emma Perry, daughter of Jonathan Storer of Norwich, Conn.
SIMONS, SELAR, son of Reuben and Theda (Phelps) Simons, was born in Orford, Grafton county, N. H., September 22, 1803.
He acquired a very limited education in the public schools of those days, and from a few terms' attendance at Gilmanton Academy, N. H. Reared on a farm, he followed a farmer's occupation, with a di- version by way of teaching during the win- ter season.
In 1824 he went to Portland, Maine, and embarked in trade. There he remained four years. In 1828 he went to New Or- leans, La., where, for three years and eight months he taught a public school for boys, when the debilitating effects of the climate made it necessary for him to go North, and he removed to St. Louis, Mo.
His first business there was mercantile. His first public employment was that of sheriff, to which office he was twice elect- ed. His next occupation was that of a steamboat captain on the Mississippi River, from St. Louis to New Orleans.
Upon the death of a relative he was called home in 1854, and went to Carlisle. Here he has since remained, giving his at- tention, up to 1883, principally to farming. He has been a member of the school board, selectman, and town clerk; was con- nected with the assessment of internal rev- enue eight years ; was census enumerator in 1870, and has been superintendent of schools. He made his last annual school report at' eighty-six years of age. He is the oldest school superintendent in Massa- chusetts, and his report is full of sugges- tions showing intelligence and good judg- ment upon educational matters, and a soundness of theory in discussing the school curriculum that is at once conserva- tive and yet progressive.
In politics he has always been conserva- tive. His first vote was for John Quincy Adams, not having at that time nor since any faith in the democracy of Jefferson or Thomas Paine, as a sovereign remedy for political ills, or as calculated to secure to any people an orderly or stable government.
Mr. Simons is a liberal and public- spirited man, possessing the respect and esteem of his fellow-citizens.
He was married in Carlisle, October 5, 1834, to Clarissa, daughter of Zebulon and
554
SLADE.
Dorcas (Parker) Spaulding. He has given up active business, and among the peace- ful delights and occupation of his garden, is enjoying the retrospect of an honored career, and calmly awaiting the, to him, not unwelcome summons to the life beyond.
SLADE, LUCIUS, son of Samuel Slade, Jr., and Eunice (Angier) Slade, was born in Alstead, Cheshire county, N. H., April 12, 1818. He attended public schools dur- ing his early school days, and subsequently was a student in the academy at Ludlow, Vt., and also in Unity, N. H. The early part of his life was spent upon a farm.
LUCIUS SLADE.
In 1851 he went into business in Faneuil Hall market in the city of Boston, where he remained ten years, then in Faneuil Hall Square twenty-eight years, where he still carries on the business.
Mr. Slade was married in Alstead, N. H., March 26, 1840, to Lucy E., daughter of Daniel and Susanna (Evans) Rust. Of this union were three children : Franklin Lucius, Carrie L., and Lelia Lucy Slade.
Mr. Slade joined the National Lancers in 1849, and is still a member of that corps. He has held the offices of captain and major of cavalry ; has been a member of the Bos- ton school board eight years ; a member of the common council two years ; served as
SLATER.
alderman eight years ; was a member of the state Senate in 1860 and '61, and been president of the Boston produce exchange.
He is a trustee of the North End Savings Bank ; is an Odd Fellow and a member of the order of F. & A. M.
SLATER, ARBA COVEL, son of Silas and Susan Slater, was born in East Killingly, Windham county, Conn., April 19, 1824.
His education was limited to that obtain- able in the district schools of those days - two terms a year until he was of age to be useful on the farm, then the winter term was his only source of book knowledge. But he made good use of what advantages he had-always exhibiting in study the same untiring devotion that he otherwise displayed in manual labor.
In his twenty-first year he entered a factory at Stafford Springs, Conn., learning to run a dresser. In 1846 he went to Newton Upper Falls, Mass., following the same line of work. His manifest ability led, in 1847, to an offer from Portsmouth, N. H., as second overseer of a mill The overseer resigning four years after, he was promoted to that place. In the spring of 1853 he went to Lyman Mills, Holyoke, where he became outside superintendent. The mill shutting down at the outbreak of the rebellion, he went into the armory at Springfield, where he remained until the spring of 1864. He then went to Olney- ville, R. I., to assist in starting the new Atlantic delaine mill. He began as over- seer, but was soon made assistant superin- tendent. In the fall of 1867 he became superintendent of the Linwood Mill at Whitin Station, which position he still holds - a model superintendent of a model mill. His relations with his employers and em- ployees have always been pleasant, their love and respect being held and secured by his ability, common-sense and faithful devotion to their interests.
Mr. Slater represented Holyoke in the House of Representatives in 1855, and was selectman in 1860. He has been a trustee of the public library in Uxbridge for eight years, and vice-president of the savings bank for twelve years. In the Masonic fraternity he has been master in Mt. Tom Lodge, Holyoke, and in Solomon's Temple, Uxbridge. He was three years deputy grand master of the 12th Masonic district.
August 25, 1844, Mr. Slater married Lucy Clarke, daughter of Frederick and Rachel Avery, of . Killingly, Conn. Mrs. Slater died January 9, 1888, leaving no children. April 9, 1889, Mr. Slater con-
555
SLEEPER.
SLEEPER.
tracted a second marriage with Ella M. Potter Pierce, daughter of Henry Christy and Emerilda Potter.
Mr. Slater's religious connections are with the Baptist church, of which, for
ARBA C. SLATER.
many years, he has been a consistent mem- ber and officer.
SLEEPER, JACOB, son of Jacob and Olive (Dinsdale) Sleeper, was born in New Castle, Lincoln county, Maine, November 21, 1802, and died at his residence in Bos- ton, March 31, 1889.
At the common schools of his native town and at Lincoln Academy, New Castle, he received his early educational training. At fourteen years of age he had lost both parents, their deaths occurring within a year of each other.
Left in the care of an uncle, who became his guardian, he was removed to Belfast, Me., where he began life a poor boy. After working as clerk for some years in his uncle's store, he started a store for himself in the same town. He was then twenty-one years old. After three years he removed to Boston and became book- keeper for True & Brodhead. In 1835 he formed a co-partnership under the fırın name of Carney & Sleeper, clothiers. From this date he steadily rose in finan- cial prosperity, and amassing a fortune in
the wholesale clothing business and in real estate transactions, he was enabled to retire from business in 1850.
He had early become settled in his religious convictions, and it was only by accident that his course of life was not radically changed to that of the gospel ministry, at the age of twenty-three.
From the very outset of the business life of Mr. Sleeper, he conscientiously abstained from hoarding his increasing wealth, but had always reserved a portion of his income for charitable and religious objects. For the last two years before his decease he had given away his entire income, not allowing his household ex- penses to exceed five thousand dollars per year. Through the greater part of his life he was a prince of benefactors, and his noble gifts outside of his innumerable private charities for the alleviation of the sufferings of hundreds of familie's will make his memory a precious one to many hearts.
The social position to which he rose may be indicated by some of the offices which he filled. He was president of the Massa- chusetts Bible Society, and vice-president of the American Bible Society ; president of the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion ; a trustee of Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., and Boston Univer- sity, of which he was one of three found- ers ; a trustee of Wilbraham Academy, and for twelve years overseer of Harvard College. In the Bromfield Street Metho- dist Episcopal church, which he joined in 1825, he was a trustee, steward, and class- leader. He was forty-six years treasurer of the trustees, and for fifty-nine consecu- tive years the beloved Sunday-school superintendent. He helped to build hun- dreds of churches throughout America and in other lands. He also took a deep interest in the establishment of the New England Conservatory of Music, and the grand hall of that institution, known as Sleeper Hall, perpetuates his name. He endowed the Wesleyan Home for Children at Newton, and gave very largely to mis- sions.
In 1852 he served as a member of the board of aldermen of the city of Boston ; was a member of the House of Represen- tatives two years ; a member of Governor Andrew's council, also of the council of Governor Banks. He was one of the directors of the Bank of Commerce, and of the North American Insurance Com- pany from their organization, and was also officially interested in western railways.
556
SLEEPER.
SLEEPER.
Mr. Sleeper was an earnest temperance advocate, and was president of the Massa- chusetts Temperance Association. For over sixty years he was a power for good in city and state. Aside from all other qualities giving his name prominence, he stood throughout his life eminent among the most noble and generous philanthro- pists.
JACOB SLEEPER.
Mr. Sleeper was twice married ; first at Billerica, May 7, 1827, to Eliza, daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Mann) Davis; and again April 7, 1835, to Maria Davis, her sis- ter. His children are: Mary Elizabeth, now Mrs. Geo. N. Davis, Boston ; Julia Maria, now Mrs. E. P. Dutton, New York ; Caro- line, now Mrs. J. W. Harper, New York ; and Major Jacob Henry Sleeper.
SLEEPER, JOHN KILBOURNE CLOUGH, son of Amos and Phobe (Clough) Sleeper, was born in Bridgewater, Grafton county, N. IL., February 7, 1828.
He attended the public schools of his native town and of Concord, N. H., and the seminary at Newbury, Vt.
In 1845, when seventeen years of age, he came to Boston and began work in a wholesale millinery establishment, where he continued for eight years as boy, sales- man and book-keeper. In 1854 he re- moved to Cleveland, O., where he estab-
lished a branch of the same business, under the firm name of C. S. Prescott & Co., later changing the name to Prescotts, Sleeper & Chase. In 1859 he returned to Boston, and in 1860 established himself in the same business, which he now conducts under the name of J. K. C. Sleeper & Co.
On the 3d of July, 1851, Mr. Sleeper was married, in Boston, to Hannah Moore, daughter of Asa and Mary T. (Hill) Shaw. Their son, Charles Frederick, died in 1887. A daughter, Mary Emma, is their only living child.
In 1860 Mr. Sleeper took up his resi- dence in Malden, and was mayor of that city in 1883, a representative in the Legis- lature in 1874 and '77, a senator in 1887, re-elected in 1888, and has been a member of the school committee three years. He has also been vice-president of the Malden Industrial Aid Society for eleven years, a trustee of the public library for four
JOHN K. C. SLEEPER.
years, and in religious circles has always been known as an earnest worker, holding the position of superintendent of the Sunday-school for nine years, and a men- ber of the board of trustees of the Centre M. E. church, Malden, for twenty years. Of this board he is now president.
When twelve years old, Mr. Sleeper signed the pledge, and has been a strong
557
SMALL.
Prohibitionist all his life. Politically he has consistently acted with the Republi- can party since its origin. He is dis- tinctly one of the self-made men of New England, acknowledging his indebtedness to the strict moral and religious principles inculcated in his youth, and to untiring devotion to his life-work.
SMALL, CYRUS, son of Nathaniel C. and Margaret (Phinney) Small, was born in Limington, York county, Me., December 17, 1822.
He obtained his early education in the common schools of his native town and the academy of Limerick. He was then en- gaged on the farm until about twenty years of age, when he went to Boston and en- tered the grocery store of Lemuel A. Cool- idge, where he remained about four years, when he opened a grocery store on his own account, and remained in business until May 20, 1852, when he was appointed on the "old watch," where he served two years. The departments of the watch and police were united and made a permanent department May 26, 1854. He was ap- pointed lieutenant of the police October 30, 1854, at station 5. He was appointed captain July 20, 1866, and held the posi- tion until October 21, 1878, when police commissioners were appointed, and the de- partment was re-organized, and he was made deputy superintendent. In Septem- ber, 1885, he was promoted to superintend- ent, which office he still holds.
Superintendent Small was married in Boston, May 16, 1847, to Eliza, daughter of James and Susan (Randall) Knott. Of this union are three children : Josephine A., Lawrence R., and Carrie A. Small.
His residence is Boston, Dorchester dis- trict.
SMALL, EMULOUS, son of Zebina H. and Ruth A. (Nickerson) Small, was born in Harwich, Barnstable county, December 20, 1834
His education was limited to the common school. He began business life in a retail country store in Harwichport. Later on he was managing a large establishment in the wholesale flour, grain, and grocery busi- ness. He is now largely engaged in cran- berry culture at Harwichport, where he resides.
Mr. Small was married in Harwichport, November 12, 1856, to Irene Thatcher, daughter of Valentine and Lydia (Nicker- son) Doane. They have no children.
Mr. Small is a director in the Cape Cod National Bank of Harwich.
SMITH.
SMITH, ANSEL C., son of Rufus and Achsah (Inghram) Smith, was born in Wil- mington, Windham county, Vt., December 29, 1816.
His early education was obtained in the common district schools of those days. Upon leaving school he went to Greenfield, Mass., where he learned the tanning and shoe-making business with Isaac Burton of that town. He continued at this until 1844, when he began business on his own account as shoe manufacturer and mer- chant, at Colrain, which business he carried on until 1888, when he retired, and devoted his attention to farming, in which vocation he still remains.
Mr. Smith was married in Hartford, Conn., June 7, 1848, to Sophia J., daugh- ter of Hollis and Jane Thompson, of Col- rain. Of this union were two children : Henry A. and Mary J. Smith.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.