Our County and Its People A History of Hampden County, Massachusetts, Part 46

Author: Alfred Minott Copeland
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Century Memorial Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 735

USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Our County and Its People A History of Hampden County, Massachusetts > Part 46

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).

Ollve, Edwin White and Ellen Marla Shat-

HARRIS, DANIEL LESTER, was born in tuck. Of these Edwin White Shattuck Providence, R. L., February 6, 1818, son alone survives. lle was reared and edu- of Allen and Ilart ( Lester) Harris and a cated In Amherst, but was put to work descendant In the elghth generation of early In life to help maintain his widowed Thomas ilarris, a bative of England, who mother and care for the home farm. He learned the carpenter's trade and became a thorough workman, all of which was for

came to Amerlea with his brother Willlam in 1031 and settled In Salem. Ile left the Salem colony with Roger Williams and his his personal advantage when he assumed company and settled In Providence, R. I., the more hazardous responsibilities of con- where he was a man of consequence In the tracting and bullding. Mr. Shattuck bas

affairs of the new plantation, and where. also, for many generations bis descendants continued to reside. Indeed, all the an- cestors of Daniel L. Harris were Rhode Islanders, and he alone was the pioneer of his family In Hampden county, having settled in Springfield In 1843. Five years later he purchased the house and property at the corner of l'earl and Chestnut streets. where his family ever since have lived. Mr. Harris dled July 11, 1879. He was edu- cated In the academy In l'lalnfield, Conn .. and also In Wesleyan university In Middle- town, graduating at the latter institution August 23. 1837. On May 25, 1843, at Albany. N. Y., he married llarriet Octavia Corson, of Canastota, N. Y. Of this mar- riage eleven children were born, viz : Ed- gar Lester, died aged 2 years ; twin daugh- ters. died In Infancy ; Corinne Lester, llar- rlet Buckingham. Azariah Bloody, Sarah Jeannle, Ellza Johnson, Ambla Corson. Henrietta ('lark and Cornella Hawkins Har- ris.

twice murrled, first. Betsey E. Kimball, of Enfield, and second, Sarah Lavinia Bug- bee, of Belchertown. The late Edward Por- ter Shattuck was the only child of the first marriage. He was born May 31, 1861, and dled February 13, 1877. The children of the second marriage were Emma Ellza, Hat- tle Almira (wife of E. F. Leonard), Ger- trude Sarah and Grace Anna( twins) Shat- tuck.

CALDWELL, WINFORD NEWMAN, was born In Springfield, July 26. 1857, only child of Charles Edmund and Melissa Samantha Morgan Caldwell. On his father's side he Is descended from John Caldwell (born 1624. dled 1692), who settled In the Massa- chusetts colony about 1640, and on his mother's side he is descended from Milles Morgan, who settled In Springfield In 1656. and whose statue In bronze is one of the chlef adornments of court square. Win- ford Newman Caldwell married, May 22, 1883, Fannle Loulse Houston. Their chil- dren are Ruth Houston Caldwell, born July

SHATTUCK, EDWIN WHITE, first became a 2. 1889, and Charles Morgan Caldwell, born factor in Springfield history in 1859, In August 1, 1894.

which year he returned from a journey In the western states. Since that time he early settlers of Enfield, Conn., when that THE RUMKILL. FAMILY .- Among the has been closely Identified with Spring- reglou was a part of Massachusetts, was field's growth and development. first as Simon Rumrill, from whom has descended practical carpenter and jolner, and subse- that branch of the family whose representa- tives have figured so prominently In Spring- field and Hlampden county history, Ac- cording to established record, the nume or- Iginally was spelled Romrll, the ancestors having been of Norman origin, and among the early Huguenot Immigrants to the Salem and Roxbury colonles were persons of that

quently and chlefly as bullder and con- tractor. Mr. Shattuck is a native of Am- herst, born August 12, 1834, and a descend- ant in the seventh generation of Willlam Shattuck, who was born In England about 1621 or 1622 and died In Watertown, Mass., August 14, 1672. Edwin Shattuck's father was born In Deerfield In 1786 and removed name. In Enfield, Simon appears to have thence to Amherst In 1833, and he dled In been among the colonists and there in 1650 that town in 1851. He married, first, Olive he married Sarah Frimin. The date of the

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settlement In Springfield of the first Rum- written by the son to the father and dated rill Is now unknown, but It was before the Schenectady, N. Y., August, 1780, speaks of time of Alexander Rumrill, who was a figure "his company being ordered to join Col. in early Springfield history. lle married Col. Brown's regiment at Stone Arabla. one of the numerous family of the sur. where the Indians are making havoc." He name Bliss, and his wife was twin sister to lived after his marriage at the ancestral the mother of the late John B. Stebbins. In early days the Rumrills were farmers. home In Pauquetuck and died there July 21. 1814, his wife having dled previously. He and fourteen of them are credited with had four children, Harvey, David, Marvin patriotle service In the revolution, and and Naoml. After his death the children eleven others with service during the war of 1812-15. Ebenezer and Nehemiah Rum- rill are mentioned among the ratable inhab- Itants of the town In 1774. The collateral branches of the famlly are much scattered, but all trace their ancestry to Simon Rum- rill of Enfield. Some of them held offices of responsibility in colonial times, and lu all generations of Hampshire and Hampden history since the revolution the surname Rumrill has been known In civil and busi- ness life. The late James G. Rumrill was a prominent figure In Springfield history. lle married Rebecca Plerce. James A. Rum- rill is a son of this marriage.

SMITH, WILLIAM HOWARD,-Among the Smiths who came to New England In 1630. was a family of four brothers and one sis- ter-Christopher, Simon, Joseph, Willlam, and Mary, who removed to Hartford, Conn .. soon after their arrival. William married Elizabeth Standley of Hartford, August, 1644, and they settled In Farmington, Conn., where Willlam died In January, 1670, leav. Ing nine children. His sixth chlid, Benja- min, was born in Farmington In 1658, and after his marriage to Roth Loomis of West- field, he removed to that precinct. On the seventh of September. 1688. he purchased of John Pynchon, of Springfield, several tracts of land In West Springfield. at a place called Pauquetuck, and after a year or two, bullt a house which he occupled with his family. He died in 1738. at the age of elghty years. He had elght children. Jonathan, the seventh child, was born 1697, married and bullt a house just east of Pau- quetuck brook and died there Feh. 0, 1772. He had seven children. David, his second six children. He occupied a house and land near his father. One of the children.

Ilved with relatives. The son David was born March 19, 1803; was apprenticed to Capt. Fowler of Feeding Illlls at the age of sixteen. to learn the wagon making busl. ness. David came to Springfield In 1826 and started the carriage making business on South Main street, now the corner of Main and Park streets. He marrled Harriet Griffin of Granby, Conn. (Copper hill dis- trict), May 20, 1828. She was born at Granby, August 24, 1801, and died in Springfield, March 3, 1870. Three children were born to them : Harrlet, born Septem- ber 25, 1829. died In Infancy : William How- ard, born November 24. 1832, and Mary Jane, born February 9. 1836. died March 10. 1854. William Howard Smith was edu- cated In the public schools and at Wilbra- ham academy, and entered the employ of his father In 1849. He was admitted to partnership in 1856, succeeding to the bus- Iness in 1873, and he still continues It at the same place. David Smith dled in Springfield. April 9, 1875. Willlam married Martha Young Trafton, daughter of Rev. Mark Trafton, May 5, 1858. In this city. She was born at East Pittston, Me., March 29, 1837. One child, Minnle Lee Smith. was born to them, October 5, 1859; the wife died November 16. 1862. Minnie Lee Smith marrled Norman Norton Fowler of Springfield, October 9, 1889. He was born at Agawam, October 24, 1857. Four chll- dren have been born to them : Constance, born December 25. 1890; William Smith. born July 18, 1892 ; Roger Wood, born May 22, 1895, and Mark Trafton, born August 2. 1899, died June 17, 1900.

BRECK, DR. THEODORE FRELINGHUYSEX. chlid. married Margaret Day and they had of Springfield, state medical examiner. sur. geon for the Boston and Alhany rallroad company, Is a native of Phelps. Ontarlo David, jr., born in 1757, married Naoml county, N. Y., born July 29, 1844, son of Howard, born at Sturbridge. Mass .. April the late Dr. William Gliman and Mary Van 23. 1767. David, jr., with his father, Deventer Breck. his father having been for fought In the revolutionary war. A letter many years one of Springfield's leading phy-

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sicians and surgeons, and whose professional life is noted at length in the medical chap- ter of thly work. Dr. Theodore F. Breck acquired his elementary education in Willis- WESTON, GEORGE DAKE, M. D., of Spring- feld, is a native of old historic Windsor. Vermont. born August 0. 1800. lle ac- quired his euriy education In the Windsor ton seminary, and graduated at Harvard public schools and In the scientific depart. medical college In 1866. He also studied medicine two and one-half years in Europe, and the greater portion of his professional life has been passed In Springfield. During the war of 1861-5, he was with the union army in the capacity of surgeon and was stationed at Norfolk and Portsmouth, Vir- ginia. On April 18, 1872, he married Helen ment of Dartmouth college, where he grad- unted with the degree of "B. S." in 1884. He then entered the medical department of the I'niversity of Pennsylvania, at Philadel- phia, and was graduated with the degree of M. D. In 1887. Subsequently he had fifteen months service in I'hiladelphia hospitals, and became a resident medical practitioner Cordella Townsend, of Boston. of which In Springfield in 1892. On July 30, 1901. marriage two children have been born : Dr. Weston married Allce M. Haskell. of Helen Townsend Breck, born March 13, Springfield, formerly of Ascutneyville, Ver- 1873. and William Gilman Breck, born June mont. 22. 1877. On his father's side Dr. Breck Is a descendant of Edward Breck, a man of

ROYCE, CHARLES ANDREW, p. o. Spring- field, was born In Barre, Vt., In 1852. He distinction, born In Lancaster, England, received a common school education and

about 1595. He married in England in moved to Springfield In 1879. Ills wife was E. Elizabeth. daughter of John Bran- ning of Lee. Mass. Their children are: Helen Elizabeth, born in 1882 ; Mary Edith. born in 1885; John Branning, born in 1887 ; Robert Andrew, born in 1890; and Kather- Ine, born in 1894. Of this family, the first Royce in America was Robert, who came from England to Boston In 1630. He was 1617 and emigrated from Ashton-on-Lyme with a band of Puritans to the Massachu- setts colony in 1635, salling in the ship "James" from Bristol, Eng., to Boston, In company with Itev. Richard Mather and others. He settled In Dorchester and joined the church there in 1636, and he appears. also, to have prospered in his efforts lu life. having built and owned one of the first disarmed as an adherent of Anne Hutchin- grist mills, and also became the owner of more than one house besides his property In Lancaster, Eng. lle was an officer of the town in 1642, 1645 and 1646, and he died November 2. 1662. Robert Breck, great- great-great-grandfather of Dr. Theodore F. Breck, was graduated at Harvard college in 1700, and is mentioned as having been a man of great learning and such a master of languages that frequently at family prayers he would read in English a chapter from the Hebrew bible. His son. Samuel Breck. great great-grandfather of Dr. Breck, grad. uated at Harvard in 1742. He became an eminent physician and was one of the founders of the Episcopal church In Great Barrington in 1762. Dr. Breck's great- great-great uncle on his mother's side waa Nathaniel Whitaker (a Presbyterian min- Ister), who was sent to England to collect

son. returned to England in 1639, and five years later again made his appearance In Boston, where he was afterward constable and member of assembly. Robert's son. Jonathan, settled In New London, Conn., where he was one of the first and largest landholders. He married Deborah, daugh- ter of Hugh Calkins. The second Jonathan, son of the Orst, removed to Lyme. Conn., where he married Ruth Beckwith. Next In line was Nehemiah, who moved to Marlow, N. H., and married Abigail, daughter of Jean St. Augustine, a prominent Huguenot. Nehemiah's son, Samuel, was born in Mar- low In 1740, and died in 1802. He married Rebecca Beckwith and served as volunteer In the revolution. Andrew, the son of Samuel, was born in 1765, died In 1832. He moved to Royalton, Vt., and married Lorena Beckwith. The next and seventh funds for a school, which resulted in the in line was Andrew, born in 1805, and died establishment of Dartmouth college. A In 1864. Andrew's wife was Lucina Cooley, painting of Mr. Whittaker hangs In the whose mother's famlly name was Morgan. picture gallery of the college. Mr. Whit- aker was born at lluntington. I .. I., 1730. and died at Hampton, Va., 1795.

The Morgan family moved from Hartford. Vt., to Hampden county, and the records show that Lucina Cooley's mother was a

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member of First church, but other details (Leonard) Bacon, his father being a son are not given. Andrew Royce became a of George Bacon, late of Brimfield, and his prominent Congregational ciergyman and mother a daughter of William Leonard, late served in Vermont from 1835 to 1864. Sev. of Worthington. The ancestor of the fam- enteen years of that time he was pastor at ily in Hampden county was James Bacon, Barre and founded the well known academy at that place.

who removed from Dudley to Brimfield at and early and now unknown date. but soon after his marriage (March 3, 1760) with Martha Jewell. James was a great-great- grandfather of George A. Bacon, and Was a soldier in the American army during the revolution.

BOND, GEORGE RAYNOLDS, is a native of Springfield, born November 10. 1853, and has spent his business life in the city. He married, June 17, 1890. Anna Mumford Dakin (granddaughter of Col. Augustus G Hazard. of Enfield, Conn.), who died Octo- ber 9. 1897. Their children are Arthur Hazard Bond, born September 13. 1891: Fanny Hazard Bond, born May 2, 1893 : and George Raynolds Bond, jr., born January 6, 1896. Mr. Bond's earliest ancestor in Hampden county was Thomas Bond (bort September 17, 1777, died January 6. 1832; married Jemima Halloway Bush, of Boyle. ton). who removed from West Brookfield to Springfield in 1825, and was engaged in mercantile pursuits. The common ancestor of the family in America was William Bond. who came from England and settled in Watertown. Mass., about 1850. George Taylor Bond, futher of George R. Bond, was born Jan. 22, 1817. and died Nov. 17, 1886: married June 1, 1854. Anna Lyman Dodd (of Burlington, Vt.), born Nov. 28. 1827. and died Oct. 29, 1864.

CLAPP, FREDERICK OLIVER, a resident of

dale, Berkshire county, born October 2%. 1852. He was educated in the public schools started out to make his own way in life. Hle was married October 16. 1877, with Emma Frost, by whom he has two chil- dren : Edwin Oliver Clapp, born April 14. 1883. and Marion Emma Clapp. born June 14. 1893. On the paternai side Mr. Clapp

BACON, GEORGE ALBERT, attorney at law, of Hinsdale and l'ittsfield. after which he residing in Springfield, is n native of Brim- field. born August 27. 1869. lle acquired his elementary education in the public schools of Northampton ( Mass.) and Hins- dale (N. H.), and afterward was a student in the academic department of Boston uni- versity, and still later in the law school of is a descendant of old New England stock. the same Institution, where he graduted in his ancestor having been Thomas Clapp. born In Dorchester, England. in 1597, and who emigrated to America and settled in the Dorchester colony In 1633. He died 1895. He beenme a member of the Hamp- den bar the same year. On January 22. 1902, Mr. Bacon married Mabel Maria Sedg- wick, a native of Adams, Mass. George A. April 20, 1684, aged almost ninety years Bacon is the son of Albert S. and Cynthia The Clapp surname aiways has been well

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ALLIS, DEXTER HUALBUT, D. D. S .. of Springfield, was born In Hatfield, August 10. 1867. He acquired his early education in the Springfield grammar and high schoola and his professional education in the Phila- delphia Dental college, where he was grad- uated in 1888. Dr. Allis' ancestor who frst settled in what now is Hampden county. was John Searle, a native of Warwick, Eng., born about 1610, and who emigrated to America with the l'uritans. Ile came soon afterward, it is said, to the Pynchon plant- ation at Springfield, although Ellzur Hol- yoke's record does not mention his name among the town residents. In 1664. He was, however, one of our early settiers and his farm lands extended from Cypress street to the Massasolt house, as now known. Tracing back to the period of early colonial history, we learn that Dr. Allis is a descend- ant of Dr. Thomas Ilastings, born In Water- town (\'onn.), In 1632 ; removed to Hatfield (Mass.), about 1675 and died in 1712. He was the first physician of llatfield. Anoth- er ancestor, William Allis, from an early Puritan family, was born in Braintree In 1640. Another ancestor. Benjamin Wait, was born about 1646 and married in 1670. His wife and children were made captives by the Indians during King Philip's war and were taken to Canada, from whence he rescued them only after great effort

and danger. Ile himself was killed by the Springfield since 1871. Is a native of Hins. Indians in 1701, just at the beginning of Queen Anne's war.

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represented throughout the New England age. finding his sight failing, he committed states by men of acknowledged understand- ing and worth.

AVERY, HENRY, whose residence in Spring. field dates from the year 1843, and who by His son Amasa, ws born in l'omfret in 1720;

occupation among our people during the period of his active ilfe was a tailor and clothier, was born in Griswold, Conn., De- cember 20, 1$18, and was educated In the public schools of his native town. Later on he engaged in business pursuits and as a tailor by trade he came to Springfield in 1845. In 1847 (September 15) he married Sarah H. Taylor, and in 1897 the golden anniversary of his wedding was appropri- ately celebrated. Jolin Avery, father of Henry, also was a native of Griswold. born November 23, 1780, and in the war of 1812. 15 he served as captain of a company in the defense of Stonington and Groton, although those towns were not attacked. John Avery (3d), grandfather of Henry, was born December 14. 1755, and was appointed the tea overboard in Boston harbor, De- by the Connecticut general assembly as one cember 13, 1773. An account of the affir of the committee to furnish arms for the written by him appears in the historical state troops during the revolution. The narrative, "Tea Leaves," printed in 1884, Boston being at the time occupied by Brit- ish soldiers, he was obliged to flee the city and he returned to Pomfret. He turned out with his neighbor. Gen. Putnam, at the "Lexington Alarm" and was afterward paid don in 1651, and were afterward closely for the same length of time as was Putnam. He afterwards served as lieutenant with siasticai, of that town. James received a Connecticut troops in the revolutionary grant of land in Groton in 1656, and bulit his house there, the latter having been suc- cessively occupied by his descendants until 1894, when the old structure was burned.

Avery ancestor in America was Christopher Avery, who emigrated from England in1630 . and settled in Boston or Gloucester. His son James came with him and was the fath- er of the Averys who settled in New Lon- identified with the history, civil and eccle-

to memory the New Testament, the Psalms and many portions of the Old Testament. ile became totally blind before his death. married Hannah Miller, of Rehoboth, Mass., and was captain with Putnam in the old French war. Ills son, Robert, moved to South Wlibralinm (now the town of Hamp- dent. Hampden county, in 1781. Robert Session, just mentioned, was the first of the Sessions family to settie in Hampden coun- ty. Ile purchased and moved on to the Sessions homestead in South Wilbraham. now town of Hampden. in 1781 ; he was born in Pomfret, March 15, 1752, married Anna Ruggles of Pomfret. April 16. 1778. and died on his farm, September 27. 1836, aged eighty-four years and seven months. His wife dled November 22, 1838. Robert Sessions lived in Boston when a young man and was one of the party that threw

army. Four of his brothers, Amasa, John, Nathaniel and Samuel, also served in the revolutionary army. His wife, Anna Rug- gles, had three brothers In the revolutionary

SESSIONS, WILLIAM R .- The Sessions army : Benjamin, Samuel and Edward Rug- family. According to tradition the first gles. Robert Sessions and his wife had Sessions to settle In America was Samuel thirteen children : Betsy and Charles (born Sessions, who came to Boston with Gov. in Pomfret). Robert, George, Nancy, Celina Dudley. After a short residence in Rox- ( mother of the Newell brothers of Spring- field). Francis, Horace, Martha Phips. Han- nah Miller, Sumner. Nabby and William Vyne : twelve of the thirteen lived to ma- ture years. Robert and Horace served in the army in the war of 1812. Robert Ses- sions was a prominent citizen of his town, serving it as moderator, town clerk. treas- urer and selectman many times. and also bury, he settled in Andover. where Alexan- der Sessions, the first of our ancestors of whom we have record, was born in 1045. He married, April 24. 1672. Eliza Spoffard and died February 26, 1687. His son, Na- thanlei, was born Angust 8, 1681, and died In 1771. Hle settled in Pomfret. Conn., and was the first person that drove a team from Pomfret to I'rovidence, opening a road for as representative in the legislature three sixteen miles of the route through heavily terms. He was appointed justice of the wooded forest. He carried back to Pom- peace soon after he became a citizen of the fret the first load of West Indla goods taken state and held the office until his death. to that town. After he was eighty years of His son, William V .. his grandson, William

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R., and his great-grandson. Wlillam J., his 29, 1889 ; Mina Anderson, born in Benedict. successors In the ownership of the home- S. Lmak., March 11. 1890 ; Wliliam Vyne. stead In Hampden. have each by appoint- born In Benedict. April 20, 1892. died May ment of the governor, heid the office of 28. 1892; Willlam Vyne, born in Hampden justice of the peace. His son, William Muss., November 19. 1596, and Robert Lee. Vyne, his Immedlate successor on the farm, born in Hampden, June 3. 1899, died Feb- ruary 16, 1900. Lucy Maria married Slas Ives Wallace, of Clinton, Mass., September

was born In South Wilbraham. September 14, 1801 ; married Lydla Ames. November 24, 1829, and died April 9, 1897, aged 1, 1886. Their children are Earle Sesalons. ninety-five years ; his wife Lydla. died July born in Clinton, July 20, 1887 ; Sylvia F'er- 3. 1893, aged nluety-three years. Their ry. born September 24. 1896. William Rob. children were Nancy Ruggles, born August ert Sessions served as sergeant in Co. I. 10, 1830, dled March 8, 1843; Lydla Ames, 46th Muss. Infantry, in the war of 1861.5; was taken prisoner and sent to Libby prison : served his town many terms as moderator, selectman, also as assessor and school committee : was appointed justice of the peace by the governor ; was representa- tive in the legislature in 1868 ; state sena- tor, first Hampden district, 1884 and 1883; member of Massachusetts state board of

born December 28. 1833. married Rev. W. W. Woodworth ; Wllllam Robert, born De- cember 3, 1835 ; Helen Victoria, born March 4. 1838, dled March 4, 1843. William Vyne Sessions spent his long life on the home- stead and was prominent in town affairs, often serving as selectman and assessor. He represented the town In the legislature one term and was county commissioner for agriculture from 1879 to the present time ; three years. Ile helped to start the first factory in the town for the manufacture of woolen goods, and thus was an Important factor in the growth of the town. His daughter, Lydia A., was educated at Mt. Holyoke and was the first principal of Lake Erle Female seminary at Painesville. Oblo, the ploneer Institution of that section for the higher education of women. William Robert Sessions was born In South Wilbra-

trustee of Massachusetts agricultural col- lege from 1885 to the present time ; secre- tary of the Massachusetts state board of agriculture, 1887 to 1899 ; member of Wil- cox Post, G. A. R. He lived on the Sessions homestead in South Wlibraham ( Hampden) and furmed the ancestral acres until May 1, 1899. when his son, William J. Sessions, succeeded to this occupancy and ownership. The latter had spent twelve years In South ham (now Hampden), December 3. 1835, Dakota, where he had served his township and was educated in the common and select In various offices and represented the coun- ty of Sanborn In the state legislature for two years. Returning to his native town in 189G, he was soon called to serve as selectman and has held that office most of the time since. Governor Crane appointed

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Our County and Its People A History of Hampden County, Massachusetts, Part 46

Author: Alfred Minott Copeland Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Century Memorial Publishing Company Number of Pages: 735

Author: Alfred Minott Copeland
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Century Memorial Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 735