Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, Part 99

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1399

USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts > Part 99

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Holmes, Charles J., son of Charles Jarvis and Louisa (Haskell) Holmes, was born in Rochester, Mass., March 4, 1834. He is a direct descendant of William Holmes,

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who died in Marshfield in 1678, and five generations of his family lie buried in the Holmes family lot at Rochester. The family traces its ancestry to John Holmes, said to have taken his surname from Stockholm, the capital of his native country. He came into England as a private soldier in the army of William the Conqueror and was rewarded by him with an estate in Yorkshire, but later, having incurred the displeasure of King John, was obliged to flee from his estate to the northward. Some years after he purchased the Dalesman's estate, which is still in the possession of his descendants. The father of Charles J. was a prominent member of the Bris- tol bar, served several terms in the State Legislature and one term as a member of the Governor's Council. He removed from Rochester to Taunton when Charles J. was five years of age, and four years later came to Fall River, where the son at- tended the public and high schools, being a member of the graduating class of 1853, the first class to be graduated from the Fall River High School. As a young man Mr. Holmes was very fond of and excelled in all athletic sports, playing in cricket and base ball matches for more than twenty years, aud being captain of the old Quequechan Base Ball Club. When he was nineteen he went into the Massasoit Bank as a clerk and when twenty-one was elected treasurer of the Five Cents Sav- ings Bank, which position he still holds. In the same year he became cashier of the Wamsutta Bank, which became the Second National Bank in 1864. He has repre- sented the city and senatorial district in both branches of the Legislature; was alder- man in 1885, 1888 and 1889; a member of the School Committee over fifteen years; chairman of the Civil Service Commission for many years; and has served as over- seer of the poor since the creation of that separate department of that board. He is president of several manufacturing corporations and is personally identified with many religious and benevolent societies and associations. Mr. Holmes has been chairman of the committee of the Associated Savings Banks of Massachusetts for many years, and as such has attained a wide acquaintance in banking circles. In this capacity he has had marked success in presenting for favorable consideration the claims of savings banks before committees of the House and Senate of the United States. He has long been a member and for a number of years senior dea- con of the Central Congregational Church of Fall River. May 4, 1858, he married . Mary A., daughter of Joshua and Johanna Remington of Fall River, and they have three children: Mary L., Anna C. and Charles L.

Hood, William P., was born in Providence, R. I., in 1825, a son of David B. and Mary A. Hood. His father was a merchant and business connections took him on frequent visits to the Southern States, when William P. would be left in charge of the business with responsibilities unusual for one so young in years. However, a man's mature judgment and thoughtfulness seems to have possessed the boy of four- teen to such an extent that business went right along under his management. The one absorbing principle of his life seems to have been early implanted, that of doing for himself. Actuated by such motives he left home at the early age of fifteen to try the world for himself. He worked first at any kind of employment he could get for a number of years, when he at last took up that of insurance, fire, marine and life. In all of these he was eminently successful to a degree that he has continued it as a side line to every other undertaking he has entered into for the last sixty years. To follow him through the many and diversified undertakings he has entered

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into and carried through successfully without a single failure, would take a long time to enumerate. He was for twenty-five years a commercial traveler for a Boston house, selling its products all over New England, never stopping for hard times, but meeting circumstances of that nature with renewed energy and determination. In 1854 he with others organized and incorporated the Boston Stove Foundry at Somer- set and has been its treasurer a number of years. The buildings were destroyed by fire in February, 1896, but were immediately rebuilt on an enlarged and improved scale, so that the plant of the Somerset Stove Foundry Co. consists of one main building 40 by 180 feet, two and three stories; the foundry 52 by 120 feet with con- nections one story ; capacity of the works $60,000 annually and employ forty skilled workmen. Besides the fine new buildings there is a water front of 400 feet with wharves complete, where all material is within wheelbarrow reach of the cupola, where it is needed, making it without exception one of the most complete and eco- nomical industries of its kind in New England. This establishment enjoys unusual advantages, situated as it is on the Taunton River four miles from the city of Fall River, where a large part of its products finds a ready and inexpensive market. Owing to the many enterprises engaged in, as well as the advanced age of Mr. Hood, this plant with stock and good will could be obtained on satisfactory terms at an outlay not to exceed $30,000. Here is offered an opportunity for capitalists to invest in an enterprise with no uncertainties to face on account of newness in the market, but rather with years of successful business enterprise in the past, with markets already built up and a prospect for the future rarely excelled. The reader must not take it for granted the life of an insurance underwriter and commercial traveler, or successful stove manufacturer fills up the scope of his operations; on the contrary he early invested in shipping and has carried shares in a number of vessels, has been interested in eighteen vessels which have gone down at various times with- out one dollar of insurance. Mr. Hood is at the present time largely interested in merchant marine, owning a large interest in the Gov. Ames, the only five masted schooner afloat, of over 300 feet in length, 50 feet beam and 20 feet deep, with a capacity of over 3,000 gross tons; she is now landing 1,500,000 feet southern pine lumber. He was for many years interested and a large owner in the Somerset ship yard and has seen thirteen vessels in course of construction on the stocks at one time. He is the largest individual property owner in the village, making his first venture in real estate in 1844, with a beginning of only $40, and purchasing the dwelling home which stands nearly opposite his present factory on Main street and paying thereon the sum mentioned above. In 1843 Mr. Hood married a daughter of Deacon Nathan Davis, and they had ten children, of whom five survive: William P., jr., A. H., Lilla F., Mary E. and Sarah F. Mr. Hood is a Royal Arch Mason and member of Pioneer Lodge, F. & A. M.

Howard, Abby A. K., was born in Fairhaven, and her entire life has been devoted to educational pursuits, for which vocation she prepared when a young girl in the schools of Fairhaven, Middleboro Academy, and by private study. For a period of twenty years she taught in the public schools of New Bedford, and many of her old pupils are now grown men and in business in that city. She also taught for many years in the schools of Cambridge, Mass. Her father was John Howard, a native of Fairhaven, and followed the trade of ship blacksmithing on the old south wharf for

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many years, finally selling out to Luther F. Cole, who at present conducts the busi ness, which is still located in the old building erected by Mr. Howard. Miss How- ard's grandfather, William Howard, was a farmer at New Boston (East Fairhaven), and was known as a representative citizen of the community. Her mother, Sylvia Delano, was a member of the celebrated old Puritan family, headed by Philip De la Noye; mention of whom is given elsewhere in this work. Of the union of John How- ard and Sylvia Delano four children were born: Abby A. K., Rebecca Delano, Jane Ellis (deceased), and John Francis (deceased).

Howland, Abraham H., son of Holder and Caroline (Sampson) Howland, was born in North Dartmouth, February 15, 1847. His father was a mason, and after he had attended the district schools of the neighborhood for a short time he began to learn that trade, which he followed for about twelve years and then went to Newark, N. J., and engaged in the broom making business, which he continued successfully for six years, and in 1867 sold out and came to New Bedford. At this time he entered the employ of Herbert E. Hicks, a soda manufacturer, and for eight years was manager of the plant on Acushnet avenue, which he now owns, having purchased the busi- ness from Mr. Hicks in October, 1895. Mr. Howland has control of a large trade and his products are steadily gaining in reputation. He is a member of Vesta Lodge of Odd Fellows, and by virtue of his integrity and generous nature has won many friends in the community. He is unmarried.

Howland, Barker Cushman, M. D., was born in Dartmouth, May 25, 1846, at the head of the Apponagansett River, where he lived until 1853, when the family re- moved to Bliss Corners, near New Bedford, where his father, who had been in Cal- ifornia during the early days of the gold excitement, had just built a residence. When he was twelve years of age his grandfather died and he went to care for his grandmother and to take charge of the farm at Apponagansett, and while here he attended the academy at Pandanaram, South Dartmouth, for five years and was graduated with a good record for scholarship. Directly after graduation (June, 1863) he went to San Francisco, Cal., and took charge of a coal, oil and lamp busi- ness, being at this time but seventeen; he conducted this business but a short time, when he went into the employ of wholesale drug firms-Crane & Brigham and later with Langley Crowell & Co .- in the same city; beginning at the bottom he gradually became thoroughly posted in the business and after an experience of seven months with a like firm in Sacramento, returned to San Francisco and was employed by Redington & Co., wholesale druggists; after two years in their employ he went to Forbestown, Butte county, Cal., and located a gold mine. After remaining there some time he returned to San Francisco and entered the wholesale drug firm of Heathfield, Bogel & Co. and became a traveling salesman, remaining in this capacity three years, and although he was said to be the youngest salesman in the wholesale drug trade on the Pacific coast, established a large trade. In the mean time he had applied himself to the study of medicine under the regime of the old school, but after careful investigation, decided to embrace homoeopathy, and returned to the East to complete his studies. For some time he studied and practiced with Dr. E. R. Sisson of New Bedford, and in 1871 he entered the New York Homoeopathic Medical College, from which he was graduated in March, 1873, and began his pres- ent practice in New Bedford the following month and has met with most gratifying

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success. Dr. Howland is a member of one of the oldest Puritan families, a direct descendant in the ninth generation from Henry Howland, who was born in England and settled in Plymouth Colony before 1625, and who was reported in the old rec- ords to have been an intelligent and useful citizen, although he early joined the Friends and was much persecuted in consequence. The line of descent is as fol- lows: Henry,1 Zoeth,? Nathaniel,3 James, 4 James," Timothy,6 Abner, William W., 8 and Barker Cushman.9 Dr. Howland is a prominent Mason, a member of blue lodge Star in the East, Adoniram R. A. Chapter, New Bedford Council, Sutton Command- ery No. 16 and New Bedford Chapter No. 49, Order of the Eastern Star, and he is also a member of Acushnet Lodge No. 41, of Odd Fellows. He married, May 25, 1876, Mary E., daughter of Weston K. and Eleanor M. Raymond, of New Bedford.

Howland, Charles F., was descended from (1) Henry Howland, who came to Plym- outh from England before 1625, settled in Duxbury, and married Mary Newland; (2) Zoeth, killed by the Indians at Pocasset in 1676; (3) Nathaniel, born in 1657, settled in Dartmouth, married Rose, daughter of Joseph and Sarah Allen, of that town, and died in 1723; (4) James, born in 1689, married Deborah Cook, a descendant of Fran- cis Cook, of the Mayflower; (5) James, born in 1719, married Elizabeth Wing, lived in Dartmouth and died in 1773: and (6) Jonathan, born in 1765, settled in New Bed- ford, and died in 1846. Jonathan Howland became a captain of coasting vessels. He married, first, Hannah Aiken; second, in 1800, Desire, daughter of Jonathan and Patience Tabor; and third Elizabeth, daughter of John and Hannah Taber, Capt. Charles F. Howland, son of Capt. Jonathan and Desire (Taber) Howland, was born on Water street, at the head of Commercial, in New Bedford, October 19, 1808, and received a public school education. When seventeen he made his first voyage on the brig Indian Chief; later on the ships George Porter, Emerald, Hope, and South Car- olina, from New Bedford to South America; he passed through the different subor- dinate offices, and afterward commanded the William Baker and Atlantic, of War- ren, R. I., the Lion, of Providence, R. I., and the Courier, of New Bedford. In 1858 he retired from the service and subsequently acted as agent for William Crosby, of Talcahuana, and the Chili Whaling Company of Valparaiso, in the purchase of vessels and other materials. Captain Howland always enjoyed the respect and con- fidence of all who knew him. In 1864 he settled at 108 Fourth street, New Bedford, where he died August 6, 1895. He married Charlotte Himes, a native of Wickford, R. I., and the daughter of Stukeley and Elizabeth Himes, who survives him. Their children were Henry A., born December 6, 1831, who was engaged in the whaling service from New Bedford, became master of the ship Midas, settled in Valparaiso in 1868, and was given charge of the Chili Whaling Company; Emeline, born March 5, 1839, died December 12, 1883; Emma Frances, born September 20 1841, died Octo- ber 24, 1843; and Edward C., born July 16, 1845, died August 18, 1869. Emeline married in 1862 Major Edwin Dews, who served in the 9th N. Y. Vols. and 3d Mass. H. A. during the Civil war and afterward engaged in the book trade in New Bedford.

Howland, Charles Warren, assessor and merchant of South Dartmouth, was born in that village March 25, 1860, a son of Daniel, jr., and Betsey R. (Nickerson) How- land. He attended the public schools of his native village and the Friends' School at Providence, R. I., and after completing his education engaged in farming suc- cessfully until 1890. At that time he established his present coal and farming im-

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plement business on the South Wharf in the village of South Dartmouth, and although he started on a small scale the business is now one of considerable magnitude. Mr. Howland is a member of Eureka Lodge, F. & A. M., of New Bedford; Adoniram R. A. Chapter; Sutton Commandery, K. T., No. 16; and Aleppo Temple. He has been town assessor for the past seven years, two as chairman of the board; and selectman for six years, one as chairman. He is also town inspector of cattle. Mr. Howland has been twice married; his first wife was Ada Day, and of their union is one daughter, Lucy W. In November, 1886, he married Maria B., daughter of Charles S. and Cornelia (Tripp) Sherman, and of this union one daughter has been born, Ada Day.

Howland, Capt. Humphrey Daniel, a native of the town of Dartmouth, Bristol county, Mass., was born December 13, 1837. He lived at home until eighteen years of age, and then shipped on the Good Return, a whaling vessel, making one voyage of two and a half years. He then shipped aboard the Coral for one year; the Arab for one and a half years; the Anala for two years; Marion Susan two years; and in 1871 was made master of the bark John Carver, which ship he commanded for four years. At the end of this service he returned to his home in Dartmouth and has since lived in partial retirement. November 19, 1874, Captain Howland married Abbie A., daughter of John and Betsey (Almy) Ellis, and they have two children: Helen A. and Clarence E. Howland, who was born in Dartmouth, December 7, 1875, and is now a practicing physician and surgeon at Westport. He was educated in the com- mon schools of Dartmouth and in the high school, from which he was graduated, after receiving an excellent record for scholarship. Later he attended the Friends Academy in New Bedford for several terms and then took a position in a New Bed- ford drug store in which he remained about two years, in the mean time beginning the study of medicine .. He entered the medical department of New York University in 1894 and in 1897 was graduated with the degree M. D. He then took a course in the Post graduate Hospital and in 1898 settled in Westport to engage in practice.

Howland, John M., was born in Fairhaven, July 29, 1810. He has lived there all his life, and with the exception of Capt. George Taber, is the oldest lifelong resident of the village. His father, John Howland, was a seafaring man and passed through many thrilling experiences in running blockades in the war of 1812. He retired from the sea in 1816, and for twenty years thereafter conducted a retail grocery and general store in Fairhaven. He also built the salt works on Spooner's Point. John M. Howland learned the cooper's trade in his early youth and when a young man of twenty opened a shop of his own, which he conducted successfully for over thirty years, being principally engaged in making oil casks for the whale ships. He became an extensive owner in whale shipping and at one time had shares in twenty vessels. He was always active in politics, being a Whig and later a Repub- lican, when the Whig party merged into the present Republican party. He fre- quently represented his party in the county and State conventions and during his active life took an important part in the councils of the party. He served upon the Grand Jury, being a member of the jury which indicted Theodore Parker. He is now nearly ninety years of age, but still possesses an excellent memory and takes an active interest in all matters of public moment and also in horticultural and agricultural work. Mr. Howland was married in 1833 to Matilda Coleman,

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whose mother, Phoebe (Folger) Coleman, was a sister of that noted astronomer, Hon. Walter Folger. Nine children were born to them: John Henry, Joseph Taber (de- ceased), Walter Folger (deceased), Laura Nye, wife of Sanford H. Dudley, Samuel Coleman (deceased), Harriet Matilda, George H., and two of the name of Eliza Col- lins, both deceased. The Howland family is of Puritan stock, John M. being a di- rect descendant and eighth of the line of Henry Howland as follows: 8John M,, "John, 6Wing, 5James, 4James, 3Nathaniel, 2Zoeth, and 1Henry Howland, who came to Plymouth colony in 1625 and was reputed a useful and respected member of the same. Most of his early descendants were Quakers, he having joined that sect in 1657, at the time when it was just beginning to spread in America. John H. How- land, eldest son of John M. and Matilda (Coleman) Howland, was born in Fairhaven, November 2, 1834. He was educated in the schools of Fairhaven and in a seminary at Acushnet, and early in life learned the cooper's trade under his father, starting in business of his own when twenty one years of age, and conducting it for several years. Like his father, he has always been active in Republican politics. He has served as selectman and overseer of the poor in Fairhaven for six terms, during four of which he has been chairman of the board; he has also served on the board of assessors for five years.

Howland, John William, son of William and Abby B. (Macomber) Howland, was born in the town of Westport, Bristol county, Mass., July 12, 1848. His educational advantages were limited, compared with the advantages and facilities of the present day. Notwithstanding these deprivations he acquired a good common school educa- tion, and after leaving school went to learn the carpenter's trade, and after acquiring a practical knowledge of all the details of the trade he followed that line of work for a period of eight years. He then took up farming in which he has since been suc- cessfully engaged. Mr. Howland is a photographer of considerable note and de- votes a part of his time to this art. July 2, 1876, he married Maria, daughter of Daniel and Ruth (Tripp) Tripp.

Hudner, Michael T., proprietor of the Mellen House and provision merchant, was born in Fall River, November 19, 1862. He obtained his eduation in the schools of his native city and in 1884 began his successful career in the market business at Sec- ond and Rodman streets, continuing there two and one half years. He then moved to Pleasant street in the Waterman block, where he remained two and one-half years, at the expiration of which time he moved to the Thomas Waring building on Main street. He next located at the corner of Main and Borden streets, where he has since enjoyed an extensive business. In 1895 he opened a large market and pro- vision store at the corner of Washington and Bennett streets, Boston, which he still continues with success. From 1892 to 1894 he was proprietor of the Mellen House, the leading hotel in Fall River; he again leased this hotel March 1, 1897. In 1897 he erected the Hudner building on South Main street, which is one of the finest busi- ness blocks in the city, built with modern improvements, and using its own electric plant. Mr. Hudner married Helena Kennedy, who had been a successful school teacher of New Bedford, and a daughter of Michael Kennedy, a well-known citizen of that city.

Hughes, Rev. Christopher, pastor of St. Mary's Church, Fall River, was born in Ireland, March 18, 1841. He was brought to this country when only a few months

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old and during his boyhood lived in New Haven, Conn. He entered St. Charles College, Ellicott City, Md., near Baltimore, in August, 1855, and was graduated in July, 1860; in September of the same year he went to the American College, at Rome, Italy, where he was ordained sub-deacon, June 10, 1865, by Cardinal Patrizi; deacon February, 1866, by Cardinal Sforza, archbishop of Naples; priest February 24, 1866, at St. John Lateran, by the most Rev. Peter de Villanova Castellaci, arch- bishop of Petra; appointed assistant at St. Mary's, New Haven, Conn., June 26, 1866, by Bishop McFarland of Providence; appointed assistant at St. Patrick's, Val- ley Falls, R. I., January 23, 1868; appointed pastor of St. Patrick's, Providence, R I., February, 2, 1869; and pastor of St. Mary's, Fall River, September 2, 1887, where his pastorate has been eminently successful.

Humphrey, James Lee, jr., was born in New Bedford, Mass., February 17, 1860, and is the son of James L. Humphrey, sr., and Maria Bradford, his wife. His father was born in Jericho, Vt., in 1826, came to New Bedford in 1840, engaged first in the whaling business, served as alderman of the city for a time, and for many years was a teacher and superintendent of schools of Fairhaven and Acushnet. Mr. Humphrey was graduated from the New Bedford High School in 1878, and very soon afterward engaged in the dairy produce business on North Second street, near Union, where he has ever since conducted a successful and constantly increasing trade. December 20, 1886, he married Josephine C., daughter of Capt. James R. Allen of Acushnet.

Hunt, Cyrus D., vice-president of the First National Bank of Fairhaven, was born at East Weymouth, November 15, 1833, and attended the common schools in the vicinity of his father's home until thirteen years old. At this early age he gained his first business experience in assisting his father, who reconstructed the govern- ment breakwater at Fort Adams, Newport, R. I., and for three years continued to work with his father in the summer and to attend the East Weymouth schools in the winter. At the age of sixteen he went into the factory of the Weymouth Iron Com- pany; became fully conversant with the trade of manufacturing nails and worked at that business in East Weymouth, Providence, R. I., and Somerset, Mass., for a period of ten years. He was obliged to leave the factory in 1861 on account of ill health, caused by too close attention to his trade, and after a few months' recreation entered the Bridgewater Normal. For this step he was well prepared, having de- voted much of his spare time to study while working at his trade, and graduating after a successful course, secured a position as teacher of a school in Somerset, teaching during the winter of 1863-64. In the summer of 1864 he entered the employ of the American Nail Machine Company of Boston. This company purchased property in Fairhaven, to which place the machinery and business were transferred in 1865. At this time Mr. Hunt was placed in charge of the plant and it was not long before he convinced his directors of the necessity of making a change in the product and they authorized him to make tacks and small nails. In 1867 the company was re- organized and named the American Tack Company. Mr. Hunt was earnestly de- voted to the business and being a practical workman, secured success which other- wise might have been a failure. He made the building up of the concern his life work, and is justly proud of the success which crowned the hard fight against adverse conditions and the patient efforts which he put forth in the beginning. In 1891 the

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Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, Part 99

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub Publication date: 1899 Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company Number of Pages: 1399

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1399