USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Royalston > Reflections on Royalston, Worcester County, Massachusetts, U.S.A > Part 40
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11. Phinehas Whitney Reed, 11th child of Nathan Reed, was born in 1807.
12. Lois Maynard Reed, born in 1809.
13. Ainsworth Reed, born in 1811.
14. Sylvanus Sherwin Reed, born in 1812.
15. Sally Reed, born in 1814.
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THE WOOD FAMILY.
The Memorial states that John Wood, David and Joel Taft, and Levi Fiske, all from Upton, bought 329 acres of land, in the northeasterly part of Royalston, which was originally a part of the "Pierpont grant" (see page 39), at $2.00 per acre. This tract was divided into 4 lots; Fiske sold out to Wood, and thus the Wood and Taft farms began; the Taft holdings were eventually divided up, but the Wood place was occupied by descendants of the original proprietor for many years.
John Wood was born in Upton, in 1767. It is probable that it was this John Wood of whom we find the record of his marriage to Deborah Rockwood, of Hop- kinton, in 1789; but no record of her death appears. He married Zerviah Wood- bury, daughter of Capt. Peter and Zerviah (Greenwood) Woodbury, in 1792; he died in 1836, and she died in 1844; they had 9 children:
1. Jotham Wood, born in 1793; died in 1814.
2. Nathan Wood, born in 1795; died in 1795.
3. Deborah Wood, born in 1798; died in 1817.
4. Mary Wood; born in 1801; died in 1816.
5. Sally Wood, born in 1803; married Dea. Reuben Hyde, of Winchendon, 1830.
6. Elmer Wood, twin, born in 1807; married Abigail Brock, of Athol; they had several children; he died in 1848.
7. Elvira Wood, twin, born in 1807; married Emmons Stockwell, in 1831; they had 5 sons:
(1.) John Wood Stockwell, born in 1834; he was a successful farmer in Roy- alston, and died there in 1915.
(2.) Chester Twitchell Stockwell, born in 1841; he became quite prominent in the dental profession.
(3.) Sylvester Stockwell, born in 1843; died in 1849.
(4.) Winfield Scott Stockwell, born in 1845; died in Athol, in 1926.
(5.) Francis E. Stockwell; he married Hattie Hale, of Winchendon; removed to Vermont, and afterwards to the west.
8. Zerviah Eliza Wood, born in 1811; married Isaac Cummings, Jr., of Winch- endon, in 1838; they had 3 children.
9. John Wood, born in 1814. He remained on the home farm throughout his life. He was a prominent member of the First Congregational Church, and super- intendent of its Sunday-school for many years; he was much interested in all movements for the public welfare, and was intensely patriotic, and encouraged all three of his sons to enlist in the Civil War. He married Abigail Lord, of Athol, in 1836; he died in 1863, and she died in 1905; they had 4 children:
(1.) Nancy Lord Wood, born in 1838; she married Lieut. Benjamin Hammond Brown, in 1864, and they had 6 children (see Brown family, page 274); she died in Royalston, in 1912.
(2.) Henry Sylvester Wood, born in 1840. His early life was spent on the farm. When the Civil War broke out, in April, 1861, at the first war meeting held in Royalston, volunteers for the national army were called for, and it is told that Henry S. Wood was the first man to enroll his name, and he was followed by 18 others; it happened, however, that Massachusetts' quota was already full, with the result that the service of these men could not begin until they had an opportunity to re-enlist later. Henry S. Wood was mustered into Company I, 21st Massachu- setts Infantry, Sept. 28, 1861, for a 3-years term; his youngest brother died in the service in May, 1863, his other brother was in the service, and his father died in August, 1863; thus his mother, totally blind, and his sister, were left alone, with a large farm on their hands; what more natural than that Henry should yearn to be with them to help care for them; and so he sought and received an honorable dis- charge from the army, Nov. 6, 1863, after more than 2 years' service. He carried on the home farm until around 1885, when he bought the Nichols-Maxham-Neale place, and resided there until the house was burned, about 1904, when he bought the place at 18E at the Center, which was his home until he went to live with one of his sons, at Claremont, N. H., a short time before his death. He was actively interested in everything that concerned human welfare, and although always a busy man, and at one time partially deprived of his eyesight, and threatened with a total loss of it, he found time to put some of his ideas into pleasing verse (see
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page 162). He was a deacon of the First Congregational Church from 1903 for the remainder of his life. He married Sarah C. Bemis, of Burke, Vt., in 1864; he died at Claremont, in 1913; his wife then made her home with their daughter, in Athol, and died there, in 1926; they had 2 children:
[1.] Mabel L. Wood, born in 1865; she married Carl E. Sault, in 1900; he has been in the clothing business in Athol for many years; they have had 2 children: Willis M. Sault, who died in infancy, and Elton Sault.
[2.] George H. Wood, born in 1869. In his young manhood he began as clerk in dry goods stores in Athol; then was partner in the same line in Athol and Orange; afterwards 2 years in the west; 5 years in Nashua, N. H., mostly with the Chamberlain Syndicate store; and in 1910 as managing partner and treasurer of the Chamberlain Syndicate at Claremont, N. H. He married Grace E. Hunkins, in 1899; they have a son, Albion Royal Wood, born in 1900.
(3.) George Harrison Wood, the 3rd child of John and Abigail (Lord) Wood, was born in 1842. At the age of 20 he enlisted in Company E, 53rd Regiment Massachusetts Infantry, for a 9-months term in the Civil War; he was mustered in Oct. 17, 1862; he was honorably discharged at the expiration of his service, Sept. 2, 1863. He was engaged in the wholesale and retail flour and grain business in Winchendon for many years. About 1884 he removed to Florida, where he resided during the remainder of his life, and was extensively engaged in raising fruits and other products of that locality. He married Calista Stebbins Morse, daughter of Russell, Jr. and Mary Ann (Stebbins) Morse, in 1873; he died in 1908; she died in 1925; they had a daughter:
[1.] Winifred Morse Wood, born in 1884; married Clarence H. Estey, in 1920; and they had a daughter, Emma Winifred Estey, born in 1922.
(4.) John Milton Wood, 4th child of John and Abigail (Lord) Wood, was born in 1844. He enlisted with his brother in Company E, 53rd Regiment Massachusetts Infantry, at the age of 18, and was mustered in Oct. 17, 1862, and died of chronic diarrhoea, at Baton Rouge, La., May 15, 1863.
THE BOLTON FAMILY.
George Dana Bolton was born in Vermont, in 1847. When 25 years of age he came to Massachusetts, and was for several years engaged in the lumber business with his brother-in-law, Charles A. Stimson, at the old sawmill on the Athol road, near Doane's Falls. About 1875 he bought the old Daniel Hubbard farm, on the Athol road. He served the town many years, as Cemetery Commissioner, Inspec- tor of Animals and Inspector of Meats, and has been agent of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He married Jennie Frances Stimson, in 1873; they had 3 children:
1. Leota M. Bolton, born in 1876; for many years Supervisor of Music and teacher of piano and of sewing in the public schools of Royalston. She married Perley F. Richards, in 1897, and their home has been in Athol; they have a son, Farrel Bolton Richards, born in 1901, who married Myrtle Beers, of Athol, in 1923, and they have a son.
2. Lewellyn Sumner Bolton, born in 1879; for many years employed by S. S. Pierce Co., of Boston, and assistant manager of one of their stores. In 1900 he married Lena J. Wright, and they have 3 children.
3. Jennie Antoinette Bolton, born in 1882; she acquired a good musical educa- tion, and, like her sister and brother, is quite proficient in that line. She married Herbert Richards, and they have resided in Athol.
TIMOTHY M. LONGLEY.
Timothy M. Longley was born in Peterboro, N. H., in 1838; he removed to Royalston in 1875, and resided in the house at 59C on the Common. He served as Town Clerk in 1899. He had 3 children by his 1st wife: Arthur C. Longley, who was for several years postmaster at Athol, and afterwards resided at Spencer; Maurice A. Longley, at one time engaged in business at Athol, and afterwards re- sided at North Brookfield; and Edith C. Longley, who married Clarence J. Walker, who removed to Webster (see page 265). Timothy M. Longley's 1st wife died about 1900, and he married, 2nd, Esther Jean, in 1904; he died in 1924.
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THE GREGORY FAMILY.
Isaac Gregory was born in Weston in 1759; he removed to Templeton, and then to Royalston, ahout 1785, and settled on the place next east of the one now desig- nated as the Nichols-Maxham-Neale-Wood place. He served the town many years in important positions: as Town Clerk 5 years, Selectman 8 years, Assessor 12 years, Representative to the General Court 7 years; and he was a Deacon of the First Congregational Church for nearly 14 years. His married, 1st, Susana Hol- man, and they had 4 children; she died in 1793; he married, 2nd, Mrs. Molly Town, in 1793; he died in 1808. His children by his first wife were:
1. Jonathan Gregory, born in 1786; married Eunice Putnam; they resided in Philadelphia, had several children, and he died there.
2. Isaac Gregory, born in 1788; married Fannie Field, of Northfield.
3. Tille Gregory, born in 1790; he died in Paramaribo, South America.
4. Franklin Gregory, born in 1792. In his young manhood he went to Boston, and in a store there acquired knowledge and experience in mercantile affairs, He returned to Royalston about 1823, and bought the store of Joseph Estabrook, and, according to the statement of Mr. Bullock in his Centennial address, he became "the most enterprising merchant this town ever had, and inaugurated here her largest trade." He probably introduced the palmleaf hat business. One of his clerks, from 1823 to 1830, and his partner from 1830 to 1835, was George C. Rich- ardson, son of Dr. Thomas Richardson, who afterwards became a very prominent merchant in Boston and a very popular mayor of the city of Cambridge. It was probably during this mercantile exploiting by Gregory and Richardson that people traveled down 20 miles from what has since become the city of Keene, N. H., to trade at the Royalston emporiums, and Lucien Lord's mother, according to Mr. Caswell, "when a young woman working in the cotton mill at Athol, occasionally on a Saturnay afternoon walked to Royalston Center to buy her a calico dress.' This Gregory family resided at the place designated 42C on the Common, and it is probable that when the first Joseph Estabrook sold his store to Franklin Gregory he also sold him that lot as near as possible to the store, for a home; Estabrook prob- ably once owned all the land on that side of the Common, and beyond, including the William Parke place, which the second Joseph Estabrook sold to Anthony Don- nelly, as well as that north of the Gregory-Pierce place and around Col. Whit- ncy's place, a part of which Col. Whitney acquired when the steam-mill lot was plotted out, and the remainder as a part of the salvage after the steam-mill fiasco. Franklin Gregory was Town Clerk of Royalston 14 years, and Representative to the General Court 2 years; he was postmaster throughout the time of his connec- tion with the store. He joined the state militia, and achieved great prominence, becoming Lieutenant Colonel in 1821, Colonel in 1823, Brigadier General in 1825, and Major General in 1827. He married Martha Porter Edwards, of Boston, in 1818; he died in 1836, and she died in 1874; they had 7 children:
(1.) Sarah Wayland Gregory, born in 1820; she married Oliver Watriss, of Cambridge, in 1845; they had 4 children; she died in 1886.
(2.) Franklin Edwards Gregory, born in 1822. In 1838 be began as a clerk in the store of Joseph E. P. Austin, in Royalston, and after a few months went to Keene, and in 1840 to Cambridgeport, where he occupied similar positions; in 1843, he achieved a position in the house of which George C. Richardson was a member, and from that time made rapid progress, not only in mercantile lines, but in con- nection with banking and financial enterprises. He married Sarah Frances Bird, in 1847; they had 3 children; he died in 1903.
(3.) John Porter Gregory, born in 1823; he married Sarah Lane, child died in Mexico; married Mary Stone, child died in Guam; he died at Paterson, N. J., 1909.
(4.) Isaac Holman Gregory, born in 1825; he was employed in stores in several places, the last being Chicago, where he died, unmarried, in 1898.
(5.) Martha Ann Gregory, born in 1829; married William H. Ladd, in 1857; they had 2 children; she died in 1893. 180
(6.) George Henry Gregory, born in 1801; died in 1812.
(7.) Charles Augustus Gregory, born in 1833; became a prominent lawyer in Chicago; married Julia A. Booth; a son died at age of 27; he died in 1915.
(8.) Frederick W. Gregory, born in 1835; extensively engaged in business in Boston and elsewhere; married Delia M. Booth.
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THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY.
Maynard Partridge was born in Templeton, a member of quite a large family of that name. He removed to South Royalston about 1832 or 1833, and for several years was in charge of the boarding house connected with the woolen mill, at that time owned by Rufus Bullock; the original mill building was destroyed by fire in 1833, and it is probable that Partridge's service at the boarding house began with the resumption of business in the new stone mill, built by Bullock in 1834. After a few years he removed to Winchendon, where he was employed in one of the wooden ware shops and in charge of the boarding house connected with it. In 1858 he bought the Holman saw and grist mill, shop and farm in Royalston, the story of his connection with which is told at page 63. While he never sought or held town office, he was a public spirited and patriotic citizen; he served on the Centennial Committee in 1865; he was elected deacon of the First Congregational Church in 1861, and served nearly 10 years, resigning in 1870; he was chosen again in 1878, and served until his death, in 1884. He married Mary H. Upham, of Templeton, in 1831; they had 3 children:
1. Herman Maynard Partridge, born in Templeton, in 1832; he attended school at South Royalston and Winchendon, and gained some experience in busi- ness in Winchendon. He removed with the family to Royalston, in 1858, and en- gaged in work at the shop, his part being mostly in the turning room, where he became an expert at hand turning; when the business went into the hands of an- other party, in 1868, as told on page 63, he was manager of it for about a year; he drove a two-horse wagon, selling small wares at wholesale, for a time; he was for several years employed at turning at the Heywood chair shop in Fitchburg; he returned to Royalston in the vicinity of 1880, and manufactured crutches, kinder- garten materials and other articles, at first at the old mill place, and afterwards at a shop at 26N,-the site of the former carriage manufactory and palmleaf shop, the building which he occupied having been erected and previously used for a creamery. Before he removed to Fitchburg he resided in the house at 35N for several years, and after his return to Royalston his home was at 13E, and during the last years of his life it was at the place at 12C, which had been the home of his wife's parents, and it was told that he had begun the building of a shop there when taken by his fatal illness. During the Civil War he enlisted in the 53rd Regiment Massachusetts Infantry, for a 9-months term, in 1862, and was soon promoted to the position of Quartermaster Sergeant, which he held until honorably discharged at the end of his term, in 1863. He was secretary of the 53rd Regiment Associa- tion for many years. He was greatly interested in musical matters, a performer on several instruments, including the double bass viol, a good singer, a teacher of singing, and choristor in Fitchburg, Athol and Winchendon churches, and for sev- eral years in the last part of his life choristor at the First Congregational Church. He married Emily Bullock Miller, daughter of George F. and Malinda (Edgell) Miller, in 1859; he died in 1904; she died in 1915; they had 3 children:
(1.) Edward M. Partridge, born in 1862; married; for many years a druggist and insurance broker, at Millers Falls.
(2.) Mamie Partridge, born about 1865; died in Fitchburg, about 1880. (3.) Partridge, born about 1868, died in infancy.
2. John Milton Partridge, born at South Royalston, in 1833; he attended school at South Royalston and Winchendon, and removed to Royalston with the family, in 1858. He was employed in the turning room for many years; after the place had been in the possession of other parties for a year (see pages 63 and 64), in 1869 he went into partnership with his father, and they carried on the business at the old place for several years, with another partner a part of the time; he conducted the business in his own name from 1880 to 1890, when it was sold to Newton & Davis. After that he was for several years manager of portable mills located on Royalston lots of timber supply, for Winchendon woodenware manufac- turers. He was a deacon of the First Congregational Church from 1893 to 1903. He married Elvira Jane Samson, of Winchendon, in 1857; she died in 1901; he died in 1915; they had an adopted daughter, Stella Viola Partridge, born in 1863; she was for many years quite active as a local correspondent of newspapers, secretary of the Old Home Week Association, and in various positions in the Grange; she
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married Willard Hazen Newton, in 1878; they had a son, Leon W. Newton, born in 1884; he married Lizzie Son, and they have several children (see page 203). Stella Viola (Partridge) Newton died in 1921, and Willard. Hazen Newton in 1925.
3. Harlan Page Partridge, born in South Royalston, in 1838; he was con- nected with drygoods stores as salesman and manager, in Winchendon and Fitch- burg. He enlisted in the 53rd Regiment Massachusetts Infantry, from Fitchburg, in 1862, and became Sergeant Major, and served through the 9-months term. He married Alice Seaver, about 1866, and died in Fitchburg, about 1869.
Lucas W. Partridge, probably a nephew of Maynard Partridge, and born in Templeton, was for several years prominent in the affairs of South Royalston. He was postmaster there from 1853 to 1857, and again in 1861, and kept a store, proba- bly for more years than he held the position of postmaster. He served the town as Selectman and Assessor in 1854. He married Martha Gibson Wheeler, in 1840, and it is probable that he died before reaching old age, as it is recorded that his wife married again.
THE WHEELER FAMILIES.
Several persons of the name of Wheeler were early settlers in Royalston. Whether they were all closely or remotely related is not apparent.
Nathan Wheeler settled on a place east of Gad Pierce's place, on what after- wards became the road from the Center to Winchendon. He became a Lieutenant in the Continental army. He and his wife, Mary, "embodied" with "The Church of Christ in Royalston," in 1766. They had 2 sons born in Royalston, and removed to New Hampshire, about 1792.
Paul Wheeler, from Acton, settled west of the present village of South Roy- alston, on the place occupied from 1895 by Charles H. Brooks. He married, 1st, Eunice Waite, daughter of Josiah Waite; they had a son:
Josiah Wheeler, born in 1795; he followed his father on the farm; he served in the militia in the Royalston Fusiliers, and was the 3rd man from the ranks of that organization to become Colonel of the 5th Regiment of Massachusetts Infan- try. He married Martha Forristall, in 1814; they had 14 children; he died in 1857.
Jesse Forristall Wheeler, 2nd child of Josiah and Martha (Forristall) Wheeler, was born in 1818; he succeeded his father on the farm, and also worked as a stone mason; he served as Selectman in 1850 and 1851, and as Assessor in 1851, 1858 and 1870. He was a prominent member of the Methodist Church. He married, 1st, Sarah E. Stockwell, and, 2nd, Mary Stockwell; he had a son, Joseph Wheeler.
Martha Gibson Wheeler, daughter of Josiah and Martha (Forristall) Wheeler, was born in 1819; she married, 1st, Lucas W. Partridge; and 2nd, John Sabin Flagg, of Springfield.
Amanda E. Wheeler, daughter of Josiah and Martha (Forristall) Wheeler, was born in 1833; she married David W. Day; they had 4 children.
Lyman S. Wheeler, son of Josiah and Martha (Forristall) Wheeler, was born in 1837; he served in the Civil War, in the 25th Regiment Massachusetts Infantry; by re-enlistment his service was prolonged to nearly 4 years. Following the war he made his home in the west.
Paul Wheeler married, 2nd, Phebe Hill, of Athol, and they had 5 children:
1. Daniel Wheeler, born in 1804.
2. Eunice Wheeler, born in 1809.
3. Leonard Wheeler, born in 1811. It has been told that in his early life he commenced the manufacture of wooden shoe pegs, with Salmon S. Farrar, at South Royalston, but the business was not profitable, and was soon given up. Somewhere he learned the blacksmith and wheelwright trade, and as early as 1837, probably, hs established himself in that line at Royalston Center, his first place of business, probably, having been at the location designated 16W on our map, after which he built a residence at 18N and a shop at 22N, and later a better shop at 24N, where he continued in the business until his health failed; he also had a part in the work of the carriage manufactory, at 26N, when it was in operation. (See pages 80 and 81.) He served as Town Treasurer from 1858 to 1864, inclusive, and as Tax Collector for most, if not all, of that time. He married, 1st, Phebe Smith,
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of Winchendon, in 1833; they had 3 children; she died in 1880; he married, 2nd, Martha Gerry; he died in 1889; she married, 2nd, Rev. Andrew Dunn, an aged Baptist clergyman, and their home was in the Wheeler house, at 18N; she survived him, and died in 1912, at the age of 84 years.
(1.) George Nelson Wheeler, 1st child of Leonard and Phebe (Smith) Wheeler, was born in 1835; he became a locomotive engineer, and resided in Pennsylvania. He served in the Civil War, in the 25th Regiment Massachusetts Infantry, and was discharged for disability after nearly a year's service. He married, Ist, Sarah Cutler, and 2nd, Mrs. Annie Murphy. He had a daughter, Mary E. Wheeler, born in 1868; following the death of her mother, she lived for a time with her grand- parents, in Royalston, and is remembered by her schoolmates and others; she mar- ried Charles Caruther. George Nelson Wheeler died at Uniontown, Pa.
(2.) Sarah E. Wheeler, 2nd child of Leonard and Phebe (Smith) Wheeler, was born in 1838; she married Cyrus P. Reed, in 1858; he died in 1903, and she died in 1915; they had 2 children (see Reed Family, page 277).
(3.) Warren Leonard Wheeler, 3rd child of Leonard and Phebe (Smith) Wheeler, was born in 1843. In his youth he assisted his father in his shop. In the Civil War he enlisted in the 25th Regiment Massachusetts Infantry, in 1861, and served the 3-years term; he received a gunshot wound in the head at the battle of Roanoke Island, from which he recovered in about a month; he was in several of the most important battles of the war, and in the assault on Petersburg in June and July, 1864. Following the war he engaged in the blacksmith and carriage busi- ness with his father, and continued it at the old shop after the death of his father. Afterwards he had shops in Athol, Hudson and South Royalston, and removed to Fitchburg about 1892, where he continued in the same business until a short time before his death, in 1915. He married Nellie A. Knight, daughter of Newell and Rebecca (Homer) Knight, in 1870; she died in 1922; they had 2 children:
[1.[ Nellie Genevieve Wheeler, born in Hudson, in 1876; she married George L. Nash, in 1900; they had 3 children: Warren, Eleanor, and Constance H. Nash; the last named died in infancy.
[2.] Bessie May Wheeler, born in 1878; died in 1880.
4. Lord Nelson Wheeler, 4th child of Paul and Phebe (Hill) Wheeler, was born in 1813; he acquired a good college education, and became a teacher of promi- nence; after holding other positions, he became principal of the Worcester High School in 1847, serving there until 1853, when he became professor of Greek in Brown University; the next year a pulmonary disease which he had acquired led to hemorrhage of the lungs; he made a brief trip to the South, and then returned to Royalston, and died there, in 1855. He married Rebecca Bullock, daughter of Rufus and Sarah (Davis) Bullock, in 1839; she survived him several years.
5. Abigail Wheeler, 5th child of Paul and Phebe (Hill) Wheeler, was born in 1819; she married Robert Wood, Jr., in 1840; it seems quite probable that he might have been a clerk in the Bullock store, as he is credited with having been appointed postmaster in 1840, a few weeks after his marriage, and he was succeeded in that position by Charles Augustus Bullock, about 16 months later.
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