USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Holden > The history of Holden, Massachusetts. 1684-1894 > Part 19
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Dr. Chenery married Susannah Pierce, who died a year be- fore him after more than half a century of married life. After her death he wrote the following lines :
1 To this point, this sketch is taken from the Damon History, pp. 60, 61.
.
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
"Removed from all the pains and cares of life, Here rests a pleasing friend and faithful wife, Ennobled by the virtues of her mind,
Constant to goodness and to death resigned, Sure in the silent Sabbath of the grave
To taste that tranquil peace she always gave."
Their children were :
Thaddeus, born April 27th, 1769.
Zillah born July 12th, 1771. John, born November 12th, 1779. Susannah, born February 5th, 1785. Alony, born January 27th, 1788. Leonard, born April 27th, 1794. Nathan. Isaac.
COLONEL SAMUEL DAMON.
The following is an extract from the early records of the town : "June 1779 came to Reside in Holden Samuel Dammon and Abigail Dammon his wife they came from Midway in the County Suffolk."
These were the father and mother of the subject of this sketch, and this removal to Holden was so near the date of their mar- riage as to be almost their wedding journey. They made the trip from Medway on horseback, Madam " Dammon " and a ne- gro servant riding on the same horse, while their household goods followed in an ox cart, requiring two days for the pas- sage. Mr. Damon had learned the trade of cabinet-maker in Medway, as appears by old-time specimens of his handiwork still treasured among his descendants. Their first dwelling in Holden was one mile east of the center village on Bunker Hill, so-called, where still may be seen remnants of the stone fire- place and chimney. Here their children were born. Subse- quently, and before their establishment in the village home- stead, they lived for a time in the yellow house, long since removed, a half-mile west of the village on the premises now known as the John Richardson place.
COL. SAMUEL DAMON.
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PERSONAL NOTICES.
The name Damon, as the word indicates, is doubtless taken from Greek myth or story, and is found as a family name in half the countries of Europe. The spelling of the word, however, presents a curious jumble ; here are some of the varieties : Da- man, Damman, Damond, Dammant, Daming, Demmon, Day- mond. In the list of passengers in the ship " Elizabeth Ann", landing in New England in 1635, is "Jane Dammand, aged 9"; when she married John Plimpton in 1644, the record makes her "Jane Dammin." The Holden family traces its lineage six generations back from the first named Samuel, through Deacon Samuel and Joseph of Dedham, to Deacon John Damon, who emigrated from Reading, England to Reading, Massachusetts, in 1633. It was representative Puritan stock, energetic, devout and thrifty. All through colonial days, its members frequently appear with the important titles of deacon or selectman or captain ; for they were good Indian fighters when that was the business in hand. In this same year, 1779, this Samuel of Dedham gave to the successive oldest Deacons of that place, one thousand dollars, the interest to be devoted forever to provide Bibles for the poor, town paupers excepted. It is said that fund, after more than a hundred years, is still doing its good work-thanks and honor to an excellent series of " old- est Deacons," the guardians of the fund, as well as to the founder. In interesting contrast with the foregoing, and as showing seventeenth century thrift in addition to benevolence, in the family character, there must be quoted a single line from the earlier records of Reading, West Parish : "Cæsar, a clever man, was the slave of Joseph Damon."
The west forty feet of the Damon dwelling in Holden village is one hundred years old, and for almost that period has been occupied continuously by members of that family. On this very site, moreover, in still earlier days, stood "that Noted House in said Town Known by the Name of the Old Public Meeting House;" and this quotation is from a posted notice dated '.March ye 16 1791," announcing that the building "is to be Sold at Public Auction on the last Wednesday of this Instant at the House of Lem'l Abbot." The sale and removal of the Meeting
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
House made way for the original dwelling which immediately followed. Contiguous to this, on the east, was erected a small low building, used as a store, both store and dwelling being first occupied by one Miles, who sold to Samuel Damon, senior, about the year 1800. Some years later, his son, Samuel, built the present store extension, with its ambitious little portico of Doric columns in the style of the period. Just here, growing out of the stone foundations, as if a shoot from the roots of the house, is the veteran old woodbine, still vigorous, though planted in 1835. The fine elm tree, near the west side door, was set out by Charles L. Knowlton, the husband of Alony Damon, in 1836, the birth year of their first child, Caroline. The trunk was torn in twain by an ice storm in 1861, one-half drooping to the ground, but the parts were tenderly put in place and bound by an iron bolt with success that the iron is now half buried in living wood. For a full century, with the exception of two years, there has been kept here a country store ; moreover, for a large portion of this time some member of the family has held town office, and the business of the office conducted chiefly here, Major Isaac Damon, of the third generation of Damon occupants, having himself been Town Clerk twenty-two years, and one of the Assessors twenty-eight years. This ancient edi- fice, therefore, with the ground thereunder, counting from very early days when the inhabitants gathered to worship here, has seen and touched so much of the life of the town's people, that, for this reason, if no other, it is worthy of mention in these annals.
Colonel Samuel Damon, born in 1786, began his business career at sixteen in his father's store, where his unusual capacity was soon made manifest. He continued in charge of this store forty-five years. In the course of a few years, he also became sole or part proprietor of stores in the adjacent towns of Rut- land, Paxton and South Leicester, meantime planning and con- ducting extensive manufactories. In 1828, in company with his nephew, Jason Goulding, he built the cotton factory in Phillipston. In 1831, he erected the mill at Quinapoxet. Later he became owner of mills at North Woods, Drydenville, Daw-
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SAMUEL C. DAMON, D. D.
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PERSONAL NOTICES.
sonville, North Oxford and the Trowbridge mill at Worcester, most of which manufactories he operated many years, and owned at the time of his death in 1851. He was also an extensive dealer in real estate, the Registry at Worcester showing more than three hundred conveyances by him. He was always promi- nent in the affairs of the town, having filled at different times most of its important offices, including that of Treasurer for thirteen years, and was elected four times to the Legislature. To this array of employments and activities, he added further that of bank director and the colonelcy of a cavalry regiment. In all these positions of responsibility, whether in the prosecu- tion of his business or in places of trust or public office, he proved himself a man of rare force, broad-minded, sagacious and honorable.
He married, July 4th, 1810, Alony Chenery, daughter of Dr. Isaac Chenery. To them were born nine children, of whom only two survive, the second son, Isaac, and the youngest daugh- ter, Susan, Mrs. Gale. A sketch of the eldest son, Samuel C., the late Rev. Dr. Damon of the Hawaiian Islands, follows. In continuance of the honored line of Samuels, is Dr. Damon's son Samuel, recently Minister of Finance in that island king- dom, and the latter's son Samuel, now a Freshman in Yale Col- lege.
SAMUEL CHENERY DAMON, D. D.
Samuel Chenery Damon, the eldest son of Samuel and Alony Chenery Damon, was born in Holden, February 15th, 1815. He was graduated from Amherst College in 1836; studied at Prince- ton Theological Seminary, 1838 and 1839, and was graduated from Andover Theological Seminary in 1841. Before entering on his theological studies, he was for a year principal of the academy at Salisbury, Conn., and during these studies, he acted as private tutor in a family in Burlington, N. J. While thus engaged in teaching, very flattering offers were made to him, accompanied by urgent appeals of friends, to induce him
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
to devote his life to business, but he remained unshaken and true to his convictions of duty.
While pursuing his theological studies, it was his purpose to go as a missionary to India, and he even began the study of the Tamil language. He was ordained September 15th, 1841, and was preparing to carry out this long cherished purpose, when a most urgent call came from the Sandwich Islands for a seaman's chaplain at the port of Honolulu. After careful and prayerful consideration, Mr. Damon surrendered his former plans, and accepted this position. He sailed from New York, March 10th, 1842, via Valparaiso and Callao, and after a vogage of seven months' duration, reached Honolulu October 19th, 1842.1
Mr. Damon's work at Honolulu was carried forward under the auspices of the American Seaman's Friend Society. At the time that he entered on his work, from one hundred to one hun- dred and fifty whale ships visited the port of, Honolulu every. year. Dr. Damon's own statement is as follows : "From 1842 to 1867, at the lowest estimate, six thousand seaman annually visited this port. During these twenty-five years, my labors were abundant, and sometimes beyond my strength." What his labors were cannot be fully described. It was his practice to visit all these ships, to scatter Bibles, Testaments and tracts, and to converse personally with as many of the sailors as possi- ble. For forty-two years, he was pastor of the Bethel Church, and preached there every Sunday, not only to sailors, but also to merchants, sea captains and many others, who were drawn to this well-known place of worship.
Aside from his duties as a seaman's chaplain, Dr. Damon performed many other important services. Being an accepta- ble speaker, he was often called upon to give addresses on pub- lic occasions, and he held a prominent position in missionary associations, as well as in all institutions organized on the Hawaiian Islands for charity and education. He was not only an able speaker, but also a ready writer. Only three months after his arrival at Honolulu, he began the publication of a
1A manuscript note, in the handwriting of Dr. Damon, gives the date as "Oct. 27."
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PERSONAL NOTICES.
monthly journal, which he called "The Friend." This periodi- cal took the place, in some respects, of a general newspaper, but, possessing both high literary merit, and a decidedly re- ligious character as well, it became not only a channel of com- munication for great multitudes on both land and sea, but also an educating and elevating agency for all that part of the world.
The travels, acquaintance and influence of Dr. Damon were very extensive. In 1849 he visited Oregon and California. In 1851 he visited the United States, coming by the way of the Isthmus of Panama, returning to the Sandwich Islands in 1852. In 1861 he made a tour of the Micronesian Islands on the "Morning Star." In 1869 he again visited the United States, and then traveled through England, Palestine, Egypt and Greece, returning to Honolulu in 1870. In 1876 he attended the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia, also revisiting his New England home and friends. In 1880 he came once more to the United States, and then made an extended European tour, visiting England, Scotland, Germany, Austria, Switzer- land and France. It is said that he also visited China and Japan. In all these years he also carried on an extensive cor- respondence with friends and acquaintances all over the world.
He married, October 6th, 1841, Julia Sherman Mills of Natick. They had five sons :
Samuel Mills, born July 9th, 1843 ; died June 2d, IS44. Samuel Mills, born March 13th, 1845.
Edward Chenery, born May 21st, 1848.
Francis Williams, born December 10th, 1852.
William Frederick, born January 11th, 1857 ; died Octo- ber 23d, 1879.
He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from his alma mater, Amherst College, in 1867. In 1869 he became a mem- ber of the American Antiquarian Society, and in 1879 a cor- responding member of the New England Historical and Genea- logical Society.
While still a student at Andover, he was invited by his townsmen to give the address at the celebration of the centen-
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
nial anniversary of the town. This address was published at the request of the committee of arrangements, together with notes and an appendix, which increased the amount of matter fourfold. During his visit to the United States in 1876, he gathered considerable matter for a continuation of the history down to that time, which, however, he was never able to prepare.
His death occurred February 7th, 1885, and resulted from inflammation of the brain. On the afternoon of the next day, Sunday, his funeral and burial were attended by a great throng of sorrowing friends, including the king and his ministers.
" He was one of nature's noblemen,-of fine personal appear- ance,- always pleasant, cheerful and happy,- always laboring to make others happy here and hereafter,-a truly model Chris- tian man and it may justly be said that the world was made better by his having lived in it."1
REV. GEORGE DARLING.
The Rev. George Darling was born October 24th, 1821, in the town of Sterling, but the family removed to Holden when he was an infant only six months old. He united with the Congregational Church in Holden when about fifteen years old. In the fall of 1840 he went to West Troy, N. Y., and taught school there and in that region. He was graduated from Union College in 1846, and from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1849. He was ordained at Hamilton, Ohio, July 12th, 1850, and was pastor of the Presbyterian Church in that place for about two years. Leaving the West after a severe sickness, he was called, in the fall of 1852, to the pastorate the Appleton Street, now the Eliot, Church in Lowell, where he remained between two and three years. Since then his pastorates have been at Hudson. Ohio, for fifteen years; Waupun, Wis., for sixteen years, and Oconomowoc, Wis., for two years.
1 Quoted from the remarks of Nathan Allen, M. D., at the dedication of the Damon Memorial, from which much asisstance'has been derived in the prep- aration of this sketch.
REV. ELNATHAN DAVIS.
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PERSONAL NOTICES.
An elder brother of the above, Samuel D. Darling, having been graduated from Williams College in 1836, studied theol- ogy at Gilmanton, N. H .; was pastor at Yarmouth, South Royalston and Orange ; in 1850 removed to Oakfield, Wis., and labored there as a home missionary until his sudden death in 1873, at the age of sixty-six years.
REV. ELNATHAN DAVIS.
The Rev. Elnathan Davis, son of Ethan and Sarah Hubbard Davis, was born at Holden, August 19th, 1807. He was grad. uated from Williams College in 1834, and from East Windsor, now Hartford, Theological Seminary in 1836. He was ordained . as a Congregational minister at Holden in November of that year, being at the time under appointment as a missionary of the American Board to South Africa. A difference of opinion with the officers of the Board upon the matter of infant bap- tism caused him to resign this appointment. He was in the service of the American Seaman's Friend Society for some months, while it was contemplated to establish a chaplaincy of the society at Hamburg, Germany. The financial reverses of 1837 prevented, and in 1839 he engaged in self-supporting home missionary work in northern Indiana and southern Michigan, to which the tide of emigration from the east was just setting. While visiting New England in 1845, he began to labor for the American Peace Society. In 1846 he was installed as pastor of the Congregational Church at Ashburnham. He was a dele- gate to the World's Peace Congress at Paris in 1849. In 1850 he resigned his Ashburnham pastorate to take the place of Cor- responding Secretary of the Peace Society. In presenting its cause, he visited Fitchburg, and became interested in the Trini- tarian Church, an organization which owed its formation to the anti-slavery and temperance principles of its members, and upon their invitation he took charge of the society and filled its pul- pit for upwards of fourteen years, from 1851 to 1865. The lat- ter part of this time, and for years later, he labored in behalf of
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
the American Missionary Association, then beginning its work in the southern states, of which body he became District Secre- tary for New England. He was elected to the Legislature from the Fitchburg district in 1869, and an acquaintance formed in the legislative chamber led to his preaching at Auburn, where he was pastor about ten years, until 1879. Here he continued to reside until, after a painful, lingering illness, borne with the same cheerful spirit which always shone in his daily life, he " entered into rest " April 9th, 1881.
He was buried at Holden, and above his grave is the simple inscription, " For forty-five years a minister of the gospel."
"Mr. Davis was a man of popular gifts, whether in the pulpit, upon the platform, or in the more private walks of life. He pos- sessed a native grace of manner, which, combined with his liberal culture and a genial Christian spirit and a genuine love for his fel- low man, made him a man of influence, whether in his public address or in his private life. He was popular without seeking popularity. As a preacher, he was calm and usually unimpassioned in his utterance, presenting the great truths of the gospel in an ear- nest, dignified and persuasive manner. And yet in rebuking evil and exposing iniquity, he was never lacking in true moral courage. He did not fear to lift up his voice in public condemnation of oppression and wrong, even when public sentiment was against him. The great duties of love toward God and benevolence toward man, he not only enjoined upon others, but practiced in his own life.
"As a pastor, he had great influence among his people, to whom he warmly attached himself by a thorough acquaintance, and a loving interest in their behalf. He was a warm friend of the children, and thoroughly interested in the welfare of the young. He had stirring and earnest words for the young men. He moulded them. He inspired them with noble and manly sentiments. Thoroughly manly and Christian himself, he left his impress upon them who for any considerable time had come under his influence.
" He was active in the work of social and moral reform, and in this sphere he accomplished some of the best work of his life. He was by nature a reformer. He believed in righting the social wrongs of the community, and did what he could toward this result. In him the cause of the oppressed and the rights of 'God's poor' had an
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earnest and eloquent advocate. And when he lifted up his voice, as he so often did, in condemnation of the wrongs of his fellow men, it was a voice that gave no uncertain sound. He was earnest and outspoken in his condemnation of American slavery and of the great evil of intemperance, and he did not think the Sabbath day or the Christian pulpit too sacred to be employed in exposing these wrongs. And so uniformly kind and Christian was his spirit that he did much to disarm opposition, and win for himself the confi- dence and respect of those whose opinions he opposed."1
Mr. Davis was the author of many hymns and short poems of much literary merit. Among others he wrote a hymn for the opening of the new cemetery at Holden, and the following
RESPONSE TO THE HYMN FOR THE OPENING OF THE HOLDEN
CEMETERY.
My massive gate is opened wide, Faint toilers in a world of sin - Turn from life's broad highway aside ; Lay off its burdens-enter in !
Welcome, ye living ! Seek to spend Seasons of wise reflection here ! My lessons are of life's great end - Of the stern future's hope and fear !
Learn here the emptiness of earth, The folly of all human trust, The value of a heavenly birth - When the worn frame shall sleep in dust !
So, as from out the homes of men, Life's journey o'er -its labors done, Ye come to my still haunts again, Borne by the living,- one by one -
Shall faith in Jesus, strong to save, Reveal a brighter world than this, And my dark gateway to the grave Shine like the portal into bliss.
1 From an obituary notice written by a minister who, in his youth, was a member of Mr. Davis' parish.
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
Mr. Davis married, in 1836, Teresa, daughter of Paul Davis of Holden. She died in 1841. In 1843 he married Mary Avery, daughter of Aaron White of Boylston, and granddaugh- ter of Rev. Joseph Avery of Holden. She is still living. Three sons also survive him, one by the first and two by the second marriage. His children were :
Theodore E., born June 19th, 1838.
Thomas W., born November Ist, IS44. Francis G., born March 9th, 1851.
Helen Teresa, died in infancy.
ETHAN DAVIS, SENIOR.
Ethan Davis, Senior, commonly known in his mature years as 'Squire Ethan, was the youngest son of Captain James Davis, and was born in Holden, February 29th, 1766. Like his father, he was an extensive land owner. He seems to have been born with a propensity for trading in real estate, in live stock, or in anything in which he could indulge his taste for speculation. His dealings in cattle often occasioned re- marks and now and then were the basis of jokes. It is related that in his younger days he and some of his friends, presuma- bly at the tavern or store, were trying to chaff Dr. Thaddeus Chenery, who, was then beginning to practice in town, and Mr. Davis, for fun, complained of not feeling well and asked the doctor to examine him. The doctor did so, and informed him he had a .bad attack of farrow-cow fever. In conformity with the custom of those days, Mr. Davis ordered drinks for the party. He was a temperate man, however, and not much given to sports of any kind, but could, on occasion, give and take a joke with much relish. It may be said that the relish for a good joke was not, by any means, diminished by trans- mission to his children. Shortly after his first marriage, his father-in-law called on him and tendered him a little good ad-
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ETHAN DAVIS.
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PERSONAL NOTICES.
vice, counselling him not to "go too fast," but to " begin as he could hold out." It being time for the eleven o'clock toddy, the son-in-law brought the old gentleman a mug of water, re- marking that he was "beginning as he could hold out." After getting in his joke he entertained his relative in the usual way.
About the year 1829 Mr. Davis was an active mover in form- ing the first temperance society of Holden, in conjunction with the Rev. Mr. Bardwell, and thereafter, and probably for a long time before, was a total abstainer from intoxicating drinks.
Mr. Davis possessed the confidence of his townsmen to a great degree. He was a selectman for thirteen consecutive years ; assessor three years ; treasurer of the town twenty-one years, and represented the town in the legislature three years, in 1817, 1821 and 1826. He was appointed a justice of the peace in 1817.
By good management he accumulated a large property, and gave his large family of children all the education which they desired, besides giving them all needed assistance in starting in life. He was quite rigid in business affairs, but tried to render to all their just dues. The descendant of a woman whose money was in his hands says that, if for any reason the interest became overdue, he always paid interest on interest. His charities were considerable. Following the example of his father, who had left a small legacy to the church, he also left one to it, besides one to the town and one to the Seaman's Friend Society.
Though inclined to austerity, he was never unkind, and was an excellent neighbor, a steadfast friend, and a very kind hus- band and father.
For many years last previous to his death he occupied the estate just south of the common, later owned by his sons, and now in possession of Mr. Levi Howe.
Mr. Davis, though of a very speculative turn, was much less a rover than most of the members of this branch of Dolor Davis' family. Dolor was very restless, moving eight or nine times, and nearly always acquiring real estate. Many
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of his descendants down to the last generation have equaled his record. A granddaughter of Ethan Davis, senior, yet living and in the prime of life, several years ago went to one of the territories alone, and took up a quarter section of prairie land, and, far from friends, with only one neighbor, and that one more than a mile away, lived there alone for eight months in order to secure her title. Having accomplished that, and being very much afraid of her only neighbor, who was, in her opinion, a barbarian, she made haste to get back among civilized people. Though she confesses that one ex- periment of the kind is sufficient, she is still given to travel and looking about the country.
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