USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Holden > The history of Holden, Massachusetts. 1684-1894 > Part 23
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REV. JAMES W. MCLAUGHLIN.
The Rev. James W. McLaughlin was born in Holden, May 23d, 1857. He attended the public schools until 1873. He then took a course at Holy Cross College, after which he spent a year in the Grand Seminary at Montreal, Canada. He then went to the St. Bonaventure Seminary at Allegany, N. Y., from which he was ordained priest in Buffalo, N. Y., June 15th, 1884. After his ordination he was stationed for a short time at South Adams; from there he was transferred to Great Barrington, where he remained one and a half years. He then received an appointment to Chicopee Falls, where he remained about five years, until, on account of failing health, he was obliged to give up his work and go south. He died at Norfolk, Va., February 22d, 1890.
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PERSONAL NOTICES.
REV. ABEL MANNING.
The Rev. Abel Manning, son of Captain Israel Manning, was born in Sterling, March 14th, 1788, but removed in his boyhood with his parents to Holden. After study at the Holliston Academy, he was graduated from Brown University in the class of 1817. He then studied theology with the cele- brated Dr. Emmons at Franklin, and was ordained at Plymouth, Vt., November 7th, 1820. He was pastor at Plymouth, Vt., from 1820 to 1824; Goshen, N. H., 1823 to 1826; Auburn, N. H., 1826 to 1831 ; Epsom, N. H., 1831 to 1834; Ossipee, N. H., 1834 to 1837; Dartmouth, 1837 to 1838; Goshen, N. H., 1838 to 1841, and Ludlow, Vt., 1842. He lived the rest of his life without pastoral charge at Pembroke, East Concord and Goffstown, N. H., dying of old age, December 20th, 1879.
REV. THOMAS MARSHALL.
The Rev. Thomas Marshall was born in Holden, in 1785. His father' was a saddler and harness maker, and after the usual training in the district schools, he learned the same trade and went into business for himself. His shop stood near the corner of the Common. Ability and integrity brought him more than ordinary success. His name was a guarantee of excellent material and thorough workmanship, and his leather pocket- books, in particular, were known throughout New England. In later years, a manufacturing firm offered him a large sum for the privilege of using his name upon their goods, but he declined this offer as a matter of conscience. He married Polly
' It has not been found possible to ascertain with certainty the name of his father. Mr. William C. Metcalf writes, "The first settlers, brother's, were William, Abel, Timothy, and perhaps Thomas. My impression is that neither Abel nor Timothy was the father of Rev. Thomas Marshall." A daughter writes, "My father's parents were Thomas or Abel Marshall and Lydia Dryden." A niece writes that he was son of Abel Marshall, who long kept the toll-gate near the foot of the hill west of the center.
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Yates Manning. They had one son and several daughters, of whom only one still survives.
In youth, he became a member of the Congregational Church, but later, in consequence of changed views, he asso- ciated himself with the Baptist Church. He soon felt himself called to preach the gospel, and prepared for this work by pri- vate study under the direction of the eminent Dr. Jonathan Going, of Worcester. He was ordained to the ministry, Sep- tember 15th, 1813. For some years, he dwelt among his own people, preaching part of the time at Holden, and also at West Boylston. About 1818, he removed to Belchertown, and took charge of the Church there. He labored here for six years, at Petersham for another six years, at Royalston for three years, and at Arlington, Vt., for two years. On account of failing health, he then gave up pastoral labor, and removed to Shel- burne Falls, to secure better advantages for the education of his children. Here he supported his family by manufacturing pocket-books, and by carrying on a small dry goods store. He never again took a pastorate, although he occassionally supplied churches in the vicinity. His voice, never strong, became weakened by bronchial trouble, which finally terminated in pul- monary consumption. He died in 1842, aged fifty-seven years.
Mr. Marshall was of medium height and fair complexion, with blue eyes. His voice was low, soft and sweet. His man. ner was composed and mild, but decided. He was a man of much sincerity, independence and force of character. He joined the Baptist Church at considerable pecuniary sacrifice, when it was a weak and struggling body, and later, he was a pioneer in the anti-slavery movement. He had a well-balanced mind, great self-control and equanimity of temper, excellent executive ability and a soundness of judgment that caused his advice to be often sought both in church matters and in the business perplexities of his friends and neighbors. His great recreation was music. All his children were singers, and his only son, Thomas Manning Marshall, was widely known in this state and in southern Vermont as an excellent singer and music teacher.
EDWARD W. MERRICK.
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EDWARD W. MERRICK.
Edward W. Merrick, son of Edward and Fanny Clark Merrick, was born in Hubbardston, May 22d, 1843. When about one year old, his parents moved to the town of Prince- ton, where they resided until he reached the age of fourteen, when they removed to a farm in the southerly part of Rutland, where, until the spring of 1864, he worked on the farm during the summer, and attended the district school during the autumn and winter, as was the almost universal custom at that time.
He then took charge of the large milk farm of Emmons Hubbard, in Springfield, for the season, going from there to Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he entered Eastman's Business College, being graduated in March, 1865. The day following his arrival home, he was engaged as book-keeper by J. Henry Warren, who had charge of Alfred Morse's store, at Eagleville, and held the position until March 29th, 1868, when, in company with his father, he bought the business, which they continued together for three years. He then purchased his father's interest, and continued the business, most of the time alone, until March, 1882. At that time, he closed out his store, and went into the office of the Holden Mills, remaining there four years.
In May, 1886, he entered the employ of the Jefferson Manu- facturing Co., as book-keeper and paymaster, where he still remains. In September, 1865, he married Mary A. Chapman, only daughter of Gates and Sophia Chapman. He was elected Constable, in 1869, by a unanimous vote, and has held the office by re-election since that time. He has also served the town as Selectman, and on the School Committee, and has been one of the Assessors for five years, and one of the Overseers of the Poor since 1880. Early in Harrison's administration, he was appointed Postmaster at Jefferson, and in January, 1889, was appointed Deputy Sheriff, both of which offices he still holds.
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
WILLIAM C. METCALF.
The subject of this sketch, the youngest in a family of eight children, and the seventh son of Jeremiah and Nancy Cobb, of Wrentham, was born May 20th, 1814. When one year old he was adopted by William Metcalf and his wife, and from that time was known as their son, William C. Metcalf.
In his boyhood he attended the public schools, and then had several terms of the select schools, taught in town every fall. He then entered Worcester Academy, of which Rev. Silas Bailey was at that time Principal, and fitted himself for teaching.
His first school was one of four months in North Worcester. It was a large and difficult school, but, though only eighteen years old, he there, as well as in all his other schools, made for himself a good record. He continued teaching till 1854, mak- ing a total of thirty terms averaging twelve weeks each. He has been a member of the School Committee of the town for seventeen years, during thirteen of which he was chairman or clerk of the board, or Superintendent. He has always been an advocate of education and of improved conditions for its ac- quirement.
May 20th, 1839, he married Hannah F. Savage of Princeton. After thirty-seven years of married life, she died October 24th, 1876, leaving two sons and two daughters. One son has since died. Four years later, he married Mrs. Laura S. Weston of Peterboro, N. H., his present wife. Some years after his first marriage, the declining strength of his foster-parents induced them to put their large farm into his hands, which he continued to manage until after the death of his first wife. He then sold his farm to his son and removed to the Center.
He was religiously educated, and these early influences have been manifest in his whole life. January Ist, 1830, he united with the Baptist Church in Holden, of which, after sixty-three years, he is still a member. He has been for thirty-five years clerk of the Church, and was for several years clerk of the
WILLIAM C. METCALF.
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Society. He has also been appointed to other offices of labor and trust in the Church and Society, which required patient consideration and prudent action. When six years of age he entered the Sunday-School, so that he can now count over seventy years of membership. He has been a teacher for forty years, and was superintendent for thirteen years. He has compiled a history of the Church from its organization to 1864, and of the Sunday-School from 1820 to 1874. He has always taken a deep interest in church music, and, entering the choir in his youth, he sang there until failing health obliged him to retire.
He has been faithful in the discharge of his duties as a citizen, and in turn has been honored by his fellow citizens. Five years he was one of the Selectmen of the town, being two years chairman of the board; he was an Assessor six years, being chairman two years ; in 1856 he was Representa- tive in the State Legislature.
He has kept in mind state and national as well as town affairs, being an anti-slavery man when such were needed, a temperance man then and now ; always looking for the right position ; always a loyal, national American citizen.
William C. Metcalf has combined in his character some opposite qualities, each of which has served in its turn to help the others. He is facetious, yet sedate ; tenacious of his con- victions, if not of his opinions, yet liberal ; aggressive, yet con- servative ; companionable, yet retiring. The motto, "Be what you would have the reputation of being," became, by some means, deeply rooted in his mind, and has been to him a restraining and constraining force.
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
ALBERT A. METCALF.
Albert A. Metcalf is one of the Grangers of Holden who has gained prominence, not only in the local branch of the order, but throughout the State. He was the second son of William C. and Hannah Savage Metcalf, and was born in the south part of the town, October 4th, 1848. All his early years, until he became of age, were spent on his father's farm, where he laid the foundation for his after success in farming. During its sessions, he attended the district school, completing his education with two terms at the old Worcester Academy.
When twenty years of age, thinking himself tired of farm life, Mr. Metcalf left the old homestead and engaged in mechanical work. This kind of business he followed seven years. Mr. Metcalf was married, in 1872, to Emmagene, eldest daughter of Sumner Chamberlain, and lived in the center of the town until 1877, when he purchased the Metcalf farm which has since been his home.
Mr. Metcalf has long been a member of the order of Patrons of Husbandry, and was Master of the Holden Grange for four years. In 1887, he was appointed one of the Deputies of Massachusetts- an office, the duties of which took him to nearly all parts of the State, and thus widely extended the circle of his personal acquaintances.
He has been all his life a Republican, but it was not until 1883 that he began to take a prominent part in local politics. In that year he was elected Moderator of the annual town meeting, and has since held that office each year, save in 1886. He was elected a member of the board of Selectmen in 1884, and acted as clerk of the board. Again in 1887 he was chosen Selectman ; also in 1891, 1892 and 1893.
He is a strong temperance man, having been a member of · the temperance societies and having always worked to promote the cause as an officer of the town.
ALBERT A. METCALF.
STILLMAN F. MORSE.
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PERSONAL NOTICES.
STILLMAN F. MORSE.
Stillman F. Morse was born in the town of Putnam, Conn., November 23d, 1857, and in that town he was educated in the common schools and high school. In 1879, he came to Holden, and assumed control of the mill at Eagleville. Jan- uary Ist, 1888, he became owner of a one-third interest in the plant, which was run under the style of the Holden Mills. In 1891, he also opened a stove store. In March, 1893, all the real estate of the Holden Mills was transferred to the Jefferson Manufacturing Co. Mr. Morse retains his residence, but has as yet no plans for future business. He has served the town as Overseer of the Poor, 1888, as Auditor, 1889, and as a member of the Board of Selectmen, 1890 to 1892, of which body he was Chairman in 1891 and 1892. At the celebration of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation
of the town, he was president of the day. In the fall of 1891, he was elected a member of the House of Representatives, and at the organization of the Legislature he was appointed by the Speaker to the chairmanship of the committee on public ser- vice. Mr. Morse is a member of the Home Market Club, and was prominent in the old Tenth Congressional District Com- mittee. He was the chairman of the building committee of the new school-house at Jefferson. A strong temperance man, he has rendered earnest service in behalf of law and order, and good government. Mr. Morse is an active worker in religious circles, and is identified with the Baptist Church of the town, and was the superintendent of its Sunday-School in 1891 and 1892.
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
WILLIAM POMEROY PAINE, D. D.
William Pomeroy Paine, D. D., pastor of the Congregational Church in Holden for forty-three years, was born in Ashfield, August Ist, 1802. He was graduated from Amherst College, in 1827, where he served as tutor for the year 1830-1831. He was graduated from Andover Theological Seminary in 1832.
His first invitation to the pastorate at Holden was declined, but after some months, the invitation was renewed, and finally accepted, his ordination taking place October 24th, 1833. From this time, his life was identified with the history of the church and the town which he served. We may not unfitly apply to Dr. Paine the sentiment which he himself expressed, in language that needs little change to fit it to his own case, at the semi-centennial celebration of his neighbor and friend, Dr. Nelson, of Leicester: " When the labors of a good man are drawing to a close, we are much inclined to look to the past for points of chief interest. But, inasmuch as the future will be infinitely longer than the past, and a good man's labor but begins to be felt when it is finished, we ought not to be exclu- sively, if mainly, occupied, on occasions like this, in memories. Our brother, though worn and weary with earthly toil, has but begun to live, and his works will follow him. His influence, even in this place, has but begun to be felt. To the present time, it has extended to less than two generations. But who can tell how many generations shall pass before it shall die out? "
The number of years which his pastorate counted, and the fact that, during the whole of his long career, from his ordina- tion to his death, he never had or looked to any other work, show sufficiently that his was a stable ministry. When he was settled, the ministry in New England had already begun to itinerate ; the changes in town, during his incumbency, were many, and, to the heart of the aged pastor, saddening, and yet, in patient strength, he stood to the end in his stable ministry. His was an influential ministry. To the present generation,
min.
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WILLIAM P. PAINE, D. D.
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from whose minds has not departed the distinct memory of the power which he wielded in town, it is needless to tell of his influence. It should also be noted that his influence extended far beyond the narrow limits of his own township. It is rare that the pastor in a little place like Holden exerts in religious and educational circles an influence so wide-spread and strong as was his. His was also a fruitful ministry. Emphatically, he desired and was blessed with revivals. The story of the " ten distinct and precious seasons of special religious interest " has already been told in the history of the church. Of only second importance was the renovation and beautifying of the house of worship, with which he was permitted to crown his work.
In religious belief, he was most soundly orthodox, but while holding his own views of truth strongly and tenaciously, it was in no narrow or bigoted spirit. On the contrary, he was pecul- iarly tolerant of the views of others. He was at once very orthodox in faith and very liberal in spirit.
The temper of his mind was remarkably judicial. This fact rendered his judgment and advice of great value to the many who were constantly coming to him for counsel on all sorts of subjects, a confidence which his highly sympathetic nature especially invited.
He was pre-eminently a Christian gentleman. Unselfishness, gentleness and thoughtfulness marked not only his home life, but also his intercourse with all whom he met in all relations of life. Cheerful and bright himself, he delighted to contribute to the happiness of all about him.
In personal appearance, he was slightly above medium height, rather slender, seemingly not robust, although during most of his life his health was good. His carriage was digni- fied. His eyes were gray, and his features rather marked. He had a fine bass voice, was an especially fine reader and a good singer and was very fond of music.
His death, which occurred November 28th, 1876, was due to slow and gradual breaking down from old age, its immediate
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cause being a disease of the lungs from which he suffered but a short time.
He received the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity from his alma mater in 1856. He was also Trustee of the same col- lege from 1854 until his death, at which time there were only two members of the board whose term of service was longer than his own. He also served for many years as Trustee of the Leicester Academy.
June IIth, 1834, he married Sarah Mack, of Plainfield, who died October 3d, 1868. Dr. Paine most fitly said of his wife in the sermon on his fortieth anniversary : " She who was my friend was your friend too. She loved you, and it was her delight to help you. When she came to labor amid these scenes, she most cheerfully left a condition which, in a worldly aspect, would seem highly attractive to one seeking only ease and pleasure. Her service for Christ and for you was vastly more satisfactory to her than would have been a position of less responsibility and more affluence, independence and dis- play. She had an ardent attachment to whatever related to Christ and his kingdom, and was fervently devoted to that which pertained to the interests, temporal and spiritual, of her fellow beings, and most especially of yourselves. I will not enlarge upon her qualities of mind and heart which gave her a place so large and essential in the family circle, and rendered her such a priceless wife and mother. I make this brief utter- ance the more freely because I know that my words are being heard by those who knew her well, and knew her best."' Their children were :
Sarah Louisa, born July 22d, 1836. William Frederick, born April 27th, 1839. Sarah Cornelia, born January Ist, 1841. Laura Mack, born February 19th, 1843. Arthur Richards, born May 9th, 1846. Charles Pomeroy, born May 26th, 1851.
1 Sermon on his Fortieth Anniversary, p. 19.
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Respecting three of the above named, Dr. Paine made the following record : " Our eldest child, Sarah Louisa, died June 20th, 1840, at the age of four years, after a sickness of two years. Our second child, William Frederick, died September 23d, 1851, after a distressing sickness of only four days, at the age of twelve years. Our youngest child, Charles Pomeroy, died January 20th, 1854, after a sickness of two days, at the age of nearly three years."1
The second daughter, Sarah Cornelia, died February 5th, 1862, at the age of twenty-one years. The following tribute appeared at the time : "The sudden death of one so lovely and so beloved, so gifted with all that makes life beautiful and prom- ising, has sent a thrill of deep pain to many hearts beyond her own family circle. During the last year, she has been teaching at Wheaton Female Seminary, at Norton, where, two summers since, she graduated with the highest honors of her class. The motto of her valedictory essay, ' As Seeing the Invisible,' and her touching and appropriate treatment of the subject will ever be remembered by her school associates as illustrating her own life and character. Sensitively alive to all the attractions of nature, of friendship, of human knowledge, with her the earthly was only a medium for the heavenly, and to be with her was to breathe the atmosphere of a better world."? Her father said of her : " Her organization was extremely delicate and sensi- tive, too much so for an uninterrupted state of quiet and equa- nimity. Her religious principles had great depth and control during her brief life, yet long enough, may I say it, to make its mark. She loved most fervently that which is noble and ele- vating and pure, and hated with a perfect hatred all that is unworthy and false. She was endowed with the gift of poetry, and a love for all that is beautiful ; was fervently attached to lit- erature and science, in the pursuit of which, I think I may justly say, she greatly excelled. But she loved the kingdom of God more. Her last words were, to those who watched around her dying couch, ' Live in the truth.' The truth she ardently
1 Sermon on his Twenty-fifth Anniversary, p. 12.
2 Copied from the Taunton Gazette in the Spy, February 26th, 1862.
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loved, she tried to live in it, and if her days had been many on the earth, I feel assured that this would have been her aim and effort."1
The second son, Arthur Richards, was graduated from Amherst, in the class of 1871 ; received the degree of Doctor of Medicine, from Columbia College in 1875, and resides in Brooklyn, N. Y., engaged in the active practice of his profes- sion. His sister, Miss Laura M. Paine, resides with him.
AARON PARKER.
The Parker family of Holden is descended from an ancient and worthy family which has always been actively and promi- nently connected with the history of England. The immigrant ancestor of the Holden Parkers was Thomas Parker, who at the age of thirty sailed from London, March IIth, 1635, with the company which filled the ships "Susan " and " Ellen," fitted out by Sir Richard Saltonstall, Lord Mayor of London. It is tradition that he was connected by marriage with the Saltonstall family, and it is probable that his lineage ran back to the ancient Parker line of Browsholme, England.2 Thomas Parker settled first at Lynn, later removing to Reading, and became an influential and prominent citizen and an exten - sive land-owner.
Two brothers, Amos and Jonas, descendants of Thomas Parker in the fourth generation through his second son, Hannaniah, came to Holden in 1745. Amos bought of William Nichols, a tanner, a tract of land comprising sixty-five acres, with buildings on it. In 1750, however, he purchased an estate in Shrewsbury, and removed thither. Six of his seven sons were in the Revolutionary War, the eldest of whom, Amos, was born. in Holden. Jonas, born February 6th, 1722, came to
1 Sermon on his Thirtieth Anniversary, pp. 24, 25.
2 For fuller discussion of this and many other points of genealogical inter- est, sce Parker History, now being published by Theodore Parker, Worcester.
AARON PARKER.
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PERSONAL NOTICES.
Holden immediately upon his marriage, and bought a farm and sawmill on Cedar Swamp brook. He soon returned to Lexing- ton, and was one of the typical minute-men, in the times that tried men's souls. In fact the family were all stanch patriots. Their marked characteristics were strict integrity, unflinching loyalty to their sense of duty, sound common sense and a firm resistance to British oppression.' Many members of the family took prominent part in the war. Captain John Parker, who led the minute-men, was a cousin of Jonas, and a brother and nephew were also in the fight. Jonas himself lived next door to the patriot minister, Rev. Jonas Clark, whose house was the destination of Paul Revere, in his famous ride. Edward Everett thus describes his death : "History does not furnish an example of bravery that outshines that of Jonas Parker. A truer heart did not bleed at Thermopyla. Parker was often heard to say, that, be the consequences what they might, and let others do what they pleased, he would never run from the enemy. He was as good as his word,-better. Having loaded his musket, he placed his hat, containing his ammunition, on the ground between his feet, in readiness for a second charge. At the second fire he was wounded, and sank upon his knees, and in this condition, discharged his gun. While loading it again," [refusing the offer of his nephew, who tried to help him to re- treat ], " upon his knees, and striving in the agonies of death to redeem his pledge, he was transfixed by a bayonet ; and thus died on the spot where he first stood and fell." ?
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