USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Royalston > The history of the town of Royalston, Massachusetts > Part 26
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
1817; Augusta, born April 13, 1820. Rulina married Hugh Foster, March 2, 1818; Chauncey Peck married Jemima Bush, daughter of Ephraim Bush of Templeton, Mass., June 13, 1824 and removed to Boston; Pomroy Peck married Amanda Searls of Sutton, Mass., where they settled; Harriet married Daniel Bliss, Oct. 11, 1821; Mary married Rev. Timothy Crosby, 1831.
It was Daniel Peck, the father of these thirteen children when asked how many children he had, replied "three bushels. and a peck."
Lyman Peck settled in Royalston; he married Lorina Davis of Royalston for his first wife, and Fanny Harrington, widow of Abraham Harrington, for his second wife, Dec. 6, 1860. His first wife died May 9, 1860, and he died Dec. 2, 1862. Lyman Peck and Lorina Davis had nine children.
Wayland F. Peck, born Nov. 2, 1830, married Mary Burnett and resided in Athol, Mass .; Philander L. Peck, born May, 1832, married Rosanna Lewis and resided in Royalston. Eugene F. Peck, born Dec., 1833, married Rosina Glaze and settled in Ohio; Willard born, Dec., 1835 and died the same month; Polina L., born April 12, 1838, married Noah Rankin of Erving, which has been her home to the present time; Nelson F., born July, 1840; Joseph W., born March, 1842, married Rosy Mayo and settled in Orange, Mass .; Daniel W., born April 10, 1843; Lowell H., born October, 1845.
Sullivan Peck, fourth son of Daniel and Delia (Gale) Peck, was born in Royalston, March 27, 1806. He was a farmer by vocation and lived on the farm where he was born until January, 1865, when he moved to Burlington, Vt., which was his home until his death.
He was a man of the strictest integrity, and one whose word was never doubted. He married Czarina Davis, daughter of Joseph Davis of Royalston, May 29, 1831. She was born Aug. 7, 1808. They had seven children: Martha J., born March 10, 1832, married Stephen Gates and resided in Burlington, Vt .; they had two children, Walter B. and Nellie G. Chauncey P. Peck, born April 5, 1834, married Mary Collopy and resided in Burlington; Warren D., born Feb. 28, 1836; Elsa J., born July 1, 1878, married Judge A. K. Osborn of Oshkosk, Wis .; Georgianna, born April 23, 1843, married
HAMILTON S. PECK
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THE PECK FAMILY
Henry A. Gale of Barre, Mass .; Hammond W., born Sept. 28, 1847, resides in Dakota.
Hamilton Sullivan Peck, third son of Sullivan and Czarina (Davis) Peck, was born in Royalston, Mass., Oct. 22, 1845. He went with his father and family to Burlington, Vt., in 1865 and entered the University of Vermont in 1866, where he was graduated in 1870. He taught school for three years, and at the same time pursued the study of the law. He was admitted to the Bar of Chittenden County, Vermont, April, 1873, and has continued to reside in the city of Burlington in said County, practising his profession. He was State Attorney for Chittenden County for two years, 1878-80; Alderman of his city, 1883-85; City Judge, 1888-1894; Mayor, 1896-98, being elected in 1897 without opposition, and City Representative to the Vermont Legislature in 1910. He was a member and secretary of the Republican State Committee of Vermont for four years, 1892-96 and Presi- dent of the State Republican League, 1896-98. He is a 33d Degree Mason and an honorary member of the Supreme Council, and a member of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of the Knights of Pythias, of the Modern Woodmen of America, and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and of the Ethan Allen Club, a social organization of his city. He has attended several of the "Old Home Week" reunions held in his native town, and at one of these gatherings made an address on "The Early New England Home." May 1, 1900, a day yearly observed by the University of Vermont, called "Founder's Day," Mr. Peck delivered an oration before the faculty, students and townspeople, taking for his subject, "The Expression of the University Idea."
On January 28, 1875, he married Miss Selina A. Aiken, daughter of Hon. D. W. Aiken of Hardwick, Vt. They have one child, Dr. Roy Hamilton Peck, a physician. In 1911 Dr. Peck married Miss Alice J. Campbell of Baltimore, Md., and they reside in Springfield, Mass.
Mr. Peck has been active in the social and civic affairs of his adopted city, and has been a frequent contributor to the columns of the Burlington Daily Free Press, on subjects of public concern.
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
Hannah F. Peck, daughter of Daniel and Delia (Gale) Peck, married Elisha M. Davis, June 14, 1829; Elvira Peck, married George Batchelor, November, 1837; Delia married George Pierce, May 5, 1835; Huldah C., married Emory-April, 1846; Augusta, married George Gibson.
THE SOLOMON PECK FAMILY
Solomon Peck, son of Henry of Rehoboth, came to Royal- ston and settled in 1779. He at first purchased about thirty acres of land to which, by enterprise and industry, he added much. He married Anna Wheeler in July, 1772. She died Nov. 10, 1810, and he died Nov. 14, 1822. They had thirteen children, all born in Royalston.
Benoni Peck, third son of Solomon and Anna (Wheeler) Peck, was born in Royalston, July 27, 1783. He settled upon the old homestead where he resided until 1862, when he removed to Fitzwilliam, N. H. He had a military commission and was called into the service in the war of 1812. He continually held some public office in his town for many years, and represented it in the State Legislature in 1836 and 1837. Was Selectman from 1836 to 1840 inclusive, and in 1843. Was Assessor in 1819, 1820, 1827, 1830, 1836, 1840. He was Justice of the Peace for more than forty years and transacted business when over eighty years of age with the vigor of middle age. He also devoted much of his time to probate business, administrating upon and settling the estates of deceased persons in all the region around. He also took an active interest in Free Masonry of which fraternity he was a prominent member for more than sixty years. He was twice married; first to Eunice Rogers, May 4, 1808; second to Malinda Richards. His first wife died March 3, 1853. She was the daughter of Eliphalet Rogers of Royalston, who was a grandson of Rev. John Rogers, pastor of the First Church in Ipswich, and President of Harvard College, who died July 2, 1684, and a lineal descendant of Rev. John Rogers, the martyr, who was burned at the stake at Smithfield, England.
The children of Benoni and Eunice (Rogers) Peck were: Caroline, born June 16, 1809, married Josiah Parker and settled in Ashland, Mass. She died in 1854, leaving six
BENONI PECK
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THE PECK FAMILY
children: Philip, born Jan. 16, 1812, settled in Walpole, N. H., where he was a merchant. He married Martha Ellen Bellows, daughter of Thomas Bellows, Nov. 21, 1839; they had two children: Levi, born Aug. 31, 1814, made his home in Chelsea, Mass., and was engaged in mercantile business in Boston. He married Lucy M. Whitcomb, daughter of Mark Whitcomb, of Winchendon, Mass., Dec. 2, 1844; they had two children. James W., born Oct. 9, 1817. He was a mer- chant in Boston for a number of years until his health failed him, when he retired from business, and died in Winchendon, in April, 1860. He married Caroline M. Ladd of Boston, and they had two children; Benjamin, born Feb. 9, 1820, and died in June, 1841; Eliphalet, born March 16, 1822; he married Nancy Smith and resided in Worcester, Mass. Calista Peck, second daughter of Benoni and Eunice (Rogers) Peck, was born in Royalston, Nov. 7, 1824; she went to Winchendon when about seventeen years of age and worked at the milli- nery business, and later began in a small way to carry on parlor millinery, which she gradually increased, until for many years she owned and carried on one of the largest establishments of the kind in that section of the country.
She married Levi Nelson Fairbanks, a prosperous carpenter, Jan. 15, 1846. She was always interested in literature, and was the first librarian of Winchendon, the library being located in her home. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fairbanks. The eldest, Frederick, was drowned at Athol, when two years of age. Mary Elizabeth, married Augustus Peck Smith of Orleans, who died Jan. 28, 1903, after which she lived with her mother. Frank P. Fairbanks always lived with his mother. He is a machinist and holds an important position at the shops of Baxter D. Whitney & Son. Grace, the youngest child, married Arthur G. Ketchum of Winchen- don. She died in 1895. Mr. Fairbanks died in 1867 and Mrs. Fairbanks died May 15, 1909. Eunice, daughter of Benoni Peck was born June 6, 1827 and died in 1846.
Henry Peck, youngest son of Benoni Peck, was born in Roy- alston Aug. 2, 1829. He lived most of his life in Winchendon, Mass., where he was engaged in the marble and undertaking business and accumulated quite a property. He married Fran- ces Corey of Fitzwilliam, N. H., Dec. 31, 1861. They had two
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
children, Henry Eddie Peck and Fred B. Peck. He died Jan. 17, 1888.
Henry Eddie Peck was born March 5, 1862; he married Jen- nie Duvarny, and they have two children, Henry Francis and Kenneth Rupert.
Fred B. Peck was born Oct. 6, 1876 ; he married Birdye M. Knight, and they have one child, Wallace Knight.
Henry E. and Fred B. Peck are engaged in the clothing and dry goods business in Winchendon under the firm name of Peck Brothers.
Mary, the youngest daughter of Benoni Peck was born Oct. 6, 1831 and died in 1855.
THE JOHN PECK FAMILY
John5 Peck, son of Henry4, left Rehoboth, and settled in Royalston, Mass., about 1775, from which place he re- moved to Montpelier, Vt., in 1806, where he died March 4, 1812. He was a farmer, and while he resided in Royalston was one of the town officers for many years. He devoted a portion of his time to school teaching, and was quite a poet. A poem in opposition to the doctrine of Universal Salvation, said to have been written by him was published in pamphlet form in 1813, and reprinted by John P. Jewett & Co., Boston, in 1858. He married Mary Drown.
They had eight children, several of whom must have been born in Royalston or lived in town for several years. There were six sons; Joshua the oldest, the Peck Genealogy says, "Settled at first in Royalston, Mass., then in Montpelier, Vt., and afterwards in Clinton, Me., where he died. He was a soldier in the revolution and received a pension during the latter part of his life." Oliver, the second son, died young; Hiram, the third son, settled at an early date in Montpelier, Vt., where he took an active interest in the organization of the town, and was one of the first selectmen. He moved from Montpelier to Waterbury, where he was a prominent man. Nathaniel also settled in Montpelier. He was a farmer and a man much respected and honored in the com- munity where he resided; Squire, fifth son of John and Mary (Drown) Peck, removed from Royalston, with his father to Montpelier about 1806, where he died August 25, 1838. He
HENRY PECK
SULLIVAN PECK
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THE PECK FAMILY
married Elizabeth Goddard June 5, 1794; she died Oct. 4, 1834, aged sixty-two years; they had ten children, all but two of whom were born before the family moved to Montpelier. Two of the sons, Nahum and Asahel, were among the most prominent lawyers of Vermont, the latter having been a Judge of the Supreme Court and Governor of the State. Sketches of them will be found in another chapter.
John Peck, the youngest son of John and Mary (Drown) Peck, settled in Waterbury, Vt. He was known as General Peck, and was said to be a man of much talent. He was for a time High Sheriff of the County, and held other important offices. He married Ann Benedict, and died in 1826.
THE GATES FAMILY
The Gates family originated in Thomas Gates, county of Essex, England, in 1327, and is traced in England through ten generations down to Stephen Gates of Hingham, Norfolk County, England, who came to this country in 1638 on the ship, Diligent, and settled in Hingham, Mass. Thomas Gates of Stow, Mass., was a lineal descendant of Stephen Gates of Hingham, fifth generation. He was born June 5, 1755 at Stow, Mass., and died Feb. 14, 1833. He responded to the Lexington alarm and from it enlisted into the army before Boston, and is on the rolls returned at different times from siege of Bos- ton in 1775.
He married June 4, 1778, Lydia Hale of Stow, Mass., who died June 17, 1817. They had eight children: Levi, Betsey, Sally, Stephen, Hannah, Mary, Jonathan and Lydia. All these children were born at Stow.
Stephen Gates, the second son of Thomas and Lydia (Hale) Gates, was born Aug. 27, 1786, and died Oct. 19, 1847 at Royalston. He spent the early years of his life in Stow, where he acquired a common school education, and after at- taining young manhood removed to Townsend, Vt., and after remaining there a few years removed to Royalston, where he pursued the occupation of farming the remainder of his life. On Sept. 27, 1811, he married Miss Lodema Prentice of Town- send, Vt., where she died June 9, 1815. Two children were born of this marriage, Sophia and Wealthy. He married,
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
second, Nov. 23, 1820, Miss Comfort Graves of North Lev- erett, Mass., and to them were born five children: Charles W., Stephen, Lodema, Joel H. and Laura M. Gates. The second wife died at Burlington, Vt., March 25, 1877. Both Mr. Gates and his wife were earnest and consistent members of the Baptist Church of West Royalston.
(1) Sophia Gates, daughter of Stephen and Lodema (Pren- tice) Gates, born April 23, 1812, died July 11, 1813.
(2) Wealthy Gates, second daughter of Stephen and Lo- dema (Prentice) Gates, was born Nov. 28, 1814, at Town- send, Vt. She married Sept. 2, 1835, Reuben Newton, who was born May 8, 1811 at Westminster, Mass., and died at Northfield, Mass., Jan. 12, 1864. They had three children: Mary Sophia, born Sept. 6, 1839 at Richmond, N. H., Everett Leander, born Nov. 8, 1845 at Royalston and Fidelia Comfort Newton, born Feb. 8, 1848 at Royalston.
(3) Charles Whitman Gates, born Oct. 3, 1821 in Royal- ston, married October, 1850, Harriet Bliss, born Feb. 1, 1821. She died July 5, 1884. Their children were: Annie E., born at Royalston, Aug. 22, 1851 and Willie E., born at Athol, May 19, 1854. Mr. Gates died May 19, 1884.
(4) Stephen Gates, born Jan. 2, 1825, at Royalston, died October 19, 1865 at Burlington, Vt., married May 7, 1855, Martha Jane Peck, born March 10, 1832 at Royalston, a daughter of Sullivan Peck. Their children were: Walter Benton, born Sept. 27, 1860, at Burlington and Nellie Ger- trude born Jan. 27, 1864 at Burlington.
(5) Lodama, born Nov. 10, 1828, died Dec. 8, 1848.
(6) Joel H. Gates, youngest son of Stephen and Comfort Gates was born in Royalston, Nov. 22, 1831. He attended the common schools and remained under the parental roof until he attained the age of sixteen years.
In 1851, when twenty years of age, he went to Brattle- boro, Vt., where he and his brother Stephen commenced the manufacture of furniture, remaining there until 1858, when they removed to Burlington, Vt., and continued the furniture business until 1880. This undertaking was successful from the beginning, and the business steadily increased from year to year; for a number of years they had a large warehouse in Philadelphia, where they employed a large number of hands
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THE GATES FAMILY
finishing and shipping their goods to all sections of the United States.
Mr. Gates resided in Philadelphia from 1860 to 1865, and was engaged in the supervision of this extensive trade. In 1880 the furniture business was given up and their mills, changed to the manufacture of cotton goods, and later in 1888 a stock company was organized to continue the business, and known as the "Burlington Cotton Mills," Mr. Gates act- ing in the capacity of president of the company. The mills employed about three hundred hands.
In 1870, Mr. Gates in connection with a number of promi- nent citizens organized the Howard National Bank, which became one of the most flourishing banks in the state of Ver- mont, and was chosen one of its first directors. In 1892, he was elected vice-president, and in 1894 became president.
In 1902, they erected a granite building, which is one of the finest bank edifices in northern Vermont, Mr. Gates super- vising the entire construction of the building until its com- pletion. This was characteristic of the habits of a lifetime of hard work and frugality which brought their own reward, as Mr. Gates was one of the largest property owners in the city of Burlington, and also one of its most prominent and successful business men.
He was married, Nov. 22, 1855 to Catherine J. Goodell of Orange, Mass., and the following children were born to them: Arthur, Clarence L., Minnie L., Stephen J. and Katie M. Gates. The mother of these children died Dec. 23, 1892 at Burlington, and he married for his second wife, Mrs. Edwin L. Sanborn of Waterbury, Vt. He died
THE WOOD FAMILY
John Wood, the first member of this family to become con- nected with Royalston history, was born in Upton in 1767. In the spring of 1794, Mr. Wood, in company with David and Joel Taft and Levi Fiske all of Upton, bought three hundred and twenty-nine acres of land at two dollars per acre. This purchase, which constituted a part of the "Pierpont Grant," was divided into four lots, upon which they continued to work
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
in company until they had each prepared homes for their pro- posed families. Fiske sold out his part to Mr. Wood.
John Wood married Zerviah Woodbury, daughter of Capt. Peter Woodbury, April 26, 1792, and lived on the farm which he had prepared until his death in 1836. They had two sons and three daughters who lived to have families of their own, and two sons and two daughters who died young.
Sally Wood, born April 26, 1803, married Dea. Reuben Hyde of Winchendon, Mr. Hyde was the inventor of the stave saw. They left no family, and at their death their property was willed to the American Board of Foreign Missions; Zerviah Eliza Wood, born May 3, 1811 married Isaac Cummings, Jr. of Winchendon, Nov. 6, 1838; they had one son and two daughters; Elmer and Elvira were twins, born, May 19, 1807; Elvira married Emmons Stockwell and they had four sons, two of whom are now living; Elmer, the twin brother married Abigail Brock of Athol; they had a large family, only two of whom are now living. One son, Nelson Brock Wood, died in service in the Civil War.
John Wood, youngest child of John and Zerviah (Woodbury) Wood, was born July 1, 1814. He married Abigail Lord of Athol, Dec. 4, 1836, and remained on the home place until his death, Aug. 28, 1863. He was for many years a justice of the peace, which office he held at the time of his death, and was also for many years superintendent of the Congregational Sun- day school; they had one daughter and three sons; Nancy Lord Wood, the daughter and oldest child, was born July 18, 1838; she married Lieut. B. Hammond Brown. The sons were: Henry S., born June 30, 1840; George Harrison, born April 3, 1842, and John Milton, born May 7, 1844.
John Wood and wife were both very patriotic, and when our country called for service in the Civil War, placed no ob- stacle in the way of their sons, but rather bade them Godspeed, when all three enlisted in the Union Army; George H. and John M. in Co. E, 53d Mass. Regiment, and Henry S. in Co. I, 25th Mass. Regiment. John M. Wood died in Louisiana and was buried there; George H. Wood was born April 3, 1842. After his return from the war he resided in Winchendon for some time. He married Miss Calista Stebbins Morse, daughter of Russell and Mary Ann (Stebbins) Morse, June 10, 1873, and went to Florida in the fall of 1884, which was ever after his home, where he was engaged in the raising of oranges and other fruits
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THE WOOD FAMILY
of that State. He had one daughter, Winifred Morse Wood, born May 1, 1884. He died in January, 1908.
Henry S. Wood was born June 30, 1840; as has been stated he enlisted in the 25th Mass. Regiment, Co. I, and remained in service a little over two years, when he was discharged Nov. 6, 1863, by order of the Secretary of War; this discharge was granted after the death of his father and brother, that he might return home to care for his blind mother, who was in need of some one to care for her, a duty which he performed until her death, March 1, 1905. He was one of the prominent and pro- gressive farmers of Royalston, and was actively interested in the Congregational Church of which he was one of the deacons. He married Sarah C. Bemiss, Jan. 26, 1864.
They had two children: Mabel, born July 10, 1865, married Carl E. Sault, Aug. 20, 1900. They have one son and reside in Athol where Mr. Sault is engaged in the clothing business. George H. Wood, son of Henry S. and Sarah (Bemiss) Wood was born in Royalston, May 13, 1869. His education was received in the Royalston schools, and at Cushing Academy and Mt. Hermon. After leaving school, he went to work in the dry goods business as clerk for E. Denny & Co. in Athol, now O. Denny & Co. Later he was in company with J. D. Holbrook in Athol for about two years, and then with H. C. Gates under the firm name of Wood, Gates & Co., in Orange. He then went to Martinsville, Indiana, where he was two years in business alone. When he came back east he was located in Nashua, N. H., for five years, most of the time with the Chamberlain Syndicate Store of Chamberlain, Patten Co. In Jan. 1910, he went to Claremont, N. H., as managing partner and treasurer of the Chamberlain Syndicate Store, Huntress, Patten Co., where he is now located. On Sept. 6, 1899 he married Miss Grace E. Hunkins of Lawrence, Mass .; they have one son, Albion Royal Wood, born in Orange, Mass., July 31, 1900.
Elmer Wood, son of John and Zerviah (Woodbury) Wood, born May 19, 1807, married Abigail Brock of Woodstock, Conn., Oct. 26, 1833. They had a large family, of whom only two are now living: Maria L. and Sarah E.
Maria Lucy Lavinia Wood, daughter of Elmer and Abigail (Brock) Wood, was born in Athol, March 14, 1846. She married Levi Bosworth of Royalston in Greenfield, Mass., Jan. 22, 1864, while he was home on a furlough from the army. He enlisted
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
in Co. B, 27th Mass. Regiment, Sept. 20, 1861; at the expiration of his term of enlistment he re-enlisted in his old regiment and received his discharge June 26, 1865, and received commission of Brevet First Lieutenant. They had three children. They now reside in Chester, Vt. Sarah E. married -- Darling and her home is in Chattanooga, Tenn.
THE HOLMAN FAMILY
William Holman, the immigrant ancestor of this family, came from Northampton, England to Cambridge, Mass., in 1634 and settled on the present site of the Botanic Garden of Harvard University. His widow was accused of being a witch by her neighbor John Gibson and family.
John Holman of the 6th generation, who was born in Bolton, Mass. about 1765, settled in Royalston, where he bought land in 1790 of John Bridge. The children of John Holman were Seth and Willard. He died Dec. 21, 1843, aged 78 years.
Seth Holman, son of John Holman, was born in Royalston. He attended the public schools and was brought up in this town; besides farming, he carried on an extensive lumber business and had a sawmill. He was an active member of the Congre- gational Church and in his will made November 19 and proved Jan. 1, 1861 bequeathed money to the American Missionary Society and American Bible Society. He married Eunice R. Parks (Peirks). Their children were: Dana Peirks, George W., Seth N., Nelson F. and Mary E., who died young.
George W. Holman, son of Seth and Eunice (Parks) Holman, was born in Royalston, Dec. 1, 1825; attended the common schools until twelve years of age; then began to drive a team of horses hauling logs to his father's mill and for six years worked for his father in that position. Then he began to saw logs in the mill. His father purchased a furniture shop on which he held a mortgage and George conducted it for five years. He left Royalston and started for himself in the furniture business in Boston. In 1857, he removed to Wisconsin and became a railroad contractor, building railroads and bridges in the west. He returned to the east and settled in Fitchburg, Mass., as a builder and contractor, where he erected many buildings, and had charge of the street department for a number of years. He served on the common council, board of aldermen, and
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THE HOLMAN FAMILY
was a director of the Wanoosnac Electric Power Co. of Fitch- burg. Was a member of Mt. Roulstone Lodge of Odd Fellows and attended the Congregational Church. He married in 1853, Delia E. Mirick, daughter of Ephraim Mirick of Princeton, Mass. They had two children: Mary E., who died young and George M., who resides in Fitchburg, and is a teacher in the Bryant & Stratton School in Boston.
Seth N. Holman was for many years engaged in manu- facturing in Royalston and other towns, and was also engaged extensively in the lumber business. He went to Spokane, Washington, a number of years ago, where he and his brother Nelson F., were living in 1915.
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