USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Royalston > The history of the town of Royalston, Massachusetts > Part 47
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THE RICH FAMILY.
The Rich Family of South Royalston, who were prominent in the life of that village for more than half a century, are of ancient English origin. As early as A. D. 1236, Edmund Rich was the Archbishop of Canterbury. Baron Richard Rich, who was born in London in 1498, was a poor barrister of humble family, who rose to fame, became a wealthy nobleman and founded one of the most powerful families in England. His sons were the Earls of Warwick and Holland.
.(1) Richard Rich, the immigrant ancestor, was born in Eng- land. He appeared first in New England at Dover Neck, later settled on Cape Cod and died in 1692 in Eastham, Mass. The first member of the family to appear in this section was Thatcher Rich (5) of the fifth generation, son of Zaccheus Rich. He was born at Truro, Mass., in 1739, and died at Phillipston, Mass., February 23, 1817, aged seventy-eight years. He was an early settler in the town of Phillipston.
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
(VI) Thatcher Rich, Jr., son of Thatcher Rich (5), was born in Phillipston, April 22, 1790. He settled on a farm in Phillipston when a young man. He married, May 8, 1817, Phebe Ward, granddaughter of General Artemas Ward of Shrewsbury. The children of Thatcher and Phebe (Ward) Rich were: Lewis Damon, born July 3, 1818; Thomas Walter, born May 1, 1820; Benjamin Ward, born Sept. 27, 1821; Anna Raymond, born May, 1823, died April 16, 1825; Jeremiah Atkins, born May 8, 1825; Phebe Ann, born Aug. 22, 1826; George, born Sept. 20, 1828; John Elliot, born Nov. 3, 1830; Harriet and Harrison, (twins), born Sept. 20, 1835.
Benjamin Ward Rich, son of Thatcher Rich, Jr., was born in Phillipston, Sept. 29, 1821. He was educated in the common schools. He conducted a general store in South Royalston for many years, represented this district in the General Court, was selectman of Royalston and at various times held nearly all the town offices. He was well-known in musical circles as a con- ductor of bands and orchestras in the vicinity. Was an upright man and highly esteemed by all his townsmen. He married Lydia B. Witt of Royalston. Mr. Rich died July 5, 1900. Their children, all born in Royalston were: Benjamin Warren, born Sept. 12, 1847; Jeremiah Edward, born Dec. 22, 1849; Marcia Jeannette, born February, 1857; Charles Witt, born May 19, 1860.
(VII) Jeremiah Atkins Rich, son of Thatcher Rich, Jr., was born in Phillipston, May 8, 1825. His early life was spent on his father's farm in Phillipston and on a farm in South Royalston. When a young man he worked at the trade of a bridge builder on the Cheshire and Vermont and Massachusetts railroads. In 1850 he went to the gold mines of California in company with Captain John Whitmore and several other citizens of South Royalston. He remained there about five years, and then re- turned to the village where he was associated with Charles Bowker in the business of chair making. Later he became superintendent of George Whitney's Chair Manufacturing business in South Royalston, which position he held until the business was discontinued in 1893. He then retired from active business, dying in November, 1899. For over forty years he was a prominent and influential citizen of South Royalston. He was Representative to the General Court, was Selectman and served the town in various other offices of trust and honor. He
BENJAMIN W. RICH
JEREMIAH A. RICH
B. WARREN RICH
JEREMIAH E. RICH
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THE RICH FAMILY
was a prominent member and supporter of the Second Congre- gational Church and was clerk of the society for several years. He married Susan Kendall of Royalston, who died in 1903 with- out issue. 4
(VIII) Benjamin Warren Rich, son of Benjamin Ward Rich (7) was born in Royalston Sept. 12, 1847. When but twelve years old he began to work out of school hours in his father's store, later he worked with his father in the business, and on the death of his father succeeded to it, the business being that of a general country store. Like his father, he was active in town affairs, was three years on the board of selectmen, served on the board of health, and was a trustee in charge of the Bartlett fund. For nearly ten years he was postmaster of the South Royalston post office. He was a member of the various Masonic organizations. He married S. Ardella Farrar, daugh- ter of S. S. Farrar of Royalston. She died March 27, 1900. He married, second, Mrs. Irene (Foster) Fuller of Athol. He had no children by either wife. He died June 11, 1911.
Charles Witt Rich, son of Benjamin and Lydia (Witt) Rich, was born in Royalston, May 19, 1860. He received his early education in the schools of Royalston and later took a commer- cial course at Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College in Boston. He was for twelve years associated with Bradford Thomas, wholesale dry goods merchant of Boston, and later became a travelling salesman for the Frederick H. Sprague Co., clothing manufacturers of Orange, Mass. In 1900 he established at Athol a general dry goods business of which the specialty is the handling of remnants. He is a prominent Mason. He married August 27, 1892, Jennie M. Hughes, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Webster Hughes of Enfield, N. H.
Jeremiah Edward Rich, son of Benjamin Ward and Lydia (Witt) Rich, was born in South Royalston, Dec. 22, 1849. He attended the common schools of the village and then went to work for Colonel Whitney in his chair shop, where he was em- ployed for twenty-seven years. He was then with L. Green- wood & Co., for five years and drove a bread team for a while, after which he returned to South Royalston and worked in the grocery store of his brother, B. Warren Rich, for many years, until the business was closed out in 1911. He has for a number of years been janitor of Mechanics hall and the school rooms.
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
He married Florence A. Marcy of Claremont, N. H., Nov. 20, 1878, who died Dec. 24, 1900. They had no children.
Marcia Jeannette Rich, daughter of Benjamin Ward and Lydia (Witt) Rich, was born in February, 1857; she married, first, F. D. Stockwell, and second, N. McDonald. She resides in South Boston and has two children.
George Thatcher Rich, son of Thatcher Rich, Jr., was born in Phillipston Sept. 30, 1828. When a young man he went to Athol and learned the machinist's trade of Nathaniel Richardson in the old red shop. He moved to South Royalston and then to Phillipston on to the old Rich farm. While in South Royalston he was mechanic in the old woolen mill. He worked for the Heywoods in Gardner for two or three years, and about 1868 went to Fitchburg, where he was foreman of the repair shops of the old Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad. He was a prominent musician and well-known throughout western Massa- chusetts as a Band Leader; while in South Royalston he was leader of the South Royalston Brass Band, and when in Gardner organized the Gardner Band. He was one of the organizers of the Fitchburg Cornet Band, which was organized March 26, 1868, and was its leader and director until Jan. 16, 1871; the first public appearance of the Band was with the Fitchburg Fusiliers, May 27, 1868. He also played for dances about
twenty-five years. He married Frances Johnson of Vershire, Vt .; they had four children: Frederick, born in Athol, April 11, 1854; Sarah Elizabeth, born in South Royalston, June 13, 1856; Thatcher, born in Phillipston, Jan. 1, 1858 and Edith, born in Phillipston, Dec. 6, 1860. Frederick married Emma Harrington of Fitchburg, and married second, Mrs. Carrie McCormick. He has been an engineer on the Fitchburg Railroad forty-four years, and ran for many years on one of the express trains. He now resides in Athol. Thatcher was also an engineer on the Fitchburg road and lives in Fitchburg; he married Miss Dora Fairbanks of Peterboro, N. H. Sarah Elizabeth has been for many years a leading milliner of Athol and Edith, who married first, W. H. Longley of Fitchburg, and second, Charles Eaton, now resides in Athol.
THE BACHELLER FAMILIES.
There are several Bacheller families who have been connected with Royalston history, the name being spelled in four different
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THE BACHELLER FAMILIES
ways according to the several families: (Bacheller, Bachellor, Bachelor and Batcheller.)
It is said there were four brothers, who came from England, and as they separated and went their different ways they made the agreement to spell their names in these different ways, which makes it difficult and complicated in some instances in tracing the several families. We shall not attempt to follow out all of these families, but give sketches of some who have been identified with Royalston history.
John Bacheller, Major, Esquire and Deacon, from Reading, settled north of the Isaac Metcalf or Mosman place. He was born in Haverhill and married Margaret Swain of Reading Nov. 13, 1766. He removed to Royalston from Reading, bring- ing his wife and five children, six more were afterwards added to this number. He buried his wife in 1810 and removed to Warwick to live with his son, Thomas, where he died. His son, Thomas, married Lucy Bartlett Dec. 4, 1796. Hannah, the first of his family born in Royalston, married Jonas Bartlett, and was the mother of John N. Bartlett. He was a resident of Royalston some thirty-five years and during that time was prominent in town affairs, having been one of the early Town Clerks, serving in 1790, '92 and '93 and was one of the Select- men for four years. His son, John Jr., married Martha Work, Sept. 30, 1790, and a daughter, Sally, married David Parks, Feb. 2, 1806.
THE SILAS W. BATCHELLOR FAMILY.
Silas W. Batchellor, grandfather of George S. Batchellor of Gardner, moved from Bethlehem, N. H., in the year 1829 to a farm in Royalston Center, and later to a farm near South Royals- ton on a cross road; no buildings are now standing on the place. This cross road leads from the main road from South Royalston to Royalston Center, branching off at the Harrington farm and running over the hills to South Royalston. The house was taken down in pieces by George Batchellor and his father and erected in South Royalston in 1869, standing about opposite the place known as the Roby Safford house. Silas W. Batchellor married Rhoda Goddard of Royalston. They had eleven children. Silas W. Batchellor died in 1880, aged eighty-nine years, and his wife in 1887, aged ninety-three.
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
Isaac Batchellor was twelve years old when his father, Silas W., came to Royalston. He lived on the farm and attended school in the Cutler district. At twenty-one he learned the carpenter's trade, and for some time was associated with John King in the business. He worked at his trade all his life. He married Mary Ann Sherwin, May 7, 1845. They had one son, George S. Batcheller. Mrs. Batchellor died in 1851, and he mar- ried, second, Lorinda Bailey of Ludlow, Vt., in 1852. They had two children, Fred L. and Mabel L. He moved to Baldwinville in 1882, where he died in October, 1900, aged 82; his wife died August, 1900, aged 72.
George S. Batchellor was born in South Royalston in 1850, attended school in the old school house on the hill, and Dis- trict No. 10. He worked at the carpenter's trade with his father until twenty-one. In 1871 he married Alida F. Rice of Orange, and took up his residence in Gardner, where he now lives.
THE SHERWIN FAMILY.
Arba Sherwin and Eunice Coffin, both of Winchendon were married Dec. 20, 1819, and soon after settled near South Royals- ton in the Holman District. He was one of the Assessors in 1827 and 1841, and one of the Selectmen in 1837. Their children were : Mary Ann, Lucy Elmira, George Percival, Phebe Brown and Arba.
Mary Ann Sherwin, the oldest child, born Sept. 20, 1820, married Isaac Bachellor of South Royalston, May 7, 1845, and always lived in that place. They had one son, George S. Bach- ellor.
Lucy Elmira Sherwin, born Dec. 22, 1822, died Sept. 17, 1833.
George Percival Sherwin, son of Arba and Eunice (Coffin) Sherwin, was born in South Royalston, Jan. 6, 1825. He at- tended school in the Neal or old Holman District and at South Royalston. He worked on the farm until twenty-one years of age and then went to Rindge, N. H., and worked in a wood-turn- ing shop, also in Winchendon. After six years he returned to South Royalston and carried on a country store for two or three years, and then engaged in the livery business for three years, when he returned to Winchendon and was Superintendent for
539
THE SHERWIN FAMILY
E. Murdock & Co., in their lumber yard about fifteen years when he went to Orange, which has been his home for more than forty years. He became a member of the firm of Sherwin, Dew- ing & Lord, in the manufacture of furniture, in which he con- tinued until the factory was burned about 1897, when he retired from business. He never wished for public office, but was for a number of years one of the Library Committee of Orange, and one of the first Park Commissioners of the town, being the first one to set out a tree on the Park.
He does not belong to any society of any kind but has al- ways been a constant attendant of the Congregational church, and an active temperance worker. He married Clementina Howe of Rindge, N. H. They have one son, Arthur H. Sherwin, who makes his home with his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Sherwin observed the 65th anniversary of their marriage in 1916.
ADDISON SHERWIN FAMILY.
Addison Sherwin, born in Templeton, Oct. 5, 1821, married Amanda Partridge, daughter of Hervey Partridge. They lived in New York State and Warwick for several years and came to South Royalston in March, 1857, which was their home during the remainder of their lives, Mrs. Sherwin dying March 25, 1879 and Mr. Sherwin Oct. 11, 1883. Their children were: Robert Addison, born Sept. 21, 1846, he worked in the shops of South Royalston and married Lydia E. Patch, daughter of Edwin Patch, Oct. 21, 1869. They had one daughter, born Oct. 11, 1879. They lived in South Royalston until 1889, when they re- moved to Cambridge, where Mr. Sherwin engaged in the paint- ing and paper-hanging business. Mrs. Sherwin died May 14, 1909.
Oleana A., born Sept. 15, 1848, died Aug. 29, 1880. Frederic Hervey, born Sept. 1, 1851; he is a farmer in Lunenburg. George Henry, born Aug. 29, 1853; is a salesman at the Jordan & Marsh store, Boston, and lives in Atlantic. Flora E., born May 8, 1856, married Frederick L. Drury Sept. 25, 1838. Their home is in Fitchburg.
MELANCTHON SHERWIN FAMILY.
Another Sherwin family, who made their home in South Royalston for several years was that of Melancthon Sherwin,
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
who was born in Winchen lon on the shores of Lake Dennison in the house occupied for a number of years as a Children's Home. He was born Jan. 26, 1810. During his early life he lived for a time in Mississippi during slavery days and had charge of a plantation. He returned from the South to Boston, where he secured a position and where he met and married Lucinda Hudson of Vermont. After living in Boston for a while, they went to Vermont, where two children were born to them. Lucy Gertrude, born April 29, 1849 and Lyman Harrington, born Aug. 19, 1854. The family removed to North Orange, Mass., where Mary Abbie Sherwin was born July 31, 1859. In 1866 the family moved to South Royalston for the purpose of caring for Mr. Sherwin's mother and her husband, she having married for her second husband, Edson Clark.
THE WHITMORE FAMILIES.
Three Whitmores, presumably brothers, settled not far from school house No. 9. Only cellar holes mark the places of two of the homes, while the third is now the residence of A. W. Neal.
Capt. Enoch Whitmore was from Acton. He was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, serving several years. He mar- ried Sally, daughter of Josiah Waite, May 31, 1790. They had six children: Sally, born March 31, 1792; Rhoda, born May 10, 1794; Arven, born Aug. 4, 1796; Tamerzin, born Aug. 13, 1798; Polly, born Jan. 6, 1802, and Joseph, born March 17, 1804. Sally, the oldest daughter, married Timothy Lewis, Esq., Feb. 1, 1811. Rhoda, the second daughter, married Edward Whitney of Gerry, Nov. 8, 1812. Joseph died March 16, 1805 and Polly Nov. 15, 1837.
Isaac Whitmore was an early, if not the earliest owner of the present Neal farm and built the present square substantial farm house. He married Rebecca Piper, Dec. 20, 1792. They had eight children born to them: Rebecca, born July 15, 1793, married Israel Knights, March 30, 1810; Sally, born March 22, 1796, married Jason Knights of Phillipston Nov. 8, 1812, by whom she had fourteen children, one of whom, Rosanna, married Wilder Cross of South Royalston and now survives at the age of 84, the mother of Senator Fred W. Cross. In later life Isaac
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THE WHITMORE FAMILIES
bought the Moses Town farm, north of the Lawrence meadows, and there spent his latter years.
John Whitmore, also a Revolutionary soldier, settled just east from Isaac on the south side of the road leading to New Bos- ton and near the foot of the hill east of No. 9 school house. He had several children, the best known of whom was Capt. John Whitmore, who was one of the early manufacturers of South Royalston, and also one of the California Forty-Niners.
THE JONES FAMILY.
Amos Jones came from Acton in 1763 and settled north of what was the Cutting or Cummings place. A good moose story is told of him. He was out looking up his cattle and hearing a crashing among the underbrush supposed them to be 'at hand, but instead of his cattle a huge moose came forth and confronted him. His trusty gun soon put an end to the moose, whose side he afterwards converted into a pair of leather breeches and a side saddle. The breeches he wore himself; but upon the side saddle he pursuaded one Lydia Wooley of Acton, to ride home with him and take permanent possession of the saddle and his domestic affairs, their marriage taking place Oct. 11, 1770. They had a family of six children: Amos, born July 9, 1773; Lydia, born April 26, 1775; Elizabeth, born March 6, 1777; Susana, born Feb. 12, 1779; Silas, born Nov. 22, 1780, and Reuben born Oct. 9, 1782. He sold the first place where he settled and bought the place south of the Cutler farm, now owned by Lemon. He died March 21 1826, at the age of eighty-four years. Reuben Jones married Mary Davis, Feb. 16, 1815, and Susana married Joseph Godard of Athol, Jan. 10, 1811. Elizabeth Jones never married, she was known as Aunt Betsey Jones and lived to be one hundred years old.
Silas Jones, second son of Amos and Lydia ( Wooley ) Jones, succeeded h's father on the farm, and did an extensive business in farming, having one of the best farms in this part of the coun- try. He raised ninety bushels of corn to the acre, and two years in succession harvested four hundred bushels of corn besides other grain. One year having cleared a large wood lot and put it into rye, he had twelve hundred bushels of rye in addition to four hundred bushels of other grain. Once he slaughtered a cow
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
from his own herd, whose net weight was ten hundred and twenty-five pounds. He was promirent in town affairs, was one of the Selectmen of the town from 1824 to 1839 inclusive, with the exception of four years, and was one of the Assessors for nine years. He married Mrs. Rebeckah Sawyer of Templeton, Dec. 2, 1811. Their children were: Silas, born Sept. 24, 1812; Willard, born Oct. 25, 1813; Hannah, born March 30, 1815; Elmore, born May 18, 1816; Aaron, born May 16, 1820; Alden, born Nov. 7, 1824; Elmira, born Sept. 30, 1825, and Elnathan, born Feb. 7, 1829.
Silas Jones, Jr., married Mary Smith of Winchendon, July 4, 1842. She died Nov. 8, 1846, and he married, second, Sarah Cudworth of Putney, Vt., July 22, 1848. A daughter by his first wife, Ellen N. Jones, born Sept. 30, 1844, married Winfield S. Stockwell of Athol. She died in Athol May 2, 1915.
Hannah Jones married Daniel Foster, March 11, 1837. Elmer Jones died Jan. 16, 1833, at the age of sixteen years, and Elmira Jones married John C. Bartlett of Gardner, Nov. 27, 1844.
Dea. Aaron Jones, son of Silas and Rebeckah (Sawyer) Jones was born May 16, 1820. He succeeded his father on the fine old farm overlooking South Royalston village, and was one of the most prominent and progressive farmers of his day. He was for many years a Deacon of the Congregational church of South Royalston. He married Mary Ann Byam of Fitzwilliam, N. H., in July, 1845. He had a son, Leander W. Jones, who was for a number of years a member of the firm of Murdock & Jones, mer- chants at South Royalston, afterwards he engaged in the cattle business in Colorado, and later was in business in Leominster, where he died Nov. 25, 1883, of typhoid fever. A daughter, Clara, married Homer T. Rice, and her home is in Leominster, Mass., where Deacon Aaron Jones died Oct. 26, 1894. Elnathan Jones was a carpenter and lived in Athol.
LUTHER BOWKER FAMILY.
Luther Bowker, youngest child of Luther and Betsey Bowker, was born in Winchendon, Jan. 22, 1826. He married Charlotte Newton Maynard, daughter of Oren and Huldah Maynard, Sept. 2, 1850. They had three children: Cora Hattie, born in
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THE LUTHER BOWKER FAMILY
Gardner, Feb. 18, 1852; Edwin Luther, born in Winchendon, Dec. 11, 1854, and Albert Monroe, born in South Royalston, June 14, 1858. Mr. Bowker was a mechanic and made his home in South Royalston for many years, and died in that place Feb. 1, 1884, of valvular disease of the heart, and his wife, Charlotte N. Bowker, died in Springfield, Vt., July 3, 1888.
Cora H. Bowker was married in South Royalston, Dec. 9 to Charles H. Evans, a son of Alden Evans of Royalston. He has been engaged for many years in the wood, coal, ice and hay busi- ness. Their home is in Baldwinville.
Edwin Luther Bowker, oldest son of Luther and Charlotte (Maynard) Bowker. He came with his parents to South Roy- alston when but a few years old, and his education was obtained in the South Royalston schools. When a young man he went to Templeton and in 1882 he became associated with his brother- in-law, Charles H. Evans, in the wood, coal, ice and hay busi- ness, under the firm name of Evans & Bowker, which for more than twenty-five years transacted a large and profitable busi- ness. He served for fifteen years as highway surveyor, and has held all the important offices of the local tribe of Red Men. He is also a member of the Odd Fellows. He married Lucy F. Wood in Royalston, Feb. 19, 1882; they had two sons, Floyd Luther, born Oct. 13, 1883, and Lee Edwin, born April 23, 1885. Lucy Wood Bowker died May 25, 1887, and Lee Edwin Bowker died May 9, 1899. Mr. Bowker married, second, Mary E. Darrah, in Baldwinville, May 28, 1892. Their children are : Roy Clement, born May 15, 1893, and Ruth Charlotte, born March 11, 1896. Floyd Luther Bowker married Ethel May Field in Fitchburg, Nov. 5, 1912.
Albert M. Bowker, youngest child of Luther and Charlotte (Maynard) Bowker, married Kate Bishop of Baldwinville, Feb. 5, 1881. They had a daughter, Cora Lillian, born Aug. 25, 1881, who married Edwin L. Hersey in Baldwinville, Oct. 24, 1911. They reside in Athol. Mr. Bowker died Dec. 18, 1903.
BRASIER H. FRENCH FAMILY
Brasier H. French, for many years engaged in the Livery Stable business in South Royalston, was born in Orange, Mass., July 14, 1834. He married Sara Jane Eddy, Nov. 1, 1856, at
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
South Royalston; two children were born to them: Herbert Walter, born Aug. 6, 1858, and Sumner Clayton, born March 8, 1865. Brazier H. French died in Worcester, Jan. 23, 1905.
Herbert Walter French attended. the South Royalston schools after which he worked in the chair shop of Col. Whitney until that business was closed up; he then entered the store at Royals- ton Centre, working for his brother, Sumner C. French, from 1899 until 1906, when he entered business for himself at North Salem, N. H., in a general country store, where he remained four years and was also the Postmaster of the village. He sold his business on account of sickness in his family, and is now living at Cano- bie Lake, N. H., and is a traveling salesman. He was married on Dec. 15, 1887, to Nellie Orissa Gilmore of West Royalston, and they have seven children, all born in Royalston.
Sumner Clayton French, youngest son of Brazier H. French, has been the postmaster and proprietor of the store at Royalston Centre since 1900. He was married June 1, 1887, to Ada Mellen, of Royalston. They have two children, Hazel Lillis, born June 7, 1888, and Mildred Almira, born Sept. 7, 1896.
THE STOCKWELLS
William Stockwell the immigrant ancestor of the Stockweil families of Sutton and Royalston was born in England about 1650. The family tradition has it that he was enticed on board ship when a young lad and followed the sea after serving his apprenticeship in the old fashioned way. It is said that he was Scotch and born in Scotland, but the name is unquestionably English.
Captian John Stockwell, son of William Stockwell was born in Ispwich about 1687 and died at Sutton, Mass., March 29, 1778 aged 91 years. He married in 1717, Mary Lombard, soon after coming to Sutton. He was a soldier in Capt. Wain- wright's company from which he was discharged with sixteen others, July 16, 1707. He became Captain after settling in Sutton. This John Stockwell and his son John, Jr., were among the first purchasers of land in this town, having purchased of Caleb Dana and the other proprietors when the township was known as Royalshire. Their purchase was made September 27, 1753, consisting of two hundred acres and included lot No. 16 in the
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