USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > The story of Essex County, Volume III > Part 3
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Elected to Congress in Autumn of 1921 to fill an unexpired term in the Sixth Con- gressional District and to each succeeding Congress (1936). Particularly interested in problems growing out of the World War,
he has sponsored and favored measures to benefit veterans handicapped by their war service, and has repeatedly urged a more generous settlement of loans made by the government of the United States during the war to the nations that were its partners in the war. As member of House Naval Af- fairs Committee has persistently advocated the maintenance of a naval establishment commensurate with treaty standards. In 1928 drafted and reported the cruiser con- struction bill, which was the first measure for the upbuilding of the navy adopted after the Washington Conference of 1921-22. Has regularly opposed measures tending toward the usurpation by the Federal Government of functions hitherto exercised by the states, such as the proposed child labor amend- ment, national prohibition, and many phases of the New Deal. Was one of the earliest and most outspoken advocates of resubmis- sion of the Eighteenth Amendment, and has consistently held that social legislation in general can be most wisely and effectively attained through individual action of the states. An exponent of sound money in its traditional sense, has protested against the debasement of the dollar, currency inflation and similar experiments with the monetary standard. Author of numerous articles in standard reviews on money, banking and kindred subjects.
Delegate to Republican National Conven- tions in 1924 and 1928. Given honorary de- gree of Master of Arts by Princeton Uni- versity in 1923. Trustee of Princeton since 1932. Active in American Legion. A Le- gion delegate to the Fidac Convention in Rome in 1925. Vice-president of American Field Service Fellowships for French Uni- versities. Member of American Economic Association and other learned societies, the Metropolitan and Racquet Clubs in Wash- ington, Harvard Club of New York, Ma-
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sons, American Legion, Veterans of For- eign Wars, Military Order of World War, etc., etc.
JAMES COWAN SAWYER, treasurer of Phillips Academy and a well-known figure in Andover life for more than thirty years, was born at Dover, New Hampshire, on March 30, 1872. He is a son of Charles Henry Sawyer, Governor of New Hamp- shire from 1886 to 1888 and woolen manu- facturer of that State, and Susan Ellen (Cowan) Sawyer.
Mr. Sawyer was educated at Phillips Academy, from which he was graduated in 1890, and Yale College, where he took the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1894. Shortly thereafter he returned to Andover to make his home and in 1900 was elected a trustee of Phillips Academy. In the following year he became treasurer. The duties of these offices have since engaged his principal at- tention. Mr. Sawyer was also vice-president of the Andover National Bank and of the Merrimack Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany from 1912 until January, 1934, when he resigned. He has been active for some years in the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, of which he is now vice-president, and is a member of the Union Club of Boston and the University Club of New York. Mr. Sawyer is a Re- publican in politics and a member of the Congregational Church.
On June 10, 1897, at Dover, New Hamp- shire, he married Mary Pepperrell Frost, daughter of George Seward and Martha Hale (Low) Frost. They are the parents of two children: George Frost and Charles Henry Sawyer.
HON. JOHN VINCENT PHELAN-As a member of the bench and bar, the Hon. John Vincent Phelan, of Lynn, has per- formed, and continues to perform, an impor-
tant service to his fellow-citizens. He is now acting as special justice of the District Court of Southern Essex County. Fulfilling the duties of the judgeship faithfully, effec- tively and with dignity, he has proven him- self, in official position and in private rela- tionships, to be possessed of an unusual de- gree of fairness and a guiding sense of integrity.
Judge Phelan was born on April 26, 1891, in Lynn, Massachusetts, son of Edmund V. and Marcella C. (Robinson) Phelan. His father, born in Lynn, Massachusetts, on Feb- ruary 14, 1865, died in Lynn, March 12, 193I. He was engaged in theatrical endeavors of magnitude, having had his own stock com- panies which traveled widely and were favor- ably known in this region. In the last few years of his life he directed performances for other companies. He was a Democrat, a Roman Catholic, and a man of influence and splendid ideas. His parents, the grandpar- ents of the man whose name heads this re- view, were Michael and Catherine (Meaher) Phelan, both natives of Ireland, who died in Lynn. Michael Phelan was a shoemaker. Marcella C. (Robinson) Phelan, wife of Ed- mund V. and mother of Judge John Vincent Phelan, was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, on April 19, 1864, daughter of William H. and Catherine (McInery) Robinson. Wil- liam H. Robinson was born in Lynn, and after a long career in the shoemaking indus- try died in this city. His wife was born in Ireland, but spent her life and died in Lynn.
At Whiting Grammar School, Judge John Vincent Phelan received his early formal education, being graduated there in 1905, and from Lynn English High School in 1909. In 1916 he was graduated from the Law School of Boston University, taking the de- gree of Bachelor of Laws. In the same year he was admitted to the bar of Massachu- setts, and, at once settling in Lynn, became associated with the late Judge Rollin E.
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Harmon, who was then a probate judge. He was also associated with the late Wil- liam O'Shea, in the Five Cent Bank Build- ing, at No. 112 Market Street. His prac- tice consisted entirely of title and probate work, and he remained associated with this office through the period in which he was studying at law school, but also continuing until September, 1917.
In April, 1917, the United States entered the World War. And when September came, the events of Mr. Phelan's career were so shaped by the course of destiny that he en- listed in the army of his country. Stationed at Camp Mills, New York, for training, remaining until November, when he sailed for England with the 256th Aero Squadron in the capacity of machine gunner, and trained at Hucknall Airdrome for about three months. Ready for active service, he proceeded with his company to France, and there served until February, 1918, chiefly in the Clermont sector, where he did patrol duty. He then returned to this country and was honorably discharged from the service at Garden City, Long Island, with the rank of sergeant, and immediately returned to Lynn.
Becoming associated with Judge Harmon and Mr. O'Shea, Mr. Phelan continued with them for a few months. Then, removing to No. 31 Exchange Street, Lynn, where he became associated with James P. Mahoney, these two gentlemen practicing their profes- sion together as Phelan and Mahoney for eighteen months. Judge Phelan then re- moved to No. 14 Central Avenue, where he has since had his offices in the Grossman Building. Here is associated with Edward F. Flynn and Harry C. Mamber, in the prac- tice of his profession.
On October 26, 1933, Mr. Phelan was appointed by Governor Ely to serve as spe- cial justice of the District Court of the south- ern part of Essex County, succeeding Judge
Edward B. O'Brien, who had been made probate judge. Judge Phelan still serves in this position, which he has filled intelligently and with general benefit to the citizenry of Essex County. In the law, trial work has been his special field of service, and to it he has given most of his time and energies. Judge Phelan has a number of important professional affiliations, among them mem- berships in the Lynn Bar Association, in which he is one of the executive commit- tee : the Essex County Bar Association ; and the Massachusetts State Bar Association.
Politically he has been a consistent Demo- crat and one of his party's staunch support- ers. His church is St. Joseph's Roman Cath- olic, of Lynn, and he also belongs to the Knights of Columbus, in which he is a Past Grand Knight, Past District Deputy and a holder of the fourth degree. In the Amer- ican Legion, Judge Phelan is affiliated with Lynn Post No. 6, of which he is a charter member, and has served as war risk insur- ance officer since the inception of this post. He is a member of the Democratic city com- mittee and of the Ward 3 Democratic Club. Each of the organizations with which he has concerned himself has benefited from his labors in its behalf, with the result that he is honored, esteemed and respected in Lynn, the city of his residence, and in the wider realm of county affairs. In spare time, he enjoys outdoor recreations, notably swim- ming and aquatic sports. He is fond of dogs and is the owner of a fine kennel.
On July 30, 1922, the Hon. John Vincent Phelan married, in Lynn, Massachusetts, Helene A. Crowley, a native of Revere, this State, daughter of Michael J. and Hannah (Sullivan) Crowley, of Revere. Mrs. Phelan is a graduate of the Revere High School, and is a member of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Lynn, and the Catholic Order of Foresters. To Judge and Mrs. Phelan were born three children, two sons and a daugh-
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Jolis Wardwell
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ter : 1. John Vincent Phelan, Jr., born Jan- uary 10, 1924. 2. Marie B. Phelan, born July 23, 1925. 3. Robert G. Phelan, born March 19, 1933. The Phelan family residence is sit- uated at No. 54 Autumn Street, Lynn.
J. OTIS WARDWELL-The command- ing personality and leadership of J. Otis Wardwell have been of large usefulness in legal, legislative and political affairs of Essex County, and, in a broader sense, the State. One of the oldest lawyers in point of service in Essex County, he has had a career of more than average success in his profession during his half century and more of active practice, and is recognized by his colleagues of the bar as a lawyer of notable type and ability. Mr. Wardwell was born in Lowell, March 4, 1856, son of Zenas C. and Adriana (Pillsbury) Wardwell, the former a native of Waterford, Maine, and the latter born in Lowell. His father, Zenas C. Wardwell, was a shoe manufacturer and a citizen active in civic and business life of his community.
Mr. Wardwell was educated in public schools of South Groveland, and prepared for a career in law at Boston University from which he was graduated in 1878 with a Bachelor of Laws degree. He then entered the law office of J. P. Jones of Haverhill, to study the operations of successful legal practice, and was admitted to the bar in 1879. Starting to practice under his own name, he shortly afterwards formed a part- nership with Henry N. Merrill, the firm of Merrill and Wardwell continuing until 1887, when Mr. Wardwell was elected to the State Legislature and served until 1892. During his term as a representative he was a mem- ber of several important committees and performed his duties with an intelligent understanding of legislative responsibility and concern for public needs that brought
great credit to him. Mr. Wardwell, follow- ing his term as a member of the Legisla- ture, resumed the practice of law in Boston in association with Hon. Samuel W. Mc- Call, specializing in corporation law. He formed a partnership with Everett W. Bur- dett and Charles A. Snow under the firm name of Burdett, Wardwell & Snow, chang- ing the name two years later to Moody (Hon. William H.), Burdett, Wardwell & Snow. Two years later, upon the appoint- ment of Mr. Moody to justiceship, this part- nership was severed, and another firm was organized of Burdett, Wardwell & McLeod. Although the firm engaged in general prac- tice, Mr. Wardwell's major practice was as general counsel to many of the foremost corporations of Massachusetts : The Indus- trial Improvement Company; the Lowell, Lawrence & Haverhill and Brockton Street Railways Companies, during the period of street railways development and consolida- tion; counsel for the North Shore Traction Company, that brought about the consolida- tion of Lynn Street Railway Companies ; afterward for several years general counsel, the Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Boston and Boston Elevated Railway Company; counsel for the American Bell Telephone Company during the passage of the Bell Telephone Bill for the increases of capital stock; counsel for the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, and Bos- ton & Maine Railroad; counsel for many years for the Massachusetts Electric Asso- ciation, now known as the Massachusetts Electric & Gas Association, and many others.
Mr. Wardwell's political acumen and ability for political leadership placed him in the influential position of secretary of the State Republican party. He is one of the outstanding men of his party and his more than twenty years of service as secretary of
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the State organization has made his name known beyond the State. He was a dele- gate to the 1928 presidential convention of his party at Kansas City. On his personal side Mr. Wardwell has taken a keen inter- est in charitable and welfare work and has contributed generously and frequently to these organizations. Adding authorship to his accomplishments, he has written many articles on political subjects.
Within his profession he is a member of the Essex, Massachusetts and American Bar associations. He is a member of the Algonquin Club of Boston; the Haverhill Country Club ; the Haverhill Historical So- ciety, and the Whittier Association. He is also a member of Pentucket Club; Chamber of Commerce ; Engineers, Exchange of Bos- ton and the Wachusett of Haverhill, clubs, and for many years a trustee of Hale Hos- pital, Haverhill. Fraternally Mr. Wardwell is a member of Saggahew Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, is a Past Master of this lodge, and is a member of Haverhill Com- mandery, Knights Templar. His recreations are fishing and shooting.
He married (first) Ella M. Eaton, and, after her death, married (second) Mary Porter, also deceased. Of two sons born to his marriages, one is living. He is Sheldon E., a graduate of St. Paul's School, Yale College, and Harvard Law School ; married Helen Garrett, and has four children. Ches- ter A., deceased, served in the World War, married Henrietta McGee, and left two chil- dren. Mr. Wardwell's religious affiliation is with the Episcopal Church.
REV. CHARLES MAGNUS CHARL- TON-The Christian ministry is rightly considered an exacting profession and calls for devotion, but seldom are the lives of its members crowded with adventure and dan- ger, with color and journeys to the far and numerous corners of the earth. The career
of the Rev. Charles Magnus Charlton, of Lynn, Massachusetts, was one of the rare exceptions for it had to do with Gloucester fishermen upon their craft, circuit riding in Vermont, fulfilling the duties of a navy chaplain for years on the seven seas, and in recent years the pastorate of parishes and missions, a ministry of institutions and in- dividuals. He is the son of Emanuel Charl- ton, founder and chaplain of the Gloucester Fishermen's Institute, at Gloucester, Mas- sachusetts, whose last pastorate was at Ha- verhill, New Hampshire. Emanuel Charlton was the son of Karl Karleson, a land and ship owner of Sweden, born in Ramsjo, July 9, 1849. He married Bellona Maria Fisk, native of Abbotsford, Province of Quebec, Canada, who is now a resident of Gardner, Massachusetts.
Charles Magnus Charlton, son of Eman- uel and Bellona Maria (Fisk) Charlton, was reared in Gloucester, where he received his early education. After being graduated from the old Wesleyan Academy, of Wil- burham, Massachusetts, in 1894, he matricu- lated at the Boston University Theological Seminary, from which he was graduated four years later with the degree S. T. B. During the summers of the years when he was a university student, and for a time after leaving the seminary, he was asso- ciated with his father in the work of the Gloucester Fishermen's Institute, as assist- ant chaplain, and cruised on the Grand Banks, Georges and Quero, of Newfound- land, as chaplain of the first American deep sea mission ship, the "Pastime," for nearly a year.
In October, 1898, Rev. Charles M. Charl- ton accepted a pastorate in Vermont under the direction of the Methodist Episcopa? Conference and remained in Vermont as a circuit rider until October 17, 1901, when he was appointed by the late Presi- dent, Theodore Roosevelt, a chaplain in
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the navy. He was sent immediately to the Asiatic Station, where successive assign- ments were to the flagships "Brooklyn" and "Kentucky." During the Philippine Insur- rections he served thirteen months ashore on detached duty with the marines. His next shore duty was at the Naval Station, Newport, Rhode Island, from where he was assigned to the flagship "Georgia" as senior chaplain of the fleet that President Roose- velt sent around the world. Upon his re- turn, Chaplain Charlton served at the Nor- folk, Virginia, and Boston Navy Yards. The next three years were spent on the "Ne- braska," which included the Mexican or Vera Cruz expedition.
While on duty in the Naval Training Sta- tion, at Newport, the United States entered the World War and he was sent to France on the fleet flagship, the "Pennsylvania," and then to be senior naval chaplain ashore with the American Expeditionary Forces. Incidental to this duty he served with the marines and saw active fighting in Belleau Woods, Chateau Thierry, Soissons and the St. Mihiel offensive. After the Armistice he was put in command of the United States Marine general post office in Paris, France.
Chaplain Charlton was returned from Europe and the American Expeditionary Forces for duty in the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Navy Yard, in 1921, when ill health caused his resignation. He had suf- fered for some time from the effects of a German gas attack in Belleau Woods, France, and felt it advisable to withdraw for a time from the active ministry. Two years upon his farm in Vermont brought about a recovery, and for a time he was engaged, as he had been as a young clergy- man, in the Methodist Episcopal Confer- ence of Vermont, as superintendent of the St. Albans, now the Montpelier, District, which included seventy-three churches. In 1930, the Presiding Bishop of the Protestant
Episcopal Church, Rt. Rev. James DeWolf Perry, ordained him to the priesthood of the Episcopal Church, and soon after that he came to Lynn, where for seventeen months he was assistant rector of St. Stephen's Church. In June, 1932, he took over the vicarage of All Saints' Mission at Lynn and the Episco- pal Church chaplaincy of State Institution at Danvers and the Essex County Sani- tarium. He also has a mission in Lynnfield Centre (St. Paul's Mission).
The Rev. Mr. Charlton has a wide variety of civilian interests and activities. He is a member of a number of organizations to which he is eligible by reason of his naval service and record. Fraternally he is affili- ated with the Free and Accepted Masons, being a thirty-second degree Mason, Scot- tish Rite. His Greek letter fraternity is Phi Gamma Mu, and he is a member of the Spanish-American Veterans' Associa- tion and the American Legion. He plays golf, is fond of wetting a line in lake, sea and the mountain streams. The best of companions and a raconteur of humor and skill, his friends are legion, and come from all over the globe.
On June 17, 1904, at Cambridge, Massa- chusetts, Rev. Charles M. Charlton married Lucia Sarah Chamberlain, a native of Cam- bridge, daughter of Volney R. and Lucia (Lincoln) Chamberlain. Volney R. Cham- berlain was born September II, 1836, at Weathersfield, Vermont, and died in Cam- bridge, April 4, 1887. His wife was born in West Windsor, Vermont, December 28, 1839, and died April 28, 1925, in Belmont, Massachusetts. Volney R. Chamberlain was the son of Alvah and Sally (Demary) Chamberlain, of Weathersfield, Vermont, the Chamberlains being descended from Henry Chamberlain, who emigrated from England, arriving in Boston, August 10, 1636, and settling at Hingham, Massachu- setts. Lucia (Lincoln) Chamberlain was
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the daughter of Micah Newell and Lucia (Woodruff) Lincoln, of West Windsor, Vermont. Mrs. Charlton is a graduate of Radcliffe College, Bachelor of Arts, class of 1901. She is of Revolutionary descent on both sides of her family. The Rev. and Mrs. Charlton are the parents of one son and two daughters: 1. Mrs. Edwin B. Saul, born April 10, 1905, resides in Belmont, Massa- chusetts. 2. Newell C. Charlton, born June 12, 1908, and resides in Belmont, an electri- cal engineer. 3. Lucia Woodruff Charlton, born December 12, 1913, Junior at Sim- mons College, Boston.
WALTER SHERMAN GIFFORD, pres- ident of the American Telephone and Tele- graph Company since 1925 and leading American industrialist, was born in Saleni on January 10, 1885, and spent his early years in Essex County. He is a son of Nathan Poole and Harriet Maria (Spinney) Gifford, and a grandson of Thomas Gifford, a Mas- sachusetts manufacturer. His father, who died in 1929 at the age of seventy-six, was also born in Salem and was a lifelong res- ident of this city. He was a lumber man- ufacturer and dealer and a director of a local bank. Harriet Maria (Spinney) Gifford was born in Wisconsin and at the time of her marriage was a teacher in the Salem schools.
Following the completion of his prelimi- nary education in Salem High School, Mr. Gifford entered Harvard University, from which he was graduated in the class of 1905 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Finish- ing his college work in three years. he began his active career in the summer of 1904 as a clerk in the payroll department of the Western Electric Company at Chicago, and in 1906 became assistant secretary and treas- urer, serving for three years. Subsequently he joined the American Telephone and Tele-
graph Company, of which the Western Elec- tric Company was a subsidiary, and from 1911 to 1916 was chief statistician of the company. Early in 1916 he was appointed supervising director of the industrial inven- tory of over 27,000 American business firms made on behalf of the United States Gov- ernment by the Committee on Industrial Preparedness of the Naval Consulting Board. In December, 1916, he obtained a leave of absence from his company to serve as director of the United States Council of National Defense and the Advisory Com- mission at Washington, District of Colum- bia, and was so engaged until November, 1918. From July to September, 1918, he was also secretary of the United States Representative on the Inter-Allied Muni- tions Council in Paris.
On his return to his duties with the Amer- ican Telephone and Telegraph Company after the war, Mr. Gifford became comptrol- ler of the company and in 1919 was elected vice-president. In 1923 he became executive vice-president and in 1925 succeeded to the presidency of the company, which has since been under his executive leadership. He is a director of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, the New York Tele- phone Company and other Bell System tele- phone companies and a director of various additional organizations, including the First National Bank of New York and the United States Steel Corporation. He is also a mem- ber of the Finance Committee of the latter corporation.
Mr. Gifford has continued his service to the government begun during the period of the World War. In the winter of 1931-32 he accepted appointment as director of The President's Organization on Unemployment Relief and in May, 1932, became a member of the Banking and Industrial Committee of the 2d Federal Reserve District. He was
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THE STORY OF ESSEX COUNTY
also appointment to membership on the Na- tional Citizens Committee of the 1933 Mobi- lization for Human Needs and is now a member of the Business Advisory and Plan- ning Council for the Department of Com- merce. In addition to these connections he is president of the Charity Organization Society of New York, a trustee of Johns Hopkins University, Cooper Union Insti- tute, the Bank for Savings in the city of New York, the Carnegie Institution of Wash- ington, District of Columbia, the National Geographic Society ; a member of the Board of Overseers of Harvard University ; a Fel- low of the American Association for the Advancement of Science; a member of the National Institute of Social Sciences, the American Statistical Association, the Amer- ican Economic Association, the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, the Essex Institute of Salem, Massachusetts, the Amer- ican Philosophical Society, the Pilgrims and the following clubs: the University Club, the Harvard Club, India House and the Na- tional Arts Club, all of New York. Mr. Gif- ford is the author of several brochures, in- cluding "Does Business Want Scholars?," 1928; "Pensions, Charity and Old Age," 1930; and "Can Prosperity Be Managed," 1930. In recognition of his distinguished career, the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred upon him by Williams College in 1928 and Colgate University in 1929. In the latter year he also received the honorary degree of Doctor of Science from Oberlin College.
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