USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester county; a narrative history, Volume III > Part 66
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On April 9, 1919, Mr. Morgan received his dis- charge at Camp Devens and shortly afterwards returned to Harvard to complete the requirements for his degree. In February, 1920, he became asso- ciated with the Morgan Construction Company in their purchasing department, remaining until Octo- ber, 1920, when he entered the employ of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company as assist- ant metallurgist. In February, 1921, he became a salesman for Marble and Nye at Boston and con- tinued in that capacity for one year. In February, 1922, he returned to Worcester, rejoining the Mor- gan Construction Company, with which he has since been associated. In 1923 he became assistant treasurer of the company and in 1927 was elected treasurer. Mr. Morgan in also president of the Fowler Oil Burner Company, a director of the Mechanics National Bank and a trustee of the Peoples Savings Bank. He is recognized as one of the ablest of the younger business men of this city, and is known in business circles throughout a wide area. In addition to his private business interests, he serves as a member of the executive committee of the Associated Industries of Massa- chusetts and as vice-president of the Machinery Builders Society of New York City.
Mr. Morgan has also been active in civic and social life at Worcester. He is vice-president and a director of the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion and president of the board of trustees of Ban- croft School; a member of the Worcester Club, the Tatnuck Country Club, the University Club the Players Club and the Harvard Club of Worces- ter. Of the latter two clubs he is a past pres- ident. Mr. Morgan is affiliated with the American Legion and is a member of the Y. D. Club of Boston. Golf and tennis are his favorite recrea- tions.
On April 22, 1920, Philip M. Morgan married Marjorie B. Shepard of New York City, and they became the parents of two children: I. Paul
Shepard, born November 17, 1923. 2. Peter Shep- ard, born November 24, 1924. The residence of the family at Worcester is situated at No. 9 Bur- gess Road.
ARTHUR GORDON CHICKERING-In the public service of the town of Lancaster for more than a score of years, Arthur Gordon Chick- ering administers the offices of treasurer and tax collector of this municipality.
Born in Lancaster, August 22, 1875, Mr. Chick- ering is a son of Charles A. and Jeannette (Gor- don) Chickering, both now deceased. He was educated in the town's public schools, including a full course and graduation at the Lancaster High School. After graduation he entered the employ of the Boston and Maine Railroad Company, where he was telegraph operator and "spare" agent. Abandoning railroading, he engaged in the real estate brokerage business in Boston and Lancaster for several years. For some time he conducted a wood and timber business, cutting poles and rail- road ties.
He came into public office in 1913, which was the year in which he was elected town treasurer. The office also makes the incumbent the town tax collector, and both of these capacities he has filled efficiently and with high integrity for twenty-one years. He is also treasurer of the Lancaster Cemetery Committee and secretary of the Lan- caster Library Board of trustees. He is a trus- tee of the Clinton Savings Bank. Gifted with an excellent voice, he has had a career as a pro- fessional singer and for a number of years sang in concert organizations and churches. He has also been active socially in the community. During the World War period he served as captain of the Lancaster Home Guard. He is affiliated with Trinity Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and is a member of the Lancaster Society. He is a member of the Unitarian Church and finds his rec- reation in hunting, fishing and all outdoor sports.
Mr. Chickering married, June 22, 1915, Sarah Coit Treadway, of Lancaster, daughter of Dr. William B. and Marianna (West) Treadway. Mr. and Mrs. Chickering have a daughter, Emily Gor- don, born November 3, 1918.
FRANCIS T. MULLIN-After extensive and careful preparation for the practice of his profes- sion, Francis T. Mullin located in Worcester and has become one of the well-known lawyers of the city. He, like his parents, is a native of Rochdale, Massachusetts, born there October 26, 1896, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Riley) Mullin. His father was for some years a textile superintendent. After attending the local schools, Francis T. Mul- lin was graduated from Leicester Academy, in 1914, and entered Holy Cross College, from which he received his Bachelor's degree in Arts in 1918 and for further studies was awarded the Master's degree in Arts two years later. Matriculating at the Law College of Boston University, he was duly graduated from this institution in 1924 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws and that same year was admitted to the Worcester County bar and began the practice of his profession in Worcester City.
Mr. Mullin had a varied experience in connec- tion with his training for the law, and later. He was an instructor in chemistry in Holy Cross
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College for three years and his flair for leadership in public affairs has made him prominent in the activities of the local Democratic organizations. For a year he was a member of the Leicester Democratic Town Committee and he has served on the school committee of Leicester for six years ; he is also one of the trustees of the Leicester Library. For three years Mr. Mullin was town counsel for Leicester. Numbered among his affilia- tions and clubs are the Worcester Bar Associa- tion, the Holy Cross Alumni Association, the Knights of Columbus, and the University and Wachusett Country clubs. His chief recreation is golf. Mr. Mullin resides in Rochdale.
FRANK A. NICHOLS-As treasurer of the F. A. Nichols Chair Company, Inc., in Gardner, Frank A. Nichols continues his connection with an industry to which he has given his entire active career. He is a well-known figure in the life of this city.
Mr. Nichols was born at Westminster, Massa- chusetts, on April 25, 1867, a son of Francis and Sophia (Bemis) Nichols, both now deceased. His father, a farmer and lumberman, was also a vet- eran of the Civil War, serving with the 15th Regi- ment, Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, for three years. With these troops he participated in many of the principal engagements and battles of the war.
Frank A. Nichols received his education in the public schools of Westminster and following com- pletion of his high school course learned the chair manufacturing business. In one position or another he has been associated with the industry ever since, finally establishing his own enterprise at Gardner. This company has a well-founded reputation in its field and has benefited through Mr. Nichols' long experience and comprehensive knowledge of the industry. His life furnishes another example of the career of the self-made man, for he started work as a boy and earned his own way, even while he was still in school.
Apart from his business Mr. Nichols is active in other phases of Gardner life, particularly in fraternal circles. He is affiliated with Hope Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and in this order is a member of the Council, Royal and Select Masters ; the Commandery, Knights Templar ; and the Tem- ple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of the Sons of Veterans.
On October 21, 1890, at Provincetown, Massa- chusetts, Frank A. Nichols married Carrie L. Nickerson, daughter of Lemuel and Cinderella (Kilburn) Nickerson. Her father and mother, both now deceased, lived to the fine old age of eighty-five and ninety-two years respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols became the parents of two chil- dren: 1. Gladys, who married Truman Martin and has four children: Dewey, Robert, Duane and Roger. 2. Lois, wife of Vaughn Arnold of Gard- ner. They became the parents of four children: Lois Lee, Jack, Peter and James, deceased.
ROMEO E. ALLEN-The family of Allen to which Romeo E. Allen of Shrewsbury belongs is of English origin. The first of the name to come to America was Walter Allen, who landed at Plymouth. Later generations carried the fam- ily further into Massachusetts, some settling in
Cambridge, others in Watertown. Elnathan Allen was the first to establish a homestead in Shrews- bury ; this was in 1725, two years before the town was incorporated. Eight generations of the fam- ily have since made their home on this same farm. Elnathan's son was Israel, who succeeded to the ownership of the farm. Israel's son, Elnathan, was one of the Minute Men who fought at the battle of Bunker Hill under Captain Ross Wyman at the beginning of the Revolution. His son was Liberty, born in 1776, just as the Declaration of Independ- ence was signed, and consequently named for the watchword of the new nation. Henry E. W. Allen, son of Liberty Allen, was born on the old Allen homestead in Shrewsbury, and married Cynthia B. Whitney, a native of Vermont. They were the parents of Romeo E. Allen, of this review.
Romeo E. Allen was born on the ancestral farm in Shrewsbury on October 17, 1852, and all his life had made his home there. After the completion of his formal education in the public schools, he took up the study of engineering in 1872 under the preceptorship of Charles A. Allen, a noted engi- neer, who then held the office of city engineer of Worcester. From 1872 to 1875, he served a thor- ough apprenticeship in his chosen profession and at the end of that time returned to Shrewsbury, where he opened his own offices. Mr. Allen has since been largely connected with the development and growth of this community. Until the time of his retirement, his services were retained in many important engineering projects which he carried to a successful conclusion. Enjoying the highest pro- fessional standing, he gave his best efforts to the tasks entrusted to him and in the course of his active career achieved an enviable record of accom- plishment.
Over a considerable period, Mr. Allen held the office of town surveyor at Shrewsbury, but in many other public positions, he has rendered effec- tive service to his town and State. For a term of fourteen years, he was town auditor. He served for several years as a member of the board of selectmen and for a period of twenty-eight con- secutive years without a break was town modera- tor. In 1895, he was elected to the Massachusetts Legislature as representative of the Shrewsbury district and during his three years as a member of the House strongly impressed his colleagues and the people of the State at large. During that period, he was clerk of the House Committee on Roads and Bridges. It was natural that Mr. Allen's services should be sought in the public interest. His integrity, his thorough knowledge of conditions throughout the State and his soundness of judgment all inspired confidence and his long record as a public official completely justifies that confidence. Mr. Allen is now a member of the Town Finance Board at Shrewsbury and a director of the Grafton Cooperative Bank. He has been influential in local councils of the Republican party for many years and is affiliated fraternally with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Patrons of Husbandry (Grange). He has been a member of the Shrewsbury Congregational Church since early youth and for forty-two years has served as clerk of the parish. For a long period he was also treasurer of the church Sunday school.
On May 24, 1876, Romeo E. Allen married Abbie R. Green, of Shrewsbury. They became the par- ents of two children: I. Charles Edward, born in
Romeo & allen
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1878, member of the school board for many years. He married Helen E. Harlow, daughter of Henry Harlow. They have two sons, Charles E., Jr., born February II, 1906, a civil engineer, Northeastern University, Boston; and Stuart H., born December 28, 1910, a graduate of the State College at Am- herst. Mr. Allen is now manager of the Allen farm in Shrewsbury. 2. Lee C. Allen, born at Shrewsbury, February 21, 1883, married Alice Carlson, daughter of John and Carolina L. (Swen- son) Carlson. They have three children, Roger E., born in Shrewsbury, now in Amherst College; Carolyn B., born March 25, 1916, and Howard C., born December 21, 1919. Mr. Allen, who like his father is a civil engineer, received his professional training under A. W. Woods of Worcester. In 1907, he became associated in business with his father and was later admitted to partnership in the firm. He is now in active charge of its inter- ests and holds a leading position among engineers of the county. He does all the engineering work for the town of Shrewsbury, was a member of the board of selectmen in 1922 and also in 1923-24; of the board of health in 1923-24; and a member of the board of assessors 1930 to date. Mr. Allen is a trustee of Shrewsbury Cemetery, 1915 to date, was a trustee of the Howe Memorial Library and the Jubal Howe Library Fund, and treasurer of the Shrewsbury Historical Society. He is also affiliated with the Patrons of Husbandry and is a member of the Congregational Church. He is a member of Athelstan Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and Mathew John Whittal Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.
RALPH K. BISSELL-As supervisor of col- lections and credits of the Worcester Electric Light Company, Ralph K. Bissell occupies a responsible position in one of the most important Worcester corporations. His entire career has been spent as a member of this organization.
Mr. Bissell was born at Worcester, April 9, 1893, a son of Charles W. and Florence R. (Pot- ter) Bissell, both of whom were born in this State. His father is superintendent of the John C. Mc- Innes Company, merchants of this city.
Ralph K. Bissell received his education in local public schools, completing the high school course in 1911. In the year of his graduation he entered the employ of the Worcester Electric Light Com- pany, with which he has been connected for the past twenty-two years. He began as a meter reader, but was subsequently promoted to other positions and served successively as billing clerk and assistant office manager. On April 1, 1933, he was promoted to his present office as super- visor of collections and credits. Mr. Bissell's services to the company have been of a very satis- factory nature, and his steady advancement within the organization reflects his ability and devotion to his work. Aside from business, his other interests center in his home, but he is also fond of golf, which is his favorite recreation.
On September 14, 1916, Ralph K. Bissell married Dorothy E. Pennell, of Worcester, and they are the parents of two children: Joyce H. and C. Philip. The Worcester residence of the family is situated at No. 35 Chadwick Street.
Wor .- 17
WILLIAM A. ELANDER-Worcester is a cosmopolitan city and has men of many races in its industries, commerce and professions. William A. Elander, son of John W. and Selma C. (Chris- tianson) Elander, was born at Collinsville, Con- necticut, August 1, 1899. His parents were natives of Sweden, who early in their lives migrated to the United States and settled in Connecticut. Wil- liam A., their son, was given the education of the public schools and by his own efforts was a stu- dent at Clark College. Matriculating later at the Northeastern University Law School, he was grad- uated in 1923 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. During that same year he was admitted to the Worcester County Bar and became associated with Thomas L. Nelson and the Nelson Title Company, with headquarters at the Court House in Worcester. He is a trustee of the company, and his career has been identified with the interests of this corpora- tion.
Mr. Elander is a member of the Worcester County Bar Association, the Economic Club, and the American Legion. Fraternally he is affiliated with Morning Star Lodge, Worcester, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. Among his recreations is mountain climbing, at which he is an adept.
On May 31, 1932, William A. Elander married Edith E. Grundstrom, of Worcester. Mr. and Mrs. Elander reside at No. 777 Pleasant Street, Worcester.
JOHN A. DAVIS-Active in business, agri- cultural and civic life, John A. Davis is a sub- stantial contributor to the well-being of his Mas- sachusetts community. He lives on a farm, one and one-half miles east of Sterling, the property on which he was born, and figures prominently in many varieties of activity in this vicinity.
Mr. Davis was born on July 5, 1877, son of Jonathan and Ellen (Smith) Davis, his father a native of Westford who lived for seventy years on this same farm in Sterling. He was widely known as a stock dealer and was a selectman, a mem- ber of the school committee, and assessor of taxes. The son, John A. Davis, has also figured in New England life as a cattle-raiser, conducting exten- sive dairy and stock-producing operations. The actual facts of his life might profitably be preceded with an account of the Davis farm itself, one of the old farms in New England, which was orig- inally owned by E. Butterick and was the birth- place of the inventor of Butterick patterns. John A. Davis' grandfather, George Davis, came to Sterling from Westford, Massachusetts, about 1847, here taking a leading part in local affairs over a period of many years. His son, Jonathan Davis, was similarly active in Sterling affairs and was one of the founders of the firm now known as Wilder, Walker and Davis Company, of which John A. Davis is a member. Ellen (Smith) Davis, mother of the man whose name heads this review, was likewise a member of a prominent family of Massachusetts.
In the public schools John A. Davis received his early education, completing the high school course and then attending Cushing Academy, at Ashburn- ham, Massachusetts. He next returned to the home farm, which he has conducted successfully. Deal- ing in cattle, he also became a member of the
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Wilder, Walker and Davis Company, referred to above, and a leading figure in the lumber indus- try in this part of the Bay State. He buys stand- ing timber and converts it into lumber and cord wood, which the company distributes at whole- sale. The company was founded by Frank L. Wilder, W. S. Walker and Jonathan Davis many years ago and has strongly influenced prosperity in Sterling and Worcester County.
Mr. Davis has been especially interested, how- ever, in cattle raising. He has, in addition to his one hundred and twenty-five acre farm in Sterling, one hundred acres in Lancaster. On the two prop- erties there are one hundred head of Holstein cattle, which he keeps both for dairy purposes and for trading. Mr. Davis has purchased another farm of three hundred and twenty acres, which formerly belonged to the Bolton Fruit Company, Bolton, Massachusetts. Mr. Davis' two sons are associated with him, specializing in apple and peach raising; their 1933 crop was 30,000 bushels of apples and 3,000 baskets of peaches.
Along with his other activities, he has concerned himself with finance in this region of Massachu- setts. As a director of the Clinton Trust Com- pany and a trustee of the Clinton Savings Bank, he takes a leading rôle in this branch of Sterling affairs. Politically a Republican, he was elected in 1915 a selectman of the town of Sterling, so continuing for fourteen years and serving through many of these years as chairman of the board. A foremost worker also in fraternal and church cir- cles, he belongs to the Free and Accepted Masons, in which he is affiliated with Trinity Lodge, of Clinton, Massachusetts; Sterling Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry ; and the Federated Church. Each of these groups has benefited from his par- ticipation in its affairs.
John A. Davis married, at Boylston, Massachu- setts, on November 11, 1904, Maud H. Shattuck, daughter of George and Mabel (Clark) Shattuck, of Boylston. Mrs. Davis is a granddaughter of Rufus Watson Shattuck, born in the State of Vermont, who removed to Worcester while still very young, there marrying Sarah M. Brittan, of that city. Mrs. Davis' mother, Mabel (Clark) Shattuck, was a daughter of George W. and Myra (Harmon) Clark. Mr. and Mrs. Davis became the parents of four children: I. Jonathan, born on October 7, 1905, in Sterling, now interested in the farm and its orchards, making the raising of apples, particularly McIntoshes and Baldwins, his specialty ; he studied at Dartmouth College, where he was a member of the class of 1927. 2. Mabel, born September 26, 1907, in Sterling; she is a graduate of the Sea Pines School and is now liv- ing at home with her family. 3. Evelyn Elizabeth, born November 18, 1909, in Sterling, a graduate of Wheaton, who is now working with the Asso- ciated Charities in Worcester. 4. George Shattuck, born in Sterling on December 8, 1911, now also interested in apple-raising on the home farm.
BENJAMIN T. MURPHY-A member of the legal fraternity of Worcester since his admis- sion to the bar, Benjamin T. Murphy has made for himself a place of importance and is recognized as one of its progressive and successful profes- sional men and citizens. He is the son of Patrick J. and Mary A. (Day) Murphy, his father being a native of Vermont, his mother coming from Mont-
real, Canada. For many years Patrick J. Murphy was manager of the Gas Company of Willimantic, Connecticut. He was also a Civil War veteran, but is now deceased.
Benjamin T. Murphy attended the public schools and was graduated from the Windham High School in 1907, after which he attended the University of Tennessee up to 1915. Before becoming a lawyer he gained experience in commercial and industrial activities, which have been of value to him in the practice of his profession. Graduated from the Northeastern University School of Law in 1923 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, Mr. Murphy was admitted to the bar of Worcester County that same year and became associated with the law firm of Norman and Campbell. His association with this firm has continued since that time, and he has engaged in a general practice with notable success.
On November 13, 1913, Benjamin T. Murphy married Sarah H. McGauley, of Worcester, and they are the parents of two children: Walter John and Richard Morgan.
WALTER JOHN HILL DUDLEY-A member of one of the oldest and most prominent families of the southeastern part of Worcester County, Mr. Dudley, after having spent the greater part of his active career-almost four decades-in New York City, returned to his native town, Doug- las. It seems exceptionally appropriate that he should have done this and now live the years of his well-earned retirement in the house, which was built by one of his early ancestors and in which he himself was born, and once more take an active and helpful interest in the life of the town, which earlier generations of his family helped to found and to develop.
The Dudley family of Douglas was founded by Francis Dudley, who was born in England about 1640 and who settled in Concord, Massachusetts, probably in 1663. It is believed that he was a relative of Governor Thomas Dudley of Massa- chusetts Bay Colony, but the exact degree of relationship is not known. Governor Dudley was born at Northampton, England, in 1576 and died in Massachusetts, July 31, 1653. He was a son of Captain Roger Dudley and was related to several influential English families. He was one of the projectors and later, December 1, 1629, an under- taker of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He came in the ship "Arbella" as Deputy Governor with Governor Winthrop in 1630 to Salem and then to Charlestown. After serving as Deputy Governor until 1634, when, on May 14, he was elected Gover- nor under the first charter of the Colony, he later served several other terms as Governor and, indeed, he held the positions of Governor, Deputy Gover- nor as assistant every year of his life spent in this country, a period of twenty-three years. Fran- cis Dudley, the great-great-great-great-great-grand- father of Walter John Hill Dudley, though not quite as early an arrival in Massachusetts or as prominent in its affairs as Governor Dudley, never- theless took his full part in its early development. He served in King Philip's War, and there still exists the record of his having received payment, on February 29, 1675-76, for these services. On October 6, 1665, he married Sarah Wheeler, of Concord, daughter of George Wheeler, and he probably died at Concord.
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W. J. H.Dudley
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Samuel Dudley, son of Francis and Sarah (Wheeler) Dudley, was born at Concord in 1682. He removed to Littleton, a town adjoining Concord, in 1714-15 and was town clerk there in 1716-17. In 1728 he removed to Sutton, Massachusetts, and in 1745 to Douglas, thus becoming the founder of the family in this town. Both at Sutton, where another branch of the family also descended fromn him still flourishes, and later at Douglas, Samuel Dudley was one of the leading citizens. At Sut- ton he was moderator of the town meeting in 1728, lieutenant of the militia company in 1730, and the first representative from the town to the Gen- eral Court in 1731. When the meetinghouse was seated in 1731-32, he had the first place in the front seat, indicating his preëminence, for at that time a man's rank in his community was indicated by his seat in the meetinghouse. Later he built a pew of his own in the meetinghouse. He was on the first board of selectmen of the town of Douglas and served from 1757 to 1770. Here he was also town clerk, in 1748, and assessor, in 1750, while he held the offices of sealer of weights and meas- ures and of constable in 1759 and was on the com- mittee on school money from 1764 to 1768. The Dudley farm, where Samuel Dudley first settled, is on the road between Millbury and Wilkinson- ville, Worcester County. He died at Douglas, May 22, 1777, being then about ninety-five years old. Samuel Dudley married four times : (first), November 1, 1705, Abigail King, who died August 9, 1720; (second), in 1720, Lydia Wetherbee, who died at Douglas, March 27, 1747; (third) a lady whose name is no longer known; and (fourth), Sarah Shepard.
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