Worcester county; a narrative history, Volume III, Part 92

Author: Nelson, John, 1866-1933
Publication date: 1934
Publisher: New York, American historical Society
Number of Pages: 700

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester county; a narrative history, Volume III > Part 92

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He married, on December 26, 1924, Katherine Walsh, of Whitinsville, daughter of William C. Walsh, a merchant of that place for many years. They have two children, a daughter, Joan, nine years old, and a son, John William, seven years old.

REV. JOHN THOMAS CASEY, Pastor of St. Philip's Church, Grafton-For more than eight years the Rev. John Thomas Casey has been the able and faithful pastor of St. Philip's Church of Grafton, in which connection he also serves St. Mary's of North Grafton and Our Lady of Lour- des, of East Millbury.

St. Philip's parish of Grafton had its beginning nearly a century ago, and from 1834 to 1843 the little group of farmers and shoe workers who were then the only Catholic people of Grafton, were ministered to by Father Fitton, of what is now St. John's Church, Worcester. In 1843 Father Fitton was succeeded as pastor of St. John's Church by Father Williams, who continued to serve the little group at Grafton until the coming of Father Gib- son in 1845. In 1848 Mr. Benchly of Grafton gave the Catholic people a plot of land for a church, and that same year Father Gibson began the erection of St. Philip's Church, the plans for which called for a building twenty-five by forty feet. In October, 1851, the Rev. Zephenes L'Eve- que was made pastor of Millbury and the new parish at Grafton was placed under his care. In September, 1854, the Rev. E. J. Sheridan of Ux- bridge was given charge of Millbury and Grafton; and on November 25, 1858, Millbury and Grafton were placed in charge of Father John Power of St. Ann's Church of Worcester, as missions. Father Power, who was a native of Charlestown, Massa- chusetts, born in 1828, was educated in the public schools, at Holy Cross College, at the Grand Seminary at Montreal, Canada, and at Aix in France, where he was ordained in 1856. He was deeply interested in the Grafton congregation and served it faithfully until July 1, 1869. The rap- idly increasing Catholic population of Grafton had by this time outgrown the small church built by Father Gibson, and in the summer of 1866 Father Power built a transept and lengthened St. Philip's Church, increasing the seating capacity to accom- modate the needs of the growing congregation. In 1869, when the Rev. M. J. Dougherty became pastor of Millbury, he was also given charge of

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Grafton. For the next four months services were held in St. Philip's Church every Sunday, and in November, 1869, Grafton ceased to be a mission, being set apart as a separate parish, with Upton (formerly attended from Milford) as its mission. The Rev. A. M. Baret, D. D., was appointed November 10, 1869, by Bishop Williams of Bos- ton (to whose diocese Grafton and Upton then belonged) first resident pastor of St. Philip's parish.

The Rev. A. M. Baret was a native of France. After receiving an excellent education in his native country, he completed his theological studies in Rome and received the degree of Doctor of Divinity. After serving as professor in a college for a time, he was called to a parish by Cardinal Marlott and appointed a curate at La Madeleine, the most fashionable church in Paris. While there he met Bishop Bacon, of Portland, Maine, and it was through his influence that Father Baret came to America, as his secretary and chancellor. He continued as secretary to Bishop Fitzpatrick, who succeeded Bishop Bacon, until the death of Bishop Fitzpatrick, when he was appointed, by Bishop Williams, pastor of St. Philip's Church at Grafton. There he served until his death. He was one of the most scholarly men of the diocese, owning a library of some five thousand volumes. He was said to have been of noble lineage and was greatly loved by his people, who deeply mourned his death, which occurred early in the summer of 1881. The next pastor was the Rev. James Boyle, who was appointed June 15, 1881. He built a Presbytery and also entirely renovated the old Church of St. Philip. By this time North Grafton had become a mission of St. Philip's parish. Father Boyle purchased a lot there and began the erection of St. Mary's Church, on the main road from Westboro. Until November 29, 1896, services were held in the basement. Meantime, Father Boyle was transferred to Ware, and the Rev. John R. Murphy succeeded him as pastor of St. Philip's and St. Mary's, February 7, 1887. He put stained glass windows in St. Philip's Church, and in 1888 began the task of completing St. Mary's Church in North Grafton. He discarded Father Boyle's plans, as the parish had outgrown the size of the church he had expected to erect, and had new ones drawn by James Murphy, of Providence, Rhode Island, and, in 1896, St. Mary's Church, Romanes- que in style, with cruciform outlines, was completed at a cost of $20,000 and dedicated, the dedicatory services taking place November 29, with the Rt. Rev. Thomas D. Beaven, Bishop of Springfield, officiating. Father Murphy, who was born in Worcester, October 9, 1849, was educated in the public schools of Holden, at Holy Cross College, where he was graduated in 1876 and took his theological degree at the Grand Seminary in Mont- real, Canada, where he was ordained in Decem- ber, 1879. After a year and a half as curate at Milford, he became curate at Holyoke, where he served until he was made pastor of Grafton in 1887. He was a man of the finest character, who won the hearts of the parishioners at Holyoke by heroic service during a smallpox epidemic. He combined with his sound integrity a keen shrewd- ness in business, which enabled him to manage St. Philip's parish with marked success. By 1899 the parish owned a church, Presbytery, and stable at Grafton; some three acres of land opposite the

church, on which Father Murphy was planning to build a parochial school; and in North Grafton, a church and a large plot of land. He remained here until 1905, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Levi J. Achim. He was here till June, 1910, and was succeeded by the Rev. J. A. Jacques, who was here until March, 1923, and was succeeded by the Rev. Stanislaus Guillet. The latter continued until the present pastor, the Rev. John Thomas Casey, came in 1925.

The Rev. John Thomas Casey was born in Spen- cer, December 2, 1866. He was of Irish ancestry, his father having come to this country from Ire- land prior to the birth of Father Casey. The father settled in Spencer, where he resided and where he was a highly respected citizen for half a century up to his death in 1905. Father Casey attended the public schools of Spencer and then entered the preparatory school at Exeter, New Hampshire. From Exeter he matriculated at Brown University where he remained two years. In 1897 he went to Georgetown University, at Washington, District of Columbia, and after grad- uating from that institution went to France, where he completed his theological studies and was or- dained in the Cathedral at Aix-en-provence in 1903. He then returned to the United States and received his first appointment to Ste. Anne's, Lenort. Five years later he was transferred to St. Stephen's of Worcester and after one year of service there was sent to the Church of Our Lady Immaculate at Athol. There he remained for eight years, giving most faithful and able service. At the end of that time he was made a pastor and appointed to Ste. Anne's Church at South Ash- burnham, where he had charge of a church and a mission at Ashburnham. During this pastorate of six years he cleared the parish of debt and pur- chased a rectory. He was then transferred to the Church of St. Thomas at South Barre. There he remained for three years, during which time he built a rectory and did much to strengthen the spiritual life of the parish. In 1925 he was trans- ferred to St. Philip's Church at Grafton, where he also has charge of St. Mary's Church at North Grafton and of the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes at Millbury. At the time he took charge of the parish East Millbury was a mission of St. Philip's parish. Father Casey felt that Millbury should have a church of its own and gave his energy to the task of erecting a church there. He carried the work forward ably and successfully. the church was completed in 1928 and the congre- gation at Millbury now holds services in its own well-built house of worship, the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes. Father Casey has masses in all three churches each Sunday, and has a Sunday school with an enrollment of about three hundred children in the three parishes. There is a Holy Name Society for men; a Junior Holy Name So- ciety for boys; and an Altar and Rose Society for girls and women, all in flourishing condition. In addition to his three churches, Father Casey also serves the large State hospital at North Graf- ton, which accommodates about 1,400 patients. He is always ready to answer calls for service there and on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation says mass in the hospital. The three parishes now number about sixteen hundred souls, including those of the Catholic faith in Grafton State Hos- pital. He is assisted in his work by two curates,

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the Rev. John Hardiman and the Rev. Edward Reilly.

Father Casey is not only an able man in busi- ness matters, serving three churches and a hos- pital faithfully and well, but he is loved and hon- ored as a man who exemplifies in his own char- acter and personality those qualities and graces which are recognized as the Christian ideal. In his own parish and among those of other faiths he is held in equally high esteem.

ALCIDE MAYOTTE-The second oldest funeral directing business in the town of Millbury is the one owned and operated by Alcide Mayotte, who is also a successful real estate dealer and insurance agent.

Alcide Mayotte was born in Connecticut, March 28, 1885, son of Alphonse Mayotte, a boss weaver who spent his life mainly in Connecticut and died there at the age of seventy years, and of Denise (Tetrault) Mayotte, natives of Farnum, Province of Quebec, Canada. He received his early educa- tion in the public schools of his birthplace, and after leaving high school went to New York City, where he entered one of the large hospitals to prepare for the nursing profession. After com- pleting his training he was employed as a nurse for some time, taking care of patients in New York City and in Boston, many of them long cases requiring the greatest skill and the utmost care. These difficult cases he handled with great skill, giving entire satisfaction to those by whom he was employed. From time to time, as he had oppor- tunity during this period, he had given much atten- tion to the study of embalming and, having finally decided to definitely prepare for the funeral direct- ing profession, he finally entered the Renouard Training School for Embalmers, New York City, from which he was graduated in 1918. After graduation he came at once to Millbury, where he purchased the well established business of Her- bert A. Ryan and engaged in business for himself. From the beginning he gave careful personal at- tention to every detail of the work, striving in every possible way to meet the wishes of those who required his services in their times of sorrow. His unfailing courtesy and unobtrusive sympathy, his quiet understanding of and skill in carrying out the wishes of his patrons, and his honest dealing enabled him to build up a large and important patronage, and during the years in which he has been engaged in business he has become widely known and thoroughly trusted, not only in Mill- bury but throughout a wide area surrounding that town. He carries a full stock of caskets, robes, and everything needed in the funeral directing busi- ness, and he has so equipped his establishment that he can handle funerals of any size and cater to all kinds of patrons. His funeral coaches are of the finest models, and he has several hearses, service cars, etc., all of the most modern makes. As the owner of the second oldest establishment of its kind in Millbury, he is widely known, and his excel- lent service brings him a steadily increasing patron- age.

In 1922 Mr. Mayotte added to his successful management of a well established funeral direct- ing business another interest. He engaged in the real estate business, and in this line of activity, as in his first venture, his policy of unfailingly giving excellent service and a square deal enabled him to

build up a second successful enterprise. In 1924 he added to his real estate operations the insurance business, and he now represents some of the oldest and most reliable insurance companies in the coun- try. He has made for himself in this line also a reputation which is a valuable asset to his business and which steadily brings to him new patrons. He is a director of the Millbury Cooperative Bank and served in a similar capacity with the Millbury Savings Bank. Along with his varied business activities Mr. Mayotte has always found time to take an active part in local public affairs and for sev- eral years has served as a member of the town com- mittee or board of selectmen, which for the past two years he has served as clerk. He is a mem- ber of the Kiwanis Club, Franco-American For- esters, Massachusetts Funeral Directors Associa- tion, Millbury Republican Club and the St. Jean Society, a church organization, of which he has been president for the past seven years. His reli- gious affiliation and that of his wife is with the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin.

Alcide Mayotte married, April 16, 1915, Delia J. O'Brien, a native of Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Mayotte make their home in Millbury.

EDWARD H. WHITE-After a varied career in the life insurance business and active service with the United States forces overseas during the World War, Edward H. White, in 1928, came to Worcester. He is a native of Winchester, Litch- field County, Connecticut, born September 2, 1894, the son of Junius Marcellus and Nellie (Gillette) White, both natives of Connecticut, the former of whom died in 1924 and the latter in 1913.

Edward H. White grew up on a farm and learned the necessity of hard work. He was given the preliminaries of his education in the local schools and entered Lebanon Valley College from which he was graduated with the class of 1917, holding the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He later was graduated from the American College of Life Underwriters, and was awarded the degree of C. L. V. The entrance of the United States into the World War caused a hiatus in his career, for he enlisted in the army and served overseas with the 34th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, with the rank of second lieutenant. Like many of the young men of his day, he is disinclined to mention anything of the record made while in the service of his country. Later he became a member of the Reserve Officers' Corps, Medical Administration, with the rank of first lieutenant. After the war Mr. White returned home to be- come associated with the Aetna Life Insurance Company in 1919, in the Boston office. He was transferred in turn to the Pittsburgh, Pennsyl- vania, office, and to New Haven, Connecticut, doing splendid work for the corporation. Upon the death of Mr. Russell, of Worcester, in 1928, Mr. White was made the general agent of the Aetna Life Insurance Company, having super- vision over the entire Worcester district, with an average of fifty men working under him. He is now engaged in similar work in New York.

Mr. White has the usual interest in sports, lodges and civic organizations. He is affiliated with the Free and Accepted Masons, being a Past Master, and has taken the eighteenth degree. In Worcester he was a member of the Wachusett Country Club and the local post of the American

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Legion. His religious faith is that of the Baptist Church.

Edward H. White married, in 1919, Jane B. Screen, of Connecticut, and they are the parents of two children: I. Edith Jane, born February 7, 1920. 2. Edward H., Jr., born June 13, 1929.

FRANK H. FOSS-Well known in Worcester County is Frank H. Foss, of Fitchburg, member of the contracting firm of Wiley and Foss, who has ably served in many public offices and who from 1925 to the present time has represented the Third Massachusetts District in Congress.

Frank H. Foss was born in Augusta, Maine, September 20, 1865, son of Orrin F. and Hannah H. (Fisk) Foss. He received his education in the public schools of his birthplace and in Kents Hill Seminary, at Kents Hill, Maine, and, after completing his course in the seminary, came to Fitchburg, where, in 1893, he engaged in the gen- eral contracting business as a member of the firm of Wiley and Foss. He was an able business man, and, eventually, this firm, the oldest of its kind in New England, grew to be one of the largest con- tracting firms in Massachusetts. But though he was eminently successful in business, his activities as a member of the firm of Wiley and Foss did not occupy all of Mr. Foss's time. Always public- spirited, he early began to serve the city in various public capacities, serving as a member of the city council of Fitchburg from 1906 to 1908; as a member of the board of aldermen from 1909 to 1912; as water commissioner from 1913 to 1915; and as mayor of Fitchburg from 1917 to 1920. An active supporter of the principles and candidates of the Republican party, he was also, during this time, active and influential in the party councils, and his influence has been an important factor in State political affairs. From 1915 to the present time (1934), a period of nineteen years, he has served as a member of the Republican State Cen- tral Committee, of which he was chairman from 1921 to 1924, inclusive. In 1924 he was elected to represent the Third Massachusetts District in the Sixty-ninth Congress and was reelected to the Seventieth, Seventy-first, Seventy-second and Seventy-third Congresses. Ability of a high order, integrity of character, and a personality which wins for him many friends, have combined to enable Mr. Foss to render valuable service to the district which he represents.

In addition to the important responsibilities men- tioned above, Mr. Foss is a trustee of the Fitch- burg Savings Bank and a member of the board of directors of the Fidelity Cooperative Bank and of the Fitchburg Mutual Fire Insurance Company. Fraternally, Mr. Foss is identified with the Blue Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Fitchburg; Thomas Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; the Coun- cil, Royal and Select Masters; and Jerusalem Commandery, Knights Templar, in which he has passed through all the chairs, and which he serves as Eminent Commander. He is also a member of the Scottish Rite bodies, including the Consis- tory, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree. He has also been a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows (of which he is a life member) for forty-six years and he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is well known in club circles, being a life member of the Congressional Country and the

Racquet Club, of Washington, District of Colum- bia; a member of the Square and Compass Club, Sportsmen's Club, Izaak Walton Club, Fay Club, Oak Hill Country Club, and Boston Athletic Asso- ciation. His religious affiliation is with the Uni- versalist Church.

Frank H. Foss married, December 2, 1891, Sibyl S. Alden, of Livermore Falls, Maine. Mr. and Mrs. Foss have three children: Ray Alden, Ruth Hannah and Dorothy Sibyl.

KNOWLTON-For more than a century the family of this name has been prominently identified with the industrial development and civic progress of the town of West Upton and the county at large. It was in 1832 that William Knowlton began the manufacture of ladies' hats at West Upton. This business was subsequently continued and enlarged by his sons, and in the course of time the grandsons also came into the business. It remained a family enterprise until 1925.

George W. Knowlton, son of the original founder, was born in West Upton in 1839. He was edu- cated in the schools of West Upton and North Wilbraham and also in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, following which he joined his father, Wil- liam Knowlton, in the manufacture of ladies' hats. With the death of the elder man, the company was continued as a partnership by Edwin, Eben J. and George W. Knowlton, and with the death of Edwin Knowlton, George W. Knowlton became the senior member of the firm. His able leadership was a decisive factor in the continued success of the com- pany. George W. Knowlton retired from active life in 1896, but it was not until his death in 1925 that the business passed from family control. At that time Eben J. Knowlton sold his half-interest to George W. and Harold Knowlton, sons of the senior George W. Knowlton, and they, after incor- porating the company, effected its sale to the Mer- rimac Hat Company. During the ninety-two years that this enterprise was carried on by the Knowltons, it occupied a major place among the industries of West Upton, giving employment to many workers and contributing to the prosperity of the town. The members of the family, which is one of the oldest in Worcester County, have been active in each generation in civic affairs and have rendered conspicuous services in public life.

George W. Knowlton married Sarah Plummer of Whitinsville, also a member of an old Worcester County family. She was born on Canal Street, Northbridge, where for many years her father ran a general store and was a well-known merchant. At that time boats came up the river from Prov- idence. There were locks here, and later, when these locks were discontinued, the stones were used to build the railroad bridge at that point. George W. and Sarah (Plummer) Knowlton be- came the parents of five children: I. Eliza, widow of Joseph L. Keith, of Grafton. 2. William. 3. George W., Jr., who became a member of the Massachusetts State Senate in 1933, fifty years after his grandfather, William Knowlton, had been a member of that body. Senator Knowlton has also been active in the political and public life of West Upton over a long period. 4. Robert T. 5. Harold, of whom further.

Harold Knowlton, son of George W. and Sarah (Plummer) Knowlton, was born at West Upton on September 16, 1882, and received his early educa-

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tion in local schools. Subsequently he attended Pomfret School, in Connecticut, and Harvard Uni- versity, from which he was graduated with the de- gree of Bachelor of Arts in 1904. At Harvard he was a classmate of President Franklin D. Roose- velt. After completing his college course, Mr. Knowlton became associated with the family busi- ness at West Upton and was active in its manage- ment until its sale to the Merrimac Hat Company in 1925. At that time he retired from active busi- ness. Mr. Knowlton is affiliated fraternally with Franklin Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, at Grafton, and is a member of various higher Masonic bodies, including Milford Commandery, Knights Templar. He is also a member of the Brookline Country Club, the Whitinsville Golf Club, the Tatnuck Club of Worcester and is con- nected with several civic bodies.

He married, on December 3, 1903, Frances Raffty, of Salem, Massachusetts. Mrs. Knowlton is active in Girl Scout work and in various other spheres of women's interests.

CHARLES GILBERT ALLEN-Since the first settlement of the town of Barre, members of the Allen family have played an important part in its life. Many years ago they were founders of one of the principal industries of this section, and the company thus established is today carried on by Charles Gilbert Allen, whose name heads this review.

The first of the family to settle in Barre was Jonathan Allen, a great-great-grandson of the im- migrant ancestor, who came to New England in the earliest period of Colonial settlement. Jonathan Allen was a pioneer at Barre, arriving in the tiny village on horseback with his wife and worldly possessions. His wife's name was Hannah, and their son was Josiah, who married Keziah. In the next generation was George S. Allen, son of Josiah and Keziah Allen. Both Josiah and his son, George S. Allen, were prosperous farmers at Barre in their day. The latter died on February 14, 1845. He and his wife, Lucy B. Allen, were the parents of six children: I. George Edwin. 2. Lewis Clark. 3. Lucy E. 4. Charles Gilbert, Sr. 5. Sybil Harding. 6. John Harding.

The descendants of Jonathan Allen are now widely distributed. A number of them achieved national distinction, including the Rev. David Oliver Allen, D. D., born in Barre in 1804, grad- uated from Amherst College in 1823 and died in Lowell in 1863, who was the author of the stand- ard history of India which bears his name. This record is concerned, however, with those members of the family who remained at Barre, where the name of the original settler, Jonathan, is preserved in the name of one of the principal local elevations which has long been known as Allen Hill.

John Harding Allen, sixth child of George S. and Lucy B. Allen, mentioned above, was a life- long resident of Barre. He was a physician, a graduate of Harvard University Medical School and for more than forty years was superintendent of the Brown Institution for the Feeble-Minded at Barre, achieving a distinguished reputation in a peculiarly difficult and delicate field of medicine. He was also a veteran of the Civil War, enlisting while still a student at Harvard in Company F, 53d Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. He saw much service in the Department of the

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Worcester county; a narrative history, Volume III, Part 92

Author: Nelson, John, 1866-1933 Publication date: 1934 Publisher: New York, American historical Society Number of Pages: 700

Author: Nelson, John, 1866-1933
Publication date: 1934
Publisher: New York, American historical Society
Number of Pages: 700