USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Providence > Men of progress; biographical sketches and portraits of leaders in business and professional life in the state of Rhode Island and Providence plantations > Part 19
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STIMSON, EDWARD PAYSON, M. D., of Tiverton, was born in Waterbury, Washington county, Vt., June 8, 1849, son of Joel and Cynthia Roxana (Stone) Stimson. He is descended on both sides from old New England stock. Of his ancestors, Dr. James Stimson, who settled in Reading, Mass., about 1640, and his son Dr. James, Jr., practiced in Reading (now Wakefield) from 1640 to 1690; and James, son of James, Jr., settled in Tolland, Conn., about 1716, and was the first physician to locate in that place. Joel Stimson, another of his ancestors, served in the Revolutionary war, and was one of the pioneer settlers of Vermont. His maternal ancestor Stone settled in Watertown, Mass., in 1630. The subject of this sketch received his early education in
the graded public schools, and the Washington and Orange county grammar schools of Vermont. He began the study of medicine in the Dartmouth Medical College, continued it in the Long Island College Hospital, and returning to Dartmouth, grad- uated November 5, 1873, with the degree of M. D. The following December he was appointed assistant physician at the Butler Hospital, Providence, and served until February, 1876, when he began general practice in Orange, Mass., where he resided until in April 1879 he removed to Tiverton, R. I. In July 1884 he was appointed Deputy Superintendent of
E. P. STIMSON.
the State Insane Asylum of Rhode Island, at Crans- ton, and served until 1885, when he accepted the appointment of Assistant Superintendent of the Kan- sas State Asylum, at Osawatomie. Resigning that position in 1888, he returned to Vermont, and re- sided in Randolph until 1893, when he renewed his practice at Tiverton, where he has since remained. Dr. Stimson is a member of the Rhode Island Medi- cal Society, the Vermont Medical Society, and the American Medical Association, and is one of the founders of the Miller's River Medical Society, at Athol, Mass. He was clerk of the School District of Tiverton, in 1881-82, and in West Randolph, Vt., he served as clerk of the Congregational Church from its first annual meeting after incorporation until his removal from the town. In politics he has always
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been a Prohibition Republican, but has never sought civil or political office. He was married at Brain- tree, Vt., December 7, 1875, by Rev. Samuel W. Dyke, to Miss Sarah Amanda Belcher, daughter of Jonathan Wales and Sarah Harwood Belcher, both of her parents being descendants of John Bass and Ruth Alden, the latter the third daughter of John Alden and Priscilla Molines of colonial fame.
STONE, WALDO HODGE, homeopathic physician and surgeon, Providence, was born in Olean, New
W. H. STONE.
York, July 8, 1855, son of Samuel Hollis and Betsey (Copeland) Stone. He is descended on his father's side from the Normans, and on his mother's side from the original Puritans. He possesses a coat-of-arms from both sides of the house. He can trace his ancestry directly to 1655, when Hugo Stone came to this country from England. His early education was received in a log-cabin school- house in Calhoun county, Ill. He afterward attended the academy at Bridgewater, Mass., and graduated from the Bridgewater Normal School. He taught school at West Bridgewater in 1877 and became Superintendent of Schools the next year. Later he taught school in Danvers, Mass. He had been pur- suing his studies in medicine, and in 1881 became resident physician at the Homœopathic Dispensary
in Boston, and in June 1882 he graduated from the Boston University School of Medicine. In Septem- ber 1882 he commenced the practice of medicine in Taunton, Mass., and was City Physician in 1884. He located in Providence in December 1886, and has been in active and successful practice since. He is also Surgeon of the Rhode Island Homœo- pathic Hospital. He has been through all the chairs of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was Noble Grand of What Cheer Lodge in 1893-94, and is now a member of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island. He is a member of What Cheer Lodge and Minnehaha Encampment I. O. O. F., of the Knights of Pythias, of What Cheer Lodge, Providence Chapter, and Calvary Commandery A. F. & A M. He is also a Noble of the Mystic Shrine. He has been Secretary of the Rhode Island Homoeopathic Medical Society, and is a member of all the Homoeopathic Medical Societies of prominence in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He is also a member of the American Institute of Homœopathy. He has never taken an active part in politics, but is keenly alive to the issues of the day. He is a Republican by party affiliation. He married, June 1, 1882, Miss Mary Ellie Goss of Dan- vers, Mass ; they have children : George Burrill and Samuel Hollis.
THAYER, PHILO ELISHA, brush manufacturer, Pawtucket, was born in Bellingham, Mass., March 4, 1847, son of Samuel and Miranda (Sherman) Thayer. He is of the ninth generation of the Thayer family in America. The first of the name to arrive in this country were Richard and Thomas, with their families, in 1630; they came from Braintree, Essex County, England, and settled in Massachusetts, calling their settlement Braintree in memory of their old home. Philo obtained his early education in the public schools and the high schools of Woonsocket, R. I., and West Milton, Ohio. He worked several years in a brush factory, and afterward for a few years in a grocery store. Becoming a partner in the present brush manufac- tory in 1873, he succeeded to the sole ownership in 1880, and has since conducted the business under the name of P. E Thayer & Co. He was also one-half owner in the Woonsocket Brush Com- pany from 1886 to 1893. Mr. Thayer was chosen to represent his town in the State Legislature of 1894-95, and was re-elected for 1895-96. He served as a member of the City Council for the
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five years 1886-92, was again elected for 1895, and is a member of the Board of Aldermen for 1896, and was elected President of the Board January 6, 1896. He has been actively interested in mili- tary matters, and was First Lieutenant in the Woonsocket Light Artillery for the years 1869-70. He is a member of the different Masonic bodies up to the thirty-second degree and Palestine Temple of the Mystic Shrine, and of Eureka Lodge of Odd Fellows, Pawtucket Council Royal Arcanum and Hope Lodge Knights of Honor ; he also belongs to the West Side Club of Providence, the Rhode
PHILO E. THAYER.
Island Universalist Club, the Pawtucket Business Men's Association, and the Garfield Club of the last named city. In politics he is a Republican. He was married, March 7, 1866, to Miss Georgianna F. Arnold ; they have two children : Annie L. and Hattie M. Thayer.
TARBOX, OTHO, Superintendent of Schools at West Greenwich, was born in West Greenwich, R. I., April 5, 1863, the son of David 2d and Sally M. (Cleaveland) Tarbox. He received his early edu- cation in the public schools of West Greenwich and attended East Greenwich Academy the fall and winter terms of 1883-84. He has followed the vocation of farming, and has been honored with a
number of public offices at the hands of his fellow- townsmen. He was elected, May 28, 1894, a mem- ber of the Town Council and of the School Com- mittee. On April 3, 1895, he was elected a Senator
OTHO TARBOX.
in the General Assembly, and May 27, 1895, he was elected Assessor of Taxes and re-elected to the Council. He has been Superintendent of Schools since June 1894. He was initiated into Exeter Lodge of Odd Fellows, Exeter, R. I., in 1887, and admitted to the Grand Lodge in 1891. In politics he is a Republican. He is unmarried.
TIEPKE, HENRY EDWIN, Mayor of the city of Pawtucket, was born March 21, 1857, in that part of Pawtucket which then was in Massachusetts but now is included in Rhode Island territory, son of Henry Gustave and Tabitha S. (Leach) Tiepke. His father was German and his mother American. He was educated in the public schools, and being left an orphan at an early age, secured his first em- ployment at the Dunnell Print Works, Pawtucket, as factory boy. Shortly after he engaged with the hardware firm of George Mumford & Company, Pawtucket, and upon their retirement from business, connected himself with Sargent & Co., New York, the largest wholesale hardware house in America.
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He returned to Pawtucket to become clerk to the superintendent of the foundry department of the Fales & Jenks Machine Company. Later, he en- tered the employ of the James Hill Manufacturing Company of Providence, as manager, and in 1884 he became New England agent for the Iron Clad Manufacturing Company of New York, which posi- tion he now holds. Mr. Tiepke began to take an active part in politics as soon as he was able to vote. His first office was that of District Clerk of the old town of Pawtucket, and after the city of Pawtucket was established, in 1885, he was successfully elected
HENRY E. TIEPKE.
to the respective offices of Ward Clerk, Warden, Common Councilman 1888-90, Alderman 1891, and Mayor 1894-95. Thus it is seen that he has had a thorough training for the public service. His best work in public life probably was in his advocacy of the passage of a law introducing the Australian system of voting in municipal elections ; his efforts toward the establishment of a municipal electric- lighting plant ; his instrumentality in establishing an ordinance requiring contractors for city work to submit bids ; and his executive work as chairman of the Cotton Centenary celebration in 1890, at which time was celebrated with pomp and cere- mony, and with great credit to the city, the centen- nial anniversary of the founding of the cotton-spin- ning industry in America by the use of waterpower,
which it will be remembered was the work of Sam- uel Slater of Pawtucket. The executive capacity demonstrated by Mr. Tiepke on that occasion doubtless laid the foundation for his future success. Mayor Tiepke's administration of the executive office in 1894 and 1895 has received its best en- dorsement from the people, who have witnessed his introduction of modern business methods in the administration of public affairs; the consolidation of several municipal departments into one general public works department, and various other meas- ures of economy, have resulted in the saving of large sums of money for the taxpayers. He has always been regarded as a safe and conservative public officer, and is a careful and critical student of municipal government. One of his achieve- ments, which it may be said attracted general atten- tion throughout the country, was in the settlement of the labor troubles in the winter of 1894, when the first substantial fruits of conciliation between labor and capital were demonstrated. Mr. Tiepke's political affiliations are with the Republican party. He has held the state office of Commissioner of Industrial Statistics from 1892 to date, and is also Superintendent of the State Census of 1895. He organized the Garfield Club of Pawtucket and has been its President from the beginning, is President of the Pawtucket Base-ball Association, and a mem- ber of the Pawtucket Business Men's Association and Pawtucket Cycle Club ; also a member of the Ath- letic Association, Union Club, West Side Club and Falstaff Club of Providence, the Home Market, Norfolk and Exchange clubs of Boston, the Repub- lican Club of New York City, and the Patria Club, - auxiliary branch American Institution of Civics. He is a member of various masonic societies, in- cluding Union Lodge, Pawtucket Chapter, Paw- tucket Council, R. S. M., and Holy Sepulchre Commandery Knights Templar, also of Enterprise Lodge, I. O. O. F. Mr. Tiepke was married, April 25, 1882, to Miss Marietta Harkness Paine ; they have no children.
THOMPSON, HENRY MANTON, Clerk of the Supreme Court, and merchant of Bristol, was born in Bristol, R. I., April 8, 1850, the son of Joseph S. and Roxana (Fish) Thompson. He received his early education in the public schools, and early devoted himself to business vocations. For the past twelve years he has successfully conducted a retail grocery store in Bristol. He was a member
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of the Town Council for four years and of the Republican Town Committee for six years. In May 1871 he was elected Clerk of the Supreme Court, and has held that position up to the present
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HENRY M. THOMPSON.
time. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum. In politics he is a Republican. He married, January 15, 1874, Miss Henrietta Buffington ; they have two children : Charles H. and Nellie May.
TILLINGHAST, FRANK WAYLAND, lawyer and manufacturer, Providence, was born in Richmond, R. I., May 19, 1859, son of William B. and Julia (Thompson) Tillinghast. He received his early education in the public schools, and fitted for col- lege at the New Hampton Institute, New Hampton, N. H. Entering the Boston University Law School, he graduated in 1883, was admitted to the bar in July of that year, and at once began the practice of law in Westerly, R. I. After an active practice of three years he became interested in manufacturing at Johnston, R. I., and removed to that place in 1886. For something more than a year he gave but little attention to law practice, the new enterprise in which he was engaged demanding most of his time ; but after getting the business better organized he was able to resume his professional work, and opened a law office in Providence, where he has
had a satisfactory and lucrative practice. The line of business in which he engaged at Johnston was the dyeing and preparing of cotton yarns. In 1890 he organized the firm of Tillinghast, Stiles & Com- pany, incorporated, with himself as President and George E. Tillinghast as Treasurer, and with Walter F. Stiles of Fitchburg also interested. The enter- prise has developed into a large business and the firm is as well-known and ranks as high as any in its line. In 1893 he became the owner of the Phoenix Hosiery Mills, now engaged in manufacturing wool- en yarns and for more than a year past in operation night and day. Pardon S. Peckham, Jr., is associated with him in this business, and is superintendent of the mills. In 1894 he organized the Vermont Manufacturing Company, incorporated, and has since been President of the concern, which is engaged in manufacturing butterine, has a fine plant on Jack- son street, Providence, and is now selling three hundred thousand pounds of its product monthly. In 1893 Mr. Tillinghast also purchased, in company with his father, the Arcadia Village in the town of Richmond - the home of his childhood and his father's place of residence. This purchase included
F. W. TILLINGHAST.
two mills operating ten thousand spindles and manu- facturing print cloths, which have since been steadily running. In 1894 the enterprise was incorporated under the name of the Arcadia Company, with F.
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W. Tillinghast as President. In politics Mr. Till- inghast is a Republican. He was a Representative from Johnston in the State Legislature in 1888-89, declining a renomination, has been Chairman of the Republican Town Committee of Johnston for the past three years, and is Town Solicitor of the town of Johnston, having held the position for three years. He is a member of the Pomham and West Side clubs of Providence. He was married, May 4, 1885, to Miss Grace G. Peckham, daughter of Hon. Thomas C. Peckham of Coventry, R. I. ; they have two children : Carl K. and Leroy L. Tillinghast.
TILLINGHAST, PARDON ELISHA, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island, was born in West Greenwich, R. I., December 10, 1836, son of Rev. John and Susan C. (Avery) Tillinghast. He is a direct descendant in the eighth generation of Elder Pardon Tillinghast, the founder of the Tillinghast family in the United States, who came from Severne-Cliffe, near Beachy Head, England, in 1642, and settled in Providence; he built the first meetinghouse in the town at his own expense, about the year 1700, on the west side of North Main street nearly opposite Star street ; he was a compeer of Roger Williams, a prominent merchant and a most useful and respected citizen. Judge Tillinghast, whose father was pastor of the West Greenwich Baptist Church for forty years, never re- ceiving any salary for his services, received his early education in the public schools of West Greenwich, at Killingly, Conn., and at Hall's Acad- emy, Moosup, Conn. He afterward attended the East Greenwich Academy, the Rhode Island State Normal School, and Potter & Hammond's Commer- cial College in Providence, and later studied Latin with Rev. Mr. Richards of Providence and Hon. Thomas K. King of Pawtucket. At the age of sev- enteen he commenced to teach district schools, " boarding around," in order to earn money to ob- tain an education, and taught for three winters. He obtained his entire education and training without the least financial assistance from anyone. He commenced his active career by teaching school, which profession he followed for seven years, - two years as Principal of the Valley Falls Grammar School, one year as Principal of the Meeting-street Grammar School, Providence, and four years as Principal of the Grove-street Grammar School, Paw- tucket. He studied law with Charles W. Thrasher, Esq., and Hon. Thomas K. King of Pawtucket, and
commenced practice in April 1867, succeeding to the clientage of Hon. Thomas K. King on the lat- ter's appointment as United States Consul at Bel- fast, Ireland. He met with good success as a gen- eral practitioner, but soon turned his attention to municipal law and from 1874 to 1881 was Town Solicitor of Pawtucket. He was a Representative in the General Assembly from Pawtucket for three years and Senator for four years, occupying the position of Chairman of the Judiciary Committee in the latter body. He was Chairman of the Joint Select Committee of the two houses in the Revision
P. E. TILLINGHAST.
of the Statutes in 1872, and was Chairman of the Joint Select Committee on the reception and enter- tainment of President Hayes on the occasion of his visit to Rhode Island, and made the address of welcome. He was elected a Justice of the Supreme Court in June 1881, and served in the Court of Common Pleas until 1891, since which time he has served in the Supreme Court, Appellate Division. His opinions may be found in Rhode Island Re- ports, Vols. 13-19. During the civil war he was a member of the Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers, Colonel Brown, with the rank of Quartermaster- Sergeant, and was honorably discharged on the ex- piration of his term of enlistment. He was con- nected with the state militia from 1862 to 1881, holding the office of Second Lieutenant of Cavalry,
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First Lieutenant and Adjutant of Pawtucket Light Guards, Captain on staff of General Daniels, Colonel and Brigadier-General on staffs of Gover- nors Van Zandt and Littlefield, and was Judge Ad- vocate-General of the State for six years. He has always taken an active part in educational and re- ligious affairs. He served on the School Com- mittee of Pawtucket for a number of years, also as a trustee of the Free Public Library, and has been President of the First Baptist Society of Pawtucket for six years. He has been one of the trustees of the Providence County Savings Bank for eighteen years. In 1890 he received the honorary degree of A. M. from Brown University. He is a member and was at one time President of the Rhode Island Baptist Social Union, and is also a member of the Rhode Island Bar Club and the Pawtucket Business Men's Association. In politics Judge Tillinghast is and always has been a Republican, and was Moder- ator in town meetings in Pawtucket for many years, and in West Greenwich for seven years, commenc- ing at the age of twenty-two. He married, Novem- ber 13, 1867, Miss Ellen F. Paine; they have four children : Alice L., John A., Angeline F. and Frederick W. Tillinghast. John graduated in 1895 from Brown University, and is now in Harvard Law School ; Alice married Ralph R. Clapp in 1893 and lives in London, England.
UTTER, GEORGE HERBERT, editor Westerly Daily Sun, was born July 24, 1854, at Plainfield, N. J., the son of George B. and Mary Starr (Maxson) Utter. His father was born in Oneida county, N. Y., where his father had emigrated from Hopkinton, R. I. His mother's father was John Maxson, a direct descendant of Newport's first settlers ; and her mother was a Starr, the daughter of Jesse Starr of Newport, a Revolutionary soldier, and a grand- daughter of Vine Starr, another Revolutionary soldier. On this branch the line is unbroken to Elder William Brewster, who came in the Mayflower. George H. received his early education in the private schools of Westerly, and for two years in the preparatory department of Alfred University, Alfred, N. Y. Then for two years in the Westerly high school. He entered Amherst College, Mass., and graduated in the class of 1877. He had learned the printer's trade before entering college. and after graduation he became associated with his father and uncle, publishers of the Westerly Weekly. On the death of his uncle in 1886 he became a
member of the firm, and on the death of his father in 1893 sole owner. In August, 1893, he started the Westerly Daily Sun. He has always taken an ac- tive interest in public affairs. He has been a Trustee of School District No. 1, Westerly. He was colonel on the staff of Governor Bourne from 1883 to 1885. He was elected a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives 1885 to 1889 and was Speaker the last year. He was a member of the Senate from 1889 to 1891. He was elected Sec- retary of State in 1891 and re-elected two times,
L
GEO. H. UTTER.
when he declined a renomination. In politics he is a Republican. He married, May 19, 1880, Miss Elizabeth L. Brown of Allston, Mass .; they have children : George Benjamin, Henry Edwin, Mary Starr and Wilfred Brown Utter.
VERNON, GEORGE EDWARD, merchant, Newport, was born in Newport, April 16, 1847, son of George E. and Anne A. (Bradford) Vernon. He was edu- cated in the public schools of his native city and at Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College in Provi- dence, and entered upon mercantile life when under the age of fifteen. From 1861 to 1866 he was en- gaged in the coal business, after which he was in the wholesale grocery business in Chicago for three years, and went to Yankton, now South Dakota,
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engaging in various occupations. Returning in 1875 he entered into the furniture trade with his father. After his father's death in November 1889, he con -. tinued the business with his mother and brother under the firm name of Geo. E. Vernon & Company.
GEO. E. VERNON.
Mr. Vernon was Major of the Newport Light Infantry from 1862 to 1866, and is prominent in Masonry, as well as other fraternal orders. He has served as Master of St. Paul's Lodge A. F. & A. M., was Emi- nent Commander of Washington Commandery Knights Templar in 1895, and is Past Regent of Coronet Council Royal Arcanum and Past Leader of Powell Council Home Circle. He is also a member of Newport Chapter Royal Arch Masons and of De Blois Council Royal and Select Masters, also of the Newport Business Men's Association. In politics he is a Republican. He was married, February 3, 1873, to Miss Harriet Peabody ; they have one child : Susan B. Vernon.
VIALL, NELSON, Warden of the Rhode Island State Prison, was born in Plainfield, Conn., Novem- ber 27, 1827, son of Samuel and Hannah (Shorey) Viall. He is of old Colonial stock. His ancestor, John Viall, came from England to Boston, and is mentioned in the second report of the Record Commissioner to January 11, 1639, when he was
allowed to be an inhabitant, and on June 2, 1641, was made a freeman. His descendants settled in Swansea and Rehoboth, Mass., where they held prominent positions, and served in the Colonial and Revolutionary wars. His mother was a daughter of Col. Abel Shorey of Seekonk, Mass. He received his early education in the common schools, and at the age of fifteen was apprenticed to Hon. Amos C. Barstow, stove manufacturer, Providence, to learn the trade of a moulder. During his appren- ticeship he joined the Providence Artillery Com- pany, now the United Train of Artillery. When the war with Mexico broke out in 1846 he joined the Rhode Island contingent in General Scott's army. He took part in the engagements of Contressa and Chapultepec, where he was wounded in ascending one of the scaling ladders, and in the operation which led to the capture of the city of Mexico. He was twice promoted for meritorious conduct. After the expiration of his service in 1848 he re- turned to Providence, and for about two years was in the employ of the late Thomas J. Hill. In 1850 he went to Bahia, Brazil, to erect and manage an
NELSON VIALL.
iron foundry, and remained there until 1854, when he returned to Providence and resumed his occu- pation as a moulder. When the civil war broke out he was Lieutenant-Colonel of the Providence Artil- lery, and immediately recruited a company, which
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