USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Springfield > History of the town of Springfield, Vermont : with a genealogical record > Part 41
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(1). Richard B., b. March 22, 1894.
2. Pearl, b. in Springfield, Feb. 14, 1879.
IX. Henry L., b. in Springfield, June 14, 1846; d. Dec. 3, 1853.
SAMUEL TAYLOR, son of Jonas and Hannah (-) Taylor, was b. in Wind- sor, Vt., June 19, 1799.
His parents moved to Springfield in 1801. He became a large landowner and believed in sheep. He kept a large flock, some years shearing more than one thousand. He was also an extensive contractor of stone work and built
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
more cellar walls and bank walls than any other man of his time in this section. He was prominent in business affairs, and in the interests of educa- tion and the church.
He was one of the board of trustees appointed by the Methodist Conference for the establishment of Springfield Wesleyan Seminary, and was always an earnest supporter of the institution.
When the question of building a meeting-house came up in the Methodist society, they could not get money enough subscribed, and were about to give it up, when Mr. Taylor offered to furnish the money and run his risk of getting his pay from the sale of the pews.
The new church was built in 1843, and he was chairman of the building com- mittee, and the society was largely indebted to him for the success of the en- terprise. The stone for the building were taken from a quarry on his farm.
He m. 1st, Dec. 25, 1822, Maria White. Ch. :
I. Pliny White, b. March 16, 1826; m. in 1848, Julia Leland of Land- grove, Vt. Ch .:
1. Ella, b. July, 1849.
2. Jennie. b. in 1857; d. in 1859.
II. Hannah B., b. June 21, 1827 ; d. Nov. 12, 1851.
III. John White, b. July 25, 1828. He was for many years engaged in the meat business and in marketing cattle. He d. in Charlestown, N. H., in February, 1882. He m. March 8, 1852, Phebe A. Hitchcock, daughter of Russell and Laura (Chaffee) Hitchcock of Westminster, Vt. Ch. :
1. Cora L., b. May 27, 1854.
2. Harry K., b. April 18, 1868; d. Sept. 10, 1869.
3. John White, b. Sept. 10, 1871.
IV. Emily White, b. March 13, 1830; m. Ist, Charles Rice of Chester, who d. in 1853. She m. 2d, Lewis G. Fisher, b. in Springfield, May 24, 1828.
V. James M., b. April 18, 1832. He was for several years in the meat business in Springfield, afterward moved to Waltham, Mass., where he is an extensive provision dealer. He m. Sept. 2, 1857, Mary E. Leonard, daughter of Eli and Clarissa (Ward) Leonard of Weathers- field. Ch .:
1. Walter R., b. in Springfield, July 30, 1858.
2. Mary L., b. in Charlestown, N. H., July 31, 1861.
3. Grace Agnes, b. in Waltham, Mass., March 18, 1880.
VI. Martha Maria, b. March 16, 1834; m. Nov. 9, 1855, Samuel S. Hall of Lancaster, N. H .; moved to Montreal and afterwards to Rockport, Ill. Seven children.
VII. Gracia Ann, b. June 10, 1835 ; m. July 6, 1859, Cornelius C. LaFarge; res. in Rockport, Ill. Seven children.
VIII. Achsa B., b. April 18, 1837; m. Henry W. Rowell, of Waterford, Vt. Mr. Rowell was for a number of years editor of the Littleton Jour- nal, Littleton, N. H. They moved to Illinois.
IX. Sarah Elizabeth, b. Jan. 31, 1839; m. February, 1861, Charles Hodgman of Littleton, N. H. Four children. She d. Jan. 9. 1892.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
Maria (White) Taylor, wife of Samuel, d. Feb. 18, 1852. He m. 2d, Mrs. Sarah Farrington of Chester, Vt. He d. April 5, 1867.
WILLIAM THAYER was b. in Rockingham, Vt., Jan. 17, 1790. He learned the tanner's trade of a Mr. Geer, who lived on the road from Rockingham to Springfield, and for more than twenty years he had a tannery and manufac- tured boots and shoes on Parker Hill. Afterwards he moved to his father's farm, now occupied by Lewis Albee.
He was a man of much ability, represented the town in the State Legisla- ture in 1829, 1830 and 1831, and held other offices in town. He had two wives : 1st, Eunice Field, 2d, Susan Joslin, both of Surry, N. HI. There were seven children by the last marriage.
AARON LELAND THOMPSON was b. in Chester, Vt., May 8, 1802. He was descended from an old colonial family, being the seventh generation from James Thompson of Charlestown and Woburn, Mass., who came from Eng- land to this country with Gov. Winthrop in 1630.
In early childhood Mr. Thompson came to Springfield, living with his sister, Mrs. Abigail Thompson Damon, until eighteen years of age. He then went to Massachusetts, residing in Concord and Boston until 1833, when he returned to Springfield, where, with the exception of two years, 1846-1848, spent in Windsor, Vt., he remained until his death, which occurred Feb. 6, 1867. He was a merchant, associated first with the Hon. Russell Burke and subsequently with Benjamin F. Dana, Esq. ; also a director of the Ascutney Bank of Windsor, Vt., and of the Exchange Bank of Springfield. He was an active member of the Congregational church, a man prominent in all good works, and highly esteemed by the community in which he lived.
Aaron Leland Thompson m. Randilla Weston of Springfield, July 5, 1830. The only child by this marriage was Horace Weston, b. March 3, 1834. The widow of Aaron Leland Thompson survived him eighteen years, living with her son in Westminster, Vt. She d. in 1895.
HORACE WESTON THOMPSON, the only child of Aaron Leland Thompson, was b. in Springfield, Vt., March 3, 1834. His boyhood was spent on his father's farm, and he was educated at the old Springfield Wesleyan Seminary, then under the administration of Profs. Wood and Blair. After becoming of age he spent three years as a clerk in Boston, and then returned to Springfield, where he became an active merchant, being associated from 1859 to 1862 with Charles K. Labarce and Benjamin T. Lombard, and from 1862 to 1867 with Charles K. Labaree. He was also engaged with Franklin P. Ball from 1864 to 1869 in the manufacture of scythe snaths and the sale of agricultural imple- ments. In 1869 the firm of Ball & Thompson was succeeded by the Vermont Snath Co., and Mr. Thompson became treasurer of the corporation. In 1871 he removed to Charlestown, N. H., where he lived until 1875, when he removed to Bellows Falls, Vt., and was associated with Albert Derby in the manufacture of snaths. In 1882 he became a member of the firm of Moore, Arms & Thomp- son, paper manufacturers, Bellows Falls, Vt. Changed to The Moore & Thomp- son Paper Co., Dec. 1, 1892.
Mr. Thompson m. Georgiana Moscley, Dec. 4, 1865. The children by this marriage werc, Henry Rumford, b. in Springfield, Vt., Sept. 30, 1866; and
AARON LELAND THOMPSON.
HORACE WESTON THOMPSON.
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
Frederick Leland, b. in Charlestown, N. H., April 21, 1872. Mr. Thompson's present residence is in Westminster, Vt.
JOHN SKINNER THOMPSON was a twin son of Dr. James Thompson, who came from Edinburgh, Scotland, and settled in Hartford, Conn., where he practised medicine. His wife was Mary Skinner. John S. was b. in Hartford, and came to Springfield about 1792 with David Seymour and Samuel M. Lewis. He m. Betsey Brown, daughter of Elisha and Huldah (Bates) Brown. Ch. :
I. Sarah Brown, b. May 7, 1797; she began to work out as dressmaker and seamstress at the age of twelve, and continued to work at her trade until nearly eighty years of age. She was noted for her in- dustry and thrift, and she contributed to the support of her father in his old age, and other members of the family who needed assist- ance. She d. in Springfield, where she had always lived, respected by every one.
II. Menzies A., b. March 25, 1799; m. Huldah Selden, daughter of Deacon Joseph and IFuldah (Bates) Selden, and moved to Weathersfield. He was killed by a falling tree. Five children. Helen m. C. B. Bige- low, and for several years lived in Springfield. Hattie E. was also a resident of this town.
III. Elisha S., b. April 28, 1801; m. Jan. 11, 1829, Ann H. Richardson of Acton Mass .; d. March 22, 1848; res. in Springfield twenty years after marriage, then moved to Landgrove. Ch. :
1. Elisha Edward, b. Nov. 10, 1829.
2. James Skinner, b. Dec. 13, 1831.
3. Menzies Alex., b. Oct. 20, 1833.
4. Martha Ann, b. Aug. 19, 1836.
5. Leonard Richardson, b. Dec. 8, 1839.
6. Lucia, b. Jan. 4, 1841.
7. John Allen, b. Dec. 18, 1845.
8. Henry Albert, b. June 19, 1848. Elisha S. d. in Landgrove, March 22, 1848.
IV. James Bates, b. May 21, 1803.
JAMES BATES THOMPSON, LL. D.
The death is announced of James Bates Thompson, LL. D., who has been for some time suffering from a painful illness. He died at the residence of his son-in-law, the Hon. John H. Burtis, 121 Quincy Street, on Friday, the 22d inst., and the funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at the same place. Dr. Thompson was born in Springfield, Vt., where, as was the custom with Green Mountain boys, he worked on his father's farm during the spring and summer, and attended the district school winters. At the age of sixteen he commenced teaching, and from that day to his death he was deeply interested in the cause of popular education. After determining to secure for himself a liberal education, he entered Chester Academy, and amid the discouragements of poverty he struggled on, alternating between the school and farm as best he could. At length he was enabled to enter Yale College, from which he graduated with honor in 1834. Remaining a year after graduation to take lectures of Profs. Silliman and Olmstead, he accepted an invitation to take
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
charge of a collegiate school in Nantucket, Mass., where he remained seven years, and then removed to Auburn, N. Y., the home of Capt. Wm. H. Coffin, whose daughter Mary he had married.
The first mathematical effort of his life was the abridgment of President Day's Algebra. President Day intrusted this work to him, and his algebra was rewritten and adapted to public schools and academies, known as " Thomp- son's Day's Algebra." This work gave Prof. Thompson such a reputation that in the following year he was selected to conduct the mathematical de- partment in the first teachers' institute ever held in this State and probably the first in the world.
In 1840 Dr. Thompson removed to New York for the purpose of publishing and introducing his series of mathematics, then in course of publication. His first book, "Practical Arithmetic," became for years the leading text-book in mathematics in the public schools of New York City and throughout the States. From that time to his death his pen has never been idle. He has written upwards of twenty mathematical books, including algebras, geometry, the metric system, etc. His latest and his best work is " Commercial Arith- metic," now going through the press, the manuscript for which he had en- tirely completed prior to his late and fatal illness.
Dr. Thompson was a man of rare mental ability and varied scientific culture, and was deeply interested in all movements looking to the culture and devel- opment of true manhood. For many years he was a member of the Board of Managers of the New York Sunday School Union, and assisted in the early organization of mission schools in that city. In 1853 he received the degree of LL. D. from Hamilton College, and in 1881 from the University of T'ennes- see. He was a classmate of the late Rev. Dr. Budington, and for sixteen years was a member of the Clinton Avenue Congregational Church. - From the Brooklyn Daily Times.
V. Merail, b. Oct. 3, 1805; m. George Jenkins of Springfield. (See Jen- kins family.)
TOWER FAMILY.
ISAAC TOWER, the first of the name to settle in Springfield, came from Cohasset, Mass., in 1778. At the same time there came to the town at least two others who became influential citizens, - Dea. Phineas Bates and Shubael Whitcomb. It is supposed that Mr. Tower settled at first near the mouth of Black River, but he, like many another early settler, showed preference for the hills and rugged places, either building their homes on the top or on the side of some formidable steep; and so we find that afterward he sought an eminence on which to found his home. His farm of later years may have included the first, for his land touched Black River. He was a carpenter by trade, and the story of his own experience during the famous Dark Day, which found him shingling his barn, is well known and often repcated by his grand and great-grandchildren.
He had two wives, both named Elizabeth, and was the father of eleven children.
Elizabeth Stoddard was his first wife, and mother of his children. She died in 1812, aged 57.
GEO. N. WALKER & CO. BOSTON
a- Fordere Tower.
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
The second Elizabeth died in 1828, at the age of 59.
He d. Jan. 5, 1827. Ch. :
I. Mercy, m. - Spencer.
II. Abraham, b. in 1781; d. June 16, 1857; m. Ist, Bethia Field. She d. Sept. 11, 1839. He m. 2d, Almira Holt. She d. Oct. 7, 1874, aged 84 years. Ch. all by 1st wife :
1. Luther, d. in New Orleans.
2. Ibrook, res. in Michigan.
3. Abraham, m. Nancy L. Thornton. She d. in Springfield. He d. in Mobile, Ala. Ch. :
(1). Pliny, res. in California.
(2). Frank, res. in California.
(3). Charles, res. in Mobile, Ala.
(4). Annette, d. young.
(5). Ellen, d. young.
(6). Anna, res. in California.
(7). Abby, m. Junius Perkins ; res. in Springfield.
4. Amantha, m. Henry Bisbee ; res. in California.
5. Sarah, d. in Michigan.
6. Pliny, d. in Mississippi.
7. Jane, m. Dr. William Hazelton; d. iu California.
8. Isaac, res. in Uuion City, Mich.
9. John, b. Nov. 14, 1819; d. in Springfield, May 6, 1850. He m. Jan. 1, 1845, Tila O. Eaton, daughter of Asa and Deborah (Marble) Eaton.
10. Jacob, d. in California.
III. Isaac, m. Susannah Field; d. in Grand Rapids, Mich.
IV. Elizabeth, m. Capt. Hugh Smith ; d. in Springfield, June 10, 1858.
V. Nancy, m. Noah Safford. (See Safford sketch.)
VI. Sally, m. Samuel Shattuck.
VII. Stoddard, b. June 7, 1792; d. March 21, 1868.
He was the youngest of the three sons of Isaac who grew to man- hood, but he was chosen by his father to remain at home and be the support of his declining years. This he reluctantly did, for during his early manhood he had, by making brick, accumulated quite a sum of money, with which he intended to start out in life.
All plans were made by himself and a young friend for going to the theu far West and there settle. That wilderness of the west is the present populous city of Rochester, N. Y. But at the earnest and tearful solicitation of his father he was induced to give up his cherished plaus. By this the town gained two who became useful and prominent citizens ; for the other young man gave up the pro- posed journey also and remained in the town of his birth. This was Noah Safford.
Stoddard now became the active head of his father's family, bearing the burdens and responsibilities of his position with cheerfulness. He was a man of indomitable energy and perseverance, a good and honored citizen, a stanch supporter of the church, of the temper-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
ance cause, and of all good public enterprises. He was as bold an agitator during the anti-slavery excitement as Garrison himself, and if need had been, would have suffered as he did in the cause ; but his duties as a private citizen were uever neglected. He was one of the best farmers in town.
His maxim was one of Poor Richard's. He never said, " Go, boys," but it was, " Come, boys," and the work was done. No weeds were allowed to go to seed on his farm. His house and barns were al- ways in perfect repair. He was never too old to plant a fruit or shade tree.
When past middle life he sold one half of his farm and the old home- stead, and built a new house, which had all the conveniences and appointments of the day.
To the older generation of Springfield the white colonial house a mile and a half from the village on the Weathersfield road will always be known as the Tower place, whatever be the name of its owner. The house with the noble elm iu frout and its fine background of wooded hills is a conspicuous object iu the landscape.
Hem. Sally Bates, daughter of Dea. Phineas Bates, who d. Oct. 28, 1839.
He m. for his 2d wife Esther, also daughter of Dea. Bates; she d. Oct. 3, 1851.
His children by his first marriage were :
1. Sarah Bates, m. John G. Crombie; she d. in Michigan.
2. Elizabeth Stoddard, m. Samuel Turner Manson; res. in Boston.
3. Grace, m. Chas. Beuuett of Richmoud, Va. She d. August, 1879.
4. Isaac Stoddard, lived for a time in Bostou, but moved to Rich- mond, Va., to engage in the manufacture and sale of agricultu- ral implements in company with his cousin, II. M. Smith, whose daughter he married. He d. Jan. 30, 1892.
5. Abby Lincoln, res. iu St. Louis, Mo.
6. Jane Smiley, res. in Boston.
7. Henrietta Brigham, res. iu Bostou ; d. May 5, 1867.
By second marriage :
8 .. Elleu Bates, m. Chas. Caldwell; res. iu Iowa.
9. Mary Nichols, m. Fred T. Aruold ; res. in Portland, Ore.
Before the family scattered to the South and West the homestead was the centre of a pleasant hospitality and the scene of mauy merry gatherings.
It was an easy matter to fill the house with cousins, for they included the Smith, Safford, Chipman, Cook, Bates, Whipple, Ellis, and Spencer families of first cousins.
At Thanksgiving the festivities lasted three days, - oue day for uncles and auuts, oue for the Tower cousins, aud one for the Bates cousins.
No turkey in these days equals in flavor those roasted in the "tin kitchen " before au opeu fireplace in that house.
The eutertainmeuts given in barn or attic had Grace for author, manager, and leading lady. The fun sometimes became so uoisy and lasted so long thatthe head of the house had to call a halt that the elders might get their needed rest.
F. V.A. Townsend
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
For nearly sixty years Mr. Tower held offices of trust and responsibility in the town of his birth.
Late in life he married Laura Sawyer Hurd.
VIII. Rachel, m. Davis Bates. (See Bates family.)
IX. Theoda, m. Daniel A. Gill. (See Gill family.)
X. Amelia, d. young.
XI. Daniel, d. young.
FREDERIC V. A. TOWNSHEND, son of William and Hannah G. (Bigelow) Townshend, was b. in Reading, Vt., April 9, 1824. He came to this town in 1861, and entered into partnership with F. B. Gilman, for the manufacture of improved lathes for turning lasts, hat-blocks, and other irregular forms.
He m. Jan. 2, 1851, Aurelia K. Royce, daughter of Samuel and Lucy (Wat- kins) Royce. Ch. :
I. Ervin A., b. Dec. 25, 1851; m. Oct. 21, 1875, Minnie E. Duquet of Lowell, Mass. They live in Sioux City, Ia.
II. Amasa W., b. Feb. 25, 1857 ; fitted for college at Meriden, N. H., and graduated at Dartmouth with honors in 1878. He studied law . with A. M. Allbe of Springfield, was admitted to the bar in Mus- catine, Ia., and practised in his profession at Lemars, Ia., five years, when he removed to Labanon, N. H., where he is now in practice. He m. Dec. 27, 1882, Nellie Storrs of Lebanon, N. H., and they have three children.
III. Mary A., b. May 7, 1868; educated at Springfield High School and St. Johnsbury Academy; m. Sept. 4, 1889, Bertrand D. Bowen; res. in Springfield.
Mr. Townshend d. July 20, 1893.
FRANKLIN F. TRESCOTT, son of William and Susanna (Dunklee) 'Trescott, was b. in Chittenden, Vt., April 8, 1816; m. Ist, Phebe Woodard; she d. in 1856 ; he m. 2d, Lucy L. (Whitcomb) Dugan, daughter of Joshua F. and Sally (Bennett) Whitcomb. Ch. by 1st marriage.
I. Jennette A., b. May 11, 1844; d. May 11, 1858.
II. Susan L., b. March 6, 1842; d. July 4, 1861.
III. Frank H., b. Sept. 20, 1847; d. March 24, 1864.
By 2d marriage :
IV. Addie P., b. April 11, 1858; d. March 14, 1863.
GEORGE U. TROTTER, son of John and Catharine (Roash) Trotter, was b. in Boston, July 18, 1854 ; m. Oct. 20, 1871, Lulu M. Howe, daughter of Henry F. and Julia (Whitcomb) Howe. Ch. :
I. Edna M., b. Oct. 4, 1882.
II. Minnie B., b. Aug. 4, 1885.
FRED F. TROTTER, son of John and Catharine (Roash) Trotter, was b. in Unity, N. H., Feb. 29, 1856; m. April 29, 1880, Ellen Rumrill. Ch. :
I. Eddie, b. Feb. 22, 1881.
JOHN I. VAN ORNAM, son of Jacob and Catharine (Morse) Van Ornam, was b. in Albany, N. Y., Jan. 31, 1837; member of Co. I, 13th Vermont Volun-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
teers. He m. May 1, 1867, Maria L. Whitcomb, daughter of William L. and Matilda L. (Kirk) Whitcomb. Ch. :
I. Marian E., b. Aug. 20, 1873.
GEORGE H. VITTUM, son of Asahel and Hannah (Cram) Vittum was b. at Hartland, Vt., Dec. 7, 1849; m. April 22, 1874, Hattie E. Wood; she d. April 29, 1893. Ch. :
I. Edna M., b. May 7, 1876; d. in infancy.
II. Etta L., b. Dec. 12, 1878.
III. Adin L., b. Aug. 8, 1880.
OSCAR E. WAIT, son of Edmund and Hannah (Wilson) Wait, was b. in Fairfax, Vt., Dec. 13, 1840 ; m. April 10, 1866, Julia M. Whipple. Ch. :
I. Carrie V., b. July 18, 1868, at Cromwell, Conn.
II. Emily E., b. Sept. 12, 1870, at Bristol, Conn.
III. Henry Wilson, b. Oct. 17, 1872, at Rockland, Mass. ; d. Oct. 12, 1879.
IV. Gertie R., b. Nov. 23, 1873, at Lynn, Mass. ; d. Jan. 23, 1879.
V. Helen, b. April 19, 1881, at Holyoke, Mass.
VI. Reuben O., b. Nov. 15, 1883, at Springfield.
CYRUS WARD, son of William and Rebecca (Boynton) Ward, was b. in Plain- field, N. H., April 2, 1830; m. Martha W. Thornton, daughter of Salmon and Ro- setta M. (Earle) Thornton.
JOHN WARD.
JOHN WARD was b. in Westminster, Mass., Feb. 4, 1821; moved to Vermont in 1826, and lived in West Windsor till 1840; graduated at Dartmouth College in the class of 1847; read law at Woodstock, Vt., in the of- fices of Tracy & Converse and Collamer & Barrett, and was admitted to practise in Windsor County in 1849. Settled in Springfield in 1850, and practised law there for the nine years follow- ing, and then moved to De- troit, Mich., where he has been in active practice since. When he settled in Spring- field, the late Judges Porter and Closson had been the established attorneys in the place for many years, with whom he quickly cultivated
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
friendly relations, aud soon took part with or iu opposition to one or both of them in nearly all the litigation of the vicinity. He m. in 1856, Lucia Ann Walker, daughter of Leonard Walker, one of the early settlers of the town, and an active participator in its business and political affairs. He was elected State Attorney in 1856 and in 1857. During his practice in Springfield the Court House at Woodstock was burned and a new one built, and Mr. Ward conducted the first case tried in the new building, that of Taylor vs. Town of Springfield, a case which excited much interest in town at the time. While a resident of Springfield he acquired much of the good will and coufidence of the citizens, and has maintained continuous business relations with many of them since.
AMBROSE WARFIELD was b. iu Meudon, Mass., March 1, 1816. In the early fifties he went to Perkinsville, Vt., where he worked in the cotton mill of Whitton & Call. In 1865 he came to Springfield and worked for J. C. Holmes & Co. in the manufacture of cotton warps, until his death, Aug. 3, 1888. He m. Dec. 4, 1838, Eliza Warner of Millbury, Mass. She d. Feb. 7, 1881. Ch. :
I. Emma A., b. Oct. 26, 1852; m. May 2, 1882, Adelbert M. Nichols of Claremont, N. H.
II. Fred T., b. March 24, 1856; m. July 29, 1882, Dora Sutherland.
III. Charles P., b. Aug. 15, 1861; m. Aug. 15, 1882, Alida Safford. He d. Sept. 4, 1884.
EPHRAIM WALKER was b. in Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Mass., July 22, 1772.
His father, Benjamin Walker, was captain of a company of "minute-men," in the eventful spring and summer of 1775.
One morning, soou after the re-enforcement of the British army iu Boston, Capt. Walker received orders to march at once. The little Ephraim, not then three years old, was lifted upon a table, drawn in front of a window fac- ing the village common, to watch the gathering of the patriots. The scenes of that morning hour, together with the accompanying traditions treasured later, were distinctly remembered, and ofteu repeated to the latest hour of his long life.
"The old parson," he used to say, "came out on the common, and said, ' Captain, sha'n't I go to prayer with your men?' 'No, parsou,' my father said, ' you can pray for us as we go along, for may be they ueed us there now.'"
A few days later, in the battle of Bunker Hill, the brave captain had his thigh shattered by a cannon ball, and was taken to the prison at Boston, where he died after six weeks of suffering.
His wife, with an infant iu her arms, made her perilous way to the prison door, only to be refused the privilege of seeing her wounded husband.
When seven years old he was "bound out " to a well-to-do farmer in his native town. Even at that early age he began to display the courage and reso- lution that became marked traits in his manhood. On going home from school one summer afternoon, he found the above-mentioned farmer talking with his mother. "Ephraim," said she, "this gentleman came to see if I had any boys
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
to put out. I tell him I think you are too young yet. Do you think you would like to go and live with him?" The boy looked up into the man's face search- ingly for a moment, then answered. "Yes, mother, I'll go." " Well then," said his mother, " I will make you some clothes and buy you a new hat, and if the man has a mind to come for you in three or four weeks, you may go and try it."
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