Biographical Sketch of Alger, Alpheus B.

Alger, Alpheus B., son of Edwin A. and Amanda (Buswell) Alger, was born in Lowell, Middlesex County, October 8, 1854. His early education was accomplished at the public schools of his native place. In the Lowell high school he fitted for college, and was graduated at Harvard with the class of 1875. The same year he entered the Harvard law school, and a year later continued the study of the law in the office of the Hon. Josiah G. Abbott of Boston. He was admitted to the bar in 1877, and began the practice of law in connection with his … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Aldrich, Thomas Bailey

Aldrich, Thomas Bailey, son of Elias T. and Sara (Bailey) Aldrich, was born in Portsmouth, Rockingham County, N. H., November 11, 1836. He received his early education at the common schools in New Orleans, La., and at the Temple grammar school in Portsmouth. He commenced a course of study preparatory to entering college, but having the misfortune, in his fifteenth year, to lose his father, he abandoned that purpose, and entered the counting-room of an uncle, a merchant in New York. Her he remained for three years, and it was during that period that he began to contribute verses to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Aldrich, Samuel Nelson

Aldrich, Samuel Nelson, son of Sylvanus Bucklin and Lucy Jane (Stoddard) Aldrich, was born in Upton, Worcester County, February 3, 1838. His education was conducted at the Worcester and Southington, Conn., academies, and at Brown University, Providence, R. I. Subsequently he taught schools at Upton, Holliston and Worcester, Mass. He entered upon the study of law with Hon. Isaac Davis and E. B. Stoddard, at Worcester, and completed the same at the Harvard law school. In 1863 Mr. Aldrich was admitted to the bar, and then commenced practice at Marlborough. Since 1874 he has kept an office in Boston, though … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Aldrich, P. Emory

Aldrich, P. Emory, was born in New Salem, Franklin County. His ancestors came from England in 1635, residing at first in Dorchester and Braintree, and afterwards settling in Mendon, Worcester County. After obtaining his early education at the public schools, he fitted for college at the Shelburne Falls Academy, and in private study mastered a collegiate education. He studied law while engaged in teaching at the South, and later attended the Harvard law school. In 1845 he was admitted to the bar in Richmond, Va., but the following year returned to Massachusetts, and after studying for six months with Chapman, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Aldrich, James Mott

Aldrich, James Mott, son of Arnold and Dollee Lang Aldrich, was born in Smithfield, Providence County, R. I., October 30, 1817. He attended the common schools and the academy at Union Village. He studied medicine in the office of Dr. J. A. Brown, Providence, R. I., Harvard medical school, and in the Botanic Medical College, Cincinnati, Ohio; and commenced regular practice in Fall River in 1843, in which city he has ever since lived. Dr. Aldrich was married in Dedham, May 24, 1844, to Mary A. Allen, who died in 1857. He was again married, September 23, 1862, to Louisa … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Alden, Lewis

Alden, Lewis, son of Lewis and Abigail (Belcher) Alden, was born in East Randolph, Norfolk County, April 29, 1848. He received a common and high school education. Between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one he worked in the shoe factory of L. F. Wilde & Co. Later, for nearly five years. He worked for Rufus Gibbs & Co., boot and shoe jobbing house, Boston—most of the time in charge of their factory at South Weymouth. He established himself in business in Holbrook, 1878, entering his present factory (boots and shoes) 1885. Mr. Alden was married in Saugus, June 1874, to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Alden, Edmund Kimball

Alden, Edmund Kimball, son of Dr. Ebenezer and Anne (Kimball) Alden, was born in Randolph, Norfolk County, April 11, 1825. He is a lineal descendant in the eighth generation, by two family lines. Of “John” and “Priscilla” of Mayflower fame. After attending the Randolph Academy, he entered Amherst College, where he graduated in 1844; was then a teacher in the Williston Seminary, at Easthampton, for a year, and graduated from the Andover Theological Seminary in 1848, continuing his studies there for a few months as Abbott resident. From 1850 to 1854 Mr. Alden was pastor of the First Church of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Aiken, David Aiken

Aiken, David, son of Phinehas and Elisabeth (Patterson) Aiken, was born at Bedford, Hillsborough County, N. H., June 7, 1804. His early education was obtained in a common district school and at Pembroke Academy, under Mr. John Vose, and at Phillips Academy, Andover, under Mr. John Adams. He entered Dartmouth College, where he was graduated in 1830. He then studied law with Wells & Alvord at Greenfield, Mass., and was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1833; was judge of the court of common pleas from 1856 to ’59. He has been the law partner of Henry Chapman, George Grennell, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Agassiz, Alexander

Agassiz, Alexander, son of Louis and Cecile (Braun) Agassiz, was born in Neufchatel, Switzerland, December 17, 1835. His early educational training was received in the gymnasium of his native place. He came to this country in 1849, after his father, the celebrated naturalist, and entering Harvard College, was graduated there from in the class of 1855. He inherited the tastes of his father, and pursued his studies in the Lawrence scientific school (Harvard) during the years 1857 to ’61 inclusive. In 1859 he was engaged with the United States Coast Survey: in 1861 he was made assistant in the Zoological … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Adams, Marshall

Adams, Marshall, son of John Abigail (Sampson) Adams, was born in Providence, Barnstable County, December 4, 1842. His early educational work was done in the Provincetown schools until 1856. He attended Paul Wing’s Academy, Sandwich, and subsequently Frost Academy, Framingham, and was graduated from the Cotting Academy, Arlington. Mr. Adams was first connected in business with Fairbanks, Adams & Co., Boston, ship brokers. Later on he was with O. D. Witherell, coal dealer, Boston, and with John P. Squire & Co., pork dealers, Boston. From 1865 to 1879 he was a grocer and ice dealer in Providence  He is at the present … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Adams, John Gregory, Bishop

Adams, John Gregory Bishop, son of Isaac and Margaret Adams, was born in Groveland, Essex County, October 6, 1841. He obtained a common school education, and spent the greater part of his boyhood and youth in that locality. In the early summer of 1861 he enlisted in Major Ben; Perley Poore’s rifle battalion, which later became the nucleus of the 19th Massachusetts regiment. He served through the war, rising to the rank of captain. He participated in every march, and was engaged in every battle of the army of the Potomac in which his regiment took part. At Fredericksburg he … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Adams, George Zaccheus

Adams, George Zaccheus, son of Charles and Nancy (Robbins) Adams, was born at Chelmsford, Middlesex County, April 23, 1833. Previous to the age of fourteen he was educated in the public schools of his native town, when he went for one year to the academy at Westford. At the age of sixteen he went to Phillips Academy, Andover, where he remained three years, and at which institution he was prepared for college. Graduating from Phillips Academy in 1852, he entered Harvard, where he graduated in 1856, and then came to Boston and entered the office of Mr. Oliver Stevens, the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Adams, George A.

Adams, George A., son of Gardner and Eunice R. (Darling) Adams, was born in Springfield, Hampden County, April 3, 1850. His early education was received in the public schools of Franklin, and in the private high school at Walpole. He fitted college in Dean Academy, Franklin, and entered Tufts in the class of 1873, but was unable to complete the course on account of a servere accident received in college. He taught school two years under Prof. L. L. Burrington, Goddard Seminary, Barre, Vt.; studied law and was admitted to the bar, May 8, 1873, at Dedham, Norfolk county; began … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Adams, Charles R.

Adams, Charles R., son of Charles and Eliza Ann Adams, was born in Charlestown, Middlesex County, February 10, 1834. His early education was received at the grammar school, Charlestown, and at Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham. He early developed musical talents, and his first teacher of vocal music was Mr. Edwin Bruce of Boston, then afterwards Mme. Arnoult, and for a number of years his voice was frequently heard in the concert halls of Boston and vicinity. During several years he sustained the tenor roles in the oratorio performance of the Handel and Haydn Society, to the satisfaction of the public, upon … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Adams, Charles Follen

Adams, Charles Follen, son of Ira and Mary Elizabeth (Senter) Adams, was born in Dorchester, Norfolk County, April 21, 1842. He was the youngest but one of ten children, and has now five sisters and three brothers living. He received a common school education, and leaving the grammar school in Dorchester at fifteen years of age, went as a boy into the well-known house of N. D. Whitney & Co., Boston, to learn the business. He was afterwards salesman in the same house, then went into business for himself with John D. Clapp, under the firm name of J. D. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Abbot, Francis Ellingwood

Abbot, Francis Ellingwood, son of Joseph Hale and Fanny (Larcom) Abbot, was born in Boston, November 6, 1836. His early education was obtained at home, and in the Boston public Latin school. Fitting for college, he entered Harvard in 1855, and was graduated with the class of 1859. He spent three years in the Harvard divinity school and Meadville (Pa.) Theological Seminary. It is a fitting tribute to the mother of the subject of this sketch that he has filially attributed his best education to her early training and blessed influence. Mr. Abbot was principal of the Meadville (Pa.) Female … Read more

1000 Massachusetts Biographies

The aim of this manuscript was to provide biographical sketches of 1,000 of the representative citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, who in different parts of the state were engaged in professional practice, mercantile, agricultural and industrial pursuits. These specific citizens were elected for this honor by the author as he felt they controlled the destinies of future finance and trade in the state, and gave Massachusetts her proud pre-eminence in Philanthropy, Literature, Science and Commercial prosperity. This collection at AccessGenealogy.com only contains the first 36 of such biographies. It is a work in progress, so please check back frequently. … Read more