Amherst Massachusetts

Descendants of John Sanford of Taunton, MA

The town of Taunton, which included within its original boundaries the neighboring village of Berkley, has been the home of a branch of the Sanford family for about two hundred years. This Berkley-Taunton branch of the family, in the line of Capt. Joseph Sanford, an active patriot of the Revolution, has been more or less eminent in professional life. Four of the sons of Capt. Joseph Sanford were college graduates and ministers of the gospel; and several of their posterity have followed the learned professions. One of the grandsons of Capt. Joseph was the late Hon. John Elliott Sanford, of Taunton, lawyer, legislator, railroad commissioner, etc., who at the time of his death was characterized by the local paper as Taunton’s “first citizen.”

Biography of Hon. Theodore L. Stiles

HON. THEODORE L. STILES. – Honorable Theodore L. Stiles was born at Medway, Clarke county, Ohio, July 12, 1848, and was the only child of Daniel J. and Marie S. Stiles. His mother’s maiden name was Lamme; and she, too, was a native of the same county as her son. Mr. Stiles’ father was born of German and English parents, in Danplin county, Pennsylvania. His mother’s family were emigrants from Virginia in 1809. Until the age of sixteen, he remained at his birthplace, which was a small interior farming village. But, his mother having died in 1863, his father removed … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James Humphrey Hoyt

Hoyt, James Humphrey; lawyer; born, Cleveland, Nov. 10, 1852; son of James Madison and Mary Ella Bebee Hoyt; educated, public schools, Hudson Academy, one year Western Reserve University, two years Amherst College, graduated, Brown University in 1874, graduated, Harvard Law School, LL. B. 1877; married, June 17, 1884, Jessie P. Taintor; issue, one daughter, Katherine Boardman and one son Elton II.; formed law partnership with H. S. Sherman, firm name, Sherman & Hoyt; later Willey, Sherman & Hoyt, and then Sherman, Hoyt & Sherman, Hoyt & Dustin; now firm name is Hoyt, Dustin, Kelly, McKeehan & Andrews; gives attention to … Read more

David Todd of Charlemont MA

David Todd6, (Titus5, Titus4, Benjamin3, Michael2, Christopher1) born March 17, 1807, died in 1880, married Dec. 1, 1831, Clarissa Bradford of Williamsburg, Mass., who was born Sept. 15, 1808, died in 1884. She was in the sixth generation in direct line from Governor Bradford of the Mayflower and Plymouth Colony. He was a Methodist Clergyman and as to his pastorates, his son, Stephen Olin Todd says: “soon after he began preaching he was located at Winchendon, Mass.; thence to Haddam or Haddam Neck, Conn., about 1834, he went next to Hebron, Conn., in 1836, later he was at Londenderry and … Read more

Holman Family of Attleboro Massachusetts

Samuel Morey Holman

For something more than two centuries the Holman family of which the Attleboro Holmans are a branch has been identified with the history of this Commonwealth, and for half of that period the Holmans have been people of distinction in the town just named, closely identified with its social, religious, educational and business life. The progenitor of this Massachusetts Holman family, Solomon Holman, with his brother John, is said to have come from the Bermuda Islands to Newburyport, the family tradition being that the Holman family came from Wales to the Bermuda Islands some time between 1670 and 1690; that the two named were seized by a press-gang and brought to this country and escaped from a British ship at Newburyport; that John, the youngest, went to North Carolina and Solomon settled in Newbury. Coffin’s Newbury says Solomon Holman and wife came there about 1693 or 1694.

Biographical Sketch of Thomas P. Ballard

Ballard, Thomas P.; real estate; born, Canton, O., Apr. 27, 1854; son of Martin and Sophia Ball Ballard; educated, A. B. Amherst College, 1876 and A. M. 1879; married, Columbus, O., Jan. 20, 1886, Isabella Clerk (deceased) ; one son, Clifford B. Ballard; married, Cambridge, Mass., Aug. 29, 1907, Frances Anne Keay; one son, Hyde Whitcomb Ballard; 1877-79, supt. schools Navarre, O.; 1879-80, prin. Unadilla N. Y. Academy; 1880-90, agt. for Ginn & Co. of Boston at Columbus, O.; 1890, admitted as partner of Ginn & Co., 1892-99, Chicago office of Ginn & Co.; 1899-1906, social and settlement worker, Philadelphia; … Read more

Biography of Herbert Emerson Holden

HERBERT EMERSON HOLDEN, manufacturer of window frames and house finishings in North Amherst, Massachusetts, was born June 29, 1880, in Shutesbury, Massachusetts. The name he bears, Holden, Holdin, Holding, or Houlding, is of ancient and distinguished quality in England. It was a place name doubtless. Coats-of-arms are borne by various branches of the family. Richard Holden, immigrant ancestor of the family in America, was born in England in 1609, and came to this country in the ship “Francis,” sailing from Ipswich, England, April 30, 1634, and settling first at Ipswich, Massachusetts, where he owned land. Justinian, his brother, born in … Read more

Biography of Gracia Maria Peirce

GRACIA MARIA PEIRCE-The Peirce family, at least that branch of it which has been indigenous to New England soil for nearly three centuries, is believed to have descended from John Pers, who came from Norwich, Norfolk County, England, to New England in 1637, being accompanied by his wife, Elizabeth and their four children. They made the voyage either on the “John and Dorothy” of Norwich or the “Rose” of Yarmouth. A register of certain emigrants to New England has the following item: “April the 8th, 1637. The examination of John Pers, of Norwich, weaver, aged 49 years, and his wife, … Read more

Wright Family of Boston, MA

WRIGHT. The family of this name is an early Boston family, which through marriage is allied with some of the historic families of New England, among them those of Adams, Winslow and Wentworth. We give herewith an outline of the earlier generations, beginning with the first ancestor in this country. (I) Richard Wright, born about 1607, died in Plymouth, Mass., June 9, 1691. In 1644 he married Hester Cook, and they had children: Adam, Esther and Mary. (II) Adam Wright, born about 1644, died Sept. 20, 1724. He was twice married, having by his first wife, Sarah (Soule), two children, … Read more

Biography of James E. Mack

James E. Mack, Public Administrator of San Bernardino County, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in November 1848, and resided there until twelve years of age. At the breaking out of the war in 1861 he enlisted in the Fourteenth Massachusetts Infantry, serving ninety days as drummer boy. On the expiration of his term he re-enlisted in the Twenty-seventh Massachusetts Infantry for three years, but his mother prevented him being mustered in. In the fervor of his youthful patriotism he determined to try again, and enlisted in the United States Naval Marine Corps, but was again prevented from entering the service … Read more

Stockbridge School of Agriculture Yearbooks 1921-2002

Stockbridge School of Agriculture Shorthorn Yearbook Cover for 1921

The Stockbridge School of Agriculture was founded as part of the Massachusetts Agricultural College (now University of Massachusetts Amherst) in 1918. The University of Massachusetts at Amherst digitized 73 of the yearbooks covering the years of 1921-2002. The yearbook during this period was known as the “Shorthorn” and “Stosag”. Yearbooks provide a window into student life. From sports teams to clubs, fashions to hairstyles, these volumes document the changing attitudes and culture of college students year by year.