Franklin County MA

Biography of Albert Arthur Jarvis

ALBERT ARTHUR JARVIS-Among the Western Massachusetts men who have provided by means of commodious garages and repair stations of the most upto-date type for the great demands of the automobile business of the present hour, and who are also thus looking out for the future increase of the business, Mr. Jarvis has made a wise selection for the enterprise on these lines that he has established at Greenfield. He has business attainments of a first-class order, and has had a training and experience as a machinist with concerns of long establishment in this part of the State, and is eminently … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Newell Bigelow

Newell Bigelow, a native of Conway, Mass., came to Stowe with his father, J. B. Bigelow, in February, 1841. His father died here, in September, 1879, aged seventy-nine years.

Biography of Edgar Marvin Graves

EDGAR MARVIN GRAVES, born and reared in the town of Greenfield, is working his way to fame as a business man of this town. More often than otherwise the young man will leave his native hearth to seek his fortune in a larger town or city, when, if he had used his eyes he would have seen opportunity beckoning him at his very door. This was not the case with Edgar M. Graves, however, for he saw opportunities in his own town and made use of them until today he is recognized as the owner of a prosperous electrical business. … Read more

Biography of J. Herbert L. Smead

J. HERBERT L. SMEAD – A well known figure in business circles in Erving, and in social and civic interests in Orange, is J. Herbert L. Smead, whose lifelong activities have been of a practical nature and whose present success as the manager of the Heywood-Wakefield Company in Erving, places him among the thoroughly outstanding men of the day. Mr. Smead is a son of J. Henry Smead, who died, March 17, 1924, at the age of eighty-five years and who throughout the greater part of his lifetime was an employee of the New Bedford Post Office. The mother, Sarah … Read more

Solomon Todd of Charlemont MA

Solomon Todd6, (Solomon5, James4, James3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born Aug. 31, 1811, died July 15, 1902, married about 1837, Harriet Mayhew Hawks, who was born in Charlemont, Mass., Sept. 24, 1818, died May 17, 1902, in Rowe, Mass. When he was about 21 years of age he went to Westfield, Mass., and served 5 years learning the carpenters trade. Soon after he returned to Zoar, Mass., where he lived for some time after he was married. Later he moved to Charlemont, Mass., where he lived until 1858, when he removed to Rowe, Mass., living there until his death. Children: 892. Ellen, … Read more

Biography of Henry Hill Couillard

HENRY HILL COUILLARD – A life of most stirring adventure was that of Mr. Couillard, remarkable, too, in that his experiences shared in succession with events of the Mexican War, the African slave trade, and with gold mining in California, eventually led to his later activities in the ownership of many hotels, and to his cattle raising and general farming business. In wanderings that were almost limitless at a time when sea rovers went upon desperate voyages, and when impressment in sordid and piratical servitude were not uncommon, Mr. Couillard throughout the early part of his career participated in a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Daniel Watts

Daniel Watts, born in Warwick, Mass., came to Stowe about the year 1800. He had a family of nine children, Charles R., Caroline, widow of C. S. Hodge, and Chandler, reside in Stowe, and Fanny, the wife of Charles Conant, resides in the State of Michigan. Chandler Watts, 2d, born here March 1, 1839, enlisted in the Union army, Co. E, 11th Vt., or 1st Heavy Artillery, August 7, 1862, was promoted corporal, then sergeant, and finally regimental commissary sergeant, which office he retained until the close of the war, when he returned to his farm, on road 46. He … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Dickinson

John Dickinson, from Northfield, Mass., came here in 1790, located in the southern part, where he resided until his death, in 1826. Three of his nine children are now living, and one, Samuel, in this town, on road 22. Samuel has three children, all in this town as follows : Aurella E., wife of F. S. Edwards; Loraine, wife of Charles Holmes; and Royal A., who married Ellen Hebb, in 1866, the union having been blessed with four children.

Biography of Henry Joseph Day

HENRY JOSEPH DAY – Taking into full consideration the varied and incessant activities of his long and useful life, it would not be an easy task to discover an experience similar to that of Mr. Day who at his Montague home, in his advancing age is remarkably well preserved, and still a man of business activity. Soldier of the Civil War, and participant in many of its leading battles, veteran in the tanning industry in this part of the State, practical farmer, dairyman and store-keeper, he possesses exemplary characteristics of physical endurance and perseverance, while his keen mentality continues to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Richard Frederick Fuller

RICHARD FREDERICK FULLER was the fourth son. He graduated at Harvard University, 1844, studied law in Greenfield, Mass., afterwards a year at the Harvard Law School, and, having completed his studies in the office of his uncle, Henry H. Fuller, Esq., in Boston, was admitted to the bar on examination in open court, December, 1846, at the age of twenty-two. He became, and continued for two years to be, the law partner of his uncle, and subsequently practiced law with success in Boston. Having been fitted for college, at the age of sixteen he entered a store in Boston, at … Read more

Biography of Edward Parsons Swan

EDWARD PARSONS SWAN – Many years of success in a prosperous business enterprise have fairly earned for Edward Parsons Swan a place among the well-established manufacturers of Western Massachusetts. Mr. Swan is a descendant of an old New England family of English ancestry, which traces its origin back to a Dane of noble ancestry. The Swans have possessed land in the counties of Kent and Derby since the Norman Conquest, their possessions in the first named county including the manors of Swanscombe, Densted, Sutton, and Denton. Immigrants of the name came to New England at an early date, and their … Read more

Biography of James Neild

JAMES NEILD – The Neild family came from the North of England. Thomas Neild, a native of Halifax, Yorkshire, England, a stone cutter by trade, now living in Jamestown, New York, was born on February 9, 1854, and came to America in 1882, locating first at Albion, New York, where he procured work in his trade. He later moved to HoVey, New York, and in 1893 came to Holyoke, Massachusetts, and entered the mill of the American Thread Company, working there for four years. After this he returned for a time to England, but later came back to America and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Otis B. Gunn

Otis B. Gunn was a native of Massachusetts, born at Montague, October 27, 1828, and before he came west as a railroad engineer, had served as rodman on the Hoosac Tunnel Railroad and superintendent of the construction work of the line between Rochester and Niagara Falls. In 1853 he was appointed division engineer in the building of the Toledo, Wabash and Western, and followed railroad construction westward until he settled at Wyandotte, Kansas, in 1857. He was a member of the 1861 State Senate, and while thus serving was appointed major of the Fourth Kansas, later the Tenth Kansas Infantry. … Read more

Addison Eli Todd of Elba MN

Addison Eli Todd7, (Eli6, Solomon5, James4, James3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born July 22, 1821, in Charlemont, Mass., died Sept. 14, 1878, married, March 22, 1860, Isabella Ball, who was born Feb. 13, 1833, in Greenfield, Mass., in which town they were married. Mr. Todd lived the first twenty-one years of his life in Charlemont, Mass., assisting his father with the work on the farm. Attaining his majority, he started for the west. Arriving in Michigan, he found employment in the saw mills of Lenawa County for several years. Returning to Massachusetts, he purchased a piece of timber land and began manufacturing … 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 Windsor Thomas White

White, Windsor Thomas; pres. The White Co., auto mfrs.; born, Orange, Mass., Aug. 28, 1866; son of Thomas H. and Almira Greenleaf; degree of B. S., Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Mass.; married, Cleveland, Sept. 14, 1892; Delia Bulkley Holden; issue, Thomas Holden, Aug. 4, 1894, Delia Elizabeth, Nov. 9, 1898, Windsor Holden, July 18, 1905; pres. White Co.; vice pres. White Sewing Machine Co.; pres. Park Drop Forge Co.; director First National Bank; member Union Tavern, Roadside, Country, Cleveland Automobile, Chagrin Valley Hunt and Gentlemen’s Driving Clubs, Cleveland; Engineers’ Club of New York; Green Spring Valley Hunt Club.

Biographical Sketch of Oliver Childs

(VI) Oliver, youngest son of Libbeus and Sarah (Walker) Childs, was born in Conway, July 27, 1783. He settled in Seneca, New York, where he married for his first wife, Electa, daughter of Oliver Whitmore, of that town; she died without issue, August 2, 1816. He married (second) Nancy, daughter of Selah and Huldah Hart, of Seneca; she died April 30, 1831. He married (third) Betsey, daughter of John Gilbert, of Seneca. Children by second marriage: Benjamin, mentioned elsewhere; Electa Emeline; Theron Hart; Augustus Walstein; Edmund; Emeline; Joseph, and Gilbert. Children by his third marriage: Bradley Alonzo; Nancy Augusta, and … Read more

Biography of Marvin Whitman Ray

MARVIN WHITMAN RAY, a member of the Durkee & Ray Corporation, of which he was one of the founders and is also the treasurer, holds a prominent position in the mercantile life of his community. He is also actively interested in all movements for the progress and general welfare of the section, and his service in civic, fraternal and other organizations has earned for him the esteem of all who come in touch with him. He is a member of an old American family, being the representative in the sixth generation in direct lineal descent of the original pioneer who … Read more

Solomon Todd of Zoar MA

Solomon Todd5, (James4, James3, Samuel2, Christopher1) baptized in 1768, died April 13, 1857, married Aug. 10, 1789, Lydia Sacket, who was born 1772, died Oct. 16, 1849. He was born in Fair Haven, Conn. He with two other families removed to Zoar, Mass., in 1811 or 1812 in which town he passed the remaining days of his life. Children: *376. Charlotte. *377. Lydia. 378. Vincie, m. Abel Potter. *379. Eli, b. about 1798. *380. Electa. 381. Eunice. 382. Beda. *383. Uriah, b. May 11, 1808. *384. Solomon, b. Aug. 31, 1811. *385. Evelyn, b. about 1814.

Biographical Sketch of Cephas Sheldon

Cephas, son of Remembrance Sheldon, was born in Bernardston, Massachusetts, 1754. He was a soldier in the revolution from Bernardston and Deerfield, in Captain Amasa Sheldon’s company, Colonel Elisha Porter’s regiment, from July 10 to August 12, 1777, in the northern army; also in Captain Joseph Sheldon’s company, September 23, to October 18, 1777, in the northern army. He removed to Vermont. According to the first federal census he was living in 1790 in Rochester, Windsor county, Vermont, and had in his family two sons under sixteen and four females. He went thence to Waterbury, Vermont, where his sister, Persis … Read more