Franklin County MA

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 Charles Jerome King

CHARLES JEROME KING, postmaster at South Amherst, Massachusetts, and leading merchant in the town, was born at Wynantskill, a village near Troy, New York, February 14, 1875. The family has made its home in the vicinity of Suffield, Connecticut, for successive generations since the first immigrant ancestor set foot in America, and the fact that the father of Charles Jerome King was born in Suffield seems to establish his descent from the first Kings to live in the United States. Although the origin of the name is uncertain, students incline to think it was derived from the practice of holding … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Noah Aldrich

(IV) Noah, son of Jacob (2) Aldrich, was born in Mendon about 1720. He deeded lands in Mendon in 1772. He appears to have moved soon afterward to New Salem, Massachusetts, of which he was a soldier in the revolution in 1775 in Captain John King’s company, Colonel Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge’s regiment. In 1790, according to the first federal census, he was living in Adams, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, and had one son over sixteen and four females -in his family. He married Rachel.

Biography of Harry Lee Williams

HARRY LEE WILLIAMS – The family name of Williams is of great antiquity in England and Wales and is derived from the ancient personal name William. Like many other possessive names, it arose from the Welsh custom of adding to a man’s name the name of his father in the possessive form as William John’s, from which quickly came Jones, David Diehard’s, Thomas David’s (Davie’s, Davis) and kindred forms. Sir Robert Williams, ninth baronet of the house of Williams of Penrhyn, was a lineal descendant of Marchudd ap Cynan, Lord of Aberqeleu in Denbighshire, of one of the fifteen tribes … Read more

Biography of John Wesley Riddell

JOHN WESLEY RIDDELL, whose death occurred on April 27, 1910, took from the community of Greenfield a worthy citizen and one who had contributed much towards its development and upbuilding. He was born in Charlemont, Massachusetts, a nineteenth century representative of a family of prominence. The Riddell family is of Scotch origin, the name having been variously spelled as Ridel, Riddle, Riddel, Riddell, Ridley, and Ridlum, but all of the names were derived from the same source, the dale or valley of the River Rye, or Ryedale, whence the family first took their name, that being the place of residence … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Elihu Town

Elihu Town, from Warwick, Mass., came to Stowe in the spring of 1811, and located upon the farms now owned by Messrs. Kenyon and Ennis. He was married about two years previous to Miss Apphia Sprague. The union was blessed with six children, four sons and two daughters. Three are now living, Sopronia (Mrs. Stockwell), residing in St. Albans, Jesse, a resident of Stowe village, and Emery, living in Waterbury village. Mr. Town died in 1843, aged sixty-one years. Mrs Town died in 1869, aged eighty-five years.

Biography of Clifford Carroll Howes

CLIFFORD CARROLL HOWES – The Howes family of Massachusetts belong to the oldest families settled in New England, and. the last three generations as represented in some of its members are as follows: (I) Francis Edwin Howes, grandfather of Clifford Carroll Howes, died in North Adams, Massachusetts, at the age of ninety-three years. He was a carpenter by trade. He married Julia A. Church. The children of the marriage were: 1. Julia, who married Martin Holbrook. 2. May, who married Fred Knapp. 3. Edwin P., of whom further. 4. Amelia, who died at the age of eleven years. 5. Hattie, … Read more

Asa Emerson Todd of Springfield MA

Asa Emerson Todd7, (Asa6, Titus5, Titus4, Benjamin3, Michael2, Christopher1) born Feb. 25, 1839, died Nov. 2, 1898, in Springfield, Mass., married, Dec. 31, 1868, Anna Elizabeth Eaton, of South Deerfield, Mass., who was born March 4, 1839. He lived in South Deerfield, Mass., prior to 1860, and enlisted from there in the 10th Massachusetts Infantry, serving through the last three and a half years of the civil war. From 1872, till his death he lived in Springfield, Mass., where., his widow still lived in 1920. Children: *1658. Robert Emerson, b. July 22, 1871. *1659. James Lewis, b. Aug. 18, 1873.

Biography of Albion Brainard Allen

For more than three decades a resident of Amherst, Hampshire County, and one of this town’s most active and substantial business men, Mr. Allen’s operations as a builder have contributed very materially not only to the development of his own community, but to that of numerous other New England towns. On his father’s side he is a member of an old family whose name is very frequently met throughout the United States, where it is represented by many distinct and separate families. Its use arises from the Christian name Allen or Alan, which is very ancient and has many variations … Read more

Biography of Charles Franklin Slate

CHARLES FRANKLIN SLATE, prominent in Northfield and esteemed in every circle in which he moves, he has for the past two years served as postmaster of this community, and in his thoroughly efficient administration the people are recognizing and appreciating the hand of the capable and forward looking executive. Mr. Slate is interested in every branch of local and general progress and in his endeavors for the public good he has long filled a useful part in the community. The Slate family has been identified with American progress for about two centuries and the name is an honored one in … Read more

Eli Todd of Charlemont MA

Eli Todd6, (Solomon5, James4, James3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born in 1795, died Oct. 8, 1885, married Mary R. Legate, who was born in 1796, died Nov. 25, 1873, in Charlemont, Mass., where they are supposed to have lived. Children: *880. Adeline. *881. Addison E., b. July 22, 1821. *882. Mary O. *883. Augustus Varum, b. Sept. 22, 1826. *884. Dexter Josiah, b. Sept. 22, 1828. *885. Lorenzo U., b. Nov. 16, 1832. *886. Electa L. *887. Edward E., b. May 23, 1840.

Biographical Sketch of Levi Hodge

Levi Hodge, a native of Warwick, Mass., came to Stowe and located where his son, Russell C., now resides, and where he died in 1862, aged about seventy-five years. Russell C. is superintendent of the town poor farm, which is owned in union by the towns of Stowe, Morristown, and Johnson.

Biographical Sketch of Deacon Samuel Childs

(III), Deacon Samuel Childs (as he spelled the name), eldest child of Richard and Elizabeth (Crocker) Child, was born in Barnstable, Massachusetts, November; 6, 1679; died in Deerfield, Massachusetts, March 18, 1756. He was a blacksmith and early in life settled in Deerfield, where his, services in that capacity were highly appreciated. As a deacon of the Congregational church and a man of character and influence, he was much esteemed by his fellow townsmen. He was married (first), July 7, 1709, to Hannah Barnard, who died May 16, 1727; married (second), about two years later, Experience , who died May … Read more

Biography of Augustus G. Upton, A. M., D. D.

Although Dr. Upton has been a resident of Weiser for little more than three years he has been so closely and prominently connected with the educational and moral interests of the town during that time that no history of the community would be complete without the record of his career. It is a widely acknowledged fact that the most important work to which man can direct his energies is that of teaching, whether it be from the pulpit, from the lecture platform or from the schoolroom. Its primary object is ever the same, the development of one’s latent powers that … Read more

Charlotte Todd Veber of Charlemont MA

VEBER, Charlotte Todd6, (Solomon5, James4, James3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born in 1806, died April 28, 1897, married John Veber who was born in 1802, died May 1, 1895. They lived in Charlemont, Mass. Children: I. Lucius, b. 1827, d. Jan. 17, 1892. II. William. III. Eleanor. IV. Charles. V. Herbert. VI. George, killed in action in the civil war, a bullet went directly through his heart. VII. Elias. VIII. Dora. IX. Sarah. X. Victoria. XI. Harriet.

Biography of Arthur Burdette Daniels

ARTHUR BURDETTE DANIELS, the distinguished president of the L. L. Brown Paper Company of Adams, stands among the leaders in his field of industrial progress in New England, and as a leading business executive of Western Massachusetts is affiliated with numerous important interests. He has reached his present outstanding position by the force of his own initiative and devotion to worthy purpose. Mr. Daniels is a son of Amos Dixon and Helen Lucretia (Cross) Daniels, his father was for many years a hotel proprietor and, during the later period of his life, active in association with the New Home Sewing … Read more

Biography of Edward Newton Frary

EDWARD NEWTON FRARY – One of the pioneers of New England, John Frary came from England and settled in Dedham, Massachusetts, and was one of the founders of the church there. He subsequently moved to Medford and died at an advanced age on June 14, 1685. His wife’s name was Prudence. Their children: Theophilus, Samson, Mary, John, Eleazer, of whom further; Isaac, and Samuel. (II) Eleazer Frary, son of John and Prudence Frary, was born in 1640, settled in Hatfield, Massachusetts, died December 19, 1709. He married, on January 25, 1666, Mary Graves, daughter. of Isaac Graves. They had seven … Read more

Biography of Rev. Samuel Parker

REV. SAMUEL PARKER. – Mr. Parker was not a pioneer to settle in this country, nor to engage in missionary work, but was a pioneer of pioneers, a “John The Baptist,” to prepare the way for missionaries and emigrants. He was born at Ashfield, Massachusetts, April 23, 1779, and was the son of Elisha and Thankful M. Parker. In 1806 he graduated from Williams College, and from Andover Theological Seminary in the first class that left that institution. He immediately went west to New York, and engaged in home missionary work. He was ordained as a Congregational minister at Danby, … Read more