Greenfield Massachusetts

Biography of Frank Leslie Foss

FRANK LESLIE FOSS – Among the well known men in the industrial, civic, fraternal and social life of Greenfield, Frank Leslie Foss holds a notable position, serving in official capacity in various organizations of advancement, and taking active part in the development of the section. He comes of old American ancestry that traces back to an even earlier lineage of Norway. The Foss family in America belonged to the nobility of Norway, bearing a coat-of-arms, the chief figure in both arms and crest being that of a fox. The name was originally Vos, which signifies fox, and was pronounced foss. … Read more

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 Gordon Rollin Joslyn

No name is more prominently and actively associated with the automobile mercantile industry in Western Massachusetts than that of Mr. Joslyn, who is the executive head of the Franklin County Dealers’ Exchange, and who within a very few years has expanded the garage and agency interests of which he has charge throughout a territory that is not bounded by the county. Mr. Joslyn performs the business in which he has made himself a leader thoroughly and well, and centralizing his forces as president of the Joslyn Motor Company at Greenfield, he has found therein the rewards of a lifelong career … Read more

Biography of Horace A. Smead

HORACE A. SMEAD – The name of Smead is one of more than passing importance in the western part of Massachusetts, and indeed in this general part of the State it has long been prominent. Mr. Smead has been active in farming interests throughout his entire lifetime and now in the sunset of life he is enjoying well earned leisure. Jonathan Smead, great-great-grandfather of Mr. Smead, was born in 1735 and was a pioneer of Greenfield, locating in that community when the Indians were still frequent visitors to the white settlements. He was active in agricultural pursuits in the vicinity … 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

Biography of William John Liston

WILLIAM JOHN LISTON-Descended from Scottish ancestors, whose children took root in Ireland, and a number of whom emigrated to the United States, where they have played their part well in the building of a strong foundation of the republic, William John Liston, junior member of the firm of Cunningham (Patrick F.) & Liston, of Greenfield, himself has earned the tribute together with his partner, of being “an honest builder”-the firm itself being one of the most widely known in the mason builders’ and contracting line in the town of Greenfield and the district coming within the influence of the capital … 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

Biography of Myron James Farr

MYRON JAMES FARR – The surname of Farr is believed by many to be identical with Farrar, and there is considerable reason for the supposition as persons of both names appear simultaneously in the different localities of New England. It is derived from a Latin word meaning iron and was probably used as a place name before it came into use as a family name. It was first known in England from Gualkeline (or Walkeline) de Ferraris, a Norman of distinction attached to William, Duke of Normandy, before the conquest of England in 1066. From him all of the name … Read more

Biography of Azel A. Packard

While it is unreservedly declared by his host of friends and acquaintances that Azel A. Packard’s life commanded a far-reaching business influence and respect because of the comprehensive knowledge that he possessed concerning the lines of practical enterprise that he had mapped out for successful procedure, he also won and maintained an even greater degree of public good-will and esteem and the friendship of more intimate circles due entirely to his benign and kindly personality. His whole-hearted and well-poised system permeated all his dealings, and progressively regulated and directed his plans and work. A leader in the mercantile activities of … Read more

Biography of Charles Frederick Minott

CHARLES FREDERICK MINOTT – The Minotts are an old Massachusetts family who, however unlike most of the original New England settlers, are of predominating Dutch and French origin. To mention only the immediate ancestry we know that the grandfather of Mr. C. F. Minott, of Greenfield, was of French origin, while the grandmother was of Dutch descent. Their children were: 1. Henry. 2. Aaron. 3. Charles. 4. William H. 5. Frank. The grandfather was engaged in the time-honored and old-fashioned trade of welldigging. William Horatio Minott, father of Charles F. Minott, was a native of Jamestown, New York, born in … 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

Rena E. Todd Stevens of Greenfield MA

STEVENS, Rena E. Todd8, (Alton S.7, Solomon6, Solomon5, James4, James3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born Dec. 12, 1882, married Oct. 7, 1908, J. D. Stevens. They lived in Greenfield Mass. Child: I. Joseph Alton, b. April 22, 1910.

Edward E. Todd of Greenfield MA

Edward E. Todd7, (Eli6, Solomon5, James4, James3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born May 23, 1840, married, Aug. 15, 1869, Mary E., daughter of Josiah H. and Elizabeth W. (Russell) Taintor, who was born Oct. 12, 1839. He has devoted much of his life to dealing in lumber and timber land, mostly in or near Franklin County, Mass. He lives now (1913) in Greenfield, Mass. Children: *1621. Rena, b. Aug. 15, 1870. 1622. Ernest, b. July 14, 1873, m. Jan. 1, 1901, Emma Packard. No children. He lived in Greenfield, Mass., where he was a market gardener. 1623. Effie, b. June 15, 1874; … Read more

Rena Mabel Todd Horton of Greenfield MA

HORTON, Rena Mabel Todd8, (Edward E.7, Eli6, Solomon5, James4, James3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born Aug. 15, 1870, married J. D. Horton. They lived in Greenfield, Mass. Child: I. Edwin.

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 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

Biography of George Guy Ross

GEORGE GUY ROSS – To point with pride to the fact that the blood of King Charles I of Scotland on his paternal side, and of the royal Stuarts on his maternal side courses in his veins is the privilege and right of George G. Ross, well known and successful sporting goods dealer of Greenfield. But with equal pride does he point to the fact that of his more immediate forebears his father and grandfather were honest farmer folk, who were not ashamed to acknowledge that the earth yielded of her fruit to their labors whereby they were enabled to … Read more

Biography of George Henry Fletcher

GEORGE HENRY FLETCHER – The name of Fletcher has been known in the United States since 1630, and has been borne by many prominent citizens, the Fletchers having generally been leading people in the various communities where they have dwelt. Originally the name was written Fledger, and was the name of the trade of the makers of arrows, or as some authorities think, of the affixing the feather to the arrow, fledging it. In French the word Flechier has also the same meaning, and some have inferred a French extraction. The traditions, however, all concur in making the early ancestors … Read more

Biography of Patrick Francis Cunningham

PATRICK FRANCIS CUNNINGHAM-Son of a father whose worthy name he bears, and whom he has emulated in the trade of masonbuilder, Patrick F. Cunningham has come to be one of the most important of the contractor-builders in the Greenfield region. As senior member of the well-known firm of Cunningham & Liston (William J. Liston), he has, together with his partner, left the impress of skill and excellence of workmanship upon many public, quasi-public and private buildings in the capital town of Franklin County, and in towns within a radius of twenty-five miles of Greenfield. Mr. Cunningham’s firm has made an … Read more