Hampshire County MA

Biography of Homer Crane Bliss

The ancient prestige of the Bliss family is shared in full by Homer Crane Bliss, of Florence, Massachusetts, assistant treasurer of the Corticelli Silk Company. Mr. Bliss was born in Springport, Michigan, April 30, 1868. His father was George Porter Bliss and his mother Susan V. (Crane) Bliss. The first of the name of whom there is any trustworthy record was Thomas Bliss, of Belstone Parish, in the county of Devonshire, England. Thomas and George, his sons, and Thomas, a nephew, the eldest son of the first Thomas Bliss, and a son of Jonathan Bliss, came to America and are … Read more

Biography of George Herbert Burnham

GEORGE HERBERT BURNHAM – Walter Le Veutre came to England at the time of the Conquest, in 1066, in the train of his cousin-german, Earl Warren, sonin-law of William the Conqueror. He was lord of the Saxon village of Burnham and others, and from Burnham, where he lived, he was known as De Bumham. He took his surname from this town. The name is often spelled Burnam, Bernam, and Barnham, as well as Burnham, and in the old Anglo-Saxon, Beornham, Byrnhom, and in other forms. In the old Norse the name is Bjorn, which in Anglo-Saxon is Beorn, and Burn … 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 John Wesley Ewing

JOHN WESLEY EWING, well known in the vicinity of Northampton, is a successful farmer, carrying on the home farm on which his father and grandfather lived and worked for so many years. He is the son of Alexander Mathew and Esther Ann (McCandless) Ewing, and brother of Harold Butler Ewing (q. v.), in connection with whose sketch a full account of Mr. Ewing’s father and grandfather are given. John Wesley Ewing was born in the town of Northampton, December 22, 1887, and was educated in the local public schools. He early became familiar with the duties and responsibilities of farm … Read more

Biography of Hinsdale Smith

Among the many families that can boast of long and honorable connection with the history of the New England States, especially Massachusetts, none is more worthy of mention than the Smith family. The name has appeared conspicuously in association with public and private affairs through more than three centuries. (I) Richard Smith, immigrant ancestor, was born in England in 1617. He testified in September, 1684, that he was sixty-seven years old, that he came from Martha’s Vineyard with his vessels, and did some work for his brother-in-law, Matthias Treat. He was admitted a freeman in Wethersfield in 1669. He received … Read more

Asa Todd of West Chesterfield MA

Asa Todd5, (Gershom4, Gershom3, Michael2, Christopher1) born June 28, 1756, died July 16, 1847, in West Chesterfield Mass., and was buried there. He married May 24, 1778, Abigail, daughter of Amos and Phebe Bishop, of New Haven, Conn. He was a Baptist minister and held pastorates in Whately and West Chesterfield, Mass., for more than thirty years, having been ordained the first pastor of the Baptist Society of Whately, Mass., Sept. 9, 1789. In 1803 he removed to West Chesterfield, Mass., where he was ordained the second pastor of the Baptist Society of that place, and was dismissed Nov. 2, … Read more

Biography of John Francis Mariz

JOHN FRANCIS MARIZ – A man who by his devotion to his business in real estate matters has made his name and methods very favorably and popularly known throughout the western part of the State, as representing reliability of the highest type, John Francis Mariz, long established in Northampton, is an all-round business man who thoroughly knows his territory and his patrons. From the outset of his career he has made it a point to carry on business in the public interest, and that principle has been maintained by him in all his valued associations with civic and community projects. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles Kingsley Arter

Arter, Charles Kingsley; attorney-at-law; born, Cleveland, April 24, 1876; son of Frank A. and Delia Kingsley Arter; educated, Amherst College, 13. A., 1898; Harvard Law School, 1901; married, Cleveland, Sept. 23, 1902, Grace Denison; issue, Elizabeth and Calvin Kingsley Arter; member of the well-known law firm of Smith, Taft & Arter; at Amherst won Commencement Debate, one of the highest honors to be gained in college; admitted to the bar in Massachusetts, in 1901; immediately afterwards came to Cleve-land and admitted to practice in the Ohio Courts; firm makes a specialty in corporation and banking law in which I have … Read more

Biography of Judge John W. McElhinney

For the fourth term Judge John W. McElhinney has been called to the bench of the thirteenth circuit court of Missouri having entered upon the duties of this position in 1901. His course has at all times reflected credit and honor upon tile state that has honored him and he is today numbered among the ablest of Missouri’s jurists, for film decisions have at all times been strictly fair and impartial, and moreover have been the expression of a comprehensive knowledge of tile principles of jurisprudence, combined with ability to apply accurately his principles to tile points in litigation. Judge … Read more

Biography of Samuel Lyman Munson

SAMUEL LYMAN MUNSON IT IS both interesting and profitable to trace the prosperous career of men of enterprise in our midst, whose highest aim is to keep abreast with the progressive commercial spirit of the day and to develop or carry on some important branch of industry. Of this class we have a notable example in the following portraiture of Samuel L. Munson, the well-known manufacturer in Hudson Avenue – a man of uncommon pluck, courage, executive ability and untiring perseverance in his business undertakings. He was born on the 14th of June, 1844, in the town that is now … Read more

Biography of Prof. Horace Lyman

PROF. HORACE LYMAN, – Few among those who came as missionaries to our state have held a more honored position, or have accomplished more genuine good, than professor Lyman. He was a new Englander of an old family, whose first American members crossed the ocean from England to Connecticut as early as 1639.His parents were plain farmer folks living at East Hampton, Massachusetts and in that town he was born in 1815. Of his five brothers, two went to college and prepared for the ministry. As a boy and young man, he was ever thoughtful and extra-ordinarily energetic, with a … Read more

Biography of John Timothy Powers

JOHN TIMOTHY POWERS is one of the prominent business men, public officials and citizens of Florence, a suburb of Northampton, Hampshire County’s capital. He is a leader in educational, recreational, political and fraternal circles. He has served as alderman from the Seventh Ward, and is a member of the Florence Recreation Commission. His business is groceries and provisions. John Timothy Powers was born in Florence, the son of John Powers, who was born in Tipperary, Ireland, in 1828, and died on August so, 1898. John Powers came to the United States when nineteen years old, settled in Hatfield, Hampshire County, … 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

Biography of M. Hayward Post, Jr., M. D.

Dr. M. Hayward Post, Jr., who is engaged in medical practice in St. Louis, is a representative of one of the oldest American families, his ancestors having come to the new world on the Mayflower. His grandfather was Rev. Truman Marcellus Post, who is mentioned by a former historian as one of the eminent Missouri preachers of his day. His father was M. Hayward Post, who was a well known physician and a prominent oculist of St. Louis. He served for twenty years as a member of the board of the Missouri School for the Blind and passed away in … Read more

Biography of Frederick Bridgman Shaw

FREDERICK BRIDGMAN SHAW, farmer, of South Amherst, Massachusetts, was born April 16, 1876. The family to which he belongs is one of the oldest and most noted in New England. (I) The immigrant ancestor was Abraham Shaw, who came from Yorkshire, England, in 1636. He was admitted as a freeman, March 9, 1636-37, and at the time was a proprietor of Watertown. When his house there was burned down in October, 1636, he moved to Dedham. He signed the famous compact, and was elected, September 6, 1638, a constable of Dedham. Abraham Shaw moved to Cambridge, where he became a … Read more

Abigail Lucretia Todd Cudworth of West Chesterfield MA

CUDWORTH, Abigail Lucretia Todd7, (Lyman6, Asa5, Gershom4, Gershom3, Michael2, Christopher1) born Sept. 19, 1815, died July 5, 1845, married about 1834, Job Cudworth. They lived in or near West Chesterfield, Mass. Children: I. Armina, b. July 14, 1837. II. Marshall, b. 1839, d. Sept. 23, 1845. III. Son. IV. Daughter.

Biography of Howard W. Hosford

HOWARD W. HOSFORD, who has risen from humble beginnings to the position of general manager of the Norwood Manufacturing Company, of Florence, a village of Northampton, Massachusetts, has also given of his valued services, technical knowledge and administrative capacity to his home city, having served four consecutive terms twelve years, as a member of the City Water Commission, a body whose offices and powers are of immense importance to the domestic, industrial and civic life as well as to the healthfulness of the community in general. In performing this duty to the city, Mr. Hosford has exhibited the dependable and … Read more

Biography of Dr. John Hallam Roberts

DR. JOHN HALLAM ROBERTS – A man of fine education and scientific in the practice of his profession, that of a veterinarian, Dr. Roberts is one of the highly esteemed residents of Northampton, Massachusetts. His forebears are from English stock. Edward Roberts, the great-grandfather of Dr. Roberts, was born in England. He came to the province of Quebec, Canada, in 1816, and his wife’s name was Hallam. His son, Samuel Roberts, was born in England in 1800, and died in Canada in the province of Quebec, in 1898, aged ninety-eight years. He was the eldest child of his parents, and … Read more

Emily Lucretia Todd Fisk of West Chesterfield MA

FISK, Emily Lucretia Todd6, (Asa5, Gershom4, Gershom3, Michael2, Christopher1) born May 8, 1783, died March 26, 1815, at West Chesterfield, Mass., married in 1803, Moses Fisk, who was born Nov. 12, 1780, died Feb. 22, 1851. Children: I. Moses, b. Nov. 12, 1805, d. Dec. 1875. II. Emily, b. Nov. 29, 1807, d. May 3, 1854, m. Oct. 1829, Austin Pease.

Narrative of the Captivity of Quintin Stockwell – Indian Captivities

Quintin Stockwell, Who was taken at Deerfield, in Massachusetts, by a Party of Inland Indians, in the Year 1677; Communicated in his own Words, and Originally Published by the Eminent Dr. Increase Mather, in the Year 1684. A particular account of the interruption in which Stockwell and others fell into the hands of the Indians will be found in the Book of the Indians, Book iii, p. 97 and 98. Out of twenty-four at that time killed and taken, we learn the names only of these; Quintin Stockwell, John Root, Sergeant Plimpton, Benjamin Stebbins, his wife, Benjamin Waite, and Samuel … Read more