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FRANCIS XAVIER RIVERS BIOGRAPHY AS RECORDED IN: COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF TOLLAND AND WINDHAM COUNTIES CONNECTICUT. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS AND OF MANY OF THE EARLY SETTLED FAMILIES. PUBLISHER: J.H.BEERS & CO., CHICAGO; 1903 P. 936 FRANCIS XAVIER RIVERS, one of Woodstock’s substantial and time-honored citizens, who after years of toil, is now enjoying a well earned competence, was born Dec. 22, 1827, in St. Ours, Canada, of thrifty and highly respected parents, whose son has done honor to the name he bears. Francis Rivers was born in Normandy, France, from which country he emigrated to Canada. The children born to his marriage with Mary Lonswee were: Henry, John, Leblanche, Katie, Joseph, Francis, and Mary Ann. John Rivers, the father of Francis X.
Rivers, was born Jan. 3, 1793, in St. Ours, Canada, and died Aug. 18, 1867,
at Holden, Mass., aged seventy-four years. During his early life he was
a farmer, and was successful, accumulating ample means. He was a man of
great height and weight, being six feet, three inches tall, and weighing
240 pounds. Two years prior to his death he was afflicted with loss of
sight. At this time he was making his home with his son Edward, in Massachusetts,
where the remainder of his days were spent. John Rivers first married Margaret
Duherrmeel, who was born in St. Ours, Canada, where she died in 1834. The
children by this union were: John died in St. Mark, Canada, where he conducted
a successful bakery business until he was fifty years of age (he married
Agnes Gregore, but had no children); Peter, who was a stonemason in Manville,
R.I., married Eliza Duherrmeel, had a family of ten children, and lived
to the age of sixty-nine; Francis Xavier is mentioned below; Margaret
married Ethan Guyot, a mill operative at St. Annis Ayers, Canada, and died
in Holden, Mass., leaving six children. The second marriage of John Rivers
was to Mary Leclair, of Canada, who died in 1872, at the age of seventy-three
years. Francis Xavier Rivers attended the winter
schools of St. Ours, Canada, his birthplace, until he was seventeen years
old, spending the summers in work on the farm. Wishing to see something
of the world, the young man then left home and located in Providence, R.I.,
where he found work at the tailoring trade, which he had partially learned
in Canada. Later in the year he went to Woonsocket Falls, where he remained
until the following December, and from there to Uxbridge, Mass. In this
pleasant locality he worked with Michael Manley and George Gunn for five
years. On March 18, 1850, he went to East Woodstock with the idea of embarking
in business for himself, if the Mr. Rivers was married (first) Sept. 9, 1851, to Martha Knight Hibbard, of Woodstock, daughter of Joseph F. and Parmelia (Burdick) Hibbard; she died Oct. 19, 1860, in East Woodstock. They had children as follows: Martha Adele, born Aug. 14, 1852, in East Woodstock, married Walter E. Cobleigh, a piano finisher, of Leominster, Mass., and has had three children, Florence Mabel, Grace Lillian (who died at the age of ten years) and Harriet Adele (who died in infancy). Esther Parmelia, born Oct. 18, 1859, in East Woodstock, died there Aug. 10, 1860. The second marriage of Mr. Rivers, on Feb. 5, 1861, was to Esther Pamelia (** see footnote) Hibbard, sister of his first wife. She passed away Feb. 8, 1894, in East Woodstock. Her four children were as follows: John F., born Jan. 19, 1864; Harriet Elizabeth, born July 27, 1866, in East Woodstock, who died Dec. 1, 1878; Edward Fenton, born Oct. 21, 1867, who died in East Woodstock Dec. 8, 1893, unmarried; and Charles Edgar (unmarried) born Aug. 27, 1870, who is connected with the Great Western Railroad Co., of Chicago. The third marriage of Mr. Rivers was on April 10, 1895, to Miss Susan Ellen Child, daughter of Charles and Almira (Holmes) Child, of Woodstock, the latter a daughter of Leonard Holmes, and a cousin of the celebrated Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes. Mrs. Rivers is a lady of beautiful character, and is widely known through the community for her gentle beneficences and charitable impulses. Mr. Rivers is of genial, social disposition, and as a result is passing the evening of his life surrounded with the comforts acquired by his early industry, and enjoys the universal esteem of his fellow-citizens. JOHN FRANK RIVERS was born Jan. 19,
1864, in East Woodstock, where he was reared, and acquired his education
in the district schools. When about seventeen years old he went to farming
for his father, but two years later decided to learn the blacksmith’s
trade, and with that end in view entered the shop of Francoise Foisey, at
Putnam, remaining in that excellent place for ten years. Opening a place
of business of his own in Putnam, Mr. Rivers successfully conducted it for
three years, selling out then to Mr. Foisey. Coming to South Woodstock,
he built a commodious shop, and a comfortable residence and convenient barn,
building up a most excellent trade in this locality, which he carried on
until Aug. 5, 1901, when his buildings were all destroyed by fire. After
this disaster Mr. Rivers, with renewed courage, located in West Woodstock,
and started in business again. In March, 1901, he purchased the old Wilkinson
homestead, comprising 208 acres of land, and he has since been paying particular
attention to the breeding of blooded stock and the finest grades of cattle.
Endowed with energy and ability, there is every reason to predict a prosperous
future in this line for him. He is more interested in business than politics,
although he On Aug. 16, 1885, Mr. Rivers was united
in marriage with Hattie Alice Willard, and they have one son, Charles Frank,
born July 4, 1887, in **footnote: this middle name might
be Parmelia, but the publisher has Reproduced by: Linda D. Pingel – great-great granddaughter of Cyrus White of Rockville, Ct. |
