J. ARTHUR WAINWRIGHT, a
rising young lawyer of Northampton and a member of the law firm of
Hill & Wainwright, is a New Yorker by birth, having
been born in
Fairport, Monroe County, N.Y., December 17, 1859, where
his father, William C. Scott, was
engaged in
farming. His mother was before marriage Miss Mary Ann
Woodin, and he was the youngest of the seven children
born of her union. She
died in middle life, leaving her infant son when but a
week old. His
father again married, and his second wife had one
child.
He was about forty years of age when he died,
leaving his family in humble circumstances. His paternal
grandfather, John Scott, of Monroe County, was well
known in that section through his profession of civil
engineer. He did a large amount of surveying in that
vicinity, and was often called upon to settle disputed
boundaries. His
vocation seems to have been conducive to longevity, for
he lived to
be
an octogenarian. Mr.
Wainwright's maternal grandfather, Henry
Woodin, spent his early life in Orleans, N.Y.,
whence he afterward
removed to
Birmingham, Mich. Here he engaged in
agricultural pursuits, which had been his
occupation in New York. He served as a
soldier in the War of 1812; and his father, Amos Woodin,
served for six months in the
Revolutionary War,
during which brief time he was promoted from the ranks
to the office of sergeant.
At his mother's death J.
Arthur Wainwright was adopted by a maternal aunt, Louisa
Wainwright, the widow of Horatio Wainwright, who reared
him from his mother's death. She is still living in
Easthampton. He attended school in Orleans, N. Y., until
he was twelve years of age. On
April 1, 1872 the following year, he came with his
adopted mother and sister to Easthampton. He then
entered Williston Seminary, from which hegraduated in 1875. In
the fall of that year he entered
Amherst
College, completing
his course with honors in the class of 1879, being in
the first third of the class.
While in college he became a member of the Phi Beta Kappa
Society.
He
next
read law under Judge Bassett.
In
1882 he graduated from the Boston University, and in June of
that year he was admitted to the bar in
Northampton.
The succeeding year he spent in the West on the
Pacific Coast and in the vicinity of Puget Sound.
Returning to Northampton he engaged in the
practice of his profession with David Hill, forming the
present firm of Hill & Wainwright. They
do a large fire insurance business,
representing a half-dozen
companies at their Northampton office. Some time ago
they had an agency at Easthampton, which they
subsequently disposed of. Mr. Wainwright
is a Democrat in his politics. He is a member of the
Nonotuck Lodge, No. 61, Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, in which he has passed the chairs; of the Mary
Lyon Lodge, No. 62, Daughters of Rebecca; of Mount
Holyoke Encampment, No. 16; of Canton Meadow City, No.
29; of Knights of Honor, Norwood Lodge, No. 3343, in
which he holds the official position of D. D. G. D. He was Major on the staff of George F. Amidon of
the Brigade of the East, and is now serving as
Aide-de-camp on the staff of Frank M. Merrill.
Department Commander of Massachusetts. Mr. Wainwright is
a communicant of Edwards Congregational Church, in which
he is one of the committee on notices.
WALKER BROTHERS
This is the leading mercantile firm of Greenwich,
and the name is also prominent in the farming and
lumbering interests of Hampshire County and vicinity.
William H. and George B.
Walker are both natives of Hardwick, Worcester County, Mass.,
the former having been born November 30, 1857, the
latter September 9, 1862. They are the sons of James A.
and Sarah (McClintock) Walker.
Their great-grandfather, Abel
Walker, removed from Rehoboth to Hard wick in 1779, and
was one of the first settlers in the town.
Three generations succeeding him were born on the
farm which he cleared. Not with standing the severity of
his toil in felling the forests and breaking up new
land, and the hardships and discomforts of country life
in New England one hundred years ago, he lived to an
advanced age.
William Walker, son of Abel, was
born in Rehoboth, and came with his father to Hardwick
when a lad. He, too, reared his family and died. His son
James, the father of the Walker brothers, succeeded him,
and in time became one of Hardwick's most prominent
men. A good
practical farmer, he was very successful in business
matters; and in public affairs also he took a leading
part. He was elected Representative to the State
legislature on the Republican ticket, and in his native
town served as Selectman and in a number of minor
offices, his good judgment and executive ability being
universally recognized. In religious views he was
liberal. James A. Walker died at the age
of seventy. His wife, Mrs. Sarah M. Walker, who is a
native of Ware, Mass., is still living, making her home
with her son George B., in Greenwichville.
Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs.
James Walker; namely, Susan, Fanny P., William
H., George B., and Mary - the latter being the wife of
Dr. Davis, of Hardwick. William H. and George
B. Walker grew to manhood on the farm in Hardwick, in
their early years attending the district school in that
town, and later finishing their studies in Brimfield.
Both brothers have been for years engaged in farming and
lumbering. They carry on general farming on an extensive
scale, owning twelve hundred acres of land in Greenwich,
Hardwick, and other towns in the vicinity. The estate on
which Abel Walker settled in 1779 is kept in fine
condition, its general appearance betokening good
management and thrift. It is a beautiful homestead, the
fine old hard maples which have lived through the storms
of many years still guarding in stately rows the
approach to the old residence. The lumbering business of
the Walker Brothers is also quite extensive. They own
and operate a large sawmill in Greenwich, which they
purchased in 1883, and with the latest improved
machinery are prepared to turn out all kinds of lumber
for building purposes, also manufacturing a large amount
of box lumber, their yearly output in all amounting to
over half a million feet. In 1890 they established a
general store in Greenwich. This
enterprise is under the especial charge of the younger
brother, George B. Walker.
William H. Walker was married
November 28, 1883, to Ella M. Hillman, a native of
Hardwick, born in 1858. Four children have blessed their
union: James H., Stephen H., Charles D. and Laura E. Mr.
Walker is a Republican in politics, and his only social
affiliation is with the Masonic fraternity. On the
subject of religion both brothers hold liberal
views.
George B. Walker was married June
22, 1892, to Hattie, daughter of Alden and Sophia Snow,
of Galeville, N. Y. They have a family of two children,
Raymond and Sophia. George Walker also is
a Republican. He served as Selectman during 1892-93, and
is now on the board; and he also holds the office of
Overseer of the Poor, and has filled minor offices. He
is a member of the Masonic Order, belonging to Bethel
Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Greenfield. His wife is a
member of the Congregational church at
Greenwich.
OLIVER WALKER, general insurance
agent at Northampton, a man of marked financial ability
is a native of Hampshire County. He was born September
13, 1841, in Belchertown, where his father, Horace
Walker, was a lifelong resident. The emigrant ancestor
of his family is said to have been John Walker, who came
from England at an early date, and settled in Eastern
Massachusetts.
Mr.
Walker's paternal grandfather, Silas Walker, one of the
large landholders of Belchertown, born there in 1764, is
mentioned in the History of the Connecticut Valley as a
son of Captain James
Walker, who settled in
Belchertown in 1755, and grandson of Nathaniel Walker,
of Weston, Mass. Silas Walker was
a man of great strength and endurance, and attained a
vigorous old age, retaining his faculties in a
remarkable manner, being able in his last years to read
the Bible through without the aid of glasses. He spent his
life in Belchertown, dying in 1857, in his ninety-fourth
year. His wife, whose
maiden name was Demmis Sexton, bore him twelve children,
all of whom became useful members of society, the sons
being mostly engaged in farming.
Horace Walker was born in 1793, and
died in 1870. He owned a farm adjoining the parental
homestead, was a prosperous farmer and a respected
citizen of his town. He en-listed as a soldier in the
War of 1812, and was sent to Boston to aid in the
defense of that city. While encamped there, he used to
catch flounders in the harbor as food for his mess. Like
his parents, Horace Walker was an Orthodox
Congregationalist in religion and a consistent
Christian. He married Abigail Filer, whose father owned
a farm near by, and of their five children the following
four grew to adult life: Henry J., born in 1821, is a
well known druggist of Northampton; Sarah W., born in
1828, is the widow of Samuel D. Cowles, of Amherst;
Emery P., born in 1832, is a commercial traveler,
residing at Hartford, Conn.; and Oliver. The mother was
much respected for her many virtues. She lived to the
age of seventy-eight years.
Oliver Walker remained on the farm,
assisting his father in its manual labor until eighteen
years old, meanwhile acquiring a good practical
education in the district school and at the Monson
Academy, where he spent one winter. In
1861, shortly after the fall of Fort Sumter he
was one of the brave boys in blue who responded to the
country's call for troops, enlisting as a private in
Company H, Forty-sixth Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry. Returning home after
the expiration of his term of service, Mr. Walker
re-enlisted August 23, 1862, as a nine
months' man, and served until July 29, 1863, when he was
honorably discharged. Mr.
Walker then spent three years in the stove, tin, and
plumbing business, and in 1866, having studied book
keeping one term at Eastman's Business College in
Poughkeepsie, N.Y., became a partner with Eames &
Sprague of this city in the same business, three years
later selling his interest to his partners. At this
time Mr. Walker had a serious
illness, which for a while incapacitated him from active
labor. Since 1870 he has
conducted a fire and accident insurance agency. He is
also an extensive dealer in real estate and an
authorized agent for the sale of tickets to foreign
points.
On February 20, 1868, Mr. Walker
married Fanny J. Griswold, of Springfield, a daughter of
Joseph and Electa (Warner) Griswold. Their pleasant home
has been brightened by the birth of two children, a
daughter and a son: Carrie L. is a brilliant student in
the musical department of Smith College, which she
entered after being graduated from the Northampton High
School; Charles W. was graduated from Williston Seminary
in the summer of the present year, 1895, and is now
pursuing his college course at Amherst.
In politics Mr. Walker is a stanch
member of the Republican party; and he is connected
socially, financially, and religiously with the best
interests of the city, where he has acceptably filled
many places of trust and responsibility. In 1878 he was
elected Secretary and Treasurer of the Hampshire County
Mutual Fire Insurance Company, in place of Harvey
Kirkland, resigned, and ten years later was elected
Trustee of the Northampton Institution for Savings, in
place of George W. Hubbard,
deceased. He has also
been chairman of the Civil Service Commission. Mr.
Walker served as Deacon of the First
Congregational Church one year, has been one of the
assessors of that parish for ten years, one of the
Directors of the Young Men's Christian Association for
several years, and
in every position has performed his duties with
great fidelity. He is a
Master Mason, having joined
the Jerusalem Lodge in 1866.
Mr. Walker has a pleasant
home at 29 Pleasant Street, the commodious house in
which he lives, and which was formerly owned by Harvey
Kirkland, having been built a century ago, as shown by
the date on the foundation stone.
CHARLES F. A. WALSH, M.D., a practicing physician
of Hadley, was born in Boston, January 5, 1863, son of
Richard W. and Helen Walsh. Richard W. Walsh, who is a
native of Ireland, has always followed literature and
journalism as a profession, and is at the present time
connected with the New York Recorder. His
wife, who died when Dr. Walsh was very young, was the
mother of six children, of whom John W. and the subject
of this sketch are the only survivors.
Charles F. A. Walsh accompanied his parents to
New York at the age of nine years, and received his
education in the schools of that city and Brooklyn, and
at Manhattan College. He began life by
entering the newspaper business, later engaging in
mercantile pursuits, in which he continued for some
time, and then commenced the study of medicine. After
graduating from the Long Island Medical College he
located in Brooklyn, where he had a good practice until
March, 1895, at which time he removed to Hadley. He has
since established himself among the physicians of the
town, and has succeeded in securing a large and
lucrative practice.
In 1894 Dr. Walsh was united in marriage to
Louisa Case, of New York City, and has one son, named
Harold Towsley. Dr. and
Mrs. Walsh are members of the Congregational church.
ARTHUR J. N. WARD, an enterprising
lumberman and manufacturer of Enfield, Mass., was born
in this town, June 11, 1849, son of Benjamin
andElizabeth W. (Hanks) Ward. The Ward
family has been a prominent one in England for several
centuries. Some of its early progenitors accompanied
William the Conqueror from Normandy, and William de la
Ward resided in Chester in 1175. The original ancestor
in America was William Ward, who emigrated from
Derbyshire in 1639, and from whom Arthur J. N. Ward is
directly descended. Ebenezer Ward, Mr.
Ward's grandfather, was born July 19, 1773; and he
became an early settler in Belchertown, Mass. He
followed agricultural pursuits with prosperous results
during the active period of his life, and died in
Belchertown at an advanced age. He and his wife, Rebecca
Randall Ward, raised a family of eleven children, of
whom Benjamin, Mr. Ward's father, was
the eighth. All have now passed away.
Benjamin Ward was born in
Belchertown in 1809. He learned the trade of a
millwright, and in 1830 settled in Enfield, where he
followed that occupation for some years. He later built
a sawmill, which he operated successfully for many
years, becoming well and favorably known throughout this
region. He was a sturdy, industrious citizen and an able
business man, liberal in his religious views; and, like
the majority of the old Whig element, he joined the
Republican party at its formation. He died in Enfield,
July 14, 1888. His wife, Elizabeth W. Hanks, who was
born in Enfield in 1812, became the mother of two
children, namely: Benjamin H., who was born July 25,
1844, and was accidentally killed in the sawmill, May
10, 1861 ; and Arthur J. N., the subject of this
sketch. The mother died
October 8, 1884.
Arthur J. N. Ward was educated in
the schools of his native town, and from an early age he
has been engaged in the manufacturing of lumber. He
entered into partnership with Cyrus F. Woods, and this
firm has since been identified with the lumbering
interests of Enfield. They cut,
haul, and manufacture all kinds of native lumber, and
operate two mills, which are equipped with improved
machinery. They have handled as
high as two million feet per annum, and they own about
four hundred and eighty-four acres of timber land, from
which they obtain their logs. Mr. Ward
owns the old homestead of sixty-seven acres, where he
resides; and this he conducts with good results. In
politics he is a Republican, and is quite prominent in
local public affairs. He has been a member of the Board
of Selectmen for several years past, is also an
Assessor, and is at the present time chairman of the
Republican Town Committee.
Mr. Ward has been twice married.
His first wife, Emma L. Witherell, whom he wedded
September 20, 1871, died January 6,
1894, leaving no children. On
January 16, 1895, he married for his second wife Lucy
E. Fairbanks, a native
of Ware, Mass. Mr.
Ward is an enterprising and progressive business
man and a highly esteemed citizen, who has contributed
much toward the development of the natural resources of
his native town.
WILBUR H. H. WARD, a retired
business man of Amherst, was born in Southbridge, Mass.,
April 8, 1845, son of John B. and Louisa (Cook) Ward,
and grandson of Reuben H. and Polly (Shaw)
Ward.
Mr. Ward's grandparents were
natives of Belchertown, where his great-grandfather,
John Ward, was an early settler. He owned a good farm
there, and was generally known as an industrious and
honest man. Both he and his wife lived to advanced age.
They had a family of four sons and two daughters.
John Ward was a member of the State militia, and
was in Springfield at the time of Shays's Rebellion.
Politically, he was a Democrat.
His son, Reuben H. Ward, succeeding to the
ownership of the homestead, was engaged during his
lifetime in agricultural pursuits. He prospered in his
undertakings, and he owned land at the time of his death
aggregating one hundred and twenty-five acres.
Politically, he was independent. In religious matters
his views were not restricted by creed, being broadly
liberal. He died at the age of seventy-five. Grandmother
Ward lived to be eighty-two. They had a family of seven
sons and six daughters, four of whom are now living,
namely: John B., the father of our subject; Warren
S., in Michigan;
Alfred, in Gilbertville; Lutheria (Mrs. Davis), in South
Orange.
John B. Ward, the father of Mr.
Ward, was educated in the schools of Belchertown. As a
first attempt at earning a livelihood he hired out as a
farm hand at ten dollars a month, and later he worked in
the woolen factories of Ware and Southbridge. After
fourteen years of factory life he purchased four hundred
acres of land in Pelham, and engaged in lumbering and
general farming. From 1850 to 1868 he was the largest
tax-payer in Pelham. He was also the most extensive
farmer, and was prominent as a lumberman. In September,
1868, he purchased the handsome estate where he and his
son, Wilbur, now reside, and retired from active work.
Mr. Ward's early years
were devoted to hard and persevering labor, and he is
now enjoying its fruits. Politically, he favors the
Democratic party. In religious views, like his father,
he is liberal. His wife, to whom he was united May 15,
1837, was born in Pelham, June 23, 1815, daughter of
Ziba and Sally Cook. Ziba Cook was a leading man in his
district, and represented Pelham in the legislature
several terms. Mrs. Ward died at Amherst, March 11,
1872.
Wilbur H. H. Ward was the only
child of his parents. He was quite young when they
removed to Pelham, and in that town received his early
education, afterward attending other schools in
Hampshire County. In 1866 he engaged in the bakery
business in Springfield, with W. C. Wedge as partner.
One year later they removed to Holyoke, and for some
nine years conducted a successful trade in that town. In
1876 Mr. Ward went to New York City, and there was
engaged as a baker till 1887, when he disposed of his
business, and moved to Amherst.
On February 16, 1865, Mr.
Ward was married to Elizabeth A., daughter of Lemuel
C. and Lucy Wedge, born
in Pelham, January 5, 1846
Mr. and Mrs. Ward have no children.
Mr. Ward votes the Democratic ticket. In
religious views he is liberal, while his wife is a
member of the Episcopal church. He belongs to the
Masonic fraternity, and was one of the charter members
of the Association of Knights of Pythias in Holyoke. He
has been a very successful man in business; and his
residence on North Prospect Street, in the beautiful
college town of Amherst, is one of the handsomest homes
in the vicinity.
ALONZO C. WARNER, a highly respected native born
citizen of Granby, Mass., whose birth date was May 5,
1828, has been intimately associated with the
agricultural interests of the town for many years,
having begun when a boy to assist his father in clearing
and improving the land which he now owns. He is at
present, how-ever, practically retired from business. He
is the descendant of a family of stability and worth,
being a son of Alonzo and Anna (Cutler) Warner, the
latter of whom was born in West Brookfield, Mass. Alonzo
Warner, who was a tiller of the soil, was a lifelong
resident of Granby and a most useful and influential
member of the community, being often elected to office,
and serving in various important positions. He rounded a
full period of life, dying in 1884. Seven children were
born into his household, as follows: Alonzo C.; Mary
Ann, who lived but a brief time; Stephen M., a general
merchant at Centralia, ILL.; Mary Ann, the second to
bear that name, residing in Springfield; Susan E., the
wife of J. H.
Barton,
of Springfield; Pamelia B., who
passed away at the age of twenty-five years; and Elmina,
who died in childhood. The record of
the life of Alonzo C. Warner begins when he was a pupil
in the district school, which he left when comparatively
young to assist in the farm work at home. The property has
been under his direct management for two score years,
during which time he has intelligently and skillfully
carried on general farming, and with exceedingly
profitable results, each year adding materially to his
wealth.
The union of Mr. Warner with Margaret S. Towne
was solemnized December 27, 1870. Mrs. Warner was
born at Belchertown, Mass., October 7, 1840, being a
daughter of Israel A and Hannah (Stacy) Towne, of that
place. Of
their marriage three children have been born, namely:
Arthur Towne; Walter Stephen, who died at the age of
seventeen years; and Anna Cutler. Both Mr. and Mrs. Warner are
consistent members of the Congregational
church.
In politics Mr. Warner is a steadfast Republican,
and has served his fellow townsmen in various minor
offices of the town and county. With the exception of
trips through the western part of our country, Mr.
Warner has spent his years in the town in which he was
reared, finding no place so congenial to his tastes,
although he traveled extensively through Illinois,
visiting Chicago, also Toledo, Ohio, and other large
Western cities. In 1895 Mr. and Mrs. Warner made their
latest trip to the West, returning in the month of
April. Since then Mr. Warner's health has not been good,
the journey not proving as helpful as had been wished;
and he has been obliged to give up all active
labor.
CHARLES L WARNER, a prosperous
farmer of Hatfield was born at the Warner homestead, in
this town, April 11, 1837, son of James W. and Lois B.
(Longley) Warner. Mr. Warner is a descendant of Andrew
Warner, one of the earliest inhabitants of Cambridge,
Mass., as stated in Paige's History, residing there in
1635, but selling his estate in December, 1636, and
moving to Connecticut. In 1659 Andrew Warner settled in
Hadley, Mass., where he died in 1684. Among his children
were: Andrew, Daniel, Isaac, Jacob, Robert, John, and
Mary.
Daniel Warner settled in Hatfield,
where he owned the farm which is now in possession of S.
F. Billings, and was here engaged in farming until his
death. He
married Martha Boltwood as his second wife, it is said,
and had a large family of children, among whom may here
be named: Mary, Daniel,
Sarah, Andrew, Abraham, Anna, Ebenezer,
and Elizabeth.
Ebenezer, son of Daniel and
Martha B. Warner, was born
in Hatfield, and settled upon a farm in
Belchertown, Mass. He married Ruth Ely;
and his son Moses, who married Sarah Porter, was the
father of Deacon Moses Warner, great-grandfather of
Charles L. Warner. Deacon Moses
Warner was born in Belchertown in 1754, was there reared
to farm life, and subsequently moved from
Belchertown to Hatfield, where he bought
the farm known as the Billings homestead. On June 4,
1779, he married Mary King; and their children were:
John, Elisha, Sarah, Mary, and Moses.
John Warner, son of Deacon Moses,
was born in Hatfield. In early manhood he was engaged in
teaming between Hatfield and Boston, carrying produce to
market, and returning with merchandise. He later entered
mercantile business, and also conducted a farm. In 1806
he married Caroline Whiton, who was born in Lee, Mass.,
December 6, 1786. They became the parents of seven
children, as follows: Mary, John S., Jonathan D.
Caroline R., Eliza, Lydia A., and James W. John Warner
died in 1823.
James W. Warner, son of John, and
above named as the father of Charles L. Warner, was born
in Hatfield, May 11, 1809. He settled on the homestead,
and was a progressive and prosperous farmer. He died
November 20, 1891. He was a
Democrat in politics. His wife, Lois B. Longley, whom he
married March 30, 1836, was born January 14, 1816, and
she became the mother of eleven children, namely:
Charles L.; Mary L., born November 26, 1838, now the
wife of W. D. Billings, of Hatfield; Sarah A., born
March 26, 1841, now wife of C. B. Bardwell; Moses E.,
born February 3, 1843; Egbert S., born February 5, 1845;
John A., born October 10, 1846, who married
Elizabeth Bacon; James D., born in 1849, who married
Hannah Buck; Benjamin M., born January 14, 1853, who
married Ella E. Fitch; George
W., born July 5, 1855, who married Lillian
Fisher; Caroline L., born February 15, 1858, now the
wife of Arthur G. Holt; and Lewis W.,
who was born October 25, 1860,
and died in 1864.
Mrs. James W. Warner died on January 10,
1890.
Charles L. Warner received his
education in the schools of Hatfield, and resided with
his parents until reaching the age of twenty-two years.
He has since conducted farming on his own account. He is
a leading tobacco grower, fifteen acres of his farm
being devoted to that product, and his crop averaging
one and one-half tons to the acre. He is a Republican in
politics, and has served as a Selectman and an
Assessor.
In 1865 Mr. Warner was
united in marriage to Maria E. Fitch, of Hatfield,
daughter of John T. and Julia (White) Fitch. Mrs.
Warner's great-grandparents, Ebenezer and Abigail
Fitch, were early settlers in Hatfield. Ebenezer Fitch
was a surveyor, also a successful agriculturist, and was
a prominent man in the town. He died in 1825, aged
eighty-nine years, his wife having died in 1818, aged
seventy-three. Mrs. Warner's grandfather, John Fitch,
was born in Hatfield, and followed general farming. A man of energy
and enterprise, he erected a new house and barn, and
remodeled his other farm buildings. He also bought the
old White Tavern, which he moved back from the road to
use for storage purposes, and which still stands as a
landmark in the town. John Fitch died at the age of
sixty-one years. His wife, Rachel Applebee, died in
1833, aged forty-seven. Their son, John T. Fitch,
succeeded to the ownership of his father's place,
becoming a prosperous farmer, and in his later years a
very successful tobacco grower. He was a Republican in
politics, and became prominent in public affairs,
serving as a Selectman and an Assessor; and in 1862 he
represented his district in the legislature. His wife,
Julia White, whom he wedded March 3, 1842, was born May
17, 1821, daughter of Nehemiah and Sarah (Cogswell)
White, the former of whom was a carpenter and
cabinet-maker of Williamsburg. The children of Mr. and
Mrs. John T. Fitch were:
Maria E., Mrs. Warner; and Herbert, who died aged three
years. Mr. and Mrs. Warner
have had three children, namely: Harry, born in 1867,
who died at the age of six years; Edwin, born August 11,
1872, who married Myra Field, and has one son, named
Harold; and Luda F., born January 27, 1877, who resides
at home.
EGBERT S. WARNER, a prominent
farmer and veterinary surgeon of Hatfield, was born at
the Warner homestead, February 25, 1845, son of James W.
and Louisa B. (Longley) Warner. Dr. Warner is a
descendant of Andrew Warner, one of the first settlers
of Hadley, Mass., who died in 1694. He was the father of
Andrew, Daniel, Isaac, Jacob, Robert, and Mary. Daniel, son of
Andrew Warner, was born in Hatfield and settled upon a
farm in this town, where he resided until his death. He
was twice married, and had a large family of children,
among them: Sarah, Abraham, Andrew, Mary, Anna,
Ebenezer, and Elizabeth. Ebenezer Warner,
son of Daniel and Martha (Boltwood) Warner, married Ruth
Ely, settled in Belchertown, and engaged in agricultural
pursuits. His son Moses Warner, who was a lifelong
resident of Belchertown, married Sarah Porter, and was
the father of a second Moses Warner. The latter was born
in Belchertown in 1754, but in early manhood moved to
Hatfield, where he settled upon a farm located directly
opposite the Billings homestead. He
died in 1828, having been a Deacon of the Congregational
church for many years. He was married on June 4, 1779,
to Mary King, who was born in 1757, and died in 1831.
They had five children, named: John, Elisha, Sarah,
Mary, and Moses.
John Warner, Mr. Warner's
grandfather, was born in Hatfield, and commenced life as
a teamster.
He drove a
four-horse team between Hatfield and Boston, carrying
produce to market, and returning with merchandise. He later engaged
in mercantile business in Hatfield, which he conducted
in connection with
farming,
and
became
successful. He erected the substantial brick
residence which is now occupied by Mr. E. S. Warner. He
died at fifty-two years of age. In
1806 he married Caroline Whiton, who was born in Lee,
Mass.; and their children were: Mary, James W., John S.,
Jonathan, Caroline R., Eliza, and Lydia. The
mother died March 1, 1853.
James W. Warner, Mr. Warner's
father, was .born in Hatfield, May 11, 1809. He
inherited
the
Warner homestead, and conducted
the farm with prosperous results. A Republican in
politics and a member of the Congregational church, he
was a man of excellent judgment, was progressive
in his ideas and actively interested in all matters
relating to the improvement of the town. James W.
Warner died November 20, 1891. His
wife, Louisa
B.
Longley,
whom
he
married on March 30, 1836, was born January 14,
1816, daughter of Alpheus Longley, who was Postmaster of
the town many years. She
became the mother of eleven
children,
as follows: Charles L., born April 11, 1837; Mary L.,
born November 26, 1838, now
the wife of William D. Billings, of Hatfield; Sarah A.,
who was born March 26, 1841, and married C. B. Bardwell;
Moses E., born February 3, 1843; Egbert S., the subject
of this sketch; John A., who was born October 10, 1846,
and married Elizabeth Bacon; James D., who was born
September 24, 1849, and married Hannah Bach; Benjamin
M., who was born January 14, 1853, and married Ella E.
Fitch; George W., born July 5, 1855, who married Nellie
M. Fisher; Caroline L., born February 15, 1858, now the
wife of Arthur G. Holt; and Lewis W., who was born
October 25, 1860, and died in 1864. The mother died
January 10, 1890.
Egbert S. Warner commenced
his education in the schools of Hatfield, and completed
his studies at the Westfield Academy. At the age of
nineteen he entered the store of W. D. Billings as a
clerk, and after remaining there for one year he pursued
a course at Burnham's Business College in Springfield,
Mass. He then engaged in farming, and in 1872 purchased
the G. W. Hubbard farm, which he improved by building a
new barn. During his leisure time he has taken up the
study of veterinary surgery, in which he has become very
proficient, and has a large practice. He
conducts general farming, and, making a specialty of
raising tobacco, cultivates seven acres of the weed
annually, which average one ton to the acre. He
is interested in the breeding of fine horses, and owns
the well-known stallion, Warner Knox, a grandson of
General Knox, and is also the owner of eleven speedy
trotters.
He is a Democrat in politics, and has served as a
member of the Board of Selectmen, as School Committee,
and as Constable, and is at the present time one of the
State cattle inspectors.
On November 19, 1874, Mr.
Warner was united in marriage with Julia Hunt, daughter
of Charles and Cora (Strain) Hunt. Mrs. Julia H. Warner
died in 1879, leaving him two children, namely: Cora H.,
born June 27, 1876; and Carrie H., born March 12,
1879.
HENRY W. WARNER, Postmaster at
Leeds and one of the substantial and progressive farmers
of the district, born in Northampton, on the farm where
he now resides, in the year 1858. The Warner's are of
English extraction, the American progenitor having been
William Warner, who emigrated to America in 1637, and
located in the town of Ipswich, Mass., the. subject of
this sketch being a descendant in the eighth
generation.
Solomon Warner, grandfather of
Henry W. Warner, was a son of
Mark Warner, and was born at Northampton Centre, in the
part then called "Black Pole," in 1783. He was a
practical agriculturist, and settled in 1811 on the farm
of one hundred and fifty acres now owned by his
grandson. The same year he erected the farm house, and
afterward from time to time he added to his tract of
land until it eventually covered four hundred
acres. His wife, whose
maiden name was Allen, died in early life, leaving seven
or eight children; one of whom was Moses Warner, the
father of Henry W. He lived a widower for many years,
and died in 1863.
Moses Warner was born in 1821 in
the house now occupied by this son, and was engaged in
agricultural work throughout his life. He married Susan
Clark, a daughter of Sherman Clark, of Westhampton,
their nuptials having been celebrated in 1841. Of their
union three children have been born, as follows: Betsey
A., who married Harry Leigh, of Connecticut, and died in
March, 1887, aged thirty-three years, leaving two
children; Henry W., the subject of this sketch; and Mary
H., wife of George Blanchard, of Hartford,
Conn.
Henry W. Warner was reared on the
paternal homestead; and, after completing his education
at the Northampton schools, he worked at civil
engineering as a railway surveyor.
He followed that occupation in New England for
two years, when he returned to his childhood's home,
where he has since lived. He is a partner in the well
known firm of Hendrick, Taylor & Warner, contractors
of dams, water-works, roads, etc., who do a large
business, and are at present building roads for the
State of Massachusetts. He has been Postmaster of Leeds
for some time, and is now serving his second
term.
On April 30, 1884, Mr. Warner was
united in marriage with Leila Caillat, born at Wolf
Creek, Ind., November 8, 1857. The ceremony was
performed in Indiana. They are the parents of two
children: Burt C, a boy of ten years; and Esther, eight
years old. Mr. Warner is a man of
prominence in social, political, and educational
circles, and a leader in all enterprises tending to the
advantage of his native city. He is a
member of the Democratic party, has served his
fellow-townsmen as Councilman for two years, and has
been a member of the Board of Education for three years.
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, being a Master
Mason, and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and
the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
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