Miles Cutler Webb - born July 18, 1899

Miles Cutler Webb was born in West Brookfield on July 18, 1899 to John Henry Webb, farmer, born Worcester,  and Carrie Etta (Cutler), born West Brookfield.  He received his education at Worcester Academy, Brown University, and Harvard Business School and returned to West Brookfield to work on the family farm until he found employment with Ware Trust. Co. 

Miles married his wife Gertrude about 1928.  She became the proprietor of Open Hearth Tea House located on East Main St. in what had been the Austin Phelps House, in June of 1929.
 
Mr. Webb was an Assistant Treasurer for Ware Trust Co. in 1936 and was appointed chairman of the agricultural committee of the Massachusetts Bankers Association.  He retired in August of 1964. Active in town affairs, he served two terms as a selectman in West Brookfield and later served the town as moderator. He died in June 1987.

Charles G. Knowlton died July 14, 1912

Charles Gilman Knowlton was born in Boscawen, Merrimack, New Hamphire on March 9, 1831, to John and Eliza (Burpee) Knowlton.  He married Jane Sholes in Pembroke, Plymouth, MA on March 1, 1860.

Charles' obituary found in the Springfield Daily Republican, Tuesday, July 16, 1912 on page 16, states that he was in the South during the Civil War and was taken prisoner in Brasser City, Louisiana on June 23, 1863 and released on October 21, 1864.  It further states that he was prohibited from returning to the North until five years had elapsed, and that he had spent time in Hempstead, Texas before returning to New England.  This is an interesting tale, and while I have been unable to verify all of the facts, I believe it may be true.

Charles and Jane were enumerated in Pembroke, MA in 1860.  Jane was living in Charlestown, MA with her mother and stepfather Rebecca and Albert Delano at the time of the 1865 Massachusetts Census.  Charles was not a member of that household nor did I find him in the Massachusetts State Census for that year.  I have been able to find birth records for sons Charles Dwight and George Philip Knowlton in Boscawen, New Hampshire in March 1867 and May 1868. These are the oldest known children of Charles and Jane and would indicate that seven years passed between their marriage and the birth of their first born.  Charles could have been in the South anytime between 1860 and 1866 based on my findings thus far.

Two other known children were Jennie, said to have been born in NH about 1872 [no record found] and Frank, who was born in West Brookfield in 1880 and died of Diphtheria in 1888.  The family had moved to West Brookfield between 1870 and 1879 when a local newspaper reported that Charles had launched the steamboat "Emma" on the river for the purpose of transporting picnickers to Brookfield or Podunk.  Mr. Knowlton was remembered as an engineer who was for many years the superintendent at the condensed milk factory in West Brookfield.

Jane (Sholes) Knowlton died in 1890, and Charles married Annie (Fowler) Martin in 1893.

Son Dwight drowned in Lake Wickaboag in 1885, while sailing with a friend. 

George Knowlton married Addie Dockham of Warren in 1890,  and Jennie Knowlton married Denny Livermore of West Brookfield in 1893.

1909 School St. School Photo Added to West Brookfield, MA Genealogy Pages

Ed O'Day contributed his 1909 photograph of the teacher and students of the School St. school in West Brookfield.  It is not necessary to log in to search the site.  Just click on Photos to view the new photo; as well as, other photos on the site.

Photo includes :

1st Row -  George Donovan, Edward O'Day, William Brown, Lillian Clouse, Hazel Anderson, Esther Mulvey, Myrle Dodge

2nd Row - Edmond Smith, Harry Allen, teacher Miss Thurston, Raymond Howe, John Howe, unknown boy (blurred face), unknown boy, Ruth Warfield, Eleanor Reardon, Ralph Buffington, Lizzie Joyce.

3rd Row (on steps) - Agnes Cunningham, Frances Morgan, Wallace Fountain, Emma Tyler

4th Row - Nellie Mulvey, Alice Babbot, Gladys McCurley, Bessie Gilbert. (There's a question mark between McCurley and Gilbert, but I only count four in that row)

5th Row - Burton Mason, Albert Richardson, James Pratt, Clarence Hocum

http://westbrookfieldgenealogy.org/genealogy/

Working on a short biography of Charles G. Knowlton which I hope to complete sometime today.

Chamberlain Family Marriages

A marriage announcement in the National Aegis, July 21, 1847, on page 3, read, "Married in this town, July 13, by Rev. George P. Smith, Ephraim Chamberlain to Maria A. McFarland."  Worcester marriage records confirm the information.  Ephraim was born in West Brookfield about 1822, the son of Eli Chamberlain and Achsah Forbes.  He lived in Worcester where he was a farmer. He was a member of the Worcester County Horticultural Society; as well as, the Worcester, and New England Agricultural Societies.  He also served as President of the Tatnuck Benevolent and Literary Association.  Ephraim and Maria had five children including Frederick H. Chamberlain who later become Judge of the Worcester County Probate Court.

Ephraim's sister, Achsah Juliet Chamberlain, married ten years later on July 13, 1857 in Cuyahoga, Ohio, Jared H. Clark.  Juliet and Jared had a daughter Lucy, who married Edward Hayward in Cook County, Illinois in 1887,  and a son Allan.  Juliet may be the Juliet Clark who died in London, England in 1905. (Lucy and her husband lived in England in 1901.)

Ephraim and Achsah Juliet Chamberlain were older siblings of Daniel Henry Chamberlain who was governor of South Carolina in the 1870's.

Edward J. O'Day, born July 11, 1895 was Postmaster for 29 years.

Edward J. "Doc" O'Day, was born in West Brookfield on July 11, to Edmund J. and Theresa (Lynch), O'Day according to town records.  Census records show that he lived on Ware Street in West Brookfield with his parents and three sisters. 

Edward's World War I Draft Registration Card dated June 5, 1917 indicates that he was a Dental Student at that time, in Baltimore, MD.  The 1920 United States Census occupation entry for him is, "Dentist, just graduated." Dentistry, however, may never have been his occupation, as he went to work for the Boston & Albany railroad in the maintenance department by 1930, and was still working for the railroad at the time of his marriage to Grace Mary Dillon.

An account of the wedding of Grace Dillon, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dillon of Ware, and Edward J. O'Day, son of Mrs. Theresa O'Day, appeared in the Springfield Daily Republican, March 29, 1932, page 17.   "Grace Dillon Marries West Brookfield Man"  The marriage took place on March 28 at All Saints church in Ware.  Other articles on the page tell of a strong Northeaster that day with heavy snow and blizzard-like conditions.  The couple had planned a honeymoon trip to Canada which I understand they never took.

Doc was appointed Postmaster in West Brookfield, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in April 1936 after four years of unemployment except on the town roads.  (He had lost his job with the railroad shortly after his marriage in 1932.) He was Postmaster for twenty-nine years until his retirement in July of 1965.  His wife, and sometimes his son,  also worked in the Post Office. 

Obituaries of West Brookfield residents often mentioned Edward  O'Day as a pall bearer.  Tall and distinguished in appearance, he also always owned a nice automobile in which the bereaved family members might ride.  I imagine many families called upon his generosity in their time of need.

Doc died in Mary Lane Hospital on January 7, 1971.  His obituary appeared the next day in the Springfield Union.  Grace continued to live in the home they had shared on Main St. until 2001.

Massacre of the Haymakers - July 10, 1710

The West Brookfield Historical Commission web site is being revised .  The story of the surprise attack by Indians on six men making hay in the meadow is not available as of 4/26/2014, but hopefully will be soon.

Here is the link for Biographies of the men involved.

Catherine Gallivan born July 9, 1879

Catherine (sometimes Katherine or Kate) Gallivan, born July 9, 1879 in West Brookfield, was the youngest known child of John T. Gallivan, born County Kerry, Ireland, and Catherine Harrington, born in West Brookfield.. She died in Providence Hospital in Holyoke on July 30, 1950 and was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in West Brookfield.  Her obituary found on page 20 of the Springfield Union published July 31, 1950 states that she was educated in West Brookfield schools, later attended Worcester Teachers College, and taught school in West Brookfield for many years.  1900 census records do not have an occupation for Catherine, but census records from 1910, 1920 and 1930 indicate that she worked in the corset industry as a book keeper and later a time clerk.  Further research is needed to determine if and when she worked as a school teacher.  This information might be found in old town report from West Brookfield which may be found in the Merriam Gilbert Public Library.  Another place to search would be old school records from town which may be located somewhere in the town hall.  I will have to add this to my list of things to check on.  Perhaps someone from town would be willing to check for me.