Archive:History of Westminster, Tolman, R-V

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Tolman, Newton F., editor, A History of Westminster, Massachusetts, 1893-1958, compiled by The Westminster Historical Society (Richard R. Smith Co., Inc., Peterborough, New Hampshire: 1961); Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 61-17914; New England Historic Genealogical Society Call No. F/74/W72/W72.

RICE - SAWIN - STORY
 TOWLE - URBAN - VINE

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[p. 289-291] RICE

Joel R. Rice (39) b. December 20, 1823, d. January 22, 1895; s. of Aaron and Susan (Davis) Rice of Princeton; m. Mary H. Whitney (61) (d. December 14, 1918) dau. of George (49) and Dolly (Jackson) Whitney, and settled in Wachusettville.
Children of Joel R. and Mary H. (Whitney) Rice:
1. Ellen (40) b. December 18, 1859 (deceased); m. George H. Clegg; lived in Fitchburg.
2. Frank M. (41) b. May 26, 1862, d. February 24, 1940; m. Della A. Eaton (d. January 8, 1937). They lived in Westminster for a short time and then removed to Gardner.

Children of Frank M. and Della A. (Eaton) Rice:
1. Bertha (48) b. May 9, 1889 (deceased); m. Sherman Peabody; 1 child.
2. George Geaman b. February 11, 1893, d. August 1944; m. Isa L. Rowe; 1 child.

3. Mary A. (42) b. March 25, 1865; m. Frank W. Derby. (See Derby).
4. Freddie (43) b. February 20, 1870. Died in infancy.
5. George C. (44) b. October 12, 1872. Died in infancy.
6. Edward J. (45) b. October 2, 1875, d. November 22, 1941; m. June 28, 1905, Florence C. Black, b. April 10, 1881, in Danvers, dau. of Henry Johnson and Abbie (White) Black. They made their home just outside the village on the State Road to Gardner, where Mrs. Rice still lives. He followed several occupations, including those of streetcar conductor, cleark at the Brick Store, and chair factory worker in Gardner. He and Mrs. Rice were members of the Westminster Historical Society, Mrs. Rice as first present when the Society was reactivated in 1952. Mrs. Rice was employed in a Gardner bank for thirty-two years; she was Town Accountant from 1924, when the accounting system was installed in town, until 1937, when she became Tax Collector and her husband became Town Accountant. Mrs. Rice also served on the Building Committee of the present Congregational Church, built 1941-1942. She was given a testimonial banquet April 10, 1956, by a large gathering of her friends and co-workers on the occasion of her seventy-fifth birthday. There are no children.
7. Louis D. (46) b. September 13, 1878, d. July 22, 1945; m. November 25, 1909, Nettie Mosmann, [p. 167] dau. of Alvaro E. Mossman, M.D. and Mary A. Eacott, b. November 29, 1880, in Lowell; graduate of Fitchburg Normal School. He was of Somerville.

Children of Louis D. and Nettie (Mosmann) Rice:
1. Richard Edmond b. June 8, 1913; m. May 17, 1941 Marjorie Bently; lives in Arlington; 3 children.
2. Marion Louise b. August 16, 1918, lives in Wollaston; unmarried.

8. Sherman (47) b. May 15, 1881; m. October 22, 1912, Viola M. Houghton, b. April 4, 1891, in Gardner, dau. of Clinton and May (Herbert) Houghton. He built his present house on the corner of Main and Brooks Avenue. He is a salesman.

Child of Sherman and Viola M. (Houghton) Rice:
1. Celia May b. October 20, 1913, graduate of Wheaton College; m. (1) October 14, 1944, Wilder W. Strong of Gloversville, New York, 1 son, John M. Strong, b. July 18, 1945; m. (2) October 22, 1958, Richard F. Gruen of Ledgwood, New Jersey.

[p. 301] SAWIN

The Sawin family came to Westminster from Worcester in the early 1760's, settling in the south part of town, from what is now Harrington Road to the Minott District.

John F. Sawin (101) was of the fifth generation to live here; b. December 5, 1857, d. March 26, 1935; s. of John (45) and Harriet (Hodgman) Sawin. He was divorced from Emma F. (6) Sawtelle, his first wife, and on September 4, 1894, m. (2) Jennie (Lynde) Rice (d. May 25, 1936). He settled on his father's place at the corner of South Street and Harrington Road, and later removed to the present Daniel Campbell place on South Street, which he occupied for the rest of his life. He was a chairmaker for a time, and later became a conductor on the Gardner, Westminster and Fitchburg Street Railway.
Child of John F. Sawin:

1. Merton Leslie b. March 4, 1899; unmarried; an engraver; resides in Watertown.

[p. 315] STORY

Joseph E. Story b. May 17, 1859, in East Pepperell, d. October 7, 1944; s. of Solomon and Sarah (Shattuck) Story of Dunstable; m. May 28, 1884, Lucy L. (2) Bridge (d. Jan. 6, 1945), dau. of Samuel L. (1) and Elizabeth (Sawin) Bridge. After six years in Dunstable, they moved to Westminster and located on the James Sawin place in the south part of town, now the home of Anselm Wilen. In 1916 they moved to Elliott Street where they occupied the George Lane place, now home of Eimo Niinimaki. Mr. Story followed various occupations, particularly farming and cobbling. His shoe repair shop was in the upper story of the Post Office Building. Mrs. Story was a faithful member of the Historical Society.
Children of Joseph E. and Lucy (Bridge) Story:
1. Sarah b. November 16, 1892; m. Henry Moore; lives in Barre; 3 children.
2. Solomon Edwin b. June 21, 1895, d. August 7, 1954; m. October 19, 1921, Mabel Gleason, dau. of the Reverend Charles and Angeline (Snook) Gleason. Mr. Story was selectman for 1 term.
3. John Carroll b. June 27, 1899; unmarried; resides in Chicago, Illinois; veteran of W W II.

[p. 321-322] TOWLE

Ephraim W. Towle b. July 28, 1867, d. May 9, 1921; m. August 30, 1893, Cora F. Holden (79), d. June 12, 1943. (See Holden.) They lived for a few years in Templeton and Hubbardston, but returned to Westminster in the early 1900's. He was for some time an engineer at the Power Station.
Children of Ephraim W. and Cora F. (Holden) Towle:
1. Harold Allen b. June 8, 1894; m. (1) June 25, 1921, Marion P. Walker (d. June 12, 1948), dau. of William and Mary (Abbott) Walker of Cabot, Vermont. Before her marriage she taught in the Westminster School System. He served in WW I; a fireman; was elected repeatedly to the office of constable. They lived on Nichols Street, in the house now owned by Angelo Buffone. He m. (2) August 21, 1949, Bertha Aline (Hodgkins) Barker of Keene, New Hampshire. They live in Baldwinville.

Children of Harold Allen and Marion (Walker) Towle:
1. Mary Frances b. November 11, 1922; m. George Belair; 3 children; lives in Conway, New Hampshire.
2. Harold Allan, Jr. b. February 4, 1924; veteran of WW II; m.; lives in Royalston; 2 children.
3. Warren Walker b. August 13, 1925; veteran of WW II; m.; lives in California; 3 children.
4. Calvin Holden b. August 8, 1926; veteran of WW II; m.; lives in California; 2 children.
5. Chester Walker b. July 26, 1927; veteran of WW II; m.; lives in California; 2 children.
6. Robert William b. November 25, 1929; in Korean conflict; m.; lives in California; 2 children.
7. Annette Jane b. July 17, 1931; m. July 1, 1950, John F. Erickson of Gardner; lives in Gardner; 2 children.
8. Joan Evelyn b. April 17, 1935; m.; lives in California; 3 children.

2. Harley Holden b. June 29, 1895, in Templeton; d. April 7, 1955; m. Hazel M. Forbush (d. November 15, 1956) of Leominster; 3 children.
3. Lila May b. October 12, 1896, in Hubbardston; m. June 28, 1917, Harry E. Withington [p. 336], b. November 13, 1893, in Princeton; s. of Ebenezer and Mary Withington. They lived in several places in the village and now make their home on Leominster Street. He is a veteran of WW I; employed in Gardner.

Child of Harry E. and Lila May (Towle) Withington:
1. Dorothy M. b. November 5, 1936, in Gardner; m. Roy J. Barrett [p. 161], b. December 19, 1929, son of Ernest T. and Lavina (Rameau) Barrett; lives in Westminster; 1 child.

4. Donald Edmund b. May 21, 1910, d.September 10, 1959; m. (1) Linnea Adamson (d. 1935) of Gardner, 1 child, Barbara May, b. September 10, 1930; m. (2) May 31, 1946, Hattie E. Temple (Hamlett) of Athol. He was a veteran of WW II.

[p. 323-324] URBAN

J. G. Frank Urban (1) d. Dec. 8, 1934, in El Paso, Texas; his wife, Emma Elmina (117) (Merriam) died January 11, 1934.
Children of J. G. Frank and Emma Elmina (Merriam) Urban:
1. Gertrude A. (2) b. October 1, 1885, d. January 2, 1957; a graduate of New England Conservatory; m. W. H. Allen of Georgia; no children. She taught music in Georgia State College for Women.
2. Grace E. (3) b. August 22, 1887; a graduate of Sargent School; m. Harry A. Clark. (See Clark)

[p. 326] VINE

Homer R. Vine b. December 9, 1915, in Bradford, New York; s. of Raymond E. and Ruth (Bulkley) Vine; m. September 18, 1943, Edith A. Abar, b. January 21, 1916, in La Conner, Washington, dau. of the Reverend Edward J. and Mary E. (Knower) Abar. He is a veteran of WW II. After the war they settled in Westminster, on Main Street and later bought the house on Pleasant Street formerly owned by Mrs. Lillian McAllester. He is a chef at the Old Mill restaurant. Mrs. Vine is a graduate of Keuka College and is a teacher in the Westminster School System.
Children of Homer R. and Edith A. (Abar) Vine:
1. Raymond E. b. December 9, 1945. 2. Larry P. b. March 28, 1947.
3. Mary L. b. May 31, 1948. 4. Gregory S. b. July 23, 1955.

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