Those who built Chelsea – C, D, E. F

Charles A. Campbell

Charles A. Campbell was born in Boston on November 6, 1837. His
parents moved to Chelsea when he was two years old and he attended
the Chelsea public schools. Intrigued by the west he went to Chicago
soon after graduation and engaged in the lumber trade. Four years
later he returned to Chelsea and joined his father in the coal
business. In 1862 he volunteed as one of 100 young men from Chelsea
who went ot the front as Company G, Fortieth Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry. He served in the Army of the Potomac and in the Department
of the South. He was involved in the battles around Charleston, South
Carolina, the capture of the harbor and the fall of Fort Wagner. He
was promoted to sergeant, regimental quartermaster sergeant and then
to lieutenant. In the spring of 1864 he became ill and was forced to
return to the north. Recovering, he was commissioned by Governor
Andrew, a captain for the recruiting service.

From 1868 to 1872 he was elected a member of the common council and
as alderman in 1873 and 1875. In 1883 he was chosen to the upper
branch of the state legislature. He was prominent in many fraternal
organization in the city and was the president of the Review Club. He
was a trustee of the Fitz Public Library and vice-president of the
County Savings Bank. He was a director of the First national Bank,
Winnisimmet Company, Metropolitan Coal Company, Chelsea Y.M.C.A. and
held many other positions of honor and trust. In April of 1898, he
sold to the U. S. Government the steamship Sterling for the transport
of troops and ammunition in the war with Spain. In January of 1861 he
married Miss Lavinia Hutchinson. They had two children.

Joseph R. Carr

Joseph R. Carr was born in Boston in 1846, educated in the Boston
public schools and then studied engineering. After spending several
years in the west he settled in Chelsea in 1867. At this time of
rapid growth of the city, many costly improvements were needed.
Accordingly, the office of city engineer was established and Mr. Carr
was elected to the office. For several years he was engaged in the
work of revising grades, paving streets and building sewers. As a
result of his work the lower portion of Chelsea was changed from a
country town to a modern city. He was a member of many local clubs
and organizations and was secretary of the city park commission. He
was a director of the Chelsea Board of Trade and a trustee of the
County Savings Bank.

Mellen Chamberlain

Born: June 4, 1820

Died: June 25, 1900

Prescott Chamberlain

Prescott Chamberlain was born in Bristol, Maine on December 11, 1845.
His parents moved to Portland, Maine when he was quite young and he
attended the Portland public schools. He was a veteran of the Civil
War, having served in a Maine regiment, enlisting when a mere boy,
and serving until the end of the war. He came to Boston in 1871 with
firm of Marr Brothers as bookkeeper. This firm was burned out in the
great Boston fire, but he continued in their employ for some time
after that event. He later became a bookkeeper for the Hon. C. A.
Campbell where he remained for three years. He entered the insurance
business and built a very lucrative company with his principal office
in Chelsea.

Joshua Cheever

Born: January 6, 1687/88

Died:

Joshua Cheever was the son of Rev. Thomas Cheever and Sarah. He was
born on January 6, 1687/88 his home was in Boston where he became a
prominent citizen.He married Sarah Warren on November 2, 1708. She
was the granddaughter of Samuel Cole and James Senter of Winnisimmet.
She died on January 26, 1723 at age 37. On November 5, 1724 he
married the widow Sarah Jenkins, who died in 1755. He owned land in
Chelsea which was purchased from Deacon Jacob Hasey.

Nathan Cheever

Born: March 16, 1694

Died: September 30, 1774

Nathan Cheever was born on March 16, 1694. He was the seventh child
born to the Rev. Thomas Cheever and Sarah. In 1726 he was chosen
constable for Rumney Marsh, and after incorporation of Chelsea he was
elected selectmen. He was a member of the Ancient and Honorable
Artillery Company in 1733. His first marrage was to Hannah Brooks,
daughter of Ebenezer and Abigail Brooks of Medford on November 8,
1721. She died on July 1, 1724 at age 23. His second marrage was in
Rumney Marsh on February 15, 1738/39 to Anna Fuller the widdow of
Nathaniel Fuller and daughter of Samuel Burrill of Lynn. She died on
November 10, 1740. Nathan died on September 30, 1774 at age 81. He
left two sons, Nathan and Joshua , both of whom lived in Chelsea.

Rev. Thomas Cheever

Born: August 23, 1658

Died: December 27, 1749

Thomas Cheever was born in Ipswitch, Massachusetts on August 23,
1658. He was the son of the famous schoolmaster, Ezekiel Cheever. He
graduated Harvard College in 1677 and was admitted to the First
Church of Boston in July of 1680. He began to preach in Malden on
February 14, 1679/80 at the age of 21. He was ordained as a colleague
of Michael Wigglesworth on July 27, 1681. Like most of the clergy of
that day, he was interested in political affairs. On October 26, 1683
he was accused of dispersing a “libellous paper” in Boston
defaming the Governor, Magistrates and Ministers. The matter was
smothered. On March 15, 1685 he encounted more serious charges and
was accused of “immoralities.” A council was held in Malden
on April 7, 1686, which he attended. Increase Mather was the
moderator. Cheever met the witnesses face to face. The council found
him accused of “scandalous breaches” of the third and
seventh commandments and that the evidence was satisfactory. Cheever
denied many of the charges and pretended not to remember many of the
others. He was suspended from the church for six weeks and finally
dismissed. For nearly thirty years following his dismissal he was in
comparative retirement in Rumney Marsh. On October 19, 1715 he became
the pastor of the, just recently formed, Church at Rumney Marsh. From
1709 to 1719 he taught school at Rumney Marsh holding class in his
home. He was the author of several books; “The Church’s Duty and
Safety” in 1715, “Two Sermons preached at Malden” on
June 4, 1725. He lived to be the oldest surviving graduate of Harvard
College. He died on December 27, 1749 at th age of 91. His early
ministerial life was clouded by grave charges, but whatever his
faults may have been, he nobly redemed them by a long life of useful
and honorable service, and died greatly respected and loved. In 1722
and again in 1725 he preached two sermons to his old people in
Malden. He was married three times, first to Sarah, daughter of James
Bill, Sr. of Pulling Point. She was the mother of all of his seven
children and died on January 30, 1704/05 age 47. Second, Elizabeth
Warren on July 20, 1707, she was the daughter of John Senter of
Winnisimmet. She died on May 10,1727 at age 64. His last wife was
Abigail Jarvis on August 31, 1727. She survived him and died a widow
in Boston on June 20, 1753 at age 84.

John H. Crandon

John Howland Crandon was born in Plymouth in 1835. He was a direct
descendant of John Howland and Governor Bradford of the
“Mayflower.” He graduated from Plymouth High School and
became an apprentice at the Plymouth Rock a weekly journal. He soon
advanced to the reporting and editorial staff of the newspaper. He
was a member of many societies and organizations in Plymouth. At the
close of the Civil War he moved with his family to Chelsea. For the
first year or two he was employed at the Chelsea Telegraph and
Pioneer and then accepted a position at the Mudge & Sons printing
office in Boston. He spent fourteen years on the editorial staff of
the Boston Commercial Bulletin, six years on the daily Advertiser,
and several years as one of the owners, publisher and editor of the
Manufacturer’s Gazette. As a city official he served two years in the
old common council, two in the board of aldermen, one as president
and many years as water commissioner.

During his long term as water commisioner the high water service was
constructed in 1886-87 and in 1897-98 the Metropolitan Water System
was introduced. He was responsible for the organization of the first
Chelsea Board of Trade and was elected its firat secretary. He was
active and prominent in everything pertaining to the welfare, growth
and development of the City of Chelsea.

Dr. William C. Cutler

Dr. William Cutler was born in Holliston, Massachusetts on May 17,
1837. He studied at the Ashland High School and at Mt. Hollis
Seminary in Holliston. In 1859 he graduated from the Laight Street
Medical College in New York. The following year he established
himself at Upton. He moved to Chelsea in 1866 and became a member of
the state board of registration in medicine. He was connected with
both the American Institute of Homeopathy and the Massachusetts and
Boston Homeopathy Medical Societies. He was the first physician to
use antitoxine for the treatment of diptheria. In 1871, at the height
of the smallpox epidemic, he became interested in the preparation of
bovine vaccine founded the New England Vaccine Company which became
know throughout the civilized world. He was director of the
Wiiinsimmet National Bank and a trustee of the County Savings Bank.
He was a democrat in his politics but never accepted public office.
He was vice-president of the Frost Hospital and was a consulting physician.

Frederick L. Cutting

Frederick L. Cutting was born in the north end of Boston on August
14, 1842. His father was Henry Cutting of the firm of Cutting &
Kendall well known ship chandlers at the time. He was educated at the
Elliot School in Boston. He later moved to Chelsea when he was eight
years old and attended the Chelsea grammer and high schools. In 1862,
on his twentieth birthday, he enlisted in company G, 40th
Massachusetts Volunteers for a three year service in the Civil War.
His regiment was known as Dalton’s Foot Cavalry and participated in
many of the principal engagements of the late war. He participated in
the siege of Suffolk, Morris Island, S. C., Battle of Olustee,
Florida, the front at Petersburg and Cold Harbor, Virginia. After the
fall of Richmond, he was clerk for Colonel Albert Ordway and provost
marshall. He was later assigned to the post office at Richmond,
Virginia by General Grant.

After returning to his home in Chelsea he was appointed clerk in the
office of Surgeon General, William J. Dale. He later accepted a
position in the insurance department of the State of Massachusetts.
On October 1, 1897 he was appointed insurance commisioner by Governor
Wolcott. He was active in many fraternal and social organizations in Chelsea.

Eben H. Davis

Eben H. Davis was born in Acton, Massachusetts in 1840. He graduated
from Kimball Union Academy of Meriden, New Hampshire in 1857 and from
Dartmouth College in 1861. He spent the first eight years after
graduation as a teacher and as principal of the Belmont High School.
In 1879 he was elected superintendent of schools in Nashua, New
Hampshire. He remained in Nashua a little more than a year when he
became superintendent of the Woburn, Massachusetts schools. He left
Woburn thirteen years later to accept a position as superintendent of
the Chelsea schools. He served as Chelsea’s third superintendent for
thirteen years and then resigned to take a much needed rest and to
pursue a literary career. While superintendent he achieved
considerable renown by his adoption of improved methods in primary
school instruction. He was the author of several books which had
extensive use in the school system of the time.

Benjamin Dodge

Benjamin Dodge was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts on January 6,
1810. He moved to Chelsea in June of 1840 and was appointed
postmaster. When Chelsea became a city in 1858, he was a member of
the first city government. He took a deep interest in the education
of the young. He became a member of the school committee in 1859, and
was for twenty years connected with the board of overseers of the
poor. He served as a member of that board from 1871 to 1876 and its
secretary from 1876 to 1891. He was one of the original members of
the Free Soil Party and was prominent in the formation and
organization of the republican party in this city. He died on
December 31, 1891.

George D. Emery

Born:

Died:

George D. Emery was the founder of the George D. Emery Company in
Chelsea. He maintained a fleet of ships between Chelsea and Nicaragua
employed in bringing mahogany to this country. The company was
located on Broadway at the water front. In 1898, by the payment of
$100,000, he secured from Nicaragua a mahogany concession and
expended some $250,000 in machinery and building a railroad. In
December of 1906 President Zelaya of Nicaragua abruptly annulled the
concession and seized the land, buildings and railroad. The Emory
Company asked the United States to send warships, but were refused.
This loss and the death of Mr. Emery a few years later brought about
the end of the company.

Kimball Easterbrook

Kimball Easterbrook was born in Evans County, near Buffalo, New York.
He married and moved to Chelsea in 1859. When the Civil War broke
out, he enlisted in Company G, Fortieth Massachusetts Infantry, and
was mustered into three years service on September 5, 1862. On
October 21, 1863 he was appointed quartermaster sergeant and the
following December was promoted to First Lieutenant. On November 16,
1864 he was made regimental quartermaster.

He was elected city auditor of Chelsea on January 1, 1880. His
efficiency in filling the intricate duties of his office won him
continous re-election to become the longest in office of Chelsea
public officials. He was a member of many fraternal organizations and
a member of the Chelsea Board of trade.

Judge Frank E. Fitz

Frank E. Fitz was the son of former mayor Eustace Fitz and Sarah Jane
(Blanchard) Fitz. He was born in Cambridge on November 15, 1857. When
he was quite young his family moved to Chelsea. He was educated in
the Chelsea Public Schools received a degree from Brown University in
1880. He attended Boston University Law School and received his law
degree in 1883. He was admitted to the bar one month later. He
quickly built a law practice and was appointed by Governor Russell as
special justice to the Chelsea Police Court. In November of 1884 he
married Adelaine Frances, daughter of David Slade of Chelsea. His
residence was on Clark Avenue where he had three children. He was a
member of the Review Club and the college fraternity known as the
Delta Kappa Epsilon. He was a familiar figure in the courts and was a
successful corporation lawyer.

John Floyd

Born: 1636 or 1637

Died: 1701

John Floyd was born in 1636 or 1637 and was the son of John and Anne
Floyd of Scituate, London and Boston. Sarah, his wife, died on June
16, 1717 age 75. He lived in Lynn, Massachusetts where five of his
children were born. Sarah, born February 24, 1661/62, Hugh, born
September 10, 1663, John, born 1665, Joseph, and Joana, born January
3, 1668/69. He moved to Malden where he had a son Noah, born in
December of 1670 and a son Daniel, born December 28, 1675. He owned a
house and land near Black Ann’s Corner. He later had a daughter,
Mary, born on August 14, 1679 in Boston (Rumney Marsh). He was
constable for Rumney Marsh in 1681. He appears to have lived at
Rumney Marsh at various times as early as January 1664/65. Floyd was
a man of intelligence and an officer of merit in the Indian War of
1690. At age 54 he sailed against the enemy in the east and the
Indian hostilities at York, Maine. On May 27, 1690, Captain John
Floyd was ordered to gather the troop under his command and advance
to Piscataqua. On June 10 sixty soldiers were added to his command
and posted at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. On July 6, 1690. Captain
John Floyd fought in the battle at Wheelright’s Pond, now Lee, New
Hampshire but was forced to retreat after losing 16 men. He took part
in the battle at Casco, now Portland, Maine. He served as Lieutenant
under Captain Henchman in the King Philips War and assigned to Malden
in the settlement of August 1676. On April 12, 1689, Governor Andros,
accordinng to a rough draft in his handwriting, wrote Captain Floyd, “fforasmuch
as you have given me to understand that severall of yr souldiers
undr yor command have in a mutinous manner contrary to yor ordr left
& deserted thier service & station att Saco River & are
marching towards this place, you are therefore forthwith to repair to
yr sd station & by way to command & march back any of your
said soldiers you shall meet with and there remain until further ordered.”
When Lieutenant John Puddington of the post at Kenebunke was ordered
back to Boston to explain why he had contrary to his orders “Quitted
& discharged ye garison & soldiers at Kenebunke,” Captain
Floyd was ordered to take command.This occurred one week
before the revolt which deposed Governor Andros. During the
witchcraft craze, in June of 1692, a warrant was issued for his
arrest, and testimony was given against him at Salem, Massachusetts.
John Floyd died in 1701.

Samuel Floyd

Born: 1695

Died: 1780

Samuel Floyd was born in 1695 and was the son of Hugh and Eleanor
Floyd. He married Joanna on February 8, 1727/28. They had 10
children, Tabbatha, born April 4, 1729, Joanna, born December 6,
1731, Samuel, born December 6, 1733, Noah, born June 26, 1735,
Joseph, born January 27, 1737, Rachel, born October 30, 1739,
Nathaniel born April 11, 1741, David, born November 20, 1742, Nathan,
born January 16, 1744 and Benjamin, born May 3, 1746. He was chosen
selectman on May 20, 1754 to replace Lieutenant Thomas Pratt, who
moved out of town. In 1764 he was elected a representative to the
General Court replacing Thomas Goldthwaite. He was a member of the
committee in 1766 to obtain relief from overtaxation. He died in 1780
at the age of 85.