1. "Phillips and Knowlton"
Posted by FairhavenGuy on Mar-22nd-04 at 3:13 PM

Here are a couple more "personal references" from the 1899 Bristol County history. As I mentioned when posting the first batch, these were submitted to the publisher by the individuals themselves.

Phillips, Arthur Sherman, attorney at law, was born at East Bridgewater, Mass., December 13, 1865; his ancestors settled in Marshfield and Weymouth prior to 1630, and in the town of Bridgewater early in the following century. Of his paternal ancestors, John Phillips was a sergeant in General Washington’s life guard, and of his maternal ancestors, Capt. William Pratt commanded the colonial militia in the defense of New Bedford. Mr. Phillips came to Fall River in 1871, was graduated from the Fall River High School with the class of 1883, and from Williams College in 1887. He began the study of law in June 1890, as a student in the office of Morton & Jennings in Fall River, and was admitted to the Bristol bar in May, 1891. In June, 1892, he was graduated from the Boston Law School. From 1892 to 1894 Mr. Phillips was associated in the practice of law with Hon. Andrew J. Jennings, and during that time was connected with many of the most important cases tried in the country. In July, 1894, he opened an office in the Granite block, and in October, 1895, became a senior partner of the firm of Phillips & Fuller, now located in the Union Bank building. Mr. Phillips is secretary of the Fall River Bar Association, and is a practitioner in the courts of the United States. September 13, 1893, he married Elizabeth L. Cheney of Waltham, Mass. They have two children: Lurena and Kathleen.

Knowlton, Hosea Morrill, was born in Durham, Me., May 20, 1847, and is the eldest son of Rev. Isaac Case Knowlton, D.D. and Mary S. Wellington, his wife. He is a direct descendant of Capt. William Knowlton, who sailed from London to Nova Scotia in 1623-4, but died en route, his widow and three sons, John, William and Thomas, continuing the voyage and finally settling in Ipswich, Mass. Mr. Knowlton’s ancestor is William, who served in King Philip’s war. Rev. Isaac Case Knowlton was born in Liberty, Me., September 6, 1819, and died at Acton, Mass., March 23, 1894. He was a self-educated man and spent fifty years in the ministry, receiving the degree of D.D. from Tufts College in 1889. Besides numerous articles published in magazines, etc., he was the author of a “History of Calais, Maine,” 1873, and “Through the Shadows,” 1885. His wife, Mary Smith Wellington, was descended from Kenelm Winslow, brother of Governor Winslow, and also from Thomas Smith, pastor of the First church in Portland, Me. Hosea M. Knowlton’s early life was an itinerant one. He attended the High Schools of Oldtown and Bangor, Me., anf Keene, N.H., and Powers Institute at Bernardston, Mass., and graduated from Tufts College in 1867. He studied one year in the Harvard Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1870. He shortly afterward opened an office in New Bedford, where he has practiced with eminent success. In 1872 he was appointed register in bankruptcy for the First District in Massachusetts, which office he held until it was abolished in 1878. He was a member of the New Bedford School Committee from 1874 to 1877, city solicitor in 1877, representative to the Legislature in 1876-77, State senator in 1878-79, and district attorney for the Southern District of Massachusetts from 1879 to January 1, 1894, when he resigned to take the office of attorney-general of the State, to which position he was elected in the fall of 1893; he has been five times re-elected, an eloquent testimonial of his fitness for the trust, and is still in office. Mr. Knowlton was one of the incorporators and a member of he board of directors of the Edison Electric Light Co. of New Bedford until its consolidation with the New Bedford Gas Co. He has been a director of the Citizens’ National Bank of New Bedford since 1884; a trustee of Tufts College since 1878 and is now vice-president of its board; a trustee of St. Luke’s Hospital, New Bedford, since 1896; and has been a member of the Universalist Society since 1872, its treasurer since 1875, and the superintendent of its Sunday school since 1874. Mr. Knowlton is one of the ablest members of the Massachusetts bar, and as a citizen and public officer is universally respected and esteemed. On May 22, 1873, he married Miss Sylvia Bassett Almy, daughter of Benjamin and Sophia Almy. Mrs. Knowlton possesses those elements of character which distinguish her as a woman of marked intelligence and ability. She is a graduate of the New Bedford High School and Bridgewater Normal School, and taught school for a year before hr marriage. She has been a member of the New Bedford School Committee for five years; has been a director of the New Bedford Choral Association six years and was its vice-president; has been vice-president of the Woman’s Club since its organization, secretary of the New Bedford Volunteer Aid Association, and is a visitor to St. Luke’s Hospital. Mr. And Mrs. Knowlton have seven children: John Wellington, Born February 28, 1874; Abby Almy, born March 30 1876; Frank Warren, born August 16, 1878; Edward Allen, born April 16, 1883; Helen Sophia, born August 1, 1885; Sylvia Prescott, born May 29, 1890; and Benjamin Almy, born June 13, 1892, all living.

Our County and its People, a Descriptive and Biographical Record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, The Boston History Co., Boston, MA, 1899

Thanks again for the extra info.

These people wrote their own bio or did they hire someone to write it?
I have been told that when one wants their bio in a book they pay for that as well.

Out of 5 characters you have transcribed, Phillips does not give any credit to his parents.

Yes, thanks for the detailed listings.  Saved them all to my files.

I have no clue as to who actually wrote each sketch. Having read a great many of these, I will say they all seem to have a similar editorial "voice." Perhaps the folks filled out forms of some sort and an editor created the bios from them. In any event, there was absolutely nothing unauthorized about these bios and everyone comes off as being nearly as wholesome, hardworking and highly respected as Abraham Lincoln.

I'm quite sure that the biographies were paid for. Plus I imagine everyone who had a profile in the book bought at least one copy, which must have been pricey considering the size of these things.

Usually the deal was you paid to get your name in the book and had to buy at least one copy. Not just anybody got to do it, though. You had to be in fairly good standing to be invited and usually it was the businessmen who did it because they viewed it as advertising.
Even if they are no original documents they are a great source of clues.
Thanks for all that transcribing.

Gramma