History of Lenox, (Berkshire County) Massachusetts United States of America

George Morell, jurist, was born in Lenox, Mass., March 22, 1786; son of John Morell, who settled in Lenox about 1778, and a descendant of French Huguenots, who fled to Germany in 1685, and from there to America. He was graduated at Williams college, Mass., A.B., 1807, A.M., 1810; studied law under John Russell in Troy, N.Y., and was admitted to the bar Feb. 14, 1811. He was married May 14, 1812, to Maria, daughter of Gen. Samuel B. Webb, an officer in the Revolutionary army. He served in the state militia of New York, 1811-32, through all the grades from sergeant to major-general. He practised law in Cooperstown, N.Y.; was clerk of the court of common pleas for Otsego county, 1815; muster in chancery, 1819, and solicitor and counsellor in chancery, 1823. He was the first judge of the court of common pleas of Otsego county, N.Y., 1827-32, a member of the assembly in 1829, and removed to Michigan in 1832. He was appointed chief-justice of the supreme court of the territory of Michigan, Feb. 26, 1832, as successor to William Woodbridge, and on the admission of Michigan as a state in 1837 he became associate justice of the supreme court under the constitution of 1835. He succeeded Chief-Justice Fletcher, resigned, in 1842, and served until July 18, 1843. He died in Detroit, Mich., March 8, 1845.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Azariah Egleston, soldier, was born in Sheffield, Mass., Feb. 23, 1757; son of Seth and Rachel (Church) Egleston. His ancestors came from Exeter, England, in 1630, settled in Dorchester, Mass., removed to Windsor, Conn., in 1635, and thence to Sheffield. Mass. With three brothers he enlisted in the company recruited by Captain Noble and known as the "Flower of Berkshire," and was for eight months in Col. John Paterson's regiment. He re-enlisted for a year and served in Canada, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He was in Colonel Stark's command at Trenton, Dec. 25, 1776, when they captured the Hessians; was at Princeten when three regiments of British troops were captured; enlisted for the war at Mount Independence opposite Ticonderoga, and was promoted sergeant; and was at the battle of Bemis's Heights, September 19, and at Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga, Oct. 17, 1777. He was promoted ensign, Jan. 1, 1777, was at Valley Forge with Washington, December, 1777, at Monmouth, June 28, 1778, and at the siege of Newport, R.I. He was made lieutenant in 1780 and in December, 1783, proceeded to West Point, N.Y., where he settled his accounts as paymaster of the let Massachusetts regiment. He retired to Lenox, Mass., March 4, 1784. Governor Hancock commissioned him deputy quarter-master-general of militia under Gen. John Paterson, May 29, 1787, with the rank of major. He was married, Aug. 11, 1785, to Hannah, daughter of Gen. John Paterson. He helped to found the Society of the Cincinnati and his was the twenty-second name signed to the articles of association. He founded and for years supported the school that merged into the Lenox academy. He was the organizer of Trinity Episcopal church at Lenox, and his home in the town was the rendezvous of army officers and of the leaders in art, science and literature of the state. He represented his district in the general court of the state, 1796-99, and in the state senate, 1807-09. He was associate justice of the court of sessions, 1808-14. He died at Lenox, Mass., Jan. 12, 1822.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Rose Hawthorne Lathrop, author, was born in Lenox, Mass., May '20, 1851; daughter of Nathaniel and Sophia (Peabody) Hawthorne. Her early life was passed in Europe during her father's consulate at Liverpool and his travels on the continent, 1853-60. She studied painting in Dresden, Germany, and at South Kensington, London, in 1870, and engaged in literature. She was married, Sept. 11, 1871, in Chelsea, England, to George Parsons Lathrop. In 1891 she gave up the faith of her ancestors, joined the Roman Catholic church with her husband, and in 1897 devoted herself to the care of poor women suffering from incurable cancer, the idea being suggested to her by the hospitals of that kind in Europe, particularly the one in Lyons, France, conducted by the Women of Calvary. In order to fit herself for this work she took a three-months' course of training at the New York cancer hospital. With two associates she established a society called Servants of Relief, which, although Roman Catholic in faith, was not connected with any order, and no vows were enjoined upon the members, although all intercourse with home life was necessarily broken. She also founded the Free Home for Incurable Cancer Sufferers in New York city. She was received into the Third Order of the Sisters of St. Dominic in 1899. She is the author of: Along the Shore (1888); Memories of Hawthorne (1897), and in collaboration with her husband, A Story of Courage (1894).

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Richard Tylden (ok-mu-te) Auchmuty, philanthropist, was born in New York city in 1831. He received a collegiate education, and then studied architecture with James Renwick, with whom he was associated as a partner for many years. He served with distinction through the civil war, and soon afterwards retired from his architectural profession, and devoted himself to the development of Lenox, in Berkshire county, Mass., as a summer resort for people of means and leisure. As a philanthropist he undertook to cope with the labor problem. He saw the inevitable result of the monopoly which foreign skilled labor was establishing in certain trades, and he quietly set about applying a remedy. In 1881, in connection with his wife, he established a training school in New York city, where indigent young men are given instruction in certain branches of industry?such as plastering, plumbing, tailoring, blacksmithing, carpentry, and house, sign and fresco painting. The school was liberally endowed by Mr. Auchmuty and his wife, at its opening, and when incorporated in 1889, it received from them an additional benefaction of one hundred and sixty thousand dollars, to which J. Pierpont Morgan afterwards added the gift of five hundred thousand dollars. The institution was established on a very modest basis, its avowed object being "to enable young men to learn the science and practice of certain trades thoroughly, expeditiously, and economically, speed of execution to be acquired at real work after leaving the school." During the first year, thirty pupils received instruction, but the fame of the institution, still in its experimental stage, spread so rapidly that the roll for the second year included ninety-eight names, while that for the third year rose to 207. Colonel Auchmuty's experiment was a practical success at the end of the third year. The annual list of graduates numbers about six hundred, and the plan of the school was largely copied. He died at Lenox, Mass., July 18, 1893.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Lenox, (Berkshire County) Massachusetts

Biographies: