History of Fall River, (Bristol County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Biographies:

Bradford Matthew Chaloner Durfee, philanthropist, was born in Fall River, Mass., June 15, 1843; son of Maj. Bradford and Mary (Brayton) Durfee. He was prepared for college in the Fall River high school and entered Yale, but left just before the close of his second year on account of ill health. He travelled abroad, 1865-68, engaged in business for a time, and subsequently spent a large part of his time in travel. He presented to Yale college a large and costly dormitory, called "Durfee Hall." Yale conferred upon him the degree of A.M. in 1871. In 1887 his mother, Mrs. Mary Brayton Young, presented to the city of Fall River the B. M. C. Durfee high school building as a memorial to her son. This building, commanding a prominent site overlooking an extended territory, represented at the time it was built the largest single gift made to the cause of public education in America, its estimated cost being more than $500,000. Mr. Durfee died in Fall River, Mass., Sept. 13, 1872.

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

Jonathan Chace, senator, was born at Fall River, Mass., July 22, 1829; son of Harvey and Hannah (Wood) Chace. He received an academic education and entered into the cotton manufacturing industry at Providence, R.I. In 1876 he was elected a member of the Rhode Island state senate and was re-elected in 1877. In 1880 he was elected a representative to the 47th Congress and was re-elected to the 48th Congress. On Nov. 20, 1885, Governor Bourne appointed William P. Sheffield senator, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Henry B. Anthony, Sept. 2, 1884, and when the legislature met in 1885 it elected Mr. Chace to the unexpired term, and he took his seat Jan. 26, 1885. In June, 1888, he was elected to the full term to expire March 3, 1895, but resigned his seat in the senate early in the 51st Congress, and was succeeded by Nathan F. Dixon.

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

Joseph Henry O'Neil, representative, was born in Fall River, Mass., March 23, 1853; son of Patrick Henry and Mary (Harrington) O'Neil. In 1854 his parents removed to Boston, Mass., where he became apprenticed to the printer's trade and afterward to the carpenter's trade. He was a member of the school board, 1874-78; represented Boston in the Massachusetts legislature, 1878-82, and 1883-84; was a president of the Democratic organization of the house in 1880, using his influence to secure the charter of incorporation for the Meigs elevated railroad system, which was granted in 1884; was president of the company, 1888-89, and of the Federal Trust company of Boston, Mass., from its incorporation in 1899. He was married, July 1, 1884, to Mary Anastasia, daughter of John and Maria (Plunkett) Ingoldsby of Boston, Mass. He was president of the board of directors of public institutions of the city of Boston, 1885-86; clerk of the city, 1887-88; representative from the fourth district in the 51st, 52d and 53d congresses, 1889-95; a founder of St. James Young Men's Catholic Total Abstinence society of Boston in 1870, and an originator of the Catholic Total Abstinence Union.

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

Cornelius Newton Bliss, merchant, was born in Fall River, Mass., Jan. 26, 1833. In 1846 he removed to New Orleans, La., where he was employed in the counting-house of his step-father, Edward S. Keep. Returning to Massachusetts, he accepted a position in the wholesale dry goods house of James M. Beebe & Co. of Boston, of which he afterwards became a partner. Upon the dissolution of the firm, in 1866, Mr. Bliss became connected with the commission house of John S. and Eben Wright & Co., of Boston, from which firm he later established a branch house in New York city, and on the death of John S. Wright was admitted into partnership, the firm name being Bliss & Fabyan. Another branch house was established in Philadelphia, and in 1881 the firm name changed to Bliss, Fabyan & Co., a large business being transacted and many important mills represented, among them the Pepperell, Androscoggin, Otis and Bates mills, and the American printing company. Mr. Bliss was made president of the fourth national bank, a director of the Central trust company, of the Equitable life assurance company, of the Union league club, and a governor and treasurer of the society of the New York hospital. He served as a delegate to Republican conventions, city, county and state, and in 1884 he was made head of the state committee to the national Republican convention in Chicago. He was secretary of the interior, 1897-98, and a member of the board of arbitration in the Industrial department of the National Civic Federation in 190l. He was treasurer of the national Republican committees in 1892 and 1896.

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