History of Brookfield, (Worcester County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Biographies:

William Appleton, representative, was born at Brookfield, Mass., Nov. 16, 1786, son of Joseph Appleton, a clergyman. His early mercantile training was acquired in a country store. He went to Boston in 1807, where he engaged in commercial business and accumulated a large fortune. From 1832 to 1836 he was president of the United States branch bank, and of the Provident institution for savings. He held the position of president of the Massachusetts general hospital and was prominent in other philanthropic enterprises. By his will he left the sum of $30,000 to the Massachusetts hospital, also liberal legacies to similar institutions. He was elected a representative to the 32d Congress in 1850 on the Whig ticket, and was re-elected to the 33d Congress. He was also a member of the special session of the 37th Congress called in July, 1861, and resigned his seat in August, 1861. He died Feb. 20, 1862.

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

Theodore Foster, senator, was born in Brookfield, Mass., April 29, 1752 (o.s.); son of Jedediah and Dorothy (Dwight) Foster, and brother of Dwight Foster, representative and senator from Massachusetts in the U.S. congress. He was graduated from Brown university in 1770, was admitted to the Rhode Island bar and practised his profession in Providence, where he was town clerk. He represented the town of Providence in the general assembly, 1776-82, and the town of Foster, named from him, in that body, 1812-16. In May. 1785, he was appointed judge of the court of admiralty. He was elected with Joseph Stanton, Jr., U.S. senator, and drew the short term, which expired with the first congress, March 3, 1791. He was twice re-elected, serving from Dec. 6, 1790, to March 3, 1803. He was married Oct. 27, 1771, to Lydia, daughter of Arthur Fenner of Providence, and on June 18, 1803, to Esther Bowen, daughter of the Rev. Noah and Hannah (Bowen) Millard of Foster, R.I. He was trustee of Brown university, 1794-1822, and Dartmouth conferred upon him the honorary degree of A.M. in 1786. He was an antiquarian student, and during his life collected material for a history of Rhode Island. He died in Providence, R.I., Jan. 13, 1828.

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

Mary Jane (Hawes) Holmes, author, was born in Brookfield, Mass.; daughter of Preston and Nancy (Olds) Hawes; granddaughter of Joel and Philadelphia (Thayer) Hawes and of Ezekiel and Lydia (Stevens) Olds. She was a precocious child, studying grammar at the age of six, teaching a district school at thirteen, and writing her first article for publication at fifteen. She was married to Daniel Holmes, a prominent lawyer of Brockport, N.Y., where she made her residence. Her books attained an unusual degree of popularity, and in 1900 it was estimated that over two million copies had been sold. The titles of her published works include: Tempest and Sunshine (1854); The English Orphans (1855); The Homestead on the Hillside (1855); Lena Rivers (1856); Meadow Brook (1857); Dora Dean and Maggie Miller (1858); Cousin Maude (1860); Marion Gray (1863); Hugh Worthington (1863); Darkness and Daylight (1864); The Cameron Pride (1867); Rose Mather (1868); Ethelyn's Mistake (1869); Mill Bank (1871); Edna Browning (1879); West Lawn (1874); Mildred (1877); Daisy Thornton (1878); Forest House (1879); Chateau d'Or (1880); Red Bird (1881); Madeline (1881); Queenie Hatherton (1883); Christmas Stories (1884); Edith Lyle (1885); Gretchen (1887); Bessie's Fortune (1888);Marguerite (1891); Dr. Hathern's Daughter (1895); Paul Rolston (1898); The Tracy Diamonds (1899), besides many articles written for syndicates and magazines.

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

Dwight Foster, senator, was born in Brookfield, Mass., Dec. 7, 1757; son of Jedediah and Dorothy (Dwight) Foster. His father (born Oct. 10, 1726, died Oct. 17, 1779) was graduated at Harvard in 1744; was a delegate to the provincial congress in 1774, a member of the executive council in 1775, a judge of the superior court in 1776, and a member of the state constitutional convention in 1799. The son was graduated from Brown in 1774; was admitted to the bar in 1778 and practised in Providence, R.I. He returned to his native place in 1779 and was chosen to succeed his father as a member of the convention that framed the constitution of Massachusetts. He was justice of the peace for Worcester county in 1781, and special justice of the court of common pleas in 1792. In the latter year he was appointed high sheriff of Worcester county. He was repeatedly elected to the state legislature, and was a representative in the 3d, 4th and 5th congresses, 1793-99. In 1799 he was a delegate to the state constitutional convention, and in the same year was elected a U.S. senator to succeed Samuel Dexter, resigned, serving until 1803, when he resigned his seat. He was chief justice of the county court of common pleas, 1801-11, and in 1818 he was a member of Governor Brooks's council. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from Harvard in 1784. He died in Brookfield, Mass., April 29, 1823.

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