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

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Biographies:

Amasa Norcross, representative, was born in Rindge, N.H., Jan. 26, 1824; son of Capt. Daniel and Polly (Jones) Norcross; grandson of Jeremiah and Lucy (Chaplin) Norcross and of Asa and Mary (Martin) Jones, and a descendant of Jeremiah Norcross, who emigrated from England and settled in Watertown, Mass., as early as 1642. Amasa attended the public schools and Appleton academy, New Ipswich, and was admitted to the bar in 1847. He settled in practice in Fitchburg, Mass., and was married, June 1, 1852, to Augusta, daughter of Benjamin Wallis of Ashby. He was a representative in the Massachusetts legislature, 1858-59 and 1862; a state senator in 1874; assessor of internal revenue for the 9th Massachusetts district, 1862, and first mayor of Fitchburg, 1873-74. He was a Republican representative from the tenth Massachusetts district in the 45th, 46th and 47th congresses, 1877-83. He was a director of the Rollstone National bank; president of the Fitchburg Mutual Fire Insurance company; of the Worcester North Savings institution, and of Cushing Academy, Ashburnham. He died in Fitchburg, Mass., April 1, 1898.

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

Ripley Hitchcock, author, was born in Fitchburg, Mass., July 3, 1857; son of Dr. Alfred and Aurilla Phebe (Wellman) Hitchcock, and grandson of David and Hannah (Owen) Hitchcock and of James Ripley and Phebe (Wyman) Wellman. His ancestors Luke and Elizabeth (Gibbons) Hitchcock came to Hartford, Conn., about 1636, and Thomas and Elizabeth Wellman came to Lynn, Mass., about 1640. He is also a descendant, in.two lines, of Elder William Brewster and of Governor William Bradford, of the Plymouth colony. He was graduated from Harvard in 1877, and remained there as a special student in fine arts and philosophy, 1877-79. He went to New York city in 1879, where he engaged in literary work. As special correspondent to the New York Tribune be travelled in the west, Mexico and the northwest in the summers of 1882-83. He was art critic of the Tribune, 1882-90, and was the literary adviser of D. Appleton and Company from 1890 till 1902, and from the latter date was vice-president of the A. S. Barnes Co., publishers. He became a contributor to monthly and weekly magazines; a lecturer on art and literary subjects, and an advocate of municipal reform movements in New York. He was married in 1883 to Martha Wolcott Hall, of Washington, D.C. He is the author of: Some Modern Etchings (1884); George Inness, an American Landscape Painter (1885); Etching in America (1886); The Western Art Movement (1887); The. Madonna in Art (1888); Water Color Painting in America (1889); Thomas De Quincey, a Study (1899). He edited: The Life of an Artist, by Jules Breton (1890); The Last Words of Thomas Carlyle (1892), The Art of the World (1893); The Story of the West Series (1895-1900).

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

John White Kimball, soldier, was born in Fitchburg, Mass., Feb. 27, 1828; son of Alpheus and Harriet (Stone) Kimball; grandson of Ephraim and Betsey (White) Kimball and of Luther and Mary (Trowbridge) Stone, and a descendant on his father's side from Peregrine White, the first child born of English parents in New England. John was educated in the public schools of Fitchburg, and learned the trade of scythe-making in his father's shop. He was a partner with his father and brother in the manufacture of agricultural implements. He became a member of the Massachusetts state militia in 1846, being captain of the Fitchburg Fusiliers and adjutant of the 9th regiment, 1858-60. He was married, July 15, 1851, to Almira M. Lesure, daughter of Newell Merrifield and Almira Lesure. When the civil war broke out he volunteered with the Fitchburg Fusiliers, becoming major of the 15th Massachusetts volunteers, Aug. 1, 1861, and lieutenant-colonel, April 29, 1862, and commanded the regiment in the Army of the Potomac till Nov. 24, 1862, when he was commissioned colonel of the 53d regiment of Massachusetts volunteers, and commanded that regiment during its term of service in the Department of the Gulf. He was dangerously wounded during the assault on Port Hudson, June 14, 1863. He was appointed colonel of the 36th Massachusetts regiment, Aug. 11, 1862, but was obliged to decline in accordance with an order to the effect that no officer should leave the Army of the Potomac for purpose of promotion. He was brevetted brigadier-general, March 15, 1865, for "gallant and meritorious services in the field during the war." He reorganized the Fitchburg Fusiliers, and again became its captain, April 12, 1865, was commissioned colonel of the 10th regiment, M.V.M., Aug. 1, 1876, and was honorably discharged, Sept. 21, 1878. He was tax collector of the city of Fitchburg, 1865-73; a state police commissioner for three years; U.S. pension agent, 1873-87; custodian of the rolls, dies and plates in the bureau of engraving and printing at Washington, D.C., 1877-79; postmaster at Fitchburg, 1879-87; state auditor, 1892-1900, and was a representative in the Massachusetts legislature, 1864-65, 1872, 1888-91, serving on leading committees and as chairman of the railroad committee, 1890-91. He joined the Loyal Legion and the Grand Army of the Republic, and was department commander of Massachusetts G. A. R. in 1874. He was also elected a member of the Fitchburg board of trade and a trustee of the Fitchburg Savings bank.

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

Herbert William Conn, biologist, was born in Fitchburg, Mass., Jan. 10, 1859; son of Reuben R. and Harriet E. (Harding) Conn; grandson of John and Nancy (Barrows) Conn, and descended from George Conn, who came from the north of Ireland and settled in Massachusetts. He was graduated at Boston university, A.B., 1881, A.M., 1883, and from Johns Hopkins university, Ph.D., in 1884. He was instructor in biology at Wesleyan university, 1884-86, and professor of biology from 1886. He was also instructor of biology at Trinity college, 1887-88; director of the Cold Spring Harbor biological laboratory, 1890-97, and in charge of the bacteriological work of Storrs' School experiment station from 1887. He made a specialty of the study of bacteriology of dairy products, being the first specialist in America on this subject. He published Evolution of Today (1886); The Living World (1891); The Story of Germ Life (1896); The Story of the Living Machine (1899); and over one hundred scientific papers upon various topics.

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