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

Our database does not include an historic photo for Sterling, (Worcester County) Massachusetts, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Biographies:

Bartholomew Brown, musical composer, was born at Sterling, Mass., Sept. 8, 1772. He received his diploma from Harvard college in 1799 and practised the law with indifferent success. His musical talent was of a high order, and besides composing many popular and beautiful pieces he assisted in editing the "Bridgewater Collection of Sacred Music," published in 1812. He was also the author of the calendars used in the "American Farmer's Almanac," for upwards of sixty years. He died in Boston, Mass., April 14, 1854.

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

William Frederic Holcombe, physician, was born in Sterling, Mass., April 2, 1827; son of Capt. Augustine and Lucy (Bush) Holcombe; grandson of Nahum and Rebecca (Moore) Holcombe, sixth in descent from Nathaniel and Mary Bliss) Holcombe of Springfield, Mass., and seventh in descent from Thomas and Elizabeth Holcombe, the immigrants who came to Boston in 1630, removing to Windsor, Conn., in 1635, and to Poquonnock, Conn., in 1639. This Thomas Holcombe was a delegate to Hartford to form the first constitution of the state of Connecticut. William Frederic was graduated at the Albany Medical college in 1850, and then studied several years in Europe. He was appointed professor of diseases of the eye and ear in the New York Medical college in 1862, the first in America to hold such a position, and he also held similar professorships in other New York medical schools. He was eye and ear surgeon to the Demilt dispensary for seventeen years. He accompanied Senator Charles Sumner when he went to Paris in 1858 to be treated by Dr. Brown-Sequard. He was a delegate to the International medical conventions in Paris, 1881 and 1888, and a member of the New York Academy of Medicine, and of various medical societies in New York and Paris. In June. 1881, he delivered the Centennial address in his native town. He was one of the seven founders of the New York Genealogical and Biographical society in 1869, and prepared in manuscript: The Genealogy and History of the Holcombes of America and England ; The Bush Family of Watertown and Boylston, Mass.; The Value and Importance of Family Records ; Our Record-Duties to Our Ancestors, to Ourselves and to Our Descendants, and The Advantages Derived from Genealogical Investigations.

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

Silas Bailey, clergyman, was born at Stirling, Mass., June 12, 1809. After his graduation from Brown university in 1834, he became principal of Worcester, Mass., academy, remaining there for five years, and then taking pastoral charge of a Baptist church at East Thompson, Conn. In 1842 he resigned his pastorate to become agent of the missionary union, N.Y., holding that office until 1845, when he removed to Westboro, Mass. There he held a pastorate for one year, resigning to accept the presidency of Granville college, Ohio. In 1852 he was elected president of Franklin college, Ind., but was compelled to resign on account of illness, and in 1863 went to Lafayette, Ind., to assume charge of a church. Here he remained for three years, and then occupied the chair of metaphysics and theology at Kalamazoo college, Michigan, until 1869. In 1849 Madison university conferred upon him the degree of D.D. and in 1871 he received that of LL.D. from Franklin college. In 1873 he started on a tour through Europe, and died in Paris, France. He left his library and a part of his estate to Franklin college. He published numerous sermons, addresses and pamphlets. The date of his death is June 30, 1874.

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

Prentiss Mellen, senator, was born in Sterling, Mass., Oct. 11, 1764; son of the Rev. John (1722-1807) and Rebecca (Prentiss) Mellen; grandson of Thomas Mellen, a farmer in Hopkinton, Mass., and of the Rev. John Prentiss, of Lancaster, Mass. He was prepared for college by his father and was graduated at Harvard with his brother Henry in 1784, his brother John having graduated in 1770. He was tutor in the family of Joseph Otis at Barnstable, Mass., 1784-85, studied law under Shearjashub Bourne in Barnstable, 1785-88, and practised at Sterling, Mass., 1788-89; at Bridgewater, 1789-91; at Dover, N.H., 1791-92; at Biddeford, 1792-1806; and at Portland, 1806-40. He was married, in May, 1795, to Sallie, daughter of Barzillai Hudson, of Hartford, Conn. He was a member of the Massachusetts executive council, 1808-09 and 1817; presidential elector on the Monroe and Tompkins ticket in 1817, and was elected to the U.S. senate as successor to Eli P. Ashmun, who resigned in 1818, and he served until 1820, when Maine became a separate state and he was made chief-justice of the supreme court of the state. He retired in 1834 on reaching the age of seventy years. He was chairman of the committee to revise and codify the public statutes of Maine in 1838. He received the degree of LL.D. from Harvard and from Bowdoin in 1820, and was a trustee of Bowdoin, 1817-36. His decisions are in Maine Reports (vols. I.-XI). He died in Portland, Maine, Dec. 31, 1840.

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