Historic leaves, volume 6, April, 1907 - January, 1908

[10] came from Ogdensburg, N. Y. He was father of Miss Mary O. Giles, one of the first teachers of Somerville, and of Joseph J. Giles, the first boy born in Somerville after its incorporation, and a veteran of the Civil war. Miss Mary O. Giles married Isaac Barker, and moved to California. There were other children. In this Giles house lived for a time Dr. Stephen B. Sewall. On the southwest corner of Washington and Prospect streets was the ancient engine house, with its little belfry and bell, ‘Mystic No. 6,’a ‘cast-off’ from Charlestown. On the southeast corner of these streets, and opposite the Joseph Clark house already mentioned, lived another Joseph Clark, father of one of our oldest residents, Joseph H. Clark, of Spring Hill. Mr. Clark's widow married Leonard Arnold, of whom I have already spoken. In this Clark house Mrs. Mary B. Homer, already mentioned, first opened her store.

Next east, on the southerly side of Washington street, came the home of Clark Bennett, Esq., brickmaker, and later on town treasurer, and alderman of the city. Mr. Bennett had a large family, most of whom have distinguished themselves in their various social and business relations. Lieutenant-Colonel Edwin Clark Bennett and his brother, Irving M. Bennett, were both valiant soldiers in the Civilwar, each being severely wounded in battle; George Eldon; Herbert W., a prominent musician, who died in California; Dana and Dexter, the well-known insurance men, Dana having for many years been alderman, and later chairman of the school committee and mayoralty nominee; Josiah, who as cashier of the Market bank, and president of the Mercantile Trust Company, Cambridge Electric Light Company, Parry Brick Company, and Fresh Pond Ice Company, has shown great business ability; Mrs. Gustina Hall; Mrs. Hattie E. Bean, recently nominated for Boston school committee; Miss Melvina Bennett, elocutionist; and two others. His was a typical old New England family. Mr. Bennett came here from Vermont about 1835. He was a strong abolitionist when abolition was not a passport to popularity; he was a friend of Wilson, Garrison, Phillips, and Sumner. At an anti-slavery meeting held