Historic leaves, volume 7, April, 1908 - January, 1909

Report of the Committee on Necrology of the Somerville Historical Society.

Lucy M. (Clark) Knapp, died June 16, 1907.

Daniel E. Chase, died July 13, 1907.

Charles W. Sawyer, died June 21, 1907.

L. Frank Arnold, died July 25, 1907.

Isaac B. Kendall, died November 26, 1907.

Nathan L. Pennock, died December 10, 1907.

Lucy M. Knapp was born December 2, 1832, near where the Stone Building now stands in Union Square. Her father, Joseph Clark, one of the numerous brick makers in the town at that time, was from Windham, N. H., and her mother, Lucy Brooks Locke, was a Cambridge woman. As there was no high school in Somerville in her school days, she attended Woburn Academy, then a well-known institution, and often spoke with pleasure of the years spent there and the friends and acquaintances thus formed. She was always interested in the First Universalist Church of Somerville, and at one time was a teacher in the Sunday School. She was married August 9, 1859, to Oren S. Knapp, then a teacher in the Prospect Hill School, afterward a Boston lawyer. He died in November, 1890. Two daughters survive their parents: Lizzie G. and Marion Knapp; a brother of Mrs. Knapp is also living, S. Adams Clark.

Mrs. Knapp was of a sweet and gentle disposition, beloved by all who knew her. Of a retiring nature, she gave most of her thought and energy to her home and family. She was interested in the old families of Somerville and in the city's history. Although she seldom attended its meetings, she kept a warm place in her heart for the Somerville Historical Society. She contributed a ‘Neighborhood Sketch’ on ‘Washington Street as It Was,’ which appeared in Historic Leaves in 1903.

Daniel E. Chase, born in Warner, N. H., in 1829, was a descendant of Aquila Chase, and thus in family relations [22] with Salmon P. Chase and other distinguished men. Mr. Chase came to Boston in 1850, and in 1857 moved to Somerville. He served as a member of the first Board of Aldermen, representing Ward 2. He was elected to the School Board in 1874, and served four years. His business was that of a distiller, at first with the Boston firm of Ezra Trull & Co., and later under his own name in Somerville.

In 1850 Mr. Chase married Miss Mary A. Hoxie, of Castine, Me. The first Mrs. Chase lived to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of her wedding day, dying in 1900. In May, 1904, Mr. Chase married Miss Emmeline May Grimes, who survives him. Five children are left: Charles Henry, Washington Irving, Dr. Daniel E., Jr., Mrs. Mary Ella Arnold, all of Somerville, and Mrs. Albert C. Robinson, of Reading.

Mr. Chase was prominently identified with the Masonic fraternity and the Odd Fellows. He was a member, also, of the Order of the Eastern Star, of the Wonohaquaham tribe of Red Men, and of the Somerville Veteran Firemen's Association, as well as of the Somerville Historical Society. As a man, Mr. Chase represented the ‘rugged New Hampshire gentleman of the old school,’ manly, strong, and honest. He left many friends.

Charles W. Sawyer was born in Charlestown February 28, 1833. His grandmother's uncle, Asa Pollard, was the first man killed at Bunker Hill. Mr. Sawyer was educated at the old Training Field Grammar School, graduating at fourteen. He took a year in a private school, and then a course in a Boston commercial college. Leaving school, he was employed first in his father's restaurant in City Square, Charlestown, and at the age of twenty was appointed clerk in the Charlestown post-office. In 1869, having served fifteen years as assistant postmaster, he left the government service to enter the real estate business. He did an immense amount of work in adjusting claims in behalf of the Boston Elevated and the Boston & Maine Railroad, as well as for the city of Boston and many syndicates and individuals. In fact, he became an expert in real estate.

In 1873 he moved to Somerville, where he resided until his [23] death, taking active and aggressive part in public affairs. In 1875 he was elected to the Common Council, and the next year to the Board of Aldermen. Many city improvements were made, some of them in the face of opposition. The most important was the laying out of Broadway Park. In 1877, the first year that the Board of Health became a separate department, Mr. Sawyer was its first chairman, and served two years. The Board discovered and abated innumerable city nuisances. Next Mr. Sawyer was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Public Library, on which he served five years, and was especially active in securing for the Library its fine collection of German works. Mr. Sawyer read German with pleasure, having traveled in Germany and other parts of Europe.

He was a well-known Mason, a member of the Henry Price Lodge of Charlestown, one of the founders of Soley Lodge, and a Royal Arch Mason and Knight Templar. He aided in forming the Coeur de Lion Commandery of Charlestown, and for two years served as commander. Mr. Sawyer was for nearly half a century president of the 999th Artillery Association of Charlestown. He was also an Odd Fellow, a member of the Manomet Club, and president for two years of the Training Field School Association in Charlestown. He married Julia A. Heal, of Belmont, Me., who died in 1894. One son survives his parents, Dr. Edward K. Sawyer, born in 1868.

L. Frank Arnold was born in Somerville September 4, 1845, son of Leonard and Irene G. (Clark) Arnold. He lived in Somerville all his life. He attended the old Prospect Hill School, was employed for many years as a bookkeeper, and afterward for six years kept a boarding and baiting stable for horses in Boston. Mr. Arnold was a member of John Abbot Lodge, A. F. and A. M., since 1867, and was also a member of Highland Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star. He was the only resident of Somerville that enjoyed membership in the Society of Cincinnati—an order formed by General Washington and his officers in 1783. He held this membership for eleven years through his great-grandfather, Captain Samuel Frost, of Framingham, one of George Washington's officers, and succeeded his father in it, [24] who at the time of his own death had belonged to the society for fifty-five years. Mr. Arnold married Lilla E. Poole, of Worcester, October 25, 1877, who survives him, without children.

A friend says of Mr. Arnold: ‘He was devoted to his home and thoughtful and kind to every one. He was suddenly stricken helpless while in the vigor of full health, but was cheerful and patient through all his long illness. He was loved and respected by all who knew him.’

Nathan Loveman Pennock was born in Strafford, Vt., June 10, 1814, and was the son of Peter and Phebe (Fellows) Pennock, of that town. He left school to learn the harness business, and followed this business during the greater part of his long life. As an avocation, he was an itinerant singing master. From 1838 to 1863 he resided in Randolph, Vt. In the latter year he came to Lexington, and in 1864 to Somerville, where he remained till his death. For twelve years Mr. Pennock held a responsible position in connection with the McLean Asylum. On the completion of the Davis Schoolhouse, about twenty-five years ago, he was made janitor of the school, and acceptably performed his duties, beloved by the children, until within two days of his death.

He married in 1844 Ellen Moulton, niece and adopted daughter of Hon. Dudley Chase. Two of the four children of this marriage are now living: Salmon Cotton Pennock, of Somerville, and Ellen M. Pennock, of Jacksonville, Fla. Mr. Pennock's second wife was Mrs. Mary A. Cheney, of Randolph, whom he married in 1877. She, with their two children, Anna Louisa and Nathan Lewis, survives her husband. Elizabeth, the late wife of J. L. Tyler, former teacher and principal of the Brastow School, was a daughter by the first marriage.

Mr. Pennock was a man of remarkable physical and mental :alertness, considering his advanced age. He was fond of reading, especially poetry and travel. His cordial greeting on the street will be recalled by many, for it was his custom to speak to all he met. Mr. Pennock was interested in this Society, and prepared a paper on his Reminiscences which was delivered at one of the regular meetings.

[To be continued.]