History of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1667-1917; - citizen hylbom blog

226 History of Swansea
Lincoln was Governor of the State, he was noted for his manly beauty and
martial personality.
He was well known in Bristol County in his time, having represented
his town in both branches of the General Court of the Commonwealth,
1821-22; 1828; and was one of the Governor's advisers. And in the latter
part of his hfe he was fond of speaking of the eminent men he had met in
pubic life. He had a short interview once with Harrison Gray Otis, an
incident he always mentioned with much interest and pride.
His death occurred Jan. 8, 1871, in the 89th year of his age.
Edward M. Thurston
Edward Mason Thurston was born in Fall River, Mass., July 18, 1832,
being the oldest son of Edward and Sarah (Mason) Thurston, and died in
Swansea, Mass., January 9, 1902.
His opportunities for an education were very hmited, as his boyhood
and youth were largely spent in the heird work of the farm, and learning
the trade of a stone mason. He attended the district school three months
in the year, which with three terms at the Middleborough Academy, comprised
all the schooling he had. One winter was spent in teaching school
in Carver, Mass.
In 1851 he left Fall River, going to Providence, R. I. where he entered
the employ of Fifield and Smith and later became a member of the firm,
with which he remained until 1870. He then carried on the furniture
business, either alone or with others, imtil the early eighties, when he
devoted himself to his place in South Swansea, to which he had removed his
family in 1870.
Mr. Thurston was always a pubUc spirited man, active and zealous in
promoting the welfare of the Town and deeply interested in many enterprises
of the County and State. For six years he was the Superintendent of
Schools in Swansea, and in 1900 was elected representative in the State
Legislature, where his special service was on the Committee on Railroads.
He was for three years a member of the State Board of Agriculture. In
November 1900 he was selected by the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. as claim
agent in settling the land damages ensuing from the abolishment of grade
crossings, which position he held at the time of his death. He was the
moving spirit in the building of the road and bridge across Lees River, into
which enterprise he put a great deal of energy and hard work as well as
money. He was also well known in connection with the clam bakes at his
home. Point Pleasant.
In 1850 Mr. Thurston joined the Franldin Street Church, Fall River,
and upon going to Providence united with the High Street Congregational
Church, later becoming the Superintendent of the Mission which grew into
the Pilgrim Congregational Church in that city. When he removed to
Swansea he became a member of the Central Congregational Church of
Fall River, at the same time being much interested in the Sunday School
of the First Christian Church of Swansea, of which he was Superintendent
for a number of years.
On May 1, 1853 he married Mary W. Gardner of Somerset. Four
children were born to them, H. Edward, Cashier of the Mechanics
National Bank of Providence, Mary M., wife of S. R. Chaffee, a Providence
artist and twin daughters who died in infancy. After the death of his wife
in 1883, he married Caroline Gardner of Swansea who survived him.
Mr. Thurston was a man of cheery and genial disposition, who
thoroughly enjoyed hfe and was never so happy as when offering the hospitahty
of his pleasant home to others. His lack of an education in his