Robert Ware and Hannah Crosby married November 27, 1806. Some time the following year Alonzo Loring was born, followed by a brother, Lorenzo Crosby Ware. Their mother Hannah, had become a member of the Congregational Church in Holden on April 8, 1810 and both boys were baptized into the Church October 13, 1811. It appears from Church records their father, Robert, never became a member.
In fact, there are few public records for Robert Ware. He never owned property in Holden and there is no record of a Ware family residing in Holden on the 1789 Massachusetts Tax Census, so his origin is a mystery.
There are no records of any other children born to Robert and Hannah. She died October 4, 1841 in Holden and no stone marks her grave.
At this time we do not know what became of Robert.
May 26, 1831, Alonzo married Lucy M. Farr. The following year on March 26, 1832 paid $600 to Elisha Chaffin, of Holden, for a dwelling house with 50 rods of land located about 80 rods east of the Meeting House. (Elisha had previously purchased the property from Samuel Damon on May 2, 1827.) The house was located on Boyden Road. It is within the historic district and Holden’s oldest document house.
On March 28, 1833, Alonzo sold this property to Aaron H. Rogers for $650.
Source: Worcester District Registry of Deeds, Book 292, page 339.
March 10, 1838, Samuel Damon sold to Alonzo L. Ware, who was then identified as a shoe manufacturer, a 20 acre farm about 1/2 mile south of the meeting house for $1,000. This farm is located at the junction of the country road going to James Bailey’s place on the southerly side of Bailey Rd. The house there was torn down in 1940 to make way for a Cape Cod style building, corner of Bailey Road and Main Street.
Source: Worcester District Registry of Deeds, Book 337, page 67.
Yeoman Alonzo L. Ware repurchased the house on Boyden Road, April 19, 1841 from Aaron H. Rogers for $700 and the family continued to live there until 1852.
Source: Worcester District Registry of Deeds, Book 361, page 69.
George Whitefield Ware was born November 8, 1834.
Alonzo was Superintendent of the Sunday School from 1837 – 1840.
Source: The History of Holden, Massachusetts, 1684-1894, by David Foster Estes.
Persis Lueller Ware was born November 13, 1838.
March 19, 1843, yeoman, Alonzo L. Ware, sold the 20 acre farm to Aaron H Rogers for $1,100.
Source: Worcester District Registry of Deeds, Book 378, page 90.
LIST OF DELEGATES
Worcester County, Massachusetts
Holden
Alonzo L. Ware………Holden Soc.
Source: Proceedings of the Young Men’s Temperance Convention, 1843, page 26.
The couple’s last two children, Hannah Amelia, February 1, 1844 and Justin Alonzo, November 13, 1846, where born at e Boyden Rd. Property.
February 25, 1846, Alonzo took a $200 mortgage from State Mutual Life Assurance Co. of Worcester on the Boyden Rd. property.
Source: Worcester District Registry of Deeds, Book 407, pages 439.
The mortgage was paid in full on March 24, 1852 and recorded in Worcester County Registry of Deeds , Book 407, page 439.
On March 12, 1852, Alonzo sold the Boyden Rd. property to Catherine M. Rogers for $800.
Source: Worcester District Registry of Deeds, Book 490, page 67.
From 1851 – 1858 Alonzo K. (most likely a misprint) Ware was deacon of his Church.
Source: The History of Holden, Massachusetts, 1684-1894, by David Foster Estes.
During 1853, Alonzo appears in the public records as a boot-maker for a large Worcester boot-making company.
1854 and 1855, Alonzo was working as a boot-fitter at Timothy S. Stone & Co, 305 Main Street. His residence was listed as Lynn Street. He then moved to 11 Salem Street. 1856-57 he was working a clicker for the same company. Up through 1863, he was still working for the same company in the same occupation, but had changed his residence locations to 37 Salem, 33 Irving Street, 60 Front Street, 22 William Street and 14 Trumbull Street.
In 1865 he went to work as a clicker at Dike & Fitch’s, Main and Southbridge Streets. Alonzo’s residence had changed again to 13 Charlton Street and he remained there until 1867 when he moved to 50 Mechanic Street. Dike & Fitch was doing business at 47 Front Street. Alonzo remained working as a clicker for that business up until his death, changing residences twice to 11 Congress Street and 20 Crown Street.
Justin A. Ware, Alonzo Ware’s youngest son is listed working as a clerk for Compton’s Loom Works at 112 Green Street. Records take him to 1889 when he became Secretary and Treasurer of the company. In 1898 he became the Sales Manager. He resided in many locations like his father and in 1903, removed to Sandwich.
Birth and marriage records are from the Holden, Massachusetts Vital Records Dept.
Biographical information courtesy of Chuck Skillings.
