176 BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS

Lincoln & Hargraves, dealers in cotton and cotton cloth, a partnership which was dissolved in 1923. A Republican in politics, Mr. Hargraves has taken no active part in public affairs, but lends his influence and aid to all worthy effort. He is a member of the American Legion, the Quequechan Club, the Fall River Country Club, and the Reservation Country Club of Mattapoisett, his recreations, those of the out-of-doors.

Thomas Durfee Hargraves married, at Albany, New York, on August 27, 1918, Ella May Snow, who was born in Fall River, and is a daughter of Everett M. and Ida Snow, her father born in East Freetown, Massachusetts, as was her mother.

WILLIAM DURFEE-A man of large property interests, including the Hotel Mohican, of Fall River, and connected with many business enterprises of his city, William Durfee adds another of the name of Durfee to the long list of men of that ancient and honorable family who in Fall River and elsewhere have become prominent in business, professional or public life.

The Durfee family in New England was one of the earliest in Southern Rhode Island, and while no intimate relationship has been established between Thomas Durfee, the founder, and the Durfees of England, it seems likely that originally the family name was d'Urfe. A French Huguenot of that name fled from France to England prior to 1628, bringing with him a son. Thomas Durfee, the first of that name in New England of whom any record has been found, came to Portsmouth, Rhode Island, prior to 1664, as in October of that year he appeared at a session of the General Assembly. He was made a freeman of the town of Portsmouth, May 6, 1678, and held several offices, including that of deputy. For seven years after 1698 he and John Borden were engaged as managers on the Rhode Island side of the Bristol ferry. The name of his first wife, the mother of his sons, is unknown. He died in July, 1712, leaving five sons, including William, a name that has persisted in the family ever since, William Durfee, of this review, being a son, grandson and great-grandson of a William Durfee, and himself having a son William, who is the fifth William Durfee in direct line.

William Durfee, of this review, is a son of William and Caroline (Manchester) Durfee, who was well known in Fall River, the elder Mr. Durfee .as the pioneer in the ice business, a line of activity in which he continued until his death on October 28, 1900. He married Caroline Manchester, who died January 22, 1901, surviving her husband but little over a year. That William Durfee was a son of Captain William Durfee, a sea captain, who was a mariner all his life, and finally sailed on a voyage from which he never returned, being lost at sea. He was a man of strong character, and stood very high in the regard of the men "who went down to the sea in ships," or who had money invested in marine channels of business or trade. Captain William Durfee bought the lot at the corner of Main and Center streets, on which the Mohican Drug Store now stands, for $200, and to that added adjoining property, as did his son William, so at this time (1923) his grandson, William Durfee, owns, from the corner, 150 feet on Main street and 235 feet front on Central street (or avenue). After the death of Captain William Durfee, his son William was taken into the home of his grandfather, also William Durfee, a descendant of the founder, Thomas Durfee, of former mention, the family coming to Fall River from Rhode Island.

William Durfee, of this review, only son of William and Caroline (Manchester) Durfee, was born at Fall River, Massachusetts, July 3, 1868. He attended Fall River schools until leaving to become his father's assistant in the ice business, and so continued until the latter's death in 1900, when he became the actual owner of the business of which he had long been the virtual head. He sold the ice business that same year, and has since devoted himself entirely to the management of the real estate pertaining to the family estate. Upon the death of his mother, Mrs. Caroline (Manchester) Durfee, in 1901, William Durfee became possessor of the estate, and in 1912 he began the conversion of the property, located at the corner of Main and Central streets, into a hotel property. Out of this has grown the present Hotel Mohican, to which a large modern addition has been made the present year (1923). This addition, with the modern-features, running ice water, hot and cold water, baths, vapor heating, and all innovations, will be ample for a time, but Mr. Durfee is planning another large addition to be erected in the near future.

The Hotel Mohican, under its present enlightened management, is by far the leading commercial house in Southeastern Massachusetts, and during the busy season, cannot meet the demands travelers make upon it, hence the large addition just completed, and another to follow. Mr. Durfee is also the owner of the Rialto Theatre, which is a part of the hotel property and a very popular playhouse. He has also installed on the property fine bowling alleys and fitted up a billiard parlor. With the completion of the addition, the hotel now has 250 guest rooms, with 150 baths, and clean and wholesome condition of every part and department being remarkable.

In spite of his business interests, Mr. Durfee takes lots of "time out" for recreation and sport. He is fond of hunting and fishing; is an expert trap shooter; holds membership in the Providence Gun Club, the American Indians; and is a well known sportsman. His clubs and societies are the Quequechan Club of Fall River; King Philip Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; the Knights of Pythias. In politics he is a Republican.

William Durfee married, in 1888, Bertha Elizabeth Monarch, of Rhode Island, daughter of John and Amy (Johnson) Monarch, of Rhode Island, her father born in Scotland, her mother, in New England. Mrs. Durfee was born in Canton,

177 BIOGRAPHICAL

Massachusetts. To William and Bertha E. (Monarch) Durfee were born four children: 1. William, born at Fall River, in December, 1893, now manager of the business of the Clean Heat Oil Heating Company, in Fall River. He married Florence Pitcher, and has two daughters, Florence and Bertha. 2. Charles H., born at Fall River, in 1894, manager of service for the Efficiency Trucking Corporation, of New York. 3. Frederick, born at Fall River in 1898, now manager of the Hotel Mohican. 4. Bertha A., now a student at Chamberlain Girls' School, in Boston.

JUDGE CHARLES CROCKER HAGERTY. A broadly noteworthy figure in legal circle in the, State of Massachusetts is judge Charles Crocker Hagerty, who for the pas, four years and more has served as justice of the Fourth District Bristol county, Massachusetts. His long career at the bar, added to his natural ability as advocate and counselor, well fits him for the responsibilities of a judicial position. Judge Hagerty is a man of great breadth of spirit, profoundly familiar with the law, and keenly cognizant of the great responsibility which rests upon him as an administrator of justice. He is a son of Andrew and Emily H. (Lovell) Hagerty, his father a machinist by occupation, both parents now deceased.

Charles Crocker Hagerty was born at Mansfield. Massachusetts, June 30, 1864. His education was begun in the local public school, and following his course at the Mansfield High School, he entered Comer's Commercial College, at Boston, then took up the study of law in the offices of Bennett & Hall, in Taunton, Massachusetts, and was admitted to the bar of his native State in 1900 as an attorney. After several years of activity in bookkeeping and clerical work previous to studying law, Mr. Hagerty was active in practice in partnership with judge Frederick S. Hall in Taunton, tinder the firm name of Hall & Hagerty. This partnership endured until May, 1919, when Judge Hagerty was appointed justice of the Fourth District- Court of Bristol county to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Hon. Fred B. Byran. His record thus far on the bench has been one of honor and distinction, and judge Hagerty is considered one of the outstanding figures in the profession in Bristol county. He is affiliated with the First National Bank of Mansfield, and is a director and for a number of years has been active in local public affairs, having filled the office of town clerk and treasurer of the town of Mansfield for five years prior to his admission of the bar. He has been a member of Mansfield Board of Trade since its organization, and bears a constructive in all local advance. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Judge Hagerty married, on September 1, 1900, at Mansfield, Massachusetts, Alma M. Sawyer, daughter of Josiah and Phoebe Sawyer.

RALPH W. FRENCH, M. D., as a member of the surgical staff of the Truesdale Hospital, of Fall River, holds a leading position among the surgeons of Bristol county. A native of this city and trained for the profession in one of the foremost institutions of America, Dr. French has given to his work not only the skill acquired by training and experience, but the love of his profession and the keen interest in it which counts for so much in the hearing art. Dr. French is a son of Enoch J. French, who was born in Fall River, and is a noteworthy figure in the cotton textile industry in Massachusetts, and treasurer of the Weetamoe Mills, of Fall River. His mother, Ella (Winward) French, is also a native of Fall River.

Ralph W. French was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, October 4, 1883. First attending the public schools of his native city, he was graduated from the B. M. C. Durfee High School in the class of 1902. He spent the next year at the Stone School in Boston, and then entered upon the course in the liberal arts at Harvard University, with the class of 1907. He was a member of the Phoenix, Institute of 1770, and Hasty Pudding Clubs in college. Completing the four years' course in three years, lie took up his professional work in the fall of 1906, when he entered Harvard University Medical School, from which he was graduated in 1910 as a cum laude man, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Dr. French then served as an interne at the Massachusetts General Hospital during 1910 and 1911. In 1912 he located in Fall River as a surgeon on the staff of The Truesdale Hospital, and has now for twelve years ably filled this position. His marked success has contributed much to the prosperity and standing of the institution and has placed him among the leading surgeons of, New England. Dr. French is a member of the American Medical Association, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the New England Surgical Society, and the Massachusetts and Fall River Medical Societies., By political affiliation he is a Republican, and he attends the Baptist church. His residence is at No. 222 Belmont street, Fall River.

CHARLES PERRY DAVIS-The amount of milk consumed- in Fall River is estimated to total about 40,000 quarts daily, and of this amount the Fall River Dairy Company, Charles P. Davis, president and general manager, supplies about 10,000 quarts, all of which is brought in by trucks from nearby sanitary dairies. Mr. Davis has been engaged in the milk business since the age of thirteen, when lie drove a milk wagon for his father, serving customers in Fall Rive-. He started in business for himself in Fall River in 1896, and there has been continuously in the milk business as a dealer. That business is inherent in the Davis family they having been sellers of milk in Fall River, Bristol county, for one hundred years, Charles P. Davis being of the fourth generation to so engage. He is the second born of the eight children of Jonathan and Hannali M. (Macomber) Davis, his father a dairyman and farmer, born in Westport, Massachusetts, in 1852, dying in 1917,