The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-21
DEATH OF HORACE WARREN.
Was One of Grafton's Oldest and Most
Respected Citizens.

Horace S. Warren died at his home
on North St, at AIS o'clock this after
noon, after being a sufferer from heart
trouble for long time, ana being un-
der the influence of opiates for several
days. BY his death Grafton loses one
of her oldest and most highly respected
citizens, and man who has done much
for the welfare of the community. He
was one of the last in Grafton of an
influential family, and among his an
cestors many Of the most prominent
pioneer manufacturers of New England
were numbered, as We're also others
who were connected with many histor-
ical "reminiscences of Grafton's early
days.
The first of the family in this coun-
try, John Warren, came to WATERFOWL
in 1880, and the first member to come
to Grafton was Capt. Samuel Warren,
who came here in $780, and whose
daughter was the first white person
to be baptized in Grafton.
The deceased was born in Grafton,
Oct. 16, 1927, son of Capt. Jonathan and
Sally s. Brown Warren. He was the
second of a family of six children
Jonathan c., George W., John D., Sa-
rah B. and Hannah H., all of whom are
dead The most widely known of the
brothers was John D., who was for
many years very prominent and
prosperous business man of Worces-
ter and Boston, and died at the former
place June 81, '7S. Mr. Warren re-
ceived the school education afforded by
the Grafton schools Of the time, and
by supplementing that knowledge with
extensive reading, he became fitted for
stations of responsibility and public
trust. He resided With his father I'M
til the latter's decease, at which time
he succeeded him to the. estate now
known as the Warren homestead on
North street.
Nov. 4, 1858, Mr.. Warren was united
in marriage with Miss Helen M. Taft,
Who died about seven years ago. In
1850, he was engaged in the manufae-
ture of boots and shoes with the Sc
Nor Warren and his brother Jona-
than c., in what are now the vacant
and partially ruined buildings on North
street, the firm name being Jonathan
Warren & Co. In 1855, the style of the
firm was changed to Warren, Conant
& Co., the members of the firm being
Jonathan c., Horace S. Warren and
Conant. Jonathan G. died in '58, when
the firm name was again changed, this
time to Conant, Warren & Co., John
D. Warren stepping into the position
formerly occupied by his brother jon
athan c. The firm name thus contin-
ued until '65, when Horace s. became
the head of the firm and continued in
that position until rs. when he dis
continued the business on account of
the death of his father
1t was soon after this that property
in Grafton commenced to depreciate,
and the large factories and shons
which had given the town the name
of being Industrious, closed one by one
until the quiet of the present day was
reached
In rs Mr.. Warren was chosen pres
ident of the original First Rational
Bank of Grafton, 10 fill the vacancy
caused by the death OF his father, who
was appointed president at the time
OF the organization of the bank, IL
years before
The deceased was also vice president
and trustee of the Grafton Savings
Sank for many years, and at the time
of his death was president of the Saw
1ngs Bank and a director of the pres
ent national bank, to both of which
positions he was elected in '95. He
was also a director Of the Millbury
bank for many years, and has been
president of that institution for about
eight years, holding the office at the
time of his death.
In private and social life Mr.. War
rem was always highly esteemed, and
was one of the leading members of the
Unitarian Church.
OF late years he has been in failing
health and the conduct Of his diary
farm has been mostly in the hands
of his son, Frank IT., his only son, who
resides at the old homestead Mr.. War
rem was man of untiring nature and
often said that he carried on the farm
ing business because. he had 1t and
wanted something to keep him busy,
and not for the money TO be derived
from it. He paid ore of the largest
individual taxes in Grafton