My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE DEXTER UTLEY, a highly respected citizen of Ware, Mass., formerly a successful lumber and coal dealer, but now retired from active business life, was born in Hardwick, Worcester County, on March 27, 1824, son of Oren and Hannah (Dexter) Utley. His father was a native of Wilbraham, Hampden County, born on November 30, 1787.

His grandfather, James Utley, had three brothers; and all were men of large stature, averaging six feet or over in height and weighing about two hundred pounds each. They were natives of Connecticut; and Grandfather Utley came thence to Wilbraham, Mass., where he met and married Miss Mary Sessions. He settled in Hardwick, where he purchased a farm on which there was only a small clearing that was reached by bridle paths through the forest. He there became an extensive and successful agriculturist. He died March 15, 1812, at about fifty years of age, and his wife in 1843, in the eighty-second year of her age, they having reared a family of three sons and two daughters. Oren Utley also chose the vocation of a farmer, in which he met with good success. He was first married about 1810, to Miss Hannah Dexter, of Royalston, Mass., who bore him seven children, all of whom, with the exception of James D., who died February 2, 1818, at two years of age, lived to years of discretion. The record is as follows: Maria, Mrs. Sibley, died in Ware in 1854, at thirty-nine years of age, leaving two children; Louisa, who married John Lewis, of Athol, Mass., died in 1879, at sixty-three years of age, leaving two daughters; John Utley, whose death occurred in his seventy-first year, on February 4, 1890, was for fifty years a large produce dealer in Boston; Rebecca is the widow of Zelotus Spooner, of Greenwich; George D. is further mentioned below; and Mary M. died December 6, 1851, at twenty-five years of age. After their mother’s death their father married Miss Susan Adams, of Brookfield, Mass., by whom he had two sons and a daughter, namely: Hannah, whose death occurred in her eighteenth year; Henry, who died at twenty-one years of age; and James, born in 1836, who is a successful farmer in New Braintree, Mass. The sons have recently placed a beautiful monument in the Hardwick, cemetery in memory of the deceased.

George Dexter Utley grew to manhood on his father’s farm, acquiring a good practical education in the district school, and assisting his father in the farm work until he was twenty-one years of age. He then started out for himself, having as capital his clothes and twenty-five cents in money; but he possessed a good business ability, and during his home life had acquired habits of industry. His first position was that of manager and salesman in a country store in Greenwich village, where he remained eight months, receiving twelve dollars and a half per month, which was at that time considered good wages. He next went to work in the fork and rake shop of Butterfield & Sibley, the latter a brother-in-law, and was soon after made a partner and general manager of the business, having charge of the marketing of their products; and four years later he became the owner. He subsequently engaged in the grist-mill business for two years, and in 1857 moved to Southbridge, Mass., where he conducted an extensive teaming business, employing forty horses; and he also kept a hotel and a livery stable. Seven years later he removed to Athol, where he was engaged in hotel-keeping for a year. He then came to Ware, and again took up teaming, owning as many as fifty horses. He has also been a successful dealer in lumber and coal, and when he retired from an active mercantile life he was succeeded in this business by his son George E. On October 27, 1852, Mr. Utley was united in marriage with Jane M. Emerson, a native of Winchester, and daughter of Daniel Ingalls and Mary S. (Oldham) Emerson. They have an interesting family of four children, three sons and a daughter, namely: Gertrude Jane, who married A. B. Goodier, of Southbridge, Mass., and has a son and daughter; George E. Utley, residing in Ware, who married Miss Sarah Eudora Sheldon, and has one son living, Horace Ingalls Utley, and has buried a daughter named Gertrude J.; Henry A. Utley, who is successfully engaged in the steam laundry business in Amherst, Mass., is married, and has two sons — Lewis S. and Henry Lester, a daughter Louise having died in childhood; Charles Dexter Utley, also living in Amherst, who married Miss Alice L. Smith, and has one daughter, Grace.

Mr. Utley has been a lifelong Republican, but has declined to serve in any official capacity. He and his estimable wife reside at their attractive home at 58 Church Street, where they have lived since April 15, 1865, enjoying the esteem and good will of a large circle of friends and acquaintances.