My Genealogy Hound

ORRIN E. LIVERMORE, of Northampton, a carpenter, contractor, and builder, whose portrait is now before the reader, is among the foremost men in his line of business in this part of Hampshire County. He owns and occupies the property at 103 West Street, which he bought in 1871, having rebuilt the house six years later in its present modern style. Mr. Livermore is a native of Berkshire County, born November 28, 1837, in Hinsdale, son of Chester Livermore. His father was born in Shutesbury, Mass., March 28, 1809, and was a son of Elijah Livermore, who was born and reared in Leicester, Mass., but afterward removed to Shutesbury, where he engaged in general farming. Grandfather Livermore reared a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters, none of whom are now living.

Chester Livermore learned the carpenter’s trade when a young man, and, removing to Hinsdale, there followed carpentering for fourteen years, when he changed his occupation to farming, which he carried on in the towns of Worthington and Peru for several years. In 1835 he married Betsey Pratt, of Shutesbury, and they had a family of five children, namely: Orrin E., of Northampton; David E., an unmarried man; Adeline M., wife of Andrew S. Cook, a wood-turner, of Springfield; Frances L., wife of Edwin Skillings, of East Bridgewater, Mass.; and Marinda, who died in infancy. The father died in 1864, the mother in 1870.

Orrin E. Livermore was reared on the home farm, and, after receiving an academic education, taught school one term. In 1863 he came to Northampton, having secured work with Moses Breck, by whom he was employed nine years, after which he succeeded to his well-established business. Some of the most elegant and substantial buildings of the city have been erected by Mr. Livermore, among the principal public ones being the Hampshire County bank, McCallum’s store, the Northampton Institution for Savings, Lilly Hall, the art gallery, and the annex to the main building of Smith College, and the Hatfield and Washburn houses that are connected with the college; and among the fine residences those of Messrs. McCallum, Crook, Porter, H. A. Kimball, and Professor H. M. Tyler.

Elizabeth W. Ferguson, who became the wife of Mr. Livermore on April 3, 1861, was born in Newark, N.Y., but was reared in Hinsdale, Mass., her parents, the late Selden K. and Margaret (Stowell) Ferguson, having died in early life. She was one of three young children who were left orphans, her brothers being Myron Ferguson, of Harrisburg, Pa., and Charles Stowell, who was adopted by his uncle, Marshall Stowell, a farmer in Peru. Of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Livermore two daughters and one son have passed to the brightness of the eternal life, the daughters dying in infancy, and the son, Ernest Howard, when nineteen years old. He was a young man of great promise, a fine scholar, and for one and one-half years was a clerk in the post-office, under Mr. Campbell. Although dead,

“their silent ministry
Within our hearts has place,
As when on earth they walked with us,
And met us face to face.”

The remaining children are: Minnie, wife of John W. Draper; Alma B., a talented young musician, pursuing her studies under Professor Greene, taking lessons in voice culture and on the piano, having developed a remarkable taste and talent for that instrument when a child of three years; and Carleton, a winning little fellow of two years.

Mr. Livermore is a public-spirited citizen of Northampton, ever evincing a genuine interest in all things pertaining to the general welfare and advancement. He is a prominent member of the Republican ranks, and has served in the Common Council three years, having been president one year and an Alderman two years. He is a Master Mason and an active member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having passed all the chairs up to and including that of the Canton. Religiously, he is an esteemed member of the Baptist church, in which he has served as Deacon for twenty-three years, and for the past eighteen years has been superintendent of its Sunday-school.