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Subject: [GM-L] TUTTLE, Elvin of Stow and Acton, MA Biography
Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 17:15:30 EDT

Subject: TUTTLE, Elvin of Stow and Acton, MA
Source: Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Middlesex
County, Massachusetts 1898 Biographical Review
Publishing Company - Boston


"Who among men art thou, and thy years how many, good
friend?" - Xenophanes.

p.643
Elvin Tuttle of Stow, MA, a member of one of the oldest
families of Acton, MA, was born in Acton on Dec. 19,
1841, son of Francis and Lucy (Sargent) Tuttle. An enter-
prising and energetic man, he was engaged in farming and
lumbering; and he increased the area of his farm from
one hundred and fifty to four hundred acres. Besides
constructing a cellar under the barn, he set out a fine
peach and apple orchard and made many improvements.

He was a member of the Farmers' and Mechanics' Club. He
was an active Democrat, and attended a number of party
conventions; and was a Selectman and Overseer of the
Poor for a number of years. Though not a church member,
he contributed freely to religious enterprises, and own-
ed a pew in the Unitarian Church. His death occurred
Dec. 16, 1875. He and Lucy Sargent were married in 1836
by Esquire Tower in his (Elvin Tuttle) house. At first
the couple made their home in Acton, MA for seven years,
then they settled permanently on the farm later owned
and occupied by their son, Elvin Tuttle, Jr.

Lucy Sargent Tuttle was born Sept. 27, 1816 daughter of
Amos and Polly (Robbins) Sargent. The Sargents were the
original owners of the farm, settling there about the
year 1725. The house was built by one of her ancestors.
Her great-grandfather, Capt. Nathaniel Sargent was born
there. Capt. Nathaniel Sargent besides owning the farm,
had a saw-mill and grist-mill at Rock Bottom. He was an
active patriot in Revolutionary days, serving on the
Committee of Public Safety and fighting at Concord and
Charlestown; and he was Captain of a company in service
during Shays' Rebellion. He died in 1821 aged eighty-
two years. Capt. Sargent had three sons: Amos, Nathan-
iel, and Samuel Sargent.

Nathaniel Sargent, Jr. lived at Stow, MA had ten daughters.
Samuel Sargent had a son, Samuel Sargent Jr. who lived
in Boxboro, MA and also one daughter. Nathaniel Sargent,
Jr was left the mill at Rock Bottom by his father. Amos
Sargent born to this house in 1776, lived there until
carried to his last resting place. He retired from
active work in the latter part of his life, leaving the
management of the farm to Francis Tuttle, his daughter's
husband. The barn was erected by Amos Sargent in 1836
and was moved to Stow by Francis Tuttle when he had
built the cellar. Amos Sargent was Captain of the
company of militia that his father had commanded. He
died at the age of seventy-five. His wife died in middle
life. They had a family of five daughters, namely:
Lucy (who became the wife of Francis Tuttle); Laney
Sargent who died in the prime of life and was the wife
of Sumner Blood of Acton, MA; Mary Augusta Sargent was
the wife of Simon Tuttle of Acton and died at the age of
seventy; Eliza Sargent died in childhood; and Caroline
Sargent became the wife of Silas N. Clark of Stow Centre,
MA. Mrs. Lucy Tuttle in 1898 was living with her son.
She was the mother of the following children: Nelson
Tuttle who resided in Ramsey, Illinois; Amos S. Tuttle
a fruit growin in Dehesa, CA., Elvin Tuttle, the subject
of this sketch; Dallas Tuttle who died at the age of
twenty-six years; Lucy Jane Tuttle, the wife of Joseph
Soper, residing in Chicago; and Lowell Tupper who re-
sided in South Acton, MA.

Elvin Tuttle was reared and educated in his native town.
For a number of years he was in the provision business
in Acton, MA. In 1881 he retired to the farm which he
managed. He was a member of the Stow Grange and an
active Democrat in politics. He served as Road Commiss-
ioner for six years. He never married. A valuable piece
of furniture in his home (especially treasured by his
mother) was a tall clock which her father, Amos Sargent
purchased before his own marriage, in the late 1700s.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Transcribed by Janice Farnswort

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