Individual Details
Gardner Prouty
(4 Sep 1817 - 5 Dec 1899)
(Apparently Gardner's fianc?e died prior to his first marriage)
PROUTY - Melona, d. Maj. Eli, Sept. 13, 1841, a. 19. ["The deceased departed this life a few weeks previous to anticipated marriage with Mr. Gardner Prouty." G.S.2.]
An historical sketch of the town of Littleton, p. 30-1]
Gardner Prouty was born at Spencer, Worcester County, Massachusetts, September 4, 1817, and was the son of Gardner and Ruth (How) Prouty, both of Spencer. He attended the common schools of his native town till about seventeen years of age, when he went to Westminster, where he spent one term at the Academy. After leaving school he learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked about six years. In 1847 he went to Boston, and for a time engaged in the ice shipping business. Afterwards he was in the business of wharfinger, in which he continued till January 1, 1889. In 1864 he went to Littleton and purchased the place where he still resides. His house is pleasantly situated on the main street of Littleton Common; and connected with it is a farm of sixty-four acres, the care of which has afforded him ample opportunity for exercise since his retirement from his former business. June 3, 1851, Mr. Prouty was married at Boston, by Rev. Thomas Starr King, to Clara D. Wheelock, of Calais, Vermont. Miss Wheelock was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Welcome Wheelock, formerly of Charlton, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He has one child, Gardner W., who is married and lives in Littleton. Mr. Prouty is a Democrat, and was a delegate to the Presidential Convention held in New York in 1868. He has taken an active part in the public affairs of Littleton, having been selectman and assessor seven years, and overseer of the poor six years, and five years chairman of these boards. For several years he was also a member of the School Committee, and was moderator of the annual town-meeting of Littleton twenty years. His paternat ancestor came to Spencer from Scituate.
The son of Gardner and Ruth (How) Prouty, both of Spencer. He attended the common scbools of his native town till about seventeen years of age, when he went to Westminster, where be spent one term at the Academy. After leaving school he learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked about six years.
In 1847 he went to Boston, and for a time engaged in the ice shipping business. Afterwards he was in the business of wharfinger, in which he continued till January 1, 1889.
On June 3, 1851, Mr. Prouty was married at Boston, by Rev. Thomas Starr King, to Clara D. Wheelock, of Calais, Vermont. Miss Wheelock was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Welcome Wheelock, formerly of Charlton, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He has one child, Gardner W., who is married and lives in Littleton.
Mr. Prouty is a Democrat, and was a delegate to the Presidential Convention held in New York in 1868. He has taken an active part in the public affairs of Littleton, having been selectman and assessor seven years, and overseer of the poor six years, and five years chairman of these boards. For several years he was also a member of the School Committee, and was moderator of the annual town meeting of Littleton twenty years. His paternal ancestor came to Spencer from Scituate.
(The above is an excerpt from "An Historical Sketch of Littleton" by Herbert Joseph Harwood. You can find more on the cemetery website.)
Events
Families
Spouse | Clarissa D. "Clara" Wheelock (1820 - 1902) |
Child | Clara M. Prouty (1852 - 1854) |
Child | Gardner Wheelock Prouty (1858 - ) |
Father | Gardner Prouty (1784 - 1828) |
Mother | Ruth Howe (1788 - 1868) |
Sibling | Eliza Prouty (1808 - 1888) |
Sibling | Marcia Howe Prouty (1810 - 1903) |
Sibling | Alanson Prouty (1812 - 1896) |
Sibling | Carlos Prouty (1815 - ) |
Sibling | Fanny Prouty (1819 - 1822) |
Sibling | Nancy Prouty (1822 - 1843) |
Sibling | Harriet Fanny Prouty (1825 - 1827) |
Sibling | Hannah Augusta Prouty (1827 - 1847) |
Notes
Census (family)
1916, 2578, Gardner Prouty, 42 M, Wharfinger MAClara D, 40 F, VT
Gardner W, 1 M, Mass
Census (family)
128, 140, Prouty, Gardner, 52 MW, Wharfinger, 5000, 7000, MAClarissa D, 48 FW, Keeping house VT
Gardner W, MW, at home, MA
Wheelock, Pamelia D, 40 FW, Domestic, VT
Census (family)
164, 176, Prouty, Gardner, WM, 62, Farmer, MA MA MAClara D, WF, 60, Wife, Keeping house, VT MA MA
Gardner W, WM, 21, Son, at home, MA MA VT
Burial
Prouty, Gardner, 1817-1899Endnotes
1. Draper, James., History of Spencer, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to the year 1860 : including a brief sketch of Leicester, to the year 1753. (Worcester: Printed by H.J. Howland, 1860?, 279 pgs.), p. 238.
2. Pope, Charles Henry, 1841-1918., Prouty (Proute) genealogy. (Boston, Mass.; C.H. Pope, 1910.), p 66.
3. Pope, Charles Henry, 1841-1918., Prouty (Proute) genealogy. (Boston, Mass.; C.H. Pope, 1910.), p 115.
4. U.S. Census images. Heritage Quest Online. Subscription database through the Sonoma County Public Library. (ProQuest LLC, 2009.), 1860 > MASSACHUSETTS > MIDDLESEX > CHARLESTOWN Series: M653 Roll: 512 Page: 319 .
5. U.S. Census images. Heritage Quest Online. Subscription database through the Sonoma County Public Library. (ProQuest LLC, 2009.), 1870 > MASSACHUSETTS > MIDDLESEX > LITTLETON Series: M593 Roll: 626 Page: 360.
6. U.S. Census images. Heritage Quest Online. Subscription database through the Sonoma County Public Library. (ProQuest LLC, 2009.), 1880 > MASSACHUSETTS > MIDDLESEX > LITTLETON Series: T9 Roll: 539 Page: 335.
7. Cemeteries of Littleton, Massachusetts - Westlawn Burials, Westlawn Cemetery online [http://www.littletonma.org/content/53/101/1343/1347/1411/1500.aspx], accessed Nov 2007.
8. Steve Adair, "Joshus Prouty and Bemis genealogy," e-mail message from
9. Cemeteries of Littleton, Massachusetts - Westlawn Burials, Westlawn Cemetery online [http://www.littletonma.org/content/53/101/1343/1347/1411/1500.aspx], accessed Nov 2007.