Abishai H. Chace was born in Freetown, Dec. 16,1807. He was a son of Edward and Permelia Chace, and grandson of Edward and Abigail (Strange) Chace. Both of these Edwards were natives of Freetown, and were men much respected and esteemed in their day. The Chace family is a very ancient one in New England. The educational advantages afforded boys in the rural districts at the period of Mr. Chace's boyhood were very limited indeed. An attendance of three months during the winter at the district school was the most to be hoped for, and fortunate, indeed, was the lad who could boast of an unbroken attendance during even that short term. Mr. Chace was no exception to the general rule, but he read more out of school than most boys, and so managed to secure a pretty fair English education. His first start in business life was as a farm laborer. After one year spent in this manner, he became clerk in a country store, where he remained three years. He then engaged in farming and lumbering, and this was his business chiefly through life. In 1869, at the earnest solicitation of Mr. Joseph Grinnell, who was then president of the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad, he was induced to come to Braley Station, on that road, and assume the duties of station-agent at that place. In connection with his duties as agent he also established a store at the same point, and continued merchandising for some time. He was a Democrat in politics until the election of Franklin Pierce as President of the United States. At that time he affiliated with the Republican party. He was a member of the Christian Baptist Church, was selectman and overseer of the poor, and road commissioner. He was always an earnest advocate of temperance, and his own hale, hearty manhood in old age is itself an impressive sermon in favor of total abstinence. In his younger days he was for many years an ensign in the militia ranks, and afterwards lieutenant.

Mr. Chace is an example of what may be accomplished in the quiet walks of life, even under adverse circumstances, by honesty, fidelity of purpose, and industry. He commenced his married life almost literally without a dollar, reared a large family of children, and is to-day in comfortable circumstances.

He married Feb. 14,1828, Lucy Cummings, daughter of George Cummings, of Lakeville. To them were born fourteen children, all of which are shown below as the first fourteen (14).

Mr. Chace married for his second wife, March 23,1853, Mrs. Jane (Studley) Gibson, of New Bedford, by whom he had four children, all of which are shown below as the last four (4).

The above is an excerpt from the History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, etc., published in 1883 by J.W. Lewis & Co., p. 308. The pen picture of Abishai is also from the same history volume.