Francis “Frank” Lowell  Furbush (1861-1940)

“The Great Frank Furbush”

If there was one person in Graniteville that everyone knew during the early 20 th century, it was Frank L. Furbush. Frank seemed to be everywhere and to have done everything during these years. It was hard to find anything in the town of Westford that Frank was not involved in.

Frank Lowell Furbush was born in Freeman, Maine on April 1, 1861. As a young man he moved to Graniteville where he and his wife Margaret and three children would make their home for the next 60 years. Their home was the big green and white house on Broadway Street across from the Frederick S.Healy Post American Legion.

Shortly after moving to Graniteville, Frank started working at the C.G. Sargent and Sons Company where he rose to the position of Consultant Engineer. Frank had a very stellar career at Sargent’s in which he had four patents listed in the United States Patent Office. He would work for the C.G. Sargent Company for 57 years until his death in 1940.

Aside from his long and noteworthy career at the C.G. Sargent Company, most people remember Mr. Furbush from his involvement in town and civic affairs. He had to be one of the most civic minded citizens in the history of the town. He seemed to have held every town of Westford office that was available and more.

His involvement with town government started in 1914, when voters chose Furbush to serve on the Westford School Committee. Two years later the town elected Frank to the Board of Selectmen, he would become chairman of that board in 1923. During the same year Frank would also become chairman of the Westford Board of Health. In 1918 he served as the Public Weigher and in 1919 Frank became a Fire Department Engineer. In addition, the Graniteville resident served as the Westford Police Chief for two years and in 1930 he joined the Finance Committee, a position he would hold until 1938.

Frank would step down from the Westford School Committee and Board of Selectman in 1923 but would start a new venture in 1925. Frank and later his son Frank Russell would operate the Furbush Garage on Broadway Street. The garage served as a Hudson, Essex, and Chevrolet dealership as well as a car repair shop. Also, the Furbush Garage served as an Official Testing Station and sold Eiseman radios.

Frank L. Furbush died on April 22, 1940. Numerous area dignitaries attended Mr. Furbush’s funeral. Selectman Arthur Healy represented the Town of Westford, Allen C. Sargent, president of the C.G.Sargent Company represented Sargent’s and Edward M. Abbot, president of the Abbot Worsted Company, represented his firm. In Frank’s honor, the Sargent Company closed on the afternoon of Mr. Furbush’s funeral so that all Sargent’s employees could pay their respects. The town lowered the flag at Town Hall to half-mast in Frank’s honor. Furbush was survived at the time of his death by his wife Margaret and three children William, Helen, and Frank Russell.

It has been over 80 years since Frank Furbush lived on Broadway Street in Graniteville. But the home looks much like it did when Frank and his family lived there. The front steps take your right on to the street and if you drive or walk past the old house it is not hard to imagine the busy Frank Lowell Furbush running down those steps and hurrying off to his job at Sargent’s or to his car dealership or to a meeting a town hall. (James VanBever , 2022)

Sources:

Lowell Sun, April 23, 1940, p. 71.

Ibid, April 24, 1940, p. 36.

United States Patent Office, 1935. P. 238, 257.

GRANITEVILLE, A tour of Graniteville with Aime Gervais, Compiled by Marilyn Day, p. 11-12.