Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume I, Part 49

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 924


USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume I > Part 49


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132


(II) Job, eldest son of William and Doro- thy (Crosby) Pillsbury, was born in Dor- chester, October 16, 1643, died in New- bury, September 10, 1716. He was the exe- cutor of his father's will, inherited the greater part of his father's estate and became a per- sonal, having comfortable means and enjoying a good living. He took a part in the Newbury church controversy, as stated above. He mar- ried, in Newbury, April 5, 1677, Katherine Govett, who died September 1, 1718. They had two sons, Daniel, Josiah, next mentioned. By the terms of his will dated August 30, 1716, he left his estate to his two sons who were to assume the support of their mother. Job Pillsbury's inventory was: real estate, five hundred and fifteen pounds ; personal, sev- enty-three pounds, two shillings ; total five hun- dred and eighty-eight pounds, two shillings.


(III) Josiah, son of Job and Katherine (Govett) Pillsbury, was born in Newbury, April 17, 1686, died in 1761. In 1729 he sold his share in the homestead of his brother. He was a cooper by trade, and was evidently an industrious and prudent man, as by the terms of his will, dated January 26, 1761, he left a comfortable estate to his chil- dren. He married, May 12, 1720, Sarah Kelley, who survived him. Their children were: Josiah, Abiel, Sarah, Joseph, Richard,


Mary, John, Henry, Jacob, David, Edmund, Abraham and Abigail.


(IV) David, son of Josiah and Sarah (Kelley) Pillsbury, was born in Newbury, July 20, 1737. He was a blacksmith by trade. He received from his father's estate "land by Joshua Pillsbury's and two acres of lot at Crane neck hill, he to pay his sister Abigail six pounds, ten shillings." He married, about 1757-58, Anna, whose surname has not come down to us. Their children were: Elizabeth, Jonathan, David, Abby and Anna.


(V) Jonathan, eldest son of David and Anna Pillsbury, was born in Newbury, Massachu- setts, May 15, 1762, died in Scarborough, Maine, March 14, 1833. He was a shoemaker and farmer in Scarborough, and in religious faith was a staunch Friend or Quaker. He always spelled his surname Pilsbery. He mar- ried (first) in Newburyport, November 25, 1787, Elizabeth Carl, who died in Scarborough, May 7, 1800, aged thirty years. He married (second) in Scarborough, March 2, 1808, Shuah Milliken, who died in Limington, Maine, November 20, 1864, aged eighty-eight years. She married for her second husband a Mr. Burton, of Gorham, Maine. Jonathan was the father of fourteen children, six by wife Elizabeth and eight by wife Shuah, as follows, the first eight being born in Scarborough: I. David, August 15, 1788, died in Parsonsfield, February 14, 1855. 2. Anna, October 10, 1790, died in Waterboro, Maine, April, 1859. 3. Miriam, December 8, 1792, died in Saco, Maine, January 12, 1866. 4. Mary, January 20, 1795, died in West Newbury, Massachu- setts, August 21, 1872. 5. Joseph, April 26, 1797, died in Saco, April 23, 1863. 6. Mehit- able, October 30, 1799, died October 30, 1847, unmarried. 7. John, December 18, 1808, died March 12, 1847. 8. Charles C., November 3, 1810, died July 28, 1893. 9. Amos, November 29, 1812, died in Saco, October 31, 1874. 10. Noah, February 5, 1815, died March 30, 1838. II. Betsey, February 6, 1817, died in Bruns- wick, Maine, October 18, 1874. 12. William C., see below. 13. Tristram, March 28, 1822, died April 7, 1823. 14. Sarah, born July 28, 1823.


(VI) William Cobb, son of Jonathan and Shuah ( Milliken) Pillsbury, was born in Scar- borough, January 9, 1820, died at Limington, Maine, September 15, 1895. He was a tanner and currier in Windham and Limington, dur- ing a large part of his life, and finally relin- quished the tannery to settle on the old Frost


207


MASSACHUSETTS.


farm, which had been in the possession of the Frost family for over two hundred years. He was a man of sterling character, his motto was, "Owe no man anything ;" his payments were always prompt and exact, and what was due him he required with equal exactitude. He was a member of the Sect of Friends and a strong advocate of temperance. He married (first) in Limington, January 1, 1846, Nancy Frost, who died March 23, 1865, aged fifty- two years. She was the daughter of Wingate and Anna (Mitchel) Frost, of Limington, and a descendant of James Frost, who was the owner of a large tract of land in Limington in early times. The children of this union were: John H., James F., Anna and Alfred F. H. He married (second) May 20, 1868, Maria N. Frost, of Limington, who was born, Feb- ruary 26, 1835, daughter of James and Nancy Frost, James being an older half-brother of first wife.


(VII) Alfred Fuller Howe, youngest child of William Cobb and Nancy ( Frost ) Pillsbury, was born in Limington, May 18, 1856. He attended the Limington Academy and the high school, and went from the latter place to Massachusetts and attended Wilbraham Acad- emy. He started in commercial life as a clerk for Ginn & Heath, of Boston, booksellers. He went from there back to the farm and assisted his father for a year and then took charge of the office of Irving Blake, baker, of Portland, Maine. He was later with George C. Shaw & Company, of Portland, grocers, where he was delivery clerk. In 1881 he went to Spring- field, Massachusetts, to learn lithography with Milton Bradley Company, who there carried on a large business. He continued in this business fifteen years, and then not being able to purchase an interest in the enterprise he left it to engage in real estate and insurance business, which he has since carried on. Mr. Pillsbury has taken a lively interest in public affairs and for the last seven years has been a member of the city council, and was president of the board of aldermen for the two years end- ing January, 1909. In politics he is a Republican. He is a Free Mason of the thirty-second de- gree, a member of Hampden Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Springfield, Massachusetts ; Springfield Commandery, Knights Templar; Massachusetts Consistory ; and Malha Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is a member of the County, the Winthrop, the Springfield Automobile, and the South Branch Fishing clubs. He attends the South Congregational


Church. Mr. Pillsbury married, October 20, 1887, Ella Augusta Perkins, born in Spring- field, November 18, 1861, only child of Virgil and Eliza M. (Albee) Perkins, of Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. Pillsbury have two children : Alfred, born October 27, 1890, and Anna, May 7, 1892.


Virgil Perkins was born March 1, 1823, in Rock Valley, then a part of West Springfield, but now of Holyoke. He was the son of Horace and Elmina (Eggleston) Perkins, being in the fifth generation descended from John Perkins who came here from England and settled in this vicinity. In the little old cemetery on the Rock Valley road lie the re- mains of the pioneer John, his son John, his son William, and William's wife Judith, and their sons Horace and Dr. Justin Perkins, who was the first missionary sent by the A. B. C. F. M. to Nestoria in 1833. He, too, was born in Rock Valley, March 5, 1805. His early education was of the most meagre sort, but he early developed an ambition to attend college and enter the ministry, and in April, 1823, he began preparations for Amherst College. About this time a son was born to his brother Horace living in the same neighborhood, and when the young student called to offer his congratulations, he was asked to name the child. He picked up a piece of charred wood from the open fire and wrote over the fire- place "Virgil" and the boy was named. After- ward when Justin Perkins had graduated from Amherst with honor, been ordained as a mis- sionary in the old Orthodox church in West Springfield, and become the loved and honored apostle to the Nestorians, Virgil Perkins would tell with pardonable pride how he had received his rather uncommon name. When eight years of age Virgil Perkins was bound out to John Wright, a farmer at Easthampton, until his majority. Later he located at Chicopee Falls and there worked for a Mr. Gleason, a grocery- man and butcher. While in the village he made the acquaintance of W. R. Purple, and together they talked over business and the prospects for making a start in Springfield. In 1848 their numerous talks culminated in their removal to Springfield and purchasing the grocery and meat store of H. Q. Sander- son, at the Watershops. The firm continued business in that locality until about 1860, when the store was transferred to State street. In 1864 Mr. Perkins bought out Mr. Purple's interest in the business and continued alone for a number of years. In 1871 a partnership was formed with George Nye, who had been


208


MASSACHUSETTS.


in Mr. Perkins's employ for some time. Later the firm moved on Main street, opposite Hamp- den street, where they remained for some time. After the removal of the Boston and Albany railroad's freight business from its old quarters, the firm occupied the building. After several years occupancy of this place, a new elevator building located nearer Main street was leased by the firm. In 1880, after a business career of eighteen years, the firm dissolved partner- ship. Mr. Perkins was a director in the Swift Refrigerator Beef Transportation Company, also in the Second National Bank, and a trustee in the Five Cent Savings Bank. He was at one time a director in the Longmeadow railroad. He was a Republican in politics ; he was elected as alderman in 1863-64 from ward seven. In the death of Mr. Perkins the city of Springfield lost a man of sterling char- acter, uprightness and integrity. Many local institutions have occasion to remember his life with gratefulness. The City Library, Chil- dren's Home, School for Christian Workers were objects of his attentions. Virgil Perkins married Eliza M. Albee, daughter of Alvira and Sally ( Blanchard) Albee, of Westmore- land, New Hampshire.


AMORY The Amory family is said to have descended from the family of Montford l'Amaury of France. It has been many generations in England. The name is spelled in various ways. The arms borne by the Amory family of Somersetshire, England, are : Barry of six argent and gules on a chief of the first a lion passant of the second armed. Crest : Eagle's head erased.


(I) Hugh Amory died in England in 1626. He married Agnes Young, widow, daughter of Nicholas and Joane Young. Children: I. Hugh, born 1605. 2. John, 1606-07, married Mary Willet. 3. Thomas, mentioned below.


(II) Thomas, son of Hugh Amory, was born in England, 1608, died in 1667. He married, in 1631, Anne Elliot, born in 1613. Children : 1. Thomas, married, Elizabeth Fitz- maurice, and removed to Ireland. 2. Hugh, born 1639, died unmarried. 3. Elizabeth, died unmarried in 1651. 4. John, born 1644, died unmarried, 1730. 5. Ann, born 1645-46, mar- ricd --- - Chappell. 6. Robert, born 1647- 48, died unmarried, 1710. 7. Mary, born 1649, married William Hoskins. 8. Henry, born 1652, died unmarried. 9. Elizabeth, married Thomas Coynes, or Connies. 10. Jonathan, mentioned below.


(III) Jonathan, son of Thomas Amory,


was born in England, in 1653-54, died in 1699. He spent his youth with his elder brother in Ireland, and became a merchant in Dublin. He married (first) in 1677, Rebecca, widow of David Houston. He went to the West Indies with his brother Robert, and lived there for a time. His wife died there in 1685, and soon afterward he removed to Charleston, South Carolina. He married (second) in Charleston, Martha who died in 1699. He acquired much land and houses, and be- came a wealthy man. He was speaker of the colonial legislature, treasurer of the province, and first treasurer of the proprietors. He died in the fall of 1699, of yellow fever, and his widow died three months later. Both left wills. Children: 1. Judith, born 1680, mar- ried Joseph Groskeys. 2. Thomas, mentioned below. 3. Robert, died young. 4. Ann, mar- ried James Ramsey. 5. Sarah, married Gov- ernor Arthur Middleton.


(IV) Thomas (2), son of Jonathan Amory, was born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1682, and came to this country with his father in 1685. In 1696 he was sent with his sister Ann to England to be educated, and placed in the care of his cousin, Counsellor Amory, who sent him to Westminster school. After the death of his father he entered the counting house of M. Ozell, a French merchant in London, who sent him in 1709 to the Azores as supercargo. Here he established himself as a merchant. He was appointed Dutch and English consul, and remained here many years. In 1719 he wound up his affairs and resigned his office, and June 4 of that year, at the earnest solicitation of his relatives, set sail for Boston, arriving there July 13. He spent the following winter with his sister in South Carolina, and in the spring travelled through Pennsylvania, New York, and Rhode Island. He returned to Boston, and bought land in South Boston, built a house and wharves. He hired a counting house on Long Wharf, of his friend, Governor Belcher, and engaged in commerce with England, the Azores, and Carolina. He died in Boston in 1728. Many volumes of his letters and account books, written in English, French and Portu- gesc, giving the story of his life in the Azores,


are still in existence and are very interesting. He married, in May, 1721, Rebecca, daughter of Francis Holmes, who had a summer home in Boston, and spent his winters at Charleston. Mr. Amory met the young woman on the trip from the south. Children: I. Thomas, born April 22, 1722, mentioned below. 2. Mary, 1723, married Timothy Newell; died in 1804.


209


MASSACHUSETTS.


3. Rebecca, 1725, married Edward Payne. 4. Jonathan, December 19, 1726, died 1797 ; mar- ried Abigail Taylor. 5. John, 1728, married Caroline Greene.


(V) Thomas (3), son of Thomas (2) Amory, was born April 22, 1722, died 1784. He graduated at Harvard College in 1741, and studied divinity, but never took orders. As the eldest son he inherited a double portion of his father's estate. He bought a house built by Governor Belcher, at the corner of Har- vard and Washington streets, with gardens ex- tending to the water, and resided there until his death in August, 1784. He engaged in commerce with England. In 1776, at the_re- quest of the selectmen of Boston, he went with his brother Jonathan to Dorchester Heights to ask General Washington to permit the British troops to retire from the place unmolested, on condition it should be left by them uninjured.


(VII) William, son of Thomas C. Amory, No agreement was reached, however. As his . was born in 1804 and died in 1888. He mar- wife's relatives were refugee loyalists, he was regarded by many with suspicion, and was obliged to live for some time in Watertown. He married, in 1765, Elizabeth, daughter of William Coffin. After his death the house was destroyed in the great fire of 1790, and the widow removed to the house on Franklin place, where she died in 1823. Portraits of both him and his wife by Copley are owned by her descendants. Children: I. Rebecca, born 1766, married Dr. Aaron Dexter. 2. Thomas C., 1767, mentioned below. 3. Elizabeth, July 26, 1768, married Stephen Deblois. 4. Jon- athan, 1770, mentioned below. 5. John, 1771, married Sarah Gardner. 6. Mary, 1773, mar- ried Jonathan Davis. 7. William, 1774, died 1812 in English navy. 8. Nathaniel, 1777, mar- ried Mary Preble.


(VI) Thomas C., son of Thomas (3) Amory, was born in Boston in 1767, died in 1812. He married, in 1795, Hannah Rowe Linzee, born 1775, died 1845. Children, born in Boston: I. Thomas C., 1796, died 1865; married, 1820, Esther Sargent ; (second ) 1857, Almatia Pinkham. 2. Mary L., 1798, died 1859. 3. S. Linzee, 1800, died 1829. 4. Susan, 1802, died 1869; married, 1820, William H. Prescott. 5. William, 1804, mentioned below. 6. Eliza A., 1806, died 1867. 7. Charles, 1808, married, 1832, Martha B. Greene. 8. Edward P., 1810, died 1812. 9. H. Louisa, 1813, died 1888; married, 1836, Edward D. Sohier.


(VI) Jonathan (2), son of Thomas (3) Amory, was born in 1770. He graduated at Harvard in 1787, and entered the counting house of his uncles, J. & J. Amory. Later he


went into business with James Cutler, and afterwards entered into partnership with his brother, Thomas C. Amory, as a merchant, and acquired a handsome property. After 1811 he resided on Park street, Boston, in the house of the late Abbott Lawrence, and died there in August, 1828. He married (first) in 1793, Ruth or Ann Wyer, born 1771, died 1795. He married (second) in 1801, Mehitable (Sulli- van) Cutler, born 1772, and died 1847; she was widow of his partner, James Cutler, and daughter of Governor James Sullivan. Chil- dren: I. Jonathan, born 1802, mentioned be- low. 2. Elizabeth, 1805, died 1859. 3. James Sullivan, 1809, mentioned below. 4. Frances M., 1807, died 1886; married Samuel O. Mere- dith. 5. Rebecca A., 1811, died 1894. 6. Thomas C., 1812, mentioned below. 7. Isa- bella L., 1815, died 1888.


ried, 1832, Anna Sears, born 1813, died 1895, daughter of David Sears. He was educated in Harvard College, class of 1823. He was a prominent manufacturer. In 1837 he was treasurer of the Jackson Company of Nashua, New Hampshire, and the Amoskeag Company of Manchester made him treasurer that year. It was a period of progress and expansion and he carried out the plans of the company for canals and extensions with marked ability and success, conceived other plans and executed them. From eight thousand spindles in opera- tion at the time he took charge the business grew to one hundred and thirty-nine thousand spindles in 1876 when he resigned. The growth of business was marvellous; the average divi- dends in that period from 1837 to 1876 were eleven per cent and the company accumulated a capital of two million dollars invested in extensions and other property in that time. Mr. Amory became president of the corpora- tion in 1876 and was succeeded by T. Jefferson Coolidge as treasurer. Mr. Amory was also treasurer of the Stark Mills, a child of the Amoskeag Company of Manchester. He organ- ized the Amory Manufacturing Company in 1879 to manufacture fine and medium shirtings and sheetings and yarns. He was the first treasurer of the Nashua Manufacturing Com- pany. He was a director of Merchants' Nat- ional Bank, and overseer of Harvard College. In religion he was an Episcopalian ; in politics a Whig and during war and afterwards a Re- publican. Children: 1. William, born 1833, married, 1860, Ellen Brewer, born 1835, died 1873; (second) 1874, Philomène Guichard,


i-14


210


MASSACHUSETTS.


born 1832, died 1894; (third) Louise Gaude- let. 2. Harriet S., 1835, died 1865; married, 1860, Joseph P. Gardner, born 1828, died 1875. 3. Ellen S., 1837, died 1908; married John F. Anderson. 4. Charles W., 1842, mentioned below. 5. Francis I., 1850, mentioned below.


(VII) Jonathan (3), son of Jonathan (2) Amory, was born in 1802, died in 1885. He married Letitia Austin, born 1806, died 1875, daughter of John and Mary (Redding) Austin. Children : 1. Jonathan Austin, born 1827, died and buried in Japan, 1861. 2. Thomas Isaac Coffin, mentioned below. 3. Letitia, born in Isle of Wight, England, 1830, married Lucius Manlius Sargent Jr., who was killed at Belle- field, Virginia, while lieutenant colonel com- manding First Massachusetts Cavalry Regi- ment ; children : i. Mary Turner Sargent, mar- ried Thomas Burgess, son of Bishop Burgess ; son Daniel, deceased ; ii. George Amory Sar- gent, born in Roxbury, July 26, 1854, attend- ed private schools in Boston and Jamaica Plain, and graduated A. B. from Harvard, 1876, and M. D. from Harvard, 1886; began practice at Boston; assistant city physician ; vaccinator for board of health fourteen years ; county jail physician about fourteen years ; member of Massachusetts Medical Associa- tion and American Medical Association; an Episcopalian in religion ; married Sally Prince Osgood, daughter of George Prince and Caro- line (Perkins) Osgood; iii. Sullivan Amory Sargent, born in Boston, January 9, 1861, attend- ed private schools in Germany and Switzerland four years ; member of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, class of 1880; studied archi- tecture ; served as draughtsman at Newport, Rhode Island, one and one-half years; in 1882 became bass of Arlington Street Church quar- tette, which position he still holds, a period of twenty-seven years; vocal teacher ; teacher on piano and cello; now vocal teacher in New England Conservatory; member of Loyal Legion ; married Grace Fessenden, daughter of Sewall H. and Louisa Bursley ; children : Sullivan Amory Jr., born September 30, 1887 ; Lucius Manlius, November 10, 1893; Helen Bursley, August 1I, 1902; Grace Fessenden, January 17, 1904; iv. Ellen B. Sargent. 4. George Washington, born 1832, married Caro- line M. Bigelow, daughter of Judge Bigelow, 1870; children: i. Caroline M., born 1874, unmarried ; ii. Constance, born 1876, married Philip Wadsworth. 5. Mary F., born 1833, died 1896; married Samuel Haskell, died 1891 ; children: i. Child, died aged eight years; ii. Jonathan Amory Haskell, married Margaret


Riker, resides in New York City; iii. Henry Garner Haskell, born 1870, resides in Wil- mington. 6. Elizabeth, born 1835, unmarried. 7. Harriet, born 1837, married Thomas Garner ; daughter Fannie married C. Oliver Iselin, of New Rochelle, New York; four children : Nora, Fannie, married Philip Livermore, Adrian and Oliver. 8. William Appleton, born March, 1839, resides in Chicago, auditor of expenditure for Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad for thirty years; married Rosalie G. Ernst. 9. Charles B., born July 30, 1841, men- tioned below. 10. R. Gordon, born 1847, men- tioned below. 11. Philip Dumeresq, born 1848, died 1849.


(VII) James Sullivan, son of Jonathan (2) Amory, was born in 1809, died in 1884. A portrait of Governor James Sullivan, ancestor and namesake of Mr. Amory, painted by Gil- bert Stuart in 1807 is now in possession of the Massachusetts Historical Society of which Governor Sullivan was one of the founders and first president. His house stood where state house now stands ; Pemberton square was part of the garden when hill was cut down some thirty feet ; house was razed after sale of hill for improvement for house lots. He mar- ried Mary Copley Greene, daughter of Gardi- ner and Elizabeth (Copley) Greene, the latter of whom was a daughter of a Royal Acade- mician and a sister of John Singleton Copley (Lord Lyndhurst), three times Lord High Chancellor of England. Gardiner Greene was a wealthy Boston merchant. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Amory: I. James Appleton, born 1839, died 1861. 2. Arthur, mentioned below. 3. Dr. Robert, mentioned below. 4. Frances M., 1843, died 1844. 5. Frederick, 1844. 6. Gertrude, 1846, died 1847. 7. Harold, 1847, died 1852. 8. Mary C., 1849, died 1852. 9. Mount fort, 1850, died 1852. 10. Augustine Heard, 1852, graduate of Harvard, 1877; Episcopal clergyman rector of a church in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and of a church in Lynn, Massachusetts; married Elizabeth T. Snelling, born 1855; children : James S., born 1890, and Harold, 1893. II. Harcourt, 1855, graduate of Harvard, 1876; married, 1891, Gertrude L. Chase, born 1868; children: Ger- trude L., and Harcourt, born 1894.


(VII) Thomas Coffin, son of Jonathan (2) Amory, was born in Boston in 1812. At the age of eight he entered a boarding school on the shores of Jamaica pond, and two years later went to Northampton to a similar school. Leaving Round Hill Seminary at the age of fourteen, he stnelied with tutors, entered an


2II


MASSACHUSETTS.


advanced class at Harvard, and took his degree in 1830. His health being impaired he took a sea voyage and travelled abroad. Return- ing, he studied law with his uncle, General William Sullivan, and was admitted to the Suf- folk bar. He practiced a short time, one of his cases being in collaboration with Rufus Choate against Richard D. Fletcher, and Horace Mann as opposing counsel. He soon gave up the law, however, and spent the winter of 1842 in Cuba, later travelling in Europe. On his return he took up the study of litera- ture and history, especially that of Massachu- setts, contributed to periodicals and news- papers, and wrote the biography of his grand- father, Governor James Sullivan, a two volume book published in 1858. He was elected an alderman of Boston in 1858, and to the legis- lature the following year. He was five years alderman and was chairman of the overseers of the poor. He was chairman of a committee sent to Halifax to invite the Prince of Wales to visit Boston. He was chairman of the committee which superintended the erection of the Boston City Hospital, and president of the first board of trustees of that institution. He delivered the address at its dedication in 1864. He was in great demand as an orator, and delivered many addresses. He was chair- man of the committee on police, and in 1862, during the draft-riots, he interfered and was violently assaulted, barely escaping with his life. He was elected a member of the city council in 1864 and many times afterward, and served as chairman of the council. It was due largely to his efforts that the Charity building on Clarendon street was erected. He was four years on the school committee, and was a member of numerous charitable organiza- tions. Before the war he was a Whig, after- wards a Democrat. In 1859 he was a repre- sentative to the general court, and in the fol- lowing year was nominated for the state senate but withdrew in favor of a rival candidate. He came within one vote of being nominated for congress. In 1865 he was Democratic candidate for mayor of Boston. While chair- man of the aldermanic committee on overseers of the poor he arranged a weekly meeting of the public and private almoners during the winter to consult and systematize their work. His report on the work and usefulness of these conferences resulted eventually in the adop- tion in Boston of one of the best organiza- tions for the distribution of alms and the pre- vention of pauperism in the state if not in the country. Among the printed reports giv-




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.