Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume I, Part 82

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 82

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(IV) John (2), son or nephew of John (I) Moore, was born 1720-30. He lived in Canter- bury.

(V) John (3), son of John (2) Moore, was born about 1750-60, in Canterbury. He married Tabitha Davis. Children, born in Canterbury : Abraham M., mentioned below; Hugh T., William D., Judith G., Ruth, Sallie.

(VI) Abraham M., son of John (3) Moore, was born at Canterbury, August 31, 1799. He married Charlotte Cutter, born January 28, 1800. They lived at Canterbury, where he followed farming. Children, born at Boston, Massachusetts : I. Abraham M., Jr., June 28, 1830; children: i. Lizzie, married Frank Draper ; ii. Frank, married Annie Eames, one son, Edwin H., born August 20, 1899; iii. Charlotte W., clerk, New England Telephone Company, Boston ; iv. Mrs. William H. John- ston, Greenville street, Somerville. 2. Will- iam Frank, born 1836; enlisted in Company I,

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Fifth Massachusetts Regiment, and was killed in battle of Bull Run, in the civil war. 3. Susan Cutter, married James R. Hopkins ( see Hopkins).

VAN NESS The surname Van Ness is undoubtedly taken from a place name, the prefix signi- fying of or from, and Ness being the town or locality in Holland where the family originated or were located at the time the surname came into use. Van Ness is a common name in America as well as Holland. Most of the family trace their ancestry to Cornelis Van Nes (or Ness) who married, about 1625, Mayken Hendrickse Burchgraeff, and lived upon the Havendyke, Holland. Henrick Ger- ritse Van Nes, from Emberland, Holland, mar- ried April 19, 1654, Anneke Wessels, who was from Colen, New Amsterdam. The Van Ness family settled at Greenbush, New York, as well as New Amsterdam, at an early date, and became very prominent in social and public life. A descendant of Cornelis Van Ness, Judge William Peter Van Ness, was Alexander Ham- ilton's second in his duel with Aaron Burr, was United States judge of the southern district of New York, and wrote legal and historical essays. Cornelius Peter Van Ness was gov- ernor of New York, minister to Spain, and chief justice of Vermont.

Hon. John Peter Van Ness, of the old Van Ness family, was born in Ghent, New York, in 1770. He was representative in congress 1801-03. He took up his residence in Wash- ington, and became the first president of the Bank of the Metropolis in 1814, and was Mayor of Washington later. He died March 7, 1847, at Washington. His mansion there was one of the most famous of the first fine houses built in the capitol. It stood on the banks of the Potomac, only a few rods from the White House. Van Ness married Maria, daughter of Davy Burns, owner of a large part of the tract of land comprising the present city of Washington. The site was not chosen by congress, but by Washington himself, who was authorized to select a location for the capital city on the Potomac river between the mouth of the eastern branch and the mouth of the Conveocheaque. After the site was chosen, the owners of three of the four farms required by the government made no difficulty in selling their property, but the fourth, Burns, a hard- headed Scotchman, was not willing to sell, and the commissioners appointed for the purpose finally gave up their efforts to induce him to

come to terms and called upon Washington to undertake the task. The Burns farm was south of the White House and extended as far eastward as the Patent Office, comprising six hundred acres. Washington made several visits to Burns, and finally lost his temper at the farmer's obstinacy, and exclaimed: "Had not the city been laid out here, you would have died a poor tobacco planter." Burns replied : "Had you not married Widow Custis wi' her nagurs you would ha' been a land surveyor to- day, and a mighty poor one at that." Wash- ington had finally to threaten condemnation proceedings before Burns came to terms. Burns retained his house and some land. He sent his daughter to a fashionable school in Baltimore, after he became rich, from the sale of his farm to the government, and when she returned she was recognized as the belle of the city, not only on account of her father's wealth but for her own wonderful beauty and vivacity. She was twenty years old when she married Van Ness, who was described by a contemporary as "well fed, well bred and well read." For several years they lived in the old Burns home, but in 1820 they built the manor house at a cost of thirty thousand dollars. It was the finest house in Washington at that time and was a social center for many years. They had one daughter, Ann Elbertine Van Ness, who was nearly grown up when the mansion was built, and who inherited her mother's beauty. She married Arthur Middleton, of South Car- olina, and died a year later in childbirth. Her mother never recovered from the blow of her daughter's death. She abandoned society and devoted herself to charity and reforms. As a philanthropist she acquired a national reputa- tion. She was the founder of an orphan asylum in Washington, and took great interest in its management. She was an Abolitionist, known the world over, and contributed stirring articles to the leading American newspapers and magazines, materially aiding the cause. She died in Washington, September 9, 1832, aged fifty years, and was buried with public honors. At a memorial mass meeting in Wash- ington the leading men of the nation eulogized her. Her husband erected for her remains a costly mausoleum designed after the temple of Vesta at Rome.

(1) Joseph Van Ness, said to be brother of Hon. John Peter Van Ness, went from Hol- land to St. Andrew, Scotland, where he lived and died. Among his children were, John and James.

(Il) James, son of Joseph Van Ness, was

SarahHonnan, Van Ness.

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born at St. Andrews, Scotland, and died in Illinois, in 1851. He was well educated in the schools of his native place, and when a young man came to America with his brother John and settled in New York City. He taught school for a time, and finally settled in An- dover, Massachusetts. He removed to Illinois, where he contracted malarial fever, and died in 1851. He married Elizabeth Robb, of Scot- land, of Scotch or Scotch-Irish descent. The family seat of one branch of the Robbs was at Antrim, Ulster, in the north of Ireland.

(III) Joseph (2), son of James Van Ness, was born at Andover, Massachusetts, Decem- ber 13, 1849. He was an infant when the family went west, and but eighteen months old when his father died. When he was four years old his mother married a Scotchman named Stevens. She was a frugal woman and took the best of care of her property. She owned two farms and a general store to which she devoted her time and energy to good ad- vantage financially. At the age of eleven her son had acquired what education the common schools afforded and became familiar with the standard authors, to be found in the town library and wished to continue his studies, but his mother did not encourage him, though ex- tremely fond of the boy. He managed to per- suade the traveling salesman who came to his mother's store to let him live with him and work his way while in school, and fitted him- self for the Illinois Industrial University, which he entered in the fall of 1873 and from which he graduated June 7, 1876. He not only worked his own way, but gave evidence of superior scholarship, as shown by the extra- ordinary percentages of his final rank, viz: English 97; German 95; Latin 89; Algebra 95 ; Geometry 97 ; Bookkeeping 100; Chemistry 95; Elocution 98; Zoology 97; History 99; Political Economy 99; Military 90. During his last year in the university he tutored to save money for the course at Cornell Uni- versity and overtaxed his strength. He suffer- ed from a severe nervous affliction, and when the facts became known to the faculty at Cor- nell, further teaching was forbidden and his expenses provided for otherwise. He took his degree at Cornell June 20, 1878, with high honors. His health was shattered by his over- work and anxiety to complete his college edu- cation, and by advice of his physician he went to Colorado to recuperate, selling his little library to raise the necessary funds. He lived near an irrigated section owned by an English syndicate, and became interested in irrigation,

and wrote a series of papers for the Denver Republican on the system of irrigation used there. Later went to California and wrote a series of articles on the mining interests, pub- lished in the papers of that state. After spend- ing four years in the open air he came to Chi- cago with renewed health and ambition, and entered the newspaper business on the staff of the Shoe and Leather Review, published by C. L. Peyton, and became eastern representa- tive of this trade journal, with offices on Bed- ford street, Boston. He removed his offices to Lincoln street, where he was burned out; opened offices on Atlantic avenue, and was again burned out. Under his energetic man- agement the Review became leader in its class through the eastern states. Seeing an oppor- tunity to engage in business on his own account, he resigned from the Review and established an advertising agency of his own; making a specialty of handling contracts for the trade journals and other mediums in which shoe manufacturing machinery was advertised. These concerns were finally consolidated as the United Shoe Machinery Trust. While he was placing the advertising of a thread con- cern he conceived the idea of reaching the foreman and superintendents of the boot and shoe factories, and for this purpose asked to borrow a list containing the names of these men. The friend whom he asked for this list was reluctant to do the favor on account of the great cost of getting the list, and its great value in business. He succeeded finally in borrowing the list, the value of which he then realized, and he saw the possibilities for profit in an advertising medium that would regularly reach and interest these foremen and superin- tendents as well as the employers. He planned a technical trade paper, through which the dealers in sundries for shoe manufacturers could reach their possible customers. A journal that would discuss the best methods of factory management, of manufacture, and of dealing with help. A circular letter outlining his plans brought the ready approval of his ideas from the men to whom he sent it. He was encour- aged to proceed, and October 20, 1896, pub- lished the first number of the Superintendent and Foreman, the only technical publication devoted to increasing the skill of shoe manu- facturing. Superintendents, Foreman and ex- pert Operatives were invited to write for pub- lication short articles on methods, processes and results in the shoe industry, to ask ques- tions about their work, and assistance in their problems. His success was immediate. The

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journal was started on a high plan and the standard of excellence maintained. At the end of the first year it had four times the cir- culation of any other shoe and leather technical trades paper in the world. The price of sub- scription and advertising was increased. The paper reached all parts of the English-speaking and German-speaking world and had corres- pondents as far away as Australia and New Zealand, reaching every country on the globe where shoes are made. It was nick-named "The Little Schoolmaster in the Art of Shoe- making."

Mr. Van Ness died July 8, 1901. The busi- ness was continued by his widow and under her capable management the journal has grown in circulation and standing. Mr. Van Ness resided in Lexington, Massachusetts, where in 1894 he built a beautiful stone residence, one of the most attractive and picturesque man- sions in the state, called "Fieldstone."

Mr. Van Ness possessed strong, and in many respects extraordinary, characteristics. Bright, active, energetic, an indefatigable worker, an exceedingly able journalist, he was a gifted writer as well as an astute man of business. He saw his opportunities and knew how to use them well. He was original in his business methods and in his literary productions. His capacity for accomplishing things gave him unlimited confidence, and he never admitted the possibility of failure or defeat. The suc- cess of his paper justified his confidence in his last and most ambitious effort. But he was, nevertheless, kindly and considerative in his relations with other men, attracting friends, giving freely to help others. He had higher ambitions than the establishment of a success- ful and useful trade journal. He tried to make the best use of the talents given to him and to do his utmost for the benefit of mankind. He gave his life in striving to accomplish this purpose and died knowing that his life was essentially successful. A kind and generous nature, of refined and cultivated tastes, his friends and business associates say of him he was truly a deep thinker, a natural student ; he rose to his high position by his strict truth- fulness and honesty, and he was no ordinary man from whatever standpoint considered.

He was singularly free from pride and pre- tence of any kind. As an instance, he dropped the prefix "Van," when he entered the Illinois University, least the prefix should suggest pre- tensions to rank, and he was known as Ness up to the time of his marriage, when he re- sumed the use of his full name. His watch-

word was simply duty-"Not happiness, but duty done is the greatest good that life may bring. Even death, and whatever there may be beyond it, can bring no sweeter bliss than comes to him who is conscious of having done his duty to his fellowman."

It was characteristic of Mr. Van Ness to appreciate fully the character of Phillips Brooks. He once said of him: "A great teacher, a great preacher, a great man. And from his life you will gather much which will aid you to bear the burdens and realize the beauties of life." In speaking of the future Mr. Van Ness often quoted Tennyson :

"We have but faith, we cannot know, For knowledge is of things we see; And yet we trust-it comes from Thee A beam in darkness; let it grow."

In politics he was a Democrat of the old school. He was a member of the Greek letter fraternity Delta Tau Delta, of the Illinois University, and was one of the founders of that chapter. He was a member of the New England Cornell Club, the Appalachian Moun- tain Club, and the Megantic Fish and Game Club. He loved out-door sports, especially fishing.

He married October 4, 1892, Sarah Lucinda Bowman, daughter of John and Eliza Powell (Gittings) Bowman. Her father was of an old and prominent Lexington family and her mother of prominent Virginia and Maryland families. They had no children. Mrs. Sarah Bowman Van Ness was founder and for eight years active regent and later honorary regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution of Lexington, Massachusetts. (See Bowman).

The surname Bowman means BOWMAN archer, and was derived from the name of the weapon used by the ancient Britons and Saxons-the long bow-and took their origin from Kirkos- wald, fourteen miles from Carlisle, county of Cumberland, the beautiful hill country of Eng- land. The first coat-of-arms of this Bowman family of England is described: Argent, two bows gules, stringed,-or, in saltier-one within the other. This is the most ancient armorial of this family, and second earliest arms in England. In the early days of sur- names in England, Bowman was common along the English border under the Percys. There are two branches of the family in Scot- land bearing arms. The Bowmans were the early Britons of England, and became promi-

QUON

ARMIS

DAN

HIS

CIMUS

BOWMAN COAT-OF-ARMS.

THE BOWMAN HOMESTEAD-BUILT BY NATHANIEL BOWMAN, 1649.

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nently known as one of England's most ancient families, having furnished some of their earli- est lawyers and statesmen. Savage's directory of early New England settlers states that twelve Bowmans graduated from Harvard College in fifty-five years, four being the larg- est number of any other family in the same time. And each generation of the family has given important members to the state and nation.

Robert Bowman, the earliest known ancestor of this family, married, in 1544, Helen Crych- loe ; two sons : I. Richard, baptized and buried, 1546. 2. John, married Ann, daughter of Anthony Beresford, of Parwick, England, gentleman, and a member of one of England's most celebrated families, and his wife Elyn, of Gateleden Grange. John and Ann ( Beres- ford) Bowman had children: Nathaniel, born 1608, see forward; Richard, baptized 1610; Helene, 1612; John, 1614; Henry, 1617; Eliz- abeth, 1619; Ann, 1620; Elizabeth, 1623; Anthony, 1625.

(I) Nathaniel Bowman, immigrant ances- tor, was born in England in 1608. He was a cavalier "gentleman" (this title showing that he bore arms conferred by the king) and emi- grated to America because of the encroach- ment of the Barons of England and Scotland upon his lands. At the time the crowns of England and Scotland were united, the Bow- man family of Cumberland county were the largest landowners, having acquired title by their military services rendered to the earliest English Kings, and were recognized by the Kings as exclusive owners of their lands and consequently were not entered upon the Domes- day Book. These early Britons were selected by William the Conqueror as his bodyguards, owing to their thorough knowledge of the country and their expert use of the bow and arrow, and he conferred upon them the name of Bowman. For centuries the Bowmans occu- pied and held exclusive possession of the hill country in Cumberland county, England.

Nathaniel Bowman and wife Ann settled in Watertown as early as 1630. He was never admitted a freeman in the colony because he would not relinquish his membership in the Church of England, being a Cavalier, and not a Puritan. The historian, Bond, says in his "History of Watertown," page 1083, "a por- tion of the town was named in honor of Mr. Bowman to show the high esteem in which he was held." In 1635 Nathaniel Bowman pur- chased land from Edward Goffe in Cambridge Farms (Lexington), and settled on this land

about 1649. It was located in the southeast part of the town, near Arlington. Nathaniel Bowman died January 26, 1681-82. His will, which refers to him as Nathaniel Bowman (gentleman), dated October 21, 1679, proved April 4, 1682, bequeathed to sons Francis and Nathaniel ; daughter Dorcas Marsh ; and grand- children Nathaniel and Benjamin Blackleach. Nathaniel Bowman and his wife Ann were married in England. She deposed in 1678 showing that she was sixty-three years old; she died before him. Children: 1. Francis, born 1630, mentioned below. 2. Mary, buried January 1, 1638. 3. Joanna, buried November 20, 1638, aged three years. 4. Dorcas, buried February 6, 1639, aged seven days. 5. Nathaniel, born March 6, 1641, probably died at Lexing- ton in 1694. 6. Joanna, born November 20, 1642. 7. Dorcas, married Benjamin Black- leach.

(II) Francis, son of Nathaniel Bowman, was born in 1630, died December 16, 1687, aged fifty-seven. He inherited the homestead in Cambridge Farms, where he resided. He was admitted a freeman in January, 1652. He married, September 26, 1661, Martha Sher- man, born February 21, 1641. Children : I.

Francis, born September 14, 1662, mentioned below. 2. John, February 19, 1665. 3. Martha, March 26, 1667, died December, 1667. 4. Nathaniel, February 9, 1669, died June 30, 1748. 5. Joseph, May 18, 1674, died April 8, 1762. 6. Anna, September 19, 1676, died Sep- tember 26, 1700. 7. Deacon Samuel, August 14, 1679, resided in Cambridge ; married, first, Rebecca Andrews; second, Deborah

(III) Francis (2), son of Francis (I ) Bow- man, was born September 14, 1662. He was admitted a freeman, and was one of the most prominent citizens of Lexington. He held every office within the gift of the King and the town, and was known as "ye most worshipful justice ;" was a member of the first board of selectmen and assessors; in 1693 was one of a committee to buy land for the support of the ministry; was a deputy to the general court for many years ; and a Royal Magistrate 1720 to 1744, being the first to be appointed to that office by the King; was also honored with a military commission by the King. He was one of three to sit at table in the meeting house, and his wife was given a "fore seat.' In his will he bequeathes to his wife the three negroes-Battiss, Phillis and Pompey ; and to his granddaughter, Ruth Bowman, the negro boy Domini; also bequeathes to wife Ruth, son Isaac, daughters Mary Morse, Lydia

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Simonds and Sarah Russell. He married first, June 26, 1684, Lydia, daughter of Deacon Samuel and Sarah (Stearns) Stone, of Cam- bridge ; second, Ruth, daughter of Rev. Samuel Angier. Children: I. Francis, born about 1685. 2. Mary, married Morse. 3. Lydia, married Jonathan Simonds. 4. John, born July 14, 1689, mentioned below. 5. Sarah, married Philip Russell. 6. Isaac, born 1693, died July 18, 1785.

(IV) John, son of Francis (2) Bowman, was born July 14, 1689, died April 30, 1726. He was admitted to the church at Lexington, June 22, 1718. He married Mary Stone, who died June 28, 1757. Children: I. John, born December 5, 1713, mentioned below. 2. Jonas, February 3, 1717, married Abigail Russell. 3. Francis, April 2, 1718, married, June 24, 1756, Sarah Simonds, and resided in Bedford. 4. Ebenezer, April 21, 1720, resided in West Cambridge. 5. Ruth, December 23, 1723, ad- mitted to the church, October 18, 1741.

(V) John (2), son of John (1) Bowman, was born December 5, 1713, died April 21, 1760. He married, first, February 19, 1737, Susanna, daughter of Captain Joseph and Eliz- abeth ( Bond) Coolidge, of Watertown. John and Susanna (Coolidge) Bowman owned the covenant at the church in Lexington, Decem- ber 4, 1737. He married second, Hannah Wil- son, a widow. Children of first wife: I. Sus- anna, born January 19, 1738, married, Decem- ber 16, 1779, Bezaleel Learned. 2. Josiah, March 21, 1740. 3. Mary, August 1, 1742. 4. Elizabeth, November 4, 1744, married Francis Whittemore, of Medford. 5. Ruth, October 5, 1746. 6. Samuel, November 4, 1749, men- tioned below. Children by second wife: 7. Benjamin, baptized June 5, 1757, died Febru- ary, 1776. 8. John, baptized July 15, 1759.

(VI) Samuel, son of John (2) Bowman, was born at Lexington, November 4, 1749, died at Warwick, Massachusetts, December 21, 1819. His father died when he was a minor, and Captain John Hoar, his uncle, was appoint- ed his guardian. Captain John Hoar married second, Elizabeth, sister to Susannah Coolidge, mother of Samuel Bowman. Captain John Hoar was great-great-grandfather of Senator George Frisbie Hoar. Samuel Bowman lived in the family of his uncle, Rev. Jonathan Bow- man, who was forty-four years pastor of the First Church on Meetinghouse Hill, Dor- chester. His wife was Elizabeth ( Hancock) Bowman, daughter of Rev. John Hancock, grandfather of Governor John Hancock, and they attended to his education. He served in

the revolution as drummer in Captain John Parker's Lexington company, on duty from May 6 to 10, at Cambridge, by order of the committee of safety; was in same company June 17-18, evidently at the battle of Bunker . Hill; was in Captain John Bridge's company, Colonel Ebenezer Brooks's regiment, 1776, at Roxbury ; in Captain Watson's company, Col- onel Greaton's regiment, 1777; was sergeant and sergeant-major in Captain Abraham Wat- son's company, Colonel John Greaton's regi- ment, 1777-79, and commissioned ensign in same company, March 4, 1780; was in Cap- tain J. Sumner's company, Colonel Greaton's regiment, 1781, and was commissioned lieuten- ant on recommendation of Colonel Greaton in Colonel Vose's first regiment, April 22, 1782, and was brevetted colonel after the close of the war. He inherited considerable property, and after the revolution settled at Warwick, June 10, 1778, six days after his marriage, where he bought a large farm and lived the remainder of his life.

He married, June 4, 1778, Hannah Winthrop Davenport, born June 16, 1751, of Dorchester, who died December 1, 1824, daughter of Isaac and Mary Pray (Winthrop) Davenport, great- granddaughter of Governor John Winthrop. Children: 1. Lydia, born May 17, 1779, died September 29, 1811; married Stephen John- son. 2. Hannah, December 8, 1780, died April 6, 1873 ; married Joseph Bishop. 3. Susannah, September 29, 1782, died December 19, 1812; married Stephen Perry, of Vernon ; children : i. William ; ii. Maria, married Newhall, of Hinsdale ; iii. Martha, married Elijah Merri- man. 4. Samuel, August 10, 1784, died Sep- tember 16, 1858; he was one of the prominent East India merchants of New York ; married Mary Power, of Charlestown. 5. Isaac, May 17, 1786, died October 20, 1813. 6. Nancy, March 22, 1789, died August 19. 1831. 7. Polly, March II, 1791, died July 22, 1812. 8. John, February 11, 1794, mentioned below. 9. Joseph, November 4, 1797, died September 16, 1798.

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume I, Part 82

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

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