USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume I > Part 83
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
(VII) John (3), son of Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Bowman, was born February 1I, 1794, at Warwick, Massachusetts, and died there August 30, 1831. He was brought up on his father's farm, and was educated in the district school. He remained on the farm with his brothers, succeeded to the property, and fol- lowed farming all his life. He married, April 17, 1817. Lucinda (Willard) Foster, born in Askburnham, June 9, 1798, died February 24. 1861, great-granddaughter of Henry, fourth
John Bowman
Eliza Powell ( Gittings) Bowman
385
MASSACHUSETTS.
son of Major Simon Willard, who bought Concord from the Indians and later settled in Groton. Children : 1. Isaac Chauncey, born De- cember 26, 1817, died in Springfield, Massachu- setts, January 19. 1886; married at Greenwich, November 23, 1847, Almira T. Bannister, born May 22, 1828. Children : i. Jenno Denning, born July 3, 1852, at Hartford, died at Springfield, December 19, 1866; ii. Nenry Newton, born April 7, 1862, married, December 15, 1887, Lil- Iian Brown, of Springfield. 2. Sarah Jane, born March 9, 1820, died at Orange, Massachusetts, October 14, 1875; married, at Brattleboro, Vermont, November 27, 1846, Chester W. Eddy. Children: i. Wales Bowman, born April 19, 1848, died at Orange, Massachusetts, August 18, 1884 ; married, June 12, 1871, Kate W. Willard, of Orange; ii. John Winthrop, born September 26, 1849, married, in Utica, New York, March, 1871, Wealthy Hartshorn, of Orange; iii. Eugene Leslie, born February 7, 1851, died at Cleveland, Ohio, January 16, 1888; iv. Robert Carpenter, born January 14, 1853, married Ella M. Harding, of Warwick, Massachusetts ; v. Mabel Alice, born October IO, 1854, married, at Springfield, Massachu- setts. January 19, 1875, Henry B. Allen, of St. Johnsbury, Vermont. 3. John, born April 16, 1822, died August 4, 1882, mentioned be- low. 4. Hannah Davenport, born April 18, 1824. died at Northfield, Massachusetts, Feb- ruary 6, 1858; married, at Warwick, Massa- chusetts, March 3, 1844, William D. Hastings, born December 28, 1820. Children: i. Mary Ann, born December 28, 1844, married
Trott : ii. William Bowman, born February 6, 1848, died September 14, 1848; iii. Frank Greenville, born August 6, 1849; iv. Edgar Allen, born September 16, 1852. 5. Samuel Foster, born February 26, 1826, died in War- wick, Massachusetts, January 6, 1844. 6. Still- man Winthrop, born February 9, 1828, died August 31, 1831. 7. Harriet Foster, born De- cember 17, 1829, died August 19, 1831. 8. Harriet Foster, born November 26, 1831, died at Hyde Park, Massachusetts, October 9, 1883 ; married. at Warwick, September 13, 1857, Henry Alexander Rich, born June 19. 1833. Children: i. Frank Bowman, born February 18, 1860, died January 17, 1907 ; married, De- cember 13, 1888, Emma Young; children : Mabel Henrietta, born December 16, 1889; Edith, January 17, 1895; Henry Alexander, February 2, 1901; ii. Fred Alexander, born March 8, 1867, unmarried : iii. Foster Henry, born January 14, 1873, died August 15, 1873; iv. Bertha Jane, born July 2, 1874, married, i-25
July 2, 1908, Henry B. Sergeant, of Sunapee, New Hampshire.
(VIII) John (4), son of John (3) Bow- man, was born in Warwick, April 16, 1822, died at Boston, August 4, 1882. He attended the public schools, and in his youth lived part of the time with his uncle, Willard Foster, in order to be near good schools. He continued his education at Worcester, and later took up the study of law. He acquired a thorough knowledge of mechanics, became a skillful machinist and developed a genius for invent- ing useful machinery." Among his inventions were : The Douglas Pump, a locomotive spark arrester ; knitting machine for making under- garments, which latter brought him fame and fortune. He resided many years in Macon, Georgia ; Tallahassee, Florida ; and Milledge- ville, Georgia ; he invested extensively in real estate at Macon and Tallahassee. He was in the south when the civil war began, and re- mained until he was drafted for the Confed- erate army. He made his way north and escaped, finding refuge first on a Union block- ading vessel, the "Stars and Stripes," in the Gulf of Mexico, and later coming north on the supply steamer to New York. Owing to the depreciation of both Confederate and United States notes, his property was largely sacri- ficed. In the early seventies he became inter- ested in the railroad from Portland, Oregon, to Marysville, California. He was a typical gentleman of the old school, plain of speech, straightforward and honest in purpose and action, but kindly and courteous in manner. In later years he was affectionately known as "Uncle John" by all his friends. He was kind and charitable to those in need and suffering, and gave liberally to all good causes. His ancestors were of the Episcopal faith until the introduction of the Channing theory which introduced the Unitarian creed into many of the Episcopal churches ; this was accepted by him and a portion of his family. In politics he was a Republican. Though he considered the condition of the negro better under the slavery system than when freed, from the fact that during slavery they were skilled artisans, mechanics and domestics, a fact which has not been the case since their freedom, he did not, however, believe in the continuance of the system. He was a member of the Masonic order, joining the lodge at Macon, Georgia. He was a member of the Worcester Lodge of Odd Fellows.
He married. August 10, 1848, Eliza Powel Gittings, of Macon, Georgia, born at Sparta.
386
MASSACHUSETTS.
Georgia, October 25, 1823, daughter of George Gittings and Sarah Powel, died at Lexington, Massachusetts, June 12, 1899, a direct descend- ant of John Gittings, who from 1661 to 1669 was clerk of the upper "House of Burgesses," Maryland, and one of the best educated and most prominent men of Maryland. She was also descended through the Powel and Tracy and Bridgers families, in direct line from Egbert the first of the Saxon Kings of Eng- land, and from the Calverts of Maryland, and was a dircct descendant of Captain William Powel, son of Sir Hugh Powel, of "Castle Madoc" in Brecon, Breconshire, Wales, who represented Jamestown, Virginia, in the "House of Burgesses," the first legislative assembly in America, July 30, 1619, being chairman of the committee who examined the laws which had been sent by parliament for the governing of the colonies; he and his committee were elected to decide which of the laws would be accepted by the colonies. She was also a de- scendant (through the Quiney and Sadler fami- lies ) of William Shakespeare, the poet. Chil- dren : I. Samuel Stillman, born April 29, 1849, an officer in the United States army ; married Janet Patterson, of Baltimore, Maryland; child, John Alexander, born April 3, 1886. 2. George Foster, paying teller in First National Bank of Oregon, a fine student and pen artist, born January 25, 1851, died November 25, 1870, the result of a drowning accident at Portland, Oregon. 3. Sarah Lucinda, married, October 4, 1892, Joseph Van Ness, of Boston (see Van Ness family ). 4. John Thomas, died two years of age, in Tallahassee, Florida, 1861. 5. Ida Corinne, died in Tallahassee, Florida, 1861, four years of age.
PHIPPS Solomon Phipps, immigrant an- cestor, was a settler in Charles- town and received a grant of four acres of land in the town at Mystic Side, and bought of John Gould, six acres later. He was admitted to the church January 15, 1641- 42, and was made a freeman May 18, 1642. He was a carpenter by trade, and a town officer. His wife Elizabeth, called "Mother Phipps," was admitted to the church May 15, 1642, and died "an aged widow," November I, 1688. His will was dated May 4, 1670, and proved December 14, 1671. He dicd July 25, 1671, aged fifty-two, according to his grave- stone. Children: I. Elizabeth, born April 23, 1643, married John Roy. 2. Solomon, 1646. 3. Samuel. 4. Mary, died September 2, 1682. 5. Mehitable, died July 15, 1657. 6. Mehitable,
born' December 10, 1657, died young. 7. Me- hitable, June 6, 1659. 8. Joseph, mentioned below.
(II) Joseph, son of Solomon Phipps, was baptized October 13, 1661, and was a carpenter by trade. His name figures frequently in real estate transactions in Charlestown. His will was dated January I, and proved February 6, 1717-18. He married, May 12, 1687, Mary Kettell, born October 8, 1666, died December 21, 1729, daughter of Samuel and Mercy (Hayden) Kettell, and granddaughter of Rich- ard Kettell. Children: I. Joseph, born Feb- ruary 22, 1688, died December 25, 1690. 2. Mary, baptized June 21, 1691, married Richard Whittemore. 3. Mercy, baptized November 6, 1692, married Samuel Maxey. 4. Elizabeth, born July 10, 1694. 5. Samuel, born October 27, 1696, mentioned below. 6. Solomon, born March 31, 1700. 7. Joseph, baptized Septem- ber 15, 1706, died October 3, 1722.
(III) Samuel, son of Joseph Phipps, was born in Charlestown, October 27, and bap- tized November 1, 1696, and died of fever, February II, 1730-31. He served as town clerk of Charlestown. He married, before 1715, Abigail , who owned the covenant March 5, 1730-31. She married (second) August 17, 1732, Joseph Whittemore, and administration was granted on her estate June 18, 1734, to Joseph Frost. A guardian was appointed for the minor children April 1, 1734. Children : 1. Abigail, born May 19, 1721, mar- ried John Blaney. 2. Joseph, March 31, 1723, mentioned below. 3. Samuel, September I, 1724, died before 1745. 4. Elijah, June 7, 1727. 5. Solomon, August 18, 1731 (post- humous ).
(IV) Joseph (2), son of Samuel Phipps, was born in Charlestown, March 31, and bap- tized April 7, 1723. He was a baker by trade and died June 27, 1795. He was among those who lost property at the time the British burned Charlestown, and his wife was among those who claimed for losses in 1775. He married Elizabeth Webb, born November 9, 1722, died April 14, 1797, daughter of Samuel and Abi- gail ( Austin) Webb. Children, born in Charles- town: I. Elizabeth, born April, 1746, married William Sargent. 2. Samuel, baptized April 24, 1748, died June 14, 1748. 3. Abigail, bap- tized April 30, 1749, married John Butterfield. 4. Joseph, born January II, 1751-52. 5. Mary, baptized February 25, 1753. 6. Frances, bap- tized March 9, 1755, married Timothy Trum- bill. 7. Sarah, baptized August 7, 1757, mar- ried Joel Hagan 8. Bethiah, baptized Febru-
Bujamin Pipes
387
MASSACHUSETTS.
ary 17, 1760, married John Brinkley. 9. Han- nah, baptized April 3, 1763. 10. Samuel, men- tioned below.
(V) Samuel (2), son of Joseph (2) Phipps, was baptized in Charlestown, July 13, 1766, died in May, 1813. He married, March 7, 1790, Esther Rand, daughter of Benjamin and Abigail (Frothingham) Rand. Children : I. Ann Miller. 2. Benjamin, born October 18, 1797, mentioned below. 3. Esther, married John Perkins. 4. Mary, died unmarried. 5. Samuel, died young. 6. Bethiah Brinkley, died unmarried.
(VI) Benjamin, son of Samuel (2) Phipps, was born in Charlestown, October 18, 1797, died April 7, 1878. He was a harness-maker by trade, and a prominent citizen of Charles- town. He held many offices in the town, and was alderman after it became a city. For many years he was treasurer of the Winchester Home corporation. He married (first) July 4, 1820, Abigail Kimball, who died July 18, 1828, aged thirty-three ; (second) September 9, 1829, Sarah Kettell Frothingham; (third) May, 1838, Catherine W. Green ; ( fourth) April 23, 1851, Josephine V. Kettell, who died October 4, 1874, aged sixty-seven. Child of first wife: Benjamin, born February 12, 1824, mentioned below. Children of second wife : John Alfred ; Abby Ann, married Abraham G. Wyman, re- sides in Brookline. Child of third wife : Sarah C.
(VII) Benjamin (2), son of Benjamin (1) Phipps, was born in Charlestown, February 12, 1824, died in Boston, May 1, 1906. He was educated at the Bunker Hill school in his native town, and at the early age of fifteen applied for a position with Parker, Blanchard & Wilder. There was one vacancy, and two applicants. He was rejected because the other boy was more muscular, and in those days the younger employees were obliged to assist at times with such work as is now done by porters. Twenty-nine years later he was ad- mitted as a partner in this same firm. A letter from his schoolmaster led the firm to take him on trial. From office boy he was promoted to a clerical position, after a faithful service, and was admitted to the firm May 31, 1868. The partners then were: Marshall P. Wilder, Samuel B. Rindge, Ezra Farnsworth, John Byers, William H. Wilder and Benjamin Phipps. He outlived them all, and at his death was the head of the firm. The firm was one of the early commission houses of Boston, and one of the first, if not the first to sell cotton goods on commission. It expanded until it became the salling agent for some fourteen
mills, in not a few of which the firm was largely interested financially. In 1849, at the time of his marriage, he settled in Chelsea, and three years afterward bought his first home there. He took an active interest in the affairs of the town, and in 1877 was a member of the com- mon council, in 1878 alderman. In 1869 he be- came a trustee of the new public library of Chelsea, and served until 1894, two years after he had removed from the city. He was chair- man of the book committee and deeply inter- ested in the success of the library. In 1855 he was chosen a trustee of the Chelsea Savings Bank, organized the year before, and in 1879 was elected its vice-president. At his death he was the oldest trustee both in point of age and service. He declined the nomination for the office of mayor, although he was strongly urged by many friends to run. He was a member of the First Unitarian Church of Chelsea, for many years its treasurer, and meeting many of its obligations out of his own private purse, a fact which was unknown until his successor was elected. He was strongly attached to his home, and even after his removal to Brighton, in 1892, he retained the ownership of his Chelsea house, and continued to assist the church. In 1892 he took up his residence in the Aberdeen district of Brighton. He attend- ed the First Parish Church there, and also had a pew in the First Parish Church of Brook- line. He was a director of the Hamilton Nat- ional Bank, and after its reorganization was a director and vice-president of the National Hamilton Bank, and later a director when it was merged into the Fourth National Bank, and served until his death. He was a director in the Mill Owners Mutual Fire Insurance Company until it was consolidated with the Ark- wright Mutual Fire Insurance Company ; was on the executive committee of the Home Mar- ket Club and one of its vice-presidents from 1899 till his death; director in the Belvidere Woolen Manufacturing Company of Lowell; treasurer and director of the Cocheco Woolen Manufacturing Company ; treasurer and presi- dent of the Gonic Manufacturing Company ; treasurer and director of the Stirling Mills ; treasurer and director of the Phoenix Factory ; president of the Monadnock Mills: director of the Naumkeag Steam Cotton Company ; director from 1890 and president from 1901 till his death, of the Yantic Woolen Company : and for many years treasurer and director of the Union Manufacturing Company. In 1884 he was chosen treasurer of the National Asso- ciation of Wool Manufacturers, and was re-
388
MASSACHUSETTS.
elected continuously until his death. He was a member of the Union Club, Country Club, Boston Art Club, Bostonian Society, and New England Cotton Manufacturers' Association. He was respected by his business associates for his high sense of honor and sterling char- acter. He was a fine example of an upright man, of integrity both in private and business life, who by reason of his ability, faithfulness and capacity, reached the topmost round of the ladder of success. Rev. Dr. William H. Lyon said of him at his funeral: "His was a long life and a strong life ; a useful life and a steadfast life; an upright life and a beloved life ; a religious life and a happy life. When we think of what he has been in these ways, our grief is almost lost in admira- tion and in gratitude, and we are' sure that the life so well begun we may follow without fear." He married, January 4, 1849, Anne M. Bowen, daughter of Abel Bowen, of Boston. (See Bowen family). Children: I. Annie K., born in Chelsea and died at the age of seven. 2. Walter Bowen, educated in the Chelsea schools and was in the wool business ; married Frances B. Smith; had Maurice B., Benjamin K. and Alfred G. 3. Horace Jones, mentioned below.
(VII) Horace Jones, son of Benjamin (2) Phipps, was born in Chelsea, December 3, 1859. He was educated in the public and high schools. As a boy he worked as clerk in the commission house of Whittemore, Cabot & Company, and afterward was in partnership with his brother in the wool dealing business in Boston. Since 1886 he has engaged in the manufacture of stained glass, and the present name of his firm is Horace J. Phipps & Com- pany, of which he is sole partner. He is also vice-president of the Leslie Manufacturing Company, of Boston ; a director of the Kinney Manufacturing Company, the Farrington Man- ufacturing Company, and the Choralcelo Man- ufacturing Company, all of Boston ; vice-presi- dent of the American Trackless Trolley Com- pany, of Boston, and trustee of an estate. He is secretary and director of the Apollo Club and has been for many years one of the most active members. He is a member of the Bos- ton Architectural Club, the Braeburn Country Club, the National Art Club of New York, the Boston City Club. He is a Unitarian in relig- ion, a Republican in politics. He married, De- cember 3, 1885, Annie Carlton Slocum, born in Chelsea, 1859, daughter of Samuel D. and Elizabeth (Farmer) Slocum. They have no children.
Of the early immigrants to BOWEN Massachusetts before 1650 three settled at Rehoboth, Massachu- setts. Obadiah Bowen was there as early as 1643; died there 1708 at an advanced age. Richard Bowen also settled in Rehoboth; was a town officer, proprietor, admitted freeman June 4, 1645 ; married, March 4, 1646, Esther Sutton ; buried February 4, 1674; bequeathed in will dated June 4, 1674, to children, William, Obadiah, Richard, Alice Wheaton, Sarah Fuller and Ruth Leverich and wife Elizabeth.
(I) Thomas Bowen, the third and probably the younger of the three brothers, settled in Rehoboth but had been in New London, according to Savage, 1657-60. Savage says his widow married Samuel Fuller, of Plymouth. There was another Thomas Bowen, of Salem and Marblehead, who died about 1705, also leaving a wife Elizabeth. It is not known that the Rehoboth family was related to this Thomas, of Salem, of the family of Griffith Bowen who settled in Boston, a native of Langenith, Glamorganshire, Wales. The will of Thomas Bowen of Rehoboth was dated April 11, 1663, bequeathing to wife Elizabeth and son Richard, who is believed to be Rich- ard Jr. of Rehoboth, so-called to distinguish him from his uncle of the same name.
(II) Richard (sometimes called Jr.), son of Thomas Bowen, was born about 1630-35. He married Mary Titus. Children, born at Rehoboth: I. Sarah, February 7, 1656. 2. Hester, April 20, 1760. 3. Richard, January 17, 1762. 4. Mary, October 5, 1666. 5. John, March 15, (doubtless 1668-69), mentioned below.
(III) John, son of Richard Bowen, was. born at Rehoboth, March 15, 1668-69, died there April 1, 1748. He is the only John found in the records. The immigrant Thomas left no son except Richard, according to his will. Tradition probably omitted the second generation in transmitting the lineage. John married, at Rehoboth, September 12, 1700, Elizabeth Breckett ( Brackett). The intention was dated July 27. There is a record of the death of an Esther Bowen, daughter of John, August 3. 1701, indicating that he may have had a wife earlier. Children of John and Elizabeth (Breckett) Bowen: I. Peter, born July 22, 1701, married, March 23, 1726-27, Susanna Kent. 2. Elizabeth, July 17, 1702, married, September 14, 1726, Caleb Lamb, of Barrington. 3. Sarah, September 27, 1704. married, May 9, 1728, William Whipple. 4.
389
MASSACHUSETTS.
Esther, December 9, 1706. 5. John, Decem- ber 19, 1709, mentioned below. 6. Thomas, August 14, 1712, married Sarah
(IV) John (2), son of John (I) Bowen, was born at Rehoboth, December 19, 1709. He settled at Rehoboth. He married there (first) February 5, 1735-36, Mary Read, of Rehoboth (married by Rev. John Green- wood). She died January 16, 1746, and he married (second) August 17, 1749, Hannah Peck, of Rehoboth, (by Rev. John Green- wood). She died September 21, 1755 or 1756 (duplicate records with this difference). He married (third) at Rehoboth, May 3, 1759, Mary Ormsbee (by Rev. John Carnest ). Children, all born at Rehoboth, by first wife: I. John, March 22, 1736-37, mentioned below. 2. Betty, January 26, 1739-40, died December I, 1746. Children of second wife: 3. Bar- zillai, May 3, 1750. 4. Betty, July 21, 1752, died September 10, 1754. 5. Bezaleel, August 3, 1754. 6. Consider, September 16, 1756. Children of third wife: 7. Mary, July 23, 1760. 8. Hannah, September 25, 1762, died January 7, 1785. 9. Shubael, March 7, 1765, died May 14, 1766. 10. Daniel, September 17, 1767. II. Esther, July 24, 1770. I2. Shubael, August 24, 1772. 13. Thomas, No- vember 8, 1776.
(V) John (3), son of John (2) Bowen, was born at Rehoboth, March 22, 1736-37. He married Sarah Cushing, of Rehoboth, October 9, 1757 (by Rev. John Greenwood). Children, born at Rehoboth: I. John, Decem- ber 23, 1758. 2. Daniel, April 8, 1760. 3. Bette, February 8, 1762, married, April 24, 1783, John Pearce. 4. Sarah, August 23, 1764. 5. Bethia, September 20, 1766, married, December 4, 1788, Comfort Bullock. 6. Abel, December 14, 1768, mentioned below. 7. Olive, November 1, 1780. Daniel Bowen lived to be nearly one hundred years old. He compiled, set the type and printed a history of Philadelphia. He went abroad in 1800 and met many of the notable men of Europe; he also met, after his return, Washington, Lafay- ette and others. Daniel Bowen established a museum in Boston in 1791 at the American Coffee House, opposite the branch of Seafe's Tavern, on State street; removed to the hall over the school house in Hollis street, and in 1795 to the corner of Tremont and Bromfield streets.
(VI) Abel, son of John (3) Bowen, was born at Rehoboth, December 14, 1768. Mar- ried there, March 31, 1789, Delia Mason. He removed to Sand Lake village, Greenbush.
New York, after his marriage. He died at Otego, New York, December 8, 1811. His widow died in Milford, New York, October 22, 1838, aged sixty-eight years. Children: I. Abel, born December 23, 1790, mentioned below. 2. Delia, July 12, 1792, died July, 1793. 3. Henry, May 28, 1794. 4. Romeo, September 16, 1796. 5. Juliet, May 31, 1798. 6. Sidney, July 29, 1799. 7. Sophronia, July 25, 1801. 8. Mason, June 6, 1802. 9. Lorenzo, February 28, 1804. 10. Eliza, June 24, 1805. II. Mary, January 1, 1807. 12. Olonda, June 6, 1809.
(VII) Abel (2), son of Abel (I) Bowen, was born at Sand Lake Village, Greenbush, New York, December 23, 1790. The follow- ing bit of autobiography is in the possession of the family : "It is well known that Dr. Alexander Anderson of New York was the first to introduce the art wood engraving into that city, and may be properly styled the father of wood engraving in the United States. The introduction of wood cuts met with much opposition by newspaper printers and others, on account of the liability to warp and crack, they having been in the practice of using the Type Metal Cuts which had been the kind of engraving previously used. In Boston, Type Metal Cuts were generally used, and no one attempted to make a business of engraving on wood till it was introduced by myself, although it is evident that others had made some occasional attempts to produce wood Cuts. I have evidence that Dr. Franklin engraved some devices on wood, and that some were used in the printing of the Continental Money ; and after him a Mr. Aiken, Mr. Skillen, Mr. Callendar and several others executed Wood Cuts not as a business, but as occasional experiments as suited their convenience and the accomodation of others. The first wood- cut I executed in Boston was a profile cut for W. M. S. Doyle, for his advertisement for cutting profiles, which may be seen in the New England Paladium of Dec. 17, 1805. I engraved many cuts while an apprentice at the printing business, some of which were for my Uncle Daniel Bowen, proprietor of the Colum- bian Museum in Boston, and were used for this Museum bills as early as 1811. I made copies of some cuts by Thomas Bewick, the restorer of the Art of Wood Engraving, which my uncle took pains to exhibit to the printers and publishers in Boston, many of whom were pleased to express compliments in favor of the specimens, and a desire to have me make it a business, for there was no one established
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.