Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume II, Part 118

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 1008

USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 118

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).

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ingly went to York, where he eventually became a famous lord mayor and was knighted by King James, the first. The greater part of the remainder of the family moved to Hamp- thwaite, a village in the district of Knaresboro, while others went to Burton Leonard. In the court records and in the registry at both Knaresboro and Hampthwaite are accounts of the family ; most of them are buried at Hamp- thwaite and their gravestones still remain, but none of the family reside there at the present time. Between 1600 and 1620 two branches of the family removed from Hampthwaite, one to Calverley and one to a village near Leeds, and both were engaged in the wool and cloth trade. The Calverley branch eventually moved to Bradford, and are the ancestors of the line herein treated. In Calverley there is a family of five brothers, one of whom is a mem- ber of the council of Leeds and another is in Philadelphia. William Wheater, a member of the Leeds branch of the family, is a resident of Harrogate, a historian, connected with a museum there. Robert Wheater, a resident of Sedbergh, aged about eighty-five years, who was an instructor in a private school at that place, came there from Hall road, Bradford, and is a member of the same branch here treated. In the old records the prevailing christian names have been Robert, John and William.

(I) James Wheater, of Bradford, York- shire, England, the ancestor, was a farmer dur- ing his active life, and was a devout Protestant in religion. He died at the age of seventy- five.

(II) Henry, son of James Wheater, was born in Bradford, England, in 1800. He acquired a common school education, and then learned the trade of builder and cabinetmaker, serving his apprenticeship in a regular way and then working as a journeyman. He was a Baptist in religious belief. He married, in 1824, Sarah Calvert, born in 1804 in Halifax, Yorkshire, daughter of Timothy Calvert, cver- seer in the woolen mill until he was sixty five, and whose death occurred at the age of seventy-five. Children, born at Bradford: I. Isaac, now deceased, who was engaged in the wood-turning business with much success in Keighely, England. 2. Anna, now deceased, married Baker. 3. Grace, married John Knowles. 4. Timothy, born November 24, 1832, mentioned below. 5. William, died in infancy. 6. Elizabeth, married William Walton Rheuben, a painter in Boston. 7 Henry, died young. 8. Henry, successfully

engaged in wood-turning business in Keighely, England. 9. Maria, married John Wilcox, both deceased. 10. John, a skilled machinist in England. II. Richard, resides in Boston. Henry Wheater died in 1853 and is buried in Daisy Hill Cemetery, Maningan, a suburb of Bradford. His wife died in 1877 and is buried in the Keighely Cemetery, Yorkshire, England. She was a member of the Baptist church of Bradford.

(III) Timothy, son of Henry Wheater, was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, No- vember 24, 1832. He received his education in the "pay schools" of his native town, after which he was apprenticed by the usual inden- tures for seven years to Stephen Cowper- thwaite, of Bradford, bobbin maker. After serving his full time and working an additional year at his trade as a journeyman, he startled his widowed mother one day by announcing his determination to go to America. Knowing that he lacked money, she asked, "How can you do it?" Taking from his pocket a watch which had cost him all his savings during his apprenticeship he said: "This will pay my way." And it did. With the five pounds that he received for the watch he paid his passage, sailing on the merchantman, "Princeton," of the Grinnell line. Just before his departure he was deeply touched to receive the following lines, written by his friend, James Pickard, of Bradford :

"Good-bye, dear friend, good-bye to thee, For soon from us thou wilt depart; But still, methinks thou seems to be A little loth from us to part.

'Tis hard to think that thou, so young Shouldst from thy land be forced to roam,

To part from friends with whom you've sung That lovely song called, "Home, Sweet Home."

What tender feelings thou wilt have When thou bidd'st them a long good-bye; The sigh, the look, the falling tear, With one imploring glance will cry:

"Oh, stay with us! But how or why, Since thine own land denies thee bread? We too, another land may try, If that should plenty round thee spread."

Then, if a silent tear should stand Upon your cheek, dry it away; For though you leave your native land, It may bring forth a brighter day.

And when upon the mighty deep, Perhaps a thought to home may glide, To think on them who here may weep, With whom thou used to chat with pride.

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And then thy finer feelings will Steal o'er thee, and a tear may start Into thine eye of fond regret; still Be a man and play thy part.

And now I close the parting scene- Good-bye! My thoughts and feelings swell. May fortune's smile and Heaven's beams Shine bright around thy path-farewell!

Taking leave of his sweetheart, family and friends, he left Bradford September 22, 1854, sailing from Liverpool on the "Princeton," May 27, and landing, after twenty-six days, October 23, in New York City, with little money. He went to Boston October 28, and found employment November 2, with the firm of Coolidge & Company, Hawley street, as a wood turner, spent eight months in Boston in this position, then went to Watertown, Wis- consin, where he worked at wood-turning for good wages. He picked up such parts of the carpenter's trade as he had not already learned, and worked at this trade for the Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad on the first station built at Columbus, Wisconsin, and for a builder named Kemp in Milwaukee. Then he returned to New York and worked as helper to a ship- joiner, for nine dollars a week, was a porter for a year in the Mariner's Home, a temper- ance boarding house for master mariners and ship officers. Discouraged at the lack of employment he sought enlistment on the United States ship, "Wabash," passed the doctor's examination, but before he was mustered in, had a favorable offer of work at his trade in Boston, and worked at wood-turn- ing there for the next seven years with a Mr. Peak; Albany street. During the civil war he was chiefly engaged in repairing broken muskets for the government. He then embarked in business for himself with a small plant, taking contract work for the turning of the difficult parts of pianos and organs for the Mason & Hamlin Company, Boston, mak- ing patterns for the Tucker Manufacturing Company and other concerns, and employing several men. Mr. Wheater himself made the patterns for the chandeliers in the old Masonic Temple, Boston. Some fine specimens of his work in this line may be seen in his own home in South Boston. He prospered in business and in 1894 retired with a competence. Mr. Wheater became an American citizen, May 15, 1872, and no document in his possession is more highly prized than his certificate of naturaliza- tion. He is a member of the Republican Club of Massachusetts, and has from the first sup- ported the Republican party. He is a member

of the Gate of the Temple Lodge of Free Masons; St. Matthews Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; St. Omer Commandery, Knights Templar, of Boston. Both he and his wife are members of the Baptist church in South Bos- ton, of which he has been deacon since 1873. He has been a member of the Baptist Social Union since 1883. Mr. Wheater has made two visits to his native land, the first after he had been here nineteen years, when his mother was living, the second in 1892 when two brothers and two sisters only remained of the family. On the occasion of his silver wedding he received by mail from his friends in Eng- land the following verses, written also by Mr. Pickard :

Old friend, 'tis more than twenty years Since last I shook your hand; Still that long time to me appears But a wave of old Time's wand.

You left our shore with aching heart, A better place to find;

'Twas hard from friends so young to part. And leave dear ones behind.

Yes, leaving her-her whom you loved In bitterness to pine; But soon that sadness was removed Thy sun began to shine.

And when she came across the sea To grace thy happy home

To make life's course run pleasantly And happy days to come.

Dame Fortune kindly smiled on you Making your burden light;

With gladsome heart can onward go Your pathway clear and bright.

And now the grand eventful day, This day let all rejoice

Come, all your wedding gifts display- Your presents rare and choice.

For five and twenty years you've been United man and wife. A silver wedding! Happy scene! A touching one for life.

I wish you every joy in life That man can have below. May you and your dear loving wife The ills of life ne'er know.

He married, May 22, 1860, Elizabeth Whitely, the sweetheart of his youth, who was born in Bradford, September 21, 1831, daugh- ter of John and Susan Whitely. She came from England to join him here. Children: 1. John Henry, born January 17, 1861, graduate of the Boston high school. was apprenticed as a pattern and model maker with the Whittier

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Machine Company ; now engaged in the plumb- ing business : married Louise Rieley ; one son, Harry Lewis, employed in the Mattapan Bank of Boston. 2. Joseph Calvert, born May 30, 1865, accidently killed by the premature dis- charge of a gun, July 4, 1884 ; then a student in the Boston Art School. 3. William Arthur, born November 15, 1868, learned the trade of plumber, now supervisor of the plumbing inspectors of the city of Boston ; married Ade- laide Kinney, of Boston; he died 1902. 4. Frank Richard, born November 8, 1870, grad- uate of the Boston high school, after which he took a graduate course in drawing in the high school; served an apprenticeship as draughtsman with the firm of Harris & Loring, of Boston, and was appointed a draughtsman at the Brooklyn navy yard: transferred to Washington where he has a responsible posi- tion as a naval architect in the government service ; married Alice Hood. 5. Sarah Eliz- abeth, born May 13, 1873, married Charles Bradford Belt, a descendant of Governor Bradford.

CALVERT The Calvert family, relatively small in numbers, originated in county York, England, and is identical with the ancient family of Cal- verly of that county. The Calvert families bear the same armorials: Sable an inescut- cheon within an orb of owls argent. Crest : A horned owl. The Calvert family of Virginia bears these arms. The family of Lord Balti- more was originally of the Yorkshire Calver- leys, but his coat-of-arms belongs probably to a later period. He is descended from John Calvert, of Yorkshire. Leonard Calvert, of Danbywiske, Yorkshire, married Alicia Cross- land, daughter of John. George Calvert, son of Leonard, became secretary to Sir Robert Cecil, clerk to the privy council, knighted in 1617, secretary to the king in 1618 and was employed in most important affairs. He was given a pension of five thousand pounds a year, in addition to his salary, in 1620. He resigned in 1624 on becoming a Roman Catho- lic, but the king continued . him in the privy council and having made him large grants of land in Ireland, elevated him to the Irish Peer- age. February 16, 1625, as Baron Baltimore of Baltimore, county Longford, Ireland. He was a member of the parliament for Oxford. While secretary of state he was granted the province of Avalon in Newfoundland, but after spending twenty-five thousand pounds in an attempted settlement, he abandoned it on

account of the encroachments of the French. He was then given the patent of Maryland with the same title and royalties as in Avalon to hold in soccage as the Manor of Windsor, but died before receiving his charter. His son Cecil, the second Lord Baltimore, received the patent, June 20, 1632, in his own name, and was the founder of the Maryland colony, pro- vince and state. The title became extinct on the death of the seventh baron, Lord Frederick Calvert, born February 6, 1732, died Septem- ber 4, 1771. The Calverly and Calvert fami- lies are descended from John Scott who mar- ried Larderina, daughter of Alphonsius Gos- patrick, Lord of Calverly and other manors, a man of great importance in his day.

(II) John Scott, son of John Scott, Lord of Calverly, steward of the house of Empress Maud ; was living in 1136; married a daughter of Sir John Luttrell.

(III) William, son of John Scott, gave the Vicarage of Calverly to the chapels of the Blessed Virgin Mary at York ; married Jean Swillington.

(IV) William (2), son of William (I) Scott, living in 1217, married Mabel Stapleton. (V) Walter, son of William (2) Scott, was living in 1273; married a daughter of Sir John Normandie. From his younger sons descended the Calverlys of Hayton, Clare- brought, Lownd, etc., in Nottinghamshire.

(VI) William (3), son of Walter (2) Scott, married a daughter of Sir John Gold- smith. He was the last of the family bearing the name of Scott.

(VII) John de Calverley, son of William Scott, took the name of de Calverly as a sur- name ; later the de was omitted.

The line of Calverlys is traced without a break to 1754, when Sir Walter Calverly sold the estate to Thomas Thornhill, of Fixby. He married Elizabeth Blackett, daughter of Sir William Blackett, and took the name Blackett. From this ancestry the various families of the country, Calverlys and Calverts descend from younger sons. The parish of Calverly from which the surname is derived is four miles north of Bradford. Calverly Hall was in the possession of the family for six hundred years. The Calverts of Halifax, Yorkshire, are from this stock. (See sketch of Timothy Wheater).

DAWSON

Robert Dawson was a farmer and settled at East Haven, Connecticut, and received a

grant of land at Foxin's in 1683, on condition of his building a tenantable house thereon

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within three years. He was living in 1717 and died there before March, 1718, intestate. He was about seventy years old. He married (first) ; (second) in 1683 or earlier, Hannah Russell, widow, who died in East Haven, January 30, 1713-14. Child of first wife: John, born 1677, mentioned below. Child of second wife: Thomas, born 1687, died January 12, 1759; married ( first) Mehit- able - -; (second) Hannah Robinson.

(II) John, son of Robert Dawson, was born in 1677 and was a resident of Foxin's, in East Haven. He shared in various divisions of com- mon land and received land from his father's estate. He was chosen an appraiser, December 13, 1714. He married (first) July 1, 1708, Sarah Chedsey, born December 8, 1689, died May 22, 1709. He married (second) in 1715, Mary Luddington, born May 31, 1691, died October II, 1742. Children, all by second wife: I. Timothy, born April 27, 1716, died May 15, 1740. 2. Robert, March 2, 1718, died January 26, 1799. 3. John, mentioned, below. 4. Anna, 1720, died young. 5. Titus, 1722, died unmarried September 28, 1742.

(III) John (2), son of John (I) Dawson, was born in East Haven and died at New Hartford, Connecticut, May 19, 1787, aged sixty-eight years. He was a farmer, and also a ship carpenter and mariner. In 1741 he, with three others, received permission to build a "Sabba-day" house near the meeting house. He married Mary Moulthrop, who was admitted to the church March 7, 1757, and died before 1778. He removed to Southington, then a parish of the town of Farmington, about 1762. After his wife's death he lived with his son Titus in New Hartford. Children : I.

Mary, born about 1742, died unmarried. 2. Timothy, mentioned below. 3. Titus, Janu- ary 13, 1748, died March 14, 1840. 4. Sarah, February 2, 1750, died December, 1838. 5. Polly, about 1757, died about 1785. 6. Martha, died at about seventeen years old.

(IV) Timothy, son of John (2) Dawson, was born probably at East Haven about 1743, died in New Hartford in June, 1828. He resided in Southington from 1772 to 1795. He served in the revolution. He was said to have been of remarkable physical strength and of a jovial disposition. He married ( first) January 2. 1772, Anna Holt, born in East Haven, March 14, 1752, died October, 1776. He married (second) in 1777, Abigail Winters, born in Southington, November 6, 1754, died June, 1816. He married (third) in 1818, Lucinda Marsh, born in New Hartford, June 15, 1764,

died a widow about October, 1831. Children of first wife: I. Holt, born January 5, 1773, died August 25, 1825. 2. Thomas, July 28, 1775, died January 18, 1835. 3. Mary (twin), July 28, 1775, died July 31, 1870. Children of second wife : 4. Abigail, died young. 5. Anna, August 7, 1779, died February 26, 1858. 6. Eunecia, December 26, 1781, died March 4, 1855. 7. Bristol, June 12, 1785, died Febru- ary 25, 1859. 8. Timothy John, August 13, 1788, died March 2, 1843. 9. Lydia, February IO, 1791, died June 29, 1835. 10. Seth, 1795, died September 16, 1835. II. Elizur Andrus, March 18, 1798, mentioned below.

(V) Elizur Andrus, son of Timothy Daw- son, was born in New Hartford, Connecticut, March 18, 1798, died in Northampton. He resided at Northampton, Massachusetts, and married (first) in Nelson, New York, Sep- tember 4, 1823, Cynthia Roberts, born in Windsor, Connecticut, April 4, 1804, died in Pompey Hill, New York, August 30, 1849, youngest sister of Ruhamah, wife of Timothy John Dawson. He married (second) in North- ampton, May 12, 1859, Mary (Hagar) Baker, born in Rockingham, Vermont, June 8, 1805, widow of James Baker. Children of first wife : I. Rollin Laureat, born in Nelson, New York, March 25, 1825, died August 24, 1857. 2. Lucien Augustus, August 10, 1826, mentioned below. 3. David Derastus, Pompey, New York, August 13, 1828, died September 20, 1864. 4. Frederick DeForest, Pompey, De- cember, 1833, died March 12, 1841. 5. James O'Donnell, Pompey, January, 1841. 6. Mary Diane, Pompey, August II, 1848, married Charles D. Pease, of Springfield, Massachu- setts.

(VI) Lucien Augustus, son of Elizur A. Dawson, was born in Nelson, New York, August 10, 1826. He was educated in the pub- lic schools of his native town. At the age of fifteen he left home and went to work for his brother, Rollin L. Dawson, at Haydenville, Mass- achusetts. When his brother died he removed to Northampton and embarked in the business of broker in partnership with Enos Parsons. After ten years the firm was dissolved and Mr. Dawson continued the business. He became one of the most prominent business men of the city and was very successful. He con- tinued in active business until 1878 when he retired, and afterward devoted himself to the care of his property. In politics he is a Repub- lican, attends the Unitarian church, a strong temperance man, and did much to build up his town. He married, October 10, 1855, Ellen

Ly Dawson

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Eliza Pierce, born in Peru, daughter of Isaac S. and Eliza (Hibben) Pierce. (See Pierce, VII). Children: I. Lute Elizur, born June 24, 1866, at Springfield, died June 24, 1866. 2. Clara Eliza, Springfield, married Ferdinand A. Hauslein ; children : Philip D., born April 18, 1893; Lucien, July 4, 1894; Florence H., November 3. 1896; Lydia H., York and Cyn- thia Hauslein. 3. Gretna Cynthia, July 5, 1871, Springfield, died April 17, 1874. 4. Ellen Mar- guerite, March 30, 1879, Northampton, mar- ried William B. Labatt.

The English surname, Pierce, PIERCE . Peirce, Pers or Pearse, which has been spelled in a great variety of ways from earliest times, is undoubtedly derived from the personal name, Pierre or Piers. As early as 1485 the name was in use as a patronymic. Peter Peirs fought at the battle of Bosworth-field in 1485. Various branches of the English family bear coats-of-arms.

(I) Abraham Pierce or Peirce, immigrant ancestor, settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and was a taxpayer there as early as 1623. In 1627 he shared in a division of cattle. He was admitted a freeman in 1633 and received various grants of land. He served on the coroner's jury. He was a soldier under Cap- tain Myles Standish in 1643. In 1645 he was one of the purchasers of Bridgewater. He was brought before the court in 1650 for "neglecting public worship and spending the Sabbath slothfully" but was acquitted. He died intestate, and an administrator was appointed in 1673 to settle his estate. He mar- ried Rebecca Children : I. Abraham, born January, 1638, married, October 29, 1695, Hannah Glass; died at Duxbury, January, 1718. 2. Rebecca, married Wills ; died at Marshfield, March 30, 1724. 3. Mary, mar- ried Baker. 4. Alice, baptized July 21, 1650, married Baker; died 1673. 5. Isaac, mentioned below.

(II) Isaac, son of Abraham Pierce or Peirce, was born about 1661 and died at Mid- dleborough, now Lakeville, February 28, 1732. He inherited twenty acres of upland and two of meadow from his father's estate. He was a soldier in King Philip's war and for his services received a grant of land. His will was dated 1722, bequeathing to sons Isaac and Thomas his real estate; to daughters Mary, Lydia, Mercy, Sarah and Rebecca, five pounds each. The land granted for his Narragansett services was in township No. 4, in New Hamp-

shire ; exchanged later for land at Quabbin, where the grant being deficient in quantity, an additional grant was made in Chesterfield or Goshen. Quabbin is now Greenwich, Massa- chusetts. It was 1763, or eighty-five years after the war, before the grant was finally con- cluded. Isaac died before the original grant was made in 1733. Tradition says that he married Alice Chartley, a Scotch girl, whose passage he paid as one of the conditions of making her his wife. No records are found to substantiate the story. Children of Isaac and Alice Pierce : I. Isaac, married Judith Booth, daughter of John of Scituate ; died January 17, 1757. 2. Thomas, mentioned below. 3. Mary, married Saunders. 4. Lydia, married (first) July 3, 1706, John Heyford; (second) January 12, 1725, Aaron Seekel. 5. Mercy, married, May 15, 1707, Joseph Trouant. 6. Sarah, married - Macomber. 7. Rebecca, married Samuel Hoar, of Middleborough ; died July 13, 1765.

(III) Thomas, son of Isaac Pierce, was born about 1690. Married, April 16, 1714, Naomi Booth, of Middleborough, daughter of John Booth, of Scituate, sister of Isaac Pierce's wife. The family historian says of Naomi: "Like the creaking wheel of the fable, Naomi was always complaining; sick, sick, always sick, too feeble to attend to a house-keeper's legitimate cares; too feeble to cook a meal and indeed too feeble to get out of bed till it was cooked and fully prepared for eating. But, though destitute of a proper sence of shame, she lacked nothing in that of smell. And as the savory odor of tempting viands reached her olfactories, a surprising change quickly came over the spirit of her sluggish dreams, when crawling from her bed, she came to the table to astonish all beholders with her surfeit and gluttony. The mulish Isaac Pierce, Jr., was probably as innocent of instituting the means which conspired, by and through the assistance of his model wife, to make his life a success, as was his more intelligent brother Thomas incapable of resisting the downward and destructive tendency in his, encumbered and ever discouraged as he was by this burden like a mill-stone about his neck." That appears to be an overdrawn attack on an invalid wife and mother, and we are told nothing further about Thomas except that he was an Anabap- tist as early as 1737. He lived in Middle- borough. Children: I. Thomas, married Re- becca Jones. 2. Shadrach, born July 8, 1717, mentioned below. 3. Naomi, October 1, 1719, married, April 22, 1747, Josiah Jones. 4. Jon-

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athan, March 23, 1723. 5. Richard, April 15, 1725. 6. Hilkiah, October 19, 1727, married Hannah Briggs.

(IV) Shadrach, son of Thomas Pierce, was born July 8, 1717, and settled in Spencer, Massachusetts. He was a soldier in the revo- lution, a private first in Captain Joel Green's company, Colonel Ebenezer Learned's regi- ment from May to August, 1775, and later in Captain David Prouty's company, Colonel Job Cushing's regiment ( Worcester county ) ; also corporal in Captain Joseph White's company, Colonel Cushing's regiment in the northern army in September, 1777; also corporal in Captain Francis Wilson's company, Colonel Samuel Denny's regiment in 1779 in the con- tinental army in New York. He married, Au- gust 16, 1737, Abigail Hoskins, daughter of Henry and granddaughter of William and Sarah (Caswell) Hoskins. Children : I. Sarah, born February 1, 1738, married, Sep- tember 14, 1757, George Pierce ; died June 20, 1778. 2. Levi, February 26, 1739, married, February II, 1761, Bathsheba Babbett. 3. Abigail, January 2, 1742, married James Hath- away; died October 21, 1822. 4. Lydia, Sep- tember 30, 1745, married, January 27, 1763, John Howland. 5. Shadrach, 1750, mentioned below.

(V) Shadrach (2), son of Shadrach (I) Pierce, was born in 1750 and died in 1832. He received a pension for services in the revo- lution. He married Anna Bridges. Children : I. Eber, born 1770, mentioned below. 2. Abi- gail, 1772, married Josiah Smith, of Taunton. 3. John, 1774, married Bathsheba Bridges; died 1841. 4. Anna, 1776, married Isaiah D. Holbrook. 5. Amy, 1779, married Asa D. Capen. 6. Gideon, 1780, married Anna Miner ; died 1822. 7. Cynthia, 1789, married Charles Hathaway.

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume II, Part 118

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848- Publication date: 1910 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 1008

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 1008