Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume II, Part 26

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 26

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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cember 11, 1877, in Springfield, to Jeannie Gordon, who was born in Boston, December 29, 1853, daughter of Solomon Jones and Re- becca (Ames) Gordon (see Gordon, VI). In 1881 Mr. and Mrs. Ireland made a trip to Europe, principally on account of Mrs. Ire- land's health, visiting Ireland, Great Britain and France. They have one son; see next paragraph.

(IX) Gordon, only son of Oscar B. and Jeannie (Gordon) Ireland, was born in Spring- field, December 23, 1880, and received his early education in private classes and the high school of Springfield, graduating from the latter in 1897. He entered Harvard Univer- sity in 1898, and graduated in the class of 1901 with the degree of A. B. In 1902 he received the degree of A. M. and entered the law school of the University and was graduated with the degree of LL. B. in 1905. During the first year after taking his literary degree, he was an instructor in philosophy in the college. For some time he was a law clerk for the firm of Alexander, Watriss & Polk, of New York City, and was similarly employed by another firm for six months in Cuba. Since 1908 he has been in the practice of law in New York. He married, November 1I, 1908, Helen Nelson Maynard, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, daughter of Hon. Fred. A. Maynard.

GORDON This name is one of the most ancient in England, and is now represented in the peerage by the Earl of Aberdeen. The family is of Nor- man origin and dates back to very early times. In 1150 Richard de Gordon, knight banneret, granted to the monks at Kelso lands at Gordon, near Huntley Strather. There were several early American immigrants of the name, and their descendants can be found in all parts of the country, especially in the South. The Gordons in America are for the most part of Scotch origin, some of them being the progeny of an immigrant who came from Scotland by the way of England, while others are of Scotch- Irish descent. The first of the name in New England was Edmund Gordon, who came in · the ship "Susan and Ellen," in 1635. A John Gordon was residing in Bridgewater, Massa- chusetts, in 1682, and a Nicholas Gordon was in New Hampshire in 1689. Nathaniel Gor- don, born in Tyrone, Ireland, in the year 1700, emigrated in 1749 to join his eldest son Sam- uel who had preceded him. Nathaniel was accompanied by his other children, whose names were John, Jane and Hannah. He and

his son Samuel went to Dunstable, Massachu- setts, where they entered the employ of one William Gordon, a merchant of that town, and presumably a relative. John, son of Nathaniel Gordon, was a brewer, and between the years 1750 and 1760 became associated in business with the famous patriot, Samuel Adams, in Boston. Five of this name were graduated from Harvard University down to 1834; three were graduated from Yale and Dartmouth, and five from other colleges.

(I) Alexander Gordon, first of the name in New Hampshire, was a member of a High- land Scottish family which was loyal to the cause of the Stuarts. While a soldier in the royalist army of King Charles II., he fell into the hands of Cromwell as a prisoner. After being confined in Tuthill Fields, London, he was sent to America in 1651, and held a prisoner of war at Watertown, Massachusetts. In 1654 he was released and went to Exeter, New Hampshire, where the town gave him a grant of twenty acres of land ten years later, and he became a permanent resident. He engaged in lumbering upon the Exeter river, and was a successful and exemplary citizen. In 1663 he married Mary, daughter of Nicholas Lyssom ; children : Elizabeth, Nicholas, Mary, John, James, Alexander, Thomas and Daniel.

(II) Thomas, fifth son of Alexander and Mary (Lyson) Gordon, was born in 1678, and died in 1762. He resided in Haverhill, Massa- chusetts, till the close of the Indian war, 1708- IO, when he went to Exeter, New Hampshire ; cleared Gordon Hill, in the southwest corner, and settled there. He is described in deeds and other documents as a "planter." He mar- ried (first) November 22, 1699, Elizabeth Harriman, born November 20, 1675, daughter of Matthew Harriman, of Haverhill, Massa- chusetts. He had also a second wife, the mother of his two youngest children. His children were: Thomas, Daniel, Benoni, Tim- othy, James, Dinah, Nathaniel and Benjamin.

(III) Timothy, fourth son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Harriman) Gordon, was born March 22, 1716, and died March 30, 1796. He removed to Brentwood, where he spent the remainder of his life a farmer. He mar- ried Maria, daughter of Abraham Stockbridge, of Stratham. She was born July 21, 1725. and died in 1807. Children: Abraham, Tim- othy, Elisha, John and Mary.

(IV) Timothy (2), second son of Timothy (I) and Maria (Stockbridge) Gordon, was born December 30, 1757, and died January 16, 1836. He enlisted April 23, 1775, in Captain

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Daniel Moore's company, Stark's regiment ; was at Bunker Hill, Bennington, Saratoga, and some minor engagements; and after the war was granted a pension which he enjoyed for years. He settled on High street, New- bury, now Belleville, Massachusetts, and was a farmer and shipsmith. He married, January 23, 1882, Lydia, daughter of David Whitmore, of Newbury. She was born October 10, 1763, and died January 12, 1835. Children: Will- iam, John Stockbridge, Charles, Nathaniel, Timothy, Ebenezer and Lydia.

(V) Dr. Timothy (3), fifth son of Timothy (2) and Lydia ( Whitmore) Gordon, was born in Newbury, March 10, 1795, and died in Plymouth. In early life he engaged in busi- ness pursuits, which he relinquished for the study and practice of medicine. He graduated M. D. at Bowdoin College in 1825, and re- ceived the honorary degree of M. A. from Amherst College in 1868. He began practice at Weymouth, and shortly after, in 1837, moved to Plymouth and settled. During his residence there he became widely known as a physician and surgeon of consummate ability, and to his skill and nerve in critical cases many patients owed their lives. Being of a positive nature and conscious only of the integrity of his intentions, his manner seemed somewhat brusque and unyielding. Nevertheless, at heart he was tender as a child, and he often sympathized in a most practical manner in the afflictions of households where his pro- fessional services were needed, and the world never knew the extent of his unostentatious kindness. His presence at the sick bed, with a fund of anecdote and cheery demeanor, were often times worth more to the patient than medicines, and when the knife was brought into requisition the sufferer knew that in his head and hand there lay all there was of human power to save. A Plymouth newspaper con- tains an account of his removal of a tumor weighing nearly four pounds from the breast of a woman patient, after he was eighty-two years old, in which case he used the knife, and was "assisted" by two other physicians. For thirty years Dr. Gordon was a director of the Plymouth bank, and he also held many posi- tions of trust in other financial and business institutions of the town, in which he invested capital. He took considerable interest in public improvements, particularly in those inaugu- rated through the medium of the Pilgrim Society of which he was an active member, and mainly to his efforts does Cole's Hill, the first burial place of the Pilgrims, present its

now improved appearance. In religious matters he was strictly Orthodox, and for many years he held an honored position in the Church of the Pilgrimage of which he and his wife were consistent and respected members. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, always retaining his connection with Orphan's Hope Lodge, of Weymouth, where he received the degrees, and on all occasions testified to the true worth of Masonry. Dr. Gordon married Jane Binney, daughter of Solomon Jones, of Hingham. She was a Christian, a person of clear and practical mental perceptions, good judgment, and generous impulses, "well re- ported of for good works."

(VI) Solomon Jones, only child of Dr. Timothy and Jane Binney (Jones) Gordon, was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, Sep- tember 24, 1826, and died in Springfield, April 19, 1891. He was taken to Plymouth in his youth by his parents, and grew up there. From Plymouth he went to Cambridge and entered Harvard College. His graduation was with the class of 1847, and he afterward studied law both at Harvard and in Boston, giving particular attention to the department of patent law. His first home after his marriage was in Boston, where he entered patent law practice, but later removed his practice to New York City and made his home in Spring- field, where his wife remained. Mr. Gordon's room in New York was first at the St. Nich- olas hotel, and later at the Metropolitan, where he was well known. His prominence in the patent law practice is shown by his connec- tion as principal attorney for the Wheeler & Wilson, Singer, and Grover & Baker sewing machine companies during the time when these companies were combined for the purpose of defending their patent rights. "Mr. Gordon was known in his profession as a master of the details of patent law, one who worked up his cases thoroughly ; he was ready and bold in practice, had much ability in handling wit- nesses, and was an eloquent and effective speaker." His practice was very extensive. He had become identified with many large business interests as the outgrowth of his pro- fessional work, in connection with sewing . machines and other profitable inventions, and had a large income. Besides being an intense worker in his profession, Mr. Gordon had a gift for social fellowship, and his ready wit and brilliant conversational powers were strik- ingly displayed to the comparatively few who knew him in Springfield. He possessed a most retentive memory, drawing on the stores

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of his mind to enliven the social occasion or neighborly call. After removing his practice to New York he made his home in Springfield, with which he became indentified through his marriage with the daughter of David Ames, who was one of the pioneers of paper making, and a man of much local prominence. To his home in Springfield he came to rest from the occupation of a busy life in New York, and took much pride in the improvement and culti- vation of his fine place. The annual Fourth of July festivity to which he invited certain of his friends in the city was a neighborhood event, the chief feature of which was the host's impressive reading of the Declaration of Inde- pendence. He had a fine taste in art as in literature, and his judgment in both lines had been carefully cultivated. He was much inter- ested in machinery and mechanical devices of all kinds. A particular friend, Isaac L. Davee, was formerly an engineer on the Boston & Albany railroad, and Mr. Gordon, during the lifetime of Mr. Davee, used frequently to ride on the locomotive and interest himself in the practical workings of the machine and its parts. Mr. Gordon was a lover of good horses, but as his companions and pets, and so kindly did he treat them, that his friends used to say that his animals were sleek to look at, but not good to drive. His kindness was characteristic of the man. Among his last words were directions for the benefit of people in his employ. Allied to this trait was his fondness for everything humorous. The sunny side of life and its happenings was the side that always impressed Mr. Gordon, and his friends recall many amusing incidents and witty sayings. While a resident of Boston, Mr. Gordon served a term in the legislature. He was a pewholder in All Souls Church, be- coming first connected there during the min- istry of Dr. Bellows and continuing that rela- tion in the pastorate of Rev. Theodore C. Williams. He was a member of the Harvard Club, of New York City, which before Mr. Gordon's death had a membership of four hundred and two resident and one hundred and ninety-five non-resident members. The earliest class represented in the club was that of 1847, and Mr. Gordon was its sole repre- sentative. Among Mr. Gordon's most intimate friends in Springfield were Fred H. Harris, George E. Howard and N. A. Leonard.

Solomon J. Gordon married, December 30, 1851, Rebecca Ames, born in Springfield, daughter of David and Mary Orr ( Mitchell) Ames (see Ames). Their home in Springfield

was in the handsome house erected by the second David Ames, one of the choice places of the city, crowning Ames hill and command- ing a beautiful outlook up and down the Con- necticut river. One child was born of this marriage, Jeannie, married Oscar B. Ireland (see Ireland, VIII).

(For preceding generations see John Ames 1). (VII) Thomas (2), eldest child of AMES Thomas ( I) and Mary (Hayward) Ames, was born in West Bridge- water, in 1707, and died in 1774. He married Keziah, daughter of Major Jonathan and Sarah (Dean) Howard, in 1731. Her grandfather, John Howard, with his brother James, came from England and settled in Duxbury and was later a proprietor and original settler of West Bridgewater, 1651. Children: Keziah, Sus- anna, Thomas, John, Mehitable and Silvanus. (VIII) Captain John, second son of Thomas (2) and Keziah (Howard) Ames, was born in 1738. He married, 1759, Susanna, daugh- ter of Ephraim and Abigail (Tisdale) Howard. She was born in 1736, and was a granddaugh- ter of Ephraim, a brother of Major Jonathan Howard, above mentioned. Ephraim Howard, son of John, married Mary, daughter of Rev. James Keith. He died in 1750, she in 1760. Children of Captain John and Susannah : David, Kezia, Susanna, Huldah, Abigail, Cyn- thia, John and Oliver.

(IX) Colonel David, eldest child of Cap- tain John and Susanna ( Howard) Ames, was born in Bridgewater, February 2, 1760, and died in Springfield, August 6, 1847. He was living at West Bridgewater, May 5, 1795, when his first six children were baptized. He afterward removed to Springfield, to which place he was called by George Washington, during his second presidential term, to estab- lish the Springfield Armory, and, in order to keep the manufacture of arms under military supervision, was commissioned colonel. He occupied the position but a short time, how- ever, and resigned his commission. He had been interested in the introduction of paper making into Milton, other eastern Massachu- setts towns, and now bought out the paper mill of Mr. Patten, which occupied a site and mill privilege on Mill river, between what was afterward known as the Government Upper and Lower Shops. The mill had two engines, each with a daily production of one hundred and twenty pounds of paper-what was then known as a two-vat mill, to which he added another engine and belongings. This he oper-

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ated without much change until 1820, when iron geering was introduced to take the place of wood theretofore used. Mr. Ames's sons, David and John, were both employed in their father's mill from boyhood, and John Ames is today remembered as an inventor of im- provements of inestimable value in the manu- facture of paper. On the death of David Ames his sons continued the business. He married, 1781, Rebeckah Johnson, born 1758, died in 1834. She was descended as follows : ( I) Isaac Johnson, Esq., of Hingham, mar- ried Abiah, widow of Isaac Lazell, and daugh- ter of John Leavitt, and had David, Solomon, Daniel, and probably James, Deborah and Re- becca. He settled in West Bridgewater about 1700, and had Sarah, John, Joseph, Benjamin and Mary. Isaac Johnson was a captain, a representative and a magistrate. (II) Cap- tain David, son of Captain Isaac and Abiah ( Leavitt ) ( Lazell) Johnson, married, 1719, Rebeckah, daughter of John Washburn, and had Isaac, David, Mary, Sarah and Rebecca. (III) Major Isaac, eldest son of Captain David and Rebeckah ( Washburn) Johnson, married Mary, daughter of Thomas Willis, and had Huldah, Thomas, Elizabeth, Mary, Isaac and Rebecca. The last named became the wife of Captain David Ames, and had Lucinda, Mary, Rebecca, Susanna, David, Abigail, Galen, Charlotte and John.

(X) David (2), eldest son of David (I) and Rebeckah (Johnson) Ames, was born in West Bridgewater, August 24, 1791, and was baptized May 5, 1795. He died in Springfield, March 12, 1883, in his ninety-second year. He was taken by his parents to Springfield and there learned the art of paper making in his father's mill. On the death of the father the sons, David and John, formed the firm of D. & J. Ames. David Ames was the business man of the firm, and John the inventor, and with the advantage of the inventions of the latter the firm could make paper better and cheaper than any of their competitors. The business assumed enormous proportions for those days. Four new mills were erected. One stood at Chicopee Falls ; a wing dam was constructed out into the Connecticut to provide power for another at South Hadley Falls; a mill was built at Northampton, and another at Suffield, Connecticut. The firm not only had the advantage of superior machinery, but largely increased the sources of paper stock. For a few years the increase of the firm was enormous. They doubtless manufactured full half of the writing paper made in this country.

The United States Government patronized them liberally and used vast quantities of their paper, and the business was further branched out by trading all sorts of articles for rags. During their palmy days in paper making D. & J. Ames had more than one struggling news- paper in their power, and even secured con- trol of the octavo plates of Webster's Diction- ary, taken for debt. Their business was widely scattered, however, and transportation was too limited to withstand the shock of the panic in 1837. The plant was curtailed and continued, however, but in 1853 the firm failed and never resumed. The mill in Springfield was sold to Greenleaf & Taylor, and two years later it was burned. From that time Mr. Ames was not in business. David Ames (2) married, 1827, Mary Orr Mitchell, born 1801, died 1861. Her descent is traced as follows : (I) Experience Mitchell was one of the fore- fathers, and came over in the third ship, the "Ann," in 1623. He lived at Plymouth till 1631, and removed to Duxbury, was an origi- nal proprietor of Bridgewater, but did not set- tle there till late in life. He made his will in 1684. and died in 1689, aged about eighty. It is supposed he married (first) Jane, daughter of Francis Cook. He married ( second ) Mary. His children were: Thomas, John, Jacob, Ed- ward, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah and Hannah. (II) Ensign Edward was the fourth son of Experience and Jane (Cook) Mitchell. He bought Francis West's proprietary right, and settled in East Bridgewater before 1682. He married Mary, daughter of Thomas Hayward, and lived with her forty years without chil- dren ; she died and he then married, 1708, Alice, daughter of Major John Bradford, of Kingston, son of William, Jr., and grandson of William Bradford, governor of Plymouth Colony; she was born in 1678, and died in 1746, aged sixty-seven. He died in 1717. She married second Deacon Joshua Hearsey, of Hingham. The children of Edward and Alice were: Mary. Alice and Edward, next men- tioned. (III) Colonel Edward (2), only son of Ensign Edward ( I) and Alice ( Bradford) Mitchell, was born in 1716, and died in 1801, aged eighty-six. His father was near seventy years old when he was born, it is said. He sold the family estate at Blue Fish river in Duxbury in 1708, and returned to East Bridge- water. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Elisha Cushing, of Hingham, 1738. She died 1799, aged eighty-five. They had Edward, Cushing, Elizabeth, Alice, Elisha, John, Will- iam. Bradford, Mary, Celia, Sarah and Bela.

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(IV) Cushing second son of Colonel Edward and Elizabeth (Cushing) Mitchell, was born in 1740, and died in 1820, in his eightieth year. He married (first) Jennet, daughter of Honor- able Hugh Orr, 1765. She died in 1774, aged twenty-six, and he married Hannah, widow of Josiah Newton, and daughter of Anthony Sherman, in 1780. She died in 1839, in her ninetieth year. The children by Jennet were : Alice, Nahum, Jennet. Children by Hannah : Hannah, Celia, Cushing, Charles, Newton and George. (V) Judge Nahum, only son of Cush- and Jennet (Orr) Mitchell, was born in 1769, and graduated from Harvard University in 1789. He married Nabby, daughter of Gen- eral Silvanus Lazell, 1794, and had Harriet, Silvanus, Lazell, Mary Orr, Elizabeth Cush- ing and James Henry. (VI) Mary Orr Mitchell married David Ames. The children of David and Mary Orr (Michell) Ames were: Rebecca, Mitchell, Mary, Elizabeth Mitchell, Susan Howard (died young) and Harriet Davis.

(XI) Rebecca, eldest daughter of David and Mary O. (Mitchell) Ames, was born in Springfield ; she married, December 30, 1851, Solomon J. Gordon (see Gordon, VI).

The Browns of Rye, New York, BROWN constituted a younger branch of the Browns of Beechworth, county of Kent, England, founded by Sir Anthony Brown, who was created a Knight of the Bath, at the coronation of Richard II. He left sons-Sir Richard, his heir, and Sir Stephen, lord mayor of London in 1439. Sir Robert Brown, living in the time of Henry V., was father of Sir Thomas Browne, treasurer of the household to Henry VI., and sheriff of Kent in 1444-60.

(I) Thomas Brown, Esq., of Rye, county of Sussex, England, emigrated to Concord, Massachusetts, about 1632, and had fourteen lots of land containing one hundred and eighty- six acres. He was among the original pro- prietors of Sudbury, 1637, and was made free- man 1639. After the death of his wife (1681) he removed probably to Cambridge, where he died November 3, 1688. He married Bridget ,who died January 5, 1681. They had Boaz, Jabez, Mary Eleazer, Thomas and Hachaliah, next mentioned.

(II) Hachaliah, of Rye, was the son of Thomas and Bridget Brown. Children: Ben- jamin, Peter, Thomas, Hachaliah, died 1784; Deliverance, Anne and Mary.

(III) Hachaliah (2), son of Hachaliah ( I) ii-15

Brown, died 1784. He married Ann Kniffen, and had Hachaliah, Christopher, David, Na- than, Thomas, Josiah, Isaac, Gilbert (died young ) and Gilbert (died young).

(IV) Christopher, second son of Hachaliah (2) and Ann ( Kniffen) Brown, resided in the town of Rye, Westchester county, New York. He married Lucy Gregory, and they had Isaac, Aaron, Frederick and Phoebe.

(V) Aaron, second son of Christopher and Lucy (Gregory) Brown, lived in Somers, where he was a prominent citizen. He was a member of the assembly of the state of New York in 1829, and again in 1830. He was elected sheriff of Westchester county in 1831 and served three years. He married Letitia, daughter of Joseph and Letitia Elizabeth (Guion) Purdy. Letitia E. Guion was de- scended as follows :

(The Guion Line).

(I) Louis Guion, Ecuyer, "founder of this eminently respectable family," was born at La Rochelle, in France, about 1654. Four years before the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, he fled with his family into England, whence he emigrated to America and settled at New Rochelle, New York, about 1687. February 6, 1695, he received letters of denization from King William of England.

(II) Louis (2), son of Louis (1) Guion, died at New Rochelle, about 1725. He mar- ried Tomaza, whose surname does not appear, and had sons: Louis, Isaac and Aman.

(III) Louis (3), son of Louis (2) and Tomaza Guion, was born at sea. His children were: Isaac, Abraham, David, Peter, John.

(IV) Isaac, eldest son of Louis (3) Guion, married Mary Bolt and left Thomas, Fred- erick S., Isaac, Letitia and Maria.

(V) Letitia E., eldest daughter of Isaac and Mary (Bolt) Guion, married Joseph Purdy, as stated above, and they had three sons: Isaac, of North Salem; Thomas, of Rye; Hon. Joshua, of North Salem, and a daughter Letitia, who married Aaron Brown, above mentioned.

The children of Aaron and Letitia ( Purdy) Brown were: Purdy, Oscar W. and Anna Mary.

(VI) Anna M. Brown married George (2) Ireland (see Ireland, VII).

The Gazetteer of Places in

NORTON England mentions between forty and fifty parishes, town- ships, and so on, so called, and there are hun-

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dreds of farms and minor localities. The word means simply the northern homestead or enclosure, and corresponds to Sutton, Easton and Weston. The original name of Lord Grantley's family was Coigniers, until the time of Edward II., when Roger Coigniers married the heiress of Norton, of Norton, in the county of York, and their son took the maternal name. "By some pedigree hunters, the name is claimed to be traced back to a Norman origin and the time of William the Conqueror, when his constable, who came with him into England, bore the name of Nor- ville, which by translation was rendered Nor- town, or Norton, by which designation his posterity have ever since been distinguished. Any attempt, however, to connect this branch with the constable of William the Conqueror would probably prove futile, as the links, if cver existing, are doubtless lost forever."

(I) George Norton is the first known an- cestor of this line, but whence he came or when he first became a settler on Long Island, are things that today no man knows. Joseph Norton Ireland, who traced the pedigree of the family, is of opinion that George Norton was probably a son or grandson of Nathaniel Norton, of Brookhaven, Long Island, who, in December, 1684, executed a will in favor of his wife Mary, his sons, Isaac, Nathaniel, George and Jonathan, and his daughters, Mary, Sarah and Hannah, appointing his wife exec- utrix, and recommending his friend Richard Woodhull, Jr., as her adviser. George Nor- ton was a resident of Huntington South, dur- ing the revolution, and his property on the tax list was rated at £1,000. He married Mary, daughter of William Helmes (whose wife was a Woodhull) ; children : Isaac, George, Mary, Ruth, Betsy, Temperance, Sarah Susan and Hannah, next mentioned.

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume II, Part 26

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