USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 3
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State H. B. Pierce ; and has had the excep- tional record of eleven years' service as colonel and aide on the staff of the national com- mander-in-chief of the Grand Army, having been first appointed in 1877 on the staff of Governor Lucius Fairchild, of Wisconsin ; next, in 1899, on the staff of General John P. Rea, of Minnesota ; in 1892 on that of General A. G. Weissert, of Wisconsin; in 1893 on that of Captain John G. B. Adams, of Massachusetts ; in 1894 on that of General Thomas G. Lawler, of Illinois ; in 1896 on that of General T. S. Clarkson, of Nebraska; in 1904 on that of General John C. Black, of Illinois ; in 1905 on that of General W. W. Blackmar, of Massa- chusetts ; in 1906 on that of General James Tanner, of New York : in 1907 on that of Gen- eral Burton ; on that of General H. M. Nevius, of New Jersey, in 1908. In 1874 he was ad- mitted a member of the Massachusetts Com- mandery, Loyal Legion. He has served seven years in the state militia in Company D, Massa- chusetts Cavalry. He was commissioned by Governor Claflin captain of Company C, First Regiment Infantry, November, 1872, during the Boston fire. On October 2, 1867, he was elected a member of the Ancient and Honor- able Artillery Company, General Banks at that time commanding. He is an honorary member of the Clinch Rifles of Augusta, Georgia, Au- gust, 1878, and of the Mexican War Veterans" Association, 1879.
Captain Sears laid the foundation of his insurance agency at 40 State street, in Septem- ber, 1865. He was appointed Boston agent for the Norwich Fire Insurance Company in 1867, and was appointed agent for the Roger Will- iams, the Commerce, the Firemen's Fund and Union Companies of California, the Hoffman, Fairfield, Enterprise, German-American, the North British & Mercantile of London, and the Guardian Assurance Company of London. He built up a first-class business and enjoys the confidence alike of underwriters and assured. He was a charter member of the Boston Pro- tective Department in 1872, and the surviving member in 1909, a director in 1873, vice-presi- dent in 1874, and president in 1875. In Brook- line he served by appointment of the selectmen as assistant engineer in 1876 and chief engineer in 1877 of the Fire Department; and while chief he reorganized the department on a basis to harmonize with the system of the city of Boston. March 17, 1873, he became a member of Massachusetts Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, Boston; of Mt. Vernon Royal Arch Chapter : of Roxbury Council, Royal and Select
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Masters; of Joseph Warren Commandery, Knights Templar ; and a life member of Lafay- ette Lodge of Perfection, of Giles F. Yates Council, Princes of Jerusalem, of Mt. Olivet Chapter, Rose Croix, and of Massachusetts Consistory, thirty-second degree. He is a mem- ber of the Brookline, Massachusetts, Baptist church, and has been a member of the church at Newton Centre, which he joined in 1851 ; of the church at Alton, Illinois, 1854; the First Baptist Church at New York City, 1860; the Dudley Street Baptist Church, Roxbury, 1865; and the First Baptist Church, Brookline, 1874. In 1868 he became a member of the Boston Baptist Social Union, served as director two terms, was elected vice-president in 1888 and president in 1889. During his term as presi- dent the organization took a new lease of life as a result of his work. In 1880 he inherited life membership in Tremont Temple Corpora- tion ( Boston) from Deacon Elijah Corey, Brookline, and in 1907 was elected a director. He was appointed justice of the peace in 1870, notary public in 1872, and commis- sioner for New Hampshire in 1876. He was elected a member of the Brookline Thurs- day Club in 1874, and was a member of the Trade Club, Boston, serving as its treas- urer for seven years.
Captain Sears was married, February 28, 1863, by Rev. Dr. Rollin H. Neal, at Roxbury, to Emily A. Faunce, who died at Brookline, April 19, 1879, aged forty-four years, daughter of Stephen and Rebecca W. (Langley) Faunce. He was married ( second) at Providence, Rhode Island, October 24, 1881, by Rev. Richard Montague, of Providence, to Sadie A. Hunt, born at Cranston, Rhode Island, October 24, 1849, daughter of Joshua and Anne ( Pearse) Hunt. Children of first wife: 1. William B., born at Roxbury, July 4, 1864. 2. Langley B., born in Roxbury, July 11, 1870; graduate of Harvard University, class of 1902. 3. Harry Bowers, born in Roxbury, December 30, 1874. 4. Stephen Faunce, born in Brookline, August 9, 1874; graduate of Harvard University, A. B., class of 1904: Columbia University, A. M., 1906. Children of second wife: 5. Elizabeth Hunt, born in Brookline, March 5, 1884, died May 11. 1884. 6. Edward Henry, born in Brookline, September 25. 1885; graduate of Harvard University, class of 1907.
Captain Sears comes of the old original Brookline stock. His great-grandfather, Cap- tain Timothy Corey, died in Brookline, Sep- tember 19, 1811. He was present at the battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775. His tomb in
Walnut street cemetery, Brookline, contains the remains of five generations of Captain Corey's direct descendants. Captain Sears' grandfather, Deacon Elijah Corey, of Corey Hill, Brookline, died May, 1859; his grand- mother, Polly Leeds Corey (of Dorchester), died October 21, 1827 ; his father, Dr. B. Sears, LL. D., president of Brown University, died July 6, 1880; his mother, Elizabeth Griggs Corey, daughter of Deacon Elijah Corey, died March 23, 1883 ; his sister, Lizzie Sears Fultz, died 1890 ; his brother, Lieutenant Robert Davis Sears, died April, 1904; his infant daughter, Elizabeth Hunt Sears, died May, 1884.
Captain WV. B. Sears' Boston office is at No. 71 Kilby street, extending through to Post- office Square ; his place of residence is No. 7 Harvard avenue, corner Harvard avenue, Brookline, Massachusetts.
(VIII) Captain Edward H. Sears, son of Barnas Sears, was born at Newton Centre, October 4, 1840, and died of heart disease, Au- gust 22, 1886. He was a student in Brown University in 1860. He was a noted athlete, the stroke oar of the University boat club during the regattas of 1859 and 1860. He had small pox in 1859 in its most malignant form, at President Sears' residence, at Brown Univer- sity. He was commissioned first lieutenant in the army at the same time as his brother, June 6, 1861, in the Second Rhode Island Infantry, for three years, and was at the battle of First Bull Run. He received his captain's commis- sion of Company D, Second Rhode Island Regiment, July 21, 1861. He resigned his commission to accept a commission as first lieutenant of Battery G, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery. December 2, 1861. He was in action at Yorktown, Fair Oaks, Mal- vern Hill, Second Bull Run, Antietam and Fredericksburg. He was appointed August 22, 1863, acting assistant paymaster U. S. Navy, ordered to report to the gunboat "Underwriter." at Newbern, North Carolina. The crew of this boat were killed or captured by the Con- federates, and Paymaster Sears and the sur- vivors were closely confined as prisoners at Kinston. North Carolina ; Danville, Virginia ; Libby Prison, Richmond, in the stockade at Macon. Georgia, and Roper Building at Charles- ton. South Carolina, under the artillery fire night and day of the heaviest guns of the northern army besieging Charleston. After nine months imprisonment he was released by exchange of prisoners, and ordered to report to Napoleon Collins, commanding the U. S. steamer "Wachusett." The steamer went to
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Martinique, Cape Verde, spending three months at Rio Janeiro, thence to Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, Batavia, Manila, Shanghai, Macao, Canton, Swatow, Hankow, and followed by a special trip to Corea; thence to the Japanese ports of Yokohama and Nagasaki to recruit the health of the officers and crew, from China station, stopping at St. Helena, Cape Town, via St. Thomas to New York, under command of Commander Shuffelt. Captain Sears re- signed June 2, 1868, and was appointed post- master at Staunton, Augusta county, Virginia, December 21. 1869, a second time, by President Grant, in special recognition of his services in the army and navy. He served in this position six years. In 1873 Captain Sears resigned his position as postmaster and entered the employ of Sears & Bowers Insurance Agency at 7 Exchange Place, Boston. At the dissolution of this firm Captain Sears became the associate and confidential clerk of his brother, Captain William B. Sears. This association continued for many years. In March, 1873. he was elected a member of the first class of the Massachu- setts Commandery of the Loyal Legion. He took his Masonic degrees in 1874, and became a member of Massachusetts Lodge of Free Masons in Boston. In 1875 he became a mem- ber of Post 26, Grand Army of the Republic, at Boston Highlands. He resided at 21 Monad- nock street, Dorchester, where he died after a short illness. Dr. Heman Lincoln, of Newton Centre, officiated at the simple funeral services, attended by only relatives and a few personal friends. The burial was in Swan Point ceme- tery. Providence, Rhode Island, in the Wiley family lot, overlooking the Pawtucket river. Captain Sears, although quiet and reserved in his manner, was a brilliant conversationalist, well informed on topics of world-wi le interest. His great enjoyments were in sketching, draw- ing, music, reading, hunting and yachting. He possessed a keen sense of the ludicrous, and was full of wit and humor. He was respected for his sound judgment, sterling good sense and integrity. He married, April 20, 1869, Amelia Lockwood Wiley, of Providence.
COREY The surname Corey was variously spelled in American and English records-Cory, Corry, Coree, Couree, Corey. Core, Corrie and Currie. Some authorities give as the origin of the name an old Anglo-Saxon word corrie, meaning a hollow hillside where game lies. The surname Curry is common in the Ulster Province of Ireland, originally Protestant stock from England or
Scotland, and now known as Scotch-Irish. The surname Currie was established about 1300 in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. Yet some branches of the Corey family may be of French Huguenot origin. Burke describes the English Corey coat-of-arms: Sable on a chevron be- tween three griffins heads erased or, as many estoilles gules. Crest : Out of a ducal coronet a griffin's head between two wings or, each charged with three estoilles in pale gules. The Irish family bears arms similar to the English. The family of Corey has similar arms showing relationship undoubtedly. This family has its seat at Bromington, county Norfolk, England. The name became famous early in American history through the martyrdom of Giles Corey, of Salem, during the witchcraft delusion. He came to Salem as early as 1647, and deposed June 17, 1672, that he was fifty-five years old. He was a watchman. He married ( first) Mar- garet -; (second) Mary, "who was brought out of a London ship in Virginia by the father of Caleb More, who testified to this and to her good character when she was accused in 1678" of witchcraft. Her name is given as Mary Britz. She died August 28, 1684. aged sixty-three. He married (third) Martha - , who was admitted to the church in Salem Village, now Danvers, April 27, 1690. She was arrested for witchcraft in March, 1692-3, after the death of husband, and hanged the following Thursday. Giles was arrested in April. 1692, for witchcraft, condemned to death and, because he refused to plead, was condemned to be pressed to death by stones according to the old common law of England. He was put to death in this barbarous manner at Salem, September 19. 1692, and was the only victim that suffered death by torture. He was a member of the First Church of Salem, but was excommunicated the day before the murder, and not for twenty years was the record of shame expunged from the church records, though the record of excommunication of his wife from the Danvers church was erased after eleven years. He left his property by will to two daughters. He probably had no sons. Children: I. Deliverance, born August 5, 1658. 2. Martha. The daughters married William Cleaves, of Boston, and John Moul- ton, of Salem. The family mentioned below was doubtless related to Giles Corey. Another immigrant, Abraham Curey, settled at South- old, Long Island, going perhaps from Salem, where many of the settlers originally lived. William Corey, of Rhode Island, settled there as early as 1657, and has many descendants
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having baptismal names the same as those of the Chelmsford and Weston family given below, and doubtless related.
(I) Thomas Corey, immigrant ancestor, set- tled in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Savage mentions Thomas and John of that town in 1691. The families at Ashburnham are de- scended from John and Ruth Corey, of Chelms- ford, through their son Hezekiah, born 1736. The Groton family is of the same stock. James Corey, of Groton, was killed at the battle of Bunker Hill, and Ephraim Corey, of Groton, was a captain in the revolution.
(II) Samuel, son of Thomas Corey (or possibly nephew), was born in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, and lived there and in Lexing- ton, Massachusetts. He married Bethia
Children : Samuel (2d) ; Thomas, mentioned below.
(III) Thomas (2), son of Samuel Corey, was born about 1675. He married, at Weston, Massachusetts, formerly Watertown, Hannah Page, born February 10. 1678, in Concord, daughter of Samuel and Hannah Page, grand- daughter of John and Phebe Page, immigrant ancestors, of Watertown. Thomas Corey died at Weston, March 22. 1838. All their children except Joseph, the eldest, were baptized at Weston, December 29, 1725. Children : I. Joseph, died unmarried, and his father admin- istered his estate. 2. Hannah, baptized Decem- ber 29, 1723, with the following: 3. Samuel. 4. Thomas (twin of Samuel). 5. Ebenezer. 6. Jonathan, married, September 30, 1726, Mary Clark, of Roxbury. 7. Abigail, married, No- vember 13, 1739, Benjamin. 8. Isaac, mentioned below.
(IV) Isaac, son of Thomas (2) Corey, was born about 1717, at Chelmsford or vicinity, and settled at Weston, where he was baptized with his brothers and sisters, December 29, 1723. He married, April 12, 1739, Abigail Priest, born July 3, 1719, daughter of James Priest, of Waltham. Children, born at Weston : I. Isaac, Jr., January 9, 1740. 2. Captain Tim- othy. October 27, 1741 ; mentioned below. 3. Eunice, June 27, 1744. 4. Nathan, May 13, 1747; soldier in the revolution ; married De- cember 27, 1770, Mary Green. 5. Elisha, May 21, 1751.
(V) Captain Timothy Corey, son of Isaac Corey, was born at Weston, October 27, 1741. He married, April 7, 1766, Elizabeth, daugh- ter of Thomas and Margaret Griggs, of Muddy River (Brookline), Massachusetts. At the battle of Lexington and Concord he was ser- geant in the company of Captain Thomas
White, of Brookline, regiment of Colonel Will- iam Heath. He remained in the service dur- ing 1775 and part of 1776. He was a captain after July 10, 1775. Lieutenant Colonel Loammi Baldwin and Colonel Gerrish had command of the regiment (Thirty-eighth). His was the seventh company. He died September 19, 18II ; his wife died November 18, 1837. Chil- dren, born at Brookline: I. Elizabeth, Decem- ber 19, 1767. 2. Amelia, November 12, 1769; married Robbins; (second)
Brown. 3. Elijah, November 7, 1773 ; see for- ward. 4. Julia, February 4, 1776 ; married, 1801, William Cheever. 5. Anna, March 19, 1778; married, 1803, James Leeds. 6. John, March 18, 1780. 7. Timothy, April 2, 1782. 8. Sallie, April 8, 1786; married, 1815, Will- iam Graves. 9. Susan, May 4, 1788; married, 1813, John Dean.
(VI) Deacon Elijah Corey, son of Captain Timothy Corey ( who served, 1775, at battle of Lexington), was born November 7, 1773, died May 13, 1859. He was a farmer of Brook- line. He married, November 17, 1797, Polly Leeds, of Dorchester, born July 14, 1779, died October 21, 1827. The "wedding visit" was a gay and memorable event ; almost everybody in the town was invited. A fife and drum furnished the orchestral music. The family was conspicuous, and the old Bartlett house ( on the north side of Washington street, where Deacon Corey then lived) was crowded with guests. Miss Wood tells some amusing inci- dents of the occasion in her "Sketches of Brookline." In 1821 Deacon Corey built the Corey mansion, on the south side of Washing- ton street, corner of Beacon street, and his son occupied the old house on the north side the remainder of his life. Deacon Corey built the stone causeway across the valley from Wash- ington street to the steep Corey hill side. He was a shrewd practical man. He, with his brother Timothy and Thomas Griggs, were among the first projectors of the Brookline Baptist church. Elijah Corey, 1828, gave or paid one-third of cost of church building in Brookline: also presented the church bell to the church; and to that society he devoted much time and labor, and gave very liberally, the largest donations in money. "None who were familiar with the old Baptist vestry will ever forget Deacon Corey's voice and manner in his old age. If the evening service lagged, and there was an awful silence, he would strike out in a high key, "Come, Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove." to the tune of "Turner," or "St. Mar- tin's," or "Life is the time to serve the Lord,"
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to the tune of "Wells," or some other familiar old hymn, and by the time he had sung a line or two, other voices joined in, and his solo became not lost in, but a part of the chorus. His ex- hortations abounded in striking metaphors and strong language, frequently beginning with, "Brethren, a thought struck me," and usually he made the thought strike his hearers before he finished. He often ended an exhortation with the desire that the Lord would "make out souls like the chariots of Aminabid." (Song of Solomon, vi., 12). But in what respect this would have been desirable was not appar - ent to the listener, and we often wondered what the good deacon's idea of such a condition of soul might be. There is no question, however, that all through life he had at heart not only the building up of His church here, but of the denomination to which he belonged, not only here but abroad. He was one of the three original founders of the Newton Theological Institution, who furnished the required funds to secure its immediate organization ; and many a lack of finance both there and at the Mis- sionary Rooms was filled out of the deacon's purse. Deacon Timothy Gilbert, of Boston, erected the original Tremont Temple, aided by the generous financial support of Deacon Eli- jah Corey : and the Baptist Church at Newton Centre, 1810-17, and the First Baptist Church of Cambridge, 1717-28, were all largely aided by Deacon Corey.
Deacon Corey married (second) January 28, 1829, Lucy (Stearns) Davis, widow of Captain Robert S. Davis. Deacon Corey died May 13, 1859, at his Brookline homestead, aged eighty-six years, and was buried from the Brookline Baptist Church. A branch of apple blossoms, a fit tribute to one who had been all his life a farmer, was the only floral offering laid upon his breast.
His daughter, Elizabeth Griggs Corey, mar- ried Rev. Barnas Sears, D. D., LL. D., and became mother of Captain W. B. Sears (see Sears ).
ELY Nathaniel Ely, immigrant ancestor, was born in England, doubtless at Tenterden, county Kent, in 1605. He received a common school education, as evinced by the records left behind him. He married, in England, Martha , and had a son and daughter before leaving his native land. He came to America it is thought, in 1634, in the bark "Elizabeth," from Ipswich, England. His name is not on the passenger list, but that of his friend Robert Day appears,
and as they settled on adjoining lots in New- town, Massachusetts, now in the city of Cam- bridge, May 6, 1635, it is reasonable to believe that they came together. In June, 1636, Rev. Thomas Hooker and about a hundred others, men, women and children, probably including Nathaniel Ely, made their way through the wilderness to a fertile spot on the Connecticut river and made the first settlement at Hart- ford. It appears from the early records and a map made in 1640, that Ely owned a home- stead there. In 1639 he was one of the con- stables, and in 1643 and 1649 selectman. The name of Nathaniel Ely is on the monument to the memory of the first settlers of Hartford. He afterwards removed to what is now Nor- walk, Connecticut, of which he was one of the founders and first settlers. There he remained until 1659, when he sold his property and re- moved to Springfield, Massachusetts, where he passed the remainder of his life. Here, as at Hartford, he was called to serve the public soon after his arrival, and was selectman in 1661-63-68-71-73. His place of residence in that town from 1660 to 1665 is not definitely known, though it is most likely that he lived in what is now Chicopee. In 1665 he became the keeper of the tavern, and followed this busi- ness until his death, December 25, 1675. His wife Martha died in Springfield, October 23, 1683. Children : 1. Samuel, mentioned below. 2. Ruth, died October 12, 1662.
(II) Samuel, son of Nathaniel Ely, was born probably in Hartford or in Cambridge, and died March 19, 1892. He removed to Springfield with his parents, and married there. October 28, 1659, Mary Day, born in Hart- ford, 1641, daughter of Robert and Editha (Stebbins) Day. Samuel Ely was quite suc- cessful in acquiring property, and at his death left a large estate. Ten of their sixteen chil- dren died in infancy or early youth. Children : I. Child, born and died, 1660, at Springfield. 2. Samuel, born March 1, 1662; died March 22, 1662. 3. Joseph, born August 20, 1663; died April 29, 1775, in West Springfield. 4. Samuel, born November 4, 1664; died Febru- ary 18, 1665. 5. Mary, born March 29, 1667; died April 19, 1667. 6. Samuel, born May 9, 1668; mentioned below. 7. Nathaniel, born January 18, 1670; died March 16, 1671. 8. Jonathan, born July 1, 1672; died July 10 following. 9. Nathaniel, born August 25, 1674; died May, 1689. 10. Jonathan, born January 24, 1676; died February following. II. Martha, born October 28, 1677; died No- vember 25, 1677. 12. John, born January 28,
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1678; died January 15, 1758, at West Spring- field. 13. Mary, born June 20, 1681; died December 21 following. 14. Jonathan, born January 21, 1683 ; died July 27, 1753, at Long- meadow. 15. Mary, born February 29, 1684; died at Hartford. 16. Ruth, born 1688; died 1747, at Belchertown.
(III) Samuel (2), son of Samuel (1) Ely, was born at Springfield, May 9, 1668, and died in West Springfield, August 23, 1732. He was prominent in town affairs, selectman in 1702- 16-19, and clerk of the Second Parish (West Springfield) from 1702 until 1721, with ex- ception of the years 1714 and 1715. He mar- ried (first) November 10, 1697, Martha Bliss, born in Longmeadow, June 1, 1674, died July 6, 1702, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Leon- ard ) Bliss. He married (second) Sarah Bor- dutha, born October 18, 1681, died May 8, 1766, daughter of Joseph and Lydia Bordutha. Children of first wife: I. Martha, born De- cember 21, 1698. 2. Mary, February 14, 1700; died May 27, 1714. 3. Samuel, September 21, 1701 ; mentioned below. Children of second wife: 4. Sarah, born August 30, 1705 ; mar- ried, 1743, David Burt, of Longmeadow. 5. Nathaniel, September 22, 1706. 6. Joseph, October 4, 1709; died April 4, 1741. 7. Try- phena, April 17, 1712; died December 30, 1755. 8. Levi, February 12, 1714. 9. Mary, April 5, 1717; died January 30, 1761.
(IV) Samuel (3), son of Samuel (2) Ely, was born in West Springfield, September 21, 1701, and died there December 8, 1758. He married, May 3, 1722, Abigail Warriner, born December 8, 1703, died September 27, 1762, daughter of Samuel and Abigail (Day) War- riner. Children, born at West Springfield: I. Samuel, September 14, 1723 ; died November 21, 1794. 2. Thomas, December 1, 1725; died May 10, 1790. 3. Abigail, July 15, 1727 ; died August 8, 1805, at Windsor, Vermont. 4. Joel, November 13, 1728; died July, 1815, at Wind- sor, Vermont. 5. Levi, November 26, 1732; mentioned below. 6. Simeon, January 25, 1734 ; died January 15, 1817, at Warren, New York. 7. Nathan, January 9, 1739 ; died Octo- ber 31, 1798.
(V) Captain Levi Ely, son of Samuel (3) Ely, was born in West Springfield, November 26, 1732, and was killed by Indians in a battle on the Mohawk river, a little cast of Utica, New York, October 19, 1780. He left home in charge of a company on a shore expedition against the Indians, all the company being his townsmen and neighbors, and they were nearly all killed only a few days before their term of
service expired. He lived in West Springfield, at the foot of the hill near the old Congrega- tional church. He married, October 12, 1758, Abigail Sergeant, born in Northfield, January 26, 1729, died October 3, 1812, daughter of Lieutenant Jonathan and Abigail ( Jones) Ser- geant. Lieutenant John Sergeant was one of Captain Josiah Willard's company at Fort Dummer in the French and Indian war, and was killed by the Indians. He was captain of the Second company, under Colonel Moseley, in 1777, and in the same regiment (Third), with the Army of the North; also in Colonel Brown's regiment 1780. The gravestone of Captain Levi Ely bears the following inscrip- tion :
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