Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume II, Part 89

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 89

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).

He married, November 21, 1728, Mary Wingate, born June 14, 1708, died December 12, 1784, daughter of Colonel Joshua and Mary (Lunt) Wingate, of Hampton, New Hampshire. Children, born at Salem: I. Sarah, married John Clarke. 2. Mary, born March 29, 1733, died January 30, 1805; mar- ried, October 17, 1751, Dudley Leavitt ; (sec- ond) Nathaniel Sargent. 3. Lydia, February 27, 1735-36, died October 21, 1824; married,

March 5, 1758, George Williams. 4. Elizabeth, November 1, 1737, died October 12, 1823; married, November 27, 1757, John Gardner. 5. John, March 2, 1739-40, died August 20, 18II. 6. Lois (twin), April 19, 1742, died February 4, 1815 ; married, 1772, John Goole. 7. Eunice, April 19, 1742 (twin), died January 7, 1843; married, May 23, 1765, Paine Win- gate. 8. Colonel Timothy, July 6, 1745, men- tioned below. 9. Lucia, November 12, 1747, died October 31, 1822 ; married, June 17, 1766, Israel Dodge.

(V) Colonel Timothy (2), son of Deacon Timothy (1) Pickering, was born July 6, 1745, died January 29, 1829. He graduated from Harvard College in the class of 1763, and be- came a clerk in the office of John Higginson, register of deeds of Essex county, remaining two years, and from time to time afterward filled this position until 1774. He was com- missioned lieutenant of the Fourth Company of Salem in 1769 and Captain the same year. He was admitted to the bar in December, 1768, and practiced for a short time. He was select- man of Salem in 1772 and for five years after- ward; town clerk in 1774-75-76. He was on a committee of five from Salem, elected May 18, 1773, to consider a communication from Boston as to the rights of the colonies, pub- lished in the Essex Gazette June 6 and 15, 1773. He was on the committee of safety and correspondence in 1774, and also with his brother John and two brothers-in-law in 1775. He was on a committee March 13, 1775, on the minute-men and mounting of field pieces ; chairman March, 1776, of the committee of correspondence, inspection and safety of Salem, and author of an address from the inhabitants of Salem to General Gage on the Boston port bill. In October, 1774, he became register of deeds of Essex county, succeeding John Higginson. He resigned in May, 1777, to accept the commission of adjutant general of the American army under Washington. In September, 1775, he was appointed justice of the peace and in the autumn of that year be- came justice of the inferior court of common pleas of Essex county. He became judge of the maritime court of Suffolk, Essex and Mid- dlesex counties, December 12, 1775, and exer- cised very important jurisdiction during the revolution, when many prizes were seized by privateers. In 1775 he published "An East Plan for Discipline for a Militia" and this work was adopted by Massachusetts for the govern- ment of its militia by vote of the council and house of representatives, May 1, 1776. Mr.

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Pickering was elected colonel of the First Essex Regiment, February 13, 1775, and re- ceived his commission from the King of Eng- land, but he led his regiment to Lexington, April 19, 1775, arriving too late for the battle, however. From December 5, 1776, to April I, 1777, he and his regiment served in the cam- paigns in New York and New Jersey. Gen- eral Washington wrote to offer him the post of adjutant general, March 30, 1777. At first he declined, but later accepted the commission. Washington said: "This conduct in prefer- ence of Colonel Pickering I was induced to adopt from the high character I had of him both as a great military genius cultivated by an industrious attention to the study of war and as a gentleman of liberal education, dis- tinguished zeal and great method and activity in business." Colonel Pickering left Salem in June, 1777, arriving at headquarters on the seventh. Colonel Pickering was elected a member of the board of war, November 7, 1777, continuing as adjutant general until Jan- uary following. He was appointed by congress on a committee with Washington to reorganize the army, but was excused from service. He was elected to succeed General Greene as quartermaster general and continued on the board of war with the rank of colonel and the pay of a brigadier general until the office was abolished July 25, 1785. He became a charter member of the Society of Cincinatus, May 13, 1783, though his diploma was not issued until October 31, 1785. John Pickering, of Salem, representing the eldest male line of descent, is the present member of the society.

constitution of the United States in Novem- ber, 1787. After his return home, he was abducted by an armed band and held a pris- oner for nineteen days. His abductors were convicted, but through his influence received nominal punishment. He bought twelve thous- and acres of land in western Pennsylvania and two thousand five hundred acres with Major Hodgdon, eighteen miles above Wyoming ; also five thousand acres on the south side of the Ohio river, now in Kentucky. His purpose was to found a large landed estate for his sons, but they disliked farming and his intention failed. President Washington requested Col- onel Pickering in September, 1790, to go on a mission to the Seneca Indians, with whom he had great influence. His lofty stature, broad and muscular frame, his energy, cour- age and firmness of face and bearing inspired the respect and confidence of the Indians, who called him Conni-Sauti (sunny side of a hill). In 1791 he was sent on another mission and concluded a treaty with the Six Nations. In the spring of 1792 he and General Knox con- ducted negotiations with the Six Nations. He was appointed postmaster general of the United States, August 14, 1791, succeeding Samuel Osgood, and in May, 1792, removed to the capital, Philadelphia, hiring a house on Second street. He was dispatched on a com- mission, March 1, 1793, to treat with the Northwestern Indians, but was unsuccessful and war broke out. The Indians were de- feated the following year by General Wayne. He again negotiated a treaty with the Six Nations, and for many years was the most prominent man in Indian affairs. He succeed- ed Knox as secretary of war, December 28, 1794. This department then included naval and Indian affairs. He succeeded Randolph as secretary of state, August 19, 1795, continu- ing also as secretary of war. On account of personal feeling President Adams dismissed him May 12, 1800. His ability, industry and fidelity were appreciated and commended by Washington.

After the war Colonel Pickering entered partnership with Major Samuel Hodgdon, May 10, 1783, in the firm of Pickering & Hodgdon, but he preferred farming and soon retired from business. . He was noted for his skill as a plowman, and when over seventy- five years of age bore off the first premium in a notable plowing contest. He bought large tracts of wild land in Luzerne county, Penn- sylvania, and settled there. He was elected judge and clerk of the court of common pleas, He once more turned to the forest and spent a season at Great Bend, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, returning to his family at Eas- ton, Pennsylvania, December 10, 1800. He proceeded to Salem with his family to visit his friends and relatives, and every effort was made to persuade him to remain in Salem. Finally his friends formed a company and bought his lands for a price that made him independent, and twenty-four years after he October, 1786; also clerk of the court of sessions and clerk of the orphans court. He and his family left Philadelphia for their new home in the wilderness, July 10, 1787. Dis- order followed and the life of Colonel Picker- ing was threatened. He left his home and re- mained in Philadelphia until the feeling, which was aroused by conflicting land titles and obnox- ious laws, had subsided. He was a delegate from Luzerne to the state convention to ratify the . left it, during the revolution, he returned to

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Salem to live, November, 1801. He hired a farm at Danvers in 1802 and in 1804 bought the farm at Wenham, where he had a happy home for many years. He was appointed chief justice of the court of common pleas and took his seat September 28, 1802. He was a candi- date for congress from the Essex south dis- trict in 1802 and was defeated, but was elected to the United States senate, October 17, 1803, to succeed Dwight Foster, resigned. He was very popular in the Federalist party, but in- tensely feared and disliked by the Democrats. He was a keen debater and a firm partisan. He wrote political articles for the Baltimore Federal Republican and the Salem Gazette, reprinted in the Federalist newspapers all over the country and issued in book form in Eng- land. He was elected to congress in 1802 and 1814. He was appointed on the commission of sea-coast defences and later was at the head of the Massachusetts board of war. He was elected a member of the executive council of Massachusetts by the general court, May 31, 1817. After that year he retired from public life. He removed from Wenham to Salem in 1820, however, and became chairman of the school committee there. He was president of the Essex County Agricultural Society, re- signing in 1828. He was requested to write the biography of Alexander Hamilton and be- gan the work, but died without completing it. Like his father he was opposed to slavery and exerted his utmost to abolish it. He had much musical talent, played the spinet and violin. In religion he was originally a Trinitarian, and joined the Third Church at Salem, but after 1777 was a Unitarian. The Life of Timothy Pickering by his son, Octavius Pickering, and Charles W. Upham, four volumes, is the source from which this sketch of him has been drawn in great part.

He married, April 8, 1776, at Bradford, Rebecca White, born July 18, 1754, died Aug- ust 14, 1828, coming to this country at the age of eleven from her native town Bristol, Eng- land, and left an orphan when seventeen years old. They lived together for fifty-two years and "never was a more perfect instance of happy wedded life." He and his wife were buried in the same grave. Their epitaph reads : "Beneath this monument are deposited the remains of Timothy and Rebecca Pickering. He was an asserter of the rights of the North American colonies, a soldier in the war for their indepence, a statesman in the cabinet of Washington. Integrity, disinterestedness, energy, ability, fearlessness in the cause of

truth and justice marked his public conduct. Pure in morals, simple in manners, sincere, benevolent, pious in private life, he was re- vered and honored." She during a life of extraordinary vicissitude was distinguished by fortitude, resignation, discretion, maternal affection, in the words of her bereaved hus- band, "a spirit more gentle, more innocent, more pure, never, perhaps, appeared in the female form." Children: 1. John, born Feb- ruary 7, 1777, died May 5, 1846; married, March 3, 1805, Sarah White. 2. Timothy, October 1, 1779, died May 14, 1807 ; married, December 29, 1805, Lurena Cole. 3. Henry, October 8, 1781, died May 8, 1838. 4. Charles, May 25, 1784, died May 12, 1796. 5. William, February 16, 1786, died June 16, 1814. 6. Edward, September 12, 1787, died October 10, 1793. 7. George, August 7, 1789, died at hospital in Charlestown, April 23, 1826. 8. Octavius, September 2, 1791, died October 29, 1868; married, December 1, 1836, Jane Pratt, born 1806, died March 16, 1869. 9. Mary (twin), November 21, 1793, died March 22, 1863; married, April 12, 1813, Benjamin Ropes Nichols (see Nichols family ). IO. Elizabeth (twin), November 21, 1793, died August 11, 1819; married, August 12, 1816, Hammond Dorsey.

(IV) Sarah, daughter of John (3) Picker- ing, was born in Salem, July 25, 1686, died December 20, 1744; she was baptized there February 6, 1688-89. Married, July 17, 1707, Joseph Hardy, born March 20, 1682, baptized at Salem, July, 1682. He lived in a house given him by his father, November 20, 1721, located in the southeast part of the town on Hardy street. A pear tree said to have been planted in 1639 still marks the site of the homestead. It is in front of Charles H. Allen's house. It was originally a Button pear, graft- ed to Orange pear. Joseph Hardy was a ship- builder at Salem where he died June 23, 1745. He was in Haverhill in 1716 and for a short time in Boston, but most of his life was spent in Salem. He was a son of Joseph and Mary (Grafton) Hardy, of Salem. Children of Joseph and Sarah (Pickering) Hardy: I. Sarah, born February 25, 1708-09, died De- cember 28, 1784; married, February 21, 1734, Benjamin Mansfield. 2. Martha, February 26, 1710-II, died September 9, 1769 ; married Ben- jamin Goodhue. 3. Seth, February 17, 1712- 13, died September 28, 1755 ; married, October 14, 1734, Nathaniel Phippen. 4. Joseph, Sep- tember 14, 1716, died September 3, 1718. 5. John, September 4, 1718, died November 8,

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1718. 6. Mary, November 5, 1719, died March 30, 1786; married, January 5, 1744, Isaac Peirce. 7. Lydia, October 1, 1722, died March 4, 1794; married, October 21, 1742, Edmund Henfield. 8. Ruth, mentioned below.

(V) Ruth Hardy, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Piekering) Hardy, was born in Salem, January 4, 1725-26, died December 6, 1795. She married Benjamin Ropes, son of Samuel and Lydia (Neal) Ropes. He was baptized in Salem, March, 1725; was prominent in the Third or Tabernacle Church, chosen elder Sep- tember II, 1769, and declined re-election Aug- ust 21, 1771; treasurer, November 26, 1770; left the church with Colonel Timothy Picker- ing and others because of Presbyterian tend- encies and formed the South Church. He was seribe of both societies. He was superintend- ent of the poor of Salem, 1775-79. He owned all the land through Monroe street to Federal street, his house being on the east corner of Monroe and Federal streets, lately occupied by Mrs. John Bertram. He was a descendant of George Ropes, one of the early settlers of Salem. Their daughter, Lydia Ropes, married Ichabod Nichols, April 12, 1774. (See Nichols family). During the absence of her husband, Lydia Nichols, received consignments of mer- chandise and attended in person to weighing, selling and delivering goods. She was a prom- inent member of the North Church; manager of the Seaman's Orphan and Children's Friend Society many years, and three of the society children were bound to her ; she died February 25, 1835.

The Faulkner family is of FAULKNER ancient English lineage, and the name was spelled in a variety of ways, among them Fawconer, Fawk- ner, Falconer, Fawknor, Caulkner. The family seat was at Kingscleare, county Southampton. The arms are: three falcons argent, becked legged bellied or. Crest: a garb or banded argent. Francis Faulkner, of Kingscleare, made a will in 1662 showing the relationship to the American immigrant, Edmund Faulkner. It is given as follows :

"Francis Fawconer, of Kingscleare, in the county of Southampton, Gentleman, I Sep- tember, 1662, proved 21 May, 1663. To the poor of the parish of Kingscleare three pounds, to be distributed within six days next after my decease. To my cousin, Peter Fawconer, son of Richard Fawconer, deceased, all my free- land, containing thirty aeres more or less, and the barn and timber and wood thereupon grow-

ing in Kingscleare Woodlands, which 1 pur- chased and bought of James Waite, and all the rents issuing out of the said lands, to the said Peter Fawconer and his heirs forever, and twenty-pounds all my wearing apparel. To his sister, Elizabeth Fawconer, one hundred pounds.

"Item. I give and bequeath to my brother, Edmund Fawconer, that is living in New Eng- land, two hundred pounds of lawful money of England. To John Fawkner, of Kings- cleare, twenty pounds. To Alice Person, widow, one hundred pounds. To Elizabeth Fawconer, their sister, forty pounds. More, to the above-named Fawconer a joyned bedstead, a bedmatt, a bedcord, a feather bed, a feather bolster, two feather pillowes, a pair of pillow- beares, a pair of sheets of the best, a pair of blankets, a coverlet and curtains, and my great chest etc. To Alice Person, widow, a brass pot etc and all the brewing vessell that I have standing at her brother John Fawconer's house, except the brewing tub. To Nicholas Knite, of Kingscleare, miller, ten shillings; to Eliza- beth, his wife, forty shillings; to her five chil- dren that she had by her first husband, that is, to Richard, Francis, John, Daniel and Anthony Fawconer, twenty-five pounds to be equally divided amongst them, five pounds apiece, at the age of twenty-one years. To Elizabeth Fawconer, sister of Peter, some Pewter. To my brother-in-law, John Carter, and to Eliza- beth, his wife, each a twenty-shilling piece of gold. To John Carter the younger, some furni- ture standing at Coldhenly House. To Agnes Fawkener, widow, twenty shillings. To Wini- frit Waite, wife of James Waite, of Kings- cleare, ten shillings in gold; and to their son James and daughter Katherine Waite, ten shillings each. To Francis Friser, of Kings- cleare, the elder, ten shillings. To Alice Alle ten shillings. To Christopher Dugdale of Husborne, ten shillings. To his five children that he had by Master Webber's daughter, one hundred pounds, equally to be divided amongst them twenty pounds apiece, at age of twenty- one years. I appoint John Atfield, of Kings- cleare, Gentleman, Overseer, and give him two twenty shilling pieces of gold, and to his wife one twenty shilling piece of gold. The residue to my sister's son, Matthew Webber, whom I make executor ; and it is my will that he should agree with my Lord's officers for the Heriotts that were due to the Lord at my decease and to pay them in money or goods as they can agree." The John Fawconer men- tioned above, left a will also, giving most of

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his property in public bequest, except a legacy to Mr. Henry Neville and his heirs.

(I) Edmund Faulkner, immigrant ances- tor, was born in England about 1625. He came first to Salem, and was the ninth settler in order of their coming to Andover, Massa- chusetts. He was licensed in 1648 as the first innkeeper in town. He was one of the ten freeholders who organized the Andover church, October 24, 1645, and was one of the few honored with the designation of "Mr." in the records. He, with Mr. Woodbridge, nego- tiated the purchase of the plantation from the Indians and family tradition says the price paid to the chief Cutshamakin was twenty gal- lons of rum and a red coat. He took the oath of allegiance at Andover, February II, 1678, was selectman in 1674; town clerk 1675, and held other positions of honor. In King Phil- ip's war the Indians attacked his house, knocked off one of his cow's horns, cut out her tongue, put a horse, ox and cow into a hovel and then set it afire, "only to show how they delighted in exercising cruelty." His daughter and her husband, Pasco Chubb, were killed by the Indians February 22, 1697-8, at And- over. The Indians were thus revenged for a cowardly and treacherous act of Chubb's when in command of Fort Pemaquid in 1696. He had killed several Indians who came to exchange prisoners ; then when the French and Indians attacked the fort, he gave up the fort stipulating only for his personal safety. For this act of treason he was cashiered and put in the Boston jail, but was finally released and was living in seclusion at Andover when the Indians found him. Edmund Faulkner mar- ried at Salem (by John Winthrop) February 4, 1647, Dorothy Robinson, who died Decem- ber, 1668. Children: I. Francis, born May, 1651 ; mentioned below. 2. John, born May, 1654; died 1706; children : Daniel, Joseph and Nehemiah. 3. Mary, married May 3, 1671, Joseph Marble. 4. Hannah, married May 29, 1689, Pasco Chubb.

(II) Francis, son of Edmund Faulkner, was born at Andover, in May, 1651, and died there in 1732, aged eighty years. He married, October 12, 1675, Abigail, daughter of Rev. Francis Dane. She was a woman of noble character and exemplary piety, but was accused of witchcraft, tried, and condemned to death. She passed through the terrible ordeal with unshaken faith and courage. The sentence was revoked, however, and her life spared. Children born at Andover: I. Eliza- beth, died August 17, 1678. 2. Edmund, had

a son John. 3. Ammiruhammah, mentioned below. 4. Paul.

(III) Ammiruhammah, son of Francis Faulkner, was born in Andover, about 1692. He came to Concord Village in 1735, and set- tled at the "great falls" of the Great Brook, where he erected the mills which have since been owned and occupied by his descendants. He died there August 5, 1756, aged sixty- four. Children : 1. Francis, mentioned below. 2. James, whose son Paul, born March 15, 1767, settled at Lancaster, Massachusetts ; and others.

(IV) Colonel Francis (2), son of Ammiru- hammah Faulkner, was born at Andover, Sep- tember 29, 1728, and came to Acton with his father when a young child. He died in Acton, August 5, 1805. He married ( first), April 29, 1756, Lizzie Mussey. He was justice of the peace, selectman, and deacon of the church. He was a member of the provincial congress held in Concord in 1774, and deputy to the general court from Acton in 1783-84-85. He served on the committee of safety and corre- spondence. For thirty-five successive years he was town clerk of Acton, and kept the records with neatness, clearness and system. He was one of the famous leaders of the revolutionary war in its early days. He had a military com- mission under the King, but resigned, and in 1775 was elected major of a regiment organ- ized to "oppose invasion." On the morning of April 19, 1775, he responded to the Alarm and marched with the Acton patriots to the North Bridge, Concord, where he engaged the British, and with his men pursued them to Charlestown, as colonel in command of the Middlesex regiment. He was several times afterward engaged in actual service, being lieutenant-colonel in the regiment of Middle- sex militia called to reinforce the Continental army at Dorchester Heights in March, 1776. He was in service when Burgoyne was taken, and commanded the regiment guarding the army of prisoners after the surrender. He was commissioned major February 7, 1776, in Colonel James Barrett's (third Middlesex) regiment of Massachusetts militia, but next day became lieutenant-colonel. He was com- missioned colonel of the Third Middlesex County Regiment of Massachusetts militia February 6, 1779. Colonel Faulkner was a courageous officer, able legislator and exem- plary Christian. He built the mills which for a century and a half have been known as the Faulkner Mills, now of South Acton. At first they were only a saw and grist mill, later a

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fulling mill. The old Faulkner house is thus described by a writer in the "Middlesex County History:"

"No tongue and no record fix the original date of this ancient landmark. It is safe to call it two hundred years old (1890), some parts of it at least. It was a block house, and in the early colonial times it was a garrison house, where the settlers in the neighborhood would gather in the night for protection against the assaults of the Indians. Enter the southwest room. It will easily accommodate 100 persons. It is a square room neatly kept and furnished with antique mementoes. Raise your hand and you easily touch the projecting beams of dry hard oak, which the sharpest steel cannot cleave, eighteen inches solid. The space between the beams of the sides of the room are filled with brick, which make it fire- proof against the shot of the enemy. You notice the two small glass windows as large as an orange in the entering door of this room. They were for use in watching the proceed- ing of the courts which once were held here by Francis Faulkner, the justice. Measure the old chimney, nine feet by seven, solid brick, furnished with three large fireplaces and an oven below and an oven above in the attic for smoking hams, large enough to accommodate all the neighbors, and hooks attached to the arch, where the hams could remain suspended till called for."

Colonel Francis Faulkner married ( second), Rebecca Keyes. He had eleven children, prob- ably one by the first wife. Children of second wife: I. Francis, born January 31, 1760; mentioned below. 2. Rebecca, born August 19, 1761 ; married Hon. Dwight Foster, of Brook- field. 3. Sarah, born August 10, 1763; mar- ried Dr. Abraham Skinner, of Acton. 4. Eliz- abeth, born March 13, 1765. 5. Mary, born July 12. 1767. 6. Lucy, born May 16, 1770; married Hon. Jabez Upham, of Brookfield. 7. Susanna, born February 21, 1772; married Hon. Hannibal Hamlin, of Waterford, Maine. 8. Winthrop, born March 21, 1774. 9. William Emerson, born October 23, 1776; graduate of Harvard College, 1797: died October, 1804. 10. Luther, born May 7, 1779; graduate of ITarvard, 1802; died September 5, 1845.

(V) Francis (3), son of Colonel Francis (2) Faulkner, was born on the homestead at Acton, January 31, 1760, and died at Billerica, February 12, 1843. The following narrative is by Rev. Cyrus Hamlin, his nephew, and is practically as was related to him by Francis Faulkner himself.

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume II, Part 89

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