Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV, Part 13

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 886

USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV > Part 13

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).

(II) Robert (2), son of Robert (1) Brook- house, was born in Salem, December 8, 1779, and died June 10, 1866. He was a prominent citizen of Salem and in 1822 was one of the charter members and directors of the famous old society called the Association for the De- tection of Thieves and Robbers, organized in that year. He was a prominent ship owner, engaged at first in the South America trade and in the trade with Madagascar, and for a long period embracing most of his business life, in trade with Africa, dealing in palm oil, gum copal, ivory, etc. He was one of the first to establish the public charities in Salem, and gave to the town the house for the Old Ladies' Home, an association for the relief of aged and destitute women. He also gave the first building of the Seamen's Orphans' and Children's Friend Society, two institutions which are still doing good work. He lived in a brick house at the corner of Washington and Lynde streets, which he bought of John Derby, trustees .in 1835. He married (first)

Martha Farley, May 21, 1805. She died No- vember 10, 1817, and he married (second) May 10, 1818, Eliza Woodbridge Grafton, who died May 28, 1825. He married (third) March 6, 1826, Mary Follansbee, who died Children of first wife: I. Robert, died young. 2. Martha, died s. p. 3. John, died s. p. Children of second wife : 4. Eliza- beth Grafton. 5. Robert, mentioned below. Child of third wife : 6. Mary Follansbee, died aged five months.

(III) Robert (3), son of Robert (2) Brook- house, was born in Salem, March 23, 1823, and was educated in the public schools. He was a ship owner and African merchant in Salem. He married, April 24, 1845, Anna Osborne Sutton, born in Peabody, June 15, 1825, daughter of General William Sutton, of Danvers, a prominent citizen of high social standing and wealth. Children: I. Robert, born May II, 1846. 2. William Sutton, born July 31, 1848 ; died January 2, 1878. 3. Eliza Grafton, born September 2, 1851; married Edward David Rice (see Rice family). 4. Arthur, born July 1, 1855; died December 19, 1890. 5. Albert, born September 10, 1860; died April 6, 1897.

(For early generations see Bernard Capen 1). (IV) Samuel Capen (2), son of CAPEN Samuel (1) and Susannah (Pay- son) Capen, was born in Dor- chester, March 1, 1686. He married, March 28, 1722, Lydia, born May 13, 1700, died May 30, 1726, daughter of Robert and Sarah (Lewis) Waterman, of Hingham. They re- sided in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and were the parents of two sons: 1. Josiah, bap- tized November 1, 1722. 2. Robert, men- tioned below. Perhaps other children.

(V) Robert, son of Samuel (2) and Lydia (Waterman) Capen, was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, May 30, 1724. He lived on the Ponkapoag plantation lands in what af- terward became Stoughton and now is Can- ton. His home was near the meeting house, and in 1760 he was one of the "English abut- ters whose lands lay adoining Indian lands." He was a private in Captain Peter Talbot's company, Colonel Lemuel Robinson's regi- ment, which marched on the alarm, April 19, 1775, and served five days; also private in Captain Simeon Leach's company, Benjamin Gill's regiment, which marched to fortify Dorchester Heights, March 4, 1776; service five days; also private in Captain Leach's company of guards, Colonel Gill's regiment,

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and marched from Stoughton to Braintree, March 21, 1776, when British ships lay in Boston Harbor; service two days. Robert Capen was styled "gentleman" in two com- missions received from George III in 1763- 68, which commissions are in possession of Mr. Edward N. Capen. He married, Novem- ber 1, 1744, Jane Lyon, born May 2, 1721, daughter of Peter and Waitstill (Wyatt) Ly- on1. Children, all born in Stoughton : I. Samuel, born about 1745, died December, 1809; married, about 1767, Elizabeth With- ington. 2. Lydia, February 27, 1747. 3. Ro- bert, February 28, 1748, died February 9, 1749. 4. Robert, August II, 1750, died Au- gust, 1752. 5. Sarah, April 12, 1751, died May 7, 1755. 6. Robert, August 2, 1752. 7. Waitstill, September 25, 1753. 8. Bethiah, September 19, 1756. 9. Andrew, November 22, 1757, mentioned below. IO. Hannah, 1759, died 181I.

(VI) Andrew, son of Robert and Jane (Lyon) Capen, was born in Stoughton, No- vember 22; 1757, died June 1, 1846. He owned and lived on the farm purchased in 1793 from the heirs of Captain Asahel Smith, and which half a century before had been purchased by Deacon Badlam from Roger Sherman, and the dwelling converted into a public house. During Andrew Capen's oc- cupancy the old tavern was finally closed, al- though the house remained standing until within the memory of persons now living. The property passed from Mr. Capen into pos- session of the town and now forms part of the town farm. Andrew Capen is remem- bered as having been very fond of music, and is mentioned as one of the "singers of tenor" in the "list of scholars at William Billings Sacred Music Singing School at Stoughton" in January, 1774, and in 1836 he was present at the fiftieth anniversary of the Stoughton Musical Society. Mr. Capen married, April 16, 1789, Hannah Richards, born January I, 1770, died November 23, 1843, daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Belcher) Richards, of Sharon, the marriage ceremony being per- formed by Rev. Mr. Curtis. Children : I. Robert, born October 12, 1790, died Novem- ber 6, 1853. 2. Jane, June 17, 1792, died De- cember II, 1794. 3. Hannah, July 16, 1794, died June 20, 1796. 4. Andrew Jr., October 15, 1796, died June 26, 1863. 5. Benjamin, October 1, 1798, died April 10, 1799. 6. Jane, March 1, 1800, died January 23, 1875. 7. Benjamin. April 9, 1802, died June 15, 1823. 8. Nahum, April 1, 1804, mentioned below. 9. iv-26

John, May 14, 1806, died February 7, 1824. IO. Mary, June 22, 1808, died March 24, 1893. II. Hannah, March 19, 1811, died April 24, 1842; married Sawyer Stone.

(VII) Nahum, son of Andrew and Han- nah (Richards) Capen, was born in Canton, Massachusetts, April 1, 1804, died January 8, 1886. He received a good, practical educa- tion, and during young manhood manifested an inclination of literary pursuits. In 1823, at the age of nineteen, he wrote "Plutarch's Lives" with such brief reflections upon each as the words and deeds of their eminent sub- jects suggested to him, and also in the same year wrote a series of articles in favor of free trade. In 1825 he became a partner in the book publishing firm of March, Capen & Lyon, Boston, and there found ample oppor- tunity for the indulgence of his tastes and the gratification of his literary ambition. He was one of the first publishers to propose the en- actment by congress of a copyright law, and presented his memorial to that body setting forth his own views on the subject. In addi- tion to this he wrote letters to Daniel Webster and Henry Clay upon the subject. He was in all respects a man of the times, and several important advances in the public service re- sulted from suggestions originally made by him. One of his letters was considered by congress of sufficient importance to be pub- lished by the senate, and it led to the estab- lishment of a permanent census bureau in Washington. The firm of March, Capen & Lyon engaged the most distinguished writers of that day to prepare works for them, among whom may be mentioned Bishop Potter, of Pennsylvania; Professors Silliman and Olm- stead ; Washington Irving ; Judge Buel, of this country, and also the most eminent writers of the old world. Mr. Capen was selected by Hawthorne to read his first book which was published anonymously, and he was the only man who kept a meteorological journal for publication in Boston, 1825-26-27, showing all the changes of the barometer and ther- mometer. He was also deeply interested in the various systems of metaphysics, theology and the history of religious sects. In 1827 Mr. Capen wrote a description of the solar microscope and its wonders. He lectured upon metaphysics, phrenology and other branches of education.

During the visit of Spurzheim to this coun- try in 1832, he became much interested in Mr. Capen and finally chose him for his critic, con- fidential friend and adviser, although Mr.

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Capen was only twenty-eight years of age and Mr. Spurzheim was fifty-six. This relation continued until the death of Mr. Spurzheim, at which time there remained in the hands of Mr. Capen a number of thousands of dollars which was later turned over to his heirs in England. Mr. Capen also prepared an exten- sive biography of Mr. Spurzheim and edited his works on phrenology and insanity. In 1835- 36 Mr. Capen visited Europe, where he be- came acquainted with the most prominent and distinguished men of the old world, including Sir Charles Bell, Sir James Clark, Dr. Arnott, the Duke of Sussex, Professor Nichols, and was made a member of many scientific associa- tions. He was also personally acquainted with Andrew Jackson, Daniel Webster, John Quin- cy Adams, John C. Calhoun, Martin Van Buren, Longfellow; Bryant, Dickens, Audu- bon, and a large number of other leading men of the day.

Upon his return from England Mr. Capen brought with him documents on the subject of life insurance, and was the first to prepare a mutual company in Boston, and when the present New York Mutual Life Insurance Company was organized his suggestions were followed. In 1840 he wrote and published the "Republic of the United States", dedicated to James Buchanan. He edited the "Massachu- setts State Record" for the years 1847 to 1851 inclusive, and the "Record of Inventive Genius of the Country" from 1790 to 1849. In 1861 he wrote a letter to Peter Cooper en- titled the "Indissoluble Nature of the Ameri- can Union" which was published in a pamphlet of thirty-six pages and extensively circulated. In addition to what has already been mention- ed, Mr. Capen edited a translation of the works of Dr. Gall, "Annals of Phrenology" and the "Writings of Hon. Levi Wood- bury, LL.D." At the time of his death he was engaged in the preparation of what perhaps was his best work, "History of Democracy". The first volume of nearly seven hundred pages was published in 1875, following which extended chapters on political economy and subjects of practical im- portance, abundantly illustrated by noted men, were continuously published until the time of his death. In the prosecution of this work, Mr. Capen read and indexed the "Ecclesiasti- cal, Political and Civil History of the World", as well as the "Science of Government and Political Economy", and published an enor- mous mass of valuable material.

On June 4, 1857, Mr. Capen was appointed

by President Buchanan, postmaster of Boston, and held that office until 1861. He was the first postmaster in the country to introduce street letter boxes for the collection of letters, now a popular system throughout the country, and worked out the free delivery system for the post office department. During the year 1827 there were conferred upon him all the degrees of the Masonic bodies, including the chapter, encampment and grand lodge. He delivered a number of Masonic addresses be- fore the Grand Lodge at different times, and was corresponding secretary of that body from 1833 to 1840. For a time in early life Mr. Capen studied medicine with his elder brother, Dr. Robert Capen, but abandoned that profession on account of ill health. In 1840 Mr. Capen purchased the beautiful resi- dence of Rev. Dr. Thaddeus Mason Harris in the town of Dorchester, which he named Mount Ida.

Mr. Capen married, October 14, 1830, Eliz- abeth Ann, born December 17, 1806, daughter of William and Sarah Moore (Rand) More. Mrs. Capen died July 7, 1897. They had four children : I. Nahum, born November 12, 1831, died April 10, 1834. 2. Elizabeth Sprague, born February 12, 1835, married, January 30, 1865, Shelton Barry ; five children : Caroline Shelton, Elizabeth Capen, Shelton, married Alice Kimpton; Martha Worthing, married Edward McKim Hagar; Edmund Drinan, married Catharine Clapp Humphreys ; they have one child, Charles Humphreys Barry. 3. Edward Nahum, born June 24, 1838, formerly of the firm of Capen, Sprague & Company, now and since 1885 with the Standard Oil Company. 4. Mary Anna, born July 7, 1840; married, May 23, 1861, Alfred Churchill Thacher ; three children: George Churchill, Maria Howard, Elizabeth More.

GILMORE John Gilmore, progenitor of the Wrentham and Franklin, Massachusetts, families, came from sturdy Scotch ancestors. He was born at Glasgow, Scotland, about 1660. It is sup- posed that his parents emigrated to the north of Ireland, where he was reared according to the strict Protestant ideas. Here he came to manhood, taking up the toil of the farmer's lot, and as was the custom of many of those sturdy settlers to learn some kind of trade. At exactly what parish he came from we have not been able to state, but his children were all born in Ulster county, province of Ulster, Ireland. About the year 1700, imbued with

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the spirit of religious freedom and to seek a home in the new land, he emigrated with his family to America, landing at Weymouth, Massachusetts. How long he remained there cannot exactly be determined. His sons, An- drew and James, settled at Raynham, Mas- sachusetts, and it is supposed their father and mother came there with them, as both died there. Their son Andrew settled at Bedford, New Hampshire, where he had numerous de- scendants. John Gilmore was a Presbyterian by faith, and brought his family up in the same faith, his son David being an itinerant preacher. He died at Raynham, July 24, 174I. He married Agness -, doubtless of Scotch birth; she died at Raynham, March 8, 1752; they were buried side by side in the old burial ground at North Raynham. Chil- dren : Andrew, settled at Bedford, New Hampshire; James, mentioned below ; David ; Agnes; Thankful; Nona.

(II) James, son of John Gilmore, was born in Ulster county, north of Ireland, about 1697, died at North Raynham, Massachusetts, No- vember 19, 1773. He emigrated with his fath- er's family to America about 1700, settling for a time at Weymouth, Massachusetts. He removed to Raynham previous to 1730 or possibly later, his father and mother evidently having moved there also. He was a yoeman and cordwainer by trade. He is said to have had ten children, some of them dying in in- fancy. He left a noble posterity, many of whom are now settled in the nearby towns of Wrentham, Franklin and Raynham. Like his father, he was of the strict Presbyterian faith. His wife Thankful and he are buried at North Raynham, and their gravestones are in a good state of preservation. He married, Septem- ber 20, 1725, Thankful Tyrel, born 1705, died February 20, 1789, daughter of William Jr. and Abigail Tyrrel, of Abbington, Massachu- setts. (Thankful is mentioned in her father's will). Children: I. Andrew, named for his uncle, born 1727, died August 10, 1806. 2. Adam, born about 1734, baptized at Bridge- water, 1742. 3. Agnes, born about 1735, bap- tized at West Bridgewater, 1742. 4. Thank- ful, born 1738. 5. William, mentioned be- low. 6. Tyrrel, born March 24,- 1744, died May, 1775; marched on Lexington alarm, April 19, 1775; married Hannah Book, of Foxboro; children: i. Samuel, born Wren- tham, Massachusetts, August II, 1765, died at Holden, Maine, February 27, 1845; he was a soldier in the revolution under Captain Hunt's company, Colonel Creatore, and later

Colonel Jackson's regiment ; married, January 10, 1788, Reumah Hathorn, of Taunton, born in Taunton, September II, 1767, died at Holden, Maine, January 26, 1864; children : David, born September 8, 1789, died April 12, 1868, and John Smith, born September 30, 1812, died February 6, 1905; ii. William; iii. Hannah, married Richard Fisher, of Frank- lin; iv. Hachel, married Eben Crowning- shied, of Cumberland, Rhode Island.

(III) William, son of James Gilmore, was born in 1740, died at Franklin, Massachu- setts, April 21, 1789. He and his wife are buried in the old West Wrentham cemetery. They came to Wrentham before 1766 and set- tled in the west part of the town, now called the "Mount," now Franklin. He was a yoe- man and cooper by trade. May 20, 1771, he owned land, a dwelling and tanyard, and was allowed £3 12 shillings for land taken to con- struct a road near his homestead and those of David Gilmore and Joseph Hills, having been voted by the town to lay out a road by request of Ebenezer Guild and others. His widow Mary resided at Medfield when his estate was inventoried, June 2, 1789, amount- ing to £478 14 shillings 10 pence. It included sheep, geese, swine and herd, seventy-two and a-half acres of home farm, and seven and a-half acres of outland. June 20, 1804, $165 of his estate "now under improvement of his widow" was paid by his son William to Nath- an, another son. He was private in Captain Fairbank's company, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775 ; also same company, Major Metcalf's regiment, entered service December 8, 1777, to December II, 1777; company marched from Wrentham to Provi- dence and Warwick, Rhode Island, on alarm of December 8, 1777 ; roll endorsed Colonel Wheelock's regiment. He married, at Reho- both, Massachusetts, January 1, 1761, by Rev. Robert Rogerson, Mary Peirce, born at Rehoboth, February 23, 1743, died October 18, 1824, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Wil- lard) Peirce, of Rehoboth. Children: I.Tyr- rel, born 1762. 2. Israel, born 1763, died May 26, 1789. 3. Rebecca, born January 16, 1766, married McLane. 4. Peirce, born February 8, 1769, died October 4, 1775. 5. William, mentioned below. 6. Otis, born January 1, 1778, died June 9, 1778. 7. Na- than, born March 4, 1779, died July 16, 1855; married, October 5, 1797, Nancy Fisher. 8. Sanford, born January 10, 1782. 9. Ruhama. (IV) William (2), son of William (I) Gil- more, was born at Franklin (then Wren-

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tham), December II, 1772, died at Franklin, February 12, 1841. He early kept a general store, being a bright, energetic business man. He had a fine education for his times. He was the first man in Franklin to go to New York to buy goods. He later settled on a farm on King street, near Union street, Franklin, where he built his homestead and barn, these being next to the present home of Edward Dean. In his will he left his daugh- ters $500 apiece, his son Samuel receiving the homestead. He amassed considerable prop- erty, and had a large stock of cattle, sheep and horses, being a shrewd trader in these. He was a rank Whig and loyal to the cause of right. His will is dated September 26, 1830. Samuel Gilmore, his son, was sole ex- ecutor. His wife, Molly (Hills) Gilmore, re- ceived one-third, and to his several children sums of money. The remainder of the estate was given to sons, Philander S. and Samuel. December 31, 1841, Philander S. Gilmore, for the sum of $1500, quitclaims all his fath- er's estate to Samuel his brother. William Gilmore married, October 10, 1798, Molly Hills, born November 20, 1776, at Wren- tham, died February 14. 1839, at Franklin, daughter of Captain Joseph and Mary (Ware) Hills. Captain Joseph Hills was born April 20, 1720, died June 10, 1815; he was sergeant in Captain Asa Fairbank's com- pany and marched to siege of Boston under Washington ; he was later captain. Children : I. William, born 1798, died December 3, 1821. 2. Joseph Hills, born 1801, died April 16, 1821. 3. Mary Ann, married, June 24, 1828, Horace B. Hall. 4. Philander Smith, mentioned below. 5. Abigail Charlotte, born October 24, 1812; married (first) August 2, 1835, Leonard A. Arnold, of Cumberland; (second) Henry Richards. 6. Samuel Tyrrel, born May 3, 1814, at Natick, died February 22, 1886. 7. Albert, born October 26, 1817, died October 29, 1817. 8. Olive Maria, bor11 June 5, 1819, at Natick, married, April 4, 1840, Elbridge Howe. 9. Adeline Jane, born June 30, 1820.

(V) Philander Smith, son of William (2) Gilmore, was born at Franklin, Massachusetts, died at Medway, Massachusetts, and was buried at Franklin. He worked on his father's farm, attending the district school then situ- ated on King street, going during the winter terms. He remained on the farm up to early manhood. He was a rugged man until his health became impaired by typhus fever. He owned the farm afterward known as the Al-

bert Bacon place, later worked the farms of Jason Tower, Alden Mann and Comfort Whipple on halves, then settled at South Franklin, where he leased a farm for a time, subsequently removing to Franklin Center, and conducted the H. M. Green boarding house, adjacent to Dean Academy, he and his wife managing the same for five years. He. then removed to Lawrence, Massachusetts, and entered the employ of his son, Joseph H. F. Gilmore, in his bleachery, where he re- mained four years, subsequently removing to Medway, Massachusetts, after retiring from all active business, and there lived with his daughter. His death occurred there. He was a strictly temperate man, never having tasted liquor. He was a faithful member of the Uni- versalist church at Franklin. He was honest to a fault, and never known to take advantage in any of his dealings. He became an author- ity on the Scriptures, and was a well informed Universalist, being a charter member of that church. He served in the early militia. He married, October 27, 1831, Nancy Clark, born at Franklin, December 27, 1812, died at Chel- sea, daughter of Nathan and Nancy (Payson) Clark, of Franklin. Nathan Clark was a butcher by trade. Children : I. Nancy Maria, born at Franklin, May 14, 1832, died there May 31, 1851. 2. William Smith, born at Franklin, March 15, 1834, died at Methuen; married Lucy Wormel. 3. Joseph Hills, men- tioned below. 4. Martha Louisa, born at Franklin, April 23, 1840, died at Chelsea ; married Abion Leslie Ruggles; children : Arthur, Annie, William, Mabel, Gilbert, Lil- lian, Carrie, Dimond. 5. Theron Gilbert, born at Franklin, April 22, 1847, died October 24, 1852. 6. Albert Philander, born October, 1850, died September 16, 1852.

(VI) Joseph Hills, son of Philander Smith Gilmore, was born at Franklin, Massachusetts, April 10, 1836, on what was then known as the old Colonel Thurston farm, on the road to Unionville. He was educated in the district school up to the age of eighteen, working meanwhile on his father's farm. He then en- tered the straw shop of H. M. Green & Baker, where he became a hat presser, remaining up to April 1, 1861, when he removed to Law- rence, Massachusetts, entering the employ of James Gilmore in his hat and bonnet bleach- ery, and after three months purchased his em- ployer's interest and conducted the business about two years, selling out to his brother, William S. Gilmore ; the business was located on Essex street. He then removed to Bangor,

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Maine, where for three years he conducted a bleachery, residing at Brewer, Maine. He later disposed of this business, and traveled through Aroostook county, buying and selling horses, swine and farm products ; most of his business, as far as selling was concerned, was in Bangor. Subsequently he returned to Law- rence, Massachusetts, and purchased a farm at Methuen, where he remained about four years. He then disposed of this and removed to Worcester, Massachusetts, where he took the agency of the Aetna sewing machines, in 1876. He had a store at the lower end of Main street, residing at New Worcester. He later made a medicine for scrofula, also a German liniment, and with these traveled through the country, selling them extensively, meeting with marked success. At the end of five years residence at Worcester he removed to Natick, where he was proprietor of a drug store for six years. He then removed to Chi- cago, where he was engaged in renting rooms, and later had a coal office, and was also en- gaged in the fruit, confectionery, bakery, ice cream and other lines of business. He remain- ed in Chicago eighteen years. After his third marriage, in 1897, he removed to Swartwout, Mississippi, near the Alabama line, thirty miles from Mobile. Here he farmed and raised poultry, sugar cane, figs and oranges. In 1904 he disposed of his property and came to Franklin, Massachusetts, the home of his birth. He purchased the old Elias Blake place, a part of the Harding farm, situated in the "Mount", about two miles from the Center. Mr. Gilmore is a successful poultry raiser, having erected the best improved poultry houses, carrying a large stock of mixed breeds from the eggs, for which he finds a market in Boston and Franklin. Since 1856 he has been affiliated with the First Universalist Church at Franklin, having been a charter member. Shortly after his last marriage he accepted Christian Science, Mrs. Gilmore being a de- voted member of that sect, both attending the branch of the Mother Church of Boston, now in Franklin. He is a Republican in politics. He is strongly opposed to liquor selling and gambling. He was formerly a member of the Knights of the Golden Cross and the Royal Arcanum.

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV, Part 13

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848- Publication date: 1910 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 886

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 886