History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 51

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1818

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others as they saw fit, but in regular order. Some fifty persons called " Associates" joined them, and the name of John Wing appears as the forty-fifth in said list. Nearly all had families, and in order to become a freeman their characters must be acceptable to the Governor. Church membership and a regular attendance upon and a proper support of public wor- ship at authorized places were indispensable requi- sites to becoming a freeman. The town was incor- porated as early as 1639, and the Indian name of " Shawnee" was exchanged for that of Sandwich. The old traditional home of John Wing was situated about one mile from the present village of Sandwich, near a stream of water between two beautiful ponds, and on a highland overlooking the lower sheet of water and the town. Mr. Wing appears to have been a plain man, of ordinary intelligence, never aspiring to political distinctions, and only ambitious to culti- vate his land and decently to rear his children. In a few instances, however, his name occurs on the records of the General Court as one well qualified for public business. All reliable accounts mention only three sons,-Daniel, John, and Stephen,-who came with him in the same vessel and accompanied him until his settlement in Sandwich. The date of the death of John Wing and his wife Deborah are not known, as the early records are so imperfect and some are lost.

Daniel Wing, the eldest son of John and Deborah (Bachiler) Wing, of Sandwich, Mass., came with his father from England, and accompanied him until he settled at Sandwich. They resided near each other. June 28, 1640, Andrew Hallett conveyed certain landed property to Daniel Wing, the instrument being wit- nessed by John Wing and Edward Dillingham. In 1643, Daniel Wing was enrolled with his brothers among those who were at that time between the ages of sixteen and sixty, and therefore liable to bear arms. In 1652 we find his name among those ap- pointed to take charge of the fishing interests of the place.

In 1654 a mill for the accommodation of the in- habitants, costing twenty pounds, was paid for by Daniel Wing and twenty-one other inhabitants. In 1655 the name of Daniel Wing and a number of the prominent citizens of Sandwich are first mentioned in connection with a serious religious dissension in the town. In 1657 the people called Quakers made their first appearance in Sandwich, and Mr. Wing early became an adherent to that faith. In March, 1658, he was fined twenty shillings for entertaining Quakers at his home. Mr. Wing refused to take the " oath of fidelity" because this particular oath pledged him to assist in the execution of an intolerant enact- ment. He was therefore fined twenty pounds.

In December, 1658, he was excluded from the num- ber of freemen. He married Hannah, a daughter of John Swift, of an old and honorable family in the western part of the town, Sept. 5, 1641.

B. OF. Thing

Aber H Quois

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DARTMOUTH.

She died Dec. 1, 1664, soon after the birth of her youngest child, and he died the same year.

They had eleven children, of whom Daniel was the youngest, born Nov. 28, 1664. The descendants of Daniel Wing have nearly all been connected with the Society of Friends. Daniel, Jr.3 (Daniel2, John1), was entered as townsman of Sandwich in 1691, and married, in 1686, Deborah, a daughter of Henry Dill- ingham, "in Friends' way." His residence was near his father's. He appears to have been the owner of a considerable amount of property. "On the 13th of May, 1717, he deeded half of his undivided interest in some lands which he owned in Dartmouth, Bristol Co., Mass., to his son Edward. In the deed Daniel speaks of himself as a cooper and of Edward as a husbandman. They had seven children, the eldest of whom was Edward, born July 10, 1687, in Sandwich, where he resided until he removed to Dartmouth and followed the occupation of a farmer. He was mar- ried three times; first to Desire Smith, of Dartmouth, November, 1713; second, to Sarah (daughter of Abra- ham and Hannah) Tucker, June 1, 1714; and third, to Patience Ellis, October, 1728. By his second mar- riage he had Edward, born in Sandwich in 1720; Abraham, born at Dartmouth, Aug. 4, 1721 ; Jeremiah, and perhaps Jedediah.

Joseph, a son of Edward and Sarah (Tucker) Wing, married Catharine -. Among their children were Matthew, - Daniel, and John. John married Je- mima Shepherd at the Friends' meeting-house in Dartmouth Oct. 5, 1753. At an early period he be- came a resident, with Abraham, Edward, and Jede- diah Wing, of Dutchess County, N. Y. Jemima died Nov. 28, 1816. They had three children,-Catharine, Dorcas, and John, who was born May 4, 1756 ; mar- ried Mercy Almy in Dartmouth May 4, 1780; died Jan. 1, 1832. His wife was born March 5, 1755, and died Jan. 5, 1850. They had nine children, viz., Lydia, Joseph, Catharine, Pardon, Patience, Abigail, Jemima, John, and Almy.

Pardon, son of John and Mercy (Almy) Wing, was born March 22, 1788, and died October, 1860. He married, about 1808, Almy, daughter of Peleg and Elizabeth (Ricketson) Slocum, of Dartmouth. Their children are Joseph, Catharine, Peleg S., Eliza, Ben- jamin F., Caroline, William R., and John.

Benjamin Franklin Wing, son of Pardon and Almy (Slocum) Wing, was born in Dartmouth, Mass., Oct. 22, 1822. He was reared in the quiet industry of a farmer's home, and was early imbued with those qualities of economy, diligence, sobriety, and per- severance that are always the stepping-stones to success. His advantages for education were the meagre ones of the country schools of the period. In 1840 he commenced a maritime life on whale ships, and continued it for ten voyages, six of which he was master. His seafaring was fortunate and successful. Captain Wing has erected a beautiful residence, and made by its surroundings a pleasant home on the

farm in Dartmouth, which he purchased in 1855, at the head of the Apponegansett River, and where he now resides. He married March 20, 1851, Emily, daughter of John and Charity Gifford, of an old New England family. She was born in Westport, Mass., April 9, 1825. Their children are Laura A., married Abraham Tucker, and has one child; Joseph F .; John Franklin, graduated at Amherst, June, 1882, now a student of mineralogy and chemistry at Göt- tingen, Germany ; Herbert, attending commercial college at Providence, R. I.

Capt. Wing has several times had important trusts confided to him by his fellow-citizens. He has been selectman seven successive terms, six times being chairman. Republican in politics, he represented Dartmouth in the Legislatures of 1872-73, and his senatorial district in 1876. His duties were discharged with ability in the interests of his constituents. He is in harmony with the better elements of society, and is one of the substantial men of Dartmouth.

ABNER H. DAVIS.

Abner Hicks Davis, son of Philip and Clarissa (Macomber) Davis, was born in Dartmouth, Sept. 20, 1819. His father, being of intemperate habits, did not properly provide for his family, and his earliest years were passed in poverty, relieved only by the en- ergy and industry of a faithful mother,-a woman of undaunted courage and sterling worth. When young Abner was but ten years old the prospect of a cheer- less and unprovided-for winter made it an act of ne- cessity for both mother and son to leave their so- called home and earn their own living. Abner went to Newport, R. I., to work on a farm for George Arm- strong. His father did not know his whereabouts for a month, when he discovered where he was and came to see him. The young lad was fearful he would be carried back to the poverty from which he was escaping, but his father gave him his choice of staying or returning. Mr. Armstrong told him if he remained with him he must be indentured as an ap- prentice for seven years, and he would like to have him stay. Much depended on the boy's decision, but even at that youthful period he had the good sense to go into the apprenticeship. He was to receive his board and clothes and three months' schooling each year. Faithfully and well he served his master, and at the conclusion of his time, in the winter of 1836, went to New Bedford and attended school three months, " doing chores" for his board for Nehemiah Leonard, and for his tuition sawing the school-house wood and sweeping the room. We may easily con- ceive that the advantages thus secured were appre- ciated and diligently improved. The next summer was spent as farm-hand for the son of Mr. Armstrong at Newport. Realizing the importance of education in the struggle of life, he attended school in New Bedford during 1838-39, boarding with Capt. Daniel

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Wood. Here he made friends, and in the spring of 1840 secured a clerkship in the employ of Ivory H. Bartlett, with a salary of two hundred and seventy- five dollars per year, boarding himself. Here he re- mained two years, the second year receiving fifty dollars advance.

In the spring of 1842 he engaged with Charles R. Tucker in same capacity,-three hundred and seventy- five dollars salary. After one year he entered the em- ploy of the well-known house of Isaac Howland, Jr., & Co., the largest whaling shippers in the country, as outside clerk or overseer. Such was the faithful service given, and such was the appreciation thereof, that for twenty-two years he remained with this house, receiving at various periods from three hundred and seventy-five dollars to one thousand dollars, which for several years was paid him. His economy and thrift had during this period accumulated some money, which in a small way he adventured in va- rious vessels, the first being one-eighth interest in merchant brig "Osceola," which he helped to build. This investment proved remunerative, and he after- ward had interests in the merchant vessels schooner " Boxer," sloop "New York," schooners "Naiad Queen," ".James H. ,Ashmead," "Henry Gibbs," " Eveline," barkentine "Jane A. Falkenburgh," ships " Otseonta," "Hibernia," and "John Coggs- well," and the whalers "John Dawson," "Elizur F. Mason," "Mary," "Charles W. Morgan," " Triton," " Kathleen," "Sunbeam," etc. In 1881, Edward M. Robinson withdrew from the firm of Isaac Howland, Jr., & Co., and joined that of William T. Coleman & Co., of New York City, becoming the capitalist of the firm. This house did an immense business, and was the largest Californian shipping house in the city. In 1862, Mr. Davis followed Mr. Robinson and became outside superintendent of the firm, with a salary first of fifteen hundred dollars, then of two thousand five hundred dollars. He remained here three years, and in 1865, at the death of Mr. Rob- inson, with Henry A. Barling, a fellow-employé, as partner, commenced business for himself under firm-name of Barling & Davis, as commission mer- chants, at 163 Pearl Street, New York City. This partnership continued for thirteen years, with satis- factory success and the most friendly feelings, Mr. Barling being a gentleman of superior business abil- ity and highest integrity, as well as valuable and pleasant social qualities. Whatever Mr. Davis has acquired in business matters he ascribes to the valu- able experience secured under Mr. Robinson, a busi- ness man of the highest qualities and tireless industry.

The steady application to business and the intensity of the life of the city steadily wore upon Mr. Davis' constitution until, on account of failing health, in 1868, he withdrew from the partnership, and for two years devoted himself to the recuperation of his pros- trated nature. This he succeeded in accomplishing. In 1879 he removed to the farm in Dartmouth which

he had purchased in 1867, and has since devoted him- self to its improvement and the out-door exercise connected therewith. From an ordinary farm of fifty-four acres, under his administration it has in- creased to one hundred and eighty acres, and wonder- fully changed its appearance. No expense nor labor has been spared to make it both beautiful and pro- ductive, and with an unsurpassed natural location, in full view of the city of New Bedford, it presents a series of fertile fields, artistically laid out, and each surrounded by a beautiful stone wall. This has grown up under Mr. Davis' own eye, and from his own de- signs.

The writer has traveled in many of the United States, and has never seen so nice a combination of nature and art in developing a farm, nor so really convenient farm buildings as those constructed by Mr. Davis. The view from the back of the house to the east is especially noticeable. In doing this great labor Mr. Davis employs many persons, and may be considered truly a benefactor, and is also a pattern and bright example to the thoughtful young agri- culturists of the period. Mr. Davis married Eunice T., danghter of John and Jane (Finkham) Shurtleff, Aug. 13, 1844. She was born in Rochester, Mass., Feb. 4, 1821. She claims descent from the old and honored English Carver family, so noted in the annals of Plymouth Colony. Their family consists of Sarah C., born Feb. 2, 1850, and Clarissa H., born Sept. 4, 1869. Sarah married Joseph K. Upham, of New York City, and has two children, Eunice and Leroy.

Mr. Davis is a self-made man in the highest sense, a courteous and amiable Christian gentleman. Of great energy and perseverance, he has risen by his own in- dustry and good habits to an independent and grati- fying position, and is respected by all the better portion of community. He has been Whig and Republican in politics ; as such was a member of the Common Council of New Bedford in 1862. Both himself and wife are members of the North Christian Church of New Bedford, and are liberal to all deserving causes. The lesson of his life may well be studied, and with advantage by every poor and friendless boy struggling toward a higher life.

JOSEPH TUCKER.

The family of Tuckers now living within the original limits of the township of Dartmouth trace their ancestry to Henry Tucker, who, according to tradition, came from the County of Kent, England. He first settled in the town of Milton, in this State, probably as early as 1650. It is related that he not approving of the proceedings of the colonial govern- ment at Boston respecting the severe laws passed and judgments enforced against the Quakers, left Milton and finally settled in Dartmouth, within the limits of the Plymouth Colony. This was a short time subse- I quently to 1660. The following was copied from an

Joseph Jucker

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inscription on a tree near the residence of Benjamin Tucker in Dartmouth, 5th mo. 5, 1844:

" First Settled By Heury Tucker 1660 who died 1694 succeeded by son John

who died 1751, aged 95 . suced by son Joseph who died 1790 aged 94 suced by son John who died 1820, aged 88."

The house he built and lived in stood in the same yard, and within a few feet of the one now owned and occupied by J. S. Gidley.

In 1669 he bought of William Allen, of Sandwich, one-third of the original shares into which the town- ship as then held was divided. In 1679 he made another purchase of James Sampson, of Portsmouth, R. I., of a limited number of acres in the undivided lands of the town. By these, and perhaps other acquired rights, when the town was afterwards sur- veyed and divided among the proprietors in severalty, his two sons, Abraham and John (their father being then deceased), became entitled to and received sev- eral hundred acres of land adjoining their respective homesteads. This land mostly remained in the pos- session of their descendants until within some fifty or sixty years. It has now, however, all passed out of the name, except the homestead and some out-lots belonging to J. and S. Tucker, which form part of the original tract settled by Henry, and laid out to his son John.

These first settlers and their descendants down to a late period were mostly farmers, and worthy and ex- emplary members of the Society of Friends. Living on their paternal farms, they pursued the even tenor of their ways in quietness and peace. Having the respect and confidence of their neighbors and the community, they were called occasionally by their townspeople to places of trust in town affairs, and more often by the society of which they were mem- bers to fill important stations and perform various duties therein. The impression left upon the minds of their living descendants is that they were earn- estly engaged to live a life "void of offense towards God and towards men."

Joseph Tucker resides in the central part of the town, and is the oldest living representative of the Tucker family. The farm which he occupies was the homestead of his father and grandfather, and though not included in the original survey made to the sons of Henry, has, however, been in the family of Jo- seph and his ancestors over a century.

He is an example of a sagacious and successful farmer, and is much respected by his friends and ac- quaintances. He is the fifth in descent from Henry, as the following list of his ancestors' names will show : His father, Edward, died 1832, aged sixty-seven years. His father, Joseph, Jr., died 1827, aged cighty- seven years. His father, Joseph, died 1790, aged

ninety-three years, eight months. His father, John, died 1751, aged ninety-five years. His father, Henry, died 1694, aged sixty-seven years.

Since the commencement of the present century several of the descendants have engaged in other pursuits, in which they have been in some cases more than ordinarily successful. Among these we may mention William Tucker and Charles R. Tucker.

Joseph Tucker, son of Edward and Anna (Gifford) Tucker, was born on the farm where he now resides in Dartmouth, Dec. 12, 1806. His educational ad- vantages were limited to three months each winter until he was some fifteen years of age. His time has been entirely devoted to agriculture, and he now owns some three hundred acres of well-improved land, por- tions of which, especially the home farm, have been in the family for more than a century. He is a Whig and Republican in politics, but has never been an aspirant for political honors. He married Phebe, daughter of Allen and Hannah Howland, May 17, 1831. She was born Dec. 2, 1811, in Dartmouth. She had one brother, Holder Howland. Their chil- dren are Edward Tucker, born Jan. 2, 1836 ; Abram R. Tucker, born Nov. 18, 1841.

Edward Tucker married Abby Potter, and has one daughter, Nellie, who married William P. Macom- ber, and they have a son, Edward S.

Abram R. Tucker married Laura A., daughter of Capt. B. F. Wing (see B. F. Wing's biography), and has one son, Joseph F. Allen Howland, son of Joshua, and grandson of Timothy, married for his second wife Rhoda, daughter of Lilly Strafford, and had five children, -- Elihu, Hannah, Lucy (deceased), Sarah (deceased), and John R. (deceased).

THE TRAFFORD FAMILY.

The Trafford family in this country are descended from a prominent Protestant family of England, which, under the popish persecutions, suffered much in person and estate. The first Trafford who started for America was a wealthy gentleman living near London. He was selected as a victim for death during the last Catholic persecution in England, and was warned when the officers coming to arrest him were approaching his house, and not having time to escape he hastily put on his groom's clothes and engaged in labor in the stables. The officers came, found no one but the grooms, and de- parted. Trafford then left the place, and chartered a vessel to remove himself and family to America. Here he passes from our knowledge. Whether he was captured and was executed, or died while at sea, are equally unknown to us. The vessel, however, came to America, and landed at Dartmouth, Mass., about 1690, bringing his two sons, one of whom was Thomas. The English estates were confiscated, and reverted to the crown. Thomas settled in Dartmouth,

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married, and had children. From the landing at Dartmouth the Trafford family has been connected with the history of Bristol County. The oldest son of Thomas and the only child attaining maturity was Philip. He had a son Joseph, who was a Revolu- tionary soldier under Washington. Tradition says that once, while he was standing guard, Washington endeavored to make the rounds without giving the countersign. He succeeded in passing two of the guards, but Trafford refused to let him pass until he had given the proper countersign. From that time Joseph Trafford was the one chosen for duties of great trust and especial responsibilities, and he was rapidly promoted, becoming one of the best officers in his division. He lived and died in Dartmouth, leaving seven children,-Samuel, Joseph, William Bradford1, Philip, Phebe, Ruth, and Naomi. We find in family records that Joseph had a brother Elihu, who with two others ran a vessel from New Bedford to New York and up the Connecticut River. While the vessel was moored at New Bedford, Elihu and two others started on foot to visit their friends in Dartmouth. When but a short distance out they ob- served British soldiers following them, when they shot at them, and the soldiers returning their fire instantly killed all three. (For further history of the Trafford family, see page 381.)

FREDERICK ALMY.

Frederick Almy, third son of Thomas and Sarah Almy, was born in Dartmouth, Mass., April 30, 1811, where he lived until 1837, when he settled in business in Boston, Mass., and lived there or in the vicinity till the time of his death.

In 1828 he commenced business at Russell's mills, Dartmouth, Mass., keeping a small country store, and continued there till 1837, the time of his removal to Boston. He then, with his elder brother, William Almy, Joseph W. Patterson, and Jarvis Slade, formed the firm of Almy, Patterson & Co. Mr. Slade retired in 1846, and Mr. Patterson in 1865, when the firm became Almy, Hobart & Co .; this firm lasted two years, and was succeeded by Almy & Co. Jan. 1, 1868, Frederick Almy being the senior, Henry Almy (Wil- liam Almy's son), Francis N. Foster, and George P. Slade (Jarvis Slade's son), being associated with him. This firm was dissolved December, 1872, on account of Mr. Frederick Almy's ill-health, and so ended the succession of firms which had been as land-marks in the dry-goods business for so many years.

His life was entirely devoted to business, and, with the exception of a directorship in the National Eagle Bank of Boston, he held no public office.

He died Aug. 6, 1875. In 1847 was married to Susan H. Niles, daughter of Thomas Niles, of Boston ; there were four children,-Elizabeth B. Almy, Fred- erick Almy, Edward P. Almy, Henry N. Almy.

CHAPTER XIX.

DIGHTON.1

" There is properly no history, only biography."-EMERSON.

IT is probable that, in common with several other towns, the territory now the town of Dighton was first visited ,by white men on that memorable occasion in July, 1621, when Winslow and Hopkins, with the friendly Squanto as guide and interpreter, journeyed from Plymouth to Pokanoket, on the shores of Narra- gansett Bay, to visit the sachem Massasoit.

Yet their discovery of this region may have been forestalled in the eleventh century by the Norsemen, in their visits to the uncertain region they had named Vinland, or possibly by the Florentine, Verazzano, who, as every school-boy ought to know, sailed up Narragansett Bay in 1524 and lay at anchor for a fortnight in the sheltered haven that is now Newport Harbor, from whence he may have sent exploring par- ties up the Cohannet, or Taunton River ; but in the absence of any record of previous discovery, Dighton Rock being nearly given up as a relic of the Norse rovers, the Plymouth worthies must be considered as the discoverers of our township.

As we read the quaint narrative of their journey into the unknown wilderness, it is not difficult to im- agine what must have been the aspect of the country through which they passed, where vast silent stretches of forest were occasionally broken by sparkling ponds and streams, or by deserted Indian plantations, from which the inhabitants had been swept by the great plague of 1617.2 Whether this terrible sickness was the yellow fever, as some suppose, or some other equally fatal disease, will never be known, but what- ever it was it devastated the country from the Penob- scot to Narragansett Bay, sparing only the Nausets on Cape Cod. "As we passed along," says the his- torian of the journey, "we observed that there were few places by the river that had not been inhabited, by reason whereof much ground was cleared, save of weeds which grew higher than our heads."

The two sturdy explorers, tramping on after their taciturn guide, must have had even their unpoetic minds touched by the solemn grandeur of the prim- eval forests, with its dim religious light and its awe-in- spiring stillness, broken by scarcely a sound save their own footfalls. At times, perhaps, the spell would be broken by the chatter of a chipmunk overhead, or the howl of some beast of prey in the dim recesses of the woods. But silence and solitude were the chief char- acteristics of the land.

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History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 51

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1818

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1818