History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 184

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 184

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1838. Nathaniel Foster. John Burrill, Jr. John Pearson. Wm. D. Lankester. John M. Cooper.

1839. John Merrill. Stephen Caldwell.

Isaac Pearson. Anthony Knap. Jacob Horton.

1840. Thos. Buntin. Moses Merrill.

Isaac II. Boardman.

Isaac Stevens.

1847. Thos. Davis.

1848. Same.

1811. Thos, Buntin.

Moses Merrill.

Jeaac II. Boardman. Ezra Lunt. Moses Davenport, Jr.

1842. Moses Merrill.

1850. Same.

1851. Nathaniel Horton. llenry Johnson. John M. Cooper. Samuel Phillips. Samuel T. Payson.

The following is a list of Newburyport members of the General Court and of the Provincial Congress, chosen in the years set against their names. From 1858 to 1867 Newburyport formed parts of three Rep- resentative Districts,-Amesbury, Salisbury and Ward 6 formed the First Essex District, Wards 1 and 2 the Eighteenth Essex District and Wards 3, 4 and 5 the Nineteenth Essex District. From 1867 to 1877 Newburyport and Newbury formed the Sixth Essex District, and since 1877 they have formed the Six- teenth Essex District :

1764. Daniel Farnham. 1765. Dudley Atkins. 1766. Benj. Greenleaf.

1767. Benj. Greenleaf. 1768. Benj. Greenleaf.

1769. Jonathan Greenleaf. 1770. Benj. Greenleaf.

1771. Jonathan Greenleaf. 1772. Jonathan Greenleaf. 1773. Jonathan Greenleat.

1774. Jonathan Greenleaf.

1775. Jonathan Greenleaf. Stephen Cross. Benj. Greenleaf, excused.

1776. Jonathan Jackson. Tristram Dalton. John Lowell. Moses Little.

1777. Jonathan Greenleaf. Jonathan Jackson. Stephen Cross. Moses Frazier. Jacob Bourdman.

1778. Jonathan Greenleaf. Stephen Cross. Jonathan Titcomb. Moses Frasier. Win. Coombs.

1779. Jonathan Greenleaf. Jonathan Titcomb. Stephen Cross. Theophilus Parsons,

1780. Jonathan Greenleaf. Jonathan Titcomb. 1781. Jonathan Titcomb. Nathaniel Tracy. Moses Frazier.

1782. Nathaniel Tracy. Jonathan Titcomb. Tristram Dalton.

1783. Jonathan Titcomb. Stephen Cross.

1784. Tristram Dalton. Rufus King.

1785. Edward Wigglesworth. Rufus King. Tristram Dalton.

1819. Samuel Emerson.

Arthur Gilman. Prescott Spalding. Stephen W. Marston. Daniel Swett.

1820. Stephen W. Marstop. Daniel Swett. Wm. Cross. Joseph O'Brien. James Princo.

1821. Stephen W. Marston. Daniel Swett. Wm. Cross. Phillip Coombs. James Prince,

1822. Stephen W. Marston. Phillip Coombs. Ebenezer Wheslriglit. John Wood. Anthony Smith.

1823. Phillip Coombs. Ebenezer Wheelright. Anthony Smith. Ebenezer Mosely. Wm. Davis.

1824. Ebenezer Mosely. Ebenezer Wheelright. Phillip Coombs. Anthony Smith. Wm. Davis.

1825. John Wells, Jr.

Samnel S. Plummer. Axa W. Wildes. Whittingham Gilman. Green Sanborn.

1826. Samuel S. Plummer. Asa W. Wildes. Whittingham Gilman.

Green Sanborn. John Cook, Jr.

1827. Asa W. Wildes. John Cook, Jr. Thomas Buntin. John S. Pearson. Moses Merrill.

1828. John Cook, Jr,

Thomas Buntin. Moses Merrill.

Charles Il. Balch. Caleb Cushing.

1829. Charles Il. Balch.

Eben Stone. Samuel T. DeFoord. llenry Frothingham. Henry Merrill.

1830. Charles 1I. Balch.

Eben Stone. Samuel T. DeFoord.

llenry Frothingham. Henry Merrill.

1831. Charles II. Balch.

Eben Stone. Ilenry Johnson. Nathaniel Horton. Tristram Coffin (3d).

Geo. Emery. Samuel Currier. Edward Toppan, Jr.

John Pearson.

1843. Moses Merrill. Geo, Emory.

W'm. Nichols. Edward Toppan, Jr. John Pearson. 1844. John Pearson. Edward Toppan. W'm. Nichols. Moses Davenport. Jobn Burrill, Jr.

1845. Wm. Nichols. John Pearson. Edward Toppan, Jr. John Burrill. John Huse.

1846. Chas. French. Henry Johnson. John Stone. Nathaniel Horton.

WID. Moody, Moses Davenport, Jr.

Albert Currier. Henry Johnson. Robert Bayley, Jr. Nathaniel Horton.

1849. Same.

1786. Jonathan Titcomb. Stephen Cross. 1787. Daniel Kilham. 1788. Jonathan Greenleaf. Theophilus Parsons. Win. Coombs. Jonathan Marsh.

1789. Wm. Coombs. Theophilus Parsons.

1832. ('has. H. Balch. Stephen Tilton. Ilenry Johnson. Nathaniel Ilorton. Tristram Cottin (3d).

1818. Richard Bartlett. Stephen Iloward. Arthur Gilman. Samuel Emerson. John Scott.

NEWBURYPORT.

Jonathan Marsh. 1790. Jonathan Greenleef. Theophilus Parsons. Jonathan Marsh.

1791. Same. 1792. Enoch Titcomb. Stephen Cross. Josiah Smith. 1793. Enoch Titcomb. 1794. Same. 1795. Same. 1796. Same. 1797. Same.

1798. Same.

1799. Eooch Titcomb. Wm. Coombs. Jonathan Marsh. Joshua Carter.

1800. Same.

1801. Enoch Titcomb. Wow. Coombs. Jonathan Marsh. Win. Bartlett.

1802. William Coombs. Jonathan Marsh. William Bartlet. George Bradbury. 1803. Jonathan Marsh. Jeremiah Nelson. Nicholas Johnson. Thomas Carter. Thos. M. Clark. Mark Fritz.

1804. Same.

1805. Jonathan Marsb. Nicholas Pike.

Andrew Frothingham. Bishop Norton. Ed. St. Loe Livermore. Edward Little. Jonathan Gage.

1806. Jonathan Gage. Edward Little. Ed. St. Loe Livermore. Mark Fitz. Andrew Frothingham. Stephen Howard. John Pearson. 1807. Same, withont Mr. Liver- more.

1808. Mark Fitz.

Stephen W. Marston.

Abner Wood. Henry Frothingham. Wm. S. Allen.

1830. Same, with George Lunt and Ebenezer Bradbury io place of Woi. S. Allen and Abner Wood.

1831. Charles H. Balch.

Wol. Farris

Thos. M. Clark.

William Davis. Win. S. Allen.

1832. Caleb Cushing.

Charles H. Balch.

WIII. S. Allen. Win. Davis.

Moses P. Parish. Win. Farris.

1833. Same, with Ebenezer Mosely in place of Mr. Parish.

1834

1834. Ebenezer Mosely. Charles 11. Balch. Win. S. Alleo. W'm. Davis. Tristram Coffin.

Solomon H. Currier.

1835.

1836. 1sanc Stone. Charles H. Balch.

George Lunt. 1837. Joseph B. Morse.

1862. John D. Pike. Caleb Cushing. George J. George.

1863. George Goodwin. Albert W. Stevens.

1815. Jonathan Gage.

Stephen Howard.

Isaac Adams.

Samuel L. Koapp. Wm. Chase, Jr. Ebenezer Mosely. Edward S. Raod.

1816. Same, with Wm. Chase io place of W'm. Chase, Jr.

1817. Ebenezer Mosely. Stephen Howard.

1818. Same. 1819. Abner Wood.

Ebenezer Mosely. George Jenkins. Stephen Howard. Stephen W. Marstoo. Edward S. Raod.

1844. Frederick I. Coffin. John Coombs. Benjamin R. Knapp.

1845. None.

1846. Ebenezer Bradbury. Caleb Cushing.

1847. Ebenezer Bradbury.

1822. Same.

1823. John Merrill.

Johu Coffin.

1824. Same.

1825. Ebenezer Shillaber.

Juha Coffin.

Caleb Cushing.

186. Joba Coffin,

Robert Cross.

1827. Wm. Farris.

1851. Isaac H. Boardman.

1875. Caleb B. IIuse.

Michael AtkiegoQ.

1876. Eben F. Stone.

1852. Wm. E. Currier.

Caleb B. IInse.

Moses Daveoport.

1877. Eben. F. Stone. Jolin W. Ricker.

Amos Wood.

1853. Wm. E. Currier.

1878. Benjamin F. Atkissoo. Samson Levy.

Charles H. Balch.

Amuos Wood.

1879. Eben F Stone. Anios Coffin.

1854. Wm. II. Huse.

Daniel M. Reed. Joshua D. Robinson.

1880. Amos Coffio. Edward P. Shaw.

Jonathan Gage. Andrew Frothingham. Joho Pearson. Stephen Howard.

Thos. M. Clark.

Abder Wood. Jobn Peabody.

1809. Same, with Joseph Dana io place of Mr. Clark. 1810. Mark Fitz.

Andrew Frothingham. Jonathan Gage. Stephen Howard. John Peabody. Joseph Dana. Ebenezer Gunnisoo. Samuel H. Foster. Wm. B. Baunister.

1811. Same, with Isaac Stone and Isaac Adams in place of Mr. Dana and Mr. Pea- body.

1812. Jonathan Gage. Stephen Howard. Ebenezer Gnonison.

W'm. B. Bannister.

Isaac Adams,

leaac Stone.

Sanmel NewmaQ. W'in. Chase. Summel L. Koapp. 1813. Same, without Mr. Guuni-

1838. Joseph B. Morse. Henry W. Kinsman.

Thomas M. Clark. Saomel L. Plummer.

1839. Jveeph B. Morse.

Jamies Blood. Joseph Conch.

1840. Ebenezer Bradbury. Frederick I. Coffin. George Luot.

1841. Wm. Davis. Isaac H. Boardman. Henry C. Perkins.

1842. John M. Cooper. Edward Toppan, Jr.

Nathaniel Foster.

1843. Isaac H. Boardman.

Ebenezer Bradbury. Charles H. Balch.

1868. David T. Woodwell. Horace Choate. Joseph N. Rolfe. 1869, David T. Woodwell. llorace Choate. George J. L. Colby. 1870. George J. L. Colby. Nathaniel Pierce. Moses II. Fowler.

1871. Robert Couch. George W. Clark. Wm. Cushing.

1872, Robert Concb. George W. Clark. Benjamin C. Currier.

1849. Jeremiah Colmao. Ralph C. Iluse. Mark Symons.

1850. Jeremiah Colman. Edward Toppan, Jr. Isaac Stevens.

1874. Benjamin C. Currier. Michael AtkissoQ.

Stepheo W. Marstoo.

I828. Win. Farris.

Caleb Cushing. Ebenezer Bradbury. Stephen W. Marston. Whittingham Gilman.

1829. W'm. Farris.

llenry W. Kinsman,

1855. Joshua D. Robinson. Daniel M. Reed.

1881. John P. Coombs. Edward P. Shaw. 1882. John P. Coombs.

Wm. H. Huse.

1×56. Thomas Atwood.

Thomas C. Simpson.

Ilarvey Kimball. David Wood.

1883. Henry M. Cross. George P. Bishop.

1857. Caleb Cushing.

R. 8. Spofford, Jr.

1858, Calob Cushiog. 1885. Edward A. Mosely. Daniel M. Felch.

Winthrop O. Evans. R. S. Spofford, Jr.

1859. Enoch S. Williams. John Woodwell.

1886. Daniel M. Feich. Edward A. Mosely.

Newburyport entered its municipal life at a critical period. The committee chosen at the meeting in February, 1764, to consider the question of public schools, reported recommendations to the town in March, and these were no sooner adopted and the machinery of town government put in motion, than the popular mind became absorbed by anxiety con-

1865. Thomas C. Goodwin. Richard S. Spofford, Jr. 1866. Eben F. Stone.

Rufus Adams. George W. Woodwell. 1867. George W. Jackman, Jr. George W. Woodwell. Rufus Adams.

1820. Stephen Howard. Stephen W. Marstoo.

1821. Stephen W. Marstoo. Abner Wood.

1848. Ebenezer Bradbury. Henry W. Kinsman. Ralph C. Huse.

1873. Benjamin C. Currier. Joseph B. Morse. Elbridge G. Kelley.

Moges Davenport. Amos Wood.

1741

1860. Frederick J. Coffin. George Goodwin. Joshua Hale. 18G1. Albert Currier. C'aleb Cushing.

1814. Same, without Mr. Bannis- ter.

1864. Henry W. Moulton. Thomas C. Goodwin. Albert W. Stevens.

1884. Henry M. Cross. Willard J. Hale.

1742

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

cerning the condition of public affairs. The spark of liberty, which was kindled by the unfriendly attitude and acts of Parliament and the crown, was destined to burst into a consuming flame. No small part of the capital of the merchants was invested in trade with the French and Spanish West Indies, and large importations of sugar and molasses were con- stantly received, giving occupation to many mechan- ies and laborers and adding wealth and prosperity to the town. During the first year after the incorpor- ation of Newburyport, heavy duties were imposed on these articles, and British naval officers were made officers of revenue to enforce with vigor the revenne laws. Thus a serions check was given to a trade be- fore large and prosperous, and the first of a series of misfortunes was experienced, which only the close of a long and disheartening war partially terminated. In the next year the Stamp Act was passed. Under the provisions of this act no writing was valid which did not bear a stamp on its face. Every deed, ship's clearance, will, contract and other papers entering into the business of every-day life required a stamp varying in price from a half-penny to six pounds. The indignation of the colonies at this infringement on their rights was so strong, that before any stamps were paid for or used in Newburyport, the obnoxious act was repealed. The bitter opposition of the citizens of the young town to this act was displayed to a marked degree. By the more excited it manifested itself in noisy demonstrations and in hanging and burning the effigy of the stamp distributor. By the wiser and more calm, efforts were made, through legiti- mate channels, to convince the government of the inexpediency and injustice of the act and the neces- sity of its immediate abrogation. A town-meeting was held on the 21st of October, 1765, and an address to Dudley Atkins, the representative of Newburyport to the General Conrt, was adopted, with instructions as to his course of action in the premises, of which the following are extracts :

" We have the most loyal sentiments of our gracious King and his Illustrious family ; we have the highest reverence and esteem for that most angust body, the Parliament of Great Britain ; and we have an ardent affection for our brethren at home ; we linve always regarded their interests as our own, and esteemed our own prosperity as necessarily united with theirs. Hence it is that we have the greatest concern at some measures adopted by the late ministry and some late acts of Parlia- ment, which we apprehend in their tendency will deprive ns of some of our essential and high-prized liberties. The Stamp Act, in n peculiar manner, we esteem a grievance, as by it we are subjected to a heavy tax, to which are annexed very severe penalties, and the recovery of forfeitures, incurred by the breach of it, is in a manner which the English constitution abhors, that is, without a trial by jury, and in a court of admiralty. That a people should be taxed at the will of another, whether of one man or many, without their consent in person or by representative, is rank slavery. . . The embarrassments on our trude are great, and the scarcity of cash nrising therefrom is such that by the execution of the Stamp Act we should be drained in a very little time of that medium, the consequence of which is, that our commerce must stagnate and our laborers starve.

"These, sir, are our sentiments on this occasion ; nor can we think that the distresses we have painted are the creatures of our imagina- tion. . . . We, therefore, the freeholders and other inhabitants of this town, being legally assembled, take this opportunity to declare our just

expectations from you, which are-That you will, to the utmost of your ability, use your influence in the General Assembly that the rights and privileges of this Province may be preserved ioviolate ; and that the sacred deposit we have received from our ancestors may be banded down, without infringement, to our posterity of the latest generations ; That yon endeaver that all measures, consistent with our loyalty to the best of Kings, may be taken to prevent the execution of the above grievous innovations, and that the repeal of the Stamp Act may bs obtained by a most dutiful aod, at the same time, most spirited remen- strance against it ; Thnt you do not consent to any new or unprecedented grants, but endeavor that the greatest frugality and economy may take place on the distribution of the public monies, remembering the great expense this war has involved us in, and the debt incurred thereby which remains andischarged ; That you will consult and promote such measures as may be necessary, in this difficult time, to prevent the course of justice from being stayed and the commerce of the Province standing still; That, if occasion shall offer, you bear testimony ia behalf of this town against all seditious and mobbish insurrections, and express our abborrence of all breaches of the peace, and that you will readily concur in any constitutional measures that may be necessary to secure the public tranquillity."

But confidence and peace of mind did not long continne after the repeal of the Stamp Act. The government at home had learned nothing from the lesson which the history of that act should have taught. In 1767 a tax was laid by Parliament on paper, glass, painters' colors, tea and other merchan- dise, and the old spirit of opposition to injustice and oppression was again aroused in the province. The tax on tea was especially obnoxious, as that was an article of every day household use, and was felt by every man and woman in every town alike. It is a story of tradition, though not of definite history, that the first destruction of tea took place in Newbury- port, and that a considerable quantity was seized and burned in Market Square under the direction of Eleazer Johnson, a prominent ship-builder of the time.

But neither did the cupidity for the importation of tea cease nor its continued destruction, as the following protest from the Committee of Safety, pre- sented to the town in 1775, will show :

" To the Inhabitants of Newburyport in Town-meeting assembled.

" Gentlemen,-Your Committee of Safety, who are also nppointed a Committee of Inspection to ses that the Resolves of the Continental Congress are carried into executivo, have, with coostancy und cheerful- ness, nttended on the duties of their appointment, being sensible of the importance of the Trust reposed in them, and they hope the Town in general have approved of their conduct. They have met with only one obstruction in their proceedings, which they think needful to lay before you, as their future influence and determination depend on the sonti- ments of the Town thereob. Some time ago n small quantity of tea was brought in here in violation of the Continental Association, which the Committee took into their custody and had deposited in the Powder Hlouse in order that it might be kept secure until the Town or the Com- mittee should determine something further respecting it, but befors there was an opportunity therefor, some of our inhabitants, in a very sulden and hasty manner, laid hands on it and destroyed it. Now, your Committee apprehend that it will be very unsafe for them to take inte their care any kind of goods that may in future be introduced in the like disorderly manner, provided they must be exposed to the samo fats. Wherefore they desire the opinion of the Town upon the matter.

" By order of the Comorittes.

"EDW. HARRIS, Clerk "

In response to the imposition of these new taxes the Boston merchants proposed, in a circular sent to the various seaport towns, a non-importation agree- ment. An answer to this circular, written by

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1743

NEWBURYPORT.

John Lowell, was adopted at a town-meeting held March 10, 1768, of which the following is a copy :

"The Committee heg leave te report, that they are of opinion that the subjects therein contained deserve the most serious attention of the town in particular, as well as of the public in general. This town has been in a great measure supported for many years past by the building of ships, which have been purchased mostly by the inhabitants, and for the use of Great Britain. The manner in which we have been paid for our ships has been mainly by British manufactures. So that the importation and purchase of these, and our staple business, if we may se express it, have been almost inseparably united. It is with the greatest difficulty that a number of people, who have for the most part of their lives been used to a particular employment, can suddenly strike into a new channel, and carry on a business to which they have always been strangers.

" Hence, though we highly respect the town of Boston for its zealons attachment to the liberties of the country, and are ready to assist them in all measures to which prudence may direct, we cannot think it can consist with the prudence and policy of this town to join in their par- ticular resolutions respecting the importation and purchase of he enumerated articles of British manufacture. And not only from this principle, but from one less selfish, we cannot wish that the frequent and mutual intercourse which has hitherto subsisted between Great Britain and us should abate. 'Tis but of late that we regarded Great Britain with all the respectful affection of a child to its parent ; and though by some late measures, which we conceive to be highly mis- judged, there seems to have arisen a cloud, which obscures the true interests of the nation from the eyes of those at the helm, we cannot but expect. as well as impatiently desire, that it will be soon removed, and a mutual confidence be established on the firmest foundation.

"In the meantime, as jealousy, in a constitution like the British, is the great preserving principle, we think it necessary to he watchful against any encroachments on our rights as Englishmen and freemen, and to be uniformly and resolutely determined that these shall not be infringed, while our fortunes, or even our lives continue."

The tone of both the instructions to Dudley Atkins concerning the Stamp Act and the above answer to the circular of the Boston merchants concerning non- importation displays the cantious, conservative spirit prevailing in Newburyport. This spirit no doubt had its root in the large material interests whose welfare or ruin depended on the solution of the great question of the time. But the vital impor- tance of those interests to the prosperity of the town and the comfort of its people emphasizes the unsel- fish patriotism which finally settled the question, by the sacrifice of business and wealth to the great principle of popular freedom.

As in every great crisis, there was a tide which seemed to have a power and will of its own, and the tide which was now at the flood was setting with re- sistless force and breaking down all barriers which prudence or conservatism might impose. The Home Government, performing unconsciously its part in the great movement which Providence was directing, towards the establishment of a free popular govern- ment, persisted in its policy, and in the autumn of 1768 non-importation was agreed on by the merchants of the province. At a meeting held on the 4th of Sep- tember, 1769, the town approved of the agreement, and voted to further and maintain the same and to consid- er any person who should evade it an enemy to his country. In March, 1770, it was voted by the town not to buy or use any foreign tea; in January, 1773, Jonathan Greenleaf, the representative to the Gener- al Court, was instructed "to use his utmost endeavors

to procure a full and complete redress of all our public grievances ; " in December, 1775, a letter to the Boston Committee of Correspondence was adopted in town meeting, assuring them of assistance and support, and finally in May, 1776, the town voted " That if the hon- orable Congress should, for the safety of the United Colonies, declare them independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, this town will with their lives and for- tunes support them in the measure."

Thus Newburyport and its prople floated with the tide. Along the seaboard of Massachusetts, notwith- standing the great interests which needed to be sacrific- ed, there was no town so free from Loyalists or Tories, as they were called. Indeed, Newburyport was a striking exception to the rule, so far as seaports were concerned. Boston and Salem and Ipswich had their numerons Loyalists, and it is said that in Plymouth, where the business of its merchants was very similar to that of those in Newburyport, James Warren was almost the only man of social standing who was an outspoken and active supporter of the Revolutionary movement. In Marshfield the loyal feeling was sufficiently strong at first to control the actions and votes of its town- meetings, and on the 20th of February, 1775, it was voted " not to adhere to or be bound by the resolves and recommendations of the Concord Provincial Con- gress or any illegal assemblies whatever."

But in Newburyport it has never been claimed that more than four persons were tainted with loyalty, and neither of these was a merchant. These were Daniel Farnam, Bishop Edward Bass, Dr. Jones and a man by the name of Frye. Frye left the country and went to Scotland ; the bishop and Dr. Jones took the oath of allegiance, or gave satisfaction to the Committee of Correspondence, and Col. Farnam remained the only prominent and confessed Loyalist in the town. The charge of loyalty against Bishop Elward Bass has never been proved. Hon. Eben F. Stone has discov- ered in a collection of old papers, which he has had an opportunity to examine, evidence both for and against the charge. In an old letter written by Henry Atkins, an officer of the Newburyport Custom-House, in the service of the crown, his loyalty is strongly claimed ; on the other hand, a letter dated May 24, 1783, from Col. Peter Frye, a graduate of Harvard, and for many years a resident of Ipswich, then living as a refugee Loyalist at the Middlesex Hospital, Suffolk County, England, states that it was said by the people of New- buryport, after the death of Col. Farnam, that the town was purified and had not a Loyalist in it. A let- ter from Samuel Peters, dated June 19, 1783, says that Mcsserve, collector of Portsmouth, and Samuel Porter, a lawyer of Salem, " agree that there never was known to be in Newburyport more than four loyal subjects, one of whom went off to Scotland, Col. Farnam was killed by the rebels, Mr. Bass and Dr. Jones gave sat- isfaction to the rebels and remained there."

At any rate, Edward Bass, the bishop was, suspect- ed. He was at that time, however, not a bishop, but

1744

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

rector of St. Paul's Church. He was born in Dor- chester, November 23, 1726, and graduated at Har- vard in 1744. He taught school after his graduation until 1747, and then pursued the study of theology until 1751. In 1752 he became the associate of Rev. Matthias Plant at St. Paul's, and went to London, where he was ordained by Dr. Sherlock, then bishop of London, and returned at once to begin liis pastoral work. In 1789 the University of Pennsylvania con- ferred on him the degree of Doctor of Divinity, and in 1796 he was unanimously chosen at a convention of the Protestant Episcopal Churches of Massachusetts to be their bishop. He was consecrated May 7, 1797, by the bishops of Pennsylvania, New York and Mary- land, and at a later date was chosen also bishop of the Episcopal Churches of Rhode Island and New Hampshire. He died in Newburyport September 10, 1803, having served as rector of St. Paul's fifty-one years.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 184

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1672

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672