USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > New Bedford > History of New Bedford, Volume III > Part 19
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that business was in a deplorable condition due to the panic of 1893. The tax levy for that year was $26,000, greater than in 1893, yet the tax rate was reduced from $17.50 to $15.60, and more than one-third of the valuations either reduced or left unchanged. Mr. Briggs was the leader in these reforms, and as a result earned the enmity of party leaders, but the people showed their appreciation of his efforts for the public good and returned him to office by an overwhelming plurality.
In the business world he was long known as an enterprising con- tractor and builder, and in the textile world as one of the organizers of the Whitman Mills, of which he has always been a director, and as one of the incorporators of the New Bedford Textile School, of which he was president four years, during its construction and dedication and is now a trustee of the institution. This but indicates the life of usefulness which yet continues, and gives an idea of the good he has accomplished during his half-century of residence in New Bedford, and he has lost neither his influence, energy or willingness to aid any cause which receives the sanction of his judgment.
Mr. Briggs is of the ninth generation of the family founded in Massachusetts by John Briggs, born in Norfolk, England, in 1609, admitted an inhabitant of the Island of Aquidneck in 1638, became one of Rhode Island's prominent citizens, and died in Dartmouth in 1690. The line of descent from John Briggs is through his son, Thomas Briggs, who was a member of the grand jury from the town of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, June 2, 1685, having settled on lands in Dartmouth owned by his father. The line of descent continues through his son, John (2) Briggs, of Dartmouth ; his son, Wesson Briggs; his son Walter Briggs; his son Weston Briggs; his son, Elihu Briggs; his son, Elihu (2) Briggs, of Bakerville, town of Dartmouth, born November 18, 1819, died August 23, 1902, who married (first) October 24, 1841, Lydia A. Brown, born May 2, 1823, and married (second) April 17, 1851, Mary E. Baker, born May 2, 1833, daughter of Captain Michael and Jane Eliza (Dixon) Baker, the last named born in Alexandria, Virginia, January 2, 1808, died at the old homestead in Bakerville (in which she had resided nearly eighty years) in 1901, aged ninety-three years.
George E. Briggs, son of Elihu (2) and Mary E. (Baker) Briggs, was born in Bakerville, Dartmouth, Massachusetts, August 22, 1854. He there attended the public schools until removing to New Bedford, where he completed his studies in the high school, and began business life in his seventeenth year as an employee of the Morse Twist Drill and Machine Company. Four years were spent with that company, terminating in 1875, when he began learning the trade of carpenter with his father. In 1879 he was admitted to a partnership, and together father and son conducted a successful contracting and building business until 1883, when the partnership was dissolved, the son continuing in business alone until 1892. During and since this period as a contractor, Mr.
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Briggs erected about one hundred tenements on his own account, he also becoming interested in land operations in connection with his building activities. Since retiring from the contracting field the care of his real estate and other investments has engaged much of his time.
Mr. Briggs was chairman of committees in charge of the leading features of New Bedford's Semi-Centennial Celebration of 1897, and he was president of the New Bedford Board of Trade in 1912. During his term, he strongly advocated State Aid for harbor improvements, and the new $350,000 State Pier is the result of that agitation. He was a delegate the same year to the Fifth International Congress of Cham- bers of Commerce at Boston, heading the representation from the local board, and is now (1918) a director of the Civic Division of the Board of Commerce.
Always interested in public affairs, Mr. Briggs first held public office in 1882, when he was elected to represent his ward in the Common Council. He was reelected in 1883 and 1884, but held no other public office until 1894. In the meantime, he had led in agitating reform in the methods of assessing property, and in March, 1894, the people placed him in a position to carry out his ideas by electing him as a member of the Board of Assessors to fill out the unexpired term of William. A. Russell. In the fall of 1894 he was reelected in spite of the opposition of party leaders, and resigned in 1896, having served as chairman of the board in 1895 and 1896. The reforms he had urged were carried through and much permanent improvement in methods of assessment accom- plished during his tenure of office as an assessor.
The part Mr. Briggs played in the founding of the New Bedford Textile School and in staunchly supporting it at a time when its future seemed uncertain and its friends apathetic, forms an interesting chapter in his own life and is a most important one in the history of the institution now recognized as a most valuable addition to the educational opportunities New Bedford offers to her sons, native and adopted. Financial depression, a prolonged strike in the city, and the death of two presidents in one year, were severe blows for the enterprise, and the future looked dark when, in 1898, Mr. Briggs accepted the presidency. He threw himself into the work with his usual energy and ability, aroused the directors, reawakened the interest of early and former friends, and during the four years he held the presidency placed the institution upon its feet. $50,000 was secured from the city and State, a site centrally located was acquired and in 1899 a brick building, three stories in height, sixty-four by one hundred and ten feet, was dedicated to the use of the school. This was the first building ever constructed in this country for a textile school, the Philadelphia and Lowell Textile Schools occupying buildings erected for other purposes. Before retiring from the presidency, property between the school building and Maxfield street was purchased and a large extension to the south constructed.
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Since 1902, Mr. Briggs has traveled much in the West Indies, South America, and Europe.
Mr. Briggs married, November 18, 1885, Louise, daughter of Thomas Donaghy, of New Bedford, and they are members of the Unitarian Church. Mr. Briggs is a member of the Wamsutta Club. Mr. and Mrs. Briggs have one son, George E. Briggs, Jr., born November 26, 1891.
GEORGE E. BRIGGS, JR.
George E. Briggs, Jr., son of George E. and Louise (Donaghy) Briggs, was born in New Bedford, November 26, 1891. He graduated from the New Bedford High School in 1910, then entered Dartmouth College, whence he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1914, taking in his senior year a course in the Tuck School of Admin- istration and Finance. The following September he sailed for Buenos Ayres, Argentina, one of a party of twelve sent out by the National City Bank of New York to establish the first of its foreign branches which are now scattered over Latin America, and Europe. He remained in Buenos Ayres three years as commercial representative of the bank, devoting his whole service to promoting trade relations between the United States, Argentina and Uruguay. He returned to New York in October, 1917, and during the following winter made several addresses on South American trade topics before commercial organizations in cities of the East and Middle West. He is the author of exhaustive reports on various lines of North American productions. In February, 1918, he started on a trade mission through Central and South America in the interest of G. Amsinck & Company, exporters of New York, a subsidiary of the American International Corporation.
EDMUND GRINNELL.
When death removed Joseph G. Grinnell from the firm of Taber & Co., foundrymen of New Bedford, he was the sole owner of the business with which he had been connected for twenty-four years, 1849-1873. To this business succeeded his son, Edmund Grinnell, a young man of twenty-three years. The plant of Taber & Co., was then located on North Front street, and later was removed to the stone building on South Water street, where as the corporation, The New Bedford Iron Foundry, it is yet a prosperous concern. From the death of Joseph G. Grinnell, on January 28, 1873, until his own death, August 26, 1892, Edmund Grinnell was the active head of the business, although upon his first being con- fronted with the responsibility of management he availed himself largely of the experience and ability of Samuel Ivers, one of New Bedford's leading business men for half a century, 1850-1900. Rapidly Edmund Grinnell developed strong business quality, and although the business
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he came into so suddenly and unexpectedly was a very large one, he was soon its master and its real managing head. To gain the knowledge required of a young man whose previous life had been that of a student, required hard work, but fortunately Mr. Grinnell possessed the ability, strength and disposition to perform prodigies of labor, and it is recorded that it was not an uncommon sight to see a light burning in his private office until 4 A. M., and then he would again be on duty with the office force at the regular opening hour. Not alone did he successfully conduct his own business, but he was sought by other corporations, and with Samuel Ivers organized the Southern Massachusetts Telephone Com- pany, and as president of the Clarks Cove Guano Company he attained a national prominence through his formation of a combination of fertilizer manufacturers. With the years, he grew in mental strength and business ability until he ranked with the leaders of the commercial world in which he moved, was sought for in counsel, and his judgment deferred to. He was always a leader, and wherever his judgment approved he led with confidence and courage.
Edmund Grinnell was the first born of Joseph G. Grinnell of New Bedford, and his second wife, Lydia W. Presbury, daughter of Rev. Samuel Presbury, who was ordained pastor of the Second Congregational Society of Northfield, Massachusetts, February 27, 1828. He was a grandson of Cornelius and Eliza Tallman (Russell) Grinnell of New Bedford, great-grandson of Captain Cornelius Grinnell, a famous mariner of his day who served his country, was a vessel owner and commander, founder of the marine firm of Fish & Grinnell, of New York City, which was the first American firm to start a regular line of packet ships between New York and Liverpool, that firm (now Grinnell, Minten & Co.) dating from the year 1810. One of the ships he built and commanded was the "Euphrates," launched in 1803, destroyed by the Confederate privateer "Shenandoah" in the Pacific in 1864. During her entire career the "Euphrates" was owned in the Grinnell family. Captain Cornelius Grin- nell lived to celebrate his ninety-second birthday, dying in New Bedford about two months later, on April 19, 1850. It was a son of Captain Cornelius and Sylvia (Howland) Grinnell who equipped at his own cost an Arctic exploration expedition to go in search of Sir John Franklin, was a generous contributor to the Hayes and "Polaris" expedition, and through the career of Henry Grinnell a new lustre was attached to the name of Grinnell, to which Grinnell Land in the frozen North is a memorial. The family descends in America from the Huguenot Gren- elles of France, the American ancestor being Matthew Grinnell, who was of Newport, Rhode Island, not earlier than 1638. The line of descent is through his son Daniel Grinnell, of Little Compton and Portsmouth ; his son Richard Grinnell, of Little Compton ; his son Daniel (2) Grinnell, of Little Compton; his son Captain Cornelius Grinnell, of previous mention, great-grandfather of Edmund Grinnell, of New Bedford, to whose memory this review of a useful and honorable life is dedicated.
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Edmund Grinnell, eldest son of Josephi G. and Eliza Tallman (Rus- sell) Grinnell, was born in New Bedford, October 13, 1850, and died in his native city August 26, 1892. He was educated in Friends Academy, New Bedford, and prepared for college, but the illness of his father caused a change of plan, and when in 1873 Joseph G. Grinnell passed to another sphere of existence, Edmund Grinnell was his successor as head of the firm of Taber & Co. That firm was founded by Joseph G. Grin- nell, Isaac C. Taber and William Eddy, who in 1849 established a foundry in New Bedford. Later, Joseph G. Grinnell became sole owner, built up a good business, and then surrendered it to his son. Early in his business career he had the assistance of Samuel Ivers, and for many years the two men were associated in business enterprises of importance. He soon became the actual head of Taber & Co., and so continued until his death, that business now being the New Bedford Iron Foundry corporation.
In 1880, with Samuel Ivers and two others, he organized the Southern Massachusetts Telephone Company, holding exclusive rights in New Bedford and Southern Massachusetts territory, which later became exceedingly valuable. For several years he was president of the Clarks Cove Guano Company, and in that capacity conceived and carried into partial effect plans for combining all the amalgamation of the fertilizer interests; two or three leading manufacturers withdrew, and the plan was temporarily abandoned. Mr. Grinnell, however, invaded southern territory and started several fertilizer companies in that section, which he controlled, these proving profitable ventures. He was also the first active president of the New Bedford Manufacturing Company, and for several years was a director of the First National Bank. At the time of his death he was also a leading member of the Boston Masters Association. His foundry, telephone and fertilizer interests were large, and made such demands upon his vitality that at the early age of forty- two his labors ended, and he passed to his reward.
Mr. Grinnell was essentially a business man, and took little active part in public affairs. He was a Republican in politics, a member of the New Bedford Protecting Society, the Wamsutta Club of New Bedford, the Union Club of Boston, and in religious faith a Unitarian.
He married, November 19, 1875, Jennie Gibbs Swift, daughter of Humphrey Hathaway and Jane (Gibbs) Swift. Mr. and Mrs. Grinnell were the parents of two sons and three daughters: Edmund (2), of New Bedford; Rachael Lee; Ralph Russell, died in infancy; Katherine, of California; and Susan Williams Grinnell. Mrs. Grinnell yet survives her husband, a resident of New Bedford.
HUMPHREY HATHAWAY SWIFT.
Six generations of Swifts preceded Humphrey Hathaway Swift in New England, the ancestor, William, Swift, coming from England and settling in Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1634. His grandfather, Jireh
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(3) Swift, was a minute-man of the Revolution; his father, Jireh (4) Swift, a dry-goods merchant at Lunds Corner, in the village of Acush- net, county of Bristol, Massachusetts, and there married, November 10, 1805, Elizabeth, daughter of Stephen and Abigail Hathaway. Hum- phrey H. Swift was one of the remarkable men of his century and his years vied with those of a century, his span of life more than ninety-two years, 1819-1911. Those years covered the wonderful development of New Bedford as a port of entry, whaling port, shipping centre, and cotton manufacturing city. He elected the South American export trade as his specialty, and for sixty years was actively engaged therein. He made his first venture as an exporter in 1841, his first shipment being a $10,000 cargo of tea bought on bank credit and consigned to a Brazilian port. This venture was successful, and thereafter his life was one of great activity, he making frequent voyages between the United States and Brazil, and coming to know Brazilians as few men knew them, and winning many friends in that country, including the then sovereign Don Pedro II., who honored him with knighthood in the Order of the Rose, November 23, 1867. His influence in Brazil was of value to the United States government during the War between the States (1861- 1865), and for his farsighted action in securing options on coal for the use of our war vessels and for his energy in aiding the American consul in providing for sailors from whaling ships and merchantmen captured and burned by Confederates, he received the thanks of the government through William H. Seward, Secretary of State. In 1889 he made the last of thirty sea voyages to Brazil, China, Africa and Europe, retired in 1896, gave up his home in New York the same year, and until 1910 resided in New Bedford, Massachusetts. After the death of his second wife, September 10, 1910, he resided with his daughter, Anne Hathaway, wife of Professor Charles Burton Gulick, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Humphrey Hathaway Swift was born at Lunds Corner, near New Bedford, Massachusetts, now a part of the city, November 30, 1819, died in Cambridge, Massachusetts, April 28, 1911. He prepared for college at the Paul Wing School in Sandwich, Massachusetts, but choosing a business career and after completing his own studies and teaching a district school for three months, began in 1840 the wonderful exporting commercial life which continued until 1896. He sailed on his first voyage to Brazil in October, 1840, leaving Salem, Massachusetts, on the brig "America," bound for Pernambuco. In 1841 he became a clerk in the Pernambuco office of Henry Forster & Co., an American exporting house. In that year he returned home, and the same year sailed as captain's clerk on the ship "Horatio," bound for China. There he visited his cousins, Gideon and Clement Nye, merchants at Canton. China. It was on this voyage that he made the speculation in tea which, shipped to Brazil, yielded him a handsome profit. He returned to the United States in 1842, and in January, 1843, again sailed for Brazil as clerk for
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Henry Forster & Co., a position he held until 1846, but from January I, 1847, a partner, and later senior partner. Until 1860, Henry Forster & Company operated from Long Wharf, Boston, then moved their head- quarters to New York City, operating until 1886 as H. H. Swift & Co., then as Swift, Billings & Co., until 1896, when Mr. Swift retired.
Besides his personal business, Mr. Swift became deeply interested in Brazil's internal affairs, and was connected with many enterprises and movements for the betterment of conditions there. He promoted and financed the first horse car line in the country, and for a time was head of the company. He stimulated the planters to increase their cotton acreage, and by every vessel of his house bands of free cotton seed formed a part of the cargo. He succeeded in greatly increasing the acreage, then introduced the cotton gin, enabling the planters to handle their greater crops. He established the first tug boat service in Brazil, organized the Brazilian Steam Coasting Company, served as United States Consul at Pernambuco for several years, appointed by President Grant, and held this until resigning through press of business. He was an active agent in bringing about emancipation of the slaves in Brazil, founded the "Sociason Emancipadora," a society favoring emancipation and incorporated under the patronage of the Brazilian government to create sentiment for the cause. He freed his own slaves, and everyone he bought was with the understanding that good behavior would bring freedom. He was a charter member of the Union League Club of New York, and took an active part in organizing colored regiments. He was also a member of the Down Town Club, the New England Society, Chamber of Commerce, trustee of the Sun Insurance Company, director of the St. Nicholas Bank, a lover of horses, and never happier than when mounted, riding to hounds. Ten of his thirty ocean voyages were made in sailing vessels, and in the great development of the country following the war he was an important factor.
Mr. Swift married, in 1846, Jane Elizabeth Gibbs, daughter of Alfred Gibbs, of New Bedford. Mrs. Swift died in 1852, leaving two sons and a daughter : Alfred Gibbs, died 1893; Thomas Nye Gibbs, died 1893; and Jennie Gibbs, who married Edmund Grinnell, of New Bedford, whom she survives.
Mr. Swift married (second) in 1865, Bertha Wesselhoeft, who died in 1910. Children : Bertha W., a resident of Boston ; Anne H., the wife of Professor Charles Burton Gulick, of Cambridge, Massachusetts ; Humphrey H. (2), who died in June, 1914; Robert W., of Syracuse, New York; and Ruth Swift, a resident of Boston, Massachusetts.
CHARLES M. PEIRCE, JR.
Many years have passed since Charles M. Peirce, Jr., held a place among the strong men of his city and met them on an equality in business competition, legislated with them upon the floor of common
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council for the welfare of the city, and upon the floor of the Massachu- setts Legislature raised his voice for or against measures then pending, affecting the weal or woe of the commonwealth. Few men of his day accomplished more, and none possessed more indomitable energy or courage to face the consequences of holding to convictions of right and wrong. He was a son of Charles M. Peirce, who settled in New Bedford in 1820, and became so prominent a builder that it was said of him by a city father, "Charles M. Peirce nearly built New Bedford." Charles M. was a son of Barnard Peirce, of Rehoboth, Massachusetts; son of Joshua Peirce, of Rehoboth; son of Mial Peirce, of Warwick, Rhode Island, Swansea and Rehoboth, Massachusetts; son of Ephraim (2) Peirce, of Rehoboth and Swansea; son of Ephraim Peirce, of Warwick, Rhode Island; son of Captain Michael Peirce, the founder of the family in New England, a gallant soldier who met his death in combat with the Indians.
Charles M. Peirce, Jr., son of Charles M. and Mary (Maxfield) Peirce, was born in New Bedford, July 26, 1823, and died at his home in his native city, his life-long home, September 12, 1875. He was edu- cated in the city schools, and after completing his studies became associated with his father, then New Bedford's leading contractor and builder. Among the activities of the early life and of the building firm was the manufacture of patented cement and water pipes, there being no other kind of drainage pipes used in the city for many years. The furnishing of brick, lime, and mason's materials became an important business in itself, and in time the son, Charles M., retired from other activities and for many years was engaged in the brick and lime business, with office and yards on North Water street. He was a man of strong business quality, firm in his convictions, and fearless in his support of his opinions. Integrity distinguished his business life, and when he entered the political arena the same principles guided his public life.
He early became interested in political affairs, and gave much time to the public service. He served the city as councilman, and during two of those years he was president of council. From the local legislative body he passed to the State Legislature, serving as a member of the lower house for several years, and at the time of his death was a mem- ber. He was a member of the committee on schools during most of his legislative career, and rendered the cause of education good service. He was a Republican in politics, and fraternally a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. Thus was his life passed, engrossed with business and public cares. He made such heavy drafts upon the physical man through close attention to his own and public business, that he broke early in life, his years numbering but fifty-two.
Mr. Peirce married (first) March II, 1851, Susan A. Durfee, born December 27, 1826, died October 6, 1855. They were the parents of one son : Frank C. Peirce, of New Bedford. Mr. Peirce married (second) November 28, 1860, Amanda E. Hill, born August 7, 1836, daughter of
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Thomas J. Hill, of Providence, Rhode Island, a leading manufacturer of that city. Charles M. and Amanda E. (Hill) Peirce were the parents of four daughters and two sons: I. Annie Calder, born August 23, 1861 ; married, May 23, 1881, Hubert M. Howland, who died July 6, 1885, leaving a daughter, Grace Edgerton Howland, who married, November 17, 1909, Moses M. Sergeant, of New York, and has two children. 2. William Copeland, born November 21, 1863; was later president of the Providence Machine Company, founded by his grandfather, Thomas J. Hill. He married, September 27, 1887, Isabelle Louise Baker, of Re- hoboth, their children being: i. Thomas J. H., married, April 26, 1911, Gertrude Buskard, daughter of William J. Buskard, and they have three children; ii. Emma I., married, October 5, 1910, William Barrows, of Providence, and they have three children; iii. William Copeland (2), married Miriam Crosby, daughter of William Frank White, of Provi- dence, and they have one son ; iv. Ruth C. 3. Mary A. H., born July 21, 1865, married, November 6, 1881, Lieutenant Percy H. Brereton, of the United States Navy, who have a son, Peirce Hill, who married, July 8, 1915, Julia Marion Stockard, of Providence. 4. Emily Hill, born Sep- tember 1, 1867; married, January 21, 1892, Thomas Potter Davis, and removed to Edgewood, Rhode Island, and have five children: i. Albert H ; ii. Beatrice ; iii. Thomas Potter (2) ; iv. Hope ; v. Charles M., who died in infancy. 5. Albert Browne, born December 26, 1869, now a resident of New York City. 6. Elizabeth Sawyer, born September 30, 1871, married Walter D. Wood, and moved to Edgewood, Rhode Island, and whose children are : i. Walter C .; ii. Ralph W., and iii. Dorothy. Mrs. Amanda E. (Hill) Peirce, the widow of Charles M. Peirce, Jr., now resides in Edgewood, Rhode Island.
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