USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > History of old Braintree and Quincy : with a sketch of Randolph and Holbrook > Part 56
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > History of old Braintree and Quincy : with a sketch of Randolph and Holbrook > Part 56
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John Quincy was born in the North Precinct of Braintree, in 1689. After receiving his preparatory education, he entered Harvard College, from which he graduated in 1708; nine years after, he was called into public service, where he was actively engaged for the greater part of his life. He was first chosen to represent the town in the General Court in 1717, which honora- ble position he filled for twenty-eight years, and out of the number of years that he held the office, twenty-two of them were consecutive. From 1729 to 1741, about twelve years, he
1. The following inscription is a translation of the Latin one on the original tombstone.
"Here are deposited the remains of Edmund Quincy, Esq., native of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England; a gentleman of distinguished piety, prudence and learning. Who early merited praise for discharging, with the greatest ability and approved integrity, the various employments, both in civil and military affairs, that his country entrusted him with, these especially, as one of his Majesty's Council-a Justice of the Supreme Court of Judicature, and Colonel of a regiment of foot.
"The public affairs of his country so requiring, he embarked their agent to the Court of Great Britain, in order to secure their rights and privileges.
" Being seized with the small pox, he died a premature death, and with him the advantages expected from his agency, with the greatest prospect of success; he departed the delight of his own people, but of none more than the Senate, who, as a testimony of their love and gratitude, have ordered this epitaph to be inscribed on his monument. He died at London, Feb. 23d, 1737, in the 57thi year of his age."
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was Speaker of the House. This record was taken from the " House Journal," and does not agree with other printed state- ments that he represented the town for forty consecutive years. Mr. Quincy died in 1767, aged 78.
"Edmund Quincy, son of Edmund Quincy who died in Lon- don, was born in Braintree in 1703, and graduated at Harvard University in 1722. He was many years a merchant in Boston, afterward resided on his paternal estate in Braintree, was anthor of a treatise on 'Hemp Husbandry,' published in 1765, and died an Acting Magistrate of the County of Suffolk, in July, 1788, aged 85."
Dr. Jacob Quincy, son of Edmund Quincy, was born in Bos- ton in 1734, and graduated at Harvard College in 1753, and is said to have practiced medicine in the North Precinct of Brain- tree until he went upon the staff of Col. Joseph Dwight's regi- ment as surgeon's mate, on an expedition to Crown Point, in 1756. He died at St. Eustatia, June 15th, 1773.
" Josiah Quincy, youngest son of Edmund Quincy who died in London, was born in Braintree in 1709, was graduated at Harvard University in 1728, and entered into business as a merchant in Boston. In 1737 he accompanied his father to England, passed several years in Europe at different periods of his life, and finally returned to America in 1749. He was appointed, in 1755, by Gov. Shirley, joint commissioner with Thomas Pownall, afterwards Gov. Pownall, to negotiate with the Colonies of Pennsylvania and New York, for assistance in erecting a frontier barrier against the French at Ticonderoga. He retired from business in 1756, and resided in Braintree on a portion of his paternal estate, until his death in 1784."
"Edmund Quincy, eldest son of Josiah Quincy, was born in Braintree, in Oct., 1733, graduated at Harvard University in 1752, entered into business as a merchant in Boston, and visited England in 1760 and 1763. IIe was a zealous Whig and a political writer of that period, and had his life been spared, he
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would probably have taken an active part in the American Revolution. His health declining under a pulmonary complaint he sailed to the West Indies, and died at sea, in March, 1768, aged 35."
"Samuel Quincy, second son of Josiah Quincy, was graduated at Harvard University in 1754, engaged in the study of the law, . and became eminent in that profession. He was appointed Solic- itor-General of the Province, under the Crown, and held that office until the Revolution. Influenced by his official duties and connections, his political course was opposed to that of the other members of his family. He was appointed Attorney for the Crown in the Island of Antigua, which office he held till his death in 1789.1"
" Josiah Quincy, Jr., the youngest son of Josiah Quincy, was born in Boston, Feb. 23d, 1744, and received his instructions preparatory to entering the University, in the school of Mr. Joseph Marsh in this town. He was graduated at Harvard Uni- versity in 1763. He entered upon the study of law with Oxen- bridge Thatcher, Esq., of Boston, and was afterwards eminent in the practice of it. He took a bold stand as a writer and an actor in the cause of freedom. In the case of Preston, in the Boston massacre, he shared an immortal fame with his co-patriot John Adams. The labors of his profession wore upon his frame, and in February, 1773, he was obliged to leave home, and took a voyage to South Carolina. He returned, and in May, 1774, pub- lished ' His observations on the Boston Port Bill.' On the 20th of Sept. 1774, he embarked privately at Salem for England, in the cause of his country."
There he remained until March, 1775, and was returning home with his heart and soul devoted to his country. That country he was never more permitted to reach ; his health had been failing, and on the 26th of April, 1775, without hearing of the Battle of Lexington, he died. The inhabitants of Glouces- ter paid funeral honors to his remains. He was afterwards removed to this place, according to his wish, where a monument
1. See Sabine's Loyalists of the American Revolution, Vol. II, p. 206.
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was erected to his memory and to that of his wife, by his only surviving child, Josiah Quincy.
" He had lived for his country, and his last prayer was for its welfare. Ilis name will be enrolled among those great spirits, who led the way in procuring the freedom of the civilized world.1"
Josiah Quincy, son of Josiah Quincy, Jr., was born in Boston, Feb. 4th, 1772, and graduated at Harvard University, in 1790. He was for eight years a member of Congress from Suffolk; also, a member of the State Legislature, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Judge of the Municipal Court in Boston, Mayor2 of that city, and President of Harvard University. Mr. Quincy died July 1st, 1864, and was buried at Mount Auburn. IIe was an honorable descendant of this old and distinguished family of the town of Quincy.
Col. Sylvanus Thayer, son of Nathaniel and Dorcas Thayer, was born in Braintree, June 9th, 1785. His boyhood was spent with his maternal uncle, Mr. Azariah Faxon, who at that time
1. See memoirs of the life of Josiah Quincy, Jr., of Massachusetts Bay, by his son Josiah Quincy. First published in 1825, and republished with an addi- tional appendix, in 1874, by Eliza Susan Quincy, of which three editions have been printed.
2. Mr. Quincy was chosen the second Mayor of Boston, which position he held from 1825 to 1828 inclusive. While administering the municipal govern- ment of Boston, many important improvements were suggested and acted upon. The reorganization of the Fire Department, and the establishment of the House of Reform for Juvenile Offenders. Another subject that required the activo attention of Mr. Quincy was the establishment of an experimental Girl's ligh School, under the superintendence of Mr. Ebenezer Bailey. The city not being prepared for this innovation upon her established system of education, in a few years abandoned this project. The great and crowning glory of Mr. Quiney's municipal administration was the establishment of the Quincy Market, who we think is wrongfully robbed of the honor that he was rightfully entitled to, by officially recognizing it as Faneuil Hall Market, instead of Quincy Market. This project was not, however, carried through without great opposition, but finally, by the indefatigable exertions of Mr. Quincy, this noble object was ac- complished, and this market house has been and is now the admiration of all strangers who visit the Trimountain City. Mr. Quincy makes the following statement as to the cost of this great and successful undertaking :- "A granite
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was a resident of Washington, N. H. He began teaching school at the early age of seventeen. After preparing himself for a university education, he entered Dartmouth College, where, by close application and diligence, he became noted as a scholar, especially excelling in mathematics. On graduating, in 1807, from college, the honor of delivering the valedictory was con- ferred on Mr. Thayer. Even before graduating, he had an appointment as cadet to the West Point Military School. At this early period, so well versed was he in military matters, that in the autumn of 1807, he was appointed second lieutenant of infantry, and the 22d of February, he was commissioned second lieutenant of engineers. So rapid was his advancement in mili- tary science, that he received July 1st, 1812, promotion as first lieutenant, and Oct. 13th, 1813, was commissioned Chief Engi- neer of the Northern Army, which was under the command of Major-Gen. Dearborn in the campaign of 1812. The right divi- sion of the same army was under the command of Major-Gen. Hampton, to whom Mr. Thayer was aid-de-camp in the cam- paign of 1813. He held the same position under Brigadier-Gen. Moses Porter, in 1814, who was stationed at Norfolk, Va., in its defence. "For distinguished and meritorious services at Nor- folk," he received promotion to the rank of major by brevet, Feb. 20th, 1815.
The United States Government having great confidence in Maj. Thayer's military judgement, selected him with Col. Wm. McRee, of North Carolina, in 1815, to take a tour to Europe on a military inspection. On arriving in the English Channel, they
market house, two stories high, five hundred and thirty-five feet long, fifty feet wide, covering twenty-seven thousand feet of land, including every essential accommodation, was erected at a cost of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Six new streets were opened, and a seventh greatly enlarged, ineluding one hun- dred and sixty-seven thousand square feet of land; and flats, docks and wharf rights obtained of the extent of one hundred and forty-two thousand square feet. All this was accomplished in the centre of a populous city, not only without any tax, debt or burden upon its pecuniary resources, -notwithstand- ing, in the course of the operation, funds to the amount of upwards of eleven hundred thousand dollars had been employed,-but with large permanent addi- tions to its real and productive property."
For further account of the Hon. Josiah Quincy, see his interesting and well written life by his son, Edmund Quincy, published in 1869.
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were informed that the great Battle of Waterloo had been fought. They hastened to France, where they found the City of Paris occupied by the allied forces. There they were able to , improve their military education by witnessing the daily evolu- tion of the army who had conquered the great military hero of that time. After examining the fortifications of France, and attending to military duties, they in 1816, received orders to return home. June 28th, 1817, Maj. Thayer was appointed Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point.
" He now entered on that distinguished career of administra- tion which has made that institution so celebrated as a school of military science. Maj. Thayer found the academy weak, imper- fectly organized, low in its requisitions and inferior in its advan- tages of acquirement. He raised it by his zeal, energy and unwearied diligence to a degree of excellence which will bear a favorable comparison " with any other school of its nature. In 1843, Col. Thayer being out of health, under commission of the United States Government, embarked on another voyage to Europe. On this tour he travelled more extensively through Europe, visiting Belgium, Holland, France, Denmark, Sweden, Prussia, Austria, Hungary, Greece and Egypt. After being absent about three years, he returned home.
Gen. Thayer was honored with the title of LL. D. by St. John College, Md., in 1830; Kenyon College, Ohio, in 1846; by Dart- mouth in 1846; by Harvard in 1851. He was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and of the Amer- ican Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, in 1838. The fortific :- tions of Boston harbor are a test of his engineering skill.
Gen. Thayer was a great public benefactor to the town of Braintree, having bequeathed to it a large sum of money for building and establishing a public library, and also an academy, which we have before stated in connection with the endowed institutions of the town.
The declining bachelor life of Gen. Thayer was quietly spent in his native town, where he died Sept. 7th, 1872, aged about 87 years, and was buried in the old North Cemetery of Braintree. In the fall of 1877, at the request of the West Point Cadets,
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his remains were disinterred and removed to West Point, where they were buried with military honors near Gen. Scott, his life- long friend. At West Point a fine life-size portrait of Gen. Thayer adorns the walls of this noted military institution.
The Rev. Peter Whitney was born Jan. 19th, 1770, in North- borough, Worcester County, Mass. He entered Cambridge Col- lege in 1787. While pursuing his studies in the University he taught school in the winters, in Charlestown; he graduated in 1791. Soon after graduating he went to Hingham, Mass., where he was appointed Assistant Preceptor in the Derby Academy, July 25th, 1791. April 21st, 1813, he was selected one of its trustees, and was president of the board for twenty-four years, resigning his position in 1837. He had been approbated and commenced preaching as early as 1793, which was two years after he graduated, and seven years before his settlement in Quincey. During the summer of 1796 he preached in Hull.
The Rev. Mr. Wibird, the pastor of the First Church in Quincy, being feeble and out of health, Mr. Whitney was called to settle as colleague with him. This invitation was accepted, and he was ordained Feb. 5th, 1800. Mr. Wibird died June 4th, the same year.
The second Sunday after his ordination he appeared before his society for the first time as their minister. In 1834, Mr. Whitney being somewhat out of health, Dr. Lunt was called, as colleague pastor, and was settled as such in June, 1835; still Mr. Whitney continued to have sole charge of the Parish. The last sermon preached by him was in the forenoon of the 19th of September, 1841.
Mr. Whitney's death occurred very suddenly Friday, March 3d, 1843, at 9 o'clock in the morning, when he fell from his chair and immediately expired, in the seventy-fourth year of his age.
Rev. Peter Whitney represented the town in the State Legis- lature for the year 1825.
The following are the public discourses of Mr. Whitney's that have been published :-
A discourse delivered at Quincy, Sept. 19th, 1804, at the con- secration of the Rural Lodge.
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A sermon delivered Aug. 7th, 1805, at the ordination of the Rev. Perez Lincoln, called to the care of the First Church of Christ in Gloucester.
A discourse delivered at Quincy, Oct. 19th, 1811, at the inter- ment of the Hon. Richard Cranch, who died Oct. 16th, and of Mrs. Mary Cranch, his wife, who died Oct. 17th, 1811.
A discourse delivered in the morning at Quincy and in the afternoon to the third religious society in Hingham, on the day of the State Fast, July 23d, 1812.
A sermon delivered on the Lord's day succeeding the inter- ment of Madam Abigail Adams, consort of the Hon. John Adams, late president of the United States, Nov. 1st, 1818.
A discourse delivered in Quincy at the interment of John Adams, late president of the United States, July 7th, 1826.
A sermon delivered at Quincy Jan. 1st, 1837.
Mrs. Mary White was the third child of Col. Thomas Hollis, of Braintree, by his wife Lydia Holbrook. She was born on West street, in that town, July 25th, 1776, and.married Nathan- iel White, of Weymouth, May 7th, 1795, by whom she had six children. She died in Braintree, Aug. 12th, 1878, aged one hun- dred and two years, five months and sixteen days; her husband died Feb. 16th, 1837, aged sixty-five years.
She lived in Weymouth the first years of her married life, where all her children were born except the youngest, Ruth, who is the wife of Hon. George M. Rice, of Worcester.
Mrs. White was a lineal descendant on her paternal side from John Hollis, one of the earliest settlers of the town of Wey- mouth; on her maternal side from Thomas Holbrook, who came to this country from Broadway, Somerset County, England, in 1635, and settled in Weymouth. Her ancestors bore their fair share of the burdens of citizenship in their several generations. Some of them were soldiers in King Phillip's War, others in the French and Indian Wars, while her father and several of her uncles were soldiers in the War of the Revolution.
She remembered vividly to the last days of her life seeing the soldiers on their return from the Revolutionary War at its close. When she was born the last representative of royal authority in
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this State, Gen. Howe, was shut in Boston by Gen. Washington and his patriot army. A few weeks after her birth, her father and many others from the hills in Braintree saw, with glad hearts, a long line of ships going down the harbor bearing away the dreaded red coats, nevermore to return.
In fact, her life spanned the nation's life-extending from the election of President Washington to that of President Hayes- and although her lot in life was humble, she always took a lively interest in political affairs and had decided opinions on all politi- cal questions.
Mrs. White was always interested in the affairs of the church. She joined the Congregational (Orthodox) Church in Braintree in 1814, then under the pastorate of Dr. Storrs, and remained through life a faithful member.
Her last days were cheerful and hopeful, suffering but little from the infirmities which often accompany old age.
The descendants of Mrs. White number six children, twenty- six grand-children, thirty-seven great-grand-children, and seven- teen great-great-grand-children.
Dr. Ebenezer Woodward was the son of Ebenezer Woodward of Canterbury, Conn., and Delia Adams of Lincoln, Mass. He was born in Cambridgeport, March 12th, 1791, while his parents were on a visit to that village. At the age of six years, he removed to Hanover, N. H .; here he prepared for and entered Dartmouth College, where he graduated in 1817. Dr. Wood- ward took up his residence in Concord, Mass., where he com- menced the study of medicine under the instruction of Dr. Isaac Hard. Subsequently he proceeded to Boston, where he contin- ued his professional studies under his uncle, Dr. Samuel Adams. At this period he entered Harvard Medical School, from whenee he gradnated in 1823. After graduating, he commenced the practice of medicine in Quincy, April 1st, 1823. Not finding business as successful as he anticipated, he in 1826, sold out his practice to Dr. W. B. Duggan, but in about a year he purchased his business back again, and from that time to his death, he con- tinned the leading physician of the town. At the time of his death, he gave a large part of the Greenleaf property that he
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had received by inheritance, to the town for the establishment of a Female Institute, as has been before related. Dr. Wood- ward died, without issue, May 21st, 1869, aged 71. He married Mary Ann Wroe, the youngest daughter of Mr. Thomas Green- leaf, Nov. 13th, 1837, who died Jan. 23d, 1870, aged 73 years and 9 months.
There are a number of memorial sketches interspersed through this volume, not in regular order. The reason why they are not connected is, that the publishers thought there would not be room for a chapter of biographical sketches, but subsequently decided to publish one. Hence the irregularity.
APPENDIX.
We cannot go back further than 1837 for the industrial statis- tics of the town, as this was the first year that they were ordered to be taken by the authority of the State. These statistics are as correct as the truthfulness of those who reported them to the census taker will allow; still with all care in collecting them they seem far from being exact in their correctness, but are as reliable as statistics of this nature generally are. We have given them as we have found them in the official documents, and the reader must be the judge of their reliability. These business state- ments are worthy of consideration in showing the numerous changes that have, for the last forty years, taken place in the various industries of the town.
INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS OF QUINCY FOR 1837. 1
Boots manufactured, 27,437 pairs; shoes, 18,602 pairs; value of boots and shoes manufactured, $111,881; males employed, 163; females, 58.
Tanneries, 4; hides tanned, 8,390; value of leather tanned und curried, $17,074; hands employed, 16; capital invested, $19,800. *
Hat manufacturers, 1; hats manufactured, 1,000; value of hats, $2,250; hands employed-males, 2; females, 1 .*
Salt manufacturers, 2; salt manufactured, 3,135 bushels; value of the same, $1,500; hands employed, 2; capital invested, $1,600.1
Vessels built in the five preceding years, 13; tonnage of the same, 2,594; valne, $122,650; hands employed, 50.
Vessels employed in the cod and mackerel fishing, 10; tonnage of the same, 734; codfish caught, 6,200 quintels; value of the same, $18,800; mackerel caught, 1,750 barrels; valne of the same, $12,242; capital invested, $29,000; salt used in cod and mackerel fishing, 11,250 bushels; hands employed, 100.
Syenite quarried, 64,590 tons; value of the same, $248,737; hands employed, 533.
* The Hat Manufactory of Mr. John Hall was located on Adams street, where the. old " Cherry Tavern" formerly stood.
In the early part of the present century Mr. Josiah Quincy carried on salt works in North Quincy, near the slate quarries. In 1824, Mr. Lucius Manlius Sargent established salt works on his estate at Quincy Point, which estate is now in possession of the heirs of the late H. Farnum Smith, Esq.
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Slate quarried, 1,200 tons; value of the same. $2,500; hands employed, 5.
Value of coach lace manufactured, $12,000; hands employed-males, 7; fe- males, 16.
Beeswax bleached, 47,000 pounds; value of the same, $17,000; hands em- ployed, 4 .*
Value of Coach, Chaise, Harness and Wheelwright business, $32,650; hands employed, 36.
INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS FOR 1845.
Saddle, harness and trunk manufacturers, 3; value of articles, $8,500; capi- tal, $3,500; hands employed, 12.
Establishments for the manufacture of coaches, chaises and other vehicles, 3; valne of vehicles manufactured, $4,700; capital, $2,200; hands employed, 12.
Salt manufacturers, 1; salt manufactured, 1850 bushels; value of the same, $426; capital invested, $1,000; hands employed, 1.
Chair and cabinet manufacturers, 1; value of articles manufactured, $2,500; capital, $1,000; hands employed, 2.
Tin ware manufacturers, 1; value of ware, $1,500; capital, $1,000; hands employed, 1.
Tanneries, 7; hides tanned, 18,160; value of leather tanned and curried, $67,125; capital, $12,000; hands employed, 26.
Boots manufactured, 41,876 pairs; shoes, 15,605 pairs; value of boots and shoes manufactured, $133,273; males employed, 203; females, 98.
Value of building stone quarried and prepared for building, $324,500; hands employed, 526.
Value of slate quarried and prepared, $2,000; hands employed, 6.
Value of blacking manufactured, $1,000; hauds employed, 2.
Firewood prepared, 979 cords; value, $5,106; hands employed, 15.
Vessels launched, 2; tonnage, 60; value, $2,100; hands employed, 3.
Vessels employed in the whale fishery, 1; tonuage, 94.
Vessels employed in the mackerel and cod fishery, 4; tonnage, 118; mackerel taken, 1,000 barrels; value, $5,500; codfishi caught, 500 quintals; value, $2,125; salt consumed, 400 bushels; hands employed, 22; capital, $3,650.
Sheep, 310; value, $565. Horses, 397; value, $27,155. Neat cattle, 723; value, $17,318. Swine, 660; valne, $7,920.
Indian corn or maize raised, 3,360 bushels; valne, $2,016. Rye, 469 bushels; value, $375. Barley, 360 bushels; value, $284. Potatoes, 9,673 bushels; value, $2,418. Other esculent vegetables, 2,364 bushels; value, $456. Hay, 1,565 tous; value, $21,539. Fruit, 4,579 bushels; value, $2,296.
Beeswax bleached, 30,000 pounds; value, $15,000; hands employed, 2.
INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS FOR 1855.
Harness manufacturers, 2; business principally repairing.
Vessels built during the year, 1; tonnage, 1,500; capital invested, $30,000; hands employed, 50.
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