USA > Massachusetts > Memorial encyclopedia of the state of Massachusetts > Part 33
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. Mary Therman Hade
k
MORTEM
VIRTUTE
VINCE
Sherman
Asa Sherman
TT seems that the origin of the name Sherman is German and we find related forms in that country to-day spelled Schurman, Schearman and Scherman. It is derived from the occupa- tion of some progenitor, who in all probability was a dresser or shearer of cloth. The English family was a prominent one and probably lived originally in the County of Suffolk, whence they removed to Essex, in the fifteenth century. The name is found in England as early as 1420, and it is from this early Suffolk house that the line in which we are interested is descended.
The following is an heraldic description of the coat-of-arms of the Sher- mans of Yaxley, County Suffolk, England. Given under Henry VII. to Thomas Sherman:
Arms-Or, a lion rampant, sable, between three oak leaves vert.
Crest-A sea lion, sejant, sable, charged on the shoulder with three bezants, two and one. Motto-Mortem vince virtute.
Of the London Shermans, descendants of the Yaxley house:
Arms-Same Arms. An annulet for difference.
Crest-A sea lion, sejant, per pale, or and argent, guttee-de-poix, finned, of the first, gold, on the shoulder a crescent for difference.
Of Ipswich, County Suffolk; brother of Thomas Sherman, of Yaxley :
Arms-Azure, a pelican or, vulning her breast proper.
Crest-A sea lion, sejant, per pale, or and argent, guttee-de-poix, finned, gold.
Among prominent members of the Sherman family were the following:
John Sherman ( 1823-1900), American financier and statesman; younger brother of General William Tecumseh Sherman and of the Lancaster (Ohio) family; Representative and Senator from Ohio, Secretary of the Treasury in 1877 and Secretary of State under President Mckinley.
Charles R. Sherman, father of General William T. Sherman and Hon. John Sherman, Judge of the Supreme Court of Ohio.
Roger Sherman (1721-93), American political leader, and signer of the Declaration of Independence; of the Newton ( Massachusetts) family, but later made New Haven his home; Judge of the Connecticut Superior Court; treasurer of Yale College; delegate to the Continental Congress in 1774-81 and 1783-84; Representative, 1789-91 ; Senator 1791- 1793; on the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence, and also on that which drafted the Articles of Confederation.
General Thomas West Sherman, Federal officer in the Civil War.
William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-91), American general; of the Lancaster (Ohio)
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family. Descended from Edmond Sherman, who emigrated from England to the Massa- chusetts Bay Colony in 1634. General William T. Sherman fought the Seminole Indians in Florida ; served through the Mexican War with great credit; and became famous during the Civil War, when he made the historical "March to the Sea" from Atlanta to Savan- nah, with sixty thousand picked men.
The Suffolk family was distinguished for many years in England and is traced as follows:
(1) Thomas Sherman, gentleman, born about 1420, and resided at Diss and Yaxley, England. He died in 1493. He and his wife Agnes were the parents of a son.
(II) John Sherman, a gentleman of Yaxley, where he was born about 1450, and died in November, 1504. He married Agnes, the daughter of Thomas Fullen.
(III) Thomas (2) Sherman, a son of John and Agnes (Fullen) Sher- man, was born about 1480, and died in November, 1551. He resided, as did his father, at Diss, on the river Waveney, between Norfolkshire and Suffolk- shire. His will mentions property including the manors of Royden and Roy- den Tuft at Royden and Bessingham, besides estates in Norfolkshire and Suf- folkshire. We have the record of his wife Jane, a daughter of John Waller, of Wortham, in Suffolkshire.
(IV) Henry Sherman, a son of Thomas (2) Sherman, was born about 1530 in Yaxley, and is mentioned in his father's will. His first wife, Agnes (Butler) Sherman, was buried October 14, 1580, and he married (second) Margery Wilson, a widow.
(V) Henry (2) Sherman, a son of Henry (1) Sherman, was born about 1555 in Colchester, England, but made his home in Dedham, Essex. He married Susan Hills, and died sometime in 1610.
(VI) Samuel Sherman, a son of Henry (2) and Susan (Hills) Sher- man, was born in 1573, and died in Dedham, England, in 1615. He married Philippa Ward.
(VII) Philip Sherman, immigrant ancestor and progenitor of the Amer- ican family, was born February 5, 1610, at Dedham, England, the son of Sam- uel and Philippa (Ward) Sherman. He was the founder of the Sherman line in America, and came to Roxbury, Massachusetts, in the year 1633, at the age of twenty-three years. He was made a freeman of the colony in 1634, his name standing next in the list after that of Governor Haynes. In 1635 he returned to England for a short time, but again took up residence in Rox- bury two years later. In 1636 he purchased land on the Island of Aquidneck, now Rhode Island, and on the formation of a government there in 1639 be- came secretary under Governor William Coddington. In 1637, he with eight- een others signed the following compact: "We whose names are underwrit- ten do here solemnly in the presence of Jehovah incorporate ourselves into a Bodie Politick, and as he shall help will submit our persons, lives and estates
SHERMAN HOMESTEAD
3II
asa Sherman
unto our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and to all those perfect and most absolute laws of his given us in his holy word of truth, to be guided and judged thereby."
In 1638 he removed to Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where there is record of him as early as May 13th of that year. In 1640 he was one of five to lay out lands for the community. Philip Sherman was one of the most conspic- uous figures in the early affairs of the Colony, and played a prominent part in public life. He was general recorder of the Colony in the years 1648-49- 50-51, and in 1665-67 served as deputy to the General Court of Rhode Island. On April 4, 1676, he was one of sixteen men of good judgment and ability chosen to assist and advise the Council. After his removal to Rhode Island he left the Congregational church, to which he had belonged, and joined the Society of Friends. In 1634 he married Sarah Odding, a step-daughter of John Porter, of Roxbury, and his wife Margaret. His will, which was dated July 30, 1681, was proved March 22, 1687.
(VIII) Samson Sherman, son of Philip and Sarah (Odding) Sherman, was born in the year 1642 at Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where he passed his entire life, and died June 27, 1718. He married, March 4, 1675, Isabel Tripp, born in 1651, died in 1716, a daughter of John and Mary (Paine) Tripp.
(IX) Job Sherman, the youngest child of Samson and Isabel (Tripp) Sherman, was born November 8, 1687, at Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and died there, November 16, 1747, after spending his entire life in the commun- ity. He married (first) December 23, 1714, Bridget Gardiner, of Kings- town, and (second) in 1732, Amie Spencer, of East Greenwich, Rhode Island.
(X) Samson (2) Sherman, the fifth son of Job and Amie (Spencer) Sherman, was born July 23, 1737, at Portsmouth, Rhode Island, spending his life in that place and following the occupation of farming until its close. He died January 24, 1801. He married, December 9, 1761, Ruth, a daughter of David and Jemima (Tallman) Fish, of Portsmouth.
(XI) Asa Sherman, the fourth son of Samson (2) and Ruth (Fish) Sherman, was born December 22, 1779, at Portsmouth, and died at Fall River, December 29, 1863. He was buried in the old Friends Cemetery at Ports- mouth. He was a member of the Society of Friends all his life, and was a farmer at Portsmouth, where he owned a considerable tract of land. He mar- ried, November II, 1805, Elizabeth Mitchell, born October 17, 1782, at Mid- dletown, Rhode Island, a daughter of Richard and Joanna (Lawton) Mitchell, of that place (See Mitchell IV).
(XII) Mary Sherman, the fifth daughter of Asa and Elizabeth (Mit- chell) Sherman, was born September 16, 1815, at Portsmouth, and married October 5, 1842, the Hon. William L. Slade, of Somerset (see Slade VI).
(XIII) Caroline Elizabeth Slade, daughter of William L. and Mary (Sherman) Slade, married, March 25, 1868, Hezekiah Anthony Brayton, of Fall River (see Brayton VII).
Maria Mitchell
I HERE are two distinct and independent theories extant regard-
ing the original derivation of the surname Mitchell. One, that it is a development of the ancient Anglo-Saxon word mycel or mickle, meaning great, a theory singularly appropri- ate when the history of the family is considered. The other, and the one given greatest credence, that it was derived from the name Michael, meaning: "God's Power," the French form of which, Michel, has always been popular.
From the latter source we get the variations, Mitchel and Mytchell, the last of very great antiquity, and may still be found, though unfrequently, to the present day. It is impossible to say which played the greater part in the formation of the modern cognomen; it is probable that both were con- nected with it in some degree. The form of the name now in common use is itself very old, having been generally known in England long before the earli- est records. The Mitchell arms are thus described:
Arms-Sable, a fess wavy between three mascles or.
Crest-A phoenix in flames proper.
Motto-Spernit humum.
Prominent persons of the Mitchell family :
Sir Andrew Mitchell, Vice-Admiral of the British fleet that forced the entrance to Texel Island, Holland, in the war against the French and Dutch, in 1794. He captured the Dutch fleet, helping to establish the naval supremacy of Great Britain.
Sir Charles H. B. Mitchell, High Commissioner of the State of Perak, one of the Malay States, and was directly responsible for the first meeting between the native chiefs and the British residents for the purpose of friendly discussion, in 1897.
James Mitchell, Scotchman, who perfected an ingenious amplification of the Maelzel metronome.
John Mitchell, who perfected and manufactured the first machine made steel pens.
J. A. Mitchell, one of the founders and the first editor of the weekly magazine, "Life."
J. C. Mitchell, one of the most famous of the early racquet players.
J. K. Mitchell, one of the pioneers of the liquid gas field. He first froze sulphurous acid gas to a solid.
Dr. P. Chalmers Mitchell, member of the Zoological Society of London; a recognized authority in the study of mammalia.
R. A. H. Mitchell, Eton, Oxford, Hants. Prominent Britainer and the greatest cricket player of all times.
W. M. Mitchell, well known astronomer, specializing in the study of the sun.
Dr. Samuel Latham Mitchell, of the Long Island branch. United States Senator and
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Maria Mitchell
author, who urged the adoption of Fredonia as the proper name for this country in his "Address to the Fredes or People of the United States."
Stephen Mitchell, a tobacco manufacturer of international repute; founded the second largest library in Scotland.
There are many branches of this family scattered throughout the United States, founded in early Colonial days by the several representatives of the house who came from England and Scotland, and settled principally in the New England States. The descendants were numerous, and migrated from one part of the country to another as new regions were opened. Almost in- variably, however, members of the various branches are to be found within a short distance of the original location of the progenitor.
The Mitchells of Roanoke county, Virginia, offer a good example of this rule. Founded in the early part of the seventeenth century, the descendants continue to live on and in the vicinity of the old family estate, while other mem- bers are found throughout the South. They are related by marriage to the family of Colonel Zachary Lewis, whose father was a messmate of Washington during the war with the French. They are connected in the same degree with the Thomas and Graham families, the latter that of a Governor of North Carolina, William Graham.
The Pennsylvania family was founded by the descendants of William Mitchell and wife Elizabeth, who emigrated from Yorkshire county, England, and settled in Bermuda. Offsprings of this branch also settled in Baltimore. Another branch of York county, Pennsylvania, claims George Mitchell, born in Scotland in 1734, as progenitor.
The Long Island family, of ancient origin, has furnished many famous public men, as have the Nantucket stock, of which Professor Maria Mitchell and her brother Henry were descended. The Connecticut Mitchells claim kin with Rebecca Motte, of Revolutionary fame; with Governor Saltonstall, and Governor Dudley, of Massachusetts; also with the Gardiners of Gardiner's Island.
One western branch of the family claim "Honest John Hart" as an an- cestor. He was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, from New Jersey. James Mitchell, a Scotch settler from Glasgow in 1730, founded the family which produced, among other well known men, Stephen Mitchell, his son, who was one of the settlers of Wethersfield, Connecticut, and a mem- ber of the first Congress at Philadelphia. He was also Chief Justice of Con- necticut. Donald Mitchell, best known as "Ike Marvel," the essayist, was of the third generation in America. Stephen Mitchell had six sons, all college graduates. Matthew Mitchell was the progenitor of another family in Con- necticut. He was a passenger on the "James" in 1635, together with his wife and child, and settled in Connecticut, near Wethersfield, of which place he be- came town clerk in 1639. He was a representative at court from Saybrook; he took an active part in the Pequot War, and removed to Hempstead, Long
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Island, in 1643. The town of Hingham, Massachusetts, was probably named by Edward Mitchell, a passenger, in 1638, on the "Diligent" from Hingham, England.
Experience Mitchell, who lived at Plymouth, Duxbury and Bridgewater, Massachusetts, came from England on the "Ann," in 1623. He married Jane, the daughter of Francis Cook, who was one of the "Mayflower" Pilgrims.
Many of the famous men of the Revolution were members of the Mitchell family. They include: Major Abiel and Colonel Mitchell, from Massachu- setts; Captain Alexander Mitchell, from New Jersey; Nathaniel Mitchell, cap- tain of a battalion of the Flying Camp, from Delaware; Captain Joseph Mitchell, from Virginia; Captain James and Major Ephraim Mitchell, of South Carolina, and Lieutenant John Mitchell, of Georgia.
The most prominent member of the Nantucket family of that name, des- sendant of old Quaker stock, Maria Mitchell, was born August 1, 1818, the daughter of William Mitchell. Her father (1791-1869) was a school teacher and a self-taught astronomer, who rated chronometers for Nantucket whal- ers. He was well known in the New England States as a learned man, and held the position of overseer of Harvard University from 1857 to 1865, with all the prestige attached to such an office. For a time he was in the employ of the United States Coast Survey, and did some excellent work in that department.
Miss Maria Mitchell had as early as 1831 (during the annual eclipse of the sun) been her father's assistant, and the progress she made under his tu- torage, together with the certain genius she possessed in the science, may be visualized from the fact that sixteen years later, on October 1, 1847, she dis- covered a telescopic comet, seen by De Vico on October 3, by W. R. Dawes, October 7, and by Madame Rumker, October II. For this discovery, outstrip- ping as she did the famous astronomers of the world, she received a gold medal with the congratulations of the King of Denmark, and was elected in 1848 to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, being the first woman member of this organization. In 1850, as a further recognition of her excellent work, she was elected a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
She removed from Nantucket to Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1861, setting up in the latter city the great equatorial telescope which had been presented to her by popular subscription by the women of America. Here she lived and studied until late in the year 1865, when she was chosen professor of astron- omy and director of the Observatory at Vassar College. She continued ac- tively in this position until 1888, when she became professor emeritus. For many years she had specialized in the study of Jupiter and Saturn, and in 1874 she began to make photographs of the sun. She died at Lynn, Massachu- setts, June 28, 1889.
Henry Mitchell, her brother, was a famous hydrographer. He was born in the year 1830, and died in 1902.
Adjoining the Maria Mitchell homestead, which is still carefully preserved,
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Marta Mitchell
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I land, m 3011. The townod Tongham Massachusetts, was probably named by Edward So If a mmaengin 20 1039, on the "Diligent" from Hingham,
Fipaless Wiebell, who lived at Plymouth, Duxbury and Bridgewater, Mh braw nos came From England on the "Ann," in 1623. He married Jane, the Below : Franz Cak, who was one of the "Mayflower" Pilgrims.
Many x the Famous men of the Revolution were members of the Mitchell Vwode The in Inde. Major Abiel and Colonel Mitchell, from Massachu- on Capital Alexander Mitchell, from New Jersey ; Nathaniel Mitchell, cap- w il a lonidion of fo Flying Camp, from Delaware; Captain Joseph MA kik In to Virginia Captain James and Major Ephraim Mitchell, of South . cuatro tad Licutecani for Mitchell, of Georgia.
Debt ywodet vete of the Nantucket family of thit name, des- om : Ca .... Man Mitchell, was born August 1, 1818, the Her father ( 1791-1869) was a school teacher orari who rafel chronometers for Nantucket whal- Pro Th ass srl Imest i fre Sew England States as a learned man, and held Ibm plan Wirserr of Harvard University from 1857 to 1865, with all the tage Mdaich. to zuoh arr offo For a time he was in the employ of the wird simus fo Survey, and of some excellent work in that department.
Mne wants www hell had as early as 1831 (during the annual eclipse of the sun! let her father's assistant, and the progress she made under his tu- torage, together with the certain genius she possessed in the science, may be Visualued from the inet that sixteen years later, on October I, 1847, she dis- corred a telescopic comer start by De Vico on October 3. by W. R. Dawes, October 7, and by Maname Rim.ker, October 11. For this discovery, outstrip- ling as she did the furosla tronomers of the world, she received a gold medal with the congratulations of the King of Denmark, and was elected in 1848 to the American Academy w MU an ! G ience., being the first woman member of this organization. In reso as a further recognition of her excellent work, she was elected a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
She removed from Nantucket to Lynn Massachusetts, in 1861, setting up in the latter city the great equatorial tel which had been presented to her by popular subscription by the worder America. Here she lived and storlief until late in the year 1865, when is chosen professor of astron- omy and director of the Observatory a. Voor College. She continued ac- Tivel in this position until 1888, when Name professor emeritus. For many years she had specialized in the stab !Moiter and Saturn, and in 1874 she began to make photographs of the She died at Lynn, Massachu- setts, June 28, 1889.
Henry Mitchell, her brother, was a de hydrographer. He was born in the year 1830, and died in 1902.
Afjoining the Maria Mitchell homestead weich is still carefully preserved,
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Maria Mitchell
stands a memorial astronomical observatory and library erected in Miss Mit- chell's honor by popular subscription in 1908. In it are kept the excellent col- lections and records which she and her brother made during the years of pa- tient research in the fields of their chosen sciences.
(I) Richard Mitchell was the ancestor of this distinguished Mitchell family in America. He was a native of Bricktown, in the Isle of Wight, Great Britain, where he was born in 1686. His coming to this country is one of those romantic tales with which that time abound. It seems that most of the trades in those days were exempt from impressment, but that was not the case with tailors, which calling Mr. Mitchell followed. Accordingly, during a visit to London, he was seized by a press-gang crew and taken on board a man-of- war. This vessel sailed for the New World and spent some time at Newport, Rhode Island, during which time Mr. Mitchell was selected to make a suit of clothes for the governor of the Colony. So pleased was the governor with the cut of this suit that he indulged in a little seizing on his own account, and concealed Mr. Mitchell in his house until after the man-of-war had sailed. Mr. Mitchell thus became unwillingly enough an inhabitant of the American Colonies, and continued to reside in Newport, where he became a member of the Society of Friends. In 1708 he married Elizabeth Tripp, of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, a daughter of James and Mercy (Lawton) Tripp, and a grand- daughter of James and Mary (Paine) Tripp and also of George and Elizabeth (Hazard) Lawton, and a great-granddaughter of Thomas Hazard, the founder of a noted Rhode Island family.
(II) James Mitchell, the second son of Richard and Elizabeth (Tripp) Mitchell, was born April 20, 1715, in Newport, where he was a member of the Society of Friends and an elder in that body. He died October 5, 1799, at Middletown, Rhode Island. He was married to Anna Folger, a daughter of Jethro and Mary Folger, of Nantucket.
(III) Richard (2) Mitchell, youngest child of James and Anna (Fol- ger ) Mitchell, was born November 25, 1754, at Middletown, where he lived near what is known as Mitchell's lane. He died there, October 26, 1833. He married, November 6, 1776, Joanna Lawton, a daughter of John and Sarah Lawton, of Portsmouth.
(IV) Elizabeth Mitchell, eldest daughter of Richard (2) and Joanna (Lawton) Mitchell, was born October 17, 1782, at Middletown, and became the wife of Asa Sherman, of Portsmouth ( see Sherman XI.).
John George Berry
T THROUGH all the varied responsibilities of life, the late John George Berry acquitted himself with dignity, fidelity and hon- or, and won the approbation and esteem of his fellow-men. H lis great energy was signally displayed in the enterprise with which he was connected, and he was eminently a thoroughly practical and true type of the self-made business man. Demo- cratic in his manner and associations, being easily approached by any citizen, no matter how humble, yet he was cool and calculating in all his business transactions. A man whose natural abilities would secure him prominence in any community, he was eminently fitted to manage the affairs of the well known establishment of which he was a member, and to success- fully grapple with those difficulties which must necessarily arise from time to time. The sad news of the death of Mr. Berry quickly spread among his many friends, carrying with it grief at the loss of a fine and public-spirited gentle- man. Those who had been so fortunate as to have known him personally mourned his passing away, which occurred in Somerville, Massachusetts, De- cember 17, 1916, as a great sorrow. Mr. Berry was a man of manly qualities and rare character, and the possessor of business principles of a very high standard. In the proud list of her citizens, known and honored throughout the business world for stability, integrity and fair dealing, Somerville, Massachu- setts, has no cause to be other than satisfied with the record of Mr. Berry, who, clear of judgment, and untiring in labor, proved his worth to his business asso- ciates in many ways.
The birth of John George Berry occurred in Somerville, Massachusetts, May 30, 1877. He was the only son of Casper and Elsbeth Berry, both of whom were natives of Switzerland. His father, Casper Berry, was born No- vember 29, 1846, and was educated in the schools of his native country. He came to the United States at the close of the Civil War, and first found em- ployment in Newark, New Jersey, then located in Boston, Massachusetts, where he followed his trade of carpentry. In 1878 he removed to Somerville, Massachusetts, and engaged in business on his own account. After a year or two he removed his place of business to the adjoining city of Cambridge, and later to No. 84 Leverett street, Boston. He prospered in business from the very outset, and in a few years his Boston quarters were inadequate for his rapidly increasing business. He therefore built a large five-story brick build- ing adjoining his establishment on Leverett street, and still further enlarged his plant. His business, that of wholesale liquors, has grown until it is now the most extensive in his line in Boston. His success has been gained chiefly by hard work and close attention to business, while practicing fair dealing
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with all men, and giving goods of the very best quality. Mr. Berry's busi- ness success has made him a man of large property interests, and he resides in a handsome residence in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is well known and pop- ular in Masonic circles, being a member of the Germania Lodge, Free and Ac- cepted Masons of Boston; of Cœur de Lion Commandery, Knights Templar ; a member of the Order of the Mystic Shrine, Aleppo Temple, Boston, and be- longs to various German social organizations. Mr. Berry is the father of four children, namely: Elsbeth; May; John George, in whose memory this memoir is being written; Anna, who became the wife of A. Beatty, who is engaged in the phosphate mining business of Florida. Mrs. Berry passed away in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1897.
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