USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > The aristocracy of Boston; who they are and what they were: being a history of the business and business men of Boston, for the last forty years > Part 5
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ROGERS, HENRY. B. Studied law with Charles Jackson. Is sou of the late Daniel Denison Rogers, who had been in the dry goods business, and later in life moved in stocks and notes, and invested also in good real estate. Henry B. deserves all good fortune.
RUSSELL, NATHANIEL P. Was long quiet, diligent, and saving in the business of Marine Insurance-first as Secretary to the New-England, with P. C. Brooks, President. He married a daughter of the late Samuel Hammond, and from her property and his own, he invested in manufactures, and has grown rich.
SALISBURY, SAMUEL. Son of the late Samuel Salisbury, a deacon of the Old South Church, with Deacon Phillips, and also a director of the Massa- chusetts Bank. He was in partnership with his brother Stephen-S. & S. Salisbury --- in British dry goods and hardware. Stephen retired to Worcester, with wealth, and has succeeded Daniel Waldo there as President of the old Worcester Bank, that would never pay tribute to the Saffolk Banks
SEARS, DAVID. Inherited a large fortune -- nearly a million-from his father, of the same name. He married a daughter of the late Jonathan Mason. He has invested largely in manufacturing corporations ; and, by his ample means, decision, and sagacity, has profited by the reverses of some concerns, where smaller capitais have been lost.
Mr. Sears is a man of cultivated mind, refined taste and manners, and of large public views. He left Dr. Channing's church when St. Paul's was built, and joined that parish. He has been a liberal benefactor to that church and several other public institutions. His project for abolishing slavery, deserves more attention than it appears yet to have received. Previons to the war of 1812, be commanded the Cadets, and has recently been recalled to that com- mand, to retrieve the declining fortunes of that sder company. Twenty-five years ago, the residence of Mr. Sears on Beacon street was considered the best house in Boston. He has a cottage at Nabant, and another seat at the mouth of Penobscot River, His father joined with the late Col. Thorndike and Wm. Prescott, in the purchase of several islands in that vicinity, and other property in different parte of Maine.
SHAW, ROBERT GOULD. Came to Boston young and poor : a distant relation of the late Samuel Parkman-one of whose daughters, by his second wife, he married. For several years he was principal of the firm of Shan. Barker & Bridge, auctioneers, in State, neatly opposite Kilby-street ; after- wards, of the firm of Tuckerman. Shew & Rogers, ( Edward Tuckerman, who had married a daughter of Mr. Parkman's first wife.) large importers of British goods in Dock Square. Subsequently, be kept on Central Wharf, in the Sicily and Trieste trade, and general shipping and commission business-uniting with
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THE ARISTOCRACY OF BOSTON.
him, Mr. Perkins, (brought up him -- a son of Samuel Perkins, a house painter . and floor-cloth manufacturer,) and one of his sons.
The bland manners of Mo. Shaw, made him early friends; and the great confidence reposed in him by Mr. Paikman, gave him great command of capital for any emergency. He could and would always advance, on undoubted secu- rity, for an adequate commission. In the spring of 1816, he sold Wm. Gray's notes, received for Rice & Savage's (afterwards Commercial) Wharf,) at 23 per cent. per month, to raise money to make advances with. Treasury notes were worth but 75 cents on the dollar. What must they have paid who re- ceived the advances ? The money pressure was very great. The Southern banks were trying to resume specie payments.
Mr. Shaw has always been a thorough and diligent desk man. He examined every bill and amount himself, and for a long time kept his own books ..
Forty-five years ago, auction-sales in Boston were disgraced, almost univer- sally, with by-bidding. The practice was so general, that no disgrace or dis- honor was thought to attach to it. Of course, it was met by combinations among buyers -- fraud contending against fraud !- auctioneers base enough to be tools ! Mr. Shaw long continued wedded to this practice, from force of habit.
Francis George Shaw, the Foncierite, and translator of George Sands' works, is a son, and lives now on Staten-Island, N. Y. His wife is a daughter of Wm. Sturges. Another son is a Roman Catholic priest, and has recently returned from Rome. where he has heen completing his studies.
SHAW, LEMUEL. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. Son of the Rev. Oakes Shaw, of Barnstable. Married a daughter of Josiah Knapp, the distiller. He was many years attorney of the New-Eugland Bank, and in moderate practice ouly as a lawyer. But, he was much engaged in important references, so that his sound and comprehensive mind was well known. Public opinion pointed to him as the successor of Chief-Justice Par- ker. Orthodox influence could not prevent it. Chief-Justice Shaw is an Unie tarian.
WARREN, JOHN C. The eminent surgeon -- the Valentine Mott of Bos- ton -- succeeded his father, Dr. John Warren, in practice. Iu reputation and science, he has far surpassed him.
Dr. John Warren was zealons in the cause of his country during the Revo- lution, and served as a surgeon through the war. General Joseph Warren was a volunteer, and killed at Bunker Hill. Twenty years ago, his remains were removed to Dr. Warren's tomb under St. Paul's Church, and a monument to his memory erected by Dr. W., ----- with an epitaph, elegant for its Latinhty- fronting the eastern entrance to the cemetery.
Dr. Warren has married daughters of the late Jonathan Mason and Lieu- tenant-Governor Winthrop. He took a warm interest in the settlement of Dr. Potter at St. Paul's Church, where he was a warden. He is zealous and active in the cause of temperance.
Since that time, few men have grown to fill so wide a span of usefulness as Alonzo Potter-now Bishop of Pennsylvania. He has fulfilled Bishop Hobart's opinion of his carly promise, when he selected him as President of the new College at Geneva, at twenty-seven years of age. To great talent he unites wisdom in government. President Wayland, an early hiend, said of him, "He is a great foot !"
WILLIAMS, JOHN D. Of the firm John D. & Moses Williams. Has long been eminent as a dealer in wine and spirits, especially --- on the neck. He was first a market gardener from Roxbury, where his brother long followed the same calling. A long life of devoted industry and economy has made him
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THE ARISTOCRACY OF BOSTON.
very rich. Few men have understood better how to adapt wine and spirits to different tastes. He always took great care in selecting -- and his taste was considered good -- that many of the first retail grocers were always willing to pay a profit for his selections, in his toas as well as the above articles.
WILLIAMS, MOSES. A brother-bred by John D., and then taken as a partner. He now manages the business.
WINCHESTER, WM. PARSONS. Son of the late Edmund Winchester, of the firm of E. A. & Wm. P. Winchester; and as that firm (the first pro- vision-house in America.) is still continued, we shall include all the principal parties in this notice.
Edmund and Amasa came from Newton about fifty-five years ago. The butcher's stall in Faneuil-Hall Market was attended by Amasa for about thirty years, while Edmund was the out-door man, and buyer at Brighton. Their talent and industry early attracted the notice of the late Ebenezer Parsons, who offered, unsolicited, to endorse for them at the Massachusetts Bank --- which he did until bis death. When that took place, that Bank discounted all they wanted, without endorser. This command of capital enabled them to. go into the market at all times. In the packing season, they killed at Lechmore Point-a thousand head weekly. Their poaching business is now principally at Cincinnati. Their brands for beef, pork, soap, and candles, have always stood the first in the country -- and this credit is mainly due to the unwearied efforts of Edmund Winchester.
Edmund Winchester was long a zealous Federalist of the old school, and very influential among country members. He was of great natural talent, great energy, and a Gillite Baptist, of the First Baptist Church-living near by in Richmond-street.
Amasa was less prominent, and more retiring. His tasto and knowledge of music was self-acquired, and extensive. He was zealous for its advancement, and for many years led the choir of Dr. Stillman's church. He was many years President of the Handel and Haydn Society, and a member of several other musical societies. To no individual i: Boston more indented in time, talent, and puise, in promoting the culture of music. Handel and Mozart were his favorites. For many years after Dr. Stillman's death, he worshipped at Dr. Sharp's. He died in December, 1840.
Boston never had two better or more useful citizens.
William P. was bred with his father and muchy, and early admitted a partner. Be married the only daughter of the late Thomas D. Brashe, by whom he had a large fortune --- nearly a million. He follows up the business with the family energy -- going west every winter, to superintend the purchases of pork, and packing, &c.
Col. Winchester (of the Cadets) has shown the partialities of the family for aquatic sports, by his fine yacht, the " Northern Light." Like his father, he avoids public office.
POSTSCRIPT .- It will be observed, that several of the parties we have here mentioned, bave lately deceased. This would have been stated in its propor place, had the author been able to have overlooked the proof's while the work was passing through the press. Another mumber will be issued in a few weeks, and it is probable that the work will be extended to yet other numbers; so as to include the prominent bien of other places as well as Boston.
Any person furnishing important and reliable matter for the future nom- bers of this work, will be fully compensated. Address, with real name,
" Publisher Boston ARISTOCRACY, Boston Post-Office." Boston, February, 1848.
£ 4844.97
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