USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Haverhill > The history of Haverhill, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, in 1640, to the year 1860 > Part 66
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@ Miss Nancy Haseltine, afterward Mrs. Judson.
1 Adoniram Judson, Jr., Samuel Nott, Jr., Samuel J. Mills, and - Hall.
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of duty, and love to the souls of the perishing heathen, lead you to India, as much as I love you, Harriet, I can only say, Go.'" She accepted the proposal.
After a few months' preparation, the hour of her final departure drew near. On the 6th of February, 1812, the missionaries were ordained at Salem ; on the 9th of the same month, she was married to Rev. Samuel Newell, " and ten days afterward, Mr. and Mrs. Newell, and their mis- sionary associates, Mr. and Mrs. Judson, sailcd from Salem, in the Cara- van, for Calcutta.
After a tedious voyage, they arrived at Calcutta on the 17th of the fol- lowing June. They found the East India Company violently opposed to missions, and within a short month were " ordered by the government to leave the British territories, and return to America immediately." The captain of the Curavan was refused a home clearance for his vessel. un- less he engaged to take the missionaries with him. Finally, after many trials, and perplexities, they obtained liberty to go to the Isle of France, where they heard the English governor favored missions, and where there was a large field of labor,
They embarked on the 4th of August. The next day Mrs. Newell was ill of a fever, but after a few days recovered, and again enjoyed a fair degree of health. After nearly a month of contrary winds and bad weather, during which but little progress was made, the ship sprung a-leak and put about for the nearest port, which happened to be Coringa, a small town on the Coromandel coast. Four days before their arrival at that port, Mrs. Newell was again prostrated by sickness, but after a fortnight's rest, she so far recovered as to be able to re-embark. Three weeks after leaving the port, she gave birth to a daughter. Four days later, in con- sequence of a severe storm, the "little Harriet " took cold, and the next day' expired in its mother's arms. In a few days, the symptoms of that dread disease which numbers so many among its victims, and which had already claimed her father and several of her family connexions, made their appearance, and she gave up all hope of recovery.
On the 31st of October, they came to anchor in the harbor of Port Louis. Her husband in a few days rented a small house in a healthy part of the town, and removed her, but her symptoms became worse, and she continued to fail. On Monday, the 30th of November, 1812 ; at the early
From the Merrimack Intelligencer of February 15, 1812, we copy the following : - " Married, at Bradford, Rev. Adoniram Judson, missionary to India, to Miss Nancy Haseltine. In this town, Rev. Samuel Newell, missionary to India, to Miss Harriet Atwood."
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age of 19 years and two months; she calmly fell asleep, and was buried at that port.
A marble monument has since been erected over her grave, with the following inscription : -
" Sacred to the memory of Mrs Harriet Atwood, wife of Rev. Samuel Newell, missionary at Bombay. Born. Haverhill, Mass., U. S. A., Oct. 10, 1793. Died, after a distressing voyage from India to this place, November 30, 1812. Early devoted to Christ, her heart burned for the Heathen ; for them she left her kindred and her native land, and wel- comed danger and sufferings. Of excellent understanding, rich in accomp- lishments and virtues, she was the delight of her friends, a crown to her husband, and an ornament to the Missionary cause. Her short life was bright, her death full of glory. Her name lives, and in all Christian lands is pleading with irresistable eloquence for the heathen. This hum- ble monument to her memory is erected by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions."
PEASLEE, JOSEPH, came from England, and settled in Newbury, Mass. He was made a freeman in 1642, and removed to Haverhill before 1646. For a time he supplied the place of a minister in Amesbury, as a lay preacher, a " gifted brother," as the church records call him, and occa- sionally, he practiced medicine. His wife's name was Mary. He died in 1661, leaving two children, Joseph and Elizabeth.
Joseph, Jr., was born at Haverhill, September 9, 1646, and died Nov- ember 5, 1723. He was a physician, and married Ruth Barnard. Col. Nathaniel Peaslee, of this town, was his son, and was born June 25, 1682. The latter married for his first wife, Judith Kimball, by whom he had Hannah, born May 1, 1703, married Joseph Badger, a merchant of Hav- erhill, and was the father of Gen. Joseph Badger, of Gilmanton, N. H. : Susanna, born May 10, 1712, married Rev. Christopher Sargeant,' of Methuen, who was the father of the Hon. Nathaniel Peaslee Sargeant, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. Col. Peaslee's wife died August 15, 1741. He married for a second wife, Abiah Swan, of Methuen, by whom he had one child, Abigail. The latter married Humphrey Moody, of Haverhill, the father of William, a graduate of Dartmouth College. For her second husband, Mrs. Moody married Gen. James Brickett, a physician of distinction. Gen. Brickett married, for his third wife, Mrs. Martha Hutchins, whose maiden name was Greelee. Col. Nathaniel Peaslee was a merchant, and a large land-owner, and a prominent man in the town.
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SALTONSTALL, HON. GURDON, son of Nathaniel, was born in Haverhill, March 27, 1666, and graduated at Harvard College in 1684, where he was distinguished as a profound scholar, and gave promise of his future greatness. In May, 1688, he received a unanimous call to settle as pastor of the church in New London, Conn., which call he accepted, and was or- dained November 19, 1691. He was jn person tall and well proportioned, of dignified demeanor, of eminent intellectual endowments and acquire- ments, and a graceful and impressive elocution. He was an advocate of vigorous ecclesiastical authority, always striving to cxalt the ministerial office, to maintain its dignity, and to enlarge the powers of ecclesiastical bodies ; which gave him unbounded popularity among his clerical brethren.
He soon became a celebrated preacher, and so rapid was the growth of his reputation, that, in 1707, upon the death of Fitz-John Winthrop, he was chosen Governor by the Legislature. So great was the respect for his character, that " the Assembly repealed the law which required that the Governor should always be chosen from among the magistrates in nom- ination, and gave liberty for the freemen to elect him from among them- selves at large. Mr Saltonstall accepted of the appointment, and entered upon the duties of his office, January 1, 1708. He was continued in the office until his death, which was very sudden, on the 20th September, 1724.
Hon. Richard Saltonstall was born in Haverhill, June 24, 1703, and graduated at Harvard College in 1722. In 1726, (at the age of 23 years) he was commissioned as Colonel ; and was appointed Judge of the Supc- rior Court, in 1736, at the age.of 33 years. He was for several years one of His Majesty's Council. He "was a man of talents and learning; was distinguished for generous and elegant hospitality, and for his boun- tiful liberality to the poor. His address was polished, affable and win- ning, his temper was gentle and benevolent, and he enjoyed the love and esteem of all." He married, first, January 6,'1726, Abigail, daughter of Richard Waldron; second, March 4, 1740, Mary, daughter of John Jekyll, Esq., of Boston; third, Mary, daughter of Elisha Cooke Jr., Esq., of Boston. His children were- Abigail, married Col. George Watson, of Plymouth ; Elizabeth ; Richard, the loyalist; William; William ; Nathaniel, physician, of Haverhill; Mary, married Rev. Moses Badger ; Middlecott Cooke ; and Leverett, a Captain under Cornwallis. Judge Saltonstall died October 20, 1756, after a long illness, and in the 54th year of his age.
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Col. Richard Saltonstall was the eldest son of Judge Richard Sal- tonstall, of Haverhill, where he was born, April 5, 1732. He gradu- ated at Harvard College in 1751. He was appointed Colonel of the regiment at the early age of twenty-two years, and was the fourth of the family in succession who held the office of Colonel. In the rank of Major, he was engaged in active service in the French War on Lake George, and belonged to that body which capitulated at Fort William Henry, August 9, 1757. When the Indians fell upon the unarmed pris- oners, he fled to the woods, and very narrowly escaped death in that horrid massacre. He commanded a regiment from 1760 until the end of the war. Soon after this, he was appointed High Sheriff of the County of Esssex.
Col. Saltonstall was a firm loyalist, and uniformly opposed the measures taken in opposition to the royal government. He deemed the proceedings of the British Parliament extremely inexpedient, but he never doubted their right to tax their American Colonies. In the autumn of 1774, he fled to Boston, and soon afterward embarked for England. He refused to enter the British service, lest he should be directed to act against his native country. The King, nevertheless, granted him a pension, and he never returned to America.
Col. Saltonstall resided upon the family estate in Haverhill, in a liberal and hospitable manner. He was characterized by integrity, frankness, a benevolent disposition, polished manners, and a superior understanding and knowledge of the world, which made him much beloved, and gave him great influence. He died unmarried, October 6, 1785, at Kensington, Eng- land, where there is a monument erected to his memory.
Dr. Nathaniel Saltonstall, son of Judge Richard, was born in Haver- hill, February 10, 1746. At the age of ten years, upon the decease of his father, he was received into the family of his unele, Meddlecott Cooke, Esq., of Boston. He graduated at Harvard College, in 1766, and settled in Haverhill, where he devoted his life to the practice of medicine. His classical education and general intelligence, his eminent professional skill, and conscientious discharge of duty, his gentle manners and kind disposition, and his strong attachment to the liberty and independence of his country, acquired for him great respect in the community, and the affection and entire confidence of his patients. He was remarkable for his humane and assiduous attention to the poor, consoling them by his friendly, cheerful demeanor, and by the medicines and other necessaries which he freely supplied, without the prospect of any pecuniary remuner- ation.
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At a time when all his brothers, and brothers-in-law, adhered to those principles of loyalty in which they had been educated, Dr. Saltonstall remained true to those principles of civil liberty and humanity which he inherited from his worthy ancestor, Sir Richard Saltonstall, and his not less worthy son, Richard, of Ipswich. He was a firm and self-sacrificing patriot. This conscientious adherence to his principles separated him for- ever from those he most loved. It was to him a severe trial, and gave the strongest proof of his sincerity, and the strength of his principles. These had probably been much invigorated by his training in the patriotie Cooke family. He died May 15, 1815, aged 65.
Hon. Leverett Saltonstall, eldest son of Dr. Nathaniel, of Haverhill, was born June 13, 1783, prepared for College at Phillips' Exeter Acad- emy, entered Harvard University, in 1798, at the early age of 15, and was graduated with distinction, in 1802. He began the study of the law with Ichabod Tucker, Esq., then of Haverhill, who subsequently, for many years, was Clerk of the Courts in Essex County ; and completed his legal studies under the direction of the late learned and lamented Hon. William Prescott, of Salem. He entered upon the practice of his profes- sion in his native town, in 1805, but in May, 1806, removed to Salem, Mass., where the remainder of his life was passed, and became distin- guished as an advocate. He was early called upon to take part in the public councils ; was a member, at various times, of the Massachusetts House of Representatives ; President of the State Senate, in 1831; first Mayor of the city of Salem ; Representative to Congress; President of the Bible Society, of the Essex Agricultural Society, and of the Essex Bar; a prominent member of various literary and scientific institutions, and of the Board of Overseers of Harvard College, from which institution he received, in 1838, the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. He ever cherished an ardent affection for the places of his education, and in his will he made a bequest of books to the library of the Exeter Academy ; and a legacy to Harvard College, to increase the fund long before be- queathed to it by his ancestors. He attended every annual Commencement of his Alma Mater, except two, from the time he graduated until his death. As a public man, Mr. Saltonstall was an effective debater, a pleasing and favorite speaker, in politics a Whig, inflexible in his principles, unwaver- ing in his course, and unstained by a single suspicion of vacillation or inconsistency. He was in every sense " a true son of Massachusetts," and his death was mourned as a publie bereavement. He died May 8, 1845.
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SARGEANT, HON. NATHANIEL PEASLEE, was a son of Rev. Christopher Sargeant, the first minister in Methuen, Mass. His mother was a daughter of Nathaniel Peaslec, Esq., of Haverhill. He received his public education in Harvard College, where he was graduated in 1750, and soon after commenced the practice of law in this town. He had the character of an able and honest attorney, though never distinguished at the bar as an advocate. He possessed sound judgment, and excellent learning, and but few men were more respected for integrity, and uniformity of conduct. He may justly be ranked among the patriots of 1770 and 1775. He was not, perhaps, so ardent as some others; but he was decided in support of civil freedom, and could always be depended upon, as a prudent and effi- cient supporter of the ancient privileges and rights of the colonies. Mr. Sargeant was a delegate from this town to the Provincial Congress, which met at Cambridge, in February, 1775 ; and, in 1776, was a member of the House of Representatives. In both of these bodies he was a prominent working member, and was frequently placed on the most important com- mittees.
After the Constitution of Massachusetts was adopted, in 1780, he had a seat on the bench of the Supreme Judicial Court; and on the appoint- ment of William Cushing, to be a Judge of the Supreme Court of the United States, Mr. Sargeant was made Chief Justice. As a Judge, he won the respect and commendation of all, for his ability, integrity, and impartiality. He died in 1792.
SIBLEY, JACOB, (born May. 1746, died June 25, 1831, at Hopkinton, N. H.,) married Anna, daughter of Gideon George, a shoemaker and far- mer of East Haverhill, Mass., whose wife, a Jewett, came to this country when fourteen days old. She was born September 11, 1749, and died September 20, 1828. After their wedding they rode on one horse from Haverhill to his sister Stevens', on Sugar Hill in Hopkinton; whence, there being no road, they walked two miles in a narrow path, through the woods, to their humble dwelling, driving before them a little spotted pig. Her " fitting out " consisted of three white cups and three saucers, three knives, three forks, one coverlet made of hair and tow, and one of wool. In 1774, they took a journey, on horseback, to Haverhill and Stratham, and back ; the mother seated behind the father, who carried his only child in his arms before him. In 1776, Mr. Sibley was in the military at Ports- mouth, and worked on Fort Constitution. While there, his wife, besides attending to her domestic duties and taking care of her two children, hoed three acres of corn upon burnt land. This was a few months before the
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birth of her third child. In the latter part of her life, her physical strength gradually failed, till she 'lost entirely the power of locomotion. She left ten children. - From Sibley's Hist. Union, Me.
SMILEY, DR. DAVID, was born in Haverhill, Mass., April 10, 1760. At an early age, he was bound an apprentice to a Mr. Hale, in this town, a shoemaker. He continued to work with his master till his seventeenth year, when he enlisted in the American army. He was stationed at Winter Hill for three months, the period of his enlistment, when he re- turned home. He afterward enlisted again, and was at Stillwater, West Point, and in New Jersey. He was finally placed in command of a small guard on Fishkill Mountains, where he remained until his term of service expired. In returning to Haverhill, he walked, in company with five others, sixty miles in one day, and spent the greater part of his wages, in the depreciated currency of the country for his day's food. In 1782, he married Rachel Johnson, of the East Parish in this town, and in the same year moved to Peterborough, N. H., where he worked at his trade for about two years. In 1784, he moved to Alstead, N. H. Two years later, he purchased a small farm in the northeast part of Peterborough, where he immediately moved. In 1793, he began the study of medicine, with Dr. Stephen Jewett, of Rindge, N. H. His practice commenced almost simultaneously with his studies, and for many years he had a large prac- tice. His ride extended into all the neighboring towns, and not unfre- quently into more distant towns in other counties. Though not a regularly educated physician, he enjoyed the confidence of many of the most intelli- gent families, and commanded the respect of all who knew him. He resided on his farm until the death of his wife, in 1842, when he went to live with his son in the village of the same town. He gave up the labo- rious duties of his profession only when compelled to do so by the infirmities of age. He died at the same place, October 3, 1855, aged 95 years and nearly six months.
VARNUM, HON. JOIN, was born in Dracut, in 1778, graduated at Har- vard College, in 1798, and entered the office of Judge Smith, of Exeter, as a student. In 1802, he came to Haverhill, and commenced the practice of the law. He was highly successful. Liberal to a fault, warm-hearted and gentlemanly in his profession, he usually had the satisfaction of con- ducting his eases without giving offenee to either party, He was of the Federal school of politics. In 1811, he was elected to the Senate, and in 1826, he was elected to Congress from the Essex North District. He was re-elected in 1828, During this period he was associated in business with
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Isaac R. Howe, Esq. After he returned from Congress, he removed to Lowell, and from thence to Niles, Michigan, where he died July 23, 1836, after a short illness. He married, October 9, 1806, Mary Cooke, daugh- ter of Dr. Nathaniel Saltonstall, of Haverhill, by whom he had three sons.
WHITE, HON. LEONARD, was a native of Haverhill, a direct descendant of William White, one of the first company of settlers in Haverhill, and the Rev. George Phillips, the first pastor of Watertown. He took his christian name from his maternal grandfather, the Rev. Nathaniel Leon- ard, of Plymouth, who was a descendant of James Leonard. His grand- father, Leonard, married the daughter of Daniel Rogers, of Ipswich; was the Register of Probate for this County for twenty years, and a practicing physician, who, on his return from a visit, was bewildered in a snow-storm and perished. Mr. White was the class-mate and friend of John Quincy Adams, and they were, before going to college, fellow-students with the Rev. Mr. Shaw, of Haverhill. They were of the elass of 1789, at Har- vard College. At the period of his college life, every freshman had his patron, selected by himself, in the senior class; and Mr. White was the patron of President Quincy.
Mr. White married early, Mary, the eldest daughter of Hon. Tristram Dalton, and the grand-daughter of " King " Hooper, of Marblehead. By this marriage he had a numerous family. This lady died some ten years previous to Mr. White, and he afterward married Mrs. Cummings.
Perhaps no man ever lived more distinguished for fidelity to every trust and punctuality in the performance of every duty. He was for many years Town Clerk and Treasurer, and represented his town in the Legisla- ture, and his District in Congress, from 1811 to 1813.
At this period, the Merrimack Bank was incorporated, and he became its first cashier, which office he held, with unsullied reputation, for a quar- ter of a century, and until the infirmities of age rendered repose from its arduous duties necessary. He was a real gentleman of the old school, of the kindest and most cheerful disposition. He was a member of the Bap- tist Church, and his old age was cheered by the benignant light and cheering hopes of the gospel, in which he was a firm believer, and an humble and faithful follower. Modest, retiring, and unassuming, he en- joyed the most unbounded confidence and trust in his integrity. For the last two years of his life, he declined, under the repeated attacks of paraly- sis, and his death was as quiet and undisturbed as an infant's sleep; and on his tomb-stone may be most emphatically inscribed -" Here lies an honest man." He died October 10, 1849, aged 82 years.
Leonard White
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WOODBRIDGE, BENJAMIN, who married Mary, the daughter of Rev. John Ward, (see page 168) was probably a son of John Woodbridge, who was born in Stanton, Wiltshire, in 1613, came to New England in 1634, and to Newbury in 1635. The latter married Mercy Dudley, daughter of Gov. Thomas Dudley, and died March 17, 1695. He was town register of Newbury, in 1636.
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CHAPTER XXXI.
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MISCELLANEOUS.
NEWSPAPERS. - The first newspaper published in this town, was the " Guardian of Freedom. Printed and published every Friday morning. by E Ladd and S Bragg. in Haverhill (Massachusetts,) 9s. pr. ann." The first number was issued September 6, 1793. It contained sixteen columns of print, each fifteen and one-half inches long and two and one- quarter inches wide, nearly all of which was in small pica type. At first, the paper hardly contained a " stickful " of advertisements, and it was nearly two years before they had increased so as to occupy one whole column. In politics, the paper was classed as Federal. The publication day was changed in a few weeks, to Mondays, and still later, to Thurs- days." May 10th, 1794, (vol. 1, No. 29,) Eliphalet Ladd assumed the sole proprietorship of the paper. On the 29th of the same month, (vol. 1, No. 35,) he was succeeded by Samuel Aiken, who, four weeks after- ward, (June 26th, vol. 1, No. 40,) transferred his interest to Benjamin Edes, Jr.
In 1798, the above paper was discontinued, but was soon succeeded by another, styled the Impartial Herald. This enjoyed an existence of only two years, however, when it, in turn, was allowed to die, for want of support.
In November, 1800, The Observer was started, by Galen H. Fay. This was continued until December 4, 1804, when the establishment was sold to Francis Gould, who changed the name of the paper to Haverhill Museum. The Museum was published two years, (until November 22, 1806, -just two volumes,) when it was discontinued, for want of sup- port. The printing office, however, was not abandoned.
- The first newspaper publishel in America, was the Boston News Letter, April 24, 1704. In 1771, there were but twenty-five published in America. The first published in this county, was the Essex Gazette, at Salem, in 1768. The first printing-press in the country, was established at Cambridge. Mass., in 1639.
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In 1808, Wm. B. Allen, who had succeeded Gould in the printing busi- ness, commenced the publication of a paper, styled the Merrimack Intelligencer. In February, 1812, Mr. Allen formed a partnership with his brother, and the paper was published by the firm of Wm. B. & H. G. Allen. August 1, 1813, the senior member of the firm disposed of his entire interest to his partner, who continued the paper until the following January, (January 1, 1814,) when he sold out his paper, printing-office, and book-store, to William Greenough and Nathan Burrill.ยบ
Mr. Burrill was a book-binder, and the first one in the town. He removed here, and commeneed the business, in February, 1809. Mr. Greenough was a printer, and removed his printing-office from Boston to Haverhill, on the breaking out of the War of 1812.
November 5, 1814, Mr. Greenough sold out his interest to Thomas Tileston, who had been his apprentice, and the three branches of business were carried on, under the style of Burrill & Tileston, until January, 1818, when the partnership was dissolved, and the property divided. The Intelligencer had never paid its cost, and when the above firm dissolved, it was made over to Peter W. Green, (afterward Nathaniel Green) as a gift. Mr. Tileston went to New York, where he founded one of the earliest and largest wholesale shoe-houses in that city - that of Spofford & Tileston. Mr. Burrill continued to carry on the book-binding and book-selling busi- ness, as heretofore.
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