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NEW ENGLAND

HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.

VOL. XXI.

JULY, 1867.

No. 3.

MEMOIR OF SOLOMON PIPER, ESQ.

[Communicated by REV. WILLIAM P. TILDEN, of Boston.]

SOLOMON PIPER was born in Temple, N. H., July 19, 1789. He removed to Dublin, N. H., with his parents, when only five years old. He was the oldest of a family of twelve children. His father was poor, and with such a family it was necessary that each little pair of hands should do something for the common support. Solomon having the oldest pair, soon learned to use his with a will, and formed those habits of industry that marked his whole subsequent life. He was an energetic, persevering boy, who never said "can't," or allowed the little folks under his control to say it. He was soon master of hoe, shovel, scythe, sickle, and the various other implements of farming. With the seythe, especially, he was more than a match for men in general; so that, when the home work would permit, he would work out, by the day or job, for his neighbors.

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But in working with his hands he did not forget that he had brains, as well. He was fond of his books, and made good use of the eight or ten weeks schooling each year, in the district school as it was." He was a good scholar for his times. He mastered his " Pike's Abridgement" at an early age, and did something in the higher mathematics. Ambitious of advantages beyond what the common school afforded, he made a bargain with the Rev. Mr. Ainsworth, of Jaffrey, to tend his fires, and take care of his cattle for a month, with the privilege of studying with him the remainder of the time. The parson kept two wood fires, and a large stock, which of course left Solomon little time for his advance studies. We have not learned of the progress made under this private instruction. We only know that at the end of three weeks, his enthusiasm had so abated, that he persuaded a younger brother to serve out the remaining week of the literary contract, while he returned to his work on the farm.

At the

After getting a little money by "letting himself" one season to work in a neighboring town, he went in the fall of 1809 to the New Ipswich Academy, where he spent one term of six weeks. close of this term he received a certificate stating that he was "well qualified to teach an English Grammar School." He was now twenty, and was not a young man to let his "qualifications" sleep. So he

VOL. XXI.

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went to Fitzwilliam, 66 and kept school" one short term. It is said that he gave good satisfaction, though the brother who served out his time at Parson Ainsworth's, and to whom we are indebted for these incidents, says it "was his opinion at the time, that he was not made for that particular business.' Probably Solomon thought so too, for the next summer, a few weeks before he was twenty-one, he started, on foot, for Boston, in pursuit of employment, with his wardrobe on his back, and in his bundle. He immediately let himself, at seventeen dollars a month, and board, to Mr. Benjamin Fessenden, a dealer in wood and fuel, on what was then Sea street. About two years after he became a partner of his employer. Subsequently he pur chased the stand, and at Mr. Fessenden's decease succeeded to the whole business. Here on the same spot, and in the same trade, he continued till the day of his death, a period of about fifty-six years.

As a business man, and as a citizen, Mr. Piper filled honorably various offices of trust and responsibility. He was a member of both branches of the city government, and a Representative in the General Court. He was President of the Freeman's Bank from 1843 to the close of his life. The service of plate presented to him by the Direc tors of this institution, as a testimony of their confidence and esteem, and the resolutions passed by the same body after his death, in which they speak not only of" his great ability and untiring zeal," but say, also, that in the decease of our President we mourn the loss to our selves of a valued friend, to the community in which he lived of an esti mable citizen, and an honest man,"-these testimonials are gratify ing tokens of the estimation in which he was held by those most intimately associated with him in the business relations of life.

When about twenty-eight years old, Mr. Piper married Jerusha Hollis, by whom he had three children, two of whom are still living, and have families. Mrs. Piper died August, 1851. In November, 1852, he married Mary Elizabeth, daughter of William Taggard, Esq.. merchant, of New York, by whom he had a son, who, with his mother, are still living.

Mr. Piper had strong points of character. He was clear headed. What he saw, he saw with great distinctness. He had energy and force of character. He was sagacious, cautious, no speculator, but of great persistency in following out his well-matured plans. His opinions once deliberately formed, were not easily changed; and if his strong will sometimes ran into wilfulness, and his persistency of purpose into obstinacy, it was only what often happens to an impulsive nature. He was quick, irascible, impatient of opposition, blunt, and

often harsh to those about him.

But there was another side to the man-the home side, and those who did not know him here, were very likely to misjudge him. In his nature and habits, Mr. Piper was emphatically a domestic man. Home was the dearest spot on earth to him-his rest and recreation. His family affections were warm and strong. His children and grandchildren were very dear to him. It was in the midst of home enjoy ments that the sunny side of his nature shone out, and you saw the tender affection hidden under an exterior, which to the outside world seemed rough and unimpressible.

But his sympathies were not limited to the home circle. A daugh ter, in a note to us, in which she speaks of the "wealth of love he

bestowed upon his family," and the "sweet memories of him" with "How many which the hearts of the children were filled, says, widows and orphans has he helped to save their little property. In their perplexity and trouble, they found him a willing listener and sympathizer. The very poor found him equally as good a friend. One of these poor women said to me the other day, I felt that I had lost a good friend, and I could not rest until I had looked upon his face once more. O there are many poor who will miss him.'"

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Another daughter, after writing "Father's chief happiness was in his home," adds, "there were many widows and single women who looked to him for advice and counsel. He took care of their money, and was ever ready to do an act of friendship for them. Frequently of a winter evening, he would leave his comfortable fire to go and see some poor person, fearing they might be in want.”

He loved the place of his boyhood, and delighted in recalling the friends and incidents of his early life. It was the privilege of the writer of this notice to spend a brief season with him amid these early scenes, and to know something of the fondness with which he cherished old memories and old friends. The parish with which he worshipped in childhood was always an object of interest to him, and the church and its minister received substantial and repeated tokens of his kind remembrance.

In his religious opinions, Mr. Piper was a Unitarian, of the old school. He worshipped at the New South from the dedication of the present church edifice to the closing of its doors, and was one of the minority who earnestly opposed the dissolution of the society. He had been a church member for many years, and the place had become so filled with sacred associations that he could not leave it without pain.

His mental and physical vigor remained in a remarkable degree to On the the last, though his step was less firm during the last year. day of his death he was about his business as usual. In the afternoon of Monday, Oct. 15, 1866, he entered the office of" Cowles, Brewer & Co." Complaining of faintness he sat down, and in a few minutes his spirit took its flight. He was borne to his home on South street, a sweet smile resting on his calm face, as he was laid down in the home he loved so well.

On the following Thursday, his body was carried to the next dearest spot to him-the old Church on Summer street, where the funeral services were held, a large number of friends being present to pay the last tribute of respect to his memory.

MRS. ABIGAIL ALDEN.-The 88th birth day of Mrs. Abigail Alden, of Bridgewater, was celebrated by a large company of her relatives on the 12th of April, 1867. Dr. Morrill Robinson of North Middleborough, Col. Abial Peirce Robinson and Jones Robinson, Esq., of Acushnet, and Gen. Ebenezer W. Peirce, of Freetown, were among those present. Mrs. Alden is the widow of Eleazer Alden, of Bridgewater, and is a daughter of Abial Peirce, of Middleborough, a Lieut. in the French and Indian war, and Capt. in the Revolutionary war.

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