Therefore, there have been two periods in this century, besides the present, when there was no ex-president who had been chosen to the office of president by the people the first from Jan. 1, 1801, to March 4, 1801, two months and three days; and the second from June 28, 1836, to March 4, 1837, eight months and four days. J. W. D. MASSACRE IN DOVER, N. H., 1689.-Mr. C. W. Tuttle, of Boston, is preparing a complete historical account of the great massacre in Dover (Cochecho), NewHampshire, committed by the Indians June 28, 1689, with biographical sketches of persons connected with that calamity. He desires any information on the subject not yet printed. ENGLISH WILLS.-In July, 1868, I occupied several days with researches among the wills at Her Majesty's Principal Registry of Probates, London. This office, commonly known as Doctors' Commons, is the source, at which the connections of American families with their English ancestors are chiefly to be sought and found. My own attention was principally devoted to certain names of my own ancestry, but I never failed to take note of familiar New-England names, and in so doing read a few wills, in which this country is mentioned, as well as some persons, whose descendants emigrated. I add to this notes of four wills, which seem to me quite worthy of record in the REGISTER. HENRY BILEY, of New Sarum, in his will written 18 Oct., 1633, mentions his grandson Henry and others of the name of Biley, and his grandson Christopher Batt, son of Thomas Batt deceased, and brothers, sisters and children of the said Christopher. The will was proved in 1634. Both these grandsons, Henry Biley and Christopher Batt, were undoubtedly the settlers in this country, at Salisbury and Newbury respectively, but I do not think that any connection between them has been known to exist. FRANCIS DRAKE, of Esher, Surry, Esq., in his will written 13 March, 1633, mentions" John Drake my cozen Wm. Drake's son," and orders" 20£. to be sent to him in New-England in commodities." The will was proved in 1634. Rev. PETER THACHER, of New Sarum, in his will written 1 Feb., 1640, mentions his sons Peter and Thomas, speaks of " 35£. sent to New-England to buy goates, in the hands of brother Anthony," and mentions also his brother-in-law Christopher Batt, his daughters Anne, Martha and Elizabeth, his sons John, Samuel, Paul and Barnabas, his brother John, his wife's four sisters Elizabeth, Margery, Mary and Dorothy, his sister Anne Batt, his wife Alice, and his brother-in-law Richard Allwood. The will was proved in 1641. We learn from this the maiden name of the wife of Christopher Batt, involving a connection hitherto unknown, as I think. EDMUND SHEAFE, of London, in his will written 30 Aug., 1647, mentions his daughters Elizabeth and Rebecca, his son Sampson, his wife Elizabeth, his brother Doctor Thomas Sheafe with daughter Mary, his mother Mrs. Elizabeth Cotton, his brother and sister Walters, his brother and sister Wood, his brother and sister Westfield, his brother and sister Edge, his brothers James and Thomas Cotton, the " poore of Welford parish, wherein I was borne," his brother Grindall Sheafe, his brother Edward, his sister Westley, his sister Bale. The will was proved in 1649. Edmund Sheafe had been in Boston, but returned to England. His will may cause us to doubt Mr. Savage's statement, that the son Sampson was a posthumous child, though it is not certain that the one named in the will is the same who was afterwards of Boston. I suppose Welford is the parish of that name in Berkshire. W. S. APPLETON. GENEALOGIES.-In the 23 volumes of the REGISTER will be found a very large number of genealogies and genealogical notes, including many of the oldest families of New-England. Besides these there have been printed several hundred volumes of family genealogies and pedigrees, more or less extended; in the whole, making quite a large library of books relating to this department. Prior to the existence of the NEW-ENGLAND HISTORIC-GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY scarcely anything had been done in the United States, in this direction; and it is due to that society to state that through the aid, no where else to be obtained, of its library, and through the pages of the REGISTER, great progress has been made in historical and genealogical studies, which have resulted in the marvellous multiplication of family, town and state-histories. That society may fairly be said to have created a taste for these studies. It has liberally aided all inquirers, and is honored alike by the work already accomplished and that which the future promises. Every one who compiles a genealogy has his own plan of arranging his matter. Hence there are as many different plans as there are volumes. And, as it seldom happens that the same individual will compile more than one genealogy, we cannot hope to aid those who have finished their labors; but for the benefit of future contributors to the REGISTER, and perhaps of those about to publish family-genealogies, we have arranged the Sherman Genealogy, a portion of which appears in this number of the REGISTER, on a plan easily understood, and convenient for reference. The obvious merits of this plan are: 1.-It avoids all unnecessary figures. More than enough of these adds greatly to the cost of printing, confuses the reader, and mars the page. Consecutive numbers have no advantage except as aids to reference; hence no consecutive number is placed against a name which is not subsequently taken up as the head of a family. Figures used as exponents, as John, are employed but once with the same name. 2. The personal history of each individual is given in connection with his appearance as the head of a family. If any name is not subsequently taken up, as the head of a family, then his or her history is given when the name first occurs. 3.-Historical matter is printed in large type, and the names of children in small type. This economizes space, and assists the eye in reading. In preparing matter on this plan for the press, put against the name of each child, sufficient dates of birth, marriage and death to fill the line, and place the record of only one individual family on the same sheet of paper, writing on one side of the sheet only. ED. U. S. NAVY-REMINISCENCES OF.-The United States Ship of the Line, Independence, Commodore Wm. Bainbridge, sailed from Boston in 1815 for the Mediterranean. There were then attached to her fifty-five commissioned and warranted officers. In 1842, thirty-four of these officers were dead, and the following living: Captains Crane and Ridgeley; Lieuts. Finch, Hunter, E. Shubrick, Storer and Geissenger; Surgeon A. A. Evans; Surgeons-mate, S. D. Townsend; Midshipmen, Carpenter, Ellery, Farragut, Freeman, Goldsborough, Hayes, Ogden, Paine, Sawyer, Shaler; and the sailmaker, Charles Ware. Doct. Townsend, who had long before left the navy, died recently in Boston-the last survivor of all her commissioned officers; and there is now (1869) only three midshipmen living, the survivors of over half a century, viz.: D. G. Farragut, admiral, and senior officer on the active list of the navy; Louis M. Goldsborough, senior rear admiral on the active list; and Commodore Edward W. Carpenter, who was retired when a commander, Sept. 13, 1855. The Independence is now in service, but has been razeed. When the Essex left the U. S. in 1813 for her famous cruise under Com. David Porter in the Pacific, she had a full complement of officers, probably about twentyfive. Of these, the only survivor is Admiral D. G. Farragut. Of all the officers who were borne upon the navy register engaged in the war of 1812, there remain in the navy: 1 admiral and I rear admiral on the active list; 10 retired rear admirals; 20 retired commodores; 1 retired master; 1 retired surgeon, and 1 retired paymaster. Total, 35. Ships as well as officers have disappeared. The only vessel of the navy of 1812-15 now remaining is the Constitution. Some of the old names it is true are retained, but on new ships of entirely different models. The Constitution has been often repaired, but her model remains the same as when she was launched in Boston in 1797. P. SHIPS OF WAR-CHANGE OF NAMES.-The names of the following vessels mentioned in the article on vessels of war built at Portsmouth, N. H. 1690-1868, published in the NEW-ENGLAND HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL REGISTER for 1868, have been changed by order of the Navy Department, viz:-Agamenticus to Terror; Contocook to Albany; Piscataqua to Delaware; Minnetonka to California; Passaconaway, 1st to Thunderer, and 2d, to Massachusetts. The changes are agreeable to existing laws that 1st rates should be called after states, 2d rates for rivers, 3d rates for towns. The Gorgon, iron clad, originally called the Naubuc, now bears the name of Minnetonka; and the Orion, iron clad, originally the Chimo, now has the name of Piscataqua. The orders of the navy department making these changes are dated respectively May 15, June 15 and August 10, 1869. The law requires that sailing vessels and steamers of the 1st class shall be named after the states of the Union; that sailing vessels of the 2d class shall be named after rivers, and that steamers of the 2d class shall be named after the rivers and principal cities and towns; and that sailing vessels of the 3d class shall be named after the principal cities and towns; while sailing vessels of the 4th class, and steamers of the 3d, may be named as the president shall direct, care being taken that no two vessels in the navy shall bear the same name; and the secretary of the navy is empowered to change the name of any vessel purchased for the navy by authority of law. Steamers of 1st class are those mounting 40 guns and upwards; 2d, those mounting 20 guns and less than 40; and all of less than 20 guns are 3d rates. The laws regarding the nomenclature of public vessels seem to have been entirely disregarded during the late administration. P. WEBSTER-FLETCHER-PAIGE.-The Rev. Elijah Fletcher, of Hopkinton, N. H., mentioned in the biographical sketch of Hon. Calvin Fletcher (ante, vol. xxiii. p. 378), was the father of Grace Fletcher, first wife of Daniel Webster, and mother of all his children; and was, also, an elder brother of Jesse Fletcher, the father of Hon. Calvin Fletcher, so that the latter and Mrs. Webster were cousins. The widow of Rev. Elijah Fletcher married Rev. Christopher Paige, of Salisbury, N. H., (D. C. 1784). Their son, the late James W. Paige, Esq., of Boston-to whom Mr. Webster dedicated a volume of his published works-was, therefore, a half brother of Mrs. Webster.-ED. WATERTOWN LECTURE.-Can any reader of the REGISTER inform me on what day of the week the Lecture at Watertown, Mass., was held in the seventeenth century, and when it was begun? ANTIQUARY. CHAPMAN.-In 1773, and probably for some years before, Throop Chapman and wife Susanna (Barney?) lived in Belchertown, Mass. She died in 1774, and he subsequently married Deborah Wilson, and by her had son Throop and other children. Information is desired as to the antecedents of Throop, Sen., and his wives. CHANDLER P. CHAPMAN, Madison, Wis. DANIEL THURSTON, of Newport, R. I., in his will, 1712, names his six sons. Information wanted as to the families and descendants of five of the sons, viz.: Daniel,3 born 1687; John,3 born 1692; Edward,3 born 1693; James,3 born 1698, and Peter,3 born 1704. THOMAS THURSTON, of Freetown, Mass., in his will, 1730, names his six sons. Information wanted as to the families and descendants of four of the sons, viz. : Thomas, Jonathan,3 Samuel,3 John,3 all born between 1696 and 1730. C. M. THURSTON, New-Rochelle, co. Westchester, N. Y. COGSWELL (ante, vol. xxiii. p. 354).—“The ancient family of the Cogswells in the direct line from Lord Humphrey Cogswell." If "Lord Humphrey is less a myth than the "Lord Nozoo," proof of what and when and who he was, and especially the evidence of that "direct" descent, would please 1818. PRATT, JOSHUA AND PHINEAS.-Joshua and Phineas Pratt came early to the Plymouth Colony (in the ship Ann, I believe). Has there been any genealogy published of either of the families? P. The "Pratt Memorial," by Rev. Stillman Pratt, of Middleboro', Mass., briefly refers to Joshua and Phineas-ED. PRESENTS AT FUNERALS.-I find the following in a copy of "The Voice of one Crying in a Wilderness; or, The Business of a Christian, &c." By Samuel Shaw. Boston, 1746. Josh Felton his book given at the funeral of Mr John Shirley who died Aug. 22, 1773. Aged 49. J. C. GREENWOOD. The Columbian Magazine for December, 1788, announces the death of Mr. Greenwood, at Rehoboth, aged 92. What was his Christian name, and place of birth? Her Mrs. Betty Greenwood died in Providence, or Seekonk, in 1795, aged 98. dau. Elizabeth m. Solomon Bradford, son of Gershom and Priscilla (Wiswall) Bradford, of Kingston, Mass., and, after 1744, of Bristol, R. I. Solomon Bradford was a physician and school-teacher of Providence, R. I., and died, probably at Keene, N. H., in 1795, aged 84; his dau. Huldah, m. 1st, Rowland Taylor, who d. 8. p. in Baton Rouge, La., and 2d, James Morse; and died at Keene, N. H., in 1804, aged 47. Further information as to Mrs. Betty Greenwood solicited. I. J. G. LAFAYETTE.-Answer to query in Oct. No., 1869. Lafayette was made a citizen of Maryland by statute in 1784. He was also made a citizen of Virginia about the same time in the same manner. See 12 Hening's Statutes, p. 30. It is not known that congress naturalized any foreigners after 1781, and before the adoption of the constitution. As a citizen of Maryland, and of Virginia, he was of course a citizen of the United States before the constitution, and if he had not been he was expressly made such, with the rest of their citizens, by the terms of that instrument. Washington, in his correspondence respecting Lafayette's imprisonment, in 1796, expressly says: "Lafayette is an adopted citizen of this country;" though, at the same time, he admitted that his release could not be rightfully demanded on that account under the law of nations, because he had not renounced his French allegiance, which he would not do, and never did. T. F. DEATHS. ADAMS, Phebe P., Somerville, May 30, 1869, aged 84 years, 9 months, 13 days; widow of Joseph Adams. [Ante, vol. xiv. p. 361.] ALLEN, Mrs. Catharine, in Boston, Octo ber 20, 1869-widow of Capt. George Allen, and only daughter of the late Rev. William Clark, of Quincy, Mass., aged 79. DEAN, Mrs. Patience, at Charlestown, Mass., Oct. 27, 1869, aged 89 years, 11 mos. and 11 days. She was the widow of Charles Dean, of Portland, Me., whose ancestry is given ante, vol. ix. p. 93, and a daughter of John Kingsbury, of Wiscasset, Me., whose ancestry will be found ante, vol. xiii. pp. 157-8. EASTMAN, Hon. Philip, in Saco, Maine, August 7, 1869, aged 70 yrs. and 6 mos. He was an eminent member of the bar of the county of York, and for several years a member of the state-senate, and one of the overseers of Bowdoin College. EVERETT, Ebenezer, Esq., in Brunswick, Me., Feb. 6, 1869, aged 81. When a man so prominent and so worthy as Mr. Everett dies, his memory claims a larger tribute than a line in the obituary of a newspaper. He was the son of the Rev. Moses Everett, of Dorchester, and was born in that place in 1788. He was of the sixth generation from Richard Everett, the first American ancestor, who was one of the founders of Dedham in 1636. His father, and the Rev. Oliver Everett, father of those distinguished men, Alexander H. and Edward Everett, were brothers, and sons of Ebenezer Everett. mother was Hannah (Clapp) Gardner, the third wife of his father. His became the companion and room mate of his cousin Alexander H. Everett, and pursued his studies with diligence and success. On taking his degree in 1806, he was assigned a Greek dialogue with Thomas Skelton, afterwards settled in the ministry at Foxborough. The class consisted of forty-two members, several of whom were distinguished in after life. Alexander Everett was the first scholar, and to him was assigned the English oration. Jacob Bigelow, now the honored physician in Boston, had an English poem; the late Judge Preble, of Maine, an English dissertation; Daniel Oliver, another eminent physician and medical professor, a Latin oration; and Charles Burroughs, the Episcopal clergyman, lately deceased, a conference. At that time it was customary for the candidates for the Master's degree to be represented on the stage at commencement, and on this occasion James Savage, the venerable historian, of Boston, now happily enjoying, in his native city, the fruits of a well-spent life, delivered an English oration, and David Tenney Kimball, late the distinguished minister of Ipswich, the valedictory. After a lapse of sixty-two years, there remain of this class, unstarred, but seven, of whom are Dr. Bigelow of Boston, and Dr. Joseph G. Cogswell of Cambridge, late of the Astor library. Mr. Everett, after his admission to the bar, established himself in Beverly, where he remained until 1817, and where he formed an acquaintance with the excellent lady, Miss Prince, who, in 1819, became his wife. In 1817, he removed to Brunswick, where the remainder of his life was spent. He found there, in the practice of law, Peter O. Alden, an old counsellor, Henry Putnam and John M. O'Brien, neither of whom stood much in the way of an intelligent and earnest practitioner. The bar of Cumberland was at that time one of the best in the United Commonwealth it contained such juridical lights as Prentiss Mellen and Ezekiel Whitman, afterward chief justices of Maine, Nicholas Emery, Stephen Longfellow, James D. Hopkins, Benjamin Orr, Simon Greenleaf, Samuel Fessenden and Charles S. Davies-ornaments all of the bar and of social life. These were eloquent advocates as well as sound lawyers; to the former and more popular quality Mr. Everett made no pretension, but as a wise counsellor, and an upright and conscientious lawyer, he had few superiors. He was often employed as a master in chancery and as referce, and by his strict integrity and ability, he secured the confidence of the community, and acquired a large and profitable practice. In my acquaintance with him of half a century, in most of which time we practised at the same bar, I never knew him guilty of an unworthy or dishonorable action; his conduct was without fear and without reproach; it was not strained or put on for the occasion, but was inbred and natural. His countenance exhibited both firmness and benevolence, and his life did not betray this revelation. The death of such a man, and of his friend and neighbor, the late Dr. Lincoln, also a graduate of Harvard, in so brief a space, may well cast a shadow over their adopted town. Mr. Everett's services were not confined to his profession, but were sought in other departments. On the establishment of the Union Bank in Brunswick in 1825, he was appointed its first cashier, with David Dunlap, the largest capitalist of the place, president. The duties of this office he discharged with great fidelity and promptness for fourteen years, at the same time continuing the practice of his profession. In 1828 he was elected one of the trustees of Bowdoin College, and held the office thirty-six years, until compelled by the infirmities of age to resign; a considerable portion of this period he served as secretary of the board. In 1838 he was appointed a commissioner, with Chief Justice Mellen and Judge Samuel E. Smith, to revise and codify the public statutes of the State, which had accumulated to nearly 1000 chapters of various, and, in some instances, inconsistent provisions. The commission labored diligently upon this grave task, and submitted their report to the legislature in January, 1840, embracing the whole statute law of the State in one hundred and seventy-eight chapters under twelve titles. This important work constituted the first published volume of the revised statutes, a valuable acquisition to the profession and the people. In 1840 he was chosen to represent Brunswick in the legislature; but politics and public life had no charms for him; he preferred the quiet pursuits of private life to the noisy and unsatisfactory contests of the political arena. And yet he was not an uninterested spectator of the stirring events which were passing before him in his busy half century; he was an unwavering disciple of the federal school, and of its successors to the present day, and was uniformly loyal to the true republican principles on which our government was founded. And so of his religion, conservative without dogmatism, liberal without radicalism; he came into active life at the epoch of the great schism in the Massachusetts churches, and joined the liberal party, consistently maintaining his position, although at first he did not find in Maine that sympathy and support which had surrounded and comforted him in his native state. The genial influence of the society in Beverly under the kind auspices of such men as Nathan Dane, and that beautiful Christian pastor, Abiel Abbot, the ornament of his profession, whose elevated character and liberal sentiments diffused the gentle sunlight of a holy life all around him, was a sad privation to our loved and amiable brother. But better days dawned upon him, and he found congenial spirits in Judge Mellen, Dr. Nichols, Mr. Longfellow, Mr. Davies and other eminent Unitarians, and liberal minds in other denominations, as R.H. Gardiner, Joseph McKeen, and others whom he has followed to a higher and purer society above. Our friend was deprived of the cherished companion of his life while they were attending the ordination at Bangor of their last surviving and beloved child, Charles Carrol Everett, in 1859, a shock and bereavement from which he never recovered. May this worthy descendant, the inheritor of the talents and virtues of his parents, who entered upon his life work amidst the throes of such a calamity, long live to enjoy his heritage, and in no small measure to make others in an ever widening circle partakers of the blessing.-[Hon. William Willis, of Portland, Me., in Boston D. Advertiser.] |