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Capt. Joseph Peirce

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Capt. Joseph Peirce

Birth
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA
Death
1 Jan 1828 (aged 82)
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA
Burial
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA Add to Map
Plot
Tomb 19
Memorial ID
View Source
Parents: Mary Hardy and Isaac Peirce

Spouse: Ann Dawes Peirce

Joseph Peirce was born in Boston, Massachusetts on 25 December 1745 and died 1 January 1828. He married at Boston, Massachusetts on 4 April 1771 to Anna Dawes, daughter of Col. Thomas Dawes. Anna was born 19 May 1753 and died 4 March 1812.

Joseph graduated from Boston Latin School in 1756. He was the commander of the Provincial Grenadier corps and a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company. He occupied a store as a dealer in dry goods and other merchandise at No 58 Cornhill from 1774 to 1811. He became a member of the Old South Church on 26 February 1775. Joseph Peirce was a business associate and personal friend of Henry Knox. Joseph served as Treasurer of the Twenty Associates of the Lincolnshire Company. From 1795 to 1799 he was in co-partnership with his son Joseph Hardy Peirce called Joseph Peirce & Son.

Children:
i. Hannah Peirce b. 1771; d. 1775
ii. Joseph Hardy Peirce b. 8 March 1773
iii. Ann Peirce b. 11 August 1774; m. John Lathrop
iv. Thomas Peirce b. 4 October 1775; d. October 1776
v. Hannah Peirce b. 5 October 1777; d. September 1778
vi. Lucy Peirce b. 17 February 1779; d. 9 March 1779 Boston
vii. Hardy Peirce b. 18 July 1780; d. 15 October 1780 Boston
viii. Isaac Peirce b. 30 December 1781; d. 16 March 1793 Boston
ix. Hannah Dawes Peirce b. 3 January 1783; m. 11 April 1808 Thomas P. Kettell
x. Lucy Peirce b. 28 October 1785; d. 28 October 1785
xi. Elizabeth Somes Peirce b. 25 October 1787; d. 13 August 1845 Fairfield m. 25 July 1805 Fitch Pool Putnam
xii. Maria Peirce b. 18 October 1789; d. 11 August 1874
xiii. Francis Peirce b. 31 August 1792; d. 2 September 1792

"Guide to the Henry Augustus Peirce Papers at the New England Historic Genealogical Society." New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1768-1867, http://nehgs.org.s3.amazonaws.com/ebooks/FindingAids/Mss0020%28Henry-Peirce-Papers%29.pdf

*****

Eldest brother of John, whom he succ. in 1808 ; b. Boston, 25 Dec. 1745 (the North Church, Boston, chime of bells was first rung Christmas Day, 1745) ; d. there 1 Jan. 1828 ; Boston Latin School, 1756. Boston gave to the cause of the Revolution no family more patriotic, devoted, and self-sacrificing, than that of Isaac Peirce, and his four sons. Joseph, the elder, was a prominent merchant of the town, a man of great integrity, and possessed considerable influence with his fellow-citizens. Feeble health and a young increasing family prevented his taking an active part in the struggle for liberty, which, however, received the aid both of his purse and his influence. From his store on the north side of State Street he witnessed the "Massacre" of 5 Mar. 1770. In connection with the sufferings of the inhabitants of Boston during the Siege, he often spoke of the fact that rats were eaten occasionally to appease hunger. He was the founder of the Provincial "Grenadier" corps, and its commander on the occasion of its first parade, 8 June, 1772 ; Henry Knox, afterward major-gen. and Secretary of War, being second in command. The splendid uniform, military appearance, drill, and efficiency of his corps, are of traditional renown. It elicited the commendation of the British officers then in Boston, and received the special notice of Gov. Gage on his public entry into Boston in May, 1774. He was the friend and correspondent of Gen. Knox, with whom he was afterward associated in the proprietorship of large tracts of land in Maine. Knox's letters to him were, unfortunately, lost in 1811, by the burning of a store in which they were deposited.

Mr. Peirce, from his personal acquaintance with the leaders of the Revolution and the principal officers of the army, and having himself participated in the early events of the contest, was, in his old age, full of reminiscences and anecdotes relating to them ; and was, consequently, a most interesting and instructive companion. His son, Joseph Hardy Peirce, succ. him in the Society in 1828, but omitted to qualify himself by making the usual declaration. He was b. Boston, 8 Mar. 1773 ; was a merchant and supercargo, and made several foreign voyages ; was Secretary of the Board of War Mass. in 1812-14 ; clerk of the Municipal Court, 1816-30 ; agent of Mass. for claims against the General Government, growing out of the war of 1812 ; and was lost at sea, while on the passage from New York to Mobile and New Orleans, in Dec. 1831.

Drake, Francis Samuel. "Memorials of the Society of the Cincinnati of Massachusetts." Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati, 1873, https://books.google.com/books?id=CvJEg2jiPnsC&pg=PA415&lpg=PA415&dq=joseph+hardy+peirce,+ann+peirce+lathrop&source=bl&ots=Fffcwy5iny&sig=ACfU3U3BzGO-xeBadnBSZgrXFCaeaA2eBA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjN9Z2RpczxAhXmmWoFHezuCPIQ6AEwD3oECBEQAw#v=onepage&q=joseph%20hardy%20peirce%2C%20ann%20peirce%20lathrop&f=false

*****

Thomas Peirce, the founder of the Peirce family in Massachusetts, came with his wife from England in the year 1634, and settled at Charlestown, Massachusetts. His son, of the same name, settled at Woburn, in Massachusetts, where he married Elizabeth, daughter of Rice Cole; their son Isaac was joined in marriage to Grace, daughter of Lewis Tucker, by Cotton Mather, in 1708. The son of this union also named Isaac, born at Boston in 1722, married Mary Hardy, daughter of Captain Joseph Hardy, of Salem. This Isaac Peirce and his wife had four sons, all of whom participated in the revolutionary war for the independence of America; all having gained distinction for bravery and patriotism.

"Biography of Henry Augustus Peirce" A. L. Bancroft & Co. (1880)
https://archive.org/details/biographyofhenry00albarich/page/n1/mode/2up?ref=ol&view=theater

*****

Note: J H Peirce, Esq., made his will 16 Dec 1827, being of Boston. Probate was continued 28 Jan 1828 to prove Will. His wife's burial states she is in tomb 18; so these two tombs need to be checked. I can't view Mary Hyde's death rec, I'm being blocked from viewing her death rec at Ancestry.com, but where any Sexton Bill info was removed about a decade ago, we prob won't know where she is buried anyway.
Parents: Mary Hardy and Isaac Peirce

Spouse: Ann Dawes Peirce

Joseph Peirce was born in Boston, Massachusetts on 25 December 1745 and died 1 January 1828. He married at Boston, Massachusetts on 4 April 1771 to Anna Dawes, daughter of Col. Thomas Dawes. Anna was born 19 May 1753 and died 4 March 1812.

Joseph graduated from Boston Latin School in 1756. He was the commander of the Provincial Grenadier corps and a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company. He occupied a store as a dealer in dry goods and other merchandise at No 58 Cornhill from 1774 to 1811. He became a member of the Old South Church on 26 February 1775. Joseph Peirce was a business associate and personal friend of Henry Knox. Joseph served as Treasurer of the Twenty Associates of the Lincolnshire Company. From 1795 to 1799 he was in co-partnership with his son Joseph Hardy Peirce called Joseph Peirce & Son.

Children:
i. Hannah Peirce b. 1771; d. 1775
ii. Joseph Hardy Peirce b. 8 March 1773
iii. Ann Peirce b. 11 August 1774; m. John Lathrop
iv. Thomas Peirce b. 4 October 1775; d. October 1776
v. Hannah Peirce b. 5 October 1777; d. September 1778
vi. Lucy Peirce b. 17 February 1779; d. 9 March 1779 Boston
vii. Hardy Peirce b. 18 July 1780; d. 15 October 1780 Boston
viii. Isaac Peirce b. 30 December 1781; d. 16 March 1793 Boston
ix. Hannah Dawes Peirce b. 3 January 1783; m. 11 April 1808 Thomas P. Kettell
x. Lucy Peirce b. 28 October 1785; d. 28 October 1785
xi. Elizabeth Somes Peirce b. 25 October 1787; d. 13 August 1845 Fairfield m. 25 July 1805 Fitch Pool Putnam
xii. Maria Peirce b. 18 October 1789; d. 11 August 1874
xiii. Francis Peirce b. 31 August 1792; d. 2 September 1792

"Guide to the Henry Augustus Peirce Papers at the New England Historic Genealogical Society." New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1768-1867, http://nehgs.org.s3.amazonaws.com/ebooks/FindingAids/Mss0020%28Henry-Peirce-Papers%29.pdf

*****

Eldest brother of John, whom he succ. in 1808 ; b. Boston, 25 Dec. 1745 (the North Church, Boston, chime of bells was first rung Christmas Day, 1745) ; d. there 1 Jan. 1828 ; Boston Latin School, 1756. Boston gave to the cause of the Revolution no family more patriotic, devoted, and self-sacrificing, than that of Isaac Peirce, and his four sons. Joseph, the elder, was a prominent merchant of the town, a man of great integrity, and possessed considerable influence with his fellow-citizens. Feeble health and a young increasing family prevented his taking an active part in the struggle for liberty, which, however, received the aid both of his purse and his influence. From his store on the north side of State Street he witnessed the "Massacre" of 5 Mar. 1770. In connection with the sufferings of the inhabitants of Boston during the Siege, he often spoke of the fact that rats were eaten occasionally to appease hunger. He was the founder of the Provincial "Grenadier" corps, and its commander on the occasion of its first parade, 8 June, 1772 ; Henry Knox, afterward major-gen. and Secretary of War, being second in command. The splendid uniform, military appearance, drill, and efficiency of his corps, are of traditional renown. It elicited the commendation of the British officers then in Boston, and received the special notice of Gov. Gage on his public entry into Boston in May, 1774. He was the friend and correspondent of Gen. Knox, with whom he was afterward associated in the proprietorship of large tracts of land in Maine. Knox's letters to him were, unfortunately, lost in 1811, by the burning of a store in which they were deposited.

Mr. Peirce, from his personal acquaintance with the leaders of the Revolution and the principal officers of the army, and having himself participated in the early events of the contest, was, in his old age, full of reminiscences and anecdotes relating to them ; and was, consequently, a most interesting and instructive companion. His son, Joseph Hardy Peirce, succ. him in the Society in 1828, but omitted to qualify himself by making the usual declaration. He was b. Boston, 8 Mar. 1773 ; was a merchant and supercargo, and made several foreign voyages ; was Secretary of the Board of War Mass. in 1812-14 ; clerk of the Municipal Court, 1816-30 ; agent of Mass. for claims against the General Government, growing out of the war of 1812 ; and was lost at sea, while on the passage from New York to Mobile and New Orleans, in Dec. 1831.

Drake, Francis Samuel. "Memorials of the Society of the Cincinnati of Massachusetts." Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati, 1873, https://books.google.com/books?id=CvJEg2jiPnsC&pg=PA415&lpg=PA415&dq=joseph+hardy+peirce,+ann+peirce+lathrop&source=bl&ots=Fffcwy5iny&sig=ACfU3U3BzGO-xeBadnBSZgrXFCaeaA2eBA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjN9Z2RpczxAhXmmWoFHezuCPIQ6AEwD3oECBEQAw#v=onepage&q=joseph%20hardy%20peirce%2C%20ann%20peirce%20lathrop&f=false

*****

Thomas Peirce, the founder of the Peirce family in Massachusetts, came with his wife from England in the year 1634, and settled at Charlestown, Massachusetts. His son, of the same name, settled at Woburn, in Massachusetts, where he married Elizabeth, daughter of Rice Cole; their son Isaac was joined in marriage to Grace, daughter of Lewis Tucker, by Cotton Mather, in 1708. The son of this union also named Isaac, born at Boston in 1722, married Mary Hardy, daughter of Captain Joseph Hardy, of Salem. This Isaac Peirce and his wife had four sons, all of whom participated in the revolutionary war for the independence of America; all having gained distinction for bravery and patriotism.

"Biography of Henry Augustus Peirce" A. L. Bancroft & Co. (1880)
https://archive.org/details/biographyofhenry00albarich/page/n1/mode/2up?ref=ol&view=theater

*****

Note: J H Peirce, Esq., made his will 16 Dec 1827, being of Boston. Probate was continued 28 Jan 1828 to prove Will. His wife's burial states she is in tomb 18; so these two tombs need to be checked. I can't view Mary Hyde's death rec, I'm being blocked from viewing her death rec at Ancestry.com, but where any Sexton Bill info was removed about a decade ago, we prob won't know where she is buried anyway.

Gravesite Details

Interred 3 Jan 1828.



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