The Loyalists of Massachusetts Part 41

The Geyers were prominent merchants in Boston. They did not interest themselves in political matters or held office. The records mention that in 1765 Mr. Henry Christian Geyer was paid 173. 4. 1. for repairs done on Faneuil Hall.

At the outbreak of the Revolution, Frederick William Geyer was one of the princ.i.p.al merchants of Boston. He was proscribed and banished in 1778, but not being an Addresser, or having taken any active part in politics, he was allowed to come back in 1789 and was restored to citizens.h.i.+p by Act of the Legislature. He was in business with his son at No. 13 Union street, Boston, in 1794. Died at Walpole, N. H., in 1803. A daughter who died near London in 1855 at the age of 81, married Mr. Joseph Maryatt, a West Indian merchant. She was the mother of Captain Maryatt of the British Navy, the well known author of sea tales.

Mr. Geyer's estate was on Summer street, formerly Seven Star Lane, and was one of the finest in Boston. In the inventory of his estate made by the commissioner after his departure, the mansion house is valued at 6,000. It was confiscated and sold to Nathan Frazer, whose daughter afterwards married Frederick W. Geyer, Jr., and the property was once more restored to the family.

The estate once belonged to Leonard Va.s.sall, and contained one of the best gardens in Boston. It was planted as early or before 1642 by Gamaliel Wayte, for we find by the _Book of Possessions_ that this land is described as Wayte's Garden. Judge Sewall in his diary states that he lived to the age of 87, and not long before his death was blessed with several new teeth, which shows that he not only had the ability to plant, but to eat his fruits. Mrs. Maryatt, whose gardens at Wimbleton were at one time the finest in England, and we may reasonably conjecture that the taste and skill that produced such marvels, were nurtured and fostered in her younger days among the flower beds of Summer street.

This garden occupied the site of the store of C. F. Hovey & Co., and as late as 1870 there was an old pear tree in the yard in a thrifty condition.

[Ill.u.s.tration: LEONARD Va.s.sALL AND FREDERICK W. GEYER MANSION, SUMMER STREET.

Site now occupied by C. F. Hovey & Co. The mother of Captain Marryatt was born in this house.]

Nancy Geyer married Rufus Amory, February 13th, 1794. He was the second son of John Amory the Loyalist, and a very successful lawyer. The wedding is described as "a very gay and brilliant affair." It gained an unexpected distinction in consequence of a heavy snowstorm by which Prince Edward, afterward Duke of Kent and father of Queen Victoria, travelling from Canada to take command of the troops at Halifax, was just then detained at Boston. He accepted Mr. Geyer's invitation to the wedding, and came with his aides. "His Royal Highness" it is recorded, was complaisant and affable in his deportment, and claimed the customary privilege of kissing the bride, and bridesmaids. His host's son who was married the year before to Rebecca Frazer, the daughter of Nathan Frazer, who bought the Geyer mansion when it was confiscated, was an ardent sympathizer with revolutionary France, who disapproved of t.i.tles.

He put their marriage notice in this form in the Boston Gazette of Jan.

21, 1793. "By Citizen Thatcher, Citizen Frederick W. Geyer, Jr., to Citess Rebecca, daughter to Citizen Nathan Frazer."[225]

[225] The Descendants of Hugh Amory. Pp. 259, 260.

LIST OF CONFISCATED ESTATES BELONGING TO FREDERICK WILLIAM GEYER IN SUFFOLK COUNTY AND TO WHOM SOLD.

To Nathan Frazier, May 12, 1780; Lib. 131, fol. 143; Land and house in Boston, Summer St., formerly Seven Star Lane, in front; land of First Church S.W.; John Rowe S.W.; Benjamin Church, Thomas Thayerweather and heirs of Samuel Sewall N.W.----Green Lane S.W.; John Welsh S.W. and S.W.; John Gooch and others S.E.; James Gooch N.E. and N.W.; John Gooch S.W. and N.W.; James Gooch and others S.W.----Green Lane S.; John Welsh W.; John Gerrish N.; lane from Green Lane to the Mill Pond E.

THE APTHORP FAMILY OF BOSTON.

Charles Apthorp was born in England in 1698 and was educated at Eton. He was the son of John Apthorp and Susan his wife, whose maiden name was Ward, of the family of Lord Ward of Bexley.

After the death of his father Charles Apthorp came to New England, and became one of the most distinguished merchants of Boston. He was paymaster and commissary under the British Government of the land and naval forces quartered in Boston. On the 13th January, 1726, he married Grizzel, daughter of John Eastwicke. She was born August, 1708, at Jamaica and came to Boston in 1716. Her mother was Griselda Lloyd, daughter of Sir John Lloyd of Somersets.h.i.+re, England, who a.s.sisted in conveying King Charles II to France after the battle of Worcester.

Charles Apthorp was one of the first Wardens of Trinity church, and one of the committee that waited on Peter Faneuil, and in the name of the town to render him their "most hearty thanks for so beautiful a gift."

To King's Chapel he was a bountiful benefactor, having given 1,000 towards its rebuilding.

Charles Apthorp had eighteen children, of whom fifteen survived him and eleven married. He died in Boston suddenly in 1758 at the age of sixty.

His funeral took place at King's Chapel twelve days later and his remains were therein deposited. He was reputed as the "greatest and most n.o.ble merchant on the continent." He was also characterized as "a truly valuable member of society," and that "he left few equals behind him." A marble monument with a Latin inscription was placed in King's Chapel to his memory by his sons, "which monument covers the tomb of the truly-n.o.ble-minded race of Apthorp."

He was very proficient in and a great admirer of the Fine Arts, especially in painting and architecture; talents which have been transmitted to his descendants as Charles Bulfinch, Esq., the architect of the State House and other edifices. The original mansion in Brighton, Ma.s.sachusetts, formerly the Charles Apthorp place, still remains and is of great antiquity.

On the death of Charles Apthorp he possessed the whole of Long Island, the largest island in Boston Harbor. Calf island also was formerly known as Apthorp's Island. The Apthorp heirs subsequently sold their interest in Long Island to their sister Grizzell's husband, Barlow Trecothick, Lord Mayor of London. After the death of Trecothick the island pa.s.sed on the 11th June, 1790, into the possession of his brother-in-law Charles Ward Apthorp of New York.

CHARLES WARD APTHORP, the eldest son of Charles Apthorp, married in New York Mary McEvers. He had three sons and three daughters. Of his daughters, Charlotte Augusta was the only one who left descendants. Her husband was John Cornelius Vanden Heuvel, a Dutch gentleman of fortune, who had been Governor of Demerara and afterwards settled in New York.

Maria Eliza, their eldest daughter, married John C. Hamilton, a son of the celebrated Alexander Hamilton.

Charles Ward Apthorp was a member of the Council of New York in 1763 and served until 1783. He had lands in Maine and a large amount of property in Boston, Brookline, and Roxbury, all of which was confiscated. He died at his seat, Bloomingdale, in 1797.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "BISHOP'S PALACE," RESIDENCE OF REV. EAST APTHORP.

John Adams says, "It was thought to be a splendid palace and intended for the residence of the first royal bishop."]

JOHN APTHORP, the second son, went to England, and became connected in business with the house of Tomlinson & Trecothick. He married Alicia Mann of Windsor, sister of Sir Horace Mann, many years resident British minister at Florence. Mr. Apthorp embarked for Italy with his wife who was in a very hazardous state of health, and who died at Gibraltar, leaving two daughters under the care of their grandmother at Windsor. He pursued his travels in Italy, and afterwards returned to Boston, where he married Hannah Greenleaf, daughter of Stephen Greenleaf, the last Royal high sheriff of Suffolk County. He lived about four years at Brighton, when he embarked, with his wife, from New York for Charleston, S. C, to enjoy a warmer winter climate, and they were lost at sea. The children, one son and two daughters, were left under the care of their grandfather who attended most faithfully to their interests and education. One daughter married Charles Bulfinch his cousin, and the other Charles Vaughn, son of Samuel Vaughn, Esq., of London. The son, Col. John T. Apthorp, married Grace Foster, who lived only one year, leaving an infant. In another year he married her twin sister Mary by whom he had a numerous family.

REV. EAST APTHORP, D. D., was born in Boston in 1733 and was educated at Cambridge, England. He took orders and returned, and became the founder and rector of Christ church in Cambridge, Ma.s.sachusetts. Here he published a pamphlet in defence of the conduct of the society for "Propagating the gospel" which was attacked by Dr. Mayhew, who was answered by the Archbishop of Canterbury. This controversy rendered his situation irksome and after only six years ministry in this country, he left for England. It was thought by many that the establishment of the Episcopal church at Cambridge was for the purpose of converting the students who were generally dissenters and with ulterior views, which excited the most acrimonious jealousy.

While General Burgoyne's army was detained at Cambridge, Lieutenant Brown, who was out on parole according to the terms of the Convention, was riding with two ladies in a chaise when he was killed in cold blood by a sentinel, a boy scarcely fourteen years old, who levelled his gun at him and shot him through the head. "His remains were interred in Christ's church. The people, during the time the service was being performed, seized the opportunity of the church being open, which had been shut since the commencement of hostilities, to plunder, ransack, and deface everything they could lay their hands on, destroying the pulpit, reading desk, and communion table, and ascending the organ loft they destroyed the bellows and broke all the pipes of a very handsome instrument."[226] Rev. East Apthorp was afterwards successively vicar of Croydon where Governor Hutchinson resided, and rector of Bow church, London, which he exchanged for the prebendary of Finsbury; he had many friends among the dignitaries of the church and was greatly beloved and respected. By his wife, the daughter of Foster Hutchinson, and niece of Thomas Hutchinson, he had several children. His only son became a clergyman, and his daughters married Dr. Cary and Dr. Butler, heads of colleges, and a third daughter married a son of Dr. Paley.

[226] Travels through the interior parts of America by Thomas Aubury.

Vol. II, pp. 232, 234.

He published two volumes of Discoveries on the Prophecies, delivered at Warburton lecture, Lincoln's Inn, and a volume in answer to Gibbon. The last twenty-six years of his life were pa.s.sed at Cambridge, England, with almost total loss of sight, and he died in April, 1816, at the age of eighty-three, closing a life of great usefulness.

THOMAS APTHORP, born 19 October, 1741, continued paymaster of the British forces after his father's death from 1758 to 1776, when he was proscribed, and banished. He went to England and lived several years at Ludlow, Wales. He visited Lisbon for health, where he married. He returned to Ludlow, where he died, leaving a widow and one son.

WILLIAM APTHORP, born Feb. 26, 1748, married Mary Thompson. He was a merchant, and was proscribed and banished in 1778. The year after, he came from New York to Boston. He was arrested, and occupied for awhile a private room in the deputy jailer's house, but letters were received to his disadvantage, and he was committed to a close prison by order of the Council, his countrymen would show him no mercy.

SUSAN APTHORP the second daughter of Charles Apthorp, married Thomas the son of Dr. Bulfinch. She had several children, three only that arrived at a marriageable age. Charles Bulfinch, the only son was born in August, 1763, and graduated at Harvard College in 1781, and after living abroad for some time returned to Boston in 1786. He inherited talents from his grandfather and became a great architect. He was chairman of the board of Selectmen for twenty-one years during which official service many of the great improvements in the town were executed, including the State House, City Hall, the General Hospital and the building of Franklin Street. After the capitol of the United States was burnt, in 1814, Mr. Bulfinch was appointed by President Munroe to superintend its re-erection. His wife died in 1841, and his death followed three years later on April 15, 1844.

LIST OF CONFISCATED ESTATES BELONGING TO CHARLES WARD APTHORP, IN SUFFOLK COUNTY AND TO WHOM SOLD.

To Joseph Hall, April 27, 1782; Lib. 134, fol. 187; Land and moiety of dwelling-house in Boston, Cole Lane S.W.; Joseph Hall E.; Samuel Barrett N.; Jonathan Williams W.

To Edward Smith, June 10, 1782; Lib. 135, fol. 12; Land and buildings in Boston. Wings Lane N., Brattle St. E.; land of Elizabeth Clark deceased, [formerly] Lillie W.; John Roulstone S.

To Ephraim Murdock, June 22, 1782; Lib. 135, fol. 47; Lands and part of house in Roxbury; 11 A. opposite dwelling-house of the late Rev. Mr. Walter, road S.; said Murdock W.; heirs of Gov. Dudley N.; said Murdock E.----8 A. near where the old meeting-house stood, road N.; John Davis E.; heirs of John Scott S.; Ezra Davis W.----2 A., said Murdock N.; John Morrey E., town way S.; William Dudley W.

To Daniel Dennison Rogers, July 4, 1782; Lib. 135, fol. 68; Land and buildings in Boston, Beacon St. in front, highway to Beacon Hill N.W.; John Spooner N. and E.

To John Wheelwright, July 19, 1782; Lib. 135, fol. 114; Land, flats, warehouses and wharf near the South Battery in Boston, Purchase St. N.W.; heirs of Alexander Hunt S., the sea E.; the highway N.

To John Wheelwright, July 19, 1782; Lib. 135, fol. 116; Land and dwelling-house in Boston, Atkinson St. E.; Burry St. S.; Proprietors of the Irish Meeting House W.; Onesephorus Tileston N.

To Grizzell Apthorp, widow, and Perez Morton, Sept. 24, 1782; Lib.

136, fol. 8; One moiety of land and two brick tenements in Boston, Fleet St. N.; Edward Langdon E.; William and Mercy Stoddard S.; W.; S; W.; S. and W.

To Andrew Symmes July 30, 1783; Lib. 139, fol. 117; a.s.signment of mortgage Lib. 100, fol. 97.

To Francis Johonnot, agent for creditors of Nathaniel Wheelwright, deceased, March 7, 1786; Lib. 155, fol. 225, a.s.signment of mortgage Lib. 97, fol. 200.

To Samuel Pitts, June 10, 1786; Lib. 157, fol. 222; a.s.signment of mortgage Lib. 103, fol. 89.

To Nathaniel Greene, April 5, 1787; Lib. 160, fol. 25; One half part of four parcels of land in Roxbury. 2 A.; 17 A. near the tide-mill; 13 A. woodland; and piece of salt marsh.