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JOHN SALTER
MARINER
BY
WIII.IAM ril'.lUTS SALTKR
MCMBRII OV TMK PX'I'KHKCt.L rAMILV ASMJCIMION, TIIK S<X lETV OF COLONIAL \VAK>i
THK SOKS or THB KKVOLVTION, AND THE NAVAL ORUBK
nr rtir unitid statrs
Ctrtum volo f^t^ fiiuni
rni I. Ah Kir II i a
JOHN UK. II LANDS
16 Norih Klevcnth St.
M CM.
C^7/
Edition Limited to T'wo Hundred Copies
DORNAN, PRINTER
PHILADELPHIA
ILLUSTRATIONS
PEPPERRELL House Fro>Hisf>wce
LIEUT.-GEN. Sir WII.I.IAM PEPPERRELL hMme. ?o
Hon. John frost, commandinp H.B.M. Frigate £ia-jr J " 36
Mary Pepperrell-Frost-Colman-Prescott " js
M'^lJirjfm
.101 1\ SALTKli. MAKlNKi;,
Tin: Lomlon (irtiphir s;iy-; : " Tlio wirliest n-conl of llio
Siiltors ( 'oiiipaiiy U a thnil ilat<'«l tho sc'vcnti'i'iitli year i)f
Kiclinnl II. (13!>4), ^rantinj; Hwn.HO to the ('Dinpany <>f
Saltors to Im' a ijuiM or fraternity in Imnor of 'tin- I^wly
of our I^>nl Jesus Christ in the Chiireh of All Saints,
oommoniy callwl AllhaUows, Broad Street.'
" AI>out half a eentnry hit«'r Thomas Heaiitnond, an
eminent eiti/en, h'ft the t>«)ni|iany their first hall, and
ap|>ointe<l hy his will cvrtain religious serviees to he |H'r-
forme<I hy the priest, hrethren, and sisters of the ^nild.
8onje years later an attempt was made to prove that the
rclij^ions ^uild an»l the Salters ( 'ompany were two distinct
corporations, and that Heaumond intcnde<l to heqneath
the pro|>erty to the D'liijions ImmIv exflii>ivrlv ; hnt it was
<lt^•ide^^ hy law that the ' Kili^ions (Inild an<l the Salters
Com|>any were identical.'
"On the fi-tti^t of the patron s:iint the l>roth«r> and
BWten* of the <-onipany met, and, aftir varions religions
•erviiv*, high nuuw, pntconHionM, etc., dine<l to^*ther in the
ooni[ittny's Imll. In some of th»' ••ompjinies it wa.s the
rule that evcrk' hn»ther ithould hrin^' his wife or ' a
maiilen * to tho foaal — not to sit in a ^llerv, a-s in now
tlie fitnliion, and look down n|M)n their lords and nnisters
fewlin^; Iwlow, hnt t'» sit at th«' tnhh* and to take jKirt in
the feast.
"There were some vcrj* sin^dar ceremonie?* olj«er\*ctl
b JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
by the guilds and companies. The Salters Company, for
instance, were enjoined by the will of Thomas Salter to
go annually to the Church of St. Magnus for the purpose
of keeping an obit, and there they performed the quaint
ceremony of knocking upon the grave, and each person
saying : ' How do you do. Brother Salter ? ' This prac-
tice was only discontinued early in the present century."
The Parliamentary Commission to investigate the guilds
of London, over seventy in number, report the Salters
Company and the shipwrights as founded in 1380. During
the reign of James I. the Salters Company owned in
Ulster, Ireland, 10,900 acres. These lands were originally
owned by the O'Neills, and were confiscated during the
reign of Elizabeth and James I. Under the Ashbourne
act nearly the whole of the county of Londonderry was
transferred by the guilds of London to the tenants, the
Salters Company holding 250,000 acres.
J. E. Still well, M.D., says the Salter family may
justly lay claim to considerable antiquity. In the reign
of Henry VI., temp. 1423, there lived one William
Salter, who was possessed of good estate and whose
ancestors had resided at and were the lords for over two
hundred years of a manor called Bokenhamis, in Eng-
land. Walter Salter lived in the time of Richard III.,
temp. 1482. At the upper end of the south aisle in the
church of Tottengen, in the county of Norfolk, there is
erected to himself and lady a tablet with the following
inscription :
" Orate pro animabus
Walter Salter et Alice uxoris ejus
Et pro quibus tenentus."
" Pray for" the souls of Walter Salter and Alice his wife and for
the souls of all that belong to them."
JOHN S A 1- 1 K K , M A K 1 N h U . 7
In 1')'2 4 Ilt'iirv SalUT was one of the .•>lu'rilTs ()f X(ti-
wieh. In 1G05 John Salter was mayor of Norwich. In
1GG3 tlie charter wa.s renewed hy CharU's II., and John
Salter wiws one of the twenty-four aldfrinen who were
a|)pointpd. He tiled Xoveinher 20, lljGO, a^cd seventy-
seven years, and was luiried in the f'hureh of St.
An«lrew.
Hridijet, wife of Mathew Salter, died ])r<<'inl)er M,
1G7(), aj;iKl forty-two years. She was internd in the
Church of St. Ethelre«l, and from her tonil) is copied the
following (juaint epitaj)!) :
" Tho tlead yet dear
Tho dead yet dear to me
Dead is her body
Dear her momorie."
It is dttiihtless from some of the foregoing persons that
theSjiIters in this coimtry are descended. If Mrs. Bridget
was, as is positively jisserted, the mother of twenty-two
children, it was no wonder that some of them wanted to
leave. In Kn;;land at tlic present time the name, though
not common, is still considerahly met with in certain
Im-alitics, esjM'cially in the vicinity of Norfolk.
In .Vmeriai there are stn'enil ilintinct fannlie> of the
name, wlwne arrival dates hack to the latter part of the
seventeenth century.
The ilejHMMiclantsof .lojm Salter, who settled at Odiorne'H
Point, N. If., and Kichard Salter, the «'arly settler in
Monmouth County, New Jers<«y, have Ihimi tin- most
prominent iti |H>i(it of nmnhers, as well jis the most con-
spicuous in HK'ial an<l politind life.
A family of the name ri'siding in North Carolina
8 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
during the Revolution contributed a commissary to the
army and two members to the Provincial Congress.
Another residing in New York City during the post-
revolutionary period was engaged in mercantile pursuits,
and I have been written that in 1878, while the Rev.
William Salter, D.D., of Burlington, Iowa, was travelling
in Colorado, he met the Rev. Charles C. Salter, who stated
that his grandfather came to this country in 1794 from
Tiverton, Devonshire.
Sampson Salter was admitted a freeman March 20,
1638, at Newport, R. I.
The first Salter enrolled as a freeman under the charter
of the Massachusetts Bay Colony was Will Salter, May
25, 1636. He was born in 1607, was well educated,
kept the prison, and was witness to many wills now on
record in Boston. In those good old times the pious
men of Boston captured Indians, sold them as slaves to
the planters in the West Indies, and hung Mrs. Hibbins
for being a witch. Will Salter witnessed her will. He
died August 10, 1675, and was buried in the King's
Chapel yard. ]\Iary Salter, his widow, was made execu-
trix. In his will he mentions his son John, '■'■ who has gone
away, but if he returns he shall have five acres of land."
John Salter and Henry Salter were enrolled as soldiers
in King Philip's war, and on October 9, 1720, Rev.
Thomas Foxcraft, of Boston, married Jolin Salter, aged
eighty years, to Abigail Durrant, so he must have re-
turned for his five acres.
On January 30, 1598, at Aston Clinton, County Berks,
England, Mary, daughter of Henry and Alice Baldwin,
was married to Richard Salter.
In 1622 Alice Baldwin left forty shillings each to her
seven grandchildren,740
Titus
His Hon Titus married Ahij^ail Krost.
His jjrand.Hoii .lohn Lake .^alter niurriod four times.
William not married
Captain of the hri;; NN'illiani in 17»)8
liii-hard Married Kli/alieth Avres
and Kli/;iheth Tuesihdl.
Harriet C Salter s:iid that when she was a jj;irl she
went with her mother to the fnneral of the first wife, who
was Jifty-fonr and I'ncle Riehard ahont sixty. After the
services her mother told Betsy Tuesdull, then ahont fifty,
she wotdd make a pxxl wife for Unide liichanl, and in
tlie eours«> of a yi*ar they were married. In th»' North
l)nnk'in|^-j^n)und are the stones to tiie memory of lHi/.;ilMth,
wife of Captain Uichard Salter, die<l .Inly 2o, 1805, aped
18 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
fifty-four, and Elizabeth, widow of Captain Richard
Salter, died June 17, 1836, aged eighty-two.
Richard Salter had ten children. Three named Eliza-
beth and two named John (who died in infancy), and
Richard, Perkins, Thomas, Joseph, and Nancy.
Nancy Salter, born 1778, died 1825, married her first
cousin, Titus Salter, son of the executor, Titus Salter, re-
ferred to. They had four children : Ann, married C. S.
Toppan; Mary, married J. M. Tredick; Charlotte; Henry
Perkins Salter (father of Thomas P. Salter).
The letter-of-marque brig of eight guns called the
Scorpion was commanded by Captain Richard Salter.
In May, 1777, Richard Salter got into trouble, and his
sloop, the Friends Adventure, was seized in Massachusetts
waters because he had altered his papers to escape capture
by British cruisers in the West Indies. His friends
thought he was justified in resorting to any device to get
home.
Captain John Salter, Mariner.
Born November 14, 1740; died September 28, 1814.
Married First.
Dorothy Bickford, December 13, 1762. She was born
May 13, 1740; died March 18, 1776.
Married Second.
Elizabeth, April 14, 1778. She was born June 26,
1745.
Married Third.
Jane Frost, November 1, 1783. She was born March
7, 1757; died December 10, 1837
JOHN 8ALTKR, M ARINKR. 19
The siepo of Rotiton continuc<l during tlic summer and
iintiitnn of 177"), iuu\ tlicrc would apjuar to l)c no reason
wliv an experienced eaptain like dolm Salter, at that time
tliirtv-live vears old, slionld not t;o tt) sea in a privateer.
Til>l)its refers to his many voyages before this dat<> as a
master of vessels.
John Salter writes Lane, Son tV Fraser that he sailo<l
Soptemln^r (>, 1775, from Newhuryport in the ship Cri.tin,
iMMind to Antigua, and two days later he was fired upon
l)V II. 1>. M. ship Live/t/ and taken t<» Boston. " My
whip lies with her airgo in lur yet and what will he
done with it 1 cannot write at present. I am kept here,
and not permitted to go home nor proceed on my voyage:
I have not heanl from Col Hoy<l since I have been here.
Such time's N'ew iMigland never saw before. I hope in
timl that something will he done in Kngland this winter
to make uj) this nnhap])y affair and that we may hear of
no more hlood H|)ilt amongst us." Captain Salter stayed
on shore until the Revolution wa.s over.
Bn'wster, in his liamUes, says : '* There are in Ports-
mouth harlK>r more than a dozen other islands of various
sizes, addiiiir much to the beauty of the water landstajM^
as vi«'\v«Ml from various points. As seen from the Auburn
Cemetery, the most pronunent is Salter's Island, a hand-
some swell of land, on which is a house sitting very
pleasantly in the basin on the east, near Fnune's Point,
where the Newcastle bridge eonnivts with Portsmouth.
It was for manv vears the n^sidenci' of ( 'aptain John
Salter, niarin»T, uhi.di'-d in isl I. nt the .ti/e t.f -.•\.-.niv
years. "
Captain Salter was engjigeil in furuign i-ommeree before
the Revolution. He onw left this |)ort for Kngland on
a vej»rtel in which was a large number of Imxes of 8{)anish
20 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
dollars. Encountering a storm about Christmas time, he
was driven on the rocks at the mouth of the Kennebec
River. His vessel was gotten off somewhat damaged,
and he went into a neighboring harbor, where he was
compelled to remain until March. During all this time
he was unable to send a communication to or receive a
word from Portsmouth, and no notice of the disaster was
received there until the vessel arrived at London. At
that time there was no communication along the coast
except such as was made by vessels.
One event in the early life of Captain Salter, although
not of much importance, shows his calculating cast when
a boy. A stranger of some show and bluster one day
called at Frame's Point, and, desirous of visiting New
Castle, asked the boy to row him down. Nothing was
said about pay, and so the young ferryman, to test his
liberality, landed him on Goat Island on the way. The
man supposing, as the boy wished he should, that he had
reached New Castle, jumped on shore. Bowing to the
lad, he said, as he ascended the beach, '' I shall pay you
when we meet in town some day." The boat was put off
speedily. The stranger looking around soon discovered
himself the sole inhabitant of the little island, and called,
''Young man, come back!" The cautious boatman,
however, with a " Perhaps we shall meet in town some
day," left him, a Robinson Crusoe on his Juan Fernandez.
In June, 1787, John Salter and Richard S. Tibbits
signed a petition to the General Court complaining of the
duties on imports. On December 10, 1799, John Salter
signed another petition to incorporate St. John's Lodge
in Portsmouth. Captain Salter built the house in Wash-
ington Street, Portsmouth, where he lived many years.
In the Cotton burying-ground are monuments to the
JOHN S A L T K R , MAUI N I : R . 21
memory of .lolm Sultt-r, :ii;('«l scvcnty-tlireo Vf;irs, and
Jaiu" Saltrr, aLrr<l ci^lity-itMc vcars.
.I:i!H' Frost aj>pari'ntly had a lovor in the ( 'niitiiimtal
Army in tlu' siege of Bt>ston, in 1775, and ki'j>t one letter
fnmi him in the family Rii)l('. Jane was eighteen, and
her sister Dorothy sixteen. Samnel Haven was expeetetl
to forwjinl letters from Clarissa to Lysiinder. As we
hear no inoreai>out I'hiladel})hia militia armed with toma-
hawks, we fear that Lysander must have been killed in
the Revolution. .lane Frost did not seem disposed to
marrv at tlii- [icriod of the war. She certainly had no
interest in dohn Salter, who was livini; on his farm at
Salter's Island, close to her home in Xcw Castle.
John Salter lost his wife in 177<>, an<l two years later
nuirried l-'Ji/aheth March, who was thirty-three, while
Jane Frost was only twenty-one, and the " lovely
Lucinda " nineteen. Aficr the treaty of peaee was siji^ned,
Jane Fn>st be<"ame the third wife of .lolm Salter, and
Don>thy married James .lewelt.
New Castle wa.s the s<'ene of the tirst important ajigres-
sive armetl action of the Revolutionary patriots. liefore
Paul Revere — the ori;;inal Roii^h Rider — made his
famous ride to L^'xin^ton and ( 'on<-ord, he had taken
a much loup-r our, if not so celebrated. Dei-cinber
13, 1771, he nnle express from lloston to Portsmouth,
di'j«|»;itche<i by the Boston ( ornmittee of Safety. The
next day thr Portsmouth S)ns of LilnTty, with the
|Mitriots of New Castle, in all alK)Ut \CH), under command
of Major .lohn Sullivan, pr(K'<'e«Jeil to tin.' ft>rt and car-
ried off one liundrtnl barrels of gunpowder. Most of it
waa u.h<h| at Hunker II ill. Trevelyan xiys thev also
carne<l away in broad dayli>;ht sixteen <>:innon.
Ly.santler writes, July 2«>th, when Gage was in com-
22 JOHN SALTER MARINER.
mand in Boston and expecting the flour that Titus Salter
seized in the Prince George (the "base wretches" were
probably the officers in the New Castle fort) :
To Miss Jenny Frost In Newcastle
My last was committed to the care of a worthy Clergy-
man and I hope got safe to hand but not a word from
Clarissa yet ! Why may not Lysander be gratified with
intelligence how and where she and the lovely Lucinda
(her sister D) have spent these last 2 months. Can they
be taken up so much with their last winters acquaintance,
their minds so much engrossed with the Company and
Conversation of their new friends as to forget and neglect
their former ones ? However amiable these Gentlemen
may be in their private Character Heaven forbid any
Daughter of America should treat them with even com-
mon civility so long as their professed design of being
here is the unnatural unrighteous and disgraceful Business
they are now upon ; but if you are yet at your own Home
you will say your situation is peculiarly difficult, that
there must be a free Complaisance even to such base
Wretches. I acknowledge it my lovely friends and can
say no more ; the Ladies I know will raise many scruples
about writing to the Gentlemen but can there be any im-
propriety in an epistolary Correspondence with One who
has been as it were of your own family and whom you
have so long honour'd with your acquaintance but perhaps
the most material Objection will be the unsteadiness of my
Abode ; by way of reply would say I generally leave
word at the place I leave where I expect to make my next
Stage and I doubt not but any letter so directed to me
would find me. A letter left with Mr. Saml Haven I
should hope to receive. I perceive that the Curiosity of
JUIIN SAl/lKK, MARINKR. 23
many Ladies hius s<) far oven'omr the timitlity s«» natiinil
to your Si'X as to iiultur thorn to visit tlu' Army, Imt
tilings art' in sncli a confiisM state as to afford hardly any
Acconuu(Klations.
We have nothing; very special, iuit I will j^ive yon the
princi|Mil news. One Company of riflemen consisting of
107 who left I'cnnsylvania the 1st ins arrived yesterday.
\\'hat I ohserved p«'cidiar in them I shall just mention viz
their fnx-k with a kind of ('ape, their Indian Sto<'kinpj
ii.sinj; a Tomahawk and not a IJayonet anil their ritle gun.
We iiad a Regular come in who desertc<l from the
enon)ies Lines at Charlestown this morning. Letters have
been lately receiv'd from the Selectmen of Boston yet in
timt town by their Brethren ont i)urporting that there are
2(K) |>ersons in the Almshouse. .{Oof them so bad as not
to be able to be mov'd, that (iage wants to be rid of them
and will furnish water carriage for their removal.
Application Iuls been made with success for the Salem
Hospital and I suj)pii.-e after obtaining the a|)probation
of the (len. Court they will be transported there. Have
ju-it been to Corporal Frost's Tent and found him retail-
ing a little of the goinl creauture to chear the spirits of
liis fellow soldiers. He had just receiv'd a Letter from
his Sinter Nabby and told me they were all well ; d(K>s the
txlucation of the Youth still go on ".' what is become of
my 8ue*"eHsor ? is the plan of my former agreeable re.si-
denee entirely fon<aketi ? a thousand things I want to
know ; pray infr)rni the anxiotis
Lysa.ndkk.
July 2»>. We<Ines<lay Kveg ^ pust 10 o'eloek.
P. S. Our soMiers won' order' d sevonil Nights within
this week to l>e on th«' {Kinule before day and some Nights
to lie on their arms but wc have iiad no alarm.
24 JOHN SALTER, MARINER,
Children of Captain John Salter, Mariner.
John, born January 20, 1779 ; died February 25, 1781
(infant).
Joseph March, born April 18, 1781 ; died October,
1837. Married Sarah Frost March 3, 1806. His son
Joseph was in the Navy, and died in Columbus, Miss.
Dorothy, born August 29, 1782 ; died in 1853. Mar-
ried John Frost October 30, 1826.
Elizabeth, born June 22, 1784 ; died October 24, 1808
(buried in Cotton burying-ground). Married W. H.
Wilkins.
William, born January 23, 1787 ; died September 25,
1849 (buried in Cotton burying-ground). Married Mary
Ewen. They had five children : William, Mary, Ben-
jamin, Frances, and Charles.
John, born July 5, 1788 ; died January 10, 1858.
Married Sarah Tibbits.
Maria Jane, born June 20, 1790. Married Samuel
Cushman, member of Congress from New Hampshire.
Sarah Ann, born February 6, 1 794 ; died, unmarried,
in Portsmouth, October 18, 1876.
Benjamin Salter, born April 6, 1792, in Washington
Street, Portsmouth. He attended the academy opened
by Ilev\ Timothy Aldeu, Jr., in 1806, and at an exhibi-
tion, September 23, 1807, he gave a Greek oration.
Harriet C. Tibbits appears on the programme as Leonora
in '' The Little Needle-woman," and as the Shop-girl
Nancy in " Mrs. Dumford, the Milliner." On the same
programme are the names of Hall J. Tibbits, Sarah Tib-
bits, Dorothy Salter, and the three sisters, Elizabeth,
Maria Jane, and Sarah Ann. Benjamin Salter went to
J O n S S A L T K K , M A K 1 N K K . 2')
Exctor Aauleiny, i^niduattHl at Howdoin Coliegt' iu IHI 1,
anil tnivt'lK'tl in Eiiropo in 1X15. Hr rotiinu'd al)()iit
Cliristinas with a lot of toys lie had bought on s|M'<-nhi-
tion. I'ht' followinLT vcar he went into business with his
hrotht'i* William in FavcttcvilK-, X. ('. The lirni was
oui' of the tirst in the eountrv to ship eotton to Europe.
For awhile he was President of the United Slates Branch
Hank at Fayctteville. Iveturning to New York in 182o,
his name appears as one of the founders of tiie Chureh of
the Messiah. He was married August 23, 1821, by Hev.
Nathan I'arker, to Harriet Chase Tibbits, and went in a
chaise on a bridal tour to Exeter. liater in the season he
starleil for l-'ayetteville, and was a month driving there.
Mails wer«' slow in those days, and on one (x'casioii a ship
arrived in the night bringing him information that cotton
had risen. 'J'he next morning he rushed f)Ut before break-
fast and bought all the cotton in town. P.rnjamin Salter
<lied in New York, Se|)t<'mlK>r S, IHoS. Harriet Tibbits
S;ilter tlied in New York November 1, 1872. (Jeorge
Salter dietl in Washington, August 15, 181)5. They were
all biirit d in the I'ortsmouth ( 'emctcrw
Cim.DRF.N OK nK.N.IAMI.S SaLTKU AM> HaKKIKT
TimuTs Saltki:.
Mary, married by Kev. Orville Hewey. P. 1>., < >ctober
29, 18 lo, t.. Uichnnl (J. Porter.
Jane, niarrieil by liev. Samuel ()sgoo<l, 1>.I>.. Ni.vtin-
l>er 22, 185 1, to Samuel W. Thomas.
(Jeoi^e, married by Rev. Samuel <)sg<M>d, 1>. !>.. .lan-
uary 14, 1H5H, to Mar)- E. Ke<'ler.
Caroline, nmrrit^l to Mareelo M. I)elgado. Ajirii 22,
1861.
26 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
William, married by Rev. Henry AV. Bellows, D.D.,
May 18, 1872, to Georgianua Harrison.
Harriet, married by Rev. O. B Frothingham, Feb-
ruary 26, 1875, to J. Freeman Howard.
Albert, married June 21, 1877, by Bishop Niles, of
New Hampshire, to Frances Philbrook.
Three children died in infancy : William and Frances,
each fourteen months old, buried in Cotton Cemetery,
and Harriet, fourteen days old, buried in the Hudson
Street Cemetery, New York.
Grandchildren of Benjamin Salter and Harriet
Chase Tibbits,
Frank Porter, married Emma Hobart and Ida Stow.
Harry Porter, married Virginia Raney.
Edward Porter, married Josie Wakefield.
Elizabeth Porter, married George Ruge.
William Porter, married Effie Walker.
Richard Porter.
Rodman Porter, died January 18, 1881.
Frank Thomas, married Estelle Claremont.
Robert Thomas, married Mary Fletcher and Louise
Shaw.
Agnes Thomas, married Wilmot Townsend.
Wesley Bray Salter, ^
Jasper Colton Salter, V children of George Salter.
Mabel C. Salter, j
Huldah Jenness Salter, daughter of Albert Salter.
May Florence Salter, daughter of William T. Salter,
died July 13, 1886.
P K P P K R R K L L . 27
CJkka r(;i;AM'< iiii.DiiKN ok Bkn-Jamin Sai.iki: am>
IlAUIJItrr ClIASK TlBHITW.
CliiKirfii of Frank I'ori* r : IMimmd Hol)art, Frances
luHlinai), aixl Marietta.
(liiKlrtn of Harry I'ortt-r : Harriet Fraiurs, Mary
Tibhits, Virjjinia IvJiiioy, Ilichanl, f^lizahotli Lamar, and
(iillHTt lUxlmaii.
CliiMreii of Fdwanl I'orttr : Ftliel, KtluanI JJaniard,
.lo-sephine, and lOlcanor Wakefield.
C'|jildrein)f Klizaheth Porter linire : Ilernian, Karncst,
h^lwiii Weed, and ( >liv»'.
Children of William Porter : Mary, Richard, Walker,
an<l I><'ila.
Children of Aj^nes Thomas Townsend : Snsana Bell
and Janet Salter.
( hildren of Knhert 'riiorna> : N'ir-^Mnia Fletcher, Kuhy
Lonise, and Ruth.
PKPPl.RKl.LL.
Kverett Pe|)|x;rell Wheeler sjjys :
"Colonel Pe|)|)errell, a nativoof Devonshire, P'n^land,
\v:lh left an orphan at an early aj;e, withont resources of
aov kind except his own indomitahle eounij^e. lie came
frvm Kn^^land dnrin^ the rt?i^;n of William an«l Mary,
and was apprentice*! to the (*:iptain of a ti-^hin^ schoon(>r
ciu|)Ioye«l on the coast of Newfoniulland. When he
finishnl \\\» term of service he t4M>k tip his alM»de on the
I»le« of Shoals, at that time inhaliited liy tishermen, who
souj^ht them» lonely isles for security from the Indiana,
and who found in their adventurous trade the means of
28 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
earning a livelihood, and in one instance at least the
means of acquiring the beginnings of a fortune.
''The Colonel had three sisters probably with him at
the Shoals, which had a population at one time of six hun-
dred, supported an able minister, and sent two delegates
to the General Court of Massachusetts.
''After the Colonel married and settled at Kittery, about
1680, a garrison house was erected and maintained at the
Point, to which families might resort when threatened by
sudden assaults from Indians, and as early as 1700 a fort
was erected which went by his name. Colonel Church,
in 1704, had orders to send his sick and wounded to Pep-
perrell's Fort. In 1714 the province of Massachusetts
made Kittery Point a port of entry, and erected a fort,
with six guns. Pepperrell had command of this fort,
also a company of militia, and rose to the rank of Lieu-
tenant-Colonel."
Maegery Bray.
Kittery obtained a charter in 1647, and about 1660
John Bray, ship-builder from Plymouth, County of
Devon, England, arrived at the Piscataqua, bringing
with him his wife, Joanna, and his daughter, Margery,
a year old.
King Philip's war broke out in 1675, and on the re-
turn of peace John Bray was able to extend his business
upon a large and lucrative scale. Ship-building, which
he followed during a long life, was an early and an ex-
tensive branch of industry on the Piscataqua. It was
rendered particularly profitable by the policy of the home
government which favored ship-building more than any
other trade, insomuch that the ship carpenters on the
Col. William Pepperrell
r K r V K K K K L L . 29
Tliaiiu's compIaiiuHl in 1721 that tlu'ir Imsiiu'ss was hurt
ttiitl thfir \V(»rkiiK'ii eini^rattil, cansnl hy th<> Imilditii; nf
so many vessels in New Knphuul.
Marijery ha<l arrived at the age of seventeen when she
first siiw C'oU)nel Pepperrell, who, smitten witli her
yonthfnl eharms, was not slow in making his impressions
known ; hut he was so poor that Margery would not
listen to him, ami the prosperous ship-l)nil(ler di<l not
favor the young tisherman froiu Appledorc However,
in a few years, l»y his industry and frugality, he ae»juired
enough to send out a hrig, wliieh he loa<li'd to Hull, Kng-
land. liy this timi' Margery was out of her teens, and
her fatlnT gavr his consent. They were marrietl and
built the I'ei)jMTrell mansion at Kittery, which is still
u.st'd :us a dwelling-house. In the next half century the
largest fortune then known in New Kngland was aecu-
mulatt^l in this house.
Colonel I\'p|>erreirs letters to his cjiptains are written
in a gixxl haml :
• PaseatiUjua 1 day May 1 7 !"_' John \'cimard you
hceing now master of ye sloupe Mirnim now riding in ve
harhor of I*as<'ata»iua hy Otxl's grace hound to Antego
my t)nler is for you to imhrace ye first fare wind ( Jod
shall s«'n«l and siiile dereetly for Ant«'go and heing thare
arrive*! my onler is ft)r you to adres your selfe to Mr
Anthony Mountert) and to him deleavre my letters and
giMxls."
" ( 'ojiey of this 1 reed which hy (nni's assistance I
iutend to follow." Sign«*<l
.loii.v Vkxnakd.
(*ol«)ncl i*ep|MTrcll tdiicat'd his children in the hest
manner the time and place |H'nnitli'<l :
.Vmlrrw, Ijorn .lulv 1. 1«;*<1. .Marrieii .lane Klliot.
30 JOHN" SALTER, MARINER.
They had two daughters : Sarah, married Charles Frost ;
Margery, married William Wentworth. When Andrew
died his widow married another Charles Frost.
Mary, born September 5, 1685.
Margery, born in 1689, married Peletiah Whitemore
and Elihu Gunnison.
Joanna, born June 22, 1692. Married George Jackson.
Miriam, born September 3, 1694. Married Andrew
Tyler.
William, born June 27, 1696. Married Mary Hirst.
Dorothy, born July 23, 1698. Married Andrew
Watkinsand Joseph Newmarch.
Jane, born in 1701. Married Benjamin Clark and
William Tyler (another case of two sisters marrying two
brothers).
William Pepperrell, who married Mary Hirst, March
16, 1723, was the leading merchant of New England, and
by his great popularity obtained the command of the ex-
pedition against Louisburg, with four thousand men. In
1747 he visited England, and was greeted by King and
people as the hero of Louisburg. He was made a Baronet
for his services, and appointed Lieutenant-General Feb-
ruary 20, 1759. During the latter part of his life he was
the most prominent man in America, George Warshington
alone excepted.
The following notice of our grandmother's death ap-
peared in the Boston Post Boy :
" Kittery, April 30, 1741. Last Friday, after a short
illness, dej)arted this life, and this day was decently in-
terred. Madam Margery Pepperrell* of this place, in the
eighty-first year of her age. She was born in Plymouth,
in Old England, came hither with her parents in infancy,
who left their native country for the free enjoyment of
LieutenantGenersI Sir William Pepperrel
\
rKPl'KKRKLL. 'M
their relipimis principles. She was, through the whole
eoiirse oi her life, very exetnplarv for uimfTei-tc<l j)iety
and amial^le virtues, esj)ecially her charity, her courteous
afTability, her pnulence, meekness, patience, and her un-
weariui'ss in well-<loi!i^. As it jtleased < lod to afford her
worldiv advaiitajrt's and a large c.ipacitv for <h)inp go«Kl,
9*1 she improved tiiem to the honor of iicxl and the service
of her generation — heing charitahle without ostentation,
and making it her constant rule to d(» go«Ml to all as she
had opportunity. She was not only a loving and discreet
wife and tender ])an'nt, hut a sincere friend to all her
acquaintances. She hath left hehind her one son and five
<langhters and many gnindchildren, who rise up and call
her blessed. She was justly esteemeil while living, and
at death a> much regretted. As she lived a life of faith
and constant obedience to the Crospol, so she died with
great inward peace and conifort, and the most <'heerfid
n^ignation to the will of (Jod,"
Colonel IVpperrell held the otlice of Justice of the
Peace from 1690 to 172o. In 171") he and Charles Frost
were appointed .Tiidges of the Court of Common Phais.
Augu.st l<i^ IT.iU, Colonel Pepperrell writes Thomas
Salter, enclosing account sales for two hundred and
niiH'ty pounds : " I do not desire to keep any man's money.
I shall |xiy ye money down (»r give oniers for it at Boston.
Am ufruiil to come to Hoston forfrareof ye small p«»cks."
Colonel IVpjwrroll die<l February 1"), IT.'M, aged eighty-
seven ye:»rs, and left each of his six daughters five hun-
dred {>ounds. His two sons, .Andrew and William,
carried on the !umlH>r business, lus ap|>ears by the h'tter
of Major-Genenil Hnidstn'ct. tJovernor of Newfound-
land, who dii>il ill Nfw ^'nrk in 177t.
32 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
St John May 29, 1748
Dear Sir
This is the first oppertunity which has offerd this
spring for New England wch I embrace with great
pleasure ; first to assure you of my sincere regards as also
to let you see I hold my good friend always in remem-
brance. The two letters you wrote me from Louisburg
last fall 1 rec'd and fully answered in a few days after
wch no doubt you have rec'd. As to publick news shall
not troble you with any as what we have hear is of no
shorter time than the beginning of April which no doubt
you must have had. We look for the ffleet in every day
from England. On the 24 inst brocke out a fire in this
Town which has consumed to the value of twenty thousand
pounds sterling and had not the wind favor'd us greatly
the whole town must have been Burnt Down ; if Brother
Andrew has any Lumber Vessels he cannot send them
here in a better time than this for their is not any in the
Harbor and is greatly wanted. I am at work watching
the motion of the ffrench on the North part of this Island
where they carry on a fishery I am not without hopes of
ouer having a trick at them this summer if they come their.
I suppose now you will be quite easey with regard to
the affairs of your regiment as you are so greatly better' d
in your Liut.-Colo. I hope you have had a plesent
winter and that your Lady Pepperrell and family have
injoyd perfect health. My wife has been as bad as any
person could be for this two months past but thank God
she is recovering and joins with me in our sincer com-
plements to you and your Lady and family. I am with
the greatest sincerity and regard sir your Most Obedtand
most humble Servt Jno Bradstreet.
The Honble Sir Willm Pepperrell Bart.
Mir. Rr;i. Pernerrell
FROST 33
NKIH) LAS FHOST.
Ni<liula> I'rost was horn al»oiit loSo, in Tiverton,
Devonsliiiv, Kiii;lan»l, and wlu-n forty-Hvo years old
marrie«l Hertlia Cailwalla, ai^ed twenty years. They
arrivtd at Litth' Ilarhor in Jnne, HJ.'>1, and l!IIiot,
.Maine, in KJ.'^tJ. Xichohis I'nist was a fanner, t'sttcnied
a triistwt»rthy, ju<lieinns citizen, and appointed eon.-tahh- in
1«IJ<». Octohor H), 1<)4!», he wjuj on the ^nind jury that
met at (ior<:eana. Iledied .Inly "JO, KW;.'*,, Uavinir tivt'«'hii-
dren : John, Xiehohis, ( 'atharine, Kli/ahcth, and ( "iiarhs.
The latter, horn in TivtM-tuii, .liil\ .'><>, l(i;51, n--
et'ived the hoinestratl and live hnmln-d acres of land.
The howling of wolves aronnd his father's cahin was
ins evcnlnjj entertainment, and from the neighhoring hill-
top hi- niornini; vision eonld survey the cnrlini; smoke
arisinj; from the numerous Imlian viilaj^eson the trihntary
stream of the Piseatacjna. The savaije yell and war-
whoop awakened no fearful throhhings in liis youthful
iieart, hut rather s<^rved to enkindle a zeal for (hiring and
lieroie achi<'vements. He early evinced a fondness for
military exereis<s and j)ar:ides, ami Ixing enrolled as a
sohlier at sixteen he gnidnally ros«' through sueeosive
grades to he eommander-in-chief of the militia of Maine,
ihe Major l)o<*ame a distinguished man in civil and
military live. Maine heing a provirwe of Massj|c|i(i>M-ttM,
he was chosen to represent it at the (Jenerui (.'oiirt in
1058, when he was twenty-six years of age. He hehl
the oftioo five years, and in \(WJ he was s<Mit again and
phu^ni in command of six companies of Maine militia.
He e<>mmande<l a ("omiMiny in King Philip's war, which
hroke out in KJTo, and for two years was actively engage*!
3
34 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
in fighting the ludiaus, who had burnt a vast number of
houses on the Piscataqua and killed two hundred and
sixty settlers. King William's war began in 1688, and
raged with great fury. August 23, 1689, in the reign of
William and Mary, Charles Frost, was appointed Major
of the military forces of the province. In 1693 the war
raged with increased barbarity, and continued until his
death, July 4, 1697, within a mile of his dwelling.
Colonel Pepperrell writes to Captain Hill at Saco, No-
vember 12, 1696 : '' T think it may be safer and better
to bend her sails before you launch her so as to leave
immediately, for Sir it will be dangerous tarrying there
on account of hostile savages in the vicinity. I send you a
barrel of rum and there is a cask of wine to launch with."
Joseph Storer writes from Wells : ''It hath pleased
God to take away Major Frost. The Indens waylad him
last Sabbath day as he was cominge whom from meetting
at niffht ; and killed him and John Heards wife and
Denes Downing and John Heard is wounded. Mistress
Frost is very full of sory and all her children Cousin
Charles and John was with their father and escaped
wonderfully."
Two hundred years later a tablet was erected in
memory of Major Frost, and an address delivered by
Rev. William Salter, D.D., of Burlington, Iowa.
Major Frost married Mary Bolles, of Wells. Her
father is mentioned in the will of John Bolles, of St.
James, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, dated July 1, 1665 : '' I
given unto my brother, Joseph Bolles, living in New
England, three hundred pounds."
Joseph Bolles was town clerk of Wells, 1654 to 1664,
and his house was burned by the savages, and volume one
of the town records destroyed, so Mistress Frost must
FROST. as
havi' hatl some sjul ex|K*ritMioes with the liormrsof Indian
warfare tlurin^ a loni; life. Majt»r Frost «lir<l in Felmi-
ary, 1G7S, ai^ud scvrnty years, leaving a lari,'«' estati" to
his widow, who died in Xoveniher, 1701, to six dan^hters :
Sarah, Ahij^ail, Mehitahh\ Lydia, Mary, and KlizalM'th,
and thret* sons : CharU's (who had ten children) : Nicholas
(who left a widow autl two children), ami Jolm.
]I< IN. .IdllN I'kost
^^'as horn March 1. 1«j81, and whih' a hoy with a
loaded musket watched for Indians while hi- father
worked on the farm. ( )n one occasion an alarm wa>
^iveii and the house was surrounded l»v sjiva;x«'^i who
were tinally driven off. .lohu escjiped wond<'rfullv, as
the record says, returning; from church, at the age of six-
teen years, when his father was killed. When he wa.s
twenty-one years of a^e he fell in love with the heantifid
dauii;hter t>f ( 'olonel I'epperrell. He was married hy the
Kev. Joseph Hammond, Septemher 4, 1702, t») Mary on
her seventeenth hirthday, and they had seventeen chil-
dren. John Frost «ommanded H. I'». .M. friirate Efhrord
in 17n!». He afterward pursued the profe.s,si((n of a mer-
chant iu New Castle, wIktc he soon ros<' to eminenee,
h«'lil a hiu'h rank, Iwcame wealthy, was tnneh »listin^nishe<l,
anil hi|;hly respecte<l in civil life. H<' was sworn in a- a
Hoyal Councillor, July 2(5, 17_'l, l>y onier of (teorjje 11..
the sjime year as .lotham < >dioruc.
.Vt a criuncil held in l'ort.>^mouth .July lo, 1717, Cap-
tain John Frost, in command of the ship lionettti I'inck,
complaineij of a pinite called Ar (irauil^ two hnndnHl
and tifty tons htirden, earryinj; twenty jruns and one
hundre<I and seventy men. They ceiehnitetl the Fourth
36 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
of July by taking from him forty hogsheads of rum,
several barrels of sugar, and a negro man — presumably
to mix the drinks. The cargo came from Barbadoes, and
was bound to Portsmouth. All captains at this time
brought slaves to New England.
In the island referred to, in a census taken by order of
his Excellency, Sir Jonathan Atkins, in 1679, Richard
Salter was reported as having two hundred and seventeen
acres of land, four white servants, and one hundred and
twenty negroes. There would appear to be no necessity
for S0 many hands on a small farm unless he was sup-
plying the rich people of New Castle with household
servants.
In the burying-groiind at New Castle, close to the
road, may be seen three graves, viz. :
''Here lyes the body of the Hon. John Frost, Esq.,
who departed this life Feb. 25, 1732, aged 50 years, 11
mos and 24 days."
''Here lyes buried the body of Joseph Frost, Esq.,
who departed this life Sept. ye 14th, 1768, aged 50 years
and 11 months."
" Sarah, widow of the late Capt. Richard S. Tibbits and
youngest daughter of Joseph and Margaret Frost, aged 85."
John Frost's widow married again, and died April 18,
1766, aged eighty years, and was buried in Danvers.
Joseph Frost's widow married again, and died July 15,
1813, aged eighty-nine years, and was buried in Somers-
worth.
Captain Tibbits died in the West Indies.
Mary Pepperrell Frost lived in elegance at New Castle
after her marriage in 1702. Her best bed was covered
with white tabby silk. Her father and husband were
rich, and she accumulated an enormous quantity of silver
Hun. ju'.l. FfOSt,
Commanding H B M, Frigate "Edward"
FROST. 87
for the tinios. TIhto was en()ii;;h to till a lar^jo ciost't,
ami wlu'ii she married aj,^aiii it all went with Iht to
Boston. ^^'illiaIn TvliT writes to Sir \\'illiam iNpiK-rp-lI,
July 5, 174') : " Your sister Frost came to town to see
her son .Iose|)h who was thoiij^ht would have died and
Rev. Dr. Colniaii has pei-suaded her to e«)ine and live
with him and they are to !>«■ marricil in thirtv days from
this date."
riie news of the eaptun- of Litiiislmr;; had rrathe«l
IV>ston two days before, and a irtMicrai illumination took
place. Mary Pepperrell Frost had heen a witlow thir-
teen years, and was now sixty years ohl, twelve years
younger than Parson Coleman. They were married by
ilev. Joseph Sewall, I>. 1>.. Au^'ust FJ, 174'). Dr.
C'olman, the first pastor of the IJnittle Street ( hnreh
was »tne of the most distiuijuished ministers in New Fnj;-
land. In hi:;h iiitelUn'tual ridtivation he had hut few
etjuals. To nature as well as to culture he was indelit«Kl
for a most graceful antl winnini; manner and pleasing
address, which constituted one of his most distinguishing
a<-complishmcnts. Horn in l>ost»>n ()ctol)er 19, l(j7;t,
graduated at llarvanl at nineteen, he spent four years in
]»ndon, where he was ordaineil August 4, 1609, and at
once returned to Boston and coinmcnci'<l to preach. W*-
was invite«l to he i'resident of llarvanl in 17"JI. '-i" di--
cline*!.
The parsonage must have heen well st<Mk»il with niUrr
after the arrival of the thin! wife of the |)4»pular |mrson.
Wc<lilir»g-gifts weri' always numer«»us to the clergy in
eolt>uial times, when they (x-eupietl a nuich higiuT |MHi-
tion in j»olitieal life than they do nr»w. His colleague
says : " The music of hi>< voi<-e, the pmpriety of \uh
accent, and the decency of his gestures showeil him one
38 JOHN" SALTER, MARINER.
of the most graceful speakers of the age. He composed
with great rapidity aud elegance, and his pre-eminent
talents in this respect were in constant requisition to draft
letters and addresses from the churches to the General
Court, the King and his ministers." He married in
1700, when he was twenty-seven years old, Jane Clark,
aged thirty-one years. Later he married Sarah.
Sarali had her trunks filled with spoons, and must have
been the most fascinating woman in Boston. Her charms
of person or purse were such that she was irresistible.
Born September 15, 1672, Sarah married at twenty-three
William Harris, treasurer of the Brattle Street Church, a
rich and influential merchant. After his death, in 1721,
Sarah married the Hon. and Rev. John Leverett, Presi-
dent of Harvard, a widower. After the death of the
President, the Hon. John Clarke appeared, and he was
united to Sarah, then forty-three, by Parson Colman.
John died, .and Sarah, though a year older than the
parson, captured him. Sarah died April 24, 1744, aged
seventy-one. Parson Colman lived only two years after
his third marriage, dying August 29, 1747, aged seventy-
four. On October 6, 1748, his widow married, for the
third time. Judge Benjamin Prescott, and became step-
mother to her son William, and her relatives for years
after talked about the chests of silver-plate from the
parsonage, contributed at so many weddings, that all
went to Danvers never to return. Lieutenant-Geueral
Pepperrell, who died July 6, 1759, visited his sister at
her home on his return from Boston in the spring of 1759.
Our grandmother died April 18, 1766, aged eighty.
Mary Pepperroll-Froit-Colman-Prescott
FKOST. 39
('lIll.DHKN OF .loIlN I'lioyr AND MaUV I 'r.l'i'KIIUI.M .
Mar^tTV, hin'ii I'cltniars' I, 17<il ; dird in iiifaiifv.
William, hnm Aiij^ust 2n, 17Uo ; marrii'<l Kli/.al)i>th,
tlaii^htiT of lu'v. Iicnjatiiiu IVcscott, wlm married his
niotluT < )ct(>l)t'r 0, 17 is.
dolm, l)oni May TJ, 1701* ; married Sarah ( Icrri-^li.
Charles, horn Atiirn-t 27, 1710 ; married doaniia daek-
soii and Sarah daeksoii.
Mary, Ixirii Aiimist 10, 1711 ; dieil in iiifani-y.
Sandi, horn I'\'hrnarv 1, 171.". ; mairied K'.v. .IkImi
lUnnt, of Now Castle.
Miirv, horn J'\'hriiarv hi, 1711 ; dit<l in infaney.
Andrew, horn April 12, 171tl : was many years hlind.
•Joseph, horn Septemher "Ji', 1717 ; marrie<l Mariraret
Colton.
Ahi^ail, horn May lit), 171!> ; not married.
(ieor^e, horn .Vpril 2il, 1720; married an IjiL'lish
woman, and second wife Widow Smith, of I)nrlKun.
Samuel, horn Ani:iist 1!>, 1721 ; died in infaney.
IJenjanun, horn .May 15, 172"> ; died in infaney.
.lane, horn .May 1'), 1725; marrit-d Andrew W'atkins.
Miriam, horn < )etoher S, 1722; married Klliot Frost
and .Mexander Kaitt.
Marv, horn didv 2, 172(J ; die«l in infaney.
I)orothv, horn .Vu^ust 21, 1727 ; marrinl ( aptain
ClifTt.rd, of Salenj.
(Note. — Three infants named .Mary died.)
Jolin Alhee says liev. .luhn I'dunt married into a
notahle family, whose name has heen hoiionihl y a.HritKMate*l
with New Castle from ahoiit 17()0. .Ma<iame Sandi llhmt
wrote poetrv. Her. -i«ters wen* e«'|ehn»t«-d for their
40 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
amiability and intelligence. Abigail died in the splendor
of early womanhood, January 30, 1742, aged twenty-two.
Released from cares at rest she lies,
Then peaceful slumbers close her eyes.
Her faith all trials did endure
Like a strong pillar firm and pure.
Did adverse winds tempestuous roll
Hope was the anchor of her soul.
We by the olive in her hand
Her peaceful end may underetand.
And by the coronet is shown , ^
Virtue at last shall wear the crown.
Joseph Frost.
Born September 29, 1717, died September 14, 1768.
He married Margaret Colton, October 20, 1744, and the
year following he was so ill in Boston that his mother
came to see him, and a month later gave him her house.
in New Castle, as she had concluded to reside in Boston.
December 9, 1749, '' Joseph Frost, mariner, of New
Castle, bought of Alec Clarke's widow four thousand
acres of land that she got from Geo. Davie." This deed
is witnessed by Elizabeth Prescott, who married William
Frost, November 24, 1750 ; also by William and George
Frost, and recorded by Daniel Moulton, in liber 28. In
liber 2, folio 45, is the record by Walter Phillips of the
sale of this tract to George Davis by Nicodeshant Quese-
meck and Obias for the sum of twelve pounds, dated
December 21, 1663, in the '' 15th year of the reign of
our Lord King Charles the second by the Grace of God
of England Scotland France and Ireland King and de-
fender of the faith." The land is described as lying on
the west or north side of Wicheaseke Bay, west or north
side of Mount Swedes Bay.
COLTON. 41
COLloN.
riiniiias ami Maruiin-t IWiss wiTt- inarrit'<l in l']ni:lan<l,
\vhi«'h tlu'V left t»ii afcoimt of rt'li^ious |H'rstHMitioii. Tliov
had >i.\ cliililrt'ii Itoni in l\ii<rlaml and four in Ainfri<a.
Tlicir >on Lawronre canif to tliis ronntrv with his fatlur
in 163o, and die<l in 1 »)"•>. Hi' nuirrinl, ()ctol)or 25,
|t!'il. Lydia, ninetifn wars old, dan^ditrr of Saniiicl
NN'ri^hl, onr of the first sottU-rs in the ('(>nntfti«-ut
X'allev, at Sprin^tield, and the M ri^ht sort of a wife fi)r
colonial days, when every man t<M>k his pun tochiirrh and
sat at the foot of the i>ew rcaily to nish to the do(»r when
the <;uards j>osted outside iiave the alarm. I\lder Krewster
could preach and pray, luit never hesitiited a moment
when it liei-.ime neeess;iry to po on Indian c5im|Kiii:ns and
tiirht I he sava;^os. It was only a <juestion of life or dtalh,
and there was no time to lose. The Indians owne<l the
country, and the white folks wen- driving' them out, hut
the ministers overlooked all questions of morals and prin-
ciples when savages were coneerncd. and joimnl their
parishioners in the fi;;hts.
The Deerfield mass;iore sent a ihrill (»f hornir through-
out New Kngland, Hushand.-. di<l not last lont; in thoso
terrible Indian wars of Kin;; Philip. Lydia IkuI four
lovers, married them all, and died a witlow at the aire of
>ixty-foiir, Decemher 17, ]C,UU. Her father had l»ecn
kilhtl liy the Indians at Northfield in 1«>7"». and tui
( )etolM'r 'M, KITS, Lydia married John Nort«m. < )n
•lanuary 7, HJHS, she married Jolui I*;iml», and on March
I, 1692, it was (Ici^rj^ Colton's op|M)rtunity, and he hud
rdi>is for sevf'U years, until Fehruary l'-\, \*VM\ and then
for ten months Ly<lia wa- '• f' -In., nifh her four i."'Id
wiHlding rinp*.
42 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
Dr. Coltou says that our American Adam, George
Colton, from Sutton, England, has honorable mention in
the Springfield, Mass., town records of 1645. Was rep-
resentative in 1669. Died February 13, 1699. Married
Deborah Gardner and had five sods and four daughters.
Lawrence Bliss had a sister, Hannah Bliss, who married
Thomas Colton, son of George Colton. Lydia and Han-
nah were sisters-in-law until the fourth marriage, when
Lydia became mother-in-law to Hannah.
Margaret Colton, daughter of Samuel Colton and
Margaret Bliss, of Springfield, and great-granddaughter
of George Colton, the ancestor of all the Coltons of New
England, was born April 19, 1724, and attended school
in Boston. Margaret was married at home at the age of
twenty, and rode on horseback behind her husband all the
way from Springfield to New Castle
Joseph Frost died in 1768, twenty-four years after his
marriage. Margaret remained a widow twenty-four
years, and at the age of sixty-eight, in 1792, she married
Judge Rollins, of Rollinsford, N. H., who died eight
years later.
Our grandmother passed her childhood in a section of
the country that had witnessed the fiercest Indian battles
recorded in colonial times. Then she moved to Boston
during the great excitement caused by the French war.
She was visited by her mother-in-law in 1745, when
Joseph was ill. At that time news had come of the great
victory achieved by the four thousand soldiers raised in
New England, commanded by her husband's uncle. Our
grandmother was in New Castle during the Revolution,
and probably had many friends in the army. Reference
is made to Corporal Frost in the letter to her daughter
Jenny. In the war of 1812 our grandmother was at
COLTON. 48
Iu)Hinsf(>rtl, wImti' slu* dictl, .luly \'>, 1S1:», apnl eij^lily-
iiinr.
ClIlIKKEN OK .losKl'll Fi;nv|- .\m> M A1:< J A ItKT OjLTON.
Mariran't, Itoni l)icfinl)('r S, 1717 ; Au-A in ISO').
Marrietl John NN'oiitworth and .lolm W'aldntii.
.Iost>j>li, horn May :{. 174;> ; died in l.s;J<>. .M:mi.d
Sarah Siini)st)n.
(iconic, l)orn NovcniluT -\, 17')0; dii'd in 1808.
Married Al)iirail I ''ell.
Marv. Ixtrii .lamiarv '_'!», 17",:! ; died in ISl'.t. Married
Strpinn Clia-f.
Miriam, hnrii I'fliniarv 11, 17.")") ; dii-d in 17.")»).
.lane, Iidiii Mali li 17, 17.')7 ; died in 18;',7. Marriid
.Iol>n Saitt-r.
I>iin»tliv, horn |-\hrnarv 1^7, 17")'.» ; diid in 1838.
Married dames Jewett.
Saniiiel, horn . January '2~ , 17<!0 ; died in l.S"J7.
Al)ii;ail, horn Septeniher »j, 17t)2 ; died in IS IS.
William, horn Sopteniher HJ, 1704 ; (Ued at sea.
Saraii, horn dune 11, 17<ltl ; di((l .lannary 1, 1852.
Married Ivieharil S. Til)hits.
< )nr L'nindmotljer, Sarah Tihltits, who \va> two years
old when her father died, was the last survivor of a lar^
family. She and Ahipiil Frost lived toijcther many yt ars
in the I*leas:int Street House, (»p|Misite the hill. ll<r
sisttT Mary marrieil Stephen ( 'has«', Aj)ril 2S, 1771.
Their jjrandson, Noah Tihi)its, has a son of the same
name livinix in iirooklyii.
.Masson, in the Vankte AV/ry, puhlishiHl in 1898, says:
" Historians have randy «lone justiee to the stTvie**?* of
unr navy (hiring; the war of the Kevolution. In a<ldition
to the government ships of war, hastily improvis«d and
44 JOHN" SALTER. MARINER.
in great part recruited from the merchant vessels, the
colonies fitted out privateers of their own, aided in many
instances by private citizens, and there can be no doubt
that our success in the war could not have been accom-
plished except by the co-operation of these daring navi-
gators. They kept the army supplied with arms, ammu-
nition, and clothing captured from the enemy, and many
a time when the spirit of our troops was at the lowest
ebb, some bold naval exploit served to revive their cour-
age. Most of the battles fought by tlie Americans were
fought with implements captured from the British vessels.
The principal things the Contiuental Army lacked were
guns, ammunition, clothes, and money. In order to
pamper the soldiers with luxuries of this sort it was
necessary to capture them from the enemy. So Com-
modore Hopkins sailed away in his fleet in February,
1776, to the Bahama Islands, and in March took Xew
Providence and secured a huridred cannon and some valu-
able stores. On his return with the spoils, after taking
two vessels, the commodore retired from the service. In
1776 the 3IeUish was captured with ten thousand British
uniforms. It is needless to say that these were very
welcome to our impoverished army."
In 1776 the American Xavy had twenty- five vessels,
carrying four hundred and twenty-two guns, to oppose
the British fleet of seventy-eight, mounting 2078 guns.
But, with the aid of privateers owned by individuals or
the colonies, they captured eight hundred British merchant-
men. Daring the eight years' war the American loss in
gunboats was twenty-four, while the British was one
hundred and two ships of war. xA.t the close of the war
three gunboats were left, and they were promptly dis-
posed of, in order to rid the country of any semblance of
T1BBIT8. 46
a navy. The navv v-as a relic of the past, good while it
lasted, but of no further a ■ -e. \^^v.- ' ' -
had no need of iliern. A ^ ; from 1 i
said the navy is a menace to our republican inKtitutions,
and '•' elevfij . ' .te men now in hlaverx* i- " '
is the pretext f ^' out a fleet." L'p to •
1793, Portugal, who kept a stronp fleet at Gibraltar,
airr.--] t . ].r .!•• t A: • ri<.«n vestiels. In 1795 a j>
arr.iiij^'-d wnu Ai^':,.i.>. Not havinfr a navy
' ' !:_: -^l to buy our sailors back. It <• irt aLM>ut a million
• 1 liar- to do it, and an annual tribute of twenty -two
t]i<»ur»a.nd dollars to Algiers. Then O--, —
and by a majority of two ordered th<
twenty other gunUiats. Our naval war with Kranoe
la-t.-l from Mav 2«, 1798, to Februarv .;, 1801.
TIJJBITS.
LlElTE-VANT RlCHAHD SaLTEr' TiBBITS, U. S. XaVV.
Israel Tlbbits caune from Ix>ndon to Portsmouth, and
married, in 1759, Mehitable Salter, then twenty-one year>»
old. - '■ 1
in tlu . . ..._ ,,...-
Tween South and New Castle Streets. >I liad
three Sarah, ■
May 1' . ... ; ll:r ..; . .
died in 1771, an<l "d Mr.
M<^Nilti»nboro, and had two more >
hin. us an appre«ti«*. The liattle of l^exingtOD was
46 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
fought in 1775, and on September 6th Captain Salter and
his nephew sailed away from Newburyport in the ship
Crisis, and were captured. Tibbits then made a successful
cruise in a privateer. Later he was captured in the
Aurora, June 14, 1780, and committed to Old Mill
Prison, Plymouth. July 10, 1781, after a year in
prison, he writes for money :
" I am as yet a minor'and an apprentice to my worthy
kinsman and uncle, Mr. John Salter, mariner, and many
years master of different vessels from and belonging to
Mr. George Boyd, merchant, late of Portsmouth. Many
were consigned to your house, the latter particularly
named the Fidelity, and was sold after having discharged
her cargo in London, from whence, in consequence, my
uncle and self returned home as passengers.
" In order to acquire a due experience, sufficient to
qualify me in the business of my profession, that of a
mariner, by and with the advice and consent of my
kinsman and tutor, I left home in a letter-of-marque
brig called the Aurora, under the command of Mr.
Samuel Gerrish, which vessel was captured on her way to
the West India Islands by one of H. B. M. frigates bound
home, in consequence of which it hath been my ill fortune
to be brought to this place. Previous to my leaving
home the voyage before this, in which I was captured,
my uncle was pleased to make provision for my relief in
case of capture, in his having furnished me with a bill
upon your house, which, having no occasion for, I re-
turned him on my arrival at home after a safe and pros-
perous voyage. My coming with Captain Gerrish only
admitted of a small delay."
Tibbits while in prison kept a log-book filled with
problems in geometry and navigation, also copies of his
TIM HITS. 17
li'tt< rs. August 5, ITcSl, lu' writi's Sanili r>iix«'ll, near
S»'h(>t)l-lu»iiso Ltuu', RatflifT lligliway, LitiKlun, for tin*
adtlrrssof CJi'Drm.' Ilavd, late mcrrliaiit of I'ort-'iiittutli, l»iit
iiow liviiii: ill London. Alllioiigli l»iit niiu'tt'cn, lit* sivs :
" Dear .Miss liii.voll : Tlw ainMciil fricii<l>lii|» that has
snhsi.stetl ht'twei'ii yon and myself has indneed ine to take
the liberty to address a few lines to y(»n, as yonr'father's
Christian natui' has eseaped my memory, to a«i|naint you
ami your father of my being at j)resent eonlined in this
plaee. There is no prospet't at pro.scnt of being relea.se<l
from my ntdiappy situation. I hail little e.vpeetation of
siieh a dismal prison as this being my residence when F
left your father's hons»',"
Then follows a eopy of a letter to (Jeorge I'.oyd :
" Sii: : Mv present unfi»rtnnate and distressi'il siluation
of eaptivitv I hope will in some respect apologize for the
reason of mv present address. The knowledge I havi' of
vour ever humane and benevolent disposition, togetluT
with the intimacy ami friend-.hip that had hitherto sub-
sisted between yourself and my (HUiue.xions are the prin-
cipal motives that in<luee n)e to stiitc to you in part my
situation, in hope thereby to e.\<'ite your commiseration
and to m»'et vour favor ami bounty. I had the very un-
happv and singular misfortune to be eomniittotl here on
account of being taken in a letter-of-manpU' brig under
the command of ('aptain Samuel ( lerrish, and am here
now about a vi'ar, and no m »r.' pro.s[>ect of redemption
than the day I was brought here ; my distrens incnases
with my time in captivity, for when first imprisone<i luul
-avjnl stjme little, that on being sold eontribute<l to my
relief, but Time by her woeful ex|M'rience, hath, notwith-
standing a becoming prudence, matio way with the whole
for some time i»ast, ant! my situation is such as is ucarcely
48 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
to be described, having barely a sufficiency of even the
common necessaries of life for the support of nature.
You will therefore judge of the distress which I experi-
ence, and which is a common calamity. I need not more
fully describe to you the woes that are attendant and on
almost insufferable with a state of imprisonment when
nature is supported with a competent sustenance. When
that fails life itself is almost a burthen too heavy to bear,
and in which situation have no alternative. I therefore
request you will be pleased to favor me with a supply for
my relief, such as your bounty shall be pleased to dictate,
on account of my honored tutor and kinsman, Captain
John Salter, who hath altogether declined following the
seas since captured in the Crisis and taken into Boston,
who I am satisfied will reimburse you fully for so reason-
able a supply to the relief of
'' Sir your devoted sincere
'' Humble and distressed servt,
" Richard Salter Tibbits."
Tibbits copied in his log-book the names of five hun-
dred prisoners ; names of vessels and dates of capture.
The brig Fancy, taken in August, 1777, had Francis
Salter, from Marblehead, and Thomas Salter, from
Frenchman's Bay. The brig Dalton, taken December
24, 1776, had Joseph Shillaber, of Portsmouth, who was
exchanged ; Captain Gerrish, from Portsmouth, taken in
brig Au7'ora, ran away.
Andrew Sherburne, in his Memoirs, published in Utica,
in 1828, gives an interesting account of his capture in the
privateer Greyhound, Captain Jacob Willis, of Salem.
In the outer yard of the Old Mill Prison he found " Old
Aunt Anna," with her hand-cart to supply the prisoners
TIBBITS. 49
with hreail, butter, tobiuvo, nee<ilei<, and thread. " I
liailfd from Pisrataqiia, and tho I*israta(|iia men were
rallid ami formed a eireh- around me. Mr. Tihhits was
thr oidv j)erst)n amongst them with whom I had had any
a<i|naintnnep, thou<;h most of the Portsmouth peojde had
known mv father." Sherhurne was sixtfeii, had hren at
school l)Ut a few months, and eould not write or fi|rnre.
Tihl)its offered to instruct him, and he made ni|)i<l pro-
gress. Soon after the eaj)ture of Cornwallis eansed a
general exchange of prisoners. Colonel Lawrence, Unitwl
States Minister to Holland, was released from the 'I'ower
and vi.site<l Mill Prison.
After fifteen months' ahsence from America Sherhurne
writes he arrivtnl at I'ortsmouth. ** There was a letter-
of-manjue hrigof eight carriage guns, called the Smrjtiou,
fitting out for the West Indies, to he comnuuuled hy
Captain Ivichard Salter, ami my good friend liichanl S.
Til)l>its, who was my tut(»r in Mill Prison, was going as
one of the mates, an<l I had the offer of going as hoat-
rtwain. We had Ix^en out about five days, and were dis-
covereij by one of his most gnicious majesty's frigates,
whi<*h cluused us from 10 a.m. to 3 P.M. un<ler what the
sailors would call a stiff and increasing breeze, and though
our brig was an excellent sailor she nither gained upon
us. We were therefore obliged to heave off our ileckIoa<i
of lumber and then very easily escapcil her. We arriv«-<l
at (iuadalou|)<' and then .Hailinl for Montserrat, «»ur
captain iM-ing dis.-.atisfic«l with the market. The nriti>h
cr»iis«'rs at this time kept a sharp lookout among the \\ e.^t
India Islands for the Yankees, and as we went out of
the bav we dis<t)vere<l a brig which had <H»nc««aIe«l hcr>4'lf
behind a |>oint of land. She a|)|K'aretI to Ih' in rather n
careless situation iintil we had got so far from the liarlxir
4
50 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
that she could intercept our retreat. She then began to
make sail and gave us chase. We had a fresh breeze and
were running almost before the wind ; the masts and spars
of each vessel would about bear all we could crowd upon
them. It was an eventful period with us, for we saw
that she was determined to come up with us, and we had
every reason to believe she was an enemy, and that she
had too many guns for us. I presume there never was a
fairer chase. I do not now record the distance from
Guadaloupe to Montserrat, but be it more or less she
chased us from one island even into the harbor of the
other. The chase continued from 8 or 9 in the morning
until 3 or 4 p.m.
'' Our pursuer was the brig Bee, mounting sixteen guns,
and reputed a very fast sailer. She was within a mile of
us when the chase began, and after having chased us
several hours a heavy squall in which she was obliged to
douse a considerable number of her sails, brought her
within forty rods, yet she did not fire a gun. We had as
many hands — eighteen — as was necessary to work our
vessel, and I question whether there was ever a vessel
worked in a more masterly manner. The same squall
which struck the Bee in turn struck us also, but we
having had opportunity to observe its weight and effect
upon the privateer were better prepared for it. We being
in complete readiness, every man having a perfect knowl-
edge of his business, we took in our studding-sails, clewed
up our top-gallant sails and let run our topsails, jib, and
staysails, and immediately commenced setting them again.
Tiie Scorpion now left the Bee as fast as the Bee had
gained on the Scorpion in the time of the squall. The
Bee, notwithstanding, hurriedly continued even into the
harbor of Montserrat. The Bee kept French colors flying
TIBUITS. ol
iluriiii^ the wiiolo oliasi', luit I am not ctMtaiii \\Ii«tlnr we
sliowt'tl any o)l(»rs. Wt- ran as mar tlic slntiv as we
(Ian <1, and let p> an anchor. Slu" caino within a hnntlrctl
yanis of ns, hove shiji, anil haih-d n-;. ^\'hile laving
umh'ronr stern, hroadsiile to, she had oj»j)ortnnitv to have
done us eonsiderahle injjiry by rakin;; us ; hut her roni-
mander had the luunanity and jjonerosity to refrain from
injuriui; us exeept to fri^^hten us, and more speeially the
Freneh j>ih»t and his boat's erew, who by this time had p)t
on board and seein;; the lUe hiyini: broadside to us, her
port- up and iruus out, were in expectation of receiving a
broadside, Siune of them juujpcd l)ch)\v an<l (dhers fell
upon their faces, eryiu;; out, ' Foiifre d' Aui/lais.' The lire
8too<l to sea apiin under all the siil she could set. The
fort immediately commence<l tirinij ujxm her, but she
sei-mcd to biil llu'in delianee, by haulin;; down her French
colors and displaying the Kn^^lish tla^;, and matle her
es<'ape without ret'eiviu;; any injury." This extraordinary
chase and nuina'uverin^ must have been highly interesting
to a disinterested spectiitor. Sherburne says they sailed
with a cargo for Alexandria, \'a. , aiul were i-aplured by
his Majesty's ship Aiii/»liion, forty gnus, at twt) in the
ujorning. '* We were standing directly for each other. As
ftoon as we diseovere<l her we hove about, but all our
enih'jivors to es<'a|M' her were abortive, for we were within
musket shot. The <lischarge of a few of the heavy caiuji>n
acoompli.Hhcil her object. Our Captain Tibbits and three
others continu(Hl on board the Srarpinn, which was after-
wanl cast away, l)ut I Indieve no lives were lost. Thir-
teen of us wen? put on bosird the Amphion, and two weeks
later we arrive<l at the prison-ship in New York."
Sherburne writes : '* The war beini; ende<l, I ship|M><J
on lM>ard the ship Lydin, comnuuuhtl by ray old friend
52 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
Captain R. S. Tibbits, bound to North Carolina, then to
Lisbon.
'^ Nothing nncommon occurred until we made the land
on the coast of Portugal. We stood along the coast under
easy sail ; it being toward night we did not wish to ap-
proach very near the land. The weather was very
pleasant and the wind light.
" The Algerines at this time were committing depre-
dations on our commerce. It was but little before this
that Captain O'Brien had been taken, who, with his crew,
were in slavery among them a number of years. We
were in some fear of them and kept a bright lookout. I
had gone below at 12 o'clock and turned in, but was not
yet asleep. I thought I heard the distant sound of a
human voice ; the captain was on deck and busy in talk-
ing. I heard the sound again, and began to feel alarmed,
and was turning out, but discovered that they heard the
sound on deck and were listening and looking out. The
sound neared us fast. All hands were immediately on
deck. There was now no question but the sound was
from an Algerine galley, which was by this time within
fifty yards of us. She hailed in several different lan-
guages, and Captain Tibbits having the helm, there being
plenty of work for every one else, gave them indirect
answers. Never were people more alarmed than we were
now. Never did a crew make sail quicker ; we set our
top-gallant sails, hauling our wind a little, and got out
our studding-sails, etc., and by this time our pursuer was
within twenty yards of us. She feigned herself in distress,
and designed thereby to decoy us. She had laid under
the land without having any sail set, and by that means
could not be discovered by us before night ; while at the
same time she could very plainly discover us, and, having
TIHHITS. 53
discovered how we were standing, shaped her coni'se to
athwart our fore f«iot, as the siiih)r woiihl sjiy, Imt she
heiui; to ht'ward was ohlip'd to th-peiid ii|h>ii her oars.
She Imd desi^ueil no douht to have hoanh-d ii>, Imt when
she sjiw that we were liki'ly to shoot hy her eiuh-avored
to deeoy us. Slie did not show a rai; of sail until she
had eoni|)lcte!y ^'ained onr wake, and then l)ci,'an a chase
with a full press of sail, lint our ship heini; an e.\«'ellent
.Siiiler we soon he^^an to leave her, and thus hy the nu'rey
of Gtxl we escaped capture and slavery. She <hased us
hut a very little while, and findinj; she was no match for
us in sailini; ^ave up the chase, took in lier sails, and we
soon lost sii^ht of her. The next day we ^ot into Lishon
autl reported the ciniinistances of this chase. Tlu-re ini-
niediately went out a <;overnnu'nt hrii; in pursuit of her,
hut I did not undcr.-taud that she ever found her. W'l-
took in a part of oiir carp) at Li>i)on ant! had to j;(» to St.
I'l)es for the remainder, and were with a nnmhcr of other
vessels convoyed off the coast hy a Portuguese frijiate,"
The Lydin arrived safely in America with liercarj^ of
sjilt, and Sherhuriu', who had heen tau^iit to write in
Plymouth Prison hy Tihhits, opened a s<1um)1 for hoys
on the Saco Kiver, fifty-tivo niih's from Portsmouth, in
•laiuiary, 17S»;. Hr says in his Memoirs: " Had I had
n<»t heen drawn or rarrie*! throuijh the distrcKsin^ scenes
whi<h I have already relate], and heen hxlmtl in ( )ld Mill
Prison, I had |irol»al)ly never ac(juired an eilucation sutli-
cient to have su-itainc<l these olliccs and to have performiHl
the husiness whi<-h has j)rove«l so profitahlc to mc"
Sherburne representetl the town of ( 'ornish, where he
kept S4-hool, at a convention held in Berwick in re^'ard to
public buihlin^s. (ienend .lohn Pro>t, of the Kevolu-
tionary Army, was calletl to the chair. In SoptendxT,
'54 fOB% S^LTZe, JLJLZISZ^,
.%» one ftHmlf«d aertr k>>v > M^wadk^
ia K , ^ tf» the Xew Haatpe^iier a»KK
Ij'jf '» re»t tfesw is A9iiis*ie(t, 17WK I»
A ■ _■ ,-- -.,—-" IT, ... --, f _ . ->.- rt moAs
>? 9nKVB» oc nKfyrp»iatt>r>«.
■ ' ' '■•'* jprocfci M ig^ Sfcw-
':r, awl all tktr
in AfyriJ, !
_-.. . : -jnwtjh TicaiflM aa^
Pr ' X«Nr BrvagBviek; aa^ aM(db«r iteualb»Mir Cf>
K«« V ' ; -' I tiwk aa offMirtrautr t» vint
the ^ > '^ 'jffHgKile t» wUdb fe wti lj Isr
tia-. . /«rwy. I yaHi0«d <pref- Ikt p^
th« '^'- - -'- -' ""
7 .'«pQ«t» aaoCker rvn^ m war Umesk,
€H r :s.% 17«^, tW Britiih kft 5«v Y«vk, aiad
'T*5, the !»% Xtphgmff Csftaia
jarf, P«vtiaaMMth, aad Mileii ta
tlK^ W<K« lEyi>«» with a load 9i humhsr, wihodb «a» es-
dbaa^«d f«ir |Madb«o«»<if nua, aad haded ia P«*tnMadk
cft •Si-r.r>«ri'?*^- Ir, J-t't **i*!-t -JBrfrWp ia .faeiC>»=-^ T5«T 'ibWt'!:
TIBBIT9. fth
Tibhit* (lieil in 1^21); Captain Shm-kforrl wan taken down
with t}i«' f»'%'«'r aii'I ■ ■ At I'ort At •
the raptain went - lenire of tl«>
nmn<ling offit«r. Port Maria, 0«-i»ya, Morro (
FIa'.:ina, ami othor p«»rtM aro nu'iition«'<i. AmKhcrr lug
'lioWH Tilibit-H wai near Havana April ♦*, 1812,
Li(*iit<*nant TiM)it>» was one of tin- first offufT>s *f\w\v*\
for the new navy of the Unite*! States. He had Ix^n
' * ' il*rr>ad,ar * - i . . .1 .,?a all hi» life, and wan
I a ver\ <>T. Me ent«r»d tlw?
?»»*rvioe l^ecember 5, 17IJM, during the war with France.
.I-.liii Alif.i-. who waM then I*r»-<i '
mi--i'.ii .l:iiiii.iry 7, 171)9. C. W. <r _ . - -
r»tarv of the Xavy, wn>te him fonr ilayn later : ** The
Pn-i'I'tit of the I'nitr"*! Stat^-^ hy .ind with th<- advice
and wnin^nt of the S*;nate, has a{){>ointed you a I,^ •- -. Kit
in the Navy of the UniterJ .States. You will ini
re|jair on Ikkih! the ^hip PortMm/iuih, cornrnande*! by
Daniel .MeNVill." The PoHnnotUh, twenty-f - ■ -,
built in I*ortj*mouth, carrie«l .1 r-rew of two hui 1
twenty men.
I^ieut«'nant Til»l»it- di»ii in ' ' '' 'i, In r)i f
IMJI. Ilr inarri'-d Sarah Fro- 7, 17m7.
uncle, John Salter, marrierl her stater, Jane Froat, No-
v.tM»»*>r 1, 1783. Sarah Fro-t Tibbif*, ^ho »
Inn- 11, 17»i*i, liver! for many yi-an* in I'lea»ui
I'orti^moiith, where she die*! January 4, 18.*>2.
(in ti sheet of pa|ier that had been s<>nt to R. 8. 1
tli-n- !- ■«ipie<! an extrart from a letter :
A ._• «Ht 2»), 1784. Ih not this «*trin«r* w*aih#r*
Winter alnrirfie*! the xprinjf, and now aa(
56 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
wish you more time would not be kind, but what time
you have you must bestow upon me. Since I was here I
have two little letters from you, and have not had the
gratitude to write, but every man is most free with his
best friends, because he does not suppose that they will
suspect him of intentional incivility. I thank you for
your affectionate letter. I hope we shall both be the
better for each other's friendship, and I hope we shall
not very quickly be parted. Your letter was indeed long
in coming, but it was very welcome. Our acquaintance
has now subsisted long, and our recollection of each other
involves a great space and many little occurrences which
melt the thoughts to tenderness. Write to me therefore
as frequently as you can."
Children of R. S. Tibbits and Sarah Frost.
First child, born April 20, 1789 ; died in infancy.
Richard, born April 25, 1790. Married, in 1822,
Martha W. Mellen, and died July 19, 1838.
Hall, born April 25, 1790 ; died January 31, 1791.
Sarah Chase, born March 30, 1792. Married, in 1817,
John Salter, and died April 16, 1867.
Harriet Chase, born March 20, 1795. Married, in
1821, Benjamin Salter, and died November 1, 1872.
Hall Jackson, born August 9, 1797. Married, in
1826, Jane C. Warner, and died August 24, 1872.
Dorothy Jewett, born July 22, 1801, and died January
17, 1848.
Mary Laurin, born August 25, 1803 ; died July 5,
1824.
William Cutter, born July 9, 1806 ; died in September,
1837.
TIHHITS. 57
Kli/aboth, hum July !», 180G. Marrioil, in IS.IT, .I..hn
Lake Salter, and ilie«l October 15, 1871.
Caroline Au<;usta, horn Scpteniher 11, 1808. Mar-
ried, in 182f;, X. \V. Merrill, and died OetoUr 18, 1877.
('aroline was the last survivor of the children of K, S.
Tihhit.s and Sanili Frost, and when she died !H.'Venteen
nephews and nieecs filetl their claims for the Merrill
ducats, Surrot^ate Calvin, after listeninj; to an unusual
number i>f »li.stin^uished i)eople, viz.. Cardinal McCli>skey,
(tenenil John A. Dix, Admiral Sy Ivanus W. Ginlon,
Genenil Kufus Saxton, Thurlow Weed, Cyrus W. Field,
Stewart Brown, Mos<'s Taylor, aii<l <ithers, rejwted the
will «)frered for probate.
The brothers and sisters of Caroline Merrill married
and left families. Richard had three children : Aui^usta,
Richard, ami ( Jeor^e. Ilall had two children : (Jeorj^e
and Robert. Sarah had ei^ht children : .bthn, Kllen,
Frances, Mary, Marjjery, .\nnie, Kmily, and Au^^usta.
Kli/;il>eth Tibbit.s marrie»l, May 27, 18.'J7, her cousin,
John L , son of Titus Salter. She had four children :
John, Kllen, Abi«;ail, and William. She died Oetol)er
lo, 1S71.
John L. Salter, born May 21, ISO*;, in Portsmouth,
die<l in Odell, Illinois, Deeenil>er 2, 1892. He married
his >e««>nd wife, Mary Jane Hall, ( )ctober 7, 187'>. She
dieil February *», 1S77. Captain Salter then marrie<l his
sister-in-law, Louisa A. Ilall, September 11, 1877. She
dietl Januarv 4, 18I«2, and ( 'aptain Salter nuirritnl a^iin
Jrru-ha Spnt^ue.
William Tibbits Salter, the only surviving chiM of
John L. Salter, was born in Maiiu", went We>t, and now
livj's in I^wrenceville, Illinois. He marrietl Mary
Ellen Ilolcomb, July 2, 1807. She dietl October 23,
58 JOHN SALTER, MARINER.
1891. On April 23, 1893, he married Lilian Mary
Thompson. W. T. Salter has had ten children : John
Henry, married Rose Robinson. Florence May, married
Fred. Cook. Elizabeth Tibbits, married Warren B.
Kilgore. Sarah Adeline, married John B. Stout. Clara
Lonise, Mary Frances, William Rymond, Stanley Wal-
lace, George Everett, Georgie Ellen.
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