PEIRCE GENEALOGY. BEING THE RECORD OF THE POSTERITY OF JOHN PERS, AN EARLY INHABITANT OF WATERTOYVN, IN NEW ENGLAND, WHO CAME FROM NORWICH, NORFOLK COUNTY, ENGLAND; WITH NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF OTHER FAMILIES OF PEIRCE, PIERCE, PEARCE, ETC. BY FREDERICK CLIFTON PEIRCE, Es*j., THOR OF THE HISTORY OF GRAFTON, HISTORY OF B aRRE. COMPILER OF the Gibson- and H arwood Genealogies, and Resident Member of the New E ngland H istoric-G enealogical Society. I love the lineage of heroes; but I love merit more. Patents of nobility are bnt phantoms; true worth la within. Kings are nothing but men, and all men are equal. K in g F b b d e b ic k o f Pr u s s ia . WORCESTER ; PRESS OF C1IAS. HAMILTON No. 311 Main Str eet. 1 8 8 0 . The Hemotype PbintinoCo 126 Peapi.S t. Boston p g l f i - t g i t t o Copyright, 1880, Bv FREDERICK CLIFTON PEIRCE. 9 S J S - . J. S. W e s b y , Binder. Edition Limited. TO Col. Cfjomas (HHcnttoortl) $firrc, PR ESID E N T OP THE GALVESTON, HARRISBURG AND SAN ANTONIO RAILWAY, To w hose E nterprise and L iberality in th e Construction of ample T ransportation F acilities through Southern and W estern T exas, T he P eople of that Great Section o f Country owe a D ebt of Gra titu d e; and fo r w hom T H E AUTHOR OF THIS VOLUME E ntertains the H ighest P ersonal E steem for iiis I n tegrity, E nter­ prise, Sagacity and Libera lity , this work is fH o s t lUspectfulls Drtitratrti BT HIS FRIEND, TH E AUTHOR. C o n c e r n in g t h is n e p c l a r h is t o r y , t h e n ; IS IT A HUMAN INTENTION OR IS IT A DITTNE RECORD. Is IT “ A TALE TOLD BY AN IDIOT SIGNIFYING NOTHING,” OR IS IT A PLAN OF INFINITE IMAGINATION SIGNIFYING IMMORTALITY ? Prof. BENJAMIN PEIRCE, of Harvard University AUTHOR’S PREFACE. For the past six years the undersigned has been engaged in compiling the genealogy of the descendants of John Fers, who was one of the early settlers in Watertown, N. E. When I first began the work my father was unable to give me the name of his grandfather and he knew nothing of his relatives back of his father, paternally or maternally. Bv ransacking musty old papers, records, and garrets, extensive correspondence with persons bearing the name of Pierce, Peirce, and Pearce, and with persons interested in genealogical studies, and also by extensive traveling, I have at last succeeded in putting together the data contained in this volume. The task of compiling lias been an easy one compared with that of arranging and properly classifying the mass of matter which has accumulated in the six years. There were so many early settlers in New England by f t the name of Peirce, and so many bearing similar names, the work has been at times veiy perplexing and puzzling. I take this opportunity to tender my sincere thanks and acknowledgments to all those who have so kindly furnished me with information and statistics. To Prof. James Mills Peirce of Harvard University, Hon. Edward L. Peirce, Prof. Benjamin O. Peirce of Beverly and Miss Mary F. Peirce of Cambridge, »John Ward Dean, A. M., the efficient and courteous librarian of the New England Historic-Genealogical Society, my thanks are particularly due. Trusting that the work will be received by the various members of the family in America as a work of love and not of pecuniary gain, I remain, very truly, FREDERICK CLIFTON PEIRCE. Bakkk, Mass., July 30, 1880. N ote on the S pelling and P ronunciation ok the N ame of P eirce, by P rof. .Tames M. P eirce of H arvard U niversity, taken from the Genealogical Register. The spelling of the name of Peirce is generally supposed to have no signifi­ cance in determining relationships. Certainly a great variety in this regard will be found in printed and written documents from the settlement of New England until now. But my observation leads me to believe that a high degree of uniformity exists in the spelling, as used by persons bearing the name, in any one family connection. Tims the descendants of Robert of Woburn, and I believe nearly the whole body of the descendants of John of Watertown, from the beginning to the present day, almost everywhere use the spelling Peirce; though John himself appears to sign his will Pers or Perss in an antiquated hand resembling German Script. The spelling Pearse in the will of his wife Elizabeth is not written by the testator, who signs only by mark. On the other hand the descendants of Samuel of Charlestown and of Sergt. Thomas of Woburn most commonly employ the spelling Pierce, which is also, I think, that of the signature of the will of Thomas, senior, of Charlestowu, which may, however, be Peirce or Peerce. In the old pronun­ ciation of the name, according to the tradition prevalent in several branches of the family of John of Watertown, the vowel-sound was the same that we now hear in the words pear, heir and their ; and this pronunciation is remem­ bered by living persons as having been sometimes used by old-fashioned people. This was probably quite independent of the spelling. The same souud was, according to A. J. Ellis, used in the verb to pierce, in the 17th century, and by some in the 18th century. On the other hand, the verb may be occasionally heard with the pronunciation perce (or purse), which is now the prevalent pronunciation of all forms of the surname in the neighborhood of Boston. Let me add that the great number of families of this name among the early settlers of New England makes it exceedingly difficult to trace the different lines. Savage is guilty of mauy omissions under this uame, and has com­ mitted some decided mistakes. The perplexity in which all printed authori­ ties leave the subject make the matter very difficult for the author. JAMES MILLS PEIRCE. Cambridge, Mass. IRISH BRANCH OF PEIRCES. Tliere was one branch of the Peirce family which went into Ireland from England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. This branch went from Northumberland County. England. Several of the mem­ bers were soldiers with Oliver Cromwell, and went with him to Ireland in 1040, and settled at Glencanny on Hillywater. two miles from Enniskillen, and the farm upon which they located is still in the pos­ session of the family—owned and occupied by William Peirce, Esq. Seven members of this family were in the battle of the Boyne, in 1690. Four or five were members of the celebrated Enniskillen Dragoons. In the old family bible at Enniskillen, translated by Beza and published by Barker, London, 1599, is the following record:— “ Sarah, b. Nov. 16, 1694; Elizabeth, b. April 22, 1698; Edward, b. July 23, 1701; Henry, b. April 9, 1704; John, b. Aug. 17, 1707; William, b. Nov. 14, 1709; Mary, b. May 14, 1712; Cromwell, b. 18, 1715; Peter, b. ----- 16, 1718." The early family records and also the early parish records at Glencanny I am informed were destroyed. The family were members of the Church of England. Edward, b. 1701, m. in Dublin, Frances Brassingtin, dan. of Manna- duke. In 1737, with his wife and three children he sailed for America —two of the children died on the passage over—and he landed in Philadelphia. He purchased a farm in Delaware County, Pa., and finally settled in Paoli, Chester County, Pa., where he died. His ■■■ descendants now reside in Pa. JOHN PEIRCE OF LONDON. The first patent granted by the Council of Plymouth, of land in New England, was to John Peirce of London, and his associates, dated June 1, 1621. This was a roaming patent granting 100 acres for each St iller already transplanted and such as should he transported ; v m . EEIKCE PBOCI.IVITIEB. the land to lie selected by them under certain restrictions. Peirce located at Broad Bay, and afterwards found one Brown at N. Ilarbov, with an Indian deed of the territory, and they joined their titles and continued the settlement already begun at N. Harbor and Peinaquid, which became prosperous and populous as the extensive remains at these points strongly indicate. Thomas Weston was associated with Peirce in this enterprise, and both were doubtless men of influence in those days. John Peirces son Richard Peirce was a resident at Pemaquid, or rather Muscongus, and married Elizabeth Brown. Richard Peirce’s children were Richard, William, Joseph, Elizabeth who m. Richard Fulworth, George, Mar­ garet who m. Nathaniel Ward, and Francis. PEIRCE PROCLIVITIES. A prominent and distinguishing trait of character in the Peirce Family is casually exposed to view by the Historian Babson, in his de­ scription of the tumultuous proceedings occasioned by the violent party spirit that prevailed in the country after the embargo of President Jefferson in 1806. “ At a town meeting held in Gloucester, the two political parties struggled for the mastery through the day and amid darkness until half-past ten at night, and the floor of the church wherein the meeting was held he describes as presenting a scene of wild confusion and discord worthy of Pandemonium itself. The leaders of each party entertained their friends with unbounded hos­ pitality, and each had its own place of refreshment for general resort” But he adds:—“ The Democrats not unreasonably expected success as they had the influence of the Peirce family.” Young ducks do not take to the water more naturally than the Peirce family throughout the country to democratic principles.