The Wainwright Family of Essex County Massachusetts

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Daniel Peirce of Ipswich, County Suffolk England and some of his Descendants

  Last Updated 14 March 2005

Generation No. 1

      @1.  Daniel¹ Peirce was born Abt. 1611 in Ipswich, Suffolk England, and died 22 November 1677 in Newbury Massachusetts¹.  He married (1) Sarah ---² Bef. 1638 in Watertown Massachusetts².  She died 17 July 1654 in Newbury Massachusetts².  He married (2) Anne Goodale 26 December 1654 in Newbury Massachusetts², daughter of John Goodale and Elizabeth ---.  She died 27 November 1690 in Newbury Massachusetts³.

Notes for Daniel Peirce:

Daniel Peirce came from Ipswich, County Suffolk England in 1634 aboard the ship Elizabeth at the age of 23. He first settled in Watertown Massachusetts, where he was a Proprieter.   He likely married there before 1638 when he removed to Newbury Massachusetts.

Daniel was one of the original land grantees of the area of New Jersey called Woolridge in 1665, including the towns of Amboy, Piscataway and Rahway. He returned to Newbury around 1670.

More About Daniel Peirce:

Occupation: Blacksmith

Will: 12 November 1677, Essex Probate⁴

More About Anne Goodale:

Will: 04 November 1681, Essex Probate

Children of Daniel Peirce and Sarah --- are:

Notes for Sarah Peirce:

Sarah Peirce is supposed to be the daughter of Daniel Peirce, though no record of her birth has been found.

Generation No. 2

      3.  Hon. Col. Daniel² Peirce (Daniel¹) was born 15 May 1638 in Watertown Massachusetts¹⁰, and died 22 April 1704 in Newbury Massachusetts¹¹.  He married Elizabeth Milward 05 December 1660 in Newbury Massachusetts¹², daughter of Thomas Milward and Anne ---.  She was born Abt. 1644¹³, and died 09 December 1709 in Newbury Massachusetts¹⁴.

More About Hon. Col. Daniel Peirce:

Daniel Pierce wasDeputy of the General Court in 1682-3, member of the Council of Safety in the revolution of 1689 , a Justice of the inferior court of common pleas for Essex, 1698-1703 , and a representative 1692-1703 .He was Buried at: First Parish Cemetery Newbury Massachusetts¹⁴ and left a will dated  12 August 1701, Essex Probate¹⁴

Children of Daniel Peirce and Elizabeth Milward are:

      @4.  Joshua² Peirce (Daniel¹) was born 15 May 1642 in Newbury, Massachusetts²⁸, and died Abt. 1670 in Woodbridge New Jersey²⁹.  He married Dorothy Pike 07 May 1668 in Salisbury Massachusetts³⁰, daughter of Robert Pike and Sarah Sanders.  She was born 11 November 1645 in Salisbury, Massachusetts³¹, and died Aft. 1714 in Newbury Massachusetts.

Notes for Joshua Peirce:

Joshua moved to Portsmouth, NH from New Jersey about 1694.  He was town constable, 1698; town clerk, 1700 and 1714 to his death.  He was selectman 9 times between 1703-1732; representative, 1718-21; Register of deeds; and justice of peace³².

More About Dorothy Pike:

Children of Joshua Peirce and Dorothy Pike are:

Generation No. 3

      6.  Daniel³ Peirce (Daniel², Daniel¹) was born 20 December 1663 in Newbury Massachusetts³⁴, and died 02 September 1690 in Newbury Massachusetts³⁵.  He married Joanna ---.  She died 16 September 1690 in Newbury Massachusetts³⁵.

Child of Daniel Peirce and Joanna --- is:

      7.  Anne³ Peirce (Daniel², Daniel¹) was born 22 May 1666 in Newbury Massachusetts³⁶, and died 28 June 1697 in Haverhill Massachusetts³⁷.  She married Captain Simon Wainwright 02 October 1688 in Haverhill Massachusetts³⁸, son of Francis Wainwright and Philippa Sewall.  He was born 20 November 1660 in Ipswich Massachusetts³⁹, and died 29 August 1708 in Haverhill Massachusetts⁴⁰.

Notes for Anne Peirce:

Tombstone in Old Haverhill Burial Ground

             Mrs Ann, ye wife

              of Capt Simon

              Wainwright

              Died June ye 28

              1697 & in ye 29

              Year of her Age

Notes for Captain Simon Wainwright:

 Simon,  second  son of Francis Wainwright, is listed as a resident of Ipswich as late as 1678.  Soon after,  he  moved to Rowley, where three of his children were born.  In 1683 at its annual town meeting Francis Wainwright petitioned the town of  Haverhill to permit his son to settle there and use timber to build himself  a  house  and a warehouse.  This is, according to Chase in his "History  of  Haverhill"  the  first  mention  that  can  be found of a merchant  or  trader  in Haverhill.  In 1685 his name appears as one of the town Selectmen.  On 30 Jul 1694 he was appointed to the first Board of  Assessors  in  that  town.   He  was  active in the town's militia, attaining  the  rank  of  Captain.   In  1687, Simon purchased property opposite  what  is  now  the Winter Street Church and built his house.  According  to  town  records, this house was used as a garrison against Indian  attacks.   He also owned the land behind and to the west of the Burying Ground.

Simon married three times.  The first was on 1 October 1681 to Sarah Gilbert by whom he had four childrenn.  The second was to Ann Peirce and  third was to Mary, widow of Thomas Silver.

Simon  Wainwright  was killed during an Indian raid on Haverhill on 29  Aug  1708.  His house was used as a  military  garrison during  the raid  which  occurred  as a consequence of the French and Indian War.

Chase, in  his  "History  of  Haverhill"  describes  what happened:

         "...Another [indian] party went to the house of Captain Simon Wainwright, whom they killed at the first fire.  The soldiers stationed in the the chambers were preparing  to  defend  the house  until  the  last,  when  Mrs. Wainwright,  (nee Mary Silver)  fearlessly  unbarred the door and let  them  in. She spoke  to  the  indians kindly, waited upon them with seeming alacrity, and promises to procure them whatever they desired. The enemy knew  not  what  to  make  of  this, the apparent cheerfulness with which they were received,, and the kindness with which they were treated was so different from what they expected to meet  with  that  it  seemed  to  paralyze  their energies. They, however, demanded money of Mrs Wainwright  and,  upon  her  retiring  to bring it, as she said, she fled with  all  her   children  except one daughter, who was taken prisoner and were not afterward discovered"

This daughter was  carried  to  Canada.   In 1710, Mary Wainwright petitioned  the  General  Court  to  redeem  her:

 Haverhill, 29th April, 1710

"To his Excellency, Joseph Dudley, Captain-General and Governor in Chief etc .   etc .   to the Honorable Council and General Assembly now meet: The petition of Mary Wainwright sheweth that, whereas my daughter hath been, for a long time in captivity of the French in Canada, and I have late reason to fear that her soul is in great danger if not already captivated and she brought to their way; therefore I humbly intreate your Excellency, that some care may be taken for her redemption before Canada be so endeared to her that I shall never have my daughter more.  Some are ready to say that there are so few captives in Canada that it is not worth while to put the country to the charges for them; but I hope your Excellency, nor any other good, judicious man will think so; for St.  James has instructed us, as you may see, chapter 5:v, 20, 'Let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall have a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins .

This is all I can do at present .   I desire humbly to beg of God that he would direct the hearts of our rulers to do that which may be most for His glory and for the good of His poor, distressed creatures, and so I take leave to subscribe myself your most humble petitioner

                                               "Widow Mary Wainwright"

The list of captives returned to the General Court in 1710-1, as contained in the Colonial Records of Massachusetts includes one Mary Silver of Haverhill.

Simon Wainwright is buried in the old Haverhill Burial Ground on.  His stone is located on the east side along the wall.

The inscription reads as follows:

              "Here lyes buried ye body

              of Capt. Simon Wainwright

              Esq. who was barbarously

              slaine by ye French &

              Indian enemie on August

              ye 29, 1708 aegis 50y.

Simon  is  also  mentioned  on  an  obelisk, located to the west of the tombstone, commemorating the Indian raid. 

His  son  John,  aged  18  at  Simon's  death, came under the legal guardianship  of Stephen Sewall (Essex #28678).  This was discharged on 19 Mar 1713-14.  His wife, Mary, subsequently married Sgt. John Boynton on 19 Feb 1718-9.

Simon  died  intestate.  His probate record (Essex #28692) shows an inventory   totalling  some  763  Pounds.   Included,  however,  was  a substantial  amount in notes due which were apparently destroyed in the burning  of Simons house during the raid.  Consequently, the executers had  considerable trouble collecting on these debts.  On 24 Oct 1710, a

petition was filed with the General Court to remedy this:

    "To  his  Excellency,  Joseph Dudley, esqr., Governr: The honble  ye  Council  & House of Representatives of her Majtys Province  of  the  Massachtts Bay, in General Court Assembled 24th Octobr 1710.

  "The   petition   of   Stephen  Sewell,  Guardn  to  John Wainwright,  Minor,  onely Son of Capt Simon Wainwright, late of Haverhill, deced on behalfe of sd John Wainwright & others Concerned in the Estate of ye Deced

    "Humbly sheweth

    "That,  whereas,  at the time of the Attack made upon the Town  of  Haverhill by the French & Indians in the year 1708, Amongst  other  the  Outrages and Desolations then committed,the  sd Captain Wainwright was slain & his house burn'd, with all  its  books,most of his Bonds, Writings, & Papers whereby the  Petr,  with  Lt.  Col.  Saltonstal,  Adminrs,  are  made uncapable  of  Takeing  the  Ordinary  Process of Law, for ye obtaining  &  recovery  of  many well known, honest, and just debts  of  Very  Considerable  Value,  to  the Extreem Loss & Damage  of  the  Orphants & others interested in the Estate. Some   evil-minded  Debtors,  takeing  Advantage  thereof  to withhold what they justly owe.  Yor Petr therefore on behalfe of  ye  sd  Minor & others interested, humbly prays that your Excy  &  honours  would please to Appoint, two or more of the Justices of the Inferior Court within the County of Essex, or Such other persons as you may think fit, to be Commissioners, with power to Call before them all persons indebted to the sd Estate,  and  to  require  and  Administer  an  Oath to them, referring  to  ye  Debts  they  respectively  Owe, both as to Quantity  and Specie of payment; The sd Commissioners to make a  report  of  their  doings therein from time to time to the Govr  &  Council That so the necessary further Directions may be  given  therein,  as has formerly been done by this honble Court, in a Case of like nature Or that Such other ways and Methods may be Directed as in yor Excy & Honours Wisdom shall be  thought  proper  for  Enabling  the  Adminrs  to Demand & recover the just Debts oweing to ye sd Estate.

    "And yor Petr shall ever pray &c.

"Stephen Sewall"

This petition was read and ordered on 9 Nov 1710.  

Simon Wainwright was supposed, at the time of his death, to be very rich.   There was a  traditional  story  which circulated in the 19th century  in Haverhill that he had a large chest filled with dollars and that  he  once  wagered  a  man  the entire contents of the chest if he could extract one of the dollars with his fingers.  The man "pulled and tugged" with all  his strength but could not budge one of the coins.

Legend has  it  that  Simon Wainwright buried most of his money, and a part of a field south of his house lot on Winter Street was dug over in 1861  in  an  unsuccessful  attempt to find it.  A site near the Little River  was  also  dug  over twice for the same reason and with the same results.

Child of Anne Peirce and Simon Wainwright is:

      8.  Benjamin³ Peirce (Daniel², Daniel¹) was born 20 February 1668/69 in Newbury Massachusetts⁴², and died 17 May 1711 in Newbury Massachusetts⁴³.  He married Lydia ---⁴⁴. 

More About Benjamin Peirce:

Burial: Old Town Cemetery Newbury Massachusetts⁴⁵

Children of Benjamin Peirce and Lydia --- are:

      17.  Sarah³ Peirce (Joshua², Daniel¹) was born 18 March 1668/69 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey⁵⁰, and died 12 January 1743/44 in Newbury Massachusetts⁵¹.  She married (1) Dr. Humphrey Bradstreet in Newbury Massachusetts, son of Moses Bradstreet and Elizabeth Harris.  He was born 06 January 1669/70 in Ipswich Massachusetts⁵², and died 11 May 1717 in Newbury Massachusetts⁵².  She married (2) Capt. Edward Sargent 09 June 1719 in Newbury Massachusetts⁵³.  He died 31 May 1742 in Newbury Massachusetts⁵⁴.

More About Dr. Humphrey Bradstreet:

Children of Sarah Peirce and Humphrey Bradstreet:

      @18.  Joshua³ Peirce (Joshua², Daniel¹) was born 14 January 1670/71 in Woodbridge New Jersey⁶¹, and died 17 February 1742/43 in Portsmouth New Hampshire⁶².  He married (1) Elizabeth Hall 24 January 1694/95 in Portsmouth New Hampshire⁶³, daughter of Joseph Hall and Elizabeth Smith.  She was born Abt. 1673 in Greenland New Hampshire⁶³, and died 13 January 1717/18 in Portsmouth New Hampshire.  He married (2) Elizabeth Wade 05 March 1718/19⁶⁴. 

Notes for Joshua Peirce:

Joshua made unsuccessful attempts to recover his father’s lands in Woodbridge New Jersey before removing to Portsmouth New Hampshire around 1700.  There, he established himself as a merchant on the corner of Market Square and High Street.  He was largely concerned in navigation, was a ship owner and left a good estate.  He was a man of untiring industry.  He held several Town offices, and was known for his high degree of integrity⁶⁵.

Children of Joshua Peirce and Elizabeth Hall are:

Notes for Col. Samuel Moore:

Samuel was a commander of the New Hampshire Regiment in the Siege of Louisburg

Generation No. 4

      20.  John⁴ Wainwright (Anne³ Peirce, Daniel², Daniel¹) was born 30 October 1690 in Haverhill Massachusetts⁷¹, and died 04 October 1721 in Haverhill Massachusetts⁷².  He married Hannah Redford Bef. 1713 in Haverhill Massachusetts⁷³. 

Notes for John Wainwright:

John, born 30 Oct 1690.  John, only son of Captain Simon Wainwright,  graduated  form  Harvard University in 1709.  He married widow Hannah Redford on 30 Apr 1712.

John Wainwright was drowned on 4 Oct 1721  while  aboard  a Rhode  Island  Sloop carrying oak planking.  Hannah married once more sometime before 1724 to John Pecker.  Hannah, the youngest daughter of John and Hannah, married Grant Webster on 21 May 1739.  The remaining children of this family  are not accounted for in the Massachusetts records.  Probably the daughters married in their  husband's towns  in other states. 

His will (Essex 28679) shows that he died insolvent, owing over 36 Pounds.  One of his creditors, John Pecker, eventually married his wife Hannah. 

Included in his effects was a black maid servant named Hagen whose worth was listed as 19 Pounds.

Notes for Hannah Redford:

After the death of John, Hannah married John Pecker.  On 14 October, court records show that she is had a legacy from her aunt Abigail Moody from Newbury.

Children of John Wainwright and Hannah Redford are:

At the time of Capt. John Wainwright's death, Abigail was 9 years old.  On 14 October, 1723 John Pecker was made guardian of Abigail (Essex 28670).  Shortly thereafter, he married Hannah Wainwright, her mother.  This guardianship was discharged on 3/31/1735.

On 3/22/1731 (os) she acknowledged receipt of 88 Pounds, 4 shillings cash from John Pecker.

The following is from records of the Sessions court, 9/26/1726-3/1744, Page 620

“10 July 1739

“Grant Webster, of Haverhill, came into court and confessed himself of the crime of fornication with Hannah Wainwright who since became his wife & prayed he might be permitted to answer for her- Ordered that he pay a fine of 10 shillings for himself + 10 shillings for his wife to the Kings ___ of court

stand committed

Performed

(John Wainwright was one of the justices)

      24.  Daniel⁴ Peirce (Benjamin³, Daniel², Daniel¹) was born 11 October 1698 in Newbury Massachusetts⁸⁰.  He married Elizabeth ---⁸⁰.  She died 02 December 1729 in Newbury Massachusetts⁸⁰.

Child of Daniel Peirce and Elizabeth --- is:

      39.  Anna⁴ Peirce (Joshua³, Joshua², Daniel¹) was born 10 September 1702 in Portsmouth New Hampshire⁸¹, and died 28 December 1770 in Boston Massachusetts⁸².  She married Rev. Joseph Green 28 December 1727⁸³, son of Joseph Green and Elizabeth Gerrish.  He was born 12 December 1703 in Salem Massachusetts⁸⁴, and died 01 July 1765 in Boston Massachusetts⁸⁵.

More About Rev. Joseph Green:

Children of Anna Peirce and Joseph Green:

      42.  Daniel⁴ Peirce (Joshua³, Joshua², Daniel¹) was born 02 May 1709 in Portsmouth New Hampshire⁹⁴, and died 05 December 1773 in Portsmouth New Hampshire⁹⁵.  He married Ann Rindge 29 October 1742 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire⁹⁵, daughter of John Rindge.  She died 19 October 1748 in Portsmouth New Hampshire⁹⁵.

Notes for Daniel Peirce:

Daniel graduated Harvard College in 1728.  He is described as having been "a man of great natural parts, as well as acquired ailities:  he had likewise a great mechanical inclination and worked very ingeniously with his own hands."  He was renowned for his integrity

Children of Daniel Peirce and Ann Rindge are:

      @44.  Margaret⁴ Peirce (Joshua³, Joshua², Daniel¹) was born 25 June 1714 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire⁹⁷, and died 1779 in Halifax Nova Scotia⁹⁸.  She married Hon. Benjamin Green 24 November 1737 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire⁹⁹, son of Joseph Green and Elizabeth Gerrish.  He was born 30 June 1713 in Salem Massachusetts¹⁰⁰, and died 14 October 1772 in Halifax, Nova Scotia¹⁰¹.

More About Hon. Benjamin Green:

Children of Margaret Peirce and Benjamin Green are:

Generation No. 5

      48.  Mehitabel⁵ Wainwright (John⁴, Anne³ Peirce, Daniel², Daniel¹) was born 12 July 1719 in Haverhill Massachusetts¹¹³, and died 20 November 1781 in Hampton Falls New Hampshire.  She married Meshech Weare 04 December 1746 in Hampton Falls New Hampshire.  He was born 16 January 1712/13 in Hampton New Hampshire, and died 14 January 1786 in Hampton Falls New Hampshire.

Notes for Mehitabel Wainwright:

Mehitable Wainwright is listed in the wills of Richard Wibird (4/25/1733) and his wife Elizabeth  (2/23/1742-3 of Portsmouth, NH).  Richard lists her as a minor child, while Elizabeth does not.

Mehitable is mentioned in the many biographical sketches of her husband, but nothing is documented about her lineage.  The basis of her inclusion in this genealogy is entirely circumstantial.

Notes for Meshech Weare:

Meshach Weare was one of the most prominent citizens of the State of New Hampshire.  He was head of the local Committee of Safety, and the first president of the newly formed State of New Hampshire.  A large statue was erected in his likeness in Hampton NH.  Numerous biographies of his personal and professional life have been written.

Children of Mehitabel Wainwright and Meshech Weare are: