Part 43 (1/2)

In regard to the expression, ”your sincere friend,” Israel Perley stated that the Rev. Mr. n.o.ble was ”an old acquaintance before the present disturbances arose and I had no reference, in styling myself his friend, to anything but his person. I did not mean that I was a friend to his principles.”

Evidently there was a vein of humor in Mr. Perley's character. He is said to have declined a second election to the House of a.s.sembly of N.

S., after having served one term. The chaplain's prayer, ”Prevent us, O Lord, in all our doings,” etc., he construed to mean, ”We should be prevented from doing the half we do there.” Israel Perley died at Maugerville in 1813 in the 73rd year of his age.

Oliver Perley, who was his brother, came to the River St. John in January, 1765, in company with Jacob Barker, jr., Zebulun Esty, Humphrey Pickard and David Burbank, as pa.s.sengers in a schooner belonging to Hazen, Simonds & White. His wife was a Palmer, whom he married at Newburyport. In common with the majority of their neighbors they were inclined to sympathize with the New England ”rebels” at the outbreak of the American Revolution, and the name of Oliver Perley appears as one of the ”rebel” committee appointed at the meeting held at Maugerville in May, 1776. Soon after the peace, in 1783, he is said to have removed to Newburyport, at the solicitation of his wife, but they found so little to admire in the squabbles that prevailed between the followers of Adams and Jefferson that they soon returned to the River St. John declaring that the Americans were ”cursed with liberty.” One of Oliver Perley's sons, Solomon, was married by Rev.

John Beardsley, March 8, 1798, to Elizabeth Pickard; another son, Moses, was married by the same clergyman, March 10, 1802, to his cousin Mary, daughter of Israel Perley. This Moses Perley and his wife were members of the church of England and their son Moses H. Perley was eminent in the history of his native province. Amos Perley, another son of Oliver Perley seems to have inherited some poetical taste from the Palmers, and is credited with the following amongst other rhymes:--

”Wrapt in dark mantles of the night Was Bonnel when he took his flight; Elijah-like he tried to fly To the bright mansions in the sky.

But snow was scarce and sleighing bad, And poor success our deacon had; For lo! his chariot, as you see, Is lodged in this old willow tree.”

The incident that gave rise to this effusion was a practical joke played on a pious itinerant preacher, whose sleigh the Maugerville boys had hoisted into the forks of a large willow. The family of Oliver Perley lived at the spot now known as McGowan's wharf. Asa Perley, another of the early Maugerville settlers lived at the head of Oromocto Island in Upper Maugerville. The descendants of the Perleys in the province are so numerous and so highly respected that it will be needless to try to follow further their history.

PEABODY.

The founder of the Peabody family in America was Lieutenant Francis Peabody of St. Albans, Herefords.h.i.+re, England, who came to America in April, 1635, in the s.h.i.+p ”Planter,” Capt. Nicholas Travice. The same vessel brought the first of the Perleys, Beardsleys and Lawrences to this continent. Lieut. Francis Peabody was then about 21 years old. He lived a year or two at Lynn, Ma.s.s., and then removed to Hampton in Old Norfolk County, where he married a daughter of Reginald Forster and had a family of seven sons and six daughters.

Captain Francis Peabody, who came to the St. John river in 1762, as a prime mover in the establishment of the towns.h.i.+p of Maugerville, seems to have been a native of Rowley. By reason of his rank and character, and the active part he took in the settlement of the River St. John, he may justly be regarded as the most influential person on the river while he lived. He served with honor in the old French war, and is mentioned in Parkman's ”Wolfe and Montcalm,” (Vol.I., p. 428.) He was one of the magistrates appointed under the first commission of the peace for the county of Sunbury, August 11th, 1766, and was the first collector of customs at the River St. John. The names of Richard, Samuel, Stephen and Oliver Peabody appear in the list of Maugerville grantees of 1765. Of these Richard was a brother of Captain Francis Peabody[126] and seems not to have become a permanent settler; the others were sons of Capt. Peabody. Samuel the eldest, has been frequently referred to in these chapters. He was a man of parts--a farmer, surveyor, mast contractor, s.h.i.+p-builder, trader and mill owner. He died at his residence, parish of Lincoln, in 1824, at the age of 82 years. Descendants of Stephen Peabody lived for some years in the parish of St. Mary's, York County. Francis Peabody, the third son, went to Miramichi where he became a prosperous merchant and a very influential citizen. The youngest son, Oliver, married, Dec. 31, 1789, Hulda Tapley of Maugerville, removing to Woodstock, N. B., with his family about 1812, where his descendants still reside and are enterprising and successful farmers. Oliver Peabody died in 1819, but his widow survived for more than thirty years. Mary Peabody, wife of Captain Francis Peabody, lived to quite a ripe old age; she died on the 22nd December, 1803, aged 84 years.

[126] Nathan Frazier of Andover, Ess.e.x Co., Ma.s.s., merchant, on 15th October, 1767, delivered sundry articles--such as crockery, sugar, spices, cloth goods, etc., to Richard Peabody ”for his brother, Capt. Francis Peabody.” The articles amounted in value to 311.18.1, old currency, and Richard Peabody gave his note for this amt.

Captain Peabody's was the first will admitted to probate in the county of Sunbury. It is a doc.u.ment of sufficient historic interest to be quoted in full. And here it may be well to state that in the year of grace, 1771, a will was made out in more solemn form than is the case in modern times. As a rule it was read immediately after the funeral, in the presence of kith and kin, and rarely were its provisions disputed. Captain Peabody mentions his daughter Heprabeth in his will; she married Jonathan Leavitt about the year 1773.

In the name of G.o.d. Amen.

I, Francis Peabody, of Maugerville in the County of Sunbury and Province of Nova Scotia, being thro' the abundant goodness of G.o.d, though weak in body, yet of a sound and perfect understanding and memory, do const.i.tute this my last will and testament, and desire it may be received by all as such.

First, I most humbly bequeath my soul to G.o.d my maker, beseeching his most gracious acceptance of it through the all-sufficient merits of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ. I give my body to the earth from whence it was taken, in full a.s.surance of its resurrection from hence at the last day. As for my burial I desire it may be decent, at the discretion of my dear wife and executors hereafter named. As to my worldly estate I will, and positively order, that all my just debts be paid first. I give my dear and loving wife one third part of all my estate in Nova Scotia, real and personal, (excepting my wearing apparel), and one third part of my land in Middleton and Rowley and Canada, and the use of two hundred dollars now in New England, during her natural life, and the princ.i.p.al if necessity calls for it.

Item, to my son Samuel I give one-fourth part of all my lands not yet disposed of, excepting the land on Oromocto Island, and all the money I have in New England, except two hundred dollars given his mother, his paying all my just debts in New England, and fifteen dollars to his sister Elizabeth White, and two dollars and a half to his sister Hannah Simonds, and one hundred and fifty dollars to his sister Heprabeth on her marriage day.

Item, to my son Stephen I give the same quant.i.ty of lands as I gave to my son Samuel, his paying the same sums to his three sisters as ordered for his brother Samuel to pay.

Item, to my son Francis I give one half of my lands not yet disposed of.

Item, to my son Oliver I give all my lands not yet disposed of.

Item, I give to my daughter Elizabeth White thirty dollars, to be paid by my two eldest sons in household goods.

Item, to my daughter Hannah Simonds five dollars, to be paid by my two eldest sons.

Item, to my daughter Heprabeth I give three hundred dollars to be paid by my two eldest sons in household goods on the day of her marriage. As to my household goods and furniture I leave to the discretion of my loving wife to dispose of, excepting my sword, which I give to my son Samuel. I appoint my dear wife and my son Samuel executors of this my last Will and Testament.

As witness my hand,

FRANCIS PEABODY, Sr.

Delivered this twenty-sixth day of October, the year of our Lord 1771; in presence of us:

Israel Kinney, Alexander Tapley, Phinehas Nevers.