Person:Ebenezer Peirce (4)

Descendant of Lieut. Ebenezer Pierce. Daughter of Anthony Brown and Mercy Stevens, his wife.

Granddaughter of William Stevens and Eunice Pierce (b. 1775), his wife.

Gr.-granddaughter of Ebenezer Pierce and Eunice Loomis, his wife, m. 1770.

Ebenezer Pierce, (1745-1802), served several short enlistments from Partridgeville, now Peru, Mass. He was elected to the legislature 1782 where he served eighteen years. . He was born in Woburn, Mass.; died in Marietta, Ohio.

Lineage book , Volume 44 (Google eBook) Front Cover Daughters of the American Revolution 0 Reviews

"Squire Ebenezer Peirce" was Moderator when the parish was established 21 Sept 1795

According to church records, there were on January 1, 1798, thirty-one Congregationalists and seventeen Baptists.

Allowing twelve as a liberal proportion for other denominations, there were sixty church members, male and female, in a possible population of six hundred souls, or one in ten at the outside.

The parish was organized Monday, September 21, 1705, at one o'clock, p. M., in the school house near Mr. Andrew Belcher's. Squire Ebonezer Peirce was Moderator. Abiathar Seckell, a fair penman, Clerk. Nathaniel Tracy, " Capt. Nat.", Treasurer. Jonathan Skinner, Nathaniel Tracy and Joshua Jackson, Assessors, and Parish Committee.

1. ↑ Peirce, Ebenezer, s, Ebenezer and Mary, June 9, 1745 - Sutton VR
2. ↑ It's possible that this is a memorial only -- he may have been buried in Ohio
3. ↑ John Peirce, the ancestor of the Sutton branch of the Pierce family, lived in Woburn. He represented the town in the general court in 1689. He had a son, John, who had a son, Ebenezer, the father of Dr. Ebenezer Pierce, who came to Sutton about 1740. He was born Sept. 11, 1711; died March 2, 1805. He married Mary Stowe, Feb. 25, 1742. She was born 1719; died Aug. 7, 1801. / Dr. P. settled in that part of Sutton, now Millbury, on or near Grass Hill. /
   Dea. Leland speaks of him as a man of unexceptionable character," and as active in every good work. He was a deacon of the north parish church. - History of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, from 1704 to 1876: including Grafton until 1735; Millbury until 1813; and parts of Northbridge, Upton and Auburn (Google eBook) Pub. for the town by Sanford and Co., 1878 -
4. ↑ Properties numbered 10 and 54. 10 is now in Hinsdale 54 is second west of the meeting house and north of the road pg 265 from the map on the previous page, "No. 10 or 10,000 Acres" is one of the four properties at the north of the region and abuts Vermont; 54 is in the central/western area of the smaller town lots -- but almost directly center of the road-gridded areas. Just a bit to the north of Col Partridge's large town lot.
   History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts - Vol. 2 Published by Gale Cengage Learning
   NOTE: It seems more likely that this much property would have to be bought by someone older, but it doesn't seem the father lived in Peru.
5. ↑ daughter baptized there, noted in sutton vr as "of Partridgeville"
6. ↑ April 13th. The new constitution, which had been agreed upon by a state convention, was submitted for the approval or disapproval of the town. "Voted to disapprove of the form of Government Laid Before the Town by the Selectmen: 220 Disapproved, not one approved of the new form of Government." Capt. .John Sibley, Dea. Ebenezer Pierce and Lieut. Asa Waters were chosen a committee to report the reason Wiethe town do not accept the new form of government.
   History of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, from 1704 to 1876: including Grafton until 1735; Millbury until 1813; and parts of Northbridge, Upton and Auburn (Google eBook) Pub. for the town by Sanford and Co., 1878
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts - Vol. 2
8. ↑ p 42 -In section "County of Berkshire" [list of all the representatives for each town] . . . Partridgefield - Ebenezer Peirce, Esq. -
   p 119 - Mr. Pierce, (from Partridgefield,) after reading the fourth section wished to know the opinion of gentlemen on it; as Congress appeared thereby to have a power to regulate the time, place, and manner of holding elections. In respect to the manner, said Mr. Pierce, supposed the legislature of this State should prescribe that the choice of the Feberal Representatives should be in the same manner as that of Governor - a majority of all the votes in the State being necessary to make it such - and Congress should deem it an improper manner, and should order that it be as practiced in several of the Southern States, where the highest number of votes makes a choice -- have they not power by this section so to do ? Again, as to the place, continueds Mr. Pierce, may not Congress direct that the election for Masachusetts shall be held in Boston ? And if so, it is possible that previous to the election, a number of electors may meet, agree upon the eight delegates, and propose the same to a few towns in the vicinity, who, agreeing in sentiment, may meet on the day of election, an dcarry their list by a major vote. He did not, he said, say that ths would be the case  ; but he wished to know if it was not a possible one. As the Federal Representatives, who are to form the democratical part of the general government, are to be a check on the representatives of the sovereignty, the Senate, he thought the utmost caution ought to be used, to have their elections as free as possible. He observed, that as men have been ever fond of power, we must suppose they ever will continue so ; and concluded by observing, that our caution ought in the present case to be greater, as by the proposed Constituion no qualification of property was required in a representative ; and it might be in the power of some people thereby to choose a bankrupt for their representative, in order to give such representative employment, or that he might make laws favorable to such a description of people.
   p 176 - Wednesday, January 23, 1788 - Mr. Peirce rose, he said, to make a few observations on the powers of Congress, in this section. Gentlemen, he said, in different parts of the house (Messrs. Dalton, Phillips and Gore) had agreed that Congress will not lay direct taxes except in cases of war ; for that to defray the exigencies of peace, the impost and excise would be sufficient ; and as that mode of taxation would be the most expedient and productive, it would undoubtedly be adopted. But it was necessary Congress should have power to lay direct taxes at all times, although they will not use it, because when our enemies find they have sufficient powers to call forth all the resources of the people, it will prevent their making war, as they otherwise would. As the Hon. Mr. Phillips used this proverb, "A stitch in time will save nine," his meaning, I suppose, was, that we should have war nine times if Congress had not such powers, where we should once if they had such powers. But these arguments to me are not conclusive ; for if our enemoies know they do not use such powers except in a war, although granted to them, what will be the difference if they have the pwoers only in the time of war? But, Mr. President, if Congress have the powers of direct taxes in the manner prescribed in this section, I fear we shall have that mode of taxation adopted in preference to imposts and excises ; and the reason of my fears are these ; When the impost was granted to Congress in this State, I then, being a member of court, well remember the gentlemen in trade, almost with one consent, agreed that it was an unequal tax, bearing hard on them, for although it finally was a tax on the consumers, yet in the first instance it was paid by persons in trade, and also that they consumed more than the landed interest of dutied articles, and nothing but necessity induced them to submit to grant said impost, as that was the only way Congress could collect money to pay the foreign debt, under the regulations they were then under ; and I fear part of this State's members in Congress, when this Constitution is adopted, will resume their own opinion, when they can lay direct taxes ; and as Thode Island has always been against an impost, and as they have an equal representation in the Senate, and part of Connecticut will be interested with them, and the southern States having no manufactures of their own, an dconsuming much mor foreign articles than the northern, it appears to me we are not certain of availing ourselves of an impost, if we give Congress power to levy and collect direct taxes in time of peace.
   While I am up, Mr. President, I would make some observation on what has been passed over, as I think it is within the orders of the house. The Hon. Mr. Sedgwick said, if I understood him right, that if he thought that this Constituion consolidated the union of the States, he should be the last man that shold vote for it ; but I take his meaning to be this, according to the reasoning of Mr. Ames, that it is not a consolidation of the Union, because there are three branches of the Union, it is not a consolidation of the Union. But Sir, I think I cannot conceive of a sovereignty of power, existing within a sovereigh power, nor do I wish any thing in this Constitution to prevent Congress being soverign in matters belonging to their jurisdiction ; for I have seen the necessity of their powers in almost all instances that have been mentioned in this Convention ; and also last winter, in the rebellion, I thought it would be better for Congress to have stilled the people, rather than people from amongst themselves, who are more apt to be governed by temper than others, as it appeared to me we were in the disqualifying act, as in my opinion, we then did not keep strictly to our own Constitution ; and I believe such a superior power ought to be in Congress. But I would have it distinctly bounded, that every one may know the utmost limits of it, and I have some doubts on my mind as to those limits, which I wish to have solved. I have also an objection as to the term for which the Senate are to be in office ; for as the democratical branch of the Federal legislature is to continue in office two years, and they are the only check on the Federal, and they, the Senate, to continue in office six years, they will have an undue advantage on the democratic branch, and I think they ought not to continue in office for a longer time than the other ; and also, that if they conduct ill we may have a constitutional revolution in as short a period as two years, if needed. The Hon. Mr. King said, some days past, that the Senate going out by classes, if rightly considered, were not for but four years ; because one-third part were never more than six, another four, and a third two -- therefore the medium was four. But I think that way of arguing would argue that if they were all to go out at the end of six years, that they were but three years in office, because half their time they were under the age of three years, and the other half over the age of three years in office ; therefore his arguing in that respect to me was not well founded.
   p 291 - Mr. Pierce, of Partridgefield, said he had no objection to the qualifications of the article under debate, but he wanted to be satisfied why there was no qualification in point of property.
   p 293 - 3 o'clock P. M. - Mr. Pierce, of Partridgefield. He objects, 1. That Congress may declare that he that has the most votes shall be chosen, not he who has a majority of votes. 2. That Congress may order Boston to be the place of election, and by that means may influence elections. Congress may do so, and may have suffcient motives so to do. 3. A bankrupt may be chosen.
   p 312 - Wednesday, January 23, 1788 - Mr. Pierce, of Partridgefield. Is [for] a general government -- if it will be safe -- but if we grant a power to lay direct taxes, Congress will not lay imposts. Congress should not have power to lay direct taxes, but in war. Senate chosen for too long a time -- should not be chosen longer than the house, and the house may balance them.
   p 319 - Mr. Pierce of Partridgefield. Powers in Constitution are dangerous ; 1. Direct taxes ; 2. Duty on imposts include excises, and so a State can, by the tenth section, lay excises. -  Debates and proceedings in the Convention of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, held in the year 1788, and which finally ratified the Constitution of the United States, Massachusetts. Convention, Peirce, Bradford [Kinney], 1819-1889., Hale, Charles, 1831-1882., Massachusetts. General Court. Boston: W. White, printer to the commonwealth, 1856. pp 42, 119, 176, 291, 293, 312, 319
   http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/AEW4664.0001.001/60?sid=95e3f6e828e116b80d4cccd93c806bc1
9. ↑ Headline: [No Headline]; Article Type: Legislative Acts or Legal Proceedings
   Paper: Berkshire Chronicle, published as The Berkshire Chronicle; Date: 05-08-1788; Volume: I; Issue: 1; Page: 3; Location: Pittsfield, Massachusetts
   also
   In section "County of Berkshire" [list of all the representatives for each town] . . . Partridgefield - Ebenezer Peirce, Esq. -  Debates and proceedings in the Convention of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, held in the year 1788, and which finally ratified the Constitution of the United States, Massachusetts. Convention, Peirce, Bradford [Kinney], 1819-1889., Hale, Charles, 1831-1882., Massachusetts. General Court. Boston: W. White, printer to the commonwealth, 1856. p 42
   http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/AEW4664.0001.001/60?sid=95e3f6e828e116b80d4cccd93c806bc1
10. ↑ Headline: [No Headline]; Article Type: Legislative Acts or Legal Proceedings
    Paper: Berkshire Chronicle, published as The Berkshire Chronicle; Date: 06-12-1788; Volume: I; Issue: 6; Page: 3; Location: Pittsfield, Massachusetts
    copy of original in Lynda/Desktop/Genealogy/by Surname/Pierce/Ebenezer
11. ↑ Notice is hereby given, that the Committee on the Sale of unappropriated Lands for the County of Berkshire, will attend for the Sale of said Lands, at the House of William Starkweather, Esq; Innholder in New-Ashford on Wednesday the fifteenth Day n Wednefday the Fifteenth Day of April next, at Ten o'Clock; A.M. - - at Adams, on Monday the Twenty fifth Day of May next, at One of the Clock, P.M. at the House of Marshall Jones, Innholder in faid Town... At Hancock, on Tuesday the Ninth Day of June next, at the House of Mr. Noah Ely, in said Town, at One of the Clock in Afternoon, and to continue the Sales by Adjournments from Time to Time as Occasion may require. / Ebenezer Pierce / Ifrael Jones, / Daniel Brown, Committee / Pittsfield March 17, 1789
    Berkshire Chronicle, published as The Berkshire Chronicle; Date: 03-20-1789; Volume: I; Issue: 44; Page: 2; Location: Pittsfield, Massachusetts
    word doc in lynda/desktop/genealogy/by surname/Pierce/Ebenezer/Ebenezer Pierce - committee to sell land.
12. ↑ Free white males of 16 years and upward - 2, Free white males under 16 years - 2, Free white females 8, All other free persons - 0, Slaves - 0 Heads of families at the first census of the United States taken in the year 1790 ...(Archive.org), Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1907, p 31
13. ↑ census
14. ↑ probate # 2192 (Adm.) Oct 5, 1802 probate # 2194 (Gdn. m.) Oct 5, 1802
    from massmayflower.org - index to probate records
15. ↑ Notice is hereby given that the subscribers have been duly appointed Admiistrators, on the estate of Ebenezer Peirce, Esq. late of Partridgefield, in the County of Berkshire, deceased, and have taken upon themselves that trust by giving Bonds as the Law directs. All persons having demands upon the Estate of the said deceased are required to exhibit the same and all persons indebted to the said estate are called upon to make payment to Eunice Peirce / John Peirce / Partridgefield, Octobe 26, 1802
    Paper: Sun, published as The Sun; Date: 11-08-1802; Volume: III; Issue: 113; Page: 3; Location: Pittsfield, Massachusetts
16. ↑ On the petition of Eunice Pierce, & John Pierce, administrators on the estate of Ebenezer Pierce, late of Partridgefield, deceased: Resolved that the prayer of the said petition be so far granted that the said Eunice and John as administrators on the estate of Ebenezer Pierce, late of Partridgefield in the County of Berkshire Esq. deceased, be and they are hereby empowered, to make & execute a good and sufficient deed of conveyance to Eleazar Blackman of the four acres of land, being a part of lot No. 70 — described in their said petition, which Deed being duly executed & acknowledged, shall be as good and valid in Law as though it had been executed by the said Ebenezer Pierce in his life time. June 20, 1804. Chapter 31.
    Acts and resolves passed by the General Court By Massachusetts