William Bowers Moison Chace, senior member of W. B. M. Chace & Co., real estate, insurance, stocks and bonds, prominently identified with manufacturing and financial concerns, his position won through his own energy, integrity and general worth, is a worthy representative of a family planted in America but a decade later than the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers. He was born in Somerset, Mass., Dec. 5, 1854, and is of the ninth generation of the family in the New World.
William Chace, born about 1595, in England, with his wife Mary and son William came to America in the ship with Governor Winthrop and his colony in 1630, settling first in Roxbury. He soon became a member of the church of which the Rev. John Eliot, the Apostle to the Indians, was pastor. On Oct. 19, 1630, he applied for freemanship, and was admitted a freeman May 14, 1634. In 1637, or thereabouts, he became one of the company who made a new settlement at Yarmouth, of which town he was made constable in 1639. He resided at Yarmouth the rest of his life, dying in May, 1659. His widow died the following October. Their children were:
- William Chace, born about 1622 in England
- Mary Chace, born in May, 1637, in Roxbury
- Mary Chace (2), born.in 1639, in Yarmouth
William Chase (2), son of William and Mary, born about 1622 in England, came to America with his parents, married and was a resident of Yarmouth. He died Feb. 27, 1685. His children were:
- William Chace
- Jacob Chace
- John Chace
- Elizabeth Chace
- Abraham Chace
- Joseph Chace
- Benjamin Chace
- Samuel Chace
William Chase (3), son of William (2), born about 1645, married (first) Hannah, daughter of Philip and Sarah (Odding) Sherman, and (second) Dec. 6, 1732, Priscilla Perry. His children were:
- William Chace
- Eber Chace
- Isaac Chace
- Nathaniel Chace
- Joseph Chace
- Hezekiah Chace
The father’s will was proved Aug. 16, 1737.
Isaac Chase, son of William (3), married (first) Feb. 10, 1704, Elizabeth, daughter of John and Jane (Marks) Blethen, of Salem, Mass., and (second) Nov. 2, 1720, Mary, daughter of Samuel Fowler. Mr. Chase was a resident of Swansea, Mass. He died in 1760, and his will was proved April 1st of that year. His children were:
- James Chace, born Feb. 12, 1706
- Wait Chace, April 24, 1708
- Isaac Chace, May 19, 1710
- William Chace, Oct. 31, 1712
- Elizabeth Chace, May 6, 1715 (all born to the first marriage)
- Ezekiel Chace
- Mary Chace
- Robert Chace
- David Chace
- Lydia Chace
- Susanna Chace
- Benjamin Chace, all by the second marriage
Ezekiel Chase, son of Isaac and Mary (Fowler) Chase, married Aug. 18, 1744, Elizabeth Buffington, daughter of —– and Susanna Buffington, and they had a son James, born June 16, 1746, and perhaps others.
James Chace, son of Ezekiel, born June 16, 1746, married Oct. 22, 1775, Susannah, born Oct. 9, 1757, in Swansea, Mass., daughter of John and Sarah Perry, and a direct descendant of Edward Perry, through Edward (2), Samuel, Samuel (2), and John Perry. Mr. Chace is said to have been a very stern man. He died April 4, 1821. His wife died Feb. 1, 1843. Their children were:
- Matthew Chace, born Aug. 7, 1776, married Esther Earle
- Sarah Chace, born Oct. 25, 1777, married Caleb Butterworth
- Ezekiel Chace, born March 7, 1779, died in 1798
- Robert Chace, born April 19, 1781, married Lydia Chase
- Mark Chace, born Sept. 30, 1782, died in 1809, unmarried
- Perry J. Chace, born Sept. 26, 1784, is mentioned below
- Luke Chace, born Aug. 13, 1786, died Dec. 18, 1786
- Buffington Chace, born Nov. 3, 1788, died in December, 1789
- Samuel B. Chace, born April 1, 1790, married Olive Thurber
- Elizabeth Chace, born Sept. 21, 1792, married Rev. Benjamin Sabin
- Susanna Chace, born Dec. 21, 1794, married Capt. Samuel Tripp
- James Chace, born Sept. 23, 1797, died in 1821
- Lorana P. Chace, born Jan. 6, 1800, married Jonathan Anthony and (second) Levi Cornell
Perry J. Chace, son of James and Susannah, born Sept. 26, 1784, in Swansea, Mass., married Nov. 5, 1807, Abigail Chase, born 21st of 5th month, 1786, daughter of Edward and Sybil (Slade) Chase, and a descendant of William Chase through William, Joseph, Job, Ichabod and Edward Chase. The children of Perry J. and Abigail (Chase) Chace were:
- Darius Chace, born Sept. 23, 1808, married (first) Eliza Richmond and (second) Sarah Tallman
- Buffington P. Chace, born June 23, 1810, is mentioned below
- Abby I. Chace, born Sept. 16, 1811, married David B. Davis
- Eliza T. Chace, born July 8, 1813, married Lodowick Borden
- Edward B. Chace, born Aug. 8, 1815, married Mary Ann Davis
- Susan G. Chace, born Oct. 26, 1817, married (first) John L. Davis and (second) Sabinus P. Marble
- Sybil W. Chace, born June 8, 1822, married Benjamin T. Marble
- James W. Chace, born Aug. 16, 1826, married Sarah Fox
Buffington P. Chace, son of Perry J. and Abigail, born June 23, 1810, was a farmer in Somerset, Mass., and was also a dealer in real estate to a considerable extent. He was a successful man, but died in the prime of his life, at the age of fifty years. He married (first) Nancy C. Babbitt, (second) Sept. 29, 1834, Anna Robinson, and (third) May 20, 1853, Caroline B. Moison, widow of Capt. William Moison, and daughter of Philip Bowers. To the first marriage were born:
- Albert C. Chace, now deceased
- James M. Chace, living in California
The only child of the second marriage
- Anna Chace, died young
To the third were born:
- William Bowers Moison Chace
- John L. Chace
- Carrie A. Chace, who married Henry W. Tisdale, of Taunton
William Bowers Moison Chace, son of Buffington P. and Caroline, was born Dec. 5, 1854, in Somerset, Mass. He acquired his education in the public schools of Somerset, at the Bristol Academy in Taunton, and at the East Greenwich (R. I.) Seminary. His school days over, at the age of seventeen he began his business career as a clerk in the ship chandlery establishment of Warren C. Greene, at Providence, R. I. Such was his deportment and adaptation to business that four years later he was taken into partnership with his employer, and their business was conducted under the firm name of Greene & Chace. Three years later he withdrew from the firm and became identified with the concern of Messrs. Ryder Brothers, wholesale dealers in salt, Mr. Chace acting as traveling salesman. Seemingly he had not yet hit upon the right line of effort, and in 1881 he began a new occupation in a new field, this time at Fall River, Mass., and in the real estate business, and insurance stocks and bonds, he and George N. Durfee becoming associated together for its transaction under the name of Durfee & Chace. The business was so conducted until July, 1894, when the partnership was dissolved, and the business continued by Mr. Chace alone – as W. B. M. Chace & Co. – for a period, when was taken into it as partner W. H. Pierce, and later John F. Stafford, the firm style continuing W. B. M. Chace & Co.
One has only to read between the lines to see that Mr. Chace has given a good account of his business career. He has become one of the leading business men of Fall River, one of its substantial citizens. He was a director of the Pocasset National Bank, and when it and the Massasoit and Union Banks were merged into the Massasoit-Pocasset he became a director in the latter. He was a director of the Sanford Spinning Company until it was merged with the New England Cotton Yarn Company, and he is a director of the Merchants’ Manufacturing Company and a trustee of the Citizens’ Savings Bank.
On Dec. 5, 1877, Mr. Chace was married to Charlotte P. White, daughter of Christopher and Sarah A. (Peckham) White, of Tiverton, R. I. Four children have been born to them:
- Lavinia W. Chace
- Ethel M. Chace
- Christopher W. Chace (died in 1904)
- Rodliffe B. Chace
