LUND (New Bedford family). For two hundred and more years, since toward the close of the seventeenth century, the Lund family has played its part in Massachusetts-New Hampshire history, the changing of the line between the two Commonwealths in the middle of the eighteenth century transferring them to New Hampshire. Reference is made to the Old Dunstable, Mass., Nashua, N. H. family of the name, and to the especial branch of the latter family which in the early years of the century but recently closed removed to Acushnet, in the town of New Bedford, this State. The head of this latter family was the late Jonathan P. Lund, who some three-quarters of a century ago established the hardware and tin business, which was long carried on by him, assisted in time by his son, the present venerable Parkman Macy Lund, who later succeeded the father, the two being among the substantial men and worthy citizens of this community.
Members of the Old Dunstable Lund family became known to local history from their activity in the campaigns against the Indians, and, if we mistake not, the family has figured in all the wars in which our country has been engaged, Maj. John Lund, serving in the Revolution at the battle of Bunker Hill.
Thomas Lund, the progenitor of the Lunds here considered, appeared an early settler of Dunstable, where he was selectman. He had children:
- Thomas, born Sept. 9, 1682
- Elizabeth, born Sept. 29, 1684
- William, born Jan. 25, 1686
It is worthy of note that the lineage of Thomas Lund is said to be traced to William Du Lund, whose name appears in 1313 on a list of 400 and more persons who were pardoned by the King of England for participating in the rebellion of that time.
Of the sons of Thomas Lund, Thomas, Jr., was killed by the Indians in 1724, near Nashua, N. H. His remains with those of others who lost their lives at the same time were interred in the Ancient burial ground near the State line, in which there is a monument (1846) still standing, on which is the inscription: “Memento Mori. Here lies the body of Mr. Thomas Lund, who departed this life Sept. 5th, 1724, in the forty-second year of his age. This man with seven more that lies in this grave was slew all in a day by the Indians.”
From Thomas Lund, the Dunstable settler, the lineage of Mr. Parkman, Macy Lund of New Bedford is through
- William Lund
- William Lund (2)
- Maj. John Lund
- Jonathan P. Lund
These generations somewhat in detail and in the order named follow.
William Lund, born Jan. 25, 1686, married Rachel Holden. Some time during the year 1724, the year in which his brother, Thomas Lund, was killed, Mr. Lund “being in the service of his country, was taken prisoner by the Indian enemy and carried into captivity, where he suffered great hardships and was obliged to pay a great price for his ransom.” This brief record is all that seems to be known of the incident. He was carried into Canada.
He lived to be eighty-one years of age, dying in 1768. His children were:
- William, born July 18, 1717
- Rachel
- Charity (son), born Feb. 16, 1731
- Mary
William Lund (2), born July 18, 1717, married Sarah, and died May 20, 1782. Children:
- Hannah, born in January, 1743
- William, born in May, 1745 (died young)
- Sarah, born in April, 1747
- John, born Feb. 22, 1749
- Levi, born in December, 1754
- Rebecca, born in March, 1757
- William (2), born in July, 1759
- Mary, born in April, 1762
- Augustus, born in December, 1764
Maj. John Lund, born Feb. 22, 1749, married Hannah Phelps. He was a patriot and officer in the war of the Revolution, and was at the battle of Bunker Hill. He died on the old Lund homestead March 11, 1822. The homestead on the change in State line fell into what is Nashua, N. H., and it remained in the family until 1897. His children were born as follows:
- Sarah, June, 1772
- Lucy, December, 1773
- William, January, 1778
- Rebecca, December, 1780
- Mary, September, 1782
- Clifton, Dec. 7, 1784
- John, December, 1788
- Clarissa, May, 179-5
- Jonathan P., Sept. 17, 1796.
Jonathan P. Lund was born Sept. 17, 1796, in Nashua, N. H. In 1831 he removed to Acushnet in the town of New Bedford, Mass., and in 1836 established the hardware and tin business which continued long in the Lund name. He was also engaged in another New Bedford enterprise, associated with the late Charles W. Morgan, the two conducting from 1842 to 1862 a candle, paper and, later, wall paper factory. He retired from the hardware business in the year 1864, being succeeded in it by his son, Parkman Macy Lund.
On Nov. 25. 1827, Mr. Lund was married to Rebecca Ames Eaton, born Dec. 22, 1799, daughter of Jacob Eaton, of South Reading, now Wakefield, Mass. To them were born children:
- Parkman Macy was born in Wakefield, Feb. 25, 1829
- Rebecca H., born June 7, 1830, married Feb. 18, 1850, Charles A. M., Taber, lived in Wakefield and died Sept. 8, 1901
- Eliza S., born Feb. 15, 1832, in North Fairhaven, married Jan. 9, 1867, James H. Carter, and lived in Wakefield
- Jonathan P., born Aug. 21, 1834, in New Bedford, married Oct. 10, 1860, Rebecca E. Doty, and died Dec. 31, 1863
- Edward, born Sept. 2, 1839, married Oct. 6, 1864, Mary L. Doty, and died June 10, 1866.
The father died at his home, Acushnet, New Bedford, Mass., Dec. 4, 1874. The mother passed away June 8, 1883.
Mrs. Lund was a direct descendant of Jonas Eaton, an early settler of Reading, Mass., of which town he was a freeman, 1653, served as selectman, etc. He lived in the northwest part of Cowdrey’s hill. From him her descent is through:
- Jonathan Eaton and his wife Mary
- Noah Eaton and his wife Phebe (Lilley)
- Lilley Eaton and his wife Sarah (Emerson)
- Jacob Eaton and his wife Rebecca (Holmes), the latter, from Bridgewater
Both Lilley Eaton and his son Jacob lived in the ancient mansion that formerly stood on the corner of Eaton and Crescent streets, Reading, Mass. Jacob Eaton was one of the founders, and, for more than half a century, a deacon, of the Baptist Church. A memoir of his life has been published, which truly says of him that “he was of noble person and noble intellect, and long stood in the front rank of our citizens, esteemed for his integrity, venerated for his wisdom and beloved for his goodness.”
Parkman Macy Lund, son of Jonathan P. and Rebecca Ames (Eaton) Lund, was born Feb. 25, 1829, in Wakefield, Mass. Coming to Acushnet, New Bedford, with the family in 1831, when a babe, he here acquired in the New Bedford public schools and in the high school his education. He practically, as it were, grew up in the hardware and tin establishment of his father, at Acushnet, and received from him his business training. In 1864 he succeeded to the business of his father. This he continued engaged in and successfully until 1868, when he disposed of it and has since given his time to the management of his personal interests.
One has only to read between the lines of this family sketch to judge of the standing and worth of the Lunds in the community in the affairs of which they have taken an active part for nearly three-quarters of a century. Parkman M. Lund was one of the founders of the New Bedford Board of Trade. Since January, 1879, he has been a trustee of the Five Cents Savings Bank, and clerk of the board since 1888. It goes without saying that Mr. Lund is one of the substantial men of New Bedford and one of its esteemed and respected citizens.
On Jan. 23, 1863, Mr. Lund was married to Sarah R., daughter of Clifton Lund, of Nashua, N. H. She died May 23, 1905. Their only child was William Clifton Lund, born Oct. 27, 1866.