Rounseville Family of Fall River, MA

ROUNSEVILLE (Fall River family). The Rounsville or Rounseville family of ancient Freetown is believed to be of French origin, and a family tradition has it that they left France on account of religious persecution. It is the purpose here to refer to a branch of the Freetown Rounseville family which in time found its way into the busy manufacturing center of southeastern Massachusetts – Fall River – and soon became a part of the great activity there. Reference is made to the family of the late Capt. Cyrus Cole Rounseville, a master mariner of Freetown, who sailed from New Bedford in the whaling service, whose son and namesake Cyrus Cole Rounseville has long been one of the leading manufacturers of Fall River as treasurer of the Shove Mills, prominent in public life and identified with the banking interests of the city, etc.

Descendants of Philip Trafford from Dartmouth and Fall River, MA

Now for well on to a century the Trafford name in Dartmouth and Fall River has been closely identified with the industrial life of that section, successive generations of the family having been manufacturers of cotton goods – the late William Bradford Trafford, long actively engaged in manufacturing in Fall River, and the founder of what became the Westport Manufacturing Company, and his sons, the present William C, Andrew E., Charles A., Allison W., Henry Lester, Perry Davis, and Bernard Walton Trafford, and it goes without saying, all have been substantial men and influential citizens of their community. From the settler Thomas Trafford and his wife Mary, the lineage of the present Trafford brothers – William C. and Andrew R. – of the Westport Manufacturing Company is through Philip, Joseph, William Bradford and William Bradford (2). These generations in such detail and family history as is obtainable and in the order given follow.

Descendants of Captain Michael Pierce

Charles M. Peirce

The Pierce family is one of the ancient Colonial families of the Commonwealth, the forerunners of the name playing a conspicuous part as masters of vessels bringing hither emigrants from England. For several generations there has lived in New Bedford a branch of the old Rehoboth and Swansea Pierce family, descendants of Capt. Michael Pierce, who have been leading-spirits in the community — names especially conspicuous in the industrial life of the town and vicinity. Reference is made particularly to some of the descendants of the late Otis Norton Pierce, whose son, the late Hon. Andrew Granville Pierce, was for … Read more

Ancestry of Walter Ballou of North Attleboro MA

Walter Ballou

Walter Ballou, one of the representative citizens and well-known jewelry manufacturers of North Attleboro, where for upward of a half century he has been a member of the jewelry manufacturing firm of R. Blackinton & Co., is a native of the State of Rhode Island, born in the town of Cumberland Feb. 20, 1835, son of Preston and Harriet M. (Brown) Ballou. The Ballou family is among the oldest and most distinguished of Rhode Island. Of Norman-French origin, it is descended from Gunebored Ballou, who was probably a marshal in the army of William the Conqueror and took part in the memorable battle of Hastings, 1066.

1899 Directory for Middleboro and Lakeville Massachusetts

1899 Middleboro and Lakeville Massachusetts Directory Cover

Resident and business directory of Middleboro’ and Lakeville, Massachusetts, for 1899. Containing a complete resident, street and business directory, town officers, schools, societies, churches, post offices, notable events in American history, etc. Compiled and published by A. E. Foss & Co., Needham, Massachusetts. The following is an example of what you will find within the images of the directory: Sheedy John, laborer, bds. J. G. Norris’, 35 West Sheehan John B., grocery and variety store, 38 West, h. do. Sheehan Lizzie O., bds. T. B. Sheehan’s, 16 East Main Sheehan Lucy G. B., bds. T. B. Sheehan’s, 16 East Main … Read more

Descendants of John Sanford of Taunton, MA

The town of Taunton, which included within its original boundaries the neighboring village of Berkley, has been the home of a branch of the Sanford family for about two hundred years. This Berkley-Taunton branch of the family, in the line of Capt. Joseph Sanford, an active patriot of the Revolution, has been more or less eminent in professional life. Four of the sons of Capt. Joseph Sanford were college graduates and ministers of the gospel; and several of their posterity have followed the learned professions. One of the grandsons of Capt. Joseph was the late Hon. John Elliott Sanford, of Taunton, lawyer, legislator, railroad commissioner, etc., who at the time of his death was characterized by the local paper as Taunton’s “first citizen.”

Rounseville Family of Fall River, MA

The Rounsville or Rounseville family of ancient Freetown is believed to be of French origin, and a family tradition has it that they left France on account of religious persecution. It is the purpose here to refer to a branch of the Freetown Rounseville family which in time found its way into the busy manufacturing center of southeastern Massachusetts – Fall River – and soon became a part of the great activity there. Reference is made to the family of the late Capt. Cyrus Cole Rounseville, a master mariner of Freetown, who sailed from New Bedford in the whaling service, whose son and namesake Cyrus Cole Rounseville has long been one of the leading manufacturers of Fall River as treasurer of the Shove Mills, prominent in public life and identified with the banking interests of the city.

Biographical Sketch of Lindley M. Macomber

Macomber, Lindley M., Ferrisburgh, was born at Grand Isle, Vt., in 1836, and settled in Ferrisburgh, Vt., in 1864, and purchased his nursery and fruit grounds, of twenty-five acres, in 1867, when he embarked in the culture of fruit and ornamental trees, and is now ready to supply any order given. He was married in September, 1864, to Lydia A. Dakin, who was born in 1835, and was a daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Van Vliet) Dakin, of Ferrisburgh, Vt. Isaac Dakin was a son of Timothy and Lydia (Aken) Dakin, and was born in 1798. Lindley M. Macomber was … Read more

Ancestors of Frederick Macy of New Bedford Massachusetts

Edwin B. Macy at his Blacksmith Shop

The Macy family of New Bedford is among the oldest and most prominent families of Nantucket, the name having been identified with the business interests of New Bedford for the past seventy years. The first American ancestor of the family was Thomas Macy, clothier merchant, who came, it is said, from the county of Wilts, England, and was in Newbury, Mass., a proprietor; he was a freeman of Sept. 6, 1639. He removed to Salisbury and was town officer and deputy. He removed about 1659 from there to Chilmark; his was the first family on Nantucket island. He was a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J.H. Macomber

J.H. Macomber, attorney at law, was born in Piscataquis county, Me. Was admitted to the bar and practiced law in his native state until 1876; he then moved to Ida Grove, where he opened an office and resumed the practice of law.

Ancestors of Charles Presbery White of Taunton Massachusetts

White, Warner and Company, Taunton, Massachusetts

There is nothing definite known concerning the birth of Nicholas White, but there is no doubt that he belonged to the yeomanry of England. He was a freeman in Dorchester, Mass., in 1643, and about the same time married Susanna, daughter of Jonas and Frances Humphrey, who had also settled in Dorchester. At this time he was about twenty-five years of age, and had won the confidence of the early settlers. The first book of Dorchester records was destroyed by fire in 1657, and there is reason to believe that it contained the record of Nicholas White’s marriage and the … Read more