Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/416

 378 THE GRANITE MONTHLY.

William, the ancestor, when he embarked for America, was only about twenty-one years of age. At Newbury he purchased the farm of Edward Ravvson, Secretary of the Province, and the ancient homestead is still in possession of the Pillsbury family at Newburyport. The existing mansion was erected in 1700. William Pillsbury died June 19, 1686, at Newbury, aged seventy-one years. Ten children, — seven sons and three daughters — were the fruit of his marriage. The second son, Moses, born in Newbury, was a free- man in 1673, ^^^ married Mrs. Susanna Whipple Worth, daughter of John Whipple, March, 1668. To these were born six children. Caleb, their second son, was born July 27, 1681. He married Sarah Morse, February, 1702-3. Caleb, jr., son of Caleb, sen., was born January 26, 1717. He married Sarah Kimball, of Amesbury, July, 1742. Seven children followed this marriage. Caleb Pillsbury, jr., was several times a representative or member of the Massachusetts General Court.

Micajah, the fourth son of Caleb Pillsbury, jr., was born May 4, 1761. In 1781, he married Sarah Sargent, of Amesbury ; she was born May 22, 1763, and died at the age of eighty years. Her husband, Micajah Pillsbury, re- moved to Sutton, N. H., and was a selectman there in 1797 ; he died in 1801, aged forty years, leaving eight children. Rev. Stephen, the eldest son of Micajah Pillsbury, was born at Amesbury, Mass., October 30, 1781. March 3, 1S16, he married Lavinia, daughter of Deacon Josiah Hobart, of Hebron, N. H. Rev. Stephen Pillsbury was ordained to the gospel ministry in June, 1815, and settled as a Baptist clergyman at Hebron. Subsequently he resided in Sutton, Dunbarton, and Londonderry, where his labors as pastor were earnest and faithful, and in each place fruitful for great good.

On the last day of Mr. Pillsbury's labor he attended a wedding and a funeral. He died peacefully, January 22, 1851, at Londonderry, beloved and mourned by all who ever knew him. His ministry extended through thirty-five years, fourteen of which were passed at Londonderry. He represented Sutton in the legislature about 1833, as a Democrat, but when the Free Soil party was formed he entered its ranks for freedom and union. In his younger days he was a school teacher ; at Londonderry he was active as superintending school committee for many years. He was one of the earliest total abstinence men in New Hampshire, under the temperance reform movement. He published a temperance appeal to the people, and another to rum-sellers, never sparing any effort tending for good to his fellow-men. His long service as a minister of the P>aptist faith caused him in the latter years of his life to be termed one of the fathers of the denomination. Mrs. Pillsbury declared before her death that her beloved husband never spoke a harsh word to her in his life. Lavinia Hobart, wife of Rev. Stephen Pillsbury, was born at Hebron, N. H., October 31, 1795. Her father, Josiah Hobart, was the first English male child born in Plymouth, N. H. She was the possessor of rare intellectual powers, was a graceful writer of prose and verse, and the possessor of a fine and artistic taste. Her christian character was a bright example of faith, de- votion and helpfulness. She composed several excellent religious hymns, and contributed valuable articles to the pages of the " Mother's Assistant Magazine." She died at Concord, N. H., October 29, 1S71, aged seventy-six years.

THE CHILDREN OF REV. STEPHEN PILLSBURY.

Mary Bartlett, born January 5, 1817. She married Valentine W. Weston, of New York city, a merchant. Lie died October, 1863. Mrs. Weston now resides at Lawrence, Kansas, with her only children, two daughters. During many years she devoted her remarkable talent to art, being a noted portrait and fine landscape painter. Her pictures were widely known and highly prized by connoisseurs.

�� �