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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. y errata Id to It ie pelure, con it n I 1 2 3 V 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 > BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE FAMILY OF Homer - de Homere OP ETTINGSHALL, CO. STAFFORD, ENG. AND h BOSTON, MASS. /5 , ^fe/Wt,-t-6>i. O-Z^X^^ 7 ao ALBANY, N. Y. : JOEL MUN8KLLS SONS, PUBLISHERS 188!) Fort Orange Press : Brandow Printing Company, Albany, N. Y. cs I !' HOMER FAMILY. * ^ ♦ »■» fOMER is an old Saxon name derived in all probability from the manor of Homere, now ctdled Hummer, County Somerset, Eng- land. As *'hoh " signifies high, and " m^re " a pool or lake it may mean high lake. Mere, liowever, also means a boundary, a lidge of land. There is a fish-pond at Hummer, but no lake. It is not mentioned in Domesday Book, but it occurs no lers than eight times in the Inquisitiones Post Mortem from 5 Richard II., (1381-2) to 2 Henry V., (1414-15), as "Homere mess' 't terr'" i. e., Homere, messuage or manor and lands, and strange to say always spelt in the same way, for the old clerks were exceedingly careless in that respect, and in ancient documents surnames are often spelt two or more dif' ferent ways even in the same deed. There are no remains of the manor house which is not sui'i)rising as it was probably built of wood as was then customary. The first of the surname on record is Thomas de Homere, Lord of the manor of Homer, to whom lands hi the neighboring county of Dorset were gianted A. D., 1338, by Lord Maltravei's.* His name appears in two *Collectanen Topographiea et Qenealogka,\o\. ^,\}. 849, London, 1840 4 HOMER FAMIL Y. dteds, both of the same year, as Thome de Ilomere and Thomam de Homere. In the fourteenth century according to a tradition in the family of the Staffordshire Homers, their ancestor left bis native county on account of having fought a duel, and settled in the county of Staffoi'd, where he or one of !iis descendants built the house of Ettingshall, near Bil ton, parish of Sedgley, and as the name of Thomas de Homere does not occur again in connection with the manor, which in the latter part of this same runh'ry (viz. A. D. 1381) was held by John Wydeford, I ' rhom or to whose predecessor he may have solti it, it is exceedingly probable that this Homere was the founder of the Ettingshall family, especially as this tradiiion was received in 1855 from Mr. Benjamin Homer of Bilston, an old gentleman of seventy, whose name occurs in Pigott's Directory under " Gentry'' and in White's (1851) as "Homer. Benj., gent.," and who had never heai'd of Thomas de Homere, besides which the name is a very un(;ommon one and only fnmul in ^feaffoi'duhit ».f ?*^ Surnames with few exc(M)tions, were assumed about the year 1000. It soon be iUie customary to be named after one's landed possessions, and the territorial de was introduced into England by the Normn.r..^ in i«>GG. Thomas of Homere's family had probably held the manor for so long a period that they considered tjje name hereditary and it was therefore retained by him when he parted with the lands to John Wydeford,, t Homerton in Middlesex has no connection with this surname, Iiaving been originally a hammer or forjye town. C/S^-e-w- <^ A^ft-O-*^*-*^ A. /.A/vt.4.A C^x/jU^i /^4riA***v/ J^ CL^ , ^ HOMER FAMILY. who it is evident did not assume the name of Homer but retained his own, derived either from some other manor, or from the place he came from ; it is impos sible to say which as he had ah'eady dropped the prefix, whi'^'h in tiie latter case would have been the Saxon " atte," John at the Wide-for-nis which belonged to my great-grandfather Benjamin Homer who died in 1776. Ettingshall was an old half-timbered structure of the so-called Elizabethean type. It was in such a state of deejay that it was taken down about the year 1868. Its being of wood sliows it was probably older than the time of Elizabeth as they were then beginning to build of stone. Harrison, who wrote during her reign says : " The ancient manoursof our gentlemen are yet and for tiie most part of strong timber, in framing whei'eof our carpenters have been and are wovthilie preferred before those of hke science among all other nations. Howbeit, such as be latelie builded are commonlie of either bricke or hard stone, or both " Many timber houses still ren^ain. Bramhall House, Co. Cliester, is a good specimen and is believed to date from the fourteenth century. The great hall measures thirty-six feet long by twenty-six broad. The old nouse of the French Ambassadors in Butcher's Row, London, HOMER FAMILY. demolished about 1803, was built of timber and was covered with roses, fleurs de-lis and dragons, and the famous Nonsuch House on old London Bridge was con- structed entirely of timber carved and gilt. It was four stories high and was built in Holland. Before the Reformation one of the Homers built '^ mortuary chapel beside and forming part of the chancel of the old church of Sedgley, and the family vault was under it, the entrance being from the inside of the chancel. On account of its age and dilapidated state the church was taken down and rebuilt by Earl Dudley in 1829, when the vault which was also i-ebuilt, was left outside, as maj- be seei^ by the plans still preserv(Hl showing where the old mortuaiy chapel stood, and w^hich was not rebuilt, probably not being considered a proper annexe to the chancel of a Protestant church. Edward Homer erected a pew in this church in ]<)2(', which was occupied by his descendants until the de- molition of the church when the oaken seat vvas givon to Earl Dudley, who to preserve it as a relic, had it built in the wainscot of one of his houses. The Park, Wren's Nest Hill, near Dudley. In 1887, I i-equested F. A. Homer, Esq., J. P., of Sedgley to ask thw prc.'sent Earl's permission to have it photographed, but his Lordship very kindly made him a present of it and it is now ill Mr. Homer's possession. It bears the following inscription : This : sete : setvp : at : the : proper : cost : and charis ; of : Edward Homer : anno : domTii : 1626. Although ** pews" are mentioned as early as 1540 still they were for a long time confined to the family HOMER FAMILY. /SZz. of the patron or of the leading families, and were ex- ceptional rather than otherwise, until ahout 1600, and even thirty years later Weever, writing in 1(331, com- plains of pews as a novelty. The surname first occurs in the Parish Register of Sodgley in 1500, written Holmer, but prior to that date some of the family had pomovod to the adjoining 1 county of Worcester, and the first entry of the name there, A. D, 1552, is an abbreviation of Holmer ; the second in 1559, an abbreviation of Homer. It then appears in*Sedgley as Holmer, and the year following, 1561, in Worcester as Homer. Humf. Holm. m. Elizabeth Thorne, at Hartlebury, . Co. Worcester, Nov. 13, 1552. s/k^. Mf<^.^^^^^.^^^..e£. ~^ ^. Anthony Horn. gent. m. Dorothy dan. of John Rowse, ^-'^-^ 2.3, Esq., of Rous Lench, Co. Worcester, June 12, 1559. Richard Vidian m. Joan Homer at Hartlebury, July 15, 1501. As is generally the case with parish registers, not only are the Sedgley entries very imperfect, no parents names being given in the sixteenth century, but there are also sundry gaps ; no baptisms having been record- ed for sixty-one years, from 1573 to 1034 ; no marriages for sixty-three yeai's, from 1565 to 1G28, and no deaths for fifty-four years, from 1606 to 1660. The first entry is, "Baptized was William Holmer, January, 1500 ;" the next, "Buryed was Eliz. Holmer, June, 1560," followed by " Elizabeth Holmer married Fpiday, September 1561,"— ntat nvrun giving the name of hor huoband I Besides the above William a second of the name, was baptized in 1563, a John in J uu, 1565, and an Ellen six ^«A*,^,»Ly HOMER FAMILY, months later ; a Margaret in June, 157(>, and an Eliza- beth next month, a Richard in August, 1571, and a second John in November of the same year, sliovving that there was at least two families of the name in the parish, and in the following century theie were two or more designed "of Ettingshall," at the same time. Richard Holmek m. Oct. 1565, Margaret Wright, and after this marriage occurs the birth of Philip, 15(>7, {ph. 1569); Margaret in June and Elizabeth in Jul>, 1570 ; Richard* in August and John in November, 1571 ; Joane in January and Anne in October, 1578,*— some of whom may have been the issue of this marriage. Richard Homer of Ettingshall was buried September, 1606. Although only called '' of Ettingshall," in the . record of his death it does not follow that he had only shortly come into possession. It may have been previ- ously omitted by neglect. Edward Holmer (I.) who may have been grandson of above Richard Homer of Ettingshall, m. July 8, 1628, Elizabeth Wilkes, and had i.ssue : 1. Edward, bapt. Nov 5, 1634. 2. Thomas, bapt. June 15. Buried July 2, 1637. 3. Simon, bapt. Mar. 10, 1631». 4. Richard, bapt. Jan. 23, 1642. He was buried Dec. 19, 1681, when he is called " Old Edward Homer of Ettingshall," and his wife Elizabeth Homer of Ettingshall was buried Feb. 22, 1685. His eldest son Edward Homer ill.) of Ettingshall. m. July 16, 1656, Anne Gibbins. Although written Holmer at birth, he is then styled " Edward Homer son of Edward Homer," *He probably went to London where a Richard Homer, gent., died in HOMER FAMILY. and at the death of his son Joseph is called " Ji-. of Ettingshall." He had issue : 1. Joseph, Imiied Feb. D, lOOO. '1. Anne, lapt. Jan. 7, IGOl. 13. Edward, bapt. Nov. I), 1604, and probably died young, as a second of the name was bapt. in 1068. 4. John (Captain), bai)t. Mar. 'JO, 1605. Ancestor of the American branch, of wImmu hereafter. <»^ * . 5. Edwahd, bapt. Feb. l), 1008. of whom next. ^ a ' ^^'^ n. Mary, bur. July 25, 1072. t. Francis, bapt. Sept. 11, 167:5. A. Rebecca. Mrs. Anne Homer was buried May 12, 1675, and he married 'again, as Benjamin, son of Edward and Jane Homer of Ettingshall was bapt. Nov. 23, 1082, and this Benjamim, vi. Feb, 1, 1703, Mary Palmer. Edward Homer (,11.) was succeeded by his son Edward Homkk (HI.) of Ettingshall, who had issue by Mary his wife, a son Benjamin, bap. Sept. 10, 1710. Edward Homer of Ettingshall was buried July 10, 1731, ae. 03, and his line is not carried further in the Register. . . We now take up another branch, not knowing which of the two is oldest, but even if it was that of Edward the succession merged into the following : Hexry Homkk of Ettingshall,'S>i. May 10, 1661, Eliz- abeth Kurton, and is then styled "son of the widow Homer of Ettingshall," but it is difficult to say whose widow she was. Perhaps she may have been the relict of a younger son living at home ; fui' iniitanoo of ■ II i; ,1 /W*. ? * 10 HOMER FAMILY. 2. 3. 4. Simon; born 1000, wh o may l i c ' ivei maiiicd and died * so o n af t of . Heniy Homer is called "of Ettiiigshall " in 16d7, and also at his death in 1719. He had issue : 1. Mary, bapt. April 2, 1662. Thomas, bapt. Aug. 10, 1664. Anne, bapt. Dec. 21, 1667. Elizabeth, bapt. Dec. 21, 1667 and buried Nov. 5, 1673. Mrs. Homer was buried Nov. 13, 1668. He was buried May 16, 1719. His eldest son Thomas Homer of Ettingshall had issue by Elizabeth his wife : 1. Thomas, bapt. Apr. 16, 1702. 2. Anne, bapt. Dec. 10, 1703. ♦ Mrs. Homer was bur. Oct. 20, 1704. Thomas Homer of Ettingshall, gent., was bur. June 4, 1730, ae. 66, and was succeeded by his son Thomas Homer (H.) of Ettingshall who m. Patience dau. of Eichard Keehnge.^ He d. 1767, ae. (55, and was sue. by his son *- ^-^-^ -.^^^w^w.*^ ^f v / r<»»s^{)4. According to a Msijl. of the Rev. Jonathan Homer, he died young. Savage however, says administration of a John Homer was given to Mary Homer, Dec. ll>, 1738. •2. Mary, b .101)0, d young. 3. Benjamin, b. May 8, 1008. Of whom next. 4. William, b. June 29, 1701. 5. Michael, b. Sep. 20, 1703, m. and had fo.r sons, of whom the eldest, AVilliam Hom«^r, b. 1727, was father of Joseph Warren Homer, father of the late Peter Thacher Homer of Boston. The second son, Michacil Homer, was father of the Rev. Jon- athau Homer of Newton, Mass., S. T. D., S. H. S., who (J. s. j). in 1813. Robert, b. May 29, 1706. Merchant at Honduras, Central America. He sent his sons to Boston for their education and afterwards converted his prop- erty into Spanish doubloons and he and his wife, dividing the gold, embarked in two different ships, botli of which were supposed to have been cap- tured by buccaneers. Oiie of liis sons was ances- ^11 i u HOMER FAMIL Y. tor of Charles Homei of Boston, who m. a dan. of Horatio Spi'ague, U. S. Consul at Gibraltar, and had issue : 7. Thomas, h. 1707. 8. Mary, h. 1708. There was a Micliael Homer residing in Boston in J 676, when he petitioned for release from inipi'essment for the war, saying he had had one servant killed. He was probably a relation of Captain John, ris he was married on the same day with him, July 13, 1693, to Mary Burrows. In 1079, a Roger Homer commanded the ship Malla- goe Merchant^ bound from Barbadoes to New York. Captain John Homer d. Nov. 1, 1717, ae. 52. His widow d. in Yarmouth, Mass., in 1762, ae. circa 96 or 98. His second son Benjamin Homer (I.) was h. in Boston, May 8, 1698. He removed to Yai-mouth, Mass., where he bought a house and farm, which house was standing about the year 1850, and was still a good one. It was two stories high and at the time it was built must have been one of the best houses in the town. He m. there, Elizabeth Crowe or Crowell, dan. (►f Jolm Crowe and Bethia Sears, his wife, and granddaughter of John Crow^e, one of the three original grantees of Yarmouth, Repre- sentative to the General Court and Magistrate, SEARS FAMILY, John Sayer, Alderman of Colchester, County Essex, England, d. in 15<)9, and his widow d. 1530. They were buried in St. Peter's church, and the following brass memorial is still iii existence : HOMEU FAMILY. 15 (C In this yle and neare unto this place areburyed the bodyes of John Sayer sometyme Alderman of this Towne of Colchester and of Elizabeth his wyfe which said John dyed the xiiii day of February in the year of our Loid God MCCCCCIX." and which said Ehzabeth dyed the xxvij day of April in the yere of our Lorde God MCCCCCXXX." His son John Sayers d. 1562, and was buried near his father, with the following memorial, also in brass : " John Sayres bodye lyeth enclosed here in grave Whose ghost the heavens do possess, whose fame on earth we have His life and eke his death with good report he past And now (doubtless) doth enjoy the life that aye shall last. Whenfiftene hundreth yeares and sixty three were spent From Chryst his Byrth accounted just from payne to joyes he went. He dyed Ano Dni 1563." His eldest son Richard Sayers, h. 1508, .n. Anne Kny vet, dau. of John Knyvet of Ashwelthorpe, County Norfolk, by his wife Jane, dau. and sole heiress of John Bourchier, second Lord Berners, by his wife Catherine, dau. of John Howard, Duke of Norfolk. Her mother, Anne Plantagenet was dau of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, son of Knig Edward III. Richard Sayer or Sayres, a political refugee, settled in Amsterdam in 1587, and d. 1540, leaving a son John Bourchier Sayer, b. 1535, m. Elizabeth, dau. of Admiral Sir John Hawkins, and d. in Holland. His son John Bourchier Sayer (II), h. in Amsterdam, 1501, m. 1585, Maria Lamoraal van Egmond, dau. of Philippe Lani- oraal van Egmond, (believed to have been a relation of the famous Count Lamoraal van Egmond, who was .'Ji If HOMER FAMILY. murdered by the bloody Duke of Alva), and acquired with her a large fortune. lie d. 1029. His eldest sou Richard Sayer or Sears, h. in Holland in 1590, attached himself to the congregation of the Rev. Mr. Robinson, and sailed for America, landing in Plymouth in 1030. He m. there Dorothy, sister of the Rev. Anthony Thacher. He was a representative to the Colony Court and d. 1040, ae. 80. His second son, Paul Scars, m- Deborah Willard, and was father of Bethia, wife of John Crowell, whose dau. Elizabeth, m. Benjamin Homer to whom we now return. Benjamin Homer (I.) had issue, six sons and three daughters, viz., 1. Bethia, h. March 18, 1722, m. Benjamin Cobb, of Boston. 2. JOKN, b. Sept. 28, 1 724-, m. Sept. 28, 1749, Abigail Osborn of Nantucket, of whom next. 3. Margery, h. June 13, 1727, m. Jan. 3, 1705, William Sears of Harwich. 4. William, b. July 14, 1729. A Loyalist. Removed to Barrington, N. S., and d. a bachelor on voyage fiom Barbadoes to Boston. 5. Benjamin, b. Auj. 5, 1731. Removed to Boston. Of whom hereafier. 0. Stephen, b. A])i-il j5, 1734, m. Elizabeth Chapman of Yarmouth. 7. Thomas, b. March 21, 1730, m. Nov. 21, 1705, Eliz- abeth Sears and removed to Ve»'nior t. S. Ehzabeth, b. Nov. 18, 1738, m. Davi.l Knowles of Eastham, 9. Robert, b. Jan. 28, 1742, m. first, Jerusha Sears, and secondly the widow of John Thacher. HOMER FAMILY. 17 Mr. Homer cl. in Yarmouth, Oct. 24, 1776, ae. 78. His eldest son John Homer, removed to Boston and was a merchant and ship owner. He was also one of the "Sons of Liberty," an association of fifteen gentlemen formed about 1 70S. wlio were in the habit (for there were no clubs in those days), of meeting at the old Green Dragon tavern, in Hanover street. During the year 1768, the Massachusetts Assembly voted to raise a Committee of Correspondence with her sister colonies, upon their mutual grievances, which alarmed the British Ministry who gave instructions to Governor Bernard to express to the House their disap- probation of the Act and to demand its repeal. This led to a warm debate which resulted in a vote '• Not to Rescind " The Sons of Liberty, in order to commemorate this event had a massive silver punch bowl made, on which was engraved, together with several emblematical de- vices, the following inscription : *' To the memory of the glorious ninety-two Members of the House of Representatives of the Massachusetts Bay, who, undaunted by tlie insolent menaces of vil- lains in power — from a strict regard to conscience and the liberties of their constituents — on the 30th of June 1768 voted ' Not to rescind.' " On the reverse side are " 45" " Wilkes and Liberty"* and along the edge are the names of the " Sons " in the following order : *Thi8 refers to that shamefully traduced man, John Wilkes, who con- quered for us the freedom of the press, and the number (45) of his paper, the North Briton, which caused his prosecution by Government. He is too often judjyed from his portrait by Hogarth which may be styled a political caricature. The "villains in power" were the Britieh Ministry, and they were not unaptly so styled. Il /St4, 18 HOMER FAMILY. John Homer, William Bowers, Peter Boyer, Benja- min Cobb, William Mackay, John Marston, Caleb Hopkins, Nathaniol Barber, John White, Daniel Mal- colm, Benjamin Goodwin, John Welsh, Fortesque Vernon, Daniel Parker, Ichabod Jones, — all of whom belonged to Botjton. The foui'th, Benjamin Cobb, was brother-in-law to John Homer, having married his sister Bethia. Although a " Son of Liberty " in 1768, John Homer was a loyalist a few years later and accompanied the Royal army to Nova Scotia in 1776, and thereby lost a great deal of shipping and also landed property which was confiscated. He settled at Barrington, N. S., and was father of Joseph Homer, J. P., Collector of Customs, who had issue (I.) John, member of Provincial Assem- bly, d. 1846, and was sue. as member by his son John W. ; and (II.) Joseph, father of J. A. R. Homer, M. P. of New Westminster, B. C., who was member of the first Legislative Assembly in British Columbia, and member Dominion Parliament, d. I8f6. The family in Nova Scotia still treasure up some silver plate and choice old furniture which John the loyalist brought from Boston. The second surviving son of B. Homer (I.), Benjamin Homer (II.) b. Yarmouth, Aag. 5, 1731, removed to Boston and m. Oct. 23, 1759, Mary Perrott, dau. of Bryant Perrott and Ruth Wads worth his wife. PERROTT FAMILY. Bryant Perrott of County Somerset, England, and Hannah his wife, had a son Bryant, h. 1690. He was a merchant and resided in Water street, Boston. His l: HOMER FAMILY. 19 brick maii>->ion house and stable were consumed in the great fire in 1760. He wv. Ruth, dau, of Deacon John Wt> Jsworth of Milton, Mass., re])resentative to the General Court, and niece of Rev. B. Wads worth, President of Harvard University, and of the Hon. Joseph Wadsworth, one of H. M. judges — three sons of Capt. Samuel Wadsworth, w^ho with his Lieutenant and twenty-six men, were killed by the Indians in 1676, at Sudbury, Mass., where there is a monument to his memory. Benjamin Homer (II) was a merchant and ship owner in partnership with his l)rother John, and the firm owned several vessels. Unfortunately however, he was accidentally killed in 1776, and his brother, as already stated, left the country, and all their vessels were seized and confiscated during the Revolutionary War. He re- sided in Cross street, Norih End, then the best part of town, and owned negro slaves (house servants), for slavery w^as not then abolished in Massachuseiits, and to give some idea of the times, his son Mr. Benj. Perrott Homer, told me when I was a boy that he,when of the same age, had a negro boy to attend to himself alone ; that he then wore breeches* with little gold knee and shoe buckles, carried a little gold headed cane, and his negro attended him to school and followed him every- where. He had one son and four daughters, viz., 1. Benjamin Parrott, of whom next. 2. Ruth, m. Mons. Pierre Remi Arsonneau, a French gentleman, and d. a widow, s. p. 3. Elizabeth, m. Judge A.masa Paine, of Troy, N. Y., *Boy8, when lie said this, wore paiitaloons, for knickerbockers were noi introduced, or rather reintroduced until some years later m 20 HOMER FAMIL Y. s brother of Judge Elijah Paine, father of Kon. Charles Paine, Governor of Vermont, f 4. Mary, m. Hon. Lot. Hall, of Westminster, Vt., Justice of the Supreme Court of Vermont. 5. Bethia Cobb, m. Col. Oliver Gallup, A, D. C. of Governor Chittenden. Mr. Homer was killed at Farmington, Conn., while returning home from Montreal on horseback, the only way of travelling then, by a slide of earth falling upon him, March 30, 1770. He was buried there and his ep- itaph says he was " A Kind Husband, a Tender Father, a Faithful Master, a Pleasant Friend and a Zealous Patriot." His widow survived him but a few years, dying of a broken heart, March 4, 1779, ae. 39. His only son, Benjamin Perrott Homer, 6. in Boston, June 30,1761, was baptized Benjamin, but, afterwards assumed the additional name of his mothe-s family which was then become extinct by the decease in 1784, of the only son (Bryant Perrott) of his mother's only brother. He m. in Gloucester, Mass., April 1, 1790, i\bigail, dau. of David Pearce of Gloucester, and Bethia Ingersoll, his wife, yhe d. Jan. 11, 1811, ae. 37. PEARCE FAMILY. Pavid Pearce was fifth in descent from Abraham Pearce who was in Plymouth, Mass., with two servants about the year 1623. He was one of the first merchants in the country and is said to have owned a fleet of about fifty vessels, forty fThe Duchess of Marlborough is of this sfamily, her mother's name being Elizabeth Homer Paine. «".-*>* '! MOMER FAMILY. 21 of which were square I'igged, but lost most of them about A. D., 1800, they being all seized and confiscated by the French. I have a painting of the ship Sukefj,hu'\\t in 17!)3, Hho measured 390 tons rnul was considered a first class ship. T^ He sold her in London in 1797, to Admiral Sir Homo Popham. During the Revolutionary war he rendered important services to the American Government, for the Navy of the Revolution consisted almost entirely of private armed vessels, as the Govermnent had no squadrons upon the seas and this Navy did their duty so well that the rates of insurance rose in England to forty and even sixty per cent, and was n })iincipal reason that a feeling in favor of peace at last took place there. The following is a "List of Guns"' of his afloat dur- ing the war : Ships. — Betsctj, 24: ; Getteral Stark, 24: -, Providence, 20 ; Pollt/, 20 ; Harriet, 10 ; WilkeSf 1(» ; Glo'ster Packet, 16. 'Bm.Gii. -Gloucester, 16; Success, 16. ScHoONKRS. — Speed, 10 ; Speedwell, 10 ; Langdon, 8 ; Ranger, 8. Total, 20-t guns. • The General Stark was captured by the British frigate Chatham (50 guns). The Wilkes, Harriet and Betsey were also captured at that time. Others were taken by the French prior to July 1801. He would never insure, considering it a mistrusting of Providence. He had very large " French spoliation" claims, but his papers which were sent to Washington, in 1806, were burnt when the British destroyed the Capitol i»i 1812. He died March 16, ae. 81, ^%>f . T^ S2 HOMER FAMILY. Benj. P. Homer was an East India merchant and private underwriter, but retired from business about 1815, when he built the house No. 38 Beacon stieet corner of Walnut street where he resided until his death in 1837, when it fell to his only son as part of his share, and was sold at his decease (without ihe stable \vbi(;h was sold separately) for seventy thousand dollars, (^-f^ • ^^-J Mr. Homer met with some heavy losses in the financial crisis of 1830-37. By one bank alone he lost exactly ninety-five thousand dollars? ecjual to twice or thrice that sum* now, and his iron chest was robbed of over that sum in bonds payable to bearei', which were never recovered. Gentlemen then had so called strong boxes with locks that a modern burglar would laugh at. He d. April 4, 1838, ae. 76, having had issue nine children, six of whom predeceased him without issue, viz : 1. Benjamin Perrott, d. an infant. 2. Benjamin Pearce, d. young. 3 Mary Bethia, b. June 7, 1702, ni. 1818, Thomas Dixon, Knight of the Ordei' of the Netherlands Lion and of the Order of the Lily," and had issue with one son who d. uiun. Jf^'i. X^ /6.^9ps^ . (1.) Benjamin Homer Dixon, K. N. L., Consul General of the Netherlands in Canada, of Toron- to, who m. first Kate McGill, dau. of the Hon. Chief Justice Sir James B. Macaulay, C. B., and secondly Frances CaroHne, dau. of William B. Heward, Esq.''*'(2.) Fitz Eugene Dixon, who m. Catherine Chew, dau. of the Hon. George M. * Vide The Border Clan Dickion, in preparation. «^*A . ^. ^9^^, <^>*«-o^«-^ /Sf*^»K>^>uU^ w/^<-c-«-3 <2tfu4x^^ '2>*«**«j**.«. ^a^-w. -^ ^C^C^yL. <-i*-i-v- ^^»-^'^^, A -r'if <*«<*«»»^^^'**J^''^*^^ I HOMER FAMILY. 23 Dallas, Vice President of the U. S. A., son of the Hon. Alexander James Dallas, Secretary of the Treasury of the U. S. A , and d. l88o, (8). Har- riet E. M , m. first William Henry Boulton, Esq., of Toronto, M. I*. P., of theBoultons of Monlton, County Lincoln, Eng., and secondly Professor Goldwin Smith, D. C. L., of Oxford and Toronto. Of the Smiths of Hough, Co. Chester, and in the fourteenth century of Peel House, Co. Lan- caster, one hranch of which was baroneted. 4. Eliza, d. unm. 5. FiTZHENRY, of whom next, fi. Harriet Paine, c?. unm. 7. Sanmel Cobb, d. young. 8. Georgiana Albertina, b. isoo, m. Philo Strong Shelton, Esq., of Boston, fourth in descent from Daniel Shelton of Deptford, Co., York, Eng. who settled at Stiatford, Conn., where he m. in 1092, Elizabeth, dau. of Hon. Samuel Welles, son of F]on. Thomas Welles, Governor of Connec- ticut, and has surviving issue as follows : (1). Philo Strong ; (2.) Charles Parkman \ (3.) Ben- jamin Homer ; (4.) Albeitina, m. Frederick R. Sears, son of the Hon. David Sears, a descendant of Richard Sears, the pilgrim, heretofore referred to. (5.) Helen Eugenia, m. Capt. Richard G. Cary, son of the Hon. Thomas G. Cary. He was shot during the last war on the very day his commission as Lieut-Colonel was signed. (6.) Harriet Homer, m. Charles J. Randall, son of the Hon. Judge Randall and brother of the Right Rev. Bishop Randall. cl nps^ i \ t 24 HOMER FAMILY. The only son FiTZHENRY HoMEK, h» in Boston in 1799, m. Nancy Bradford, dau. of the Hon. James D'Wolf, of Bris- tol, R. I., U. S. Senator, by his wife Nancy, dau. of the Hon. William Bradford, Lieut.-Governor of Rhode Island, who was fourth in descent from Governor William Bradford who came ovei- in the Mayffoiver in 1620, and had issue : 1. Josephine Maria, b. 1830, m. Henry Bedlow% Sec- retary of the Legation of the U. S. A., to Naples, and afterwards mayor of Newport, K. I. '2. Isabel, b. 1S43, m. John Combe Pegram, Midship- man, U. S. Navy, and now Barrister at-Law, Bristol, R. I. By the death of Fitzlienry Ilomei- in Boston, in 185r», without male issue, this branch of tiie fan)ily became extinct. A sliort account of the family may be found in " Bridgman's King's Chapel Epitaphs, 8vo, Boston, 1853,'' in someeditions of which, b(iwev«'i., the family is erroneously derived from a Richard de Ilelunor. INDEX- INDEX OF HOMERS. Albertina, 23. Anne, 9, 10. Benjamin, 4, 5. 9, 11,13. 14.18,19. Benjamin Pearce, 22. Benjamin Perrott, 19, 20. Betliia, 10. Charles. 14. Edward, 0, 8, 9, 11- Eliza, 23. Elizabeth, 7, 8. 10, 19. Ellen, 7. Fitzhenry, 23, 24. Francis. 9. Frederick AugUBlus, 6. 11. Georjrinna Albertina. 23. Harriet Paine, 23. Henry, 9. 10. Humfrey, 7. James, 9. J. A. R., 18. Jouatht^D) 13. John, 7, 10, 13. 16, 17, 18. John (Captain), 9, 11, 12, 13. Joseph, 9, 18. Joseph Warren, 13. Maigery, 8, 10. Mary, 9, 10, 13. Mary Bethia, 22. Michael, 13, 14. Peter Thacher. 13. Rebecca, 9. Richard, 8. Robert, 13. Roger, 14. Ruth, 19. Samuel Cobb, 23. Simon, 8, 10. Stephen, 16. Thomas, 8, 10, 14. Thomas de, 3, 4. Thomas Keelinge, 1 1 Wllliam,7, 13. 16. ■ 26 i HOMER FAMILY. INDEX OF ALLIANCES, ETC. Arsonneau, Pierre R., 19. Bedlow, Henry, 24. Berners, Lord, 15. Boulton, William H., 33. Bourchier, Jane, 15. Bourchier. John, 15. Bradford, Nancy, 24. Bradford, Williiim. 24. Burrows, Mary, 14. Cary, Richard G.. 23. Cary, Thomas G., 23. Chapman, Elizabeth, 16. Cobb, Benjamin, 16, 18. Cobb, Samuel, 13. Cox, Martha, 10. Crowell, Elizabeth, 1«. Crowell, John, 14. 16. Dallas, Alexander J., 23. Dallas, Catherine C, 22. Dallas, George M., 22. Dixon, Benj. Ho.ner, 22. Dixon, Fitz Eugtne, 22. Dixon, Harriette E. M.,22. Dixon, Thomas. 22. D'Wolf. James. 24. D'Wolf, Nancy, 24. Egmond van, Maria L., 1.5. Egmond van, Phillipe L., 15, Egmond van, Count, 15. Gallup, Oliver, 20. Gibbins, Anne, 8. Gloucester, Duke of, l."». Hall, Lot, 20. Hawkins, Elizabeth, 15. Hawkins, Sir John, 15. Heward, Frances C, 22 Reward, William B., 22 Howard, Catherine, 15. IngersoU, Bethia, 20. Keelings, Richard. 10. Kemp, Elizabeth, 10. Knowles, David, 16. Knyvet, Anne, 15. Knyvet, John, 15. Kurton, Elizabeth, S). Leake, Anne Mary, 11. Macaulay, Sir James B., 22. Macaulay, Kate McQ., 22. Norfolk, Duke of, 15. Osbcrne, Abigail, 16. Paiue, Amasa, 19. Paine, Charles, 20. Paine. Elijah, 20. Paine, Elizabeth, 19. Palmer, Mary, 9. Pearce, Abigail, 20. Peiirce, Abraham. 20. Pearce, David, 20. Pegram, John C. , 24. Perrott, Bryant, 18, 20. Perrott. Miiry, 18. Plantagenet, Anne, .15. Randall, Charles J., 23. Rowse, Dorothy, 7. Rowse. John, 7. Sayeror Sears, Bethia, 14, 16. Sayer or Sears, David, 23. Sayer or Sears, Elizabeth, 15, 16. Sayer or Sears, Frederick R., 88. HOMER FAMILY. m *Sayer or Sears, Jerusha, 16. Sayer or Sears, John, 14, 15. Sayer or Sears, Joha B., 15. Sayer or Sears, Paul, IG. Sayer or Sears, Richard, 16, 2!^. Sayer or Senrs, William, 16. Shelton, Alberlina, 23. Shelton, Benjamin H., 23. Shelton, Charles P., 23. Shelton, Harriet H., 23. Shelton, Helen E , 23. Shaltont JoFephinp Mi, ^4. Shelton PhiloS.,23, Smith, Gold win, 23. Thacher, Anthony, 16. Thacher, Dorothy, 16. Thacher, Joiin, 16. Thorne, Elizabeth. 7. Vidian, Richard, 7. Wadsworth, Benjamin, 19. Wadsworth, Jolin, 19. Wadsworth, Joseph, 19. Wadsworth, Samuel, 19. Weaver, Mary, 10. We'les, Samuel, 33. Welles, Thomas, 23. Wilkes, Elizabeth, 8. Willard, Deborah, 16. ^ a>9Lm.- f<- JfC^^^^ ^L./<^a.