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(III) Percy
Rivington(2), son of Moses Taylor and Anna
Margarette (Stockton) Pyne, was born June
23, 1882, in New York City, He received his
preparatory education at St. Paul's School,
Concord, New Hampshire, which is recognized
as one of the foremost schools of its kind
in the country, and from there, he entered
Princeton University, from where his father
and several other ancestors were graduated.
He completed his course after four years of
scholastic and social prominence, and was
graduated Bachelor of Arts in the class of
1903. In 1904 he began his financial career
in connection with the Farmers' Loan & Trust
Company, and in 1907 he became associated
with the management of the Moses Taylor
estate. On February 8, 1909, Mr. Pyne
organized the banking and stock brokerage
firm of Pyne, Kendall & Hollister, with
offices in the new National City Bank
building at No. 55 Wall St., and he has
since been successfully engaged in business
in that connection. He is a member of the
board of directors of the Commercial Trust
Company, of New Jersey, the East River Gas
Company, the New Amsterdam Gas Company,
Syracuse & Birmingham Railroad, Cayuga &
Susquehanna Railroad, the Delaware,
Lackawanna & Western Coal Company; he is
president and
Page 325
director of the
Prospect Company of New Jersey, and is
trustee and chairman of the East Side branch
of the Young Men's Christian Association.
Mr. Pyne has attained distinction among the
younger men identified with the great
financial interest of Wall Street, and
brings to his business and social life a
splendid equipment of natural ability with
all the advantages of a thorough education,
excellent physical training, culture and a
long honored name, and his firm has taken a
place of great prominence in the financial
world.
In social
life Mr. Pyne has been particularly
successful and distinguished and he is a
member of the leading clubs and societies of
this and other cities. In New York City he
belongs to the Union, University, Racquet
and Tennis, Metropolitan, New York Yacht,
Brook, Down Town, Aero, Automobile,
Princeton, Underwriters, Touring Club of
America, Manhattan, Intercollegiate,
Whitehall, and Motor Car Touring Society.
Other clubs and societies to which he
belongs are: Meadowbrook, Short Beach,
Rockaway Hunting. Morris County Golf,
Baltusrol Golf, Garden City Golf, National
Golf, Tuxedo, South Side Sportsmen's Club,
Westbrook Golf, Archdale Quail, Islip,
Touring Club of France, Automobile
Association of London, and St. Nicholas
Society.
(The Stockton Line.)
This is a
family that for seven hundred years has been
prominent in the public life of England and
American, producing men of marked ability
and distinction. Crusaders, knights,
judges, naval and military heroes, civic
officers, diplomats, governors, senator, and
congressmen have brought their honors to the
family name through the long centuries. The
name is derived from two Saxon words, "stoc,"
a tree trunk, and "tun," an inclosure,
indicative of the original locality of the
family in feudal times, which was a forest
inclosure. The earliest ancestors were
lords of the manor of Stockton, which they
held under the barony of Malpas. Stockton
Manor is in the town of Malpas, Cheshire
County, England, and it is known that David
De Stockton inherited it from his father in
the year 1250. One of his descendants, Sir
Richard Stockton, was knighted on the field
by King Edward Iv; his son, John Stockton,
was lord mayor of London in 1470 and 1471;
and a Sir Edward Stockton was vicar of the
church at Cookham in Berkshire, and a leader
during one of the early expeditions to the
Holy Land. John Stockton, Esq., was a
gentleman of more, who died in 1700, as was
also one Owen Stockton, who died in 1610.
The arms of
the family are: Gules. A chevron vaire,
argent and azure, between three mullets,
or. Crest: A lion rampart, supporting an
Ionic pillar. Motto: Omnia Deo
Pendent. "All depends on God." these
arms were engraved on the silver brought
over to America by the immigrants in the old
colonial days.
The first
person of he name of Stockton who came to
this country was the Rev. Jonas Stockton, M.
A., who with his son, Timothy, then aged
fourteen years, came to Virginia in the ship
"Bona Nova," in 1620. He was for many years
incumbent of the parishes of Elizabeth City
and Bermuda Hundred, and became the
progenitor of numerous descendants, many of
whom have become distinguished. The next
Stockton to emigrate from England was,
according to Hotten's "Lists," Thomas
Stockton, aged twenty-one, who sailed from
London for Boston in the ship "True Love,"
September 16, 1635. Of him nothing more is
known. Finally came Richard Stockton, the
founder of the New Jersey family. The
descendants of the original stock have
spread throughout the entire county, from
the Great Lakes to the gulf and from sea to
sea, and include eminent men in all the
walks of life. There are at this time in
the United States twenty-one towns of the
name of Stockton, from those in Maine and
Massachusetts to the largest of all, in
California, which was named in honor of the
commodore.
(I) Richard
Stockton, immigrant ancestor of this family
in America, is found in Charlestown,
Massachusetts, as early as 1639, where he is
witness to a deed. The next reference to
him is among the original patentees named in
the charter of the town of Flushing, Long
Island, where he appears to have been a
prominent man and is rated among the
well-to-do citizens of the place. He was
commissioned lieutenant of horse of
flushing, April 22, 1665, and declined, with
the consent of Governor Nicholls, an
election to the same position in the foot
guards. He took a prominent part in the
controversies between the town and
Page 326
Governor Peter
Stuyvesant on religious matters, and became
converted to the tenets of the Society of
Friends, after which he removed to
Springfield township, Burlington county, New
Jersey. Here he purchased about two
thousand acres of land, on January 30, 1690,
from George Hutchinson, and resided on this
estate, known as Annanicken, until his death
at an advanced age in September, 1707. His
wife, Abigail, survived him, and was living
at late as April 14, 1714, when she conveyed
some property to her sons. Children: 1.
Richard, mentioned below. 2. John, born in
1674. 3. Job. 4. Abigail. 5. Mary. 6.
Sarah. 7. Hannah. 8. Elizabeth, born 1680.
(II) Richard
(2), son of Richard (1) and Abigail
Stockton, probably born in England and
accompanying his parents to America, removed
with them also to Flushing and afterward to
New Jersey, where he resided first in
Springfield township, and later on at
Piscataway. In august, 169, he purchased
from Dr. John Gordon, a tract of four
hundred acres of land on the north side of
Stony Brook, which included all of what is
now the campus of Princeton University and
the grounds of the Theological Seminary. In
1701 he purchased from William Penn for the
sum of nine hundred pounds an estate of
about six thousand acres on Stony Brook, of
which the present city of Princeton is
nearly the center. A portion of his estate,
Morven, built by him in 1701, has remained
in the family to the present day and is now
the residence of his descendant, Mr. Bayard
Stockton. By reason of his large
possessions and his unblemished character,
Richard Stockton held an important place
among the early settler. On November 8,
1691, he married at the Chesterfield
Friends' monthly meeting, Susanna, daughter
of Robert and Ann Witham, and widow of
Thomas Robinson. She was born November 29,
1668, died in April, 1749, having survived
her second husband and married again to
Judge Thomas Leonard, of Princeton. Richard
Stockton died in July, 1709. Children, all
born at Piscataway: 1. Richard, born 1693.
2. Samuel, 1695. 3. Joseph, 1697. 4.
Robert, 1699. 5. John, mentioned below. 6.
Thomas 1703.
(III) John,
son of Richard (2) and Susanna (Witham-Robinson)
Stockton, was born at Piscataway, New
Jersey, August 10, 1701, died in 1758. He
inherited Morven, and was instrumental in
securing to Princeton and the college of New
Jersey; he was a member of the Presbyterian
Church. On February 21, 1729, he married
Abigail, daughter of Philip and Rebecca (or
Hannah) (Stockton) Phillips, his cousin.
She was born October 9, 1708, lived at
Maidenhood, died September 15, 1757. John
Stockton died May 20, 1758. Children: 1.
Richard, mentioned below. 2. Sarah. 3. John.
4. Hannah, married Elias Boudinot. 5.
Abigail. 6. Susanna. 7. John. 8. Philip.
9. Rebecca. 10. Samuel Witham, born 1751.
Hon, Elias Boudinot, husband of Hannah
Stockton, mentioned above, was one of the
most distinguished men of his time and a
great philanthropist. He was president of
the Continental Congress, commissary-general
of prisoners during the Revolution, and
director of the Mint. He was also eminent
as a lawyer in New Jersey, having read law
with Richard Stockton, "the signer." After
the war he was elected to the first, second
and third congresses, having been one of the
signers of the treaty's of peace with
England. He was author of a number of
political and religious books and was very
wealthy. He was born in Philadelphia, of
Huguenot descent, in 1740, and died at
Burlington, in 1821, leaving an only
daughter.
(IV) Richard
(2), son of John and Abigail (Phillips)
Stockton, was born at Princeton, New Jersey,
October 3, 1730, died February 28, 1781.
He was known as the "Signer," having been
one of those who signed the Declaration of
Independence, and was a member of the
Continental Congress. His studies were
pursued first at the Academy of Nottingham,
Maryland, and later at the college of New
Jersey, where he was graduated with the
first class in 1754. He was a judge of the
Supreme Court and a member of the king's
council for New Jersey, before the
Revolution, and having espoused the cause of
the colonists became one of the most
prominent and influential men of the time.
He married Annis Boudinot, sister of Elias
Boudinot, his brother-in-law, as previously
mentioned. Annis Boudinot Stockton was a
woman of remarkable culture and wit, a
writer of graceful verse, and a friend and
correspondent of General Washington, whom he
warmly eulogized. Children: 1. Richard,
mentioned below. 2. Lucius Horatio. 3.
Julia, married Dr. Benjamin Rush, in April,
1777. 4. Susan, married Alexander
Page 327
Cuthbert, of Canada.
5. Mary. 6. Abigail. Dr. Benjamin Rush,
husband of Julia Stockton, mentioned above,
was one of the most eminent men that this
country has ever produced. He was born in
Pennsylvania, in 1745, a descendant of John
Rush, one of Cromwell's soldiers who came to
American in 1683. Dr. Ruth graduated at
Princeton in 1760, studied medicine under
Dr. John Redman, of Philadelphia, and in
1768 was graduated from the medical
department of the University of Edinburg.
He became acquainted with Benjamin Franklin
and settled in Philadelphia, becoming in the
course of time the most eminent physician of
his day. He was a most distinguished
patriot, a signer of the Declaration of
Independence, and surgeon-general of the
Continental Army. He became a member of the
constitutional convention and was appointed
treasurer of the United States Mint. He
founded Dickinson College and the
Philadelphia Dispensary, and was a noted
philanthropist; his publications were
numerous, and some of them were standard
works for many years. Dr. Rush died in
Philadelphia in the year 1813, leaving two
sons, who also attained distinction.
(V) Richard
(4), son of Richard (3) and Annis (Boudinot)
Stockton, was born April 17, 1764, died at
Princeton, March 7, 1828. He was graduated
from Princeton in 1779, and studied law at
Newark with his uncle, the Hon. Elias
Boudinot. At the age of twenty-five, he
stood at the head of the New Jersey bar, and
maintained that position for forty years.
In politics he was a Federalist. He was
presidential elector in 1792 and 1801, and
in 1796 was elected to the United States
Senate, filling the unexpired term of
Frederick Frelinghuysen and serving until
March 3, 1799. He also served one term in
the lower house of congress, from 1813 to
1815, declining re-election to both
offices. He was an eloquent speaker, and an
exceptionally able common lawyer, and was
consulted by eminent lawyers from other
states. His wife was Mary, daughter of
Robert and Mary (Peale) Field, of Burlington
County, New Jersey. She was born October
10, 1766, died December 25, 1837.
Children: 1. Mary Field, born February 1,
1790, married William Harrison and died in
August, 1865. 2. Richard, 1791. 3. Julia,
1793. 4. Robert Field, mentioned below. 5.
Horatio, 1797. 6. Caroline, 1799. 7.
Samuel Witham, 1801. 8. William Bradford,
1802. 9. Annis, 1804.
(VI)
Commodore Robert Field Stockton, son of
Richard (4) and Mary (Field) Stockton, was
born at Princeton, August 20, 1795, died
there October 7, 1866. He studied at
Princeton, but left school and entered the
Navy upon the outbreak of the War with Great
Britain. He received a commission as
midshipman, September 1, 1811, and joined
the frigate, "President," under Commodore
Rodgers, at Newport, going on a cruise in
which many perils were encountered and many
British vessels captured. He won the title
of "Fighting Bob," and covered himself with
glory. Accompanying Commodore Rodgers to
Baltimore he found himself in command of
three hundred sailors in defence of that
city. For his services at Baltimore he was
highly commended and was promoted to the
rank of lieutenant, September 9, 1814. He
cruised in the Mediterranean and fought a
duel with a British officer at Gibraltar.
He became interested in the American
Colonization Society, and visited Africa to
acquire the land which became the Republic
of Liberia. He was promoted to the rank of
post-captain; and finally became commodore,
being commander-in-chief of the land and sea
forces at the conquest of California, of
which he became military governor.
Commodore Stockton was also in after years
United States Senator from New Jersey, and
did much to improve the family estates,
which he had inherited. He married Harriet
Maria, daughter of John Potter, of
Charleston, South Carolina, in 1823; she
died in 1862. Children: 1. Richard, born
1824. 2. John Potter. 3. Catherine
Elizabeth. 4. Mary, born 1830, married
Read-Admiral John C., Howell. 5. Robert
Field, mentioned below. 6. Harriet Maria.
7. Caroline. 8. Julia. 9. Annis.
(VII)
General Robert Field (2) Stockton, son of
Commodore Robert Field (1) and Harriet Maria
(Potter) Stockton, was born January 22,
1832, died at Trenton, New Jersey, May 5,
1898. He was graduated from Princeton in
1851, and three years later was admitted to
the bar. On January 30, 1858, he became
brigadier-general, and was adjutant-general
of the state, which office he held until
April 12, 1867, when he resigned. In 1867
he was brevetted major-general. From 1877
to 1880 he was comptroller of New Jersey.
In 1866 he became president of the Delaware
Page 328
& Raritan Canal
Company, holding that post until 1872. He
was a member of the military order of the
Loyal Legion of Pennsylvania, and an
honorary member of the New Jersey Society of
the Cincinnati. He married, September 7,
1852, Anna Margaretta Potter, of Washington,
D. C., who was born at Philadelphia, July
26, 1833. Children: 1. Harriet Maria, born
September 30, 1854, married William Lewis
Dayton. 2. Anna Margaretta, born July 13,
1856, married at Trenton, New Jersey, June
2, 2880, Moses Taylor Pyne, (see Pyne II).
3. Mary Potter, born 1857, at Morven. 4.
Robert Field, born 1860, died 1864. 5.
Robert Field, born June 9, 1864. 6. Isis
Yturbide, born 1868, married George William
Burleigh, of New Hampshire. 7. Sarah, born
1870, died 1871. 8. William Woodburn
Potter, born 1872, died 1874.
LUMMIS. The
name has been variously spelled Lummis,
Lumas, Lumus, Lomas, Lommes, Loomis, Lummas,
and Lumis, by different branches of this one
family and throughout the changes wrought by
centuries. Its original derivation is from
the Welsh, "maes," a field, therefore the
significance is "the place in the open
field." The arms of the Lummis family, as
used by this in this century: Argent between
two palets gules, three fluers de lis in
pale sable, a chief azure. Crest: On a
chapeau a pelican vulning himself proper.
Motto: Ne cede malis.
(I) Edward
Lummis was the progenitor of the family in
America. He emigrated to this country in
1635. Curiously there are two entries in
the records of his arrival, both bearing
date of the same year, 1635. In the "Suzan
and Ellin," 1635, came Edward Lumus, aged
twenty-four years, and in the "Elizabeth,"
April 17, 1635, imbarqued for New England,
came Edward Loomes, aged twenty-seven. Both
ships sailed from the port of London,
England.
Edward Lummis
made his home in Ipswich, Massachusetts,
where he was soon called into active
military service in defending the colony
against the Indian attacks. In 1637, the
Indians being greatly feared by the
colonists, the military officers were
ordered to maintain watch and ward every
day, to cause all men to bring their arms to
the meeting-house, and to see that no person
traveled above a mile from his dwelling,
except where houses were near together,
without bearing some arms. At last the
summons to arms came in the war against the
Pequods, and in April, 1637, seventeen young
men marched away, over the road to Salem, to
join the little army of valiant fighters.
Six more followed in May. Among them was
Edward Lumas. Upon the road they engaged
with some of the Pequods, and pursued them
until their ammunition gave out, when they
used their muskets as clubs. Two of the
Indians were killed and two of the colonists
were wounded. In 1641 Edward Lumas appears
in the town records of Ipswich as a
commoner. Under date of December 29, 1648,
is recorded a list of those who subscribed
their names to allow Major Daniel Denison
the sum of £124-7 yearly so long as he shall
be their leader to encourage him in his
military helpfulness. Edward Lummis appears
on the list as a subscriber. On February 7,
1653m Edward Lummis made his mark as a
witness to the will of Mark Quilter, of
Ipswich. In March, 1659, Edward Lomase
brought a suit against Captain William
Traske for taking possession of and selling
twenty acres of land belonging to plaintiff,
which suit was later withdrawn, Edward Lomas
appears as a member of the grand jury at the
court held at Ipswich, September 25, 1660.
In 1661
Edward Lomas served as the constable of
Ipswich, and the same year he was given
liberty to fell two white oak trees., he
also served as constable there in the
succeeding year. In 1664 he owned a share
and a half in Plum Island. On March 22,
1660, Edward Lummas, aged about fifty-eight
years, deposed that Goodman Wood, the baker,
came to him and asked whether he had seen a
heifer, and he replied: "I will tell you
how you may know her by this: If you com
heare and hold out your hand to her, the
heifer will come to you, for I used to give
her Bis Cake," which deponent did, and she
came to him. When said Wood took the
heifer, he told dopenent that if anybody had
a better claim, he would give her up. Sworn
in court. This deposition was made in
connection with the case of Obadiah Wood vs.
Robert Kimball for trespass, taking a heifer
out of his yard and detaining her. On
February 11, 1667, Edward Lomas, having been
a soldier against the Pequod Indians, and
not having any land
Page 329
granted to him, as
others had benefited, the town now granted
him six acres of land. On March 2, 1667,
Edward Chapman sold to Edward Lummas "my
dwelling-house wherein said Lummas dwells,
with barn and one and one-quarters acres the
street called Mill st., towards southwest,
and the house and land of widow Stacy
southeast." February 13, 1678, on a list of
the names of those persons who had the right
of commonage according to law and order of
the town appears Edward Lomas. On the list
of those who were by law allowed to have
their votes in town affairs voted to be
recorded at the town meeting, December 2,
1679, appears the name of Edward Lomas.
Edward Lummus was a weaver by trade, and
lived on the corner of Baker's Lane and
Scott's Lane, Ipswich, Massachusetts. He
had a wife, Mary, who made a deposition in
1672, in which she states her age to be
about sixty-six years. On May 25, 1682,
Edward Lummis conveyed to his son, Jonathan,
his homestead, house, barn and an acre of
land, together with twelve acres purchased
of Mr. Cogswell, then deceased. His will
stated that the twelve acres were on the
opposite side of the street from his house.
Besides the aforementioned land, the town
records of Ipswich show that on February 27,
1648, Edward Lummis was granted thirty acres
of upland, and in 1649 five acres of
meadow.
Edward Lummis
died August 29, 1682, and his will was
probated September 26, 1682. His son,
Jonathan, was charged "for recording your
father's will and inventory 6 shillings."
Children of Edward and Mary Lummis were: 1.
Jonathan, resided in Ipswich,
Massachusetts. 2. Edward, settled in New
Jersey. 3. Samuel, see forward. 4.
Nathaniel, removed to Dover.
(II) Samuel,
son of Edward and Mary Lummis, was born at
Ipswich, Massachusetts, June 7, 1639, died
February 24, 1720. He testified in court on
April 2, 1657, that he saw Edmond Bridges
"in sermon time get a piece of paper of
Daniel Warner, jr., and write on it, and
over his shoulder read these words:
'Goodman Tode, I would entruste you,' and he
gave it to Tod after the lecture, and said
his father sent it. His father denied it
later in the shop." This testimony was
given in connection with the case of Edmond
Bridges, who was fined for writing a note in
Rowley meeting-house in lecture time to John
Tod, for five shillings, in his father's
name. In March, 1661, Samuel Lumas appears
as a witness in the case of John Godfry vs
Edward Clarke for a debt. In 1678 Samuel
Lumas appears on a list of inhabitants of
Ipswich. On December 19, 1684, he sold to
his neighbor, Joseph Quilter, one acre
adjoining Jonathan Lummus' land in Ipswich.
Samuel Lummis lived at the Hamlet, now
Hamilton, Massachusetts. He was buried
there in the ancient graveyard of that place
and the inscription upon his tombstone
reads:
Here lyeth
the body of
Mr. Sameul
Lummus who
Was born
June ye 7th
1638 & Died
ye 24th Feby
1720, aged
80
years.
Samuel Lummis
married (first), November 18, 1664, Sarah
Smith, by whom he has three children.
Between the years 1676 and 1679 he married
(second) Hannah White. She was the daughter
of John White, and was born in Wneham,
Massachusetts. She had previously married,
January 23, 1663, Ensign John Divoll, who
lived at Lancaster, and was killed by the
Indians, February 10, 1675-76, while in
charge of the Rowlandson garrison house.
She and her children were taken prisoners by
the Indians, but were ransomed on May 12,
1676, and she died before July 12, 1717.
Children of Samuel Lummis: 1. Edward, see
forward. 2. Samuel, born February 14,
1667. 3. Mary, born January 10, 1669.
(III) Edward
(2), son of Samuel and Sarah (Smith) Lummis,
was born in Ipswich, Massachusetts, October
12, 1665, died February, 1740. About the
year 1697 he removed from Massachusetts to
Cohansey, Salemn County, New Jersey, as
shown by the following abstract of a deed:
On May 3, 1697, John Bellowes, of London,
merchant, by his attorney, Thomas Budd, of
Philadelphia, merchant, deeded to Thomas
Jones, Jonathan Moorehouse, Joseph Seeleye,
and Joseph Sayre, late of New England, now
of Cesariae River, alias Cohansey, New
Jersey, planters, four hundred acres to be
surveyed on said river. The grantees in
this deed allotted the said land among
themselves "ye first Twelve Adventurers, yet
settled on ye place," Thomas Jones except,
and John Bennett, Thomas Bennett, Jr., John
Bateman, Nicholas Johnson, John Mills,
Joseph Grimes, Edward Lumis, Joseph Smith,
John Smith, John Ogden, Joseph Wheeler and
Page 330
others. The provincial
law enacted at Burlington in May, 1697,
enacts "that the tract of land in Cohansey
purchased by several people lately
inhabitants of Fairfield in New England be
from and after the date hereof erected into
a township and be caviled Fairfield." This
law would indicate that Edward Lummis may
have been an inhabitant of Fairfield,
Connecticut, before going to Cohansey, New
Jersey.
On June 10,
1697, in an agreement between the
"purchasers in Fairfield," Edwards Lumis was
assigned one hundred acres and Daniel
Westcott or Waistcoat one hundred and fifty
acres, they agreeing with others to give
security for nine pounds English per one
hundred acres. This land was evidently part
of the tract of land deeded the same day,
June 10, 1697, to the planters, an abstract
of which deed is as follows: "Thomas
Bridge, of Cesariae River, New Jersey,
gentleman, deeds 1,000 acres in Fairefeild
in Cesariae River on the east side of
Cohansey River and north side of Saw Mill
Creek, to the above-mentioned planters of
Fairfield, among whom are Edward Lumis and
Daniel Westcott."
He was a
member of the grand jury of Salem County,
New Jersey, December 15, 1708; December 26,
1710 and June 26, 1709. He was appointed
constable on April 12, 1709, for the south
side of Cohansey, and was commissioner of
roads, November 27, 1722, or surveyor of
highways. His will was dated October 28,
1738; was proved may 5, 1740, and calls him
as of Cohansey, yeoman. It mentioned his
wife, Abigail, and the following children:
1. Edward, 2. Abigail. 3. Samuel. 4. Sarah.
5. Daniel, see forward. 6. Mary. 7. Tamson,
8. Lydia. 9. Elizabeth. some time before
November 3, 1702, he married Abigail,
daughter of Daniel and Abigail Westcott, or
Waistcoat.
(IV) Daniel,
son of Edward (2) and Abigail (Westcott)
Lummis, was a yeoman of Cumberland County,
New Jersey. His will bears the date June 1,
1764. His wife was named Judith, and they
had the following children: 1. Jonathan. 2.
Daniel. 3. Sarah. 4. Tamson. 5. Ebenezer,
see forward. 6. Joseph. 7. Catherine. 8.
Hannah.
(V) Ebenezer,
son of Daniel and Judith Lummis, was born in
May, 1748, died November 28, 1801. He
married (first) Susannah -------, born
February 26, 1753, died December 27, 1790;
(second) Lydia -----------, who was
mentioned in his will, which was dated
October 14, 1801, wherein he was described
as of the township of Deerfield, Cumberland
County, New Jersey. He had the following
children: 1. William Nixon, see forward.
2. John. 3. Ebenezer. 4. Daton or Dayton.
5. Susannah. 6. Sarah.
(VI) Dr.
William Nixon Lummis, son of Ebenezer and
Susannah Lummis, was born in Woodbury, New
Jersey, April 15, 1775, died April 16, 1833,
at Sodus, Wayne County, New York. He
studied medicine in Philadelphia under the
famous physician, Dr. Benjamin Rush, who
later became his intimate friend. In the
early part of 1800 Dr. Lummis left
Philadelphia, and explored the Genesee
Valley of New York State, finally making his
home in Sodus, Wayne County, New York, where
he resided for the remainder of his life.
He held many town offices, and was a most
active citizen. From the records of the
town of Sodus one learns of his various
activities. In 1813 the town by vote
complied with certain provisions of a new
school law. Inspectors were appointed, and
it was voted to raise by tax a sum twice the
amount apportioned by the state. John
Holcomb, Byram Green and William Wickham
were elected the first school commissioners,
and the inspectors were Enoch Moore,
Thaddeus Bancroft, William N. Lummis,
William Danforth, Daniel Arms and Peter
Failing.
At a special
meeting held at the house of Daniel Arms, in
Sodus, September 1, 1814, the following were
chosen: Ephraim Coon, Esq., to preside; John
Fellows and William N. Lummis, clerks. The
War of 1812 was being fought at the time,
and among the resolutions adopted was the
following:
"Resolved. That William N. Lummis, William
Wickham, John Fellows, Thomas Wafer and
Asher Doolittle be a Committee of Safety for
the town of Sodus. That a notice signed by
a majority of the Committee, giving notice
of the approach of the enemy, be deemed
sufficient to justify said official act.
Resolved. That the Committee of Safety
offer a subscription paper to the good
people of the town of Sodus for the purpose
of obtaining funds for the defense of said
town, and that such subscription shall be
demanded only in case of the enemy's
obtaining command of Lake Ontario."
Upon the
records of Dwight Post, Grand Army of the
Republic, made for the purpose of
decoration, we find the name of William N.
Lummis as a soldier of the War of 1812.
When the British made their attack upon
Sodus, his house was one of those destroyed
by fire. When he died there, April 16,
1833,
Page 331
his remains were
interred at that place, but in May, 1910,
they were removed with those of his two
infant sons, to the cemetery at Rose, Wayne
County, New York, at the instance of his
grandson, Benjamin R. Lummis, of New York
City. In the local newspaper, The
Herald, at the time of the removal of
these remains, it is stated of Dr. William,
N. Lummis that "he took up one thousand
acres of land on both sides of Sodus Bay,
intending to establish an old English
tenantry farm. On his estate he organized
the first post-office at Lumisville, and was
appointed its first post-master."
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