History of Byfield, (Essex County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Biographies:

Theophilus Parsons, jurist, was born in Byfield, Mass., Feb. 24, 1750; son of the Rev. Moses and Susan (Davis) Parsons; grandson of Ebenezer and Lydia (Haskell) Parsons, and of Abraham and Ann (Robinson) Davis, and a great-grandson of Jeffrey and Sarah (Vinson) Parsons. Jeffrey Parsons immigrated to the West Indies from England about 1645 and settled at Gloucester, Mass., in 1654. Theophilus Parsons was prepared for college at Dummer academy, and graduated at Harvard, A.B., 1769, A.M., 1772. He studied law with Theophilus Bradbury at Falmouth, was admitted to the bar in 1774, and practised there until the British destroyed Falmouth in 1775. He then pursued the study of law under Judge Edmund Trowbridge of Cambridge, Mass., 1775-77, and opened a law office in Newburyport, Mass., in 1775. In 1778 he was a delegate to the convention at Ipswich, Mass., that opposed the adoption of the state constitution, and was the author of the pamphlet known as the "Essex Result," which contributed so largely to the rejection of that instrument. He was a delegate in 1779 to the convention that framed the state constitution finally adopted; in 1788 to the convention to ratify the Federal constitution, and was the author of the proposition offered by John Hancock, ratifying the instrument and recommending certain amendments known as the "Conciliatory Resolutions." He was married, Jan. 13, 1780, to Elizabeth, daughter of Judge Benjamin Greenleaf of Newbury, Mass. He devoted himself to his law practice in Newburyport, 1788-1800, and served as a representative in the state legislature several times. He removed to Boston, Mass., in 1800; was appointed attorney-general in the cabinet of President Adams as successor to Charles Lee in 1801, but declined to serve, and was chief-justice of the supreme court of Massachusetts, 1806-13, succeeding Francis Dana. He received the degree of LL.D. from Harvard in 1804, Dartmouth in 1807, and Brown in 1809; was a fellow of Harvard, 1806-12, and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. A collection of his opinions were published under the title of "Commentaries on the Laws of the United States" (1836.) He died in Boston, Mass., Oct. 30, 1813.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Eliphalet Pearson, educator, was born at Byfield, Mass., June 11, 1725; son of David and Sarah (Danforth) Pearson, and a descendant of John Pearson, who emigrated from Yorkshire, England, in 1643, and settled at Rowley, Mass., where he built the first clothing mill in New England. Eliphalet attended Dummer academy, Byfield, Mass., and was graduated from Harvard college, A.B., 1773, A.M., 1776. He taught school at Andover, Mass.; engaged with Samuel Phillips in the manufacture of gunpowder for the American army in 1775, and upon the opening of the Phillips school in April, 1778, became its first preceptor, which office he held until 1786. He was Hancock professor of Hebrew at Harvard college, 1786-1806. Upon the death of Lieutenant-Governor Phillips in 1802, Pearson succeeded him as president of the board of trustees of Phillips academy and continued in office until 1820. He was acting president of Harvard college, 1804-06; was connected with Col. John Phillips in the establishment of the Andover Theological seminary, and succeeded in combining the Hopkinson and Andover seminaries in 1808. He was ordained to the ministry, Sept. 22, 1808, and served as associate professor of sacred literature at the Andover Theological seminary, 1808-09. He was secretary of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; a member of the Society for Promoting the Gospel among the Indians and Others in North America; a founder of the American Education society; president of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge; a member of the Massachusetts Historical society, and fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was married, first, to Priscilla, daughter of President Edward Holyoke of Harvard college, and secondly, in 1785, to Sarah, daughter of Henry Bromfield of Harvard, Mass. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by Yale and by the College of New Jersey in 1802. He edited Bishop Wilson's "Sacra Private;" and is the author of a Hebrew grammar, and lectures. He died at Greenland, N.H., Sept. 12, 1826.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Samuel Webber, educator, was born in Byfield, Mass., in 1759, and was graduated at Harvard, A.B., 1784, A.M., 1787. He did some preaching, and in 1787 returned to Harvard as tutor, becoming Hollis professor of mathematics and natural philosophy in 1789; and president of Harvard on May 6, 1806, to succeed Joseph Willard, who died Sept. 25, 1804. He was a member of the American Philosophical society, and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, being elected vice-president of the latter immediately after becoming president of Harvard. He received from Harvard the honorary degree of D.D. in 1806, and is the author of a System of Mathematics (2 vols., 1801), and Eulogy on President Willard (1804). He died in Cambridge, Mass., July 17, 1810.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor