Melatiah Bourn papers

Silvanus Bourn or Bourne, son of Colonel Melatiah and Desire (Chipman) Bourn, was born in Sandwich, Massachusetts, on September 10, 1694. He was a successful merchant and engaged in commercial business in both Barnstable and Sandwich. In addition, he was a colonel in the militia, member of the Governor's Council, Register of Probate, and Judge of Probate. Silvanus married Mercy Gorham (1695–1782), daughter of Colonel John Gorham (1651-1715), of Barnstable, on March 20, 1718/19. The couple had ten children: (1) Desire, b. January 19, 1718/19; (2) Mary, b. April 22, 1720; (3) Melatiah, b. November 14, 1722; (4) William, b. February 27, 1723/24; (5) Hannah, b. December 8, 1725; (6) Mercy, b. August 22, 1727; (7) Abigail, b. June 21, 1729; married to Kenelm Winslow; (8) Silvanus, b. November 21, 1731; (9) Eunice, b. February 16, 1732; and (10) Richard, November 1, 1739. Silvanus Bourn died at Barnstable on September 18, 1763.

Melatiah Bourn, son of Silvanus and Mercy (Gorham) Bourn, was born in Barnstable, Massachusetts, on November 14, 1722. Family tradition has it that he moved to Boston in his teens to apprentice with a merchant. It is known that he eventually went into partnership with Joseph Freeman, Jr. In addition to his successful business ventures, Melatiah served as Overseer of the Poor in Boston as well as Town Auditor in 1772.

Melatiah married Mary Bayard of Boston prior to January 25, 1753. The couple had four children: (1) Melatiah, b. about 1754; (2) Silvanus, b. about 1756; (3) Sarah [called Sally], b. about 1769; and (4) Mary [called Polly], b. about 1769. Mary (Bayard) Bourn's grandfather, James Bowdoin, Sr., provided in his will for his daughter [also named Mary and married to Balthazar Bayard] a generous monetary inheritance as well as George Tavern and other Boston property. Mary (Bowdoin) Bayard received her inheritance beginning October 1749. After Mrs. Bayard's death, the principal of the original inheritance went to her children. Mrs. Bayard's daughter, Mary, and son-in-law, Melatiah Bourn, continued to accumulate real estate by inheriting or purchasing large tracts of land from other family members.

Melatiah Bourn died at Barnstable on September 9, 1778. However the family resided chiefly in Boston-on Milk Street-during Mr. Bourn's merchant career. Son Melatiah lived in Barnstable after his marriage in 1778, and son Sylvanus was U.S. Consul in Amsterdam for many years. At the time of Melatiah's death, his daughters were minors; Bessinger Foster of Boston, merchant, was appointed their guardian. It is unclear where the two daughters resided in adult life, but Mrs. Bourn eventually sold the Milk Street house in 1787.

Sylvanus (Silvanus) Bourne, son of Melatiah and Mary (Bayard) Bourn, was born in 1761. He married Rebecca Haslett of Baltimore, Maryland, on October 28, 1797. In 1790-1791, Sylvanus was consul to Cap Francois. From 1794-1797, he was appointed vice consul of Amsterdam and from 1797-1816, he was consul general in the same city. In 1817, he became agent for seamen at The Hague. He died at his post April 25, 1817.

The family at various times used both Bourn or Bourne. Sylvanus (Silvanus) Bourne changed the spelling of his given name in the early 1790s.

Nathaniel Holmes, son of Captain Nathaniel and Sarah (Thaxter) Holmes, was born in Boston on December 29, 1703. In early life, he worked as a cabinet maker, as did his father. In 1735, Nathaniel purchased a distillery from the heirs of >Elizur Holyoke. Located on what is now Salem Street, Boston, Holmes sold 1/3 interest of this business to his nephew Malachi Salter, Jr. and 1/3 interest to his brother George in 1740. In April 1743, Salter sold his interest to his uncles Nathaniel and George Holmes. The distillery business was a lucrative venture for Holmes, and by the 1740s he entered into domestic and foreign trade.

Holmes married (1) Mary Webber, on March 1, 1726; and (2) Rebecca Goodwill on October 1, 1747. He had no issue with his first wife; children by his second wife are: (1) Rebecca, b. January 22, 1749; married to William Fowle on May 25, 1768; (2) Mary, b. September 2, 1750; (3) Nathaniel, b. March 11, 1752; (4) Nathaniel, b. September 20, 1755; and (5) Lydia, b. July 17, 1758. Nathaniel Holmes died in Boston on November 29, 1774.

Holmes's son-in-law, William Fowle, was at one time in partnership with him in a sugar baking business. Working under the name Holmes and Fowle, the partnership dissolved after the death of Nathaniel Holmes. However, Fowle continued to sell sugar and molasses. Fowle, son of Colonel Jacob and Mary (Rowland) Fowle, was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts, in February 1745.

George Holmes, son of Captain Nathaniel and Sarah (Thaxter) Holmes, was born in Boston circa 1706. He married Ann Mulberry on July 7, 1737. The couple had six children: (1) Benjamin, b. April 24, 1738; (2) Ann, b. December 25, 1739; (3) Sarah, b. June 22, 1742; (4) Elizabeth, b. August 22, 1744; (5) Lydia, b. in 1746; and (6) Mary, b. in 1751. Holmes was deacon of the New Brick Church, Boston, as well as selectman in that city from 1750-1752. He went into partnership with his brother, Nathaniel, in the distilling business circa 1740 and eventually purchased owned his own distillery in 1750. His son, Benjamin, managed his distillery along with Andrew Symmes. Additionally, George Holmes owned a sugar refinery. Holmes died in Boston in the fall of 1752.

Samuel Sturgis, son of merchant Samuel (1665-1737) and Mercy (1682-1723) (Howe) Sturgis, was born on October 28, 1706, in Yarmouth, Massachusetts. He graduated Harvard College in 1725. Samuel, Jr., his older brother John (1704-1759; Harvard AB 1723), another brother, Prince Sturgis (1715-1779) jointly invested in a number of business ventures, among them whaling voyages. In addition to his merchant career, Samuel was appointed notary public for the port of Barnstable. He married Lucretia Wendell, daughter of Abraham and Catherine (De Key) Wendell of Boston, on September 17, 1734. From that time, Samuel and his wife lived with her parents in Boston while the General Court was session; the rest of the year they lived in Yarmouth.

By 1741, the couple decided to make Boston their permanent residence. At this time, Sturgis purchased land and a warehouse near the waterfront and began his export business by trading rum, dry goods, marine supplies, and other commodities. Additionally, he was part owner of many vessels. Samuel Sturgis died in Boston on July 8, 1767.