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PETER PEVEY An Accounting of Peter Pevey and Descendants  Peter Pevey Headstone - Greenfield, New Hampshire
Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worchester County vol 1 Pages 588-593 (found at FTM's GenealogyLibrary.com) The first records discovered of the Pevey family in America are at Hampton, New Hampshire. About 1720 three of this name appeared in the vicinity, probably from England. Peter settled in Hampton; Edward in Dover; Joseph in Dover. The name seems to be correctly spelled Pevey, although several generations and some of the present generation spell the name Peavey. Edward Pevey was baptized in the Dover. New Hampshire church, January 12, 1724. Mary, wife of Edward Pevey, was dismissed to the Berwick church, August 11, 1727, from the Dover church. Joseph Pevey and child Esther were baptized in the Dover church, April 7, 1728. (I) Peter Pevey, the first ancestor of this surname of the Worcester family of the same name, was born in 1697, presumably in England; he died November 23, 1756, in Andover, Massachusetts. He married, July 15, 1720, at Andover, Esther Barker, of that town. They settled in Hampton, New Hampshire after their marriage and lived there until 1724 or 1725. The two eldest children were born there and the four eldest were baptized there. The children of Peter and Esther (Barker) Pevey were: Hannah, born in Hampton, July 14, 1721, married, March 28, 1758, William Benit; Mary, born in Hampton, March 22, 1723 married, May 5, 1748, Eliakim Wardwell. Rachel, born in Andover, Massachusetts, February 18, 1726, baptized at Hampton May 23, 1726; Esther, born at Andover, April 23, 1728, baptized June 2, at Hampton; Peter, born in Andover, October 17, 1731, died there unmarried August 3, 1754; Thomas, mentioned below. (II) Thomas Pevey, youngest child of Peter Pevey (1), was born in Andover, Massachusetts, March 14, 1736. He married, March 22, 1758, Dorcas Holt. They settled in Andover. Their children: Peter, born April 14, 1762, mentioned below; Hannah, born at Andover, married there Peter Johnson, September 10, 1795. Probably other children. (III) Major Peter Pevey, son of Thomas Pevey (2), ancestor of the Pevey family of Worcester, was born April 14, 1762. During the revolutionary war he was living in Andover. Massachusetts. At the age of fifteen, in fact just before he was fifteen, he enlisted April 7, 1777, as a private in Captain Abbot's company, Colonel Tupper's regiment and served in the army until December 31, 1779. He is also reported as of Captain Benjamin Farnum's company, Colonel Ebenezer Francis's regiment in 1777 and 1778. He was with the army at the surrender of General Burgoyne. Soon after the revolution he went to Wilton, New Hampshire, and conducted the mills at the French place. He began the settlement in the south part of Greenfield and built himself a log house there. In the spring of 1789 he started with a yoke of oxen to take his furniture to his cabin. His wife, whom he married two years before, rode horseback with a bundle lashed to the saddle and her baby in her arms. She was first to arrive at the new home. Mr. Pevey was prominent in military affairs and was major of the Twenty-sixth New Hampshire regiment. He was one of the founders of Greenfield. He married. April 8, 1787, Lucy Cummings, who was born July 9, 1767, and died October 15, 1854. Her brother, J. A. Cummings, was the author of a spelling book and geography used extensively in the early part of the nineteenth century. The children of Peter and Lucy Pevey were: Peter, born July 29, 1788, resided in Greenfield, deacon of the church there, married at Wilton, New Hampshire, June 22, 1819, Dorcas Holt; married (second), April 9, 1857, Tamazin Holt; Sally, born July 11, 1790, married, June 2, 1855, William Wright; Lucy Cummings, born July 3, 1792, married, July 11, 1816, Farnham Holt; Benjamin Abbot, mentioned below; Jacob, born December 1796, married, November 2, 1824, Susan Campbell: married (second), March 26, 1840, Sarah Marsh; Abiel, born March 27, 1799, died November 29, 1799; Dorcas, born October 8, 1801, married. March 2, 1824, Edward Pratt; married (second), April 27, 1847, William Sheldon; Elizabeth, born April 6, 1803, died November 5, 1803; Elizabeth, born August 30, 1804, married, June 4, 1833, Nehemiah Lowe; Abiel, born January 17, 1807, married, December 4, 1832, Louisa Stone; John Merrill, born November 30, 1809, died December 2, 1809; Merrill Cummings, born August 7, 1812, married, June 3, 1841, Elizabeth Stone. (VII) Benjamin Abbott Pevey, son of Peter Pevey and grandson of Elizabeth Abbott (Abbot) (5), was born in Greenfield, New Hampshire, September 25, 1794, died November 16, 1864. He resided in Greenfield and Bennington, New Hampshire, and Schaghticoke, New York. In the fall of 1853 one of his sons bought of John A. Putnam the mill that was built by Philip Putnam and carried it on for several years. Benjamin Abbott Pevey married, May 13, 1820, Clarissa Whittemore, daughter of Amos Whittemore, who was born December 11, 1799, died May 19, 1871. Their children were: Amos Whittemore, born April 6, 1821, died September 27, 1821; Clarissa Livonia, born January 28, 1823, unmarried, resided with Dr. Benjamin Pevey at 80 Pleasant street, Worcester, until her death, January 21, 1903; Lucy Cummings, born March 18, 1825, married, 1851, George S. Russell; they are living (1906) in Wellesley, Massachusetts; Amos Abbot, born July 6, 1827, mentioned below; Benjamin Merrill, born March 26, 1831, died September 17, 1832; Franklin Merrill, born at Bennington, New Hampshire, May 2, 1833, mentioned below; Edward Payson, mentioned below; Benjamin Merrill, born in Schaghticoke, June 6, 1838, mentioned below; Mary Elizabeth, born in Schaghticoke, February 7, 1844, married, October 17, 1866, Simeon Thompson; married (second), July 4, 1871, Richard Henry French, who died in 1903; Charles Kimball, born in Schaghticoke, January 25, 1844, mentioned below. The first four of the preceding were born in Greenfield, the next three in Hancock, New Hampshire, and the last three in Schaghticoke, New York. (VIII) Amos Abbot Pevey, fourth child of Benjamin Abbot Pevey (7), was born in Greenfield, New Hampshire. He received a common school education and then studied dentistry with a wellknown and able practitioner. Diligent and painstaking, he soon acquired proficiency in his profession and, when ready to open an office of his own, located in Clinton, Massachusetts. He soon proved his skill as a dentist and developed a large practice. After some years he decided to remove to Woonsocket, Rhode Island, where he was even more successful. For many years he was recognized as one of the most prominent men of his profession in the state. He helped to establish three of his brothers in the same profession. They learned the business in his office in Clinton and at one time all four were dentists at the same time in Clinton. His brother Frank practiced for many years in Boston, but the two other brothers subsequently located and practiced in Worcester. Each built up a substantial business. Dr. Pevey was a prominent member of the Rhode Island Dental Association. Dr. Pevey married, October 9, 1854, Ellen F. Judd, daughter of Lucian Judd, who removed from Waterbury, Connecticut, to Clinton, Massachusetts. Mr. Judd was a soldier in the war of 1812 and his father was in the revolution. He is a descendant of Thomas Judd, who was in Cambridge in 1634 or 1635, and removed thence to Farmington, Connecticut, and thence to Northampton, Massachusetts. Of his six sons, Thomas,Jr. and Philip. settled in Waterbury, Connecticut. Dr. Pevey's widow resides at 13 Hammond Street, Worcester. Their children: Edward, born November 10, 1857, died September 20, 1861; Helen Augusta, born October, 1864, now Mrs. Fred Ashley; married (first) George Lyford Gould, one son, George Lyford Gould, Jr.; they reside at 13 Hammond street, Worcester. Dr. Amos Abbot Pevey died March 6, 1889, in Worcester. (VIII) Franklin Merrill Pevey, sixth child of Benjamin Abbot Pevey (7), was born in Bennington, New Hampshire, May 2, 1833. When he was three years old his parents removed to New York state, where he lived until he was eighteen years old. He then went to Clinton, Massachusetts, to study dentistry in his brother's office. From 1854 to 1857 he had an office in New Ipswich, New Hampshire. Since his marriage he has lived in Wilton, New Hampshire, and practiced his profession. He was interested extensively in real estate. He was one of the committee in charge of the building of the town house, and the bell was a gift to the town from him. He died in Wilton, May 1, 1901. Dr. Pevey married, December 26, 1858, Nancy B. Sheldon, daughter of Uzziel and Eliza (Barrett) Sheldon. They had no children. She died September 27, 1903.  1833 - 1901 Bennington, New Hampshire (VIII) Edward Payson Pevey, seventh child of Benjamin Abbot Pevey (7), was born in Greenfield. New Hampshire, February 27, 1836, died December 20, 1903, at Richmond, Virginia. He was a young boy when the family removed to Schaghticoke, New York, a small town situated a few miles above Troy, where his father had a saw mill. He received a common school education in the district schools of New Hampshire and New York, his opportunities for school being limited. When he was a young man he returned to Wilton, New Hampshire, where he worked in his father's saw mill. From there he went to Lowell, to work for his uncle, Abiel Pevey, whose son. Gilbert A. A. Pevey, became a distinguished lawyer in Boston. He removed in a short time to Boston, where he conducted a restaurant and later was the proprietor of a stall in the famous old Faneuil Hall Market. From there he removed to Marlboro, Massachusetts, and was there proprietor of a restaurant. Mr. Pevey came to Worcester following the civil war and established a meat market at 39 Exchange Street. He built up a large business there. He was the first of the family to locate in Worcester. A few years later Dr. B. M. Pevey and Dr. Charles K. Pevey started in business as Pevey Brothers, dentists, at 244 Main street. Mr. Pevey removed his market to Southbridge Street, but about 1870 became connected with the firm of White, Houghton & Co., 16 Front Street. In 1874 the firm of White, Pevey & Dexter, pork packers, was organized, the original members being Rollin G. White, Mr. Pevey, and Edwain C. Dexter, now the only survivor. A sketch of Mr. White appears elsewhere in this work. The firm was very successful in business and their trade extended all over New England. The first store was on Front Street opposite the old city hall and the abbatoir was on the Grafton road. The business was afterward moved further down Front Street to A. B. Hall's block, now the Commonwealth Hotel, where the company was located for a number of years. In 1890 they moved to the present location on Bridge Street. The abbatoir at present is located on Putnam lane and is one of the largest and best of the kind in New England. The company was incorporated in 1890, and a few years later sold to the firm of Swift & Co., of Chicago. Mr. Pevey retired from active business at the time of the sale, and made his home at the Bay State Hotel. His wife died February 3, 1886. He died of heart trouble when in the south on a pleasure trip with his daughter. Mrs. Charles M. Booth. Mr. Pevey's business ability and common sense, integrity and good nature won for him a leading position among the business men of the city. He was universally liked and esteemed. He was an active Mason and well known in the Masonic fraternity of the state. He was a member of Montacute Lodge, Eureka Royal Arch Chapter, the Worcester County Commandery, Knights Templar, of which for twenty-six years he was the standard bearer. He was a charter member of the Worcester Continentals and was on the colonel's staff as commissary sergeant. He belonged to the Commonwealth Club. He attended Piedmont Congregational Church. In politics he was an active and earnest Republican. He enlisted, September 6, 1862, and served until September 2, 1863, in Company I, Fifty-third Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. He was a member of Post No. 10, G. A. R. He married, September 25, 1858, Martha Jane Buell, daughter of Daniel and Abigail (Holden) Buell, of Newport, New Hampshire. Their children were: Nellie Florence, born November 20, 1859, mentioned below; Frank B., born July 21, 1873, died January 22, 1874. (IX) Nellie Florence Pevey, daughter of Edward Payson Pevey (8), was born in Wilton, New Hampshire, November 20, 1859. She married in Worcester, November 16, 1881, Charles Matthew Booth, who was born January 28, 1859, the son of Benjamin and Betsey (Charnley) Booth, both natives of England. Mr. Booth was for forty years superintendent of the Quinsigamond wire mill of Washburn & Moen. He retired a few years before his death. Benjamin Booth died May 19, 1901; his wife died November 14, 1905. Their children were: George Jones, born April 1, 1855, died April 5, 1882; Olina Elizabeth, born 1657, at Lowell, married William H. McClure, superintendent of the Worcester fire alarm system, resides at 26 Kingsbury street, Worcester; Charles Matthew, mentioned above. Charles M. Booth was educated in the public and high schools of Worcester. He began in business as clerk in Kinnicutt's hardware store. In August, 1884, he entered Washburn & Moen's offices and rose through various positions to sales agent and head of the flat wire and specialty department of the American Steel and Wire Company. He is a member of Montacute Lodge of Free Masons, Hiram Council, Eureka Chapter and Worcester County Commandery, the Tatassit Canoe Club, the Automobile Club. He is a Republican. He resides at 284 Highland street, Worcester. The children of Charles M. and Nellie Florence (Pevey) Booth are: Edith Florence, born in Worcester, December 12, 1884, died August 2, 1885; Martha Pevey, born in Worcester, December 23, 1890, a student in the Worcester high school. (VIII) Mary Elizabeth Pevey, daughter of Benjamin Abbot Pevey (7), was born in Schaghticoke, New York, February 7, 1841. She married (first), October 17, 1866, Simeon Thompson, and had one son, Simeon E., who has a livery stable at Corona, California; is married and has two sons and two daughters. She married (second), July 4, 1871, Richard Henry French, and had three children: Sanger Eames and Edith Bradford (twins), born July 6, 1872; Henry, born June 8, 1874, of whom Sanger E. French alone survives. He is a stable keeper, is married but has no children. Mrs. French resides with her son, Simeon E. Thompson, at Corona. (VIII) Lucy Cummings Pevey, third child of Benjamin Abbot Pevey (7), was born in Greenfield, New Hampshire, March 18, 1825, and married, 1851, George S. Russell, a farmer. They are now living at Wellesley, Massachusetts. Their children are: George, born 1852, died 1852; William Tolman, born September 20, 1854; Mary Claretta, born December 19, 1857; George Amey, born December 24, 1859, died July 22, 1906. |