DAR New England Chapters & Descendants of Moses Short Newbury MA Members

From the Archives Several DAR Members in New England In Memory for Moses Short of Newbury and his descendant Laurie Jarvis Short. Her relatives Abbey Short and Ruth Short of the DAR Old Newbury Chapter For copies of PDF ARTICLES email me A DAR Outing

Moses Short, a Revolutionary patriot and carrier of the Newburyport Herald for nearly half a century, was one of the attendees at the 50th anniversary celebration of our Independence in Newburyport. Moses raised his glass and spoke these words: "The Tree of Liberty watered by the blood of the Revolution may our children suffer no canker worms to injure its sacred leaves."
Old Newbury Chapter Newburyport Massachusetts One of the most attractive outings ever taken by the chapter was the Field Day at Fatherland farm South Byfield October 15 1900 This house long the seat of the Parsons family was built by Jacob Parsons the Boston merchant Its present owner is Mrs Alexander Forbes a descendant of Jacob Parsons and a member of Old Newbury Chapter. Ruth I Short attended. Moses Short, son of James Short 1713-1795 and Ruth Jaques 1717-1779 (aunt of Anna Jaques)
He had at least 9 siblings. He married Lydia Emery (155-1826) July 24, 1781 and they had 6 children. He married Abigail Illsley Oct 26 1826 They had 2 daughters Abigail Styles Short 1830-1903 and Ruth Illsley Short 1829-1907 BOOK: MASSACHUSETTS SOLDIERS & SAILORS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR
"SHORT, MOSES, Newbury. Private, Capt. Silas Adam's co., Col. Titcomb's regt.; service 2 mos., travel also allowed to and from place of rendevous, roll endorsed 'for 2 Months Service at R Island;' also, Capt. Oliver Titcomb's co., Col. Cogswell's regt.; entered service Oct. 5, 1778; service 2 months 29 days; company detached to guard and fortify post in and about Boston." Picture below Short House Newbury MA Photo From Boston Public Library

                            

From DAR Lineage Book Ruth Isley Short and Abigail Short Born in Newbury, Massachusetts. Descendant of Moses Short, of Massachusetts. Daughter of Moses Short and Abigail Ilsley, his wife. Moses Short, (1760-1841), served as a private and received a pension. He was born in Newbury, where he died.

Newburyport Daily News Tuesday September 1, 1903 page 3 Abby Short Dead The death of Miss Abby Short occurred at Newbury this morning at the age of 72 years. For many years Miss Short was a teacher in the Kelly School of this city and her former pupils number many of the leading business men of the city today, who remember her with the kindliest of feelings for the important part she played in the shaping of their education. She had been a “great” sufferer for years and her death comes as a welcome relief. Full of years and of honors she is sincerely mourned and throughout the city today many a tear will drop in memory of Miss Short. Gravestone located in First Parish Cemetery, High Road, Newbury,Massachusetts 1760 Moses Short 1841Soldier of the American Revolution
His Wife 1786 Abigail Ilsley 1875 their daughters
1829 Ruth I Short 1927 Photo below 1830 Abigail Short 1903

                                               
Newburyport Daily News Thursday March 17, 1927 page 4 At Rest in Native Town The funeral of Miss Ruth Ilsley Short for many years a resident of Oldtown was held at the home of Mrs. Ruth Bradstreet in Rowley, where Miss Short had made her home for the past few years. Her death occurred Sunday evening March 13, aged 97 years, 8 months and 23 days. She was the daughter of Moses and Abigail Short of Newbury, he being a Revolutionary Soldier. Miss Short was one of the very few remaining real Daughters of the Revolution. Her home was in one of the oldest houses in Newbury, at the corner of High Street and Rolfe’s Lane and she was the oldest in point of membership of the Oldtown Church, having united with it 73 years ago. At one time in her life Miss Short was a teacher in the old school house that stood upon the Upper Green.
The funeral service was conducted by the pastor of the First Church in Newbury, Rev. Charles Sumner Holton, and was attended by many of her former neighbors and friends, also officers and members of the church. There were many beautiful floral tokens, including gifts from the Home Missionary Society of which the deceased had been a member for many years, also from the local Chapter of the D.A.R. and from other friends. The funeral was in the Cemetery of the First Church, Newbury. Gravestone located in First Parish Cemetery, High Road, Newbury, MA Transcription: 1760 Moses Short 1841
Soldier of the American Revolution His Wife 1786 Abigail Ilsley 1875 their daughters 1829 Ruth I Short 1927 1830 Abigail Short 1903

Nathaniel Tracy Chapter of Newburyport 1896 and DAR Magazine Vol 17 1900 mentions the Chapter and Nathaniel Tracy and Dalton House. Newburyport sent out many privateers during the Revolutionary war Nathaniel Tracy fitted out a great fleet consisting of 24 cruisers with 340 guns and 2800 men He also contributed $160,000 to the cause of liberty His fine old mansion is now the public library and museum The old Dalton house now the home of the Dalton club retains its fire places with their exquisite carvings and Corinthian pillars reaching to the ceiling In a frame upon the wall is a sample of wall paper similar to that seen in the Quincy house On the label it is stated that it had been used to adorn the room in which Mary Dalton was married to Leonard White

From this article Mrs. Elizabeth Brown Thomas Morse, Ruth Short, Mary Augusta Danforth, Sarah Judd, Helen Stone Rogers 

From this Article

See Mary Rebecca Brodhead Pike (1815-1922) — New Hampshire DAR member — achieved age 106

Tristram Dalton Samuel Williams Transit of Venus Newbury MA

From Melissa Berry Newburyport News Genealogy of Williams Harvard Files
 

Part of the structure of Dalton estate after Victorian renovations. From Leonard Woodman Smith provided by Katharine M. Gove Director, G.A.R. Memorial Library West Newbury, MA 

The West Newbury country estate “Spring Hill” built by Captain Michael Dalton and Mary Little was a pastoral paradise. When son Tristram took up residence it grew more glorious. Visitors from all over the globe enjoyed its enchanting landscape and breath taking views. The poesy of Jacques Pierre Brissott “de Warville” deemed it as “one of the finest situations that can be imagined.”

          J J Currier noted that when Tristram inherited the estate he “found pleasure and profit in the ownership and management of this attractive and productive farm He was liberal in his household expenditures and with lavish hospitality entertained many distinguished travelers at his country home.” (History of Ould Newbury)    

          Tristram and wife Ruth Hooper, daughter of Robert “King” Hooper, a wealthy Marblehead merchant knew how to through a party. The festive soirees hosted George Washington and an ensemble of French royals.    See Tristram Dalton and Family

          However, in the spring of 1769 there was one celebrated guest summoned to the Pipe Stave Road address that would source a different ambit for Dalton, namely the extraterrestrial. 

 Samuel Williams, Harvard professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy was more than happy to oblige as he knew “a seat at Newbury, in a high elevated situation,” was “very convenient for this purpose.”

          The hearth upon the hill behest “forty mountain peaks and oceans far and wide” and was the most auspicious place to observe the celestial heavens. God had even graced Dalton with 18 church steeples in wide view.

          But this gathering was not just for star gazing, it was to expand scientific knowledge by observing the transit of Venus. Dalton had a keen interest in the field of Astronomy and was part of the newly founded American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

          In this venture Dalton choose his cohort carefully. Williams had been selected by Harvard’s John Winthrop to observe the transit in the Newfoundland expedition 1761. His lectures and experiments were progressive, but it was when Williams preached in the Port that Dalton sought him out.

          Williams matched Dalton’s passionate intensity to explore the “dark horses” of the world. Williams excelled in many diverse disciplines and his innovative style earned him honors. More importantly, Dalton knew that besides Winthrop, Williams “was among the most accurate of any estimating the moment of tangency of the internal contact to the Sun which had an uncertainty of only seven seconds.”

          Williams had the same confident spirit working with Dalton. He was well versed in theory from his Harvard days and would be an active participant in assisting him. According to Hinckle, Dalton’s knowledge allowed him to make necessary preparations way in advance such as getting the clock adjusted and longitude determination made.  

          Dalton also took all precautions which included hiring carpenters to build shelters on the roof. A persistent trend of overcast and rain had set over Newbury, but just before the big event Mother Nature decided to cooperate. The conditions could not have been more perfect as one Boston paper reported: “after a long course of cloudy weather it cleared up and last Saturday was fair and afforded a fine opportunity for viewing the Transit of Venus.” 

 The anxiety that would have visited the observers would have been in calculating the exact timing to observe the “black dot,” or Venus landing on the sun. Williams was successful and carefully recorded the planetary activity. He also found that Venus had a definite atmosphere. This was due to the “fuzzy contrast” and “uncertain timing.” In other transits, such as Mercury the observation was precise and easily timed. This revelation would later prove to be a major significant discovery.

          The transit of Venus produced “an intercolonial scientific effort of major proportions” and there were several locations observing the event, but it was Newbury that caught Ben Franklin’s attention.  His organization known as The American Philosophical Society issued William’s publication: “An Account of the Transit of Venus over the Sun, June 3d, 1769, as observed at Newbury, in Massachusetts.”  

          Williams work impacted several scholars, including John Quincy Adams, who attended Williams' series of twenty-four lectures on Astronomy at Harvard. According to Rothschild Adams was “so engrossed with the subject that he wrote copious notes on the lectures during and after their presentation.”

          Adams comradery with Williams is noted in his journals: “he is affable and familiar with the students, and does not affect that ridiculous pomp which is so generally prevalent here.” The warm affinity and respect Adams had for Williams would sustain a relationship for many years after he was equally fond of Williams’ son, Samuel, JR. who was his classmate at Harvard. During his stint in the Port Adams records dinners with Samuel, JR, and some visits to Dalton’s magical manor on the hill.

          The contribution of these two men that summer would reflect a lifetime of reaching for the stars and encouraging others to expand their horizons. Dalton took an active interest in local education. He assisted along with Jonathan Jackson, Nathaniel Tracy, and John Tracy to fund young scholars for college. One fellow, Dudley Atkins attended Harvard due to their generosity. Atkins had Williams as an instructor and Williams extended the use of his home laboratory to him. In 1780 Atkins was chosen to accompany Williams on the Penobscot Bay expedition to observe the eclipse of the sun.

          The grounds at Spring Hill have been torn down and rebuilt since the Dalton reign. Tristram invested in new territory, but calculated risks took his fortune. But the planets taught this explorer heaven is not down on any map; true places never are.

Built by Edward Nairne of London, this telescope was used by Samuel Williams Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington.

           

• Old Paths and Legends of New England: Saunterings Over Historic Roads.
• Boston Evening Transcript (Boston, MA)  
• The Dalton Genealogical Society founded November 1970 by Michael Neale Dalton of London, England.
• Family History Compiled by Lucy Henderson Horton
• Ould Newbury: Historical and Biographical Sketches
• Reminiscences of a Newburyport Nonagenarian 
• Brides of Apollo R F Rothschild