Charles Apthorp

Charles Apthorpe Birth: 1698 Death: 1758 (60) Immediate Family: Son of John Apthorpe and Susan Apthorpe Husband of Grizzel Apthorpe Father of Charles Ward Apthorp; Grizzell Trecothick; John Apthorpe; James Apthorpe; East Apthorpe; Henry Apthorpe; Stephen Apthorpe; William Apthorpe; Susan Apthorpe Bullfinch; Joseph Apthorpe; Elizabeth Bayard; Thomas Apthorpe; Catherine Apthorpe; George Apthorpe; Robert Apthorpe; Rebecca Apthorpe; Catherine Apthorpe and Ann Wheelwright ======================================= harles Apthorp (1698–1758) was a British-born merchant in 18th-century Boston, Massachusetts. He ran his import business from Merchants Row, and "in his day he was called the richest man in Boston."[1] He acted for the British government, and supported King's Chapel. Early life[edit] Charles Apthorp was born in England in 1698 to East[2][3] or John Apthorp[4] and Susan Ward Apthorp, daughter of Lord Ward of Bixley, now Bexley. He attended Eton College.[2] Career[edit] Advertisement for Charles Apthorp and Son, Boston, 1753. For sale: camblets, druggets, Bohea tea, shalloons, sagathies, everlastings, duroys, tammies, allapeens, oznabrigs, tiffanys, ferrets, galoons, chelloes, gorgoroons, etc. (Boston Evening-Post) Apthorp lived on King Street (red house, lower right), Boston. (Detail of 1801 painting by J. Marston)[5] Apthorp emigrated to New England following the death of his father. In Boston, Massachusetts he was a commissary and paymaster for the British military forces and established a mercantile business.[3][4][6] Apthorp was a successful, wealthy man,[3] with "imperial trading connections".[7] Import merchant[edit] Among the goods imported and/or sold through Apthorp on Merchants Row in Boston were "choice madera wines, ... a parcel of Russia duck and several sorts of European goods";[8] "British duck of all sorts";[9] "choice good sea coal, ... several second hand cables, little the worse for wear, and anchors suitable, with window glass of most sorts, and a parcel of lead and shot";[10] "a good new still and worm of about 600 gallons";[11] salt;[12] "a parcel of guns, 4-pounders, with carriages and shott, also a parcel of swivel-guns with shott suitable;"[13] a "well fitted" 50-ton sloop";[14] and "a brigantine about 90 tuns, and three years old, now lying at the Long Wharfe".[15] Slave trade[edit] Apthorp was a "venerable slave importer and one of the richest men in Boston" by 1746. At that time, "slave-for-sale" ads appeared in the weekly Boston Gazette. Between 1719 and 1781 there were about 2,300 slave notices for about 2,000 slaves.[16] In the 1730s and 1740s he repeatedly traded in slaves, for instance he posted an ad in the Boston Gazette:[17][full citation needed] "a parcel of likely negros just imported".[18] In 1733 Apthorp acted as agent for a man seeking his servant, Hannah Smyth, who had run away with a stolen diamond "and has lately been seen here in Boston."[19][full citation needed] He performed a similar role in 1742, authorized to furnish "five pounds reward" for the return of a "negro man named Jack about 35 years old" to "his master Capt. Stephen Eastwick."[20][full citation needed] In 1756 Apthorp & Son served as agent for someone looking for an anchor lost on Cape Cod "with two iron clasps on one of the flukes, a solid pine buoy, and buoy-rope."[21][full citation needed] British government representative[edit] Along with Thomas Hancock, Apthorp represented the British government in its efforts to recruit personnel to Nova Scotia—ship pilots, bricklayers, carpenters, land settlers, etc.[22][23][24][25][full citation needed] He also served as "paymaster and commissary under the British Government of the land and naval forces quartered in Boston."[4] Apthorp and Hancock together supplied many of the boats used to ethnically cleanse Nova Scotia of the Acadians in the Great Upheaval. The firm also lent money to finance the operation. The poor quality of the ships led to widespread malnutrition, disease, and death among the deported Acadians.[26][full citation needed] Personal life[edit] Marriage and children[edit] Apthorp married Grizzel Eastwicke on January 13, 1726. She was born in Jamaica to Griselda Lloyd and John Eastwicke.[2][4][nb 1] A descendant of the couple, great-grandson Joseph Coolidge, stated that: "Her portrait, painted by Sir Peter Lely, and showing her to have been remarkably beautiful, remains in the family."[2] She was said to have "rare qualities of person and character."[3] Portrait of Charles' daughter, Susan Apthorp, 1757 Apthorp and his wife had eighteen children, three whom died before him.[4] The children included:[nb 2] Charles Ward Apthorp (later of Apthorp Farm).[27] Charles married Mary McEvers.[6] Grizzel married Barlow Trecothink.[6] Susan married Thomas Bulfinch on October 8, 1754. He was warden of the King's Chapel church after the Revolutionary War.[6] They were the parents of architect Charles Bulfinch. John married Alica Mann, sister of Horace Mann, Hannah Greenleafe. He was member of the house of Thomlinson and Trecothink. On a voyage to Charleston, South Carolina, they were lost at sea. Their children survived them, including Colonel John T. Apthorp.[6] James was born November 17, 1731 and married Sarah Wentworth. Her family owned Wentworth Mannor in Yorkshire.[6] East, who became a minister.[6][27] East Apthorp built in 1761 a mansion designed by Peter Harrison; it is now part of the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[28] Ann, born January 18, 1735 – 1736. She married Nathaniel Wheelwright.[6] Henry (March 19, 1736 - 1762)[6] Stephen born March 10, 1737 – 1738[6] Joseph (April 22, 1739 - March 1749 – 1750)[6] Elizabeth born May 28, 1740. She was married twice to men from New York: James McEvers and Robert Bayard.[6] Thomas born October 19, 1741. After his father's death and until 1776, Thomas was made paymaster to British forces. He went to England, married in Lisbon and died in Ludlow, Wales.[6] Rebecca born June 20, 1746. She married Robert Bayard from New York.[6] William born February 26, 1749. He married Mary Thompson.[6] There were also three children born between 1742 and 1745 who died as young children: Catherine, George, and Robert. A second daughter Catherine was born in 1750; She died on the date of her birth.[6] The family had a home in Boston and another outside town in Quincy, Massachusetts.[3] Religion[edit] Apthorp tablet in King's Chapel, Boston He helped to found the church[3] and was "one of the first wardens of Trinity Church"[4] He was a warden at the King's Chapel in Boston,[4] starting in 1731 when he and other church wardens met weekly and conducted affairs for the church, including hiring, assigning pews in the church, managing finances and interacting with members about church operations. Apthorp, "of the old tenor, contributed £200 towards the cost of a new church building; If sufficient funds were not raised within the church congregation, he agreed to pay an additional £1,000. He was elected to manage treasury of the new building funds.[4][29] He was a leading, "noteworthy" member of the church who was: "Warden in 1731-1732, 1743-1744, treasurer of the Building Committee, and a generous subscriber to the new church.[2][30] His large family filled two family pews in the church.[6] Among the Apthorp's personal possessions were "a set of eight chairs ... probably purchased from the chairmaker and upholsterer Samuel Grant, [with] carving ... attributed to John Welch."[31] Portraits[edit] Portraits were made of Charles Apthorp by Joseph Blackburn;[32][nb 3] and John Singleton Copley.[32][full citation needed] Family portraits at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston as of 1908 include works by Robert Feke and Hartwell:[33][34][35][nb 4] Portrait of Charles Apthorp, by Robert Feke Portrait of Griselda Eastwicke Apthorp, by Robert Feke Portrait of Mrs. Barlow Trecothick, by Robert Feke Portrait of Griselda Eastwicke, by Hartwell The Fine Arts museum's collection now contains miniatures, a few portraits and silverware from the Apthorp family.[36] Death[edit] Apthorp died suddenly in November, 1758; he complained "of a slight cold a few minutes before he expired."[4][6][37] A New England newspaper described him as "the greatest and most noble merchant on this continent." Twelve days after his death, his funeral was held at King's Chapel.[4] It was "attended by very many gentlemen of distinction and principal inhabitants of the town. The streets and windows of the houses, as the solemnity passed along, were thronged with spectators. ... [At King's Chapel] the Reverend Mr. Caner preached a suitable sermon to a crowded audience."[38] A wall marker carved by Henry Cheere memorializes Apthorp inside King's Chapel; it "is crowned by a cherub weeping over a cinerary urn."[39][40] In a book written in 1910, Apthorp left a fortune equal to $150,000.[3] After her husband died Grizzel lived near the Central House on Brattle Square [Dock Square at Brattle Street].[3] She died at 88 years of age in 1796 in the home of her son, John in Quincy. A notice of her death described her as virtuous, amiable, charitable and well-regarded http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Apthorp ---------------------------------------------------------- Charles Apthorp (1698-1758) Charles Apthorp was a prosperous British-born merchant and loyalist living in Boston, Mass. who served as paymaster and agent for the Royal Army and Navy, furnishing supplies and money to British forces in Nova Scotia and Boston. He was also a land speculator and one-time business partner of Thomas Hancock. His firm of Charles Apthorp & Son imported and sold many kinds of goods, including slaves. He married Grizzell Eastwick, and they had 18 children. http://www.masshist.org/collection-guides/view/fa0399