Captain David Pearce

David Pierce (aka Peirce/Pearce), the son of David Peirce and Susannah Stephens was born in 1735.

David married three times. His first wife was Bethia Ingersoll (1740-1792), who he married on 15 March 1759 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts David and Bethia had eight children all born in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts:

• Bethia Pierce (b. 17 July 1761; d. October 1798), m. 11 April 1787, Robert Williams (1753-1854)
• Mary (aka Polly) Pierce, (b. 30 August 1763), m. 4 January 1781, John Beach
• David Pierce (b. 18 January 1766; d. May 1807, Boston, Massachusetts), m. 21 July 1786 Hannah Wheeler (1768-), m. possibly 2) Elizabeth Vassall
• Sarah (aka Sally) Pierce (b. 10 September 1768; d. 10 July 1802, Weston, Massachusetts), m. 1) 12 July 1789, Jonathan Williams (1768-), m. 2) 18 October 1798, Abijah Cheever
• Abigail Pierce (b. 8 February 1773), m. Benjamin Parrott Homer (1761-1838)
• John Pierce (b. 27 February 1775; 1798, France)
• Harriet Pierce (b. 10 August 1777; d. 6 June 1778, Gloucester, Massachusetts)
• Harriet Pierce (b. 28 March 1780; 10 February 1869, Rockingham, New Hampshire), m. 2 December 1804 the Hon. Hunking Penhallow (1766-1826)

Bethia Ingersol died 19 June 1792 and David Pierce married 2) Abigail Ingersol (1757-1800) on 16 December 1792. He married 3) Elizabeth (Baldwin) widow of Wheat Gilbert, of Brookfield and daughter of Colonel Jeduthan and Eliza (Parkman) Baldwin on 22 September 1805. David Pierce married 2) Abigail Ingersoll on 16 Dec 1792 at Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts. Abigail was the daughter of Josiah and Bethia (Sargent) Ingersoll and sister to David Pierce's first wife, Bethia. It is not known at this time if there were children from this union.

David Pierce married 3) Elizabeth (Baldwin) Gilbert, the widow of Wheat Gilbert on 22 September 1805 at Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts after announcing intention on 21 August of the same year. There were no children from this union.

According to Babson, David Pierce started as a fisherman and soon owned two boats. He continued to add vessels, engaging in trade as well as fishing and eventually became one of the wealthiest merchants of the town at that time. He experienced losses during the Revolution, some of which he recouped through privateering. After the war, he did very well, sending large vessels to Europe and India and on whaling voyages, while maintaining smaller ones in the fishing industry and trade with the West Indies. David Pierce had a large house on Front Street, at the foot of Central Wharf, where he had "a distillery, oil-works, and stores for merchandise." At the age of 70, however, David Pierce was forced into bankruptcy through disasters to several of his ships.

Capt. David Pierce, Jr. died on 18 March 1818 at 82 years of age in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts. He died intestate and his record was entered into Probate on 7 April 1818.