Gideon Barstow, III, US Congressman

Member of Congress from Mass. 1821-1823 Dr. Gideon Barstow was an early member of the Massachusetts Medical Society, having been admitted in 1808. He was a member of the convention for revising the Constitution of Massachusetts in 1820, and the two following years a member of Congress from Massachusetts. He was a graduate from Brown University and had practiced medicine in Salem before locating in Hanover. Still later he moved to Brookline, Massachusetts, and died in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1852, where he had gone for his health.

Source: "History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable Counties Massachusetts; Volume I" by Elroy S. Thompson. Pub. 1928. Page 127

Gideon Barstow (1783-1852) — of Massachusetts. Born in Mattapoisett, Plymouth County, Mass., September 7, 1783. Democrat. U.S. Representative from Massachusetts 2nd District, 1821-23; member of Massachusetts state legislature. Died in St. Augustine, St. Johns County, Fla., March 26, 1852. Interment at Huguenot Cemetery.

Gideon Barstow (September 7, 1783 - March 26, 1852) was a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.

Born in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, Barstow attended the common schools and Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island from 1799 to 1801. He studied medicine. He was admitted to practice and settled in Salem, Massachusetts. He served as member of the State constitutional convention in 1820.

Barstow was elected as a Republican to the Seventeenth Congress (March 4, 1821-March 3, 1823). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1822. He served as member of the State house of representatives in 1823, 1829, 1833, and 1837. He served in the State senate in 1827 and 1834. He served as presidential elector on the Whig ticket of Clay and Sergeant in 1832. Because of ill health moved to St. Augustine, St. Johns County, Florida, and engaged in mercantile pursuits. He died in St. Augustine, Florida, March 26, 1852. He was interred in Huguenot Cemetery.

Dr. Gideon Barstow was an early member of the Massachusetts Medical Society, having been admitted in 1808. HE was a member of the convention for revising the Constitution of Massachusetts in 1820, and the two following years a member of Congress from Massachusetts. He was a graduate from Brown University and had practiced medicine in Salem before locating in Hanover. Still later he moved to Brookline, Massachusetts, and died in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1852, where he had gone for his health.

Source: "History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable Counties Massachusetts; Volume I" by Elroy S. Thompson. Pub. 1928. Page 127

Gideon Barstow, son of Gideon and Anna (Mead) Barstow, b. at Mattapoiset, 7 Sept., 1783; d. in St. Augustine, Fla., where he had gone for the benefit of his health, 26 Mar., 1852; m. Nancy, daughter of Simon and llachel (Hathorne) Forrester, who is now residing in Boston. He descended in the sixth generation from William Barstow, who, at the age of twenty-three, embarked for New England with hisbrother George in the "True Love," John Gibbs, master, probably from the West Riding in Yorkshire; he was in Dedham in 1636, a freeman in Scituate in 1649, and the first settler in the present territory of Hanover; a noted man of his day and a great land-holder; d. in 1668, aged 56; through William2, Benjamin3, Gideon*, Gideon5. Three or four of the later generations lived in Mattapoiset and were largely engaged in ship building. He first settled in Salem as a practising physician, where he was considered skilful in his profession and attentive to its duties; afterwards a merchant engaged in foreign commerce ; a member of both branches of Mass. Legis.; a representative In U. S. Congress, 1821-3.

source: Essex Institute historical collections, Volume 15

"Captain Joseph White, eighty-two years old, was murdered in his bed in his home which is now called the Gardner-Pingree house. The event struck the town with horror. Doors were locked for the first time, and many could not sleep. A Committee of Vigilance was formed with broad powers. Gideon Barstow, husband of Nancy Forrester, was in charge. Rumors abounded. Two Knapp brothers and two Crowninshield brothers were arrested. The trial was attended not only by those in the courthouse, but by many who could hear from outside. Daniel Webster gave a powerful speech for the prosecution and the two Knapps were hanged. Much of the populace watched the executions. One Crowninshield committed suicide, and the other escaped by a legal technicality. This made the news all over the country. The event remained in the memory of Salemites for a very long time."

source: Salem and Hawthorne

by Margaret B. Moore

Independent Scholar, Athens, GA

Dr. Barstow's residence was the brick house opposite Plummer Hall, now numbered 131 Essex Street, Salem.

source: The proceedings in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the ...

By Essex Institute

A memorial headstone is also located in the Cushing Cemetery, Mattapoisett, MA findagrave

Essex Institute Historical Collections, Salem, Mass, 1935, Vol. 71, p. 56