An Armorial Memorial With a Link to a Famous New England Author

Our next heraldic memorial speaks much of this man's membership and activity in the church of King's Chapel, but very little about his life outside of that, and gives no mention of his famous granddaughter.

The inscription reads:

JOSEPH MAY,

Born in Boston, March 25 1760, died Feb. 27 1841.

A member of this church during nearly sixty years,

and one of its Wardens for more than thirty,

He was one of those who voted in 1785 to revise the liturgy

and subsequently to ordain as Rector the Reverend James Freeman,

whereby this became an independent church,

His love for this church was constant and peculiar,

His attachment to its worship intelligent and life-ling,

and his devotion to its interests was unwavering,

of inflexible integrity, exact, untiring, unselfish,

firm in the Christian faith,

sustained by an animating hope,

and in charity generous, patient and judicious,

'He might have been traced

through every quarter of the city by the footprints of

his benefactions.'

On a more genealogical note, Col. Joseph May was born on 25 March 1760, in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony, to Samuel May, and  Abigail (Williams) May. He married Dorothy J. Sewall on 28 December 1784, in Boston, Massachusetts. They were the parents of at least 7 sons and 6 daughters. He died on 27 February 1841, in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 80, and was buried in a family tomb in Central Burying Ground in Boston.

He was the maternal grandfather of famous New England author Louisa May Alcott (Little Women, Little Men, and many more), through his daughter Abby, who married Amos Bronson Alcott.

The arms at the top of the monument are uncolored and not deeply carved in the stone; that they are not well lit in the chapel adds to the difficulty in making them out clearly.

Fortunately for us, we have several sources that can shed sufficient light of them.

Bolton’s American Armory cites: “May. Gules a fess argent between eight billets sable(?), four in chief and four in base. The billets are tricked sanguine and are properly or.” “Wall tablet to Joseph May, 1760-1841, King’s Chapel, Boston.”

Crozier’s General Armory: “May. Massachusetts. John May, Roxbury, 1640. (Mayfield, Co. Waterford.) Gules a fess between eight billets, four in chief and four in base or.”

And finally, in Burke’s General Armory: May (Faunt, co. Sussex; Thomas May, temp. Edward IV. Visit. Leicester, 1619). Gules a fess between eight billets or.

Whose Are the Wife's Arms in This Memorial

The next armorial memorial in King's Chapel, Boston, we find are a bit of a mystery.

Not the husband's arms, but those attributed to his wife.

Further muddying the waters, there have been several men named Charles Apthorp, each with, naturally enough, wives of different surnames.

But before trying to see what we can discover about the wife's arms on this monument, let's deal with the husband and his arms.

The Heraldic Journal, Vol. II, pp. 14-15 gives a transcription of the full Latin text of the inscription on the monument, and then goes on to give additional family information:

The next monument is that of Charles Apthorp, son of John and Susan (Ward) Apthorp, who was born in 1698. Charles Apthorp was a merchant here, paymaster and commissary of the English troops. He married, 13 Jan. 1726, Griselda, dau. of John Eastwicke, by his wife Griselda, dau. of John Lloyd (called by Bridgman  Sir John Lloyd of Somersetshire.) The Apthorps were numerous here, and very well connected. Of the children of Charles, Griselda m. Barlow Trecothick, Lord Mayor of London; John m. Alicia Mann, sister of Sir Horace Mann, British minister at Florence. Rev. Dr. East Apthorp m. a dau. of Foster Hutchinson, &c.

Here is a better view of the arms at the base of the monument, as we consider the husband's arms to dexter and begin to look at the confusion caused by the wife's arms on the sinister side of the shield:

Bolton’s American Armory cites: “Apthorp. Per pale nebuly argent and azure; impaling, Checky gules and ermine (Garter?). Wall tablet to Charles Apthorpe, 1698-1758, Boston merchant, King’s Chapel, Boston, north aisle. He married Griselda Eastwicke. There is no evidence on the shield of the usual “two mullets in pale [sic. Should be “in fess” or even left unblazoned, as that should be the default for two charges on a per pale field] counterchanged.”

The Heraldic Journal, Vol. II, p. 14  notes that “We cannot explain the arms here given, which should be Apthorp impaling Eastwicke.”

The Gore Roll of Arms, no. 20, is labeled "Mary Apthorp wido of Charles Apthorp of Boston Mas 1709." Dr. Harold Bowditch, in his review of the arms in the Gore Roll, ascribes the widow’s arms there (Quarterly or and or four eagles displayed gules) to Mansbridge. Burke’s General Armory cites two different Mansbridge arms, both from London: Quarterly argent and vert four eagles displayed counterchanged; and Quarterly argent and or four double-headed eagles displayed vert. Obviously, neither of these Mansbridge arms are the checky coat to be found here in King’s Chapel.

These checky arms are not found in Burke’s General Armory under Eastwicke or Mansbridge, the surnames of the ladies married to one or another Charles Apthorp.

Burke does cite “Garter. Checky ermine and or” but without any other information. (Presumably, this is where Bolton got his guess that this may be Garter.)

So what are we left with here? The husband's arms, though lacking the two stars, are certainly those of Apthorp. But the wife's arms shown here have left heraldists scratching their heads for at least 160 years (Volume II of The Heraldic Journal having been published in 1866), and I have not been able to shed any additional light upon it, even with the greater access to armorials and information than ever before. As only one example, there is a coat of arms for Eastwick given in the American Heraldry Society's "A Roll of Early American Arms," but it shows a chevron between three bucks statant, not the checky shield we see here.

In the end, it's still a mystery.

The Next Armorial Memorial in King's Chapel, Boston, Massachusetts

Our next memorial with a coat of arms on it is that of Frances Shirley, née Barker, the wife of Massachusetts Governor William Shirley.

The Heraldic Journal, Vol. II, pp. 12-13, gives a clean drawing of the arms shown here, and a transcription of the very long Latin text on the memorial.

That same volume, on pp. 116-118, gives us some of the family background of Governor Shirley, and goes to state:

His first wife was Frances, dau. of Francis Barker, and the arms on her monument (Vol. II, p. 12) show she was probably of the Yorkshire family of that name.

The Heraldic Journal then goes on to list their children.

But now for the impaled arms:

Bolton’s American Armory cites: Shirley. Paly of six argent and sable (properly or and azure) a canton ermine. Impaling: Argent three bear’s heads erased gules muzzled or in chief three torteaux (Barker). Crest: A bearded face couped at the shoulders. Wall tablet to Frances, wife of Gov. Shirley. King’s Chapel, Boston, south aisle.

It's always a bit annoying when someone paints a carved coat of arms in incorrect colors. But I've seen it just about everywhere I have found such painted coats.

Burke's General Armory cites: Shirley (Shirley, co. Derby, Staunton Harold, co. Leicerster, and Chartley, co. Stafford ...). Paly of six or and azure a quarter ermine, reduced during the 17th and 18th centuries to a canton, but the older arms were Paly of six or and sable, without any quarter. Crest--The head of a Saracen proper couped at the neck wreathed round the temples or and azure.

And for Barker, Burke gives us: Barker (Newbury). Argent three bear's heads erased gules muzzled or in chief as many torteaux.

I just love it when you go looking for confirmation of a (or in this case, two) coat of arms in the General Armory and they just pop right up for you.

This is not to say that I can say with any certainty that either of these two marshaled coats was borne by either family right; even in the pre-Revolutionary War period here in America, there were people who were using arms based solely on their use by someone else of the same or similar surname. For example, many of clients of the Gore family, carriage and sign painters and producers of patterns for heraldic embroideries in Boston. See, e.g., the Gore Roll of Arms.

But I also can't say with any certainty that they were not borne by right. And in either case, they were certainly used by the Shirleys and the Barkers, whether by inheritance or not. And in the end, a lot of what I look at is that usage, which can tell us a lot about the people who bore coats of arms and the period in which they lived.

And isn't that part of the attraction? To see how heraldry can add to our knowledge of history?

The Well-Known Arms of Newton in King's Chapel, Boston

Our next armorial memorial in King's Chapel, Boston, Massachusetts, is that of Thomas Newton, Esq.

Thomas Newton, Esq., served as King's Attorney and prosecuted the witchcraft cases in Salem, Massachusetts until 26 July 1692. On that day he was succeeded by Anthony Checkley, the colony's attorney general. Newton had come to Massachusetts from England in 1688 and was one of the first legally trained lawyers in Massachusetts. Over the course of his career, he also served as Controller of the Customs at Boston, Judge of the Admiralty Court, and Attorney-General for the Province of Massachusetts.

All of the biographical information I can find for Thomas Newton (beyond that given on the face of the memorial, and much of which confirms the colonial offices he held) gives his death date as May 28, 1721, but the memorial here gives his death as June 12, 1721. The difference has to be more than just the change from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian, as May 28 under the former would only be June 8 under the latter. So color me confused.

The Heraldic Journal, Vol. II, p. 12, gives the following biographical information on Mr. Newton: "At all events, this Thomas Newton is termed Esquire in his will, dated 6 March 1720[/21], proved 5 June 1721, in which he mentions his wife Christian, son Hibbett Newton, and daighters Elizabeth, Christian and Hannah."

Following his death, we find the following advertisements and notices about the sale of his extensive personal library:

On 14 August, 18 September, 9 October 1721, in the Boston News-Letter: "To be Sold by Auction upon the Third Tuesday of October next, being the 17th Day of the said Month, A very curious and valuable Collection of Books, being the Library of the late Thomas Newton Esq, of Boston, Deceased, consisting of Divinity, History, but mostly of the Law (being the greatest and best Collection of Law Books that ever was exposed to Sale in this Country.) The Sale is to be at the House where his Widow now dwells in Queen-Street, Opposite to the Prison on Boston, and begins at Four a Clock in the afternoon, and so de Die in Diem till all are Sold. The Books may be seen Fourteen Days before the Sale, and Catalogues may be had gratis at said House."

Notice text of 28 August 1721, in The Boston Gazette: "Whereas several Books of the late Mr. Newton's Library are missing, being lent in his Life time and not yet returned. This is to desire that all Persons having any such Books, will return them to his Widow at her house in Prison Lane, Boston. The late Mr. Newton's Library is to be Sold by Auction at the House abovesaid, on Tuesday the 17 of October next, where Printed Catalogues may be had Gratis."

Advertisement text on 9 October 1721, in The Boston Gazette: "A Collection of Curious and Valuable Books, being the Library of the late Mr. Newton, are to be Sold by Auction, on Tuesday the 17th Instant, at the House of his Widow's in Queen-Street."

Postponement announcement text on 16 October 1721, in the Boston News-Letter: "By reason of the Small Pox, the Publick Sale of the Library of the late Thomas Newton of Boston, Esq, Deceased, that was to be on Tuesday next, is at present put off to a more convenient Season; and in the interim, any Gentleman may be accommodated with what Books they want till the Publick Sale."

Advertisement text on 14, 21, 28 May 1722, in the Boston News-Letter: "To be Sold by Publick Vendue on Tuesday the 29th Instant at Three of the Clock in the Afternoon, at the Sun Tavern on Dock-square, a Valuable Collection of BOOKS, being the Library of Thomas Newton Esq, deceased; with sundry other Valuable Books added to them."

But of course, it is the coat of arms displayed on his monument, rather than his extensive library, in which we are interested.

Bolton’s American Armory, p. 121, cites: "Newton. Sable two shin bones in saltire argent the sinister surmounting the dexter. Crest: An arm holding a battle axe. Wall tablet to Thomas Newton, warden of King’s Chapel, 1704, and attorney-general, d. 1721. King’s Chapel, Boston, south aisle." In short, the memorial tablet that we are looking at is the source for Bolton's citation of these arms.

I couldn't get high enough to see the full motto on the scroll beneath the shield, and I didn't find it listed in Fairbairn's Crests, my usual "go-to" source, either under "Newton" or in the Mottoes section with anything beginning with "DE" and ending in "GO".

Still, an interesting coat of arms memorialing a man who certainly lived in interesting times.

Another Armorial Memorial in King's Chapel, Boston

Our next heraldic memorial in King's Chapel in Boston, Massachusetts, is that of John Lowell, Jr.

This one differs from the one in our previous post in that, while the inscription thereon is still fully in Latin, most notably it contains a complete bust of the man as opposed to a bas-relief.

John Lowell, Jr. (1749-1840) was an American political pamphleteer, born at Newburyport, Massachusetts. He graduated at Harvard in 1786; was admitted to the bar in 1789; took up his residence in Boston, became eminent as a lawyer, and was an active, honored, and public-spirited citizen, but never took an office. He was a notable member of the Federalist Party in the early days of the United States.

He is sufficiently important enough to have his own entry in Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lowell_Jr._(lawyer)

But, as usual, it is the coat of arms at the top of the monument which caught our eye.

The arms do not appear in Burke’s General Armory, nor the crest or motto in Fairbairn’s Crests.

Nor do the arms appear in the American Heraldry Society's "A Roll of Early American Arms," which can be found on-line at https://www.americanheraldry.org/heraldry-in-the-united-states/roll-of-early-american-arms/ (This on-line roll is stated to be of arms "borne in the present day United States before 1825, which one would think ought to include the Lowell arms here, but it any event it is otherwise generally very helpful in researching arms as used in what is now the United States in the 17th and 18th centuries.)

Bolton’s American Armory cites: Lowell: Sable a hand couped at the wrist grasping three darts points down, one in pale and two in saltire argent. Crest: A stag’s head cabossed or between the antlers a pheon (azure?). (Bolton's source: "Wall tablet to John Lowell, 1769-1840. King’s Chapel, Boston." South Aisle. In other words, the memorial we are looking at today!)

Crozier’s General Armory gives us: Lowell. Massachusetts. Percival Lowle, Newbury, 1639. Sable a hand couped at the wrist grasping three darts, one in pale and two in saltire argent. Crest: A covered cup or. So, the same arms as seen here, but an entirely different crest.

Motto: Occasionem cocmosce (Seize the opportunity).

So what we have here, as in several other cases recently, is a coat of arms used in late colonial America for which I have not found a European antecedent. Still, there they are -- arms, crest, and motto -- literally carved in stone. So there you have it.

The Armorial Memorial of William Sullivan

Having finished our review of the armorial graves and gravestones outside in King's Chapel Burying Ground, we paid the $5 entrance fee (by credit card; they no longer accept cash) into the interior of King's Chapel, and having asked if photography was allowed inside (Answer: Yes, but without flash), we begin our review of the memorials containing heraldry inside the Chapel.

The first of those memorials is that to William Sullivan.

The memorial contains, as you can see, a long and involved inscription entirely in Latin. Please feel free to click on the image above to go to the full-size photograph that shows this in greater detail.

William Sullivan (1774-1839) was a son of Governor James Sullivan, and is buried outside in King's Chapel Burying Ground in Tomb 146 with his two brothers, John and George.

William was a prominent Boston lawyer, Federalist politician, and author. He was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1795, served on the Massachusetts General Court (1804-1830), and was a delegate to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention (1830). From 1830, he devoted most of his career to writing about political institutions of the United States. He also wrote the Political Class Book, a textbook which first introduced the study of nature and the principles of our government into the nation’s schools.

But of course, it was the shield, crest, and motto at the base of the monument which attracted our attention.

Lacking the colors, it was somewhat difficult to determine exactly what was depicted on the shield, or to determine what kind of bird was in the crest. So, of course, we resorted to some of the standard reference works for English heraldry, and things became clearer. 

Burke’s General Armory gives us: Sullivan (Thames Ditton, co. Surrey, baronet). Per fess the base per pale, in chief Or a dexter hand couped at the wrist grasping a sword erect pommel and hilt gules the blade entwined with a serpent proper between two lions rampant respectant gules; the dexter base vert charged with a buck trippant or, on the sinister base per pale argent and sable a boar passant counterchanged. (So the field was indeed not "Quarterly" as I had at first suspected; it's even more complicated than that. Good to know!)

And Fairbairn’s Crests cites: Sullivan. On a ducal coronet or a robin holding in its beak a sprig of laurel proper. (A robin and not, as I had thought, a dove. Also good to know.)

Motto: Lamh foisdin eachan uœchtar (The hand of the one who rests above). This is a variant of the Sullivan motto cited in Fairbairn: Lamh foistinneach an uachdar (The gentle hand uppermost).

I don't recall having seen the use of a "motto belt" in place of the more usual motto scroll before. Interesting.