Amos Pierce^[1]

1784 - 1872  (87 years)

• Name	Amos Pierce
  Born	31 Jul 1784	Vermont   [2]
  Gender	Male
  Died	20 Jul 1872	Warren County, Illinois   [2]
  Notes	Amos Pierce was born in Vermont, July 31, 1784, where he spent his boyhood days. Removing from Vermont, he settled in western New York, where he was engaged in blacksmithing, proving himself an expert in making the first bolts and ironwork on the New York and Erie canal. In 1811, he was married to Miss Mary Sanford. She was born in 1790, and died September 30, 1845. His second marriage was to Mrs. Evaline Woods. Mr. Pierce removed from New York to Ashtabula county, Ohio. He came to Illinois in 1834, and bought a quarter section of land in Knox county. The village of Altona is located on this same quarter. After he had bought it, he became dissatisfied, as there was no timber on the land. He then sold it and went to St. Augustine, where he met with some old settlers who went with him to Greenfield (now Greenbush), where he bought land south of the village, on section 7. Here he built his log house of three rooms, and here he spent the remainder of his days, farming, blacksmithing, and running a sawmill on Nigger creek, a short distance south of his residence. This mill was built by Cornelius Clover, who then resided near St. Augustine. It was run by water-power, and had an up-and-down saw. The log was drawn against the saw with a wheel, having notched segments on the outer circle and wood pins on the side. When the board was sawed, the sawyer stepped on the pins to return the log. This action was called "treading back the ragwheel.'' Many of the old settlers procured lumber here to use in the construction of their houses, and for other purposes. The old mill played its part in the early days, and then passed into decay. It is said that at the home of Amos Pierce strangers and friends were welcome alike, and that his home was a refuge for the colored man on his way to Canada for freedom. He was industrious, and stood for temperance, education, progression, and a liberal religion; and was a member of the Universalist church. In politics he was a republican. He died July 20, 1872. Amos Pierce, the subject of this sketch, was the seventh in descent from Thomas Pierce, the emigrant ancestor of this branch of the Pierce family. Thomas Pierce came from England to this country, in 1633, with his wife Elizabeth, and settled in Charlestown, Mass. http://www.usgennet.org/usa/il/county/warren/john_patterson.html
  Person ID	I30584	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	17 Aug 2014

  
  

  Family	Mary Sanford,   b. 4 Nov 1791, Poultney, Rutland County, Vermont ,   d. 30 Sep 1845  (Age 53 years)
  Married	1811	New York   [2]
  Children	1. Abiron Pierce,   b. Aft 1811, Poultney, Rutland County, Vermont ,   d. Yes, date unknown   2. Clement Pierce,   b. 30 Sep 1813, Poultney, Rutland County, Vermont ,   d. 25 Dec 1890, Roseville, Warren County, Illinois  (Age 77 years)   3. William Henry Pierce,   b. 23 Jan 1816, Poultney, Rutland County, Vermont ,   d. 25 Feb 1880  (Age 64 years)   4. Marietta Pierce,   b. 1817, Poultney, Rutland County, Vermont ,   d. Yes, date unknown   5. Stephen Pierce,   b. 20 Sep 1820, Poultney, Rutland County, Vermont ,   d. Roseville, Warren County, Illinois   6. Phebe Jane Pierce,   b. 7 Mar 1823, Poultney, Rutland County, Vermont ,   d. 26 Jan 1888, Cawker City, Mitchell County, Kansas  (Age 64 years)   7. Eliza B. Pierce,   b. 10 Mar 1825, Poultney, Rutland County, Vermont ,   d. 19 Dec 1845  (Age 20 years)
  Last Modified	13 Sep 2010
  Family ID	F9861	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - 31 Jul 1784 - Vermont Married - 1811 - New York Died - 20 Jul 1872 - Warren County, Illinois  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources

  [S626] Sanford-Shulsen Family (evelyn.beran@charter.net) ; http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=SHOW&db=sanford-shulsen&. [S624] Thomas Sanford Genealogy, Carlton E. Sanford, (Rutland VT: The Tuttle Company, 1911), 1:513 (Reliability: 3).