Lucy Nye Pierce 1809-1896, Wareham and Acushnet, Mass.

Lucy Nye Pierce is an ancestor I feel very connected to—one of those women of her era who from a distance appears strong and resolute. She married three times, outliving all of her husbands, seems to have fibbed about her age to her one of her younger husbands, buried three very young children and lived to an advance age.  Her first husband, Rowland Bumpus, went not once but twice in search of gold in California.  If he struck gold, maybe the hardship of being left with the children and no income coming in would have been worth it, but I don’t think that was the case. Other than his miner days, Rowland worked at Tremont Nail Factory in Wareham. What made matters worse was that it appears Rowland contracted tuberculosis during or soon after his last adventure and died in 1853 at age 49.  Lucy is my fourth great-grandmother on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Davis’ side of the family.

Lucy was born September 1809 (based on age at death), in Wareham, Plymouth Co., Mass., one of the six children of David and Desire (Nye) Pierce.  I wrote about her parents here. 

Lucy Pierce Bumpus Tripp Burnham  (original property of Laurie Howland)

Lucy married, first, Rowland Bumpus, on 5 September 1825, at Wareham.  He was the son of Jonathan and Martha (Chubbuck) Bumpus.  His last name is sometimes seen as Bumpas. Lucy and Rowland had 10 children. I wrote about the family in another post, but below is a short summary:

1. Frederick Adams b. about 1827, he married Jane Yates and they raised their family in Wareham where he died in 1893. He also worked at Tremont Nail Factory.

2. Ambrose D. born about 1829, died 30 May 1833 at Wareham.

3. Adeline B. born 3 December 1831, married Samuel Williams and lived at Wareham where she died in 1897.

4. Rowland, born about 1832, died November 1836 at Wareham.

5. Lucy Maria, born about 1834, she married Calvin Benson at Middleborough on 9 November 1851 but I can’t find anything further on the couple.

6. Caroline born about 1838, married Calvin Baker at Marshfield, 21 August 1858, have not found her death record.

7. Mary Briggs, born about 1840, married Seth Washburn 25 November 1856 at Wareham, lived at Plymouth where she died 27 May 1916.

8. Lucretia W., born about 1842, married Asaph Burbank 12 February 1860 at Wareham, and died at Plymouth 29 December 1880.  

9. Pelina, born September 1845, died 18 August 1846, Wareham.

10. Nathan Cobb, born 23 September 1847, married Susan Ellis 12 August 1870 at Acushnet, died there 27 July 1926.  Was a Civil War Veteran.

I descend from Mary whom I wrote about here.

Lucy and Rowland Bumpus (original property of Laurie Howland)

 

The 1855 state census, Wareham, Lucy is head of household as Rowland had passed away:

Lucy N. Bumpus 45

Caroline P. Bumpus 17

Mary B. Bumpus 15

Lucretia W. Bumpus 13

Nathan C., 8

There is also a Nathan C., age 8, in the 1855 census for Middleborough/W. Bridgewater in what may be a rooming house as mostly single men working as nailors in a factory.

On my long list of things to do is to find the map of the Agawam section of Wareham that shows where Lucy and Rowland lived, listed as belonging Mrs. LN Bumpus, so after Rowland's death.  There is a dark reproduction of the map inside the back cover of the book Glimpses of Early Wareham, and I hope to find a better copy and share it here. 

Lucy married, second, Deacon Brownell Tripp, on 21 March 1861, at Acushnet, a town near New Bedford in Bristol Co., Mass. He was a farmer, later a shoemaker, born in Westport, Mass., son of Philip and Meribah Tripp.  It was his third marriage and they were married by Frederick Tripp, minister (MA VR Vol. 144, Page 67).  Brownell had married first, Ruby Allen and, second, Eliza Case (or Chase). Lucy was 51 years of age and Brownell was about 11 years her senior.  He died on 11 July 1874 of a diseased limb.   

1865 state census, Acushnet, Bristol Co., Mass.:

Brownell Tripp 66 farmer

Lucy N. Tripp 55

Josaphen B. Cochran 19, single

Almeda B. Smith 11, male

I would guess Josephine and Almeda were servants or boarders.

1870 Federal census, Acushnet, Mass.:

Brownell Tripp, 71, shoemaker

Lucy N., 60, keeps house

Nathan C. Tripp, 23 (this would be Lucy’s son Nathan C. Bumpus)

Tabor, Betsey, 50, at home (family member or servant?)

1880 Federal census, Westport, Mass.:

1880 census, Westport, Mass, taken 17 June 1880

John Howland 82, retired mariner

Nancy Howland 67, wife house keeping

Lucy M. Tripp, 70, nurse

This is likely Lucy before her July marriage to Josiah Burnham, perhaps nursing a sick person in their home as a way to earn an income and have housing after the death of Brownell.

Lucy married, third, Josiah Burnham at Acushnet on 31 July 1880. Josiah was born about 1811, to Josiah and Abigail Burnham of Essex, Mass. He was a physician and died of senility on 13 December 1895.  Josiah’s first wife was Susan Getchell of Salem. In the 1860 census he and Susan are living in New Bedford. She died at Acushnet in 1878. In the 1880 census he is age 69, a widower, living in Acushnet, near his soon to be son-in-law Nathan C. Bumpus.

Lucy and Josiah lived on Main Street in Acushnet.  Josiah died in 1895 and family has told me he is buried on the property.

Lucy’s death is recorded in the Massachusetts state vital records: Lucy Burnham died 29 June 1896, age 86 years, 9 months, widow, daughter of David and Desire Pierce, born Wareham, died Acushnet of heart disease.

She is buried at Tabor Cemetery on Main Street in Acushnet.  She shares a large stone with her son Nathan C. Bumpus and his wife and daughter.  I was in the area last week and took a quick drive through town, stopping to pay my respects to Lucy for the first time. 

Sources Not Listed Above:

Records of the First Parish Church of Wareham, by Leonard H. Smith.

Glimpses of Early Wareham, by Daisy Washburn Lovell, Wareham Historical Society