Descendants of Massachusetts Thomas Macy Line in Arlington Florida

 

4 Generations of Macy Blood Lines from the Florida branch L to R Theodore Macy, Anson Charles Macy , Judah Macy, and Baby is Lewis Warren Macy Information from Melanie MacLean Cross President of Old Arlington, INC  The Macy and MacLean Families

Written by Cleve Powell Originally published in the History Corner section of the August 2009 OAI Newsletter
After the Civil War, the name “Arlington” first appeared as a small development called Arlington Bluff (now Clifton) in 1873. The area considered as Arlington today has far surpassed anyone’s imagination. The “Old Arlington” historic area is bounded by Atlantic Boulevard on the south, Mill Creek and Hartsfield Roads on the east and the St. Johns River on the north and west. Before the Mathews Bridge opened in 1953 it was considered remote from Jacksonville and South Jacksonville and its early residents depended on family run enterprises such as mills, shipyards, turpentine stills (and moonshine), ferry services, farms and dairies for employment and small, family-owned stores for most of their food and supplies.
The first family industry was a water-powered mill on Strawberry Creek where Arlington Road now crosses. It opened in 1820 and remained open until about 1870. It originally belonged to the Richard family and later to John Sammis. It was unique to northeast Florida and was a combination sawmill, gristmill and cotton gin. Richard also had a brickyard nearby. Ships were built from the lumber at the head of Pottsburg Creek.
After the Civil War the old plantation lands were divided up and sold for development, and several small communities sprang to life along the river, the main source of transportation. Some of the communities were Chaseville, Floral Bluff, Gilmore, and Arlington Bluff, later known as Matthews and then Clifton. All had a general store and a post office well before 1900, and often the storeowner was also the Postmaster. Chaseville also had a boat building enterprise started by Samuel Chase, hence the name, Chaseville. The inland community of Egleston was also platted in 1888 near Lake Lucina.
An event that briefly opened Arlington up to the world was the J M & P Railroad, which opened in 1888, and ran from a dock near what is now Jones College, diagonally through the community with a Railroad Station in Egleston. This was also a family business started by Alexander Wallace, who sold a sawmill in Jacksonville to fund his new enterprise. He opened a hotel on the ocean at Mayport called the Burnside and reportedly paid cash for everything. The railroad became known as the “Cash Road.” Arlington benefited greatly with an active hotel in Egleston. Mr. Wallace unfortunately died shortly after its opening and by 1895 the train became history.
Atlantic Boulevard, originally known as Pablo Road, was opened in 1910, and a few years later a bridge, of sorts, was built over Arlington River, and a road was opened from Atlantic Boulevard to the point originally known as Reddie Point or Chaseville Point. The road became known as Chaseville Road, and in 1959 it became University Boulevard. Arlington Road, which runs from Atlantic Boulevard across the old Mill Dam at Strawberry Creek and then west to the river, was named by proclamation in 1912. Thus the “Crossroads” were formed where these roads intersected and by 1930 it was the “Town Center” of Arlington.
Before the crossroads the town center was located at the foot of Arlington Road, which was connected by ferry service to the foot of Beaver Street ca 1912. There were several family businesses documented in the 1924 Arlington History located at the ferry landing: Bradshaw’s Store, which was also the first Arlington Post Office, Oliver Frieseke also had a general store, and his father before him had one at Floral Bluff. Hayes Ice Cream, Olson’s Shipyard, and Seaboard Dredging run by Mr. Loennecke were on the riverfront on either side of the ferry landing. Both families were originally located at Dames Point where many of the early Arlington families came from, and most all of them had marine oriented backgrounds. Mr. Phillips had a turpentine still just south of Olson’s, which also supported quite a few families. The Ferry service made all this possible, and was also a family-owned business started by the Alderman Realty Company, but soon purchased by Mr. Anson Macy, whose family helped operate and maintain the vessels.
It seems that many of the early settlers were part of extended families, including my own, which settled in Arlington in 1912-14. They were involved in the Alderman Realty Co., Red Bay Ranch and Dairy (now Tree Hill) and Johnson and Son Dredging. In later years the dairy became Lone Star Stables. The Nolan family moved their dairy from the west side of Jacksonville to Atlantic Boulevard ca. 1923, and opened the Nolan’s Alpine Dairy, which stayed open for many years. There were several other Arlington families that had smaller dairies including the Colcords, the Jaques and the Johnsons.
Another family enterprise was Norman Laboratories, who took over The Eagle Film Studios, a silent film company on Arlington Road, and made silent films utilizing a cast of black actors for many years. This compound still exists today and is being restored as a historic monument. Mrs. Norman converted the film studio into a dance studio in the early thirties, and was very successful for many years.
This month we are going to focus on a family-owned business that was located at the southeast corner of the crossroads known as “Haines Grocery” that opened ca. 1930, and closed in 1956. This family was also originally from Dames Point, and kin to other Arlington families. We are fortunate to have programmed for our August speaker, Emily Ruth Haines Surowiec, who grew up in the store. Joan Jaques Vinson, who also grew up in Arlington, has furnished her memories of Haines Grocery.

Burial:Arlington Park Cemetery
Jacksonville
Duval County
Florida, USA
Plot: Baby Land Photos by  Johnny

 

Russell  Charles  Macy 8/24/1928 - 4/7/2012
MACY, Russell C, passed on April 7, 2012 in Tampa, FL. He was born in Arlington, Fl. in 1928 to Louis and Martha Macy. Russ was a man of strong faith who attended Oak Grove UM Church for 47 years, taught Sunday School, as well as serving as Deacon. He participated in mission trips to Belize to help build a church/school for a small village. Russ worked for Gulf Oil Corp. for 17 yrs. before building a successful business in air conditioning with his sons. He was also a talented cabinet maker and taught drafting at Tampa Bay Tech’s night school program for many years. Russ loved his family, his lakefront home and crossword puzzles. He is predeceased by his brothers, Anson and Louis Macy, his sister, Thelma Fulkerson, and his granddaughter, Larsen Hunt. He is survived by his devoted wife of 62 years, Sarah E. Macy, and his sister Myra Stevens. His children, Ken, Mark, Susan Hunt and Martin (Rusty) are grateful and blessed to have grown up in a stable, loving home. “Dedaddy” will be greatly missed by his 13 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Memorial services will be held at 6:30pm, April 20, at Oak Grove United Methodist Church, 2707 W. Waters Ave., Tampa, Fl. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to “The Aidric Hunt Assistance Fund” at any Bank of America.

Thomas Macy articles Powow preacher spats with Puritans  and Persecuted Quakers finally find refuge
Arlington history retold in new booklet 03/14/98
Ferry Rides Again

John Greenleaf Whittier Letter to decline Endicott celebraton 1878

John Greenleaf Whittier dodges Gov John Endicott ceremony in Salem Massachusetts. His letter to George M Whipple is posted below From September 22 1878 New York Times Archives

Thomas Macy court dealings with Puritans and Edward Wharton Source This year several persons were prosecuted and fined for violating the law of 1657, which prohibited ‘entertaining quakers.’ Among them was Thomas Macy, one of the first settlers of Newbury, but at this time a resident in Salisbury. Complaint having been made against him, he was summoned to appear before the general court, to answer the charges preferred against him. Instead of complying with the requisition, he sent a letter, of which the following is a copy. More on Quaker Persecutions
‘This is to entreat the honored court not to be offended because of my non-appearance. It is not from any slighting the authority of this honored court, nor from feare to answer the case, but I have bin for some weeks past very ill, and am so at present, and notwithstanding my illness, yet I, desirous to appear, have done my utmost endeavour to hire a horse, but cannot procure one at present. I being at present destitute have endeavoured to purchase, but at present cannot attaine it, but I shall relate the truth of the case as my answer should be to ye honored court, and more cannot be proved, nor so much. On a rainy morning there came to my house Edward Wharton and three men more; the said Wharton spoke to me saying that they were traveling eastward, and desire me to direct them in the way to Hampton, and asked me how far it was to Casco bay. I never saw any of ye men afore except Wharton, neither did I require their names, or who they were, byt by their carriage I thought they might b e quakers and told them so, and therefore desired them to passe on their way, saying to them I might possibly give offence in entertaining them, and as soone as the violence of the rain ceased (for it rained very hard) they went away, and I never saw them since. The time that they stayed int he house was about three quarters of an hour, but I can safely affirme it was not an houre. They spake not many word in the time, neither was I at leisure to talke with them for I came home wet to ye skin immediately afore they came to the house, and I found my wife sick in bed. If this satisfie not the honored court, I shall subject to their sentence: I have not willingly offended. I am ready to serve and obey you in the Lord,’
Tho. Macy [Essex County Court files]
Notwithstanding this explanation and apology, he was fined thirty shillings, and was ordered to be admonished by the governor, for ‘entertaining quakers,’ two of whom, William Robinson and Marmaduke Stephenson, were hung in Boston, December twenty-seventh, 1659. Tradition informs us, that Thomas Macy immediately after his sentence, took an open boat, and with his wife and children, went to Nantucket, was one of the first English settlers in that island, and there resided the remainder of his life. An amusing ballad, founded on the above-mentioned incidents, was written by the poet J.G. Whittier, and published some years ago in a Philadelphia annual.
A Collection of the Sufferings of the People Called Quakers: For the Testimony of a Good Conscience from the Time of Their Being First Distinguished by that Name in the Year 1650 to the Time of the Act Commonly Called the Act of Toleration Granted to Protestant Dissenters in the First Year of the Reign of King William the Third and Queen Mary in the Year 1689, Volume 2 
From  The history of the rise, increase, and progress, of the Christian people called Quakers

                                                   George M Whipple House in Salem
From [Gov. Endicott; Massachusetts; G. Whittier; Salem; Mass.,] Monday, September 23, 1878 Cincinnati Daily Gazette (Cincinnati, OH)

The Captain's Well Amesbury

Story on the Captain's Well made famous by J G Whittier.

According to "Contemporary American Biography: Biographical Sketches of Representative Men of the Day Representatives of Modern Thought and Progress, of the Pulpit, the Press, the Bench and Bar, of Legislation, Invention and the Great Industrial Interests of the Country, Volume 1, Part 1" Mr. John Greenleaf Whittier received some high prices for his poems—so high, he used to say, that he could hardly bring himself to accept them. The highest of these was one thousand dollars paid by the New York Ledger for ninety-six lines entitled "The Captain's Well." See full poem at Bartlelby

 "Captain's Well" in Amesbury Is Rededicated Thursday, August 7, 1930 

Residence of Valentine Bagley; now the Huntington Home and The Amesbury High School and the Captain's Well. Photos from Warren NH Site Whittier is not the only one who has made use of Bagley's experience, for Mrs. Harriet Prescott Spofford, of Deer Island, Amesbury, has also written a poem on the same theme.

The January 11, 1890, issue of the New York Ledger included a "Souvenir Supplement" featuring "The Captain's Well," a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier, illustrated by Howard Pyle. Here is one of the illustrations, untitled, and engraved on wood by Henry Wolf. From Howard Pyle

This poem, which was written in 1889, and may safely be set down as Mr. Whittier's last one of great length, has an interesting bit of local history for its theme. In the last quarter of the eighteenth century, Valentine Bagley, a young man living in Amesbury, went to sea and soon became Captain Bagley. (by Charles Dehlin)

When he was yet young his vessel was wrecked in the Red Sea, and he was cast upon the shore of Arabia, where he was seized and sold into slavery by the Bedouins. After many years he escaped and fled to the great Arabian desert, where he wandered until he nearly perished of thirst. Then, for the first time in his life, he thought of prayer. As he supplicated Heaven for aid, the picture of his home in Amesbury rose before his mind, and, with the finest regard for detail, he vowed that if the Lord would help him back to Amesbury, he would dig a well in a certain spot by the roadside near his home and dedicate it to the Lord.

In time Captain Bagley was rescued and brought home. On the first morning after his arrival, he proceeded to dig in the designated spot. His neighbors asked whether he was digging for gold, and he said no, he was digging for something more precious—water. Finally he came scrambling out of his well, followed by a gush of pure, cool water which rose almost to the brim. The Captain built a curb over the well and spent the remainder of his days sitting near it, keeping the ample trough full and cool, and inviting man and beast to stop in passing, and partake freely of "God's best gift to earth."

Captain Bagley died in 1839, at the age of sixty-six, but the well still remains, though the decayed curb was taken down about ten years ago. Mr. Whittier was thirty-one years old when the Captain died, and had known him for many years.
Info from "Genealogy of Richard Currier of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts (1616--1686-7) and Many of His Descendants"
Sarah Currier, (Daniel, Thomas', Deacon Thomas'. Richard) daughter of Daniel and Electra (Currier) Currier, was born in Amesbury, Mass., July 5, 1743. She married Dec. 21, 1763, Valentine Bagley, son of Colonel Jonathan and Dorothy (Wells) Bagley of Amesbury, who was born in Amesbury Jan. 1, 1742-3. He was a miller and yeoman and lived in Newbury, Mass. He died April, 1780, and she married, second, David Blaisdell (published Nov. 13, 1790). They had seven children:— John, Dorothy, Dolly, William, Sally, Valentine, and William Bagley. She died Dec. 7, 1821.

Captain Valentine Bagley, son of Valentine and Sarah (Currier) Bagley, was born in Newbury, Mass., January 17 1773- He lived in Amesbury, Mass., and was a sea captain and he was a charter member of Warren Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Amesbury*, in 1822, and its first treasurer. He married July 24, 1796, Hannah Currier, daughter of Timothy and Anne (Colby) Currier, granddaughter of Thomas and Jemima (Morrill) Currier, great granddaughter of Thomas and Sarah (Barnard) Currier, great-great-granddaughter of Deacon Thomas and Mary (Osgood) Currier, and great-great-great-granddaughter of Richard and Ann Currier, who was born January 27, 1774, and died Oct. i, 1859. He died January 19, 1839, and was buried in the Union cemetery at Amesbury. (See tombstone).

Captain Bagley's tombstone burying-ground on the hill, only a stone's throw from the well.

From Dr. Tony Shaw's blog
Within the same enclosure is the Friend's little half-acre, and in this lie the ashes of Mr. Whittier's dear ones—Uncle Moses, Aunt Mercy, his father and mother, sisters Mary and Lizzie, and brother Franklin—and at the westerly end of the row there was just room for one more mound to be made, and one more plain little headstone to be set up, where the poet intended finally to lay him down to rest. His home was at Amesbury, Mass., and there he was buried in accordance with the following request contained in his will:

"It is my wish that my funeral may be conducted in the plain and quiet way of the Society of Friends with which I am connected, not only by birthright, but also by a settled conviction of the truth of its principles and the importance of its testimonies."

J G Whittier attended many meeting here as well in Dover, NH 

*Warren Lodge was chartered in 1822 and named for General Joseph Warren (1741-1775); an American Patriot, writer and activist, medical doctor, and Freemason. In 1769 the Grand Master of Masons in Scotland appointed Joseph Warren “Provincial Grand Master of Masons in Boston its surrounding territory. In 1772, his appointment was extended by the Grand Lodge of Scotland to be Grand Master of Masons in Continental America. He died commanding soldiers at the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775. Widely remembered as a General, he held the rank of Major General for only three days before he was killed, but he was a pioneering doctor for 13 years and part of a dynastic medical family—his younger brother, founded Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Medical Society.

Lodge Address

8 West Whitehall Road Amesbury, Essex 01913