Silas Pierce (Peirce)
Silas Pierce (Peirce)
One of the prominent business owners discovered in this parcel was Silas Pierce (or Peirce, as it was sometimes written in some of the census records). He was born in Scituate, MA in 1793. He went on to marry Almyra Hall and had two children, Silas Pierce Jr., who also became a grocer, and Susan. He was an American wholesale grocer who founded Silas Peirce & Co. in 1815. This business was located at 59 and 61 Commercial Street. In 1890, Silas Peirce & Co. was the oldest whole grocer firm in the United States.
In the 1880 census, Silas Pierce's occupation, as well as his son's occupation, was listed as "grocer."
Year: 1880; Census Place: Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts; Roll: 556; Page: 187C; Enumeration District: 666.
What Did He (Co) Own?
56-62 Clinton
Silas Pierce (Peirce) owned and eventually co-owned this parcel with Nathan Cushing.
1-3 Mercantile
Silas Pierce Estate owned 1-3 Mercantile from 1883-1890. From 1890-1902 it was co-owned by Nathan Cushing and S. Peirce Trustees.
"THE OLDEST GROCERS.: HOUSE OF SILAS PEIRCE & CO., CELEBRATES. IT IS 75 YEARS OLD AND THE OLDEST IN THE COUNTRY. OLD FRIENDS, CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYES AT DINNER." 1890. Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922).
This1890 article congratulates Silas Peirce & Co. on being the oldest grocers in America. It was celebrating its 75 years in the business.
bibliography
Geo.W. and Walter S. Bromley. Atlas of the City of Boston. (1883). Philadelphia. Boston Public Library, via Atlascope.
G.W. Bromley & Co. Atlas of the City of Boston, Mass. (1888). Philadelphia. Boston Public Library, via Atlascope.
G.W. Bromley & Co. Atlas of the City of Boston, city proper and Roxbury. (1890). Philadelphia. Boston Public Library, via Atlascope.
G.W. Bromley & Co. Atlas of the City of Boston. (1895). Philadelphia. Boston Public Library, via Atlascope.
G.W. Bromley & Co. Atlas of the City of Boston, City Proper. (1898). Philadelphia. Boston Public Library, via Atlascope.
G.W. Bromley & Co. Atlas of the City of Boston. (1902). Philadelphia. Boston Public Library, via Atlascope.
"THE OLDEST GROCERS.: HOUSE OF SILAS PEIRCE & CO., CELEBRATES. IT IS 75 YEARS OLD AND THE OLDEST IN THE COUNTRY. OLD FRIENDS, CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYES AT DINNER." 1890. Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922), Apr 02, 2. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/oldest-grocers/docview/494118975/se-2.
Wikipedia. 2022. “Silas Peirce.” Wikimedia Foundation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silas_Peirce.
Year: 1880; Census Place: Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts; Roll: 556; Page: 187C; Enumeration District: 666. https://www.ancestryheritagequest.com/discoveryui-content/view/15633231:6742 tid=&pid=&queryId=fd13ada58b4f6f8d3555c72360ce39f4&_phsrc=MIe219&_phstart=successSource.