Jonathan Makepeace

Jonathan Makepeace also known as Major Makepeace was an American businessman and political figure who manufactured snuff and held political office in Saugus, Massachusetts.

Jonathan Makepeace
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from Saugus
In office 1823–1823
Preceded by	Abijah Cheever^1
Succeeded by	John Shaw^2
Personal details
Born	May 7, 1774 Norton, Massachusetts
Died	February 6, 1850 (aged 75) Saugus, Massachusetts
Nationality	American
Spouse(s)	Anna Nye (1799–1826; her death) Mary Stocker (1829–1850; his death)
Occupation	Snuff and chocolate manufacturer

Early life

Makepeace was born on May 7, 1774 in Norton, Massachusetts. On July 10, 1799 he married Anna Nye in her hometown of Hardwick, Massachusetts. They had four daughters, Peris Nye (1801–1822), Ann Maria (1803–1825), Mary Ann (1805–1826), and Deborah Briggs (1809–1835) and two sons Jonathan Briggs (1802–1803) and Jonathan, Jr. (1815–1836).[1]

Business

In 1792, Makepeace's uncle, George Makepeace, purchased an abandoned mill on the Saugus River.[2] In 1797 Jonathan Makepeace began manufacturing chocolate at the mill. The chocolate business was later taken over by Amariah Childs.[3] In 1798, Makepeace took over his uncle's snuff business, which he continued until 1844. Makepeace was known for the attention he gave to his product, which became known nationwide.[2]

Politics

In 1814, Makepeace was a signer of a petition that requested that Lynn's Second Parish be set off as a separate town known as Westport.[4] The plan was abandoned, however the following year the Second Parish separated from Lynn and became the Town of Saugus. Saugus' first Town Meeting was held on March 13, 1815 and Makepeace was appointed to the position of Sealer of Weights and Measurers and elected to the town's first Board of Selectmen, Assessors, and Overseers of the Poor as well as its first School Committee.[5] He later he served as Saugus' Town Treasurer.[6]

In 1820, Makepeace was Saugus' delegate to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention.[7]

In 1823, Makepeace represented Saugus in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.[8]

Later life and death

Anna Makepeace died on July 3, 1826. On August 9, 1829, Makepeace married Mary Stocker of Saugus.[1]

Makepeace died on February 6, 1850 in Saugus.[1]

Notes

1.^ Until 1857, a majority of votes at a town meeting was needed to elect a representative to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. If no person received a majority of votes, no representative was sent. No representative was selected in 1822, but Abijah Cheever was chosen the previous year.[8]

2.^ No representative was selected in 1824 or 1825, but John Shaw was chosen in 1826.[8]

References

1. Makepeace, William (1858). The Genealogy of the Makepeace Families in the United States From 1637 to 1857. David Clapp. pp. 75–76. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
2. Duane Hamilton Hurd, ed. (1888). History of Essex County, Massachusetts: With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Volume 1. J. W. Lewis & Company. p. 409. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
3. Lewis, Alonzo; Newhall, James R. (1890). History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscott, and Nahant. 1629. George C. Herbert. p. 360. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
4. Atherton, Horace H. (1916). History of Saugus, Massachusetts. Citizens Committee of the Saugus Board of Trade. pp. 82.
5. Atherton, Horace H. (1916). History of Saugus, Massachusetts. Citizens Committee of the Saugus Board of Trade. pp. 93–94.
6. Newhall, James R. (1836). The Essex memorial, for 1836: embracing a register of the county. Henry Whipple. p. 265. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
7. Statistical View of the Executive and Legislative Department of the Government of Massachusetts. Stacy, Richardson, Filmer & Co. 1847. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
8. Duane Hamilton Hurd, ed. (1888). History of Essex County, Massachusetts: With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Volume 1. J. W. Lewis & Company. p. 394. Retrieved January 6, 2015.