Moses Eastman (June 17, 1794 – May 24, 1850) was an American silversmith based in Savannah, Georgia. He was also the founder of, and sole benefactor in, the construction of Savannah's Unitarian Universalist Church.
Moses Eastman | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 17, 1794 Concord, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Died | May 24, 1850 (aged 55) Savannah, Georgia, U.S. |
| Occupation | Silversmith |
Early life and career
editEastman was born in Concord, New Hampshire, in 1794. He moved to Savannah around 1820 and joined the partnership of J. Penfield & Co., which comprised Connecticut native[1] Josiah Penfield (1785–1828) and Frederick Marquand (1799–1882).[2] He became a partner with Penfield in 1826.[3] That partnership dissolved when Penfield died in 1828. Eastman then started out on his own, working under his own name.[2]
In 1830, Eastman was a city constable,[3] and in 1844 was appointed keeper of the Savannah city clock.[4]
After Eastman's death in 1850, George M. Griffen continued the business. Griffen had worked for Eastman as a watchmaker.[2]
Some of Eastman's work was displayed in Savannah's Telfair Museums in 2010 during its "Silver in Savannah" exhibit.[5] Silver has played a major part in Savannah's history since its founder Captain James Oglethorpe arrived in 1733.[5]
Personal life
editEastman married New Jersey native Elizabeth Tuthill (1799–1883) in 1834 in Savannah.[2] Nine years later, they purchased 233 Bull Street, in the southwest residential block of Chippewa Square. Its construction was started the previous year by Samuel Philbrick.[6] The couple later started building today's Philbrick–Eastman House, at 17 West McDonough Street, in the southwestern civic/trust lot of the square; however, by the time of its 1847 completion, it was purchased by John Stoddard (1809–1879), later president of the Georgia Historical Society.[2]
Death
editEastman died on May 24, 1850, aged 55, in Savannah.[7] He was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in East Concord, New Hampshire.[2]
Mr. Moses Eastman, who died yesterday morning, had conducted a large and successful business here for many years. Upright in his dealings, warm in his friendships and ardent in his affections, he has left a cherished wife and many admiring friends to deplore his untimely death. — Eastman's obituary[7]
After Eastman's death, his widow moved to Madison in her native New Jersey. She survived her husband by 33 years and was buried beside him.
In his will, Eastman left $2,525[8] to build a parsonage (which formerly stood at 123 Abercorn Street on Oglethorpe Square) and a more substantial brick and mortar Unitarian Universalist Church. It was completed a year after his death.[9][10][11] The church was physically moved to Troup Square in 1860.[1]
One of his last acts of his life was to contract for the erection of a church on Oglethorpe Square, to be presented to the Religious Society of which he was a member. His magnificent design will not be frustrated by his death. — Eastman's obituary[7]
References
edit- ^ a b Savannah in the Old South, Walter J. Fraser (2003), p. 196
- ^ a b c d e f Ladle – Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts
- ^ a b Cutten, George, The Silversmiths of Georgia
- ^ Flynt, Henry and Fales, Martha Gandy, The Heritage Foundation Collection of Silver
- ^ a b "Telfair opens ‘Silver in Savannah’ exhibit" – Savannah Morning News, 5 March 2010
- ^ Brown Ward – City of Savannah research paper
- ^ a b c CHATHAM COUNTY, GA - OBITS 1850 (Jan 1 to Dec 31), Savannah Newspaper Digest
- ^ Unitarian Congregations in Ante-Bellum Georgia: The Georgia Historical Quarterly, Vol. 54, No. 2 (Summer, 1970), p. 163 – Georgia Historical Society
- ^ A History of the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Savannah – Unitarian-Universalist Church of Savannah
- ^ Church on the Square – Beehive Foundation
- ^ Savannah GA Historic Churches – GoSouthSavannah
External links
edit- A spoon made by Eastman from the 1830s – OldSouthSilver.com