REV. FRANCIS KINGSLEY PIERCE
Minister, Agriculturist, Philanthropist, Historian
Contributed by BetteJo Hall-Caldwell
Francis Kingsley Pierce
The Man Behind The Pen And Also Behind The Plow
A Write-up of the Minister, Agriculturist, Philanthropist and Historian by Edgar Jackson Klock -
Mr. Pierce's Ancestors - His Early Life - Twenty-five Years a Methodist Clergyman.
Ilion Citizen, Thursday, June 21,1906

F. King Pierce is enjoying the closing years of a busy and well
spent life at fine farm "Valley View" on the hills of Schuyler. Mr. Pierce has
long wielded the pen for the Citizen and made the Minott column one of the
leading features of the correspondence department of this journal. A few weeks
ago he wrote a sketch of the life of Edgar Jackson Klock and now upon the
invitation of the Editors of the Citizen. Mr. Klock returns the compliment and
writes as follows of Brother Pierce's.
In compiling this "write-up" of Rev. Francis Kingsley Pierce,
the well known Preacher-Author-Farmer of Herkimer county, the man who has by his
life works and examples builded for himself such a wide and beloved personality
in Central New York, we feel keenly our inability to do it justice or to say
anything not familiar to our Citizen readers. the subject of our sketch has been
prominently before the public of this county. In his several roles, for so many
years that our readers will pardon us if we are compiled to us many facts
relative to his life and works already well known to them. Of his ancestors we
will speak first.
King Pierce, as he is familiarly known among his old friends and
neighbors, was born April 20, 1832, at Osborn Hill, town of Herkimer, N.Y., and
was the fifth son of Capt. Alvin and Thankful Langdon Burt Pierce, who came to
this country from Wilbraham, Mass, prior to 1817; his father, Alvin Pierce,
captain of a militia company in Massachusetts, Manufacturer, dresser, and dyer of
cloth, was born at Suffield, Ct., 1782; his mother, Thankful Landgon Burt Pierce,
was the seventh descent from Henry and Eulalia Burt, who came from England and
settled at Springfield, Mass., 1640; his grandfather, Sergt. Francis Pierce, was
born at Suffield, Ct., 1734, a school teacher; one of his pupils was Gideon
Granger, Postmaster General 1801 to 1814; a sergeant he was with Gen. Wolfe at the
taking of Quebec, served in the French and Indian war, and also in the
Revolution. Sergt. Pierce's first wife was Mary Smith, by whom he had five
children. Elder Pierce's grandmother, Phebe Kingsley-Ainsworth Pierce, second wife
of Sergt. Pierce, was born 1744; her first husband, Nathan Ainsworth, was born
1740 and died 1776 or 7, a prisoner in the hands of the British; after the death
of her second husband she came to Farmer's Settlement, near Herkimer, N.Y., lived
there with her son, Nathan Ainsworth, jr., many years, where she died March 2,
about 1828 and is buried in the old cemetery at Countryman's. Elder Pierce's
great grandfather, Francis Pierce, was born in England, 1704.
F.K. Pierce's education was begun at an early age, under the
direction of the wisest and best of teachers, a mother, who was a woman of
education and refinement, and he became a reader and reciter of some merit before
entering a regular school; he attended the common school until he was nine years
of age when he went to live in the family of Edward M. Griffing, editor of The
People's Friend at Little Falls. There he learned a little grammar, how to set
type, something of the newspaper business, all in the space of a very few weeks,
and then one night, taking off his shoes that he might run the faster, he
informally severed his connections with Mr. Griffing, and returned to Osborn Hill
by way of the towpath. He next engaged in the tobacco business with John Day at
Utica, but this seemed to suit him no better than journalism and one morning
after, he had been with the Days a few weeks, not having a suitcase handy, he put
on all his clothing, which consisted of two suits, one over the other, and again
returned to Osborn Hill by way of the towpath, where, when he was about eleven
years of age went to live in the family of the Rev. Simeon Osborn. There he
acquired a fund of education, both literary and agricultural, that became,
perhaps a very important factor in his personality. Every member of the Osborn
family was a scholar, one of the girls was referred to as a walking dictionary.
Saturday afternoons were devoted to speaking, a debating school was held in The
Settlement during the winter, in all of which young King took an active part and
then or thereafter never was he known to fail or require prompting when he
attempted to speak in public. Here he took up the study of such works as Pope,
Milton, Thompson Young, Pollock, Montgomery, Byron, Ancient and Modern History,
Wayland, the Soul, Austin and Holme's Eight Days Debate on Universal Salvation's,
Albert Barnes' Essay on Butler's Analogy and not only the essay but the "Analogy"
was so mastered by him that later, he was the only one in the class of eleven at
Conference who was marked perfect in Vutler's Analogy. Here he met and profited
by the acquaintance of that scholar, the Rev. Stephen Turtelot, M.D., graduate of
Union College, than whom there probably never was in Herkimer county, a greater
bibliographer. During the fall of 1849 he was a student at Fairfield Academy,
where John P. Griffing was principal and the next spring he came back and put his
agricultural knowledge into actual practice, working the Osborn farm three years
until 1854, when he was united in marriage to Martha A. Minott, under whose
teaching, as a life student, he has grown in wisdom, strength of character and
usefulness for more than fifty years; and in as much as she has formed so large a
part of his life and figured so prominently in his work and successes, a brief
mention of her life will not be out of place here.
Martha Minott was the daughter of Thomas [1804-1865] and Mauve
Johnson Minott of Schuyler [Minott] N.Y. She traces her lineage back to "Patriots
and Founders" through her great grandfather, Asa Johnson [1728-1820] a
revolutionary soldier to Captain Edward Johnson, [1599-1672] who founded Woburn,
Mass, she being eighth in generation from William Sabin and second wife, Martha
Allen. He took refuge in England in flight from France, came to Colonies 1643,
settled in Rehobath, Mass. Her paternal grandparents were Howard Haywood Minott
[1772-1843] and wife, Martha Sabin, pioneers of Minott. George Minott [1597-1657]
and wife, Martha, were the first of the name to settle in the Colonies, coming
from England in Winthrop's Expedition 1630, they settled in Dorchester, Mass.
Mrs. Pierce was educated in her home school, attended the select school of Mrs.
Frances Beardslee at Herkimer, 1850 and later spent several terms at Whitestown
Seminary. She taught school at Ellison Four corners summer of 1851, in District
No. 4, Dutchtown 1852, and at Minott 1854 and 1859. Endowed by nature with a
bright mind, she has trained that mind in nature's most accomplished school, "The
World", mingling with the world's noblemen, people of refinement, studying from
the world's best text books, literature by the best authors, they have collected
a choice library. A pride in her own lineage has led her through the study of
her own ancestors, to become quite an amateur genealogist. As two analogous
elements unite in the chemical laboratory to perfect some powerful substance, so
the lives of Rev. and Mrs. Pierce have blended together, each helping the other
and thereby, adding to its own strength; reading together, planning together,
working together, making together their married life a perfect unit and one
success, and now that the meridian is passed, together they are drifting down the
other side towards that other realization which their existence has earned for
them.
The first twelve years after their marriage they rented the
Minott farm. In 1865 they bought the adjoining Amos Farrington farm, now known as
Valley View, working both places for two years, milking 85 cows. Mr. Pierce
making the cheese in which he became an expert, one house in Philadelphia taking
his entire output at the top market price. The present excellence of American
cheese-making has no more than touched what he accomplished fifty years ago.
Twice he was elected Justice of the Peace. A staunch prohibition
worker, he was on that ticket for Justice of Sessions. Class Leader and Sunday
School Superintendent, in 1871. Juyl 23d, he was licensed to exhort and during
the next fifteen months spoke at "The Bush", Osborn Hill and Sterling Creek. March
26, 1872 he was licensed to preach and in '73 took his first charge at Schuyler
and West Frankfort, April 9,1876. Bishop Andrews ordained him deacon and he went
to his second charge at Salisbury Center, preaching also at Stratford, Emonsburg,
and Paper Mill, April 13, 1878, he was admitted to fall connection and in '79 went
to his third charge at St. Johnsville, preaching also at Krum Creek and
Lasselsville. During his pastorated= here he passed his last examination and was
ordained Elder by Bishop Peck.
1882-3-4 he was stationed at Cedar Lake, going also to Frankfort
Hill. 1885-6-7 he was at Cold Brook besides serving the charges at Russia and
Granvesville. 1888-9-1890-1-2 he was preaching at Jordanville and Columbia, and
in 1893, the conference responding to a call, returned him to his old charge at
Cold Brook and Russia, where he labored until 1897, completing 25 years of active
service for the church, having served every charge the full time limit. In the
spring of '98 he was granted supernumerary relations and superannuated in 1903.
Since '98 he was resided at Valley View, his summer residence at Minott, N.Y.,
where he was interested himself in the improvement of his farm, the social and
religious welfare of his neighbors and his town, doing special work on several
newspaper, and letting his light so shine as to better the conditions of those
with whom he has associated. As a preacher he never spoke from notes or written
composition. Successful, vigorous revivals have rewarded his work in every field
where he has labored. As a church worker he has ever been a leader and served as
driver; monuments to his success as a debt lifter and church builder may be found
in the magnificent brick parsonage bought, and the church built at St.
Johnsville, the church at West Frankfort and the parsonage at Cold Brook. For his
record as a polished gentleman, as a valuable friend, as an acknowledged
scholar, go ask his many fortunate friends and admirers in every corner of
Herkimer county; they will speak to you more eloquently than I can do in a
newspaper "write-up." Few men are permitted to look back over an active life, and
find in every line of labor and every channel of operation, success written so
generally over all their works as can King Pierce. Perhaps, men have started
under more adverse circumstances and risen to greater heights, but none have
accomplished the work that has come to their hands to do with better judgment or
more conscientious consider action; few, if any, will render a better account of
the talents entrusted to their use, nor can any ask a greater tribute than the
commendation of their own conscience and the recommendation and respect of their
neighbors.
Rev. and Mrs. Pierce have two children, Frank Minott of
Dolgeville and Edwin Burt of North Ilion. Frank Minott Pierce was born 1855,
educated at Cazenovia and Antwerp, was principal of the school at Stratford three
years, supervisor of Stratford ten consecutive years, in 1897 was appointed one
of the board of State Forest Inspectors at a salary of $1200, is a piano bridge
builder with the Livingston Co., at Stratford, but is now with the Julius
Breckwoldt Co., of Dolgeville. In 1884 he married one of his scholars, a teacher,
Bessie Brissee of Stratford, a descendant of the Rev. Jonathan Edwards, and they
have three children; Claude A., a business college graduate, is a bookkeeper with
Fred J. Helterline at Stratford; Madge Evelyn in the High School and Ross Kingsley
in the graded school at Dolgeville.
Edwin Burt Pierce, born 1860, attended school at Salisbury and
Fairfield Academy, taught school three winters, is an up-to-date farmer at North
Ilion. In 1882 he married Minnie Simpson, a teacher of Trenton Falls, who is a
descendant of corporal Elijah Hine of the Revolution, and amateur artist, a
newspaper correspondent, writing both prose and verse. They have a son and
daughter. The son, Seymour Simpson Pierce, is with the Remington Typewriter
Company, and October 11, 1905, his grandfather Pierce officiated at his marriage
to Louise Coleman, daughter of Frederick Coleman of the Coleman Carriage Company
of Ilion. The daughter, Edith Burt Pierce, a student in the Ilion High School, is
an expert, horsewoman; and no doubt inherits this trait from her grandfather,
Elder Pierce, who has always been an admirer of good horses. In his younger days
he trained many colts for himself and neighbors and even when he was an active
minister ['tho we blush to say it] we fear that sometimes, when the roads were
exceptionally good, he allowed his carriage horse to strike a clip a little
faster than the prescribed ministerial gait set down by those good old orthodox
Methodists.
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