Individual Details
Henry Messinger Sr.
(1618 - 15 Mar 1672)
October 31, 1655, witness to will of George Stevens with James Bushell, Edward Smith
Abt. 1656, of Jamaica, Long Island? Military Service: 1658, Artillery Co. 1665, freeman March 15, 1677/78, will written - estate appraised April 30, 1681
Occupation: joiner - doctor?
His father Andrew owned land a short distance away - either part way up what is now Beacon St. or across Court St. Henry's tax indicated he owned five acres, but his "house & garden" which covered just about half the block toward Washington St. and was the center third between School and Court Streets, was probably about 1 1/2 acres. The remaining acreage may have been his "great lott at Muddy River (Back Bay) for two heads."
His house, possibly though probably not the same one shown in this sketch, stood where Ezekiel Price's is shown - and it, together with all his land, was willed at his death in 1681 to his wife Sarah (Callowe) (?) and then by her, in 1697, with half the land to their son Simeon. He and his wife Bethia (Howard), having no sons, left it to their daughter Bethia and her husband John Green.
William Brattle bought the property (1765) and sold it in 1781 to William Scollay who lived there until he sold it to Ezekiel Price in 1793. The Direct Tax of 1798 describes the property as having 6240 sq. ft. with a two-story brick house (approx. 31 ft x 21 ft) with 19 windows having 192 sq ft. of glass plus two wooden outbuildings of 216 and 100 sq ft. - the total valued at #3,000.
The other half of Henry Messinger's estate was willed by his wife to their son Thomas (common ancestor of most of those spelling their name with an "i" in the U.S. today) who may have actually built in the late 1600s the house owned by Rufus G. Amory in 1800. Thomas, a 'joiner' like his father, lived in the house with his wife Elizabeth (Mellowes) until their deaths in 1720-1. Some time afterward it became the residence of various rectors of King's Chapel. The Rev. Henry Caner of K.C. bought it in 1756..."an old wooden building covered with rough cast". During the Revolution this Anglican pastor escaped to Halifax, Nova Scotia with British troops with the church records and 2800 ounces of its silver service. The records were recovered later, but the silver had disappeared forever. The property was sold again in 1782 - and was described in the Direct Tax of 1798, when owned by Rufus G. Amory, as being 3 stories of brick and wood on 1000 sq ft. foundation with 23 windows totalling 315 sq ft. of glass, on 5750 sq. ft of land and valued at $4000.
The Boston Athanaeum occupied three rooms of the house from 1810-1822. It was torn down before 1840 when a stone building was erected for a Savings Bank and the Massachusetts Historical Society. When the Historical Society moved to the Back Bay about 1900, the office building which today occupies all the land between the cemetery and Court St. was built. Looking at this building from across Tremont St., it would seem that just about half of it (nearest the cemetery) lies on the land which may have been first "owned" by Henry Messinger." (photocopy of page from an unnamed source sent to me by a Messinger descendant).
Abt. 1656, of Jamaica, Long Island? Military Service: 1658, Artillery Co. 1665, freeman March 15, 1677/78, will written - estate appraised April 30, 1681
Occupation: joiner - doctor?
His father Andrew owned land a short distance away - either part way up what is now Beacon St. or across Court St. Henry's tax indicated he owned five acres, but his "house & garden" which covered just about half the block toward Washington St. and was the center third between School and Court Streets, was probably about 1 1/2 acres. The remaining acreage may have been his "great lott at Muddy River (Back Bay) for two heads."
His house, possibly though probably not the same one shown in this sketch, stood where Ezekiel Price's is shown - and it, together with all his land, was willed at his death in 1681 to his wife Sarah (Callowe) (?) and then by her, in 1697, with half the land to their son Simeon. He and his wife Bethia (Howard), having no sons, left it to their daughter Bethia and her husband John Green.
William Brattle bought the property (1765) and sold it in 1781 to William Scollay who lived there until he sold it to Ezekiel Price in 1793. The Direct Tax of 1798 describes the property as having 6240 sq. ft. with a two-story brick house (approx. 31 ft x 21 ft) with 19 windows having 192 sq ft. of glass plus two wooden outbuildings of 216 and 100 sq ft. - the total valued at #3,000.
The other half of Henry Messinger's estate was willed by his wife to their son Thomas (common ancestor of most of those spelling their name with an "i" in the U.S. today) who may have actually built in the late 1600s the house owned by Rufus G. Amory in 1800. Thomas, a 'joiner' like his father, lived in the house with his wife Elizabeth (Mellowes) until their deaths in 1720-1. Some time afterward it became the residence of various rectors of King's Chapel. The Rev. Henry Caner of K.C. bought it in 1756..."an old wooden building covered with rough cast". During the Revolution this Anglican pastor escaped to Halifax, Nova Scotia with British troops with the church records and 2800 ounces of its silver service. The records were recovered later, but the silver had disappeared forever. The property was sold again in 1782 - and was described in the Direct Tax of 1798, when owned by Rufus G. Amory, as being 3 stories of brick and wood on 1000 sq ft. foundation with 23 windows totalling 315 sq ft. of glass, on 5750 sq. ft of land and valued at $4000.
The Boston Athanaeum occupied three rooms of the house from 1810-1822. It was torn down before 1840 when a stone building was erected for a Savings Bank and the Massachusetts Historical Society. When the Historical Society moved to the Back Bay about 1900, the office building which today occupies all the land between the cemetery and Court St. was built. Looking at this building from across Tremont St., it would seem that just about half of it (nearest the cemetery) lies on the land which may have been first "owned" by Henry Messinger." (photocopy of page from an unnamed source sent to me by a Messinger descendant).
Events
| Birth | 1618 | Yorkshire, England | |||
| Marriage | 24 Jan 1640 | Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts - Sarah Callowe | |||
| Death | 15 Mar 1672 | Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts |  |
Families
| Spouse | Sarah Callowe (1622 - 1697) |
| Child | John Messinger (1641 - 1689) |
| Child | Sarah Messinger (1643 - ) |
| Child | Simeon Messinger (1644 - ) |
| Child | Maria Messinger ( - 1705) |
| Child | Anna Messinger (1649 - ) |
| Child | Rebecca Messinger (1652 - ) |
| Child | Henry Messinger Jr. ( - 1686) |
| Child | Lydia Messinger (1656 - ) |
| Child | Priscilla Messinger (1656 - 1657) |
| Child | Thomas Messinger (1662 - ) |
| Child | Ebenezer Messinger (1665 - ) |
| Father | Andrew Messinger (1588 - 1637) |
| Mother | Sarah Benedict (1590 - 1681) |
| Sibling | Andrew Messinger (1615 - 1681) |
Notes
Death
BURIAL possibly in the Granary Burying Ground with his wife and sonFind A Grave Memorial 167346817