Early American Scientific Instruments and Their MakersBedini, Silvio A.
History
Early American Scientific Instruments and Their Makers
Bedini, Silvio A.
Scientific apparatus and instruments
On April 19, 1714, Halsy and his wife deeded a house and land on North
End, at the corner of Hanover and Salutation Streets, to a shipwright
named Joseph Hood. Two years later, on March 2, 1716, he purchased from
Jane, his sister-in-law, who was the widow of the mariner John Halsy,
her share of the house and land of James Halsie, being the same property
on North Street. On March 27 of the same year he purchased the share in
the same property belonging to Sarah Dorsan, his widowed sister. In
August 1719 he was forced to mortgage some of the property to a merchant
named John Frizell, but the mortgage was cancelled in 1741.
Halsy was married for a second time on January 10, 1731, to Mrs. Anna
Lloyd, a widow.[83]
[Illustration: Figure 39.--Wooden surveying compass "Made and sold by
Joseph Halsy, Boston, New England." The instrument, made of maple, is 11
in. long and has a diameter of 5-3/4 in. In the collection of New
Hampshire Historical Society, Concord.]
During the 1730's, Halsy continued to buy out the heirs of James Halsie.
On March 6, 1730, he acquired the share of Mary Gilbert, a
granddaughter, and on the same date he purchased from the James Halsey
heirs their inheritance "part to land, wharf, house, shop and buildings
on North Street." Other heirs remained, for in June 9, 1732, he bought
out the share of Marty Partridge, another granddaughter, and on June 27
the share of Joseph Gilbert, Jr., a grandson. In October 1740 he was
forced to mortgage as security to James Bowdoin a house and land on the
southwest side of North Street, but this was cancelled when on August
26, 1751, Joseph Halsey and his wife, Anna, deeded to James Noble the
land, wooden house, and wharves near Fish Street on North Street between
Sun Court and Fleet Street, which apparently was formerly the property
of James Halsey that Joseph had acquired with so much trouble over a
period of 40 years.[84]
The following advertisement relating to instruments sold by Halsy
appeared in the issues of _The Boston Gazette_ for the months of
September and October 1738:
Made and sold by Joseph Halsey jun. Hadley's New Invented Quadrant
or Octant the best and exacted Instrument for taking the Latitude
or Other Altitudes at Sea, as ever yet Invented.[85]
The last dated record relating to Joseph Halsy which has been found is a
letter dated February 3, 1762, that he wrote to Robert Treat Paine
concerning legal matters.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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