1845 Holy Bible containing The Old and New Testaments. Printed in Boston, by Benjamin B Mussey in a beautiful binding. A mother passing the family Bible to a daughter on Christmas 1884. The husband James Foster Shores was a bookseller and perhaps had this Bible specially bound for his wife as a wedding gift.
“Catharine Melcher Shores June 10, 1845 Portsmouth NH. {on her wedding day}. Katharine Hammond Melcher Shores From her mother Dec 25, 1884”
With the handwritten family history recorded; as pictured.
Record of Marriages:
June 10, 1845 James Foster Shores Jr born in Portsmouth. (Born March 20, 1814) to Catharine Melcher Stover, born in Portsmouth June 18,1815.
May 25, 1876 John Lowe Salter born Jan 28, 1853 to Mabel Shores.
Record of Births:
June 5, 1846 Catharine Hammond Melcher Shores Friday 5 PM
April 15, 1849 Foster Shores Sunday 6 AM
June 24, 1851 Emily Taylor Shores
July 14, 1853 Mabel Shores
July 26, 1857 Elizabeth Oliver Shores
February 28, 1859 Daniel Taylor Shores
August 29, 1860 Andrew Preston Peabody Shores
May 23, 1877 Katherine Foster Salter
October 22, 1878 Anne Kennard Salter in Brooklyn New York
April 6, 1880 John Lowe Salter, JR in Brooklyn
November 3, 1882 Robert Shores Salter in Brooklyn
Record of Deaths:
September 2, 1852 Emily Taylor
July 21, 1861 Daniel Taylor in Portsmouth
February 1, 1863 Andrew P Peabody in Portsmouth
April 28, 1877 James Foster Shores Junior
July 8, 1885 Catharine Melcher Shores
July 10, 1888 Foster Shores in Newark, New Jersey
September 8, 1903 Katherine Hammond Melcher Shores in Hancock, New Hampshire.
Through research we learn more about this family; James Foster Shores Jr. was born on March 20, 1814, son of James Foster Shores (1792-1871) and Eliza Oliver Peirce (1796-1863). He married Catharine Melcher Stover on June 10, 1845, in New Hampshire. Eliza Oliver Peirce Shores was born on September 14, 1796, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, daughter of Charles Peirce (1770–1851) and Elizabeth Oliver (1776–1813).* The 1860 federal census indicates James Foster Shores junior was a bookseller and in 1870 a bank cashier. He and Catharine were buried in Proprietors Burying Ground, Also known as Old Proprietors Burial Ground, Proprietors Cemetery , South Church Cemetery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire along with several generations of their families. Catharine Melcher Stover (1815-1885) was a daughter of John Stover and Catharine Hammond Melcher (1793-1827) who was a daughter of George Melcher (1769-1860) and Sarah Melcher (1773-1860). George was a son of Capt Nathaniel Melcher (1743-1822) and Catharine Hammond (1736-1815) and her tombstone records “In her was united the kind & affectionate wife, The tender & indulgent mother, And an agreeable friend. Sleep on sweet friend & take thy rest, God call'd thee home, he thought it best.”
Appears this Bible was passed through the lineage of Mabel Shores who married John Lowe Salter in 1876. Births of their children are recorded. John Lowe Salter born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, son of John Edward Salter (1853–1907) and Ann Mary Kennard (1824–1888).
* Charles Peirce (1770-1851), the second child of Daniel and Ruth (Sargent) Peirce, was a publisher and bookseller in Portsmouth, N. H., a grocer in Philadelphia, Pa., and clerk of the Mayor's Court in Germantown, Pa. He m. 10 Mar 1793, Elizabeth Oliver had (nine children, five survived their father): Eliza O. m. 17 Mar 1813, James Foster Shores (1792-18 Oct 1871). Charles Peirce was in partnership as a bookseller with James Foster Shores his son-in-law, from 1812 to 1814.
Condition and notes: a collectible 1876 Centennial bookmark featuring George Washington located inside as well as a dried botanical, the pages are lightly age toned. The bookmark was most likely a souvenir. The interior is in overall very good condition. All 4 pages of handwritten family history are pictured which is located before the New Testament. All edges in gilt which is still bright. Boards exhibit moderate external wear, binding sound. Soiling to back cover as pictured. Some scratches. Rubbed. Light foxing to endpapers. The bookmark has writing on it. Measures about 9 1/2” by 11 1/2” by 3” thick. Weighs over 9 pounds.
Sources: AAS; Ancestry