more Boston joinery research

In the previous post I mentioned an article Bob Trent & I worked on about Boston furniture published in the 2010 volume of American Furniture. That article drew heavily on research by Trent and his friend and colleague Benno Forman. Their work mostly focused on Henry Messinger and Ralph Mason as the principal joiners in that town. Both of these joiners had several sons who followed them in the trade; and Messinger’s daughter Sarah married Richard Mason, joiner, son of Ralph Mason. Thus the two families were linked into a small but dominant Boston joiners’ dynasty. 

I drew heavily on an unpublished manuscript left by Forman titled Boston Furniture Craftsmen, 1630-1730. That work was done more than 30 years before the article Trent & I did - thus I was able to take advantage of updated research that had not been available to Forman. It is even easier now, 13 years after Trent & I did our work. In researching John Davis, one of the first joiners mentioned in Boston records, I learned of a dispute involving him cited in Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001) 3:301-303, but now the Church Records are online and quoted here in full: 

• The 1st Day of the 12th Moneth 1640.

  Mrs Anne Hibbon our sister was by our pastor, with the Consent of the Church, Excommunicated out of the Church, for her Irregular dealing with our brother John Davisse, in not Admonishing him according to Rule, for what she conceived to be a heynous sinne in him; and also for her Causelesse uncharitable Jelousies and suspicions against him and sundry of the brethren that are joyners, and other Neighbors of the same Calling as if they were of a Combination, extortionously to sett high Rates upon their worke, and that against their Conscience they had over-valued some worke wrought in her husbands house by one John Crabtree a joyner; whereas the brethren did solemnly in the face of the Church take God to witnesse, that they did nothing therein against their Conscience, but according to the light thereof; Neverthelesse she persisted in her obstinate Judgeing and Condemning of them, leaving it to the Lord to bring out the Trueth of it. And likewise for sundry Untruethes openly proved by sundry of the brethren against her whereof, though she was Convinced, yet she made not any humble and penitentiall acknowledgement thereof; Moreover for her causelesse Condemning of the Churches Censure of Admonition upon her to bee uniust, although she was privately admonished thereof by sundry of the brethren and sisters, but still continued Impenitent and obstinate in these thinges, not hearkning to her husband at home; nor to the brethren and sisters in private, noe nor yet to the whole Church in Publique.