Metadata
Title
Pearson, James
Description
Master builder James Pearson was an early member of The Carpenters' Company, although the actual date of his election is unknown because of the loss of all Company records prior to 1763. In those earliest surviving records, Pearson is mentioned as a member of the important "Committee to Sett prises." Among the most active members of The Company throughout his life, Pearson served as Warden (1764-1766), Assistant (1771-1773, 1785-1788), and as a member of virtually every special committee. A member of the American Philosophical Society, Pearson was one of the official observers of the transit of Venus (June 3, 1769) from the State House yard (Independence Square). An active supporter of the Revolution--as were most of his fellow Company members--Pearson manufactured firearms for the Committee of Safety (1775). In the 1780s he made extensive repairs to the State House for which his bills survive in the Pennsylvania Archives, Harrisburg, PA. When Company member Ezekiel Worrell died, his widow petitioned The Company for help in "placing one of her sons Apprentice to a House Carpenter." Company records strongly suggest that that son was Joseph Worrell and that he was taken as an apprentice by Pearson. On 21 January 1788, "James Pearson proposed Joseph Worrel [sic.] Son of ye Late Ezekial Worral [sic.] as a member of The Company."
Biography from Philadelphia Architects and Buildings, a project of Athenaeum of Philadelphia. Written by Roger W. Moss.
Biography from Philadelphia Architects and Buildings, a project of Athenaeum of Philadelphia. Written by Roger W. Moss.
Member Number
38*
Last Name
Pearson
First Name
James
Birth Date
1/1/1735
Deceased Date
1/1/1813
Office Held
Vice President, 1770,85
Warden, 1764
Committee Membership
Book Prices Committee, 1763-73,74-5,83-94-7,1800,03
Membership Committee, 2001-05
Business Address
3 N. 7th St. (1791) (Prime)
Project
Observatory at Independence Square, from which the
Declaration was first read.
Reference
*Subscribed 16 shares to erection of Hall.
*City Directory - 1810 - James, city surveyor, 17 N. 7th
*Tatman & Moss Biographical Dictionary of Phila. Architects. Pages 597-98. Master builder James Pearson was an early member of The Carpenters' Company, although the actual date of his election is unknown due to the loss of all Company records prior to 1763. In those earliest surviving records Pearson is mentioned as a member of the important "Committee to Sett Prises." Among the most active members of The Company throughout his life, Pearson served as Warden (1764-1766), Assistant (1770-1773, 1785-1788), and as a member of virtually every special committee. A member of The American Philosophical Society, Pearson was one of the official observers of The Transit of Venus (June 3, 1769) from the State House yard. An active supporter of the Revolution -- as were most of his fellow Company members -- Pearson manufactured firearms for the Committee of Safety (1775). In the 1780s he made extensive repairs to the State House for which his bills survive in the Pennsylvania Archives, Harrisburg, PA. When Company member Ezekiel Worrell (q.v.) died, his widow petitioned the Company for help in "placing one of her sons Apprentice to a House Carpenter." Company records strongly suggest that that son was Joseph Worrell and that he was taken as apprentice by Pearson. On 21 January 1788, "James Pearson proposed Joseph Worrel (sic.) Son of ye Late Ezekiel Worral" (sic.) as a member of The Company. See Selected Bibliography in Tatman & Moss Bio Dictionary Phila. Architects. See material at American Philosophical Society.
*PA Gazette 4/10/1766 - #502 As an officer of the "Amicable Library,' calls a meeting to consider adding 40 shillings to each share to permit joining with another library company.
PA Gazette 6/8/1769 - #7559 A report on his participation in the American Philsophical Society project to observe the Transit of Venus.
PA Gazette 8/9/1770 - #9941 William and James Pearson renting three-story brick house with fireplace in the cellar, on the north side of Market St. between 6th and 7th Sts.
PA Gazette 11/27/1782 - #30758 The Major General of the Pennsylvania militia thanks officers for their service in the Revolution; James Pearson is listed as a Captain. PA Gazette 12/28/1785 - #2766 James Pearson, John Barker and Levi Budd among signers of petition to State Assembly for renewing charter of Bank of North America. PA Gazette 11/1/1786 - #3764 Among subscribers to new building for American Philosophical Society.
PA Gazette 2/4/1795 - #10649 Agent for land and buildings in Blockley township, 5 miles from Philadelphia. He listed at N. 7th St. PA Gazette 4/1/1789 - #6082 Signed as secretary of a meeting of manufacturers and mechanics of Philadelphia, districts of Northern Liberties and Southwark, petitioning Congress to lay duties on foreign manufactures imported into the states,
Managing Committee Minutes-April 8, 1992-page 125 Historian Peterson's report: Before Carpenters' Hall was built - just a few feet to the west - a two-story brick schoolhouse was newly in place. According to Quaker historian Wilman Spawn, drawing survive for an observatory attached to the south side of that building. Mr. Spawn says it was the first observatory in this city, antedating that built soon afterwards on Independence Square by Robert Smith and James Pearson to observe the Transit of Venus. The latter was the structure from which the Declaration was first read to the public.
*Prime Directory: Listed as carpenter, April 7, 1790, in PA Journal. Also a listing for Henry Pearson, possibly a brother, as house carpenter, 7th above Cherry St. (1795, 96)
*PA Gazette 10/4/1770 - #10258 Benjamin Loxley on committee to enforce embargo on British goods as protest of recently imposed taxes on tea. Joseph Fox is committee chairman; anolther member is James Pearson.
*City Directory - 1805 - reference to "James, late city surveyor, 17 N. 7th" (the right man?)
*Trans. APS Vol. 43, Part I (1953), page 99 Listed as an original subsciber (1770) to construction of the Hall . page 116 Footnote 162 lists Pearson as working (1769) on the "front house" on the property owned by the Company. page 120 Footnote 19: Robert Smith was appointed (Feb. 17, 1769) a member of an American Philosophical Society Committee to erect an observatory for the transit of Venus. The observatory was erected a short time afterwards by James Pearson in the State House Yard (Proc. Ameri. Philos. Soc. 22 (119):31,36, 1884). It was from this wooden structure that the Declaration of Independence was first read on July 8, 1776.
*Managing Committee Minutes-1788-4-12: James Pearson on behalf of the Committee appointed to procure fire buckets and ladders. Managing Committee Minutes-1807-15-93 James Pearson and William Garrigues are appointed to value the party wall between Edward Tilghman and the store occupied by the Custom House.
*Pearson's observatory is depicted in a painting by Peter Frederick Rothermel. Currently (2017) hanging in the Union League of Philadelphia.
*Grantor File Data from the City of Philadelphia Archives:
(Date; Book; No.; Page; Grantee)
1766/1781; I; 16; 24; Howell, Joshua
1777/1800; D; 5; 42; Brown, Mary
17177/1800; D; 5; 115; Rudolph, Tobias
1777/1800; D; 12; 531; Rundle, Daniel
1777/1800; D; 16; 1; Bartram, Moses
1777/1800; D; 17; 284; Hartt, Sarah
1799/1809; EF; 15; 216; Hartt, Jane
*City Directory - 1810 - James, city surveyor, 17 N. 7th
*Tatman & Moss Biographical Dictionary of Phila. Architects. Pages 597-98. Master builder James Pearson was an early member of The Carpenters' Company, although the actual date of his election is unknown due to the loss of all Company records prior to 1763. In those earliest surviving records Pearson is mentioned as a member of the important "Committee to Sett Prises." Among the most active members of The Company throughout his life, Pearson served as Warden (1764-1766), Assistant (1770-1773, 1785-1788), and as a member of virtually every special committee. A member of The American Philosophical Society, Pearson was one of the official observers of The Transit of Venus (June 3, 1769) from the State House yard. An active supporter of the Revolution -- as were most of his fellow Company members -- Pearson manufactured firearms for the Committee of Safety (1775). In the 1780s he made extensive repairs to the State House for which his bills survive in the Pennsylvania Archives, Harrisburg, PA. When Company member Ezekiel Worrell (q.v.) died, his widow petitioned the Company for help in "placing one of her sons Apprentice to a House Carpenter." Company records strongly suggest that that son was Joseph Worrell and that he was taken as apprentice by Pearson. On 21 January 1788, "James Pearson proposed Joseph Worrel (sic.) Son of ye Late Ezekiel Worral" (sic.) as a member of The Company. See Selected Bibliography in Tatman & Moss Bio Dictionary Phila. Architects. See material at American Philosophical Society.
*PA Gazette 4/10/1766 - #502 As an officer of the "Amicable Library,' calls a meeting to consider adding 40 shillings to each share to permit joining with another library company.
PA Gazette 6/8/1769 - #7559 A report on his participation in the American Philsophical Society project to observe the Transit of Venus.
PA Gazette 8/9/1770 - #9941 William and James Pearson renting three-story brick house with fireplace in the cellar, on the north side of Market St. between 6th and 7th Sts.
PA Gazette 11/27/1782 - #30758 The Major General of the Pennsylvania militia thanks officers for their service in the Revolution; James Pearson is listed as a Captain. PA Gazette 12/28/1785 - #2766 James Pearson, John Barker and Levi Budd among signers of petition to State Assembly for renewing charter of Bank of North America. PA Gazette 11/1/1786 - #3764 Among subscribers to new building for American Philosophical Society.
PA Gazette 2/4/1795 - #10649 Agent for land and buildings in Blockley township, 5 miles from Philadelphia. He listed at N. 7th St. PA Gazette 4/1/1789 - #6082 Signed as secretary of a meeting of manufacturers and mechanics of Philadelphia, districts of Northern Liberties and Southwark, petitioning Congress to lay duties on foreign manufactures imported into the states,
Managing Committee Minutes-April 8, 1992-page 125 Historian Peterson's report: Before Carpenters' Hall was built - just a few feet to the west - a two-story brick schoolhouse was newly in place. According to Quaker historian Wilman Spawn, drawing survive for an observatory attached to the south side of that building. Mr. Spawn says it was the first observatory in this city, antedating that built soon afterwards on Independence Square by Robert Smith and James Pearson to observe the Transit of Venus. The latter was the structure from which the Declaration was first read to the public.
*Prime Directory: Listed as carpenter, April 7, 1790, in PA Journal. Also a listing for Henry Pearson, possibly a brother, as house carpenter, 7th above Cherry St. (1795, 96)
*PA Gazette 10/4/1770 - #10258 Benjamin Loxley on committee to enforce embargo on British goods as protest of recently imposed taxes on tea. Joseph Fox is committee chairman; anolther member is James Pearson.
*City Directory - 1805 - reference to "James, late city surveyor, 17 N. 7th" (the right man?)
*Trans. APS Vol. 43, Part I (1953), page 99 Listed as an original subsciber (1770) to construction of the Hall . page 116 Footnote 162 lists Pearson as working (1769) on the "front house" on the property owned by the Company. page 120 Footnote 19: Robert Smith was appointed (Feb. 17, 1769) a member of an American Philosophical Society Committee to erect an observatory for the transit of Venus. The observatory was erected a short time afterwards by James Pearson in the State House Yard (Proc. Ameri. Philos. Soc. 22 (119):31,36, 1884). It was from this wooden structure that the Declaration of Independence was first read on July 8, 1776.
*Managing Committee Minutes-1788-4-12: James Pearson on behalf of the Committee appointed to procure fire buckets and ladders. Managing Committee Minutes-1807-15-93 James Pearson and William Garrigues are appointed to value the party wall between Edward Tilghman and the store occupied by the Custom House.
*Pearson's observatory is depicted in a painting by Peter Frederick Rothermel. Currently (2017) hanging in the Union League of Philadelphia.
*Grantor File Data from the City of Philadelphia Archives:
(Date; Book; No.; Page; Grantee)
1766/1781; I; 16; 24; Howell, Joshua
1777/1800; D; 5; 42; Brown, Mary
17177/1800; D; 5; 115; Rudolph, Tobias
1777/1800; D; 12; 531; Rundle, Daniel
1777/1800; D; 16; 1; Bartram, Moses
1777/1800; D; 17; 284; Hartt, Sarah
1799/1809; EF; 15; 216; Hartt, Jane
File Number
a
Revolutionary War
XX