The Colonial Silversmith

Peter Oliver (1682-1712), the 9^th great-uncle of my sons, was a well-known colonial silversmith In Boston, Massachusetts. A silversmith is a person who crafts objects from silver and need to go through an apprenticeship to learn the craft.

Peter was one of six siblings – one of two boys, and his parents were Peter Oliver (1682-1712) and Susanna Sweet (16471684). In 1695, at the age of 13, Peter was apprenticed to John Coney, a master silversmith, to learn the silversmith trade. (An interesting side note is that Paul Revere’s father was also an apprentice of John Coney.)

Peter was married two times. His first wife, Jerusha Mather (1684-1710), was the daughter of the well-known Puritan minister Increase Mather. Peter and Jerusha were married on March 8, 1709, in Boson, and had one daughter who only lived for five months. After Jerusha’s death in 1710, Peter married Hopestill Winslow (1680-1754) on March 1, 1711, in Boston. Peter died the following year on April 27, 1712, at the young age of 30. Peter and Hopestill did not have any children.

At the time of Peter’s death, there were several epidemics spreading throughout New England: measles, smallpox, and “malignant distemper” (aka influenza).  So, Peter, his daughter, and his first wife, could have been victims of any of these illnesses. In fact, as part of his opening statement in his Last Will and Testament, Peter—anticipating his death—states that he was “sick and weak in Body but of sound and perfect memory and understanding, blessed be God, and not knowing how soon I may department this life make my Last Will and Testament. . . .” Peter died three days after the writing of his Will.

Peter was, and still is, known for his excellent silversmithing. So, let’s look at some of his most well-known pieces.

This first piece is a chocolate pot. It was made about 1705, is 10½ inches high, and weighs 26

ounces. It was made for Beulah Jacquette Coates, whose husband, Thomas Coates, was also a silversmith. Today, this chocolate pot is in a private collection.

Next, a porringer made about 1710. The porringer is engraved with the initials TBM for Thomas and Mary Barton who were married in 1710. Today, this piece is in Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts.

The third piece is a flagon. It was made in 1711, is 11-7/8 inches high, and weighs over 47 ounces. The flagon is engraved "Mrs. Elizabeth Wensley / To the Second Church / of Christ in / Boston / 1711." The flagon, made as a gift, was presented to the Second Church of Christ after the death Elizabeth Wensley, who died in 1711.  Mrs. Wensley was the mother of Peter’s second wife Hopestill Winslow. And, Hopestill’s step-father, was the minister of the Second Church of Church. Today, this piece is in the Winterthur Museum and Library in Delaware – a former du Pont family residence.

Below is Peter's silversmith mark he would have used on all the pieces he made.

It's too bad that Peter died at such a young age. Just think of the silver pieces that he could have completed.

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Sources used:

Caufield, Ernest. “The Pursuit of a Pestilence.” Proceedings of the Antiquarian Society, April 1950, pp. 21-52. Accessed 2-5-2020 at: http://www.americanantiquarian.org/proceedings/44807204.pdf

            Voss, William Erik. “Silversmiths & Related Craftsmen.” American Silversmiths, Rootsweb, 2014, freepages.rootsweb.com/~silversmiths/genealogy/makers/silversmiths/index.htm