Moses Eastman (June 17, 1794 – May 24, 1850) was an American
silversmith
A silversmith is a metalworker who crafts objects from silver. The terms ''silversmith'' and ''goldsmith'' are not exact synonyms, as the techniques, training, history, and guilds are (or were, at least) largely the same but differed in that t ...
based in
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Brita ...
. He was also the founder of, and sole
benefactor in, the construction of Savannah's
Unitarian Universalist Church.
Early life and career
Eastman was born in
Concord, New Hampshire
Concord () is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Hampshire and the county seat, seat of Merrimack County, New Hampshire, Merrimack County. As of the 2020 United States census the population was 43,976, making it the List of municipalities ...
, in 1794. He moved to Savannah around 1820 and joined the partnership of J. Penfield & Co., which comprised
Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
native
[ Josiah Penfield (1785–1828) and Frederick Marquand (1799–1882).][Ladle]
– Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts
Old Salem is a historic district of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, which was originally settled by the Moravian community in 1766. It features a living-history museum which interprets the restored Moravian community. The non- ...
He became a partner with Penfield in 1826.[ That partnership dissolved when Penfield died in 1828. Eastman then started out on his own, working under his own name.][
In 1830, Eastman was a city constable,][Cutten, George, ''The Silversmiths of Georgia''] and in 1844 was appointed keeper of the Savannah city clock.
After Eastman's death in 1850, George M. Griffen continued the business. Griffen had worked for Eastman as a watchmaker
A watchmaker is an artisan who makes and repairs watches. Since a majority of watches are now factory-made, most modern watchmakers only repair watches. However, originally they were master craftsmen who built watches, including all their par ...
.[
Some of Eastman's work was displayed in Savannah's ]Telfair Museums
Telfair Museums, in the historic district of Savannah, Georgia, was the first public art museum in the Southern United States. Founded through the bequest of Mary Telfair (1791–1875), a prominent local citizen, and operated by the Georgia His ...
in 2010 during its "Silver in Savannah" exhibit.["Telfair opens ‘Silver in Savannah’ exhibit"]
– ''Savannah Morning News
The ''Savannah Morning News'' is a daily newspaper in Savannah, Georgia. It is published by Gannett. The motto of the paper is "Light of the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry". The paper serves Savannah, its Savannah metropolitan area, metropolitan ...
'', 5 March 2010 Silver has played a major part in Savannah's history since its founder Captain James Oglethorpe
Lieutenant-General James Edward Oglethorpe (22 December 1696 – 30 June 1785) was a British Army officer, Tory politician and colonial administrator best known for founding the Province of Georgia in British North America. As a social refo ...
arrived in 1733.[
]
Personal life
Eastman married New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
native Elizabeth Tuthill (1799–1883) in 1834 in Savannah.[ Nine years later, they purchased 233 ]Bull Street
Bull Street is a major street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Named for Colonel William Bull (governor), William Bull (1683–1755), it runs from Bay Street (Savannah, Georgia), Bay Street in the north to Derenne Avenue (part of Georgia S ...
, in the southwest residential block of Chippewa Square
Chippewa Square is one of the Squares of Savannah, Georgia, 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the middle row of the city's five rows of squares, on Bull Street and McDonough Street, and was laid out in 1815. It is s ...
. Its construction was started the previous year by Samuel Philbrick. The couple later started building today's Philbrick–Eastman House, at 17 West McDonough Street, in the southwestern civic/trust lot of the square; however, by the time of its 1847 completion, it was purchased by John Stoddard (1809–1879), later president of the Georgia Historical Society
The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) is a statewide historical society in Georgia, United States. Headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, GHS is one of the oldest historical organizations in the United States. Since 1839, the society has collected, ex ...
.[
]
Death
Eastman died on May 24, 1850, aged 55, in Savannah.[CHATHAM COUNTY, GA - OBITS 1850 (Jan 1 to Dec 31)]
Savannah Newspaper Digest He was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in East Concord, New Hampshire.[
After Eastman's death, his widow moved to ]Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
* Madison (footballer), Brazilian footballer
Places in the United States
Populated places
* Madi ...
in her native New Jersey. She survived her husband by 33 years and was buried beside him.
In his will
Will may refer to:
Common meanings
* Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death
* Will (philosophy), or willpower
* Will (sociology)
* Will, volition (psychology)
* Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will
...
, Eastman left $2,525 to build a parsonage (which formerly stood at 123 Abercorn Street
Abercorn Street is a prominent street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located between Drayton Street to the west and Lincoln Street to the east, it runs for about from East Bay Street (Savannah, Georgia), Bay Street in the north to Georgi ...
on Oglethorpe Square) and a more substantial brick and mortar Unitarian Universalist Church. It was completed a year after his death.Savannah GA Historic Churches
– GoSouthSavannah The church was physically moved to Troup Square in 1860.[''Savannah in the Old South, Walter J. Fraser (2003), p. 196]
References
External links
A spoon made by Eastman from the 1830s
– OldSouthSilver.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eastman, Moses
1794 births
1850 deaths
American silversmiths
Artisans from Savannah, Georgia
People from Concord, New Hampshire