Figure 41. — Wooden surveying compass made by James Halsy (1695-1767) of" 

 Boston. The instrument is 11 in. long. In collection of East India Marine 

 Hall, Peabody Museum, Salem, Massachusetts. 



of the Peabody Museum in Salem. The engraved compass card 

 is quite similar to the one used by Thomas Greenough. In the 

 central medallion is an elaborate royal crown, and in the circle 

 around the medallion is inscribed "Made and Sold by James 

 Halsy near Ye Draw Bridge in Boston." ^° 



Thomas Greenough 



Contemporary with James Halsy II was Thomas Greenough 

 (1710-1785), who was born in Boston in 1710, the son of John and 

 Elizabeth (Gross) Greenough. His father was a shipwright in 

 the North End of Boston, and one of Thomas's brothers, Newman 

 Greenough, became a sailmaker. Thomas also had a sister named 

 Jerusha, who later figured in his real estate negotiations. 



The earliest known record relating to Greenough is of his mar- 

 riage in 1734 to Martha Clarke, daughter of William and Sarah 

 Clarke of Boston. Nine children resulted from this marriage over 

 the course of the next 16 years; four of these were sons. On 

 January 27 of the year of his marriage he purchased a house on the 

 northwest side of North Street, between Mill Creek and Union 

 Street, from John White and Nathaniel Roberts. On August 1, 

 1736, Greenough purchased the house and land of his father-in- 

 law, William Clarke, on the south side of Portland Street. On 



^'^ Description courtesy of Mr. M. V. Brewington, Peabody Museum, Salem, 

 Mass. 



85 



