THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 63 



William Sluman Messervy, ex-mayor of Salem, died 

 on Friday, Feb. 19, 1886, after a long and painful illness. 

 He was a son of Capt. William Messervy, an old-time ship- 

 master in the East India and other trades. His maternal 

 grandfather, Capt. William Slumau, for whom he was 

 named, commanded a private-armed vessel in the Revolu- 

 tionary war, and lost his life in the service. He was born 

 in Salem, Aug. 26, 1812 ; after leaving school he went to 

 Boston and served as clerk and book-keeper in several ex- 

 tensive establishments. In 1834 went to St. Louis, and 

 found employment ; in 1839 he engaged in the over-land 

 trade to Mexico and went to Santa Fe. He spent seven 

 years in Chihuahua and six in Santa Fe. Upon the organi- 

 zation of the territory of New Mexico he was elected dele- 

 gate to Congress, and was at one time Secretary ; during 

 the absence of the Governor he became acting Governor. 

 In 1854 he returned to Salem and in 1856-7 was the 

 Mayor. After his return from Mexico he was engaged in 

 attending to his own business affairs and as a director in 

 one or more insurance offices and other corporations. He 

 took an active interest in several of the literary and scir 

 entific institutions. Admitted to membership, Sept. 1, 

 1852. 



Charles Roundy, the oldest of our old-time ship mas- 

 ters died at his residence, Salem, on Friday, Feb. 26, 

 1886. He was the son of Capt. Nehemiah and Rebecca 

 (Boynton) Roundy, born in Beverly, Oct. 15, 1794. 

 About 1804 the family removed to Salem. In 1809 he 

 entered upon a seafaring life in the ship Augustus and 

 continued in the merchant service always in the employ 

 of Capt. Joseph Peabody one of Saleua's most enterpris- 

 ing and distinguished merchants, until he left the sea in 

 1835. During the period of the war with England which 



