Ezra Batchelder of Danvers, Massachusetts. A Massachusetts tall case clock in butternut. OO-8.
This is a fine butternut case tall clock with a painted dial signed “ Ezra Batchelder, Danvers.” The case proportions are very pleasing.
This clock stands on four wonderful and original ogee bracket feet. Their design incorporates an interesting double return. The waist is long and narrow, centering a tombstone-shaped door. This door is trimmed with a molded edge. The sides of the waist are fitted with boldly fluted quarter columns. These terminate in brass quarter capitals. The hood features a simple molded arch molding surmounted with a New England-style fretwork pattern. The frets are original to this clock and exhibit a nice variation on the traditional theme. The left side has experienced a small loss, which can be easily restored or left the way it is. Fluted finial plinths support the three large period brass ball-and-spike finials. The bonnet columns are also fluted and terminate in brass capitals. The bonnet door is arched in form and fitted with glass. Behind it is the painted iron dial.
This dial is wonderfully paint-decorated. The artwork is distinctive and must have been painted by a local artisan. The decoration style is less structured and more reserved than the artwork exhibited on production dials. The colors are often muted, and the presentation is lovely. Interestingly, this dial lacks the raised gesso work traditionally found on imported dials from this period. This gesso work is often incorporated in the borders of the spandrel areas and the arch. The time ring features Roman numerals and Arabic five-minute markers positioned above each hour. The steel hands indicate the time. These hands are hand-filed into a lovely pattern. This dial displays the seconds and calendar day in the traditional locations. This dial is signed on the dial by the Clockmaker. The dial is mounted directly to the movement without a false plate.
The movement is brass and designed to run for eight days on a full wind. It is weight-powered and strikes each hour on a cast iron bell. The bell is mounted above the movement on a post.
This clock stands 7 feet 8 inches tall to the top of the center final.
The clock was made circa 1805.
Ezra Batchelder was born in Andover, Massachusetts, on November 13, 1769. His father, also named Ezra, was a blacksmith who was baptized on May 31, 1741, and died in 1809. His mother was Mary (Woodbury) Ober from Beverly. The couple married on March 15, 1763, and raised five children on Maple Street. Over time, they became some of the largest landowners in Danvers.
Ezra’s brother Andrew, born in 1772, was also a clockmaker and blacksmith. The two worked together in Danvers after 1801, and it is believed they learned their trade from their brother-in-law, Nathan Adams. An account book from their business covers the years 1803 to 1830. During this time, they sold 36 clocks, with prices ranging from $35 to $65 depending on whether the clock included a case. The account book also lists the names of the original buyers. Both brothers were skilled cabinetmakers and likely made their own clock cases and other wooden items. The following are entries from their account book.
In 1803, five clocks were sold. Nathaniel Lang bought two for $50 each, Edmund Johnson bought two for $35 each, and Charles Foster bought one for $35. The clocks sold to Foster and Johnson had a 12-inch face and no case, while the ones sold to Lang were likely cased. This was Ezra’s most productive year for clock sales.
1804-1805. No clock sales are listed.
1806. Peter Woodbury of Beverly purchased a clock with a "Moon face" for $40, and Solomon Dodge bought one at $37.50. "Tucker" from the town of Andover bought one at $38.
1807. Elias Endicott bought a cased clock for $52.50.
1808. Rev. Benjamin Wadsworth paid $50 for a clock that was to be delivered to Rev. Mr. "Bawlch" of Salisbury. Capt. Samuel Trow of Beverly bought a "moon face" for $45. William Dodge of Beverly bought a "moon Face" for $45. This clock was sold without a case. Mr. Lemon of Beverly bought a "12-inch moon face" for $43.
1809. No clock sales are listed.
1810. Amos Gould of Ipswich purchased a clock for $50.
1811. Jacob Towne of Topsfield purchased a "clock compleat" for $47.50.
1812. Capt. Thomas Raymond of Beverly bought a clock "without case" for $40. John H. Leonard of Salem bought a "compleat clock" for $55.
1813. Capt. Thomas Cheever of Danvers bought a clock for $65. (Capt. Cheever commanded the ship, Augustus.) This clock is listed as having a "mehogeny case." David Perkins of Topsfield bought a clock for $50.
1814. No clock sales are listed.
1815. Elezer Pope, a yeoman who resided in Salem, bought a clock for $50.
1816. Elezer Lake of Topsfield bought a "clock and case compleat and case varnished" for $52. John Averill of Topsfield is listed as buying a clock. The price is not recorded. Major Solomon Wilkins of Middleton paid $50. This is later sold to the Newhall family.
1817. No entries.
1818. No entries.
1819. Ebenezer Goldthwaite purchased a "clock and case compleat, and case varnished" for $53. "Esq" Elezer Putnam paid $53 for a clock.
1820. Alen Porter bought a "compleat," clock for $53.
1821. Stephen Whipple of Salem bought a "compleat," clock for $53. Daniel Porter of Topsfield purchased a "clock and case" for $50.
In 1822, Capt. Asa Tapley of Danvers paid $53 for a clock. He was a Revolutionary War soldier and served as a lieutenant during the War of 1812, guarding Fort Lee. In 1833, he received a Revolutionary War pension. Tapley was a successful businessman and one of Danvers’ early brick manufacturers. He also served the town as a constable, a highway surveyor, a member of the board of health, and a school committee member. Records show he was involved in many land transactions and was listed as a yeoman.
1823. Levi Preston of Danvers paid $55.
1824. Mr. Killam, probably of Boxford, paid $40.
1825. No entries.
1826. Mark How paid $53.
1827. Mr. Hardy bought a clock "without case" for $32.50.
In 1828, Perley Tapley of Danvers bought a clock for $53. He was well known for moving buildings and also worked as a highway surveyor.
In 1829, Hicks Richards of Danvers bought a clock without a case for $38. Col. Nathan Tapley purchased a case for $15.75. Nathan, Asa’s brother, led a military company in Danvers and nearby areas, earning the title of Colonel. He was also a successful businessman.
1830. Joseph Porter purchased "one eight-day clock with weights without the case," for $38. (This is Ella J. Porter's clock. She lived on Cherry Street.)
Ezra married Anna Brown on December 17, 1795. She was born in Andover, Massachusetts, in 1772 and died on June 4, 1856. They had 11 children together. Ezra also worked as a farmer and is said to have been the first expressman in Danvers, transporting goods to and from Boston in a road wagon. From 1825 to 1830, he made about three trips a week, using either two or four horses, depending on the load. He later sold this route to Joseph Porter. Ezra died in Danvers on October 10, 1858, from lung fever. He lived nearly 90 years and worked until the end of his life.
One clock sold to Mrs. Porter in Danvers is inscribed inside the case, "sixty dollars or a pair of Oxen.
Over the last forty-plus years of being in the business of selling clocks, we have seen at least 12 tall clocks signed by this Maker.
