Alpheus Worcester & Matilda Taber

Alpheus Worcester, my 4th great grandfather and father of Ruhamma Worcester, was born on Feb 16, 1822 in Boston, the same year Boston was incorporated as a city (formerly it was a town).  He was one of 5 sons.  Among them were a paper manufacturer and a Deacon.  Alpheus was a Nail Cutter.  In 1845 he moved to Wareham, Mass which is south of Boston toward Cape Cod.

On May 12, 1850 he married Matilda Taber from Wareham.  Matilda was born there in 1822.  Together they had three children, Hannah, Alpheus, and Ruhamma (who got her name from her maternal grandmother).

Alpheus lived in Wareham for the rest of his life, passing away at only 44 y.o. in April of 1866.  Matilda lived until March of 1889 (67 y.o.)


Nail production was an important industry in New England at the time.  Here is a description of how a Nail Cutter does his job:

The machine used was propelled by one person using the right hand on one lever, and the right foot on another lever. The left hand was occupied in manipulating the iron from which the nails were cut. The iron was called "nail iron," and was of different widths according to the requisite sized size desired, such as shingle, clapboard, brads, lathing, etc. Two-inch shingle nails were sold for 37 1/2 cents per pound; clapboard do., 25 cents; brads, 18 cents; lathing, 31 cents, etc.

Before cutting, the iron was brought to a red heat in the common blacksmith fire. After the nails were cooled, they were taken to a place to be headed. This was done with a spring vise, which was closed by the pressure of the right foot. Only one nail was inserted at a time. One stroke of the hammer on the nail made a brad; two more made a clapboard or weather-boarding nail.