USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newbury > Reminiscences of a nonagenarian > Part 11
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The next afternoon, accompanied by aunt Hannah and Miss Becky Noyes, we paid the proposed visit to the Adams family. We enjoyed their company, and were most hospitably en- tertained. At tea we were joined by Mrs. Liffe Adams' son, Robert, a bash- ful and eccentric stripling of eighteen. Much to my amusement and that of my two aunts, every endeavor was put forth, by his mother and other relatives, to render the young man companiona- ble to me. Sly promptings were given on every hand to induce him to show his gallantry, but the poor youth was sadly at a loss, completely discomfited. Mrs. Adams, acting, perhaps, upon the principle that children left alone the better facilitate their acquaintance, after tea took the others to look at her cheese. Poor Robert, thus cast upon his own resources, did his best at being agreea- ble, but his efforts were so ludicrous that, after a vain endeavor to maintain composure, I was obliged to rush into the front yard, under the pretence of
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looking at the sweet balm, but in real- ity to suppress my risibles. The rest joined me, and, as aunt Adams thought we had better return that night, we soon took leave. A pleasant ride, with- out any adventure, carried us home. Our visit had been most satisfactory, and we assured our friends that, how- ever much others might doubt, we were certain that aunt Hannah had not mis- taken her vocation.
CHAPTER XXI.
Aunt Susy Dole was a confirmed in- valid, and sometimes had ill turns, when a watcher was required. At the period of Mr. Stickney's and the baby's ill- ness I had been so much in the family that the sisters had been in the liabit of sending for me at the slightest ailment. One sultry, foggy night, the first of September, a summons came to watch with aunt Susy. Our straw work had been unusually pressing, and I really felt unable to sit up all night. Aunt Sarah declared I should not go, "that Susy Dole no more needed a watcher than a cat needed two tails." Mother, who always considered every one's com- fort before her own, thought I had bet- ter go. About eight o'clock I went. I found the brothers and sisters seated in the kitchen, the door being ajar into the room where aunt Susy lay in bed. After a little chat, a candle was placed on the round stand, when uncle Amos proceeded to read a chapter from the Bible. The old gentleman was troub- led with a cough ; he always kept a mug of colts-foot tea handy on the dresser. He would read a few verses
and stop to cough ; then taking a sip of the tea he would proceed, and in this way, the long chapter was at length fin- ished. Then each rose and bowing over their chair, reverently joined in the long prayer, which, like the read- ing, was frequently interrupted by coughs and sips of the medicine. Un- cle Amos would have been shocked at anything that bordered on ritualism. The bare mention of a liturgy was enough to raise the hair from his Brow, yet, by custom, he had brought this daily prayer into a set formula, which scarcely varied from day to day. He prayed for every body and every thing : " The president, vice-president and both houses of congress ; the govern- or, the lieut .- governor, the clergy, the colleges and schools ; the aged, infirm and dying ; the pensioners, the poor and afflicted ; travellers by land and all those that go down to the sea in ships." The lengthy petition ended, the family retired and I entered upon my duty. Aunt Susy seemed very comfortable, said " her abb tea was all that she should need, but that must be kept hot." I added a few sticks to the smouldering fire, and placed a pewter porringer of balm tea on the embers. After inquiries respecting aunt Hannah and her new home, the invalid fell asleep. Screening the candle, I took a pile of " Newburyport Heralds," (un- ele Amos was a constant subscriber to that paper), and whiled away a couple of hours ; then aunt Susy awoke and demanded the tea ; to my chagrin it was not warm enough to suit, and I was compelled to reheat it. When it was ready, my patient was again in sound slumber. Fearing that she might awake and ask for the tea, I kept up the fire until the heat became intolerable.
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Tiptoeing into the kitchen, I opened the outer door, but was met by such a swarm of mosquitos, engendered by the vicinity of the pond, that it was instant- ly closed. I returned to the bedroom and sinking into aunt Susy's easy chair, unintentionally dropped asleep. When I awoke the room was pitchy dark, my head was in a whirl and every limb ached. I sprang for a candle, but was so turned round by the sudden awaken- ing it was difficult to find the table ; at length the candle, a small dip with a tow wick, was lightened, the fire re- plenished, and much to my relief the herb tea boiling when aunt Susy awoke. It suited this time. Dawn began to break, and aunt Judy relieved my vigil. The sick woman bade me good morn- ing, with many encomiums upon my skill as a nurse, declared I had been the best watcher she had had. I ar- rived at home in time to assist in set- ting off father and the boys, who were going to Plum Island to rake the last freight of hay for that season. It was an exceedingly sultry morning, but about eleven o'clock a thunder shower came up, after which the wind changed to north-east : a drenching rain set in accompanied by a high wind, which, as the afternoon advanced, grew into a tremendous gale. We were much wor- ried respecting father and the boys, as they did not return, but concluded that they had sought shelter at one of the two farm houses at the lower end of the island.
With some difficulty we managed to get the cows and tie them up in the barn. The milking and other chores done, we tried to pass a cheerful even- ing, but it did not avail, and a some- what sleepless night followed. The morning broke cloudy and misty, but
the wind had subsided. The cows had been put in a part of the field which had been railed off for fall feed. The bordering wall was lined by apple trees ; so many apples had blown to the ground we dared not turn the cows to pasture till they were gathered. The grass and apples were cold and wet, and by the time I had finished picking them, a tooth that had been troublesome was aching excruciatingly. Father and the boys returned that afternoon. They had been subjected to a cold and wear- isome experience. In company with numbers of other haymakers, they had received shelter at the "Cross Farm," and slept in the barn under an ox-cart. Happy at their safe return, I ban- daged my face and essayed to sleep. It was useless. I tried cold water and hot, cloves, ginger, poultices, and everything that could be suggested, to relieve the pain, but in vain ! Two de- cayed teeth ached with an intolerable persistency that no remedy would re- lieve, and I came to the conclusion that cold steel would be the only panacea. Tired as he had been, I was in such distress, my young brother Joseph roused himself, and, after an early breakfast, we set forth for Dr. Poore's residence on the main road. The doc- tor had gone into the pasture to fetch his horse. Mrs. Poore, who was a fav- orite cousin of my mother's, gave me a most sympathetic welcome. "It was a shame to lose two teeth; could not something be done to save them?" Glad as I should have been to have ar- rived at a contrary decision, I felt that they must come out, and the doctor, finding that the sight of him did not scare away the pain, concurred in this opinion. I was seated in an arm chair in the centre of the room, and Mrs.
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Poore was directed to hold my head. A young lady school teacher, who was a boarder in the family, took a stool, and, placing it at my side, sat down to watch the doctor and the gum. I should have liked to have poked her over, but as neither the doctor nor Mrs. Poore entered any remonstrance at what I deemed an impertinence, of course I remained passive. At sight of the cruel-looking, old-fashioned in- struments, my little brother turned pale, and I could not repress a shudder. Mrs. Poore gave me a sympathetic hug, and the doctor applied the cold steel. The instrument was found to be too large, and he procceded to wind it with his bandanna. I thought of the addic- tion to snuff, but there was no time for squeamishness. The instrument was again on ; a jam, a screw, a twist, a pull, and my molar flew across the room. The good doctor was triumph- ant - " such a splendid pull ; I never had better success !"
My brother heaved a sigh of relief, the school mistress settled herself for another good look, kind Mrs. Poore handed a glass of water, then again pityingly took my head between her hands. More trouble with the instru- ment slipping, another jam, screw, and a erash that I thought lifted my scalp, and sent sparks flying from my eyes, this second tooth was broken even with the gum. After giving a few moments' rest, the doctor proceeded to pry out the root. He jammed and punched to no purpose, until nature could bear no more, and I sank back almost un- conscious. My brother started up, nearly upsetting the school teacher in his eagerness, and vehemently protest- ed against any further operation. Mrs. Poore thought he was right, and the
doctor, somewhat reluctantly, desisted from his efforts to extract the root. It would "loosen and come out," he thought, but he feared I would suffer some time. I was too much exhausted to think ; all I could do was to endure. The horse had to walk the most of the way home, as the least jar was ex- cruciating. My face swelled fearfully, and my neck and shoulders were so stiff, I could not lie down for two or three nights ; all the nourishment I could take was at the corner of my mouth from one of the old fashioned tea spoons. Weeks passed ere I could resume my wonted occupations. I had not fully recovered at Thanksgiving. As Nabby Smith had gone home and aunt Adams felt blue alone, father took me to pass the afternoon with her ; Da- vid Emery had come to spend the fes- tival at his grandfather's, and towards night he and uncle Joe Little came in with Lewis Hatch and William Smith ; the two latter boarded with aunt Ad- ams. The visitors received a cordial greeting, and my aunt insisted that un- cle Joe and David should remain to tea. A merry time ensued ; David amused us with the description of an adven- ture that he had experienced that morn- ing. In a hurry to start for "Crane- neck," he rose, the first in the house, at dawn. Finding no tinder in the tin- der box with which to light the fire, he fixed the kindlings, and taking down the old " Kings Arm" from the brack- ets over the mantel, placed it across the andirons, and pouring a little pow- der into the pan, sprang the trigger- a bang, concussion that nearly sent him heels over head, while brick and mortar flew in every direction. Bump, bump, resounded from above, as the snoozers sprang from their beds, while
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Mr. & Mrs. Colman rushed from their bedroom on the ground floor en disha- bille.
"What is it, David?" shouted the old gentleman.
"My son, what have you done?" screamed his mother, while the remain- der of the family rattled down stairs, querying " what is the matter?" The commotion subsided, explanation fol- lowed. The gun which David had supposed empty, Daniel had loaded the previous evening in order to fire a Thanksgiving salute in the morning.
" Well, we've had the salute," said his father, "a deuce of a salute ; I hope you'r' satisfied ;" and amid jokes and laughter the brick and mortar was cleared. The stout, old chimney had well withstood the charge, one jamb was somewhat shattered, but no great damage had been done ; but Mrs. Col- man concluded "that in future she would ensure a good stock of tinder, that no similar sportsman-like effort should be made in lighting the kitchen fire."
The young man was a good mimic, and possessed considerable theatrical talent, and he related this instance with such inimitable drollery, that the langh which I was fain to indulge in, fairly took the twist from my jaw, and thenceforward my recovery was rapid.
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CHAPTER XXII.
The wealth and superior attractions of Aunt Adams brought her many suitors, but for four years her heart remained constant to the memory of the early loved; then it began to be
whispered that she showed an inclina- tion to favor the suit of Mr. John Coker.
Robert Coker, yeoman, born in 1606, came to Newbury with the first settlers, and died May 19th, 1690, aged 84. His wife, Catharine, died May 2nd, 1678. Their children were Joseph, Sara, Benjamin and Hannah,
Joseph Coker married Sara Hathorne April 13, 1665. Children : Sara, who died November 30th, 1667, Benjamin, Sara and Hathorne.
Samuel Coker, son of Hathorne, owned an extensive tract of land at the north part of Newburyport.
Mr. Coker joined the society of "Friends," and his son, Thomas, who inherited the estate and erected several houses in that part of the town, was of the same society. The family burial place was in a lot on Washington, nearly opposite the head of Strong street. Thomas Coker married Sarah Greenleaf. John was their oldest son. The family arms are :
ARGENT ON A BEND GULES, THREE LEOP- ARD'S HEADS OR. CREST,-A MOOR'S HEAD, COUPED AT THE SHOUL- DERS, FULL FACED PPR, WREATHED ABOUT THE TEMPLES.
For some years Mr. Thomas Coker
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had cultivated a farm in the lower par- ish, Newbury, where he had recently died very suddenly. John thus became not; only the staff of his widowed mother, but the head of a large family of young brothers and sisters. His filial and fraternal devotion won Mrs. Adams's regard. Handsome, intelli- gent, highly respected, and a practical farmer, the match appeared exceeding- ly proper, as the young man was every way qualified for a companion and pro- tector to the youthful widow. The en- gagement was at length announced, but the marriage was not solemnized until the following October. The wed- ding was private, but the couple were the centre of observation, the next Sun- day. "Walking out bride," was one of the customs of the time. Few finer looking couples ever paced up the aisle of the sacred edifice : the bridegroom with his nicely cued hair, and light drab surtout, the bride habited in a white, dimity flounced dress, a lilac satin ; short pelisse, edged by rich black lace, and a salmon colored plush bonnet, surmounted by tossing white plumes.
Mr. Coker took his place most de- corously as the head of the household, and he immediately instituted many improvements both within doors and without, the illness and death of the former proprietor having left the new buildings and other appurtenances of the farm in need of care and labor for completion.
I have previously mentioned that amongst the apprentices who came to the place with Mr. William Little was a youth by the name of Lewis Hatch. This young man, left an orphan when a mere child, had purchased his free- dom when Mr. Little left his sister's
residence, and then a youth of eighteen, he commenced business for himself, working in the shop on the place, and boarding with Mr. Adams.
Politics at this period waxed fierce and furious. John Coker was an en- thusiastic "Jacobin," Lewis Hatch as strong a "Federalist." Constant dis- putes occurred, not pleasant in a household. Mr. Hatch concluded to locate elsewhere, and much as he was respected, Mrs. Coker was pleased at this determination.
Four miles from " Crane-Neck " was a crossing of roads called "New Row- ley Corner ;" near by resided Maj. Paul Nelson, a smart man, carrying on con- siderable business. Though a bache- lor, he kept house on his estate, upon which was a large tannery. Amongst the appurtenances of the place was a small shoe-maker's shop, which Lewis Hatch hired, and commenced the shoe business on a small scale. In a short time he was joined by my uncle Joe. Little, both young men boarding in the family of Maj. Nelson. The business prospering, my uncle, Ben. Little, joined the firm, which hired the whole premises with the exception of the tan- nery. A housekeeper was procured, and Maj. Nelson in turn boarded with the young bachelors, who now had also several youths apprenticed to them, besides employing workmen outside.
As a matter of convenience and profit uncle Joe. Little conceived the idea of setting up a small grocery and general furnishing store. One of the front rooms of the house was fitted with shelves and other accommoda- tions, and the goods were purchased. This shop-keeping immediately pros- pered. The workmen were pleased at being enabled to supply their house-
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hold needs so easily, and as there had been no store for miles around, custom began to flock to the place, which even then wore a bustling air of prosperity.
It would have seemed but natural, as female cooperation was so necessary, that one at least of this trio of bache- lors should seek a wife, and a legend is extant, that uncle Joe did for a time entertain some such idea. Before going to New Rowley, he had formed the acquaintance of a young lady, the teacher of the summer school in our district. The new firm manufactured for merchants in Salem and Boston, and as his grocery business increased, uncle Joe. made weekly trips to those cities, driving his team, which consist- ed of a two wheeled spring cart drawn by one horse, (four wheeled wagons did not come into use until a few years later).
The father of the young lady teacher kept a tavern on the route; thus my uncle had ample opportunity to renew his acquaintance with the daughter.
The young man from childhood had been addicted to absent fits of intro- spection, at these times he also had a habit of picking his nails. I have seen him stand ten minutes, wholly oblivi- ous to the outside world, nervously twitching his fingers.
It was reported that one cold after- noon on his way home from Boston, Mr. Little called on the inn keeper's daughter. Unexpectedly opening the door to the private sitting room he briskly entered, but neither the lady nor the room bore the aspect of neat- ness to have been expected at that hour of the day and from one who had always seemed to pride herself upon her elegance. The story ran that though the young man had entered
most cheerily, he suddenly grew silent and glum ; refusing the chair offered, he took his stand back to the fire and fell into a brown study, his eyes fixed on vacancy, while his nails were picked most assiduously. A heat at his ankles roused him, and he found that in his abstraction he had burned the heels of his boots.
I never heard that the visit was renewed ; every matrimonial inclina- tion disappeared ; Mr. Little became wholly immersed in his business, and Miss. Mary Hatch, a sister of Lewis Hatch, took her place as mistress of the bachelor establishment.
The New Rowley manufacturers were often hurried on orders. In the winter season, when the straw work was suspended, I often bound both boots and shoes for them ; in an emer- gency I was their resource.
One afternoon at the period of which I am writing, in the early part of the week, uncle Joe. appeared bearing a hundred pairs of seal-skin boots, which he said must be corded and strapped by Saturday. At first I declared they could not be done in such a limited time, but after some demur, yielding to his ardent solicitation, I promised to do my best, and without the least delay set to work. It was a dirty dis- agreeable job ; only love for my uncle, and a desire to promote his interest could have induced its undertaking. As it was, I stitched and stitched assiduously day after day, and the task' was accomplished in the given time. The last stitch was just taken as uncle Joe. entered the door. He was accompanied by David Emery. Smut from head to foot I presented no very attractive aspect. The young man snatched the completed boot from
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my hand, and tossing it at uncle Joe, vehemently protested against his thus imposing on my good nature. The matter ended in a laugh, but thence- forward only the lighter sort of work was brought to me, and that only upon some sudden exigence.
In a few years the business had increased to such an extent that to better its accommodation a large store was erected exactly on "New Rowley Corner," which thereafter bore the designation of "Little's Corner." A house was also built for the con- venience of the bachelor family. In a short time uncle Ben. Little put up a large dwelling house in the vicin- ity, and some indications of a match between himself and Miss Hatch were thought to be tangible. At this june- ture Mr. Lewis Hatch was suddenly prostrated with typhoid fever. After a short illness he died ere he had reached his thirtieth birth-day. His was a short but active life, and his death caused a sad void amidst his limited but choice circle of friends, by whom his memory has been cherished with affectionate respect.
Miss Hatch, a delicate person, was overwhelmed by the death of her brother, and being a victim to disease, and though living to an advanced age, she ever after remained an invalid.
Business at "Little's Corner " rapid- ly increased, other buildings were erected, a village sprung up, and the nucleus for the now flourishing town of Georgetown was formed. Uncle Ben. and uncle Joe. have passed away, but their mantle has worthily descended to their nephews, Samuel Little and John Coker.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Amidst my first reccollections of the "Port," loom up drear and dread the jail, the whipping post was opposite, and the stocks on Water street just below Market square, and the work- house on Federal street. Newbury had no poor-house, its paupers were let out in families. In this way most reliable servants for lighter work were often obtained. An old revolutionary soldier by the name of Mitchell re- sided in the family of Mr. Moses Colman for years. This veteran was held in high estimation by the three boys, to whom he became an unques- tionable authority in field sports, the training of horses and dogs, and other masculine accomplishments, besides being a perfect encyclopædia of know- ledge in various departments of natural history, with a never failing stock of humorous anecdotes and tales, mingled with the sterner recital of privation, cold and hunger, battle and siege, with all the details, the light and the shade, the pomp, pagcantry, glory and gore of the time that tried men's souls. Later, a woman, always termed " Old Mary," came into the household whom both children and grandchildren regarded as a sort of foster mother, and whose memory is still affection- ately cherished.
In my more youthful days the roads were infested by tramps. Ugly look- ing men and women, begging their way from one place to another. The meet- ing of such people on my way to and from school was one of the terrors of my childhood. There was an old unoc- cupied house on the road, and I never passed it alone without accelerated pace and a quaking heart. Then,
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though the days of Salem witchcraft were ended and old women were 110 longer hung as witches, in every com- munity there was one or more believed to possess the " evil eye," and in every house could be seen horse shoes above the doors, and other charms against their machinations. I vividly recall the mixture of awe and terror, with which I was wont to regard the large, quaint, red house on the lower corner of Market and High streets, famous in the annals of witchcraft. Here resided Goodwife Elizabeth Morse, who in 1680, "she not having the fear of God before her eyes, being instigated by the Divil, and had familiarity with the Divil contrary to the peace of our sovereign lord the king, his crown and dignity, the laws of God, and of this jurisdiction," was tried in Boston and sentenced to be hanged. Through the firmness of Gov. Bradstreet this sentence was commuted, and though Mrs. Morse lived an exem- plary, christian life in her own house for many years, the stigma attached to her character had been transmitted through the succeeding generations. Tales of the "Goody," and the won- derful performances that had taken place at the " Morse House " were fa- miliar legends, which, detailed of a win- ter's night, by a low burning candle, and smouldering fire, the blast shriek- ing round the large house and howling down the wide chimney, while the shad- ows deepened in the spacious room, and the tall clock in the corner ticked a solemn accompaniment to the low, tragic tones of the speaker, had often wrought an effect upon my imagination which time has failed to efface.
It would have been difficult to have ascertained how or why the females thus marked, had received the unenvia-
ble notoriety of witches. Generally they were persons of the lower class, some might have lost caste by youthful indiscretion, or by a somewhat dubious means of obtaining a present livelihood, but usually they were hard-working, inoffensive women, possessing a marked individuality, strong intellect- ual faculties, quick perception and keen wit, united to a firm will and independ- ence of action, characteristics which, in some way, had brought upon them the ban of the community. The witch of the "Falls Parish," was an old woman called "Tuggie Noyes ;" her real christian name was Margaret. I nev- er heard how she obtained the nickname of Tuggie. I have only a faint remem- brance of her, a dim recollection, of stealing behind my mother to peep at the witch, as she bargained for some tobacco which my father had raised. I think this woman gained a livelihood by spinning and weaving, and she was frequently employed by Mrs. Moses Colman. I have often heard David Emery relate an incident of his boy- hood by which his disbelief in witches was fully confirmed.
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