USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newbury > Reminiscences of a nonagenarian > Part 36
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ele of covering excepting the sheets. Making virtue of necessity, Mr. Emery quietly slipped in alongside of the soli- tary sleeper in the second couch. It was scarcely dawn when his light slum- ber was broken by the rising of the oc- cupants of the first bed. After they had gone down Mr. Emery rose and dressed without disturbing his bedfel- low. As preparations for breakfast were in progress, he sat down by the bar room fire to wait for a cup of coffee. As he did so, one of his room mates said to the other, "That fellow up-stairs has been to Portmouth and got a custom- house commission." Mr. Emery conld not repress a start ; there he had been snoozing beside an officer of the cus- toms, having taken his bed by storm. After a moment's consideration he con- cluded it best to order his horses and drive a few miles before breakfasting. Just as the wagon was brought to the door, the government appointee came below. Eyeing the team with a scrutin- izing air, he bade Mr. Emery "Good morning," adding "Fine horses, sir ; a handsome dog. From the eastward, I presume ?"
The captain at the "Wharves" had given Mr. Emery several bunches of choice cigars. Handing his interrogator an Havana, Mr. Emery took the reins. The custom house officer politely thank- ing him, inquired, "if he had cigars to sell?" "Oh! no; only a few for his own use, and to present to a friend," Mr. Emery returned, giving him a half- dozen, Bowing his thanks, the officer' asked, "Where that liquor was going?" expressing a doubt of the reliability of the cask. Mr. Emery was on the box, and away ; too hurried to answer these pertinent queries. Nothing noteworthy occurred until he reached Hampton,
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when the weight of the linen was so great the transom bolt broke just in front of the tavern. Mr. Einery went down between the wheels. but received no serious injury. The whole village rushed to his assistance, and'a black- smith soon repaired damages. Mr. Emery was a personal acquaintance to every one of his assistants, but he could not repress a slight trepidation during his detention ; this was increased by the good-natured hostler's appearance with hammer and wedge, to drive the hoops of the cask, fearing it might leak.
"We won't lose any of the good stuff, Major." he said, as he mounted into the wagon. "Darn the old thing !" he continued, "it's a trump, anyhow. If ever I see sich a ricketty thing hold out like that ! Why. thunder and tow ! it's calked here with oakum! Firea- tion ! why don't it weep out? Well, I must say it beats the Dutch !"
The bolt was in its place. Mr. Em- ery gladly drove forward and reached home without any farther adventure. The following day the linen was taken from the cask, packed in boxes and car- ried into town.
That winter, Mr. Enoch Gerrish of Boscawen, came with a large pung load- ed with calicoes and cotton shawls, which he had smuggled out of Canada. The shawls were quite pretty, having white or buff centres and high- colored borders ; they sold for four dollars apiece. I took calico for a dress and a shawl; two other shawls were sold in the house; the remainder of the goods were slyly conveyed in the even- ing to the store of Miss Dolly Carnes. This new stock brought a rush of cus- tom to that spinster's establishment, which at that time was in the Dr. Cof- fin house on High street. Shawls were
in great demand. The previous autumn many ladies had knit or net them from woollen yarn of their own spinning and coloring. My husband's grandmother, Ruth Little, net several, and his cousin, Sally Little, knit one on large wooden needles for me, which I had colored at Pearson's Fulling Mill. This shawl was very pretty, and most comfortable, being both soft and warm.
Wood was so scarce and high, peat came into general use. Mr. Emery owned a peat meadow, and we burned peat mixed with wood in all the fire- places, but the bar room was heated entirely from peat. Mr. Emery con- trived for it a grate, which rested upon large iron fire-dogs. The room was low but very large, and this peat when in full glow, radiated so much heat that a seat was comfortable at the farthest corner from the fire in the coldest weather.
With the sleighing came country teams. loaded with butter, cheese, poul- try etc. Sometimes the house was crowded. Many of our Boscawen friends were accompanied by the ladies of the family ; these were my private guests, with whom I went shopping and visiting. I lived in such a whirl, self was unheeded. We were doing well, making money ; everything was bright and lively ; only now and then I real- ized how fatigued I daily became. One cold night a large party drove to the door ; Mr. Emery was absent ; I told Guy to have a good fire in the bar room. The lad threw on a bushel or so of peat ; this had only commenced smok- ing when the men entered. "What in the world is this? what has the Major here?" exclaimed one. poking the turf with his whip stock. "Well, I guess we shall get warm round this pile of
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dirt !" said a second indignantly. "Con- found the stuff! this don't look like David," complained a third. The sum- mons to supper was given ; by the time it was over the peat was thoroughly aglow. Ranging their chairs in a cir- cle about the fire, the party made them- selves comfortable with their tobacco pipes. It was not long before one chair was moved back, then another, still a third and fourth, when a general eulogium was pronounced upon the "Major's durned stuff."
Mr. Emery kept a quiet, orderly house ; a ban had been placed upon po- litical discussion, parties were at such variance, so much animosity was often expressed that this was the only safe course ; but upon this evening, having the room to themselves, the gentlemen commenced the all-absorbing topic. They were pretty equally divided in sentiment, and being friends and neigh- bors, for a time the discussion was car- ried on pleasantly, in temperate terms ; but the peat fire, temper, etc., bid fair to bring on a tempest. My parlor opened into the bar room ; I had been a listener to the whole conversation, and was just debating the propriety of going to the disputants, when Mr. James Corser of Boscawen, who had been reclining on the bunk which Guy occupied nights, slyly lifted the whip, and applying the handle to his lips, sent forth an exact representation of a bugle blast. The company sprang to their feet as one man ; a general laugh en- sued, politics were forgotten, while Cor- ser entertained them with a unique mim- icry of various musical instruments, and other drolleries, which in these days would have given him a fortune as a public exhibitor. Our peat fire greatly surprised and pleased a young Irish
peddler, who had brought a piece of his native bog in his pocket all the way from the old country, to show as a cu- riosity, and to look at when homesick, never dreaming that there were peat bogs in America.
CHAPTER LIV.
Mr. Carey had been hired for a year ; when this had expired he went in to business for himself and moved on to the Boston turnpike. Mr. Charles Ban- croft took his place, and a second wag- on was put into the business which was driven by Mr. John Pillion. Phineas Whittier from Boscawen and Richard Garland from Gilmanton were the farm hands.
Everything went on as usual through the summer. Little did we toresee the trouble in store. On the 25th of Au- gust both Mr. Emery and Mr. Bancroft were taken ill of fever. Mr. Bancroft went to his home in Amesbury, where after lingering eight weeks he died. Mr. Emery had a slow, intermittent fever, which ran forty days ; he was very sick ; two attacks of pleurisy for a time gave small hopes of his recov- ery, but after the fever turned he began to slowly rally, and though confined to the house through the winter, in the spring, though feeble, he again resumed business. During this long illness hosts of friends rallied to our assistance ; I have ever cherished deep feelings of gratitude for the affection and sympathy then shown.
Mr. Whittier attended Mr. Bancroft's funeral, at which he took a cold, which brought on a severe typhoid fe- 36
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ver. Meantime the house was over- flowing with company ; my brother James had come to take charge, but I was often compelled to settle accounts and attend to other business. I had plenty of good help, and Mrs. Whittier came to her son, still, for months I was not free from anxiety respecting the in- valids, neither eating nor sleeping with any regularity. "As thy day is, so shall thy strength be." Owing to a kind Providence, I was sustained through all these arduous duties.
In 1812 Dr. Dean Robinson beeame a resident of the lower parish in New- bury. In a short time he acquired great popularity and an extensive prac- tice, not only in Newbury and New- buryport, but in the adjacent towns. Handsome, possessing a winning ad- dress, everywhere his reception was most cordial ; · no physician ever com- manded more universal love and re- spect. Previous to his coming to New- buryport he had married the widow Farnham, of Andover. Dr. Poore had become aged and very deaf, all com- munication with him being held by the aid of an ear trumpet ; but still he con- tinued his daily rounds, the saddle-bags strapped to the saddle, plodding along on his staid old horse, the companion of years.
One afternoon the eccentrie old gen- tleman rode up to Dr. Robinson's door and beckoned to Mrs. Robinson to come out. The lady answered the summons, when stooping down and peering into her face, hier visitor exclaimed, "They tell me your husband is so much hand- somer and younger that he will get all my practice ; but you tell him that if he does I can beat him in one thing, I've the handsomest wife." Having deliv- ered this pronunciamento with his usu-
al nasal accent, in a tone of unquestion- able positiveness, the Doctor jerked up his reins and rode abruptly away, leav- ing the astonished Mrs. Robinson stand- ing by the roadside in a state of bewil- dered amazement, from which it took some moments to recover. With a hearty laugh the lady returned to the house, and her graphic description and apt mimicry of the scene became a source of great merriment to her hus- band and friends.
Dr. Robinson had been chosen sur- geon to the regiment ; in this way Mr. Emery had made his acquaintance. Though Dr. Noyes and Dr. Vergenies were called, he was the attending phy- sician through the illness of both Mr. Emery and Mr. Whittier. His solici- tude and care were unwearicd ; to my husband and myself he grew dear as a brother ; a friendship was formed which never varied in the future, but contin- ued to the end of the Doctor's long and useful life.
In September the news of Perry's victory on Lake Champlain brought great rejoicing. Guns were fired, bells rung, crackers snapped, horns sounded, every demonstration of joy that noise could express was made. Mr. Emery was scarcely convalescent, and the din proved too much for his weak nerves.
After worship had been discontinued at Queen Ann's Chapel, the building fell into decay; the bell hung in the belfry for ten years, when one stormy night the steeple blew over and the bell was thrown into the road. Mr. David Whitmore wheeled it into his barn, where it remained for some time. At Mr. Whitmore's request the bell was removed to the residence of Mr. Josiah Little, till the building of the school- house on High street, when it was hung
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in the belfry, where it was used to sum- mon the scholars to school, and on Sun- days the congregation to meeting, as the tower of the meetinghouse had nev- er been furnished with a bell. The boys, with their usual delight, in noise, kept this bell in such a constant jingle through the day that at length I was obliged to have the clangor stopped.
In October, Mr. Solomon Babb took the place of Mr. Whittier. Mr. Babb came into the family at a time of pecu· liar trial, but he was found equal to every emergency, and for thirteen years he continued our factotum, both out of doors and within.
In December Daniel Thurston Col- man, the oldest son of Uncle William Colinan, of Byfield, supplied the place of the deceased Mr. Bancroft. Mr. Colman continued in the butchering business for many years, until failing health compelled him to yield his place to his son: He has recently deceased, having for some time been the only sur- viving member of those then attending the market, and for many subsequent years.
In March, a recruiting band being in town drumming up recruits for the reg- ular army, Guy Carlton Mackie, follow- ing his native-born instincts, ran away from school, and without giving us the least warning, enlisted and marched away without one word of farewell. We were heartily sorry for the lad, but as he was off before we learned that he had left school, nothing could be done, and Mr. James Carey's younger brother David supplied his place, and took the new suit of clothes Guy left, they prov- ing a perfect fit. Several years after Guy ran in to see us a moment, being on his way with a detachment of sol- diers from one of the eastern to a
southern port, and that is the last we ever heard of him, though an interest was always cherished in his future ca- reer.
In the summer of 1814 the news of Napoleon's abdication brought a second gala to the town. The success of the allies was celebrated by a display of flags upon the shipping, the ringing of all the bells, excepting that of the Sec- ond Presbyterian meeting-house-Rev. Mr. Giles, and the firing of a grand royal French salute of twenty-one guns, and at sunset a New England salute of five guns. In the evening the town hall, observatory, and other public buildings were brilliantly illuminated, and transparencies with appropriate mottoes were exhibited. Parson Giles was too consistent in his political opin- ions to permit his bell to add its tones to this jubilee. This course was sup- ported by the Democratic citizens, and . there were members in the Federalist ranks who disapproved of the mani- festations, especially the New England . salute of five guns.
The week after my marriage, the three-story house nearly opposite the Pillsbury place, was raised by Mr. Humphrey Webster, who then resided in a similar house which he had built on Tyng street. The hard times pre- venting the completion of this building, it stood for some time unfinished.
In April, 1813, on the night before Fast, Miss Margaret Lakeman was married to Mr. Joseph Magowen, at the residence of Col. Colman. My hus- band and I attended the wedding ; it was between ten and eleven when we returned. Nothing unusual was then seen or heard. About midnight I was awakened by the dogs ; Turk and anoth- er large dog at the barn were barking
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furiously, and a small dog that shared Guy's bunk added his voice to the con- cert. Rising, I opened the door into the bar room, inquiring, "What is the matter?" Guy, in a sleepy tone re- plied, "that he had looked out, but saw nothing." I returned to bed ; the dogs became quiet, and I heard no more un- til morning, when Bets Downing's out- cry ronsed the whole family. Burglars had removed the putty from a pane of glass, passed in a hand and taken out the nail which fastened the window, thus obtaining entrance into the kitchen next the shed. Having made a good meal of hashed meat and bread, they took a large silver spoon, a couple of overcoats, two or three pairs of boots, some stockings and underclothing, Bet- sy's reticule, containing her needle- book, thimble and scissors, a Bible and a History of Joseph. The barking of the dogs evidently hastened their de- parture, as two or three pieces of nan- keen and some other articles that had · been taken from the drawer of a desk in the room were left scattered over the floor. A large wagon loaded with choc- olate stood by the barn, but the dogs proved an effectual guard, not a cake being taken.
From our house the thieves proceed- ed to that of Mr. Russel, where they stripped a large clothes-horse of the week's ironing. Mr. Russel, a carriage builder, had a large family, small chil- dren, and apprentices. Most of the lads were minus clean clothes for Fast ; even the infant's clothing was all taken.
Robbery was not common in those days, and this caused a great stir. Notwithstanding a general search, no trace of the miscreants was found, with the exception of Guy's boots, which were nearly worthless, and the leaf from
the Bible upon which was written Da- vid Emery ; these were picked up in a thicket by the roadside a short distance beyond the Essex Merrimac bridge. As two men had been seen prowling around the unfinished house, the neigh- borhood became alarmed, and Mr. Em- ery advanced Mr. Webster five hundred dollars for its completion, taking a mortgage on the property. The house was soon finished and rented to Mr. Aaron Stevens.
At the commencement of the city of Lowell Mr. Webster was amongst the first mechanics to go thither. The first money there earned paid that mortgage. No stage had then been put on the road, and Mr. Webster walked the whole distance from Lowell to bring the money.
The spring of 1813 George Peabody came to say farewell, having concluded to join his uncle at the South. This was the first step in the ascent to his future prominence and wealth. One person's misadventure sometimes makes another's fortune. Had it not been for the great fire, and Gen. Peabody's re- moval to the District of Columbia, though doubtless George would have become wealthy and powerful. it is not probable he would have occupied the place he subsequently filled. After a business connection with his uncle of about two years, young Peabody en- tered the wholesale drapery business with Mr. Elisha Riggs. In 1815 the house was transferred from George- town to Baltimore, and in 1822 branch houses were established in New York and Philadelphia. In 1830 Mr. Elisha Riggs having retired, Mr. Samuel Riggs entered the firm, which under the style of Peabody, Riggs & Co., became one of the leading houses of the coun-
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try. After several trips to Europe, in 1837 Mr. Peabody took up his resi- dence in London, and commenced his successful career as banker and broker.
Monday, the 13th of February, 1815, news arrived that a treaty of peace liad been made at Ghent. It was good sleighing. Col. Colman and my hus- band started that morning for Bosca- wen. Glancing from the window I es- pied Edmund Baker, a lad formerly employed at Gen. Peabody's, running a horse up the street. As he neared the house he sprang up in the stirrups, and swinging his hat above his head, vocif- erously shouted, "peace, peace." Dash- ing to the door, he screeched "Where's the Major? Peace, peace." Throwing up his hat and catching it, he began to hurrah, again calling loudly for the Major. I had scarcely made the excit- ed lad comprehend that the Major was away, before I espied Zachariah David- son coming in a sleigh ; his horse was at the top of its speed, and he was shrieking "peace, peace," at the top of his voice. Drawing up before the door, he too commenced shouting for the Major.
Having ascertained that the good news was really true, and informed Mr. Davidson of the Major's absence, "Zach" drove on to spread the glad tid- ings, and Edmund returned to town, "awfully sorry that he could not have told the Major first."
In a few moments others arrived ; the house became thronged, and the whole populace went half crazy with delight. Tuesday evening Col. Colman and my husband arrived. Having learned the welcome news in Concord, they at once retraced the road home.
Belleville was counted Democratic- or Republican, as the party was then
termed-Belleville port had been es- pecially noted for Jacobinism. Belle- ville decided to celebrate the ratifica- tion of peace, which was done by the President on the seventeenth. The next Monday afternoon an address was delivered in Belleville meeting-house by young John Merrill, son of Mr. Or- lando Merrill. The house was crowd- ed. John Merrill was then engaged to his future wife, a daughter of Mr. Rob- ert Dodge. The Dodge family occu- pied a pew next to ours, and when the young man entered, habited in Parson Miltimore's black silk surplice, which had been loaned for the occasion, a gown being at that time a fashionable garb for a public speaker, and witlı grave decorum accompanied the digni- fied clergyman up the aisle and pulpit stairs, the three Dodge girls were con- vulsed with laughter ; their sly glances to me so excited my risibles, that I had much ado to recover equanimity, and I could see that Miss Elizabeth was ex- cessively nervous through the exercises. There was a prayer by Parson Milti- more, an appropriate ode was sung, then the young orator rose to perform his task. I could but sympathize with the Dodge family in their anxiety for his success, but the young man acquit- ted himself admirably. His oration won great applause, and from that epoch the gentleman took hls place amongst our most gifted and prominent citizens.
In the evening there was a grand il- lumination throughout the parish. The old Pillsbury house was as brilliant as tallow candles could render it, and the ancient mansion looked prettily pictu- resque with its lights twinkling in its and many various sized and shaped casements.
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CHAPTER LV.
Soon after the declaration of peace we had the pleasure of a visit from cousin Sophronia Peabody ; she came and returned with Capt. Dole in the "Citizen." Miss Peabody had borne the transplanting to Southern soil most kindly ; she had secured many warm friends in the District and Maryland. She had much to tell of a life of which we knew little, and scenes and events which have become historical. Her ideas had changed and expanded, and her natural elegance of manner was ren- dered still more conspicuous by a dash of Southern polish. We laughed heart- ily over an account of the first party she attended in Washington. Full of the New England Federalist notions, she promptly refused to dance with a most unexceptionable partner, simply because he was a most prominent Re- publican, being obliged in consequence to play wallflower through the evening. Some compensation was given by a presentation to Madame Patterson Bon- aparte.
At the time of this lady's marriage General and Mrs. Peabody were on the road to Philadelphia, and the General had the honor during a shower to es- cort the bride a short distance under his umbrella. His praise of her beauty and elegance had rendered the lady an object of especial interest to us, and Miss Peabody greatly enjoyed sitting beside her for a half hour, while she carried on a lively conversation in French with the Spanish minister.
Though receiving every kindness that could be rendered to strangers in a strange land, slight things often showed even then the latent fire which in after years was destined to break forth in de-
vouring flames-the cavalier disdain for the less refined but equally proud puritan. Edward, Gen. Peabody's third son, a bright lad of seven sum- mers, having unintentionally given of- fence to one of his schoolmates, that young urchin persisted in following him round, shouting "Yankee tank, Yankee tank !" Edward bore this until he considered forbearance no longer a virtue, when he gave the young South- ron such a thrashing that his puritan descent was ever afterward fully re- spected.
The negroes were a constant source of novelty and amusement. My cousin related many tales of their faithfulness, and many funny anecdotes evincing the peculiarities of the race. An extreme- ly tidy, economical New England wom- an, my aunt was somewhat horrified at the general thriftlessness of both whites and blacks, while she astonished the neighborhood by her activity and ener- gy. Having employed a negress to scour the white, hard-finished wall of the parlor, she greatly excited that in- dividual's ire by compelling her to clean. the wall to the ceiling overhead, instead of stopping half way as intended. The woman in her wrath declared that "anybody might see Missus Peabody was nuffing but a Yankum woman; a Southern lady would never have known whether the plaster was cleaned or not."
During the war, Mrs. Madison found it as difficult to procure articles of lux- ury as those of less exalted station. Being in a dilemma respecting curtains for the "Blue room" at the White House, she rode over to Georgetown to inspect Gen. Peabody's stock. He had. a piece of blue silk damask, but it was only half the requisite quantity. What could be done ? An idea suggested it-
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self to the General. The furnishing of the best parlor and chamber of his State street house had been purchased in Italy by Capt. Caleb Lufkin, it hav- ing been ordered by a nobleman of that country for his palace, but for some cause was never used, but sold. The upholstery and curtains were of a thick, heavy, watered silk, with broad satin stripes, and of a most beautiful tint of yellow. Part of the curtains were then not in use, as in that warm climate white muslin was preferable. These curtains were brought for Mrs. Madi- son's inspection ; she was delighted, and took Gen. Peabody in her carriage to Washington, to assist in planning the drapery. It was found that in size the golden curtains fitted the windows admirably, and mixed with the blue, they gave the room a charming effect. Thus the Newburyport hanging re- ceived the distinction of gracing the Presidential mansion. The silk woven for a European aristocrat, thus decorat- ed the residence of the Democratic chief magistrate of these free and inde- pendent United States.
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