USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newbury > Reminiscences of a nonagenarian > Part 38
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The President was highly gratified with the local situation of the town.
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Liberal feelings ruled the day ; it em- braced all as Federalists, all as Repub- lieans. The regiment of cavalry com- manded by Col. Colman, conducted in a manner gratifying to spectators and highly honorable to themselves. Col- lected as they were, from the remote parts of the brigade, great eredit is due these troops for the alacrity with which they obeyed, and the promptitude with which they executed the command of the Brigadier General. They at once presented a pleasing specimen of good order, correct discipline, and soldier- like deportment.
The following card was inserted in the Newburyport Herald of July 15th :
"The committee of arrangements in behalf of the citizens, present their thanks to the teachers of the respective schools, and the marshals of the day, for the very handsome and interesting manner in which the children were pre- sented to the view of the President on the day of his arrival, and which called from him expressions of high approba- tion."
CHAPTER LVIII.
The September following I was taken with a slow typhoid fever, which ran forty days, by which I was left extreme- ly feeble, and confined me to the house during the winter. My sister Susan was with me most of the time, and the tedium of a slow convalescence was en- livened by a bevy of youthful neigh- bors.
Mr. Enoch Toppan's two sons, Moses and Edward, and their sisters, Hannah and Margaret, were still at the home- stead. Mr. Stephen Toppan's oldest daughter, Mrs. Green, had returned to her father's house a widow, with three
daughters and one son. Esther had married Mr. William Boardman, but Harry, Charlotte, .Nancy and Stephen were at home. Mr. Abner Toppan's oldest daughter, Sophia, had married Mr. Oliver Crocker and gone to New Bedford, Betsey and Ariana were un- married, Abner and Stanford lads in their teens, Harriet and George mere children. With Mrs. Reuben Jones' nieces, Mary and Maria Stanwood, the young people from these families formed a gay group, with whom my sister im- mediately became a favorite, and the quiet of my room was often broken by a ripple of girlish glee, and as I became stronger the young gentlemen greatly enjoyed dropping in of an evening.
In October was received the sad in- telligence of the death of our dearly be- loved cousin, Adeline Peabody. Her departure was not unexpected, but it brought an irrepressible grief, though we well knew that our loss was to her an inestimable gain. The following truthful and touching lines were written by a friend, a gentleman of George- town, D. C. :
"LINES
Occasioned by the death of Miss Adeline Peabody, a young lady who died after a long and distressing illness at Georgetown, D. C., Oct. 9th, 1817, aged'19 years.
"Knowing this, that the trial of your faith worketh patience; but let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and en- tire, wanting nothing."-St. James.
Patience! at length thy 'perfect work' is done,
And Adeline has rest among the dead ; Her ravished soul awakes, the eternal sun Burst through the clouds that gathered round her head.
On eager wings the immortal spirit soars ; Her sister angels hail her to the skies-
Oh ! glorious flight from earth's encumbering clay,
From scenes where woe their constant vigils keep,
Where cares perplex the anxious heart by day, And sorrow drives from night the balm of sleep !
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Yet can affection bid such worth farewell, As thine, sweet Adeline, without a tear, Or cause, in pensive tenderness, to dwell On virtues that thy memory endear ? Thy love that shed its genial warmth around, Thy manners, gentle, affable and kind,
Thy generous friendship-candor without bound,
Thy spotless purity of heart and mind ! O bright ensample of unsullied youth,
O holy faith and piety sincere,
'Twas thine, appointed by the word of truth, To view the early grave without a fear; To see with joy the sure approach of death ; The blessed privilege to thee was given,
And some bright seraph, as he caught thy breath,
Gave thy departing soul a glimpse of heaven."
Grief and joy go hand in hand. In the December following cousin Ade- line's death my brother James was mar- ried to Miss Sarah B. Little, the second daughter of my husband's uncle, Ed- mund Little. The bride and groom were second cousins. Intermarriage is a family trait amongst the Littles, which is likely to continue to the latest gener- ation. My brother and his bride set up housekeeping at the old homestead, as James was needed to assist his fath- er on the farm.
In February Mr. Thurston Colman was married to Miss Nancy Harris. This young couple went to housekeep- ing in the house on the lower corner of Tyng street ; but they soon moved into Mr. Harris's house, on the corner of Toppan's lane, where he resided through his long life.
As vigor did not return with spring, Dr. Robinson recommended a journey to Saratoga. I was so feeble that many of the family strongly objected to so long a jaunt ; but Mr. Emery was desir- ous for the trip.
In 1815 the sign was taken down, and from that time we entertained only the drovers, who could not dispense with the yards. Three of the butchers had left, John Pillion for Providence, R. I .; Mr. Joseph Mead had married
and settled on his father's farm, in Mer- edith, N. H. Mr. Colman's marriage left only Mr. Babb and the boy in the family. Betsey Downing had gone as cook to a boarding-house in Boston, and her place had been supplied by Betsey Durgin, a young girl mother Col- man had brought up at Byfield. Thus an opportunity was afforded for a short absence from home ; consequently prep- arations for the tour were commenced, though my strength was scarcely suffi- cient for the effort. Mr. Joe T. Pike cut and made in his best style a blue cloth riding-habit for the journey ; it was trimmed with buttons and velvet in the tip-top of fashion. Aunt Bartlett's establishment furnished a drawn green silk bonnet, with a short sarsenet veil. This was then the genteel mode for traveling. We owned a handsome chaise ; Kate and Peacock were har- nessed to it tandem ; a traveling trunk, which had been made expressly to strap to the vehicle, was put in place, the box stowed with luggage, and on the morning of the second of June we turned our horses' heads Saratogaward.
Our first stop was at my Aunt Co- ker's. Mr. Coker had recently sold the Crane Neck farm and purchased the Hooper place, on Pipestave Hill, whith- er they had removed. The Dalton place adjoining was then owned by Captain Joseph Stanwood. In the palmy days of Newburyport commerce, the old gentleman would sit at his cham- ber window, spyglass in hand, watching for one or another of his vessels to ap- pear at the bar, at sight of which his horse was ordered, and he was in town to meet her at the wharf. After dining at my father's we rode over to the West parish in Haverhill to pass the night with my Aunt Chase. Mr. Amos Chase
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had some years previous purchased a large farm there, and the house was merry with a fine family of stalwart boys and handsome girls. After a most pleasant visit we proceeded to Pem- broke, and the following morning rode into Concord to breakfast. It chanced to be election day. Stickney's Tavern was thronged with the members of the General Court and their wives. After breakfast, as I was chilly, Mrs. Stick- ney ushered me into a back sitting- room, where there was a fire. My sanctum was soon invaded by some half-dozen of the elite of the New Hamp- shire ladies, to whom, after the early morning ride from their homes, the warmth was exceedingly grateful. Some of these thus accidentally thrown togeth- er were acquaintances ; the others were introduced. There were Mrs. General this and Mrs. Colonel that, Mrs. Judge and 'Squire so-and-so ; titles fairly rained. After the recognitions and in- troductions were over, all eyes centered on me, and there came a dead pause ; then two or three of the chief dignitaries whispered together, after which, one who instituted herself spokeswoman ap- proached and politely inquired, "to which member I belonged?" I ex- plained that I was a stranger on a jour- ney. "You are from below ?" ques- tioned my interlocutor. "Yes," I re- turned, naming my place of residence. As I ceased speaking the group thronged about me. "Would I please excuse, but was this the newest style for riding dress?" Having examined my habit and bonnet minutely, and farther in- quired respecting Boston fashion, the conversation was abruptly ended by the entrance of Mr. Emery, accompanied by the respective Generals, Colonels, Judges and Esquires belonging to the
fair dames, most of whom were his friends. Wine was brought, and after a merry chat we separated, the New Hampshire party to assist in the elec- tion ceremonies and festivities ; we to proceed to our friends in Boscawen, where we remained until the next week Wednesday. While there Mrs. Deacon Enoch Little of Little's Hill, gave a Little party, at which twelve were pres- ent, the number having been gathered together at a half-hour's notice. Wed- nesday morning we bade our Boscawen friends adieu, and proceeded on our route. The day's ride brought us to Newport, where we passed the night ; the next we slept at a country tavern high up amongst the mountains. Fri- day morning Connecticut river was crossed. The ferryman resided on the Vermont shore. Mr. Emery having blown a summons from the tin horn sus- pended from a post for that purpose, after a tedious delay a rickety ferry boat was pushed off and rowed toward us. I was mortally afraid the old thing would sink in mid stream, but greatly to my relief we gained terra firma in safety. That night was passed at Cas- tleton, at a tavern on a large farm. Fifteen handsome cows attracted my at- tention as they came to the yard to be milked. My hostess, seeing that I was interested in her dairy, took me to look at her cheese, very large and fine ones. As we came back, the landlady's daugh- ter drew me to the open door to hear a whippoorwill. The child was much as- tonished to learn that I had heard "her bird," as she termed it, before.
The next morning this little girl came with the request that the lady from New- buryport would go to her grandmother's room a few moments. Following my small guide, I entered a light, cheerful
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apartment leading from the kitchen, where I found a pleasant-faced old lady seated in an arm-chair beside a linen wheel. Her knitting-work, Bible, hymn book and spectacles lay on a stand near ; a woolen wheel stood on the other side of the fireplace, and in the corner oppo- site the bed was placed a small loom. To the remark "that this looked like a hive of industry," the old lady replied that she needed something to wile away the time, and her son had fitted up this room for her accommodation, so that when tired of one occupation she could take another. "They tell me you are from Newburyport, my dear, and I wished to see you, for that is the place where the blessed Whitefield died and lies buried. Of course you have visited his tomb ?" I was compelled to reply in the negative, which greatly surprised the good woman. "Lived so nigh all your life, and never visited Whitefield's tomb ! Why, I allers thought if I went within forty miles of the place I would make a pilgrimage expressly to visit the sacred shrine. Go to see it on your re- turn, I beg, for my sake. Visit the dear saint's last resting place." Hav- ing listened to the recital of her conver- sion through Whitefield's preaching, with several anecdotes of the great re- vivalist, I bade the old lady good morn- ing, to resume my journey. In a few hours the state line into New York was crossed, and the Dutch origin of the in- habitants soon became apparent. The road, much used for drawing lumber, was deeply rutted, and owing to recent rains exceedingly muddy. During the morning, espying a red flag floating from a pole in the distance, Mr. Emery drove cautiously forward, supposing it to be a signal of danger. Approaching a small stream, we found that the bridge
had been swept away and a party of men were then replacing it. Here was a dilemma ! The master builder said "he could get the chaise and horses across, but how could he manage for the lady?" The string pieces, timbers a foot and a half wide, were already laid. I told him if he would take my hand I would walk across, which I did, much to the admiration of my escort and his fellow laborers, who pronounced me a brave little woman. The chaise was taken over plank put down for the purpose, and the horses having swam across, were again harnessed and we resumed our journey. Fort Ann was passed early in the afternoon. Here the log causeway that had been built for the passage of Burgoyne's army, was being taken up, though one side was left while the other was rebuilt. For two miles the horses walked through mud reaching to their fetlocks.
Sunday morning we strayed from the direct road into a cart path through the woods, which after devious picturesque windings, brought us into the midst of a cluster of white, one-story cottages, surrounding a neat church. Drawing up before the first house, a woman came to the door in a short, loose gown and petticoat, patched with various colors, a white cloth cap, and bare feet. To Mr. Emery's inquiry respecting the route she stammered, "I will call mine goot mon." "Mine goot mon" instant- ly appeared, smoking a short pipe. He expressed surprise at seeing such a turnout, complimented Mr. Emery upon his skill as a driver over the primitive path we had crossed, and directed us to follow a new rail fence across a pasture, which would return us to the main road without difficulty. After a drive of a mile it was regained, and the delay was
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not regretted, as by it we obtained a glimpse of what seemed a foreign coun- try. Dinner was taken at a Dutch tav- ern, owned by the landlady, whose hus- band was a New Englander. The house, a large. one-story building, with the other appurtenances, were the acme of neatness ; the interior of the inn was as clean as scrubbing and whitewash could render it, but there was not a bit of paint or paper, nor a carpet in the whole premises. We had an excellent dinner, served in good style. The land- lady waited upon the table, and greatly amused us by the declaration, "that she had married a Yankee in preference to a Dutchman, they were so much smart- er, and treated their wives with so much more respect."
That afternoon we passed the Hud- son at Glen's Falls, one of the most pic- turesque of cataracts. The bridge was just above the falls, and our horses trotted across it pretty briskly, while we were enveloped in the spray.
Ohio was then the El Dorado of prom- ise to emigrants. Quite an exodus was transpiring in western Vermont, and many were on the road. A short dis- tance beyond the Hudson we overtook a cart drawn by a yoke of oxen, loaded with household goods. Upon a feather bed sat a middle-aged woman, while her lord drove the patient team, and a barefooted girl trudged behind, driving a cow. Near sunset the famed water- ing place was reached, then a mere vil- lage. There were but two hotels- wooden buildings with stoops-though every family was in readiness to receive boarders. According to advice, we drove to the smaller of the two hotels, which was kept by a Mr. Donney, who with his wife were natives of Connecti- cut. This was an excellent house, and
Mrs. Donney was untiring in her exer- tions for my comfort. Being early in the season the place was comparatively empty. There were about a dozen boarders in the house, amongst whom was a Mr. Clark, and his stepdaughter, Sophia Parker, formerly belonging in Boston, then residing at Salem, Vt. They were very pleasant people ; Miss Parker became an inseparable compan- ion. A Mr. Amory from Boston, an aged gentleman and a confirmed invalid, was boarding at the other hotel. He sent to have Mr. Emery call upon him, as they were originally from one stock ; it was the same name.
The morning after our arrival Mr. Emery escorted me to the springs before breakfast. Congress Spring was en- closed by a railed platform, but its sur- roundings were still as nature left them. "Round Rock" and "Flat Rock" were in the midst of a pasture. The whole village presented a barren, straggling appearance. I never could swallow more than three tumblers of the water at a time, but some would imbibe double or treble that quantity. One lad often boasted of regularly taking his eight glasses. Many amusing scenes were enacted at the springs. Such wry faces, spittings and sputterings are seldom witnessed. The wife of an army officer gave the company a deal of merriment by her grimaces and ejaculations. Mr. Emery could not drink the water, but it proved beneficial to me.
An old lady, who with her daughter and son-in-law, came in a wagon from her home on a farm some twenty miles back, amused us greatly. She was suf- fering from weak eyes, and concluded to try the efficacy of Saratoga water as a remedy. Declaring herself too tired to go to the spring, she entered the par-
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lor and despatched her daughter's hus- band with a two-quart pitcher, which was filled and placed on the table beside her, when she vigorously commenced the task of imbibing it. Every mouth- ful elicited the most ludicrous grimaces, accompanied by a variety of odd ejacu- lations, "But she didn't ride twenty miles for nothing, you must live and larn ; she was determined to give that water a good try if it did taste like pisen." In a couple of hours the pitch- er was emptied. The water having been topped off by a hearty dinner, the dame remounted her wagon, which was stowed with an array of kegs, jugs and bottles, which had been filled to take home, as- suring us as she said good-bye, "that she raly believed there was something in that water, she felt better aready."
I was interested in a party of Quak- ers on their bridal tour, who came to the village in a large Dutch wagon, which had been cleaned and furnished with chairs for the accommodation of the bride and her sister. The chief oh- ject of the visit was the purchase of a bridal bonnet, which was brought, tried on, and exhibited with pride and pleas- ure. I praised the head gear, as I saw it was expected, though the new bonnet of white satin, Quaker shaped, was so identical with the old one, that I could not have told one from the other. Upon hinting this to the young wife, she hur- riedly exclaimed. "Oh, the old one is not fresh ; see this spot !" pointing to the tiniest of specks, and I came to the conclusion that womanly vanity and fondness for dress were not wholly smothered under the Quaker garb.
Emigrants to Ohio were daily passing through the village, presenting more or less thrift in their outfit. One wealthy yeoman moved his family in a frame
building drawn by his numerous draft animals, while a large drove of cattle and sheep brought up the rear. The caravan presented a singular spectacle as it moved slowly past, the smoke curling from the stovepipe, and the women busy at their household tasks within the house.
A party of Dutch laborers stopping over night, ordered milk for their sup- per. Finding that it was sweet, they turned it to curd with cider. At my expressions of surprise at their taste, Mr. Donney informed me that it was the boast of an orderly Dutch house- keeper, that the bottom of her sour krout and bonny-clabber firkins were never visible
The following Sunday morning we bade adieu to Saratoga, and commenced the homeward route. Not a specimen of the male gender was visible during the day. The Erie canal had then been just commenced, and every man and boy throughout the region. "had gone to see the canawl."
Wednesday we returned to Bosca- wen. Friday morning the journey was resumed, home being reached Saturday evening, after an absence of a month. I came back a new person, with health and strength completely restored.
CHAPTER LIX.
On the evening of the 19th of Decem- ber, 1816, occurred the great Goodridge sham robbery. Major Elijah P. Good- ridge of Bangor, Maine, passed Pear- son's tavern and the Essex Merrimac Bridge shortly before nine o'clock. A little over an hour had elapsed when he rushed into the toll-house hatless, his
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clothes soiled, one hand bloody, and in an excited, incoherent manner declared, "that he had been waylaid by three men just over the brow of the hill be- yond, who had beaten him over the head, fired at him from a pistol, wound- ing his hand, and having dragged him into the field adjoining, had there robbed him of a large sum of money, leaving him senseless ; that upon consciousness returning, he had made the best of his way back to the island." Mr. Pearson took the Major into the house and a physician was summoned. The wound- ed man continued to talk in a distracted manner of being amongst thieves and in a den of robbers, but at length rec- ognized Mr. William Potter, the driver of the Eastern mail stage to Ports- mouth, and requested him to go to the scene of the outrage and search for his horse and effects.
Mr. Potter went, accompanied by sev- eral others with lanterns. Just over the brow of the hill a pistol was found in the road; a rail was down in the fence, and in the gap a few drops of blood were seen. Major Goodridge's pocketbook lay open under the fence, with his watch, knife and papers ; a rod beyond his portmanteau, valise and whip were found, and thirty-six dollars in bank notes ; the handle of the whip was also spotted with blood. The search for the horse proved fruitless, but Major Samuel Shaw, coming from Hampton with a baggage wagon belong- ing to the Stage Company, soon after passing the bridge, found that a stray horse was following his team, which he kept behind down High and State streets to the stable at Gilman's hotel. This stray horse was the missing ani- mal.
Dr. Carter of Amesbury dressed the
wounded hand, The patient talked wildly, and appeared in a deranged state, complaining of excruciating pain in his side and in the back of his head. Doctor Israel Balch was present with Dr. Carter. The Major was put in bed and Dr. Carter remained with him till morning ; he was then apparently so delirious that Mr. Pearson called Dr. Richard S. Spofford. That afternoon he was taken to the residence of Mr. John Pearson, in Newburyport. He fainted on the way, and continued de- lirious for two or three days, when he gradually grew better, and after a while was able to go to Danvers, where his friends resided.
This affair caused a furor of excite- ment. People feared to travel alone after nightfall. There was a great de- mand for sword canes, and a strict watch was instituted for three suspi- cious individuals. Upon his recovery Major Goodridge stated, "that at the time of the robbery he had upon his person and in his portmanteau $1086 in bank notes and $669 in gold belong- ing to himself; in addition, he had money sent by him to pay over from three to five hundred dollars. One hundred and twenty was paid at Free- port, thirty dollars he left in the post- office at Dover to go to Rochester, the remainder was to be paid in Newbury- port."
As the gentleman's character was un- impeachable, and he ranked amongst the first in business circles, it was diffi- cult to question his veracity, still, doubts respecting his story were whis- pered. At the intelligence, Mr. Emery went directly to the bridge. He said little on his return, only declared it a most singular robbery. As some wrap- pers to the gold bearing Major Good-
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ridge's mark were picked up near Pear- son's tavern, the Major cansed Mr. Ebenezer Pearson, the inn-keeper, to be arrested, but as no proof of guilt was found he was immediately acquit- ted. About a week after, Major Good- ridge having obtained the presence of Deputy Sheriff Jacob Coburn, and ac- companied by one Swinnerton, of Dan- vers, with a divining rod, commenced a search of the premises on Deer Island. After a time a bundle of soiled and torn papers belonging to Major Goodridge were taken from the vault of the privy, and six pieces of gold wrapped in a cloth were thrown from the snow back of the house.
Mr. Pearson was a second time ar- rested, only to be acquitted with the heartiest acclamation. The old gentle- man, then seventy years of age, had ever been one of our most respected and esteemed citizens, and the indignation of the populace had been aroused at what was deemed an outrage upon one of Mr. Pearson's age and social stand- ing. At his acquittal this second time the enthusiasm of the crowd assembled at the court house could scarcely be ex- pressed. Amid hilarious shouts the old gentleman was placed in a coach, which as it was good sleighing was upon run- ners ; the horses were unharnessed in a twinkling. and a band of young men drew Mr. Pearson the whole distance to his residence, the procession being aug- mented by a long line of friends in sleighs.
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