USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newbury > Reminiscences of a nonagenarian > Part 4
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The Chase arms are :
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FORWARD.
GULES FOUR CROSSES PATENCE ARGENT, ON A CANTON AZURE A LION PAS- SANT OR, CREST-A LION RAMPANT OR, HOLDING IN ITS PAWS A CROSS PATENCE ARGENT.
At my grandfather Little's, three daughters, Betsy, Sukey and Hannah, and the three sons still remained under
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the paternal roof ; there were also three young men, apprentices, learning the trade of a shoemaker. Grandsir at that time carried on a brisk business, as business was reckoned in those days, in a shop near the dwelling-this, and the care of a good sized farm, kept ev- ery one busy. Family worship and breakfast over, the "men folks" went to their labor, and grandmam' and the girls began the day's routine. The two youngest girls assisting alternately week by week in the housework and spinning. The weaving was usually put out to some neighboring woman, though some- times an assistant was hired to weave at the house for a few weeks. In the cold weather, the morning work fin- ished, and the dinner put over the fire to boil, grandmam', would seat herself by the window with her basket, and call me to a stool by her side, where I industriously stitched through the day, now and then recreating with a run to the chamber where my aunt, unless the weather was very severe, usually spun, or to the shop or barn with Uncle Joe, my boy uncle, a great rogue, but my very best friend and crony. Company often came of an afternoon, for though my grandmother seldom visited, she was "given to hospitality," and the neighbors, relatives and town's folks fully appreciated and enjoyed the at- tractions of her house and tea table.
At dark my work was laid aside. Uncle Joe and I occupied the form in the chimney corner of an evening, cracking nuts, parching corn in the ashes with a crooked stick, roasting apples and telling stories or riddles, or playing fox and geese on a board, chalked for the game, with a red kernel of corn for the fox and yellow for geese.
At nine o'clock grandsir and the young men came. Grandsir would seat himself in his arm-chair, before the fire to toast his feet, grandmam' lay aside her knitting and draw her low one to the corner beside our form. The nuts, corn and apples were passed round, and sometimes a mug of flip was made. After all had become warmed and re- freshed, the Bible was laid on the stand, a fresh candle lighted, and the old gentleman reverently read a chap- ter, then a lengthy prayer was offered, through which we all stood with heads bowed devoutly, though I am sorry to say that grandmam's thoughts were sometimes called to this mundane sphere, by that incorrigible Joe, and her low "'sh" could often be detec- ted, as she thwarted some mischief, or prevented some prank, played with the dire intent of making me laugh. With the warmer weather Aunt Betsy trans- ferred our work to her chamber, where it escaped the espionage of the curious eyes and gossiping tongues that dur- ing the winter had at times been ex- cessively annoying ; but in the long, bright June afternoons I used to steal down to the front entry ; seated upon the sill of the open door, my fingers kept time to the murmur of the brook or the song of the birds in the willows bordering the silvery stream just be- yond the gravel path, edged by flowers, the perfume of which, mingling with that of the lilacs and sweet briar, filled the air with grateful odor. Grand- mam' took great pleasure in her flow- ers. Though sister Noyes " could not see how she found time for sich fiddle- de-dees," and brother John's wife pro- nounced " sich things all vanity," and other wise people thought it would be better to raise something useful, grand-
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mam' continued to cultivate her garden to the end of her long life. Her crocuses, tulips and other spring flowers were a rare show; there were a splendid collection of pinks and roses, and a great array of autumnal flowers. Hollyhocks of every variety, French, velvet and double marigolds, asters of all shades, double coxcomb, and a bed of crimson, purple and yellow amar- anths. One of my first recollections is sitting on the wide, white door stone, watching the many hued four o'clocks as their petals unfolded to the after- noon sun. Another delight was assis- ting grandmam', in the autumn to ar- ange in pretty vases of home construc- tion the dried amaranths, which mingled with white-everlasting, milk-weed, bit- ter-sweet and evergreen, made pretty winter bouquets, to decorate the man- tles of the parlor and living room ; these, with the wreaths of running ever- green round the mirror and clock, also elicited criticism. "Sich things did very well for some folks. If Miss Little had to delve and drudge like most women, she would'nt want dried posies and greens a littering her house, but she always had contrived to live ladyfied, and with that squad of gals, she could afford to play quality." These and sim- ilar speeches often excited the anger of the " squad of gals" but grandmam', in her pleasant way would bid them " never to heed things beneath one's notice." "Recreation was necessary ; if she chose to amuse herself in her garden, so long as no duty was ne- glected, it was no one's concern. As for use she considered flowers of great value. The Almighty had decked the whole universe with beauty. Who was not made happier and better by pretty surroundings? For her part she con-
sidered it every woman's duty to make her home as agreeable as possible. She was sure her good sisters-in-law and the other croakers enjoyed a bunch of pinks or a rose, as much as any one, and her mints and sweet herbs were in great demand, especially lav- ender, to strew in drawers amongst linen."
Sunday was the only day on which I preferred to be at home. Father was somewhat of a latitudinarian, and moth- er never prohibited my picture books. Of these my town friends and an old lame peddler named Urin who came round five or six times a year, kept me well supplied. Old Urin was quite a character. He would stump in, usually near dusk, with a bag and basket, and sinking into the nearest chair, declare himself " e'en a'most dead, he was so lame !" Then, without stopping to take breath, he would reel off, "Tree fell on me when I was a boy, killed my broth- er and me jest like him, here's books, pins, needles, black sewing silk all col- ors, tapes, varses, almanacks and sar- mons, thread, fine thread for cambric ruffles, here's varses on the pirate that was hung on Boston Common, solemn varses with a border of coffins atop, and Noble's sarmon preached at his wife's funeral, the 'lection sarmon when the guv'ner took the chair, Jack the Pi- per, Whittington's Cat, Pilgrim's Prog- ress, Bank of Faith, The History of the Devil, and a great many other re- ligious books." We always kept the old man over night besides purchasing his wares. As I had an eager avidi- ty for books, the peddler's advent was hailed with delight.
At grandsir's the Lord's day was kept in Sabbatical strictness. Every vestige of the week's employment dis-
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appeared at sundown Saturday night, no book was permitted save the Bible, some pious treatise and the catechism. Pleasant days, when meeting was at- tended morning and afternoon, the day was not so tedious, but stormy ones were seemingly interminable. Then that catechism! Though I was quick to learn, this was my one great bug- bear. How I used to dread the cate- chising Grandsir instituted after supper. Sunday evenings, Uncle Joe and I were always falling into disgrace by our dull- ness, aand unt Hannah frequently could sympathze with us. Then we often un- wittingly broke the rules in such a way as to receive a reprimand. Never shall I forget the shame of one memorable Sun- day afternoon. It was very muddy ri- ding in the spring, and as it was incon- venient to take us along, Aunt Hannah, Uncle Joe and myself were left at home. We had studied the catechism, read the history of Joseph from the Bible, and played with the cat and kittens till we were tired. Aunt Hannah went into the cellar for apples ; there she found some rotten warden pears which she brought above and placed in the sink. Uncle Joe took his jack-knife and scraped out the pulp from one. "Look here," he cried, "see my pail, look at my pail !" "It needs a bail," Aunt Hannah returned, as she brought some strong, blue yarn and proceeded to tie it in. Joe scraped another, Aunt Han- nah tied in a second bail. Knowing I ought not to play, I only looked on, an interested spectator. The spring sun was shining brightly in at the open back door, the well curb was near with a trough for watering the horses and cat- tle. Joe took his pails out to the plat- form, Aunt Hannah and I followed. We were so intent secing the little boy
fill his novel pails, that we forgot to watch for the close of services as we had intended, and were all caught in the awful crime of playing on "Sabba' day." Such a chastisement as we re- ceived ! Thereafter I never staid over Sunday at grandsir's if it could be otherwise, and when I did stay, for years I scarcely dared to breathe.
The wedding had been appointed for the last of June. Aunt Sarah, and a fa- mous cook, lent her assistance in ba- king the cake. Mother cut the bridal dress, a light slate silk gown and skirt, the gown was festooned at the bottom, the neck and the sleeves trimmed with lace. The bridal hat, a French beaver to match, was ornamented with two long, white ostrich plumes. Aunt Su- key and Aunt Hannah had new white muslins, cut square in the neck, and short sleeves ; the breadths run the whole length, plaited at the back, and con- fined at the waist by a ribbon sash. Grandmam's best silk, a blue and red changeable, was newly trimmed, a tas- ty muslin cap constructed, and her bri- dal lawn half-handkerchief, richly bor- dered with broad, thread lace, which never saw the light excepting on high, gala occasions, and sacrament Sundays, was carefully done up.
The important day arrived. The house was swept and garnished, the parlor decorated with white and dam- ask roses. I wore a white muslin, and a blue sash, like Aunt Hannah's. Moth- er looked beautifully in a white petti- coat and brown silk over dress ; Aunt Chase wore her bridal silk, a reddish brown ; Uncle Bill and his affianced, Miss Sarah Bailey, were groomsman and bridesmaid,-Miss Bailey, a very handsome girl, looked lovely in a peach silk. As we were without a minister,
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the Rev. True Kimball from the lower parish, performed the ceremony. The wine and cake passed, a merry time was enjoyed.
The Bartletts, with whom the Em- erys, Johnsons and Littles have inter- married, are of a family both "Ancient and Honorable." Adam de Bartelot, a Norman knight, accompanied Wil- liam the Conqueror to England. After the conquest William granted him a large landed estate in Stopham, Sussex Co. Sir Adam de Bartelot died in 1100. He was the progenitor of the Newbury Bartletts. The original grant made by William the Conqueror, with large additions, is still retained by the Bartelots of Stopham. The present representative of the family is Sir Wal- ter Bartelot, Baronet, and member of parliament. John and Richard Bar- tlett, who came to Newbury in the year 1634, were of the Stopham family, be- ing sons of Edmund Bartelot, third son of William, the then heir to the es- tate. Another brother, Ensign Thom- as Bartlett, accompanied John and Richard to America ; he settled in Wa- tertown. Josiah Bartlett purchased a farm in the " West Precinct" Newbury, his son, Josiah, married Prudence Ord- way, and succeeded his father on the estate, and, for those days, he carried on a very extensive shoe trade, always employing a half dozen or more ap- prentices. These youth, for years, bore the designation of "Bartlett's" boys, and a merry set they usually were, up to all kinds of pranks ; if any tricks were played, all eyes were instantly turned on "Bartlett's boys." The children of Josiah aud Prudence Bart- lett were Josiah, Stephen, Betsey, Samuel, William, John Emery, Pru- dence, Polly, and Theodore who died
in infancy. The arms of the Bartlett family are :
SABLE: THREE SINISTER FALCONER'S GLOVES PROPER, BANDED AND TAPELLED OR.
This without a crest was the family arms for some centuries. Near the close of the fifteenth century one of the present crests, a castle, was granted to Sir John Bartelot, who, in command of the Sussex troops, captured the castle of Fontenoy, in France. In the six- teenth century a swan was added to the crest, to commemorate the right of the family to keep swans on the river Arun, a right granted by William the Conqueror. These were confirmed under the seal of William Segar, Gar- ter King of Arms, October 27, 1616, 14th year of King James, motto " Ma- ture." The bridegroom, Stephen Bar- tlett, had been in business in Newbury- port nearly two years. The year pre- vious Mr. John Peabody had moved thither, with Mr. Luther Waterman, the two gentlemen had formed a part- nership, known as the firm of "Pea- body, Waterman & Co." Their place of business was a store on the corner of State street and Market Square, running back to Inn street. The front store on State street was devoted to dry
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goods, the back, entrance on Inn street, had a full supply of groceries, and boots and shoes, the latter being manu- factured in the chambers. Stephen Bartlett had purchased the house on State, lower corner of Temple street, and the wedded pair went immediately to housekeeping. As was natural the bride found herself intolerably lonesome in her new home, and a pressing invita- tation came, that I should pay her a visit. Mother packed my things in her little red, wooden trunk, and I accom- panied father the next market day.
I vividly remember the ride down High street, and father's reining in his steed, that I might gaze at the deer in the park at Mt. Rural, and at Dexter's images. Only a beginning of the show had then been made, Washington, Ad- ams and the Goddess of Liberty a- dorned the front entrance, and the Li- on and Lamb reclined on either side.
We found Mrs. Bartlett fully estab- lished, everything in spick and span freshness. The parlor, now the site of Mr. Philip H. Blumpey's store, was a large, pleasant room, the two front win- dows overlooking State, the two end, Temple street. It was handsomely fur- nished, for that period, with a mahoga- ny desk and book-case, two mahognay card tables, and alight-stand to match ; a large mirror occupied the front pier, two pictures, a marine view, and a landscape ornamented the wall. There were half a dozen dark green, wooden chairs, and two rockers to match. A Franklin stove had been set in the fire- place, in which glittered a highly pol- ished brass fire-set. There was no car- pet, floors had not then become gener- ally covered, and, if carpeted in the winter, they were usually bare in sum- mer, carpets being considered hot and
dusty. The best chamber was elegant with gay patch hangings to the high square post bedstead, and curtains of the same draped the windows. A toi- let table tastily covered with white mus- lin, and ornamented by blue ribbon bows, stood between the front windows. The case of drawers was handsomely carved, the chairs matched those below, and there was a novelty, the first wash- stand I ever saw, a pretty triangular one of mahogany, a light graceful pat- tern to fit into a corner of a room. The other chambers, the kitchen, wash room, etc., were in perfect order, and supplied with every convenience. Sev- eral newly invented improvements for housekeeping were displayed, amongst which was a tin rooster. Heretofore our meat and poultry had been baked in the brick oven, or roasted on a spit, resting on brackets, fastened for that purpose to the high, iron andirons, common to every kitchen. Sometimes a turkey or goose was depended before the fire by a strong string hitched to a nail in the ceiling. At the "Wolfe tavern," and at the residences of some of the wealthier citizens, a jack turned by clock work had been placed in the wide fire-place of the spacious kitchen. This new "tin kitchen," Aunt Betsey displayed as a rare implement of great value to the culinary art.
After dinner a visit to my aunt Pea- body was proposed. I hesitated, and informed my aunt that mother had di- rected that I should not go anywhere until she had procured me a new bon- net. My aunt laughed, and replied, that she "thought sister Prudy did not expect to have town style like her sis- ters'. Do not look so sober, little sweet, I knew head-gear was needed, and here it is," she added, taking from
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a closet a white muslin Quaker-shaped bonnet trimmed with green. Of course I was delighted, and my happiness was enhanced by the information that it was just like my cousin Sophronia's, and hers, of course, was in the tip-top of fashion.
Uncle Peabody had bought a house on Middle street. It was smaller and less pleasant than my aunt Bartlett's, but the furniture was similar. The curtains were white with netted fringe, and the parlor table was decorated with an elegant gilt China tea set in a red. and gilt tray. Aunt Betsey wished to embroider cushions for her rockers. Miss Betty Bradstreet was celebrated for designing patterns for such work. Aunt Peabody, learning our intention of calling upon her, summoned So- phronia from school, and with her little daughter accompanied us.
Humphrey Bradstreet, an elder brother, or kinsman, of Gov. Simon Bradstreet, came from Ipswich, Eng- land, to Ipswich, America, in the "Elizabeth," in 1634, aged 40, with his wife Bridget, aged 30, and chil- dren-Hannah, aged 9, John, 3, Mar- tha, 2, and Mary, 1 ; had born here Moses, Sarah and Rebecca ; was made freeman May 6th, 1635 ; representa- tive to General Court in 1635; died in 1656.
Humphrey, Rowley, physician, son of Moses, removed to Newbury ; there, by wife Sarah, had Dorothy, born Dec. 19th, 1692 ; Joshua, Feb. 24th, 1695 ; Sarah, Jan. 16th, 1697 ; Humphrey, 1700, died young ; Daniel, Feb. 13th, 1702 ; Moses, Feb. 17th, 1707 ; and Bet- ty, May 16th, 1713. Dr. Bradstreet died May 11th, 1717. His widow, June
9th, 1719, married Edward Sargent. Arms, Bradstreet :
GERRONNY OF SIX GULES AND OR, ON EACH A CRESCENT COUNTERCHANGED. CREST 1
A UNICORN'S HEAD BETWEEN TWO BUNCHES OF LAUREL IN ARLE.
This is the ancient coat. The arms on the seal of Gov. Simeon Bradstreet, born at Kobling, county Lincoln, 1703, where his father Simeon was the minis- ter-are :
ON A FESSE-THREE CRESCENTS-IN BASE A HOUND PASSENT. CREST A DEXTER ARM VAMBRACED EMBOWERED, THE HAND GRASPING A SWORD.
Anne Dudley Bradstreet, Gov. Brad- street's first wife, was the first "Ameri- can female Poet," styled the tenth muse. Dr. Humphrey Bradstreet built the second house erected at the water side. It is on Water, upper corner of Lime street, at present a store. His young- est daughter, Betty, married the Rev. William Johnson, and his youngest son, Moses, married, and inherited the paternal mansion. Four out of five of Mr. Moses Bradstreet's children, died within one week from the terrible throat distemper which, in the winter of 1735, despoiled so many households in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Betty, her aunt Johnson's namesake,
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alone recovered ; but vestiges of the fell disease were carried through a long life in impaired beauty and a weakened constitution. Mr. Bradstreet died in a few years, and Mrs. Bradstreet, up- on the death of her children, was thrown into an illness which weakened her mind ; though she lived until Miss Betty was well advanced in age, she could never be brought to regard her daughter as other than a little girl. I have been told how touching it was to see the mother leading the grown woman up the aisle of the meeting- house as if she was still a child. Miss Bradstreet had numerous suitors, but till her mother's death her life was de- voted to her ; afterwards she declared herself too old for matrimony, and in company with her faithful serv- ing maiden, Hannah Brown, she lived a happy, useful and contented life, in the ancestral mansion, an open house to her relatives and friends, while they in turn were often enlivened by a visit from the spinster consin, whose advent was the signal for a genuine festival throughout the household and neighborhood. To children in particu- lar Miss Betty constituted herself a sort of patron saint, receiving in return a love and devotion never to be forgotten. The Bradstreet mansion had been a pre- tentious house at the period of its erec- tion, and with its extensive and well kept garden was then a model of neat- ness and elegance. The windows com- manded as exquisite a view as can be found. The beautiful Merrimac broad- ening to its mouth, Plum Island river pouring in its tributary waters on the right, opposite the picturesque Salis- bury shore, terminating in its long, san- dy point, the narrow outlet at the bar separating it from the twin point at
Plum Island, whose length of sands, marshes and bushy knolls extended in- to the distance. The two light-houses on its northern extremity gleamed in the afternoon sun, which eradiated the lofty warehouses on the wharves, the wherries, fishing smacks and West India schooners, in the river, and the sails of vessels near and more remote, dotting the waves of Massachusetts Bay, whose blue waters stretched afar, its hues mingling with those of the ho- rizon.
Miss Betty, a tall, prim, rather plain woman of sixty, received us with great cordiality. Her parlor, rich in antique furnishings, if it could be restored, would now become a perfect bijou for an antiquarian. Dark, highly polished tables with claw feet, and high backed, elaborately carved chairs to match ; a tall, handsomely ornamented clock ticked in one corner ; an elegantly em- broidered fire-screen, with mahogany frame, that could be raised or lowered at pleasure, stood opposite. A large mahogany-framed mirror occupied the space between the front windows ; over the mantel, which was decorated with tall brass candlesticks, hung the por- trait of Dr. Humphrey Bradstreet, in a red coat, buff vest, white wig, ruf- fled shirt, and delicate ruffles at the wrist, the right hand grasping a lancet. The walls were further ornamented by paintings and embroidered pictures, specimens of the taste and skill of the mistress of the house. The screen, the wrought seats of the chairs, and various other knick-knacks scattered about the room, were also the handi- work of the ingenious and industrious maiden.
Our hostess invited us into the gar- den, which was gay with a profusion of
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old-fashioned flowers, besides fruit and vegetables. Each having been sup- plied with a "bunch of posies," we took our leave. A pressing invitation "to stay to tea," had been givhn, but Uncle Bartlett was to join his wife and myself at Uncle Peabody's, so the visit was postponed until the cushion covers were drawn.
As we returned, my aunts spoke of the terrible distemper, that brought such sorrow to the Bradstreet mansion, as well as to so many other New Eng- land homes. Aunt Peabody inquired "if Aunt Bartlett had ever heard of the warning given to Mrs. Stephen Jaques prior to her grand-children's de- cease ?" Aunt Betsey answered in the negative, and inquired what it was. "Mrs. Jaques went to a chamber, the door of which was locked, to get some candles that were in a bushel measure under the bed. She took out the can- dles, laid them on the bed, and pushed the measure back ; as she lifted the quilt, she saw a child's hand and an arm cov- ered witha striped sleeve. She pulled down the bed clothes, and searched the chamber, but no child was there. In a few days her son's children were taken with the throat distemper. OnThursday, just a fortnight from the time she saw the apparition, Stephen's son, Henry, died ; the next Thursday, Ebenezer died, and the next Monday his oldest son Stephen, died. "I do not know what to think of such things," Aunt Betsey thought- fully returned, "you often hear of oc- currences that are termed supernatural
in times of sickness and distress." I did not know what to think of the sto- ry, either. On whispering an inquiry to my cousin, she exclaimed, "Ugh ! Don't talk of it, I beg ! I shall lie a- wake all night." I said no more, but
the story haunted my imagination. As soon as I shut my eyes of a night, that tiny hand and striped sleeve would pre- sent itself, and every time I lifted a quilt it protruded from beneath. I can- not say that I was afraid, but it was a long while ere I lost the vision.
Aunt Peabody told Sophronia she and I might go to the store, and hurry her father and uncle home. I had nev- er visited an establishment of the kind, and I doubt, now, if even Stewart's would appear more spacious and elegant. So- phronia went behind the counter and measuring off two yards of pink satin ribbon, presented me with half of it; I demurred as to the propriety of this proceeding. Mr. Waterman, who was in the front store, told mne to take the ribbon, but I was not satisfied until I had informed my uncle Peabody, whom I found in the back store. He said "Yes, Fronie and I were welcome to the ribbon ; I am glad to see my little girl generous to her friends." After regaling us on raisins, he led the way back to the front divi- sion, and taking down a box of spangled gauze fans, he bade us each choose one. Sophronia took a buff ornamented in silver. I chose blue and gold. Uncle Bartlett came from the shoe manufac- tory, and invited us up stairs, where he fitted both with a pair of purple kid slippers. Very happy and grateful, we accompanied the gentlemen home to tea. How vividly they rise in remem- brance. Gen. Peabody, tall, preposses- sing, with a noble figure and courtly bearing, his pleasant face irradiated by smiles as he familiarly chatted with "his little girl." Col. Bartlett of a slighter mould, lithe and active, taci- turn and grave, excepting on occasions, when the serious black eye would twin-
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