Reminiscences of a nonagenarian. Edited and illustrated by S. A. E

Preface

. This volume, as its title implies, has been chiefly derived from the recollections of my mother; but recitals by my father, grandparents and other deceased relatives and friends have aided the work, and I have obtained many anecdotes and facts from several aged per. sons still living. My thanks are due to others less advanced in life, especially to J. H. Ham lin, esq., of Portland, Maine, for details respecting the Poyen family, and for the description of their ancestral home in Gaudaloupe; to Miss Rebecca Ingersoll Davis of East Haver hill, for others relating to the Countess De Vipart ; to Mr. Lyman Cole of Newburyport, for his family history; to George Edwin Emery of Lynn, Mass., for facts respecting our ancestors, and their home in England, and for the history of the name of Emery; also to Thomas C. Amort, esq., of Boston, for Amory records; to James Chute Peabodt, esq., for valua ble information.

I am indebted to the " Genealogy of the Little Family," compiled by George T. Little; to that of Hale by Robert S. Hale, LL.D. ; to Edmund Smith, esq., for the " Heraldry of Smith, London, John Russell Smith, 36 Soho square, 1870;" to Benjamin Hale, esq., and other persons and families who have kindly loaned genealogies and ancient documents. I have received assistance from the Histories of Newbury and New buryport by Joshua Coffin, esq., and Mrs. E. Vale Smith; and Johnston's History of the Campaign on Long Island in 1776; from the Record of Schools, by Mr. O. B. Merrill, published by the "Antiquarian and Historical Society" of Old Newbury; Gage's History of Rowley and Genealogical Register; 1869. In the family records I have aimed at an arrange ment that will enable the descendants of the present generation to trace their lineage, and I have endeavored to note those born within the limits of Newbury and Newburyport, who have been college graduates, or have otherwise become distinguished.

My desire has been to give a graphic history of " Te Olden Time" ; to faithfully portray the domestic, religious, political, literary and social life of a past age, with a description of "Ould Newberry," and of the business and aspect of Newburyport prior to the great fire of 1811. The ancient town has been rich in matters of world-wide interest and historic value. About 1650, at the Dummer, now Glen Mills, was set up the first cloth mill in America. In the Byfield parish was the first woolen and cotton factory in Massachusetts, and there the first broadcloth manufactured in the country was made. There, Perkins the inventor of the plate for engraving bank notes, set up the first nail factory. In the same parish, in 1680, at the head of tide-water on the river Parker, the first vessel was built in New England.

Later, the first academy was founded by Gov. Dummer, and still later, the first incorporated rifle company was formed. In the West Precinct, now West Newbury, the first horn combs and buttons were manufactured by Mr. Enoch Noyes. In Newburyport Master Pike published the first Arithmetic, and the stalwart ship carpenter. Eleazer Johnson, burned the first tea in ante-revolutionary times, previous to its destruction in Boston. His son Nicholas, com manding a Newburyport ship, the " Count de Grass, e" was the first to display the Stars and Stripes on the river Thames. Newburyport has also the honor of having founded the first Sunday and female high schools in Massachusetts. That the book may satisfy the expectations of relatives and friends, and prove a source of instruction and interest to the public generally, is the sincere wish of SARAH ANNA EMERY. Newburyport, 1879. SM1T1 I I'l.ACE piMSCENCES OF Jl \MU\k\\k\

Chapter I

Ninety years is a long period to re view. The world of to-dayis an en tirely different thing from that of my earhest recollection. How vividly I recaU the old homestead — the large brown house, built in 1707, with its wide, sloping back roof, and many sized and shaped windows; the long barn and other farm buildings in the rear ; the well, with its graceful sweep in front, and the usually huge wood pile at the back. Before the house stretched a large garden, weU stocked with pear, peach and cherry7 trees. Currant and gooseberry bushes grew luxuriantly be neath the sheltering board fence, that separated the enclosure from the broad fields and orchards around. There was a clump of quince bushes in one corner, and in another two Plum Island plum bushes, that had grown from stones taken from fruit brought from the isl and.

There was also a great variety7 of medicinal and sweet herbs, and from early spring till late in autumn the bor ders on either side of the gravel walk were gay with flowers. These flowers were one of the greatest delights of my childhood. How distinctly I remember every shrub and bush, and the pleasure I received in dispensing my treasures amongst my7 less savored neighbors, who often came to beg a rose, a bunch of pinks, or some spear mint or lavender "to take to meetin' to keep 'em awake Sabba' day7." Crossing the broad, *unhewn door stone and opening the wide front door, you saw a narrow entry with a flight of winding stairs at the back. As you stepped across the threshold your feet fell upon a trap door in the floor. Through this cavitypassed all the farm produce that was annuallystored in the cellar.

Carts filled with potatoes, tur nips, etc., were backed up to the door and their contents chuted into the sub terranean regions below, wliile from the iron stanchion in the unplastered ceil ing overhead was lowered, by rope and pulleys, barrel after barrel of apples and cider. The house was constructed in the style common to the period, two spacious rooms on either side of the front entry, with wide fireplaces, and low ceilings crossed in the centre by a broad beam. The two front windows in both rooms were long and narrow ; REMINISCENCES fitting out, my grandmother, the heiress to quite a fortune, had received an out fit that, at the time of her marriage, had been the chief topic for tea-table talk throughout the country-side. The bridal trousseau and the best furniture had been imported from England ex pressly for her, by indulgent and some what aristocratic parents.

The green damask dress, and brown camblet cir cular cloak and riding hood, with the high-heeled brocade slippers, were, at the time of which I am speaking, still as fresh as new, and a peep at them was a rare treat whieh was sometimes vouchsafed when I was especially good. Grandmother's front room had bow backed chairs with flag seats, and ta bles supported by curiously-carved and twisted legs, a candle stand that screwed up and down Uke a piano stool, a hand some mirror, and the buffet was re splendent in its appointments. Her best bed was hung with green moreen curtains, edged by heavy gimp trimming ; the case of drawers was decor ated with fluted drawers in the upper tier, and surmounted by ornaments of carving. There was a handsome dress ing table, a fine specimen of the sculp tured frames of the period, with sever al drawers and compartments.

Over this hung a glass, the plate surrounded by an ornamental wreath, and a frame of colored glass, set in mahogany moulding. The back chamber — the large one under the long, sloping back roof — was set apart for manufacturing purposes. Here the chief part of the clothing and other household goods for the family were spun and woven. The apartment was conveniently* fitted up with looms, woolen, linen and spooling wheels, swifts, reels, cards and warp ing bars. Here, also, stood the great the one in the end was square. Open ing from these apartments were the summer kitchen, bed-rooms and the dairy. The fireplaces, both below and in the chambers, showed an attempt at architectural ornament, in the high mantel pieces. Those in the two front rooms were both furnished with a large oven in a corner to the right, and a smaller one in that opposite.

These were closed by brightly-painted red oven lids ; and in the right-hand cor ner stood a long, low form, for the accommodation of the smaller members of the household. There were long dressers, also, showing some effort at elegance in the carving of the shelves, which were loaded with pewter ware, as bright as silver, and a corner cupboard, in the country7 phraseologytermed a "beaufat," whieh displayed rare treas ures of China, glass and silver. My father and mother, recentlymar ried, occupied oue half of the house ; my widowed grandmother, with anoth er son and daughter, resided in the other half. Young people, their for tune still to be made, my parents' rooms were plainly furnished, with com mon tables and flag-bottomed chairs. A high case of drawers was the chief ornament to the best bedroom, the oth ers boasting of only a chest of drawers.

These were about the height of a bu reau, with a chest atop and one or two drawers beneath. The square, high post bedsteads were tastily hung with muslin and chintz curtains, and cov ered with the prettiest of coverlids, woven in love-knots and other dainty patterns, or with quilts stiff with the most elaborate quilting. Grandmoth er's rooms were much more elegant. While my mother, the oldest of nine children, was provided with a common grain chest, well stored with wheat, rye, oats and barley. Our farm was well adapted to the growth of wheat. My father raised enough to supply bis family, and had a surplus for the mar ket. The large garret, besides being the receptacle for all the odds and ends of housekeeping, was annually filled with Indian corn, a corn barn being a later additiou to the premises. was warming over the fire, in thc large brass kettle.

The milk being from the ten cows, my mother made cheese four days, Aunt Sarah having the milk the remainder of the week. In this way good-sized cheeses were obtained. The curd having been broken into the basket, the dishes were washed, and, un less there was washing or other extra work, the house was righted. By the time this was clone the curd was ready7 for the press. Next came preparations for dinner, wliich was on the table punctually7 at twelve o'clock. In the hot weather we usually had boiled salt ed meat and vegetables, and, if it was baking day, a custard or pudding. If there was linen whitening on the grass, as was usual at this season, that must be sprinkled. After dinner the cheeses were turned and rubbed ; then mother put me on a clean frock, and dressed herself for the afternoon.

Our gowns and aprons, unless upon some special occasion, when calico was worn, were usually7 of blue checked home-made gingham, starched and ironed to a nice gloss.