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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reprodult en un seul clich6, il est filmd d partir de I'angle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. ly errata ed to mt me pelure, agon d 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ANNA GREEN WINSLOW f h ■^ DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW •^ A BOSTON SCHOOL GIRL OF ryyi EDITED BY ALICE MORSE EARLE BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY 1894 K73 "1- :i91596 QJ / AJ"^ /o (^ fjQ *^,w. Coypyright, 1894, Bv ALICE MORSE EARLE. All rights reserved. The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass., U. S. A. Electrotyped and Printed by H. O. Houghton & Co. WBBffKfnmmm 1596 ARLE. IS DEDICATED TO THE KINSFOLK OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW ^iyU.s.A. ughton & Co. I FOREWORD. TN the year 1770, a bright little girl ten years of age, Atina Green IVifisloza, was sent from her far aivay home in Nova Scotia to Boston, the birthplace of her parents, to be ^^ finished'' at Boston schools by Boston teachers. She lurote, tvith evident eagerness and loving care, for the edification of her par- ents and her own practice in penmanship, this interesting and quaint diary, which forms a most sprightly record, not only of the life if a yonng girl at that time, but of the prim and narroiv ronnd of daily occurrences in pro- vincial Boston. It thus assumes a positive value as an historical picture of the domestic life of that day ; a value of which the little girl who wrote it, or her kinsfolk who affec- tionately preserved it to our ozvn day, never could have dreamed. To many Neiv Eng- land families it is specially interesting as a complete rendering, a perfect presentment, of the childish life of their great grajidmotherSf her companions. It is an even chance which ruling thought in IV 10 RE WORD, in the clever little center, a love of religion or a love of {/nss, s/iozvs most plainly its in- flncnce on tliis diary. On the zvhole, I think that youthful vanity ^ albeit of a very natural and innocent sort, is more peroasivc of the pages. And it is fortunate that this is the case ; for, from the frankly frivolous though far from self-conscious entries ive gain a very exact notion, a very valuable picture, of the dress of a young girl at that day. We know all the details of her toilet, from the "pompe- dore " shoes and the shifts {ivJiich she had never zvorn till she lived in Boston), to the absurd ami top-heavy head-decoration of " black feathers, my past comb & all my past garnet marquasett and jet pins, together ivitJi my silver plume. " If this fantastic as- semblage of ornament ivere set upon the *'IIed- dus roll,'' so graphically described, it is easy to tinderstand the denunciations of the time upon women's headgear. In no contctnpo- rary record or account, no matter ivJio the ivriter, can be found such a vivacious and witty description of the modish hairdressing of that day as in the pages of this diary. But there are many entries in the Jounial of this vain little Puritan devotee to show an almost equal attention to religion ; records of sermons luhich she had heard, and of reli- gious FOKE WORD, gious conversations in which she had taken a self-possessed part ; and her frequent use of Biblical expressions and comparisons shows that she also remembered fully tvliat she read. Her ambitions theological sermon-notes ivere evidently somezvhat cnrtailedby the sensi- ble advice of the aunt ivith whom she resided^ ivJio thereby checked also the conscqnefit inju- dicious praise of her pastor, the Old South minister. For Anna and her kinsfolk were of the congregation of the Old South cJiurch ; and this diary is in effect a record of the life of Old South church attendants. Many zvere what Anna terms "sisters of the Old SontJi,^' and nine tenths of the names of her compan- ions and friends may be found on the baptis- mal and membership records of that church. Anna zvas an industrious little wigJit, active in all Jiouscivifely labors and domestic accom- plishments, and attentive to her lessons. She could make ^^ pyes,^ and fine network ; she could knit lace, and spin linen thread and woolen yarn ; she could make purses, and em- broider pocket-books, and zvcave luatch strings, and piece patchwork. She learned ^^ dansing, or danceing I should say,'' from one Master Turner ; she attended a saving school, to be- come a neat and deft little sempstress, and above all, she attended a writing school to learn 1 vi FOREWORD. learn that most indispensable and most appre- ciated of eighteenth century accomplislnnents '—fine writing. Her handwriting, of zvhich a facsimile is here shoivn, ivas far better than that of most girls of tzvelve to-day ; ivith truth and justice could Anna say , " Aunt says lean zvrite pretilyy Her orthography zvas quite equal to that of grown persons of her time, and her English as good as that of Ulercy Warren y her older contemporary writer. And let me speak also of the condition of her diary. It covers seventy-tivo pages of paper about eight inches long by six and a half inches ivide. The writing is uniform in size, every letter is perfectly formed ; it is as legible as print, and in the entire diary but three blots can be seen, and these are very small. A fciv pages were 7'uled by the writer, the othcj's are unruled. The old paper, though heavy and good, is yellow zvith age, and the water marks C. J. R. and the crozvn stand out distinctly. The sheets are sezved in a little book, on zvhich a marbled paper cover has been placed, probably by a later hand than Aunds. Altogether it is a remarkably cred- itable production for a girl of tzvelve. It is well also to compare her constant diligence and industry displayed to us through her records of a day s work — and at another timCf FOREWORD. vu timCy of a week's work — with that of any girl of her age in a correspojiding station of life nozvadays, 'e learn that pJiysical pain or disability zvere no excuse for slotJifulness ; Anna zvas hotalzvays well — Jiad heavy colds, ajid zvas feverish; but zvell or ill zvas alzvays employed. Even zvithpainfnl local afflictions such as a ^^ whit he l^ she still zvas industrious, " improving it to perfect myself in learnijig to spin flax '^ She read much — the Bible con- stantly — and also found amusement in read- ing "a variety of composures.'^ She was a friendly little soul., eager to be loved ; resenting deeply that her Aunt Storer let " either one of her chaises, her chariot or babyhutt,'' pass the door every day, without sending for her; going cheerfully tea-drinking from house to house of her friends ; delight- ing even in the catechising and the sober Thurs- day Lecttire. She had feiv amusements and holidays compared zvith the manifold pleas- ures that cJiildren have noivadays, though she had one holiday zvhich the Revolution struck from our calendar — the King's Coronation Day. She sazv the Artillery Company drills and she visited brides and babies and old folks, and attended some funerals. When she was twelve years old she ^^ came out'''' — became a " miss in her teens " — and zvent to a succession Vlll FORE WORD. succession of prim little routs or parties , which she called *^ constitutio?isy To these decorous assemblies girls only were invited, — no rough Boston boys. She has left to us more tJian one clear, perfect picture of these formal little routs in the great low-raftered chamber, softly alight ivith candles on mantel- tree a7id in sconces ; with Lucinda, the black maid, ^^ shrilly piping ; " and roivs of demure little girls of Boston Brahmin blood, in high rolls and feathers, discreetly partaking of hot and cold pu7ich, and soberly walking and curtsy- ing through the minuet ; fantastic in costume, but proper and seemly i)i demeanor, models of correct deportment as ivere their elegant mam- mas. But Anna ivas not solemn ; she was ahvays happy, and often merry — full of life and wit. She jested about getting a *' fresh sea- soning ivitJi Globe salt, " and wrote some labored jokes and some zmconscious ones home to her mother. She 2vas subject to " egregious fits of laughterre,"" and fully proved the state- ment, ^^ Aunt says I am a zvfiimsical child.'" She was not beautiful. Her miniature is now oivned by Miss Elizabeth C. Trott of Niagara Falls, the great grand-daughter of General John Win slow, and a copy is shown in the frontispiece. It displays a gentle, wiii- ning FOREWORD. IX ning little face, delicate in outline, as is also the figure, and shozving some hint also of de- licacy of constitution. It may be imagination to think that it is plainly the face of one who conld never live to be old — a face typical of youth. T ET us glance at the stock from zvhence •^-^ sprung this tender and engaging little blossom. When the weary Pilgrims landed at Cape Cod before they made their memorable landing at Plymouth, a sprightly young girl jumped on shore, and zvas the first English woman to set foot on the soil of Nezv England. Her name zvas Mary Chilton. She married John Winslozv, the brotJier of Governor Ed- ward Winslow. Anna Green Winslozv was Mary Chiltoii s direct descendant in the sixth generation. Annas grandfather, John Winslow the fourth, zvas born in Boston, His son Joshua zvrote thus in the Winslozv Family Bible: ** Jno Winslozv my Honor d Father zvas born ye J I Dec. at 6 o^c. in the morning on the Lords Day, l6gj, and was baptized by Mr. Willard the next day & dyed att sea Octo. I J, I y J I aged jS years. '^ A curious attitude zvas assumed by certain Puritan ministers.^ of re- luctance i X FOREWORD. hictance and even decided objection and re- fusal to baptize children ivho ivere unlucky enough to be born on the Lord's Day ; but Sanuiel Willard, the pastor of the " South Church " evidently did not concur in that ex- traordinary notion, for on the day follozving ^^Jnds " birth — on New Years Day — Jie zvas baptized. He zvas married on September 21 ^ iy2I, to Sarah Pierce, and in their ten years of married life they had three cJiildren. Joshua IVinslozv, Annas father, zvas the second child. He zvas born January 2^^ ^7^7^ and zvas baptized at the Old South. He zvas '* published'' zvith his cousin Anna Green on December J, Jty^S, and married to her four zvceks later, January ^, ^759' -^'^ old piece of embroidered tapestry herein shown gives a good portrayal of a Boston zvedding-party at that date ; the costumes, coach, and cut of the horses' mane and tail are very curious and interesting to note. Mrs. Winslows mother zvas An7ia Pierce {sister of Sarah), and her father was Joseph Green, the fourth genera- tion from Percival Green, whose descendants have been enumerated by Dr. Samuel Abbott Green, the president of the Massachusetts His- torical Society, in his book entitled " Account of Percival and Ellen Green and some of their descendants.'^ Mrs. ' h 1 FORE WORD. XI Mrs. Joshua Winsloiv was the oldest of tzvelve Green children, hence the vast array of uncles and aunts and cousins in little Annas diary. Joseph Green, Annds maternal grandfather, was born December 12 , 17OJ, and was bap- tised on the same day. He died July II, 176^. He was a zvealthy man for his time, be- ing able to pay Governor Belcher jQ J,6oo for a tract of land on Hanover Street. His firm name zvas Green & Walker. A Ji?ie portrait of Jiini by Copley still exists. Thus Anna came of good stock ifi all lines of desccftt. The Pierces were of the Nezv HampsJiire provincial gentry, to ivhich the WeniivortJis and Langdons also belonged. Before Joshua Winsloiv zvas married, when he ivas but eighteen years of age, he began his soldierly career. He was a Lieutenant in Captain Light's company in the regiment of Colonel Moore at the taking of Louisburg in 1745- ^^ "^^'^^ ^^^^^^ appointed Commissary- General of tJie British forces in Nova Scotia, and an account-book of his daily movements there still exists. Upon his return to New England he zvent to live at Marshjield, Mas- sachusetts, in the Jiouse afterwards occupied by Daniel Webster. But troublous times zvere nozv approaching for the faithful servants of the Xll FOREWORD. the King. Strange notions of liberty filled the lie ads of many Massachusetts men an ' women; and soon the Revolution became more than a dream. Joshua Wins low in that cri- sis, ivith many of his Marshfield friends and neighbors, sided with his King. He was in Marshfield certainly in June^ ^775* f^^' ^ have a l:iter before me written to him there by Mrs. Deming at that date. One clause of this letter is so a7nusing that I camtot resist quoting it. We must remember that it ivas written in Connecticut, ivhence Mrs. Deming had fied in fright and dismay at the siege of Boston ; and that she had lost her home and all her possessions. She zurites in answer to her brother s urgcit invitation to return to MarsJificld. " We have no household stuffs. Neither could I live in the terror of constant alarms and the din of war. Besides I know not how to look you in the face, unless / could restore to you your family Expositer, which together zuith my Henry on the Bible & Harveys Meditations wJiich are your dajigJiter's {the gift of Jier grandmother) I pack' d in a Trunk that exactly held tJiem, some days before I made my escape, and did my utmost to git to you, but which I am told are still in Bos- ton. It is not, nor ever ivill be in my power to FOREWORD. Xlll to make you Satisfaction for this Error — / should not have coveted to keep ^eni so long — I am heartily sorry noiv that I had more than one book at a time ; in that case I viigJit have thot to have bro't it azvay with viCy tJid I for- got my own Bible & abnost every other neces- sary. But zvJio ca7i tell whether yon may not git your Valuable Books. I should feel com- paratively easy if you had these your Valu- able property!' Her painful solicitude over the loss of a borrowed book is indeed refreshing., as ivell as her surprising covetousness of the Family Expositor and Harvey s Meditations. And I ivish to add to the posthumous rehabilitation of the damaged credit of this conscientious aunty that Annas book — Harvey s Medita- tions — was recovered and restored to the ozuner, and tvas lost at sea in 1840 by another Winsloiv. Joshua IVinslozv, when exiled, ivent to Eng- land, and thence to Quebec, where he retained througJiout Ids life his office as Royal Pay- master. He luas separated many years from his zvife and daughter, and doubtless Anna died zvhile her father zvas far from her ; for in a letter dated Quebec, December 26, ijSj, and written to his wife, he says, " The XIV FOREWORD. ** The Visiting Season is come on, a great practice here about Christmas and the Neiv Year; on the return of ivhicJi I congratulate my Dearest Anna and Friends witJi you, it being the fifth and I hope the last I shall be obliged to see the return of in. a Separation from each other ivhile ive may continue upon the same Globe." She shortly after joined him in Quebec. His letters show careful preparations for her comfort on the voyage. They tJien zuere child- less ; Anna's brothers, George Scott andJoJin Henry, died in early youth. It is interesting to note that Joshua IVinslozv zvas tJie first of the Winsloivs to give his children more than one baptismal name. Joshua Winslozv zvas a ma?i of much dig- nity and of handsome person,. if ive can trust the Copley portrait and miniature of him ivhich still exist. The portrait is oivned by Mr. James F. Trott of Niagara Fat's, New York, the miniature by Mrs. J. F. Lindsey of Yorkville, South Carolina, both grandehil- dren of Genei'al JoJin Winslow, His letters display much intelligence. His spelling is unusually correct ; his penmanship elegant — as zvas that of all the Winslows ; hi. forms of expression scholarly and careful. He some- times i FORE 'VORD. XV « times could joke a little, as when he began his Letters to his wife Amia thus — 2. N. A. — though it is possible that the " Obstructions to a free Correspondence^ and the Circumspection tve are obliged to practice in our Converse with each other'' arising from his exiled con- dition, may have made him thus tise a rebus in the address of his letter. He died i.< Qrebec in 1801. His zvife re- turned to New England and died in JMedford ill 1 8 16. Her funeral ivas at General John Winsloiv s house on Purchase Street^ Fort Hill, Bostcn ; she was buried in the IVinslow tomb in Kings Chapel burial ground. TJ/'E knoiv little of the last years of Anna Green Winslozvs life. A journal written by her mother in lyjj during their life in MarsJifield is now ozvned by Jfiss Sa- rah Thomas of MarsJifield, J\Iass. It is filled chiefiy zvlch pious sermon 7iotcs and religious thoughts, and sad and anxious reflections over absent loved ones, one of zvhom {in the senti- mental fashion of the times) she calls " my Myron " — her husband. Through this journal we see " Nanny Greens'' simple and monotonous daily life ; her little tea-drinkings ; her spinning attd reeling XVI FOREWORD. reeling and knitting ; Jier frcqnent catecJiis- itigs, her conntry iva/ks. 1 1 ''e find Iter niot/iers testimony to the ^* appearance of reason that is in my eJiildren and f readiness with ivhicJi :hey seem to team what is taught them.''' And thongh she repeatedly thanks God for living hi a warm house, she notes that " my bason of water froze on the hearth with as good a fire as we could make in the chimney. ''' This rigor of climate and discom- fort of residence, and Anna s evident delicacy shown through the records of Jier fainting, ac- count for her failing health. The last defi- nite glimpse zvJiicJi zve have of our gentle lit- tle Nanny is in the shape of a letter written to her by ^^ Aunt Demitig.'* It is dated Bos- ton, April 21., ^779^ ^^^d is so characteristic of the day and so amusing also that I quote it in ftdl. Dear Neice^ I receivd your favor of &^ instant by nepheiv Jack, zvho zuith the Col. his traveling companion, perfornid an easy journey from you to us, and arrivd before sujiset. I thank you for the beads, the zvire, and the beugles, I fancy I shall never execute the plan of the head dress to zvJiich you al- lude — if I should, some of your largest com stalks, FOREWORD. XVI 1 stalks ^ driV d of the fitJi aiid painted niigJit be more proportionable. I rejoice that your cloths came off so much better than my fears — a troiiblesome journey, I expected you ivould have ; and very mucJi did I fear for your bones. I was ahvays unhappy in anticipating trouble — it is my cojistitution, I believe — ajid when matters have been better than my fears — / have never been so dutifully thank- ful as my bountiful Benefactor had a right to expect. This, also, I believe, is the constitu- tion of all my fellozv race. Mr. Deming had a Letter from your Papa yesterday ; he mention d your Mama & you as indisposed & Flavia as sick in bed. I 'm at too great a distance to render yoit the least service, and were I near, too much out of health to — some part of the time — even speak to you. I am seizd ivith exceeding weakness at the very seat of life, u. 'd to a greater degree than I ever before knew. Could I ride, it might help me, but that is an exercise my income zvill not permit. I ivalk out ivhenever I can. The day zvill surely come, zvJien I must quit this frail tabernacle, and it may be soon — / certainly knoiv, I am not of importance eno' in this zvorld,for any one to zvish my stay — rather am I, and so I consider myself as a cumberground. However xviii FOREWORD. Ill / shall abide my appointed time & I desire to be found waiting for my change. Our family are well — had I time and spirits I could acquaint you of an expedition tivo sisters made to Dorchester^ a walk begun at sunrise last thursday morning — dressed in their dammashs, padusoy, gauzCy ribbins.flap- ets, floiverSy new white hats, white shades, attd black leather shoes, {Pudingtons make) and finished Journey, & garments, orniments, and all quite fiuisJid on Saturday, before noon, (mud over shoes) never did I behold such de- struction in so short a space — bottom of pa- dusoy coat fringd quite round, besides places worn entire to floss, df besides frays, datn- mask, from shoulders to bottom, not lightly soiled, but as if every part had rub'd tables and cJ'.airs that had long been us'd to wax mingVd with grease. I could have cry d., for I really pitied 'on — nothing left fit to be seen — They had leave to go, but it never entered any ones tho'ts but their ozvn to be dressd in all (even to loading) of their best — their all, as you know. What signifies it to zvorry ones selves about beings that are, and zvill be, just so ? I can, and do pity and advise, but I shall git no credit by such like. The eldest talks much of learning dancing, niusick (the spinet & guita?'), embroidry, dresden, the French FOREWORD. XIX s 't FrencJi tongue 6fc &c. The younger with an air of her oiun, advis\i the elder zvhen she first mention d French,^ to learn first to read Englishy and was answered " lazv, so I ean well end a ready T You *ve heard her do what she calls reading, I believe. Poor crea- ture ! Well ! ive have a time of it / If any one at Marshfield speaks of me re- member me to them. Nobody knoivs Vm ivriti7igf each being gone their different ways, & all from home except the little one ivho is above stairs. Farewell my dear, I *ve wrote end I find for this siting. Yr affect Sarah Deming. It does not need great acuteness to read between the lines of this letter an affectionate desire to amuse a delicate girl whom the ivriter loved. The tradition in the Winslow family is that Anna Green Winslow died of consumption at Marshfield in the fall of I jyg. There is no town or church record of her death, no known grave or headstone to mark her last resting-place. And to us she is not dead, but lives and speaks — ahvays a loving, endearing little child ; not so passionate and gifted and rare a creature as that star amo7ig children — Marjorie Fleming — but a natural and XX FORE WORD. and Jiomely little flozver of New England life ; fated never to grow old or feeble or didl or sad, hut to live forever a?td laugh in the gla- monr of eternal happy yonth through the few pages of her time-stained diary, Alice Morse Earle. Brooklyn Heights^ September^ iSg^. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Anna Green Winslow. From miniature now owned by Miss Elizabeth C. Trott, Niagara Falls, N. Y. Frontispiece. Facsimile of Writing of Anna Green Winslow. From original diary Wedding Party in Boston in 1756. From tapestry now owned by American Antiquarian Society ... 20 General Joshua Winslow. From miniature painted by Copley, 1755, and now owned by Mrs. John F. Lindsey, Yorkville, S. C Ebenezer Storer. From portrait painted by Copley, now owned by Mrs. Lewis C. Popham, Scarsdale, '^■^ 45 Hannah Green Storer. From portrait painted by Copley, now owned by Mrs. Lewis C. Popham, Scars- dale, N. Y g Cut-Paper Picture. Cut by Mrs. Sarah Winslow Deming, now owned by James F. Trott, Esq., Ni- agara Falls, N. Y ^ . r fSi y Ao^2£^ aAA/n>/' u/tyn^ '^e^ O'^^j^^ met. a/o P <^Pa/r ^mot/mnma, cjo-u (P^o-ri/' Ann»%o 6^vl 'f^(Xy6^7ii At/f^—^tf^afd /ooA, coAjt o/A^e/t ^(yzA, ^ (m .t .■*«,"_." ^:^***^.^."_ ^".- i . '■ i 1 \ :i ' I f I : n II ! \l\ ! 1 6 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. Solcy. I have now the pleasure to give you the result, viz. a very genteel well regulated assembly which we had at Mr Soley's last evening, miss Soley being mistress of the ceremony. Mrs Soley desired me to assist Miss Hannah in making out a list of guests which I did some time since, I wrote all the invitation cards. There was a large company assembled in a handsome, large, upper room in the new end of the house. We had two fiddles, & I had the honor to open the diver- sion of the evening in a minuet with miss Soley. — Here follows a list of the company as we form'd for country dancing. Miss Soley & Miss Calif Miss Williams Miss Codman Miss Ives Miss Scolley3« Miss Waldow Miss Glover Miss Ai ' T. Greene Win slow Miss Scott Miss McCarthy Miss Winslow Miss Coffin Miss Bella Coffin ^' Miss Quinsy^ Miss Draper Miss Hubbard Miss Cregur (usually pronounced Kicker) & two Miss Sheafs were invited but were sick : fi DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW. 1/ sick or sorry & bcg'd to be excus'd. There was a little Miss Russell & the little ones of the family present who could not dance. As spectators, there were Mr & Mrs Dem- ing, Mr. & Mrs Sweetser Mr & Mrs Soley, Mr & Miss Gary, Mrs Draper, Miss Oriac, Miss Hannah — our treat was nuts, rasins. Cakes, Wine, punch,^^ hot & cold, all in great plenty. We had a very agreeable evenij.g from 5 to 10 o'clock. For variety we woo'd a widow, hunted the whistle, threaded the needle, & while the company was collecting, we di- verted ourselves with playing of pawns, no rudeness Mamma I assure you. Aunt Dem- ing desires you would pertiadary observe^ that the elderly part of the company were spectators only, they mix'd not in either of the above describ'd scenes. I was dress'd in my yellow coat, black bib & apron, black feathers on my head, my past comb, & all my past^ garnet marquesett*^ & jet pins, together with my silver plume — my loket, rings, black collar round my neck, ulack mitts & 2 or 3 yards of blue ribbin, (black & blue is high tast) striped tucker and ruffels (not my best) & my silk shoes compleated my dress. Jan^ i 11 ; It ' r 1 8 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IVINSLOW. Jany } Yesterday I had an invitation to i8''*) celebrate Miss Caty's birth-day with her. She gave it me the night before. Miss is lo years old. The best dancer in Mr Turners ^'-^ school, she has been his scoller these 3 years. My aunt thought it proper (as our family had a invitation) that I should attend a neighbor's funeral yesterday P. M. I went directly from it to Miss Caty's Rout & arriv'd ex ..... . Boston January 25 1772. Hon''^ Mamma, My Hon''^ Papa has never signified to me his approbation of my jour- nals, from whence I infer, that he either never reads them, or does not give himself the trouble to remember any of their con- tents, tho' some part has been address'd to him, so, for the future, I shall trouble only you with this part of my scribble — Last thursday I din'd at Unkle Storer's & spent the afternoon in that neighborhood. I met with some adventures in my way viz. As I was going, I was overtaken by a lady who was quite a stranger to me. She accosted me with "how do you do miss .^ " I answer'd her, DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 1 9 her, but told her I had not the pleasure of knowing her. She then ask'd " what is your name miss ? I believe you think 't is a very strange questian to ask, but have a mind to know." Nanny Green — She interrupted me with " not Mrs. Winslow of Cumberland's daughter." Yes madam I am. When did you hear from your Mamma .-' how do's she do .'* When shall you write to her } When you do, tell her that you was overtaken in the street by her old friend Mrs Login, give my love to her & tell her she must come up soon & live on Jamaca plain, we have got a nice meeting-house, & a charming minis- ter, & all so cleaver. She told me she had ask'd Unkle Harry to bring me to see her, & he said he would. Her minister is Mr Gordon. I have heard him preach several times at the O. South. In the course of my peregrination, as aunt calls it, I happen'd in to a house where D was attending the Lady of the family. How long she was at his opperation, I know not. I saw him twist & tug & pick & cut off whole locks of grey hair at a slice (the lady telling him she would have no hair to dress next time) for the I u '•! lii I ii 20 DIARY OF ANNA CREEN WINSLOW. the space of a hour & a half, when I left them, he seeming not to be near clone. This lady is not a grandmother tho' she is both old enough & grey enough to be one. Jany ) I spent yesterday with Aunt Storer, 31 ) except a little while I was at Aunt Sukey's with Mrs Barrett dress'd in a white brocade, & cousin Betsey dress'd in a red lutestring, both adorn'd with past, perls mar- quesett &c. They were after tea escorted by Mr. Newton & Mr Barrett to ye assembly at Concert Hall. This is a snowy day, & I am prevented going to school. Feb. 9*^ — My honored Mamma will be so good as to excuse my useing the pen of my old friend just here, because I am disabled by a whitloe on my fourth finger & something like one on my middle finger, from using my own pen ; but altho' my right hand is in bondage, my left is free ; & my aunt says, it will be a nice oppertunity if I do but im- prove it, to perfect myself in learning to spin flax. I am pleased with the proposal & am at this present, exerting myself for this pur- pose. I hope, when two, or at most three months are past, to give you occular demon- stration WEDDING PARTY IN BOSTON IN 1756 ♦ I < 1 . - 1 n ii , DIARY OF AXNA GREEN WIN SLOW. 21 stration of my proficiency in this art^ as well as several others. My fingers arc not the only part of me that has suffer'd with sores within this fortnight, for I have had an ugly great boil upon my right hip & about a dozen small ones — I am at present swath'd hip & thigh, as Samson smote the Philistines, but my soreness is near over. My aunt thought it highly proper to give me some cooling physick, so last tucsday I took 1-2 oz Globe Salt (a disagreeable potion) & kept chamber. Since which, there has been no new errup- tion, & a '^reat alteration for the better in those I had before. I have read my bible to my aunt this morning (as is the daily custom) & some- times I read other books to her. So you may perceive, 1 Jiave the tise of my tongue & I tell her it is a good thing to have the use of my tongue. Unkle Ned ^^ called here just now — all well — by the way he is come to live in Boston again, & till he can be bet- ter accomodated, is at housekeeping where Mad'" Storer lately lived, he is looking for a less house. I tell my Aunt I feel a disposi- cian to be a good girl, & she pleases herself that ... i JIHi 1 1 ' 22 DIAKY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOIV. that she shall have much comfort of me to-day, which as cousin Sally is ironing we expect to have to ourselves. Feb. io*\— This day I paid my respects to Master Holbrook, after a week's absence, my finger is still in limbo as you may see by the writeing. I have not paid my compjiments to Madam Smith,^ for, altho' I can drive the goos quill a bit, I cannot so well manage the needle. So 1 will lay my hand to the distaff, as the viituous woman did of old — Yester- day wa'', very bad weather, neither aunt, nor niece at publick worship. Feb. I2'^ — Yesterday afternoon I spent at unkle Joshuas. Aunt Green gave me a plaister foi my fingure that has near cur'd it, but I have i new uoil, which is under poul- tice, & tomorrow I am co undergo another seasoning with globe Salt. The following lines Aunt Deming found in grandmama Sargent's ^^ pocket-book & gives me leave to copy *em here. — Dim eyes, deaf ears, cold stomach shew, My dissolution is in view The shuttle 's thrown, my race is run, My sun is set, my work is done ; My span is out, my tale is told, My !• DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW. 23 My flower 's decay'd, & stock grows old, The dream is past, the shadows fled, My soul now longs for Christ my head, I 've lived to seventy six or nigh, God calls at last, & now I '11 die.^o My honor'd Grandma departed this vale of tears 1-4 before 4 o'clock Wednesday morn- ing August 21, 1771. Aged 74 years, 2 months & ten days. Feb. I3^K — Everybody says that this is a bitter cold day, but I know nothing about it but hearsay for I am in aunt's chamber (which is very warm always) with a nice fire, a stove, sitting in Aunt's easy chair, with a tall three leav'd screen at my back, & I am very com- fortable. I took my second (& I hope last) potion of Globe salts this morning. I went to see Aunt Storer yesterday afternoon, & by the way Unkle Storer is so ill that he keeps chamber. As I went down I call'd at Mrs Whitwell's & must tell you Mr & Mrs Whitwell are both ill. Mrs. Whitwell with the rheumatism. I saw Mad"^ Harris, Mrs Mason and Miss Polly Vans '*' there, they all give their love to you — Last evening I went to catechizing with Aunt. Our ministers have h hi i |i< if I . 24 DIARY OF AN A' A GREEN IF/NSLOIV. have agreed during the long evenings to dis- course upon the questions or some of 'em in the assembly's shorter catechism, taking 'em in their order at the house of Mrs Rogers in School Street, every Wednesday evening. Mr. Hunt began with the first question and shew'd what it is to glorify God. Mr Bacon then took the second, what rule &c. which he has spent three evenings upon, & now finished. Mr Hunt having taken his turn to show what the Scriptures principly teach, & what is God. I remember he said that there was nothing properly done with- out a rule, & he said that the rule God had given us to glorify him by was the bible. How miraculously (said he) has God pre- serv'd this blessed book. It was once in the reign of a heathen emperor condcmn'd to be burnt, at which time it was death to have a bible & conceal it, but God's providence was wonderful in preserving it when so much human policy had been exerted to bury it in Oblivion — but for all that, here we have it as pure & uncorruptcd as ever — many books of human composure have had much pains taken to preserve 'em, notwithstanding they are i I •4' J if it IS iS ' DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 2$ are buried in Oblivion. He considered who was the author of the bible, he prov'd that God was the author, for no good man could be the author, because such a one would not be guilty of imposition, & an evil man could not unless we suppose a house divided against itself, he said a great deal more to prove the bible is certainly the word of God from the matter it contains &c, but the best evi- dence of the truth of divine revelation, every true believer has in his own heart. This he said, the natural man had no idea of. I did not understand all he said about the external and internal evidence, but this I can say, that I understand him better than any body else that I hear preach. Aunt has been down stairs all the time I have been recolecting & writeing this. Therefore, all this of own head, of consequence. Valentine day.'^^ — My cousin Sally reeled off a lo knot skane of yarn today. My valentine was an old country plow-joger. The yarn was of my spinning. Aunt says it will do for filling. Aunt also says niece is a whimsical child. Feb. 17. — Since Wednesday evening, I have ,,„.,-.- ^-.^ „.^ „„ J i ;( 91 ! i I |l 26 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. have not been abroad since yesterday after- noon. I went to meeting & back in Mr. Soley's chaise. Mr. Hunt preached. He said that human nature is as opposite to God as darkness to light. That our sin is only bounded by the narrowness • ' our capacity. His text was Isa. xli. 14. 18. The mountains &c. He said were unbe- lief, pride, covetousness, enmity, &c. &c. &c. This morning I took a walk for Aunt as far as Mr. Soley's. I called at Mrs Whit- well's & found the good man & lady both better than when I saw them last. On my return I found Mr. Hunt on a visit to aunt. After the usual salutations & when did you hear from your papa &c. I ask'd him if the blessing pronounced by the minister before the congregation is dismissed, is not a part of the publick worship .!* "Yes." " Why then, do you Sir, say, let us con- clude the publick worship by singing } " "Because singing is the last act in which the whole congregation is unanimously to join. The minister in Gods name blesses his i. e. Gods people agreeable to the prac- tice of the apostles, who generally close the epistles - 1 >} DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IVINSLOW. 2/ epistles with a benediction in the name of the Trinity, to which, Amen is subjoined, which, tho' pronounc'd by the minister, is, or ought to be the sentiment & prayer of the whole assembly, the meaning whereof is. So be it." Feb. 1 8'^- — Anuther ten knot skane of my yarn was reel'd off today. Aunt says it is very good. My boils & whitloes are growing well apace, so that I can knit a little in the evening. Transcribed from the Boston Evening Post: Sep. 1 8, 1 77 1. Under the head of Lon- don news, you may find that last Thursday was married ^t Worcester the Widow Biddle of Wellsburn in the county of Warwick, to her grandson John Biddle of the same place, aged twenty three years. It is very remark- able, the widdow had one son & one daugh- ter ; 1 8 grandchildren & 5 great grandchil- dren ; her present husband has one daughter, who was her great granddaughter but is now become her daughter ; her other great grand- children are become her cousins ; her grand- children her brothers & sisters ; her son & daughter . -♦:•*« •*--«#**.>M». 28 DIARY OF A XX A GREEN WINSLOW. .} < nisi daughter her father & mother. I think ! tis the most extraordinary account I ever read in a News-Paper. It will serve to puzzel Harry Bering with. Monday Feb. iS'*'- — Bitter cold. I am just come from writing school. Last Wednes- day P. M. while I was at school Aunt Storer called in to see Aunt Deming in her way to Mr Inches's. She walk'd all that long way. Thursday last I din'd & spent the after- noon with Aunt Sukey. I attended both my schools in the morning of that day. I cal'd at unkle Joshua's as I went along, as I 9-rn- erally do, when I go in town, it being all n my way. Saterday I din'd at Unkle Storer's, drank tea at Cousin Barrel's, was entertain'd in the afternoon with seating. Unkle Henry was there. Yesterday by the help of neigh- bor Soley's Chaise, I was at meeting all day, tho' it snow'd in the afternoon. I might have say'd I was at Unkle Winslow's last Thursday Eves & when I inform you that my needle work at school, & knitting at home, went on as usual, I think I have laid before you a pretty full account of the last week. You see how 1 improve in my writing, but I drive on as fast as I can. Feb. « i' I II DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IV INS LOW. 29 Feb. 21 i This day Jack Frost bites Thursday. ) very hard, so hard aunt won't let me go to any school. I have this morn- ing made part of a coppy with the very pen I have now in my hand, writting this with. Yesterday was so cold there was a very thick vapor upon the water, but I attended my schools all day. My unkle says yester- day was 10 degrees colder than any day we have had before this winter. And my aunt says she believes this day is 10 degrees colder than it was yesterday; & moreover, that she would not put a dog out of doors! The sun gives forth his rays through a vapor like that which was upon the water yesterday. But Aunt bids me give her love to pappa & all the family & tell them that she should be gk.d of their company in her warm parlour, indeed there is not one room in th:s house but is very warm when there is a good fire in them. As there is in this at present. Yesterday I got leave (by my aunt's desire) to go from school at 4 o'clock to see my unkle Ned who has had the mis- fortune to break his leg. I call'd in to warm myself at unkle Joshua's. Aunt Hannah told me \ '-'if I i! 30 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. mc I had better not go any further for she could tell me all about him, so I say'd as it is so cold I believe aunt won't be angry so I will stay, I therefore took off my things, aunt gave me leave to call at Unkle Joshua's & was very glad I went no further. Aunt Hannah told me he was as well as could be expected for one that has a broken bone. He was coming from Watertown in a chaise the horse fell down on the Hill, this side Mr Brindley's. he was afraid if he fell out, the wheel would run over him, he therefore gave a start & fell out & broke his leg, the horse strugled to get up, but could not. unkle Ned was affraid if he did get up the chaise wheels would run over him, so he went on his two hands and his other foot drawing his lame leg after him & got behind the chaise, (so he was safe) & there lay in the snow for some time, nobody being near, at last 2 genteelmen came, they tho't the horse v/as dead when they first saw him at a distance, but hearing somebody hollow, went up to it. By this time there was a countraman come along, the person that hol- low'd was unkle Ned. They got a slay and put \ , 1 \ A . ■A n ■ 1' ' 1 'm DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 3 1 .1 put him in it with some hay and a blanket, wrapt him up well as they could & brought him to Deacon Smith's in town. Now Papa & Mamma, this hill is in Brookline. And now again, I have been better inform'd for the hill is in Roxbury & poor Unkle Ned was alone in the chaise. Both bones of his leg are broke, but they did not come thro' the skin, which is a happy circumstance. It is his right leg that is broke. My Grandmamma sent Miss Deming, Miss Winslow & I one eight*'^ of a Dollar a piece for a New Years gift. My Aunt Deming & Miss Deming had letters from Grandmamma. She was pretty well, she wrote aunt that Mrs Marting was brought to bed with a son Joshua about a month since, & is with her son very well. Grandmamma was very well last week. I have made the purchase I told you of a few pages agone, that is, last Thursday I pur- chas'd with my aunt Deming's leave, a very beautiful white feather hat, that is, the out side, which is a bit of white hollond with the feathers sew'd on in a most curious manner white & unsullyed as the falling snow, this hat I have long been saving my money to procure ■If 'i'i. Ill 32 DIARV OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW. procure for which I have let your kind allow- ance, Papa, lay in my aunt's hands till this hat which I spoke for was brought home. As I am (as we say) a daughter of liberty ^^ I chuse to wear as much of our own manu- factory as pocible. B • my aunt says, I have wrote this account very badly. I will go on to save my money for a chip & a lineing &c. Papa I rec'd your letter dated Jan. 11, for which I thank you, Sir, & thank you greatly for the money I received therewith. I am very glad to hear that Brother John papa & mamma & cousin are well. I '11 answer your letter papa and yours mamma and cousin Harry's too. I am very glad mamma your eyes are better. I hope by the time I have the pleasure of hearing from Cumberland again your eyes will be so well that you will favor me with one from you. Feb. 22^. — Since about the middle of De- cember, ult. we have had till this week, a series of cold and stormy weather — every snow storm (of which we have had abun- dance) except the first, ended with rain, by which means the snow was so hardened that strong 1 ' M DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IV INS LOW. 33 strong gales at N W soon turned it, & all above ground to ice, which this day seven- night was from one to three, four & they say, in some places, five feet thick, in the streets of this town. Last Saturday morn- ing we had a snow storm come on, which continued till four o'clock P. M. when it turned to rain, since which we have had a warm air, with many showers of rain, one this morning a little before day attended with thunder. The streets have been very wet, the water running like rivers all this week, so that I could not possibly go to school, neither have I yet got the bandage off my fingure. Since I have been writing now, the wind suddenly s^Drung up at N W and blew with violence so that we may get to meeting to-morrow, perhaps on dry ground. Unkle Ned was here just now & has fairly or unfairly carried off aunt's cut paper pic- tures,^ tho' she told him she had given them to papa some years ago. It has been a very sickly time here, not one person that I know of but has been under heavy colds — (all laid up at unkle Storer's) in general got abroad again. Aunt Suky had not been down ' (i w m\ 34 DIARY OF A AW A GREEN WINSLOW. \\ II.'... < » I down stairs since her lying in, when I last saw her, but I hear she is got down. She has had a broken breast. I have spun 30 knots of linning yarn, and (partly) new footed a pair of stockings for Lucinda, read a part of the pilgrim's progress, coppied part of my text journal (that if I live a few years longer, I may be able to understand it, for aunt sais, that to her, the contents as I first mark'd them, were an impenetrable secret) play'd some, tuck'd a great deal (Aunt Deming says it is very true) laugh'd enough, & I tell aunt it is all human nature^ if not human rea- son. And now, I wish my honored mamma a very good night. Saturday ) Dear Pappa, do's the win- noon Feb. 23'' ) ter continue as pleasant at Cumberland as when you wrote to me last .-* We had but very little winter here, till Feb- ruary came in, but we have little else since. The cold still continues tho' not so extreme as it was last Thursday. I have attended my schools all this week except one day, and am going as soon as I have din'd to see how Unkle Ned does. I was thinking, Sir, to lay up a piece of money you sent me, but as GENERAL JOSHUA WINSLOW i' J i'\ DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 35 as you sent it to me to lay out I have a mind to buy a chip & linning for my feather hatt. But my aunt says she will think of it. My aunt says if I behave myself very well in- deed, not else, she will give me a garland of flowers to orniment it, tho' she has layd aside the biziness of flower making. ^^ Feb. 25'\ — This is a very stormy day of snow, hail & rain, so that I cannot get to Master Holbrook's, therefore I will here copy something I lately transcribed on a loose paper from Dr. Owen's sermon on Hab. iii, I) 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. "I have heard that a full wind behind the ship drives her not so fast forward, as a side wind, that seems almost as much against her as with her ; & the reason they say is, because a full wind fills but some of her sails. Wednesday. — Very cold, but this morning I was at sewing and writing school, this after- noon all sewing, for Master Holbrook does not in the winter keep school of afternoons. Unkle Henrys feet are so much better that he wears shoos now. Monday 36 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW. Monday I I have been to writing school noon ^ this morning and Sewing. The Feb. 25*^Jday being very pleasant, very little wind stirring. Jemima called to see me last evening. She lives at Master Jimmy Lovel's.^^ Dear mamma, I suppose that you would be glad to hear that Betty Smith who has given you so much trouble, is well & behaves herself well & I should be glad if I could write you so. But the truth is, no sooner was the 29th Regiment encamp'd upon the common but miss Betty took her- self among them (as the Irish say) & there she stay'd with Bill Pinchion & awhile. The next news of her was, that she was got into gaol for stealing : from whence she was taken to the publick whipping post.^^ The next adventure was to the Castle, after the soldier's were remov'd there, for the murder of the 5th March last.^ When they turn'd her away from there, she came up to town again, and soon got into the workhouse for new misdemeanours, she soon ran away from there and sit up her old trade of pilfering again, for which she was put a second time into gaol, there she still remains. About two 1 J r't k DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 37 two months agone (as well as I can remem- ber) she & a number of her wretched com- panions set the gaol on fire, in order to get out, but the fire was timely discovered & extinguished, & there, as I said she still remains till this day, in order to be tried for her crimes. I heard somebody say that as she has some connections with the army no doubt but she would be cleared, and per- haps, have a pension into the bargain. Mr. Henry says the way of sin is down hill, when persons get into that way they are not easily stopped. Feb. 27. — This day being too stormy for me to go to any school, and nothing as yet having happen'd that is worth your notice, my aunt gives me leave to communicate to you something that much pleas'd her when she heard of it, & which I hope will please you my Papa and Mamma. I believe I may have inform'd you that since I have been in Boston, Dr. Byles ^^ has pretty frequently preached & sometimes administer'd the sac- rament, when our Candidates have preached to the O. S. Church, because they are not tho't qualified to administer Gospel Ordi- nance, s" 38 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN VVINSLOW. nance, till they be settled Pastours. About two months ago a brother of the church sent Dr Byles a Card which contain'd after the usual introduction, the following words, Mr W dont set up for an Expositor of Scripture, yet ventures to send Dr. Byles a short comment on i Cor. ix. 11. which he thinks agreeable to the genuine import of the text, & hopes the Dr will not disapprove it. The comment was a dozen pounds of Choco- late &c. — To which the D"^ return'd the fol- lowing very pretty answer. D"" Byles returns respects to Mr W & most heartily thanks him for his judicious practica] Familie Ex- positer, which is in Tast. My aunt Deming gives her love to you mamma, and bids me tell you, as a matter you will be very glad to know, that D"" Byles & his lady & family, have enjoy 'd a good share of health & per- fect harmony for several years past. Mr Beacon is come home. My unkle Neddy is very comfortable, has very little pain, h know fever with his broken bone. My Unkle Harry ^ was here yesterday & is very well. Poor Mrs Inches is dangerously ill of a fever. We have not heard how she does today. March I 1^ * I I DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 39 March 4^^ — Poor Mrs Inches is dead. Gone from a world of trouble, as she has left this to her poor mother. Aunt says she heartyly pities Mrs Jackson, Mr Nat. Be- thune died this morning, Mrs Inches last night. We had the greatest fall of snow yester- day we have had this winter. Yet cousin Sally, miss Polly, & I rode to & fiom meet- ing in Mr Soley's chaise both forenoon & afternoon, & with a stove ^^ was very com- fortable there. If brother John is as well and hearty as cousin Frank, he is a clever boy. Unkle Neddy continues very comfort- able. I saw him last saturda3^ I have just now been writing four lines in my Book al- most as well as the copy. But all the in- treaties in the world will not prevail upon me to do always as well as I can, which is not the least trouble to me, tho' its a great grief to aunt Demirg. And she says by writing so frightfully above. March 6. — I think the appearance this morning is as winterish as any I can remem- ber, earth, houses, trees, all covered with snow, which began to fall yesterday morning & I I! \-'i.y .1 ; I '! I ,1 J 40 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. & continued falling all last night. The Sun now shines very bright, the N. W. wind blows very fresh. Mr Gannett din'd here yesterday, from him, my unkle, aunt & cousin Sally, I had an account of yesterday's pub- lick performances,^^ & exhibitions, but aunt says I need not write about 'em because, no doubt there will be printed accounts. I should have been glad if I could have seen & heard for myselfe. My face is better, but I have got a heavy cold yet. March 9*K — After being confined a week, I rode yesterday afternoon to & from meet- ing in Mr Soley's chaise. I got no cold and am pretty well today. This has been a very snowy day today. Any body that sees this may see that I have wrote nonsense but Aunt says, I have been a very good girl to day about my work however — I think this day's work may be called a piece meal for in the first place I sew'd on the bosom of unkle's shirt, mended two pair of gloves, mended for the wash two handkerchiefs, (one cambrick) sewf^d on half a border of a lawn apron of aunts, read part of the xxi^^ chapter of Exodous, & a story in the Mother's gift. Now, \\y DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IV INS LOW. 41 Now, Hon«^ Mamma, I must tell you of some- thing that happened to me to-day, that has not happen'd before this great while, viz My Unkle & Aunt both told me, I was a very good girl. Mr Gannett gave us the favour of his company a little while this morning (our head). I have been writing all the above gibberish while aunt has been looking after her family — now she is out of the room — now she is in — & takes up my pen in my absence to observe, I am a little simpleton for informing my mamma, that it is a great while since I was prais'd because she will conclude that it is a great ivhile since I de- serv'd to be prais'd. I will henceforth try to observe their praise & yours too. I mean deserve. It's now tea time — as soon as that is over, I shall spend the rest of the evening in reading to my aunt. It is near candle lighting. March 10, 5 o'clock P. M. — I have fin- ish'd my stent of sewing work for this day & wrote a billet to Miss Caty Vans, a copy of which I shall write on the next page. To-morrow if the weather is fit I am to visit. I have again been told I was a good girl. My ! J I ■i:\ ( \ ill!! f»i; . m 42 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. My Billet to Miss Vans was in the following words. Miss Green gives her compliments to Miss Vans, and informs her that her aunt Deming quite misunderstood the mat- ter about the queen's night-Cap. ^^ Mrs. Deming thou't that it was a black skull cap linn'd with rod that Miss Vans ment which she thou t vo^ >i not be becoming to Miss Green's lig.c con^^.'exion. Miss Green now takes the liberty to send the materials for the Cap Miss Vans was so kind as to say she would make for her, which, when done, she engages to take special care of for Miss Vans' sake. Mrs. Deming joins her compliments with Miss Green's — they both wish for the pleasure of a visit from Miss Vans. Miss Soley is just come in to visit me & 'tis near dark. March 11. — Boast not thyself of tomor- row ; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Thus king Solomon, inspired by the Holy Ghost, cautions, Pro. xxvii. i. My aunt says, this is a most necessary lesson to be learn'd & laid up in the heart. I am quite of her mind. I have met with a dis- appointment to day, & aunt says, I may look for # r I DIARY OF ANNA GREEIV WINSLOW. 43 for them every day — vvc live in a changing world — in scripture call'd a vale of tears. Uncle said yesterday that there had not been so much snow on the ground this winter as there was then — it has been vastly added to since then, & is now 7 feet deep in some places round this house ; it is above the fence in the coart & thick snow began to fall and condtinu'd till about 5 o'clock P. M. (it is about 1-4 past 8 o'clock) since wl ch there has been a steady rain — so no visiti.ij^; as I hoped this day, & this is the disappointment I mentioned on t'other page. Las Saturday I sent my cousin Betsy Ston ■ a Billet of which the following is a copy. Miss Green gives her love to Miss Storer & informs her that she is very sensible of the effects of a bad cold, not only in the pain she has had in her throat, neck and face, which ha/e been much swell'd & which she is not quite clear of, but that she has also been by the same depriv'd of the pleasure of seeing Miss Storer & her other friends in Sudbury Street. She begs, her Duty, Love & Com- pliments, may be presented as due & that she may be inform'd if they be in health. To i u 44 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW. To this I have receiv'd no answer, I sup- pose she don't think I am worth an answer. But I have finished my stent, and wrote all under this date, & now I have just daylight eno' to add, my love and duty to dear friends at Cumberland. March 14. — Mr. Stephen March, at whose house I was treated so kindly last fall, de- parted this life last week, after languishing several months under a complication of dis- orders — we have not had perticulars, there- fore cannot inform you, whether he engag'd the King of terrors with christian fortitude, or otherwise. " Stoop down my Thoughts, that use to rise, Converse a while with Death ; Think how a gasping Mortal lies, And pants away his Breath." Last Thursday I din'd with unkle Storer, & family at aunt Sukey's — all well except Charles Storer who was not so ill but what, that I mean, he din'd with us. Aunt Suky's Charles is a pretty little boy & grows nicely. We were diverted in the afternoon with an account of a queer Feast that had been made that day in a certain Court of this town for the % *-^'mt. *•■- «« d^^ l\ KBENEZER STORER DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IV/NSLOIV. 45 the Entertainment of a number of Tories — perhaps seventeen. One contain'd three calves heads (skin off) with their appurti- nencies anciently call'd pluck — Their other dish (for they had but two) contain'd a num- ber of roast fowls — half a dozen, we sup- pose,* & all roosters at this season no doubt. Yesterday, soon after I came from writing school we had another snow storm begun, which continued till after I went to bed. This morning the sun shines clear (so it did yesterday morning till 10 o'clock.) It is now bitter cold, & such a quantity of snow upon the ground, as the Old people don't remember ever to have seen before at this time of the year. My aunt Deming says, when she first look'd abroad this morning she felt anxious for her brother, & his family at Cumberland, fearing lest they were covered up in snow. It is now 1-2 after 12 o'clock noon. The sun has been shineing in his full strength for full 6 hours, & the snow not melted enough anywhere in sight of this house, to cause one drop of water. March 17. — Yesterday, I went to see aunt * There was six as I have since heard. ii I ^it 46 DrARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOIV. il aunt Polly, & finding her going out, I spent the afternoon with aunt Hannah. While I was out, a snow storm overtook me. 1 his being a fine sun shine (tho' cold) day I have been to writing school, & wrote two pieces, one I presented to aunt Doming, and the other I design for my Honor'd Papa, I hope he will approve of it. I sent a piece of my writing to you Hon'd Mamma last fall, which I hope you recciv'd. When my aunt Deming was a little girl my Grandmamma Sargent told her the following story viz. One Mr. Calf who had three times enjoy'd the May- orality of the city of London, had after his decease, a monoment erected to his memory with the following inscription on it. Here lies buried the body of Sir Richard Calf, Thrice Lord Mayor of London. Honor, Honor, Honor. A drol gentleman passing by with a bit of chalk in his hand underwrote thus — O cruel death ! more subtle than a Fox That would not let this Calf become an Ox, That he might browze amony the briers & thorns And with his brethren wear, Horns. Horns. Horns. My .4 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 47 My aunt told me the foregoing some time since & today I ask'd her leave to insert it in my journal. My aunt gives her love to you & directs me to tell you that she tho't my piece of linnin would have made me a dozen of shifts but she could cut no more than ten out of it. There is some left, but not enough for another. Nine of them are finish'd wash'd & iron'd ; & the other would have been long since done if my fingers had not been sore. My cousin Sally made three of them for me, but then I made two shirts & part of another for unkle to help her. I believe unless something remarkable should happen, such as a ivarm day, my mamma will consent that I dedicate a few of my next essays to papa. I think the second thing I said to aunt this morning was, that I intended to be very good all day. To make this out, " Next unto God^ dear Parents I address Myself to you in humble Thankfulness, " For all your Care & Charge on me bestow'd; ** The means of Learning unto me allow'd, ** Go on I pray, & let me still pursue " Those Golden Arts the Vulgar never knew." Yr Dutifull Daughter Anna Green Winslow. The i U 1 i 48 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. The poetry I transcrib'd from my Copy Book. March 19. — Thursday last I spent at home, except a quarter of an hour between sun- set and dark, I stepped over the way to Mr. Glover's with aunt. Yesterday I spent at Unkle Neddy's & stitched wristbands for aunt Polly. By the way, I must inform you, (pray dont let papa see this) that yesterday I put on No I of my new shifts, & indeed it is very comfortable. It is long since I had a shift to my back. I dont know if I ever had till now — It seem'd so strange too, to have any linen below my waist — I am going to dine at Mrs. Whitwell's to day, by invita- tion. I spent last evening at Mrs Rogers. Mr Hunt discoursed upon the doctrine of the Trinity — it was the second time that he spoke upon the subject at that place. I did not hear him the first time. His business last eves was to prove the divinity of the Son, & holy Ghost, & their equality with the' Father. My aunt Deming says, it is a grief to her, that I don't always write as well as I can, I can write prctily. March 21. — I din'd & spent the afternoon of W i ^\ DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 49 of Thursday last, at Mrs Whitwell's. Mrs Lathrop, & Mrs Carpenter din'd there also. The latter said she was formerly acquainted with mamma, ask'd how she did, & when I heard from her, — said, I look'd much like her. Madam Harris & Miss P. Vans were also of the company. While I was abroad the snow melted to such a degree, that my aunt was oblig'd to get Mr Soley's chaise to bring me home. Yesterday, we had by far the gratest storm of wind & snow that there has been this winter. It began to fall yes- terday morning & continued falling till after our family were in bed. (P. M.) Mr. Hunt call'd in to visit us just after we rose from diner ; he ask'd me, whether I had heard from my papa & mamma, since I wrote 'em. He was answer'd, no sir, it would be strange if I had, because I had been writing to 'em today, & indeed so I did every day. Aunt told him that Jiis name went frequently into my journals together with broken & some times whole sentences of his sermons, con- versations &c. He laugh'd & call'd me News- monger, & said I was a daily advertiser. He added, that he did not doubt but my journals afforded fT ■;i) l< I \ *. ; \ \ m 50 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW. ■!f afforded much entertainment & would be a future benefit &c. Here is a fine compliment for me mamma. March 26. — Yesterday at 6 o'clock, I went to Unkle Winslow's, their neighbor Green- leaf was their. She said she knew Mamma, & that I look like her. Speaking about papa & you occation'd Unkle Winslow to tell me that he had kiss'd you long before papa knew you. From thence we went to Miss Rogers's where, to a full assembly Mr Bacon read his 3^^ sermon on R. iv. 6, I can re- member he said, that, before we all sinned in Adam our father, Christ loved us. He said the Son of God always did as his father gave him commandment, & to prove this, he said, that above 17 hundred years ago he left the boson\ of the Father, & came & took up his abode with men, & b*)re all the scourg- ings & buffctJngs whiui 'he vile Jews in- flicted on him, & then was hung upon the accursed trne — he died, was buried, & in three days rose again — ascended up to heaven & there took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high from whence he will come to be the supream and impartial judge !1 ''- DIAR Y OF . 1 A'.A 'A GREEiY WIXSL 0\V. 5 I judge of quick & dead — and when his poor Mother & her poor husband went to Jerusa- lem to keep the passover & he went with them, he disputed among the doctors, & when his Mother ask'd him about it he said "wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business," — all this he said was a part of that wrighteousness for the sake of which a sinner is justafied — Aunt has been up stairs all the time I have been writeing & recollecting this — so no help from her. She is come down now & I have been reading this over to her. She sais, she is glad I re- member so much, but I have not done the subject justice. She sais I have blended things somewhat improperly — an interup- tion by company. March 28. — Unkle Harry was here last evening & inform'd us that by a vessel from Halifax which arriv'd yesterday, Mr H New- ton, inform'd his brother Mr J Newton of the sudden death of their brothei Hibbert in your family 21 January ult. (Just five months to a day since Grandmamma Sar- gent's death,) With all the circumstances relating to it. My aunt Deming gives her love 'i i; 1 r ij M 52 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. love to Mamma >■>: wishes her a sanctified improvement of all God's dealings with her, & that it would please him to bring her & all the family safe to Boston. Jarvis is put up for Cumberland, we hope he will be there by or before Mayday. This minute I have re- ceiv'd my queen's night cap from Miss Caty Vans — we like it. Aunt says, that if the materials it is made of were more substantial than gauze, it might serve occationally to hold any thing mesur'd by an 1-2 peck, but it is just as it should be, & very decent, & she wishes my writing was as decent. But I got into one of my frolicks, upon sight of the Cap. April I St. — Will you be offended mamma, if I ask you, if you remember the flock of wild Geese that papa call'd you to see flying over the Blacksmith's shop this day three years } I hope not ; I only mean to divert you. The snow is near gone in the street before us, & mud supplys the place thereof ; After a week's absence, I this day attended Master Holbrook with some difficulty, what was last \'7eck a pond is to-day a quag, thro' which I got sjie however, & if aunt* had known it was * Miss Green tells her aunt, thai the word refcr'd to be- gins with n dipthong. DIARY OF ANXA GREEN WINSLOW 53 was SO bad, she sais she would not have sent me, but I neither wet my feet, nor drabled my clothes, indeed I have but one garment that I could contrive to drabble. N, B. It is I April. April 3. — Yesterday was the annual Fast, & I was at meeting all day. Mr Hunt preach'd A. M. from Zac. vii. 4, 5, 6, 7. He said, that if we did not mean as we said in pray's it was only a compliment put upon God, which was a high affront to his divine Majesty. Mr Bacon, P. M. from James v. 17. He said, ''pray's, effectual & fervent, might be, where there were no words, but there might be elegant words where there is no prayr's. The essence of pray's consists in offering up holy desires to God agreeable to his will, — it is the flowing out of gracious affections — what then are the pray'rs of an unrenewed heart that is full of enmity to God } doubtless they are an abomination to him. What then, must not unregenerate men pray } I answer, it is their duty to breathe out holy desires to God iv pray's. Prayer is a natural duty. Hannah pour'd out her soul before the Lord, yet her voice was fT \ > Hi I ^i lit 54 DIARY OF AXA'A GREEN IVEVSLOIK was not heard, only her Hps moved. Some grieve and complain that their pray's are not answered, but if t/iy ivill be done is, as it ought to be, in every prayer ; their prayers are answcr'd." The wind was high at N. E. all day yester- day, but nothing fell from the dark clouds that overspread the heavens, till 8 o'clock last evening, when a snow began which has continued falling ever since. The bell being now ringing for i o'clock P. M. & no sign of abatement. My aunt Doming says, that if my memory had been equal to the memory of some of my ancestors, I might have done better justice to Mr. Bacon's good sermon, & that if hers had been better than mine she would have helped me. Mr Bacon did say what is here recorded, but in other method. April 6. — I made a shift to walk to meet- ing yesterday morning. But there was so much water in the streets when I came home from meeting that I got a seat in Mr Waleses chaise. My aunt walk'd home & she sais thro' more difaculty than ever she did in her life before. Indeed had the stream get up ui DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 55 up from our meeting house as it did down, we might have taken boat as we have talk'd some times of doing to cross the street to our oposite neighbor Soltys chaise. I re- member some of Mr Hunts sermon, how much will appear in my text journal. April 7. — I visited yesterday P. M. with my aunt at Mr Waldron's. This afternoon I am going with my aunt to visit Mrs Salis- bury who is Dr Sewall's granddaughter, I expect Miss Patty Waldow will meet me there. It is but a little way & we can now thro' favour cross the street without the help of a boat. I saw Miss Polly Vans this morning. She gives her love to you. As she always does whenever I see her. Aunt Deming is this minute come into the room, & from what her niece has wrote last, takes the liberty to remind you, that Miss Vans is a sister of the Old South Church, a soci- ety remarkable for Love. Aunt Deming is sorry she has spoil'd the look of this page by her carelessness & hopes her niece will mend its appearance in what follows. She wishes my English had been better, but has not time to correct more than one word. April 56 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IVINSLOW. April 9. — We made the visit refer'd to above. The company was old Mrs Salis- bury,^*^ Mrs Hill, (Mrs Salisbury's sister she was Miss Hannah Sewall & is married to young Mr James Hill that iis'd to live in this house) Miss Sally Hill, Miss Polly Bel- cher Lyde, Miss Caty Sewall, My Aunt & myself. Yesterday afternoon I visited Miss Polly Deming & took her with me to Mr Rogers' in the evening where Mr Hunt dis- cours'd upon the 7"^ question of the cate- chism viz what are the decrees of God .'' I remember a good many of his observations, which I have got set down on a loose paper. But my aunt says that a Miss of 12 year's old cant possibly do justice to the nicest subject in Divinity, & therefore had better not attempt a repetition of perticulars, that she finds lie (as may be easily concluded) somewhat confused in my young mind. She also says, that in her poor judgment, Mr Hunt discours'd soundly as well as ingen- iously upon the subject, & very much to her instruction & satisfaction. My Papa in- form'd me in his last letter that he had done me the honor to read my journals & that he approv'd W^^ DIARY 01' AXNA GREEN WINS LOW, 57 ai)prov'd of some part of them, I suppose he means that he likes some parts better than other, indeed it would be wonderful, as aunt says, if a gentleman of papa's understanding & judgment cou'd be highly entertain'd with every little saying or observation that came from a girl of my years & that I ought to esteem it a great favour that he notices any of my simple matter with his approbation, April I3"'' — Yesterday I walk'd to meet- ing all day, the ground very dry, & when I came home from meeting in the after- noon the Dust blew so that it almost put my eyes out. What a difference in the space of a week. I was just going out to writing school, but a slight rain prevented so aunt says I must make up by writing well at home. Since I have been writing the rain is turn'd to snow, which is now falling in a thick shower. I have now before me, hon^ Mamma, your favor dated January 3. I am glad you alter'd your mind when you at first thouejht not to write to me. I am glad my brother made an essay for a Post Script to your Letter. I must get him to read it to me, when he comes up, for two reasons IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) fe {./ / y. y= 1.25 |4S Ui ■"IS 140 1.4 6" 2.0 1.6 V] '/ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 €3 ,-\ 'q ^\ ' ■ il V MRS KBF.XK/EK STOKKR I'f 0iJ DIARY OF AAWA GREEN H7XSL01V. 65 who seems to be near the end of the journey of life. I visited General VVinslow ^*^ & his son, the Dr., spent 8 days very agreeably with my friends at Marshfield, & returned on saterday last in good health & gay spirits which I still enjoy. The 2 first days I was at Marshfield, the heat was extrcam & un- common for the season. It ended on sater- day evening with a great thunder storm. The air has been very cool ever since. My aunt Deming observ'd a great deal of light- nh.j in the south, but there was neither thunder, rain nor clouds in Boston. May 16. — Last Wednesday Bet Smith was set upon the gallows. She behav'd with great impudence. Thursday I danc'd a min- uet & country dances at school, after which I drank tea with aunt Storer. To day I am somewhat out of sorts, a little sick at my stomach. 23^. — I followed my schools every day this week, thursday I din'd at aunt Storer's & spent the P. M. there. 25. — I was not at meeting yesterday, Unkle & Aunt say they had very good Fish at the O. S. I have got very sore eyes. June I : i li ^ M J 66 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. June i^'. — All last week till saterday was very cold & rainy. Aunt Deming kept me within doors, there were no schools on ac- count of the Election of Councellers,®" & other public doings ; with one eye (for t'other was bound up) I saw the governer & his train of life guard &c. ride by in state to Cam- bridge. I form'd Letters last week to suit cousin Sally & aunt Thomas, but my eyes were so bad aunt would not let me coppy but one of them. Monday being Artillery Election^ I went lo see the hall, din'd at aunt Storer's, took a walk in the P. M. Unkle laid down the commission he took up last year. Mr Handcock invited the whole company into his house in the afternoon %l treated them very genteelly & generously, with cake, wine, &c. There were lo corn baskets of the feast (at the Hall) sent to the prison & almshouse. 4''\ — From June i when I wrote last there has nothing extraordinary happen'd till today the whole regiment muster'd upon the com- mon. Mr Gannett, aunt & myself went up into the common, & there saw Cap' Water's, Cap' Paddock's, Cap' Peirce's, Cap' Eliot's, Cap' DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW. 6/ Cap' Barret's, Cap* Gay's, Cap' May's, Cap' liorington's & Cap' Stimpson's company's exercise. From there, wc went into King street to Col Marshal's ^^ where we saw all of them prettily exercise & fire. Mr. Gan- nett din'd with us. On Sabbath-day evening 7 June My Hon*^ Papa, Mamma, little Brother, cousin H. D. Thomas, Miss Jenny Allen, & Mrs Huston arriv'd here from Cumberland, all in good health, to the great joy of all their friends, myself in particular — they sail'd from Cumberland the i^' instant, in the even- ing. Aug. 1 8. — Many avocations have pre- vented my keeping my journal so exactly as heretofore, by which means a pleasant visit to the peacock, my Papa's & mamma's jour- ney to Marshfield &c. have been omitted. The 6 instant Mr Sam' Jarvis was married to Miss Suky Peirce, & on the 13th I made her a visit in company with mamma & many others. The bride was dress'd in a white satin night gound.'^^ 27. — Yesterday I heard an account of a cat of 17 years old, that has just recovered of the meazels. This same cat it is said had the small pox 8 years ago ! 28. IRl. '1 "ii) 41, 1 >■. ■ J ;l^^ ;*!i ii*:r 68 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IVINSLOIV. 28. — I spent the P. M. & eve at aunt Silky's very agreeably with aunt Pierce's young ladies viz. Miss Johnson, Miss Walker, Miss Polly & Miss Betsey Warton, (of New- port) Miss Betsey is just a fortnight wanting I day older than I am, who I became ac- quainted with that P. M. Papa, Mamma, Unkle & aunt Storer, Aunt Pierce & Mr & Mrs Jarvis was there. There were 18 at supper besides a great many did not eat any. Mrs Jarvis sang after supper. My brother Johny has got over the measels. Sept. I. — Last evening after meeting, Mrs Bc^jon was brought to bed of a fine daughter. But was very ill. She had fits. September 7. — Yesterday afternoon Mr Bacon baptiz'd his daughter by the name of Elizabeth Lewis. It is a pretty looking child. Mrs Whitwell is like to loose her Henry Harris. He is very ill. 8. — I visited with mamma at cousin Rog- ers'. There was a good many. 14. — Very busy all day, went into the common in the afternoon to see training. It was very prettyly perfcrm'd. 18. — My Papa, aunt Deraing, cousin Rogers^ & DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW. 69 & Miss Betsey Gould set out for Portsmouth. I weiiL over to Charlestown with them, after they were gone, I came back, & rode up from the ferry in Mrs Rogers' chaise ; it drop'd me at Unkle Storer's gate, where I spent the day. My brother was very sick. Sep' 17. 18. — Spent the days at aunt Storer's, the nights at home. 19. — Went down in the morns & spent the day & night there. My brother better than he was 20. — Sabbath day. I went to hear Mr Stihnan ^^ all day, I like him very much. I don't wonder so many go to hear him. 21^^ — Mr. Sawyer, Mr Parks, & Mrs Chat- bourn, din'd at aunt Storer's. I went to dancing in the afternoon. Miss Winslow & Miss Allen visited there. 22^. — The king's coronation day. In the evening I went with mamma to Col" Mar- shal's in King Street to see the fireworks. 23'^. — I din'd at aunt Suky's with Mr & Mrs Hooper '2 of Marblehead. In the after- noon I went over to see Miss Betsy Winslow. When I came back I had the pleasure to meet papa. I came home in the evening to see ■v:' . k \ I ^:i! 70 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW. see aunt Deming. Unklo Winslow sup'd here. 24. — Papa cal'd here in the morns No- thing else worth noticeing. 25. — Very pleasant. Unkle Ned cal'd here. Little Henry Harris was buried this afternoon. 26. 27. — Nothing extraordinary yesterday & to day. 28. — My papa & unkle Winslow spent the evening here. 29. 30. — Very stormy. Miss Winslow & I read out the Generous Inconstant, & have begun Sir Charles Grandison. . . . May 25. — Nothing remarkable since the preceding date. Whenever I have omited a school my aunt has directed me to sit it down here, so when you dont see a memorandum of that kind, you may conclude that I have paid my compliments to mess*"^ Holbrook & Tur- ner (to the former you see to very little pur- pose) & mrs Smith as usual. The Miss Wal- dow's I mentioned in a former are Mr. Danl Waldo's daughters (very pretty misses) their mamma was Miss Bccca Salisbury.^^ After making a short visit with my Aunt at Mrs Green's DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. yx Green's, over the way, yesterday towards evening, I took a walk with cousin Sally to see the good folks in Sudbury Street, & found them all well. I had my HEDDUS roll on, aunt Storer said it ought to be made less, Aunt Deming said it ought not to be made at all. It makes my head itch, & ach, & burn like anything Mamma. This famous roll is not made ivJiolly of a red Coiv Tail, but is a mixture of that, & horsehair (very course) & a little human hair of yellow hue, that I sup- pose was taken out of the back part of an old wig. But D made it (our head) all carded together and twisted up. When it first came home, aunt put it on, & my new cap on it, she then took up her apron & mesur'd me, & from the roots of my hair on my forehead to the top of my notions, I mesur'd above an inch longer than I did downwards from the roots of my hair to the end of my chin. Nothing renders a young person more ami- able than virtue & modesty without the help of fals hair, red Cozv tail, or D (the bar- ber)."* Now all this mamma, I have just been reading over to my aunt. She is pleas'd with my whimsical description & grave (half grave 72 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. V\\ grave) improvement, & hopes a little fals English will not spoil the whole with Mamma. Rome was not built in a day. 3r^ May. — Monday last I was at the fac- tory to see a piece of cloth cousin Sally spun for a summer coat for unkle. After viewing the work we recollected the room we sat down in was Libberty Assembly Hall, otherwise called factory hall, so Miss Gridley & I did our- selves the Honour of dancing a minuet in it. On tuesday I made Mrs Smith my morning & p. m. visits as usual, neither Mr. Holbrook nor Turner have any school this week, nor till tuesday next. I spent yesterday with my friends in sudbury St. Cousin Frank has got a fever, aunt Storer took an emmetick while I was there, cousin Betsy had violent pains almost all the forenoon. Last tuesday Miss Ursula Griswold, daughter of the right Hon. Matthew Griswold Esq governer of one of his Majesty's provinces, was made one of our family, & I have the honor of being her chambermade. I have just been reading over what I wrote to the company present, & have got myself laughed at for my ignorance. It seems T should have said the daughter of the h\ ,1 m t\ DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 73 the Hon Lieu*. Governor of Connecticutt. Mrs Dixon lodg'd at Capn Mitchell's. She is gone to Connecticutt long since. 31 May. — I spent the afternoon at unkle Joshua's, yesterday, after tea I went to see how aunt Storer did. I found her well at Unkle Frank's. Mr Gerrish & wife of Hali- fax I had the pleasure to meet there, the lat- ter sends love to you. Indeed Mamma, till I receiv'd your last favour, I never heard a word about the little basket &c. which I sent to brother Johny last fall. I suppose Harry had so much to write about cotton, that he forgot what was of more consequence. Dear Mamma, what name has Mr Bent given his Son .-* something like Nehemiah, or Jehosha- phat, I suppose, it must be an odd name (our head indeed, Mamma.) Aunt says she hopes it a'nt Baal Gad, & she also says that I am a little simpleton for making my note within the brackets above, because, when I omit to do it, Mamma will think I have the help of somebody else's head but, N. B. for herself she utterly disclames having either her head or hand concern'd in this curi is journal, except v/here the writing makes it manifest. So much for this matter. l:i! I'4 ■ ' ■;! V ' ' '! '' |; i 1^' Iv' .■ I CUT-rAI'F.K I'ICTURE I; i h. -if I ■llpi li^, •• i 1 If ^ij. ^ t \ NOTES. Note i. Aunt Deming was Sarah, the oldest child of John Winslow and Sarah Peirce, and therefore sister of Joshua Winslow, Anna Green Winslow's father. She was born August 2, 1722, died March 10, 1788. She married John West, and after his death married, on February 27, 1752, John Deming. He was a re- spectable and intelligent Boston citizen, but not a wealthy man. He was an ensign in the Ancient and Honorable Artillery in 1771, and a deacon of the Old South Church in 1769, both of which offices were patents of nobility in provincial Boston. They lived in Central Court, leading out of Washington Street, just south of Summer Street. Aunt Deming eked out a limited income in a manner dear to Boston gen- tlewomen in those and in later days ; she took young ladies to board while they attended Boston schools. Advertisements in colonial newspapers of "Board and half-board for young ladies " were not rare, and many good old New England names are seen in these advertisements. Aunt Deming was a woman of much judgment, as is shown in the pages of this diary ; of much power of graphic description, as is proved 76 AOJ£S. :fl| proved by a short journal written for her niece, Sally Coverly, an*-' ' "s of hers which are still preserved. She died c ,.is. Note 2. Cumberland was the home in Nova Scotia of Anna Green Winslow's parents, where her father held the position of commissary to the British regiments sta- tioned there. George Green, Anna's uncle, writing to Joseph Green, at Paramaribo, on July 23, 1770, said: "Mr. Winslow & wife still remain at Cumber- land, have one son & one daughter, the last now at Boston for schooling, &c." So, at the date of the first entry in the diary, Anna had been in Boston probably about a year and a half. Note 3. Anna Green Winslow had doubtless heard much talk about this Rev. John Bacon, the new minister at the Old South Church, for much had been said about him in the weekly press: whether he should have an ordination dinner or not, and he did not; accounts of his ordination ; and then notice of the sale of his sermons in the Boston Gazette. All Mr. Bacon's parishioners did not share Anna's liking for him ; he found himself at the Old South in sorely troubled waters. He made a most unpropi- tious and trying entrance at best, through succeeding the beloved Joseph Sewall, who had preached to Old South listeners for fifty-six years. He came to town a stranger. When, a month later, Governor Hutchin- son ,1 \-:\ 1 A'OTES. 77 son issued his annual Thanksgiving Proclamation, there was placed therein an "exceptionable clause" that was very offensive to Boston patriots, relating to the continuance of civil and religious liberties. It had always been the custom to have the Proclama- tion read by the ministers in the Boston churches for the two Sundays previous to Thanksgiving Day, but the ruling governor very cannily managed to get two Boston clergymen to read his proclamation the third Sunday before the appointed day, when all the church members, being unsuspectingly present, had to listen to the unwelcome words. One of these clerical in- struments of gubernatorial diplomacy and craft was John Bacon. Samuel Adams wrote bitterly of him, saying, " He performed this servile task a week be- fore the time, when the people were not aware of it." The Boston Gazette of November ii commented severely on Mr. Bacon's action, and many of his congregation were disgus<^"d with him, and remained after the service to talk ti e Proclamation and their unfortunate new minister over. It might have been offered, one might think, as some excuse, that he had so recently come from Maryland, and was probably unacquainted with the intenseness of Massachusetts politics ; and that he had also been a somewhat busy and preoccupied man during his six weeks' presence in Boston, for he had been marrying a wife, — or rather a widow. In the Boston Evening Post of November ii, 1771, I read this notice : " Married, the Rev'd John Bacon to Mrs. Elizabeth Cummings, daughter of Ezekiel Goldthwait, Esq." He I ' I I I 78 NOTES. He retained his pastorate, however, in spite of lus early mistake, throu,L,^h anxious tea-party excitement and forlorn war-threatened days, till 1775, with but scant popularity and slight happiness, with bitter differences of opinion with his people over atonement and imputation, and that ever-present stumbling-block to New England divines, — baptism under the Half Covenant, — till he was asked to resign. Nor did he get on over smoothly with his fellow minister, John Hunt. In a curious poem of the day, called "Boston Ministers" (which is reprinted in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register of April, 1859), these verses appear: — At Old South there 's a jarring pair, If I am not mistaken, One may descry with half an eye That Hunt is far from 15acon. Wise Hunt can trace out means of grace As leading to conversion, But Hopkins scheme is Bacons theme. And strange is his assertion. It mattered little, however, that Parson Bacon had to leave the Old South, for that was soon no longer a church, but a riding school for the British troops. Mr. Bacon retired, after his dismissal, to Canter- bury, Conn., his birthplace. His friendly intimacy with Mrs. Deming proved of value to her, for when she left Boston, in April, 1775, '^t the time of the closing of tlie city gates, she met Mr, Bacon in Provi- dence. She says in her journal : — " Towards A'OTES. 79 •'Towards evening Mr & M" Bacon, with their dauglitcr, came into town. IMr Bacon came to see me. Enquir'd into my designs, (Sec. I told himlruely I did not know what to do. Tliat I had thot of giting farther into the country. Of trying to place Sally in some family where she might earn her board, & to do something like it for Lucinda, or put her out upon wages. That when I left the plain I had some faint hope I might hear from Mr Doming while I continued at Providence, but that I had little of that hope remaining. M"" Bacon advised me to go into Connecticutt, the very thing I was desirous of. Mr Bacon sd that he would advise me for the present to go to Canterbury, his native place. That he would give me a Letter to his Sister, who wouLl receive me kindly & treat me tenderly, & that he would follow me there in a few days." This advice Mrs. Deming took, and made Canter- bury her temporary home. Mr. Bacon did not again take charge of a parish. After the Revolution he became a magistrate, went to the legislature, became judge of the court of com- mon pleas, and a member of congress. He did not wholly give up his disputatious ways, if we can judge from the books written by and to him, one of the latter being, " A Droll, a Deist, and a John Bacon, Master of Arts, Gently Reprimanded." His wife, who was born in 1733, ^^id died in Stock- bridge in 1 82 1, was the daughter of Ezekicl Gold- thwait, a Tory citizen of Boston, a register of deeds, and a wealthy merchant. A portrait of Mrs. Bacon, painted ^1 8o NOTES. painted by Copley, is remarkable for its brilliant eyes and beautiful hands and arms. Note 4. Rev. John Hunt was born in Northampton, Novem- ber 20, 1744. He was a Harvard graduate in the class of 1764, a classmate of Caleb Strong and John Scol- lay. He was installed colleague-pastor of the Old South Church with John Bacon in 1771. He found it a most trying position. He was of an amiable and gentle disposition, and the poem on " Boston Minis- ters " asserted that he " most friends with sisters made." Another Boston rhymester called him "puny John from Northampton, a meek-mouth moderate man." When the gates of Boston were closed in 1775, after the battle of Lexington, he returned to Northampton, and died there of consumption, Decem- ber 20, 1775. A full account of his life is given in Sprague's A finals of the Avierican Pulpit. See also Note 3. Note 5. " Unkle and Aunt Winslow" were Mr. and Mrs. John Winslow. He was the brother of Joshua Wins- low, was born March, 1725-26, died September 29, 1773, in Boston. He was married, on March 12, 1752, to Elizabeth Mason (born September, 1723, died January, 17S0). They had five children: I. Gen. John Winslow, born September 26, 1753, married Ann Gardner, May 21, 1782, died November 29, 1819. II. Sarah, born April 12, 1755, married Dea- con :i NOTES. 8l con Samuel Coverly, of^ Boston, on November 27, 1787, died April 3, 1804. See Note 13. III. Henry, born January ir, 1757, died October 13, 1766. IV. Elizabeth, born November 28, 1759, died September 8, 1760. V. Elizabeth, born September 14, 1760, married John Holland, died November 21, 1795. Gen. John Winslow was the favorite nephew of Joshua Winslow and of his wife, and largely inherited their property. He remained in Boston through the siege, and preserved the communion plate of the Old South Church by burying it in his uncle Mason's cellar. He was an ardent patriot, and it is said that his uncle Joshua threatened to hang him if he caught him during the Revolutionary War. The nephew answered, "No catchee — no hangee, Uncle;" but did have the contrary fortune of capturing the uncle, whom he released on parole. He was the sixth signer and first treasurer of the Society of the Cincin- nati. General Winslow's daughter, Mary Ann Wins- low, born in 1790, lived till 1882, and from her were obtained many of the facts given in these notes. Note 6. Miss Soley was Hannah Soley, daughter of John Soley and Hannah Carey, who were married October II, 1759. Hannah Soley was born June 5, 1762, and married W. G. McCarty, Note 7. William and Samuel Whitwell and their families were members of the Old South Church, and all were friends I M 82 NOTES. friends of the Winslows and Demings. William Whitwell was born September 3, 1714, died April 10, 1795. He was a prosperous merchant, an estimable and useful citizen, and church member. His first wife was Rebecca Keayne, his second Elizabeth Scott (or Swett), who died May 13, 1771 ; his third, the widow of Royal Tyler. The Mrs. Whitwell here referred to must have been Mrs. Samuel Whitwell, for William Whitwell just at that interval was a widower. Sam- uel Whitwell was born December 17, o. s. 171 7, died June 8, 1801. His first wife was Elizabeth Kelsey; his second, Sarah Wood ; his third, Mary Smith. Note 8. Polly Deming was a niece of John Deming. Note 9. Miss Polly Glover was Mary Glover, born in Bos- ton, October 12, 1758, baptized at the Old South Church, married to Deacon James Morrell, of the Old South, on April 23, 1778, and died April 3, 1842. She was the daughter of Nathaniel Glover (who was born May 16, 1704, in Dorchester; died December, 1773), and his wife, Anne Simpson. They were married in 1750. Nathaniel Glover was a grad- uate of Harvard, and a wealthy man ; partner first of Thomas Hancock, and then of John Hancock. Note 10. Miss Bessy Winslowwas Elizabeth, Anna's cousin, who was then about ten years old. See Note 5. Note NOTES. 83 Note ii. Miss Nancy or Anne Glover was Mary Glover's sister. See Note 9. She was born in Boston, March 28, 1753, baptized in the Old South Church, died in Roxbury, August, 1797. She married Samuel Whit- well, Jr., son of Samuel Whitwell, a prominent Bos- ton merchant. See Note 7. Note 12. Miss Sally Winslow was Sarah, daughter of John Winslow (see Note 5), and was, therefore, Anna's cousin. She was born April 12, 1755, died April 3, 1804. She married, November 27, 1787, Samuel Coverly, deacon of the Old South Church. She was the Sally Coverly for whom Mrs. Deming's journal was written. Several of Sally Coverly's letters still exist, and are models of elegant penmanship and cor- rect spelling, and redound to the credit of her writing teacher. Master Holbrook. All the d's and y's and t's end with elaborately twisted little curls. A care- ful margin of an inch is left on every side. The let- ters speak so plainly of the formal honor and respect paid by all well-bred persons of the day to their elders, even though familiar kinsfolk, that I quote one, which contains much family news ; — Boston, Feb. 17th, 1780. I thank you my dear Aunt for your kind Epistles of April 9th & Nov'r loth, the kind interestedness you yet continue to take in my concerns n; nts the warmest returns of Gratitude. The hH f 1 1 1 H if 1 1 1 1 , i\ '1 V . i'- 84 NOTES. The Particular circumstances you wish to know I shall with pleasure inform you of — Mr. Coverly is the youngest son of a Worthy Citizen late of this town but his Parents are now no more. His age is thirty- five. His Occupation a Shopkeeper who imports his own goods. And if you should wish to know who of your acquaintance he resembles, Madam, I would answer He has been taken for our Minister Mr Eck- ley, by whom we were married in my Aunt Demings sick chamber the 27th of Nov'r last twelve months since. He has two Brothers who both reside in town. I have been remarkably favor'd the last year as to my health & we are blest likewise with a fine little Daughter between 4 & 5 months old, very healthy, which we have named Elizabeth for its Grandmamas and an Aunt of each side. My Brother call'd today & inform'd me that M"" Powell intended setting out tomorrow for Quebeck & left a Letter for you which I shall send with this. He is almost if not quite as big as my uncle was last time I saw him — he was well & his family, he has three sons, the youngest about eleven months old, he has buried one. In your last you mention both my Uncle & your- self as not enjoying so great a share of health. I hope by this time you have each regain'd that bless- ing more perfectly. Be pleased with him My Dear Aunt to accept My Duty in which Mr Coverly joins me. My Sister was very well last week & her son John who is a fine child about 3 months old. Capt. Hol- land has purchased a house near fort hill which lias remov'd 11:^ NOTES. 85 )hn [ol- |has )v"d remov'd her to a greater distance from me. She is now gone to the West-indies, she is connected in a family that are all very fond of her. We expect soon to remove. Mr Coverly has taken a lease of a house for some years belonging to Mr John Amory, you will please to direct your next for us in Cornhill No 10, I shall have the pleasure of your friend Mrs Whitwell for my next neighbor there. I had not the pleasure of seeing Mr Freeman whiles here altho' I expected it, as his brother promis'd to wait on him here. In one of your kind Epistles, Madam, you men- tion'd some of your Movables which you would wi h me to take possession of which were at my LxiCle Demings. The Memorandum you did not send me & my Uncle Deming has none nor knows of any thing but a great wheel. He is now maried to the Widow Sebry who is very much lik'd and appears to be a Gentlewoman, they were very well today. My Aunt Mason was to see me a few wi:eks since witli Mrs Coburn Mrs ScoUy & Miss Becky Scolly from Middleborough. Mrs Scolly has since married her youngest daughter to M*" Prentice, Minister of Medfield. Please to give my Love to Cousin Sally Deming if she is yet with you I hope she has regain'd her usual health. I should be very glad to be informed how her Mamma is & where & her family. Be pleased to continue your Indulgence, as your Epistles tl ii hll i \ P j I Ilii :i i 86 NOTES. Epistles My Dear Aunt will at all times be most gratefully receiv'd by Yr Oblidg'd Niece Sarah Coverly. Note 13. Josiah Waters, Jr., was the son of Josiah and Abi- gail Dawes Waters. The latter lived to be ninety- live years old. Josiah Sr. was a captain in the Artil- lery Company in 1769, and Josiah Jr. in 1791. The latter married, on March 14, 1771, Mary, daughter of William and Elizabeth Whitwell. See Note 7. Their child, Josiah Waters, tertius, born December 29, 1 77 1, lived till August 4, 181 8. He was a Latin School boy, and in the class with Josiah Quincy at Harvard. Note 14. The life of this slave-girl Lucinda was a fair exam- ple of the gentle form of slavery which existed till t^ is century in our New England States. From an old paper written by a daughter of Gen. John Wins- low, I quote her description of this girl : — " Lucinda was born in Africa and purchased by Mrs Deming when she was about seven years of age. She was cherished with care and affection by the family, and at Mrs. Demings death was 'given her freedom.' From that time she chose to mako her home with * Master John ' (the late Gen. John Winslow, of Boston), a nephew of Mrs Demings — at his house she died after some years. The friends of ^1 ^:^ 3 s .:ii 1 NOTES. 8y of the Winslow family attended her funeral ; her pas- tor the Rev Dr Eckley of the Old South and Gen. W. walking next the hearse as chief mourners. A few articles belonging to her are preserved in the family as memorials of one who was a beloved mem- ber of the household in the olden time." Lucinda figures in Mrs. Deming's account of her escape from besieged Boston in 1775, and was treated with as m.uch consideration as was Sally, the niece ; for her mistress remained behind for a time at Wrentham, rather than to allow Lucinda to ride out- side the coach in the rain. In a letter written by Sally Coverly, August 6, 1795) to Mrs. Joshua Winslow, at Quebec, she says : "You enquire about Lucinda, she is very much grat- ified by it. She has lived with my Brother this ten years and is very good help in their family." iven nake ohn s — ends of Note 15. The " Miss Sheafs " were Nancy and Mary Sheaffe, youngest daughters of William Sheaffe, who had re- cently died, leaving a family of four sons and six daughters. He had been deputy collector of customs under Joseph Harrison, the last royal collector of the port. He left his family penniless, and a small shop was stocked by friends for Mrs Sheaft'^. I have often seen her advertisements in Boston newspapers. Mrs. Sheaffe was Susanna Child, daughter of Thomas Child; an Englishman, one of the founders of Trinity Church. She lived till 181 1. The ten children grew up to fill dignified positions in life. One m !1 Hi ; 5 ■ 1 i ! ll:' i t ' ; ■ m 88 NOTES. One son was Sir Roger Hale Sheaffe. Susanna, at the a!>;e of fifteen, made a most romantic runaway match with an English officer, Capt. Ponsonby Moles- worth. Margaret married John R. Livingstone ; she was a great beauty. Lafayette, on his return to France, sent her a satin cardinal lined with ermine, and an elegant gown. Helen married James Lovell. (See Note 52.) Nancy, or Anne Sheaffe, married, in September, 1786, John Erving, Jr., a nephew of Governor Shirley, and died young, leaving three chil- dren, — Maria, Frances, and Major John Erving. Mary married Benj. Cutler, high sheriff of Boston, and died December 8, 1784, leaving no children. These Sheaffes were nearly all buried in the Child tomb in Trinity Church. Note 16. Governor Matthew Griswold wa.s born March 25, 1714, died April 28, 1799. He married, on Nov. 10, 1743, ^^'s second cousin, Ursula Wolcott, daughter of Gov. Roger Wolcott. A very amusing story is told of their courtship. Governor Griswold in early life wished to marry a young lady in Durham, Conn. She was in love with a physician, whom she hoped would propose to her, and in the mean time was un- willing to give up her hold upon her assured lover. At last the governor, tired of being held in an uncer- tainty, pressed her for a definite answer. She pleaded that she wished for more time, when he rose with dignity and answered lier, " I will give you a life- time." This experience made him extremely shy, and b 1 ; 1 w \ j I 1 f J XOTES. 89 and when thrown with his cousin Ursula he made no advance towards love-making. At last when she was nineteen and he ten years older she began asking him on every occasion, " What did you say, Cousin Matthew?" and he would answer her quietly, "No- thing." At last she asked him impatiently, "What did you say, Cousin Matthew ? " and when he answered again "Nothing," she replied sharply, "Well, it's time you did," — and he did. Their daughter Ursula, the visitor at Mrs. Dem- ing's, was born April 13, 1754, and was a great beauty. She married, in November 22, 1777, her third cousin, Lynde McCurdy, of Norwich, Conn. Note 17. " Unkle Joshua " was Joshua Green, born in Bos- ton, May 17, 1 73 1, "Monday^ past 9 oclock in the morng " and died in Wendell, Mass., on September 2, 181 1. He attended the Boston Latin Scliool in 1738, and was in the class of 1749 at Harvard. He married, as did his brother and sister, a Storer — Hannah, daughter of Ebenezer and Mary Edwards Storer — on October 7, 1762. After his marriage he lived in Court Street, the third house south of Han- over Street. His wife Hannah was for many years before and after her marriage — as was her mother — the intimate friend and correspondent of Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams. Some of their letters may be found in the Account of Percival and Ellen Green and Some of their Descendants, written by Hon. Samuel Abbott Green, who is a great-grandson of Joshua and Hannah Green. Note iM u-i 90 jVO tes. Note 18. Madam Storcr was Mary Edwards Storer, the widow of Ebenezer Storer, a Boston merchant. She was the mother of Anna's uncle Ebenezer Storer, of her aunt Hannah Storer Green, and of her aunt Mary Storer Green. See Notes 19, 32, 59. Note 19. Miss Caty Vans was the granddaughter of Hugh Vans, a mercliant of Boston, who became a member of the Old South Church in 172S. He was born in Ayr, Scotland, in 1699. He married Mary Pember- ton, daughter of Rev. Ebenezer Pemberton, and died in Boston in 1763. They had four sons, John, Eben- ezer, Samuel, and William. One of the first three was the father of Caty Vans, who was born January 18, 1770. There are frequent references to her through- out the diary, but I know nothing of her life. William Vans married Mary Clarke, of Salem, and had one son, William, and one daughter, Rebecca, who married Captain Jonathan Carnes. The Vans family Bible is in the library of the Essex Institute. Note 20. In the cordial hatred of the Puritans for Christmas Anna heartily joined. It was not till this century that in New England cheerful merriment and the universal exchange of gifts marked the day as a real holiday. Note NOTES. 91 Note 21. "Aunt Sukey" was Susanna Green, born July 26, 1744, died November 10, 1775. She married, on Oc- tober 18, 17C9, her cousin, Francis Green. The little child Charles, of whom Anna writes, proved to be a deaf-mute, and was drowned near Halifax in 1787. Francis Green had two deaf-mute children by a second wife, and became prominent afterwards in Massachu- setts for his interest in and promotion of methods in instructing the deaf. In a letter of George Green's, dated Boston, July 23, 1 770, we read : " Frank Green was married to Sukey in October last and they live next house to Mi's Storers." From another, dated December 5, 1770: "Frank keeps a ship going be- tween here & London, but I believe understands little of the matter, having never been bred to business wch was one great objection with my father to his court- ing Sukey." I think he must have developed into a capable business man, lor I have frequently seen his business advertisements in Boston newspapers of his day. Anna's mother bequeathed seven hundred and fifty dollars to Francis Green in her will. He was a man universally esteemed in the community. Note 22. Dr. Samuel Cooper was born March 28, 1725 ; died December 29, 1783. He graduated at Harvard in 1743, and became pastor of the Brattle Street Con- gregational Church, of Boston. He was a brilliant preacher, an ardent patriot, the intimate friend of John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, and a very hand- some man. Note 92 NOTES. H • f» 1 S ' Note 23. Master Holbrook was Samuel Holbrook, Anna's writing-master, on"" of a liiglily honored family of Boston writing teachers. Porliaps the best known of this family was Ahiah Holbrook. In the Boston Ga::ct/eoi January 30, 1769, I find this notice : — " Last Friday morning died Mr Abiah Holbrook in the 51st year of his Age, Master of the South Writing School in this Town. He was looked upon by the Best Judges as the Greatest Master of the Pen we have ever had among us, of which he has left a most beautiful Demonstration. He was indefatigable in his labours, successful in his Instruc''ons, an Honour to the Town and to crown all an Ornament to the Religion of Jesus. His Funeral is to be Attended Tomorrow Afternoon at Four Oclock." The " beautiful Demonstration " of his penmanship which he left behind him was a most intricate piece of what was known as " fine knotting " or *' knot work." It was written in "all the known hands of Great Britain." This work occupied every moment of what Abiah Holbrook railed his "spare time" for seven years. It was valued at ;^ioo. It was be- queathed to Harvard College, unless his wife should need the money which could be obtained from selling it. If this were so, she was to offer it first for pur- chase to John Hancock. Abiah was a stanch patriot. Samuel Holbrook was a brother of Abiah. He began teaching in 1745, when about eighteen years old. A petition of Abiah, dated March 10, 1745-46, sets forth that his school had two hundred and twenty scholars I' i NO TEH. 93 ing scholars (Well may his funeral notice say that he was indefati/^ablein his labors!), that finding it impossible to properly instruct such a great number, he had ap- pointed his brother to teach part of them and had paid his board for seven months, else some of the scholars must have been turned off without any in- struction. He therefore prayed the town to grant him assistance. Think of one master for such a great school! In 1750 Samuel Holbrook's salary as usher of the South Writing School was tifty pounds per annum. After serving as writing-master of the school in Queen Street, and also keeping a private school, he was chosen master of the South Writing School in March, 1769, to supply the place of his brother Abiah deceased. His salary was one hundred pounds. In 1776, and again in 1777, he received eighty pounds in addition to his salary. He also was a patriot. He was one of the " Sons of Liberty " who dined at the Liberty Tree, Dorchester, on August 14, 1769; and he was a member of Captain John Haskin's company in 1773. He was a member of the Old South Church, and he died July 24, 1784. In his later years he kept a school at West Street, where afterwards was Amos Lawrence's garden. Abiah and Samuel left behind them better dem- onstrations of their capacity than pieces of " knot- work " — in the handwriting of their scholars. They taught what Jonathan Snelling described as " Boston Style of Writing," and loudly do the elegant letters and signatures of their scholars, Boston patriots, clergy, It' '! 94 NOTES. clergy, and statesmen, redound to the credit of the Masters Holbrook. Other Holbrooks taught in Boston. From the Selectmen's Minutes of that little town, we find that on November lo, 1773, — <' Mr Holbrook, Master of the Writing School in the Common, and Mr Carter the Master Elect of the school in Queen St having recommended Mr Abiah Holbrook, a young man near of age, as a suitable person to be usher at Mr Carters school — the Select- men sent for him, and upon discoursing with the young man thought proper to appoint him usher of said school." And from the Boston Gasette^ of April 17, 1769, we learn that Mr. Joseph Ward "Opened an English Grammar School in King St where Mr Joseph Hol- brook hath for many years kept a Writing School." These entries of Anna's relating to her attending Master Holbrook's school have an additional value in that they prove that both boys and girls attended these public writing schools, — a fact which has been disputed. Note 24. Dr. James M. Lloyd, born March 14, 1728, died March 14, 1810. He began his medical practice in 1752. He was appointed surgeon of the garrison at Boston, and was a close friend of Sir William Howe and Earl Percy, who for a time lived in his house. He was an Episcopalian, and one of the indignant protesters against the alteration of the liturgy at King's Chapel. Though a warm Tory and Loyalist, he i'J NOTES. 95 he was never molested by the American government. He was one of Boston's most skilful and popular physicians for many years. While other city doctors got but a shilling and sixpence for their regular fee, he charged and received the exorbitant sum of half a dollar a visit ; and for " bringing little master to town," in which function he was a specialist, he charged a guinea. Note 25. A pincushion was for many years, and indeed is still, in some parts of New England, a highly conven- tional gift to a mother with a young babe. Mrs. Deming must have made many of these cushions. One of her manufacture still exists. It is about five inches long and three inches wide ; one side is of white silk stuck around the edge with old-fashioned clumsy pins, with the words, "John Winslow March 1783. Welcome Little Stranger." The other side is of gray satin with green spots, with a cluster of pins in the centre, and other pins winding around in a vine and forming a row round the edge. Note 26. Though the exchange of Christmas gifts was rare in New England, a certain observance of New Year's Day by gifts seems to have obtained. And we find in Judge Sewall's diary that he was greeted on New Year's morn with a levet, or blast of trumpets, under his window; and he celebrated the opening of the eighteenth century with a very poor poem of his own composition, ■. i, i 96 NOTES. composition, which he caused to be recited through Boston streets by the town-crier. Note 27. The word " pompedore " or Pompadour was in con- stant use in that day. We read of pompedore shoes, laces, capes, aprons, sacques, stockings, and head- dresses. Note 28. Aunt Storer was Mrs. Ebenezer Storer. Her mai- den name was Elizabeth Green. She was a sister of Mrs. Joshua Winslow. She was born October 12, 1734, died December 8, 1774; was married July 17, 1 75 1, to Ebenezer Storer, who was born January 27, 1729-30, died January 6, 1807. He was a Harvard graduate, and was for many years treasurer of that college. He was one of Boston's most intellectual and respected citizens. His library was large. His name constantly appears on the lists of subscribers to new books. After his death his astronomical in- struments became the property of Harvard College, and as late as 1843 his comet-finder was used there. As Anna Green Winslow spent so much of her time in her *' Aunt Storers " home in Sudbury Street, it is interesting to know that a very correct picture of this elegant Boston home of colonial days has been preserved through the account given in the Memoir of Eliza Susan Morton Quincy^ — though many persons still living remember the house : — "The mansion of Ebenezer Storer, an extensive edifice II NOTES. 97 he ve Ice edifice of wood three stories in height, was erected in 1700. It was situated on Sudbury Street between two trees of great size and antiquity. An old English elm of uncommon height and circumference grew in the sidewalk of the street before the mansion, and behind it was a sycamore tree of almost equal age and dimensions. It fronted to the south with one end toward the street. From the gate a broad walk of red sandstone separated it from a grass-plot which formed the courtyard, and passed the front door to the office of Mr. Storer. The vestibule of the house, from which a staircase ascended, opened on either side into the dining and drawing rooms. Both had windows towards the courtyard and also opened by glazed doors into a garden behind the house. They were long low apartments ; the walls wainscoted and panelled; the furniture of carved mahogany. The ceilings were traversed through the length of the rooms by a large beam cased and finished like the walls ; and from the centre of each depended a glass globe which reflected as in a convex mirror all sur- rounding objects. There was a rich Persian carpet in the drawing-room, the colors crimson and green. The curtains and the cushions of the window-seat were of green damask ; and oval mirrors and giran- doles and a teaset of rich china completed the furni- ture of that apartment. The wide chimney-place in the dining room was lined and ornamented with Dutch tiles; and on each side stood capacious arm- chairs cushioned and covered with green damask, for the master and mistress of the family. On the walls were I i- ■ . u 98 NOTES. were portraits in crayon by Copley, and valuable engravings representing Franklin with his lightning rod, Washington, and other eminent men of the last century. Between the windows hung a long mirror in a mahogany frame ; and opposite the fireplace was a buffet ornamented with porcelain statuettes and a set of rich china. A large apartment in the second story was devoted to a valuable library, a philoso- phical apparatus, a collection of engravings, a solar microscope, a camera, etc." As I read this description I seem to see the figure of our happy little diary-writer reflected in the great glass globes that hung from the summer-trees, while she danced on the Persian carpet, or sat curled up reading on the cushioned window-seat. Note 29. As this was in the time of depreciated currency, £\^ was not so large a sum to spend for a young girl's outfit as would at first sight appear. 11 m ^A Note 30. Dr. Charles Chauncey was born January i, 1705; died February 10, 1787. He graduated at Harvard in 1 72 1, and soon became pastor of the First Church in Boston. He was an equally active opponent of White- field and of Episcopacy. He was an ardent and ro- mantic patriot, yet so plain in his ways and views that he wished Paradise Lost might be turned into prose that he might understand it. Note NOTES. 99 Note 31. Rev. Ebenezer Pemberton was pastor of the New Brick Church. He had a congregation of stanch Whigs ; but unluckily, the Tory Governor Hutchin- son also attended his church. Dr. Pemberton was the other minister of the two who sprung the Govern- or's hated Thanksgiving proclamation of 1771 on their parishes a week ahead of time, as told in Note 3, and the astounded and disgusted New Brick hearers, more violent than the Old South attendants, walked out of meeting while it was being read. Dr. Pem- berton's troubled and unhappy pastorate came to an end by the closing of his church in war times in 1775. He was of the 1721 class of Harvard College. He died September 9, 1777. Note 32. We find frequent references in the writings and newspapers of ihe times to this truly Puritanical dread of bishops. To the descendants of the Pilgrims the very name smacked of incense, stole, and monkish jargon. A writer, signing himself " America," gives in the Boston Evening Post, of October 14, 1771, a communication thoroughly characteristic of the spirit of the community against the establishment of bish- ops, the persistent determination to •' beate down every sprout of episcopacie." Note 33. A negligde was a loose gown or sacque open in front, to be worn over a handsome petticoat ; and in spite * I i I' ! h; !.■ 11 '81 * ■ .. h*' ( I i I 100 NOTES: spite of its name, was not only in high fashion for many years, but was worn for full dress. Abigail Adams, writing to Mrs. Storer, on January 20, 1785, says : " Trimming is reserved for full dress only, when very large hoops and negligees with trains three yards long are worn." I find advertised in the Boston Evening Post, as early as November, 1755: " Horse- hair Quilted Coats to wear with Negligees." A poem printed in New York in 1 756 has these lines : — " Put on her a Shepherdee A Short Sack or Negligee Ruffled high to keep her warm Eight or ten about an arm." Note 34. A pistoreen was a Spanish coin worth about seven- teen cents. Note ^s. There exists in New England a tradition of "groan- ing cake," made and baked in honor of a mother and babe. These cakes which Anna bought of the nurse may have been "groaning cakes." It was al- ways customary at that time to give " vails " to the nurse ^'hen visiting a new-born child ; sometimes gifts of money, often of trinkets and articles of cloth- ing. Note 36. Miss " Scolley " was Mary Scollay, youngest of the thirteen children of John Scollay (who was born in 1712 n NOTES. lOI 1 71 2, died October, 1799), and his wife Mary. Mary was born in 1759. She married Rev. Thomas Pren- tiss on February 9, 1798, had nine children, and lived to be eighty-two years old — dying in 1841. Her sister Mercy was engaged to be married to General Warren, but he fell at Bunker Hill: and his betrothed devoted herself afterwards to the care and education of his orphaned children whom he had by his first wife. Note 37. Miss Bella Coffin was probably Isabella, daughter of John Coffin and Isabella Child, who were married in 1750. She married Major MacMurde, and their sons were officers in India. Note 38. This Miss "Quinsey" was Ann Quincy, the daugh- ter of Col. Josiah Quincy (who was born 1710, died 1784), and his third wife, Ann Marsh. Ann was born December 8, i 'jdi, and thus would have been in her ninth year at the time of the little rout. She married the Rev. Asa Packard, of Marlborough, Mass., in 1790. Note 39. In the universal use of wines and strong liquors in New England at that date children took unrestrain- edly their proportionate part. It seems strange to think of this girl assembly of little Bostonians drink- ing wine and hot or cold punch as part of their " treat," i u ii) V i I H: n. \i-\\ ';' 'Ii ; ( i 1, ^: 102 NOTES. " treat," yet no doubt they were well accustomed to such fare. I know of a little girl of still tenderer years who was sent at that same time from the Bar- badoes to her grandmother's house in Boston to be "finished" in Boston schools, as was Anna, and who loft her relative's abode in high dudgeon because she was not permitted to have wine at her meals ; and her parents upheld her, saying Missy must be treated like a lady and have all the wine she wished. Cob- bett, who thought liquor drinking the national disease of America, said that " at all hours of the day little boys at or under twelve years of age go into stores and tip off their drams." Thus it does not seem strange for little maids also to drink at a party. The temperance awakening of this century came none too soon. Note 40. Paste ornaments were universally worn by both men and women, as well as by little girls, and formed the decoration of much of the headgear of fashion- able dames. Many advertisements appear in New England newspapers, which show how large and varied was the importation of hair ornaments at that date. We find advertised in the Boston Evetiing Post., of 1768: "Double and single row knotted Paste Combs, Paste Hair Sprigs & Pins all prices. Marcasite and Pearl Hair Sprigs, Garnet & Pearl Hair Sprigs." In the Salcvi Gazette and various Boston papers I read of " black »& coloured plumes & feathers." Other hair ornaments advertised in the Boston \. I . '^ ' ■ 1 : j ' ! \\ It n r 1 NOTES. 103 Boston News Letter, of December, 1768, were " Long and small Tail Garnets, .Alock Garland of all sorts and Ladles Poll Combs." Steel plumes, pompons, aigrettes, and rosettes all were worn on the head, and artificial flowers, wreaths of gauze, and silk ribbons. Note 41. Marcasite, spelled also marcassite, marchasite, mar- quesett, or marquaset, was a mineral, the crystallized form of iron pyrites. It was largely used in the eighteenth century for various ornamental purposes, chiefly in the decoration of the person. It took a good polish, and when cut in facets like a rose-dia- mond, formed a pretty material for shoe and knee- buckles, earrings, rings, pins, and hair ornaments. Scarce a single advertisement of wares of milliner or mantua maker can he found in eighteenth century newspapers that does not contain in some form of spelling the word marcasite, and scarce a rich gown or headdress was seen without some ornament of marcasite. Note 42. Master Turner was William Turner, a fashionable dancing master of Boston, who afterward resided in Salem, and married Judith, daughter of Dr. Edward Augustus Holyoke, of Salem, who died in 1829, aged one hundred and one years. It was recalled by an old lady that the scholars in the school of her youth marched through Boston streets, to the music of the fiddle played by "Black Henry," to Concert Hall, corner t .i I 104 NOTES. corner Tremont and Bromfield streets, to practice dancing; and that Mr. Turner waliced at tlie head of the school. His advertisements may be seen in Bos- ton and Salem papers, thus : — " Mr. Turner informs the Ladies and Gentlemen in Town and Country that he has reduced his price for teaching from Six Dollars Entrance to One Guinea, and from Four Dollars per month to Three. Those ladies and Gentlemen who propose sending their children to be taught will notice no books will be kept as Mr. T. has suffered much by Booking. The pupils must pay monthly if they are desirous the School should continue." Note 43. " Unkle Ned " was Edward Green, born September 18, 1733 ; died July 29, 1790. He married, on April 14, 1757, Mary Storer (sister of Ebenezer Storer and of Hannah Storer Green). They had no children. He was, in 1780, one of the enlisting officers for Suf- folk County. In a letter of George Green's, written July 25, 1770, we read : " Ned still lives gentleman- like at Southwacks Court without doing any business tho' obliged to haul in his horns ; " and from another of December 5, 1770: "Ned after having shown off as long as he cou'd with his yello damask window curtains &c is (the last month) retired into the coun- try and lives wth his wife at Parson Storers at Water- town. How long that will hold I cant say." Note NOTES. 105 Note 44. Madam Smith was evidently Anna's teacher in sewing. The duties pertaining to a sewing school were, in those days, no light matter. From an adver- tisement of one I learn that there were taught at these schools : — "All kinds of Needleworks viz: point, Brussels, Dresden Gold, Silver, and silk Embroidery of every kind. Tambour Feather, India & Darning, Sprig- gings with a Variety of Open-work to each. Tapes- try plain, lined, and drawn. Catgut, black «& white, with a number of beautiful Stitches. Diaper and Plain Darnings. French Quiltings, Knitting, Various Sorts of marking with the Embellishments of Royal cross. Plain cross, Quetn, Irish, and Tent Stitches." Can any nineteenth century woman read this list of feminine accomplishments without looking abashed upon her idle hands, and ceasing to wonder at the delicate heirlooms of lace and embroidery that have come down to us ! Note 45. Grandmamma Sargent was Joshua Winslow's mo- ther. Her maiden name was Sarah Pierce. She was born April 30, 1697, died August 2, 1771. She married on September 21, 1721, John Winslow, who lived to be thirty-eight years old. After his death she married Dr. Nathaniel Sargent in 1749. Note \ of jeering boys, who kicked the various stuffinos arou.Kl the street. A Salem hair-dresser advertised that he would " attend to the polite construction of roils to raise ladies heads to any pitch desired." The Abhd Rol)in, traveling tlirou-h Iloston a few years later, found the hair of ladies' heads " raised and supported upon rolls to an extravagant height."