5fli U.C.BERKELEY LIBRARIES CD^3Efiflt ^ DS f University of California Berkeley AUGUST 19, 1868, JR.EY. D . R. AND .RS. ARSTOW ^ Printed at the Bequest of their Children. 1868. WM. L. STONE and J. T. BARRON, Book and Job Printers, No. 98 Nassau street, New York. AUGUST 19th, 1868. are certain days so very lovely, that one would like " to have and to hold " their memories forever. You wish that nature would, for once, condescend to repeat herself, that you could be a little more sure of details. These are golden days, when nature in all her forms, and thought in its most subtle suggestions, are in per- fect harmony when the past belongs to the present, and the present contains the past The fiftieth anniversary of the marriage of Dr. and Mrs. BABSTOW of Keene, N. H., was such a day. One need not live a thousand years in this world of ours to assent to the fact that the wedding-day is often the prelude to a long series of tragic and unspoken struggles ; and that its fiftieth recurrence makes one draw a long breath A GOLDEN REMEMBRANCE. of grateful relief, not only that the Father of Mercies has given the hourly strength for hourly need, but also that the fiftieth mile-stone has been passed, and that the life-long pilgrimage is so soon to end. Here, however, is a GOLDEN Wedding, which stands for hopes fulfilled, for the gathering of the harvest, for the counting of the sheaves. Let us review the incidents of this 19th of August, 1868 : The day is perfect. Summer has brought out her richest foliage and most brilliant flowers, and tempered her fervid heat with shadowing clouds and cooling breezes. The place is lovely. There is no spot in New England more beautiful than the valley of the Ashuelot, with its girdling hills on every side, its romantic river-scenery, and the grand Monadnock in the blue distance. Nor has any part of Keene a finer position than that portion of Main street which bears the marks of its earli- est occupancy, and where stands the old " Parson- age." We may well call it old, for it is the earliest- built house now standing in Keene, and its flavor of antiquity is too rare to be left unnoticed. We cannot date its erection; but we know that in 1770, when Dartmouth College was only a school A GOLDEN REMEMBRANCE for Indian boys, the first Board of Trustees met in the parlor of this very house, to decide upon the location of the projected College, and devise its organization. It has always been well cared for, and is one of the prettiest country homes to-day. The olden Keene, was a quiet, aristocratic vil- lage, with a somewhat unusual amount of culture and refinement. From its one long, level street, lined with Lombardy poplars, the roads leading to the surrounding hills diverged, and at the head of it stood its one " Meeting-House/' The Keene of to-day, with its broad avenues, shaded by noble elms and maples ; its numerous shops : its handsome houses and various churches, is a large populous town, to which all the neigh- boring country is tributary, and which bears sur- prising marks of the wealth and energy of a business age. But the " Parsonage" still stands in its primitive simplicity, with its low walls, its beams traversing the ceilings, and all the quaint peculiarities of the last century. It was the first abode of Dr. and Mrs. BAESTOW, after their mar- riage, and has been the birth-place of their chil- dren. In the spacious " front-yard," and stationed A GOLDKN REMEMBUANCE. on either side of the flower-lined path, we see to-day a fine band of music, which the provident kindness of General Griffin has furnished, and which adds much to the picturesqeness of the scene. As you enter the little nook of a hall through its garlanded door, your eye rests, first, on the old date you have come here to remember, " 1818," in illuminated figures, surrounded with orange and ivy leaves. Beneath this, the motto, " God bless our home ? ' ; and below, with its fitting decoration of autumn leaves, the date of to-day, " 1868 ". Turning to the right, from the hall, you enter the parlor, where are gathered the many brothers and sisters of Dr. and Mrs. BARSTOW, with their children ; parishioners, old and young men with white heads and bowed forms, who, fifty years ago, welcomed this Christian minister to a new field of labor ; and children of the fourth generation of those families who have listened to his teachings, and whose mothers were moulded by his instructions. Here stand the groomsman and bridesmaid of the marriage of 1818, who then officiated as dear friends : and who, with rare felicity, are spared to unite in these festivities, (Mr. and Mrs. PHILLIPS, of Westb< trough, Massa- A GOLDEN REMEMBRANCE. 7 chusetts), Here we meet Dr. J. WHITNEY BAR- STOW, of Flushing, Long Island.son of Dr. BARSTOW, with his young wife and children, at whose bidding these friends have come together, and under whose skillful ordering, this fairy scene has been evoked. Over your head, across the old beam, is the glorious old benediction, " Peace be unto this house ". A symbolic bell of golden rod, wreaths of ivy, rare and exquisite flowers, which the hands of kind friends in Flushing and Keene have fur- ' nished and fashioned, adorn this room, and fill the whole house with beauty and fragrance. But the crowning grace of the occasion, is the group formed by Dr. and Mrs. BARSTOW, You will never realize, unless you look again at his snow-white head, that this stalwart form, so erect and firm, with the clear voice of youth, and the heartiest of welcomes for every guest, is the same young minister who was settled fifty years ago over this people, in those fabulous days when the clergyman was the autocrat of the land ; or, that the graceful lady by his side, so pliant in every movement, is the young bride who stood with him at the altar, so long ago. Life has brought to them, as to all, care, and sickness, and grief They have A GOLDEN REMEMBRANCE. counted their losses, as well as their gains : but it has been a well-ordered life of Christian labor, and love has lightened its burdens. Here they stand, to show us what men and women were nurtured in the last century. Over their honored heads, the walls, festooned with the choicest flow- ers, bear this motto : " He shall give his angels charge over thee". Filial love could hardly have made a more significant selection. After the crowd of guests, filling the house and yard, are assembled, and mutual congratulations interchanged, Dr. WHITNEY BAKSTOW, leading his wife and children, approaches, and the more for- mal services of the occasion, begin : First, with his very simple, earnest, and touch- ing address : " DEAR AND HONORED PARENTS : Your children, both the absent and the present, few in number, but with hearts full of tender love and gratitude to their father and mother, offer you their affectionate congratulations on this fiftieth anniversary of your wedded life. And especially would we render our heart-felt ac- knowledgements to our Father in Heaven, for that kind, watchful care which has thus lengthened out your lives to reach this day, and to enjoy with us the rare satisfac- A GOLDEN KEMKMBRANCE. tion of your " GOLDEN WEDDING". We bring, it is true, no stores of golden gifts to crown this joyous home- festival ; but we bring hearts rich in golden recollections of those years of tender care which you have bestowed upon our infancy, of the faithful and prayerful nurture with which you have blessed our childhood, and the rare examples of virtue and usefulness which you have fur- nished to our riper years. While we cannot hope to repay this life-long debt, it is at least our privilege and our joy to acknowledge the obligation, and to return to you the heart-felt blessings of grateful children. And now, during the days which may remain of your long and useful lives, we invoke upon your venerable heads the choicest blessings of Heaven. May that God, whom, for fifty years, you have so faithfully served, both in the pulpit and in the closet; at whose altar you have minis- tered with such constancy and fidelity, both in public and in private ; and whom, even more than half a century ago, you chose for your life-long Guide and Father, still be your " Abiding Comforter" and support. And when your work on earth shall be finished, and you pass to your Heavenly reward, leaving us no longer your companion- ship and counsel, there will still remain to us the remem- brance of your words of parental love, the example of your Godly life, and the glorious hope of a reunion of parents and children in that brighter home within the vail. There, at length, may we not hope to sit down at the feast of the Heavenly Bridegroom, at the table of our 10 A GOLDEN REMEMBKANCE. common Father, and rejoice together in the immediate presence of Him, with whom " a thousand years are as one day, and one day as a thousand years ". It is needless to say with how much emotion these words were received, or in how touching a manner Dr. BAKSTOW responded, substantially, as follows : 41 MY DEAK CHILDBEN : While you thus give utterance to these deep expres- sions of filial love and respect, my heart is too full to ex- press my feelings in many words. I bless God for chil- dren who thus honor their parents, and who have been so considerate, respectful, and affectionate ; and who have done and are doing so much to promote their comfort and happiness. May the blessing of the Father Almighty f est upon you continually ; and when our own heads are laid low in death, may you long enjoy the fulfillment of God's promise to those who honor their father and their mother." At the close of Dr. BARSTOW'S words, Dr. J. W. BARSTOW, with his wife, accompanied by Miss INGERSOLL at the organ, sang the anthem, " The Lord is my Shepherd" ; and immediately after, was read the succeeding poem, written for the occasion by the eldest, and absent son of Dr. BARSTOW : A GOLDEN REMEMBRANCE. 11 " To my FATHER and MOTHER, on the occasion of their * GOLDEN WEDDING', August 19th, 1868; these LINES, accompanied by a sprig of l SIEMPRE VIVA ', tire dedi- cated by their affectionate Sox, "WILLIAM BARSTOW, " SAX FRANCISCO, July, 1868. SCTURES. " THE WEDDIXG ! Xow two hearts and hands sore joined, And lite 'begins. The exquisite delight Of mere existence seems almost to make The task before them easy. Lovely earth, The warm, the rich, the glorious earth, has charms : Its sunshine and its flowers, its perfumed breath, Its singing birds, its glistening drops of dew, Its laughing rivulets, its wondrous wealth Of happy love, of beauty, and of life, Make perfect harmony for eye and ear, Each note of which a chord responsive finds Within their breasts. It fills their very souls With music : and relieves, with charming tints. The sombre shadows of that darksome path Of weary, self-denying, thankless toil, Which they have chosen. For they give their life To duty ; looking for reward above, Hereafter ; and expecting nothing here But mutual love. For each to each is all 12 A GOLDEN REMEMBRANCE. " THE GOLDEN WEDDING ! Fifty years have passed Since, hand in hand, these two began their work. That work is done, and well done, too \ and now These good and faithful servants only wait Their master's call, to enter into joy ! The life that half a century ago They saw before them, opening so rich In sense-delighting beauty, now seems tame To that they looked for. Shadows now, and clouds No more exist. The perfect bliss that comes To souls that mingle with their kind, unclogged By earth, will soon be theirs. Wedded before Tor time, they wed now for eternity. Then hearts and hands were joined, now souls In far completer union. Perfect love Assimilates at once with God, indeed Is Heaven 1 He who loveth, knoweth God ! ' These pictures show two ages of this pair, Two starting points in life. Who doubts to which Of two occasions fe*tive ? such as these Congratulations heartiest, are due I Not surely to the roseate first ; for doubts, Sometimes, or self-reproach, or may be, fears Of possible delinquencies, intrude To cloud its subjects' sunshine, spoil content. But no misgivings mar the last : serene, And calm, and tranquil, in the consciousness A GOLDEX REMEMBRANCE. 13 Of duty well performed, they contemplate Their coming rest with unalloyed delight : Then wish them joy ! God bless them evermore ! Parched on. arid sands, Trampled by rude bands, Wounded by rough hands, It bides its time : Revived by welcome rain, It starts to life again, Forgetting all its pain- As in its prime. Beloved ones ! we see your welcome here ! This Heaven-favored plant, which never dies, Yet suffers long, in patience, not in fear, Symbols your life and love : 80 ye endure and wait; until, at length, Refreshed with " Laving "Waters ", ye shall rise. Again in perfect symmetry and strength, To richer life above ! SIEMPBE VIVA! * This plant, a native of Lower California and Mexico, owes its name to its extraordinary vitality. It survives, not only seasons of extreme drought, but also the frequent crushings to which it is sub- jected by the rude and furiously-riding " vaqueros " (or herdsmen, who scour the country on horseback), coming forth as fresh and bright as ever, at the commencement of the next rainy season ; and, from a brown and shrunken ball, not larger than a walnut, expands and unfolds its green leaves, from one to three feet in circumference, covering the bare mountain-sides with the soft verdure of spring. W. B. 14 A GOI.I3EN REMEMBRANCE. For halt' a hundred years, in faith ye've taught The blessed teachings of the Son of God, And shown the way of life to all who sought. Ye comfort those who weep, Awl change their grief to joy. In spite of pains The chastened suff'rers learn to bear the rod, And wait, with hope, the rest which yet remains, When they, in Christ, shall sleep ! Favored of Heaven ! To few 'tis given here Ho long to labor in this work of love. Such work expands the soul : Each added year Does but the more extend Its view of worlds beyond, and better fits That soul, released, to take the place above, Nearest the throne, where THE ETEIINAL sits. And Heavenly choirs attend ! Blessings of children, friends, of all, be yours ! " Great his reward' shall be ", the Scriptures saith, Who to the end, all things for all, endures : 'Tis meet that all should bless ! Ye fought the fight, like soldiers brave and true ; Your course is finished ; you have kept the faith ; Laid up in Heaven, there is henceforth, for you, A crown of Righteousness ! VIVA I At the conclusion of this poem, Rev. Dr. ORCUTT, of New York, led in a prayer most appropriate to the occasion. A GOLDKX UhMKMBHANCK. 15 Xext in the order of the exercises, was the in- troduction of an extract from a letter written li\ Miss JULIA POKTEK.* of Xew Haven, to Miss SOPHIA WASSOX. of Fairfield, Connecticut, fifty-two years ago : "MAY 2, 181G. I think, dear SOPHIA, that marrying and giving in mar- riage is now the order of the day. There is that naught y MATTHEW RICHARDSON has dared to pass by all our perfec- tions, and bow before the shrine of another. M r. S ARSTOW has steeled himself against our attractions; yet the little fleshly inhabitant of his left side has suffered severely by the charms of Miss BLAKE, a niece of Mr. WHITNEY, who has spent a great deal of time in Mrs. GOODRICH'S family. Oh! you would pity him, had you known all the " thump- ing and bumping '' he has gone through. You wouldn't have expected that such au innocent damsel as the afore- said would have been guilty of any violence to a poor, unoffending fellow-creature. Yet so it was, that she at- t.icked the little castle, and, after a storm of two or three * Miss PORTER was a niece of President DWIGHT, of Yale College, and an intimate school-friend of Mrs. BAR^TOW, then Miss BLAKE;. She afterward married Rev. JOSEPH D. WICKHAM, ot Manchester. Vermont, and died many years ago. Mr. WICKHAM still survives her, and we are indebted to him for many valuable reminiscences sug- gested by this occasion. The above letter came, som3 years since, into the hands of Mrs. ELI "W. BLAKE, of Xew Haven, and to her kindness we owe its pres- ervation and the privilege of such a choice addition to our pages. 16 A GOLDEN REMEMBRANCE. months, she carried the siege, and shouted victory ! You must not think, however, that the modest Miss Blake showed any forwardness on the subject, for I assure you this was far from being the case. I suppose that, after much solicitation, she graciously bowed assent, and thus insured the tranquility and happiness of the Reverend Sir, &c." It is pleasant to go back to the days of care- fully-elaborated epistles, and compare them with the short jaunty notes of our day ! The reading of this extract was followed by the singing of the following song, written by Mrs. Dr. MACDONALD, of Mushing, and sung to " Auld Lang Syne " by the whole company : How brightly shone the summer sun, Just fifty years ago, When we upon life's pilgrimage Together vowed to go. 'Twas fifty years ago, my friend, Just fifty years ago ; And we were strong in heart and hope Full fifty years ago. A GOLDEN KEMEMr.UANCE. 17 Wu climbed by many a weary steep, We trod the grassy plain, And love made sweeter every joy, And lighter every pain ; And brighter shines the light of love, A- we still journey ou, And strong in heart and hope we stand Though fifty years are gone. And though upon our shortened way The evening shades descend ; 8till youthful hands are linked in ours, Our trembling steps t' attend ; And children's children, gathered here, With loving accents own : We yet are strong in heart and hope Though fifty years have flown. And when our pilgrimage is o'er, And we may gather where A Heavenly Bridegroom spreads the feast His chosen guests shall share : We'll bless the gracious Father's hand That led us safely on, And made us strong in heart and hope When fifty years had gone. E. H. M. AUGUST 19, 1868. Eev. Dr. OIICUTT then follows with a very ink-r- esting sketch* of the families of both Dr. and * Dr. O.'s narrative will be found entire in the Appendix. li 2* 18 A GOLDEN REMEMBRANCE. Mrs. BAKSTOW. From him we learn that of the original band of eleven brothers and sisters of Mrs. BAIISTOW who were present at her marriage, eight still survive ; and six of them, with the mar- riage companions of their youth, are present to- day ; while nine of the families of brothers and sisters are fully represented. This fact is most remarkable in itself. Indeed, no one can see the very excellent photographic view taken by Mr. FIIENCH, of Keene, of this family group, without recalling the lines written by the Baroness of Nairn, in her seventy-sixth year : " Would you be young again ! So would not 1 1 One tear to memory given, Onward I'll hie. Lite's dark wave forded o'er, All but at rest on shore ; Say, would you plunge once more With home so nigh ?" Dr. OECUTT concludes with a cordial expression of his own hearty congratulations, and fitly pre- pares the way for the " Gloria in Excelsis", which is now sung, and the closing benediction pro- nounced by Dr. BARSTOW. After the close of the services, the ancient A GOLDEN KKMKMIIIIANCK. 10 dining-room, where hangs the portrait of Mrs. BARSTOW, wreathed with ivy, and surmounted by the inotto, " Honor thy Father and thy Mother ", opens its always-hospitable doors to the partakers of an abundant and tastefully- ordered entertain- ment ; and, as if to add to the picture its last and finishing touch, here stands, as one of the attend- ants at the table, a portly colored dame, whom we easily recognize as a familiar household-friend, early taught in Mrs. BARSTOW'S excellent domestic- school, and the faithful and cherished friend of her children. There are several minor memories of the after- noon which we would not willingly forget. One was the touching simplicity with which Dr. BAR- STOW, in his response to his son, said : " We would what you say were true we would it were true ;" and another, the surprised and somewhat appre- hensive mirth that beamed in the faces of each of the pair, on the reading of Miss PORTER'S very droll letter. After its close, and when Dr. WHIT- NEY BARSTOW declared the seal of secresy to be removed, this mirth became an exquisite bit of nature, and came to the rescue, as nature always 20 A GOLDEN KEMEMBKANCE. does, when pathos was almost overpowering. Neither would we fail to specify the appropriate- ness of the many and very elaborate mottoes and floral decorations. Nothing occurred prettier than the cutting of the huge wedding-cake, bearing its initial " B ", with the double date, by the Bride of 1818, with trembling hands, that have "done so faithfully with their might whatsoever they have found to do ", for so many years, and have never faltered in their unselfish labors. The Ba.nd, too, in picturesque costume, always striking the key-note to the hour, played "Auld Lang Syne", " Sweet Home", and finally led the whole assemblage in " Old Hundred ". In the sitting-room stood the table of wedding- gifts. They were various and valuable, and not only largely testified to fraternal and family at- tachment, but bore ample witness to the firm hold which Dr. and Mrs. BARSTOW have secured upon the affectionate appreciation of their towns -people. Different denominations, and especially clergymen of different denominations, united in golden ex- pressions of cordial regard, alike honorable to A GOLDEN RKMlC.MU'tANCK. 21 giver and receiver. Indeed, how could it be other- wise ? Dr. BAESTOW is " A man to all the country dear, And" (we cannot forbear to complete the rouplot) " passing rieh. a'_ t' >rty pounds a year " ; and the departing years, while they have win- nowed the old friendships, have confirmed the old ties. And so the day, as all earthly days must, drew on to its close. Never did the lingering sunset adorn a more lovely occasion, or one more fitted to lead the imagination onward to that "Celestial Country " of which all present beauty is typical, and where alone it will find its fulfillment : 'Thou hast no shore. f;ui orr.ui ! Thou hast no time, bright day ! Dear fountain of refreshment To Pilgrims far away : Unto the Rock of Ages They raise the holy tower ; Thine is the victor's laurel, And thine the golden dower. * Dr. XEALE'S translation of the " Celestial Country ". A GOLDEN IlKMEUBKAXCE. " They stand, those halls of Siou, Conjubilant with song, And bright with many an an'^el, And all the martyr throng ; The Prince is ever in them, The daylight is serene, Tho pastures of the blessed Are decked in glorious sheen." H. .UPPLEMENT. ORDER OF EXERCISES t JlEY. PR. <^ /ViRS. PARSTOW, i. Address of Children. II. Reply of Parents. III. Ps. xix. "The Lord is my Shepherd." IV. Letter from Dr. Wm. Barstow, San Francisco, Cal. v. Prayer, by Rev. Dr. Orcutt, OF NEW YORK CITY. VI. Reading of Other Letters. VII. "The Fiftieth Wedding-Day." ' Auld Lang Svne." VIII. Historical Narrative, by Rev. Dr. Orcutt. IX. Gloria in Excelsis Deo. x. Benediction, by Rev. Dr. Barstow. 'AMILY (Sxoldea ^We Photographed by Mr. J. A. FBEtfCH, KEY. DR. AND MRS. BARSTOW. DR. J. W. BARSTOW AND WIFE, Their Children, LILY and DONALD. MR. ELI W. BLAKE AND WIFE, . . . New Haven, Conn. MB. GEORGE A. BLAKE, .... " Miss CAROLINE E. BLAKE/ ... " " DR. ELIHU BLAKE AND WIFE, . . " Miss EMMA BLAKE, " MR. JOSIAH W. BLAKE AXD WIFE, . . . Boston, Mass. MRS. GEORGE W. MIXER, .... " MR. JOHN A. BLAKE, New Haven, Conn. Miss LIZZIE BLAKE, .... Miss ADDIE BLAKE, " " REV. DR. JOHN ORCUTT AND WIFE, . . New York City. Mi*s ISABELLA BLAKE, Truro, Mass. MRS. ARCHIBALD BURGESS, . . . Westboro', Mass. Miss SARAH BURGESS, Keene, N. H. Miss MARIA G. BURGESS, New Haven, Conn. HISTORICAL BY REV. Pit. OKCUTT. HE marriage of these dear and venerable friends, whose " GOLDEN WEDDING" we are met to-day to celebrate, was solemnized at the bride's parental home, in Westborough, Mass., on the evening of the 19th of August, 1818. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. ELISHA ROCK- WOOD, who was then, and for many years after- ward, pastor of the church of which the bride was a member. Dr. ROCKWOOD was subsequently set- tled in Swanzey, N. H., where, after an honored pastorate of twenty years, he died, in 1858, leav- ing a memory fragrant with all pleasant recollec- tions. Of the eleven brothers and sisters who were present, or who were living, at the time of the wed- ding, fifty years ago, eight still survive. Those deceased are : 30 A GOLDEN HEMEMBKANCE. I. CHARLES T., who died in Oporto, Portugal, in 1818, aged eighteen years. II. MARIA G., wife of the late Rev. ARCHIBALD BUEGESS, of Hancock, N. H., who died in 1840, aged forty years, leaving seven children. III. GEORGE W., who died at Buenos Ayres, S. A., in 1842, aged thirty-six years. The latter was the subject of the interesting memoir, entitled " The Young Christian Mer- chant ", prepared by Mrs. BARSTOW, and published, some years since, by the American Tract Society, of Boston. The eight remaining children are all now living with the wedded companions of their youth. Six of these, with their companions, are present on this memorable occasion, and nine of the families are here represented. It is a noteworthy fact, that the eight surviving children have lived with their marriage com- panions more than thirty years, and two of them fifty years and over. A venerable pastor, near New York, stated, in his fortieth anniversary sermon, that of the one hundred and seventy families in which the mar- .A GOLDEN 'KEMEMBRANCE. 31 riage tie existed at the time of his settlement, only ten remained. In this one family we have four instances where the marriage tie has not been severed in forty years, and eight cases in which it has existed over thirty years. Surely, this fact calls for special thanksgiving ; for it gives a bright lustre to the gems of this golden occasion ! The groom was the youngest of six children, only one of whom, besides himself, survives : a sister, of nearly ninety years ; and, we are happy to say, with the exception of gray hairs, which are honorable, we find him not laid aside by infirmi- ties, but still fresh and vigorous ready for the service of his Master and his fellow-men. May the blessing of Heaven, as heretofore, con- tinue to rest upon the bridal pair of this GOLDEN WEDDING ; and may they live to see yet many good days with their children and friends, and to extend to others the same affectionate congratu- lations which we so heartily offer to them on this truly delightful anniversary ! s a supplement to the description of this village landmark already given by the graceful pen of " H ", we venture to add a few items of its history, which we have since collected, and which will have a value in the eyes of fam- ily friends, even if they should not interest the general reader. Who built the house V and when ? are, as has been already implied, questions which neither history nor tradition can answer. It is believed to be the oldest dwelling-house in Keene ; and its exterior tells, at a glance, the story of its antiquity. The broad, heavy roof; the single low and capacious chimney ; the small windows ; and the narrow-paneled door, still bear- ing its ponderous brass knocker, which, before the days of the modern bell-pull, was wont to A GOLDEN REMEMBRANCE. ' 33 announce the arrival of friend or stranger ; the square front-yard, well shaded with elms and maples many of them planted by the hand of the present occupant all announce to the passer- by, that this is one of the few remaining old- fashioned New England homes. The house was probably built for a tavern, and as such we know it was occupied until about the commencement of the present century. In the records of Dartmouth College, it ap- pears that " the first meeting of the Trustees of the College was held, agreeable to charter, at Keen, in the Province of New Hampshire, October ye 22d, 1770, notice thereof having been given by the President, " &c. That meeting, it is ascer- tained,* was held in this house, then known to travelers, far and wide, as " Frink's Tavern" ; and the place was doubtless selected as a convenient rallying-point for the Trustees, who were scattered through the Provinces, from Upper New Hamp- shire to Connecticut. The Reverend President, and Founder of the College, Doctor ELEAZEE * From Rev. S. PAYSON, D. B., of Eindge, N. H., 1818. 34 A GOLDEN REMEMBRANCE. WUEELOCK, presided at this meeting ; and Rev. WILLIAM PATTEN acted as clerk. At that period, the south front-room was the all-important bar-room of the establishment. The bar stood in the southeast corner ; and, though that feature has long since disappeared, the closet is still shown which served as tap-room, with its sliding-table for jugs and glasses, beneath which a short staircase once descended to the cellar below. In 1775 the house was occupied by Oapt. ISAAC WYMAN. The news of the battle of Lexington (April 19, 1775) having reached Keene by an express messenger, a meeting of the citizens was at once called, and it was voted that a body of men should be sent to oppose the Regulars. Capt. W. was nominated as their leader; and, although advanced in years, he cheerfully consented to go. Volunteers were called for, and thirty men pre- sented themselves. Capt. W. ordered them to go home at once, provide provisions for the march, and rendezvous next morning, at sunrise, at his house, prepared to hasten to the relief of the Continentals. A GOLDEN KEMEMBKANCE. : '-"i They accordingly started next morning ; and, as the sun rose, they commenced their march to Concord, Mass., without waiting to be joined by volunteers from any of the neighboring towns.* We thus find that it was from the " OLD PAR- SONAGE" that the first squad of Keene soldiers set forth to fight the battles of the Eevolution. The next year "the people of Keene solemnly engaged to oppose with arms the hostile proceed- ings of the British Fleets and Armies against the United American Colonies " ; and in this move- ment, also, we find that Capt. WYMAN took a prominent part. In 1799, we learn from the Hon. JOHN PEENTISS, that WM. WAKD BLAKE was the landlord of the house, and that he (Mr. P.) then boarded in it. Capt. ISAAC WYUAX, Jr. (son of the Capt. W. above mentioned), lived here about the year 1810, and died while building the house next north of it, now the residence of JAMES B. ELLIOTT, Esq. In the centre of the house, and encroaching largely upon its area, is the huge chimney, eleven feet square, built with clay mortar, as was com- -Vi.de "H ALE'S ANNALS". 36 A GOLDEN ItEMEMBUANCE. mon in the days when lime was scarce and ex- pensive. In the second story, over the bar-room, and occupying the entire south end, was the ancient 'ball-room, where the swains and belles of the Ashuelot valley were wont to hold their rustic assemblies, and shake the sturdy oaken beams with the country-dance and the more elaborate pigeon- wings. Many years ago, in repairing some of the old wainscoting, was found a woman's shoe, with high wooden heel and pointed toe, which may have slipped from the reach of the fair owner in one of those rustic romps, and, perhaps, changed "hunt the slipper" into a serious, but vain search, which compelled a barefooted return home, after the night's frolic. The external features of the house have been somewhat modified in later years. The wings at either end are modern, having been added, in 1822, by the present occupant. The rear, also, has been extended; and roof- slates now take the place of the venerable shin- gles. The broad, stone step at the kitchen-door has a history, being once the front-door step of the " worthy CLEMENT SUMNEII", who was the minister A GOLDEN REMEMBRANCE. of the town in 1761. When, or by whom, the stone was removed, and thus placed, we cannot learn ; but the fact was stated by an old village oracle, known long ago in Keene as " Farmer WELLS.'* But Time, with all its changes, has dealt gently with the " Old Parsonage.'* as with its present honored inmates. Forth from its door, in the hurrying years, have gone children, and children's children ; the stranger, fed and clothed and com- forted; the friend, the neighbor, the seeker after truth, the anxious soul, with its burden lightened by pastoral prayer and sympathy. Newly-married pairs of three generations have set forth from its threshold to begin life's serious work ; gay throngs have assembled here for social enjoyment ; the voice of prayer has risen to Heaven, " when two or three were met together ;" and no morning sun has ever shone into that quiet parlor but has witnessed the pastors solemn in- vocation of blessings upon his people and their children. 38 A GOLDEN REMEMBRANCE. Sickness and death, too, have left their memo- ries here sad, but sacred. Days and nights of anxious watching have been spent within these walls ; God's angels have entered, to silence the voice of happy children ; and weeping friends have moved from the door, to carry the precious dust to its last resting-place. What wonder, then, that the present generation clings to the old home, which is hallowed by so many treasured associations ! What wonder that we gather, while we may, the few remaining frag- ments of its history, jealous lest " time, which steals our years away, Shall steal our treasures, too !" The " Old. Parsonage" -has seen a century com- pleted. It stands as a landmark in the path of progress; it has earned a strong hold in the affections of the community ; it is a shrine sacred to pastoral and domestic memories. May that sad day be long in coming, which shall see its roof- tree fall, and its place left vacant ! J. W. B. Hollinger Corp. pH8.5