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The 
Discovery  of  a   Grandmother 


Glimpses  into  the  Homes  and  Lives  of 

Eight  Generations  of  an  Ipswich-Paine  Family 

Gathered  together 

by 
One  of  the  Ninth 

for 

The  Tenth,  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Generations 


L'^ci'ia  Ko6-  /  ^_  -.e")  Ccivtev 


Henry  H.  Carter 

Newtonville,  Mass. 

1920 


jyr  KEW  YO".K 

PI  ■"         ^^r:ARY 
872069 


COPYRIGHT,  1920, 
BY  HENRY  H.  CARTER 


Limited  Edition 


rSINTED  At  IHE  PLIMPTON  PRESS,  NOKWOOD,  MASS.,  C.  S.  A. 


TO  MY  SISTER,  EUGENIE  HALE  PAINE 

WITHOUT  WHOSE  ENCOURAGING  INTEREST  AND  HELP 

THESE  GLIMPSES  WOULD  NOT  HAVE  TAKEN  A  PERMANENT  FORM 

AND  IN  MEMORY  OF 

OUR  PARENTS  AND  SISTERS  AND  OF  THE  HOME 

IT  IS  MY  PLEASURE  AND  PRIVILEGE  TO 

OFFER    THESE   FAMILY  RECORDS 

Cbbibtmas,  1919 


THE  DISCOVERY   OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

She  came  into  the  world  in  1787. 
She  came  into  my  life  in  1917. 

In  the  summer  of  1917  the  old  home  of  seventy  years,  in 
Bangor,  Maine,  was  broken  up  and  the  furnishings  sent  to 
diverging  points.  Many  of  the  books,  manuscripts,  and 
pictures  were  sent  to  the  Bangor  pubhc  Hbrary,  which  had 
recently  lost  its  all  by  fire. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  weeks  one  of  these  was  returned  to 
our  family,  a  small  book  written  over  in  faint  ink.  We  read 
and  reread,  with  almost  exciting  interest,  the  pages  written  in 
bygone  days,  by  the  Grandmother,  Abiel  Ware  Paine.  While 
my  father  had  said,  "My  mother  was  one  of  the  saints  of  the 
earth,"  and  my  mother,  "Your  father's  mother  was  a  remark- 
able woman,"  we  never  knew  her  except  as  to  name,  and  that 
only  as  to  the  "Paine"  and  "Ware."  Now  she  is  one  of  my 
most  cherished  possessions. 

It  soon  became  my  wish  that  my  children  and  their  children 
should  own  her,  too,  and  I  conceived  the  scheme  of  putting  into 
permanent  form  these  jottings  of  hers. 

This  was  my  first  thought,  but  when  the  Auto-Biography  of 
my  father  was  sent  me  and  a  Journal  written  by  him  in  the 
thirties,  when  he  first  started  his  law  practice  of  seventy  years 
in  Bangor,  my  plans  began  to  broaden.  There  was  my  father's 
brother.  Rev.  Timothy  Otis  Paine  of  Elmwood,  the  man, 
the  scholar,  the  poet.  There  was  my  father's  dear  and  intimate 
cousin,  Hon.  Henry  W.  Paine  of  Cambridge,  for  many  years 

5 


6  THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A  GRANDMOTHER 

one  of  the  leading  lawyers  of  the  SuflFolk  Bar.  Why  not  tell 
the  story  of  the  Paine  family  who  were  born  and  who  grew 
up  in  the  little  town  of  Winslow,  on  the  Kennebec,  in  the 
sight  and  sound  of  the  famous  Tecomet  Falls  and  under  the 
shadow  of  old  Fort  Halifax  of  French  and  Indian  war-time 
fame? 

Later,  other  manuscript  books  were  sent  me  by  other  grand- 
daughters. 

There  was  the  Genealogy  written  and  published  by  my 
father,  "The  Paine  Family,  Ipswich  Branch."  Why  not  begin 
where  history  began  for  us,  in  the  1600's? 

The  result  of  this  questioning  is  this  volume,  whose  mission, 
I  hope,  will  be  to  give  to  every  one  of  the  descendants  a  knowl- 
edge of  and  an  interest  in  the  fine  qualities  that  are  theirs  by 
right  of  inheritance. 

It  is  not  a  genealogy,  but  is  the  result  of  an  effort,  so  fur  as 
the  material  has  allowed,  to  visualize  the  lives  of  our  early 
ancestors,  to  restore  the  picture  of  the  Grandmother's  life, 
and  to  show  by  the  lives  of  her  children  that  her  influence 
"carried  on." 

LYDIA    AUGUST.\    CARTER. 

Newtonville,  1918 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Pabt  I.   From  England  to  Winslow 11 

Chapter  One.        From  England  to  Ipswich 13 

"          Two.        From  Ipswich  to  Foxboro 21 

"          Three.   From  Foxboro  to  Winslow 29 

Part  IT.   Winslow.     Lemuel  and  Jane  Warren  Paine.  ...  35 

Chapter  One.       Winslow 38 

"          Two.       Lemuel  and  Jane  Warren  Paine 42 

Three.   Henry  W.  Paine 52 

"          Four.      Edward  Augustus  Paine 61 

Five.      Rachel  Paine  Pratt 63 

Part  m.   Frederic  and  Abiel  Ware  Paine, 

"The  Grandmother" 65 

Chapter  One.        Frederic  and  Abiel  Ware  Paine 67 

"          Two.       The  Grandmother's  Journals 76 

"          Three.   Stray  Leaves 81 

Four.     The  Sketch  Book 94 

"          Five.       Daily  Thoughts  and  Occurrences 119 

Six.         The  Recorder 132 

"         Seven.    Some  Old  Letters 147 

Part  IV.   "The  Worthy  Portion.    The  Blessed  Children"  155 

Chapter  One.       Cloverside,  the  Old  Homestead 157 

"  Two.       Charles  Frederic 

Sketch  of  His  Life 159 

Thirteen  Half  Dollars 161 

"         Three.  Benjamin  Crowninshield 188 

Four.     The  Daughters 190 

7 


8  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Part  V.  Bangor.    Albert  Ware  and  Mary  Hale   Paine..  195 

Chapter  One.       Early  Life  from  Auto-Biography 198 

The  Journal 202 

Two.        The  Country  under  Jackson,  1835-6 204 

Three.   Bangor  in  1835-6 221 

"  Foim.      The   Young   Man  and  Lawyer  in   1835-6 

Aspiration 236 

"  Five.       Extracts  from  the  Auto-Biography 

Realization 245 

Six.         Letters 267 

"         Seven.    Mary   Hale   Paine 272 

Selma   Ware   Paine.     Poems 279 

Part  VI.  Elmwood.    Timothy    Otis    and    Agnes    Howard 

Paine 287 

Chapter  One.       The  Home 292 

The  Mother 301 

Two.       The  Pastor 305 

A  Sermon 307 

Three.  The  Scholar 311 

Four.     The  Poet 316 

"         Five.       Extracts  from  a  Journal  and  Letters 320 

Sex.         Poems  of  the  Segur 326 

Part  VH.  The  Patriots  of  the  Family 335 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

The  Grandmother,  Abiel  Ware  Paine,  at  Sixty-one.  .  .Frontispiece 

Drawn  and  framed  by  T.  O.  Paine 
Paine  Coat  of  Arms facing  page       16 

From  water  color 
Abbey  of  St.  Edmands,  Bury  St.  Edmands.   St.  Mary's  Church       18 
Home  of  William  Paine,  Gen.  I,  at  Ipswich 22 

From  wash  drawing 
Home  of  William  Paine,  Gen.  V,  at  Foxboro 28 

From  drawing  by  T.  O.  P. 
Home  of  Lemuel  Paine.  Gen.  VI,  at  Foxboro. 30 

From  drawing  by  T.  O.  P. 
Home  of  Lemuel  Paine,  Gen.  VI,  at  Foxboro 32 

From  photograph 
Pen  and  Ink  Sketches  by  Asa  Paine,  Gen.  VII,  at  the  Age 

of  Twelve 34-35 

From  original,  1794 

Old  Winslow 38 

Lemuel  Paine,  Gen.  VII 42 

From  daguerreotype 

Henry  W.  Paine,  Gen.  Vni 56 

Frederic  Paine  at  Sixty-five,  Gen.  VII 66 

From  daguerreotype 
Abiel  Ware  Palne,  at  Sixty -three 72 

From  daguerreotype 

The  Old  Church  at  Winslow 82 

Rev.  Thomas  Adams 82 

Facsijiile  of  Abiel  Ware  Paine's  Sketch  Book 94 

Timothy's  Chamber,  at  Cloverside 120 

From  drawing  by  T.  O.  P. 
Cloverside,  the  Old  Homestead 156 

From  drawing  by  T.  O.  P. 

Charles  Frederic  Paine,  Gen.  VIII 160 

From  daguerreotype 

9 


10  ILLUSTRATIONS 

The  Home  Lane facing  page  170 

Albert  Ware  Paine,  at  Eightt,  Gen.  VIII 198 

Inscriptio;^  on  Lexington  Monument 200 

Copy  by  A.  W.  P.  at  twelve,  facsimile 

The  Home  at  88  Court  St 262 

His  Garden  Mine  of  Health    266 

Mart  Hale  Paine,  at  Seventy-five 272 

Seliu.  Ware  Paine.  Gen.  IX 280 

Timothy  Otis  Paine,  at  TniRTr-EiGHT,  Gen.  VIH 292 

Agnes  Howard,  at  Twenty-two 302 

From  daguerreotype 

The  Temple 312 

From  drawing  by  T.  O.  P. 

To  A  Chickadee 326 

Facsimile  of  manuscript  of  T.  O.  P.  18-12 


PART   I.      FROM  ENGLAND   TO    WINSLOW 

Chapter  One.  From  England  to  Ipswich 

Two.  From  Ipswich  to  Foxboro 

Three.  From  Foxboro  to  Winsiow 


Illustrations 

Paine  Coat  of  Arms,  from  water  color 

Abbey  of  St.  Edmands,  Bury  St.  Edmands,  St.  Mary's  Church 
Home  of  William  Paine,  Gen.  I,  at  Ipswich,  from  wash  drawing 
Home  of  William  Paine,  Gen.  V,  at  Foxboro,  from  drawing  by 

T.  O.  P. 
Home  of  Lemuel  Paine,  Gen.  VI,  at  Foxboro,  from  drawing  by 

T.  O.  P. 
Home  of  Lemuel  Paine,  Gen.  VI,  from  photograph 
Pen  and  Ink  Sketch,  by  Asa  Paine,  Gen.  VII,  at  the  age  of 

twelve,  from  original,  1794 
Lemuel  Paine,  Gen.  VII,  from  daguerreotype 
Henry  W.  Paine,  Gen.  VIII 


CHAPTER  ONE 

FROM  ENGLAND   TO   IPSWICH. 
ANTE-EMIGRATION  PERIOD 

In  1886  my  father,  Albert  Ware  Paine,  writes  in  his  auto- 
biography: 

During  the  last  eight  or  ten  years,  I  interested  myself  largely 
in  hunting  up  my  ancestry  and  establishing  the  genealogy 
of  our  family.  The  work  was  an  arduous  one  and  one  where 
at  the  start  I  had  nothing  to  start  with.  I  knew  nothing  of 
my  family  back  of  my  own  father,  the  7iame  of  his  father  not 
being  known.  But  by  perseverance  I  went  my  way  and  what 
I  at  last  accomplished  is  made  evident  by  my  published  work, 
"Paine  Family,  Ipswich  Branch."  The  family  was  so  little 
known  that  it  had  no  distinctive  name  and  it  was  left  to  me  to 
name  it,  as  I  did,  "The  Ipswich  Branch." 

Having  accomplished  so  much,  I  could  not  bear  to  have  my 
labor  lost,  and  so  I  concluded  to  perpetuate  it  by  publishing 
the  work,  as  I  did  (1881). 

My  father  being  by  nature  "a  digger,"  when  undertaking 
any  work,  was  never  content  not  to  go  back  to  the  very  begin- 
nings of  things.  So,  in  his  genealogical  researches,  while  he 
started  by  seeking  a  more  intimate  acquaintance  with  his 
immediate  ancestors,  he  ended  by  going  back  to  the  Aryans, 
via  Scandinavians,  etc.  He  divided  his  Genealogy  into  two 
parts,  the  Ante-Emigration  and  Post-Emigration  Periods. 
In  the  latter  he  felt  himself  on  sure  ground,  and  in  the  former 
he  was  very  hopeful  of  the  accuracy  of  his  conclusions. 

Passing  over  this  general  history  of  the  human  race,  I  begin 
with  what  he  calls  "The  Family  Patronymic." 

Part  I  consists  almost  entirely  of  extracts  from  this  Gene- 
alogy. 

13 


14         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

The  Family  Patronymic 

The  patronymic  of  the  family,  the  surname  of  "Paine,"  in 
its  various  forms  of  spelling,  proves  beyond  a  doubt  its  Norman 
origin.  In  Bardsley's  "History  of  English  Surnames"  a 
minute  history  of  the  name  is  given. 

Rollo  or  Rolf,  the  Northman,  in  the  9th  century,  firmly 
established  himself  in  power  as  Duke  of  Normandy  and  be- 
came a  convert  to  Christianity,  and  with  his  encouragement 
and  support  the  doctrines  became  generally  received  in  the 
villages  of  his  dukedom.  The  people  outside  of  the  larger 
places  still  held  very  generally  to  the  former  creeds  and  re- 
sisted tlie  innovation.  So  generally  was  this  the  case  that  to 
be  a  "countryman"  came  to  be  merely  another  name  for 
unbeliever,  so  that  the  same  word  —  "paganus" — came  to 
represent  or  express  a  two-fold  meaning.  Hence  the  word 
which  originally  meant  a  dweller  in  the  country  as  distinguished 
from  one  in  the  city,  came  to  be  a  reproach  as  expressive  of 
the  idea  of  an  enemy  of  tlie  Christian  religion,  the  two  words 
"peasant"  and  "pagan"  being  used  to  express  a  liver  in  the 
country  and  a  disbeliever. 

A\lien  William  the  Conqueror  passed  over  to  England  a 
large  number  of  this  class  of  citizens  went  with  him  and  the 
term  Pagan  spread  over  the  Island. 

At  about  the  same  time,  the  habit  became  prevalent  of 
using  surnames  to  indicate  unity  or  identity  of  family  con- 
nections and  this  word  was  very  naturally  adopted  for  that 
purpose  and  became  one  of  the  most  common  surnames,  lasting 
long  after  its  original  signification  hfid  ceased.  The  name 
gradually  changed  its  form  from  Paganus  to  Pagan,  Pagen, 
Payen,  Payne  and  Paine,  also  Payson,  Py.son  and  others.  In 
Italy  it  took  the  form  of  "Paganini"  or  "Pagani."  It  indicates 
only  a  common  Norman  descent.  Bardsley  writes,  "At  the 
close  of  the  Norman  dynasty,  it  had  threatened  to  become  one 


FROM  ENGLAND   TO  IPSWICH  15 

of  the  most  familiar  appellations  in  England  and  this  while 
in  our  dictionaries  'pagan'  still  represents  a  state  of  heathen- 
ism, in  our  directories  it  has  long  been  converted  to  the  pur- 
pose of  Christianity  and  become  at  the  baptismal  font  a 
Christian  name." 

Hugh  de  Payne 

Following  close  upon  the  Norman  conquest,  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  eleventh  century,  the  Crusades  began  to  rage. 
The  history  of  the  first,  which  was  composed  largely  of  Nor- 
mans imder  the  leadership  of  Robert  Duke  of  Normandy,  and 
which  commenced  its  march  in  the  last  year  of  that  century 
has  a  peculiar  interest  to  the  Paine  race.  At  the  termination 
of  this  crusade,  Hugh  de  Payne  remained  behind  for  the  pur- 
pose of  more  surely  securing  its  grand  results.  For  long 
months  he,  with  others,  acted  the  part  of  guide  for  all  such 
pilgrims  as  might  need  aid  and  conduct  to  their  journey's 
end  and  more  particularly  from  the  crossing  of  the  Jordan  to 
the  city  of  Jerusalem.  For  this  purpose  he  organized  a  force 
adapted  to  the  occasion  and  diligently  attended  to  the  work. 
In  company  with  Godfrey  de  St.  Omer,  he  instituted  an  order 
known  as  the  "Templars  of  the  Cross,"  the  sole  object  of  which 
was  to  further  the  great  objects  of  the  Crusaders'  mission, 
by  protecting  the  Holy  Places  and  rendering  safe  the  journey 
of  all  pilgrims  to  the  Holy  Shrine.  The  original  organization 
embraced  only  seven  others  beside  themselves.  Starting 
with  this  small  beginning,  the  order  soon  began  to  extend  its 
limits  and  its  power  until  it  became  the  most  powerful  and 
opulent  of  all  organizations.  Started  in  a.d.  1118,  it  continued 
to  exist  until  1312,  when  it  was  abolished  by  Philip  the  Fair 
and  Pope  Clement  V. 

To  establish  this  Hugh  de  Payen  as  the  progenitor  of  the 
Ipswich  Branch  of  the  Paine  family,  my  father  gave  very  care- 
ful study,  made  very  careful  deductions,  and  drew  his  con- 


16         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

elusions  to  his  own  satisfaction,  so  that  in  his  mind  there 
remained  very  httle  doubt  of  his  identity  as  the  ancestor 
to  whom  and  to  whose  father  we  should  turn  as  being  the 
first  in  written  history. 

In  Domesday  we  read  "Edmund,  the  son  of  Pagen,  holds 
of  the  King  and  Hugh  liolds  of  him." 

Domesday 

When  William  the  Conqueror  became  fully  seated  in  power, 
he  divided  his  land  largely  among  the  soldiers  and  followers 
from  his  native  state.  After  this  general  division,  he  caused 
an  inventory  and  appraisal  of  the  whole  kingdom  to  be  made, 
taking  account  not  only  of  the  names  of  the  parties  occupant 
but  also  of  all  their  estates  with  the  names  of  the  dispossessed 
owners,  and  the  higher  chiefs  or  barons  under  whom  they 
held.  These  reports  were  reduced  to  order  and  compiled 
under  the  name  of  "The  Domesday."  The  original  com- 
pilation was  in  1086  and  has  been  preserved  with  all  the  care 
of  Holy  Writ. 

Throughout  this  book  there  are  a  large  number  of  in- 
stances showing  the  holdings  of  Pagen  (Payne)  in  various  parts 
of  England.  On  this  broad  Norman  plateau,  every  family  of 
"Paine"  may  find  his  ancestral  home,  if  only  he  is  able  to 
trace  it  out. 

Coat  of  Arms 

My  father  turns  critically  to  the  Coat  of  Arms  and  to  the 
names  of  William  and  Robert  which  occur  so  frequently 
throughout  the  early  generations,  William  the  Conqueror  and 
Duke  Robert  being  patrons  of  the  Paynes. 

Not  that  the  Coat  of  Arms  was  that  used  by  Hugh  de  Payne, 
for  he  died  before  these  were  adopted  in  England,  but  that  the 
assumer  was  of  his  lineage,  none  other  having  a  right  to  assume 
his  characteristics,  save  his  heirs,  these  being  as  a  sacred  heir- 
loom,  their   title   alone.     Some   one   or  two  centuries    passed 


'C  LIBp'AfiY 


FROM  ENGLAND   TO  IPSWICH  17 

before  such  Coats  of  Arms  were  adopted  and  very  shortly  after 
that  we  find  that  of  "Leicester  and  Suffollc  Counties"  used  by 
the  progenitors  of  the  Ipswich  Branch  then  living  at  Market 
Bosworth  in  the  County  of  Leicester.  Few  subjects  con- 
nected with  the  early  history  of  a  family  have  more  interest 
than  that  of  the  Coat  of  Arms  adopted  by  its  early  founders. 
This  not  only  tells  of  the  general  character  or  specific  virtues 
of  the  assumer  or  his  progenitors,  but  furnishes  the  best  and 
most  reliable  evidence  of  family  identity,  especially  where 
direct  and  positive  means  of  knowledge  are  wanting. 

The  Coat  of  Arms  of  the  Paine  family  is  that  which  in  works 
of  Heraldry  is  known  as  "The  Anns  "of  Payne  of  Market  Bos- 
worth, County  of  Leicester  'and  of  the  County  of  Suffolk." 
The  family  first  settled  in  Leicester  and  afterwards  removed 
to  Suffolk  from  whence  the  original  American  ancestor  emi- 
grated bringing  with  him  for  use,  this  highly  prized  armorial 
ensign. 

The  illustration  given  here  was  taken  from  a  water  color. 
The  colors  are:  the  three  "martlets  sable,"  black;  the  "crest" 
or  wolf's  head,  azure;  the  border  and  belt,  red;  the  shield, 
silver;  the  "bezants"  or  coins  and  "mascles,"  gold. 
In  Burke's  Encyclopaedia  is  this  description: 
" Argent,'  on  a  fesse,^  engrailed,'  gules.*  Between  three 
martlets*  sable,^  as  many  mascles,'  or,**  all  within  a  bordure' 

'  "Argent,"  silver,  referring  to  the  shield,  purity. 

^  "Fesse,"  the  belt  of  the  knight. 

'  "Engrailed,"  indented  or  wavy  edges,  denoting  that  the  honor  was  ob- 
tained with  difficulty. 

*  "Gules,"  red,  referring  to  the  belt,  courage. 

'  "Martlets,"  birds  of  a  swallow  kind  without  feet,  denoting  a  younger  son 
having  no  landed  inheritance. 

'  "Sable,"  black,  denoting  antiquity  of  lineage. 

'  "Mascles,"  the  three  rhombs  of  lozenge  forms  in  the  middle  of  the  belt, 
signifying  meshes  of  a  net;   fishing  privileges. 

'  "Or,"  gold,  goodness. 

'  "Bordure,"  an  additional  honor  or  mark  of  cadency  distinguishing  one 
branch  from  another. 


18         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRAXDMOTHER 

of    the    second,'    bezantee,'^    crest,    a    wolf's     head    erazed,* 
azure  ■*  charged  with  five  bezants,^  salterwise.'  " 

The  Family  Lineage 

The  first  definite  information  of  the  family  is  that  which  is 
found  in  the  "  Visitation  of  Suffolk  County,"  a  work  compiled 
in  1561.  The  family  is  described  in  this  work  as  well  as  by 
Gage  in  his  "History  of  Suffolk  County"  as  resident  in  Leicester- 
shire upon  the  famous  Field  of  Bosworth  where  the  last  great 
battle  of  Roses  was  fought.  The  more  accurate  name  is  Market 
Bosworth,  near  the  central  point  of  the  Kingdom,  it  being  one 
of  the  places  where  Pagen  of  Domesday  had  land.  The  identity 
of  lineage  is  made  certain  by  the  continued  use  of  the  Coat 
of  Arms  by  the  family  at  Bosworth  and  afterwards  in  Suffolk 
County  and  by  the  original  American  families  for  two  gener- 
ations after  emigration. 

Beginning  with  the  history  of  the  family  as  presented  in  the 
"Visitation,"  we  have 

Gen.      I     Sir  Thomas  Payne,  Knight  of  Market  Bosworth: 
14—? 

Gen.    II     Edmund  of   Bosworth,   the  youngest  son  of  Sir 
Thomas:    1540 

Gen.  Ill     William  Payne,  the  eldest  son  and  heir  of  Edmund: 
15—? 

'  "Second,"  of  the  second  color  named  red. 

'  "Bezantee,"  sprinkled  with  round  pieces  of  gold.  Said  to  indicate  the 
coins  of  Byzantium  or  Constantinople,  and  that  they  had  been  to  the  Crusades 
and  ransomed. 

'  "Erazed,"  when  the  head  is  torn  from  the  body  and  presenting  at  the 
neck  a  rough  or  ragged  appearance  instead  of  straight,  showing  strength  as 
against  skill  with  sword. 

*  "Azure,"  blue,  truth  and  fidelity. 

'  "Bezants,"  substantive  of  bezantee,  gold  coins. 

^  "Salterwise,"  arranged  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  X,  signifying  Crusade 
service . 


tif^'^■^^•^,J 


FROM  ENGLAND   TO  IPSWICH  19 

[He  removed  to  Suffolk  County  and  took  up  his  resi- 
dence in  Hengrave  and  is  known  as  Payne  of  Hen- 
grave,  a  man  of  much  note  and  importance  in  his 
day,  being  in  the  service  of  Edward  Stafford,  Duke 
of  Buckingham,  as  baiHff  of  his  Manor  of  Hengrave  J 

Gen.  IV     Anthony    Paine,    Gentleman,    son    of    William    of 
Hengrave : 

[He  lived  at  St.  Edmunds  Bury,  one  of  the  shires 
and  principal  town  of  Suffolk  County  and  had  the 
Manor  of  Newton  settled  on  him  by  his  brother 
Henry.  He  died  and  was  buried  at  Nowton  in 
1608.2 

Gen.    V    William  Paine,  son  of  Anthony : 

[He  was  baptized  at  St.  Mary's  church  in  1565  and 
lived  in  Nowton.  He  inherited  or  had  settled  on 
him  the  Manor  of  Nowton,  the  same  which  Henry, 
the  uncle,  had  bought  of  Henry  VIII  belonging  to 
the  dissolved  monastery  of  St.  Edmunds.  This 
made  him  Lord  of  the  Manor.  The  public  records 
show  that  William  Paine,  sometime  Lord  of  the 
Manor,  was  buried,  Nov.  21,  1648  and  must  have 
been  of  the  age  of  83  years. ] 

Pages  51-54  of  Paine  Genealogy  are  devoted  to  statements 
in  proof  of  this  fact  that  this  William  Paine  of  Nowton  is  the 
father  of  the  William  Paine  who  was  born  in  1598-9  and  who 
emigrated  to  America  in  1635.  My  father  closes  this  part 
of  his  studies  with  these  words: 

As  already  remarked  their  (William  and  Robert)  father 
whosoever  he  may  have  been,  must  have  been  a  grandson  of 
William  Paine  of  Hengrave  who  was  the  first  and  only  person 
who  introduced  the  Coat  of  Arms  from  Leicester  County  into 
Suffolk  and  was  thus  necessarily  the  great-grandfather  of 
William  and  Robert  of  Ipswich. 


20        THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

His  paternity  being  thus,  presumably,  established,  we  have 
an  unbroken  line  of  descent  from  Sir  Thomas  Payne,  Knight  of 
Market  Bosworth  about  the  year  1400  down  to  the  emigration, 
with  the  further  presumption  in  favor  of  the  line  extending 
back  to  embrace  the  Great  Templar  Hugh  de  Payne  of  crusade 
fame  of  the  eleventh  century  and  his  father  the  distinguished 
"Pagen"  of  Domesday. 


CHAPTER  TWO 

FROM  IPSWICH  TO  FOXBORO.  POST-EMIGRATION 
PERIOD  OR  AMERICAN  HISTORY  OF  THE 
FAMILY 

Generation  I 

William  Paine  was  born  in  Suffolk  County,  England,  in 
1598-9,  probably  in  the  Parish  of  Nowton.  He  was,  pre- 
sumably, the  son  of  William  Paine,  Lord  of  the  Manor  of  that 
place.  He  came  to  America  at  the  age  of  37  years  in  the 
ship  Increase,  Robert  Lee  Master,  which  sailed  from  London 
in  April,  1635.  There  came  with  him,  his  wife  Ann  and  five 
children,  the  oldest  eleven  years  and  the  youngest  eight  weeks. 

They  landed  at  Boston  and  immediately  took  up  their  resi- 
dence in  Watertown.  He  formed  one  of  the  "earliest  list 
of  the  inhabitants"  "to  whom  was  allotted  a  grant  of  the 
Great  Dividends  to  the  freeman  and  all  the  townsmen  there 
inhabiting,  being  120  in  number."  To  each  of  them  was  as- 
signed 70  acres.  His  location  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
present  grounds  of  Mt.  Auburn,  on  the  "road  to  the  pond," 
present  Washington  St.,  about  one  half  mile  west  of  Fresh 
Pond. 

He  soon  became  known  as  a  large  landholder  and  continued 
through  life  to  be  a  large  owner  of  property. 

Having  the  prestige  not  only  of  good  birth  but  of  inherited 
wealth,  with  the  additional  characteristic  of  integrity  and 
good  judgment,  he  was  soon  selected  for  the  performance  of 
public  duties  and  the  holding  of  important  trusts.  His  an- 
cestors in  the  old  country  had  been  persons  of  distinction  and 
importance  through  a  succession  of  generations. 

Watertown  soon  after  his  settlement  there,  having  become 

21 


22        THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

surcharged  with  inhabitants,  removals  were  found  necessary 
and  among  those  who  sought  new  homes  in  other  places,  Wil- 
liam Paine  was  one. 

On  July  4,  1639,  he  with  his  brother  Robert  procured  from 
the  legislature  a  grant  of  land  at  Ipswich  "with  leave  to  settle 
a  village  there."  Here  he  resided  for  sixteen  years  aiding 
largely  in  building  up  the  village  and  town.  May  13,  1640 
he  was  admitted  freeman  and  endowed  with  all  the  privileges 
of  citizenship. 

His  name  is  found  all  through  Legislative  records  of  the 
colony,  ever  after,  during  the  rest  of  his  life.  He  was  appointed 
to  establish  limits  of  Northani  (Dover)  of  Hampton  and  Col- 
chester, of  "Excetter  and  Hampton,"  to  settle  difficulties  at 
Hampton,  to  settle  the  lines  of  Dover,  Exeter,  of  Hampton 
and  Salisbury. 

In  1645  he  with  others  was  incorporated  into  a  company 
known  as  "Free  Adventurers,"  for  the  purpose  of  advancing 
the  .settlement  of  Western  Massachusetts,  a  work  of  great 
importance. 

This  enterprise  was  mentioned  frequently  in  Legislative 
acts,  and  was  liberally  endowed.  At  its  beginning,  a  grant 
was  made  to  the  Company  of  a  township  of  land  "about  50 
miles  west  of  Springfield"  near  Fort  Aurania,  on  the  Hudson 
river  and  afterwards  during  his  life  the  attention  of  the  Legis- 
lature was  often  favorably  called  to  the  enterprise.  The 
Dutch  then  held  possession  of  the  river  and  fort,  and  one  of  the 
last  acts  of  William  Paine's  life,  was  to  petition  the  Legislature 
to  open  negotiations  with  the  Dutch  government,  with  a  view 
to  securing  the  free  navigation  of  the  river  to  New  York. 

His  name  is  constantly  associated  with  the  names  of  Gov- 
ernors Dudley  and  Winthrop,  especially  with  the  younger 
Winthrop,  in  connection  with  various  works  of  public  improve- 
ment and  enterprise.  When  a  work  of  importance  was  to  be 
done,  he  seemed  to  have  been  the  Governor's  main  support. 


THE  NEW  voF^j. 
PUBLIC  LIB  RAR/ 


FROM    IPSWICH    TO  FOXBORO  23 

He  owned  five  sixths  of  the  old  stone  dam  liuilt  at  the  head 
of  tide  waters  in  Watertown,  a  corn  mill  being  first  built  there 
and  later  a  "fulling  mill."  He  was  largely  interested  in  the 
Lynn  Iron  Works,  the  first  iron  works  ever  established  in 
America,  known  as  "Hammersmith";  in  the  Iron  Mine  Works 
of  Braintree,  of  New  Haven,  the  Sturbridge  Black  Lead  Mines, 
originally  discovered  by  the  Indians  who  used  the  products 
to  paint  their  faces.  There  is  evidence  that  he  was  interested 
in  ship  building  as  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  part  owner 
of  five  ships.  He  was  an  extensive  owner  of  lands,  among 
other  properties  being  that  of  Thompson's  Island  in  Boston 
Harbor,  the  present  location  of  the  Farm  School.  This  he 
gave  to  his  son  John  at  the  time  of  his  marriage  to  Sarah 
Parker.  The  deed  that  records  this,  records  also  an  assign- 
ment or  sale  of  1500  pounds  of  stock  of  Piscataqua  (Ports- 
mouth). The  records  show  also  ownership  of  lots  in  Toi>sfield, 
Salem,  a  mill  privilege  in  Exeter  and  lands  in  Boston  with 
mention  of  "the  houses  thereon." 

But  it  was  not  solely  as  an  extensive  owner  of  property  that 
William  Paine  was  distinguished.  He  had  important  traits 
of  character  which  tended  to  make  him  a  valuable  member  of 
society  and  to  be  regarded  with  high  esteem  in  the  community. 
He  was  a  sincere  professor  of  religion  and  eminently  a  man  of 
a  high  moral  standard.  His  property  evidently  large  in  amount 
was  ever  treated  as  a  means  of  advancing  the  public  weal  and 
it  would  seem  that  in  his  investments  he  had  an  eye  to  that 
use  of  it  that  would  do  the  most  good. 

During  the  last  five  or  six  years  of  his  life  he  was  an  active 
merchant  of  Boston  having  a  large  credit  and  exercising  his 
trade  on  a  very  extensive  scale.  Judging  from  the  inventory 
of  his  estate,  he  must  have  carried  an  immense  stock  of  goods 
of  till  conceivable  varieties  that  the  wants  of  a  new  community 
could  possibly  demand.  His  credit  sheet  among  the  needy 
classes  was  found  very  extensive  and  liberal. 


24         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

He  was  in  advance  of  his  age  in  matters  of  public  improve- 
ment and  enterprise.  One  of  the  first  objects  of  his  ambition 
as  a  citizen  of  the  "new  world"  was  the  advancement  of  edu- 
cation among  the  common  people.  He  and  his  brother  Robert 
were  two  of  the  foremost  and  most  active  of  a  small  number 
of  men  who,  at  that  early  day,  took  measures  to  establish  and 
endow  a  Free  School  at  Ipswich.  This  has  ever  continued  to 
exist  and  is  doing  its  work  upon  the  fund  which  two  hundred 
and  twenty  or  thirty  years  ago  (about  1660)  they  provided  for 
the  purpose,  the  income  actually  received  during  1879  being 
$330. 

William  Paine  died  Oct.  10,  1660. 

In  his  will  he  made  a  becjuest  to  the  school,  of  a  lot  of  land 
known  as  "Jeffries  Neck"  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ipswich  river 
which  he  devised  to  the  foeffees  of  the  school  to  be  held  inalien- 
able, forever,  "not  to  be  sold  or  wasted."  Further  he  made  a 
donation  of  20  pounds  to  Harvard  College,  small  donations  to 
the  several  clergj'men,  eight  in  number,  settled  over  churches 
in  Boston,  Watertown,  Ipswich,  Sudbury,  Chelmsford,  and 
Rowley.  1500  pounds  to  his  daughter  Hannah  Appleton's 
children,  certain  sums  to  his  wife  and  other  relatives  and  all 
the  remainder  to  his  son  John,  after  providing  "that  if  my 
executors  shall  see  just  cause  for  some  pious  use  and  necessary 
work  to  give  100  pounds,  they  shall  have  power  to  take  it  out 
of  my  estate."  The  will  has  against  his  name  a  seal  of  wax 
with  the  impression  of  a  "wolf  rampant." 

The  place  of  burial  is  not  known  with  certainty,  but  the 
city  records  of  Boston  disclose  the  fact  that  William  Paine's 
grave  is  in  the  Granary  Cemetery  and  following  the  directions 
given,  we  find  it  directly  under  the  back  window  of  the  Athe- 
naeum building,  the  stone  with  the  single  inscription  "Payne" 
upon  it,  forming  a  part  or  being  wrought  into  the  basement  wall 
of  the  building  itself.  "This,  presumably,  is  the  grave  of  the 
original  ancestor  of  the  Ipswich  Branch,  but  it  may  not  be  so." 


FROM  IPSWICH   TO  FOXBORO  25 

The  uniform  spelling  of  his  name  not  only  in  his  will  but  in 
his  correspondence  was  the  same  as  now  used  by  his  family, 
"Paine." 

Generation  II 

John  Paine,  son  of  William,  gen.  I,  was  born  in  England  in 
1632,  and  at  the  age  of  three  years  came  to  America  with  his 
father,  living  with  him  at  Watertown  and  Ipswich.  He  mar- 
ried Sarah  Parker  in  1659  and  took  up  his  residence  in  Boston. 
He  continued  the  various  enterprises  in  which  his  father  was 
engaged  at  death,  especially  his  mills  at  Watertown,  Iron 
Works  at  Lynn,  trade  at  Boston  and  Portsmouth  and  that  of 
the  "Free  Adventurers"  in  Western  Massachusetts.  He  was 
also  interested  in  business  at  Ipswich,  at  Dover  and  Exeter. 
He  appears  to  have  been  a  man  of  great  business  capacity  and 
enterprise. 

Just  before  his  father's  death,  the  Legislature  had  upon 
petition,  ordered  negotiations  entered  into  with  the  Dutch 
government  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  free  navigation  of 
the  Hudson  river  by  Fort  Aurania  and  thence  to  the  ocean. 
Soon  after  his  father's  death  John  appeared  at  New  York 
for  that  purpose  and  also  to  adjust  the  southern  boundary  of 
the  colony.  The  Dutch  having  been  conquered  at  home, 
they  evacuated  New  York  and  the  English  succeeded  to  the 
right  of  free  navigation. 

In  recognition  "of  the  great  pains  taken  by  him"  grants  of 
land  were  made  to  him  by  the  Legislature  at  four  different 
times  amounting  to  many  acres  in  extent,  one  of  4000  being 
in  consideration  of  "the  great  services  in  running  out  our  south- 
ern line."  The  first  grant  was  made  on  condition  "that  he 
should  settle  twenty  families  on  the  territory  and  then  procure 
and  maintain  a  Godly  and  Orthodox  ministry  there." 

As  a  wedding  gift,  Richard  Parker,  the  father  of  his  wife, 
had  conveyed  to  him  a  tract  of  land  of  about  700  acres  at  the 


26         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

north  end  of  Prudence  Island  situated  in  Narragansett  bay 
near  Providence,  R.  I.  An  intimacy  had  grown  up  between 
Gov.  Lovelace  of  New  York  and  John  which  led  the  latter 
to  aid  in  the  erection  of  Fort  James  "at  the  point  of  land 
formed  by  the  Hudson  river  and  Sound"  at  or  near  the  spot 
now  known  as  "Bowling  Green."  He  advanced  the  necessary 
means  out  of  his  own  private  resources  and  so  far  won  the  favor 
of  the  Governor  and  the  Duke  of  York  afterwards  King  James 
II,  that  a  patent  of  "confirmation"  was  made  to  him  by  them 
of  the  island  named,  to  be  held  in  fee  forever  as  a  Free  Manor 
by  the  name  of  "Sophy  Manor."  The  patent  was  made 
subject  to  the  annual  quit-rent  of  "two  barrels  of  syder  and 
six  couple  of  capons,"  this  iu  August,  1072.  The  following 
week  "Paine"  was  made  Governor  of  the  Island  for  life  with 
a  council  to  be  chosen  from  the  inhabitants.  One  article  was 
that  of  religious  freedom.  On  account  of  further  payments 
towards  finishing  the  fort,  he  was  released  from  the  quit-rent 
and  the  island  relieved  from  taxes.  The  island  was  thus 
held  by  him  in  fee  and  as  an  absolutely  independent  state, 
the  smallest  in  America,  being  about  six  miles  long  and  one 
broad.  The  "patent"  and  "commission"  thus  granted  are 
now  on  file  in  manuscript  in  the  Capitol  at  Albany. 

His  government  and  authority  were  of  short  continuance. 
His  grant  was  alleged  to  conflict  with  a  previous  one  made  by 
the  celebrated  Indian  Chief  Canonicus  in  1638  to  Roger 
Williams  and  Gov.  Winthrop  and  his  efforts  to  exercise  author- 
ity aroused  the  spirit  of  the  colony.  He  was  arrested  and 
thrown  into  prison,  but  released  on  bail.  In  the  Court  of 
Trials  he  was  indicted  under  the  law  of  1658  for  unlawfully 
attempting  to  bring  in  a  foreign  jurisdiction  for  "intrusion" 
for  setting  up  a  new  government  within  the  limits  of  a  former 
one  without  due  authority.  In  this  emergency  he  appealed 
to  the  Governor  but  he  had  no  power  to  stay  the  proceedings 
and  Mr.  Paine  was  put  on  trial  before  the  jury.     He  argued 


FROM  IPSWICH   TO  FOXBORO  27 

his  own  case  in  writing  but  it  was  unavailing  and  he  was  found 
guilty.  Here  the  matter  stopped,  he  retiring  from  the  con- 
flict surrendering  his  position  and  claim  and  nothing  further 
was  done  in  the  matter.  The  written  argument  thus  offered 
and  his  letter  to  the  Governor  stamped  with  his  seal  are  now 
on  file  among  the  manu.script  documents  preserved  at  the 
State  Capitol  at  Albany.  The  argument  is  ingenious  and 
lawyer-like.  (For  the  argument  and  these  documents  see 
Paine  Genealogy.) 

He  is  said  to  have  died  at  sea  in  1675.  Apparently,  before 
his  death  he  was  unfortunate  in  business  and  lost  his  property, 
but  there  is  no  certainty  of  this.  He  left  no  will  and  no  ad- 
ministration was  taken  out  on  the  estate. 

Generation  HI 

William  Paine,  only  son  of  John,  gen.  II,  was  probably 
born  in  Boston.  The  records  give  us  only  his  birth  in  1664, 
March  15;  his  marriage  to  Ruth  Grover  in  1691;  his  removal 
to  IMalden  where  he  lived  during  his  manhood;  and  his  death, 
April  14,  1741  at  the  age  of  77. 

Generation  IV 

William  Paine,  oldest  son  of  William  Paine,  gen.  Ill,  was 
born  in  Maiden  in  1692,  married  his  first  wife  Tabitha  Waite, 
1717,  and  died  1784  at  the  age  of  92  years  although  tradition 
grants  him  105  years.  "He  was  a  man  of  great  vigor  of  mind, 
strong  constitution,  obstinate  and  determined  and  a  devoted 
friend  of  freedom."  He  moved  to  Norton  after  the  birth  of 
four  children  into  that  part  which  later  was  incorporated  into 
the  town  of  Mansfield. 

An  anecdote  of  him  gives  a  picture  of  the  state  of  the  country 
which  was  new  and  infested  with  wild  animals. 

It  is  said  that  hearing  in  the  night  a  pack  of  wolves,  he 
opened  the  window  and  fired  "his  king's  arm"  into  their  midst. 


28         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A    GRANDMOTHER 

In  the  morning  fourteen  dead  wolves  were  found  on  the  prem- 
ises. It  is  not  claimed  that  his  one  shot  killed  this  number 
but  that  the  wounded  wolves  in  their  rage  added  to  the  number. 

In  the  "Grandmother's  Sketch  Book"  is  this  entry: 

November  16    ISJfS.     Anecdote  of  great,  great  Grandfather. 

One  anecdote  of  the  'former  William'  is  thought  to  be 
worthy  a  place  in  this  Book.  In  early  life  he  removed  from 
Maiden  to  the  town  of  Norton  in  Bristol  county,  Old  Colony  — 
where  his  children  were  born.  This  town  is  about  thirty-five 
miles  from  Boston.  At  the  commencement  of  the  revolution, 
when  the  American  army  under  Gen.  Washington  was  stationed 
at  Roxbury  and  tlic  royal  troops  were  besieged  in  the  City  of 
Boston,  the  old  man  then  on  the  verge  of  his  ninetieth  year 
walked  in  one  day  from  his  home  in  Norton  to  the  American 
camp.  His  erect  and  venerable  form,  his  hair  as  white  as  snow 
—  his  firm  step,  and  clear  and  heavy  voice,  attracted  general 
attention.  He  was  introduced  to  Gen.  Washington  and  .staff. 
'Well  '  said  the  Gen.  'Mr.  Paine  what  brought  you  here? 
What  good  do  you  expect  to  accomplish?'  'Gen.'  said  the  old 
man  'I  have  a  number  of  Grandchildren  in  your  army,  and  I 
have  come  here  to  exhort  and  animate  them  to  be  true  men  — 
do  their  duty  and  resist  at  the  risk  of  their  lives  the  oppressor 
of  their  country.' 


m 


s  Ml-?" 


i 


^     ^"^   ^^tW    :^,,.^ 
^-LIBRARY 


CHAPTER  THREE 
FROM  FOXBORO   TO   WIN  SLOW 

Generation  V 

William  Paine  oldest  son  of  William,  gen.  IV,  was  born  in 
Maiden  in  1720,  moved  to  Foxboro  and  married  Mary  Bull 
of  Foxboro,  1743.  He  died  at  the  age  of  94  in  1810  having 
lived  with  his  wife  for  67  years. 

He  was  a  man  of  astonishing  industry  and  perseverance, 
of  great  firmness  and  independence,  zealous  in  religious  matters 
and  loyal  to  the  cause  of  freedom.  With  his  aged  father  and 
two  or  three  of  his  sons,  he  volunteered  to  march  to  Boston 
at  the  outbreak  of  the  war.  His  wife  is  represented  as  a  "  woman 
of  remarkable  strength  of  mind  and  body,  strong  in  her  friend- 
ships, and  strong  in  her  prejudices,  a  very  good  woman  and 
very  useful  in  the  neighborhood.  She  was  looked  up  to  as 
a  woman  of  superior  judgment,  but  somewhat  of  a  tyrant, 
of  great  industry  and  a  great  reader.  Her  personal  appearance 
was  prepossessing  and  impressive,  and  her  eyes  brilliant  and 
sparkling  to  the  last." 

Many  stories  are  told  of  the  husband  which  go  to  characterize 
him  as  a  member  of  society.  When  a  bass-viol  was  introduced 
into  the  choir  of  the  church  where  he  attended  he  would  go  out 
whenever  it  was  played.  "He  would  not  sit  still  and  hear  the 
fiddle  scraped  in  the  house  of  God."  It  was  related  of  him  that 
he  once  bought  a  farm  while  the  Continental  currency  was  in 
circulation  and  gave  his  notes  payable  in  it.  When  his  notes 
matured,  the  bills  had  become  almost  worthless.  Still  he  kept 
his  promise  "  to  the  letter  "  and  paid  as  he  agreed.  "  He  eyed  the 
hand  of  Providence  in  the  depreciation  of  the  paper  money." 

29 


30         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

"He  did  more,"  writes  a  correspondent,  "with  his  own  hands 
to  make  tlie  wilderness  blossom  as  the  rose,  than  any  other  man 
in  town."  He  continued  work  till  within  a  few  days  of  his 
death,  at  the  age  of  94. 

Generation  VI 

Lemuel  Paine,  fourth  child  and  third  .son  of  William 
Paine,  gen.  V,  was  born  in  1748,  married  Rachel  Carpenter 
of  Foxboro  and  died  in  Foxboro  in  1794.  He  .served  in  the 
Revolutionary  War. 

The  most  interesting  record  of  him  is  that  of  the  two  un- 
married sisters,  Jerusha  and  Hannah  Paine. 

They  died  at  the  ages  of  91  and  90.  "  Though  within  an 
hour's  ride  of  Boston  by  rail,  neither  of  them  ever  enjoyed 
a  sight  of  the  city."  "Aunt  Jerusha"  and  "Aunt  Hannah" 
will  never  be  forgotten  during  the  life  of  the  longest  liver  of 
their  day  for  they  were  famed  for  their  industry  and  all  Christian 
graces. 

Generation  VH 

Four  sons  of  Lemuel,  Gen.   VI,  born  in  Foxboro : 
Lemuel,  born   1777,   m,  Jane  Warren  of  Foxboro,   moved   to 

Winslow,  Maine,  1805,  and  died  in  1852. 
Otis,  born  in  1779,  time  of  death  not  known. 
Asa,  born  1781,  died  at  13  years  of  age,  1794. 
Frederic,    born    1785,  m,  Abiel    W'are    of   Wrentham    ["the 
Grandmother"  of  this  book],  moved  to  Winslow  in  1809 
and  died  1857. 
In  the  Grandmother's  "Daily  Thoughts"  is  this  entry: 
"May    30,    1850.     Received    a    letter    from    Timothy    [her 
son]  at  Foxboro,  he  is  happy  and  flitting  about  among  the 
friends  and  relatives  at  a  spry  rate,  over  the  ancient  fields 
and  woods,  looking  at  the  old  stumps  and  ever  and  anon  in  to 
an  old  barrel  of  cast  off  letters  in  an  humble  garret  and  getting 


HOME   OF  LEMUEL   PAINE.     FOXBOROUGH 
About   1770 


,      :i1E  NEW   ■■•,;'■•,!( 

{PUBLIC  LIPPiRV 


FROM  FOXBORO   TO  WINSLOW  31 

his  dinner  just  where  he  chances  to  light.  How  well  cal- 
culated for  happiness  in  every  state,  let  it  come  iphere  and  how 
it  icill!" 

There  were  two  Paine  homes  in  Foxboro,  that  of  the  great- 
grandfather, William,  gen.  V,  and  that  of  the  grandfather, 
Lemuel,  gen  VI.  During  the  visit  mentioned  in  the  note, 
Timothy  Otis  Paine,  gen.  VIII,  made  a  copy  in  India  ink  of 
the  original  sketch  of  the  old  house,  built  either  in  1769  or  1770. 

Of  the  home  of  Lemuel  there  are  two  photographs,  one 
having  been  taken  in  188'i,  the  other  from  a  sketch  by  T.  O.  P. 
in  1850,  giving  a  totally  different  view  of  the  hou.se.  Details 
are  given  on  the  margins.  There  is  the  old  ell  down  which  the 
sons  used  to  slide,  there  is  tlie  old  well  sweej).  Foolish  Hill  in 
the  distance,  the  trees,  the  old  buffet,  etc. 

The  "old  Aunts"  lived  for  over  eighty  years  in  the  old  house 
"  and  we  know  that  it  was  '  new  '  when  Aunt  Hannah  was  seven 
years  old." 

The  first  recorded  notice  we  have  of  Otis  is  the  following 
covenant,  1797.     The  father  died  in  1794. 

A  ]\Iemorandum  of  An  Agreement  Made  Between  the 
W^  Rachel  Pain  Guardien  to  Otis  Pain  &  Otis  Pain  of  Fox- 
borough  on  the  one  part  &  Samuel  W  Everett  of  Dorchester 
on  the  other  part.     Witncsseth. 

That  Otis  Pain  with  the  free  and  full  Consent  of  S'^  Guardien 
Rachel  Pain  Covenents  and  agrees  to  Live  with  the  S"*  Samuel 
W  Everett  as  an  Apprentice  till  He  Shall  arrive  to  the  Age  of 
twenty  one  Years.  During  which  time  he  will  Behave  Himself 
as  the  Apprentice  ought  to  do. 

And  the  S"^  Samuel  W  Everett  on  His  part  Covenents  and 
Agrees  to  Learn  the  S**  Otis  Pain  the  trade  of  a  House  Wright 
and  to  Provide  him  suitable  Meat,  Drink,  Washing  and  Lodg- 
ing for  S**  Apprentice  in  sickness  and  Health  during  the  Term 
and  Pay  all  Taxes  which  may  be  assessed  on  the  Apprentices, 
and  in  Case  the  Apprentice  shall  be  sick  to  pay  for  Doctiring 
to  the  Amount  of  thirty  dollars  and  no  more  if  the  same  shall 
be  necessary  and  also  to  find  S**  Apprentice  suitable  Cloathing 


32         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

During  S**  Term  and  at  the  expiration  of  S''  Term  to  —  S"* 
Apprentice  with  one  Good  Suit  of  Apparel  for  all  parts  of  his 
body  and  his  other  Every  Day  Cloathing. 

To  the  Performance  of,  Wee  bind  our  Selves  by  these 
Present,  this  Eight  Day  of  April  1797. 

(Signed)  Rachel  Paine 

Sam'l  W  Everett. 
Witnesses  present 
(signed) 

Lemuel  Paine. 

Lemuel  Paine  was  the  oldest  son  of  Rachel,  widow  of  Lemuel 
Paine,  gen.  VL  Two  months  later  Rachel  Paine  married 
Deacon  Isaac  Pratt  of  Wrentham.  They  had  a  daughter, 
Eunice  Pratt,  who  married  Willard  Plimpton.  Also  a  daughter 
Amanda,  who  is  mentioned  in  the  Journals  and  Letters.  Rachel 
appears  in  these  as  Grandmother  Pratt,  not  as  Paine. 

Of  Otis,  Grandmother  writes  in  1848: 

.  .  .  Also  your  Uncle  Lemuel  has  given  me  a  sketch  of 
your  Uncle  Otis  which  you  will  like  to  hear.  Otis  from  his 
earliest  boyhood,  manifested  a  great  mechanical  skill  and 
ingenuity  —  in  his  boyhood  he  was  the  inventor  of  several 
mechanical  tools.  He  obtained  several  patents.  In  1814, 
he  left  Massachusetts  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  South.  He 
first  went  to  Maryland  to  put  in  operation  his  machine  for 
sawing  shingles.  About  a  year  after  his  departure  a  vague 
report  came  to  his  friends  in  Mass.  that  he  married  soon  after 
he  located  himself  in  Maryland  —  that  his  wife  bore  him  twin 
sons  —  that  working  in  the  water  regulating  his  patented 
mill,  he  took  a  violent  cold  and  after  an  illness  of  a  week, 
died.  This  is  all  his  friends  and  relatives  have  heard  respect- 
ing him  since  he  left  his  native  land. 

He  was  said  to  have  been  quite  intimately  connected  with 
Robert  Fulton  in  the  work  of  perfecting  inventions  for  the 


1  ^^ 


i 


i 


LIBRARY 


t 


Trr  b 


-^STOR.  L.5:^.■/^> 


I 


FROM  FOXBORO   TO   WINSLOW  33 

application  of  steam  power  to  machinery.  The  last  that  was 
ever  heard  from  him  was  under  date  of  Jan.  1,  1816,  when  he 
speaks  of  his  invention  of  a  "steam  battery"  which  with  one 
Col.  Hatch  he  "went  to  Washington  with  and  which  met  the 
approbation  of  Commodores  Decatur,  Barney  and  Perry  and 
that  the  celebrated  Fulton  also  a]}i)roved  of  it,  etc.  etc." 

He  exhibited  "rare  traits"  in  the  line  of  literature  and 
published  in  1813,  a  work  with  title  "True  and  Infernal  Friend- 
ship" containing  176  pages  12  mo.  being  a  .severe  satire  in 
neat  pentameter  verse,  consisting  of  an  allegory  in  which  the 
serpent  plays  a  conspicuous  part,  overcoming  Eve  and  her 
spouse  in  the  garden. 

Otis's  love  of  mechanics  and  working  with  water  crafts 
reappears  remarkably  in  his  nephew  Charles  Paine,  of  whom 
we  shall  read  much. 

The  following  letter  was  written  by  a  nephew  of  Otis, 
Timothy  Otis  Paine,  the  fourth  son  of  the  Grandmother, 
and  shows  not  only  the  interest  the  younger  generation  had  in 
the  uncles  but  also  in  the  old  place  at  Foxboro. 

Elmwood,  Mass.,  Oct.  28,  1877 

Bro.  Albert 

'Parterres'  you  will  find  in  Otis's  poem.  My  childhood 
memory  has  it  that  Uncle  makes  this  plural  pronounced 
par-ter-res.  Please  inform  me  by  citing  one  or  more  lines  on 
a  postal. 

The  very  ground  of  these  i)arterres  I  rambled  over  in  1849. 
In  front  is  Otis's  home.  His  window  looked  out  upon  the 
enchanted  ground.  Eliza's  home  is  on  the  left  and  in  sight 
of  the  rambles.  [A  pencil  sketch  follows.]  This  sketch  is 
from  my  1849  memory  and  mu.st  be  all  out  of  drawing,  but  in 
general  it  must  also  be  correct.  Aunt  Hannah  walked  with 
me  up  the  beautiful  region  back  of  the  house.  As  she  looked 
about  her  and  pointed  indefinitely  around,  she  said,  'Otis 
thought  a  great  deal  of  this  place.'  A  few  trees  were  scattered 
over  the  ground.     A  half  remembered  little  brook  wandered 


34         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

o\-er  it.  I  vividly  remember  a  bright  firecoal  bird  on  a  tree 
never  one  like  it.  He  would  look  up  and  see  a  beautiful  house 
which  his  hands  were  ornamenting,  outside  of  agreement, 
because  his  bride  was  to  live  in  it.  I  found  the  place  of  his 
shingle  mill  (of  Otis's)  and  the  dam  in  ruins  like  his  life. 

Bro.  Timo. 

...  It  is  said  that  an  Indian  having  once  killed  a  deer 
on  Foolish  Hill  would  never  afterwards  hunt  elsewhere,  also 
a  man  losing  his  way  on  it,  called  it  Foolish  Hill,  in  vexation. 
These  two  origins  of  the  name  were  given  me  by  more  tlian 
one,  by  father,  I  think  for  one. 

Uncle  Lemuel  told   me  of who  would  cut   trees  nearly 

off  on  Foolish  Hill  all  day  and  near  evening  cut  one  at  the  top 
and  fell  it  against  the  others  so  that  all  would  go  down  together 
and  then  shout  loud  enough  to  be  heard  all  over  Foxboro. 
Also  of  Uncle  Asa's  climbing  a  sycamore  100  ft.  high,  by  an 
open  space,  to  get  at  a  woodpecker's  nest  in  the  top.  Uncle 
L.  lay  on  his  back  on  the  ground  for  he  could  not  move  for  fear. 

Timo. 

The  "Uncle  Asa"  referred  to  in  this  letter  was  the  little 
son  who  died  at  the  age  of  thirteen.  I  have  a  pen  and  ink  draw- 
ing very  similar  in  character  to  the  samplers  of  the  grand- 
mothers of  that  day. 

"  Wrote  by  Asa  Paine,  at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  Foxborough 

1794." 
There  are  many  birds  of  all  sizes,  the  .schoolhouse,  the  church, 
the  mansion  and  various  riddles  for  those  inclined  to  guess 
them.  Connecting  this  with  the  story  of  the  woodpecker's 
nest,  we  can't  be  far  wrong  in  giving  to  him  a  love  of  nature 
and  a  power  with  the  artist's  pen  which  later  came  out  so 
prominently  in  the  Timothy  Otis  Paine,  and  like  the  first  Otis, 
the  second  Otis  had  the  power  of  putting  this  love  into  verse. 

In  the  remaining  chapters  of  this  book,  we  shall  come  into 
intimate  touch  with  the  other  two  brothers,  Lemuel  and  Fred- 
eric, with  their  families  and  with  their  homes  in  Winslow  in 
the  "Province  of  Maine,"  with  Generations  VII  and  VIII. 


THE  NEV'    VjS^K 

'    Lie  LIBRARY 


ASTOB,  LEMOX  1 

TTLoav  foundations] 


PART  II.    WINSLOW.     LEMUEL  PAINE. 

Chapter  One.  Winslow 

"       Two.  Lemuel  and  Jane  Warren  Paine 

"       Three.  Henry  W.  Paine 

"       Four.  Edward  Augustus  Paine. 

Five.  Rachel  Paine  Pratt. 

Iliustrations 

Old  Winslow 

Lemuel  Paine,  Gen.  VII,  from  daguerreotype 

Henry  W.  Paine,  Gen.  VIII 


THE  NLW   YORK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Throughout  the  Journals  of  the  Grandmother  appears  the 
name  of  Lemuel  Paine,  or,  as  he  is  often  called.  Uncle  Paine, 
or  Uncle  Lemuel,  also  Esq.  Paine.  As  a  lecturer  on  Temper- 
ance in  a  home  gathering,  he  is  Uncle  Paine;  as  the  leader  in 
a  large  donation  party,  he  is  the  Esq.;  and  as  the  friendly 
Uncle  to  whom  the  absent  nephew  writes  of  the  affairs  of 
Bangor,  he  is  Uncle  Lemuel. 

He  was  the  pioneer  of  the  family,  leaving  Foxboro,  the 
home  of  three  generations,  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  Province 
of  Maine.  Attracted,  perhaps,  as  is  suggested  by  his  grand- 
son, by  the  splendid  waterways,  the  falls,  the  streams,  the 
large  rivers  which  he  found  at  Winslow,  he  made  that  place 
his  home.  To  this  he  brought  his  young  wife,  Jane  Warren, 
in  1807,  making  the  whole  journey  in  a  sleigh. 

Business  must  have  taken  him  to  Winslow  in  1802,  for  there 
is  a  letter  written  by  his  brother  Otis,  April  14,  1802,  addressed 
to  "  Lemuel  Paine,  Winslow,  Province  Maine."  This  was  in 
reply  to  one  received  by  him,  written  March  11.  Otis  wished 
boards  and  shingles. 

His  younger  brother  Frederic  made  a  home  with  him  for 
a  year  or  two,  when  he,  too,  returned  to  Foxboro,  to  bring  back, 
in  1809,  a  wife,  Abiel  Ware  Paine  of  Wrentham. 

In  1860  Jane  Warren  Paine,  the  last  of  the  four  to  go,  died 
after  a  life  of  fifty-five  years  in  Winslow. 

Descendants  of  both  families.  Generations  IX,  X,  XI, 
still  Uve  in  the  old  home  town.  (See  genealogical  table, 
pages  65  and  66.) 


37 


CHAPTER  ONE 
WINSLOW 

WiNSLOW  is  a  little  town  situated  on  the  Kennebec,  at  its 
confluence  with  the  Sebasticook.  It  was  incorporated  in  1771 
and  named  for  the  British  General,  John  Winslow,  and  included 
the  country  which  is  now  Waterville.  In  1754  eleven  families 
had  built  their  cabins  there.  It  was  also  in  1754  that  Fort 
Halifax  was  built  on  a  point  of  land  between  the  two  rivers, 
under  the  direction  of  Shirley,  the  British  Governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts. 

This  fort  was  one  of  a  hne  of  forts  on  the  Kennebec  built 
for  the  protection  of  the  English  against  the  Indians  and 
French,  but  it  was  never  attacked  by  either  party.  The 
fortifications  consisted  of  five  houses  and  two  palisades.  One 
of  the  block  houses  still  stands  and  bears  the  name  of  Fort 
Halifax. 

The  first  town  meeting  was  held  in  the  Fort,  April  26,  1771. 

In  the  original  naming  of  the  fort  there  was  some  ceremony, 
and  a  complimentary  inscription  in  Latin  was  placed  upon  it: 

"For  the  benefit  of  the  Massachusetts  Province,  William 
Shirley,  her  Governor,  under  the  auspices  of  the  most  noble 
George  Duck,  Earl  of  Halifax,  the  highly  distinguished  friend 
and  patron  of  the  British  Provinces,  has  reared  this  fortress, 
Sept.  3,  A.D.  1754." 

To  the  restoration  of  Fort  Halifax  with  its  various  buildings, 
my  uncle,  Timothy  Otis  Paine,  gave  many  months  of  close 
study.  Beginning  in  1852,  he  continued  his  investigations 
and  his  "diggings"  during  many  years.  I  have  the  record  of 
one  of  these  in  a  letter  written  by  my  father  to  me,  in  1891 : 

38 


o 

>-) 

CO 


Q 

■J 
O 


CHAPTER  ONE 
WINSLOW 

WiNSLOW  is  a  little  town  situated  on  the  Kennebec,  at  its 
confluence  with  the  Sebasticook.  It  was  incorporated  in  1771 
and  named  for  the  British  General,  John  Winslow,  and  included 
the  country  which  is  now  Waterville.  In  1754  eleven  families 
had  built  their  cabins  there.  It  was  also  in  1754  that  Fort 
Halifax  was  built  on  a  point  of  land  between  the  two  rivers, 
under  the  direction  of  Shirley,  the  British  Governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts. 

This  fort  was  one  of  a  line  of  forts  on  the  Kennebec  built 
for  the  protection  of  the  English  against  the  Indians  and 
French,  but  it  was  never  attacked  by  either  party.  The 
fortifications  consisted  of  five  houses  and  two  palisades.  One 
of  the  block  houses  still  stands  and  bears  the  name  of  Fort 
HaUfax. 

The  first  town  meeting  was  held  in  the  Fort,  April  26,  1771. 

In  the  original  naming  of  the  fort  there  was  some  ceremony, 
and  a  complimentary  inscription  in  Latin  was  placed  upon  it: 

"For  the  benefit  of  the  Massachusetts  Province,  William 
Shirley,  her  Governor,  under  the  auspices  of  the  most  noble 
George  Duck,  Earl  of  Halifax,  the  highly  distinguished  friend 
and  patron  of  the  British  Provinces,  has  reared  this  fortress, 
Sept.  3,  A.D.  1754." 

To  the  restoration  of  Fort  Halifax  with  its  various  buildings, 
my  uncle,  Timothy  Otis  Paine,  gave  many  months  of  close 
study.  Beginning  in  1852,  he  continued  his  investigations 
and  his  "diggings"  during  many  years.  I  have  the  record  of 
one  of  these  in  a  letter  written  by  my  father  to  me,  in  1891 : 

38 


o 


Q 
O 


■  ■  k   NEW    v,>|,K 
,  .l.i.U:  I.IMK'AKY 


WISHI.OW  :J!> 

llorii/i/r,  Suruhiy  I'M.  Juik'  I It/UI . 
Mv  )>KAi{  (>.  Munwv  t,h<;  pa«t  w<T<tk,  I  Ji;i.v<:  .I'j  f;).r 
'JfviaU'd  fro/ri  my  u>,ii:il  \>r,<fi\oi'  aw  t/)  hh/tMu:*:  a  day  to  ol,fi<;r 
U/;iii  j/r()f'-v-,i')n;i,l  wirk  ;u]')  in'lul;"-  in  .-i  lilllc  [)riv;i,l<-  |)l<-;(.->ijr<;. 
\\i-,i.nui!,  t.tiut.  t.h<:  HiHt,on';iJ  -'»<i'-ly  of  A ur/rj :■(),»,  wen:  .-ilirdil,  t.o 
vihit.  Ui'-  r<-ffi;>ijiH  of  '<l'l  I'ort  \\;i\\1;f/.  ut.  ijiy  fiii,f,iv<r  Wi/iHlow, 
I  ut,  (jufi:  v,rrjt<-  I{;o  'li//iotli/  :ifi'l  li'-  ;i(,  tiwi:  ;w'<-|/1''l  lli<r 
ilij;)IJon  anrJ  wroU;  Jn<;  Uiuf,  Jxt  htiouM  of  'oiirv/-  atUtiid  l.li<; 
iiii-<-liiiii.  So  on  VVc'lrKrwJjiy  I  I'-ft.  ii<>tii<-  ;iri'i  w-nt  ov<r  to  my 
j.^'Kj'i  oW  hor>j(;  wlif.rt-  Tirno  m<-t,  i/i':  jjikI  w<-  -.[cril  i1j<-  <Jay 
U,fit:\.h<T.  'J  }i«;  S*j*,'i«ty,  liowfivcr,  faii^'l  lo  "K't  it-  <:nj/a>^<> 
m<rnf.,  fiiivinj.'  wittioijf.  luA'ifj:  U>  u>if  v(»hi,JI  to  (/'(■it.j><jn<;  t,Ji<-ir 
viHit,  a-i  <i,n\A:!rn>U>U-<i.  Huf.  f.fia),  'Ji'l  riot,  <:hang<T  our  vi<-w;-„ 
VV'-  •(><-nf  !}/<•  'iay  mo-.t.  of  it  in  vihif.inj^  t.tx:  ■nUA-.n-A  r'-ut;y'nt:  of 
t)i<t  o)<J  fort.  ori'J  tfnjw  ;;r*rw  wiw;r  f.lian  l><rfor<-.  'limo  wif.}i  liix 
-jjafj'r  in'Jiili/'-'i  a  Ion;/  tirnft  in  'li;/;/injf  up  tli<-  cirtli  an'J  t.liijH 
\i,<:>.UA  \,iirU<)ti'.  of  t.hft  old  i-tilu.\,\hhii)>-iil.  iUil  it.  wa«  v<rry 
'mU:rcM\AUV,  and  <:ii\<>y:>\>\>-  f'n  /oyvif  tr,  t^-  tJ)<;r<t  wifji  on<;  who 
kn<rw  -ni)  mij'.li  al<oiit,  t.h'r  old  fort,  and  it.;i  Hurroundin;/:-..  I'y 
hJH  aid  v/<-  found  and  vi:iit/:r]  tli<-  v,<tII  from  wliioli  a)mo>.t  I. /'J 
y-ar-,  a;.'o  t.hc  ;yjldi':r-.  of  t.lii-  fort  dr'v,'  tti'ir  drinkinj/  wat.<'r, 
the  «arn<;  w<;ll  fK;i;i;?  now  in  good  ojd<r,  i-.ujj/^lying  t.Jx-  family 
and  a  larg<r  rrr'rw  of  vr'orkrn<-n  and  ii<iin>:h  wit.li  tixtir  daily  HUjijily 
of  wat>:r,  all  \>v'iik<A  up  v/it.})  fix;  »a/fi«  brirk  unJ)arm<-d  an/j 
undi«t,ijrU;d.  Ma,ny  o»,h«-r  antiqiiitiK^  v/<-r<-  fourjd  and  '•«- 
amin'-d  with  iiiU;r<rf>t. 

Ill  H<rj)t/'m(»':r,  I8f/;i,  faOi'rr  fn<-t.  a  <\f\fiiii-iu>u  from  i.\ii-  Main/: 
Hij5t/;rif:al  S'K.-i/rt.y  at.  t.h'r  fort,  and  r<-\><>rf.';  U>  "Timo"  t.fx- 
iitU^ntniiiiit,  <rv<-nt,>i  of  t.h<t  t.wo  <iayH'  visit.,  ,\jKiin  h<;  --hov/:-,  hiit 
\uU:T<^n\.  ill  a  l'df,<rr  wniU^n  Ui  iin:  in  IJKi.'i,  The  old  hl(y;k 
hoiji>«j  }ia/J  Jxi«rn  f^ll<-/i  till'.  Fort  if.i«<df,  an  <rrror  whi<;h  faUxrr 
hit»ten«J  f/j  'orrc/rt,  throiij^h  tfic  pre»», 

"InyiUfiUi  of  U;intJ  f,h<;  /'V/r<,  as  thfi  f>afxrr»  riiitntmnt  it, 
it  i*  only  lh«;  oiilifyni  of  th/;  fort,,   wii'u:\i   wa)»  \in:n.U-A  h.\/i>iil 


40         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

half  a  mile  distant,  on  the  top  of  Fort  Hill,  the  present  locality 
of  the  Winslow  Cemetery,  in  the  midst  of  whose  grass,  your 
Uncle  Timothy  by  nmch  labor  at  digging  found  the  remnants 
of  the  outlines  of  the  erection  and  the  ashes  and  coal  dust 
of  the  fireplace." 

The  Church 

Second  only  to  the  Fort,  comes  the  Ciiurch  of  Winslow, 
for  on  this  Church  as  a  foundation  was  built  the  family  char- 
acter. 

On  June  seventeenth  of  this  year,  1919,  was  celebrated  the 
one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  organization  known  at  first 
as  "The  Female  Society  of  AVinslow  for  the  Sui)i)ort  of  the 
Gospel."  Objection  was  raised  to  the  adjective  "Female" 
as  being  immodest,  so  it  was  later  changed  to  "Ladies'." 

The  annual  June  meeting  has  never  been  omitted.  There 
was  a  charter  membersliip  of  seventeen  with  dues  of  one  dollar. 
There  are  now  about  sixty  members  and  the  dues  may  be  as 
small  as  twenty-five  cents. 

The  founder  of  this  society  was  the  "Grandmother,  Abiel 
Ware  Paine."  After  her  family  cares  permitted,  she  became 
the  President  and  continued  in  this  office  for  fourteen  years. 
This  year  one  of  her  great-granddaughters,  Mrs.  Carrie  Stratton 
Howard,  was  elected  President  and  her  young  daughter  is  a 
member. 

The  building  itself  was  erected  in  1796  by  the  town  and  the 
town  meetings  were  held  in  a  sort  of  unfinished  attic. 

Of  the  illustration,  a  Winslow  cousin  writes: 

"The  Fort  is,  of  course,  only  a  fragment,  being  a  block 
house  which  stood  at  one  corner.  The  mill  was  built  about 
ISli,  now  gone.  The  covered  bridge  must  have  been  built 
in  "3'2-4  and  went  down  river  in  Dec.  1901.  Mr.  Joseph 
Eaton  owned  the  bridge  antl  sold  it  to  the  town.  His  store 
is  at  the  left  of  the  bridge  and  the  post-oflice  can  be  seen  at 
the  end  of  it.  The  railroad  bridge  was  built,  the  first  wooden 
one  about  ISo'i." 


Wiy.<LOW  41 

I  fancy  that  I  can  see  the  old  homestead  through  the  trees, 
on  the  hill. 

In  the  Journal  of  T.  O.  Paine  occurs  this,  written  in  1854: 
■"There  have  been  three  Bridges  across  the  Sebasticook. 
The  first  one  was  built  after  and  near  Oct.  1799.  This  one 
went  off  in  the  winter  freshet  of  Feb.  1S07.  The  next  built 
181^.  went  off  m  the  Great  Freshet  of  May  •2'J,  1S32.  The 
3d  was  built  1834  and  is  still  standing  (1854).  The  first  and 
second  were  not  covered,  the  last  is  covered.  The  first  was 
free,  the  other  two  toll  bridges.  Mr.  Richard  Thomas  paid 
§600  towards  the  first.  Father  says  that  there  was  a  fourth 
bridge,  between  lSl-2    b  ISSi." 


CHAPTER  TWO 

LEMUEL  PAINE 

Lemuel  Paine,  gen.  VII,  oldest  son  of  Lemuel  Paine,  gen. 
VI,  was  born  in  Foxboro,  Dec.  2,  1777;  married  Nov.  22, 
1805,  Jane  Thomp.son  Warren,  the  daughter  of  Judge  Warren 
of  Foxboro  and  niece  of  General  Joseph  Warren  of  Bunker 
Hill  fame. 

It  is  a  source  of  great  regret  that  none  of  his  journals  and 
only  a  very  few  of  his  letters  have  been  preserved,  for  he  was 
a  man  of  great  ability  and  of  a  very  unicjue  pcr.sonality. 

For  the  following  general  testimony  of  his  character,  we  are 
indebted  to  the  "Collections  of  the  Maine  Historical  Society." 

The  Early  La\vi'ers  of  Lincoln  and  Kennebec 
Counties 

Lemuel  Paine  was  contemporary  with  Mr.  Timothy  Bou- 
telle,  the  Waterville  Atty.,  but  beginning  later.  He  was  a 
graduate  of  Brown  University  in  the  class  of  1803.  He  was  a 
native  of  Massachusetts,  read  law  at  Waterville  with  Mr., 
subsequently  General,  Ripley  and  opened  an  office  in  Winslow. 
For  several  years  he  had  a  successful,  though  from  his  location, 
not  a  very  extensive  practice. 

Mr.  Paine  was  possessed  of  a  good  intellect  and  great 
purity  of  moral  character.  He  had  a  taste  for  agriculture 
and  became  the  owner  of  a  farm  which  he  employed  himself  in 
cultivating.  Finding  this  occupation  more  agreeable  and 
congenial  to  his  tastes  and  disposition  than  his  legal  avocations, 
he  gradually  retired  from  the  bar  and  devoted  himself  wholly 
to  his  farm,  which  he  never  abandoned.     He  lived  to  an  ad- 

42 


x" 


I ''"BUG  LIBRARY  ^ 


LEMUEL  PAINE  43 

vanced  age  in  the  town  of  his  adoption,  surrounded  and  re- 
spected by  a  numerous  circle  of  friends  whose  good  will  and 
affection  he  ever  enjoyed.  He  was  chosen  Elector  of  President 
in  1813. 

We  would  add  that  Mr.  Paine  was  distinguished  as  a  clas- 
sical scholar.  After  his  retirement  from  the  bar  he  indulged 
his  taste  and  employed  much  of  his  leisure  in  reperusing  the 
Greek  and  Latin  authors  which  had  been  his  early  and  formed 
his  late  companions.  He  continued  to  cherish  his  love  for  the 
Greek  language  which  he  read  with  ease  and  which  was  to  him 
a  source  of  great  enjoyment  as  long  as  his  health  and  life  con- 
tinued. 

I  have  been  told  that  Uncle  Lemuel,  while  building  a  stone 
wall,  conunitted  to  memory  a  large  part  of  Homer's  Iliad  and 
Odyssey. 

His  interest  in  education  is  shown  by  an  extract  from  the 
records  of  Waterville  College,  now  Colby,  and  by  a  copy  of 
his  resignation  from  the  Board  of  that  college. 

Waterville  Aug.  20,  18^9. 
Hon.  Lemuel  Paine, 

Dear  Sir,  —  At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Water- 
ville College  held  at  the  College  Chapel  on  Tuesday  Aug.  7th, 
1849,  the  following  resolution  offered  by  the  Rev.  S.  K.  Smith 
was  unanimously  adopted;  and  the  Secretary  was  instructed 
to  forward  to  you  a  copy  of  the  same.  Agreeably  to  said 
instruction  I  have  the  honor  herewith  to  forward  to  you  a  copy 
of  the  resolution. 

Resolved;  That  this  Board  entertain  a  high  sense  of  the 
value  of  the  protracted  and  useful  services  of  the  Hon.  Lemuel 
Paine  of  Winslow,  the  Hon.  William  King  of  Bath  and  the 
Rev.  John  Haynes  of  No.  Livermore  as  members  of  this  Board. 
They  have  stood  by  the  College  with  a  laudable  zeal  in  the 
days  of  its  weakness  and  poverty  and  we  congratulate  them 
on  the  privilege  of  seeing  the  tender  shoot  which  was  planted 


44         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

years  ago,  with  tears  and  cost  and  prayer,  now  grown  to  a 
fertile  tree,  diffusing  benefits  to  both  church  and  state,  and 
blessing  a  grateful  community. 

By  such  labors  the  friends  of  letters  and  religion  embalm 
their  own  memory  "and  their  work  do  follow  them." 

Respectfully, 
Your  obd't  Sevt. 

E.  L.  Getchell,  Secretary. 

To  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  WatcrvUle  College. 

Gentlemen,  —  The  infirmities  of  age  and  declining  health 
admonish  me  that  it  is  fit  that  I  should  vacate  a  seat  at  your 
board.  I  therefore  tender  to  you  the  resignation  of  my  mem- 
bership, which  I  request  you  accept.  I  was  elected  to  a  seat 
at  your  board  in  IS'-iT.  I  sat  as  a  member  1828,  since  which 
time  I  have  been  present  at  e\'ery  session  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  which  can  be  said  of  no  other  member  except  my 
friend  the  Hon.  Mr.  Boutelle,  to  whose  vigilance,  perseverance 
and  devotedness  to  the  interests  of  the  institution  it  owes  much 
of  its  prosperity  and  success.  At  the  time  I  took  my  seat  at 
the  board,  the  affairs  of  the  College  were  perj)lexed  and  its 
prospects  discouraging.  It  struggled  hard  with  financial  em- 
barrassment, and  our  meetings  for  some  years  were  pro- 
tracted, and  attended  with  much  anxiety  and  labour. 

In  taking  leave  of  you  gentlemen  it  affords  me  great  satis- 
faction to  contemplate  the  prosperous  condition  of  the  College; 
its  growth,  reputation,  and  future  promise.  Long  may  it 
continue  to  flourish  its  salutary  and  benign  influence  in  the 
improvement  of  education  and  the  best  interests  of  our  young 
and  rising  State. 

With  sentiments  of  great  respect  and  my  best  wishes  for 
your  individual  prosperity  and  happiness,  I  am 

Your  Obd't  Servt. 

Lemuel  P.\ine. 


LEMUEL  PAINE  45 

From  Genealogy,  A.  W.  Paine. 

Throughout  his  life  he  was  frequently  employed  as  arbiter 
or  referee  in  matters  of  dispute  and  never  failed  as  such  to 
give  satisfaction,  for  his  decisions  came  to  be  regarded  by  both 
sides  as  exact  justice  and  hence  acquiesced  in  accordingly. 
His  wit  was  proverbial  and  it  was  one  of  his  agreeable  pastimes 
to  set  it  ofl'  in  rhyme.  On  one  occasion  he  rendered  his  decision, 
in  a  case  referred  to  him,  all  in  verse,  including  a  statement  of 
the  case,  the  argument  of  counsel  and  his  decision  with  the 
amount  of  damages  and  costs.  No  objection  was  made  to 
its  acceptance  and  performance.  He  often  indulged  in  this 
propensity,  to  express  in  rhyme  his  censure  of  particular  acts 
and  persons. 

Copy  of  lines  written  in  the  Court  House,  1809 

How  various  are  the  ways,  Oh,  Lord! 

To  humble  human  pride  — 
We  read  recorded  in  thy  word, 
And  see  exemplified. 

When  Israel's  sons  too  haughty  grew. 
Thou  mad'st  them  Pharaoh's  drudges; 

To  us  more  culpable  tiian  those. 
Thou  givest  fools  for  judges. 

He  was  ever  an  active  politician  of  the  Old  Federal  School 
and  "was  never  ashamed  of  his  party."  Of  liberal  Christian 
views,  he  gave  no  one  credit  for  any  religious  character,  further 
than  it  was  evidenced  by  sincere  acts  of  a  good  life. 

On  the  19th  of  July,  1852,  he  was  found  lifeless  upon  a  bed 
of  hay,  in  the  calm  sunshine,  with  a  rake  by  his  side  and  with 
no  sign  of  suffering  on  his  face.     His  wife  died  in  1860. 

They  had  three  children. 

Ebenezer  Warren,  born  1808,  died  in  1830. 
Henry  WiUiam,  born  1810,  died  1893. 
Edward  Augustus,  born  1816,  died  1898. 


46         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A    GRANDMOTHER 

The  following  sketch  was  written  at  my  request  by  the 
Grandson  of  Lemuel  Paine,  George  Stratton  Paine,  of  Winslow : 

In  my  boyhood,  an  eccentric  wandering  tinker  called  at  our 
house,  two  or  three  times  a  year:  he  was  not  much  given  to  con- 
versation, and  the  only  part  of  it  that  made  a  lasting  impres- 
sion was  the  brief  story  of  his  first  courtship.  "I  didn't  marry 
the  woman  I  calculated  to,"  he  said.  "She  begged  to  be  ex- 
cused and  I  like  a  fool  excused  her." 

It  was  not  so  with  my  grandfather  Lemuel.  He  courted 
Jane  Warren  of  Foxboro  and  was  rejected  because  he  was 
not  "an  educated  or  professional  man."  This  seemed  to  furnish 
the  necessary  stimulus  and  as  he  worked  at  his  trade  of  stone 
mason,  he  studied  with  open  book  before  him,  and  fitted 
for  Brown  University,  graduating  in  1803.  He  studied  law 
with  Gen.  Ripley  at  Waterville  but  began  practice  in  Winslow, 
living  on  the  farm  he  purchased  of  Ripley  near  Fort  Hahfax. 
Renewing  his  suit  with  Miss  W'arren  he  was  now  accepted, 
tho'  it  is  said  that  the  lady  had  been  heard  to  express  some 
surprise  at  the  outcome. 

They  came  to  Winslow  in  1807,  doubtless  attracted  hither 
by  letters  from  one  of  the  Warrens  who  had  preceded  them  to 
the  Kennebec  Valley  and  who  wrote  home  glowing  accounts 
of  "this  lovely  country." 

As  I  was  only  two  or  three  years  old  when  he  died,  my 
recollection  of  him  is  limited  to  a  single  incident,  his  bringing 
me  a  bit  of  dried  fruit  as  I  was  being  dressed  by  my  father. 
He  loved  the  farm,  and  the  summer's  work  of  raising  crops  and 
feeding  stock  agreed  with  him  and  he  enjoyed  much  better 
health  than  in  winter  when  more  or  less  confined  to  the  house. 
My  other  Grandfather  William  Stratton  lived  about  three 
miles  further  up  the  Sebasticook.  He  was  a  great  worker  at 
lumbering  as  well  as  farming,  and  his  irregular  meals  away  from 
home  impaired  his  health  and  he  as  well  as  Lemuel  suffered 
from  dyspepsia.     My  uncle,  Robert  F.  Stratton,  says  the  two 


LEMUEL  PAINE  47 

old  men  used  to  get  togetlier  occasionally  in  winter  and  talk 
over  their  troubles,  groaning  in  unison,  calculating  the  chances 
of  their  living  another  year. 

Both  Lemuel  and  his  wife  were  fond  of  society,  and  it  was 
not  unusual  for  them  to  start  in  a  sleigh  for  Norridgewock, 
thirteen  miles  away,  or  other  distant  points,  to  spend  an  even- 
ing. We  have  a  mirror  which  grandmother  brought  from 
Massachusetts  in  her  lap  in  a  sleigh. 

He  needed  the  mild  stimulus  of  travel.  Occasionally  a 
voyage  by  land  to  Foxboro  was  ventured  and  he  returned  with 
a  new  and  interesting  stock  of  ideas. 

Their  home  had  been  in  earlier  days  a  "tavern"  and  a 
wide  hall  on  the  ground  floor  extended  the  whole  length  of  the 
house.  The  cold  north  winds  played  through  the  cracks  at 
one  end  so  freely  that  grandfather,  with  an  apparent  inspiration, 
in  the  absence  of  his  wife,  battered  up  the  cracks  with  shingles 
on  the  inside.  On  her  return  he  pointed  with  pride  to  the 
achievement,  but  it  seems  that  it  did  not  strike  her  as  any 
addition  to  the  beauty  of  the  place  and  she  proceeded  at  once 
to  tear  the  shingles  off,  an  evident  sacrifice  of  utility  to 
appearance.  —  G.  S.  P. 

There  is  an  oration  of  Lemuel's  about  thirteen  pages  in 
length,  from  which  I  have  made  short  extracts. 

An  Oration  July  4  a.d.  1807,  Waterville 

I  rise.  Gentlemen  &  fellow  Citizens  to  soHcit  your  indulgence 
and  candour  while  I  address  you  on  this  interesting  and  joyful 
occasion.  The  custom  of  annually  celebrating  great  and 
Splendid  events  has  been  sanctioned  by  the  authority  &  practice 
of  all  nations,  in  all  ages  of  the  world. 

We  have  assembled  Fellow  Citizens  on  this  auspicious 
morning  to  commemorate  the  31.st  Anniversary  of  American 
Independence,  an  event  the  most  splendid  in  the  annals  of 
time  and  to  us  productive  of  the  highest  consequences. 


48         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

The  Day  which  we  now  celebrate,  was  not  hke  tlie  present 
ushered  in  with  acclamations  of  joy  and  tokens  of  festivity 
and  gladness;  but  amid  scenes  of  calamity  and  peril,  our 
intrepid  Fathers  dared  to  elevate  their  voice,  and  proclaim  to 
an  admiring  world,  that  "these  United  States  are  and  of  right 
ought  to  be  Free  &  Independent."  .  .  . 

Persevere  then  Fellow  Citizens  in  cherishing  those  excellent 
institutions  which  you  have  planted  for  the  promotion  of  moral 
&  religious  improvement.  Patronize  men  whose  time  &  talents 
are  devoted  to  the  useful  arts  which  embellish  life.  Cultivate 
the  gentle  virtues  which  adorn  and  dignify  our  nature  and 
greatly  ameliorate  the  condition  of  Man.  Instruct  your 
children  in  habits  of  industry,  economy,  temperance  &  justice 
&  thus  form  them  to  become  useful  to  themselves,  to  their 
fellow  citizens  &  to  their  country. 

Above  all  teach  them  to  govern  their  conduct  by  motives 
that  look  beyond  the  narrow  limits  of  time,  to  scenes  of  future 
hfe  and  ages  of  eternal  duration. 

A  sense  of  the  importance  of  these  duties  ought  to  be  oper- 
ative on  our  minds  at  all  times.  But  there  are  duties  which  we 
owe  our  country  to  be  discharged  collectively  &  periodically. 
I  mean  the  duties  of  suffrage.  We  are  bound  by  the  strongest 
ties  that  can  bind  man  to  earth  to  discharge  this  duty  with 
integrity  &  fidelity.  .  .  . 

Let  us  swear  by  the  blood  of  those  illustrious  Patriots  which 
was  shed  in  our  country's  cause  that  we  will  never  dishonour 
the  Principles  they  died  to  establish.  Inspired  with  these 
sentiments,  while  other  nations  bow  the  knee  at  the  shrine  of 
despotism  and  sacrifice  their  dearest  rights  to  satiate  the 
rapacity  &  pride  of  Kings,  we  will  transmit  to  posterity  not 
only  the  name  but  the  spirit  of  Independence. 

October,  1840,  Frederic  Paine  writes  to  his  son,  Albert 
Ware  Paine,  in  Bangor,  a  home  letter  in  which  he  incloses 
some  jingles  of  his  brother  Lemuel's. 


LEMUEL  PAINE  49 

Window,  Oct.  28,  181,0. 

Deae  Son:  .  .  .  Uncle  Paine  handed  me  the  enclosed 
Poetry  to  be  printed,  if  you  think  best,  but  he  does  not  wish 
to  have  his  name  known.  In  the  new  Kennebec  Journal, 
I  expect  to  see  the  Production  of  his  Pen,  an  address  from 
Satan  to  the  Democratic  Party,  etc. 

Our   prospect   brightens  daily  respecting   the   new  election. 

As  to  the  State  of  Maine,  we  cannot  but  feel  there  is  no  doubt, 

but  one  thing  I  believe  we  can  feel  confident  that  Harrison  will 

be  President. 

F.   Paine. 

As  this  "Poetry"  shows  the  political  "bent"  of  the  "brother 
Lemuel"  at  the  time  of  the  Presidency  of  Van  Buren,  I  give  it 
here. 

Attention.     Van  repudiate 
Your  arrogant  pretensions 
Reduce  your  sordid  love  of  power 
To  reasonable  dimensions. 

Your  despot  policy  abjure 

The  people  are  in  motion; 

To  be  deprived  of  blood  bought  rights, 

They  have  but  little  notion. 

Following  your  predecessors  steps 
In  your  exalted  station. 
You've  reckless  trampled  under  foot. 
The  interests  of  the  nation. 

No  sympathy  have  thou  for  those, 
Your  measures  are  undoing. 
You  will  not  check  your  mad  career  — 
To  stop  the  impending  ruin. 

Infatuated  as  thou  art. 
Canst  thou  not  feel  thy  doom? 
Dost  thou  not  see  the  Patriot's  host 
Have  to  the  rescue  come? 


50         TEE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

When  such  men  brace  their  armour  on 
They  will  not  lay  it  bye 
Until  they  have  the  victory  won, 
They  conquer  or  they  die. 

Inscribed  on  thy  white  palace  wall 
All  good  men's  fears  dispersing  — 
Read  Heaven's  immutable  decree, 
Mene-M  Tekel  Upharnn. 

An  address  of  a  Kennebec  mechanic  to  his  fellow  workmen 
in  prospect  of  the  November  election,  for  electors  of  President 
and  Vice  President. 

A  call  of  the  Genius  of  Liberty  on  the  laboring  Classes  in 
prospect  of  the  Nov-Election. 

Labourers  be  true  to  dutie's  call  — 
At  next  November  election  — 
And  help  Tip  o'er  the  Despot's  twins, 
Subtreasury  &  subjection. 

Elect  Van  Buren  president. 
You'd  surely  catch  a  Tartar 
His  policy  gives  homely  fare. 
Potatoes,  soup  &  water. 

Choose  Harrison  and  you  will  have 
A  bountiful  j)rovider; 
Flour  bread,  roast  beef  your  fare  will  be, 
Tea,  coffee  &  hard  cider. 

Say  to  the  world,  as  said  your  sires 

No  Despot  e'er  shall  tame  us; 

Scout  Benton's  plans  &  Calhoun's  Schemes, 

And  spurn  the  miscreant  Amos. 

The  following  record  is  given  me  by  the  grandson,  George 
S.  Paine: 

Lemuel  Paine's  wife  was  Jane  Thompson  Warren,  daughter 
of  Hon.  Ebenezer  Warren  known  as  Judge  Warren.     He  built 


LEMUEL  PAINE  51 

the  house  known  as  the  Warren  house  between  Foxboro  and 
Mansfield.     He  died  Jan  21,  1824. 

The  following  extract  is  taken  from  his  funeral  sermon 
preached  by  Pitt  Clarke,  minister  of  the  Gospel  in  Norton. 
Text,  2  Cor.  5:4. 

Judge  Warren  became  a  member  of  the  State  Convention 
in  1788.  In  1790  he  had  a  commission  from  Gov.  Hancock 
to  be  justice  of  the  peace  and  three  years  after  he  was  appointed 
Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas. 

He  went  forth  in  defence  of  his  country  as  a  volunteer  and 
was  in  arms  with  two  of  his  brothers  in  the  battle  of  Lexington. 

He  was  possessed  of  an  extraordinary  memory.  Judge 
Warren  was  a  friend  to  religion.  He  had  rational  and  liberal 
views  of  Christianity.  He  died  at  the  age  of  76  and  left  ten 
children  to  mourn  the  loss  of  a  beloved  parent. 

When  the  contentions  and  illiberal  notions  of  many  in  his 
own  town  forbade  his  continuing  harmoniously  with  them  in 
their  religious  society,  he  united  with  the  congregation  in  this 
place  and  here  steadily  attended  public  worship  for  the  sub- 
sequent years  of  his  Ufe. 


CHAPTER   THREE 
HENRY  W.  PAINE 

In  presenting  his  resignation  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
Waterville  College,  in  1849,  Lemuel  Paine  writes,  "I  was 
elected  to  a  seat  at  your  Board  in  1827." 

From  this  date  through  three  generations  of  the  Winslow- 
Paine  families,  even  up  to  1907,  in  letters  and  journals  old 
and  new,  appear  many,  many  appreciative  and  loving  words 
regarding  the  college  which  sent  so  many  of  them  forth  into 
the  world  equipped  for  the  world's  best  work. 

The  first  record  we  have  of  Lemuel's  son  Henry  is  the  follow- 
ing bill: 

Mt.  Henry  W.  Paine 

Walenrille  College 
May  27,  1828. 

To  Waterville  College  Dr. 

To  one  term's  tuition $5 .  34 

To     "        "      room  rent 2 .  00 

To     "        "      additional  room  rent  on  account  of  extra  expense  laid  out 

in  his  room 34 

To  one  term's  use  of  library 34 

To  his  proportion  of  expense  for  articles  used  in  Chemical  Lectures .... 

To    "  "  "  '■       "    monitor  and  bell-ringer,  15-14 29 

To    "  "  "  "       "    repair  of  damages  done  to  the  College 

buildings 25 

Sweeping  entries  17 .\1 

$8.73 

N.B.     This  bill  is  considered  now  due  and  if  not  paid  before  the  expiration  of 
one  month  from  the  beginning  of  the  next  term  interest  will  be  charged. 

The  next  term  will  commence  on  Wednesday  the of next,  at  which 

time  every  student  is  required  to  be  present  at  the  College  and  to  report  himself 
to  the  Officer  of  his  Class  on  penalty  of  25  cents  per  day,  or  such  other  punish- 
ment as  the  Executive  Government  shall  judge  proper  to  inflict. 
Received  payment  of  above  bill. 

A.   Briggs,  Agent 
Watermlle  College,  May  27,  1828. 

The  next  record  we  have  of  him  is  the  letter  written  while 
a  student  at  the  Harvard  Law  School. 

52 


HENRY  W.    PAINE  53 


Cambridge,  July  12,  1832 

Dear  Father,  —  As  I  am  at  leisure  and  as  my  friend 
Appleton  is  about  to  return  to  Waterville,  and  kindly  offers  to 
charge  himself  with  my  letters,  I  cannot  neglect  an  opportunity 
thus  favourable  for  writing  you,  and  for  want  of  something 
more  entertaining  and  important,  I  propose  briefly  to  sketch 
the  character  of  my  schoolfellows  and  of  others  whom  chance 
has  thrown  under  my  observation. 

You  would  very  naturally  suppose  that  the  members  of 
the  same  school,  from  the  circumstances  of  their  being  fre- 
quently brought  into  contact  by  recitations,  moot  courts  and 
debates,  must  be  on  terms  of  intimacy  with  each  other.  But 
such  is  not  the  fact  with  us.  Coming  as  we  do  from  distant 
parts  of  the  Union,  —  with  different  manners,  different  habits 
of  thought  and  ac<^ion,  not  to  say  sectional  feelings  and  local 
prejudices,  —  each  possesses  a  sort  of  repulsive  power  which 
will  not  allow  others  to  cross  the  orbit  of  his  motion :  and  not 
a  little  time  is  necessary  to  a.ssimilate  characters  in  many 
respects  so  unlike.  A  large  majority  of  the  school  are  natives 
of  this  state  and  alumni  of  this  University.  They  look  upon 
Massachusetts  as  the  modern  Delphi  and  cannot  conceive  of 
any  man's  being  a  scholar  without  a  diploma  from  Harvard. 
Of  course  the  sons  of  Maine,  the  former  attache  of  Massa- 
chusetts, can  make  no  pretensions  to  literary  merit  or  lay 
any  claims  to  the  high  privileges  of  their  society.  But  so  far 
as  my  limited  opportunities  will  permit  me  to  form  an  ojjinion 
of  their  scholarship  and  general  character,  I  must  say  I  have 
been  not  a  little  disappointed.  I  had  fancied  a  sort  of  inspi- 
ration in  the  very  name  of  Harvard  and  that  no  man  could 
walk  her  consecrated  soil  without  feeling  his  soul  elevated 
and  his  spirit  kindled  with  devotion  to  science  and  letters. 
I  had  thought  that  genius  had  been  quickened  and  dullness 


54         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

awakened  by  the  associations  of  the  place  —  that  the  names  of 
Adams  and  Otis  would  incite  to  emulation  and  stimulate  to 
effort.  But  alas,  the  same  clime  gives  birth  to  the  lion  and 
the  jackal. 

Some  of  the  school,  it  is  true,  are  men  of  great  promise  — 
men  of  vigorous  intellects  and  superior  attainments,  men 
who  will  distinguish  themselves  at  the  bar  or  in  the  Senate 
or  in  fine  wherever  talents  and  industry  can  ensure  prominence. 
But  these  are  by  no  means  many,  rare  nantes  in  gurgite  vasto. 
The  great  mass  of  the  school  may  with  justice  be  characterized 
as  fellows  of  moderate  talents  and  still  more  moderate  acquire- 
ments, as  remarkable  only  for  the  whiteness  of  their  linen, 
the  fashionable  cut  of  their  whiskers  and  their  sovereign  con- 
tempt for  everybody  but  themselves.  Reared  in  the  lap  of 
luxury,  with  high  aristocratic  notions  and  in  utter  ignorance 
of  men,  they  are  preparing  to  practice  in  that  profession  which 
more  than  any  other  requires  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
world,  affable  manners  and  practical  sense.  If  I  mistake  not, 
they  will  be  Init  illy  qualified  for  the  rough  and  tumble  of 
a  lawyer's  life.  With  two  or  three  individuals  I  have  be- 
come somewhat  intimate,  —  with  the  mass,  I  neither  am 
nor  desire  to  be.  This  you  may  think  savours  of  asperity 
but  what  I  have  written  is  deliberate  and  I  believe  candid 
and  just. 

And  now  I  take  leave  of  my  fellow  students  to  introduce 
you  to  my  instructors.  Of  Judge  Story  I  have  seen  much  and 
heard  still  more.  And  such  is  the  simplicity  of  his  manner, 
and  the  unsuspecting  openness  of  his  character,  that  the  most 
superficial  observer  can  hardly  fail  of  at  once  detecting  his 
excellencies  and  defects  —  his  strong  points  and  his  weaknesses. 
.  .  .  By  many  he  is  esteemed  the  most  learned  judge  in  the 
Union,  while  the  partiality  of  friendship  does  not  hesitate  to 
proclaim  him  the  first  jurist  in  the  world.  As  an  instructor 
he  is  patient,  communicative  and  indefatigable  and  if  he  some- 


HENRY   W.  PAINE  55 

times  bewilders  the  student  by  tlie  profession  of  his  learning, 
he  seldoms  fails  to  impart  valuable  information. 

H.  W.  Paine. 
Then  there  is  this  entry  in  my  father's  Journal: 
Sept.  16,  1835.  In  Hallowell,  I  find  Mr.  Wells  chosen 
Representative  and  my  cousin  Henry  W.  Paine.  At  his 
promotion  and  success  I  must  confess  my  surprise  being  yet 
young,  just  commencing  practice  in  the  place  and  being  a  new 
citizen.  He  will,  however,  I  predict,  take  rather  of  a  high 
stand,  considering  his  age  and  situation,  tho  he  will  not  be 
much  of  a  speaker.  He  will,  probably,  make  one,  two  or  three 
set  speeches  during  the  winter,  be  verj'  careful  what  he  says 
and  when  he  says  it. 

The  last  early  record  is  written  from  Augusta,  Maine. 

Senate  Chamber,  Feb'y,  21,  181,0 

Dear  Father,  —  I  am  here  for  the  purpose  of  appearing 
before  the  committee  on  claims,  and  as  they  have  not  yet  as- 
sembled, and  as  Eaton  offers  the  opportunity,  I  thought  I 
would  drop  you  a  line. 

I  have  been  here  almost  every  other  afternoon  for  the 
session,  before  the  committee  on  Elections  on  division  and 
alteration  of  counties,  on  the  Judiciary  and  on  claims.  I 
have  appeared  before  and  till  I  am  sick  and  dis- 
gusted. But  I  nmst  get  my  bread.  The  house  decided  the 
case  of  Beal  and  Dow  in  my  favor.  .  .  . 

I  have  at  this  moment  seen  him  and  a  happier  face  I  never 
saw.  I  have  taken  more  pains  in  this  case  than  I  ever  did  in 
any  I  was  ever  retained  in.  It  is  the  only  case  contested, 
gained  by  the  Whigs.  Thus  far  I  have  never  lost  a  case  of 
its  kind. 

I  am  going  to  begin  next  Monday  writing  the  life  of  General 
Harrison  for  Glasier  —  to  be  a  book  of  130  or  150  pages.  I 
know  nothing  about  the  subject  as  yet,  was  engaged  yester- 


56         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A    GRANDMOTHER 

day.  ...  It  is  not  a  labor  of  love  but  a  work  for  reward  and 
as  I  work  dog  cheap,  I  must  work  with  speed.  I  will  do  any- 
thing for  an  honest  living.     Better  be  in  the  tread  mill  than  be 

out  of  it. 

AflFectionately  yours, 

Henry. 

Wm.  P.  Fessenden  or  E.  H.  Allen  will  in  all  probability  be 
our  ne.xt  candidate  for  Governor.  But  I  don't  meddle  with 
politics,  but  if  either  is  nominated  I  shall  have  to  take  hold 
again.     They  are  fine  fellows. 

From  father's  Genealogy  I  get  the  following  data: 

Henry  W.  Paine,  the  second  son  of  Lemuel,  was  born  Aug. 
30,  1810;  graduated  at  Waterville  College  in  1830;  studied 
law  in  Hallowell  and  for  one  year  in  the  Law  School  at  Harvard 
University.  He  practised  at  Hallowell  until  1854  when  he 
moved  to  Cambridge  and  opened  an  office  in  Boston.  He 
was  repeatedly  offered  a  seat  on  the  bench  of  the  Supreme 
Judicial  Court  in  Maine  and  the  same  office  was  offered  to 
him  in  Boston,  but  he  declined  all  such  offers.  In  1863,  much 
against  his  wishes,  he  was  a  candidate  of  the  democratic  party 
for  Governor  of  Massachusetts  but  was  unsuccessful. 

In  the  April  number  of  the  New  England  Magazine,  1894, 
there  is  an  article  written  by  Professor  William  Matthews 
from  which  I  make  disconnected  jottings: 

A  great  New  England  Lawyer.     Henry  W.  Paine 

.  .  .  He  enjoyed  a  large  and  lucrative  practice  in  both 
State  and  Federal  Courts  and  especially  as  Referee  and  Master 
in  Chancery,  in  most  difficult  and  important  cases.  He  was 
ever  a  close  student  giving  a  great  deal  of  time  to  literary  and 
other  studies,  was  familiar  with  the  best  old  English  authors, 
with  Burke,  Johnson,  Goldsmith  and  Addison,  believing  that  a 
man  could  not  become  a  great  lawyer  who  knew  nothing  else. 


iRAKY 


ASTOR.   LENOX 


HENRY    W.  PAINE  57 

"  The  air  is  thin  among  the  apices  of  the  law  as  on  the  granite 
needles  of  the  Alps.  Men  must  find  refreshment  and  strength 
in  the  quiet  valleys  at  their  feet."  With  his  brethren  at  the 
Bar,  he  held  always  the  friendliest  relations.  He  scorned  all 
artifices  and  trickeries  and  won  wealth  at  the  Bar,  "not  by 
his  practices,  but  by  his  practice." 

Few  advocates  have  had  more  success  with  juries.  The 
secret  of  this  lay  not  only  in  the  cogency,  lucidity,  and  per- 
suasiveness of  his  addresses  but  in  the  confidence  in  his  fair- 
ness and  truthfulness  with  which  he  inspired  his  hearers. 
In  his  addresses  to  the  jury,  he  sought  to  enlighten,  to  clarify, 
not  to  confuse  their  minds.  Ha\^iftg  a  quick  perception  and 
a  firm  grasp  of  the  vital  points  of  a  case,  he  confined  himself 
to  these,  addressing  them  with  all  the  force  of  his  mind  and 
character. 

He  was  keen  of  wit  and  (juick  at  retort  but  never  used  the 
weapon  in  a  way  to  wound  the  feelings  of  an  adversary. 

He  was  one  of  the  lawyers  about  whom  many  anecdotes 
were  told.  Being  one  day  saluted  by  the  name  of  a  disrepu- 
table lawyer,  he  told  the  man  who  made  the  blunder  who  he 
was.     "Pardon  me,"  said  the  stranger,  "I  took  you  for  Mr. 

D ."     "I  excuse  you,"  was  the   reply,   "but  I   hope   the 

devil  won't  make  the  same  mistake." 

Once  when  making  an  argument  in  court.  Judge  Gray  inter- 
rupted him  with  the  remark,  "Mr.  Paine,  you  know  that  is 
not  the  law."  Immediately  came  the  reply,  "Please  your 
honor,  that  was  the  law  until  your  honor  spoke." 

He  had  an  extraordinary  memory,  so  that  in  the  court  room 
he  was  able  to  dispense  wholly  with  notes  of  testimony  and 
memoranda  of  arguments  to  be  used  or  refuted.  It  was  his 
custom  to  amu.se  himself  with  mathematical  problems  as  he 
rode  from  his  home  to  his  office.  He  could  multiply  numbers 
of  five  figures  each  with  the  greatest  ease.  He  once  won  a 
case  in  a  Maine  court  involving  a  question  of  riparian  rights, 


58         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

simply  by  demonstrating  to  the  jury  a  geometrical  problem. 
His  mind  was  also  retentive  of  facts  of  history  and  biography. 

From  his  nephew  George  S.  Paine  comes  this  family 
"Glimpse": 

In  his  early  letters  home,  my  uncle,  Henry  W.  Paine,  showed 
his  fondness  for  the  "humanities"  by  frequent  Latin  quota- 
tions, yet  instead  of  pursuing  the  study  of  Ancient  languages, 
he  devoted  a  part  of  each  day  to  the  solution  of  mathematical 
questions,  to  keep  his  mind  "fit."  There  is  no  doubt  that  he 
neglected  one  source  of  mental  and  physical  "fitness"  by 
ignoring  all  accepted  forms  of  recreation.  It  was  his  boast 
that  he  never  entered  a  theatre,  never  played  a  game  of  chance 
and  apparently  never  indulged  in  any  form  of  regular  exercise, 
except  as  above  mentioned.  And  the  time  came  when  his 
physician  told  him  peremptorily  that  he  must  quit  work  and 
go  abroad  with  his  wife. 

At  Stoke  Pogis,  he  said  in  the  hearing  of  other  parties, 
"This  is  where  Lord  Coke  lived."  A  gentleman  in  hearing 
said,  "I  beg  your  pardon,  sir,  but  Lord  Coke  never  lived  at 
Stoke  Pogis."  Mr.  Paine  repeated  it  with  the  addition,  as 
I  recall  it,  that  Lord  Coke  obtained  his  property  there  by  way 
of  marriage.  A  short  time  afterwards,  in  the  city  of  London, 
the  same  gentleman  aj)proached  him  and  said,  handing  him 
his  card,  "You  were  right  sir.  Lord  Coke  did  live  at  Stoke 
Pogis."  Upon  inquiry  the  donor  of  the  card  was  found  to 
be  one  of  the  leading  barristers  of  London.  In  later  years, 
on  the  occasion  of  a  second  visit  to  Stoke  Pogis,  Mr.  Paine 
overheard  one  of  the  guides  repeating  the  story  of  the  Yankee 
lawyer  who  outwitted  the  English  barrister. 

It  is  an  undoubted  fact  that  our  branch  of  the  family  lacked 
self-esteem.  I  recall  a  notable  conversation  between  my 
father  and  his  brother  which  will  illustrate  this.  My  uncle 
was  a  very  successful  real  estate  lawj-er,  with  hosts  of  friends. 


HENRY   W.    PAINE  59 

but  was  subject  to  occasional  deep  depression.  He  admitted 
that  he  had  been  successful,  but  said  that  his  achievement 
had  been  so  far  short  of  his  hopes  and  aspirations,  that  he 
regarded  his  life  a  failure  and  would  not  care  to  live  it  again. 
My  father,  on  the  other  hand,  said  that  while  he  had  accom- 
plished little  or  nothing  of  consequence  in  life,  he  had  enjoyed 
it  and  would  be  glad  to  live  it  over  again.  These  two  men  had 
a  deep  affection  for  each  other  and  seemed  in  their  intercourse 
more  like  father  and  son  than  brothers.  My  uncle  was  the 
favorite  of  his  father,  while  my  father  seemed  to  have  a  stronger 
hold  on  his  mother.  The  former,  when  he  began  practice  of 
the  law  in  Hallowell,  assured  his  father  that  as  long  as  he  lived 
he  would  never  leave  the  state  of  Maine,  and  adhered  to  his 
promise,  tho'  soon  after  his  father's  death  he  removed  to  Cam- 
bridge. 

While  in  Hallowell,  he  was  retained  in  important  matters 
before  the  legislature.  In  an  impeachment  case,  a  report  of 
certain  proceedings  appeared  in  the  Kennebec  Journal.  The 
widely  known  Rufus  Choate  was  employed  and  F.  O.  J.  Smith, 
a  somewhat  eccentric  character.  The  editor,  in  commenting 
upon  it,  said  of  the  arguments,  that  "Paine  furnished  the 
logic,  Choate  the  rhetoric,  and  Smith  the  slang."  Upon  in- 
quiry, they  found  that  the  man  who  had  written  this  was  a 
Mr.  J.  G.  Blaine,  not  long  since  from  Pennsylvania. 

My  uncle  married,  May,  1837,  Miss  Lucy  Coffin,  a  lady  of 
rare  mental  endowments  and  endearing  personality,  as  well 
as  one  of  great  beauty.  His  acquaintance  with  her  began  at 
Hallowell,  when  she  was  visiting  the  family  with  whom  he 
boarded.  At  the  dinner  table  some  one  made  a  remark  de- 
rogatory to  the  character  of  Caleb  Cushing,  then  not  so  well 
known  as  he  was  later  and  Miss  Coffin  came  to  his  defence  in  so 
spirited  and  charming  a  manner  that  Uncle  Henry  fell  in  love 
with  her  on  the  spot.  Mr.  Cushing  and  he  were  warm  friends 
and  he  later  gave  to  Uncle  Henry  a  beautiful  gold  watch  that 


60         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

had  been  presented  to  him  at  the  time  of  the  Geneva  award. 
Not  needing  it,  my  uncle  gave  it  to  my  father,  but  the  family, 
after  the  death  of  Mr.  Gushing,  finding  that  it  had  passed  from 
my  uncle's  hands,  wished  to  have  it  returned,  which  was  done. 
I  had  great  hopes  of  it  myself. 

There  was  one  child,  a  daughter,  Jeannie  Warren  Paine. 
In  Gambridge  she  was  recognized  as  a  thorough  and  brilliant 
student,  especially  in  the  languages  and  science.  She  was 
said  by  Agassiz  to  have  the  brightest  mind  of  any  yoiuig  woman 
he  had  ever  met.  She  and  her  mother  were  both  interested 
in  all  philanthropic  and  charitable  movements  and  were  de- 
voted members  of  the  P^ir.st  Parish  Church  of  Gambridge, 
the  Unitarian  Society  of  Old  Gambridge.  In  her  will,  Jeannie 
left  money  to  this  Ghurch  "to  form  a  permanent  charity  fund." 

In  Hallowell  she  and  a  friend  acquired  the  rudiments  of 
Greek  by  hearing  a  class  recite  and  when  the  preceptor  dis- 
covered this  fact,  he  invited  them  to  enter  the  class  with 
the  young  men.  This  caused  some  disaffection,  as  girls  had 
never  been  permitted  to  study  Greek  at  the  Academy. 

—  G.  S.  P. 

The  famihes  of  the  two  sons,  Lemuel  and  Frederic,  grew  up 
together  as  one  family  and  the  affection  between  them  con- 
tinued throughout  life.  Gousin  Henry  was  a  frequent  visitor 
at  our  home  in  Bangor,  and  until  late  at  night  and  in  the  dark, 
he  and  my  father  would  sit  talking  over  the  old  home  and  the 
new  interests  they  had  in  common.  Gousin  Henry  never 
could  understand  my  father's  interest  in  Genealogy.  He  would 
say,  "  I  cannot  understand  Albert's  interest  in  this  work  of  look- 
ing up  his  ancestors."  He  was  a  very  handsome,  courteous 
man,  one  whom  we  were  always  glad  to  have  with  us. 


CHAPTER  FOUR 
EDWARD  AUGUSTUS  PAINE 

The  name  of  "Mr.  Edward  A.  Paine,"  the  third  son,  we 
meet  with  frequently  in  the  journals  and  letters.  He  was 
born  in  Winslow,  Nov.  27,  1816,  and  lived  at  the  old  home- 
stead engaged  in  the  work  of  an  agriculturist  on  the  large 
farm  which  his  father  so  industriously  cultivated  during  his 
life.  He  died  July  14,  1884.  Nov.  27,  1848,  he  married 
Sybil  Stratton  of  Winslow. 

They  had  two  children,  George  Stratton  and  Lucy  Coffin. 
Lucy  died  March  17,  1918. 

That  there  was  a  wedding  party  on  the  occasion  of  the 
marriage  of  Edward  A.  Paine,  we  know  by  the  following  ac- 
count, taken  from  the  Journal  of  the  Grandmother,  who  was 
the  aunt  of  the  bridegroom. 

Rejoicing  in  the  Lot  '■ 
Nov.  27,  1S4S.     Edward  A.  Paine  married  to  Sybil  Stratton 

This  is  a  cause  of  great  rejoicing  all  about  the  "lot."  The 
Bridegroom  rejoices  over  the  bride,  he  probably  thinks  she 
will  be  a  help  and  meet  her  wants  with  wisdom. 

The  Bride  rejoices,  she  is  united  to  a  man  who  has  promised 
to  "sustain  her  through  life  and  perform  towards  her  all  the 
duties  growing  out  of  the  Marriage  relation,  taking  the  Word 
of  God  for  his  rule  of  action,"  in  the  presence  of  about  80 
witnesses. 

The   Father   Paine    rejoices,    he    has    always    wished    for   a 

daughter  and  his  supposed  trials  are  now  greatly  relieved  by 

her   pleasant    &   social   society.     The   Mother   Paine   rejoices, 

'  From  "The  Sketch  Book." 
61 


62        THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

"  old  age  is  coming  on  apace  and  now  there  is  one  to  comfort 
her  "Isaac"  after  his  Mother's  — 

Brother  Henry  rejoices  for  said  he,  I  am  really  glad  that  my 
only  Brother  has  become  determined  to  act  like  other  men  and 
has  obtained  a  virtuous  companion.  His  little  Daughter 
Jane  rejoices  to  go  to  the  wedding  for  said  she,  "I  have  only 
a  few  Uncles  and  they  dont  get  married  often." 

Father  Stratton  rejoices.  He  has  a  large  family  and  ad- 
vantageous colonization  is  convenient. 

The  Mother  Stratton  rejoices,  she  has  four  daughters  and 
five  sons  that  can  fill  all  such  vacancies.  The  Brothers  Strat- 
ton rejoice.  They  have  always  been  intimate  friends  and  now 
"A  three-fold  cord  is  not  easily  broken."  The  Sisters  rejoice, 
for  said  they  "He  is  the  cleverest  man  in  Town."  So  we 
neighbors  have  concluded  to  take  hold  and  rejoice  with  them 
and  say  success  to  the  whole  Tree  in  its  every  branch  and 
sprout. Officiating  Clergy  The  Rev.  Albert  Cole. 

'  From  "The  Sketch  Book." 


CHAPTER   FIVE 
RACHEL   PAINE  PRATT 

Rachel  Carpenter  was  born  Jan.  31,  1757  and  died  Sept. 
1828.  She  married  Lemuel  Paine,  gen.  VI,  of  Fo.xboro.  He 
died  in  1794,  and  in  1797  she  married  Dea.  Isaac  Pratt  of 
Wrenthani.     See  page  32  (foot  note). 

She  was  the  daughter  of  Dea.  Nehemiah  Carpenter,  the 
first  settler  of  Foxboro. 

He  served  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  has  a  long  war 
service.  Sergeant,  1st  Lieut.,  Lieut,  and  Capt.  Every  time 
he  is  listed  he  has  a  title,  and  is  in  the  list  of  commissioned 
officers. 

There  were  two  sons,  brothers  of  Rachel,  Nehemiah  and 
Ezra  "^^eterans." 

Among  other  old  documents  is  the  following  letter  written 
by  the  mother  Rachel  to  the  two  Winslow  sons,  Lemuel  and 
Frederic  Paine. 

Foxboromjh  Aug.  31st  1822 

My  dear  sons,  after  much  anxiety  of  mind,  I  have  at  length 
concluded  that  my  health  will  not  admit  of  my  accepting  your 
kind  and  repeated  invitations  to  visit  you  and  I  fear  that  so 
long  a  journey,  now  attended  with  so  much  uncertainty 
would  be  very  injurious.  I  have  been  as  it  were  in  a  strait 
betwixt  two,  for  I  do  earnestly  desire  to  see  you  all,  and  I 
know  that  I  am  unable  to  go,  besides  there  are  ties  which  bind 
me  here. 

Your  friends  here  are  all  comfortable  except  Polly  Pratt 
who  is  sick  of  a  fever.  Perhaps  you  have  been  informed  of  the 
sudden  death  of  Shurbal  Pratt.  He  died  of  a  fever  last  month. 
The  whole  town  sensibly  feel  their  loss,  but  to  his  friends  it  is 
almost  insupportable.     He  had  been   married  a  few   months 

63 


64         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

and  doubtless  had  as  bright  a  prospect  of  Hving  as  we  have, 
when  he  was  unexpectedly  called  into  the  presence  of  God. 
O,  my  sons,  shall  we  be  found  ready  and  waiting  for  the  comeing 
of  the  Son  of  ^lan.  Let  it  be  our  first  and  chief  object  so  to 
be,  but  let  us  understand  it,  we  shall  not  be  ready  unless  we 
repent  and  become  new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus.  That 
this  may  be  the  case  with  each  one  of  her  dear  children,  is  the 
fervent  prayer  of  your  Mother.  There  is  nothing  new  in 
Foxborough,  nor  strange.  The  Baptist  meeting-house  is 
about  finished  and  ours  is  so  far  completed,  that  we  have 
with  some  inconvenience  met  in  it  twice.  We  have  a  young 
minister  preaching  with  us  now,  an  excellent  man,  we  hope 
that  we  shall  settle  him,  his  name  is  Thatcher.  Amanda  is 
well  as  usual,  she  is  very  much  engaged  in  studying.  She 
recites  twice  a  day  to  Mr.  Thatcher,  finds  him  an  excellent 
instructor.  He  is  a  grandson  of  Rev.  Mr.  Thatcher  of  Attle- 
borough.  a  distant  relation  of  ours.  Amanda  will  not  write 
until  you  have  answered  her  letters.  Please  give  my  love  to 
your  wives  and  children  and  accept  the  kind  love  of  your 
affectionate  Mother  Rachel  Pratt. 

P.  S.  Do  write  as  soon  as  you  receive  this.  Your  uncle 
Ezra  Carpenter  sends  his  love  and  would  inform  you  that  he 
has  everything  in  abundance.  All  nature  seems  to  groan  under 
a  heavy  load  of  fruit  of  all  kinds.  He  will  not  on  any  account 
consent  to  my  going  away.  W''  Susan  C.  Pratt  is  in  great 
trouble  and  very  earnestly  desires  Frederic's  wife  to  write 
to  her,  she  is  deeply  afHicted. 

Rachel 
\_Frederic  s  wife  is  the  Grandmother.] 


PART  III.     FREDERIC    AND    ARIEL    WARE 
PAINE,   THE   GRANDMOTHER 


Chaptei 

•  One. 

Frederic  and  Abiel  Ware  Paine. 

Two. 

The  Journals  of  the  Grandmother. 

Three. 

Stray  Leaves. 

Four. 

The  Sketch  Book. 

Five. 

Daily  Thoughts. 

Six. 

The  Recorder. 

Seven. 

Old  Letters. 
Illustrations 

Frederic  Paine,  Gen.  VIL  at  sixty-five,  from  daguerreotype. 
Abiel   Ware    Paine,    the    Grandmother,    at    sixty    three,    from 

daguerreotype. 
The  old  Church  in  Winslow. 
Rev.  Thomas  Adams. 
Timothy's  Chamber,  at  Cloverside. 

Paine 

Gen.      I     William    Paine,    England  —  Water- 
town  —  Ipswich 1589-1660 

II   John       Paine,       England  —  Water- 
town  ~  Ipswich  —  Boston 1632-1675 

III  William  Paine,  Boston?  — Maiden..    1664-1741 

IV  William  Paine,  Maiden 1692-1784 

V   William  Paine,  Maiden  —  Foxboro, 

m.  Mary  Bull 1720-1810 

#  "         VI   Lemuel  Paine,  Foxboro,  m.  Rachel 

Carpenter 1748-1794 

*  "        VII   Frederic    Paine,    Foxboro  —  Wins-  ■<■■>■ 

low,  m.  Abiel  Ware 1785-1857 


66         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

**  Gen.  VIII  Charles  Frederic  —  Albert  Ware  — 
Benjamin  Crowninshield  —  Tim- 
othy Otis. 

Daughters.  Caroline  Matilda  — 
Harriet  Newell  —  Charlotte  Eliza- 
beth —  Sarah  Jane. 

Ware 

#  Gen.        I   Robert   Ware   the   Aged,    Dedham, 

"The  Immigrant"  ' (?)  —1699 

II    Robert  Ware,  Dedham  —  Wrentham  1653-1724 

III   Robert  Ware,  Wrentham 1680-1731-2 

"        IV   Timothy  Ware,  Wrentham,  m.  Mary 

Healy 1715-1794 

V   Timothy  Ware,  Wrentham,  m.  Abiel 

Ray." 1746-1798 

*  "       VI    Daughter,  Abiel  Ware,  m.  Frederic 

Paine 1787-1852 

VII   Charles  —  Albert  —  Benjamin  — 
Timothy,  etc. 


#  Gen.      VI   Lemuel  Paine,  Foxboro,  m.  Rachel 

Carpenter 1748-1794 

VII   Lemuel  Paine,  Foxboro  —  Winslow, 

m.  Jane  Warren 1777-1852 

"     VIII  Ebenezer  Warren  —  Henry  William 
—  Frederic  Augustus. 

'  He  emigrated  before  1642.     "  He  was  the  progenitor  of  a  long  line  of  moral 
teachers." 


** 


P^  Z'- 


.       '^^'^  LIBRARY 

IAST^R.    LENOX 
TILDMn    FCLNO -.tiom"; 


CHAPTER  ONE 
FREDERIC  AND  ARIEL  WARE  PAINE 

These  two  sketches  of  his  parents  were  written  by  my  father, 
the  "second  son,"  in  1876,  at  the  request  of  my  mother,  who 
was  very  much  interested  in  preserving  all  family  records. 

Memorial  of  Frederic  Paine 

The  following  sketches  of  my  parent's  lives  and  character 
I  have  prepared  at  the  request  of  my  wife,  the  dates  and  statis- 
tics being  mainly  gathered  from  the  scrap  book  or  Journal 
kept  by  my  mother  and  left  to  me  upon  her  death. 

My  father  whose  name  was  Frederic  Paine  was  the  son  of 
Lemuel  Paine  of  Foxboro,  Mass.,  and  was  born  on  the  twenty- 
first  day  of  November,  a.d.  1785.  His  parents  had  six  children 
four  sons  and  two  daughters.  A.sa  died  at  the  age  of  12  years. 
All  the  others  lived  to  be  married,  my  father  being  the  next 
to  the  youngest  of  the  flock.  His  mother  was  Rachel  Car- 
penter of  Foxboro. 

My  father  was  born  in  a  house  which  in  my  boyhood  I 
once  visited,  it  being  a  small  cottage  at  a  considerable  distance 
from  the  public  highway,  on  a  stony  farm  and  among  a  sparse 
population.  He  was  early  put  as  an  apprentice  to  the  trade 
of  cooper  in  his  native  town.  While  thus  engaged  he  made 
the  acquaintance  of  his  wife,  my  dear  mother,  then  an  orphan 
girl  of  Wrentham,  an  adjoining  town.  (Orphan  according  to 
the  law  but  her  mother  was  living.)  Her  name  was  Abiel 
Ware. 

Soon  afterwards  on  becoming  of  age  my  father  joined  his 
brother  Lemuel  in  a  trip  to  Maine  to  seek  his  fortune  in  a  new 
home.     Lemuel  was  some  10  years  the  elder,  had  been  sent 

67 


68         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A  GRANDMOTHER 

to  College  and  had  also  studied  for  the  profession  of  the  Law 
and  it  was  probably  his  design  in  coming  to  Maine  to  practise 
in  his  profession,  while  my  father  should  work  at  his  trade 
and  both  at  the  same  time  carry  on  their  farm.  This  they 
did.  They  selected  a  mutual  home  in  Winslow  then  a  border 
town  on  the  Kennebec  at  its  confluence  with  the  Sebasticook 
River.  The  town  was  one  which  had  grown  up  under  the 
protection  of  the  Fort  Halifax  located  there  at  the  head  of 
navigation. 

Here  they  selected  a  home  and  both  joined  in  building  or 
purchasing  a  house  for  their  mutual  occupation.  Uncle 
Lemuel  soon  returned  to  consummate  his  marriage  with  his 
chosen  bride,  the  daughter  of  Judge  Warren  of  Foxboro  and 
at  once  .settled  down  for  life  in  the  new  home  thus  chcsen. 
This  was  in  1807.  My  father  made  a  part  of  his  family  for 
about  two  years  when  he  went  back  and  married  on  September 
21,  1809,  he  being  then  24  years  of  age  and  my  mother  22. 
The  two  families  lived  together  until  each  had  two  sons  when 
they  had  prospered  sufficiently  to  allow  of  each  having  a  home 
of  his  own.  My  father  then  built  a  new  house  and  moved 
into  it  in  1814  in  which  he  and  my  mother  afterwards  con- 
tinued to  live  throughout  life  and  in  which  both  died,  being 
the  house  surmounting  the  depot  at  Winslow  Village.  I  can 
well  remember  the  time,  being  then  only  two  years  of  age, 
my  own  birth  being  on  August  16,  1812. 

Soon  after  the  removal,  my  father  volunteered  and  went 
to  the  war,  and  I  can  well  remember  the  niglit  of  his  leaving, 
altho  only  two  years  old.  His  military  life,  however  was 
a  short  and  bloodless  one,  as  the  enemy  did  not  make  his 
appearance  and  the  volunteers  soon  returned  home  and  peace 
came  with  them. 

My  parents  then  settled  down  for  life  in  their  new  house  and 
home,  where  they  continued  to  live  to  a  good  old  age  and  until 
death  released  each  of  them  from  the  cares  of  earth. 


FREDERIC  PAINE  69 

My  father  through  his  whole  Hfe  continued  the  joint  occu- 
pation of  a  mechanic  at  his  favourite  trade  and  an  agricultur- 
aUst  on  his  small  but  well  cultivated  farm.  Between  the  two 
he  was  ever  busy.  The  wet  and  rainy  days  of  summer  and 
the  cold  days  of  winter  which  ]>revented  labor  on  the  ground 
ever  found  him  busy  and  consequently  he  never  spent  a  useless 
hour.  His  farm  and  shop  absorbed  every  available  hour  of 
the  day,  and  the  long  evenings  of  autumn  and  winter.  And 
if  at  any  time  a  few  moments  were  found  while  waiting  for  his 
meals  or  other  employment  a  paper  or  an  account  book  was 
readily  accessible  to  drive  away  all  idea  of  idleness.  He  was 
never  for  a  moment  a  loafer  in  mother's  way  or  out  of  employ- 
ment for  himself,  but  constantly  finding  some  useful  work 
to  engage  his  attention  and  his  hands.  By  this  constant 
industry  he  ever  maintained  a  comfortable  and  happy  home 
for  us  all  and  enjoyed  a  good  living.  As  child  after  child  came 
to  bless  this  home  to  the  number  of  eight  in  all,  there  was 
found  room  enough  for  them  to  stay  in  a  capacious  house  as 
well  as  heart  of  the  parents  and  seats  in  abundance  at  a  well 
supplied  table.  No  demands  ever  were  protested,  nor  bills 
allowed  to  be  unpaid.  Indeed  want  never  that  I  am  aware 
of  made  its  appearance  at  our  home  or  board,  but  prosperity 
was  our  lot. 

In  looking  back  from  my  present  standpoint  upon  my 
parents  thus  situated  I  am  wholly  at  loss  to  see  how  all  this 
was  done  except  as  the  result  of  a  firm  faith,  and  a  kind 
Providence. 

Shortly  after  or  during  the  war,  my  father  was  appointed 
Post  Master  of  the  town  and  held  the  place  through  all 
the  successive  administrations  of  Madison,  Monroe,  Adams, 
Jackson,  and  Van  Buren  until  the  cheap  postage  law  was 
enacted  when  he  resigned  his  place,  against  the  protestations 
of  all  the  town-p»eople.  During  all  the  long  term  of  service 
he  was  the  devoted  servant  of  the  public  ever  waiting  upon 


70         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

them  with  the  faithfuhiess  of  a  well  tried  servant.     The  facili- 
ties which  the  place  gave  to  his  family  for  reading  the  papers 
of   the    day   were   eagerly    taken   advantage   of   and   probably 
did  much  to  engender  that  love  for  reading  that  all  the  children    . 
have  ever  shown  in  life.  flj 

My  father  was  a  very  honest  and  upright  man  and  was 
extensively  trusted  as  such.  In  town  affairs  he  held  for  time 
out  of  mind  the  post  of  treasurer,  so  that  his  election  of  treasurer 
year  after  year  was  merely  a  matter  of  form,  and  his  word 
was  ever  like  his  bond. 

After  the  death  of  my  mother  January  1''2,  1852,  father 
lived  a  solitary  life  and  was  at  times  I  doubt  not  lonely.  His 
married  life  had  been  a  long  and  haj^py  one  and  he  had  been 
blessed  in  all  his  ways.  His  children  he  had  greatly  enjoyed 
and  was  happy  with  them.  They  had  however  most  of  them 
gone  from  him  and  acquired  homes  of  their  own  and  when 
his  wife  had  gone  he  was  necessarily  more  or  less  unhappy, 
awaiting  his  time.  His  life  was  a  finished  one  and  he  was 
ready  at  a  moment's  call  to  go.  Like  the  passenger  whose 
business  was  closed  and  he  waiting  for  the  train,  is  ready  to 
step  on  board,  so  the  good  old  man  having  sent  forward  his 
goods,  stood  ready  for  the  signal.  The  signal  was  sounded, 
the  train  approached  —  he  stepped  on  board  and  was  soon 
lost  to  sight,  leaving  behind  the  pleasant  memory  of  his  life 
filled  with  good  deeds.  He  died  in  his  own  bed  calmly  and 
quietly  after  a  few  days'  sickness,  on  March  13,  1857,  at  the 
age  of  71  years  and  4  months. 

His  body  lies  buried  in  our  family  burial  ground  on  the  old 
homestead  farm,  by  the  side  of  my  dear  mother  and  his  two 
children  that  had  passed  before  him  into  the  spiritual  world. 

Albert  Ware  Paine 

Bangor,  March  26,  1876. 


FREDERIC   PAINE  71 

Of  Grandfather,  Grandmother  writes  in  terms  of  great 
affection,  and  of  respect  and  with  gratitude  for  all  that  lie  had 
been  to  her.     An  Uncle  writes: 

"Your  Grandmother  Paine  was  certainly  a  remarkable 
woman,  her  influence  was  great.  Your  Grandfather,  too  was 
a  good  man  and  their  influence  still  exists.    .   .    ." 

Among  the  things  which  we  heard  was  this  story  from  a 
neighbor  who  was  a  dealer  in  cattle.  Among  his  experiences 
was  the  buying  of  cattle  from  farmers  for  shipment  to  Massa- 
chusetts, and  one  night  darkness  overtook  him  and  he  became 
lost.  He  called  at  a  house  to  inquire  the  way  to  the  farm  he 
wished  to  reach.  This  house  was  that  of  your  Grandfather 
Paine,  the  Winslow  home,  I  suppose.  "  Why,"  he  said,  "  I 
can't  tell  you  so  that  you  can  go  in  the  dark,  but  I'll  go  with 
you."     And  this  he  did,  a  long  distance,  miles  I  think." 

G.  C.,  Jefferson,  Wise. 


Memorial  of  Abiel  Ware  P.\ine 

Bangor,  February  27,  1876 

The  following  Memorial  of  my  dear  Mother  is  penned  for 
the  satisfaction  of  such  as  may  hereafter  come  after  us  and  be 
interested  in  the  history  of  our  race. 

My  Mother's  maiden  name  was  Abiel  Ware;  she  was  the 
daughter  of  Timothy  and  Abiel  Ware,  born  at  Wrentham, 
Mass.,  Dec.  6,  1787.  Her  father  was  born  Nov.  17,  1746 
and  died  May  150,  1798  at  the  age  of  51  years  and  6  months, 
my  mother  being  then  in  her  11th  year  of  age.  Her  mother's 
maiden  name  was  Abiel  Ray  and  she  was  born  Oct.  10,  1748 
and  died  June  12,  1825  at  the  age  of  about  77  years.  I  well 
remember  her  as  an  object  of  constant  correspondence  on  my 
mother's  part  and  once  at  least  by  her  long  visit  at  our  house. 
My  mother's  parents  had  ten  children,  six  daughters  and  four 
sons,  she  being  the  eighth  in  the  list  and  the  youngest  daughter. 
She  lived  to  record  the  death  of  all  the  others  except  her  sister 


7-2         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

Eunice  Hixson.  Her  own  death  took  place  at  Winslow  in 
her  dear  old  home  on  the  12th  day  of  January  ISS^,  at  the  age 
of  64  years  and  1  month. 

Of  her  brothers  and  sisters  two  died  in  infancy  and  all  the 
others  lived  to  be  married.  Her  youngest  brother  Avery 
Sprague  Ware  graduated  at  Middlesex  College  and  became  a 
minister  and  moved  to  the  West,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of 
46  years. 

Upon  the  death  of  her  father,  my  mother  was  placed  under 
the  care  of  a  guardian  in  Franklin,  R.  I.,  where  she  spent  the 
most  of  her  life  until  her  marriage.  At  the  age  of  21  years 
and  nine  months  she  married  my  father  on  September  21,  1809, 
and  immediately  went  to  Winslow  to  reside,  then  a  frontier 
town  on  the  Kennebec  River.  He  had  already  prepared  for 
themselves  a  home  at  that  place  in  the  same  house  with  his 
brother  Lemuel.  In  that  home  they  continued  for  some  three 
or  four  years  when  they  removed  into  a  new  house  erected  for 
themselves  where  they  ever  afterward  resided  until  their 
respective  deaths,  it  being  the  same  house  that  now  overlooks 
the  depot  in  that  village. 

In  that  house,  my  parents  brought  up  their  family  of  eight 
children  all  of  whom  arrived  at  mature  years  and  were  married 
except  only  our  dear  sister  Harriet  who  died  at  the  age  of  16 
years.' 

In  the  year  of  1818  my  parents  with  another  couple  united 
in  forming  a  church  at  Winslow  of  the  Congregational  order 
and  were  then  baptized  having  at  the  time  made  a  public 
"profession  of  religion"  as  the  phrase  is.  These  four  con- 
tinued for  long  years  unseparated  members  of  that  church, 
its  leading  members,  active  in  all  its  duties.  I  can  well  recol- 
lect how  at  the  close  of  service  on  the  day  of  their  admission 
my  parents  took  their  three  little  children  up  to  "the  altar" 
to  receive  the  ordinance  which  to  their  minds  was  evidence  of 
our  being  devoted  to  the  service  of  the  Lord.     My  mother  may 


|H^H 

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^^itf^^Q^  "^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^1 

^^^^^ 

W^  ^^^^^H 

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■%    ^mL  K^i^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^l 

^^^^Vr . 

P^ '^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^1 

*-  "^^^^^^M 

i  ^^^^^H 

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^^^^L            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^M 

c- 


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ASTOB      r  c. 


ABIEL  WARE  PAINE  73 

with  truth  be  said  to  have  been  a  true  Christian  not  only  by 
profession  hut  also  by  life  and  practice.  It  was  ever  her 
especial  pleasure  to  be  active  in  every  work  which  the  church 
organization  or  religious  principle  called  her  to  do.  Attend- 
ance on  church  services,  promptly  and  on  all  occasions,  was 
regarded  not  only  a  duty  but  the  highest  pleasure.  On  all 
Convention  occasions  it  was  her  resolve  and  her  practice  to 
attend,  a  volunteer,  if  not  a  chosen  delegate.  For  years  her 
parlor  wn.s  thrown  ojjen  for  conference  meetings,  on  every 
Sabbath  e\'ening,  and  my  mother's  enjoyment  of  every  such 
occasion  was  without  stint  or  limit.  No  dusty  feet  on  her 
carpet  or  disarrangement  of  her  furnishing  in  the  room  ever 
presented  any  oljjection  to  the  comjilete  carrying  out  of  this 
custom.  Her  promptness  at  meeting  was  proverbial  and  her 
passing  along  the  street  churchwards  was  the  watchword 
for  all  meeting  goers  to  start  "as  Mrs.  Paine  is  going  by." 
Those  who  did  not  care  to  sit  a  few  minutes  before  the  exercises 
commenced,  felt  that  they  might  delay  a  little  longer  at  their 
book  or  toilet. 

Living  not  far  from  the  church  as  she  did,  she  kept  what 
might  very  properly  be  denominated  the  "Church  Hotel"  or 
rather  "Free  Lunch  Hotel,"  her  home  being  the  common  resort 
of  "Christians"  of  the  Congregational  order  and  especially 
clergymen  who  happened  along  that  way  at  any  time  of  the 
day  or  season  of  the  year.  To  all  such  the  latch  string  of  her 
door  was  always  on  the  outside.  Out  dwellers  of  the  con- 
gregation found  in  her  rooms  and  at  her  table  a  convenient 
place  for  their  noonings  with  something  to  "stay  their 
stomachs"  for  the  afternoon  services.     All  were  welcome. 

She  was,  however,  no  sectarian  in  her  religious  views  and 

practice  but  was  of  extremely  liberal  sentiments  towards  all 

other  Evangelistic  orders.     This  occasionally  brought  her  into 

j    trouble  with  her  more  bigoted  brotherhood  by   her  espousal 

of   other's  causes  outside  the   regular  membership  and  com- 


74         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A  GRANDMOTHER 

munion.  The  most  conspicuous  instances  of  this  were  found 
in  lier  defence  of  different  members  of  her  own  household 
under  the  ravages  of  Swedenborgianism.  When  she  found  so 
many  of  these  among  her  own  children  she  began  to  feel  that 
tho  she  would  prefer  to  have  them  all  good  orthodox  it  was  not 
very  bad  to  l>e  a  good  New  Churchman. 

My  mother  was  not  an  educated  woman  but  for  one  with  so 
many  domestic  cares  on  hand,  she  read  much  and  was,  too, 
very  proficient  with  her  pen.  Every  day  found  her  more  or 
less  devoted  to  both  these  exercises.  Her  Diary  is  a  very 
interesting  work  for  her  children  and  from  it  I  have  gleaned 
all  the  duties  here  gathered.  "Solitude  Sweetened"  was  her 
especial  vade  inccum  and  almost  every  day  found  her  perusing 
at  least  one  chapter  of  to  her,  its  sacred  contents. 

Her  household  however  was  never  allowed  to  be  neglected 
in  the  least  degree.  Her  children  were  ever  cared  for  con- 
stantly and  to  have  them  rise  in  the  world  was  her  great  am- 
bition. She  was  a  good  mother  and  one  whom  her  children 
ever  delighted  and  will  delight  to  honor.  Their  little  bodies 
and  minds  were  the  constant  objects  of  her  care  and  that  care 
and  interest  followed  them  through  life  even  calling  down 
blessings  on  their  heads.  Through  her  determination  and 
resolution,  two  of  her  boys  received  a  collegiate  education, 
both  of  whom  will  give  credit  to  her  alone  for  the  boon  as  both 
were  sent  against  their  own  wills  and  have  both  since  learned 
to  bless  her  for  her  persistency. 

Of  her  children,  her  dearly  beloved  Harriet  was  removed 
by  death  at  the  early  but  interesting  age  of  16,  a  charming 
and  lovely  girl  to  whom  we  were  pll  unusually  attached.  She 
was  a  bright  and  intelligent  child  with  a  peculiarly  winning 
character  and  we  were  all  deeply  in  love  with  her.  Her  mother 
felt  during  her  somewhat  prolonged  and  severe  sickness  that 
she  could  not  give  her  up.  The  closing  scenes  of  her  life, 
however,  were  so  beautiful  that  all  tears  were  dried  up  and 


ABIEL   WARE   PAINE  75 

mother,  as  indeed  all  of  us,   felt  perfectly  reconciled  to  her 
removal. 

But  very  different  was  the  sad  event  of  her  eldest  son's 
death  by  the  terrible  catastrophe  of  the  Steamer  Halifax 
explosion.  His  death  she  could  never  be  reconciled  to,  but  it 
was  a  sadness  to  her  during  all  her  life  afterwards.  This 
terrible  accident  occurred  on  the  23rd  day  of  May,  1848. 
In  September  following,  my  own  severe  sickness  from  which 
for  weeks  death  was  anticipated,  again  plunged  her  into  deep 
grief,  and  during  three  weeks  she  was  a  constant  watcher  for 
the  fearful  news.  She  lived,  however,  to  see  with  joy  her  son 
alive  and  well. 

Her  own  death  occurred  as  already  remarked  on  the  12th 
day  of  January  at  the  age  of  64  years  and  one  month  and 
6  days.  Her  body  is  interred  in  the  family  burial  ground  on 
the  old  homestead  by  the  side  of  her  husband  and  her  dear 
Charles  and  Harriet. 

After  her  death  her  son  Timothy  took  a  plaster  cast  of  her 
face  from  which  he  constructed  a  very  truthful  bust  from 
which  photographic  impressions  are  taken,  strikingly  presenting 
the  features  of  her  countenance  and  head  in  a  most  exact 
manner. 

This  sketch  is  prepared  at  the  solicitation  of  my  dear  wife. 

Albert  W.  P.^ine 


CHAPTER  TWO 
THE  JOURNALS  OF   THE  GRANDMOTHER 

It  is  my  wish  that  these  books  of  the  Grandmother  shall 
tell  their  own  tales,  but  in  some  places  a  word  may  be  needed 
for  the  sake  of  elearness.  (jencrally,  the  chronology  of  the 
books  will  be  followed,  but  in  a  few  instances  I  have  brought 
together  scattered  references  to  events  and  people,  in  order 
that  the  connection  of  thought  might  be  more  readily  seen, 
as  for  instance,  the  two  or  three  little  stories  of  "Annah" 
and  the  references  to  "Timothy's"  studies  and  religious 
thoughts. 

First  comes  "Stray  Leaves,"  begun  in  April  1824  and  con- 
tinued at  intervals  to  February  26,  1843.  These  loose  pages 
are  tied  into  the  back  of  "Daily  Thoughts."  On  the  first 
page  is  a  Family  Tree  washed  in  with  browns  and  greens. 

Then  follows  "The  Sketch  Hook"  sent  by  my  father  and 
mother,  which  she  began  February  26,  1845  and  continued  to 
September,  1848. 

In  November  of  that  year,  1848,  father  sent  another  blank 
book  which  she  called  "The  Recorder  of  1849." 

"  Lord  teach  my  heart  to  think 
And  guide  my  heart  to  write." 

The  first  date  was  Januarj-,  1849,  the  last  1851. 

Before  beginning  The  Recorder,  she  had  started  another 
journal  which  she  called 

"A.  W.  Paine's  Book 

for 

Daily  Thoughts  and  Occurrences. 

1848" 

76 


THE  JOURNALS  OF   THE  GRANDMOTHER       77 

The  closing  date  of  this  is  November,  1851,  this  and  The 
Recorder  running  along  together,  but  being  quite  different  in 
character.  These  contain  copies  of  poems  and  other  mis- 
cellaneous articles  of  which  she  was  fond,  also  copies  of  pages 
of  "Stray  Leaves." 

In  regard  to  the  religious  views  found  in  these  books,  a 
cousin  writes  to  me,  the  following  words: 

"Some  of  Grandmother's  doctrines  sound  stern,  but  as  they 
were  interpreted  by  her  loving  heart  and  put  into  her  active 
life  they  breathed  only  Divine  love.  It  was  the  great  wish 
of  her  heart  that  her  children  siiould  love  God  and  love  each 
other.  .  .  . 

"The  thought  that  I  keep  uppermost  when  thinking  of 
Grandmother  is  that  she  was  typical  of  her  time  and  therefore 
a  book  about  her  cannot  fail  to  be  of  value.  I  do  not  mean 
that  every  one  has  had  such  a  Grandmother,  but  that  every  one 
of  our  old  New  England  Communities  had  two  or  three  such 
and  they  always  had  a  formative  influence  on  society.  For- 
tunately our  Grandmother  had  the  talent  and  inclination  to 
put  her  thoughts  into  writing.  To  your  father  belongs  the 
credit  of  encouraging  her  in  this."  —  E.  P.  B. 


As  her  religion  was  the  keynote  of  my  Grandmother's  char- 
acter and  life,  I  have  taken  from  its  place  in  the  Journal,  the 
account  she  gives  of  the  beginnings  of  her  religious  experiences 
and  place  it  here  at  the  beginning  of  her  writings.^ 

The  Religious  exercises  of  A.  W.  Paine 
1817. 
Come  and  hear  all  ye  who  fear  God 
I  will  declair  what  he  has  done  for  my  soul. 

My  attention  was  first  awakened  to  a  source  of  divine  things 
by  means  of  an  exortation  given  by  a  pious  Sister  soon  after 

1  Transcribed  in  "Sketch  Book"  in  1846. 


78         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

her  conversion  to  God  in  the  year  ISO'S.  Some  of  the  questions 
she  put  to  me  were  the  following,  "Do  you  know  that  you  have 
a  soul  that  will  exist  after  death?  That  there  is  a  heaven  and 
hell  and  unless  j'ou  repent  of  your  sins  and  the  Lord  forgive 
you  you  will  be  sent  to  hell  and  be  miserable  forever?"  These 
and  other  like  questions  sunk  deep  into  my  mind,  it  was  a 
subject  on  which  I  had  ne'er  meditated  being  young  and  very 
thoughtless,  besides  religion  in  that  society  had  for  a  number  of 
years  been  little  spoken  of. 

From  this  time  I  thought  much.  On  a  future  state,  my 
situation  appeared  deplorable,  I  was  sensible  that  all  of  my 
life-time  I  had  been  sinning  against  a  holy  God  who  was  the 
seat  of  all  perfection,  and  that  in  myself  there  was  no  good 
thing.  I  could  not  view  it  just,  that  God  should  save  such 
a  wretch  as  I  was,  I  was  frequently  deprived  of  sleep,  fearing 
to  close  my  eyes  lest  I  should  open  them  in  hell;  not  that  I 
suspected  by  keejjing  awake  it  would  prevent  my  going  there, 
but  if  I  were  .sent,  would  go  begging  for  mercy.  I  continued 
under  tho.se  gloomy  apprehensions  about  six  weeks,  when  on 
being  at  meeting  one  Sabbath,  I  was  uncommonly  distressed 
about  my  situation  and  prospects  for  Eternity,  it  appeared  to 
me  that  my  sins  were  so  weighty  that  I  was  about  to  sink 
into  the  earth.  As  I  sat  meditating  with  my  eyes  fixed  ujjon 
the  floor  I  heard  a  voice  (or  seemed  to  hear)  pronounce  these 
words,  "Rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad  for  great  is  your  re- 
ward in  heaven."  I  immediately  raised  my  head  (and  as  I 
was  afterward  informed)  with  an  entire  change  of  countenance, 
towards  the  place  from  whence  the  voice  seemed  to  proceed. 
No  one  was  speaking,  it  was  just  at  the  time  of  administering 
the  Sacrament,  all  was  a  profound  silence.  It  instantly  oc- 
curred to  my  mind  that  it  was  to  me,  that  the  promise  was 
mine,  my  distress  of  mind  was  entirely  gone  and  I  had  none  of 
those  former  fears.  On  casting  my  eyes  on  the  Church,  but 
few  can  imagine  the  beauty  I  there  beheld,  I  had  a  desire  to 


THE  JOURNALS   OF   THE  GRANDMOTHER       79 

leave  my  pew  and  request  a  seat  around  the  board,  with  those 
who  love  and  fear  the  Lord. 

As  I  returned  home  those  words  came  again  to  mind  with 
a  doubt  whether  they  were  in  the  Bible,  I  did  not  know  that 
they  were  for  at  that  time  I  had  not  read  the  Bible  but  little 
and  that  little  with  great  inattention.  I  made  inquiry  of  my 
pious  Mother.     She  told  me  they  were  in  Matthew  5-12. 

I  remained  only  a  few  days  in  this  happy  frame  of  mind  be- 
fore I  was  impressed  with  these  ideas,  that  what  I  had  experi- 
enced was  all  a  delusion  —  an  idle  fancy,  —  that  Satan  had  power 
to  give  light,  that  the  devils  believe  and  tremble  and  that  my 
prayers  were  an  abomination  to  the  Lord.  But  notwithstand- 
ing these   impressions  I  at  times  enjoyed  great  happiness. 

After  a  few  months,  the  reformation  which  had  been  great  in 
that  Society,  in  a  measure  subsided  and  with  grief  I  acknowledge 
that  I  soon  began  to  wander  into  forbidden  paths  and  by  de- 
grees was  left  to  join  in  the  follies  and  vanity  of  this  world. 

I  shall  now  pass  over  fourteen  years  of  my  life  which  is  lost, 
nay  worse  than  lost  as  regards  spiritual  concerns  for  through 
that  period  I  was  sinning  against  a  holy  God  and  oftentimes 
on  the  point  of  denying  Him  in  whom  I  trusted  for  salvation. 
But  blessing  and  glory  and  honour  be  to  Him  for  extending 
mercy  and  long  suffering  that  I  was  not  cut  off  as  a  cumberer 
of  the  ground  and  that  he  has  again  called  me  by  his  spirit 
and  given  me  to  hope  in  his  abounding  Mercy. 

One  year  ago  last  February  I  was  by  an  alarming  Providence 
brought  to  realize  the  vanity  of  all  things  here  below  and  the 
Lord  enabled  me  to  fix  in  my  determination  to  make  my  call- 
ing and  election  sure.  To  obtain  this,  I  endeavoured  to  for- 
sake all  company  and  commence  a  daily  prayer  to  that  God 
whom  I  had  offended  by  my  wicked  neglect  that  he  would 
lead  me  in  the  way  everlasting,  and  put  me  into  a  right  path,  — 
and  also  for  one  whose  conversion  and  eternal  happiness  was 
as  near  and  dear  to  me  as  my  own  soul.  These  prayers  I 
trust  he  has  answered  and  the  endeavours  blessed. 


80         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

I  would  not  limit  happiness  by  saying  that  I  have  received 
a  thousand  fold  for  all  the  sacrifices  made,  because  there  is 
nothing  to  be  compaired  with  the  smiles  of  God's  countenance. 

Sometime  in  the  beginning  of  last  winter  (1816)  these  words 
came  with  weight  into  mind  "who  knoweth  if  he  will  return 
and  repent,  and  leave  a  blessing  behind  him,"  it  appeared 
to  me  that  he  God  would  return,  but  little  did  I  think  it  would 
be  accompanyed  with  so  great  a  blessing  as  it  proved  when  the 
Saviour  entered  and  my  Husband  was  converted  in  the  month 
of  Feb.  last.  None  but  the  Lord  who  made  my  lieart  knoweth 
of  its  rejoicing. 

After  a  few  days  spent  in  praising  our  Redeemer,  it  came  to 
my  mind  that  perhaps  we  were  not  right  and  that  we  were 
deceived.  With  anxiety  on  the  subject  I  took  my  Bible  with 
saying  to  myself,  it  is  full  of  precious  promise,  and  it  seemed 
to  fall  open  at  these  words  which  were  the  first  my  ej'es  lit 
U|)on.  "A  Glorious  high  throne  from  the  beginning  is  the 
place  of  our  Sanctuary."  I  exclaimed  it  is  enough  and  shut 
my  Bible.  Soon  after  I  began  to  think  much  of  making  a 
public  profession  of  religion,  but  it  was  a  subject  which  ap- 
peared of  so  great  importance  that  I  feared  that  I  was  not 
prepaired,  I  again  had  recourse  to  my  good  Bible  and  it  opened 
to  "I  beseech  thee  —  sufi'er  me  to  speak  unto  the  people." 
I  thought  that  I  might  be  suffered  to  speak  and  yet  be  unfit. 
Again  I  went  to  my  blessed  Bible  and  it  opened  to  these  verses, 
"Let  us  go  forth  therefore  unto  him  without  the  camp,  bearing 
his  reproach  for  there  have  we  no  continueing  City  but  we  seek 
one  to  come.  By  him  therefore  let  us  offer  the  sacrifice  of 
praise  to  God  continually  that  is  the  fruit  of  our  lips  giving 
thanks  to  his  name." 

This  my  friends,  by  the  assistance  and  grace  of  God  I  am 
determined,  that  for  the  future  I  will  five  for  Him  who  died  for 
me,  and  for  the  purpose  I  offer  myself  to  this  Church  with  the 
hope  for  your  watchful  care  over  and  prayers  for  me,  that  I 
may  walk  worthy  the  profession  I  now  desire  to  make. 


CHAPTER   THREE 

STRAY  LEAVES.     1824 
Preface 

In  contemplating  on  the  making  of  this  book  I  have  been 
led  to  many  serious  reflections;  Aitho  it  is  composed  of  but 
a  few  pages,  yet  I  may  not  live  to  fill  half  of  them,  the  all- 
important  scenes  of  Eternity  may  very  soon  open  to  my  view 
&  I  realize  the  worth  of  that  religion  which  I  profess  or  else 
receive  the  reward  of  the  hypocrite,  where  hope  can  never 
come.  How  necessary  is  self  examination  that  I  be  not  de- 
ceived with  respect  to  my  soul's  salvation.  Should  my  life 
be  spaired,  &  if  my  endeavors  are  blessed,  this  little  book  shall 
be  an  help  for  proofs  to  ascertain  which  side  I  am  on. 

I  will  endeavor  to  pen  down  some  truths  with  regard  to  God's 
dealings  with  me.  The  subject  shall  be  those  which  dwell 
with  peculiar  weight  on  my  mind,  and  which  I  do  not  often 
make  known  to  any  one.  I  do  hope  that  the  Lord  will  direct 
me  in  all  my  ways,  to  glorify  Him,  and  eventually  receive  me 
where  the  wicked  will  cease  from  troubling.  Yes,  I  do  find 
that  my  greatest  enemies  are  they  of  my  own  house-hold  and 
that  a  thorough  change  in  this  mortal  body  is  necessary  before 
I  enter  on  a  perfect  state.  But  I  shall  be  satisfied  when  I 
awake  with  thy  likeness,  0  thou  great  Redeemer. 


81 


82         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

Total  Depravity 
April  1824 

I  firmly  believe  in  total  depravity,  I  firmly  believe  that  all 
go  astray  as  soon  as  they  be  born;  the  first  breath  of  an  Infant 
is  generally  attended  with  a  complaint,  their  first  motions  are 
restless  and  uneasy,  so  soon  as  they  begin  to  act,  they  begin  to 
sin,  and  so  soon  as  they  begin  to  speak,  they  utter  vanity; 
when  their  minds  expand  they  show  a  dislike  to  that  which  is 
good  by  choosing  the  wrong  way.  Children  are  apt  to  be  out 
of  their  element  if  confined  to  christian  worship  and  do  not 
realize  the  worth  of  time,  the  imi)ortance  of  Eternal  things. 
I  have  become  confirmed  in  this  belief  since  having  children 
of  my  own.  How  much  I  see  of  this  every  day  but  especially 
on  the  Sabbath,  what  a  strong  inclination  to  break  the  fourth 
commandent,  how  averse  to  restraint.  O  how  it  grieves  me 
to  behold  their  depravity,  I  do  intend  to  lead  them  in  the 
arms  of  faith  to  His  throne  of  grace  every  day,  it  may  be  the 
Lord  will  have  mercy  upon  them  and  change  their  hearts  and 
save  their  souls  from  eternal  death.  They  are  young  but  not 
too  young  to  die  and  be  miserable  if  called  away  in  their  sins. 
It  is  a  subject  of  continual  grief  to  me,  and  whilst  in  a  state 
of  nature  I  can  never  be  brought  to  say  I  am  willing  they  should 
be  cast  off,  no  it  will  never  be  my  duty  to  be  so  resigned, 
for  it  is  not  the  will  of  God  that  they  should  be  lost.  Then  O 
Lord  I  intreat  of  Thee  to  save  their  souls  alive,  and  begin  the 
work  soon  and  all  the  praise  shall  be  given  to  thy  great  Name.* 

The  Sabbath  from  the  child's  point  of  view.     Extract  from  the 
Autobiography  written  by  Albert,  the  second  son. 

"March  m,  1886. 

"Like  a  good  boy  I  was  always  a  good  meeting  attendant 
and  was  seldom  found  absent  from  my  seat  in  church  or  prayer 
meetings  of  which  my  parents  had  many  at  their  house,  all 

'  See  "Calling  to  Remembrance,"  p.  111.  j 


f 


I  t     I',  t  V 


-'■■K 


^^BLIC  LIBR4  RY 


ASTOR     ,  p. 


* 


STRAY  LEAVES  »S 

through  the  years  of  my  youiig  life.  I  didn't  know  better  th:in 
to  believe  what  the  minister  preached  but  I  ean  well  remember 
how  my  mind  revolted  at  the  diictrines  which  were  usually 
held  forth  from  the  pulpit  and  .social  meetinjis. 

Hence  1  was  generally  among  the  (irst  to  get  out  of  clnircli 
into  the  open  air  and  little  of  Orthodox  doctrine  accompanied 
me  beyond  the  door  ste])s." 

On   much  spcdkinq 
"In  the  multitude  of  words  there  waiitelh  not  .s//(." 

This  is  the  reason  why  I  seclude  myself  so  nuicli  from  .social 
society.  I  would  enjoy  a  degree  of  .satisfaction  for  the  time 
those  present  and  join  in  vain  conversation  and  trilling  aiimse- 
ment  with  apparent  ap|)rol)atioti,  but  all  the  wliile  something 
witliin  would  keep  .speakiilg;,  these  are  husks,  or  wood,  hay  or 
stubble,  I  rather  be  at  home  and  alone  with  my  IJible  or  with 
my  work  and  pondering  over  the  ])roniises,  then  no  loss  of  time, 
but  now  where  is  the  substance,  1  have  let  it  go  and  .sought 
the  shadow. 

In  the  company  of  worhllings,  there  is  no  |)lace  for  me,  be- 
cause my  abilities  are  not  such  as  to  afford  them  instruction; 
and  their  conversation  not  such  as  to  afford  me  jjrofit.  Now 
since  I  am  convinced  of  these  truths  why  not  stay  at  home? 
Why  not  strive  to  be  useful  to  my  family  and  im[)rove  my  own 
mind?  I  want  not  the  a|)i)lause  of  any  one,  but  the  appro- 
bation of  a  good  conscience  towaril  (iod,  a  stronger  faith  and 
firmer  hope,  I  desire  to  .seek  after.  I  want  to  devote  more 
time  to  prayer  and  meditation,  to  reading  and  obeying  the 
Word,  and  thus  be  prepairing  for  the  glorious  change  I  hope 
for,  which  I  know  not  how  .soon  may  come;  Lord  grant  me 
this  favour,  a  hope  in  death. 

Thought  of  a  Itevmd 
July  4,  182^ 

The  Lord  has  come  very  nigh  unto  this  i)lace  in  a  revival 
of  religion  in  Vassalboro.     How  it  does  rejoice   my  heart  to 


84         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

hear  the  jjood  news,  it  seems  to  be  a  satisfactory  evidence  in 
my  own  breast  tliat  I  am  on  the  Lord's  side.  If  I  was  an  enemy 
to  God  I  should  not  wish  liis  cause  to  prosper,  I  should  not 
feel  this  inward  delifjht  in  reviewing  his  dealings  to  the  guilty 
children  of  men,  when  in  such  a  conspicuous  manner  he  is 
taking  them  from  the  )iorril)le  pit  of  sin  &  depravity. 

How  j)lain  I  see  tiiat  this  is  the  work  of  the  Lord,  no  human 
invention  could  accomplish  it.  Paul  has  i)lanted,  Apollos 
has  watered  but  it  is  God  only  that  can  give  the  increase. 
A  goodly  number  are  already  gathered  into  the  Heavenly 
fold,  and  the  work  is  extending  and  enlarging  its  progress; 
perhaps  it  will  reach  Winslow  and  come  even  to  us,  if  so  what 
a  change  it  will  accoini)lish  in  the  situation  of  all  things  around. 
To  see  the  Sabbath  hallowed,  the  sanctuary  filled  with  de- 
vout anil  true  worshipers,  listning  ever  and  receiving  hearts, 
family  altars  erecting,  converts  multiplying,  sinners  making 
the  all  important  inijuiries,  closet  doors  open'd  to  receive  the 
Saviour,  and  shut  too  to  pray  to  their  Father  who  is  in  secret. 
Children  crying  Hosanna  to  the  son  of  David.  This  will  i)e 
an  interesting  time  when  all  must  be  awake  and  at  their  post. 
Lord  hasten  it  in  thy  time. 

Thanksgivlnci 
August,  1824 

My  heart  overflows  with  thanksgiving,  as  much  as  my  eyes 
with  tears,  to  reflect  upon  the  sight  I  have  just  witnessed. 
Our  rooms  were  almost  filled  with  attentive  listeners  to  prayer 
this  Lord's  day  noon  time.  Two  or  three  weeks  ago  it  would 
have  been  impossible  to  collect  so  many  together  on  such  an 
occasion,  but  now  they  seemed  to  come  with  willing  hearts. 
We  doubt  that  some  came  for  one  cause  and  some  for  another, 
but  they  came  and  I  trust  the  Lord  will  overrule  it  for  good. 
Yes,  it  is  evident  that  God  is  about  to  visit  this  people  with  an 
outpouring  from  on  high.     He  has  already  begun  a  good  work. 


STRAY  LEAVES  85 

There  are  ten  or  twelve  inquirers  and  a  number  more  whose 
countenances  bespeak  concern. 

O,  it  is  my  heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  that  Israel 
might  be  saved  in  the  midst  of  these  days,  and  at  this  very 
time.  Christians  arise  and  harness  yourselves  anew  for  the 
race.  O,  I>ord  enable  us  all  to  come  out  from  the  work  and 
take  a  decided  stand.  May  we  let  out  light  shine  and  by  our 
prayers  and  intercessions  call  down  blessings  upon  this  people. 

A  reformation  in  Winslow !  what  a  strange  thing,  no  wonder 
if  some  are  lead  to  inquire  what  these  things  mean.  Well, 
I  hope  that  all  will  be  pricked  in  their  hearts  and  cry  mightily, 
what  shall  we  do.  O  that  they  may  be  directed  to  the  Lamb 
of  God  who  takcth  away  the  sins  of  the  world. 

April  1825.  Another  seed  time  is  approaching,  the  Husband- 
men are  prepairing  to  cast  .seed  into  the  earth,  in  hope  of  a  good 
harvest.  What  an  important  lesson  for  tlie  Christian.  How 
ought  I  to  be  laying  plans  for  Futurity.  The  past  year  has 
been  a  memorable  one  to  me,  in  many  respects.  I  have  been 
very  powerfully  taught  tliat  one  generation  passes  away  and 
another  takes  their  ]ilace.  In  October  we  were  blessed  with  a 
beautiful  Son  in  addition  to  my  other  three.  In  November 
we  received  the  imexpected  news  of  Amanda's  death,  she 
was  taken  in  the  bloom  of  life  and  in  the  midst  of  usefulness. 
In  January,  the  ex])ected  information  of  my  mother's  death 
arrived.  She  had  lived  beyond  the  common  age,  for  .she  was 
seventy  six  years  and  three  months  old,  her  last  years  were 
blessed  with  the  enjoyments  of  God's  people.  These  things 
with  the  attending  circumstances  render  the  last  year  very 
interesting  to  me.  Besides,  my  temporal  blessings  have 
been  uncommonly  great,  all  the  wheels  seem  to  move  to  our 
advantage.  What  shall  I  say  to  these  things,  O  Lord  ])rei)air 
my  heart  aright,  for  every  dispensation  of  the  Providence. 
[The  next  entry  is  April  1829.] 

I  have  just  been  looking  over  past  time.     Four  years  have 


86        THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

been  rolling  over  their  favours  since  the  last  date,  blessings 
too  many  to  be  enumerated.  The  Lord  is  good  and  His  tender 
mercies  are  over  all  his  work.  I  dont  know  how  I  should  bear 
affliction,  because  I  was  never  tryed,  but  I  hope  I  should 
acquiesce. 

The  first  Sabbath  in  October  18,36.  In  looking  back  I  find 
that  three  years  have  passed  away  since  I  wrote  a  page  in  this 
book,  which  has  been  devoted  to  religious  exercises.  On 
page  13  I  find  this  sentence,  I  dont  know  how  I  should  bear 
affliction  because  I  was  never  tryed.  But  now  I  can  say 
/  have  been  tryed  antl  how  have  I  borne  it.  Three  successive 
trials  have  been  laid  upon  mc,  and  altho  not  minuted  down  at 
the  time,  yet  they  are  all  present  in  my  mind.  On  these 
subjects  my  memory  is  good. 

I  well  remember  the  sleepless  nights,  the  gloomy  mornings 
and  hea\'y  evenings  I  have  passed  through.  In  each  three, 
every  day  witnessed  a  new  blow  which  seemed  to  open  a  new 
vein  to  bleed  afresh.  But  out  of  them  all  the  Lord  has  delivered 
me,  and  I  am  this  day  happy  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  many 
distinguished  blessings. 

I  have  been  permitted  to  come  to  the  table  of  the  Lord  with 
many  pleasing  anticipations.  Our  dear  Pastor  brought  to 
view  the  children  of  the  flock,  my  mind  irresistably  turned 
upon  all  eight  of  my  own  and  all  out  of  the  Ark  of  safety. 
My  heart  sunk  within  me,  and  I  could  scarce  refrain  from 
uniteing  with  David  and  say  Oh  Absalom,  my  Son,  my  Son 
Absalom,  but  I  will  look  again  toward  the  Holy  hill  of  Zion 
where  God  is. 

March,  1837.  Today  I  have  been  permited  to  assemble 
around  the  table  of  our  divine  Redeemer,  to  commemorate 
his  dying  love.  While  sitting  in  silence  I  thought  of  my  chil- 
dren for  their  eternal  welfare  lies  nearest  my  heart.  It  affords 
me  unspeakable  consolation  to  reflect  that  two  of  them  have 
experienced  a  hope  of  pardoning  mercy.     This  is  surely  the 


STRAY  LEAVES  87 

greatest  blessing  ever  bestowed  upon  me,  but  yet  I  am  not 
contented,  I'm  not  satisfied  for  there  are  my  sons  all  out  of  the 
ark  of  safety,  all  thoughtless,  careless  sinners,  enemies  to  God 
opposed  to  his  will  and  negligent  of  the  great  salvation.  But 
I  will  not  despair,  but  endeavor  to  bring  them  to  thee  for  par- 
don and  acceptance.  Dear  Jesus  wilt  thou  receive  them  and 
wash  them  in  the  fountain  open  for  Judah  and  Jerusalem. 

A  Resolution 
May  IS,  18.37. 

I  frequently  form  resolutions  and  as  frequently  break  them, 
but  I  will  endeavor  to  abide  by  this  one.  Last  Sabbath  our 
school  was  reorganized  and  I  have  taken  7  imder  my  care, 
it  is  a  responsible  charge,  if  God  does  not  assist,  my  labors  will 
be  in  vain. 

Now  I  am  resolved  to  pray  for  them  in  rotation,  one  Sabbath 
I  will  converse  with  one  and  during  the  week  will  pray  for 
that  one,  and  I  hope  (not  to  the  neglect  of  the  rest)  to  keep 
that  one  in  mind  during  the  week.  The  next  week  I  will  take 
another  and  so  on.  It  may  be  that  Jesus  will  hear  my  petition, 
that  the  Holy  spirit  will  be  sent  down  upon  us  this  year  in  more 
copious  effusions  than  was  ever  known  in  Winslow.  I  wish 
all  ive  teachers  would  rise  and  call  upon  the  Lord  and  take 
firm  hold  upon  the  promises. 

Of  Grandmother's  "visions,"  a  granddaughter  writes: 

"As  to  the  "visions"  I  would  surely  put  in  at  least  one, 
for  the  comfort  and  pleasure  which  it  might  give  to  such  of 
her  descendants  as  may  inherit  her  habit  of  mind.  Many  of 
us  have  these  visions  and  perhaps  no  one  of  us  has  taken  them 
too  seriously.  I  mean  that  we  have  allowed  them  to  influence 
our  minds  for  good  but  have  never  let  them  injure  our  mental 
balance.  We  have  of  necessity  been  too  closely  tied  to  material 
things  to  become  "visionaries"  and  are  too  inherently  honest 
to  claim  more  for  them  than  is  their  due.     They  have  helped 


88         TEE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

me  over  many  hard  places  and  I  am  deeply  grateful  that  this 
little  bit  of  grandmother  was  bequeathed  to  me." 

Of  her  own  visions.  Grandmother  writes,  January   1,    1838 

It  is  in  the  silent  watches  of  the  night  that  I  visit  heaven, 
and  converse  with  former  friends,  and  when  I  rise  in  the  morn- 
ing I  feel  as  tho  I  had  seen  them  and  sometimes  I  can  carry 
forward  the  conversation  amidst  domestic  affairs. 

J  'i.sii»iari/   Thoiiglitu 
December  2~ ,  1837 

Twas  in  the  silent  hour  of  night, 
And  balmy  sleep  forsook  my  eyes, 
Methought  I  left  this  world  of  sin 
And  faith  conveyed  me  to  the  skies. 

An  open  door  was  before  me,  or  a  broad  gateway  toward 
which  I  directed  my  steps,  as  I  advanced  a  beautiful  form 
appeared  at  a  distance,  it  drew  near,  and  in  a  moment  I  recog- 
nized my  dear  Harriet  and  with  a  voice  "not  earthly"  she 
advanced   "Mother  have  you  come?" 

She  did  not  appear  as  formerly  when  she  returned  from 
school,  tired  and  fatigued  and  seat  herself  in  her  little  low  chair, 
or  throw  her  weary  body  upon  my  bed  a  few  moments.  Neither 
was  she  kneeling  in  prayer  and  asking  pardon  for  her  sins  and 
that  God  would  bless  her  brothers  with  a  new  heart.  No, 
not  that,  but  she  was  arrayed  in  a  pure  white  flowing  robe, 
and  on  her  head  was  a  small  neat  crown  lieset  with  diamonds 
too  dazzling  to  fix  my  eye  upon.  Something  was  in  her  right 
hand  which  as  she  extended  her  left  to  me,  she  struck  upon  a 
kind  of  raised  platform  and  with  these  accompanying  words 
"another  ransomed  sinner  has  arrived"  and  as  quick  as  thought 
the  echo  flew,  it  vibrated,  and  was  lost  in  the  broad  expanse. 
Again  she  struck  a  different  cord  and  loud  Hallelujahs,  glory 
&  honour,  praise  &  power,  was  given  to  God  and  the  Lamb, 
Thousands  of  voices  joined  and  it  was  like  the  Sound  of  many 


STRAY  LEAVES  89 

Waters,  As  we  walked  on  a  little  distance  two  blessed  ones 
were  coming  to  meet  us,  it  was  my  Father  &  Mother,  again 
the  sound  of  praise  was  struck  and  again  heavenly  echos  re- 
peated, —  at  whatever  direction  I  turned  my  eyes,  countless 
multitude  of  happy  beings,  all  arrayed  in  glory  met  my  aston- 
ished vi.sion. 

I  asked  my  Mother  if  my  Sister  were  here,  at  which  she 
raised  her  hand  which  contained  a  shining  thing  and  struck 
it  upon  an  Altar  on  which  stood  an  instrument  of  nuisic,  the 
well  known  sound  soon  brought  my  Sister. 

We  walked  about  the  golden  streets 
And  viewed  the  glories  of  the  place. 

At  a  distance  was  a  group  of  little  children.  There  said  my 
Mother  in  that  company  are  your  two  infant  brothers  of  whom 
you  have  heard  me  speak  while  on  earth  and  for  the  loss  of  them 
you  have  seen  me  drop  a  tear.  She  spoke  to  them  and  as  they 
raised  their  eyes  in  reply,  the  whole  infant  choir  burst  into 
one  song  of  praise  to  their  Redeemer.  I  thought  of  my  brother 
Timothy  who  lived  a  sinner  but  died  trusting  in  Jesus  and 
ventured  to  ask  for  him.  The  answer  was  returned  "yes,  he 
is  here,  he  trusted  in  Jesus  and  He  did  not  forsake  him."  As 
I  turned  to  look  towards  the  place  from  whence  came  shouts 
of  glory,  my  dear  Brother  caught  my  eye.  He  extended  his 
hand  with  joyful  exclamation  and  gratitude  for  the  happy 
meeting.  I  had  not  seen  him  on  earth  after  he  had  entertained 
a  hope  in  Christ.  I  told  him  that  he  had  come  in  at  the  eleventh 
hour,  "I  know  it"  said  he,  "I  know  it  but  I  am  made  ecjual  to 
those  who  have  bourn  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day,"  and 
again  the  heavenly  song  was  repeated. 

I  once  had  on  earth  a  favourite  Aunt  a  Beloved  Sister  of 
my  Mother.  I  thought  of  her  and  spoke  her  name.  She 
stood  before  me  arrayed  in  glorious  form.  My  eyes  surveyed 
this  happy  company  of  Family  friends  while  my  mind  returned 
to  earth  to  compare  numbers  and  as  I   stood  meditating,  a 


90         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

rush  of  tender  feelings  almost  overpowered  me.  I  remembered 
one  who  was  my  beloved  mate  and  Cousin.  In  my  earliest 
childhood  we  were  never  so  happy  as  when  we  were  together, 
and  neither  had  complete  enjoyment  without  the  other.  She 
languished  and  died  while  young  and  left  no  evidence  of  re- 
pentance. 

I  did  not  dare  to  ask  for  her,  but  my  Aunt  as  tho  anticipating 
my  thoughts,  with  a  heavenly  smile  pointed  to  something 
which  she  called  a  Golden  Viol  in  the  hand  of  a  distinguished 
personage;  "Think  you"  said  she  "I  have  not  prayers  con- 
tained in  that  which  savor  of  sincerity?  Have  I  not  brought 
her  in  the  arms  of  Faith  and  laid  her  at  Jesus  feet?"  She 
pointed  to  a  company  of  young  Virgins  which  appeared  more 
glorious  than  can  be  described.  One  began  to  make  towards 
us,  and  as  .she  advanced  I  distinctly  heard  the.se  words.  "  Re- 
pent ye  therefore  and  be  converted  that  your  sins  may  be 
blotted  out,  when  the  time  of  refreshing  shall  come  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord."  It  was  my  beloved  Cousin  Esther 
Grant  and  as  she  flung  her  arms  around  my  waist  she  asked 
if  I  did  not  remember  the  time  when  on  earth  we  were  walking 
thus  in  return  from  the  meeting  and  conversing  on  that  text 
which  our  dear  Minister  had  been  preaching  from.  The  whole 
scene  rushed  forcibly  to  my  mind  —  "Well,"  said  she  "from 
that  time  I  lived  a  life  of  repentance  but  I  did  not  make  it 
manifest,  and  this  was  my  great  sin.  That  dear  minister  is 
here  and  I  have  seen  him,  and  he  calls  me  a  star  in  the  crown  of 
his  rejoicing." 

I  was  about  to  ask  many  questions,  but  perchance  I  cast 
my  eyes  upon  my  own  apparel  and  thought  of  Joshua  who  was 
clothed  with  filthy  garments  and  stood  before  the  Angel.  / 
was  clothed  with  Flesh,  they  were  Spirits.  I  turned  to  go 
feeling  unworthy  of  their  society  and  quick  as  thought  I  found 
myself  upon  a  wearisome  bed  with  a  violent  head-ache  and 
a  mind  full  of  disappointment. 


STRAY  LEAVES  91 

Awake  or  sleep  is  quite  unknown  to  me, 
Yet  all  these  pleasant  things  my  Vision  see. 

Wliile  on  my  couch  at  night  I  lay, 
My  soul  rose  upward  —  far  away. 
And  to  my  vision,  things  reveald 
Which  while  on  earth  remain  conceald. 

Psalm  31,  .32.     Blessed  be  the  Lord: 

For  he  hath  showed  me  his  marvellous  kindness  in  a  strong  city. 

January  1,  1838.  Another  year  has  closed  and  the  morning 
of  a  New  Year  arrived,  and  how  has  it  found  myself  and  family. 
With  regard  to  the  former,  in  health  and  surrounded  with  all 
the  blessings,  heart  could  wish  as  relates  to  temporal  things. 
But  of  my  family  one  has  gone,  dear  Harriet,  this  is  her  birth- 
day, sixteen  years.  All  the  children  have  thought  of  it  and 
many  tears  have  fallen.  Harriet,  dear  Harriet  I  love  to  speak 
your  name.  Last  night  I  was  awake  nearly  all  night  endeavor- 
ing to  fortify  my  mind  for  the  morning,  as  no  one  knows  my 
heart  but  God. 

December  3,  1838.  For  a  number  of  weeks  past  I  have  been 
thinking  much  about  my  four  sons;  all  unconverted  sinners. 
If  God  should  make  them  all  christians  this  year  it  would 
be  marvelous,  but  he  is  able,  he  is  willing,  it  is  in  his  power; 
giving  does  not  impoverish  him  nor  withholding  enrich  him. 
where  is  the  blame  if  they  are  not  all  righteous  this  month? 
Not  on  the  Lord,  surely,  but  on  themselves  and  me.  I  wish 
I  could  be  faihtful  to  God  for  this  month  in  one  thing  i.e.  in 
prayer  for  Charles,  Albert,  Benjamin  &  Timothy.  W^ho 
knoweth  if  He  will  hear  and  answer.  O  it  seems  to  me  that 
then  I  could  depart  in  peace.  The  time  draws  near,  only 
four  weeks,  there  are  four  sons  to  be  converted,  it  is  a  great 
work  but  it  is  God's  work  and  he  is  great,  a  great  Saviour. 
How  much  I  desire  a  part  of  that  faith  which  Sampson  had 
when  he  extended  his  arm  to  feel  the  pillars  on  which  the 
house  rested. 


92         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

Thurfidaij.  Last  evening  our  Wednesday  evening  prayer 
meeting  was  held  at  Robert  Drummonds,  only  three  brethren 
present,  but  it  was  a  blessed  meeting.  God  gave  them  utter- 
ance and  a  spirit  of  prayer.  There  was  one  brother  in  Christ 
who  (it  was  evident)  God  made.  He  has  no  learning,  scanty 
natural  abilities;  he  has  a  poor  chance  for  religious  education. 
Hut  liis  prayer  and  remarks  showed  that  he  was  taught  of  God 
and  that  eventually  his  heavenly  Father  will  give  him  all 
things  richly  to  po.ssess.  I  should  much  rather  tha*^  any  one 
of  my  sons  .should  be  like  him  with  his  religion  than  to  be  an 
earthly  monarch  without  an  interest  in  Christ.  O  yes  far,  far 
preferable. 

Harriet's  grave 
J  nil/,  9,  IS.'tl. 

Just  four  years  and  one  niontii  since  Harriet  died.  I  have 
this  morning  visited  her  grave,  delightful  spot!  How  much 
of  heaven  is  contained  in  that  little  enclosure,  no  spot  on  earth 
is  so  dear  to  me   and  how  many  hours  of  heavenly  meditation 

I  have  had  there,  none  but  my  Fatlier  in  Heaven  knows. 

\Miile  I  am  there  I  .seldom  wish  my  Harriet  back  to  earth  again, 
because  I  view  her  as  she  noic  Ik,  all  glorious  and  completely 
happy  out  of  all  reach  of  toil  and  anxiety,  disappointment 
and  sorrow,  and  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  God  to  all  eternity. 

A  great  many  roses  are  in  full  bloom  on  and  abo7tt  her  grave, 
many  more  have  permitted  their  leaves  to  fall  off  and  they 
lie  in  handfuls  underneath  their  stalk.  What  a  lesson  for 
meditation.  I  gathered  up  handfuls  and  strewed  them  over 
her  grave  and  ere  ever  I  was  aware  I  exclaimed  aloud  "receive 
this  dear  Harriet  as  a  token  of  love."  Shall  I  ever  forget  her? 
No!  for  when  my  voice  is  lost  in  death  I  shall  extend  my  hand 
to  clasp  hers,  being  so  near  her. 


STRAY  LEAVES  93 

Trust  in  God 
November,  1842. 

"0  my  soul  trust  thou  only  in  God  for  my  desire  is  to  him." 
These  liave  been  comforting  words  to  me  for  the  last  week. 
Trust  only  I  have  no  where  else  to  go  only  to  God.  —  A  favour- 
able breeze,  a  sound  eanoe,  and  a  skillful  oarsman  are  nothing 
without  the  help  of  the  Lord,  only  his  kind  arm  is  my  hope. 
This  comfort  was  given  me  right  from  heaven,  I  did  not  gather 
it  from  the  Bible,  for  it  is  not  there  so  recorded.  It  was  delt 
out  to  my  agonizing  soul  at  a  time  when  I  was  about  my  work 
and  had  no  time  to  examine  Holy  writ.  But  it  was  just  the 
time  when  I  wanted  consolation  and  I  had  none  to  look  to 
only  to  God.  I  have  now  made  up  my  mind  to  trust  in  the 
Lord  at  all  times  and  in  all  places  and  also  endeavor  to  wait 
patiently  for  him  that  when  he  comes  to  call  for  me  I  may  be 
found  ready  and  willing  to  depart. 
[Then  comes  the  last  record] 
Sabbath  morn  Feb.  26,  18^3. 

This  is  the  first  Sabbath  that  Timothy  (19  years  old)  has 
spent  in  the  service  of  God.  The  second  Charlotte  has.  They 
both  have  surrendered  their  hearts  to  the  Saviour  in  their 
youth. 


CHAPTER  FOUR 
"SKETCH  BOOK" 

Preface 

In  tlie  Autumn  of  1844  my  dear  Albert  &  Mary  with  the 
precious  daughter  Mary  Abby  made  a  visit  of  a  few  weeks  at 
the  home-stead.  Mary's  heaitli  and  spirits  were  in  somewhat  of 
a  low  state,  and  to  divert  the  mind  I  read  to  her  a  few  pages 
from  my  scrap  book  at  which  she  appeared  gratified.  —  The 
circumstance  passed  away  with  the  every  rolling  wheel  of  time, 
and  on  my  part  was  nearly  forgotten. 

Not  so  with  them  for  on  February  27  I  received  this  valuable 
"Blank  book"  accompanied  with  the  following  letter  which 
hereafter  shall  be  one  of  my  reasons  for  writing  down  a  few 
of  my  thoughts  and  feelings  on  various  subjects  which  come 
before  the  mind.  Thus  while  I  live  they  may  be  useful  to 
me  and  after  I  am  no  longer  an  inhnbitant  of  earth  they  will 
cherish  recollections  of  one  for  whom  they  have  ever  mani- 
fested the  most  tender  regard. 

A.  W.  Paine. 

Copy  of  letter. 

Dear  Mother,  — 

We  were  so  much  pleased  with  the  specimens 
which  you  read  us  from  the  Stray  Leaves  of  your  i)ortfolio 
that  we  were  desirous  of  giving  them  as  much  permanence  as 
possible  by  having  them  and  your  future  cogitations  more 
permanently  inscribed. 

For  this  purjjose,  please  accept  the  accompanying  Blank 
book  which  we  presume  will  be  agreeable  to  you,  not  only  as  a 
more  substantial  but  more  convenient  vehicle  in  which  to  pen 
down  your  future  "thoughts." 

94 


e:^M.J9J:^Q. 


cA^t^f^-e.  ii 


V_^/€cV^Vw  &-^:J^i<  . 


"SKETCH   BOOK"  95 

When  you  shall  have  covered  its  pages,  we  shall  be  very 
happy  to  furnish  you  with  book  2. 

Very  truly. 

Your  affectionate  Children, 
Albert  and  Mary. 
Bangor  Fehij  26,  18i5. 

Dedication 
To  my  Children 
Albert  Ware,  Mary  Jones  &  their  daughter  Mary  Abby  Paine. 
To  you  I  dedicate  this  book  with  the  hope  that  when  Loves 
pure  flame  lies  mouldering  in  the  dust,  and  "one  lamp,  a 
mother's  love  has  gone  out"  its  contents  may  beguile  a  few  of 
your  leisure  moments  while  passing  through  this  thorney 
maze.  And  add  one  feeble  testimony  to  your  faith  that  where- 
ever  Jesus  is  there  is  the  happy  spirit  of  departed  Mother. 

A  few  thoiiglitf!  at  the  receiving  of  this  book 

March  6,  1845. 

It   was  evening  and   my   kind   hearted  son   B stepped 

across  the  floor  and  handed  me  this  book  without  note  or 
comment.  I  opened  it  and  under  its  first  cover  found  the 
foregoing  letter.  Read  with  careful  attention  then  handed 
it  to  my  children  who  were  sitting  round  the  stand  with  a 
number  of  young  associates  who  had  called  in  to  spend  a  social 
hour. 

Then  my  mind  flew  off  into  the  following  train  of  reflections. 
Does  Albert  think  I  shall  live  to  cover  these  pages,  yet  he  has 
spoken  of  "Book  2nd."  Does  he  know  that  I  have  little 
time  to  write  and  less  matter?  It  is  a  pity  to  spoil  such  a  nice 
book  with  a  few  vague  scribblings  and  leave  it  a  useless  thing. 

A  few  weeks  ago  I  wrote  over  the  last  pages  of  my  old  manu- 
script and  was  thinking  whether  it  was  advisable  to  pin  in 
another  sheet  and  now  here  comes  this  new  bound  book,  surely 
this   is   something   like,  New    Church   Doctrines,  I  suppose  he 


96         THE   DISCOVERY   OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

is  after  my  Visionary  Thoughts!  But  if  he  gets  them  in  this 
book,  hope  he  will  also  get  some  instruction  better  calcuUited 
to  lead  his  mind  to  the  true  Fountain  of  all  good. 

This  and  much  more  were  my  musings  while  sitting  in  the 
midst  of  Lively  social)ility. 

The  next  record  being  out  of  place  as  to  time,  is  confusing, 
but  as  Grandmother  inserted  it  here,  I  retain  her  order,  con- 
necting the  beginning  of  the  book  with  the  end.     It  is  addressed 
to  her  son  Albert. 
December  6   1S4S.     My  birthday  ae  61. 

A  feio  reasons  win/  I  have  sent  ihis  buuk  and  additional  remarks 
In  your  recent  extreme  illness  and  at  a  time  when  I  had 
reason  to  believe  that  I  should  never  again  hear  your  voice 
eitlier  in  accents  of  affection  or  in  form  of  request,  so  common 
from  children  to  tlieir  mother,  I  pondered  over  what  I  had 
done  or  omitted  to  do  not  in  accordance  with  your  wishes  or 
the  divine  will,  so  far  as  I  had  been  instructed.  One  item  was 
I  might  have  sent  you  this  book  for  I  recollected  that  a  number 
of  times  you  had  hinted  the  subject  saying  you  should  like 
"to  look  it  over  a  few  minutes."  So  here  it  conies,  but  it  is 
not  what  it  was  when  I  received  it  from  you.  .\ltho  its  exterior 
is  the  same  whicli  goes  to  show  how  carefully  it  has  been 
handled,  rolled  up  in  a  napkin,  not  so  the  leithin,  for  then  every 
page  was  as  pure  as  white  raiment,  but  now  every  leaf  bears 
the  mark  of  imperfections.  May  it  not  be  that  these  scribbles 
shall  divert  attention  too  much  from  the  more  vseful  reading. 

In  looking  it  over  you  will  find  that  many  originals  com- 
mence and  end  on  the  same  page,  the  reason  is  this,  my  times 
for  writing  are  exceeding  short,  besides  my  head  nor  heart  do 
not  contain  literary  enough  at  a  time  to  cover  only  a  page  of 

twenty  six  lines. You  will  see  by  the  dates  that  this  book 

contains  a  large  part  of  my  wTiting  for  nearly  four  years, 
therefore  I  do  not  think  it  duty  to  give  it  exclusively  to  you, 
beside  in  it  is  embodied  a  pretty  full  Genealogj-  of  the  four 


"SKETCH   BOOK"  97 

branches  of  your  Anrestry,  Ijeside  records  and  items  which 
hereafter  may  be  interesting  to  your  brothers  &  sisters. 

Have  patience,  dear  children  to  read  another  paragraph 
in  rekition  to  the  mixed  multitude  of  subjects  it  contains. 
Whenever  you  find  a  leisure  moment  to  read  and  nothing 
better  at  hand,  I  would  advise  that  you  go  to  the  Index  for 
selection,  then  you  can  take  such  a  slice  as  you  please  (if  it  is 
there)  otherwise  you  may  meet  with  something  akin  to  a  rail- 
road disaster  for  the  tears  of  sorrow  and  the  baubles  of  vanity 
stand  side  by  side. 

I  cannot  close  this  communication  without  expressing  my 
sincere  thanks  for  this  Book,  for  it  has  been  to  me  a  source  of 
great  comfort.  Writing  is  sometimes  called  a  labour  but  in 
this  instance  not  so,  with  only  one  exception.  In  the  making 
out  and  arranging  the  Genealogy  of  "The  Paines"  I  lay  awake 
one  night  till  the  clock  struck  fifty  two  times,  but  it  chanced 
to  be  on  a  Monday  after  a  hard  day's  work  and  I  went  to  bed 
before  nine  o'clock. 

In  the  Recorder,  there  is  a  copy  of  a  letter  written  by  Grand- 
mother in  rhyme  to  her  son  Timothy.     In  closing  she  says, 

"I  would  also  inform  you  that 
Our  noble  Time  piece,  useless  thing. 
Its  Pendulum  has  ceased  to  swing. 
The  Artist  gone,  the  ticking  ceased, 
The  weights  ne'er  move  to  give  release. 
The  hands  ne'er  change  by  heat  or  cold 
To  warn  us  that  we  are  growing  old. 
The  TuUp  on  its  face  so  gay 
Ne'er  opens  with  the  light  of  day. 
For  lifeless  is  that  visage  now 
And  cold  as  marble  is  its  brow." 
The  face  with  its  wooden  wheels  was  given  to  me  in  1886. 
It  has  been  restored  as  a  wag-on-the-wall  clock  and  strikes 
as  it  did  in  1811,  and  the  hands  e'er  change  by  heat  and  cold. 
It  was  in  the  old  homestead  seventy-five  years.' 

'  For  photograpli  of  old  clock  see  cut  of  "  Timoth}''3  Chamber." 


98         THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

In  "Daily  Thoughts"  she  writes, 

Feh.  8,  18i9.  This  morning  Charles  Paine  came  in  in  a 
hurry  saying,  you  can  send  that  book  to  Albert  by  Uncle  Eaton 
if  you  will  be  quick,  the  stage  is  now  against  the  meeting  house, 
be  quick. 

Oh !  how  I  did  jump  and  get  it  qidrk  and  with  a  slightly  wrap 
up  sent  it  off.     Success  to  the  journey  and  a  kind  reception. 

A  Manifestation  of  God.     Sabhatli. 
August,  18'-2'2. 

The  Lord  hath  magnified  himself  unto  his  children  as  he 
doth  not  unto  the  World.  This  truth  I  have  realized  of  late 
in  a  very  singular  manner.  After  hearing  a  Sermon  relative 
to  the  Great  Church  of  Christ  I  was  lead  to  inquire  of  my  own 
heart  whether  I  was  one  of  its  members.  I  thought  it  was  just 
as  separate  from  the  world  as  tho  it  was  encircled  by  a  wall  of 
fire.  After  examining  my  own  feelings  I  felt  that  it  was  within 
bounds.  I  was  walking  in  the  open  field  with  my  mind  all 
enraptured  with  these  meditations,  there  appeared  to  me  the 
most  beautiful  bed  of  strawberries  that  my  eyes  ever  beheld- 
It  was  on  my  right  hand  &  on  my  left  hand  but  none  in  the 
path.  (For  I  was  then  in  the  patli  which  lead  to  the  Spring 
and  where  my  family  go  many  times  in  each  day  for  water.) 
I  stopped  suddenly  to  behold  this  great  sight,  this  uncommon 
appearance.  I  pondered  aloud.  It  is  the  Lord.  I  thought  — 
The  place  whereon  thou  standeth,  is  holy  ground.  I  did  not 
pull  off  my  Shoe  for  fear  it  would  be  sin.  I  shut  up  my  eyes, 
then  opened  them  again,  to  find  if  I  was  deceiv'd,  but  they 
were  still  there,  I  examined  whatever  I  thought  might  lead 
to  a  deception,  still  they  appeared  real.  I  put  down  my  hand 
(tho  not  in  the  attitude  of  picking  for  I  knew)  —  For  a  small 

circle   round,    they    vanished 1    moved    my    hand    along, 

they  also   moved.     Again   I   rose   up   and   stood   to   meditate 
and  adore.     Again  I  shut  up  my  eyes.     I  opened  them,  the 


"SKETCH  BOOK"  99 

strawberries  had  vanished,  I  turned  myself  toward  the  West 
and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shone  unspeakably.  Again  I  closed 
my  eyes  —  I  wiped  them,  but  there  were  no  tears,  I  did  not 
feel  like  crying.  I  had  no  fear,  neither  did  I  think  to  ask 
even  one  petition.  I  looked  again,  all  had  vanished  but  the 
whole  scene  is  so  indelibly  stamped  upon  my  mind,  that  nothing 
but  loss  of  reason  will  ever  banish  it  from  my  perfect  recol- 
lection. 

It  is  the  Lord  and  O  what  wonder  that  he  should  condescend 
to  look  upon  me  in  mercy  and  place  my  feet  on  "holy  ground." 
In  a  few  hours  it  will  be  one  week  since  this  extraordinary  scene 
and  all  this  time  I  have  had  but  few  fears  of  my  eternal  wellfare. 
I  desire  to  cherish  tho.se  feelings  I  had  when  standing  before 
God.  A  solemn  awe  pervaded  my  whole  soul,  but  no  agitated 
fear  overcame  me  and  if  ever  I  spent  one  moment  without 
sin  it  was  at  that  time. 

What  shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord  for  all  his  benefits  toward 
me?  Purge  me  that  I  may  bring  forth  more  fruit  to  thy 
glory.  O  Lord  my  God. 

RemitiU-ccnces 
Transcribed,  18^5. 

When  Albert  Ware  Paine  was  thirteen  years  and  eight 
months  old,  it  was  determined  by  his  parents  that  he  should 
have  a  college  education.  Accordingly  in  May  1826  his  father 
went  with  him  to  Waterville  and  placed  him  in  the  Academy 
which  was  then  taught  in  the  College  building.  As  they  left 
the  house,  my  eyes  &  prayers  followed  hard  after  them.  My 
petition  was  "O  lord  I  beseech  Thee  make  him  a  Minister  of 
Jesus  Christ,"  and  thus  my  prayers  have  been  continued  till 
this  day  May  13,  1832,  but  as  yet  it  is  like  Elijah's  petition, 
there  is  no  sign  nor  no  answer,  perhaps  by  &  bye  I  shall  see  a 
little  cloud  upon  his  brow  which  will  prove  to  be  the  weight  of 
sin  discovered  and  then  I  shall  watch  with  great  anxiety  until 


yr'ii 


87 


>i)69 


100       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRAXDMOTHER 

the  light  of  God's  countenance  shines  into  his  soul  and  sets 
him  free. 

Transcribed  1845.  I  do  feel  that  faith  revives  and  my  dowTi- 
cast  spirits  are  cheered  with  hope  divine.  0,  My  Father  in 
Heaven  let  me  see  the  day  when  my  second  son  shall  go  forth 
to  minister  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  And  in  the  end  of  Life's 
journey  give  him  dying  grace  and  an  abundant  entrance  into 
The  Heavenly  kingdom;  and  all  the  glory  will  forever  be  to 
the  great  Jehovah. 

April  184'J-  ^ly  mind  has  been  so  fluctuating  for  a  few 
weeks  past  that  I  am  perfectly  tired  of  myself.  I  feel  that 
"the  fountains  of  the  great  deep  are  broken  up."  As  I  was 
sitting  in  the  sanctuary  today,  I  thought  that  my  mind  was 
like  a  tub  of  rain-water  that  had  stood  many  days  under  the 
eaves.  When  a  pail  of  pure  water  is  poured  into  it  how  power- 
fully it  disturbs  the  sediment  and  it  is  all  commotion;  just  so 
is  my  mind,  only  I  am  at  a  loss  to  know  whether  the  pail  of 
water  thus  poured  is  pure.  There  is  the  point  with  me  at 
present.  How  long  I  shall  remain  in  uncertainty  is  unknown. 
I  trust  that  when  I  get  home  to  my  Heavenly  Father,  then 
I  shall  understand  all  about  the  " resurrection  story "' which  so 
agitates  the  public  mind  at  this  day  of  restless  uneasiness. 
Till  then  I  am  willing  to  submit  my  body  and  care  of  my 
soul  to  the  great  and  mighty  God. 

The  Hebrew  Language 
31  arch  4,  ISJfO. 

All  my  dear  Saviour's  instructions  were  given  in  the  Hebrew 
language.  This  thought  added  a  double  interest  to  the  scene 
which  took  place,  last  evening.  "A  step  light  as  an  antelope's 
the  threshold  pressed  and  like  a  beam  of  light  into  the  room 
entered"  Timothy. 

With   a   quick  voice  he  exclaimed  "I  have  commenced  the 

'By  "  resurrection  story  "  she  probably  means  the  resurrection  of  man's  body 
at  death. 


''SKETCH   BOOK"  101 

study  of  Hebrew,  it  took  nie  about  half  an  hour  to  learn  the 
A,  B,  C-s  and  I  have  learned  that  I  must  look  at  the  last  of 
Revelation  to  find  "'In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heavens 
and  the  earth." 

There  is  nothing  that  comes  within  my  notice  that  so  much 

interests  me  as  T advancement  in  knowledge.     He  is  so 

delighted  with  a  new  idea.  I  did  not  appear  to  much  notice 
his  remark  lest  he  should  perceive  the  truth  of  my  strong 
attachment  to  him,  he  is  daily  throwing  out  fibres  to  twine 
around  my  heart. 

As  he  has  commenced  the  study  of  my  Saviour's  instructions 
in  Hebrew  so  I  hope  he  will  continue  through  life  to  "search 
and  look"  into  his  precepts  and  examples  and  thereby  be 
prepared  for  a  seat  with  all  the  redeemed  at  God's  right  hand 
forever. 

April,  1845. 

For  a  few  days  past  I  have  had  a  kind  of  feeling  which  bor- 
ders on  —  I  want  to  take  all  my  children  and  go  to  my  Heavenly 
Father's  house.  One  after  another  are  going  out  from  me  in 
one  and  another  direction  and  I  feel  (|uite  lonely.  .   .  . 

Timothy  is  taking  flight  and  going  out  from  me  in  a  different 
way;  This  also  has  caused  me  much  serious  meditation,  my 
mind  has  been  continually  fluctuating  for  the  last  few  weeks 
on  account  of  his  change  of  sentiment,  when  I  get  settled  down 
into  a  calm  repose  on  the  subject  I  do  not  know  how  I  shall 
stand  but  hope  to  feel  firmer  and  more  substantial  than  I  now 
do.  Were  it  not  for  his  vicir.i  on  prayer  and  prayer  meetings, 
I  should  feel  more  resigned  but  I  have  given  him  to  God  and 
shall  I  ask  him  back?  Rather  let  me  be  thankful  for  the  hope 
that  eventually  He  will  take  him  to  himself. 

Wednesday  August  20,  lSJf5.  Today  for  the  first  time  in 
this  generation  there  has  a  New-Church  minister  arrived  at 
Winslow  and  offered  his  .services  in  the  pulpit.  He  came  up 
from   Bath   to   Hallowell,    this   morning   went   on   board   The 


102       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

Water-witch,  and  reached  this  house  at  one  o'clock  p.m.  Rev. 
S.  F.  Dike  after  he  had  dined,  took  seat  with  Timothy  in  our 
little  carriage  to  notify  a  meeting  at  seven,  this  evening.  The 
result  is  known  only  to  God,  for  my  own  part  I  view  it  as  an 
important  event.  No  doubt  it  will  make  a  Stir  and  cause  a 
Dust.  There  are  a  number  of  our  Society  that  have  been 
looking  toward  the  subject  of  the  New-Church  doctrine  for 
some  time  past,  but  this  appointment  is  so  sudden  and  the 
notice  so  short,  it  will  avail  but  little,  but  enough  to  make 
a  talk  and  fuss. 

I  intend  to  submit  my  part  of  the  concern  to  my  heavenly 
Father  for  I  have  long  ago  learned  that  He  knows  best  how  to 
govern  difficult  plans.  If  God  is  about  to  raise  up  a  N.  C. 
in  Winslow  how  puny  my  own  would  be  in  defense.  I  look 
back  twenty  seven  years  ago  and  remember  what  he  did  at 
the  establishment  of  this  present  church  for  surely  it  was  the 
work  of  the  Lord  and  has  been  abundantly  blessed.  I  will 
therefore  in  this  as  at  other  times  Trust  in  the  Lord  for  Jehovah 
is  everlasting  strength. 

Timothy,  to  his  brother  Albert  in  Bangor 
Winslow,  Sept.  29,  1845. 

"P.  S.  They  have  at  last  concluded  to  let  us  go  from  the 
Church.  The  vote  has  passed;  so  we  are  free.  May  we  and 
all  go  together  towards  that  'Holy  Temple.'" 

To  Albert 
Winslow,  May  12,  1846. 

Sunday  before  last  we  had  twenty  at  our  meeting,  not 
counting  children,  four  were  from  Sebasticook,  one  of  them  is 
the  Methodist's  Minister's  wife.  Carohne  and  Mrs.  Stratton 
have  asked  for  a  dismission  from  the  Old  Church  and  a  '  recom- 
mendation' to  the  New.  It  made  others  stare.  They  were 
suspended  till  July. 


"SKETCH  BOOK"  103 

Many  things  t.ake  place  worth  telhng;  one  can  hardly  go 
amiss  of  New-Church  Books.     Of  these  by  and  by. 

Timothy. 

Jjily  19,  1846.  Shall  attend  the  'Association'  at  Portland 
by  the  permission  of  Providence,  shall  go  to  Bath  on  Tuesday; 
stop  with  Mr.  Dike  with  whom  I  shall  go  to  the  Meetings 
he  has  made  the  arrangement  for  us.  —  Shall  return,  I  hope 
in  good  spirits  (rather  among  good  Spirits)  to  my  last  year's 
labor  (in  College). 

We  prosper  well  in  Winslow.  The  New  Church  is  as  dear 
as  ever;  we  hold  regular  meetings  on  Sundays  at  Brother 
Charles's.  The  sisters  have  formed  a  society  for  aiding  in 
the  advancement  of  the  cause  of  truth. 

T.  O.  Paine,     [to  Albert] 

June  7,  1848.  Wednesday  morning.  My  dear  Timothy 
has  just  left  home  for  Boston  to  attend  the  anniversary  meet- 
ing, N.  C.  Farewell  to  him,  may  our  Heavenly  Father  pro- 
tect you  (was  all  I  could  say  and  that  was  enough)  there  is  no 
one  else  I  wish  to  give  you  up  to.  I  feel  a  sweet  confidence 
that  he  will  protect  and  guide  and  keep  and  after  a  term  return 
him  to  me  again  and  finally  gather  us  and  those  into  his  King- 
dom.    There  will  be  no  farewells.' 

The  Reception  of  a  letter ' 
Winslow  May  9,  1851. 

Oh  it  does  my  heart  good  to  hear  such  information  as  has 
reached  my  ears  today.  Timothy  is  again  received  into  the 
church  Militant  and  been  permitted  to  the  table  of  the  precious 
Saviour  of  sinners.  What  joy  it  gives  a  mother  that  her  chil- 
dren walk  in  the  truth,  the  true  way  that  leads  to  glory  ever- 
lasting at   God's   right   hand,   to   the  blessed  employment  of 

1  See  Stray  Leaves.  Feb.  26,  1843. 
*  From  "The  Recorder." 


10-t       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

saints  &  angels  around  the  throne  of  the  Lamb.  Happy 
Timothy!  happy  on  earth,  happy  forever;  my  lieavenly  Father 
will  never  turn  him  off.  —  away  from  his  presence  into  outer 
darkness.  God  could  never  have  given  all  this  light,  grace, 
love,  heavenly  communion  with  himself  if  he  had  not  designs 
of  favour  on  his  soul.  How  bright  his  path,  how  radient  with 
the  joy  set  before  him;  Bles.sed  Son  I  have  no  wish  to  have  it 
otherwise  with  thee,  than  just  as  it  is.  The  Almighty  has  led 
thee  in  a  good  and  safe  way,  thou  hast  been  kept  low  and  nigh 
the  earth  as  regards  pecuniary  means,  and  if  thou  hadst  fallen 
it  would  have  been  but  a  little  way. 

Dear  child,  the  strong  arms  of  the  Gospel  are  round  thee  on 
every  side.  Satan  is  too  weak  to  break  over  the  Eternal 
bounds  which  God  has  set.  Whom  tlie  Lord  loveth,  he  loveth 
to  the  end.  Strive  ever  to  live  near  the  Altar  and  dont  fail 
to  cast  the  net  on  the  right  side  of  the  Ship.  And  now,  my 
heavenly  Father  I  commend  liiin  unto  thee  in  prosperity  or 
adversity,  in  sickness  and  health,  in  life  or  in  death,  in  this 
world  or  the  other.  Thou  Lord  art  good  and  thy  works  are 
good  forever  and  glory  lie  to  thy  great  and  holy  Name  and  let 
all  the  people  say  Amen. 

It  was  the  Sabbath  day.  May  the  fourth  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  fifty  one,  that  a  Church  was  organized  in  Bangor 
of  thirteen  members  under  the  New  Church  Discipline  by  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Dike  of  Bath,  of  which  Timothy  Otis  Paine  was 
one  of  the  number. 

In  connection  with  the  change  in  Uncle  Timothy's  religious 
views,  the  following  extract  from  a  letter  written  by  my  father 
to  my  mother  before  marriage  may  be  of  interest.  From  the 
fact  that  there  was  an  interval  of  five  years  between  his  letter 
to  his  home  and  the  "coming  out  of  the  church"  of  the  Winslow 
brothers  and  sisters,  it  would  seem  as  if  my  father  must  have 
been  the  first  of  the  family  to  make  the  change  and  that  he, 
probably,  was  instrumental  in  "leading  the  others  away." 


"SKETCH  BOOK"  105 

(four  days  before  Marriage) 

Bangor,  July  5,  ISW- 
Dear  Mary,  —  I  have  just  finished  writing  a  whole  sheet 
to  sister  Carohne.  The  time  of  my  writing  gave  me  occasion 
to  write  on  the  subject  of  going  to  meeting  and  on  the  subject 
of  the  New  Church.  I  suspect  they  will  think  me  almost  a 
heathen  and  a  heretic  from  my  talking  as  I  have.  I  thought 
however  I  might  as  well  as  not  speak  out  and  let  them  know 
what  I  believed.  I  do  not  know  that  my  parents  know  of  my 
staying  away  from  meeting  as  I  do  and  I  presume  they  will 
take  it  much  to  heart  when  they  come  to  learn  the  truth  and 
the  whole  truth.  I  thought  it  best  to  tell  them  and  in  my 
letter   to  Caroline  I  have  done  so  and  given  my  reasons  for 

the  course. 

Albert. 

Bccollections  of  Harriet 
June  9,  1845. 

It  is  now  just  eight  years  since  my  dear  Harriet  left  this 
for  the  eternal  world,  and  yet  the  scene  is  as  vivid  before  my 
mind's  eye  as  though  it  was  but  one  year.  It  is  now  three 
o'clock  P.M.  and  about  the  same  hour  that  the  family  one 
after  another  went  to  her  pillow  to  receive  her  last  kiss  and 
pleasant  "good-bye." 

I  had  a  strong  opinion  that  she  would  say  something  worthy 
of  remembrance  and  as  she  was  very  weak  I  knelt  down  that 
my  ear  might  catch  the  soft  whisper.  I  knew  but  little  of 
what  I  was  about  to  witness.  All  on  a  sudden  she  turned  her 
eyes  towards  the  door  and  stretched  out  her  hand  with  a  hand 
shake  as  tho  she  had  met  a  friend  and  exclaimed  "Abby, 
Abby,"  evidentally  meaning  Abby  Eaton  who  had  died  a  few 
weeks  before  and  who  was  Harriet' a  little  favourite. 

She  then  for  a  few  moments  appeared  to  be  just  going,  when 
all  at  once  she  began  to  sing  with  such  an  heavenly  voice. 
Her  notes  were  truly  angelic  and  the  words  are  contained  in 
Rev.  fifteenth  chap.  "The  Song  of  Moses  &  the  Lamb." 
Her  voice  died  away  and  we  all  thought  her  gone. 


106       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

With  an  audible  voice  I  spoke  this  word  "The  glories  of 
heaven  open  to  her  voice."  In  an  instant  she  opened  her  eyes 
and  I  said  —  "My  dear  Harriet  you  have  come  back  to  earth 
again."     Her  answer  was  "I  sliould  not  if  you  had  not  spoke" 

and  I  thought  her  eyes  seems  to  liave  a  reproaching  look 

I  felt  it  and  thought  I  would  not  call  back  again.  Again 
she  swooned  away  and  again  we  thought  her  gone,  —  It  was 

a  number  of  minutes As  (juick  as  thought  she  extended 

her  arm  directly  upward  and  with  her  finger  pointing  upward 
waving  her  hand  around  and  round  exclaimed  "good-by." 
Her  arm  drooped  —  slie  was  gone.  Happy,  thrice  happy 
spirit  /  would  nut  call  thee  back  again. 

It  is  Wisdom  that  a  veil  is  spread  over  the  glories  of  futurity. 

Retirement 
August  15,  18Jf5 

I  desire  to  live  in  constant  view  of  death  and  realize  the 
uncertainty  of  life  and  earthly  comforts.  I  dont  know  that 
I  feel  afraid  to  die  for  I  feel  an  assurance  that  God  will  give 
me  dying  grace  and  a  glimpse  of  that  glory  which  He  has 
already  revealed  to  me  at  times  when  I  was  not  looking  for 
it.  That  this  may  be  the  case  I  will  ever  pray  while  reason 
rules. 

A  Contest.     Predestination  and  Free  Agency 

In  the  summer  of  1844  as  the  sun  was  lowering  in  the  West, 
I  thought  to  go  to  my  dear  Harriet's  grave  where  I  had  so 
often  held  sweet  communion  with  my  God.  I  therefore  took 
a  pail  for  water  as  I  should  pass  nigh  the  Spring,  that  I  might 
accomplish  a  double  purpose  of  allaying  the  thirst  of  soul  and 
body.  Passing  along  in  deep  meditation  I  filled  my  pail  and 
brought  it  out  to  the  path  which  led  to  the  grave  and  sat  it 
down,  but  just  as  I  was  about  to  proceed  the  thought  came 
with  great  force,  "if  I  go  and  kneel  at  Harriet's  grave  I  shall 


''SKETCH   BOOK"  107 

* 
die  there."  The  answer  was,  ivell  I  am  wilhng  to  go  to  God 
if  he  pleases,  but  the  question  came  up  was  I  ready?  Was 
I  prepaired?  Could  I  leave  all  behind  without  returning  to 
the  house?  Yes  I  will  go.  Then  it  came  to  my  mind  "Thou 
shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord  thy  God"  and  was  I  willing  to  go 
into  Eternity  in  direct  violation  of  one  of  God's  commands? 
I  began  to  consider  the  consequence  relative  to  my  family. 
I  shall  soon  be  missed  in  the  house,  they  will  look  for  me  in  the 
closet,  I  am  not  there.  Knowing  that  I  am  in  a  habit  of  visit- 
ing the  grave  at  this  time  of  day,  they  will  seek  me  there  and 
find  me  dead,  by  the  side  of  Harriet's  grave.  What  conster- 
nation and  alarm  will  run  through  the  family  circle,  and  then 
the  neighborhood,  and  at  this  lonely  hour  just  as  all  nature  is 
going  to  repose,  am  I  willing  to  cause  all  this  alarm? 

I  meditated  —  I  reflected  —  I  thought  —  I  half  resolved  to 
go.  "Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord  thy  God"  again  forced 
itself  into  my  mind.  — 

At  length  the  answer  was,  I  am  afraid  of  God,  I  fear  God,  — 
He  has  put  it  in  my  power  to  return  to  the  house  if  I  please. 
I  took  up  my  pail  and  set  it  down  in  the  house  because  I  was 
a.  free  moral  agent.  But  I  still  think  that  if  I  had  gone  and  knelt 
at  the  grave  I  should  have  been  found  there  a  lifeless  corpse.  — 

The  subject  needs  no  comment  from  me,  and  I  shall  only 
add,  it  is  one  of  those  great  Truths  of  the  great  Jehovah  which 
are  too  high,  too  broad  and  too  deep  for  man  to  fathom. 

Let  us  all  believe,  obey,  and  adore  the  great  and  mighty 
God  over  all  blessed  forever  more. 

A  Jew  reflections  on  the  decay  of  my  Bible 

Nov.  26,  1820. 

When  I  was  about  eleven  years  old,  my  Father  died  and 
soon  after  my  Mother  bought  this  Bible  and  presented  it  to 
me,  at  that  time  I  little  thought  what  it  contained.  I  scarcely 
thought  it  was  the  word  of  God  and  that  in  it  was  all  that  was 


108       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

necessary  for  me  to  know  with  regard  to  my  eternal  welfare.  — 
I  was  only  pleased  with  its  binding,  its  fair  print  and  my  childish 
disposition  was  gratified  in  having  such  a  nice  volume  in  my 
own  possession.  —  But  now  how  changed  are  my  views. 

In  this  very  Bible  I  have  learned  all  that  I  know  of  God, 
it  has  taught  me  the  way  to  heaven  and  how  to  escape  eternal 
punishment. 

In  tliis  Bible  I  have  learned  to  read  (I  trust)  with  an  under- 
standing heart.  I  have  learned  that  God  is  a  Father  to  the 
Fatherless. 

I  have  found  also  that  the  natural  heart  is  at  enmity  with 
God  and  that  I  must  be  horn  again.  I  was  distressed  and 
knew  not  what  to  do.  It  pointed  me  to  Christ  but  my  sins 
were  so  heavy  that  I  could  .scarcely  raise  my  head,  when  in  a 
sudden  I  seemed  to  liear  tliese  words  "Rejoice  and  be  exceeding 
glad  for  great  is  your  reward  in  Heaven."  I  flew  to  the  Bible 
where  I  found  the  words  directly  from  the  lips  of  Him  whom  my 
soul  loved.  In  tliis  book  I  have  found  what  the  life  of  a 
Christian  ought  to  be.  I  can  also  find  that  he  knoweth  our 
frame  and  remembers  that  we  are  but  dust. 

But,  alas!  alas!  how  decayed  is  this  precious  volume,  the 
binding  is  entirely  gone,  tlie  account  of  the  creation  of  the 
World,  Adam's  fall,  the  first  promise  of  a  Saviour,  Noah's 
flood,  God's  first  covenant  with  Abram. 

And  now  the  first  verse  of  the  first  chap  is  "And  Jacob  went 
on  his  way,  and  the  Angels  of  (iod  met  him."  Genesis  32°'' 
chap.  What  an  imjiortant  and  comprehensive  verse,  volumes 
might  be  written  from  it. 

But  when  I  turn  to  the  New  Testament,  I  find  it  more 
changed.  Many  of  St.  Paul's  epistles  gone,  James,  Peter, 
the  epistle  of  John  and  Jude  are  not  to  be  found,  but  what  is 
more  to  be  lamented  is  the  beautiful  book  of  Revelation  entirely 
gone.  —  I  sometime  look  forward  to  the  time  when  no  vestige 
of  it  will  remain  and  say  to  myself  what  shall  I  do  for  no  other 


''SKETCH   BOOK"  109 

Bible  appears  quite  equal.  In  any  other  I  am  at  a  loss  to  know 
where  to  find  the  precious  promises,  on  what  page  or  column 
they  are  recorded.  At  other  times  I  am  ready  to  conclude 
it  will  last  as  long  as  I  shall  stand  in  need  of  its  instruction, 
therefore  I  am  determined  to  embrace  the  last  verse  it  now 
contains  and  apply  to  my  own  heart  and  say  "But  godliness 
with  contentment   is   great  gain."     1    Timothy   6-6   verse.  — 

April,  1846. 

The  foregoing  Lament  on  the  prospect  of  the  destruction  of 
my  Bible  was  made  26  years  ago,  and  for  many  years  last  past 
I  have  experienced  the  sad  truth  that  my  Bible  has  ceased  to 
be.  Occasionally  I  meet  a  few  pages  among  the  old  rubbish 
on  some  secjuestered  shelf. 

Wherever  I  meet  it,  it  is  saved. 

Three  Weeks  at  a  Boarding  School 

January  181)6. 

It  has  been  said,  but  with  no  good  propriety,  that  a  young 
lady  of  nineteen  or  twenty  has  "Finished  her  education." 
But  it  is  not  true  unless  at  that  age  death  takes  her  away  and 
even  then  it  is  absurd,  improper,  there  is  no  finishing  to  edu- 
cation in  the  Broad,  neither  in  the  shorter  sense,  because  there 
is  nothing  perfect  under  the  Sun. 

But  it  is  not  my  object  to  enlarge  on  this  point  it  is  all  plain 
to  him  who  will  consider. 

I  am  fifty  seven  years  old  and  have  recently  been  to  a  Board- 
ing School  three  weeks  and  altho  my  board  was  Gratis,  yet  I 
paid  my  Tuition.  The  lessons  I  took  were  salutary.  I  found 
myself  to  be  a  dull  scholar,  hard  to  commit,  but  the  lessons 
once  learned  will  be  long  treasured  up  and  will  I  hope,  be  of 
perpetual  advantage  and  never  failing  source  for  meditation. 

To  stand  or  sit  in  a  sick  room  for  three  weeks  and  know  that 
the  patient  has  been  there  for  months  or  even  years  without 


110       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

being  permitted  but  seldom  to  leave  it  on  her  feet,  to  look  at 
her  confined  entirely  to  her  Bed  unable  to  scarcely  turn  herself 
or  be  taken  up  without  injury,  entirely  dependant  on  the  kind 
offices  of  friends  and  must  even  die  without  their  aid,  all  this 
and  more,  who  would  not  call  it  a  school,  who  would  not  call 
it  taking  lessons? 

And  now  I  am  old  I  will  not  depart  from  it. 

Meditation 
Sept.  15,  1846. 

I  want  to  be  submissive  to  the  Divine  wil  and  yet  I  have  a 
work  to  do  that  must  not  be  neglected,  example  and  precept 
must  go  hand  in  hand.  My  work  is  to  do  the  will  of  my  Father 
and  it  is  his  will  that  /  take  a  kind  oversight  of  my  own  household 
and  stitdy  for  their  good.  They  are  young  and  erring,  but  the 
Saviour  said  "  \Yhat  is  that  to  thee  follow  thou  me."  There- 
fore I  must  abide  by  the  truth  and  the  truth  will  make  me  free 
indeed.  I  will  trust  and  not  be  afraid,  relying  upon  divine 
wisdom. 

My  Uncle  Benjamin  with  his  children  Daniel,  Annah  and 
Frederic  lived  in  a  part  of  the  homestead. 

New  Year,  January  1,  1847. 
This  morning  before  I  left  my  lodging  I  was  saluted  with 
"A  Happy  New  Year,  A  Happy  New  Year,"  from  my  dear 
Uttle  Daniel  and  Annah  and  accompanyed  with  an  invitation 
to  dme  with  them  as  they  said  their  mother  would  have  a  turkey 
for  dmner.  As  they  spoke  they  stood  in  the  dining  room. 
I  looked  out  to  see  them,  they  were  but  half  dressed  and  ap- 
peared so  sincere  and  lovely.  Blessed  Babes!  thought  I, 
who  can  deny  your  request.  A  Happy  New  Year,  a  Happy 
New  Year,  was  the  response,  yes,  I  will  come  and  may  you 
live  to  enjoy  many  happy  new  years  and  continue  to  diffuse 
joy  and  gladness  into  the  New  Jerusalem  above. 


"SKETCH  BOOK"  111 

March  18^8.     Calling  to  Remembrance. 

Little  Annah  and  the  Peony  Buds. 

O,  Grandmother!  just  see  what  I've  got!  cried  Httle  Annah 
as  she  came  in  from  the  front  yard  with  her  hand  extended 
and  in  it  a  peony  bud  and  her  countenance  beaming  with 
animation  and  joy.  O,  Annah  what  have  you  done  now?  asked 
her  grandmother  with  a  look  of  surprise  mingled  with  a  frown. 
"Wy  I've  got  a  whole  parcel  in  my  pocket"  said  she,  and  she 
began  to  feel  for  her  pockethole.  Grandmother  offered  her 
service  to  unpack  when  it  was  found  that  fen  were  stored  away 
in  that  receptacle.  Grandmotlier  stood  a  moment  to  reflect 
whether  to  severely  blame  or  turn  it  off  with  a  laugh  while  the 
dear  child  stood  waiting  her  fate  with  a  kind  of  mingled  con- 
fidence with  fear.  I  determined  upon  the  latter  thinking  that 
before  another  season  of  Peony  buds  I  should  teach  her  a  lesson 
far  better  than  an  angry  one. 

She  turned  her  heel  in  her  own  natural  motion  and  darted 
off  to  enjoy  all  the  pleasure  derived  from  a  clear  conscience 
and  a  Grandmother's  approbation.  Blessed  child,  thought  I, 
you  shall  have  your  wish  from  me  were  it  half  my  kingdom. 

She  was  a  precious  "bud"  but  now  gone  to  that  land  of  pure 
delight  to  bloom  in  eternal  day. 

Sweet  Annah  died  January  18,  1848  Ae  4  yrs  3  months, 
after  an  illness  of  36  hours  (extreme  suffering)  scarlet  fever 
&  canker  rash,  much  lamented  by  all  who  ever  had  knowledge 
of  her. 

Sweet  Annah 
May  18,  1848. 

It  is  now  just  four  months  since  my  dear  Sweet  Annah 
left  us  for  the  eternal  world.  —  Lovely  child  how  well  I  remem- 
ber all  her  little  plays  and  interesting  remarks.  How  pretty 
she  would  creep  round  my  old  rocking  chair  and  be  very  still 
lest  she  should  wake  up  Grandmother  and  then  that  hearty 


112       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

laugli,  liow  it  would  butuid  out  as  she  watched  to  see  me  open 
my  eyes.  How  precious  she  was  when  on  Saturday  as  I  was 
cooking  for  the  Sabbath,  she  would  come  out  to  help,  with  her 
little  rolling-pin  and  thimble  to  make  holes  in  the  upper  pie- 
crust and  then  the  doughnuts,  what  multitudes  of  little  ones 
she  would  make  to  furnish  her  own  table  with  "Brother 
Danny."  Then  there  was  her  little  tea  .set  all  washed  and 
put  away  in  perfect  order,  only  the  day  before  she  was  taken 
sick . 

How  still  and  pleasant  she  would  come  out  at  meal  time 
and  get  under  my  elbow  and  look  up  in  my  face  with  such 
a  heavenly  bewildering  smile  and  accept  of  my  invitation 
to  "sit  up  and  take  tea  with  us." 

O,  my  dear!  sweet  Annah !  How  can  I  do  longer  without 
seeing  and  hugging  you  to  my  bosom.  These  sweet  kisses 
and  pleasant  remarks,  the  laughing  "good-nights"  and  "happy 
good  mornings!"  The  blessings  bestqwed  on  us  the  last  six 
months  she  was  with  us  and  the  strong  ties  which  bound  us 
together.  All  broken  in  a  few  short  hours.  [Compare  with 
Total  Depravity  .'] 

Mann  rig  Ble-ts'ingx 
Sept.  18,  1847. 

I  raised  my  head  from  my  pillow  this  morning  and  drew 
away  the  curtains.  —  Another  delightful  day  my  Father  has 
given  me,  thought  I.  The  sun  had  just  risen  and  sent  out  a 
gentle  hint  that  if  I  wished  to  run  with  him  through  the  day  I 
must  leave  my  bed;  the  soft  beautiful  rays  reflected  upon  the 
side  casement  of  the  window  and  I  would  not  resist  its  force. 
I  listened  a  moment  to  ascertain  if  my  husband  had  performed 
his  accustomed  office  of  the  first  half  hour  and  the  crackling 
of  hemlock  kindlings  assured  me  the  truth. 

After  putting  my  coft'ee  boiling  and  prepairing  the  spider  of 
meat  for  four  men,  my  husband  brought  in  a  large  full  pail 
of   milk  from  our   premium  cow,   a   great   favour  thought   I, 


''SKETCH   BOOK"  113 

how  good  my  Father  is.  I  distributed  it  into  fours  not  for- 
getting my  blessed  little  grandchildren.  I  had  but  just  com- 
pleted this  duty  when  he  returned  with  a  fav^our  of  another 
kind,  holding  in  his  hand  an  Elm  tree  of  only  a  few  months 
growth  which  he  had  taken  from  his  cornfield  on  the  Interval, 
a  perfect  beauty  thought  I.  It  was  about  six  inches  in  height. 
I  went  directly  into  the  fruit  yard  and  planted  it  just  above  the 
Key -maple  and  stood  a  moment  to  solilocjuize  thus  —  When 
this  hand  is  turned  to  dust  and  my  spirit  is  with  God  who  gave 
it,  then  may  this  tree  throw  out  its  long  and  graceful  branches 
under  which  may  my  great  grandchildren  sport  and  play  with 
delight  while  my  happy  spirit  may  look  down  and  thereby 
receive  an  addition  to  perfect  felicity. 

After  breakfast,  reading  and  prayers  which  by  the  way  is 
no  small  blessing,  a  horse  and  waggon  came  up  to  the  door  and 
as  I  look'd  out  to  see  the  passengers,  found  them  to  be  Timothy 
&  Caroline  on  their  way  to  the  Steamboat,  Caro  to  engage  in 
a  private  school  for  no  given  time.  I  went  out  to  give  her  a 
last  Farewell  and  I  thought  that  she  never  before  appeared 
to  be  worth  so  much.  Truly  she  is  a  dear  blessing  sent  from 
God.     May  peace  and  prosperity  attend  you  dear  child. 

As  I  returned  to  the  hou.se  I  thought  never  did  a  miser  take 
more  satisfaction  in  the  looking  over  his  gold  and  silver  than 
I  do  with  my  mind's-eye  upon  my  children. 

But  then  these  frequent  goings  away,  these  often  Farewells 
—  but  then  between  each  there  is  the  happy  meeting,  the 
social  rehearsals  of  blessings  and  trials  and  so  it  will  continue, 
until  we  are  all  gathered  into  those  Heavenly  Mansions  which 
our  Father  has  prepaired  for  all  those  who  love  him. 

Finishing  a  Job 
Oct.,  1S4S. 

My  thoughts  were  called  to  thin  subject  by  a  very  trifling 
circumstance  but  it  has  opened  a  door  for  meditation.     There 


114       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

is  more  to  be  considered  (or  that  ought  to  be  considered) 
from  these  two  words  than  most  Mothers  are  aware  of. 
Mothers  who  stand  at  the  head  —  There  are  many  httle  ones 
looking  up  and  for  why?  Because  the  mother's  head  is  far 
above  to  them. 

But  this  finishing  of  jobs,  let  us  look  at  it. 
The  mother  commences  a  job  in  the  kitchen,  a  lady  caller 
is  in  the  sitting  room  (and  in  every  village  or  town  there  are 
those  who  have  little  else  to  do  in  the  forenoon  except  to  make 
calls)  waiting  to  "speak  a  word"  with  dear  mother.  She 
leaves  her  job  with  orders  that  one  of  the  girls  should  finish 
it  and  another  perhaps  must  do  such  or  such  a  thing.  An  half 
hour  or  hour  perhaps  whirls  away  quick  before  dinner  time. 
She  returns  and  finds  that  the  girls  are  "like  unto  her."  By 
this  time  the  meat  for  dinner  must  be  put  down  to  cooking. 
The  work  presses  hard  upon  her,  the  girls  are  off  out  of  sight, 
the  jobs  remain  as  they  were.  The  fire  is  getting  low,  the 
beds  are  not  made  up  in  stile,  the  dusting  has  not  been  done  if 
the  sweeping  has.  The  sauce  perhaps  is  brought  into  the 
kitchen  but  not  prepaired  for  boiling.  The  breakfast  dishes, 
it  may  be,  have  been  washed  but  not  returned  to  their  stated 
orderly  places.  The  baby  has  waked  up  from  its  morning 
nap  and  cries  hard  to  be  taken,  etc.  etc.  But  now  I  see  that 
this  is  more  like  Unfinished  Jobs. 

Farewells 
May  28,  1848. 

Yesterday,  my  dear  Sarah  left  home  for  Bangor  in  company 
with  Albert  for  a  short  visit.    Farewell  to  her.    Farewell  to  him. 

As  they  left  the  dooryard,  I  was  powerfully  reminded  that 
an  horse  is  a  vain  thing  for  safety.  He  sprung  like  a  flash  of 
lightening  and  went  off  upon  the  run.  May  God  protect 
them  was  all  I  could  say  and  all  I  could  do.  I  thought  there 
were  other  things  that  were  vain  for  safety. 


"SKETCH    BOOK"  115 

In  1886,  "Timo"  writes  his  brother  in  Bangor  a  postal  full 
of  old  home  reminiscences.  "In  the  lenter  (pray  not  lean  to 
for  us)  stood  old  Bonus  who  came  out  of  your  Latin  Grammar. 
And  how  much  comes  from  this  lenter?  The  drives  of  Bonus; 
Dr.  Clark's  horse;    Dr.'s  rides —  " 

Bonus  was  a  very  important  member  of  the  family  from  1820 
till  his  death  in  1850.  He  apjpears  in  the  old  family  letters 
and  in  these  books.  There  is  Uncle  Timo's  poem  and  there  is 
the  five-page  "Soliloquy"  of  Grandmother's,  written  in  six 
parts,  in  "Daily  Thoughts." 

In  November,  Saturday  16,  1850,  is  this  entry: 

Know  all  people  by  this  page. 

This  morning  the  sun  rose  in  a  cloud,  all  around  seemed  to 
be  gloomy  &  dark;  why  was  it?  There  were  some  forebodings 
of  a  vacancy  being  made  in  the  home  department.  A  large 
deep  hole  in  the  earth  had  been  seen  a  few  days  previous,  on 
the  premises,  suspicions  arose  that  by  &  by  it  would  be  a 
mound  underneath  which  treasures  would  be  hid.  The  very 
thought  caused  the  heart  to  flutter  and  doleful  feehngs  and 
many  lonesome  thoughts  passed  in  quick  succession  — 

Nine  o'clock  came,  —  two  men  were  seen  wending  their 
way  towards  that  fatal  hole.  I  looked  through  a  window  & 
saw  Bonus  standing  upon  the  brink,  I  turned  around  a  moment 
—  then  looked  again,  he  could  not  be  seen  for  he  had  fallen 
Alas,  Alas.     Bonus  is  dead. 

Farewell  good  old  Bonus,  farewell. 

Old  Mortality.     Old  Associations 
Oct.,  1848. 

In  a  book  now  extant  designed  as  Man's  Fortune  teller, 
or  Woman's  chance  lot,  is  a  verse  for  every  day  in  the  year. 
The  one  for  December  6  which  is  my  birthday  reads  as  follows. 

Associations  magic  power. 
Before  thy  mental  sight  arrays 
The  joys  of  many  a  vanished  hour  — 
The  friends,  the  scenes  of  other  days. 


116       TEE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

Nothing  is  more  dear  to  me  than  old  associations,  old  friends, 
old  remembrances,  old  places  &  things,  old  thoughts  called  up 
anew  and  old  stories  of  old  things.  There  is  my  Father's 
old  Rock  pasture  where  we  used  to  go  and  pick  whirtle  berrys 
and  gather  chestnuts  and  just  in  the  edge  of  the  woods  were 
the  dangle  berries.  And  then  there  was  the  Down-under  the 
hill  where  the  grapes  grew.  Come  brother  Timothy  just 
take  a  pail  and  go  with  Olive  and  me  and  pull  down  the  vines 
for  us  to  pick,  now  do,  will  ye?  There  was  the  Little-worth 
and  old  ]5og-wall  where  tlie  wine  apple-tree  was. 

Beside  all  the.sc  good  things,  there  was  the  Side-hill  where 
we  all  could  roll  down  and  try  which  could  go  the  farthest. 
But  the  very  best  of  all  was  the  ancient  Swing  which  was 
suspended  from  two  great  sweet  apple-trees  call'd  grant- 
sweeting.  O  how  many  glorious  times  we  have  all  had  on 
a  Moon-light  evening  when  the  boys  could  come  and  swing 
4  at  a  time. 

Dear  good  old  days  never  to  return. 

While  this  page  is  written  in  the  early  pages  of  the  book 
it  seems  in  place  here. 

Tlie  old  Year 
December  31,  184S. 

There  has  never  been  a  year  in  which  I  have  had  .so  much 
occasion  to  stand  at  the  Gate  of  Heaven  and  look  in  as  the  one 
just  closing. 

At  the  very  commencement,  even  the  first  week,  sickness 
came  into  the  family,  precious  Daniel  was  brought  low  with 
the  scarlet  fever  and  for  two  days  we  had  reason  to  fear  it  would 
terminate  in  death. 

Just  at  that  time  Benjamin  had  the  canker  and  was  confined 
to  the  house. 

Then  came  that  severe  blow  and  sweet  Annah  lay  cold  in 
death.     Early  on  the  morn  of  January  18  it  was  said  she  is 


"SKETCH  BOOK"  117 

dead.  "Yes  Elizabeth  we  shall  have  our  dear  Annah  no 
more."'  She  was  lively  and  singing  like  a  bird  and  in  thirty 
six  hours  was  dressed  for  the  coffin. 

Grief  and  tears  followed  until  that  fatal  twenty  third  of 
May  when  blasted  hopes  and  fond  anticipations  were  buried 
together  in  the  grave  with  my  blessed  Charles. 

"And  from  these  chambers  was  the  entry  on  the  east  side 
as  one  goeth  into  them  from  the  outer  court."     Ezekiel. 

I  knew  that  God  was  in  this  dark  cloud  and  that  I  must 
trust  in  him  alone  for  hel])  and  strength,  but  O  how  hard  it  is 
to  give  them  up.  I  shall  go  to  them,  they  cannot  return  to 
me.  —  In  September  and  October  dear  Albert  was  brought 
down  by  sickness,  just  upon  the  edge  of  the  grave,  then  again 
all  the  tender  feelings  of  my  soul  were  brought  forth  for  him, 
days  of  gloomy  fears  and  nights  of  wakeful  anxiety  until  it 
was  said  his  fever  has  turned  and  he  is  on  the  mending  hand. 
Then  I  thought  "O  sing  unto  the  Lord  a  new  song." 

These  signs  in  the  outer  court  have  led  me  to  the  inner 
chamber  and  taught  a  lesson  never  to  be  forgotten.  The 
dealings  of  God  in  these  things  have  no  doubt  been  blessings 
behind  the  cloud. 

Those  more  manifest  to  the  senses  are  more  in  number 
than  I  can  count  or  than  could  be  reckoned  up  in  order. 

Among  the  latter  is  that  of  this  book  which  I  do  most  highly 
prize,  it  has  been  a  source  of  perpetual  comfort  to  me  for 
nearly  four  years,  but  now  alas  it  is  all  at  an  end,  so  far  as 
writing  is  concerned  for  this  is  about  the  last  page  and  quite 
the  last  day  of  the  year  and  altho  I  have  had  the  present  of  a 
blank  book  equal  to  what  this  was  four  years  ago,  and  from 
the  same  author,  yet  it  is  quite  uncertain  whether  I  shall  ever 
mar  its  pages  with  my  pen. 

And  now  farewell,  kind  solace  of  many  an  hour,  thou  hast 
been  a  friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a  Brother,  but  thy 
coming  fate  will  be  to  lie  by  the  side  of  the  old  year  that  is 


118       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

just  going  out  and  both  together  be  bound  in  the  same  bundle 
with  the  Antediluvian  pens. 

Farewell  old  year  with  all  thy  lights  and  shadows. 

At  the  close  of  the  book  are  about  thirty  pages  of  copies  of 
favorite  poems  and  some  original  verses. 
Then  this: 

All  thy  pages  now  are  written 
All  thy  subjects  now  are  "yore" 
All  the  comfort  thou  hast  given 
All  lies  dormant  as  before. 

Go  and  lie  with  older  Sisters 
Go  and  lie  in  trunk  or  drawer 
Go  and  lie  for  want  of  Listners 
Go  and  lie  till  whistled  for. 


CHAPTER  FIVE 

ABIEL  WARE  PAINE'S  BOOK 

FOR 

DAILY    THOUGHTS   &  OCCURRENCES 

Sabbath  evening,  June  11,  18Jf8.  I  have  for  some  time  past 
been  wishing  for  such  a  Book  as  this  that  I  might  note  down 
some  common  occurrences,  that  take  place  from  day  to  day 
and  from  week  to  week,  and  thereby  record  the  goodness  of 
my  heavenly  Father  in  one  strait-forward  line  that  I  may  the 
better  review  and  understand  His  dealings  and  see  the  con- 
nection of  one  event  with  another. 

Many  of  them  will  perhaps  appear  trifling  at  first  thought 
but  it  is  trifles  often-timcs  that  my  mind  dwells  upon,  and  I 
have  noticed  also  that  great  events  frequently  grow  out  of 
small  things.  I  intend  to  be  very  particular  in  making  dates 
of  time  and  place  and  endeavour  to  search  out  causes  and  try 
to  understand  what  the  will  of  the  Lord  is,  so  far  as  my  obser- 
vation and  experience  can  teach  me.  These  things  I  trust 
will  prove  helps  to  me  as  I  pass  on  the  rest  of  my  short  journey 
through  life,  and  will  add  much  happiness,  to  my  lonely  hours, 
as  now  my  children  are  so  often  going  out  from  me  in  various 
ways,  some  by  death,  — some  by  journey,  —  others  for  months 
at  a  time.  All  these  changes  give  me  many  hours  of  leisure 
from  domestic  cares  and  leave  many  solitary  rooms  for  retire- 
ment and  meditation.  Sometimes  all  the  chambers  are  va- 
cated and  only  one  'pet  lamb'  in  the  lower  bedroom,  but  I 
suppose  this  is  all  right  and  just  as  it  should  be,  but  still  it 
seems  hard  to  bear,  I  shall  however  endeavour  to  be  resigned 
to  the  will  of  God,  and  trust  all  causes  and  events  in  his  hands 

119 


100       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

for  time  and  Eternity,  ever  holding  on  to  this  strong  liope  that 
eventually  when  all  time  is  no  more,  and  the  righteous  gather 
into  the  kingdom  that  my  beloved  children,  and  their  partners, 
and  all  the  dear  grand  children  will  be  with  that  happy  family 
above,  to  go  no  more  out  forever,  and  there  too  I  shall  meet 
various  dear  friends,  and  family  connection,  Grand  parents, 
Parents,  brothers.  Sisters,  Cousins,  and  many  associates,  some 
more  recently  made  dear  by  kind  Jiearted  interchanges  of 
feelings  and  sympathetic  love.  My  dear  Mrs.  Talbot,  and 
Mrs.  Adams,  what  warm  friends  and  how  well  they  loved  the 
same  dear  Savior  that  I  love  and  desire  to  serve,  and  then  go 
and  dwell  eternally  with  Him. 

Sahbalh  morn,  June  18,  184'^.  As  I  entered  Timothy's 
chamber,  the  first  thing  that  caught  my  mental  vision  was  a 
full  blown  rose  from  his  'Monthly.'  O  beautiful  beauty  I 
exclaimed  and  went  to  call  Sarah,  she  had  been  before  me 
to  admire  its  splendor.  It  was  turned  directly  towards  the 
window,  as  tho  to  look  out  and  admire  the  face  of  nature; 
no  wonder  it  turned  from  all  the  imperfection  within,  to  look 
out  upon  God's  handy  work,  there  it  stands  a  perfect  model 
of  a  perfect  Creature.  If  Timothy  was  here  how  he  would 
gaze  and  admire  and  bless  the  hand  that  gave  it,  but  he  is  not, 
he  is  probably  at  Boston  and  his  eyes  must  be  refreshed  with 
other's  flowers  not  his  own,  other  friends  minister  to  his  wants 
today  beside  a  Mother  or  a  Sister.  Stay  dear  boy  untill  length 
of  time  has  satisfied  your  anticipations,  then  return  to  be  met 
with  joy  and  gratitude. 

Wednesday  June  21.  Timothy  returned  from  Boston,  to 
our  joy,  with  improved  health,  and  will  continue  to  practice 
in  the  art  of  drawing  portraits,  hope  he  will  succeed  and  be 
prospered  in  this  undertaking. 

August  Jf.  .Vttended  a  Church  meeting,  only  five  members 
present,  it  was  no  good  meeting  to  me,  but  it  was  not  for  the 
want  of  numbers,  but  rather  for  the  want  of  spirituality,  for 


TlMOlilVS   CllAMBKH 


IBRaRY 

ASTOR.   LENOX 


4 


DAILY    THOUGHTS  AND  OCCURRENCES       121 

good  feeling  among  those  who  were  there.  I  tliought  to 
myself  that  I  had  rather  be  alone  with  my  Bible  and  my 
Saviour.  It  is  of  no  use  for  me  to  attend  such  disputing  as- 
semblies, it  gets  my  mind  off  from  heavenly  things  and  gets 
it  on  to  the  failings  of  Church  mcml)ers.  We  all  go  astray 
there  is  none  that  doeth  good  no  not  one,  antl  why  should 
we  sit  in  Judgment  one  with  the  other.  My  mind  has  been 
exercised  for  the  last  ten  weeks  with  the  things  which  relate 
to  Eternity,  time  affairs  look  of  little  consequence,  and  they 
have  taken  their  stand  on  hack  (jround  in  my  view.  Time! 
what  an  empty  vapour  tis;  How  fleeting  like  a  shadow.  But 
Eternity!  a  vast  Eternity  how  all  important  that  /  should  be 
prepaired  for  a  joyful  entrance  thereinto. 

Axig.  12.  My  husband  has  purchased  25  yd  copperplate 
for  bed  curtains. 

Thit;  day,  2Jf,  have  finished  making  them  and  put  them  up. 
They  will  be  very  comfortable  this  winter,  thankful. 

Aug.  2^.  Attended  a  donation  party  at  Mr.  Joseph  Woods, 
spent  an  hour  very  pleasantly.  It  really  does  one  good  to  see 
people  so  happy  and  thankful  as  they  were.  Mr.  Woods 
health  is  very  poor  and  his  wife  is  a  feeble  woman.  They  have 
four  children  too  young  to  earn  their  living  or  go  out  from 
home  to  work,  therefore  they  are  to  be  pityed,  and  of  what  use 
is  sympathy  without  action.  It  did  my  heart  good  to  see  the 
Ladies  come  in  with  their  budgets  of  comfortables.  And  then 
there  were  a  number  of  shillings  in  cash,  and  all  with  merry 
hearts  and  pleasant  sociability.  Really,  said  I,  donation 
parties  are  first   rate   movements. 

Wednesday  Ocf.  25,  18^8.  The  great  celebration  in  Boston 
when  the  Cochituate  water  was  let  into  the  City.     Splendid. 

Thursday,  Nov.  16.     It   is  remarkable  pleasant  weather  for 
the  time  of  year,  warm  and  flies  troublesome;    Timothy  and 
Sarah  have  gone  to  take  a  walk  up  to  Seegar's  Brook.' 
'  See  "  Poems  of  the  Segur." 


m       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

Friday  Nov.  24-  Took  a  ride  with  Husband  to  Waterville 
to  see  where  the  railroad  was  going  to  pass,  also  the  depo,  a 
very  pleasant  ride.  Called  at  Mathew's  Book  store  and  pur- 
chased a  good  letter  paper  pad,  26  cts,  first  rate,  good. 

Sat.  S5.  Timothy  has  just  finished  a  second  portrait  of 
my  dear  Charles,  it  is  small  size.  —  perfectly  good,  it  is  in  a 
frame  which  Charles  purchased  to  place  a  picture  in  soon  after 
Harriet's  death.  It  was  her  own  drawing  and  given  to  him 
when  she  was  on  her  death  bed,  precious  children,  hope  they  are 
together. 

Nov.  '28.  Timothy  has  purchased  a  coat  of  Mr.  West  for 
4^  dol,  think  it  is  good  enough  for  him  this  winter.  How 
prudent  he  is,  I  prize  his  disposition  in  economy,  he  will  get 
through  life,  easy. 

Dec.  15,  18^8.  This  is  a  warm  spring-like  day,  the  snow  is 
fast  leaving  the  earth  and  being  gathered  again  into  the  great 
ocean.     God's  greatness  is  known  by  his  work. 

Dec.  19.  We  have  had  warm  spring  weather  for  a  number 
of  days,  —  very  little  snow  on  the  ground,  people  are  at  a  loss 
to  determine  which  is  the  most  proper  to  ride  in  waggons  or 
sleigh,  wet,  sloppy. 

2i.  Ground  almost  bare  of  snow  —  tremendous  cold  today 
all  over  cast  with  clouds  —  everybody  goes  upon  the  run,  at 
night.     Extremely  cold,  very  little  snow  falling. 

£5  Christmas  day,  Mojiday.  Getting  to  be  warmer.  Went 
over  to  Waterville  to  purchase  a  Christmas  present  for  Sarah, 
a  muff  for  which  my  good  husband  paid  5\  dol  to  Charles 
PhiUips. 

27.  Very  cold  —  little  snow  falling  —  pretty  good  sleighing. 
Mr.  Cole  has  moved  into  Charles  house  today.  Benj  has 
helped  him  all  day  long. 

28.  Great  snow  storm  last  night,  snow  knee  deep,  warm  and 
pleasant  today.  Much  stirring  about,  lively.  Uncle  Paine  has 
made  us  a  call  and  read  his    poetry   on  Temperance  &c&c&c. 


DAILY   THOUGHTS  AND  OCCURRENCES      123 

S9.  Moderate,  cloudy  with  very  little  snow  falling, 
Timothy  has  moved  into  the  spare  bedroom  and  had  a 
Sitter,  Maria   Ellen   Paine. 

30  Saturday,  cloudy  all  day  with  a  moderate  fall  of  snow, 
weather  moderate.  Sabbath,  very  blustering,  snow  drifted, 
cold. 

Mo7iday  {January  1849)  21.  In  evening  had  company,  got 
a  late  supper  and  ate  with  them,  went  directly  to  bed,  it  made 
me  sick,  therefore  have  been  confined  away  from  my  work 
three  days,  have  now  got  nearly  well  by  Timothy  prescribing 
Homeopathy. 

'35.  Rain,  warm.  I  am  able  to  go  about  my  work  again 
Thanks. 

28.     Cold  and  clear.     Sabbath. 

Sat.  Feb.  3.  Much  snow  on  the  ground,  very  windy  very 
much  —  The  snow  blows  so  that  I  can  scarcely  see  the 
meeting-house.  There  will  be  a  sparce  meeting  of  the  church 
today. 

March  4,  1849.  Sabbath.  Communion  service  in  our  church, 
there  were  very  many  brothers  &  sisters  present.  Judge  Rem- 
ington. In  evening  meeting  at  Esq  Kine.  Mr.  Redington 
enlarged  freely  on  the  blessing  &  satisfaction  he  enjoyed  at 
such  a  prayer  meeting  and  hoped  that  a  "Pillar"  might  be 
reared  up  here  to  night,  that  might  be  looked  at  hereafter  by 
some  of  us.  He  then  offered  prayer  and  asked  the  Lord  to 
let  us  come  right  square  up  to  him  with  our  petitions.  I  think 
him  an  interesting  gentleman  at  a  meeting. 

Thursday  8.  Spent  the  afternoon  &  eve  at  David  Gar- 
lands, —  a  Social  gathering  of  elderly  friends,  many  pleasant 
remarks  went  round,  among  which  Mr.  Garland  said  he  had 
been  in  "active  life  constantly  for  7  years  which  called  him 
away  from  home  and  home  comforts,  but  he  had  made  it  an 
invariable  rule  that  when  he  passed  the  Mile-brook  bridge  he 
left  all  his  home  cares  and  took  up  his  line  of  duty  lying  before 


124       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

him."  He  was  asked  which  was  the  greatest  to  be  borne. 
In  reply  advanced  the  sentiment  that  both  were  attended 
with  important  responsibihties. 

22.  Oh!  we  have  just  received  tlie  blessedest  letter  from 
Timothy,  it  is  enough  to  do  any  sort  of  good  to  hear  his  expres- 
sions and  see  his  inner  man,  what  a  great  bundle  of  life  is  done 
up  in  so  small  a  body.  I  am  glad  he  has  'broke  away'  and 
found  friends  in  the  open  field,  success. 

March  SI,  ]8Jf9.  Did  the  greatest,  hardest  days  work  I  have 
done  for  a  long  time  and  was  .so  tired  at  night,  thought  it  would 
take  a  week  to  rest.  Beside  baking,  cleaned  out  all  my  gather- 
ing of  soap  grea.se:  after  a  good  night's  rest  feel  quite  well  and 
in  good  spirits.  It  is  cold  and  windy,  the  ice  is  running  very 
thick  out  of  the  river.  Norridgewock  Bridge  has  passed  by 
on  its  way  to  the  great  ocean  of  bridges  and  ocean  of  destruction 
of  vessels  and  lives  of  many  jieople. 

April  15.  Sabbath.  Mr.  Cole's  sermon  was  remarkable  for 
length  and  dryness.  Subject  Recompense  of  the  reward.  It 
has  been  tremendous  cold  today,  every  one  'runs.' 

May  9.  Timothy  returned  from  Gardiner,  to  our  joy, 
and  gratitude  rejoicing.  He  is  well  and  in  good  spirits,  — 
thanks  for  his  pros]ierity  for  he  has  taken  sixteen  Portraits  of 
humans  and  two  Newfoundland  dogs,  since  the  first  of  March, 
for  which  he  has  received  good  pay. 

Monday  morn.  May  21.  Sarah  has  left  home;  to  .school  at 
Waterville,  her  father  kindly  carried  her  over  in  the  little 
carriage  with  provi.sion  enough  to  last  till  Wednesday.  0(7 
for  the  light,  Books,  for  the  head;  Pufs  for  the  mouth;  Pre- 
serves for  the  palate;  P(V.S'  for  the  appetite.  Cookies  for  the 
top  in.  Butter  to  smoothe  the  way,  Douyhnuts  for  variety 
sake.  Bread  to  strengthen  the  heart,  A  Cloth  for  her  table, 
a  Towel  for  her  face.  Bed  cloths  for  her  comfort.  Soap 
for  clensing.  Knife  &  Fork  to  divide  with,  Plates  to  lay 
them  on,  Tumblers  for  water.     A   Trunk  with  clothes,  A   Bag 


DAILY   THOUGHTS  AND  OCCURRENCES       125 

with  varieties.  An  Umbrella  to  defend  the  storm,  a  Desk  for 
gratification  and  a  number  of  other  things  not  now  to 
be  named. 

June  22.  Took  a  dehghtful  ride  with  my  husband  out  to 
a  back  lot  to  see  our  ('alf  and  carry  her  some  salt,  her  name  is 
Lida,  one  yr.  old  and  is  perfect  in  beauty.  With  all  thine 
offerings  thou  shalt  offer  Salt. 

July  16.  Miss  Nancy  Hill  came  here  from  Hallowell  on  her 
way  to  her  father  in  New  Portland.  She  is  exceedingly  tall, 
weighs  143,  her  head  and  face,  O,  how  long  they  are,  and  then 
her  waist,  —  What  a  journey  from  her  shoulders  down,  take 
her  as  a  whole,  I  never  saw  such  a  looking  female.  Her  general 
appearance  in  manners  is  rather  pleasant  and  there  is  no 
shadow  of  a  doubt  but  she  is  a  very  good  girl. 

Aug.  1.  This  has  been  quite  an  interesting  day,  at  noon- 
time a  number  of  gentlemen  took  dinner  with  us,  they  were 
surveying  a  road  from  the  Sebasticook  Bridge  to  Vassalborough 
which  comes  right  acru.s-s  our  lot  cutting  it  into  an  ugly  shape. 
Hope  that  the  business  of  today  will  up.set  that  of  the  surveyors 
last  week  and  frustrate  their  plans,  so  that  we  can  enjoy  our 
land  and  retirement. 

Aug.  3.  This  is  fast  day  appointed  by  the  President  of  these 
United  States  on  account  of  the  prevalence  of  the  cholera  in 
various  places  and  cities  of  our  land.  President  Taylor  appears 
to  be  a  consistent  christian,  hope  he  is  in  heart  one. 

Oct.  31.  1S49.  Have  been  to  carry  Miss  Sarah  Crosby  to 
the  Widow  Steevens  Crosbys,  a  very  pleasant  ride  —  On  my 
arrival  they  appeared  to  be  grateful  for  her  company  a  few 
days.  There  was  an  old  lady  there,  by  name  'Lernard'  sister- 
in-law  to  I\Irs.  Crosby,  aged  76,  this  present  month.  I  spoke  of 
her  being  nigh  the  end  of  her  journey  on  Earth  and  nigh  our 
heavenly  Father's  house.  She  assented  to  my  remarks  and  as 
I  bid  her  farewell  and  gave  her  a  kind  of  explanation  of  the 
word  'farewell"  she  said  that  she  had  ever  faired  better  than 


126       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

she  deserved  and  hoped  that  she  should  meet  with  the  'well' 
at  the  end  of  life. 

Nov.  7.  This  is  a  real  day  for  Callers.  .  .  .  These  things 
keep  one  sociable  even   if   there   were  no  Fruit. 

Tuesday  27.  Attended  the  famous  celebration  at  Water- 
ville  of  cars  coming  in  our  railroad  —  The  greatest  number  of 
people  I  ever  saw  at  one  time. 

Jany  25,  1850.  Rec.  a  letter  from  Albert  informing  us  of 
a  third  daughter  "born  Thursday  10  inst.  at  2  o'clock  p.m.  A 
hale,  hearty  well  formed  healthy  peaceable  little  creature 
weighing  9  pounds,  regular  avoirdupois.  As  to  her  history 
since  she  has  been  with  her  mother,  doing  well  &  under  the 
divine  science  of  Homeopathy  she  will  we  trust  rise  to  be  in 
all  good  time  a  young  lady  of  true  Swedenborgian  school. 
We  all  are  much  attached  to  the  little  innocent." 

A  pril  2.  Tuesday  my  good  husband  has  left  us  for  Augusta, 
Jury  man  —  Think  we  shall  be  lonely  yet  I  am  gratified  with 
his  going,  it  will  be  a  rest  to  liim  and  on  some  accounts  quite 
an  advantage.  By  this  means  he  will  be  enabled  to  add  a  stock 
to  his  intelligence.  This  morning,  he  read  the  143  Psalm  which 
ends  'For  I  am  thy  servant.' 

June  11.  Attended  the  County  Conference  at  Vassal- 
boro.  .  .  .  Mr.  Dunmore  .spoke  of  the  Telegraphic  wire  to 
carry  the  prayers  of  Christians  from  Conference  meetings, 
family  altars,  and  social  i)rayer  meetings  up  to  heaven  and 
from  thence  in  answer  down  to  the  Missions.  Therefore  he 
says  'pray  for  me  in  my  ab.sence  and  God  will  surely  answer 
it  in  my  favour.' 

June  15.  Our  Church  and  society  have  been  labouring 
long  and  hard  to  make  Rev.  Albert  Cole  a  life  member  of  the 
Maine  Missionary  society,  it  is  at  length  accomplished,  but  we 
i.e.,  husband  &  /  have  paid  into  three  contributions,  one  at  the 
meeting  house,  one  at  County  Conference  and  a  collection  to 
finish  off  with.     Then  there  is  my  husband's  Annuitv  2  dols  and 


DAILY    THOUGHTS   AND  OCCURRENCES       127 

then  he  has  advanced  83  cents  with  a  promise  of  remuneration. 
I  suppose  this  is  the  way  to  'call  down  blessings'  !  It  surely 
is  the  way  to  send  up  property  for  deposit. 

Dec.  31,  1S50,  Tuesday.  As  the  Rev.  Albert  Cole's  labours 
closed  with  this  people,  it  was  thought  to  be  both  pleasant  & 
advisable  to  hold  a  parting  picnic  at  his  house.  Some  few 
days  previous  Mrs.  Charles  F.  Paine  recommended  it  to  a 
few  confidcntials  &  the  cordial  approbation  soon  spread  like 
'wildfire.'  Mr.  Cole's  'picnic'  was  in  every  mouth  even  before 
the  where-withalls  were  put  together.  On  the  31st  day  of 
December  after  four  o'clock  p.m.,  there  was  a  universal  stir  in 
Winslow,  Mr.  Cole's  friends  were  putting  on  their  warm  gar- 
ments and  Hoods  and  turning  their  faces  thitherward,  it  was 
a  Boreas  cold  day  but  notwithstanding  this  there  were  as- 
sembled at  his  house  (i.e.  Mrs.  C.  Paine)  before  seven  o'clock 
more  than  one  hundred  and  twenty  five  of  the  very  cream  of 
our  society  (not  all  the  cream,  however). 

After  chatting  &  chitchatting,  passing  from  one  room  to 
another,  &  saluteing  and  receiving  salutes  till  about  half 
past  seven,  they  were  called  upon  to  march  round  the  long 
table  which  stood  groaning  under  its  burthen  in  Mrs.  Paine's 
dining  room,  and  the  room  illumined  with  a  large  solar  lamp 
from  the  meeting  house,  su.spended  directly  over  the  centre  of 
the  table.  When  it  was  thought  that  all  had  passed  round 
and  got  their  appetites  whetted  and  the  Elders  of  the  company 
had  again  arrived  at  the  table  (for  they  took  a  circuit  through 
the  other  room),  they  were  requested  to  gather  round  and 
'join  in'  and  those  who  could  not  do  that  must  approach  as 
nigh  as  might  be  to  the  scene  of  action.  A  gentle  signal  was 
given  and  Oh !  how  still  they  were !  Then  Mr.  Cole  would  have 
asked  a  blessing  were  it  not  that  he  was  swallowed  up  in  grati- 
tude to  our  Heavenly  Father,  but  by  &  by  he  got  upon  the 
blessing  &  received  it  and  he  never  before  appeared  so  well,  so 
interesting,  I  looked  at  him  &  thought  blessed  man.     Mrs.  C. 


128       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

stood  nigh  his  elbo,  I  looked  at  her  &  thought  good  woman 
I  so  love  you. 

After  the  short  prayer  we  all  fell  upon  behavour  much  as 
others  do  on  similar  occasions.  It  was  then  said  that  Uncle 
Paine  would  give  a  speech  &  offer  a  resolve,  all  was  silent  as 
the  Sabbath,  when  the  old  gentleman  brought  to  view  the 
closing  year,  the  closing  service  of  Mr.  Cole  with  his  people, 
spoke  of  his  consistant  Christian  walk,  his  faithful  minis- 
trations as  a  gospel  teacher,  his  friendly  intercour.se  with 
society  &  friends,  of  mankind,  and  expressed  our  united  feel- 
ings in  parting  with  so  good  a  man.  Then  followed  a  resolve 
which  had  been  previously  written  &  he  handed  it  to  Miss 
Louise  Stratton  to  read.  She  advanced  with  her  usual  firm 
gait  to  receive  it  from  the  old  gentleman  and  read  it  off  with 
sufficient  confidence.  He  then  remarked  that  if  it  met  the 
cordial  approbation  of  those  present  he  would  call  for  a  vote. 
It  was  done  and  those  who  could  not  be  seen  to  raise  the  hand 
by  reason  of  the  partition  sung  out  'Yea'  and  a  copy  was 
thereby  handed  to  Mr.  Cole.  After  this  was  done  Mr.  Cole 
addressed  the  company  in  words  which  are  not  at  my  command 
by  reason  of  their  superiority.  We  all  then  dispersed  to  the 
various  rooms  and  after  a  short  change  of  sentiments  civilities 
and  cordialities,  the  company  began  to  turn  their  faces  towards 
their  cloaks  &  hoods,  &  their  horses  toward  home.  Thus 
ended  a  delightful  evening  &  the  last  with  our  beloved  Pastor. 

Some  few  days  before  the  party  convened,  Mr.  Edward 
Paine  volunteered  his  services  to  the  Ladies  and  went  round 
and  collected  a  sum  of  money  sufficient  to  purchase  a  very 
handsome  cake  and  basket  &  waiter  for  a  present  to  Mrs.  Cole, 
the  Basket  cost  7  dol.  waiter  one,  this  basket  was  set  in  the 
centre  of  the  table  directly  under  the  superb  lamp  on  a  raised 
platform,  to  make  it  the  more  conspicuous  and  filled  with  rich 
cake  from  Miss  Charlotte  Stratton.  These  two  lighted  up 
a  radiance  in  the  oiifer  corresponding  with  the  inner  man  thereby 


DAILY   THOUGHTS   AND  OCCURRENCES       129 

adding  much  to  the  briliancy  of  the  scene.  Then  there  was 
a  large  loaf  of  cake  made  by  Mrs.  Furber  &  frosted  hke  a  snow 
ball  which  stood  in  the  vicinity  of  the  centre.  This  cake  was 
not  cut,  Init  kei)t  for  a  carrying-away  memento  for  Mrs.  Cole. 

At  one  end  of  tiie  table  there  was  seen  a  willow  basket  con- 
taining half  a  bushel  of  parched  corn  which  resembled  the  snow 
drift  without,  ^'arious  kinds  of  puffs  as  white  as  a  cup,  some 
of  them  filled  with  very  dark  preserve,  some  with  bright  red, 
&  other  with  honey  looking  jelly.  At  each  end  of  the  table 
there  stood  a  rich  plum  cake,  handsomely  frosted,  but  it  was 
sliced  up  through  .some  misunderstanding  which  deducted 
somewhat  from  its  importance.  These  cakes  were  provided  by 
Mrs.  Esq.  Paine  &  Mrs.  Joseph  Eaton.  Doughnuts  were 
profusely  interspersed  as  commonplace  articles  with  one 
exception,  a  large  plate  full  attracted  notice  and  an  incjuiry 
as  how  they  could  be  made  to  so  much  resemble  a  small  branch 
of  a  tree,  each  nut  was  composed  of  many  branches  about  as 
long  as  a  pipe  stem  and  shot  out  in  various  directions,  still 
adhering  to  each  other.  This  was  brought  by  Miss  Helen 
Smiley.  Cookies,  &  cream  biscuit  &  cheese  filled  up  the 
vacancies,  and  two  handsome  plates  of  preserved  apples  & 
cream  with  a  delicious  flavour.  Then  the  large,  or  rather 
plates  of  large  apples,  and  great  Pitchers  of  Water  made  up 
the  amount.  .  .  . 

One  other  thing. 

Miss  Susan  Hinds  of  Benton  presented  to  Mrs.  Cole  a  splen- 
did crystalized  Basket  for  a  centre  table.  This  was  handed 
round  through  all  the  rooms  drawing  forth  questions  &  remarks 
of  various  descriptions  &  imports. 

After  they  were  all  dispersed  and  gone  to  their  homes,  several 
little  presents  were  found  left  for  Mr.  Cole  which  were  both 
acceptable  as  considered  as  proofs  of  affection  &  esteem.   .  .   . 

Thus  closed  the  year  of  1850  with  the  society  of  Winslow, 
and  now  we  are  without  a  pastor  or  any  one  to  take  the  lead 


130       THE  DISCOVERY   OF  A   GRAXDMOTIIER 

in  our  religious  meetings;  and  his  place  and  that  of  his  wife 
is  vacated  to  the  grief  of  many  of  his  friends. 

Thurfulay.  Janij.  16,  ISol.  The  last  week  a  few  ladies  have 
contributed  and  bought  a  very  nice  rich  Bay  state  Shawl 
&  presented  to  Mrs.  Pettee.  It  is  just  the  right  color  for  a  lady 
of  her  age,  brown  with  a  dark  brown  border.  Price  8  dol.  there 
was  25  cts.  left  which  was  given  her  to  cheer  her  good  heart. 
Oh !  how  mucli  .sweeter  it  is  to  give  than  receive.  When  she 
sits  in  the  Sanctuary  listning  to  a  good  .sermon,  how  warm 
her  heart  and  body  will  be.     Dear  good  Sister. 

1851.  June  20.  Friday  evening  went  to  Waterville  to  hear 
an  address  from  Dr.  Babcock  and  others  on  Subject  Sabbath 
School.  Dr.  Babcock  is  a  remarkable  man  to  speak  before  an 
audience  on  any  subject,  more  especially  this  that  engages 
the  greatest  and  warmest  affection  of  his  noble  heart.  .  .  . 
Last  evening  he  came  into  our  house  with  Uncle  Paine,  spent 
an  hour  more  agreeably  tlian  I  can  express  i.e.  to  my  own 
gratification;  he  is  .surely  a  noble  work  of  (iod.  When  he 
went  out  and  took  my  hand  for  the  last  time,  I  told  him  that 
I  called  such  visits,  clusters  of  grapes  from  Canaan,  at  which 
he  laughed  and  gave  my  own  a  good  shake. 

June  2k,  5th,  Ijili.  Attended  a  Conference  at  Yarmouth, 
the  longest  meeting  I  ever  attended,  greatest  number  of  minis- 
ters and  the  greatest  amount  of  substantial  speeches  from 
substantial  Gospel  men.  Prof.  Stowe,  Tucker,  Babcock,  Hayes, 
Clark  and  various  others  who  are  in  the  same  road  and  only 
a  little  behind  them. 

We  had  a  good  putting  up  place  &  were  made  quite  welcome 
which  gave  a  sort  of  Spice  to  our  enjoyment,  name  Asa  Wins- 
low.  Pleasant  ride  in  the  cars,  to  and  from,  good  company, 
good  weather.  The  first  Preacher  Dr.  Stowe,  i.e.  the  confer- 
ence sermon,  text  Matthew  6,  10.  Thy  Kingdom  come. 
He  is  a  remarkable  man  in  speaking. 

Oct.  8.     Oh  Dear  Mercy!  !  !  what  lots  &  lots  of  company 


DAILY   THOUGHTS  AND  OCCURRENCES       131 

we  have  liad  for  the  last  few  days;  Mr.  Shepley.  his  wife  & 
four  children,  Mr.  Barry  &  wife  going  to  and  from  Bath,  Miss 
Gay  and  Mary  Worcester,  three  brothers  to  dine  while  bringing 
over  Mr.  Shepley 's  goods,  —  some  callers  on  various  causes. 
— well,  by  and  by  I  shall  get  where  the  weary  are   at   rest. 

Been  over  to  Waterville  to  the  Fair,  but  saw  nothing  that 
particularly  attracted  notice,  all  was  confusion  and  wild  uproar, 
glad  to  get  into  this  my  own  pleasant  chamber  again,  hope 
that  soon  shall  have  time  to  write  to  my  dear  children. 

Oct.  11,  1851.  Forty  eight  meals  of  victuals  in  six  days 
prepaired  for  company.     Dont  wonder  I'm  tired  this  Saturday 

night. 

Nov.  5,  6.  Spent  the  better  part  of  two  days  in  writing  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cole  at  Sanford,  giving  them  a  sketch  of  minis- 
terial affairs  since  they  left  in  January.  They  are  worthy 
friends  and  I  love  to  do  them  honor,  if  my  poor  abilities  are 
an  honor. 

The  regular  Journal  closes  here.     In  the  back  of  the  book 
are  various  records  of  plantings  of  trees  and  shrubs. 
Grandmother  died  Jan.  1852. 


CHAPTER  SIX 
THE  RECORDER   FOR 

WINSLOW 

MAINE 

Lord  teach  my  heart  to  think 
And  guide  my  hand  to  write. 

Win  alow,  April  15th  18^9 
Dedication 
To  my 
Dear  Father  &  Mother 

and  beloved  brothers. 
Timothy  &  Avery  S.  Ware  all  now  in  heaven 
I  would  affectionately  dedicate  this  book. 

Believing  as  I  do  that  hereafter  when  all  the  Redeemed  of  the 
Lord  are  gathered  into  his  kingdom,  that  family  circles  will  be 
reunited  with  additional  bonds  of  love,  for  love  never  dies, 
and  as  we  pass  along  through  the  vista  of  Eternity,  we  shall 
have  occasional  rehersals  of  Earth  scenes  and  changes  —  our 
pleasures  and  our  pains,  and  the  events  which  are  now  clothed 
in  darkness  will  then  be  light  and  plain  to  our  angelic  vision. 
For  such-like  causes  we  shall  have  a  new  song  continually> 
that  of  praise  to  the  great  Jehovah. 

I  remain  as  before 

your  daughter  and  Sister 

Abiel  Ware  Paine. 


132 


THE  RECORDER  13S 

Introduction 

It  was  nigh  the  commencement  of  the  year  1849  that  I 
finished  a  book  which  I  called  a  "Sketch  Book,"  it  was  about 
the  size  of  this  present  one  and  contained  150  pages.  That 
was  given  me  by  my  second  Son,  Albert  four  years  previous. 
At  the  time  of  receiving  it,  I  thought  it  was  a  pity  to  spoil  its 
fair  pages  with  a  few  of  my  vain  scribblings  as  probably  I 
should  not  live  to  write  it  through  therefore  was  unwilling  to 
commence.  After  much  consideration,  I  concluded  to  let 
my  pen  have  its  rein,  and  in  four  years  every  page  was  talkitive. 
Albert  had  anticipated  such  an  event  and  in  November  1849 
he  sent  to  me  (by  the  hand  of  Timothy)  this  very  7iice  rich 
book.  I  have  had  the  .same  feelings  over  again,  but  have 
determined  on  this,  that  if  he  is  willing  to  invest  a  share  of 
his  Capital  in  such  an  enteri)rise,  I  am  not  only  willing  but  very 
thankful    to    embrace    this    favour    with    gratitude    and    shall 

repair  to  it  as  to  the  other  old  friend  who  is  now  in  A 

possession. 

I  dont  know  what  will  take  place  worthy  of  record  but  this 
one  thing  I  do  know,  that  my  life  is  passing  along  very  swiftly 
and  if  I  can  catch  a  few  scattered  thoughts  and  clap  them  on 
paper,  they  will  afterward  be  a  satisfaction  to  look  over  in  my 
leisure  moments.  Therefore  trusting  in  an  overruling  Provi- 
dence shall  minute  a  few  thoughts  at  the  commencement  of 
this  year. 

The  first  record  is  that  of  the  death  of  her  son  Charles  of 
which  she  writes  so  many  times.  Then  a  page  each  on  the 
following  subjects:  January  1849-February.  A  Church  meet- 
ing, The  Departure  of  Timothy  in  the  stage.  Receiving  and 
writing  letters,  Sunday  reading  a  reminiscence  of  her  mother's 
reading.  The  Bible  a  Fountain,  The  Grandson  Charles,  Bible 
readings  and  meditations,  A  poem  and  writings  of  Timothy's, 
State  Conference  at  Bath. 


134       TEE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

Sabbath  April  S  {lS-i9).  This  morning  at  our  family  reading 
my  Lot  chanced  to  be  from  161  to  1C8  verses  of  119  psalm. 
In  doing  which  I  was  carried  to  heaven  by  the  way  of  my 
Mother  for  she  is  there,  therefore  whenever  I  think  of  her  I 
am  under  the  necessity  of  going  thither. 

It  was  for  this  cause,  for  165  verse  was  one  that  she  often 
quoted  as  having  received  it  as  her  own. 

When  I  was  quite  a  little  child  and  my  Mother  would  have 
a  friendly  call  from  some  pious  sister  she  would  sometimes 
speak  the  state  of  her  mind  and  this  verse  would  be  repeated 
'Great  peace  have  they  which  love  thy  law;  and  nothing  shall 
offend  them.'  She  would  then  speak  of  the  peace  she  enjoyed 
and  with  what  ease  and  composure  she  could  overlook  faults 
and  foiables  among  her  neighbors.  Then  she  would  add 
'  Let  him  who  is  without  sin,  cast  the  first  stone.' 

^Yell  do  I  remember  very  many  precepts  —  sentences  — 
admonitions  —  which  fell  from  her  lips,  but  to  me  they  were 
then  only  as  a  stone  thrown  against  the  wall.  She  neglected 
to  press  them  home  upon  my  heart,  that  they  might  have 
a  firmer  lodgment   in  my  soul; 

Some  of  them  I  remember  still  and  have  tried  to  practice 
upon.     Multitudes  are  lost  and  gone. 

Maternal  Grandparents 

Robert  Ray  born  April  1718. 
Mary  Richardson  August  1720         Married  1742. 
Their  children 


Abiel         born  October  10,  1748 
etc.  etc.  to  the  number  of  eight. 

Timothy  Ware  married  Abiel  Ray  1769 

Abiel    Ware    born    Dec.    6,    1787,    married    Frederic    Paine 
"names  of  their  partners"  Sept.  21,  1809. 


THE  RECORDER  135 

April  23rd  18^8,  Memorable  for  Winslmv 

On  Saturday  April  g'J  precisely  at  four  o'clock  p.m.  the  first 
Steam  boat  was  launched  that  was  ever  built  in  town.  Owners, 
Railroad  Company,  Friend  Lang  and  (my  own)  Charles  F. 
Paine.  This  makes  me  grateful  for  the  prosperity  attending 
the  labours  and  calculations  of  my  beloved  boy.  His  begin- 
nings were  small  but  God  has  prospered  him  and  given  him 
reason  to  rejoice  and  praise  his  greiit  and  holy  name  for  all  the 
distinguished  favours  heaped  upon  him. 

But  my  prayer  shall  be  that  he  may  not  be  turned  off  with 
temporal  prosperity  only.  May  he  have  a  true  heart  to  wor- 
ship God  and  have  respect  to  his  commandments.  May  my 
Heavenly  Father  grant  unto  him  forgiveness  of  sins  and  accept- 
ance with  him  in  the  great  day  of  accounts.  May  he  be  gathered 
in  with  all  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  to  go  no  more  out  forever, 
to  join  with  that  great  company  round  about  the  throne  who 
constantly  sing  the  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb,  saying  "Great 
and  marvellous  are  thy  works,  Lord  God  Almighty,  just  and 
true  are  thy  ways,  thou  King  of  saints.  —  Who  shall  not  fear 
thee?  O  Lord  for  only  thou  art  holy."  Revel.  15-34. 
[A  marginal  note.] 

"Written  just  one  month  before  that  dreadful  event."  ' 

Retrospect 
July  22,  1849. 

There  are  but  few  out-door  excursions  that  give  me  so  much 
real  comfort  as  a  walk  among  the  trees  and  shrubbery  of  my 
own  dear  husband's  lot,  and  to  take  occasional  views  of  the 
new  shoots  and  families  of  plants  scattered  ever  &  anon  about 
the  yard  and  adjacent  fields.  Here  I  see  one  but  just  making 
its  appearance  among  the  grass  and  only  a  few  weeks  old. 
A  stake  is  soon  brought  and  put  down  by  its  side  to  designate 

'  See  sketch  of  Charles,  p.  159. 


136       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

the  almost  imperceptible  jjlant.  There  I  see  one  of  a  more 
mature  a{?e  that  speaks  for  itself  that  it  is  one  year  old.  And 
yet  another  that  has  known  the  snows  of  two  winters. 

That  little  enclosure  of  Barberry  bushes.  Oh  how  splendid 
they  look  just  at  this  time,  how  luxuriant  and  bourn  down  with 
their  rich  fruits.  Fourteen  years  ago  as  we  were  trav'ling  in 
Massachusetts  my  husband  stopped  his  carriage  that  I  might 
alight  and  gather  the  seed  from  which  they  sprung.  Ever 
since  that  time  they  have  been  our  constant  care  —  our  yearly 
care  for  every  year  we  have  rejoiced  over  their  progress. 

And  the  noble  grape  vine,  the  seeds  from  which  it  sprung 
were  gathered  on  the  same  journey.  What  a  cooling  shade  it 
throws  around,  how  refreshing  it  would  be  to  a  weary  trav'ler. 
What  a  beautiful  'vine  wreath  lot'  dear  Daniel  made  last  year 
under  its  wide  spreading  branches,  what  comfort  we  all  took 
in  going  to  see  it  and  listening  to  his  artless  explanation  of  all 
its  parts  and  conveniences. 

Also  there  are  three  crab  apple  trees  as  straight  as  a  i)lumb- 
line  not  beneath  our  notice,  They  too  were  brought  from  the 
west  at  that  memorable  visit  in  the  year  1835  and  were 
seeds  — 

Charlotte's  oil-nut  tree  which  she  transplanted  in  the  year 
1844  and  then  was  only  a  few  inches  high,  it  stands  at  the  foot 
of  the  drain  so  that  she  should  have  rich  oil  nuts,  as  she  said. 
It  is  now  7  feet  high  and  has  four  branches,  i.e.  three  shooting 
out  and  one  pointing  uj),  tho.se  out  are  about  4  feet  long.  It  is 
perfect  in  beauty  and  has  received  its  pruning  from  Timothy, 
as  also  the  crab  apples. 

Then  there  is  the  high  up  shag  bark  which  husband  brought 
in  his  pocket  from  Foxboro  in  the  year  1820.  Its  height  is 
about  my  measurement.  And  what  shall  I  say  of  the  Maple 
nigh  my  chamber  window,  in  the  year  1844  it  was  nothing  but 
a  whip-stick,  —  now  its  top  is  far  above  the  top  of  the 
chamber  window.     Various  kinds  of  plum   trees  throw  their 


THE  RECORDER  137 

cooling  shade  to  make  the  scenery  more  inviting.  And  the 
bower  over  the  front  yard  gate  is  made  of  Timothy's  that  was 
a  seed  the  same  year  that  he  was  born — Sarah's  too  that 
is  nigh  the  front  door  and  of  her  own  age;  then  there  is  the 
great  Birch,  the  Fir,  tiie  Horsechestnut,  the  Key  maple  — 
and  what  shall  I  say  more  of  all  the  out-door  beauties  that 
have  been  reared  with  so  much  care  and  watched  over  with  con- 
tinued watching. 

Other  plants  I  have  that  are  not  of  this  fold,  them  also  I 
must  bring  and  spread  out  before  the  mind. 

They  are  the  in-door  plants  that  require  constant  and  un- 
remitting attention;  of  them  I  have  a  number  remaining  and 
some  gone  out  from  us  not  to  return.  Twenty-.seven  years 
ago  on  the  first  day  of  January  one  made  its  appearance  and 
fell  into  my  hands;  it  was  a  tender  bud  of  promise.  —  fragile 
shoot,  —  a  winter  i)lant,  therefore  it  required  unwearied 
attention.  All  possible  care  was  taken,  and  by  tlie  kind  hand 
of  our  Covenant-keeping  God,  it  prospered,  it  grew  strong  — 
it  flourished,  —  such  was  my  dear  Harriet  and  for  fifteen  years 
her  kind  influence  was  felt  wherever  her  name  was  known. 
But  Alas!  Alas!  my  bud  of  promise,  —  my  fragile  flower, — 
my  winter  plant  in  a  few  short  days  of  pain  &  anguish  yielded 
to  the  conqueror  death.  We  laid  her  in  yonder  pleasant  yard, 
all  that  of  her  was  mortal.  But  her  happy  spirit  winged  its 
way  to  the  pure  reagion  of  bliss,  with  the  song  of  Moses  and 
the  Lamb  failing  on  her  tongue.  And  then  there  was  that 
bright  forget-me-not  in  a  china  vase,  who  that  saw  her  can 
ever  forget  sweet  Annah,  —  precious  granddaughter.  For 
four  short  years  she  threw  around  her  such  a  vast  number  of 
fibres  that  they  proved  as  a  cable  to  bind  her  to  every  heart. 
How  bright  her  flitting  life  on  Earth,  then  soared  away  to 
join  the  blessed  company  more  congenial  to  her  soul. 

But  how  can  pen  and  ink  draw  a  picture  of  a  large  field  — 
from  which  a  noble  tree  standing  in  its  centre  has  so  recently 


138       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

been  removed.  Far  hack  in  time  memory,  even  more  than 
thirty  seven  years  ago,  there  appeared  a  slender  stalk,  the 
first  to  promise  ancestral  fruit,  it  was  hailed  with  delight  and 
nursed  with  care,  not  a  day  was  it  suffered  to  remain  without 
a  beacon  by  its  side  to  designate  its  place,  thereby  an  eye 
might  l)e  kept  upon  it. 

It  grew,  it  thrived  and  soon  sent  its  long  extending  branches. 
Early  it  took  deep  root  and  became  able  to  bear  adverse  winds 
and  the  snows  of  winter.  By  &  by  little  scions  began  to  spring 
up  and  beneath  its  shade  was  getting  to  be  a  garden  of  flowers 
by  its  kind  influences.  Other  plants  in  its  vicinity  received 
of  its  richness,  the  circle  grew  larger  and  broader  thus,  and  thus 
upward  &  onward  till  it  had  reached  the  height  of  radiation. 

Who  ever  saw  a  more  delightful  morn  than  this?  No  youth- 
ful company  of  May-day  worshipers,  no  grave  age  with  all 
their  i)reparedness  for  the  reagion  of  bliss,  could  wish  for  an 
Earthly  morning  superior.  See  all  nature  around  just  going 
forth  from  night's  repose,  inhaling  bright  visions  for  the  day. 
In  the  midst  of  all  this  (and  more)  look  at  that  splendid  wheel 
as  it  makes  its  steady  revolves  causing  midtitudes  to  rejoice. 
Stop  a  moment  and  learn  caune  and  effect  and  with  me  admire 
that  invaluable  sight  bearing  away  that  idol  of  my  heart, 
and  that  youthful  one  standing  on  yonder  bow.  How  plain 
to  my  view  these  two  objects  distinctly  seen  from  all  the  rest. 
Why  is  it  so?     God  knoweth. 

Hark!  listen!  what  is  that  stunning  sound  so  much  like  thun- 
der, surely  it  has  struck  some  object,  it  may  be  some  valuable 
life  is  taken,  some  family  with  circle  broken  into  — 

Yonder  arises  a  dense  fog,  a  heavy  mist  is  spreading  over  a 
space  —  Draw  a  little  nigher  and  again  learn  caiiae  and 
effect.  O,  I  see  a  dreadful  wreck,  —  mangled  bodies  lieing,  — 
heart  stricken  groans  proceeding  from  it  as  the  life  was  going 
out  of  day  tenements. 

In  the  midst  of  confusion  &  alarm  a  youthful  one,  not  now 


THE  RECORDER  139 

standing  on  yonder  bow  but  witli  his  hands  clenched  around 
a  shaft  and  with  only  strength  enough  to  keep  his  head  above 
water.  He  is  taken  up  senseless  and  laid  upon  a  bed  on  shore; 
thanks  to  the  great  Preserver. 

The  scene  is  heart-rending,  I  close  my  eyes  and  endeavor 
to  look  away.  Endeavors  are  vain.  I  open  them  on  that 
large  field  where  stood  that  noble  tree  in  its  centre.  It  lies 
prostrate  upon  the  Earth,  never  more  to  be  reared  up.  The 
flower  garden  is  left,  but  every  leaf  and  bud  and  flower  is 
hanging  its  head  toward  the  earth,  and  the  fountains  of  the 
great  deep  seem  to  be  broken  up,  the  garden  is  left  to  scorch- 
ing rays  of  the  Sun  without  its  cooling  shade,  or  its  broad  pro- 
tecting limbs  to  screen  it  from  the  ills  of  life.   .   .  . 

Uncle  Charles  was  the  inventor  of  the  boiler  used  on  this 
steamer  Halifax.  When  he  died.  Grandmother  lay  on  her  bed 
for  three  days,  lamenting  the  fate  of  her  son,  as  he  had  not  on 
this  earth  joined  the  elect.  After  that  time  she  aroused  her- 
self with,  "  He  has  never  chosen  bad  company  here  and  he 
will  not  there."     She  arose  and  went  about  her  work  happy. 

Half  past  nine,  Monday.  May  23,  1850.  This  very  day 
two  years  ago,  this  very  hour,  and  the  half  hour,  two  years 
ago  and  that  beautiful  Steam  Boat  Halifax  the  delight  of  many 
hearts  left  the  wharf  at  Waterville  and  glided  majestically 
down  the  Kennebec  bearing  on  its  bosom  my  own,  my  dear 
Charles  —  Silently  and  softly  it  floated  along  adding  joy  and 
happiness  to  the  Master  thereof.  How  intent  was  his  mind 
on  the  great  undertaking  and  grateful  for  its  accomplishment. 

Hope  nerved  his  arm,  and  promise  of  encouragement  gave 
strength  and  vigor  to  the  inner  man.  —  This  was  his  happiest 
morning,  all  other  mornings  for  a  year  past  had  been  planning 
and  expectation  buoyed  up  by  an  assurance  that  'now  my  dear 
family  will  reap  the  reward  of  my  labour  and  we  shall  all 
rejoice  together  in  this  achievement.' 


140       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

Multitudes  of  pleasant  thoughts  rushed  into  mind  while 
on  the  downward  current.  Never  was  there  a  more  delightful 
morning,  all  nature  promised  favours,  the  very  world  around 
was  clothed  in  beauty,  the  river  never  before  seemed  to  flow 
so  softly,  the  Sun  even  shed  such  a  mild  ray  that  all  the  shadows 
cast  forth  a  splendid  appearance.  The  Air  was  sweet  and 
invigorating  and  all  nature  sent  forth  a  gentle  hue  of  love 
and  happiness. 

Two  hours  later  and  the  Boat  nears  the  Dam  and  the  head  of 
the  lock.  A  little  expression  of  anxiety  plays  over  the  counte- 
nance of  the  "Guide,"  a  little  knitting  of  his  heavy  brow  as 
the  gate  is  raised  and  he  begins  to  lower  down  into  the  Lock. 
No  object  now  diverts  liis  mind  from  his  treasure,  all  the  cere- 
monies are  past  and  about  to  be  ushered  out  into  the  broad 
river,  again,  wlien  all  of  a  sudden  the  mandate  goes  forth  from 
the  high  and  holy  One  "Come  unto  me  and  I  will  give  you 
rest"  — 

These  have  been  a  few  of  my  reflections  this  day.  The 
thoughts  of  him  have  been  more  to  me  today  than  ever  which 
have  caused  tlie  trembling  hand  so  apparent  in  these  few 
lines. 

Sept.  15,  1S50.  It  was  an  uneven  morning  and  to  my  mind 
everything  took  a  wrong  road.  The  re.st  of  the  family  did  not 
seem  to  be  wandering  over  Wood  Hay,  and  Stubble,  but  my 
way  was  hedged  up  that  I  could  not  travel  smoothly.  I 
passed  into  my  bed-room  and  on  my  bed,  lay  my  good  old 
Bible.  I  took  it  up  with  this  thought  running  through  my 
mind,  I'll  see  if  this  will  tell  me  what  the  matter  is.  At  the 
very  same  moment  it  opened  and  my  eye  first  lit  upon  these 
words.  "Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  &  learn  of  me;  for  I  am 
meek  and  lowly  in  heart  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  soul." 
Matt.  11  29. 


THE  RECORDER  141 

It  was  enough,  I  shut  the  Bible  and  went  out  to  practise 
there  upon.  — 

How  good  the  "Word"  is  and  far 

above  all  Price. 

Thy  Word  is  pure; 

Therefore  thy  servent  loveth  it.  —  Psalm  119,  140. 

-SVp/.  '23d.  1850. 

Died  in  Winslow  Saturday  Sept.  ^21  18.50. 

at  half  past  two  morning,  Mrs.  Ruth  Wood  ae  75. 

"There  is  a  bright  house  just  before  me." 
and  she  raised  her  emaciated  arm,  pointing  upward  and  her 
countenance  beaming  with  love  divine. 

"That's  a  bright  hou.se"  repeated  the  aged  sister  as  she 
pressed  my  hand  and  listened  to  the  remark.  They  need  no 
candle  there ;  —  All  is  bright  &  glorious  there,  and  /  shall 
soon  be  there  was  her  reply  no  more  trials,  —  no  more  tears,  — 
no  more  anxieties;  there  are  all  the  dear  friends  gone  before, 
and  the  dear  Saviour. 

Such  were  a  few  of  the  last  expressions  uttered  and  the 
scene  on  earth  closed;  the  happy  spirit  winged  its  way  to  the 
reagion  of  Eternal  glory.  How  calm  her  exit.  We  found 
the  pulse  had  ceased  their  motion,  the  breath  had  assumed 
a  change,  her  lips  which  before  had  been  closely  shut,  parted 
and  we  knew  that  the  messenger  of  death  had  arrived,  that  the 
conveying  angels  were  performing  their  part  in  the  great  work 
of  man's  salvation. 

God  was  at  the  top  of  the  Ladder. — The  land  of  Canaan 
was  in  full  view.  —  Jordan's  stream  was  narrowing.  —  the 
Canaanites  were  fleeing,  —  the  wilderness  was  all  on  the  back- 
ground. —  Egypt  was  out  of  sight  and  long  since  been  forgot- 
ten, —  Jerusalem  with  all  its  magnificance  began  to  appear. 
The  City  of  the  great  King  was  at  a  short  distance  Solomon's 
temple  and  the  great  retinue  that  served  there-about  far 
exceeded  the  fame,  the  wisdom  and  the  prosperity  of  reports 


142       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

wliich  had  come  to  the  ears  of  the  queen  of  Sheba,  and  she 
said  the  one  half  liad  not  been  told.  Ezckiel's  house  was  so 
spacious  that  naught  but  an  Eternity  of  time  would  give  space 
to  an  introduction.  "Israel  is  redeemed  out  of  all  his  troubles." 
Did  she  think  of  hunger,  two  men  were  seen  bearing  between 
them  clusters  of  the  grapes  of  Canaan,  and  the  superb  dishes 
of  milk  &  honey  were  in  i)rofusion.  Was  she  thir.sty?  There 
was  the  water  of  tlie  river  of  life  flowing  out,  and  it  was  said 
come  and  drink.  Did  she  think  of  being  naked  and  wish  for 
clothing?  Distributing  angels  were  ready  at  hand  and  white 
robes  were  given  to  every  one  and  crowns  for  the  head.  Did 
she  say  I  am  tired  of  life's  scenes  on  earth,  the  answer  was 
come  unto  me  and  I  will  give  you  rest. 

Did  .she  remember  the  low  jjlace  she  had  occupied  on  earth, 
it  was  answered,  come  up  higher.  Did  she  ask  for  an  interview 
with  beloved  friends  gone  before,  she  was  told  to  wait  a  little 
for  they  were  on  advance  ground.  — Such  were  some  of  the 
thoughts  that  occupyed  the  mind  for  the  first  few  moments 
after  the  spirit  had  fled  and  the  clay  tenement  lay  before  us 
then  it  was  said  "let  us  pray."  We  all  knelt  down  by  the 
Well  of  Water  and  endeavoured  to  make  our  camels  kneel 
also  and  then  commended  ourselves  to  God  most  wise  — 

"There  is  a  bright  house  before  me." 

What  an  impressive  sentence,  how  it  nerved  my  very  soul 
it  is  not  a  Scripture  phrase,  but  purely  original.  A  bright 
house,  —  Worcester  says  "Bright"  is  shining — full  of  light  — 
reflecting  light  —  resplendant  —  illustrious  —  how  full  of  mean- 
ing &  comprehensive  is  the  word,  —  'House'  a  shelter  from  the 
heat  &  storm  —  and  rude  blast  of  winter,  a  habitation  of  peace 
for  life's  liappj'  .scenes,  and  an  encompassing  wall  to  protect 
from  danger,  is  a  House. 

A  bright  house,  may  my  memory   ever  retain  the  sentence. 

Jaytnary  4,  1851.     I  stood  near  a   pleasant  river,  and  as   I 


THE  RECORDER  143 

watched  its  blue  waves  curling  to  the  breeze  &  listened  to 
its  gentle  murmurs,  a,  lulling  influence  came  round  me. 

One  by  one  my  senses  closed  on  all  externals,  —  the  air 
seemed  set  in  motion  by  the  fanning  of  soft  wings  and  raising 
my  eyes  I  saw  descending  borne  on  clouds  a  bright  winged 
company  whose  low  sweet  strains  and  gentle  converse  revealed 
their  heavenly  Mission. 

Softly  down  they  came,  and  as  I  traced  each  si)irit  form 
one  seemed  familiar  in  whose  lineaments  I  saw  a  dear  com- 
panion of  my  childhood;  one  who  early  went  to  rest. — She 
gave  a  sweet  smile  of  recognition  that  inspired  me  with  con- 
fidence to  speak  and  ask  tho'  tremblingly,  whence  she  had 
come,  and  wherefore  God  had  sent  them.  ■ —  In  tones  of  melody 
she  told  me  they  had  come  direct  from  God  at  his  command  to 
minister  to  trembling  spirits  in  their  disembodiment  and  bear 
them  disenrobed  unfettered  up  to  his  holy  courts.  —  It  was 
her  peculiar  Mission  thus  to  introduce  a  spirit  of  a  much  loved 
Brother  and  this  errand  done  to  hasten  with  him  back  to  minis- 
ter to  a  comj)any  of  mourning  ones  that  should  ere  the  setting 
of  our  Earthly  Sun  assemble  in  the  home  left  desolate.  It  was 
hers  thus  to  pour  in  the  Oil  upon  the  Mother's  bleeding  heart 
once  torn  for  her  —  now  rent  afresh  —  and  rent  as  ne'er  before, 
—  thus  to  apply  a  balm  of  spirit  strength  from  Him  who  "all 
our  sorrows  bore"  to  her  the  bosom  friend  whose  wound  tho' 
healed  must  leave  a  scar. 

Others  there  were  smitten  by  the  same  stroke  to  whom  that 
ministering  band  bore  balm  and  Oil,  whose  pain  that  balm  and 
Oil  alone  could  cure. 

Still  we  talked  on  and  their  sweet  looks  of  love  and  sympathy 
made  my  heart  burn  within  me. 

But  hark!  !  a  stunning  crash  that  almost  called  my  senses 
back  to  earth  burst  on  me,  —  All  the  shining  wings  were 
fluttering,  —  A  faint  sound  of  groans  and  dim  sight  of  mangled 
limbs  came  to  my  mind,  but  plainer  far  I  saw  the  struggling 


144       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

of  strong  spirits  with  mortality  while  angelic  forms  hovered 
round  administering  strengthening  influences.  Soon  I  beheld 
that  angelic  Sister  fold  its  wings  around  a  new  born  spirit  and 
breathing  tones  of  sweet  assurance  bear  it  gently  up,  up  till 
I  could  see  no  more. 

Another  and  another  followed  clasping  its  treasure  till  I 
was  left  alone. 

Sad  thoughts  were  stealing  over  me  and  I  wept  that  the 
fetters  of  mortality  excluded  me  from  angel-joys  and  angel- 
companionship  when  again  they  came  swelling  the  strains- 
" Glory  to  God  and  Hallelujah  to  the  Lamb."  With  just  one 
smile  on  me,  they  plumed  their  shining  wings  anon  and  part, 
ing  took  their  separate  course  to  hearts  &  home-circles 
broken  — 

Again  I  stood  alone  and  gradually  from  my  senses  broke 
away  the  mist. 

The  fields  arose  again  before  me,  the  pleasant  river  too, 
but  oh!  heart-rending  scene,  over  its  bosom,  scattered  here  & 
there  with  mangled  bloody  forms,  lay  a  black  wreck.  Then 
I  knew  there  were  the  forms  of  those  whose  spirits  I  had  just 
seen  bourn  to  God.  And  I  rejoiced  that  every  stricken  desolate 
bleeding  heart  was  ministered  to  by  Angels,  and  that  there 
was  balm  in  store  for  every  wound. 

Transcribed,  Feb.  4,  1851 
from  the  original. 

Fad  Day.     April  10th.     1851. 
Perfect  Purity 

When  a  saint  first  enters  the  reagion  of  bliss,  it  will  be  with 
joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory  but  yet  how  far  short  of  IMoses 
and  Miriam.  The  Book  of  knowledge  is  just  opened  to  the 
angehc  vision  and  the  unfolding  mystery  that  adorns  the  first 
page  excites  to  an  advance  which  at  every  step  calls  forth  new 


THE  RECORDER  145 

expressions  of  holy  joy  and  praise  and  the  eternal  song  is  begun 
never  to  terminate  — 

I  have  treasured  up  in  my  memory  a  sentence  of  an  old 
friend  of  mine  (Grandsire  Craggin)  speaking  of  eminent  gifts, 
he  made  this  remark  "Well,"  said  he  "If  I  can  just  get  my  feet 
within  heaven's  door,  I  shall  be  just  as  happy  as  my  limited 
capacity  will  allow  and  that  will  be  enough  to  satisfy  me." 

I  cant  say  that  I  have  the  same  view  of  the  supposed  case, 
for  I  often  think  that  I  shall  want  to  push  my  way  "till  I  can 
catch  a  view  of  my  dear  Harriet  and  sweet  Annah,  for  I  desire 
to  be  'bound  in  the  same  bundle  with  them.'  " 

Thursday  May  22  1851.  My  dear  Charlotte  was  married 
to  George  Sumner  Leavitt  by  Rev.  S.  Gay  of  Bridgewater  Mass. 

Dear  child  I  never  saw  her  look  so  beautiful  and  appear  to 
be  worth  so  much  as  on  the  day  of  her  marriage.  Indeed  she 
was  never  worth  so  much  before  for  she  is  one  of  those  blossoms 
which  grow  brighter  &  richer  as  the  Sun  rises  and  shines  upon 
it.  May  she  live  many  year  to  be  an  ornament  to  the  society 
in  which  she  moves;  and  as  now  a  "new  family  is  formed" 
may  she  be  assisted  to  diffuse  light,  joy  and  happiness  in  her 
household  and  be  found  among  Solomon's  virtuous  women, 
having  Strength  and  honor  for  her  clothing,  and  rejoice  in  time 
to  come.  Think  that  George  will  find  her  to  be  a  help-meet 
indeed  in  truth  and  have  reason  to  feel  that  he  has  chosen  a 
good  half. 

Throughout  the  book  are  many  poems  written  by  Uncle 
Timothy  when  in  Bangor,  one  on  Thomas  Hill,  another  on 
Harlow  St.,  etc.  There  are  many  favorite  bits  of  poetry 
copied  and  sermons  showing  Grandmother's  tastes  and  in- 
terests. There  are  also  transcriptions  from  earlier  books  of 
hers. 

The  last  date  that  is  surely  hers  is  October,  1851.  Another 
hand  adds  some  notes  and  the  following  Obituary. 


146       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

Obituary  of  Mrs.  Abiel  Ware  Paine 

Died  in  Winslow,  Me.  Jany  12th  1852,  Mrs.  Abiel  Ware 
Paine,  wife  of  Mr.  Frederic  Paine,  aged  64. 

Mrs.  Paine  was  born  in  Wrentham,  Mass.,  Dec  6,  1787; 
married  Sept  1809;  moved  to  Winslow  in  what  was  then  the 
Province  of  Maine  where  she  resided  till  her  death.  She  was 
the  mother  of  four  sons  and  four  daughters,  one  son  and  one 
daughter  have  died. 

She  entertained  hope  at  the  age  of  15  years,  made  a  public 
confession  of  religion,  Nov.  1,  1818  at  the  commencement  of 
Congregational  Church  in  Winslow.  Herself  and  husband 
with  two  others  composed  the  whole  number  at  that  time. 
She  ever  felt  a  deep  interest  in  the  prosperity  of  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom,  at  home  and  abroad.  She  ever  welcomed  to  her 
house  the  ministers  of  Christ  as  many  now  living  can  testify, 
whilst  many  more  whom  she  entertained  have  gone  to  their 
reward.  In  her  death  not  only  her  family  but  the  Church 
&  Society  have  sustained  the  loss  of  a  warm  friend. 


CHAPTER  SEVEN 

SOME  OLD  LETTERS 

I  CANNOT  close  these  records  of  Grandmother  without  re- 
ferring to  one  incident  in  her  hfe.  Unless  in  one  or  two  places 
one  can  read  between  the  lines,  as  I  fancy  I  can,  there  is  no 
allusion  in  her  Journals  to  the  "feud"  existing  for  several 
years  between  the  wives  of  the  two  Foxboro-Winslow  brothers, 
Lemuel  and  Frederic.  We  had  heard  this  mentioned  as  a 
tradition,  but  now  there  is  no  one  to  tell  the  tale  as  it  should 
be  told.  There  are  references  to  it  in  two  old  letters  from 
which  I  give  extracts,  the  one  written  in  i^S'^;  by  Henry  W. 
Paine  to  his  Cousin  Albert  in  Bangor;  the  other  by  Grand- 
mother herself  to  her  son  Albert,  written  in  1S4S. 

"Hallowell,  Aug.  25  18U- 
Dear  Cousin, 

The  family  estrangement  you  advert  to  has  been  to  me  as 
it  evidently  is  to  you,  matter  of  deep  regret.  While  we  were 
boys  at  home  the  most  perfect  intimacy  existed  between  the 
families  —  it  is  painful  to  find  on  our  return  that  all  intercourse 
is  suspended.  I  feel  this  the  more  keenly  because  I  have 
received  personally  no  cause  of  affront.  The  relations  between 
your  family  and  myself  were  always  of  the  most  friendly 
character.  Towards  your  father  and  his  children  I  still  enter- 
tain the  feelings  which  become  a  near  relative  —  feelings  which 
I  am  happy  to  believe  are  fully  reciprocated.  May  it  never 
be  otherwise. 

You  seem  to  think  it  in  my  power  "tantes  componere 
litcs"  but  in  this  opinion  I  think  you  wrong.  Both  parties 
believe  themselves  to  have  been  deeply  and  wantonly  injured. 
Mutual  confidence  and  mutual  respect  are  gone,  I  fear  forever. 

147 


148       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

Family  feuds  are  proverbially  bitter  and  incurable.  Time 
may  soothe  the  irritated  feelings  of  the  parties  and  enable 
them  to  view  the  unfortunate  affair  in  its  true  light.  I  am 
afraid  that  the  interposition  of  third  parties  (however  good  the 
intentions)  instead  of  effecting  a  reconciliation  would  tend  to 
widen  the  breach. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  me  to  express  my  opinion  as  to  who  is 
chargeable  with  the  first  offense.  It  would  be  most  surprising 
if  to  the  eye  of  a  disinterested  observer  either  party  had  been 
entirely  without  fault.  I  claim  not  for  my  motiier  exemption 
from  the  frailties  and  infirmities  of  human  nature,  nor  do  I 
mean  to  incriminate  your  motlicr  whom  I  am  glad  to  believe 
you  dearly  love  and  res])ect.  I  would  not  if  I  could  diminish 
in  a  single  iota  the  filial  affection  and  veneration  which  j-ou 
are  bound  to  cherish  towards  her.  I  know  for  I  feel  how  strong 
are  the  cords  which  bind  a  son  to  his  mother.  .  .  . 

Had  your  mother  asked  an  explanation  .she  would  have 
found  that  her  suspicions  were  groundless  and  that  the  stories 
in  circulation  did  not  originate  where  she  supposed. 

But  I  will  not  rake  ojien  the  embers  of  this  controversy, 
I  would  rather  smother  them.  .  .  . 

Write  often  —  give  my  love  to  your  wife  and  believe  as 
ever 

Your  affectionate  Cousin  &  sincere  well-wisher 

H.  W.  Paine. 

Winslou\  May  S.  lflJ,.3. 

My  dear  Children.      (Albert  &  Mary).   .  .   . 

But  to  be  short  and  comprehensive  in  my  remarks  on  family 
affairs,  I  vouchsafe  to  say  that  there  was  never  a  season  in 
which  we  enjoyed  more  real  happiness  than  during  the  past 
winter  and  it  has  been  derived  principally  from  the  fact  that 
"the  Lord  has  visited  his  people." 

In  the  Autunm  and  early  part  of  Winter,  God  was  pleased 


SOME   OLD   LETTERS  149 

to  grant  us  a  revival  of  religion  and  the  Church  seemed  to  feel 
that  it  was  time  to  arise  and  call  upon  God  who  has  all  the  good 
gifts  in  his  own  hand.  In  February  we  began  to  enjoy  all  the 
blessings  of  a  reformation  but  knowing  your  mind  as  I  do, 
I  am  convinced  that  very  particulars  will  not  be  interesting, 
therefore  I  shall  only  name  some  of  its  fruits.  —  Your  kind 
hearts  formally  did  and  I  believe  ever  will  rejoice  in  that  which 
is  substantially  good  and  of  this  kind  is  the  fruit  above  re- 
ferred to. 

Many  hard  and  adamant  hearts  which  were  opposed  to 
God's  holy  and  righteous  law,  have  become  recipients  of  his 
grace  and  are  now  humble  followers  of  Jesus.  Perhaps  you 
would  like  to  know  who  they  are,  I  will  mention  only  a  few.  .  .  . 
Timothy  and  Charlotte  Paine,  and  I  could  go  on  with  the  list 
until  it  would  exceed  twenty  and  then  as  many  more  that 
attend  the  inquiry  meeting,  but  the  very  thought  that  the 
subject  does  not  interest  you  with  deep  feeling  has  again  caused 
a  tear  to  fall  upon  both  of  the  glasses  of  my  Spectacles  &  truly 
I  must  stop  and  take  them  off.  Timothy  wishes  me  to  say, 
he  is  getting  along  well  with  his  studies,  very  well,  read  Cicero 
nearly  through,  commenced  reviewing  Eclogues,  also  he  is 
delighted  with  Greek  study.  In  addition  to  his  own  infor- 
mation I  would  say  I  do  feel  not  a  little  anxiety  on  account 
of  his  clo.se  application  to  study,  early  &  late,  through  the  day 
and  evening,  his  eyes  are  on  his  books,  study  at  home  p.m. 
until  half  past  eight  morning,  then  to  the  Institute  to  recite 
his  well-committed  lesson.  If  you  should  spend  twenty  four 
hours  in  this  house,  you  would  not  wonder  that  Timothy  does 
not  write  you  a  letter.  We  dont  put  any  dependence  on  him  for 
a  pail  of  water,  even.  Altho  he  frequently  goes  to  the  Pump 
for  it,  he  gets  his  whole  supply  for  drink  without  suffering  it 
to  come  through  the  spout  of  a  Tea  kettle.  For  a  year  past 
he  has  slept  on  nothing  better  than  a  straw  bed,  he  seldom 
knows  what  he  eats  and  does  actually  forget  whether  he  has 


150       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

eaten  his  appointed  meal  or  not.  He  is  in  the  habit  of  standing 
at  the  Bureau  while  studying,  but  as  the  Air-tight  affects  his 
head  and  free  breath,  we  find  him  in  various  parts  of  the  house, 
sometimes  a  kind  of  platform  cobbled  up  over  the  sink  and 
if  his  lessons  are  Cicero's  orations  or  Aesops  Fables  that  I  used 
to  read  in  Webster's  old  spelling  book,  he  studys  loud  and  this 
calls  my  mind  to  by-gone  days.  I  have  fears  that  I  am  placing 
my  hopes  too  strong  upon  him.  .  .   . 

I  must  once  more  bring  to  view  the  reformation  so  as  to 
inform  you  ihaf  recoucilation  has  been  effected  between  Aunt 
Paine  and  self.  We  are  now  on  calling  terms  and  shall  soon 
visit.  Your  Uncle  has  made  many  calls,  opens  his  mind  freely 
and  meets  a  kind  response.  As  we  pass  &  repass  to  meeting 
he  embraces  the  opportunity  to  extend  his  hand  with  the 
hearty  "How  do  you  do  Aunt  Paine." 

Do  give  us  the  response  that  you  will  endeavour  to  seek 
the  Lord  and  his  salvation.  I  should  be  glad  to  write  more, 
you  can  easily  perceive  reasons  for  a  close. 

A.  W.  Paine. 

"  JflH.  1  ISlfl.     [to  Albert  and  Mary] 
My  dear  Children, 

It  is  New  Years  day  &  I  scarcely  need  tell  had  our  dear 
Harriet  been  living  it  would  have  been  her  birthday,  many 
tender  recollections  have  come  into  memory  since  I  rose  this 
morning,  early  my  eyes  turned  towards  the  little  enclosure 
that  contains  all  that  is  mortal.  Her  graceful  form,  her  slender 
and  delicate  appearance  &  impressive  eyes,  all  and  much  more, 
rushed  involuntarily  to  mind  and  it  was  not  without  much 
effort  that  I  got  away  from  earth  and  followed  her  up  to  heaven 
'through  liquid  telescope  of  tears.'  But  enough  of  this,  verj- 
many  days  of  clouds  and  sunshine  will  alternately  beam  upon 
your  path  before  you  can  by  experience  know  the  pangs  of  such 
a  separation.   .  .  . 


SOME  OLD  LETTERS  151 

"Friday  4  o'clock.  All  faces  begin  to  be  turned  toward  Mr. 
Jos.  Eaton's,  a  great  party  this  eve  about  100  invited,  even 
Bonus  is  being  put  in  requisition  to  go  for  Caroline.  Your 
father  and  self  have  an  invitation,  but  do  not  accept.  I  am 
afraid  you  will  be  impatient  for  the  articles  that  Benjamin 
will  bring  you,  but  we  have  been  so  busy.  Been  getting  up 
wood  the  most  of  the  time  for  3  weeks,  Jos.  Wood  to  cut 
in  the  woods.  Have  a  large  pile  at  the  door,  wish  he  could 
haul  a  load  to  you. 

"With  true  affection, 

"I  remain  A.  W.  Paine." 

"Saturday  morn.  The  splendid  party  has  passt  and  the  time 
is  flying  after  the  years  before  the  flood,  and  now  it  remains 
as  Doct.  Chace  said  on  a  former  like-occasion  "each  one  must 
return  to  live  upon  his  own  resources."  There  were  about  100, 
many  from  Watervillc,  Benj.  Tim.  &  Carol." 

To  Caroline 

Mch  6/46 

"I  was  very  thankful  when  Tim  informed  me  how  good 
Ann  is.  Give  my  love  to  her  and  tell  her  that  by  the  side  of 
her  "Patience  tree"  she  must  plant  one  of  perseverance,  good 
resolutions  well  performed  and  a  variety  of  other  useful  per- 
formances and  dont  forget  to  thank  her  Heavenly  Father  for 
all  good  received  from  his  kind  hand.  Hope  she  will  be  con- 
tented and  happy. 

"Tim  thinks  that  he  has  left  his  old  shoes,  please  bring." 

From  Frederic  Paine  to  his  son  Albert 

Winslow,  Me.  May  10,  ISIfS. 
Dear  son. 

I  had  seated  myself  to  write  you,  at  the  time  that  Timothy's 
letter  arrived.  He  was  at  Waterville,  did  not  come  home  until 
noon.     After  perusing  the  letter  he  wished   me   to  say  that 


152       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

he  had  made  up  his  mind  not  to  study  the  Testament  he  had 
sent  for.  Your  caution  is  very  good,  respecting  his  studying 
too  hard.     He  is  very  industrious. 

As  to  the  freshet  in  this  phice  we  iiave  been  very  highly 
favoured,  aUhowjh  very  high,  we  had  to  Ferry  from  the 
House  to  the  shop.  Grass  looks  well,  the  farmers  have  begun 
farming. 

So  far  as  it  respects  worldly  concerns;  but  what  are  tem- 
poral compared  to  spiritual  things.  My  mind  has  of  late  been 
more  directed  to  things  not  seen  than  for  years  past.  When 
we  view  this  short  life  compared  to  that  which  is  to  come,  the 
honours  &  riches  of  the  world  vanish  in  a  moment.  Much 
reason  I  have  to  rejoice  in  the  goodness  of  God,  in  bestowing 
the  riches  and  blessings  on  some  of  my  children,^  Timothy, 
Charlotte  &  Sarah  as  we  hojie  —  could  you  visit  us  you  would 
witness  a  great  change  in  them.  Timothy  takes  an  active 
part  in  meetings,  in  exortation  &  prayer  and  he  speaks  to  the 
point,  commands  great  attention.  The  girls  appear  very  dif- 
ferent, pleasant  and  are  agreeable.  Charlotte  appears  much 
like  Harriet,  sometimes  it  almost  seems  she  has  returned.  We 
ought  to  make  it  our  first  concern  to  prepare  to  leave  this  world 
of  sorrow  for  that  rest  that  remains  for  the  people  of  God. 
Charles  &  Benjamin  remain  as  yet  opposed  to  the  only  way 
provided  for  their  Salvation.  Could  I  feel  that  you  were  build- 
ing on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  your  only  hope,  I  could  rejoice, 
but  I  do  fear  you  are  deceived.  My  earnest  prayer  is  that 
you  will  carefully  examine  the  subject  in  such  a  manner  as  at 
last  you  may  not  be  wanting,  but  be  prepared  with  your  Dear 
Consort  for  happiness  unspeakable  and  full  of  glorj'.  There 
has  been  a  great  change  in  this  place,  the  work  has  been  still 
and  solemn. 

I  remain  your  affectionate  Father, 

F.  Paine. 
Ages  18-16-13. 


SOME  OLD  LETTERS  153 

July  17;  ISU- 
(Waterville,  nmv  Colby) 
Dear  Brother  Albert. 

Things  happen  on  the  College  premises  —  President 
Sheldon  in  front  of  his  house  spreading  hay  with  both  feet  and 
both  ends  of  the  pitch-fork  at  the  same  time  upon  the  full  run, 
ha,  ha,  ha.  One  of  the  students  has  mown  a  place  in  front  of 
S.  C.  about  a  rod  long  and  given  it  up  for  the  day.  We  set 
out  seventy  trees  last  fall  which  are  now  thriving  well.  Across 
the  road  three  or  four  acres  of  corn  &  beans  planted  by  the 
students  look  pretty  good.  The  great  locust  tree  in  front  of 
my  windows  is  in  a  green  state  making  a  beautiful  shade  for 
the  disputants.  We  get  along  very  peaceably.  President 
&  faculty  give  good  satisfaction,  are  very  familiar  with  the 
Students.  I  have  got  almost  through  my  first  j'ear  in  College. 
It  has  been  the  shortest  year  of  my  life  and  I  may  say  with  truth 
the  most  pleasant  one.  Our  examination  will  take  place  in 
about  two  weeks.  But  I  do  not  fear  to  have  it  come  much. 
The  sitting  on  the  seats  so  long  is  the  worst  part  of  all.  Albert, 
I  cannot  be  thankful  enough  to  you  for  inducing  me  to  take 
the  course  which  I  am  now  pursuing.  As  it  was  by  your  in- 
fluence that  I  am  here. 

Timothy. 

Timothy  to  Albert 

Wi7islow,  Maine  July  19,  181,6. 

.  .  .  They  are  doing  strange  things  in  Waterville  College,  ex- 
pelled one  of  my  classmates  for  blowing  a  horn  Fourth  of  July, 
and  one  of  the  class  below  me;  if  they  are  not  taken  back,  I 
do  not  know  what  will  take  place.  The  Sons  of  Temperance 
had  a  fine  time  on  the  Fourth,  there  were  about  four  hundred 
of  us.  I  belong  to  the  Ticonic  Division  No.  13;  there  are 
140  members  enrolled. 

I  have  made  a  very  important  change  in  my  diet;  eat  no 
meat,  not  even  a  fowl,  veal  or  lamb  and  am  of  course  as  far 


154       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

from  eating  -pork  as  light  is  from  darkness;  no  butter  not  even 
on  my  potato  and  bread;  no  milk;  nothing  that  has  any  poison 
in  it,  but  bread  made  of  flour  or  meal  and  milk;  (I  wished 
to  have  it  mixed  with  water)  eat  potato  clear  with  vegetables 
of  all  kinds  (when  I  can  get  them),  beans  cooked  clear  with  a 
very  little  molasses  (no  butter);  but  custards,  pies  and  sweet 
cakes  of  evenj  kind.  I  not  only  do  not  desire  but  do  not  like  to 
see  them.  I  use  the  shower  bath  very  early  in  the  morning 
and  that  too,  every  morning  and  when  it  is  warm  weather, 
at  evening  also.  The  result  of  all  is  that  my  countenence  is 
more  healthy,  body  much  stronger  and  mind  far  more  clear 
and  glad.  Can  use  a  rake  as  well  and  as  strong  as  any  one. 
You  may  see  that  I  am  pretty  strong  from  the  fact  that  the 
walk  of  47  miles  (rode  3  miles)  gave  me  no  trouble.  I  have  been 
thus  particular  from  the  fact  that  you  and  my  other  dear  friends 
at  Bangor  have  spoken  so  often  about  my  health.  So  you  will 
pardon  the  frequent  use  of  "I."  I  send  you  my  first  printed 
piece,  "Paine 's  Patent  Hay  Press." 

In  reference  to  Uncle  Timothy's  food  and  baths,  the  follow- 
ing bit  may  be  of  interest  to  those  of  the  family  who  have  the 
family  trait. 

Aunt  Charlotte  used  to  say  "  my  mother  used  to  tell  us  girls 
that  our  little  finicky  notions  came  farther  back  than  from  the 
Wares.  It  was  the  Rays  who  were  fussy  about  everything  that 
concerned  food  or  cleanliness." 

My  father  said  "  I  expect  to  eat  my  peck  of  dirt  but  what 
I  object  to  is  the  eating  it  all  at  once." 

For  Ray  Genealogy  see  page  134. 


PART  IV.    "THE  WORTHY  PORTION. 
THE   BLESSED   CHILDREN" 

Chapter  one         Cloverside,  the  Old  Homestead. 
"       two        Charles  Frederic 

Sketch  by  his  brother  Albert. 

Thirteen  Half  Dollars. 
"       three      Benjamin  Crowninshield, 
"       four        The  Daughters. 

Illustrations 

Cloverside,  The  Old  Homestead. 

Charles  Frederic  Paine,  gen  VIII,  from  daguerreotype. 

The  Home  Lane. 

From  "  Sketch  Book."     1845. 

Frederic  Paine  born  Nov,  21st  1785. 
Abiel  Ware  born  Dec  6,  1787. 
Married  Sept  21,  1809. 

The  Worthy  Portion  of 
Frederic  &  Abiel  Paine. 
Blessed  Children. 

Charles  Frederic  born .June  18  1810 

Albert  Ware Aug  16  1812 

Benjamin  Crowninshield March  10  1815 

Caroline  Matilda Nov  2,  1817 

Harriet  Newell Jan  1  1822 

Timothy  Otis Oct  1    1824 

Charlotte  Elizabeth Feb  13  1827 

Sarah  Jane Jan  10  1830 

Harriet's  happy  death,  June,  1837 
aged  fifteen  ye,  five  months,  nine  days. 

155 


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CHAPTER   ONE 
CLOVERSIDE,    THE  OLD  HOMESTEAD 

When  ninety-two  years  old,  my  father  writes  to  a  Winslow 
cousin,  in  response  to  an  invitation  to  visit  him: 

Bangor,  1904- 
Geo.  S.  Paine  Esq.  .  ■■ 

My  dear  Cousin,  —  I  hope  I"  shall  be  able  at  least  by  Com- 
mencement day  to  visit  my  old  home  and  enjoy  the  promised 
ride  around  town  which  you  so  kindly  promised.  I  sincerely 
hope  I  may  at  least  once  more  view  the  scenes  of  my  youthful 
days  for  which  I  entertain  such  lively  and  loving  remembrance. 
There  is  no  place  on  earth  that  so  completely  absorbs  my 
soul's  earthly  life  as  dear  old  Winslow. 

With  kind  regards  to  your  wife  and  sister  as  well  as  yourself, 
I  am  and  remain, 

Your  affectionate  Cousin, 
ALBERT  W.  PAINE. 

In  1883  Uncle  Timothy  made  a  drawing  of  the  old  homestead 
sending  copies  of  it  to  his  brothers  and  sisters.  From  his 
brother  Benjamin,  ten  years  his  senior,  came  this  immediate 
response : 

Winslow  Homestead  31  e.  Sunday  eve,  Nov.  ll/S3. 
More  than  kind  brother  T'O.  —  One  thing  we  would  like 
to  know  how  under  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  you  have  com- 
pleted so  perfect  a  picture  of  the  place  as  it  was,  is  more  than 
any  person  living  can  tell.  You  surely  nmst  have  visited  the 
spot  many  times  for  the  years  gone  by,  and  the  question  conies 
how  did  you  come  and  go  so  many  times  and  no  one  see  you 

157 


158       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

with  pen  and  paper  taking  so  many  measures  and  angles  &c. 
It  surely  was  not  done  while  the  Sun  or  Moon  or  Stars  were 
shining,  but  you  must  have  done  it  when  all  was  still  and 
dark  and  before  light,  taken  wings  for  your  pleasant  home. 

—  B.C.  P." 

This  bit  of  "reminiscencing"  was  written  on  a  postal  by 
"Timo"  to  his  brother  Albert  in  Bangor,  in  1886,  just  after 
the  death  of  the  brother  Benjamin  and  when  the  house  was 
being  dismantled. 

Postal 

Sheephouse,  barn  floor,  overhead  scaffold,  "lenter,"  hen- 
house, barnshed  hogpen,  cornhouse,  woodhouse,  open  part, 
set-kettle-room,  sink  room,  kitchen  sitting  room,  keeping- 
room,  up-stairs,  skylight,  downstairs,  dark  bedroom,  front- 
entry,  up  to  the  spring,  down  to  the  brook,  down  to  the  river, 
over  the  brook,  the  ham  house,  the  oilnut  trees,  in  the  post- 
office,  the  bridge,  P^aton's  store.  I  am  doing  a  great  deal  of 
nothing.     Next  year  shall  I  l)e  hard  at  work  again? 

What  does  it  mean  that  our  memories  retain  such  a  mass  of 
simple  things  wrap])ed  up  in  homely  words.'  How  long  would 
it  take  you  to  write  out  all  that  you  could  say  on  each  word  on 
my  list? 

In  the  "lenter"  (pray  not  leanto  for  us)  stood  old  Bonus 
who  came  out  of  your  Latin  Grammar;  and  how  much  comes 
from  this  lenter?  The  drives  of  Bonus;  Dr.  Chase's  horse; 
Dr"s  rides  —  I  want  to  see  old  home  when  I  die;  to  ramble 
through  it  with  father  and  mother,  Hatty  and  you  —  Prema- 
ture youth  seems  to  be  coming  on  fast.  No  roguish  sister  will 
put  a  potato  in  my  stocking  now. 

Timo. 
Elmwood,  Mass.  Dec.  22,  188G. 


CHAPTER  TWO 
CHARLES  FREDERIC  PAINE 

This  sketch  of  the  oldest  son  was  written  by  his  brother, 
Albert,  in  187G. 

Charles  F.  Paine 
My  brother  Charles  Frederic  Paine  was  born  at  Winslow, 
County  of  Kennebec,  Maine,  on  June  18,  1810.  As  a  scholar 
at  school  he  was  a  good  Mathematician  and  had  in  boyhood 
a  remarkably  active  and  business  character  and  inventive 
genius.  Our  father  being  a  mechanic,  Charles  early  acquired 
the  knowledge  and  use  of  tools  and  was  always  making  some 
piece  of  ingenious  mechanical  work.  Sleds,  wagons,  carts, 
houses,  machinery,  mills  and  other  work  were  constantly 
exhibited  as  new  fruits  of  his  skill  and  industry.  In  later  life 
he  invented  a  hay  press  which  was  patented  under  his  name 
and  which  has  ever  since  had  a  high  reputation  and  extensive 
use,  not  only  in  his  own  neighborhood  but  in  other  states  and 
on  the  cotton  growing  plantations  of  the  South.  His  taste 
early  led  him  to  indulge  in  the  various  arts  of  water  craft  nature, 
water  mills,  water  wheels  and  in  river  navigation  and  among  the 
very  earliest  of  his  mechanical  employments  was  the  making  of 
miniature  boats,  canoes  and  ships  and  afterwards  those  of  a 
larger  class  for  the  accommodation  of  business.  Living  on  the 
margin  of  two  rivers  which  had  their  confluence  by  our  home, 
a  very  favourable  opportunity  was  afforded  for  the  cultivation 
of  his  taste  in  this  direction  and  for  its  practice  in  useful  ways. 
So  that  quite  early  in  his  more  mature  life  he  engaged  in  the 
business  of  navigation  upon  the  Kennebec  between  Waterville 
and  his  native  town  at  the  one  extreme  and  the  towns  or  cities 

159 


160       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

below  as  far  as  Bath  at  tlie  other.  This  indeed  became  the 
business  of  his  life,  carried  on  for  many  years  by  means  of  the 
large  flat  boats,  then  well  known  to  the  region.  This  being  at 
a  time  long  before  Railroads  were  even  thought  of  in  that  region 
or  even  indeed  any  where,  these  boats  afforded  the  only  means 
of  conveyance  for  all  freights  or  merchandi.se  from  the  head 
of  ship  navigation  at  Augusta  to  all  towns  and  villages  further 
North  upon  the  waters  of  the  Kennebec.  Hence  the  species 
of  navigation  was  a  very  important  one  and  a  severe  com- 
petition existed  for  its  profits. 

In  the  year  1847  the  erection  of  the  Dam  at  Augusta  by  which 
the  waters  were  made  to  flow  back  as  far  as  to  Waterville, 
cau.sed  a  new  era  in  the  business  of  the  River.  Steamboat 
navigation  thus  became  practicable  and  Charles  was  among, 
if  not  ihe  very  first  to  take  advantage  of  the  new  facilities  which 
it  aftorded.  \Yith  the  aid  of  others  he  at  once  commenced 
the  construction  of  a  steamer  which  was  finished  in  the  early 
part  of  the  succeeding  year.  To  it  he  gave  the  name  of  "  Hali- 
fax" after  that  of  the  Fort  which  had  its  location  in  the  town 
of  Win.slow.  The  vessel  was  launched  from  his  "Shipyard" 
and  got  ready  for  service  and  a  trial  trip  made  to  Hallowell 
on  the  22nd  day  of  May,  returning  at  evening.  On  the  next 
day  he  started  upon  her  regular  course,  as  a  freight  and  pas- 
senger line,  a  small  excursion  party  including  three  of  his  own 
children  having  taken  pa.ssage  with  him.  In  passing  through 
the  lock  in  the  dam  at  Augusta  the  boiler  exploded  and  he  with 
six  others  was  instantly  killed.  His  remains  were  brought 
home  where  thej'  lie  deposited  in  our  little  family  cemetery 
where  lie  the  precious  remains  of  our  dear  sister  and  parents. 

The  tragical  death  of  her  son  caused  to  his  mother  an  intense 
and  lasting  grief  from  which  she  never  freed  herself.  Her 
scrap  book  often  bore  testimony  to  its  violence  and  it  ever 
after  was  her  constant  theme  of  thouglit  and  anxiety  for  his 
fa  mil  V. 


CHARLES  FREDERIC  PAINE 


P 


LlBtxnKY 


ASTOR, 


LENOX 


CHARLES  FREDERIC  PAINE  161 

This  short  sketch  of  my  dear  Brother  I  have  very  hastily 
dra\\^l  up  at  the  request  of  my  dear  wife. 

Albert  W.  Paine. 
March  19,  1S76. 

In  1834  at  the  age  of  24  years,  Charles  was  married  to  Miss 
Esther  Loring  the  daughter  of  Dea.  Loring  of  Norridgewock 
and  three  sons  and  four  daughters  were  the  result  of  the  union. 


THIRTEEN  HALF  DOLLARS 

In  1849,  about  two  years  after  the  violent  death  of  her 
oldest  son.  Grandmother  began  a  .series  of  twenty  letters  to 
his  son  Charles,  the  oldest  grandchild.  The  first  entry  is  Sept. 
16,  the  last  Aug.  1851,  with  intervals  of  perhaps  some  days  and 
then  again  of  some  months. 

These  were  written  in  the  fullness  of  a  grief  stricken  heart. 
The  same  purpose  runs  through  them  all,  the  underlying 
thought  being  that  the  son  should  know  and  love  the  character 
of  the  father  so  tragically  taken  from  life. 

The  blank  book  was  without  doubt  made  by  her  as  were  the 
account  books  she  mentions  making  for  the  son  Charles. 
"The  J  ream  of  paper"  was  cut  into  half-leaves  which  were 
sewed  together  with  a  coarse  linen  thread  and  bound  in  a  cover 
of  the  old  marbled  j)aper. 

The  penmanship  is  often  elegant  in  appearance  and  the 
signatures  and  addres.ses  often  decorated  with  scrolls,  lines  or 
dots.     (See  Frontispiece.) 


Dedication 

To  my  dear  grandboy  Charles  Paine, 

I  would  lovingly  dedicate  a  few  lines  of  information  regard- 
ing the  early  history  of  his  excellent  father  who  by  a  sudden 
and  unexpected  Providence  was  removed  from  this  to  the 
ETERNAL  world  May  23,  1848.     Before  his  death  you  were 


162       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

too  young  to  think  iiuicli  or  make  inquiries  about  your  father's 
boyhood;  or  how  and  what  he  did  at  the  early  age  of  com- 
mencing in  Hfe.  You  only  learned  some  little  incidents  rela- 
tive to  his  mechanical  genius,  his  love  of  watercraft  and 
economy  in  "taking  care  of  the  cents"  and  he  ever  remember- 
ing that  fifty  of  them  make  a  half  dollar  and  that  a  half  dollar 
was  a  "jjretty  large  piece  of  silver."  You  remember  that 
your  grandmother  told  you  that  when  your  father  had  col- 
lected thirteen  half  dollars  he  commenced  trade  —  began  to  do 
business  for  himself  with  that  capital  stock,  and  that  he  had 
kept  working  upo7i  it  and  with  it  up  to  the  day  and  hour  of 
his  death. 

But  as  the  town  Church  bell  summons  to  the  house  of  wor- 
ship, I  will  lay  down  my  ])en  and  go  with  the  confident  hojie 
that  after  list'ning  to  words  from  my  respected  pastor,  I  shall 
be  better  prepaired  to  continue  my  narration  in  the  spirit  of 
the  gospel. 

Yours  in  love, 

A.  W.  Paine. 

Sabbaih  morn 

Sept.  16th,  ISJtO. 

Sept  19th,  1849 
Letter  Id 

To  my  oldest  grandchild 
On  closing  my  dedication,  a  preparedness  for  writing  in  the 
spirit  of  the  gospel  was  hoped  for;  and  while  list'ning  to  it,  the 
preacher  brought  the  following  sentiment  to  view.  That, 
however  nmch  knowledge  we  possess,  ability  to  communicate, 
or  gift  for  instruction,  of  what  use  if  we  kept  it  all  locked  up 
in  our  store-houses.*  of  what  avail  to  others?  This  thought  is 
quite  seasonable  to  me  considering  the  subject  which  for  a 
few  previous  days  had  occupy 'd  my  mind.  So  here  I  am 
seated  in  my  happy  chamber  with  all  the  conveniences  for 
writing,  and  a  heart  devoted  to  that  employment  when  I  can 


THIRTEEN  HALF  DOLLARS  163 

feel  that  I  am  about  to  contribute  a  morsel  of  food  to  the 
mind  of  any  friend,  and  how  much  more  now  that  I  am  about 
to  give  a  few  items  of  information  and  may  be  instruction  to 
one  who  since  the  death  of  his  worthy  father,  has  fallen  into 
my  affection  with  a  two-fokl  weight,  thereby  in  a  measure 
filling  u])  the  void,  and  narrowing  the  breach  so  recently  made 
in  the  death  of  my  oldest  Son,  your  father. 

If  I  attempt  a  sketch  of  his  early  history  for  you  I  must,  of 
course  begin  with  his  beginning  and  say  that  he  fell  into  my  arms 
as  many  other  first-born  sons  do,  a  precious  bud  of  promise. 

In  writing  the  following  narrative  for  you,  my  dear  boy, 
you  must  not  cxi)ect  dates  of  time  nor  age  at  their  occurrence 
nothing  was  further  from  my  mind  than  that  they  should  ever 
be  repeated  with  any  particular  interest,  and  if  at  all  remem- 
bered, they  would  only  be  related  as  little  incidents  to  gratify 
a  childish  freak,  or  to  the  calling  up  of  Maternal  fondness. 

And  here  I  would  say  that  perhaps  no  place  in  my  com- 
munication will  be  more  proper  than  this  to  recommend  to 
you  and  your  Sisters  the  keeping  of  a  journal,  or  Sketch-book 
to  which  you  can  repair  whenever  anything  of  consequence 
comes  up  before  the  mind;  or  any  either  kind  or  adverse  Provi- 
dence overtakes  you.  or  the  members  of  the  family  who  are 
so  closely  knit  together  by  the  bonds  of  love  and  sympathy: 
more  especially  since  that  fatal  twenty  third  of  May.  If 
you  should  conclude  to  comjjly  with  my  wish,  I  would  say  let 
your  book  be  such  as  you  can  purchase  at  a  book-store  for 
about  fifty  cents,  and  when  it  is  all  covered  over  with  your  little 
records,  it  will  be  the  richest  fifty  cents  that  you  possess,  more 
especially  if  your  life  should  be  spent  much  away  from  home 
and  as  you  are  the  oldest  of  the  seven  it  would  be  a  rich  gift 
to  the  home-brood,  and  how  much  more  so  to  the  lonely  mother. 
Be  very  particular  to  make  dates  of  time,  the  day,  the  month 
and  year  &c.  &c. 

Sept.  20.     It   is  forty  years   this   day   since   I  changed    my 


164       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

name  b.y  inheritance  to  that  of  Paine,  and  tliroiigh  all  this 
time  the  Lord  has  been  my  ^nide  'ii,V  guard  and  sustainer.  In 
Him  I  shall  continue  to  trust  my  hojje  that  eventually  all  my 
dear  family  and  those  precious  grandchildren,  will  at  last  be 
gathered  into  his  peaceful  fold,  never  more  to  be  separated; 
so  now  I  must  lay  down  my  pen,  leave  my  chamber  and  assist 
in  taking  care  of  dear  little  Frederic  who  came  into  this  world 
twenty  days  ago  but  now  it  appears  is  about  to  leave,  he  is  my 
thirteenth  grandchild. 

Farewell  for  the  present. 

Letter  '2nd 

Sept.  23  184H 

Childhood  and  youth  are  vanity.  So  said  a  wise  man,  truly; 
therefore  I  shall  omit  many  incidents  relative  to  your  father's 
extreme  childhood  and  only  say  that  the  inexperience  of  his 
mother  was  the  cause  of  his  receiving  very  many  falls  and  hair- 
breadth escapes,  such  as,  from  the  bed,  the  table,  from  the  win- 
dow, out  at  the  door  and  down  stairs,  but  thanks  to  the  great 
Presence,  none  of  these  ever  deprived  him  of  an  excellent  mem- 
ory, which  will  be  the  first  subject  I  shall  treat  upon. 

During  the  winter  after  he  was  two  years  old,  his  lot  was  to 
sleep  in  the  trucket-bed  in  the  same  room  where  we  spent  the 
evening,  and  it  was  the  usual  practise  of  his  father  to  put 
C[uestions  to  him,  after  his  face  and  hands  had  been  washed 
and  put  into  bed.  Those  questions  for  the  most  part  related 
to  the  Officers  in  the  United  States,  beginning  with  the  Presi- 
dent, Vice  President,  Secretary  and  so  on  down  to  those  favours 
issuing  from  the  Ca])ital.  Then  the  Governors  of  the  different 
states  and  those  holding  high  office  under  them,  more  particu- 
larly Massachusetts  &  Maine  which  at  that  time  composed 
one  state.  Then  the  home  county  of  Kennebec  would  be 
brought  up  to  view  with  its  great  men  at  the  head  of  affairs. 
Next  our  own  town,  selectmen,  town  clerk,  treasurer  and  so 
on  and  down  to  the  Post-master's  assistant?     "My  papa." 


THIRTEEN  HALF  DOLLARS  165 

Perhaps  you  think  this  (jiiite  ;i  tedious  lesson  for  a  cliild 
not  yet  three  years  old,  hut  not  so  indeed,  it  was  not  every 
night  that  he  performed  the  pleasant  task;  then  it  might  have 
been  a  burthen.  Besides  you  must  consider  that  the  lesson 
was  not  so  very  long  as  might  be  supposed,  for  your  grandfather 
was  not  of  a  slow  speech  and  a  slow  tongue,  neither  did  he 
train  his  children  so,  but  more  like  the  pen  of  a  ready  writer. 

And  here  I  would  mention  the  first  cent  that  your  father 
ever  worked  to  earn,  it  was  for  carrying  a  little  jug  of  drink, 
and  a  tin  pail  of  luncheon  to  your  grandfather  at  work  on  the 
Interval  back  of  Uncle  Lemuel's  barn.  He  was  unwilling  to 
go  so  far  alone,  but  the  promise  of  a  cent  on  his  return  inspired 
his  courage,  and  it  proved  a  source  of  lasting  consolation  to 
him.  Altho  he  picked  together  many  cents  to  put  into  his 
'Box'  yet  none  of  them  were  so  valuable  as  the  earned  one. 

Adieu, 
for  the  present. 

I  am  monarch  of  all  I  survey. 
My  right  there  is  none  to  dispute. 
—  Crusoe. 
Letter  3rd 

October  1S49 
My  dear  Grandson. 

Perhaps  you  will  ask  why  the  title  of  this  book  is  "The 
thirteen  half  dollars,"  or  a  few  'Items  in  the  life  of  my  father', 
you  may  say  that  you  understand  the  latter  but  the  former 
is  kept  hidden.  Have  patience,  dear  child,  it  will  explain 
itself  by  &  by,  besides  I  have  already  touched  the  subject  in 
the  conclusion  of  my  last  letter,  i.e.  the  'earned  cent.'  I 
will  now  tell  you  where  he  put  it.  It  was  in  the  Autumn  of 
the  same  year  spoken  of  in  my  last,  that  my  own  dear  mother 
made  me  a  visit  of  a  few  months,  from  New  Hampshire.  In 
this  time  she  knit  two  money-purses,  one  for  each  of  the  two 


ICC)       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A    GRANDMOTHER 

little  boj's,  i.e.  Charles  &  Albert;  Charles'  was  of  various  colors, 
and  in  that  respect  like  Joseph's  coat  of  old,  for  you  must 
know  that  your  father  was  somewhat  of  a  favourite,  besides 
he  was  the  oldest  boy.  Now  I  really  think  that  Albert's  was 
the  handsomest,  but  it  was  all  buff  color.  Charles'  was  the 
very  same  you  have  now  in  your  possession;  look  at  it  and  see 
if  it  is  green,  red,  black  and  white.  I  have  not  forgotten  how 
his  countenance  brightened  up  when  he  came  down  in  the 
morning  and  received  in  re])ly  to  his  question  'yes,  the  purse 
is  done.'  His  box  was  brought  and  the  contents  put  in,  they 
were  all  black  cents  for  he  used  to  say  they  were  'just  as  good 
as  any  &  better  because  they  filled  his  box  quicker.'  But 
altho  his  purse  was  small  yet  it  was  not  full,  and  he  set  about 
devising  ways  and  means  to  fill  it  up,  this  was  .soon  accom- 
plished and  when  it  began  to  run  over,  he  laid  the  jilan  to  give 
six  or  twelve  cents  to  his  father  and  receive  in  return  a  silver 
piece.  We  will  now  leave  him  for  a  time  filling  his  purse  and 
give  a  sketch  of  the  situation  round  your  grandfather's  house;  for 
it  was  this  same  season  that  we  moved  into  it  from  Uncle  Lems'. 

This  sketch  has  much  to  do  with  your  father's  early  life, 
for  there  is  scarce  a  foot  of  land  belonging  to  the  home  lot 
but  what  his  'early  feet  have  trod.' 

When  I  commenced  this  letter,  I  intended  to  have  given  this 
view,  hence  the  two  lines  of  "Crusoe"  at  its  head,  but  the  other 
matter  has  crowded  it  out  and  I  shall  take  it  for  my  next. 

Yours  in  love. 

A  view  of  the  scenery  around  the  home-stead  36  years  ago. 
Letter  Mh 

October  23,  1S49. 
My  dear  Grandchild. 

It  was  a  very  large  old  decay 'd  White-Oak  stump  about 
three  rods  from  the  front  door,  just  on  the  brow  of  the  hill, 
that  was  the  centre  of  all  out-door  sports  for  your  father  for 
a  number  of  years,  even  down  to  the  time  within  your  aunt 


THIRTEEN   HALF  DOLLARS  167 

Caroline's  remembrance,  for  she  said  'well  do  I  remember 
the  good  run  I  used  to  have  from  the  front  door  down  to  the 
old  stump  to  see  &  enjoy  all  the  pleasures  it  afforded.' 

Here  with  his  hatchet,  his  hoe,  his  jacknife  &  various  other 
tools  he  would  make  all  sorts  of  things,  together  with  a  house, 
a  box,  or  pig-pen  which  could  be  easily  dug  out  of  the  famous 
edifice;  and  what  ever  was  lacking  to  make  all  complete  would 
be  obtained  from  his  fathers  shop,  the  back  pasture  or  from 
his  mother's  kitchen,  and  it  really  became  a  proverb  whenever 
anything  was  missing,  to  guess  it  was  down  at  the  old  stump. 
From  that  point  and  all  along  where  the  Orchard  is  now, 
and  so  on  to  the  Interval,  was  also  brush  and  swamps. 

There  was  one  small  spot  that  had  been  cleared  up,  and 
previously  there  had  been  a  patch  of  Rye,  this  was  where  the 
house  stands,  and  so  round  the  pump  and  where  the  garden 
and  out-building  now  are. 

Now  you  have  a  pretty  full  description  of  the  scenery, 
and  I  trust  you  will  readily  believe  my  remark  in  letter  3d, 
i.e.  scarce  a  foot  of  land  but  what  his  'early  feet  have  trod.' 

This  is  a  pretty  long  letter,  and  my  hand  is  getting  to  be 
cold,  therefore  shall  say  good  morning 

to  my  dear  boy. 

A.  W.  Paine. 

Letter  5th 

November  17lh,  18-1,9 

My  dear  grandchild. 

As  my  last  letter  was  a  ground  scene  of  our  lot,  thin  is  intended 
as  a  kind  of  history  of  by-gone  days;  yet  the  object  will  be  to 
show  your  father  in  a  prominent  place  as  is  the  design  of  this 
entire  book. 

In  the  year  1814  your  grandfather  was  appointed  Post- 
Master,  where  upon  the  Post  office  was  moved  up  into  the 
front  entry.  You  will  perhaps  smile  at  the  idea  of  the  Post 
office  moved  into  the  entry,  but  so  it  was,  as  I  shall  make  plain. 


168       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

At  that  time  our  house  was  quite  unfinished  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  sitting  room  and  bed  room  directly  out  of  that. 
A  rough  partition  separated  the  Entry  from  the  North  room 
and  it  was  somewhat  larger  than  it  now  is,  into  this  the  Post 
office  was  moved  which  consisted  of  the  following  articles  i.e. 
a  huge  old  fashioned  desk,  —  but  stop,  let  me  consider  this 
statement,  it  surely  was  not  old  fashioned,  I  presume  there 
was  none  such  before  it,  neitlier  has  there  one  come  after  it. 
On  the  top  of  this  stood  a  row  of  pigeon  holes  as  they  were 
call'd  —  better  had  they  been  call'd  hawks  nests,  for  those 
days  were  'war-time' and  very-  much  more  was  thought  and 
done  about  Mail  than  now.  No  sooner  than  your  grandfather 
had  got  all  the  papers  and  letters  arranged  in  the  said  pigeon 
holes,  than  the  town's  people  would  flock  in  to  devour  with 
imabated  thirst. 

These  two  departments  stood  upon  a  kind  of  frame-work 
resembling  a  cloth  horse,  and  they  three  one  on  the  top  of  the 
other  occupy 'd  a  prominent  place  in  the  entrj-. 

There  was  one  other  thing  to  make  all  complete,  it  was  a 
long  broad  board  painted  white  with  large  capital  letters  of 
black,  read  POST  OFJTCE,  this  was  screwed  up  just  under 
the  eaves  of  the  liouse  on  the  North  corner  and  might  be  read 
at  the  main  road. 

After  all  the.se  things  were  arranged,  your  father  received  an 
appointment,  or  had  an  office  given  him  which  was  the  first 
he  ever  had  the  honor  of  filling,  but  ivell  do  I  remember  that 
he  filled  it  in  with  fidelity.  It  was  that  of  "Watcher"  or 
"Reporter,"  his  duty  devolved  upon  him  four  times  per  week, 
[four  years  old]. 

It  was  to  "watch  and  see"  when  the  Mail  Stage  was  coming 
from  Augusta,  or  when  it  was  far  off'  on  the  Point,  from  Water- 
ville,  he  must  run  and  report  to  his  father  that  he  might  be 
ready  to  receive  it.  When  it  was  Winter  your  grandfather 
would  throw  on  a  handful  of  shavings  and  a  parcel  of  dry  wood 


THIRTEEN   HALF  DOLLARS  169 

on  to  the  fire,  for  you  must  know  that  he  worked  at  his  trade 
in  one  of  the  unfinished  rooms,  and  in  the  Summer  he  must 
be  called  from  the  farm  and  get  ready  to  wait  upon  the  Mail. 
In  those  days  the  mail  was  brought  in  two  and  sometimes  three 
bags  like  meal-bags.  They  were  empty 'd  upon  the  sitting- 
room  floor.  Each  package  taken  up  separately  and  if  read 
"Winslow"  laid  aside,  if  not  returned  to  the  'bag.'  This 
occupy 'd  about  fifteen  minutes;  this  gave  the  Passengers  time 
to  come  in  to  the  hou.se  and  talk  about  'war'  a  few  minutes,  — 
these  were  social  times,  if  not  of  the  most  i)leasant  nature. 

The  following  item,  you  must  consider  as  taking  place  within 
a  few  years  next  after  the  last  mentioned  time,  but  without 
any  ]iarticular  date,  as  that  has  partially  escaped  my  memory, 
but  the  acis  are  all  plain  to  my  mind's  eye. 

Your  father  was  in  the  habit  of  spending  his  winter  evenings 
in  drawing  but  his  accommodations  were  not  as  young  people 
have  now,  but  rather  consisted  first  of  a  huge  pair  of  Bellows 
that  had  formally  lived  in  my  father's  family,  and  in  ancient 
time  had  been  painted  red,  I  say  lived  in  for  what  could  avoid 
life,  that  was  capable  of  containing  and  sending  forth  so  much 
breath  at  one  pressure?  Their  being  once  red  made  the  chalk 
marks  appear  the  brighter,  therefore  the  more  valuable.  These 
with  his  little  chair  and  a  basket  of  shavins  by  his  side,  made 
him  the  Master  of  happiness  for  an  hour  or  two  before  going 
to  bed,  and  nothing  was  more  common  than  to  find  them,  the 
bellows,  in  the  morning  drest  in  a  new  garb.  This  drawing 
would  vary  according  as  the  scenes  met  his  eye  during  the  day; 
carriages  of  various  kinds,  from  a  Stage  down  to  a  wheel- 
barrow, farming  tools,  house  frames,  well  sweeps  and  wicker- 
work  corn-cribs  &.&.... 

The  method  ice  took  to  get  him  to  School,  the  winter  after  he 
teas  four  years  old 

The  School  was  taught  in  the  house  where  Mr.  Ayer  now 
lives  and  your  father  thought  it  a  great  way  to  go  alone,  there- 


170       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

fore  his  mother  would  go  with  him  about  half  way  down  the 
lane  and  then  in  walking  slowly  back  again  get  to  the  house 
about  the  same  time  that  he  got  to  the  main  road,  in  which 
time  he  would  look  back  a  number  of  times  to  see  if  1  was  in 
sight,  then  I  would  go  in  and  stand  at  the  front  door  where 
he  could  see  me  till  he  had  passed  the  'Tavern'  then  I  would 
go  to  the  back  door  and  by  wav'ing  a  white  cloth  he  could 
ascertain  that  I  was  there  and  so  feel  that  he  had  company  all 
the  way  to  the  school  door.  But  notwithstanding  all  this  he 
nibbled  the  cuff  of  his  great  coat  nearly  off  because  he  was 
'lonesome'  as  he  said. 

I  now  bid  you  adieu  for  the  present,  with  the  renewed  as- 
surance of  continued  love  and  affection 

from  your  Grandmother. 

Letter  6th 

Dec  11,  18^9 
So  now  I  shall  tell  you  how  your  father's  ingenuity  mani- 
fested itself  in  the  making  of  a  Grist-mill  when  he  was  about 
six  years  old.  I  cannot  give  a  very  definite  descrij)tion  of  its 
parts,  but  will  speak  of  four  or  five  prominent  ones  and  you 
must  conjecture  the  rest.  The  frame-work  were  crotched 
sticks  driven  into  the  ground,  which  probably  he  cut  with  his 
hatchet  &  jacknife  from  the  brush  pasture  on  the  West,  before 
spoken  of  and  which  was  a  perpetual  consolation  to  him.  But 
to  the  Grist-mill.  There  was  turning  of  a  crank,  a  wheel  with 
floats  attached  thereto  somewhat  like  those  in  a  steam  boat. 
This  process  was  so  fixed  as  to  hit  the  hopper  and  cause  the 
meal  to  run  out  on  to  a  board  set  slanting  to  convey  it  into  a 
trough  on  the  ground.  The  whole  establishment  might  have 
been  co\'ered  over  with  a  bushel  basket.  It  was  erected  very 
nigh  the  front  door  and  was  such  a  good  model  that  passen- 
gers from  the  stage  would  recognize  it  at  once  as  being  a 
Grist-mill. 


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THE   HOME   LANE 


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[  A3T0R.    LENOX 

TTT  nE»v     r    .CNDATIONS 


THIRTEEN  HALF  DOLLARS  171 

Letter  7th 

January  1850 
In  letter  third  of  this  narrative  we  left  your  father  filling 
his  purse;  we  will  now  take  a  peep  into  it  and  see  how  much 
it  contains.  Perhaps  you  will  guess  it  is  full  by  this  time,  for 
that  was  a  number  of  years  ago,  but  not  so  indeed,  why?  Look, 
there  are  only  four  cjuarters  of  a  dollar  and  about  twenty  black 
cents  &  when  he  has  got  twenty  five  he  will  give  it  to  his  father 
and  receive  another  silver  quarter;  that  was  the  way  he  worked 
it  for  a  number  of  years,  but  the  reason  why  it  did  not  increase 
faster  was  this;  he  was  never  taught  the  principles  of  a  miser 
to  hoard  up  all  his  money  to  be  looked  at  &  counted  over  & 
over.  No!  not  that!  but  was  instructed  to  lay  out  his  money 
for  such  things  as  would  make  life  more  pleasant  in  himself 
or  contribute  in  some  way  to  the  happiness  or  welfare  of  others, 
thus  he  purchased  all  his  own  tools  to  work  with  and  here  I 
would  say  that  he  made  for  himself  a  kind  of  model  work 
bench  nigh  his  father's  and  endeavoured  to  have  it  furnished 
with  various  tools  like  unto  his;  and  for  the  lack  of  the  harder 
material,  he  could  whittle  them  out  of  wood;  all  his  Jacknives 
which  in  a  few  years  amounted  to  quite  a  number,  for  we  used 
to  say  that  the  brushes  &  the  brook  were  very  good  places  to 
hide  knives,  occasionally  a  pound  of  nails,  Spelling  books,  slate 
&  pencil,  also  little  books  that  pleased  his  fancy  etc.  These 
things  kept  the  contents  of  his  purse  low,  and  at  the  same  time 
made  him  happy.  .  .  .  With  these  good  principles  linked 
together  with  the  thoughts  of  my  dear  Son,  I  must  lay  down 
my  pen  until  the  climate  of  my  chamber  is  more  congenial 
with  that  of  my  heart. 

Letter  8th 

March  20  1850 
The  design  of  this  letter  will  be  to  speak  of  your  father's 
temperament  of  mind  and  conduct  relating  to  him  as  school- 
boy —  at  meeting  —  among  the  neighbors  and  in  his  mother's 


172       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

kitchen,  in  the  hist  mentioned  of  wliich,  his  mild  demeanor 
and  unaffected  kindness  shone  with  peculiar  prominence.  He 
seemed  to  deliglit  in  taking  a  kind  of  fraternal  care  of  those 
coming  after  him. 

No  sooner  than  his  two  brothers  (Albert  &  Benjamin)  were 
old  enough  to  go  to  school  than  his  unwearied  attention  was 
turned  toward  them  from  home  quite  to  the  school,  and  then 
again  on  their  return  warding  off  all  danger.  But  his  joy 
and  usefulness  was  redoubled  when  an  accession  of  a  sister 
was  added.  By  that  time  he  had  become  old  enough  to  make 
for  hiuLself  a  Waggon  &  Sled  for  the  purjjose  of  hauling  her 
out  abroad.  Each  of  these  vehicles  had  a  box  attached  with  the 
back  somewhat  higher  than  the  sides,  so  that  he  could  "run 
down  the  hill  and  through  the  gate,  over  the  snow-bank  and 
yet  be  safe."  — 

In  Winter  he  would  bring  the  Sled  into  the  kitchen  to  re- 
ceive the  "precious  charge"  of  a  Sister  that  mother  might  fix 
her  in  &  tuck  her  up  and  having  learned  the  lesson  in  the 
kitchen,  would  practise  upon  it  at  the  school-house  and  be 
able  to  say  at  his  return,  "there  is  Sis  just  as  I  found  her." 

It  was  not  as  a  superior  scholar,  that  your  father  shone  the 
brightest  of  the  twain,  no  —  he  was  seldom  heard  to  speak  of 
being  at  the  head  of  the  spelling-class  or  of  making  special 
attainments  in  any  of  the  common  branches  in  the  district 
school  and  that  was  the  only  school  he  ever  attended.  But  in 
one  particular  he  was  superior  i.e.  in  manly  deportment  while 
at  school  and  among  his  playmates  and  if  all  boys  were  like  unto 
him  we  should  not  see  .so  many  broken  windows  and  whittled 
seats  and  flying  snow-balls  in  &  about  our  school-houses  as  at 
the  present  day. 

His  attention  to  meeting,  is  to  be  my  next  subject  and  this 
I  cannot  well  perform  without  giving  you  a  sketch  of  Church 
history  as  it  was  in  W^inslow  in  those  days. 

At  that  time  there  was  no  Church  nor  Congregational  serv- 


I 


THIRTEEN  HALF  DOLLARS  173 

ices,  but  there  were  a  few  individuals  who  would  hke  to  be 
united  with  that  Sect.  In  the  Spring  of  1818  the  Massachu- 
setts Missionary  Society  sent  a  missionary  to  Vassalboro  by 
name  Rev.  Thomas  Adams.  Maine  at  that  time  was  a  part 
of  Massachusetts  and  called  "The  District  of  Maine."  Very 
soon  after  his  arrival,  Dea  Talbot  called  upon  him  to  let  him 
know  our  state,  and  invite  him  to  visit  us,  accordingly  in 
July  he  came  to  our  house  and  he  was  the  first  Congregational 
Minister  that  ever  had  passed  our  threshold.  I  well  remember 
the  day,  it  was  a  very  hot  one  and  your  Grandfather  was  getting 
hay  just  over  the  brook.  Mr.  Adams  rapt  at  the  front  door, 
I  met  him  —  he  told  his  name  and  added  "I  have  come  to  see 
how  you  do."  He  walked  in  with  an  elastic  step,  passed 
directly  across  the  room  and  laid  a  bimdle  of  Tracts  on  the 
Bureau,  making  the  enquiry  'are  you  well  supplied  with  such 
reading?  read  those  and  then  circulate  them  among  your 
neighbours.'  In  a  few  moments  your  grandfather  joined  us 
and  we  enjoyed  a  kind  of  'angel  visit.'  He  was  young, 
but  his  heart  was  warm  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  blessed 
man,  I  have  loved  him  from  that  moment  to  this  and  'Love 
never  dies.' 

I  have,  my  dear  boy  been  thus  particular  l)ecau.se  that  was 
the  first  planning  ever  made  in  Winslow  for  the  gathering  of  a 
Church;  In  due  time  and  after  all  preliminary  steps  necessary 
for  such  an  accomplishment,  on  Sabbath  day,  November  1st 
1818,  a  number  of  the  Vassalboro  Church  came  to  Winslow 
to  receive  us  as  a  branch  church  with  them,  for  they  belonged 
to  Hallowell  church  at  that  time. 

Mr.  Adams  text  on  that  occasion  was  Ecclesiastes  5  chap,  5 
verse  'Better  is  it  that  thou  shouldest  not  vow,  than  that  thou 
shouldest  vow  and  not  pay.'  After  sermon,  Mrs.  Talbot  and 
myself  received  the  ordinance  of  baptism  and  as  I  was  the 
oldest,  I  received  it  first,  then  with  our  husbands  we  were 
admitted  to  the  church  agreeable  to  the  Congregational  form. 


174       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

The  sacrament  was  then   administered,  and  a  number  from 
other  churches  communed  with  us. 

In  the  afternoon,  Mr.  Adams  text  was  Luke  17  chap  21 
"  Behold  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  within  you."  Then  the 
children  were  given  up  in  baptism  i.e.  Charles  Fred',  Albert 
Ware,  ]?enjamin  Crowniinshield,  Caroline  Matilda  Paine, 
and  Mary  Talljot;  thus  closed  a  delightful  day  of  heavenly 
enjoyment,  the  first  of  the  kind  ever  in  Winslow. 

One  circumstance  I  must  not  omit  mentioning  that  of  Mr. 
Adams  Ordination  at  Vassalboro  August  26,  of  the  same  year, 
otherwise  he  would  not  have  been  (jualified  for  such  perfor- 
mances. "Stutly  to  .show  thyself  approved  unto  God,  a  work- 
man that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the 
word  of  truth."     By  the  Rev.  J.  Cogswell. 

Here  I  would  just  mention  that  your  father  was  the  first 
child  baptized  into  this  church,  as  also  the  first  that  ever 
received  it  from  Mr.  Adams'  hand.  You  will  see  it  was  only 
about  nine  weeks  after  his  ordination. 

When  these  things  had  passed  by,  and  knowing  that  my 
Charles  was  a  thoughtful,  meditative  boy,  now  eight  years 
old,  I  thought  to  ex])lain  to  liini  what  these  things  meant,  ac- 
cordingly and  at  suitable  times  I  told  him  how  it  was,  and  the 
way  in  which  to  bring  up  children  in  the  nurture  and  admonition 
of  the  Lord.  How  far  those  lectures  had  their  restraining  quali- 
ties remains  yet  to  be  known.  From  these  days  and  onward 
no  one  could  excel  his  apparent  love  for  meetings. 

We  had  preaching  in  this  place  only  every  fourth  Sabbath, 
on  the  other  Sabbaths,  he  would  go  with  his  father  to  Water- 
ville,  to  Clinton  or  to  Vassalboro  which  was  nine  miles  with 
greatest  cheerfulness  and  many  has  been  the  time  when  he 
would  fix  off  in  a  cold  November  or  December  breeze  or  the 
scorching  Sun  in  July  in  an  oj)en  Waggon  to  attend  meeting 
and  without  making  a  word  of  objection. 

To  confirm  this  I  will  relate  one  little  anecdote.     At  a  time 


THIRTEEN  HALF  DOLLARS  175 

when  I  had  so  many  domestic  cares  as  to  prevent  my  making 
all  the  boys  new  Caps  that  week,  I  said  on  Sabbath  morning 
Charles  dear.  You  cant  go  to  meeting  today  for  I  had  not  time 
to  finish  your  Cap,  at  which  he  looked  up  with  his  own  peculiar 
look  and  said  "why!  ma'am  I  always  take  my  cap  off  when  I  go 
into  meeting."  He  went  and  as  he  came  into  the  meeting 
house  a  few  moments  after  mc,  I  noticed  that  he  clapped 
his  cap  under  his  arm.  ...  As  we  had  preaching  only  once 
in  four  weeks  it  was  not  always  convenient  to  attend  meeting 
every  Sabbath  and  on  those  days,  his  time  and  attention 
would  be  wholly  occupy 'd  within  the  house  with  his  books, 
his  pen  or  pencil  and  slate  or  in  taking  care  of  the  Baby  of 
which  we  were  never  destitute. 

Explanatory  Note.  When  I  first  thought  of  writing 
these  letters  to  you,  I  had  in  view  only  a  few  prominent  items 
which  in  the  recital  would  be  gratifying  in  which  the  thirteen 
half  dollars  held  a  conspicuous  place,  I  therefore  gave  a  name 
to  the  work  corresponding  with  my  intention  but  as  I  took 
my  pen  under  the  direction  of  a  kind  Providence  I  was  carried 
back  and  set  down  at  the  threshold  of  a  mother's  first  respon- 
sibility. 

I  have  been  led  to  admire  the  good  hand  of  my  Father  in 
the  bringing  up  of  many  distinct  recollections  which  had  so 
'ong  lain  dormant.  Aside  from  this  I  have  been  encouraged 
by  warm  friends  to  proceed  with  particulars  however  minute. 
Hope  you  will  keep  up  good  courage  and  be  assured  that  the 
thirteen  half  dollars  will  be  handed  out  by  &  by  with  interest. 

Yours  in  love 
as  before,  A.  W.  Paine. 

Letter  9th 

April  3rd  IS 50 
In  these  days  when  our  heavenly  Father  is  showering  down 
so  many  blessings  upon  us,  meetings  and  sabbath  schools  stand 


17(i       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

so  iiigli  together  that  we  can  scarcely  approach  one  without 
rubbing  against  the  other  and  as  my  hut  was  the  first,  so  this 
will  be  the  other. 

Our  first  Sabbath  school  was  collected  in  the  summer  of  1819 
by  the  advice  and  assistance  of  Rev.  Thomas  Adams  and  in 
accordance  with  your  grandfather's  views  &  cooperation,  l)ut 
as  there  were  at  that  time  only  two  male  members  in  the  Church, 
and  one  of  them  lived  four  miles  from  the  meeting  house, 
the  whole  care  fell  upon  your  grandfather  both  as  Teacher 
&  Superintendent.  Somewhat  of  aid  was  given  by  Mr.  George 
W  Osborne  of  Waterville,  and  after  a  while  from  Students  of 
the  Charity  school,  from  which  institution  has  sprung  up  all 
those  College  buildings,  so  rich  and  convenient  for  the  requi- 
sition of  knowledge,  and  the  great  amount  of  .science  within 
its  walls  which  is  like  unto  the  River  upon  whose  bank  it  stands. 

The  manner  of  conducting  Sab  School  was  different  from 
what  it  now  is,  the7i  the  pupils  were  obliged  to  commit  to 
memory  —  but  stop  —  obliged  to  commit  conveys  a  wrong 
idea,  rather  they  had  the  privilege  of  committing  to  memory 
as  great  a  number  of  verses  in  the  Testament  as  they  pleased, 
thus  the  number  committed  was  governed  by  circumstances, 
i.e.  their  age,  —  their  ability  or  their  home  privilege,  which 
last  mentioned  has  very  much  to  do  with  the  prosperity  of 
the  Sabbath  .school. 

Some  of  the  children  would  repeat  fluently  l!25  verses, 
others  some  100  or  80 — 50  or  10.  Then  a  few  general  remarks 
from  the  Minister  or  Superintendant  &  closing  with  singing. 

Your  father's  rule  was  to  look  over  his  lesson  for  the  next 
Sabbath,  on  Sunday  after  meeting  and  by  a  little  assistance 
from  his  mother  get  the  Story.  Then  by  talking  about  it  and 
asking  questions  during  the  week  he  would  get  very  correct 
ideas  about  it.  So  nigh  as  I  can  remember  his  common  rule 
was  about  25  verses  which  I  still  think  is  better  than  a  very 
great  number. 


THIRTEEN  HALF  DOLLARS  177 

After  a  few  years  it  was  concluded  that  the  school  should 
take  the  book  of  James  and  go  through  with  it  on  close  exami- 
nation and  it  was  only  a  few  years  ago  that  your  father  told  me 
he  could  repeat  the  whole  of  that  book  with  a  very  little  prompt- 
ing, and  in  my  mind  there  remains  not  a  doubt  that  those 
heavenly  principles  so  well  calculated  to  aid  and  direct  a  young 
man  through  life  were  his  peculiar  treasure. 

Blessed  Sabbath  School,  would  that  all  children  loved  it  as 
well  as  my  owti  dear  Charles  used  to  do. 

One  circumstance  relating  to  him  as  he  appeared  among  the 
neighbors  when  he  went  on  errands,  I  will  here  bring  to  view 
which  will  go  to  prove  a  sentiment  often  expresst  to  me.  Being 
in  company  one  day  with  a  number  of  mothers,  the  subject 
as  usual  came  up  respecting  our  children  when  one  of  the 
company  remarked  to  me  as  follows.  "I  never  saw  such  a  boy 
as  your  Charles,  when  he  comes  to  my  house  he  raps  at  the 
door  —  comes  in  —  takes  off  his  cap  and  makes  a  bow  —  then 
he  does  his  errand  —  gets  his  answer,  makes  his  bow  —  puts 
on  his  cap  and  goes  out,  I  never  saw  such  a  boy." 

This  was  a  common  testimony  from  friends  and  shall  ever 
remain  a  truth  that  in  going  out  on  business,  he  was  correct, 
cjuick  and  punctual  to  a  letter. 

There  is  quite  a  snow-storm  without  and  it  is  getting  dark, 
sufficient  to  say  good  night. 

Letter  10th 

April  27th  1850 
You  will  see  by  this  date  that  it  is  a  number  of  days  since 
I  laid  down  my  pen.  The  reason  is,  I  came  to  a  place  where 
I  was  in  a  strait  betwixt  two,  having  a  desire  to  write  many 
things  unto  you.  But  upon  consideration  have  thought  that 
it  would  be  too  much  like  the  "Pie"  that  was  made  of  almost 
nothing,  and  yet  quite  palatable  by  reason  of  the  "much  spice." 
I  shall  therefore  pass  over  many  little  incidents  now  brought 
out  and  made  plain  to  my  mind's  eye  which  would  add  much 


178       THE  DISCOVERY   OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

to  the  nuviher  of  these  LETTERS  without  materially  enrich- 
ing this  work.  I  will  however  touch  upon  a  few  things  which 
will  go  to  show  his  ability  &  tact  to  divert  the  minds  of  the 
young  group  counting  up  under  his  eye,  and  thereby  prove 
two  truths,  first,  the  train  of  mechanism  in  which  his  mind  was 
continually  led  and  second  his  turning  it  to  enhance  his  useful- 
ness while  confined  within  the  bounds  of  the  house  &  dooryard. 

Of  the  Saw  mill  which  made  its  appearance  only  a  few  feet 
from  the  door,  I  shall  say  but  little  as  it  was  but  just  capable 
of  sawing  a  Potato  or  soft  Apple,  but  of  father's  Turnpike 
roads  of  which  he  cast  up  many  I  will  give  you  a  short  de- 
scription. 

An  unexpected  event  calls  me  down  stairs  and  I  must  lay 
down  my  pen  and  dismiss  all  thoughts  of  Turnpike  roads  until 
a  future  day,  then  hope  to  be  able  to  beguile  a  few  of  your  mo- 
ments with  gone  by  scenes  connected  with  your  dear  father's 
youthful  amusements  and  recreations.     Till  then  know  me  to 

be  your  affec 

friend     A.  W.  Paine. 

Letter  11th 

May  1st,  1850 
Dear  Boy, 

The  subjects  of  Turnpike  which  is  to  compose  a  part  of  this 
letter  has  long  since  been  to  a  great  extent  superseded  by 
Rail-road  so  that  it  is  too  far  on  the  back  ground  for  your 
personal  knowledge,  but  I  intend  that  my  short  sketch  shall 
enlighten  you  somewhat  thereon.  This  "enlightening,"  you 
must  gather  from  an  evening's  amusement  of  which  your  father 
would  act  the  part  of  "Principal"  and  thus  divert  the  attention 
of  a  whole  brood  of  children  through  a  long  evening. 

Directly  after  the  supper  table  was  cleared  off,  the  question 
would  come  up  —  "let  us  play  Turnpike."  Accordingly  one 
of  the  first  movements  would  be  to  make  sufficient  money 
for  the  evening.     This  was  done  by  taking  a  piece  of  stout 


THIRTEEN  HALF  DOLLARS  179 

paper  doubled  many  times  and  held  very  tight  between  the 
pairs  of  tongs  and  held  in  the  fire  untill  they  burned  round, 
then  these  were  distributed  to  the  traveling  community  among 
which  mother  received  a  share,  for  no  one  might  pass  that 
evening  without  money. 

The  next  thing  done  was  cast  up  the  road,  this  was  by  draw- 
ing two  heavy  chalk  marks  length  ways  of  the  kitchen,  far 
enough  apart  to  admit  a  foot  passenger  or  carriage,  or  man  on 
horseback.  The  carriage  was  a  little  chair  with  a  baby  tied 
thereon,  the  man  on  horseback  a  boy  riding  stride  a  stick. 

Then  there  was  the  Toll  gate  which  was  made  with  a  chair 
on  each  side  the  road,  and  the  broom  laid  across  from  one  to 
the  other. 

The  next  arrangement  was  to  put  all  the  moveables  into  that 
end  of  the  room  where  the  doors  were  that  led  into  the  bedroom 
—  entry  —  sink  room  but  especially  the  cupboard.  Then  all 
the  people  were  cooped  ujj  into  the  vacated  part  which  was 
much  the  smallest  and  the  Toll  gatherer  would  take  his  seat 
on  a  stool  nigh  the  gate,  that  the  little  chairs  might  be  left  for 
riders. 

All  these  things  done  —  then  commenced  the  hour  of  action 
when  every  body  wanted  something  that  was  in  the  other 
part  of  the  world,  and  it  would  often  happen  that  even  the  baby 
would  wake  and  want  mother's  care  or  seem  to  have  a  premo- 
nition that  it  could  have  a  ride  in  the  Turn  pike. 

Perhaps  you  will  wonder  how  it  was  that  your  father  under- 
stood all  these  aflfairs?  In  reply  I  would  say  that  your  grand- 
parents had  traveled  much  in  Massachusetts  where  there  were 
many  such  roads,  and  on  our  return  had  related  many  such 
like  historys,  that  our  children  at  home  might  in  some  small 
degree  partake  of  the  like  happenings. 

This  relation  will  go  to  prove  the  remark  in  former  letters 
i.e.  unaffected  kindness  —  peculiar  prominences  etc.  etc. 

P.  S.     As  all  my  writing  moments  are  in  a  great  measure 


180       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

mixed  in  with  household  duties,  it  is  only  by  scraps  &  hits 
that  I  pen  any  thing.  It  is  now  half  past  eleven  of  the  clock, 
and  altho  this  is  a  ven^  short  letter,  shall  abruptly  say  Fare- 
well until  a  time  in  the  day  more  convenient  for  retirement; 
in  the  intermediate  time,  hope  to  select  a  better  pen,  for  really 
this  is  a  very  poor  wornout  thin<;  and  powerfully  reminds  me 
of  the  decay  of  life's  scenes  and  enjoyments. 

Yours  in  love. 
Grandmother. 

Lcller  IM 

Mail  1'^'  1850 
To  my  ever  dear  grandson. 

The  other  day  in  looking  over  some  stray  leaves  of  an  old 
Manuscript  I  found  the  following  which  I  have  thought  proper 
to  copy.  It  is  dated  18'-2;5.  "I  have  just  parted  with  my  dear 
Charles  to  go  on  a  visit  to  the  West  and  altho  I  have  four 
children  left,  yet  there  is  a  great  vacancy,  for  he  is  my  first 
born,  consequently  my  dear  beloved."  ...  In  my  last  letter 
we  left  my  dear  boy  just  entering  the  door  of  his  Uncle  Timothy 
Ware's  at  Boston.  His  arrival  was  expected  for  altho  the 
letter  tax  was  eighteen  and  three  quarter  cents,  yet  it  never 
retarded  our  correspondence  with  relatives  &  friends  and  in 
these  goosequill  days,  when  as  yet  a  steel  pen  had  never  entered 
the  heart  of  a  Keimebecer,  and  the  great  foolscap  paper  which 
would  contain  a  volume,  all  the  people  at  the  West  could  know 
about  our  plans. 

Now  while  he  is  rejoicing  at  Boston  we  will  turn  aside  as 
it  were  and  take  a  look  into  his  Trunk  and  see  the  result  of 
the  last  Winter's  work  so  far  as  relates  to  this  journey.  And 
by  the  way  I  would  say  it  is  a  hair  trunk  with  brass  nails  marked 
C.  P.  and  now  it  stands  in  my  Chamber  occupied  by  your 
third  Sister  Esther  Matilda  Paine. 

The  contents  of  the  trunk  together  with  what  he  had  on. 
First  there  were   two   full   suits  of  clothes,   all   new   with  the 


THIRTEEN  HALF  DOLLARS  181 

exception  of  the  dress  coat  which  was  made  of  his  father's 
wedding  coat  and  cost  23  dollars.  It  was  made  all  over  again 
and  "just  as  good  as  new."  Better  —  a  good  quantity  of 
under  clothes.  Stockings,  Handkerchiefs  of  various  kinds. 
Hats,  boots,  shoes  and  gloves,  most  certainly  he  had  gloves.  — 
Then  in  the  right  hand  corner  snug  down  at  the  bottom  lay 
a  little  package  of  money  which  his  father  let  him  have  and  in 
a  pocket  under  his  arm  the  Purse  of  which  you  have  had  a 
description  containing  about  four  dollars  of  his  own  picking 
together. 

Then  there  was  a  memorandum  of  every  article  which  he  had 
with  him  that  he  might  know  to  pick  them  together  when 
he  returned.  One  other  thing  which  he  carried  in  his  vest 
pocket,  was  a  perpetual  advantage  to  him.  It  was  a  Direc- 
tory, but  at  this  day  of  improvements  and  new  names  it  might 
be  called  a  "Pathfinder."  It  contained  the  names  of  all  the 
relatives  that  he  would  visit,  and  on  which  side  they  were 
connected,  whether  on  father's  or  mother's. 

I  will  give  you  one  specimen,  which  will  go  to  show  how 
it  read,  and  how  it  proved,  quoting  the  language  as  it  there 
stood  i.e.  "When  you  have  made  your  visit  at  your  Uncle 
Timothy  Ware's  ask  him  to  put  you  into  a  Stage  that  runs  from 
Boston  to  Providence,  when  you  liave  rode  about  three  hours 
the  Driver  will  probably  sing  out  "  Walpole-Half-way  house," 
and  in  about  a  minute  his  four  or  six  horse  stage  will  whirl 
up  into  the  door-yard  of  Polly's  Tavern;  here  you  must  pay 
your  "Fare"  which  will  be  just  one  dollar,  then  pass  directly 
across  the  street  to  a  large  two-story  house;  that  will  be  your 
Uncle  Harry  Partridge's  and  his  wife  is  your  father's  Sister." 
This  is  "how  it  read"  and  the  following  is  how  it  proved. 
On  the  same  day  that  Charles  went  from  Boston  to  Walpole, 
his  grandmother  chanced  to  be  with  her  daughter  Mrs.  Part- 
ridge and  was  looking  out  at  the  W'indow  as  the  Stage  came 
up.      "There  "  said  she  "  is  a  youngster  jumped  out  of  the  Stage, 


182       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

he  has  whirled  round  upon  his  heel  and  darted  off  toward  our 
door,  wonder  who  it  is?  He  looks  like  a  student."  She  met 
him  at  the  door  and  he  looked  up  with  a  pleasant  smile  and 
said  "My  name  is  Charles  Paine,  Frederic  Paine's  son  of 
Winslow."  How  he  was  received  need  not  be  told.  This  fact 
I  learned  from  his  grandmother. 

Exiract  from  a  letter  from  Charles  F.  Paine 

Foxboro  July  4  1823 
Dear  Parents. 

I  have  now  been  to  most  of  the  places  where  I  was  to 
visit,  — Have  not  been  homesick  since  I  left  home  but  enjoyed  my 
time  well,  have  set  no  time  to  return,  grandmother  will  come 
with  me  when  I  do,  —  I  want  to  see  my  brother  &  sister,  tell 
Albert  to  write  me  a  letter.  I  am  at  ]\Ir.  James  Paines  and  can 
hear  the  cannon  guns  from  Franklin  it  being  Independant  day. 

"Mr.  Paine  is  hoeing  his  corn  the  second  time. 
P.  S.     I    have    been  to  Mr.    Pratts  where  Charles    F.  Paine, 
pa'pa  learned  his  trade,  and  to  Dr.  Paul  Metcalf  at  the  same 
time;    I  have  been  to  Dea  Pratts  and  found  it  a  lonesome 
place  to  me. 

The  long  contemplated  visit  now  closed  up  and  he  returned 
home  August  the  third  as  you  will  see  by  an  extract  on  the 
second  page  of  this  letter.  His  grandmother  and  cousin 
Angeline  Partridge  came  with  him  and  resided  with  us  one 
year.  Angeline  was  about  nine  years  old.  .  .  .  And  now  I 
have  finished  the  history  of  the  "Visit  at  the  West."  .  .  . 
This  whole  story  reminds  me  of  a  mustard-seed  pent  up  in  a 
glass  bottle,  but  by  reason  of  much  warmth  the  bottle  has 
exploded,  the  seed  has  burst  its  calyx  and  now  assumes  a  tree 
which  for  a  few  days  past  has  stood  out  on  the  foregromid  of 
my  heart.  ...  I  have  had  a  number  of  sittings  for  this  letter, 
but  am  determined  to  not  have  another. 

'Love  never  dies,'  therefore  believe  me  as  ever, 

A.  W.  Paine. 


THIRTEEN  HALF  DOLLARS  183 

Letter  Uth 
To  my  grand  Boy.  Window,  May  30  1850 

Presuming  that  hy  this  time  you  have  wearied  through 
my  hist  letter,  I  shall  endeavour  to  commence  this  where  that 
left  off  and  say  that  at  your  father's  return  from  the  West  he 
found  that  your  grandfather  had  made  an  agreement  with  a 
Mail-contractor  (Mr.  Peter  Oilman)  to  carry  the  Mail  from 
Winslow  to  Fairfax  (now  Albion)  thirteen  miles  twice  a  week. 
This  agreement  was  made  in  view  of  its  heing  carried  by  your 
father  at  his  return.  Accordingly  about  the  first  week  he  went 
in  company  with  your  grandfather  that  he  might  learn  where 
the  Post  Offices  were  and  the  way  and  the  how  to  manage 
affairs  connected  with  the  rout.  At  that  time  we  owned  two 
good  horses  &  a  waggon  which  was  very  much  given  up  to  the 
care  of  your  father.  As  a  compensation  of  his  own  labour  he 
was  to  have  the  amount  of  all  the  errands  &  passengers  on  the 
rout  and  whatever  business  he  could  do  not  to  interfere  with  the 
United  States  law  i.e.  punctuality  in  his  arrivals  at  each  end  of 
the  way;  keeping  this  in  view  he  always  had  his  waggon  and 
horse  in  good  trim  &  'fre.sh.' 

To  favour  the  principle  his  mother  never  failed  to  have  his 
good  warm  breakfast  with  hot  coffee  in  .season  for  him  to  start 
off  at  or  before  the  appointed  moment  which  was  four  o'clock 
morning,  this  in  Winter  was  no  small  sacrifice  for  a  boy  thir- 
teen years  old,  to  fix  out  in  a  December  snow  storm  taking  his 
Shovel  to  dig  through  the  drifts  then  there  was  the  cold  and 
chilling  winds  of  March  &  April  and  not  unfrequently  hoisted 
up  in  a  waggon;  and  then  to  economize  he  used  to  carry  his 
dinner,  for  his  return  was  not  till  afternoon. 

One  other  thing  to  be  considered,  those  days  were  not  times 
of  Buffalo  robes  for  men  to  wear,  one  to  put  over  or  round  him 
was  all  that  he  had  or  expected.  Then  there  was  the  heat  of 
Summer  with  its  scorching  Sun,  together  with  thunder  and 
lightning  which  seldom  if  ever  retarded  his  progress. 


184       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

Your  father  followed  the  business  of  carrying  the  Mail 
nearly  four  years  constantly,  i.e.  from  Aug  18*23  to  May  1827 
and  in  tho.se  years  of  patient  endurance  I  dont  remember  to 
have  ever  heard  him  comj^lain  of  his  lot,  but  was  the  same  then 
when  in  his  teens,  as  in  after  life  when  a  Man  &  father,  patience 
and  endurance  were  ever  prominent  characteristics  through 
his  life. 

"Every  several  gate  was  of  one  pearl." 

I  have  said  that  the  avails  of  Mail  rout  relative  to  errands 
passengers  &  business  were  to  be  your  father's  fee  for  his  own 
advantage,  therefore  your  inquiring  mind  will  wish  to  know 
something  about  the  success  he  met  with  in  this  branch  of 
labour.  This  will  lead  me  right  into  the  thirteen  half  dollars 
which  shall  be  the  subject  of  my  next  communication,  till 
then  as  ever  yours,  A.  W.  Paine. 

Letter  15th 

Winslow  June  2nd,  1850 
In  comi)liance  with  my  encouragement  I  avail  myself  a  few 
moments  this  jjleasant  second  day  of  June  to  tell  you  about  the 

Mail  Rout 
that  your  father  performed,  and  the  success  he  met  with. 
So  soon  as  he  commenced  (and  as  nearly  as  I  can  recollect) 
about  the  first  trip  he  had  some  little  errand  to  do  for  a  neighbor, 
this  reminded  his  mother  that  a  book  would  be  necessary  to 
minute  down  such  little  affairs  as  would  come  under  his  care 
so  that  his  mind  might  not  be  burthened  and  thereby  prevent 
his  observations  on  the  way,  or  if  he  pleased  to  admire  the 
works  of  nature  and  be  led  (it  might  be)  up  to  nature's  God. 
Aside  from  this  advantage  it  would  be  carrying  out  the  prin- 
cipal of  punctuality  in  the  performance  of  small  affairs  with 
neighbors  as  well  as  United  States  in  general,  for  you  must 
know  that  he  was  put  under  oath  to  the  United  States  law 
by  the  holding  up  of  the  hand  &  bow  of  assent  to  be  faithful 
n  the  performance  of  the  duty  herein  devolving.  —  This  book 


THIRTEEN   HALF  DOLLARS  185 

was  a  sheet  of  ])aper  doubled  so  as  to  number  sixteen  pages  and 
entitled  "A  memorandum  book  for  errands."  These  errands 
were  of  various  kinds  &  shapes  and  the  amount  of  pay  of  neces- 
sity must  be  submitted  to  your  father's  good  judgment,  not- 
withstanding this  he  seldom  omitted  bringing  the  subject  before 
us  at  his  return  and  we  were  ever  pleased  with  his  conscientious 
scruples.  His  prices  were  from  fourpence-halfpenny  to  twenty 
or  perhaps  twenty  five  cents.  Occasionally  he  would  have  a 
passenger  and  this  carries  my  mind  back  to  the  first  lady 
passenger. 

Application  was  made  the  evening  liefore,  which  might  if 
necessary  have  given  him  an  opportunity  to  study  his  lesson 
for  the  next  day,  but  be  that  as  it  may,  I  presume  that  he 
had  never  before  waited  upon  a  lady  with  better  grace  and  his 
reward  was  about  two  shillings. 

All  these  little  bits  of  money  were  carefully  put  into  that 
same  Purse,  and  after  a  few  months  he  chanced  to  think  that 
he  would  get  his  money  into  half  dollars,  accordingly  whenever 
he  got  fifty  cents,  he  would  give  it  to  your  grandfather  and 
receive  a  silver  half  dollar.  Thus  commenced,  or  rather  thus 
progresst  the  subject  that  has  called  forth  so  many  remarks 
in  your  father's  history,  that  of   "The  thirteen  half  dollars." 

In  the  Autumn  of  the  next  year  (\Sii)  Deacon  George  Rigby 
who  owned  a  tannery  about  half  a  mile  from  Albion  Post  Office, 
furnished  your  father  with  money  to  buy  hides  and  bring  them 
to  him,  for  which  he  allowed  him  a  small  compensation  per 
hundred.  This  he  could  well  do  and  not  infringe  upon  his 
obligations  for  that  was  the  end  of  the  rout  for  him  and  ample 
time  was  granted  to  refresh  the  horse  and  rest  before  starting 
for  home.  He  continued  this  for  sometliing  more  than  one  year, 
during  all  this  time  he  practised  exchanging  his  little  bits  of 
money  for  silver  half  dollars,  but  yet  they  did  not  increase  very 
fast  in  number  for  he  still  purchased  many  things  for  his  own 
gratification  &  comfort,  such  as  Boots,  Skates,  Books  etc.  etc. 


186       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

About  the  beginning  of  November,  182,5  the  'Plan'  came  into 
his  mind  that  he  would  buy  hides  for  himself  so  far  as  his  means 
would  allow,  and  all  the  rest  he  would  continue  to  carry  for 
the  before  stipulated  premium.  Accordingly  one  day  he  came 
down  stairs  with  elastic  step  and  presented  himself  before  his 
mother  with  that  same  money  purse  and  held  it  up,  before  my 
face  and  said  "doesn't  that  look  good?'  It  was  full  of  half 
dollars  lying  one  flat  upon  the  other  and  the  Purse  was  just 
about  full  (you  know  it  is  a  small  one)  and  being  a  knit  one 
it  sat  tight  round  the  money.  I  answered  him  out  of  the  truth 
of  my  heart. — "Well"  said  lie  "I  am  going  to  buy  hides  for  my 
self  and  a  neighbor  has  killed  an  ox  and  I  am  going  to  night 
to  get  the  hide  and  pay  for  it  out  of  these  half  dollars  and  when 
I  have  carried  it  to  the  Deacon  I  shall  have  nearly  half  a  dollar 
more  and  then  I  can  buy  two  hides  and  so  on  and  I  think  that 
will  be  a  good  plan." 

With  his  mother's  consent  and  blessing  he  darted  off  to  per- 
form his  new  scheme  which  worked  very  well.  This  was  ever 
considered  as  the  commencement  of  business  for  himself,  for 
it  was  of  his  own  planning  and  his  own  executing. 

In  my  next  letter  I  shall  tell  you  how  I  went  to  your  Mother 
the  other  day,  when  you  were  down  the  river  and  to  your  father's 
Chest  where  his  papers  were  and  among  them  found  many 
old  account  books,  some  of  which  were  of  my  own  make,  but 
I  shall  not  wait  till  another  letter  to  tell  you  how  I  was  obliged 
to  look  through  my  tears  when  my  mind  was  carried  back  to 
the  making  of  those  books  and  the  putting  of  them  into  the 
hand  of  your  dear  father  with  this  petition  to  my  heavenly 
Father.  Let  no  unjust  charge  ever  be  entered  upon  these  pure 
leaves,  to  stain  the  character  of  my  dear  boy. 

The  glorious  Sun  has  set  in 
the  West,  and  it  is  now  much  darker 
without  than  within  the  heart 
of  your  affectionate. 

Grandmother. 


THIRTEEN  HALF  DOLLARS  187 

There  are  five  more  letters.  In  these  the  grandmother 
reviews  the  various  steps  in  the  business  hfe  of  the  son. 

"As  I  have  now  put  you  into  the  narrow  lane  of  your  father's 
prosperity,  I  shall  lay  down  my  pen  and  tonight  when  the 
great  Architect  of  the  Universe  draws  around  us  the  curtains 
of  His  care,  and  all  nature  is  reposing  in  silence,  I  will  endeavour 
to  recollect  the  time  &  the  business  that  your  industrious  father 
stepped  into  after  laying  aside  the  Mail  &  buying  hides." 

June  U,  1850 

His  life  with  boats  began  at  this  period,  from  the  running  of 
boats  for  others  to  the  building  of  them  for  himself,  first  small 
and  then  large.  One  invention  succeeded  another.  There 
was  the  water  wheel  "which  he  calculated  would  work  well, 
in  the  mode  of  raising  &  lowering  tide  &  current  water  wheels 
with  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  water."  Then  came  his  marriage 
and  the  changing  of  the  homestead  so  as  to  admit  a  second 
family.  Grandmother  embraces  this  opportunity  to  instil 
the  principles  of  a  true  marriage  into  the  grandson. 

"This,  my  dear  child,  is  one  of  the  greatest  changes  which 
takes  place  in  a  young  man's  life,  altho  often  entered  into  in 
a  thoughtless  careless  manner  without  sufficiently  counting 
the  cost  of  such  a  step,  and  in  doing  which  many,  very  many 
couple  are  disappointed  and  their  happiness  impeded  through 
life.  But  on  the  other  hand  if  the  subject  is  well  digested  and 
maturely  planned  and  wisely  chosen,  it  affords  the  recipient 
the  greatest  enjoyment  of  any  other  institution  in  the  world. 
But  my  object  is  not  to  write  on  matrimony,  but  to  tell  you  how 
your  modest  father  made  his  mind  known  to  his  mother  on 
this  subject." 

The  last  of  this  series  of  letters  which  she  began  Sept.,  1849, 
is  dated  August  19th,  1851.  It  ends  abruptly  and  is  without 
signature.     The  Grandmother  lived  only  five  months  longer. 


CHAPTER  THREE 

BENJAMIN  CROWNINSHIELD  PAINE 

Uncle  Benjamin,  tlie  third  son,  appears  in  the  books  as 
"my  kind  hearted  my  nohle  hearted  son"  and  the  mother  longs 
for  him  to  "enter  the  fold." 

May  1838 
Deutoronomy  33,  1^2:    "And  of  Benjamin  he  said  The  be- 
loved of  the  Lord  shall  cover  him  all  the  day  long  and  he  shall 
dwell  between  his  shoulders."     God  grant  that  this  may  be  the 
happy  lot  of  my  dear  son 

Benjamin  C.   Paine.  ' 

In  1842  he  married  Elizabeth  Hayden  and  together  they 
lived  in  the  old  homestead  for  forty-three  years. 

Their  three  children,  the  Annah,  Frederic  and  Daniel  of 
these  ])ages,  died  either  in  early  childhood  or  young  manhood. 

In  May  1885,  there  came  to  his  brother  Albert  this  touch- 
ing note: 

1885,  Homestead,  Thursday  11  a.m. 

Homestead  do  I  call  it  and  no  Elizabeth  on  this  side  to 
nurse  and  care  for  me. 

But  she  is  in  the  better  world  no  more  to  suffer. 
Breathed  her  last  at  7  this  morn,  funeral  at  2  p.m.  Saturday. 
But  my  head  is  heavy  to  write. 

Truly  B.  C.  Paine. 

In  the  summer  of  1886  his  brother  Timothy  in  Elmwood 
awoke  about  five  o'clock  and  saw  his  brother  Benjamin  lying 
on  his  bed  in  Winslow,  in  the  well  known  chamber.  At  the 
foot  of  the  bed  was  "Elizabeth"  beckoning  to  him  with  the 
words  "Come  Benjy." 

Uncle  T  aroused  his  wife  that  .she  might  bear  witness  to  the 

'  Stray  Leaves. 

188 


BENJAMIN  CROWNINSIIIELD  PAINE         189 

account  of  the  wondrous  vision  and  began  to  pack  his  bag. 
Later  in  the  forenoon  came  the  word  of  the  death  of  Benjamin. 
I  think  that  nothing  had  been  known  of  any  illness. 

He  was  71  years  of  age  which  was  the  age  of  both  his  father 
and  his  brother  Timothy  at  the  time  of  their  deaths. 

"Home  was  to  him  the  most  beautiful  spot  on  earth  and  he 
tried  to  make  it  a  delightful  spot  not  only  to  the  members  of 
his  own  family  but  to  all  others.  He  saw  the  work  all  around 
him  to  be  done  for  others  and  was  glad  and  willing  to  do  it. 
He  could  and  did  get  outside  himself  and  could  think  and 
plan  for  others.  He  loved  his  church  and  was  generally  there. 
He  could  not  be  shut  up  within  the  walls  of  one  home  or  one 
church  or  one  place  of  business  but  was  interested  in  the  pros- 
perity of  them  all."     {From  "Waterville  Mail,"  July  1886) 

Dear  Uncle  Benjamin!  How  I  wish  it  were  in  my  power  to 
to  give  even  a  faint  idea  of  his  keen,  shrewd  and  homely  wit, 
unsurpassed  by  that  of  any  other  whom  I  ever  met.  We  were 
very,  very  fond  of  him  and  of  dear  Aunt  Elizabeth. 

In  those  early  days  of  railroading,  the  only  dividend  given 
to  the  stockholders  of  the  Maine  Central  was  a  free  ride  to  them 
and  to  their  families,  on  the  occasion  of  the  annual  meeting 
in  Waterville. 

Some  of  us  always  took  advantage  of  this  opportunity  to 
visit  the  old  place,  where  the  .same  hearty  welcome  was  given 
us  as  we  were  wont  to  give  to  them  in  Bangor.  I  had  one 
long  happy  summer  there  rambling  about  the  fields  and  lead- 
ing their  lives  with  them.  It  was  the  custom  of  Uncle  Ben- 
jamin to  send  us  about  Thanksgiving  time  a  big  box  full  of 
the  nuts  from  the  oft-mentioned  "oil-nut"  tree. 

The  little  hou.se  stands  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  a  landmark  to 
us  as  we  travel  back  and  forth  between  Bangor  and  Boston. 
The  station  is  at  its  foot,  but  the  greeting  he  ever  gave  us  as 
the  train  stopped  at  it,  is  gone  — 

My  Father,  the  second  son,  and  Uncle  Timothy,  the  fourth 
son,  we  shall  follow  into  the  homes  of  their  choice. 


CHAPTER  FOUR 

THE    DAUGHTERS    OF    FREDERIC    AND    ARIEL 
WARE  PAINE 

Caroline  the  oldest,  married  late  in  life,  Dr.  Preserved  B. 
Mills  of  Bangor.  Of  her,  her  mother  writes,  "I  should  think 
that  Caroline  would  be  tired  of  study,  study,  study!"  There 
are  records  of  various  schools  in  which  she  taught,  but  appar- 
ently not  for  any  great  length  of  time.  For  a  pastime  she 
wrote  short  articles  and  poems  for  the  papers  of  the  day, 
often  giving  very  i)leasing  little  touches  to  the  incidents  about 
her.     She  died  in  1898. 

Of  Harriet,  the  second  daughter,  there  is  little  left  to  be 
written.  Her  name  was  a  household  name  with  us,  and 
throughout  his  long  life  my  father  never  ceased  to  speak  of  her 
in  terms  of  the  very  greatest  affection.  His  own  early  letters 
are  almost  as  full  of  the  subject  of  her  death  as  are  Grand- 
mother's Journals.  Her  parting  gift  to  him  was  her  Bible, 
which  he  preserved  with  the  greatest  care. 

Charlotte  whose  marriage  to  Mr.  George  Sumner  Leavitt 
is  mentioned  a  few  pages  back,  died  in  1882.  She  went  back 
to  the  old  home  i)lace,  Foxboro,  where  she  lived  for  many  years. 

Sarah,  the  youngest  of  the  family,  married  Mr.  George  Cope- 
land  of  Bridgewater  and  moved  later  to  Jefferson,  Wisconsin. 
She  died  in  1908. 

Of  her  he  writes: 

"Your  Aunt  Sarah  was  always  interested  in  all  the  children 
with  whom  she  came  in  contact  and  she  was  Lady  Bountiful 
to  many,  some  of  whom  had  no  possible  claim  upon  her  except- 
ing their  own  worthlessness.  She  used  to  tell  me  of  the  family 
of  dolls  which  she  used  to  play  with  before  she  began  mothering 
the  neighboring  children,  until  she  was  about  twenty  years  of 
age.     These  she  kept  up  stairs  in  the  detached  building  at  the 

190 


DAUGHTERS  OF  FREDERIC  AND  ARIEL  PAINE    191 

Winslow  home  used  for  storage.  Tliese  were  not  all  of  the  same 
family  —  not  even  of  the  same  social  scale.  There  were  prince 
and  pauper,  as  well  as  bourgeois  and  they  were  dressed  in 
various  degrees  of  elegance  and  squalor." 

That  she  was  sent  to  hoarding  school,  we  know  by  Grand- 
mother's enumeration  of  the  articles  that  went  with  her. 

Four  of  the  cliildren,  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  became 
devoted  to  the  New-Church  and  the  mother  lived  to  feel  that 
"it  was  well  with  them." 

As  I  came  very  little  in  personal  touch  with  the  aunts,  my 
cousin  Edith  Paine  Benedict  has  written  for  me  a  few  intimate 
"Glimpses"  into  the  lives  of  "The  Daughters." 

The  Daughters 

I  find  that  my  chief  apology  for  this  little  volume  lies  in  the 
fact  that  we  can  hardly  have  too  many  truthful  and  detailed 
records  of  the  old-fashioned  "father  and  mother  home,"  upon 
which  our  country  is  founded. 

No  one  can  study  the  faces  of  Frederic  and  Abiel  Paine  and 
find  it  possible  to  separate  them  in  his  mind.  The  life  that 
they  lived  was  one  life.  Together  they  reared  eight  children  to 
reverence  their  Maker  and  to  .seek  above  all  things  to  do  His  will. 

Each  respected  the  other.  The  wife  was  honored  by  her  hus- 
band and  recognized  as  queen  of  the  home,  and  the  husband 
was  honored  by  his  faithful  wife. 

It  was  no  accident  of  fate  that  made  each  one  of  the  four  sons 
a  model  husband  and  father.  Three  of  them  selected  wives 
who  were  never  robust  in  bodily  health  and  had  always  to  be 
tenderly  cherished,  but  each  was  a  companion  and  helpmate. 

I  am  certain  that  no  one  of  these  eight  children  could  for  a 
moment  consider  a  marriage  that  was  not  founded  upon  mutual 
love  and  respect. 

Only  one  of  the  daughters  was  to  know  the  blessing  of  mother- 
hood.    Little  Harriet  died  at  fifteen.     Caroline  married  late 


192       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

in  life  and  Saraii  was  also  childless.  Only  Charlotte  had  the 
fully  rounded  life  with  which  her  mother  had  been  blessed  and 
yet  each  one  of  these  girls  gave  proof  of  the  blessed  heritage 
that  had  Ijeen  hers. 

I  remember  Aimt  Sarah  as  a  merry  playmate  and  the  maker 
of  nearly  all  of  my  toys.  Her  hands  had  made  my  big  rag  doll 
Lizzie  with  her  whole  wardrobe,  and  Aunt  never  came  to  see 
me  without  bringing  new  paper  dolls.  These  she  actually 
played  with  as  if  she  had  been  herself  a  child.  All  her  life 
she  made  friends  with  as  many  children  as  she  could  gather  in. 
Our  village  Christmas  tree  bore  a  paper  doll  for  every  little  girl  in 
Joppa.  She  saved  bits  of  silk,  lace  and  shiny  paper  for  her  little 
friends  and  taught  them  how  to  make  wonderful  things. 

She  hated  to  sew  although  she  could  do  it  beautifully  but  she 
loved  to  make  "drawn-in  rugs."  I  remember  a  wonderful  one 
with  a  central  design  of  a  bush  on  which  grew  all  sorts  of  flowers 
of  imbelievable  .shapes  and  colors.  "They  are  not  meant  to 
be  natural,  they  don't  have  to  be  natural,"  she  defended  herself, 
"that's  one  great  advantage  of  a  drawn-in  rug."  She  made  a 
little  table  bib  for  her  pet  cat  and  also  a  cape  and  bonnet. 
She  was  always  bubbling  over  with  happiness  and  fun. 

She  was  not  jiretty  —  perhaps  no  one  ever  called  her  so  — 
but  she  was  the  daintiest  of  little  ladies.  Her  shoes  were 
no.  1  and  I  dare  not  say  what  gloves  she  wore.  There  was 
never  a  speck  of  dust  or  dirt  in  any  corner  of  her  hou.se. 

Even  the  youngest  of  her  child  friends  must  obey  her  rules  — 
such  as  stepping  from  rug  to  rug  to  preserve  the  polished 
brightness  of  her  ])umpkin-yellow  kitchen  floor  and  picking 
up  the  tiniest  thread  or  scrap  or  crumb  that  one  had  drojjped. 
But  she  made  a  bright  little  game  of  it  all.  No  one  loved  her 
less  for  her  little  ways. 

She  was  always  fond  of  writing  and  in  her  girlhood  her 
brother  Timothy  had  greatlj'  enjoyed  her  little  verses  and 
encouraged  her  to  write  them,   but  she  soon  gave  it   up  and 


DAUGHTERS  OF  FREDERIC  AND  ARIEL  PAINE     193 

contented  herself  with  sliort  articles  printed  in  daily  or  weekly 
papers,  usually  in  regard  to  the  care  and  training  of  children. 
Sarah  and  her  hushantl  were  ideal  comrades.  Their  table 
was  always  covered  with  the  best  magazines  and  papers  as 
well  as  with  good  books.  A  whole  book  could  be  written  of 
their  quiet  influence  for  good  throughout  their  long  and  happy 
life  together.  Every  one  whom  they  knew  came  under  the 
sphere  of  their  influence. 

Aunt  Charlotte  was  in  many  ways  very  like  her  sister  Sarah. 
The  two  were  always  very  intimate.  Charlotte  was  nearly 
as  tiny  and  quite  as  dainty  as  Sarah  but  was  also  very  pretty 
with  the  brightest  of  dark  brown  eyes. 

She  would  have  enjoyed  a  family  of  daughters  but  had  only 
her  four  sons.  How  she  managed  it  no  one  could  ever  under- 
stand, but  each  one  of  tlio.se  four  l)oys  helped  his  mother  with 
the  housework  as  a  matter  of  course.  They  seemed  as  much 
interested  as  herself  in  neatness  and  order  and  yet  each  was 
a  hearty,  natural,  manly  boy. 

Remembering  my  father's  stories  of  the  way  in  which  he 
worked  with  his  mother  in  dairy  and  kitchen,  I  am  sure  that 
Charlotte  was  carrying  on  her  mother's  traditions.  The  labor 
next  at  hand  was  work  to  be  done  and  all  necessary  work  was 
equally  honorable. 

The  time  gained  by  her  household  methods  was  given  by 
Charlotte  Leavitt  to  the  community  in  which  she  hved.  Every 
worn  out  garment  was  carefully  ripped  and  pressed  and  made 
over  into  garments  or  quilts  for  poor  people  and  for  overworked 
mothers.  The  whole  village  was  deeply  bereaved  when  she 
died. 

My  father  being  so  very  much  yoimger  than  his  brothers 
was  a  great  favorite  with  his  sisters.  He  was  close  to  Charlotte 
and  Sarah  in  age  and  had  been  a  very  intimate  companion. 
His  sister  Caroline,  eight  years  older,  had  a  strong  big-sister 


104       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

love  for  him  and  all  three  felt  deeply  hurt  when  after  securing 
his  beloved  Agues  he  seemed  inclined  to  forget  that  he  had  any 
sisters  at  all.  Mother  sympathized  with  the  sisters  but  her 
eyes  would  not  allow  her  to  write  letters  and  therefore  it  became 
my  task,  as  soon  as  I  learned  to  write,  to  keep  up  correspondence 
with  my  aunts.  With  Aunt  Caro  and  Aunt  Sarah  I  therefore 
grew  to  feel  very  intimate.  Aunt  Sarah  had  lived  only  a  mile 
or  two  from  my  home  until  she  moved  to  Wisconsin  when  I 
was  thirteen  years  old.  Aunt  Caro  I  could  dimly  remember 
from  a  visit  made  in  Winslow  when  I  was  four  years  old,  but  we 
were  drawn  together  by  our  love  for  writing.  She  had  the 
sense  of  belonging  to  the  public  and  of  owing  the  world  a 
share  of  all  her  thoughts  and  feelings  which  came  to  her  mind, 
a  sense  which  .seems  to  have  impelled  so  many  of  us  to  "take 
pen  in  hand."  But  (like  most  of  us)  she,  having  taken  pen 
in  hand,  had  really  not  ciuile  enough  to  say.  At  any  rate  the 
world  did  not  seem  eager  to  listen. 

Perhaps  it  is  only  one  manifestation  of  the  creative  impulse 
which  every  human  being  must  have  in  order  to  really  live. 

If  Aunt  Caro  had  met  her  true  knight  in  her  girlhood  she 
might  have  become  a  very  happy  useful  wife  and  mother,  but 
she  had  not  the  sunny  disposition  or  the  saving  sense  of  humor 
with  which  her  younger  sisters  had  been  blessed.  She  fed  too 
much  upon  her  own  fancies  and  had  not  the  faculty  of  forgetting 
self  in  work  for  others,  and  so  I  always  think  of  her  with  a  cer- 
tain tender  pity  and  am  glad  to  find  from  these  blessed  journals 
that  Caroline's  mother  appreciated  her  worth  and  had  taken 
comfort  in  her  eldest  daughter. 

E.  P.  B. 

In  closing  this  part  of  my  work,  I  am  not  saying  good-by 
to  the  Grandmother  whom  I  discovered  and  with  whom  I  have 
lived  this  twelvemonth,  for  her  influence  and  her  presence  will 
follow  the  two  sons  to  the  new  homes  and  we  shall  meet  her 
at  many  crossings  and  by-paths. 


PART  V.  BANGOR.  ALBERT  WARE  PAINE 

"My  Second  Son." 
Chapter  One      From  Boyhood  through  College. 
The  Journal  —  Aspiration. 
Two       The  Country  under  Jackson,  1835-6. 
Three    Bangor  in  1835-6. 

Four      The  Young  man  and  Lawyer  in  1835-6. 
Five       Extracts  from  Auto-Biography  —  Realization. 
Six         Letters. 
Seven    Mary  Hale  Paine  —  Selma  Ware  Paine. 

The  Country  under  Jackson  in  1835-6 
Slavery  Bank  Charter 

French  War  Deposit  Bill 

Texas  —  Mexico  —  Indians  Pres.  Election. 

J.  Q.  Adams 

Bangor  in  1835-6 

The  City 

Amusements 

Clubs,  Associations,  etc. 

Churches 

The  Young  ]\Lan  in  1835-6 

The  Lawyer  in  1835-C 

The  Auto-Biography 

Law  Reform 

Religious  Experience 

The  Author 

A  general  Review  of  work  accomplished. 

Illustrations 

Albert  Ware  Paine,  at  80,  gen  VIII 

Inscription  on  monument  at  Lexington,  from  copy  by  A.  W.  P. 

at  age  of  twelve,  facsimile. 
The  Home,  88  Court  St  — 

His  Garden  Mine  of  Health 

Mary  Hale  Paine,  at  75 
Selma  Ware  Paine,  gen  IX 

195 


-IXTRODUCTORV" 

For  material  for  "Glimpses"  into  the  home  and  life  of  my 
father  there  are  the  "Journal,"  the  "Auto-Biography  hurriedly 
written,"  the  various  publications  of  his  and  the  many  public 
notices  of  his  work  for  the  commimity. 

The  Journal  was  begun  when  he  was  yet  but  twenty-two 
years  old,  Aug.  1835  and  continued  to  Aug  31  1836.  With  the 
exception  of  two  interruptions,  the  one  caused  by  a  visit  to 
his  beloved  home,  and  the  other  by  a  visitation  of  "scarlet 
fever  and  the  canker  rash"  of  two  weeks  duration,  there  are 
daily  entries,  some  of  which  consist  of  but  a  single  word  "ditto" 
while  others  cover  two  and  three  pages  of  his  250-page  book. 
In  this  we  see  his  surroundings,  the  conditions  of  the  country, 
the  city,  and  his  home;  we  see  his  guiding  princii)les,  his  in- 
terests and  his  as])irations. 

In  the  Auto-Biography,  we  see  these  principles  consistently 
carried  out  in  his  long  life;  these  interests  increased  in  number 
and  strength  and  the  asj)irations  realized  to  a  greater  extent 
than  even  he  could  have  anticipated.  At  the  earnest  request 
of  his  daughters,  in  1886,  he  began  the  Auto-Biography,  just 
fifty  years  after  the  close  of  the  Journal,  and  he  continued 
from  time  to  time  to  add  a  bit  here  and  to  bring  up  to  date 
there,  the  stage  of  the  develoj)ments  of  his  efforts  to  reform 
the  statutes  of  court,  state  and  country. 

His  interests  in  these  reforms  remained  with  him  to  the  end 
and  he  frequently  sent  letters  to  Washington,  where  he  had 
many  friends  in  Congress  and  in  the  Senate,  and  to  Augusta. 

His  last  book  was  published  just  after  he  left  us,  at  the  age 
of  95  years.  It  was  the  "History  of  Mt.  Hope,"  written  at  the 
request  of  the  Mt.  Hope  Corporation.  Among  other  records  in 
the  Journal  will  be  seen  that  of  the  dedication  of  this  Cemetery 
and  of  the  sale  of  the  lots. 

As  I  can  find  no  words  that  will  so  well  serve  as  an  introduction 
to  his  life,  as  a  poem  written  by  my  sister  Selma,  I  insert  it  here, 
and  will  leave  the  telling  of  his  life  story  to  his  own  words. 

Dear  Father's  Eightieth  Birthday 
Four  score,  four  score !     The  darling  years 

I  love  them  every  one. 
From  that  which  kissed  his  baby  face 
To  that  which  crowns  it  with  the  grace 

Of  eighty  summers'  sun ; 
196 


INTRODUCTORY  107 

And  strengthens  it  witli  eighty  times 

A  winter's  bracing  cold. 
How  faint  the  traces  of  the  care, 
The  labor  and  the  sorrow  there 

The  Psalmist  has  foretold. 

"What  is  the  mystery,"  they  ask, 

"  Why  does  he  not  grow  old.''" 
And  speak  of  temperance,  a  heart 
Of  happy  cheer  and  so  a  part,  — 

A  little  part  is  told. 

They  say  with  nature  hand  in  hand 

He  gained  her  ])ristine  wealth. 
In  that  he  balanced  legal  toil 
With  loving  labor  on  the  soil. 

His  garden  mine  of  health. 

But  still  the  master  mystery 

The  words  do  not  define 
For  that  which  drives  the  shadows  hence 
Is  his  abiding  confidence 

In  Providence  Divine. 

If  sorrow  rises  in  his  cup. 

He  knows  it  should  be  quaffed. 
He  drinks  it,  names  it  not,  forgets 
And,  ho])ing  unaliated,  sets 

His  lips  to  sweeter  draught. 

Sustaining  still  his  happy  home, 

And  turning  eager  glance 
On  thoughts  and  deeds  of  humankind 
He  helps  with  word  and  pen  and  mind 

And  joys  in  man's  advance. 

So  lightening  life  for  all  around 

By  humor's  happy  play, 
And  working  daily  as  in  youth 
And  following  his  idea  of  truth 

He  goes  his  blessed  way.  —  S.  W.  P. 

August  16,  1892. 


CHAPTER  ONE 
FROM  BOYHOOD    THROUGH   COLLEGE 

From  Auto- Biography 

Mt  early  life  through  boyhood  had  of  course  nothing  to 
distingush  it  from  that  of  the  great  mass  of  boys  of  the  same 
age  and  time.  My  early  education  was  that  of  the  common 
summer  and  winter  country  school,  kept  in  that  little  school 
house  still  standing  (1886)  opposite  the  Village  meeting  House 
on  the  bank  of  the  Kennebec.  There  I  learned  to  cipher, 
read,  and  write  and  gain  some  smattering  of  grammar,  the 
ordinary  country  .school  course. 

I  became  quite  a  proficient  in  the  arithmetic  line  and  was 
always  happy  to  work  out  its  puzzling  sums.  Indeed  all 
through  my  early  educational  course  mathematics  was  my 
favourite  study.  I  was  what  they  called  in  those  times  in 
school  a  good  scholar  and  generally  gained  the  good  will  of 
my  instructors. 

In  other  respects  than  my  school  exercises  I  spent  my  boy- 
hood as  most  boys  did  working  in  my  father's  mechanic  shop 
with  the  idea  of  sometime  becoming  a  mechanic  myself  and  at 
other  times,  but  rather  unwillingly,  on  the  farm  which  my 
father  owned  and  cultivated.  Planting  and  hoeing,  haying 
and  harvesting  were  pursued  in  their  season  but  never  with  any 
great  love  or  zeal.  It  was  rather  a  necessity  than  a  love  for 
such  employment  that  prompted  me  to  duty.  Hence  I  very 
naturally  earned  the  reputation  of  being  a  lazy  boy  and  gladly 
would  I  impose  any  duty  off  upon  one  of  the  other  boys  of  the 

family. 

198 


^^/In^^^—urrr^ 


-^ 


THE  Vl'^ 
PUBLIC  LL.o.^.-  . 

ASTOR,    LENOX 


FROM  BOYHOOD    THROUGH  COLLEGE         199 

A  sister  of  his  told  me  that  when  he  was  asked  to  do  some 
httle  thing  about  the  house  or  farm,  his  invariable  response 
was  "Cant  Benjy  do  it?" 

My  parents  were  a  very  loving  pair  and  exceedingly  indul- 
gent to  their  children  and  both  of  them  were  of  a  character  which 
would  lead  them  to  do  a  chore  or  work  themselves  rather  than 
impose  it  upon  one  of  their  unwilling  children.  Never  had 
children  kinder  or  more  affectionate  and  lenient  parents,  hence 
their  memory  has  ever  l)een  held  dear  by  us  all  and  always 
will  be.  Such  a  fact  as  bodily  punishment  or  chastisement 
hardly  ever  was  practised  upon  their  errant  boys  or  girls. 
We  had  a  happy  home  and  one  we  all  have  ever  enjoyed  to 
visit.  ...  ■' ' 

In  my  boyhood  days  there  existed  no  children's  books  so 
that  the  advantages  whick  the  present  generation  of  children 
enjoy  were  not  known  to  us.  A  few  religious  tracts  or  leaflets 
were  all  there  was  of  child  literature  and  as  these  were  fully 
im{)regnated  with  good  orthodoxy  such  as  we  heard  preached 
from  the  pulpit,  they  did  not  afford  a  very  great  luxury  in  the 
way  of  reading.  Hence  we  had  not  the  means  now  afforded 
for  general  information  adapted  to  the  j^outhful  mind.  Fortu- 
nately my  father  was  postmaster  of  the  town  during  the  whole 
period  of  my  boyhood  and  youth  from  a  time  anterior  to  or 
soon  after  my  birth  until  some  years  after  I  entered  my  jiro- 
fession.  We  were  thus  afforded  a  good  opportunity  for  reading 
such  publications  as  came  to  our  office.  This  gave  us  a  love 
for  that  pursuit  and  as  one  result  all  my  parent's  children  have 
ever  had  a  passion  for  reading  if  not  for  study. 

While  a  boy  a  child's  paper  was  invented  and  began  to  be 
published,  it  was  of  the  religious  order,  of  course,  but  con- 
tained interesting  matter  for  the  young.  Mother  became  a 
subscriber  and  so  we  had  the  benefits  of  the  issue.  This  was 
the  Youth's  Companion,  a  paper  which  has  been  published 
ever  since  some  three  score  years  without  growing  old  or  show- 


200       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

ing  any  signs  of  age.  It  was  published  at  the  office  of  the 
Boston  Recorder,  a  paper  which  my  parents  took  all  their 
lives  after  their  marriage. 

This  and  the  Missionarj'  Herald  were  my  dear  Mother's 
meat  and  drink  as  it  were,  for  she  was  deeply  interested  in 
all  the  subjects  which  they  patronized. 

How  well  can  I  recollect  the  historj-  and  the  scenes  and  the 
persons  which  these  publications  embraced.  The  Owhyhee 
Mission,  as  it  was  first  established,  how  it  did  interest  her  all 
the  way  up  to  the  island  becoming  a  nation  to  be  represented 
as  such  under  the  denomination  of  "The  Sandwich  Islands." 
Then  there  was  a  boy  in  college  the  son  of  the  editor  who  used 
to  ■nTJte  poetrj-  for  the  poet's  comer  of  his  father's  newspajjer. 
The  boy  afterwards  became  a  man  famed  as  Nathaniel  P. 
WiUis.  And  then  there  was  Harriet  Newell  the  distinguished 
missionary  and  Christian  to  whose  memorj'  she  dedicated  one 
of  her  own  daughters.     [The  Harriet  of  the  "Journals."] 

During  all  these  years  nothing  that  I  now  think  of  occurred 
to  make  my  life  different  from  other  boys,  but  we  hved  along 
during  the  first  decade  with  httle  to  note  save  that  we  were 
happy  boys  and  girls  li\-ing  in  a  happy  home. 

During  the  T\"inter  of  18'-25-6  when  I  was  past  my  13th  year, 
our  village  school  was  taught  by  Abraham  Sanborn  then  a 
sophomore  in  Water\nlle  College.  I  of  course  attended  his 
school  and  was  a  good  scholar,  I  suppose,  esp)ecially  in  arith- 
metic, in  his  estimation.  He  was  during  the  winter  a  frequent 
caller  at  our  house  and  very  naturally  talked  with  mother 
about  her  boys.  Albert,  he  thought,  ought  to  go  to  c-ollege 
and  so  completely  did  he  pos.sess  her  mind  with  that  idea  that 
the  ensuing  spring  was  not  allowed  to  pass  before  this  boy 
was  sent  off  unwiUingly  to  study  the  Latin  Grammar. 

After  two  years  study  I  entered  college  at  Commencement  of 
1828  and  continued  until  \SZi. 

I  claim  for  my  Alma  Mater  the  good  old  name  of  Water\-il]e 


/  ^  ,. 


L, 


if   a,  ,  (y. J  ^ 


// ■ 


J"' 


^'  T.  —- '^   ^    a.  4«,  ^~ — « 

n..^    ^^   'il^r-    ■#  «»-«  .'lit.,a--_<*/r- 


<  iafii-t  Tia/&! 


.-ti-u 


Jilf 


FROM  BOYHOOD   THROUGH  COLLEGE         20 1 

College,  never  having  in  heart  been  able  to  reeognize  "Colby 
University"  as  her  real  name.  My  feeling  probably  being  the 
same  with  that  of  a  good  sensible  boy  whose  mother  chooses 
to  change  her  name  by  a  second  marriage. 

My  four  years  were  very  industriously  employed,  it  being 
my  determination  never  to  be  absent  from  recitation.  And 
this  resolution  was  so  well  kept  that  during  my  entire  term 
there  was  but  one  exception.  I  was  present  at  every  reci- 
tation of  my  class  except  the  one  which  occurred  during  the 
funeral  services  of  my  cousin  E.  Warren  Paine,  which  of  course 
I  had  to  attend.  As  connected  with  this  college  history  I 
well  remember  the  progress  of  improvements  about  the  college 
grounds.  There  were  then  only  two  college  buildings,  the 
North  and  the  South,  the  former  only  finished  in  part.  The 
grounds  wild  and  uncultivated,  few  trees  and  nothing  orna- 
mental. The  triangle  in  front  of  the  South  College  and  the 
path  to  the  road  was  the  work  mainly  of  our  little  class  in  our 
Sophomore  year.  The  semicircular  plat  at  the  North  College 
and  the  i)ath  thence  was  wholly  the  work  of  our  class  in  our 
Junior  year,  all  the  sods,  just  as  they  now  exist  (1886),  having 
been  laid  by  the  same  iiands,  the  fingers  of  whic'h  (quoad  unuiii) 
now  hold  the  pen  which  indites  these  lines.  The  large  willows 
which  ornament  the  path  from  South  College  to  the  River 
were  planted  as  little  whip  sticks  in  my  Senior  year,  1832,  but 
not  in  any  part  by  me.     I  hail  nothing  to  do  with  it. 

During  my  college  life  it  fell  to  my  good  luck  to  be  selected 
to  ring  the  College  bell,  by  means  of  which  emj)loyment  I  was 
able  to  satisfy  my  college  term  bills.  And  after  my  freshman 
year  I  found  schools  to  teach,  the  receipts  of  which  paid  for  my 
clothing,  and  by  boarding  at  home  I5  miles  away  I  was  thus  able 
to  fill  my  mother's  resolve  that  I  should  have  a  college  edu- 
cation. 

Out  of  college  and  ready  for  something  the  great  problem 
was  next  presented,  What  next.' 


202       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

THE  JOURNAL   INTRODUCTORY 

"The  Next." 

Bangor,  Maine.  Avg  l'2th  1S35.  I  have  long  been  convinced 
of  the  utility  of  keeping  a  journal  or  common  place  book  and 
aware  of  its  importance  but  never  till  this  evening  have  I 
persuaded  myself  to  overcome  the  reluctance  which  I  have  ever 
felt  to  undertake  the  work  and  to  buy  a  book  in  part  fulfilment 
of  the  task.  Having  overcome  at  length  that  reluctance  and 
now  commenced,  I  now  form  the  resolution  to  persevere  if 
life  shall  last  until  I  shall  at  least  fill  the  blank  pages  of 
this  book.  The  advantages  resulting  from  this  course  and  the 
practise  of  writing  daily  in  some  form  are  mainly  two.  First 
it  gives  a  more  ready  manner  of  committing  our  thoughts  to 
paper,  improves  our  style  and  gives  a  conunand  of  language. 
Secondly,  it  serves  as  a  memorandum  book  of  the  future,  the 
present  and  the  past  which  may  often  be  useful  as  a  book  of 
reference  and  afford  pleasure  in  the  review  as  being  a  short 
history  of  whatever  has  happened  which  has  in  any  consider- 
able degree  affected  us. 

Man's  life  is  filled  up  with  a  great  variety  of  events  and 
continually  changing  scenes,  many  of  these  afford  instruction 
and  others  are  productive  of  profit  as  well  as  instruction  and 
pleasure.  It  is  too,  of  much  importance  to  one  in  business 
especially  since  the  various  incidents  and  acts  of  life  are  so 
closely  connected  with  each  other,  to  keep  along  with  a  history 
of  these  various  incidents  to  which  he  may  refer  —  and  this 
is  the  object  of  such  an  undertaking  as  I  have  now  commenced. 

I  have  now  as  it  were  just  commenced  life.  Tho  in  years 
almost  advanced  to  middle  age  (ii  years)  my  pupilage  has  just 
expired  and  I  have  just  entered  upon  the  more  active  business 
of  the  world.  For  nine  years  have  I  been  preparing  myself 
for  this  situation  and  for  so  manv  vears  been  accustomed  to  a 


THE  JOURNAL  INTRODUCTORY  203 

continual  series  of  expense  and  expenditures.  And  now  I 
liope  I  shall  reap,  in  some  small  degree  at  least,  some  benefit 
from  the  long  course  of  study  and  labor. 

I  have  now  been  engaged  in  the  practise  of  the  law  about 
two  months.  My  business  thus  far  has  been  less  than  from 
existing  circumstances  I  had  reason  to  expect.  The  dullness 
of  times  for  lawyers  in  general  and  the  absence  of  my  partner, 
myself  a  stranger  in  the  land,  must  be  principally  I  suspect  the 
cause  of  my  disappointment.  ...  As  I  wish  to  keep  a  short 
memorandum  of  the  more  important  events  of  my  past  history, 
no  better  place  do  I  know  of  than  here,  in  the  first  part  of 
this  my  first  journal. 

I  commenced  my  preparatory  studies  for  college.  May  22'd 
1825,  under  the  instruction  of  T.  P.  Ropes  at  Waterville  College. 
At  the  age  of  16  on  the  26th  day  of  August  1828,  I  entered 
college  of  which  I  continued  a  member  until  the  14th  April 
1832  when  I  left  and  commenced  the  study  of  the  law  with 
T.  Rice  Esq.  of  Winslow,  May  4,  1832.  With  him  I  studied 
until  March  4  '34  when  I  commenced  with  Sam'l  Wells  of 
Hallowell  with  whom  I  finished  my  studies  and  was  admitted 
in  this  city  to  practise  with  the  high  and  dignified  title  of  Atty. 
May  1835.  On  the  tenth  day  of  June  1835,  I  entered  into 
partnership  with  my  present  partner  Theo  P.  Chandler.  And 
here  I  am  now  all  alone  while  he  is  on  a  journey  to  Kentucky. 
Our  business  is  rather  limited  and  thus  far  not  very  lucrative. 
...  I  hope,  however,  for  an  increase  and  have  Httle  doubt 
we  shall  have  it  before  long,  if  not  before  at  least  when  he  re- 
turns. 


CHAPTER  TWO 
THE  COUNTRY  UNDER  JACKSON,  1835-6 

Slavery 

Aug.  17,  1835.  The  most  exciting  to{)ic  of  tlie  present  day 
in  our  republic  seems  to  be  that  of  slavery,  a  subject  which  now 
is  awakening  the  attention  of  every  one  at  the  South  as  well 
as  at  the  North.  The  public  mind  is  fearfully  aroused  and  an 
alarming  degree  of  excitement  prevails.  The  direct  cause  of 
it  is  the  late  active  and  misguided  exertions  of  the  abolitioni.sts 
of  the  North.  This  class  of  our  citizens  tho  influenced  un- 
doubtedly by  the  strictest  notions  of  right  and  morality  seem 
entirely  regardless  of  the  consequences  of  their  rash  and  im- 
prudent acts  and  determined  to  go  forward  in  the  wild  .scheme 
of  immediate  emancipation  disregarding  entirely  the  nature 
of  their  undertaking,  the  character  of  man  and  adaptation  of 
means  which  will  directly  not  only  injure  their  cause  and 
counteract  their  efforts  for  the  promotion  of  the  desired  end, 
but  such  means  as  will  alienate  the  southern  from  the  northern 
part  of  the  union  and  lead  if  not  to  mutual  war,  at  least  to  a 
separation  of  interest  and  feeling  and  thus  sever  one  of  the 
strongest  ties  whicli  have  thus  far  kept  us  together. 

Large  quantities  of  incendiary  publications  have  lately  been 
sent  into  the  southern  states  by  them  and  the  slave  holders  have 
determined  that  such  things  shall  not  be  longer  permitted, 
at  least  with  impunity.  The  post  office  has  been  violated  and 
these  publications  removed  and  burned.  The  P.  ^I.  G.  has 
been  addressed  by  the  Charleston  P.  M.  and  he  has  returned 
a  singular  equivocal  document  which  amounts  to  a  license  to 

204 


THE   COUNTRY   UNDER  JACKSON   18:55-6       205 

do  what  he  pleases  either  to  destroy  or  distribute  these  in- 
cendiary papers  which  are  thus  accunuilating  in  the  office. 
The  consequence  will  be  that  the  Department  is  no  longer  in- 
dependent, but  the  power  is  usurped  by  its  head  of  stopping 
whatever  he  thinks  of  dangerous  tendency.  Surely  the  power 
given  and  assumed  in  this  singular  document  is  one  of  an 
alarming  kind  and  should  be  frowned  upon  by  every  citizen. 
What  will  be  the  issue  of  the  present  exasperated  state  of  the 
public  mind  we  cannot  predict,  but  if  the  abolitionists  do  not 
abate  somewhat  of  their  zeal  and  impudence  we  have  reason 
to  fear  that  evil  may  come. 

Aug.  29th  1835.     This  evening  a  large  portion  of  the  citizens 
of  this  city  met  agreeably  to  a  previous  call  by  about  200  to 
take  into  consideration  and  to  express  their  opinion  on  the 
subject   of  slavery   and   the   causes   which   have   i)roduced   it. 
The  abolitionists  of  the  North  assisted  by  a  Mr.  Thompson 
from  Scotland  have  of  late  been  making  great  exertions  in- 
creasing  their  efforts   and    means   of   enlightening   the   public 
mind  as  they  call  it,  but  in  reality  of  effecting  their  desired 
end  and  sending  their  prints  and  publications  into  all  parts  of 
the  union.     Many  of  them  have  been  sent  to  the  South  and 
not  infrequently  been  found  in  the  hands  of  the  slaves.     The 
consequence   has   been   to   excite   in   them   an   insurrectionary 
spirit  and  of  course  in  the  masters  a  spirit  of  resentment  and 
anger.     Meetings  have  been  called  at  the  South  to  take  the 
matter    into    consideration.     The    result    has    been    addresses 
and  resolutions  made  up  with  entreaties  and  threats,  now  ask- 
ing us  to  desist  from  these  violent  measures,   to  regard  our 
constitutional  rights  and  urging  us  as  we  regard  their  lives, 
their   happiness   and   the   union   to   respect   their   claims   and 
privileges  as  their  own  exclusively,  and  now  warning  us  by 
threats  to  beware  how  we  interfere  with  their  domestic  policy 
and  relations.  .  .  . 

These  proceedings  have  given  rise  to  an  excitement  such  as 


206       THE  DISCOVERY   OF  A    GRANDMOTHER 

has  hardly  existed  since  the  formation  of  our  govt.  The 
South  declares  emphatically  that  a  crisis  has  arrived  and 
something  must  be  done.  The  North  must  desist  from  inter- 
ference with  the  slave  question  of  which  they,  the  South,  have 
by  right  sole  cognisance.  Meetings  have  been  called  in  most 
of  the  large  towns  of  New  England  to  denounce  the  action  of 
the  abolitionists  and  to  express  to  the  people  of  the  slave 
holding  states  their  determination  to  preserve  the  constitutional 
rights  of  the  various  portions  of  our  common  country  in 
accordance  with  the  expressed  wish  of  their  southern  fellow 
citizens.   .   .  . 

This  .subject  of  slavery  may  ])e  one  of  the  exciting  topics 
which  may  help  in  our  overthrow,  one  of  the  rocks  on  which  our 
bark  may  yet  split.  I  am  however  of  opinion  that  the  present 
state  of  things  will  turn  out  for  good  and  that  its  tendency  is 
the  ultimate  removal  of  this  stain,  this  darkest  stain  from  our 
national  escutcheon.  Man,  and  especially  an  American  is  of 
such  a  disposition  as  not  to  be  conquered  in  such  a  context 
by  threats,  they  only  make  him  more  fierce  and  less  conquer- 
able while  at  the  same  time  he  is  so  avaricious  as  not  to  be 
overcome  by  kindness  or  to  be  induced  to  give  up  his  wealth 
and  means  of  gain  by  any  acts  of  persuasion  of  argument 
alone.  .  .  .  Thus  the  zeal  of  the  abolitionists,  the  moderation 
of  their  opponents  and  the  respect  of  the  slave  holders  them- 
selves are  I  trust  all  working  together  for  good  and  will  ulti- 
mately effect  what  is  so  much  desired.  Thus  in  the  natural 
world  it  is  the  heat  of  the  sun,  the  showers  and  dews  of  heaven 
and  the  other  genial  influences  of  nature  that  causes  vegetation 
to  increase,  ripen  and  produce  its  fruit.  All  these  must  be, 
however,  combined  to  preserve  life,  let  any  one  be  suspended 
and  death  is  the  result.  While  the  existence  of  one  would  wither 
and  burn,  that  of  the  other  would  cause  the  plant  to  moulder 
and  rot.  And  as  nature  has  arranged  all  things  aright,  so  do 
I  believe  all  things  are  so  conducted  by  an  over  ruling  Provi- 


THE  COUNTRY   UNDER  JACKSON   1835-6       207 

dence  that  the  present  state  of  tilings  in  our  country  is  so  far 
from  being  of  a  lamentable  character  as  to  be  promotive  of 
the  great  and  necessary  end  of  general  emancipation. 

Sept.  4,  1S35.  The  "Friends  of  the  Union"  or  in  other 
words  the  "Anti-Abolitionists"  met  again  this  evening  by 
adjournment  from  the  SSth  ult.  A  preamble  and  resolutions 
denouncing  their  opponents  and  establishing  their  claims  to  the 
name  they  have  assumed  were  adopted  after  discussion.  What 
was  the  precise  nature  of  them  I  am  unable  to  say,  not  having 
been  present,  having  been  detained  by  a  meeting  of  the  "Cui 
Bono." 

Sept.  8,  1835.  This  is  Anniversary  week.  We,  of  course, 
are  blessed  this  week  with  a  great  number  of  literary,  religious 
and  moral  performances.  We  have  had  this  p.m.  a  lecture 
from  Mr.  Greeley  (undoubtedly,  Mr.  Horace  Greeley)  agent 
of  the  Colonization  society,  on  the  appropriate  subject  of 
slavery.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  Mr.  Wilson  a  colored 
gentleman  from  Liberia  where  he  has  been  for  some  time  past 
resident.  He  was  a  free  negro  in  the  South  and  being  de- 
sirous of  fixing  a  residence  in  some  congenial  place  he  set  out 
from  the  place  of  his  birth  in  search  thereof.  The  South  he 
surely  could  not  longer  inhabit,  that  was  the  place  he  wished  to 
escape  from.  He  visited  the  North  and  soon  found  it  was  no 
place  for  him.  Equality  which  alone  makes  freedom  what  its 
name  imports,  was  far  from  existing  there  so  far  as  to  embrace 
the  black  man.  He  visited  the  West  and  the  prospect  was  no 
better.  He  then  went  to  that  land  of  boasted  privileges  to 
the  negro,  St.  Domingo,  but  soon  found  that  no  place  for  him. 
Then  he  proceeded  to  Liberia  and  there  he  found  a  home, 
the  appropriate  home  of  those  whose  forefathers  were  dragged 
from  her  shores  into  American  slavery.  Here  he  found  every- 
thing desirable  just  as  he  wished.  Having  remained  there 
about  a  year,  he  has  now  returned  to  take  his  family  resolving 
to  spend  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  that  desirable  country. 


208       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

His  description  of  the  colony  was  very  flattering  and  such  if 
true  as  ought  to  make  every  man  rejoice  and  every  man  a 
colonizationist.  In  my  opinion  the  Liberia  colony  holds  out  the 
only  means  to  effect  the  abolition  of  slavery  among  us  peace- 
ably. The  abolitionist  may  effect  the  object  by  the  destruction 
of  our  country,  its  institutions  and  its  privileges  but  the  only 
practible  means  of  accomi)lishing  the  object  amicably,  peace- 
ably and  without  civil  war  and  bloodshed,  is  I  believe  thro  the 
intervention  mediate  or  immediate  of  the  colonization  plan. 
In  the  evening  attended  the  anniversary  of  the  llhet.  Soc. 
of  the  institution.  Address  by  Rev.  M.  Bloomfield  on  "Intel- 
lectual Qualifications  of  the  Minister  of  the  Gospel." 

Sept.  10,  1S.15.  Attended  this  evening  a  lecture  on  As- 
tronomy by  Mr.  Wilbur  in  which  he  sjwke  more  particularly 
of  the  Comets  and  especially  the  Hally  Comet  which  is  more 
perceptible  by  the  aid  of  glasses. 

Returning  from  there  I  called  in  ujwn  the  Colonization 
Meeting.  This  was  called  at  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Greeley 
and  was  addressed  by  him,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wilson  and  other 
gentlemen  of  the  i)lace.  Resolutions  ajjprobatory  of  the  object 
of  the  society  were  passed  and  also  that  an  effort  be  made  to 
increase  its  funds  in  this  city  and  to  revive  the  old  society. 

French  War ' 

Oct.  26,  1835. 

One  of  the  most  exciting  subjects  of  the  present  day  is  the 
probability  of  a  French  war.  The  indemnity  bill  pas.sed  the 
French  chambers  cumbered  with  a  proviso  that  an  acknowledg- 
ment or  rather  retraction  of  the  obnoxious  parts  of  the  Presi- 
dent's last  message  to  Congress  should  be  made,  previous  to 
the  money  being  paid  over.  Our  President  is  too  jealous  of  our 
high  character  as  a  nation  to  humble  it  by  any  act  of  his  and 
hence  keeps  aloof  from  any  mean  action  or  dishonorable  re- 

1  See  Pres.  Messages,  vol  III,  page  iiJ. 


THE  COUNTRY   UNDER  JACKSON   1835-6        SOD 

cantation.  What  is  said  is  said,  is  his  motto.  Water  spilled 
on  the  ground  can  not  be  gathered  up.  His  language  in  effect 
is  pay  us  without  any  of  your  reserv^ations  what  you  acknowl- 
edge our  due,  or  prepare  to  pay  us  in  the  honorable  style  which 
nations  have  established  in  such  cases.  While  the  Frenchman 
by  his  words  and  louder  speaking  actions,  says  no  recantation, 
no  cash,  our  republican  and  high  notioned  president  responds 
''as  you  like",  "  tis  your  play  next  —  and  we  follow."  What 
will  be  the  consequence  remains  to  be  seen.  A  sensation  is 
produced  at  the  Tuilleeris  and  Washington,  rumours  are  rife 
with  warry  words  and  fighting  French.  Curiosity  and  trade 
are  now  excited  to  learn  the  issue.  The  French  in  case  of  a 
rupture  have  at  present  decided  advantage  over  us  as  we  are 
far  from  being  ready  for  a  war.  While  their  navy  is  far  before 
ours  in  number  we  have  an  immense  number  of  merchantmen, 
oilmen  and  traders  in  all  quarters  of  the  globe,  on  every  sea 
and  in  almost  every  river  with  nothing  but  the  Star  Spangled 
Banner  for  a  protection.  Tho  this  is  enough  in  all  times  of 
peace  yet  the  French  privateers  would  find  little  resistance 
from  it,  but  would  make  an  easy  and  general  conquest.  May 
God  avert  so  dire  a  calamity  as  a  French  war  but  the  greater 
calamity  of  a  disgraced  flag. 

Nov.  16,  1835.  The  French  question  continues  to  excite  a 
very  deej)  interest  in  all  parts  of  the  union  and  too  an  interest 
which  daily  increases.  Affairs  have  arrived  at  such  a  crisis 
that  the  apprehension  of  a  war  has  become  general  and  it  indeed 
seems  now  to  be  inevitable.  The  Globe  the  organ  of  the  Ad- 
ministration and  which  speaks  its  will,  is  by  its  communications 
preparing  the  public  mind  for  the  worst  event  and  distinctly 
intimates  that  our  Government  has  done  all  it  will.  The 
French  on  their  part  seem  equally  determined  and  resolved 
not  to  pay  without  the  required  explanation  being  given. 
Such  being  the  state  of  parties  the  President's  message  is 
looked  for  with  great  eagerness  as  it  will  contain  the  views  of 


210       TEE  DISCOVERY   OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

the  Executive  upon  which  depends  wholly  the  question  of  peace 
or  war.  The  present  state  of  the  French  Govt,  renders  it  very 
probable  that  the  Executive  dept  will  make  no  effort  to  save  the 
country  from  a  war,  as  that  is  the  only  event  which  can  for  a 
time  secure  to  Louis  Philipe  his  power  and  throne.  The  at- 
tention of  his  subjects  must  be  diverted  from  his  domestic 
relations  and  actions  in  order  to  preserve  his  peace  and  unless 
something  of  the  kind  is  done  his  power  will  shortly  be  at  an 
end.  He  will  not  then  make  any  effort  to  conciliate  our  gov- 
ernment, but  desirous  of  some  event  to  attract  and  absorb  the 
attention  of  his  subjects  he  will  rather  hasten  on  the  crisis. 
On  the  other  side,  our  President  will  be  equally  averse  to  any 
measure  which  may  in  the  least  compromise  our  honor  or 
reputation.  The  result  mud  then  be  inevitably  war  with 
France. 

Nor.  19,  1835.  The  time  having  almost  arrived  for  the 
meeting  of  Congress  much  speculation  is  indulged  in,  in  respect 
to  the  character  of  tlie  President's  Message  which  will  be 
delivered  at  its  opening.    .  .   . 

These  subjects  of  interest  are  many  and  important  in  addition 
to  such  as  usually  exist.  Among  the  number  the  most  inter- 
esting is  the  subject  of  our  French  relations.  The  Texican 
and  Mexican  difficulties  have  considerable  importance.  The 
subject  of  slavery  as  it  exists  here  will  probably  receive  some 
attention.  The  surplus  revenue  may  be  touched  upon,  tho 
if  a  French  war  is  the  result  of  the  present  difficulties,  that 
is  a  subject  which  will  not  very  imperiously  force  itself  upon  the 
attention  of  Congress  or  the  Government.  [See  Deposit 
Bill.] 

Dec.  9th.  1SS5.  Tid  Bits  —  The  President's  message  is  now 
probably  making  rai)id  progress,  thro  the  various  parts  of  the 
United  States,  with  almo.st  the  rapidity  of  the  wind.  It  is 
expected  here  by  day  after  tomorrow. 

Jan.  25,  1836.  .  .  .  Special     Message.  .  .  .  This     long    ex- 


THE  COUNTRY   UNDER  JACKSON   1835-6      211 

pected,  looked  for  message  has  at  length  made  its  appearance 
and  is  of  such  a  character  as  to  disappoint  every  one.  On  the 
one  hand  it  is  milder  than  some  imagined  in  not  recommending 
war  or  what  is  the  same,  and  on  the  other  more  violent  than 
for  various  reasons  might  have  been  exj)ectcd. 

Feb.  Jfth,  18:iG.  Rumours  of  the  proposed  mediation  of  Eng- 
land to  settle  our  difficulties  with  tlie  French  are  current  at 
the  present  time  at  the  Capitol  and  thro  the  country.  A  ship 
of  war  (English)  has  arrived  at  Newport  lately  which  is  the 
bearer  of  despatches  from  the  English  Govt,  containing  the 
proposed  mediation.  If  these  rumors  turn  out  to  be  true  and 
the  good  offices  of  the  English  are  accepted,  we  may  expect  no 
further  difficulty  from  this  long  vexed  question. 

Feb.  6th,  1836.  Peace  —  News  of  the  acceptance  by  our  gov- 
ernment of  the  proposed  mediation  of  the  English  Govt,  arrived 
in  this  city  this  evening.  Despatches  have  been  forwarded  to 
the  two  govts,  of  France  and  G.  Britain  containing  information 
of  the  acceptance.  .  .  . 

Feb.  IG.  1836.  News  has  today  arrived  of  the  reception 
of  the  President's  Message  at  London.  The  impression  made 
by  it  there  is  favorable  and  produced  a  favorable  effect  on  the 
stocks. 

Feb.  IS,  1836.  Further  advices  from  France  rec'd  today 
bring  the  cheering  intelligence  of  the  acceptance  by  that  gov't 
of  the  President's  message  as  a  full  and  complete  explanation, 
such  as  required  and  of  the  arrival  of  a  messenger  to  our  govern- 
ment charged  with  the  information  that  the  French  are  ready 
to  pay  over  the  amount  of  the  first  instalment  due  under  the 
treaty  of  1831.  As  there  is  no  doubt  of  the  truth  of  this  in- 
formation the  French  question  may  now  he  considered  as  finally 
and  definitively  settled.  The  reception  of  the  Special  Message 
by  the  French  may  be  rather  unpleasant  to  them  but  as  their 
action  on  the  subject  already  can  not  be  ascribed  to  anything 
contained   in   that   message  it   will   probably   not  affect  their 


21-2       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

action,  especially  not  after  the  reception  of  the  2'd  special 
message  sent  by  the  President  to  Congress.  This  success  of  our 
citizens  in  th.us  gaining  their  long  sought  rights  can  not  other- 
wise than  render  very  popular  the  administration  under  which 
it  has  been  effected  and  make  the  name  of  Andrew  Jackson 
no  less  popular  and  famous  than  even  that  of  Washington  and 
Jefferson.  How  nmch  credit  he  deserves  in  thus  having  this 
perplexing  question  settled  during  his  reig7i  is  doubtful  as  much 
of  the  difficulty  from  which  he  has  apparently  extricated  the 
country  is  of  his  own  making  and  nought  but  the  proper  action  of 
other  branches  of  gov't  has  kept  him  from  plunging  the  country 
into  war  and  thus  perhaps  into  the  danger  of  losing  our  ease. 

May  IHIh.  1S30.  French  Indemnity.  —  At  length  this  per- 
plexing question  which  has  been  agitated  for  20  years  and 
which  in  its  turn  has  fearfully  agitated  the  country  for  a  few 
years  past  causing  if  not  wars  at  least  rumors  of  wars,  has 
been  brought  to  a  happy  and  final  i.ssue  by  the  actual  payment 
of  the  stipulated  sum.  .  .  .  This  act  will  undoubtedly  redound 
infinitely  to  the  credit  and  honor  of  him  under  whose  adminis- 
tration it  has  been  affected  and  have  no  little  influence  in 
handing  his  name  down  to  posterity  as  one  of  the  greatest 
American  patriots  and  statesmen  and  as  entitled  to  a  part  in 
the  front  rank  of  her  sons  of  renown  and  worth.  Probably 
under  the  administration  of  such  a  man  as  his  predecessor  the 
object  would  not  have  been  effected.  But  then  it  has  been 
a  combination  of  circumstances  which  has  produced  the  result 
rather  than  the  existence  of  any  single  fact  or  the  action  of 
any  single  man,  or  body  of  men.  The  true  cause  of  the 
success  of  the  measure  must  be  found  not  in  the  head-long 
precipitancy  and  persevering  energj'  of  the  President  of  the 
people.  It  has  been  a  combination  of  many  circumstances,  the 
energy  of  the  Executive,  the  moderation  of  the  legislature  and 
the  promptness  of  the  people  which  has  undoubtedly  effected 
the  desirable  result. 


THE  COUNTRY   UNDER  JACKSON   1835-6    213 

Texas  and  Mexico 
Nov.  18,  1S35 

One  of  the  many  interesting  topics  of  daily  news  at  the 
present  time  among  us  is  the  contest  which  is  now  going  on 
between  the  inhabitants  of  Texas  and  its  parent  country, 
Mexico.  Texas  has  hitely  declared  itself  independent  of  its 
former  government  and  the  consequence  has  already  been  a 
war  which  is  now  raging  thro 'out  that  country.  Two  or  three 
battles  have  been  fought  which  have  resulted  favorably  to  the 
independents  or  insurgents.  An  appeal  has  been  made  by 
them  to  their  brethren  of  the  United  States  and  they  have 
received  some  succor  from  this  quarter.  The  expediency  or 
right  of  the  people  of  our  States  thus  to  interfere  is  however 
doubtful.  The  latter  is  however  less  so  as  our  laws  expressly 
prohibit  any  such  interference  against  any  nation  with  whom 
we  are  at  peace.  We  can  but  hope  that  the  efforts  of  these 
friends  of  liberty  will  be  successful  in  their  present  attempt 
against  the  force  and  oppression  of  their  rulers.  It  is,  however, 
worthy  of  our  consideration  whether  we  ought  to  interfere 
and  thus  give  to  the  Mexican  a  just  cause  for  war  against  us. 

Not  that  indeed  that  we  have  aught  to  fear  from  a  war  with 
that  nation  but  we  ought  so  to  demean  ourselves  with  every 
other  people  weak  or  strong  as  to  gain  their  affection  and 
regard  as  an  honest  and  friendly  nation. 

April  27,  1836.  Among  the  items  of  news  at  the  present 
day  which  possess  any  particular  interest  is  the  Texan  war 
which  is  at  present  time  carried  on  with  a  great  deal  of  vigor 
and  courage  by  both  parties.  To  me  it  has  always  apjjeared 
an  unwise  act  for  the  Texans  small  as  they  are  to  take  the 
part  which  they  have  seen  fit  to  take,  for  it  is  almost  fighting 
against  hope  when  so  great  disparity  exists  between  the  com- 
batants as  there  does  in  this  case.  On  the  one  part,  a  small  and 
weak  band  with  comparatively  few  means,  while  on  the  other 
the  whole  force  of  a  strong  and  rich  government  is  brought  to 


214       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

bear  against  these  asserters  of  liberty.  What  will  be  tlie 
issue  is  to  be  sure  doubtful  the  the  chances  seem  much  against 
the  Texans.  A  crisis  is  probably  near  at  hand  and  then  we 
shall  know.' 

May  0,  1S,36.  War  seems  to  be  the  order  of  the  day  in 
America.  Tlie  Texans  and  Mexicans  are  now  contending  arm 
to  arm  in  bloody  contest,  one  for  freedom,  the  other  for  do- 
minion and  a  continuation  of  power.  In  our  own  country, 
Florida  is  laid  waste  thro  its  whole  length  and  breadth  by  a 
savage  warfare.  Arkansas  is,  too,  now  witnessing  the  massacre 
of  the  whites  by  the  ruthless  Indian.  The  Comanche,  the 
Greek  and  the  various  other  tribes  which  are  found  upon  our 
frontiers  are  all  rising  and  a  .savage  war  seems  to  impend 
from  everv'  (juarter.  Surely  the  signs  of  the  times  are  ominous. 
Rumor,  too,  proclaims  that  Mexico  is  preparing  to  attack  us 
and  that  Santa  Anna  is  already  at  the  head  of  a  band  ap- 
proaching with  hostile  intent  towards  our  borders.  How  this 
rumor  will  prove  is  doubtful  tho  too  good  reason  exists  to 
doubt   seriously  the  truth  of  the  report. 

Indiuit   Warfare 
May  33,  1836,  Monday. 

The  present  is  surely  a  fearful  time  for  our  brethren  of  the 
South  and  West.  A  general  Indian  War  seems  about  breaking 
which  threatens  to  be  one  of  extermination,  at  least  .so  far  as 
it  extends.  The  failure  of  the  past  campaign  on  the  part  of 
our  army  seems  to  ha\"e  given  the  enemy  new  courage  and 
they  now  seem  determined  to  carry  the  war  into  the  verj- 
houses  and  beds  of  their  enemies.  A  general  rising  of  all 
the  Southern  and  Western  Indians  has  either  taken  place  or 
is  apprehended.  Very  many  of  the  tribes  are  now  already 
in  the  field  carrying  on  their  fearful  work  of  death  and  exter- 
mination.    Something  immediate  nmst  be  done  or  the  people 

'  Pres.  Messages,  vol.  Ill,  pages  237-265. 


THE  COUNTRY   UNDER  JACKSON   1835-6       215 

of  the  South  will  suffer  severely.  Time  alone  ean  decide 
what  will  be  done  or  what  will  he  the  result  of  the  war.' 

June  3rd  1836.  The  Texan  news  which  arrived  some  days 
since  and  which  excited  so  much  suspicion  and  doubt  as  to  its 
truth  seems  now  to  be  abundantly  confirmed,  .so  that  no  doubt 
now  remains  that  Santa  Anna  with  his  army  and  principal  offi- 
cers have  been  taken  and  Texas  thus  gained  her  independence. 
Such  bcins  the  case  it  rec[uires  no  little  prudence  and  care  on 
the  i)art  of  our  j^'overnnicnt  as  to  what  is  the  proper  course  to 
pursue  in  relation  to  the  new  State.  On  the  one  hand  as  the 
inhabitants  have  declared  and  fought  for  those  very  privileges 
which  are  the  foundation  of  our  government,  ought  we  not  to 
immediately  recognize  them  as  an  independent  people  entitled 
to  all  the  privileges  of  a  free  and  separate  State,  and  on  the 
other  hand  as  we  are  on  terms  of  friendship  and  comity  with 
the  parent  country  of  Mexico,  ought  we  not  to  regard  the 
rights  to  dominion  over  the  Texans  as  sacred  and  such  as  should 
be  exempt  from  our  interference.  .  .  .  Situated  as  we  are  in 
respect  to  both  ])arties  it  recjuires  much  sagacity  and  prudence 
to  fix  upon  projjer  measures  to  be  adopted.  As  however  we 
pretend  not  to  interfere  in  the  domestic  policy  of  any  other 
nation  it  may  well  be  asked  whether  we  are  bound  when  a 
free  and  sovereign  people  cast  themselves  upon  our  notice, 
to  ask  how  they  became  so  or  how  they  have  been  differently 
situated  in  times  past.  Are  we  bound  to  look  into  the  various 
steps  either  of  negotiation  or  of  force  which  may  have  brought 
about  the  result,  or  rather  to  presume,  whatever  we  may  in- 
dividually know  to  the  contrary,  that  the  separation  had  been 
amicably  or  justly  effected  and  to  adapt  our  measures  con- 
formably to  such  an  innocent  presumption. 

Aug.  6th,  1836.  Saturday  Eve.  Quite  an  important  move- 
ment has  lately  taken  place  by  our  govt,  or  our  military  force 
which  will  undoubtedly  result  in  a  most  im]jortant  if  not  hazard- 
'  See  vot  III  of  Pres.  Messages,  pages  227-228ff. 


216       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

ous  issue.  I  refer  to  the  invasion  by  our  army  under  the 
command  of  Gen  Gaines  of  the  Mexican  territory.  This  act 
as  yet  bears  no  evidence  of  an  authorized  one  tho  undoubtedly 
authority  was  given  by  superior  powers.  What  will  be  the 
result  of  this  act  of  aggression  is  of  course  as  yet  uncertain 
tho  we  have  serious  cause  for  fear  and  apprehension  that  a  war 
with  our  neighbor  Mexico  will  be  the  consequence.  May  such 
a  result  be  ])revented  and  all  evil  effects  be  averted.  Sure 
I  am  that  the  act  will  meet  the  disapprobation  of  all  northern 
men,  at  least,  and  as  I  hope  of  all  parts  of  the  country.  Rea- 
sons may  however  appear  hereafter  to  justify  this  action,  but 
I  can  not  as  yet  imagine  what  they  can  be. 

J.  Q.  Adams 

Feb.  21,  1836.  Considerable  sparring  has  lately  taken  place 
in  Congress  of  a  nature  differing  in  a  great  measure  from  any 
thing  which  has  ever  before  taken  place  in  Congress.  The 
debate  was  occasioned  by  a  disrespectful  allusion  by  the  Presi- 
dent in  his  message  to  the  action  of  the  Senate  last  Winter 
on  the  appropriation  bill  which  appropriated  $3,000,000  for 
purposes  of  a  National  defence  and  Mr.  Webster  in  the  Senate 
taking  a  favorable  opportunity  ably  defended  that  body  from 
what  he  considered  the  unjust  imputation  and  threw  the 
whole  blame  of  the  loss  of  the  bill  upon  the  House,  interspersing 
remarks  of  man-worship  which  prevailed  at  the  time  and  with 
severe  censures  upon  the  conduct  of  those  who  so  phantly 
bend  their  wills  to  that  of  the  Executive.  No  one  in  the 
Senate  seeing  fit  to  defend  the  conduct  of  the  House  in  dero- 
gation of  its  own  dignity  and  right  action,  Mr.  Adams  (J.  Q.) 
rose  in  his  place  in  the  House  and  after  having  introduced 
a  suitable  resolution  proceeded  in  a  lengthy  and  able  speech 
to  take  up  the  gauntlet  thrown  down  by  the  able  Senator  and 
to  defend  that  branch  of  which  he  was  and  is  a  member  upon 
what  he  considered  unjust  charges  preferred  against  it  by  his 


THE  COUNTRY   UNDER  JACKSON   1835-6        217 

former  friend  of  tlie  upper  house.  It  was  the  ablest  effort 
ever  made  by  him  and  called  forth  what  no  other  effort  ever 
did  in  either  hall  of  Congress,  a  burst  of  applause  and  hissing. 
Cheers  were  given  from  all  parts  and  for  the  first  time  in  our 
history,  our  commons  adopted  the  mode  of  proceeding  so  com- 
mon in  that  of  our  mother  country  and  cries  of  approval  and 
disapprobation  were  heard  all  around. 

SuflSce  it  to  say  Mr.  A.  effected,  or  at  least,  made  show  of  an- 
other great  political  evolution  —  denounced  his  former  friends, 
announced  his  adherence  to  tlie  executive  which  he  had  so  ar- 
dently before  labored  to  defeat  and  overthrow  and  completed  his 
somerset  which  he  has  been  for  a  few  months  past  endeavoring 
to  turn.  The  boisterous  debate  continued  for  a  number  of  days 
and  is  not  yet  closed.  A  debate  which  will  be  long  remembered 
as  one  of  an  important  and  most  interesting  character. 

I'elo  of  Charier 
March  4ih,  1836. 

This  day  consummates  the  victory  of  our  President  over 
the  Monster  Bank  in  the  war  of  extermination  which  he  has  for 
six  years  past  been  carrying  on.  It  is,  however,  but  such  a 
victory  as  death  gains  over  the  un.seemly  caterpillar,  a  victory 
which  is  but  an  introduction  of  the  conquered  into  a  more 
beautiful,  profitable  and  lasting  existence.  It  is  the  natal 
day  of  the  bank  tho  the  day  to  which  the  combatants  in  the 
six  years  war  have  continually  looked  forward  as  doomed  to 
be  its  mortal  one.  Today  she  puts  off  the  trammels  and  body 
which  she  has  worn  for  a  period  at  the  sufferance  of  the  General 
Govt  and  puts  on  the  irresponsible  and  more  lucrative  as  well 
as  more  lasting  one  presented  by  an  inferior  jurisdiction. 
The  day  would  probably  have  been  in  some  manner  noticed  on 
account  of  the  event  which  has  thus  signalized  it,  was  not  this 
event  in  so  close  a  contrast  with  one  of  such  a  contrary  char- 
acter and  tendency.  As  it  is  the  ■present  has  probably  passed 
in  the  same  style  as  other  days  unless  it  is  rendered  rather  melan- 


218       THE   DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

choly  to  the  conqueror  and  joyful  to  the  conquered  and  these 
respective  and  reversed  states  of  feehng  produced  corresponding 
modes  of  action.  As  much  as  I  have  desired  the  recliarter 
of  the  U.  S.  Bank  or  rather  the  charter  of  some  other  national 
Banking  institution  and  tho  I  am  glad  of  the  success  which 
has  attended  the  application  of  the  institution  to  state  liber- 
ality, still  I  much  regret  many  features  of  the  bill  thus  giving 
it  new  life  and  woulil  that  they  had  been  stricken  out  from  their 
charter.  The  most  obnoxious  feature  I  believe  is  the  want 
of  a  supervisatory  power  in  the  Legislature.  As  it  is  I  see  no 
check  to  the  Bank  becoming  an  institution  of  the  most  corrupt 
and  oppressive  character  which  a  power  of  supervision  would 
have  entirely  prevented.  Another  objection  is  the  long  period 
of  its  chartered  existence,  30  years.  In  an  institution  of  this 
kind  wielding  so  much  influence  by  vast  capital  and  extensive 
loans  over  the  currency  and  over  the  politics  of  the  country, 
in  an  institution  so  liable  to  perversions  as  are  monied  ones 
of  this  kind  and  especially  when  a  power  of  supervision  and 
correction  does  not  exist,  as  in  this  is  wanting,  the  incorporat- 
ing power  can  not  be  too  careful  in  so  granting  their  favors  as 
to  make  the  institution  dejiendent  in  a  measure  upon  its  own 
good  acts  for  its  existence  and  hence  to  provide  for  a  frecjuent 
recurrence  of  the  power  granted  into  the  hands  of  the  grantor. 
Such  a  course  not  only  has  a  tendency  to  restrain  the  cor- 
poration from  any  illegal  or  unpopular  acts  into  which  it  might 
otherwise  be  led,  liut  also  would  serve  as  a  safeguard  against 
all  those  other  evils  which  come  to  attend  all  great  monied 
institutions.  Such  corporations  ought  always  to  be  guarded 
with  a  jealous  eye  and  watched  with  greatest  vigilance  and 
care.  And  most  of  all  ought  they  not  to  be  made  independent 
of  the  people  especially  for  such  term  of  time  as  will  serve  to 
take  away  the  idea  of  responsibility  to  the  people  or  remove 
those  restraints  which  have  a  dire  tendency  to  keep  them 
within  proper  bounds  by  a  subserviancy  to  their  own  interest. 


THE   COUNTRY   UNDER  JACKSON   1835~G       219 

They  ouglit  to  be  so  regulated  that  their  own  interest  shall  be 
the  public's. 

Deposit  Bill 

Bangor  June  29,  1836 

A  very  important  event  has  just  taken  place  at  the  Capitol 
and  one  which  I,  for  myself  little  expected.  I  refer  to  the  pas- 
sage thro  l)C)th  houses  of  Congress  and  the  approval  by  the 
President  of  the  Deposit  Bill  so  called  which  provides  for  the 
distribution  of  the  surplus  revenue.  This  has  been  an  exciting 
subject  and  caused  a  great  deal  of  discussion  in  all  i)arts  of  the 
country  as  well  as  at  the  Capitol.  Contrary  to  the  expectations 
of  almost  everyone  it  pas.sed  both  Houses  by  very  great  majori- 
ties and  was  sent  to  the  President  with  the  knowledge  on  the 
part  of  every  one  that  it  was  decidedly  averse  to  his  wishes. 
Altho  the  sentiment  has  often  been  advanced  that  the  Presi- 
dent would  not  dare  to  veto  the  bill  I  have  still  continued  to 
believe  that  he  who  has  never  shrunk  from  responsibility  and 
always  persisted  in  having  his  own  will  in  everything,  would 
even  dare  to  follow  his  inclinations  in  this  respect  and  refuse 
his  signature  to  the  bill.  The  majority  however  in  each  house 
has  proved  too  strong  in  this  instance  and  I  believe  his  approval 
has  been  efl'ected  solely  from  the  fact  thai  he  knew  the  bill 
would  be  one  of  the  laws  in  spite  of  him  and  he  had  better  keep 
on  the  right  and  safe  side.  It  is  fully  evident,  however,  that 
his  approval  was  forced  and  he  would  gladly  have  avoided  it. 
At  least  so  intimates  the  official  Globe  and  so  voted  the  Gen- 
eral's particular  friends.  The  expediency  of  this  measure 
may  perhaps  be  well  doubted,  many  being  the  arguments  which 
can  be  advanced  on  each  side.  —  As  the  money  was  on  hand, 
however,  this  disposition  perhaps  was  the  best  that  could  be 
made  and  some  disposition  was  necessary.  The  next  great 
question  is  what  shall  the  States  do  with  it.  Ay  here's  the  rub. 
The  Legislature  will  spend  half  in  settling  the  question. ' 
1  See  Pres.  Messages,  vol.  Ill,  page  239. 


220       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A    GRANDMOTHER 

July  S  1836.  Among'  the  memorable  events  which  have  of 
late  seemed  to  give  character  to  the  age  is  the  death  of  the 
venerable  Ex-President,  Madison.  And  what  is  somewhat 
remarkable  he  too  finished  his  course  almost  in  sight  of  that 
day  which  gave  birth  to  his  country  (died  June  28).  It  is  a 
fact  very  remarkable,  apparently  providential  that  three  of  his 
predecessors  paid  their  last  debt  to  nature  on  that  memorable 
day  and  he  too  had  advanced  so  near  that  it  might  well  be  said 
it  was  already  in  siglit.  One  Ex-President  now  only  remains, 
tho  another  will  probably  soon  be  added  to  the  number. 

Presidential  election 

Aug.  22,  1836.  These  are  jiarty  times  and  parties  are  be- 
ginning to  buckle  on  their  armor  for  the  coming  battle.  Im- 
portant elections  are  close  at  hand  among  which  are  those  of  all 
our  State  and  County  officers  and  President  and  V.  P.  of  the 
U.  S.  As  yet  everything  has  gone  on  quietly  and  calmly  and 
indeed  as  yet  everj^thing  continues  to  wear  the  same  pacific 
aspects.  What  I  like  best  at  the  present  political  era  is  the 
application  by  the  democrats  of  their  loudly  proclaimed  prin- 
ciple of  rotation  in  office.  Heretofore  this  principle  has  been 
exercised  only  when  political  opponents  were  the  objects. 
Now  however  the  principle  seems  to  be  acted  upon  at  home  and 
the  loud  cries  of  tho.se  who  are  suffering  under  its  application 
show  full  plainly  that  with  them  their  loud  professions  meant 
nothing  more  than  that  such  rotation  should  be  known  or  prac- 
tised as  in  its  revolution  should  pass  them  or  hoist  them  higher. 
A  fig  for  such  professions  and  glad  am  I  to  see  the  long  praised 
doctrine  made  to  apply  with  force  where  it  is  most  professed 
and  too  I  think  where  it  is  most  needed.  Glad  am  I  to  see  the 
sincerity  of  the  dominant  party  tested  by  that  best  of  all  tests, 
personal  experience.  (Martin  Van  Buren  was  V.  P.  and 
became  President  after  Jackson.) 


CHAPTER  THREE 
BANGOR  IN  1835-1836 

Aug.  H,  1835.  Oh !  Oh !  The  mud.  This  is  emphatically  the 
city  of  mud  and  clay  and  in  this  respect  probably  no  city  or  town 
in  the  country  can  vie  with  it.  A  dew  is  almost  enough  to 
render  our  streets  slippery  and  a  shower  enough  to  make  them 
impassable  for  aught  that  is  neat  or  has  a  regard  to  his  personal 
appearance  so  far  at  least  as  respects  his  pedal  parts.  The 
streets  of  the  city  are  now  undergoing  a  complete  reform. 
A  system  of  graduation  has  been  commenced  which  from  the 
present  prospects  bids  fair  to  be  thorough.  The  true  demo- 
cratic leveling  principle  is  adopted,  the  low  places  are  exalted 
and  the  high  places  brought  down  or  in  other  words  the  hill 
fills  the  hollows  adjacent.  And  too  this  system  is  carried  out 
apparently  without  any  regard  to  consequences  or  without 
consulting  in  the  least  the  intent  or  wishes  of  the  hvers  on  the 
way  side.  While  the  process  leaves  some  houses  elevated  some 
8  or  10  feet  above  the  ordinary  and  former  height  and  leaving 
the  cellar  wall  bare  and  exposed,  other  houses  find  their  lower 
rooms  suddenly  converted  into  cellars  and  their  houses  hoisted 
in  the  Irish  method,  one  story  lower.  Some  houses  are  actually 
left  in  this  unpleasant  situation  and  access  can  be  had  to  the 
doors  before  ascended  to  some  3  or  6  feet,  now,  only  by  a 
flight  of  descending  stairs  of  some  10  or  15  steps.  Bangor  house 
is  elevated  some  6  or  7  feet  while  City  Hall  is  buried  almost 
up  to  the  windows.  Much  opposition  is  made  to  this  measure 
as  one  imprudently  and  unnecessarily  undertaken  —  but  time 
will  show  their  improvements  wisely  planned  and  executed. 
At  least  so  I  predict.    We  hope  that  as  soon  as  the  graduating 

221 


222       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

system  shall  he  tompleted  a  side-walk  policy  will  he  adopted 
which  shall  in  a  measure,  at  least  supersede  the  necessity  of 
wading  over  shoes  in  mud  as  is  now  too  truly  the  case.  At 
present  no  side  walks  can  he  said  to  exist  here,  the  only  ones 
which  can  hear  that  name  heing  what  a  few  persons  have  laid 
down  hefore  their  own  doors,  and  which  of  course  are  con- 
tinually interrupted  by  perhaps  the  intervening  land  of  another 
and  less  accommodating  proprietor.  Whilst  the  workmen 
are  engaged  on  the  roads  they  are  peculiarly  muddy  especially 
after  a  shower.  And  this  is  what  we  have  heen  enjoying  thro 
the  day.     Oh!    for  a  side  walk. 

From  an  old  letter  written  to  his  Uncle  Lemuel  in  IVin.sloiv 

"Aug.  10th  1S35 
"One  house  I  observed  was  sjink  almost  a  wliole  story  and 
another  is  to  be  rai.sed  about  14  or  Ki  feet  from  the  level  of  the 
way  —  $50,000  are  appropriated  this  year  to  road  purposes 
which  when  exj)cnded  will,  I  trust  leave  the  city  little  less  like 
the  ostrich  ])roud  of  her  jjlumcs  but  ashamed  of  her  feet." 

Aug.  19,  ISJ').  One  of  the  principal  characteristics  of  the 
people  of  the  present  day  especially  in  our  own  state  appears 
to  he  a  spirit  of  speculation,  a  spirit  which  appears  to  be  general 
and  to  ])ervade  every  class  and  almost  every  member  of  each 
class.  The  members  of  the  Clerical  as  well  as  of  the  legal  and 
medical  professions,  the  trader,  mechanic  and  farmer  and 
too  the  hostler  and  logman  and  perhaps  the  loafer  all  seem  not 
only  infused  with  the  same  all  pervading  sentiment,  hut  all 
seem  if  not  equally,  at  least  in  some  degree  successful.  .  .  > 
The  effect  of  this  state  of  things  has  been  peculiarly  seen  in 
this  city  and  has  been  such  as  to  raise  the  citizens  to  a  con- 
dition in  the  good  things  of  this  life  perhai)s  above  tho.se  of  any 
other  place  in  New  England.  .  .  .  The  consequence  of  this 
great  amount  of  wealth  and  the  rapid  increase  of  it  has  been 
to  make  those  who  have  thus  on  a  sudden  accunmlated  for- 


BANGOR  IN  1S35-183G  223 

tunes  to  be  liberal  tlierewith  in  works  of  public  improvement, 
utility  and  ornament.  To  this  cause  is  probably  owing  very 
much  of  the  spirit  of  improvement,  now  going  on  displaying 
itself  in  the  erection  of  elegant  and  commodious  public  and 
private  edifices,  in  the  amendment  and  opening  of  streets 
and  avenues  and  in  fine  in  every  thing  which  serves  to  adorn 
and  honor  the  city. 

^cpi.  17.  1SS5.  Today  has  been  sold  tiic  lot  of  land  in  the 
Corner  of  Hammond  and  Central  Streets,  now  covered  by  a 
Tavern  stand  with  stables  and  the  usual  accompaniments 
thereof.  The  removal  of  these  large  wooden  buildings  of  too 
such  dangerous  kind  and  the  replacing  them  with  brick  stores 
has  long  been  a  desideratum  with  all  the  business  part  of  the 
city.  The  owner  has,  however,  held  on  in  hopes  to  get  more 
for  his  property  till  it  has  increased  in  value  from  8  or  10,000 
dollars  to  80,000  at  which  price  it  is  bonded.  The  obligor  has 
sold  at  the  aggregate  at  auction  of  $7^2,000. 

Sept.  22d,  1835.  A  short  view  of  the  present  state  of  the 
city  I  have  thought  might  be  very  interesting  some  years 
hence,  especially  if  it  continues  to  increase  as  it  has  already,  for 
years  to  come.  A  very  few  years  have  advanced  this  place 
from  a  small  country  village  to  be  one  of  the  most  thriving 
places  in  New  England,  from  a  place  of  so  little  note  that  people 
of  places  almost  adjacent  could  hardly  fix  its  locality,  to  a  city 
of  distinction  scarcely  less  than  the  largest  in  our  Union. 
From  a  population  of  only  \ii\  in  18'20  and  of  aSOS  in  18:50, 
a  population  which  ranked  it  in  size  the  17tli  town  in  the  State, 
it  has  now  become  2d  only  to  Portland  and  fast  rising  to  be 
rival  even  of  that  population  as  it  is  already  in  trade,  bustle 
and  activity.  Its  present  number  of  inhabitants  is  about 
7500.  There  are  now  in  the  city  five  houses  of  public  worship, 
one  just  commencing  and  three  contemplated  to  be  built 
this  or  next  season.  There  are  six  houses  of  public  entertain- 
ment in  addition  to  which  one  or  two  others  might  be  added 


224       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

but  hardly  deserve  the  name.  Two  daily  and  four  weekly 
papers  with  a  Magazine  are  published.  Six  banks  and  an 
institution  for  Savings  and  one  Insurance  ofHce  are  found 
among  our  monied  institutions.  The  Theological  Seminary 
has  now  a  large  brick  tenement  and  a  wooden  one,  other  build- 
ings for  its  accommodation  are  contemplated.  There  are  now 
2  Profs,  and  about  25  students. 

Other  public  buildings  here  are  the  Court  house,  gaol  and 
city  hall.  This  latter  is  the  old  Court  house  and  is  a  small 
concern  and  but  for  the  newness  of  our  city  a  disgrace  to  it. 

There  are  at  present  two  steam  packets  which  run  semi- 
weekly  to  Boston  and  also  a  number  of  regular  packets  between 
the  same  places.  The  streets  of  the  city  are  now  undergoing 
a  thorough  repair,  the  leveling  or  cutting  down  system  having 
been  now  but  a  short  time  connnenced  and  under  way.  There 
are  two  bridges  across  the  Kenduskeag  in  the  main  village  and 
one  about  a  half  mile  up  and  another  is  going  over  -  Such 
is  a  bird's  eye  view  of  the  city  of  Bangor.  A  very  few  years 
will  I  venture  to  predict  very  materially  vary  the  scene.  The 
park  has  just  been  laid  out  and  fenced  but  as  yet  no  buildings 
are  built  upon  or  around  it.  Mt.  Pleasant  has  also  been  laid  out 
into  building  spots  but  are  yet  wholly  unoccupied.  Thomas's 
Hill  has  been  street-ified  and  lot-ified  and  there  that  rests. 
All  these  parts  of  the  city  it  is  predicted  will  shortly  be  taken 
up  and  buildings  will  soon  be  erected  in  various  parts  of  each. 
While  I  can  hardly  say  I  disbelieve  the  fact,  I  must  say  I  believe 
there  is  reason  at  least  to  doubt. 

Nov.  23.  1835.  .  .  .  The  winter  of  the  city  has  truly  come. 
We  are  now  shut  out  from  the  commercial  world  and  have 
intercourse  with  it  only  over  13  miles  of  snow  road.  Our 
trucks  are  now  our  ships  manned  with  truckmen  for  their 
sailors,  with  reins  for  her  rudder  and  keep,  with  horses  for 
winds,  hills  and  hollows  for  tides,  harnesses  for  rigging,  and 
wheels  and  shafts  for  the  hull  and  a  long  road  and  snow  for 


BANGOR   IN   1S35-18.36  225 

the  ocean  itself.       So  then  good  luck  on  a  thanksgiving  ride 
and  success  to  Bangor  winter-shipping. 

Sept.  23d,  1835.  Today  has  been  the  day  of  military  training 
and  of  course  we  liad  the  motley  crew  of  ragamuffins  parading 
the  streets,  this  afternoon  serving  as  an  apology  for  a  regular 
militia,  but  a  most  meagre  one  it  is.  Of  all  the  folly  and  tom- 
foolery which  meets  our  eyes  from  one  end  of  the  year  to  the 
other,  this  foolish  military  display  seems  to  me  to  be  the 
greatest.  It  seems  to  be  an  occasion  when  the  law  compels  a 
man  to  stultify  and  render  himself  ridiculous. 

July  IS,  1836.  We  have  today  had  a  touch  in  the  M  Court 
of  the  military  law  or  rather  of  an  application  of  law  to  the 
military  system.  .  .  .  The  militia  law  is  however  capable  of 
being  quibbled  upon  about  as  much  I  believe  as  all  other  laws 
together  and  no  one  certainly  can  afford  so  many  points  to 
raise. 

Muster 

But  oh!  the  Militia  .sy.stem,  one  exclaims,  is  the  bulwark 
of  our  liberties  and  it  is  upon  this  we  have  to  depend  for  the 
existence  and  perpetuity  of  our  republican  government  and  free 
institutions.  If  these  are  to  be  saved  by  such  means  surely 
we  are  doomed  to  descend  very  low.  Our  country  and  we  have 
got  to  debase  ourselves  exceedingly.  I  want  no  better  answer 
to  such  an  apologist  than  a  glimpse  with  him  who  uses  these 
arguments,  at  this  burlesque  of  that  system  which  in  our 
country  is  at  best  but  a  mimickry  and  a  foolish  display.  I 
was  duly  notified  to  appear  among  the  rest  in  the  throng  but 
chose  not  to  be  found  in  such  small  business.  I  am  willing 
now  and  then  to  act  foolish  and  probably  do,  but  to  behave 
so  extremely  ridiculous  as  to  be  a  militia  man  one  must,  and 
to  do  it,  too,  openly,  publicly  and  before  the  eyes  of  all  men, 
this  is  too  much,  as  Crockett  says  "I  cant  go  it."  I  am  also 
duly  notified  to  appear  on  the  25th  inst  at  Orono  for  a  muster, 
but  shall  undoubtedly  be  found  among  the  missing  men.     The 


226       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

consequence  of  this  course  is  to  subject  myself  to  a  prosecution 
—  I  shall,  if  it  comes,  exercise  a  bit  of  my  trade  and  try  them. 
So  go  ahead.   .   .  . 

Seft.  25th.  .  .  .  Let  there  be  a  depot  of  arms  provided 
by  the  general  government  in  every  state  and  at  every  con- 
venient and  advisatory  station.  Let  these  be  kept  in  good 
repair  and  well  provided  with  ammunition  and  the  accoutre- 
ments of  war,  ready  at  call  for  any  emergency.  Let  us  then 
have  such  a  military  system  as  our  war  department  has  now 
the  charge  of,  a  military  school,  such  as  we  have  to  raise  up 
ofhcers,  then  when  occasion  calls  and  invasion  happens  or  the 
enemy  threaten,  let  the  people  be  called  in  to  take  up  the  arms 
provided  for  them  and  we  should  see  such  men  as  our  revolu- 
tionary fathers  were,  rising  up  and  becoming  victorious,  ten 
to  one  I  believe  we  should  be  more  sure  of  success  than  we 
should  now.  .  .  . 

Nov.  121h,  1835.  From  what  has  been  disclo.sed  in  evidence 
in  many  land  cases  which  from  time  to  time  originated  here  of 
late,  it  appears  that  on  the  5th  day  of  March  a.d.  1801  the  legis- 
lature of  Mass.  at  the  solicitation  of  the  inhabitants  of  Bangor 
passed  a  resolve  granting  lots  of  100  acres  each  to  all  who  were 
actual  settlers  prior  to  the  1st  July  1784  on  payment  of  $8.45 
and  to  all  who  were  settlers  between  that  time  and  Feby  17, 
1798  similar  lots  on  payment  of  $100.  In  conformity  with 
this  resolve  such  lots  were  afterwards  assigned  and  most  or  all 
of  the  land  on  which  the  city  now  stands,  was  thus  appropri- 
ated, the  lots  being  one  mile  in  length  generally  and  extending 
back  from  the  river  and  of  course  50  rods  in  width  on  the  river 
and  stream.  Under  these  grants  all  or  almost  all  the  present 
proprietors  hold.  As  land  became  more  and  mere  valuable  these 
large  lots  were  cut  up  into  smaller  and  these  too  continually 
subdivided  till  they  have  arrived  in  the  process  of  subdivision 
to  their  present  scanty  dimensions.  Very  many  plans  embrac- 
ing larger  or  smaller  portions  of  the  city  have  been  made,  and 


BANGOR   IN   1835-1S36  2<27 

to  these  reference  has  almost  uiivariably  lieen  made  in  con- 
veyances of  property  liere.  These  ha\'e  frequently  been  very 
indefinite  and  uncertain  and  hence  have  given  rise  to  dispute 
and  litigation.  In  other  cases  land  has  been  bounded  by  perish- 
able monuments  as  stumps  and  stakes  or  by  moveable  ones 
as  stones  all  of  which  have  long  since  disajjpeared  and  hence 
a  new  source  of  litigation  to  settle  the  location  of  the  monu- 
ments. From  all  causes  titles  here  are  now  quite  uncertain 
and  fluctuating  and  no  man  can  look  upon  his  as  certain  till 
a  law  suit  has  settled  it  or  the  mantle  of  the  peaceful  statute 
of  limitations  is  thrown  over  it. 

Juhj  2'2d,  1836.  Today  have  taken  place  the  exercises  of 
the  consecration  of  the  cemetery  which  the  shower  of  yester- 
day prevented  from  being  proceeded  with  according  to  previous 
arrangement.  After  the  performances  of  the  consecration, 
lots  were  sold  at  public  .sale  at  the  minimum  price  of  $30  per 
lot,  choice  of  lots  being  bid  for.  The  lots  sold  at  high  price 
and  beyond  expectation.  If  the  same  enthusiasm  continues 
which  at  present  pervades  the  citizens  in  respect  to  this  enter- 
prise there  is  little  doubt  that  Mt.  Hope  will  be  all  that  the 
plans  will  admit  of  its  being,  a  beautiful  place.  [Later  father 
was  treasurer  for  50  years. 3 

Aug.  11,  183G.  Today  has  been  opened  the  Globe  Bank  and 
commenced  operation.  This  is  the  ninth  bank  now  in  operation 
in  this  city  each  with  a  capital  of  .$100,000,  making  almost 
$1,000,000  of  banking  capital  in  the  place.  Notwithstanding 
this  amount  the  supply  is  not  half  equal  to  the  demand  for 
bank  accommodations  and  business  men  are  obliged  to  go  to 
various  parts  of  the  state  to  procure  loans.  .  .  .  Bank  charters 
here  are  in  fact  but  little  more  than  private  monopoly,  bestow- 
ing favors  only  upon  those  who  have  the  direction  of  them. 
Railroad  to  Oldtown 

Sept.  19th,  1835.  A  new  improvement  for  this  place  has 
been  just  commenced  here  and  one  too  which  bids  fair  to  be  of 


228       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

great  public  utility  and  importance  to  the  city  and  community. 
I  refer  to  the  rail  road  to  Oldtown.  As  yet  there  are  no  roads 
of  the  kind  I  believe  in  the  state.  This  is  the  first  that  has 
commenced.  Considering  the  much  that  is  doing  in  almost 
every  other  state  in  the  Union  to  expedite  travel  and  accom- 
modate the  traveling  community  by  means  of  railroads  and 
canals  it  is  surprising  that  the  State  of  Maine  during  all  the 
time  to  the  present  has  not  exerted  herself  in  the  same  way 
and  gone  on  with  her  sisters  in  like  works  of  public  improve- 
ment. ...  I  venture  to  predict  that  this  railroad  which  the 
present  week  has  been  commenced  will  be  followed  by  many 
others  till  within  ten  years  we  may  travel  thro  the  state  from 
this  city  to  Boston  by  land  steam  carriages.  I  should  not  be 
surprised  if  in  1845,  Maine  would  embrace  500  miles  of  rail 
road. 

Nov.  2Jtth,  1836.  This  day  may  with  truth  be  said  to  form 
an  era  in  the  history  of  our  State.  Today  has  the  first  Rail 
road  car  been  put  in  motion  by  steam.  Today  witnessed  the 
completion  of  the  first  rail  road  in  our  Commonwealth.  The 
Bangor  and  Piscataquis  Canal  and  Rail  road  Company  have 
done  the  first  work  of  the  kind  and  in  persuance  of  their  plan 
have  presented  us  vdth  a  Road  to  Oldtown.  The  cars  have 
today  made  the  first  trip. 

The  road  was  a  perfectly  level  and  straight  road,  so  that  when 
bicycles  were  first  introduced  it  was  a  boulevard  for  them. 

Amusements 
Aug.  8,  1836. 

New  sources  of  attraction  seem  to  be  continually  coming 
upon  us  and  thrusting  themselves  upon  our  notice  and  their 
hands  into  our  pockets.  Not  onlj'  is  Sutton  cheating  us  of  our 
money  and  of  the  right  use  of  our  senses,  by  his  magical  illusions 
and  Poyen  (Mons)  collecting  his  halves  by  magnetic  influence 
and  Mons.  Schafler  by  his  French  dialect  but  at  length  the 
famous   O'Connell   of    tatooed    appearance    and    East    Indian 


BANGOR   IN   1835-1836  229 

memory  throws  in  his  claim  to  be  heard  in  the  distribution  of 
our  surj)lus  revenue,  then  to  cap  the  climax  the  boxing  Ottignon 
offered  himself  to  the  amateurs  of  the  sparring  world  as  ready 
to  receive  his  fifty  cents  per  head  from  every  one  who  is  fool 
enough  to  pay  that  sum  to  see  another  man  knock  his  neighbor 
down  in  a  scientific  way. 

Aug.  27,  1836.  This  evening  for  the  first  time  a  theatre  has 
been  presented  to  the  good  people  of  Bangor.  This  edifice 
has  just  been  completed  and  playing  is  to  commence  on  Mon- 
day evening  next.  This  evening  ad  captandum  display  was 
made  of  the  beauties  of  the  place,  preparatory  to  its  dedication 
on  the  opening  evening.  .  .  . 

Aug.  29,  1836.  This  evening  the  city  has  been  honored  with 
its  first  regular  theatrical  exhibition.  The  theatre  opens  with 
the  play  "She  stoops  to  Conquer,"  with  an  after  piece  or  two. 

There  were  concerts,  for  June  6,  1836,  he  writes: 

"Tonight  have  I  so  far  broken  in  upon  the  monotonous 
routine  of  my  life  as  to  have  attended  a  concert  of  music,  and 
paid  my  quarter  for  the  privilege.  I  must  however  acknowl- 
edge that  music  has  not  such  charms  for  me  as  it  has  for  many, 
perhaps  the  greater  portion  of  mankind." 

Then  there  was  the  Fair  gotten  up  by  the  ladies  for  the 
object  of  building  a  "Female  Orphan  Asylum"  and  for  this 
the  public  went  to  the  Bangor  House  Hall.  The  system  of 
conducting  this  did  not  appeal  to  the  young  man. 

"The  system  which  is  pursued  there,  a  system  of  the  most 
perfect  shaving  and  cutting,  of  keeping  all  money  which  may 
be  handed  them  without  returning  what  subtraction  would 
easily  and  readily  dictate,  all  have  a  train  of  evil  which  it  would 
be  well  to  avoid.  It  is  giving  to  the  "fair"  too  much  license, 
I  think,  to  cheat  the  other  portion  of  creation.  Then  too,  it 
is  such  perfect  boy's  play  that  nothing  but  the  fashionableness 
of  the  thing  would,  I  believe,  continue  in  vogue  such  an  institu- 


230       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

tion  among  those  who  pretend  to  call  themselves  gentlemen  and 
ladies." 

There  was  the  reception  to  Daniel  Webster. 

Sept.  28,  1835.  We  have  had  the  privilege  not  only  of  seeing 
Mr.  Webster  but  of  hearing  him  also.  Agreeably  to  previous 
arrangements  a  public  dinner  was  given  him  today  at  the  Bangor 
House.  Upon  a  sentiment  being  given  him,  he  stepped  from 
the  hall  on  to  the  piazza  or  sidewalk  in  front  of  the  house  and 
addressed  the  people,  concluding  with  a  sentiment  —  theme 
"Civil  Liberty."  Then  turning  to  the  chairman  (Mr.  Kent) 
thro  him  addressed  the  crowd  upon  his  favourite  topic,  the 
constitution,  a  topic  the  discussion  of  which  more  than  any 
other  has  raised  him  to  his  present  high  standing  in  the  eyes 
of  the  world. 

Sept.  29,  1835.  The  functions  of  the  eye  and  ear  have  not 
alone  been  exercised  towards  Mr.  Webster,  but  the  sense  of 
touch  has  been  gratified  by  an  acquaintance  with  this  great 
man.  We  all  went  last  evening  to  his  levee  and  were  intro- 
duced to  him.  .  .  . 

Club.s  and  Associations 

Among  the  records  of  Bangor  affairs,  are  those  of  attendance 
at  various  clubs  and  associations.     There  was  the 

"Cui  Bono,  an  association  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  whose  ob- 
ject is  mutual  improvement  which  is  effected  by  weekly  meet- 
ings together,  reading  an  original  dissertation  on  some  literary 
or  scientific  subject  and  conversation  and  discussion  on  the 
subject  of  the  lecture  or  dissertation  read." 

There  was  the  "Union  Female  Ed  Soc,  a  society  lately 
organized  whose  object  is  the  education  of  young  indigent 
female  children  between  the  ages  of  4  &  12."  [Mostly  "Irish 
emigrants.  "3 

There  was  a  lecture  from  "the  agent  of  the  American  Edu- 
cation Society,  the  object  of  which  was  to  show  the  course  of 


BANGOR   I\   1835-1836  231 

conduct  we  ought  to  pursue  towards  members  of  other  religious 
denominations  and  sects." 

There  was  the  "Soc  of  Inquiry,  a  society  composed  of  mem- 
bers of  the  Theological  Seminary  in  this  city." 

Then  there  was  the  Seminary  itself  with  its  lectures  antl 
meetings,  its  anniversaries  and  its  appeal  to  city  and  state 
for  an  endowment  fund  of  $100,000,  an  appeal  which  led  to 
subscriptions  amounting  to  over  $80,000,  but  which  were  never 
all  collected. 

Then  the  Lyceum  wliich  seemed  very  dear  to  the  young  man's 
heart  regarding  which  he  was  forced  to  make  this  entry,  March 
1st,  1836. 

"I  have  tonight  attended  to  the  last  services  due  to  the 
Lyceum,  witnessed  its  expiring  agonies  and  heard  its  dying 
groans.  We  have  now  the  melancholy  satisfaction  of  saying 
that  a  Lyceum  cannot  exist  in  Bangor  and  that  there  is  not 
sufficient  literary  spirit  pervading  the  city  to  warrant  the 
attempt.  It  ought  certainly  to  be  told  in  shame  but  such  is 
the  fact." 

Then  last  came  the  meetings  of  the  Temperance  organi- 
zations. 

Temperance 

Feb.  23,  1836. 

This  day  being  fixed  upon  for  simultaneous  Meetings  of  the 
Temperance  Societies  thro  "out  the  U.  S.,  the  two  societies  in 
this  city  met  in  the  afternoon  at  which  time  an  address  was 
delivered  and  also  in  the  evening  when  speeches  were  made  by 
several  individuals  on  various  subjects  connected  with  the 
temperance  reformation. 

After  the  meeting  had  finished  its  business  the  President 
announced  100  members  as  having  joined  during  the  evening. 
The  friends  of  the  cause  in  this  city  are  at  present  making 
efforts  to  establish  a  Temperance  House  and  for  this  purpose 
have  opened  books  for  stock  to  the  amount  of  $20,000,  the  sum 
for  which  the  society  has  a  bond  of  the  Franklin  House.    $18,000 


232       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

have  already  been  taken  and  the  remainder  will  probably 
find  a  proprietor.  We  shall  on  the  22d  May  next,  we  hope 
and  trust  to  have  the  pleasure  to  announce  to  the  public  that 
Bangor  has  one  place,  at  least,  where  a  traveler  and  abider  may 
have  to  lay  his  head  and  eat  his  meals  without  meeting  the 
offensive  breath  of  rum  drinkers  or  brandy  bottles  et  omne 
genus.  "That  this  hope  was  probably  realized  we  see  by  this 
entry  of  July  It,  1836." 

"Among  the  visitors  at  present  to  our  city  is  Chancellor  Kent 
of  New  York.  He  arrived  in  town  two  or  three  days  since  and 
took  up  lodgings  at  the  Franklin  Temperance  House." 

March  15ih,  1836.  Tonight  I  have  engaged  to  deliver  a 
Temp,  address  before  our  Association.  This  subject  in  truth 
has  become  so  hacknied  I  know  not  what  or  how  to  write. 
I  shall  as  I  must,  try,  however,  and  whatever  my  lucubrations 
result  in  shall  be  brought  forth  to  the  audience  which  may 
on  that  occasion  be  called  together. 

July  19,  1836.  I  have  this  evening  made  an  effort  to  deliver 
a  temperance  address  before  the  Temperance  Association 
of  this  city.  After  cutting  down  the  address  in  length  some 
10  or  15  minutes,  I  proceeded  to  the  house  where  I  found  it  filled 
almost  to  overflowing  with  gentlemen  and  ladies  of  the  city. 
Most  excellent  music  was  engaged  for  the  occasion  so  that  so 
far  as  that  part  of  the  performances  went,  the  exercises  passed 
off  well.  As  to  the  address,  being  a  party  interested  I  am  not 
of  course  a  competent  witness  to  testify.  Being  aware  of  the 
hackneyed  nature  of  the  subject  and  the  almost  thread  bare 
materials  of  which  such  addresses  must  of  necessity  be  com- 
posed, it  was  my  desire  and  effort  to  strike  out  a  new  path  or 
at  least  one  which  had  not  been  before  trodden  by  the  same 
kind  of  vehicle.  I  consequently  filled  up  an  address  by  a  solilo- 
quy put  into  the  mouth  of  the  ruler  of  the  empire  of  Tartarus 
and  a  dialogue  which  took  place  between  him  and  one  of  his 
principle    agents   in    respect    to    the   present   appearance   and 


BANGOR  IN  1835-1836  233 

prospects  of  the  temperance  cause.  Many  of  the  points  which 
the  cause  admitted  of  were  in  their  turn  passed  in  review,  tho 
the  greater  part  of  the  address  was  appropriated  to  the  dis- 
cussion of  two  points  upon  which  great  diversity  of  sentiment 
seems  at  present  to  prevail  in  the  temperance  community. 
I  mean  the  expediency  of  legal  enactments  prohibitory  of  the 
trade  in  ardent  spirits  and  of  introducing  "cider  and  all  other 
intoxicating  drinks"  into  the  temperance  pledge,  with  ardent 
spirits  and  wine,  as  proscribed  articles  of  use  and  traffic.  On 
both  these  points  I  am  and  was  aware  that  I  was  rather  in  the 
minority,  at  least  of  those  who  were  willing  to  proscribe  wine. 
And  not  only  so,  the  society  before  whom  the  address  was 
delivered  had  adopted  a  pledge  embracing  that  prohibitory 
clause.  I  do  not  know  but  that  I  was  wrong  in  thus  taking 
ground  against  the  society  to  which  I  belong  and  whose  organ 
I  might  on  the  occasion  be  presumed  to  be,  in  thus  attempting 
to  disprove  the  pledge  or  a  part  of  it  which  they  have  adopted, 
but  then  I  was  selected  to  speak  my  own  sentiments  and  not 
those  of  others,  as  I  made  myself  believe.  Some  dissatis- 
faction undoubtedly  will  be  felt  at  the  promulgation  of  such 
doctrines,  but  then  as  they  are  in  accordance  with  my  sober 
convictions  and  my  experience  with  human  nature,  I  repent  not 
the  stand  which  I  took.  What  will  be  the  result  I  must  wait 
to  know. 

Churches 

Sunday,  Sept.  13,  1835. 
There  are  meetings  held  here  by  four  religious  protestant 
denominations,  Congregationalists,  Baptists,  Methodists  and 
Unitarians.  A  Cathohc  meeting  is  held  weekly  here  tho 
they  have  as  yet  no  church  or  public  house  of  worship.  The 
signs  of  the  times  indicate  a  change  in  this  respect  and  that 
we  shall  have  all  the  religious  variety  of  older  and  larger  places. 
Thus  far  all  the  minds  of  the  people  have  been  too  much  en- 
gaged in  secular  concerns  to  be  over  attentive  to  those  of  eter- 


234       THE  DISCOVERY   OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

nity.  They  are  now,  however,  awakening  and  beginning  to 
act.  The  Episcopahans  are  already  at  work  on  a  splendid 
Church  for  Worship.  The  Universalists  are  too  at  work  and 
will  probably  before  long  proceed  in  a  like  undertaking.  In 
addition  to  the.se  denominations,  members  of  various  others 
are  found  among  us  too  few  and  weak  to  show  themselves  in 
the  erection  of  i)ublic  places  of  worship  or  perhaps  indeed  in 
any  particular  organization.  Among  these  are  found  a  few 
devoted  followers  of  the  doctrines  of  Emanuel  Swedenborg. 
They  are  as  yet  few  and  scarcely  noticed  as  such.  .  .  .  This 
doctrine  I  believe  is  destined  to  become  extensively  adopted 
and  believed,  not  .so  much  perhaps  by  sudden  changes  and 
departures  from  the  other  societies  and  creeds  but  by  a  silent 
change  unobserved  as  it  advances  in  its  progress  towards 
universal  reception. 

Oct.  2S,  1835.  ...  I  also  find  the  Unitarians  are  at  work 
and  the  foundation  of  their  church  is  laid  and  ready  for  super- 
structure which  I  understand  is  to  be  of  granite.  The  church 
is  intended  to  be  the  largest  in  the  state  and  from  what  I 
can  judge  from  seeing  its  foundation  I  should  suppose  such 
must  be  the  ca.se 

New  Church 

Bangor,  Maine.     Sunday,  July  10,  1836. 

I  have  for  a  number  of  months  past  been  a  gradual  receiver 
of  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church,  till  one  by  one  they  have 
almost  unconsciously  to  me,  become  incorporated  as  a  part  of 
my  religious  belief.  It  has,  however,  been  entirely  without  any 
effort  on  my  part  and  hence  am  I  more  confident  of  their  truth. 
I  at  first  opi)osed  them  as  the  doctrines  of  an  imposter  or  en- 
thusiast and  commenced  reading  merely  from  curiosity.  But 
doctrines  which  address  themselves  with  so  much  force  to  the 
understanding  and  reason  have  so  entirely  and  imperceptibly 
convinced  me  of  their  truth  and  of  the  falsity  of  my  precon- 


BANGOR   IN   1835-1836  235 

ceived  notions  that  I  find  myself  almost  insensibly  impressed 
with  the  strongest  conviction  that  the  doctrines  are  what  they 
are  represented  to  be  by  their  propagator  and  as  such  entitled 
to  full  credence. 

Tho  I  have  from  youth  been  continually  under  the  instruction 
and  influence  of  orthodox  doctrines  and  had  them  instilled  into 
my  mind  from  earliest  infancy  as  the  only  true  creed,  still  I 
have  always  felt  a  reluctance  to  giving  my  assent  to  them 
containing  as  they  do,  as  they  have  appeared  to  me,  wrong 
notions  of  our  future  state  and  erroneous  views  of  nature, 
character  and  attributes  of  Deity.  .  .  . 

Aug.  21,  1836,  Surtdaij.  We  have  this  evening  for  the  first 
time  in  this  place  had  a  meeting  of  the  receivers  of  the  doc- 
trines of  the  New  Church  for  purposes  connected  with  the 
reception  of  the  doctrines.  .  .  .  There  are  now  in  the  city 
10  or  1*2  known  receivers  or  readers  of  the  truths  imparted  by 
Swedenborg.  .  .  . 

The  Journal,  written  continuously,  ends  with  the  entry 
Nov.  24th  1836.  The  next  is  June  12,  1837,  after  his  return 
from  the  death  bed  of  the  sister  Harriet,  so  frequently  men- 
tioned by  the  Grandmother.     Then  the  last. 

July  15,  1838.  This  has  been  truly  an  era  amongst  us. 
Today  for  the  first  time  public  services  of  the  New  Church 
have  been  performed  in  this  city.  The  Rev.  H.  A.  Worcester 
having  occasion  to  visit  Houlton,  on  his  way  afforded  us  the 
pleasure  of  a  visit  and  the  privilege  of  attendance  on  public 
worship  on  the  Sabbath.  The  meeting  was  held  in  Smith's 
Academy  which  was  filled  with  a  very  highly  respectable 
audience. 


CHAPTER   FOLTR 
TEE   YOUNG  MAN  AND  LAWYER  IN  1835-6 

Aspiration 

Ang.  27,  1835.  Much  of  our  time  is  lost  from  a  want  of 
method  in  its  disposition  and  from  absence  of  rules  in  its  dis- 
tribution. Hence  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  especially 
in  a  business  man  to  have  fixed  rules  in  regard  to  the  disposal 
of  his  time,  and  the  arrangement  of  his  business  affairs.  How 
much  time  is  lost  from  a  loss  to  know  to  what  next  to  turn  our 
attention  when  one  thing  is  disposed  of  and  too,  how  much 
more  from  the  delays  and  hindrances  occasioned  by  a  want 
of  order  and  regularity  in  ones  affairs,  from  a  want  of  proper 
arrangement  in  books  and  papers  and  whatever  else  regards 
our  business.  Regularity  and  order  are  almost  necessarily 
accompanied  by  despatch  while  a  want  of  them  is  almost  neces- 
sarily accompanied  by  delay,  mistakes  and  confusion.  I  have 
thought  a  compliance  with  a  few  established  rules  such  as  the 
following  would  be  advantageous  and  greatly  promote  ones 
facility  of  doing  business  resulting  from  a  proper  disposition 
of  time  and  labor. 

1  1st  —  Divide  the  day  into  certain  parts  and  assign  to  each 
])art  its  appropriate  duty  and  let  this  arrangement  be  strictly 
complied  with  so  far  as  business  will  allow. 

2  2d  —  Always  attend  to  business  when  it  offers  itself,  not 
put  it  off  or  delay  it  when  it  can  be  as  well  done  noic.  We 
shall  thus  please  those  who  offer  it  to  us,  accomplish  more 
and  give  ourselves  more  time  for  other  pursuits. 

3  3d  —  Never  delay  business  for  friends.  It  is  a  false  modesty 
and  an  imprudent  respect  which  causes  us  to  neglect  that 
which  is  the  calling  of  our  life,  to  chat  with  a  caller  or  a 
friend,  a  mere  collateral  affair. 

236 


THE   YOUNG   MAN  AND  LAWYER   IN  1835-6    237 

4  4th  —  When  business  and  pleasure  interfere  choose  the 
former.  This  is  a  natural  consequence  of  the  preceding 
one.  Consider  the  occupation  we  have  chosen  the  prin- 
ciple, all  other  as  pleasurable  affairs  merely  ornamental  or 
expletives. 

5  5th  —  Keep  a  complete  file  of  papers  and  in  such  an  order 
that  every  paper  shall  have  its  appropriate  place.  "A 
place  for  everything  and  everything  in  its  place." 

Sept.  3d,  1835.  "Evil  spirits  work  best  during  a  storm" 
observes  the  worthy  Antonia  Agapida  and  the  experience  of  the 
world  and  society  proves  the  as.sertion.  It  is  when  there  is  the 
greatest  confusion  and  tumult  that  evil  to  the  greatest  extent 
prevails,  when  the  greatest  excitement,  the  most  corruption, 
fraud,  and  deception,  when  the  greatest  and  loudest  talk  the 
least  reason  and  most  error.  It  is  in  the  calm  that  good  spirits 
have  their  influence,  in  gentle  intercourse  and  moderate  action 
that  reason's  dictates  are  heeded,  when  the  mind  is  so  far  from 
being  hurried  tempestuously  onward,  it  has  time  to  deliberate 
and  choose  when  calm  reason  is  not  restrained  and  dri\'en  out 
of  its  course  but  has  its  full  sway.  It  is  in  such  a  time  when  the 
calm  serenity  of  a  sunny  day  prevails,  when  every  step  is  heeded 
and  taken  with  deliberate  care,  that  right  action  is  the  con- 
sequence, that  good  spirits  seem  to  rule.  But  on  the  other 
hand  when  the  turbid  and  tempestuous  darkness  of  the  storm 
prevails,  when  society  is  convulsed  with  intestine  commotions, 
and  hurry  and  bustle  take  the  place  of  cool  deliberation  and 
calm  reflection,  then  it  is  that  error  is  imbibed,  wrong  action 
the  consequence,  and  when  evil  genii  may  with  truth  be  said 
to  bear  rule. 

Oct.  U,  1835.  Rec'd  a  letter  this  evening  informing  me  of 
the  return  of  my  parents  from  the  Western  tour,  on  Friday 
last.  They  have  been  gone  about  7  weeks,  having  visited  in 
the  remotest  corner  of  Vt  and  from  there  as  far  as  Plymouth 
&  the  Cape  in  Massachusetts.  I  am  really  glad  to  hear  of 
their  return.     Tho'  absent  from  the  family  I  feel  of  course  an 


238       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

anxiety  similar  to  what  I  should  feel  were  I  there.  And  never 
do  I  feel  so  confident  that  things  will  go  right  as  when  the 
masters  are  present. 

Oct.  20,  1SJ5.  My  old  coat!  Yes,  my  old  coat!  It  is  one 
of  the  evils  which  poverty  has  obliged  me  to  commit;  a  mis- 
fortune which  the  old  jade  has  compelled  me  to  encounter, 
to  he  prudent  in  the  external  appendages  of  my  body  corporate, 
or  in  other  words  to  avoid  tailor's  bills  and  hence  to  wear  clothes 
which  perhaps  others  in  my  situation  would  cast  aside  or  be 
ashamed  to  wear.  But  poverty  like  fate  compels  us  to  do  many 
tilings  which  our  wills  are  averse  to  and  do  not  keep  company. 
Such  has  been  the  case  with  me.  Being  not  of  a  very  foppish 
disposition  and  somewhat  inclined  to  bend  to  the  weight  of 
circumstances  and  do  what  I  must  do,  I  have  been  rather  in- 
clined to  look  upon  this  appendage  as  a  leetle  too  good  to  dis- 
pense with  and  have  hence  worn  it  until  it  has,  I  find,  attracted 
in  some  considerable  degree  the  attention  of  many  by  its  pecu- 
liar tints  of  faded  claret.  I  am  or  have  l)een  too  freciuently 
reminded  that  some  other  color  would  do  as  well  and  hence 
I  am  obliged  nolens,  volens  to  give  it  up. 

So  good  bye  old  coat;  thou  hast  served  well  tho  thou  hast 
turned  somewhat  in  thy  colors.  Good  bye,  a  truce  to  you  till 
some  son  of  Israel's  fated  race  may  take  thee  to  his  embrace. 

Dec.  15,  18S5.  For  a  few  days  past  I  have  recreated  myself 
occasionally  by  solving  a  proposition  in  Algebra.  This  is  a 
study  with  which  I  am  much  pleased  and  was  in  College 
my  favorite  study.  The  study  of  mathematics  has  a  tendency, 
I  think,  to  enable  its  student  to  abstract  his  mind  and  to  apply 
it  with  more  success  to  any  particular  object.  Hence  the 
study  is  advantageous  highly  to  one  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of 
the  law  or  any  abstruse  science. 

Feb.  25th,  1836.  I  yesterday  commenced  an  idea  for  the 
purpose  of  relating  a  bit  of  my  experience  but  my  subject  then 
soon  unconsciously  assumed  a  form  which   I  little  thought  of 


THE   YOUNG  MAN   AND   LAWYER   IN   1835-6    239 

when  I  commenced,  and  an  importance  which  forbid  my 
modesty  from  introducing  my  name  under  the  same  date. 
I  was  as  I  am  now  going  to  say  that  since  I  have  commenced 
practise,  I  have  frequently  been  placed  in  situations  in  respect 
to  business  which  was  put  upon  me  to  transact,  and  which  I 
could  not  with  honor  or  profit  reject,  which  in  an  entire  state 
of  freedom  I  would  have  gladly  avoided  and  deemed  myself 
incapable  of  supplying.  Placed  in  such  circumstances  and 
aware  of  but  one  course  to  pursue,  I  have  ever  as  yet  i)ursued 
that  course  (so  far  as  I  can  judge)  with  satisfaction  both  to  my 
client  and  myself.  This  has  been  particularly  the  case  with 
many  writings  of  various  kinds  which  I  have  been  frecjuently 
called  upon  to  make  since  commencing  my  practise  here. 
Drafting  was  entirely  a  new  business  with  me  and  hence  I 
could  not  but  strongly  distrust  my  own  abilities  in  executing 
professional  business  of  this  kind.  I  have  however  never 
shrunk  from  any  business  of  the  kind  as  yet,  but  have  uniformly 
undertaken  and  performed  it,  whether  to  the  satisfaction  of 
my  client  or  not  I  know  not.  But  this  I  know,  I  have  succeeded 
far  better  than  I  could  have  imagined  and  derived  great  benefit 
from  being  frequently  placed  in  circumstances  of  quandary 
and  doubt. 

March  10,  1SS6.  Today,  if  I  reckon  correctly,  another  of 
my  brothers  (Benjamin)  finished  the  days  of  his  minority  and 
approaches  upon  the  years  of  his  majority.  So  we  one  by  one 
leave  the  care  of  our  parents  and  begin  world  for  ourselves. 
This  finishes  the  first  class  of  boys  and  three  of  my  father's 
family  are  emancipated.  Really  time  flies  fast.  Tis  but  a  day 
it  seems  since  we  three  were  boys  at  play  upon  the  grass  or 
were  called  in  perhaps  to  rock  the  cradle  of  an  infant  sister  now 
almost  arrived  at  womanhood,  since  we  together  sported  by  the 
brook  which  ran  thro  our  paternal  domain,  dammed  its  falling 
waters  or  sailed  the  tiny  boat;  since  acting  the  miniature 
picture  of  manhood  we  drove  our  little  stages,  kept  our  little 


240       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

storehouses  and  made  our  infant  speculations  in  fictitious 
lumber,  buttons  or  apple.  But  a  day  seems  to  have  elapsed 
since  meeting  with  our  neighboring  boys,  we  took  delight  in 
flying  our  kite  and  prancing  our  horses  on  the  green  or  engaged 
ourselves  in  the  more  active  sports  of  "playing  ball"  or  "goal." 
But  now  how  changed.  From  boyhood  and  youth  we  have 
arrived  to  manhood  and  exchanged  the  sports  of  youth  for 
the  similar  labors  of  middle  age.  We  are  however  now  but 
boys  of  larger  growth  as  we  were  then  men  of  younger  growth. 
We  now  but  engage  in  the  same  occupations  and  take  but  the 
same  precautions  that  we  then  did,  we  engage  with  no  greater 
ardor  and  pursue  with  no  greater  tenacity  our  object  than  then. 
The  only  difference  is  we,  now  dependent  upon  our  efforts, 
turn  our  labors  to  the  account  of  supporting  ourselves. 

July  11,  1836.  Again  am  I  about  to  be  turned  out  to  seek 
a  new  dwelling  abode.  .  .  .  But  I  want  to  live  with  one 
who  feels  an  interest  in  my  welfare  and  will  act  the  friend 
and  host  from  other  motives  than  that  of  cash  and  who  is  now 
and  then  willing  to  do  a  favor  without  required  pay.  Life  is 
not  half  worth  living  for,  if  ones  treatment  is  to  be  squared  by 
his  purse.  ...  I  care  not  so  much  for  my  maw  or  my  palate. 
I  am  content  with  simple  fare  and  can  sit  down  to  a  table 
without  variety  and  rise  contented.  I  can  sleep  on  straw  and 
rise  without  complaint,  but  to  be  met  with  cool  neglect  or  with 
bought  smiles  and  favors,  this  is  not  sincere  friendship  and  I 
can  not  bear;    away  with  it. 

July  23d,  1836.  I  can  not  make  up  my  mind  as  to  the  proper 
and  best  mode  of  spending  and  disposing  of  my  time.  So 
much  to  be  done  I  hardly  know  when  or  in  what  order  to  do  it. 
On  the  one  hand  is  an  infinite  number  of  books  cumbering  the 
law  library  which  a  lawj'er  must  read  and  which  I  am  desirous 
of  becoming  acquainted  with  and  to  do  so  requires  not  only 
the  time  but  undivided  attention  of  the  student.  But  then 
it  will  not  do  for  the  lawyer  to  be  nothing  else  than  a  law  heap 


THE   YOUNG   MAN  AND  LAWYER   IN  1835-6     241 

or  a  law  student.  He  must  know  more.  And  to  make  him 
that  more  ten  thousand  works  of  every  class,  rank  and  kind 
of  writing  are  pre.sented.  Now  what  is  to  be  read  of  all  this 
mass.  For  there  is  indeed  no  class  of  literature  of  which  he 
ought  to  be  ignorant,  not  even  excepting  the  fashionable  liter- 
ature of  the  day  as  embraced  in  works  of  fiction,  imagination, 
travels  and  voyages  and  wonderful  achievements  and  narrow 
escapes  from  nature,  from  savage  beasts  or  still  more  savage 
men. 

What  a  wide  field  there  is  open  to  the  student  for  selection 
and  too  how  diligent  and  industrious  does  it  become  him  to 
be,  yea  must  he  be  to  become  what  the  profession  of  law  re- 
quires him  to  be.  And  when  all  this  is  taken  into  contem- 
plation, at  the  same  time  that  the  thought  of  a  large  portion 
of  the  time  being  taken  up  in  business,  and  that  continual 
interruption  renders  the  remaining  portion  of  the  time  far  less 
available,  rises  in  his  mind.  Surely  it  is  almost  enough  to 
make  one  despair,  as  having  engaged  in  a  business  of  which 
he  can  not  become  master,  as  having  entered  a  grove  from  which 
he  can  never  emerge. 

The  Law  Business 

Aug.  13,  1835.  This  day  is  somewhat  notable  as  being  the 
first  time  on  which  since  commencing  practi.se  I  have  rec'd 
anything  for  that  incorporeal  part  of  a  lawyer's  ware,  advice. 
It  is  not  the  first  sin  of  the  kind  I  am  aware  of,  for  my  memory 
is  burdened  with  the  consciousness  of  having  been  guilty  of  the 
absurdity  of  taxing  a  client  fifty  cents  for  a  like  article  of  legal 
merchandise  during  my  apprenticeship. 

Sept.  2d,  1835.  Today  for  the  first  time  I  had  something  to 
do  in  court  besides  making  motions.  Two  actions  for  trial 
came  on,  one  for  Plff.  and  the  other  for  the  Deft,  both  of 
which  are  gained. 

Oct.  3d,  1835.  .  .  .  My   business   has    not    thus    far    been 


242        THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

sufBciently  profitable  to  afford  me  much  change  over  and 
above  my  expenses.  .  .  . 

I  have  patience  however  to  continue  without  complaint,  hop- 
ing for  better  times  and  more  lucrative  business.   .   .   . 

Oct.  5,  1SS5.  .  .  .  Little  things  I  am  aware  trouble  me, 
much,  perhaps  too  much  and  hence  if  aught  goes  wrong  in 
practise,  any  blunder  is  made  to  the  prejudice  of  a  client,  I 
generally  feel  sensitive  and  blamable,  a  feeling  which  ever 
strongly  tends  to  diminish  the  pleasure  of  a  young  practitioner, 
is  I  am  aware  strongly  felt  at  present  by  myself  and  hence 
an  additional  source  of  uneasiness. 

Oct.  10,  1835.  Today  for  the  first  time  have  I  argued  a  case 
to  the  jury  and  to  my  great  sorrow  have  been  unsuccessful. 
I  was  on  the  defence.  .  .  .  Tho  this  part  or  performance  is 
one  which  has  often  haunted  my  mind  as  requiring  a  great 
share  of  fortitude  and  firmness,  yet  when  the  occasion  ofi'ered 
I  cared  and  thought  no  more  of  it  than  of  any  other  performance 
in  which  I  have  frequently  engaged.  There  is  indeed  nothing 
trying  in  the  attempt  to  address  a  jury  or  public  assembly 
and  nothing  to  be  much  dreaded  or  feared.  We  have  only 
to  forget  that  any  one  else  is  attending  or  listening  to  us  and 
all  goes  off  well.  I  have  now  fairly  broken  the  ice  and  am 
"in  for  it." 

Oct.  17th.  1S35.  Calls  for  cash  arise  from  every  quarter 
and  too  with  an  earnestness  which  requires  immediate  satis- 
faction. These  frequent  calls  almost  make  me  despair,  some- 
times, especially  when  I  look  at  the  other  side  of  my  ledger 
which  finds  hard  times  in  keeping  up  with  its  neighbor  on  the 
right.  In  view  of  the  result  I  should  perhaps  be  melancholy 
did  I  not  practise  upon  the  rule  of  "hope  for  the  best "  and  were 
I  not  determined  to  bear  whatever  may  happen  with  as  much 
fortitude  as  possible.  I  find  it  an  excellent  rule  to  turn  every- 
thing to  one's  advantage  and  if  any  thing  happens  the  ex- 
pediency of  which  docs  not  readily  appear  when  viewed  in 


THE   YOUNG  MAN   AND   LAWYER   IN   1SS5-6     243 

respect  to  ourselves  and  wliieli  is  not  as  we  would  have  it. 
consider  it  as  working  for  our  advantage  and  designed  for  our 
good. 

Jan  18  18SG.  Health  gaining  gradually,  able  to  get  out. 
[After  scarlet  fever.]  Blues  disappearing,  weather  mild,  pov- 
erty staring,  money  none,  wants  pressing,  I  here  pushing 
along  slowly. 

May  9,  ISSG.  Law  business  begins  now  to  be  considerable 
lively  and  pretty  good  compared  with  what  it  has  been.  .  .  . 
I  have  but  little  fear  that  I  shall  ultimately  succeed  here  and 
wait  with  patience  the  coming  of  the  day  when  — 

June  8  1836.  The  court  still  in  session  and  consequently 
myself  quite  busy  —  Little  leisure  to  study  as  the  most  of  the 
business  of  the  office  devolves  upon  me. 

Ang.  9,  1836.  At  this  term  of  the  court  my  first  law  argu- 
ment will  appear  before  the  court  tho  it  will  not  of  course 
appear  in  my  name.  The  argument  is  in  the  case  of  Bussey 
and  Page,  Adm.  The  action  trover  for  the  conversion  of  tim- 
ber cut  by  the  Defts  intestate  upon  land  mortgages  to  the 
Plff  in  part  bonded  by  PIff  to  the  intestate. 

June  21i.,  1836.  I  have  today  been  making  some  examination 
as  to  the  right  to  sustain  an  action  against  the  city  for  damages 
occasioned  in  digging  down  and  filling  up  the  streets  in  further- 
ance of  the  leveling  system  which  has  been  adopted  for  a  year 
past  by  our  city  authorities.  The  face  of  the  earth  is  so  uneven 
within  the  settled  jwrtion  of  the  city  that  the  leveling  process 
has  greatly  injured  many  buildings  and  in  some  cases  almost 
totally  destroyed  them.  While  some  are  left  elevated  some  ten 
or  more  feet  above  the  plane  of  the  street  and  thus  exposing 
the  whole  wall  of  the  house,  others  are  buried  to  the  windows 
or  even  deeper.  —  Such  being  the  case  and  the  reform  continu- 
ing still  to  go  on,  it  has  become  quite  a  serious  question  with 
many  what  can  be  done  in  such  cases  and  we  have  been 
frequently  appealed  to  for  advice  in  the  premises.     Today  I 


244       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

have  spent  some  time  in  the  search  for  cases  and  am  convinced 
at  least  that  the  claim- for  damages  is  a  doubtful  one  tho  I 
should  judge  an  equitable  one  —  In  Mass  and  N.  Y.  decisions 
are  against  the  right  to  recover  such  damages  but  in  a  case 
in  England  lately,  similar  to  this  the  claim  has  been  held  good 
and  this  decision  Justice  Story  thinks  entitled  to  superior 
credit  over  the  American  authorities.  Cheap  as  it  is  going  to 
law  at  present,  I  should  at  least  deem  the  cause  sufficiently 
good  to  risk  a  suit.  —  and  think  I  shall  so  advise.  That  the 
decisions  of  Massachusetts  are  not  good  law  I  think  is  very 
clear  and  have  little  doubt  they  will  be  so  pronounced  by 
American  authorities  at  .some  future  day,  tho  it  is  quite  doubt- 
ful whether  our  court  would  have  sufficient  independence  to 
over  rule  the  decision  of  so  respectable  a  court  as  that  of  Mass 
or  New  York. 


CHAPTER  FIVE 
''THE  AUTO-BIOGRAPHY  HURRIEDLY   WRITTEN" 

Realization.     Law  Reform 

But  chief  among  the  acts  of  my  life  has  been  my  inter- 
ference with  Statute  Law.  I  early  began  to  find  fault  with  the 
Laws  of  my  own  state  as  found  on  her  Statute  Book. 

My  first  effort  was  the  year  after  my  admi.ssion  to  the  Bar, 
when  I  found  that  altho  I  then  had  already  two  cases  to  argue 
before  the  Law  Court,  I  could  not  be  allowed  to  do  so  for  three 
years,  as  an  atty.  in  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  could  not 
practise  as  Councellor  until  after  3  years  in  the  Municipal 
Court  below  and  then  by  paying  a  new  fee  of  $30. 

I  started  out  in  the  work  of  reform  and  during  the  two 
subsequent  sessions  of  the  Legislature  procured  an  act  to  be 
passed  doing  away  with  the  wrong.  .  .  .  After  that  at  Law 
terms  I  was  able  to  appear  before  the  full  Court  and  argue 
my  causes  in  propria  persoyia.  And  so  the  law  has  ever  since 
stood  and  will  forever  stand. 

My  next  effort  was  to  cause  the  law  to  be  enacted  for  the 
protection  of  private  burial  grounds.  The  idea  was  suggested 
to  my  mind  by  our  having  selected  a  private  cemetery  for  our 
family  at  Winslow  on  our  old  homestead  upon  the  death  of  our 
dear  Harriet.  On  looking  over  the  law  I  found  that  the  ground 
might  be  even  attached  and  set  ofl^  on  Ex'on  or  go  to  heirs 
who  might  have  no  regard  for  the  grounds  and  thus  a  sacrilege 
be  legally  perpetuated.  The  result  was  that  I  procured  the 
enactment  of  the  law  for  the  protection  of  private  burial  grounds, 
by  the  Legislature  of  1839. 

245 


246        THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

Another  act  of  importance  which  (in  connection  with  a  non- 
professional friend)  I  caused  to  be  enacted  was  that  now  em- 
bodied in  the  11.  S.  Chap  36,  Sect.  37,  on  Corporations.  As 
the  law  had  stood  for  all  years  in  our  State,  all  members  of 
Corporations  were  made  liable  for  its  debts  to  double  the  amt. 
of  their  stock,  that  is  the  amt.  subscribed  and  then  for  just 
as  much  more.  So  the  law  stood  until  after  our  Railroad 
was  perfected  to  Waterville.  The  Co.  failed  and  we  were  called 
upon  to  "double  up."  Many  suits  were  commenced  and  I 
found  myself  and  our  city  liable  to  a  very  large  amount.  In 
company  with  my  friend  J.  W.  Veazie  we  started  out  on  the 
work  of  reforming  this  deformity,  one  which  lay  at  the  very 
foundation  of  all  evil  by  preventing  all  future  success  in  the 
way  of  public  improvement.  We  went  to  work  with  zeal  and 
before  the  Legislature  rose  we  effected  our  object  and  the 
state  was  thus  relieved  of  the  greatest  incubus  which  lay  upon 
it,  fatal  to  all  future  advance  in  enterprise  in  the  way  of  public 
improvements,  and  especially  of  rail-roads.  I  thus  became 
the  originator  of  the  law  that  has  ever  since  freed  from  taxation 
the  stocks  of  all  corporations,  incorporated  under  the  laws  of 
Maine,  the  corporations  being  taxed  instead  of  the  stock- 
holders. 

After  entering  upon  the  duties  of  Bank  and  Insurance  Ex- 
aminer, I  found  that  I  had  nothing  to  govern  me  in  my  work. 
There  was  no  law  regulating  the  business  either  of  Insurance 
or  of  Savings  Banks.  How  great  a  deficiency  this  was  in  our 
Code  I  at  once  resolved,  and  set  myself  about  the  work  of 
reform.  I  made  the  subject  one  of  a  great  deal  of  study  and 
investigation  and  at  the  first  Session  of  the  Legislature  after 
my  appointment  I  was  ready  with  my  drafts  on  both  subjects. 

My  Savings  Bank  law  at  once  met  the  support  of  the  Bank 
Committee  but  was  violently  opposed  by  members,  one  of  the 
committee    joining    in    the    opposition.     Encouraged    by    the 


THE  AUTO-BIOGRAPHY  247 

support  thus  offered  I  stood  firm  and  before  the  legishiture 
rose  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  my  Act  passed  and  become  a 
haw  with  scarcely  a  word  of  alteration. 

In  my  Insurance  Law  I  was  not  so  fortunate  at  first.  After 
a  hard  fight  all  winter,  the  matter  was  voted  down,  no  single 
person  coming  to  my  support  and  the  Committee  reported 
adversely.  Nothing  discouraged  I  tried  it  again  the  second 
winter  and  week  after  week  I  appeared  before  the  Committee. 
I  stood  all  alone  until  Gov.  Williams  gave  a  half  sui)port, 
the  first  and  only  word  of  favor  during  all  the  two  years.  This 
however  ended  the  fight  and  the  Committee  put  an  end  to  all 
further  discussion  by  voting  an  unanimous  report  of  my  law, 
subject  to  such  slight  changes  as  a  Committee  consisting  of 
myself  and  two  opposition  agents  might  make.  These  were 
very  .slight  and  the  Bill  was  enacted  substantially  as  I  had 
drawn  it  except  the  taxation  .section.  That,  as  I  before  stated, 
was  struck  out  but  found  favor  afterwards. 

Clo.sely  connected  with  the  main  Insurance  Law  were  several 
others.  Among  these  was  the  Act  now  in  force  providing 
for  Fire  Inciuests.  A  law  had  been  enacted  on  the  subject 
but  was  too  imperfect  and  ineffective  to  be  of  any  practical  use. 

While  engaged  in  the  business  of  Insurance  I  found  a  great 
evil  existing  in  our  Law  and  by  the  Bankruptcy  Law  of  the 
U.  S.  whereby  Life  Policies  of  Bankrupts  were  treated  as  their 
property  and  subject  to  be  administered  upon  as  such.  This 
I  regarded  as  a  great  evil  and  I  determined  to  have  it  changed. 
Being  then  a  member  of  the  Ins.  Convention,  I  accordingly 
introduced  an  order  and  procured  its  passage  to  represent  to 
Congress  the  propriety  of  exempting  Life  policies  from  the 
effect  of  Bankruptcy.  Congress  took  the  subject  in  hand 
and  adopted  the  law  so  far  as  to  exempt  everything,  including 
Life  policies  which  the  state  law  exempted  from  attachment. 
This  answered  for  Maine,  for  I  had  already  seen  to  that  in  my 
law  already  enacted.     So  that  my  object  was  thus  effected  so 


248        THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A  GRANDMOTHER 

far  as  Maine  was  concerned  and  many  were  the  cases  which 
afterwards  occurred  when  blessings  were  the  result  to  the 
poor  bankrupt's  family. 

But  the  ]>rincipal  and  perhaps  most  important  of  all  the 
improvements  made  by  my  efforts  in  the  way  of  law  reform, 
before  committees  and  the  Legislature  is  that  of  the  Statute 
allowing  a  person  accused  of  crime  to  testify  as  witness  on 
his  own  behalf  on  trial.  Up  to  that  time  this  right  was  no 
where  enjoyed  nor  had  even  been  except  for  a  few  months 
in  Conn  where  a  Statute  had  been  passed  which  the  Court 
construed  gave  that  right.  As  soon  as  the  Court  had  so  de- 
cided the  Stat,  was  repealed  at  once,  leaving  the  right  no 
where  existant. 

I  had  resolved  on  amending  the  practise  and  accordingly 
persuaded  my  old  student  A.  G.  Lebroke,  then  a  newly  elected 
member  of  the  House  of  Rep.  to  introduce  the  measure.  At  my 
earnest  solicitation  he  consented  to  do  so  and  acted  accord- 
ingly. This  was  in  Jany  1859.  As  the  result  a  law  was  passed 
allowing  such  parties  to  testify  in  certain  small  affairs  such  as 
assault,  assault  and  battery,  trespass,  etc.  This  was  a  good 
entering  wedge  and  gave  me  encouragement.  This  I  followed 
up  and  for  five  successive  years  caused  the  matter  to  be  brought 
before  the  Legislature  until  success  crowned  my  efforts  by  the 
enactment  of  the  law  of  1864. 

Following  up  my  success  at  home  I  commenced  work  in 
Mass  and  by  some  3  or  4  communications  to  the  Boston  Daily 
Advertiser  called  attention  to  the  subject.  The  articles  had 
the  desired  effect  and  the  last  was  the  means  of  accomplishing 
the  desired  object.  This  last  was  the  report  which  I  wrote  of  a 
trial  of  a  poor  negro  barber  of  our  own  city  who  in  darkness 
of  night  had  killed  a  big  Irishman  and  the  fact  of  his  doing  so 
was  patent  tho  done  secretly.     The  poor  little  negro  was  put  on 


THE  AUTO  BIOGRAPHY  249 

trial  and  by  his  own  testimony  alone,  his  innocence  of  murder 
by  killing  in  self  defence  so  fully  established,  as  to  ensure  his 
instantaneous  acquittal.  The  report  which  I  made  was  so 
conclusive  an  argument  in  favor  of  the  law,  that  the  Leg.  at 
once  adopted  it  at  the  motion  of  J.  Q.  Adams.  Happening  to 
be  in  Boston  on  the  day  of  its  introduction  I  called  on  Mr. 
Adams  at  the  State  House  and  at  his  request  wrote  out  the  law. 
This  was  before  its  introduction.  During  the  same  days  ses- 
sion he  introduced  it  and  procured  its  passage  and  it  thus 
became  the  law  of  Mass. 

Its  subsequent  success  was  astonishing,  having  like  wild 
fire  gone  over  the  union  and  back  to  Congress  and  is  now 
almost  everywhere  practised  among  English  speaking  people 
and  with  some  modification  in  France. 

I  more  than  half  suspect  that  I  have  had  much  to  do  with 
certain  Post  Office  improvements  in  the  law  regulating  the 
Department.  The  law  for  a  few  years  after  the  introduction 
of  postal  cards  was  such  that  no  postal  could  be  forwarded  to 
the  owner  who  had  left  town  as  letters  might.  The  only  favor 
in  this  line  was  that  a  new  postage  stamp  must  be  affixed. 
Unlike  the  treatment  which  letters  reed  which  might  follow 
the  person  addressed  all  over  the  Union,  postal  cards  could 
not  be  so  forwarded. 

Another  defect  in  the  P.  O.  service  I  found  in  the  case  of 
postal  boxes  the  contents  of  which  were  retiuired  to  be  carried 
to  the  P.  O.  and  there  mailed.  I  thought  of  the  conversion 
of  the  plan  of  letting  the  train  P.  M.  open  the  box  and  take 
out  the  letters  thus  facilitating  the  forwarding  of  them.  Being 
at  Washington  in  1876  during  the  session  of  Congress  I  applied 
to  the  Ch.  of  the  Post  Office  Committee  to  have  the  proper 
amendment  made,  but  he  dissented  and  would  do  nothing. 
Soon  after  a  Committee  was  appointed  by  Congress  to  revise 
the  P.  O.  laws  when  I  took  advantage  of  the  opportunity  and 


230       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

addressed  the  Com.  on  the  subject.  Both  recommendations 
were  adopted  and  are  now  the  law  of  the  Department.  Whether 
it  was  my  recommendation  that  effected  it  I  can  not  say  how- 
ever, but  I  suspect  my  suggestions  were  the  real  cause  of  the 
enactment. 

Filius  NulUus 

Since  the  foregoing  was  written  I  have  during  the  session 
of  1887  procured  the  enactment  of  the  very  important  statute 
regulating  the  descent  of  estates  to  and  from  illegitimates  and 
the  amendment  of  the  Divorce  law  of  our  State.  This  un- 
fortunate class  of  our  citizens  are  everywhere  treated  with 
ignominy  and  cruelty  as  the  children  of  nobody,  filius  nullius, 
and  that  without  any  fault  of  theirs.  In  my  practise  I  had 
met  with  cases  of  great  hardship  and  I  resolved  to  do  away 
with  the  ignominy  and  after  a  great  deal  of  care  I  wrote  out 
the  law  and  then  went  before  the  Leg.  and  procured  its  enact- 
ment. 

Voting  by  Proxy 

The  subject  of  "Voting  by  Proxy"  at  Public  Elections  is 
now  my  hobby  and  so  long  as  I  shall  live  to  have  the  power  to 
work  I  propose  to  push  the  matter  until  success  crowns  my 
efforts.  It  is  a  great  improvement  on  the  present  system  and 
can  not  I  believe  fail  of  ultimate  success.  I  have  already 
had  it  presented  to  the  Legislature  for  enactment,  of  course 
without  success  and  have  caused  it  to  be  noticed  several  times 
by  the  public  press.  The  measure  is  slowly  gaining  favor  and 
is  bound  at  last  to  succeed.  Once  in  practise  in  a  single  state 
it  will  pass  like  wild  fire  to  all.   .  .  . 

Jury  System. 

Another  scheme  or  project  which  I  should  like  to  engage  in 

effecting  if  my  life  should  continue  is  the  reformation  of  the 

Jury  System,  in  the  trial  of  Civil  causes.     I  have  long  regarded 

the  present  system  of  twelve  men  drawn  heterogeneously  from 


THE  AUTO-BIOGRAPHY  251 

the  masses  for  the  trial  of  causes  in  court  as  a  gross  hbel 
on  the  cause  of  justice  and  a  most  bunghng  as  well  as  un- 
safe mode  of  arriving  at  the  true  merits  of  any  cause.  .   .   . 

Another  scheme  now  (July  1888)  before  Congress  have  I 
been  active  in  introducing  and  promoting,  to  amend  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  U.  S.  in  the  matter  of  Presidential  Elections. 
I  found  out  by  reading  the  Constitution  one  day,  some  two 
years  ago,  that  there  was  no  provision  of  law  to  meet  the  con- 
tingency of  a  President  Elect  dying  before  his  inauguration. 
By  a  communication  in  the  Boston  Herald  I  called  attention  to 
it  and  then  sent  copies  of  the  article  to  various  members  of 
Congress  and  Senators  and  to  the  Pres.  Cleveland.  Every 
person  acknowledged  the  favor  and  thanked  me.  Amend- 
ments to  meet  the  want  were  proposed  to  the  Act  then  on  its 
passage,  but  they  were  voted  down.  Indeetl  the  defect  could 
not  properly  be  provided  for  by  statute.  The  matter  is  now 
before  a  Committee  of  the  Senate  who  are  neglectful  of  it  but 
will  ultimately  see  that  the  proper  amendment  is  adopted. 

18S9.  I  have  made  further  efforts  by  letters  recently  pub- 
lished in  the  Boston  Daily  Advertiser  and  N.  Y.  Independent 
calling  attention  to  the  subject  and  these  have  been  duly 
commented  on  by  the  Press  favorably  in  different  parts  of  the 
U.S. 

1904-  The  matter  has  since  been  twice  considered  by  the 
Senate  on  motion  of  Senator  Hoar.  At  first  the  subject  was 
brought  before  the  Senate  on  the  4th  day  of  May  1898  and  was 
discussed  principally  as  to  the  form  of  the  amendment,  and  was 
as  the  amendment  was  made  to  read,  finally  adopted  by  the 
Senate  by  unanimous  vote  as  reported  in  the  Congressional 
Record  of  55th  Congress,  voted  May  4,  1898,  pages  5056  to 
5062.  The  House  took  no  action  and  the  matter  of  course 
passed  over.  The  House,  however,  received  the  act  as  passed 
by  the  Senate  and  on  May  5,  1898  referred  it  to  the  Judiciary 
Committee  who  failed  to  make  any  report. 


252       THE  DISCOVERY   OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

At  a  Subsequent  Session,  the  subject  was  again  presented 
to  the  Senate  by  Senator  Hoar  who  after  having  made  a  few 
remarks  on  the  subject  cited  the  argument  as  presented  by 
me  and  begged  to  be  permitted  to  read  the  same  which  he  was 
permitted  to  do  and  the  proffered  Act  was  thereupon  unani- 
mously adopted.  The  House,  however,  neglected  to  consider 
the  matter  and  so  the  proper  amendment  fails  thus  far  to  be 
adopted  and  awaits  future  action.  The  proposed  amend- 
ment was  defective  and  needed  an  important  amendment. 

Mr.  Hoar  having  since  died  an  important  question  remains 
for  the  future  to  .settle  and  ([uere,  who  shall  be  the  man  to 
prosecute  the  case.  The  propriety  and  the  necessity  for  the 
suggested  remedy  to  be  adopted  is  admitted  by  all  and  we 
await  further  action  of  Congress. 

Among  the  files  of  father's  letters  are  many  bearing  on 
this  subject,  written  by  Congressmen  and  Senators.  I  have 
selected  five  to  give  here. 

In  1888,  Senator  Hoar  wrote  a  long  letter  to  Rep.  Boutelle, 
on  this  subject.  His  stand  at  that  time  is  shown  in  these 
extracts. 

My  de.\r  Sir,  —  I  have  read  the  two  letters  from  Hon. 
Albert  W.  Paine  of  the  Penobscot  Bar,  which  you  enclose. 
They  relate  to  a  very  interesting  subject.  The  Committee 
on  Privileges  and  Elections  considered  it  verj'  fully  when  the 
bill  to  regulate  the  presidential  succession  was  framed.  I 
consulted  not  only  the  members  of  the  Committee  but  other 
Senators  and  all  were  of  opinion  that  it  was  not  practicable  to 
make  any  provision  for  the  subject  either  by  legislation  or  by 
amendment  to  the  Constitution.  .  .  .  The  prevailing  opinion 
of  those  whom  we  consulted  was  that  the  necessity  supposed 
by  Mr.  Paine  did  not  exist.  Those  who  think  it  does  exist 
agree  that  the  danger  is  now  confined  to  a  very  short  period 
of  time.  ...  It  is  quite  likely  that  before  many  years  pass 
there  will  be  an  amendment  of  the  Constitution  changing  in 


THE  AUTO-BIOGRAPHY  253 

some  respect  the  method  of  the  election  of  the  President  and 
Vice  President.  Whenever  that  shall  happen  there  ought  to 
be  and  probably  will  be  a  clear  provision  for  this  case. 

I  am,  yours  faithfully, 

Geo.  F.  Hoar. 
To  Hon.  C.  A.  Boutelle 

House  of  Representatives. 

That  further  consideration  changed  Senator  Hoar's  opinion 
is  shown  in  this  letter  to  my  father. 

Committee  on  the  Judiciary,  United  States  Senate, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

Worcester,  Mass.  Nov.  SS,  1899. 
My  dear  Mr.  Paine,  —  I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for  your 
letter  and  for  the  enclosed  letter  which,  however,  I  had  already 
seen  and  read  with  interest.  If  one  influential  man  in  the 
House  of  Representatives  will  take  hold  of  the  matter  I  can 
take  care  of  it  in  the  Senate.  But  I  am  naturally  somewhat 
tired  of  getting  valuable  measures  through  the  Senate,  with  a 
good  deal  of  labor  and  pains,  and  then  having  them  get  no 
attention  whatever  in  the  House.  Now  you  are  entirely  right 
in  your  opinion  as  to  the  gravity  of  the  situation  and  the  need 
of  a  remedy  by  Constitutional  amendment.  I  should  think 
your  Congressman,  Mr.  Boutelle,  who  is  a  very  vigorous  man 
of  great  influence  might  be  made  to  see  the  importance  of  the 
matter.  If  some  member  of  the  House  of  Representatives 
would  take  the  initiative  so  that  he  would  get  whatever  credit 
belongs  to  the  introduction  and  successful  accomplishment  of 
an  important  measure,  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  see  after  the 
thing  in  the  Senate.  I  have  got  too  old  to  care  much  about 
the  pride  and  glory  of  such  things. 

I  am,  with  high  regard, 

faithfully  yours, 
Albert  W.  Paine  Esq.  Geo.  F.  Hoar. 


254        THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

There  are  several  other  letters  from  him,  the  last  is  dated 
Dec.  1901. 

Worcester,  Mass,  Dec.  23,  1901. 
My  dear  Mr.  Paine:  I  have  received  at  Worcester  today 
your  letter  in  regard  to  the  Constitutional  Amendment. 

Your  suggestions  on  the  suljject  have  always  been  exceed- 
ingly wise,  and  I  shall  be  glad  to  give  this  communication  full 
attention.  I  hope  the  proper  Constitutional  Amendment  will 
be  reported  by  the  Committee  on  privileges  and  Elections 
promptly. 

I  am,  with  high  regard,  faithfully  yours, 

Geo.  F.  Hoar. 
Albert  W.  Paine,  Esq., 
Bangor,  Maine. 
There  are  several  letters  from  Senator  Frye. 

Washington  D.  C,  January,  18, /98 
Mr.  Albert  W.  Paine, 
Bangor,  Alainc. 

My  dear  Sir,  —  It  is  impossible  for  you  to  intrude  upon 
me.  I  have  such  a  profound  respect  for  your  opinions  that  I 
am  always  pleased  to  hear  from  you.  I  shall  present  your 
Constitutional  Amendment  this  morning  and  have  it  referred 
to  the  Judiciary  Committee,  together  with  your  reasons  for 
its  adoption.  I  am. 

Yours  very  truly, 

Wm  P  Frye 

United  States  Senate 
Hon.  Albert  W.  Paine, 
Bangor,  Maine. 
My  de-\r  Mr.   Paine,  —  I  have  yours  of  March  5.     The 
Chairman  of  the  Judiciary  committee  appointed  a  sub-com- 
mittee on  your  Constitutional  amendment.     I  repeatedly  called 
their  attention  to  the  great  importance  of  the  matter,  but  about 


THE  AUTO-BIOGRAPHV  255 

the  only  reply  I  could  get  was  that  we  had  gotten  along  for 
over  a  hundred  years  and,  as  this  short  session  was  so  taken 
up,  they  did  not  think  it  best  to  report  the  amendment  favor- 
ably. They  all  admitted  that  the  charges  you  made  were 
true  and  that  great  danger  exists.  I  called  their  attention  to 
the  fact  that  Senator  Hoar  was  very  warmly  in  favor  of  your 
amendment,  but  it  did  no  good.  I  think  if  an  amendment  is 
proposed  very  early  in  the  next  session  that  it  may  receive 
favorable  consideration." 

I  am  very  glad  that  you  are  still  in  good  health,  and  that 
your  life  is  spared. 

Sincerely, 

Wm.  Frye. 
Wa.sliington,  D.  C,  March  8,  1907. 

I  have  selected  two  other  letters  written  by  two  of  our 
prominent  Maine  men.  This  one  I  like  to  give  as  one  of  many, 
showing  the  friendly  esteem  in  which  my  father  was  held  in 
Maine,  the  State: 

Senate  Chamber,  January  2,  190Jf. 

My  dear  Mr.  Paine,  —  Your  letter  of  the  last  of  the  year 
has  just  been  received.  You  will,  I  hope  and  believe,  live  for 
years  in  both  enjoyment  and  usefulness. 

There  is  no  such  record  in  Maine  as  yours  for  eminent 
service  at  the  Bar  and  in  the  business  world,  where  good  lawyers 
give  so  much  of  direction  to  business. 

All   the  good  wishes  of  the  season   go  with  this  letter,  and 

I  hope  I  shall  keep  writing  them  at  the  beginning  of  many  years 

in  the  future.  Sincerely  yours, 

Eugene  Hale. 

Hon.  Albert  W.  Paine. 

The  other  I  give  because  of  its  historical  interest.  Father 
had  evidently  written  to  Mr.  Reed  regarding  his  famous  ruling 
of  the  "quorum." 

1  But  before  the  "next  session,"  father  had  gone. 


256        THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

Speaker's  Room, 
House  of  Representatives, 
Washington.  D.  C.  19  Fehy,  1890. 
Bro.    Paine,  —  I  am  glad  to  have  such  approval  from  the 
regions   of   pure   law.     Your  argument   cannot   be   answered. 
Nevertheless  you  can  hardly  appreciate  what  a  shock  it  was 
to  old  traditions  and  to  use  and  wont  it  was,  to  count  a  man 
as  here  simply  because  he  was  here.     But  the  world  do  move 
and  with  mighty  little  jar  after  all. 

Sincerely  yours, 
A.  W.  Paine  Esq.  T.  B.  Reed. 

Religious  Experience 

In  a  sketch  of  one's  life  such  as  this  is,  it  would  be  a  great 
defect  to  pass  over  what  is  usually  called  ones  religious  experi- 
ence or  sentiment. 

I  have  already  alluded  to  the  fact  of  my  parent's  orthodox 
belief  and  religious  views  and  practice.  They  were  good  old 
fashioned  Congregationalists  and  with  one  other  married  couple 
formed  the  entire  church.  ...  As  to  myself  I  could  never  find 
any  pleasure  in  the  contemplation  of  the  Orthodox  creed  and 
Catechism.  I  always  had  the  feeling  when  a  boy  that  its 
teachings  made  anything  of  the  future  rather  than  what  I  would 
have  for  a  heaven  and  as  I  heard  the  preaching  of  hell  fire  and 
eternal  torments  and  the  doctrine  of  election  and  predestination 
and  all  that  system  of  absurdities  I  used  to  wish  that  God  was 
as  good  as  I  was  &  such  things  would  not  be.  My  mind  and 
heart  rebelled  against  the  whole  creed  and  all  the  pulpit  utter- 
ances of  the  kind  and  the  hope  was  ever  fresh  in  my  mind 
that  at  some  time  I  should  find  something  that  I  could  love  to 
believe.  INIy  boy  days  and  college  years  pas.sed  without  the 
sight  however  and  I  was  fast  inclining  to  infidelity  when  during 
the  last  year  of  ray  professional  studies  at  Hallowell  in  June, 
1834  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  doctrines  of  the  New 


.1 


THE  AUTO-BIOGRAPHY  257 

Church  as  given  to  the  world  through  the  agency  of  Sweden- 
borg.     I  was  but  a  day  in  their  reception. 

They  so  strongly  commended  themselves  to  mj^  reason,  to 
my  intellect,  to  my  heart  and  brain,  the  whole  world  and  all 
its  parts  physical  natural  mental,  moral,  and  spiritual  and  so 
full  of  the  most  convincing  evidence  that  I  could  no  more  help 
believing  than  I  could  the  fact  of  my  existence.  So  I  have 
ever  been  and  shall  ever  be,  both  in  this  life  and  the  future  a 
full  believer  of  the  truths,  the  glorious  truths  of  the  New 
Dispensation.  They  are  to  me  the  great  comforter  of  my  life, 
my  support  and  foundation.  When  the  time  comes  as  soon 
I  expect  it,  I  go  with  firm  faith  and  undoubting  trust  to  that 
other  state  which  is  as  real  and  certain  as  is  this  I  now  live  and 
enjoy.  It  is  for  my  family  alone  that  I  have  any  regrets  or 
any  reluctance  at  going. 

Our  life  here  is  like  the  College  life  of  youth,  a  mere  state 

of   preparation   for   tlie   future  after  graduation.      Successive 

states  only  in  each  case,  the  one  the  conse(|uence  of  the  other, 

following  it  at  once  and  affected  in  each  case  by  the  state  which 

precedes.     \^1886r\ 

A  nfhor 

In  addition  to  other  work  of  which  mention  has  been  made 
I  have  had  more  or  less  to  do  in  the  way  of  using  the  public 
press  as  author  or  contributor.  I  have  always  from  my 
admission  to  the  Bar  been  more  or  less  a  scribbler. 

My  first  published  article  was  a  letter  from  Bangor  published 
in  the  Philadelphia  Gazette,  written  at  the  request  of  the  Editor 
in  Nov.  1835  giving  an  account  of  our  City.  From  that  time 
forward  I  have  been  an  almost  constant  correspondent  for  the 
Boston  Daily  Advertiser  for  all  the  50  years  past.  During  the 
Aroostook  War  I  was  the  only  correspondent  and  my  letters 
were  very  extensively  published  all  over  the  country  and 
some  went  to  England.  [A  complete  file  of  these  papers  was 
given  to  the  Bangor  Public  Library  in  1017.] 


258       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A  GRANDMOTHER 

Contributions  on  different  subjects  to  our  Dailies  in  Bangor 
and  to  the  Advertiser  have  been  frequent  and  numerous  gener- 
ally over  the  signature  of  A.  W.  P.  Occasional  Magazine 
articles  and  two  for  the  Maine  Historical  Society  have  also 
appeared.  The  Territorial  History  of  Bangor  and  Vicinity 
was  one  of  the  contributions  thus  proffered  which  has  since 
been  printed  forming  a  small  volume  of  much  interest. 

As  Bank  and  Insurance  Examiner  I  made  two  annual  Re- 
ports containing  not  only  the  statistics  of  the  Dept.  but  large 
amounts  of  information  of  an  historical  or  instructive  char- 
acter connected  with  the  subject  such  as  the  history  of  Savings 
Banks  and  the  general  principles  controlling  and  governing 
them  as  well  as  other  subjects. 

During  the  three  subsequent  years  of  my  Insurance  Com- 
missionership  my  three  annual  Reports  contained  in  like 
manner  a  large  amount  of  information  of  a  like  character 
touching  the  subject  of  Insurance  of  different  kinds.  I  have 
been  pleased  to  find  that  the  doctrines  which  I  adopted 
have  ever  since  been  held  to  by  my  successors  and  by  the 
Legislature. 

As  Tax  Commissioner  my  Report  on  Taxes  generally  re- 
ceived wide  favor  and  general  adoption. 

As  a  member  of  the  Insurance  Convention  at  its  origin, 
I  assumed  the  role  of  an  active  member  and  its  two  large 
volumes  of  proceedings  bear  evidence  to  the  work  done 
there  by  me,  to  perfect  the  system  of  Insurance  practise 
in  its  various  departments  of  Life,  Fire,  Accident  and 
Marine. 

During  the  last  eight  or  ten  years  I  interested  myself  largely 
in  hunting  up  my  ancestry  and  establishing  the  genealogj'  of 
our  family.  The  work  was  an  arduous  one  and  one  where 
at  the  start  I  had  nothing  to  start  with.  I  knew  nothing  of 
my  family,  back  of  my  owti  father  the  name  of  his  father  not 
being  known.     But  by  perseverance  I  went  on  my  way  and 


THE  AUTO-BIOGRAPHY  259 

what  I  at  last  accomplished  is  made  evident  by  my  published 
work,  "Paine  Genealogy,  I])swich  Branch."  The  family  was 
so  little  known  that  it  had  no  distinctive  name  and  it  was  left 
to  me  to  name  it  as  I  did,  "The  Ipswich  Branch." 

Having  accomplished  so  much  I  could  not  bear  to  have  my 
labor  lost  and  .so  concluded  to  perpetuate  it  by  publishing  the 
work  as  I  did.  This  is  all  I  have  to  say  about  it.  The  Book 
tells  the  rest.     The  book  was  published  in  1881. 

More  recently  I  have  published  "The  New  Philosophy" 
which  is  a  work  intended  as  the  book  shows  to  be  an  intro- 
ductory work  of  what  I  call  the  new  system  of  philosophy  or 
system  that  is  bound  to  take  the  place  of  the  old  or  anticjuated 
system  that  is  in  many  respects  and  especially  in  matters  of  a 
mental  character  so  utterly  defective  and  unreasonable,  illogi- 
cal and  absurd.  .  .  .  Published  in  1884. 

Sept.  31,  1892.  I  have  recently  had  the  curiosity  to  review 
the  acts  of  my  profession  or  rather  my  professional  life  more 
especially  so  far  as  relates  to  doings  in  Court. 

In  reviewing  the  scenery  I  find  that  I  have  had  trials  before 
every  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  and  District  Court 
during  their  whole  existence  from  the  organization  of  the 
State.  Also  before  every  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Judicial  Court 
who  held  office  after  my  admission  which  embraces  every  Judge 
of  that  Court  since  the  State  of  Maine  was  a  separate  State 
except  Judge  Parris,  Preble  and  Mellen.  But  I  have  tried 
cases  with  the  last  two  having  had  several  cases  against  Preble 
and  one  with  Mellen.  All  but  Parris  have  I  thus  been  familiar 
with  in  practise. 

In  addition  to  these  I  have  tried  cases  before  every  Circuit 
Court  Judge  of  the  U.  S.  for  First  Circuit  except  the  present 
one,  also  before  every  District  Judge  of  the  U.  S.  for  Maine 
District  including  Judges  Story,  Woodbury,  Curtis,  Clifford, 
Lowell,  Ware,  Fox  and  Webb. 


260       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

In  looking  over  my  Law  Dockets  I  find  on  them  more  or  less 
cases  at  every  Law  term  since  I  was  admitted  beginning  with 
1836  and  continuing  to  189^2  (4)  or  59  consecutive  yearly  law 
terms  with  one  exception  and  that  in  all  I  have  had  some  525 
cases  for  Law  argument  before  S.  J.  C,  some  more  than  300 
being  reported  in  the  Maine  Reports  making  about  3  vols  out 
of  the  whole  83  vols  of  the  Law  Reports  of  Maine. 

Besides  the  cases  already  mentioned  I  have  also  argued 
three  cases  before  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S.  at  Washing- 
ton and  more  or  less  cases  in  the  Courts  of  Mass.,  N.  H.  and 
Minn.  In  New  Hampshire  I  succeeded  in  procuring  a  decision 
which  had  been  rendered  more  than  50  years  before  and  con- 
stantly receiving  the  practise  and  support  of  the  people  and 
the  Court  ever  since,  to  be  overruled  and  annulled.  It  was  a 
case  involving  the  title  under  the  tax  law  of  X.  H.  It  involved 
the  title  of  almost  the  whole  township  which  was  thus  saved 
to  my  client  (Coe).  It  was  a  hard  work  but  I  succeeded 
having  procured  the  assent  of  a  majority  of  the  Court. 

In  one  of  the  S.  C.  of  U.  S.  cases  which  was  that  of  Moor 
and  Veazie  the  question  was  finally  established  settling  the 
extent  of  the  U.  S.  jurisdiction  over  the  rivers,  a  matter  that 
had  never  before  been  fixed.  The  law  was  thus  for  the  first 
time  decided  to  be  that  the  jurisdiction  of  the  \j.  S.  government 
over  the  navigation  of  Rivers  extended  to  the  farthest  navigable 
point  from  the  ocean  and  no  farther  without  any  regard  to  the 
flowing  of  the  tide. 

Among  the  pleasant  duties  performed  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
representing  my  State  in  the  Insurance  Convention  which 
brought  me  in  contact  and  acquaintance  with  very  many  dis- 
tinguished men  of  other  states  and  thus  helped  make  life 
happy. 

On  another  occasion  I  was  sent  to  Fredericton,  X.  B.  to 
represent  my  State  before  the  Legislature  there  with  reference 
to  certain  water  rights  where  certain  proposed  improvements  or 


THE  AUTO-BIOGRAPHY  261 

interference  with  the  waters  of  the  St.  John  and  other  streams 
interfered  with  the  use  of  the  same  waters  in  our  State.  I  was 
successful  in  procuring  the  arrangement  desired  but  the  matter 
never  amounted  to  anything  as  the  whole  scheme  was  aban- 
doned by  the  Province. 

On  another  occasion  I  was  ajjpointed  by  the  Governor  of 
Maine  under  a  resolve  of  our  Legislature  suggested  by  myself 
just  before,  to  procure  from  Mass.  Leg.  the  various  documents 
and  records  pertaining  to  the  lands  in  Maine,  then  in  the  Land 
Office  of  that  state  at  Boston.  In  this  I  was  successful  having 
procured  from  the  Committee  a  favourable  report  and  from  the 
Legislature  a  Resolve  granting  the  desired  gift. 

After  being  thus  successful  another  Ex  appointment  sent  me 
to  Boston  to  explore  and  find  out  and  receive  the  documents 
sought  for.  A  day  or  two  of  vigilant  work  through  the  various 
rooms  of  the  State  House  and  its  closets  resulted  in  my  obtain- 
ing almost  the  entire  body  of  all  the  papers  and  records,  maps, 
and  documents  desired,  some  of  the  most  important  being 
found  thrown  into  the  waste  closets  of  the  Capitol,  covered 
with  dirt  and  ready  to  go  with  the  next  spring  cleaning  into  the 
brush  heap  of  the  dumping  ground. 

One  who  visits  the  Land  Office  of  Maine  and  sees  how  ele- 
gantly and  conveniently  are  now  arranged  the  whole  history 
of  our  public  lands,  its  maps  and  plans,  field  notes  and  deeds 
of  conveyance  and  other  material  may  gain  some  idea  of  the 
great  value  of  the  work  thus  done. 

The  reason  of  my  appt  was  the  oft  repeated  idea  that  for 
years  I  had  suggested  to  our  Land  Agent  that  these  records 
should  be  thus  secured.  How  little  do  people  in  general  know 
of  the  value  of  such  old  records  and  papers  and  oh !  how  few 
care  to  know  anything  al)out  them.  It  is  well  that  now  and 
then  there  is  one  exception.     I  am  glad  to  be  one. 

Dec.   1,   1904.     During   the  last  twelve  years  which    have 


262       THE  DISCOVERY   OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

expired  since  my  last  date  I  have  still  continued  to  live,  having 
recently  celebrated  ray  93d  birthday.  Tho  during  the  last 
two  years  I  have  been  more  or  less  at  times  afflicted  with  disease 
in  addition  to  my  defect  in  hearing  I  still  regard  myself  as  a 
member  of  the  Bar  and  in  professional  practise  which  has  been 
continuous  since  May  1835  thus  making  me  the  oldest  lawyer 
in  continuous  practise  in  the  United  States  as  my  reputation 
exists,  being  now  in  my  70th  year  of  practise.  I  now  daily 
(generally)  visit  my  office  and  pay  my  rent  for  same  tho 
I  find  comparatively  little  to  do.  How  long  I  shall  continue 
to  do  .so  depends  upon  the  gift  of  Providence  in  the  prolonga- 
tion of  life. 

During  ths  time  above  stated  my  dear  Wife  left  her  earthly 
home  for  the  better  home  of  eternity  on  the  12th  day  of  April 
1901  after  some  sixty-one  years  of  happy  companionship  on 
earth.  That  we  shall  soon  meet  each  other  again  to  enjoy  an 
eternity  of  fellow.ship  is  and  affords  a  complete  compensation 
for  the  brief  deprivation  of  mental  connection  on  earth. 

I  have  recently  dissolved  my  connection  with  several  cor- 
porations after  a  long  .service  in  each,  by  resignation  as  follows, 
—  on  account  of  my  deafness  and  age. 

As  Librarian  of  Penobscot  Bar  after  60  years  service  I  re- 
signed in  1899  and  at  same  time  I  also  resigned  the  office  of 
Treasurer  which  I  had  held  for  50  years. 

A  few  weeks  ago  I  also  resigned  the  office  of  President  of 
the  Bar  after  about  twenty  years  service  as  such. 

In  consideration  of  my  services  as  approved,  the  Bar  did  me 
the  honor  of  having  my  portrait  painted  and  hung  upon  the 
wall  of  the  Bar  Library  in  our  new  Court  House.  Appropriate 
services  were  performed,  including  those  on  my  resignation, 
reports  of  which  were  duly  published  in  the  city  papers. 

As  Treasurer  of  Mt.  Hope  Cemetery  Corporation  I  served 
for  the  period  of  50  years,  when  I  declined  the  proffered  election 
for  another  year.     Appropriate  resolutions  were  passed  by  the 


THE  NEW  YORK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


ASTOR,    LEN'OX 


THE   AUTO  BIOGRAPHV  263 

Corporation  with  a  vote  appropriating  $100  per  aiinuiu  as  a 
gift  for  the  consideration  of  the  services  which  I  iiad  performed 
during  the  half  century  of  its  favor.  The  appropriation  being 
for  the  years  of  my  hfe. 

Last  year  after  some  20  or  30  years  service  as  President  of 
the  Maine  Telegraph  Company  I  declined  a  reelection  when  a 
vote  of  thanks  and  gift  of  $100  was  passed,  my  position  as 
Director  of  the  Co.  ever  since  its  organization  some  60  years 
ago  being  also  repeated  for  the  coming  year.  On  account  of  my 
age  and  accompanying  defects  from  deafness  I  regarded  it  as 
rather  a  duty  to  free  myself  from  the  responsibilities  of  the 
several  offices  thus  surrendered  arid  declined. 

During  all  the  years  of  my  residence  in  my  home  on  Court 
St.  being  about  55  years,  I  have  constantly,  every  year,  person- 
ally performed  the  work  of  cultivating  my  garden  almost  every 
item  of  work  from  the  planting  of  the  seed  until  the  gathering 
in  of  the  crop  having  been  performed  by  my  own  hands.  The 
work  has  been  the  source  of  great  interest  and  happiness  to  me, 
as  I  have  all  the  while  enjoyed  the  work  and  realized  the  benefit 
bestowed  thereby  on  my  bodily  health  and  strength. 

I  have  just  now  within  a  few  days  commenced  a  new  effort  to 
influence  Congress  to  enact  a  statute  pledging  the  good  faith 
and  power  of  our  Government  to  grant  to  the  Phillippine  Islands 
their  independence  as  soon  as  in  the  opinion  of  Congress  they 
are  fitted  for  such  privilege.  I  have  accordingly  published  in 
the  Boston  Daily  Advertiser  and  in  our  Daily  papers  an  article 
on  the  subject  and  sent  copies  thereof  to  President  Roosevelt 
and  different  members  of  Congress.  What  will  be  the  result 
remains  to  be  seen. 

Father  died  Dec.  3,  1907,  three  years  after  this  last  entry. 
His  interests  in  the  various  activities  of  the  world  and  in  the 
various  reforms  remained  with  him  to  the  end. 

He  was  able  to  do  a  great  deal  of  good  in  the  world  because 
he  was  ever  ready  to  take  the  initiative  in  any  new  movement 


204       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

that  appealed  to  him  and  because  he  was  also  ready  to  take 
the  full  responsibility  for  its  accomplishment. 

For  many  years  it  had  been  father's  duty  and  privilege,  as 
President  of  the  Penobscot  Bar,  to  give  the  memorial  addresses 
before  its  members;   it  had  now  come  his  turn  to  be  honored. 

Mr.  Franklin  A.  Wilson,  one  of  father's  most  esteemed  friends, 
succeeded  him  as  President.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  me  to  give 
extracts  from  his  address,  Jan.  25,  1908. 

May  it  please  your  Honor: 

The  sad  yet  not  distasteful  duty  has  been  imposed  upon  me 
as  president  of  the  Penobscot  Bar  in  succession  to  the  Hon 
Albert  W.  Paine,  to  call  the  attention  of  the  court  officially 
to  the  fact  so  well  known  to  your  honor  already,  that  on  the 
third  day  of  December  last  Brother  Paine  died  at  his  residence 
in  this  city  at  the  age  of  more  than  95  years  having  been  born 
on  the  16th  day  of  August  1812,  and  having  been  admitted 
to  this  bar  on  May  28,  1835,  thus  having  covered  over  72  years 
of  professional  connection  with  the  bar  of  this  county.  Truly 
a  wonderful  record  if  it  was  a  record  of  honest,  conscientious 
professional  work. 

How  then  has  our  deceased  brother  impressed  himself 
upon  his  professional  brethren.  If  we  were  compelled  to  rely 
upon  memory,  few  contemporaries  are  alive  to  tell  the  tale, 
but  for  three-score  years  and  ten,  volumes  of  law  reports  issued 
annually  bear  evidence  of  the  immense  amount  of  labor  per- 
formed by  Brother  Paine  and  of  the  varied  learning  displayed 
by  him  in  the  conduct  of  his  cases.  I  am  not  sure  that  he 
ever  engaged  in  trials  upon  the  criminal  side  of  the  court, 
but  upon  the  civil  side  every  department  of  legal  practice 
seemed  to  have  enlisted  his  aid.  He  always  believed  implicitly 
in  the  justice  of  his  cause  and  in  the  integrity  of  his  client  and 
so  gave  all  his  powers  unreservedly  to  his  vindication.  It  was 
customary  to  say  amongst  the  lawyers  that  Brother  Paine  was 
lucky,  but  the  truth  was    that  indomitable  industry  and  a 


THE  AUTO-BIOGRAPHY  265 

sound  mind  in  a  sound  body  brought  him  chents  and  secured 
success  for  himself  in  legal  contests. 

As  have  so  many  other  men,  a  very  few  of  whom  are  now 
at  the  Bar,  I  passed  a  portion  of  the  time  devoted  to  legal 
studies  prior  to  admission  to  the  Bar  in  Brother  Paine's  office 
as  a  student. 

That  was  in  the  year  1854-5.  Brother  Paine  was  then  in 
the  prime  of  his  manhood,  and  every  hour  of  his  business  day 
was  absorbed  by  the  best  class  of  clients,  both  individuals  and 
corporations.  I  wondered  how  he  could  do  the  work  he  did 
and  maintain  his  splendid  condition  of  health  and  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  temperate  habits,  combined  with  the  physical 
exercise  of  caring  personally  for  his  large  garden  and  grounds, 
conduced  to  good  health  and  appetite,  yet  freedom  from  worry 
was  the  chief  cause  of  his  physical  and  mental  health.  He 
dropped  his  professional  cares  at  the  office  and  carried  to  his 
home  and  his  family,  and  his  garden  a  body  and  brain  open  to 
the  influences  of  social  recreation  and  healthy  rest. 

The  records  of  our  Public  Library  would  disclose  the  fact 
that  he  was  a  most  constant  reader  of  the  best  of  general  liter- 
ature, whilst  his  private  library  was  well  selected  and  extensive. 
He  early  became  interested  in  the  life,  experience  and  teaching 
of  Emmanuel  Swedenborg,  and  to  the  last  day  of  his  life  de- 
rived the  keenest  enjoyment  from  the  contemplation  of  the 
spiritual  tenets  of  the  sect  known  generally  as  the  Church  of  the 
New  Jerusalem.  .  .  . 

There  was  nothing  of  the  meteoric  about  Brother  Paine's 
professional  practice,  whether  before  the  courts  or  juries. 
He  never  called  to  his  aid  the  blare  of  trumpets  or  the  beating 
of  drums,  but  aimed  to  know  the  law,  to  array  the  facts  and 
to  make  the  plainest  possible  statement  of  his  case,  hoping 
to  convince  the  intelligence  and  reason  of  the  tribunal  before 
which  he  appeared.  ... 

After    a    half    century    of    the  practice  of  law,  experience 


266       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

teaches  me  that  if  I  were  a  htigant  in  search  of  counsel,  I  should 
not  choose  a  so-called  "genius"  who  "ties  his  chariot  to  a 
star"  but  rather  the  counsellor  who  knows  the  law  and  has  the 
power  of  imparting  it  clearly  and  concisely  to  the  court  or 
jury,  quite  regardless  of  the  galleries  and  who  possesses  integrity 
of  character  in  the  circles  in  which  he  moves  unimpeached  and 
unimpeachable.  Such  a  one  will  be  of  the  greatest  assistance 
to  courts  and  juries  in  elucidating  the  truth  and  promoting 
justice,  the  worthy  objects  for  which  courts  exist,  and  will 
achieve  success. 

We  place  brother  Paine  in  this  category.  By  common 
consent  he  was  an  honest,  honorable  man,  an  upright  member 
of  society,  a  model  head  of  a  family,  a  loyal  citizen  of  this 
Republic,  of  simple  tastes  and  high  ideals.  We  do  well  to 
study  his  life  and  emulate  his  virtues.  Thus  shall  the  good 
that  he  accomplished  in  almost  a  century  of  activity  be  per- 
petuated long  after  his  passage  to  another  sphere  of  action. 


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THE  WEW   YORK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


CHAPTER  SIX 
LETTERS 

Bangor,  Sunday,  P.M.,  Aug.  2,  1885. 

The  weeks  fly  by  so  rapidly  that  I  can  hardly  keep  the  run 
of  them,  much  less  to  gather  up  anything  by  the  way  to  send 
to  another.  The  history  of  the  day  is  with  me  the  history  of 
my  life  and  in  the  one  you  have  the  other  and  no  detail  hardly 
is  necessary.  The  days  history  is  .shortly  told  in  the  eating  of 
breakfast,  dinner  and  supper,  two  or  three  hours  in  the  garden, 
7  hours  sleep  and  9  hours  professional  work.  There  you  have 
it  save  as  a  little  reading  of  the  daily  news  and  a  few  trifles 
come  in  as  condiments  to  season  the  dish. 

My  garden  enjoyment  daily  increases  as  the  crops  are  matur- 
ing and  their  rapid  growth  exhibits  itself.  Never  was  I  aware 
of  such  rapid  progress  made  in  all  kinds  of  vegetation.  My 
pole  beans  are  almost  passing  off  from  the  tops  of  the  highest 
poles  and  are  now  starting  off  for  Sirius  or  the  Sun.  How  near 
they  will  come  to  their  mark  I  dont  know.  If  they  keep  on  as 
they  have  thus  far,  they  will  be  nearer  to  it  a  good  deal  than 
when  they  started.  .  .  . 

Bangor,  Sunday,  P.M.  Sept.  3,  1890. 
My  dear  G.,—  I  have  just  been  informed  that  my  to-days 
letter  must  be  sent  to  the  Isle  of  Shoals  where  you  propose 
to  find  yourself  on  Tuesday  next.  Do  you  know  where  you 
are  going  or  in  what  State  of  the  Union  you  propose  to  make 
your  stay?  The  mention  of  the  name  reminds  me  of  so  mi- 
portant  a  matter  in  the  history  of  Maine's  criminal  practice 
that  I  cannot  help  mentioning  it  and  thus  at  the  same  time 

267 


268       THE  DISCOVERY   OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

hclj)  fill  my  slieet  and  your  interest  in  your  visit.  When 
Gen.  Plaisted,  my  old  student,  was  Attorney  General  of  the 
State,  a  murder  was  committed  on  one  of  the  Islands  constitut- 
ing the  group  and  the  defence  set  up  was  that  the  locality  of 
the  crime  was  in  X.  H.  and  the  Court  in  Maine  had  no  juris- 
diction of  the  trial.  This  j)ut  the  General  to  his  wit's  end 
to  prove  that  the  place  where  the  crime  was  committed  was  in 
Maine.  The  matter  was  one  of  very  much  importance,  it 
never  having  been  known  where  the  line  between  the  two 
States  passed  after  leaving  the  mouth  of  the  River  between 
Portsmouth  and  Berwick.  On  the  one  side  it  was  alleged  and 
proved  to  a  certain  extent  that  it  passed  out  to  sea  to  the 
right  and  the  other  to  the  left  of  the  spot.  The  Genl  spent  a 
vast  deal  of  time  and  ingenuity  in  proving  his  side  of  the  case, 
that  the  island  was  in  Maine  and  thus  gained  his  case.  Please 
find  out  what  State  you  propo.se  to  visit. 

I  submitted  the  itroblem  to  Mr.  Leighton,  the  long-time 
owner  and  landlord  of  the  islands.     His  reply  was  this. 

"Since  this  trial,  this  Island  (the  Appledore)  has  paid  taxes 
in  Maine,  prior  to  that  time  it  belonged  nowhere,  paid  no 
taxes.  The  Star  Island  is  a  part  of  the  town  of  Rye,  New 
Hampshire." 

During  the  Revolutionary  War,  the  Lsles  of  Shoals,  occupy- 
ing a  position  of  great  economic  importance  on  account  of  their 
domination  of  the  cod  fisheries  in  Ipswich  Bay,  were  able  to 
accumulate  considerable  wealth  by  catering  to  both  sides  as 
opportunity  arose.  The  sentiment  of  the  Lslands  was  very 
friendly  to  England,  so  that  after  the  war  they  were,  to  a  large 
extent,  left  to  themselves  and  more  or  less  forgotten  by  the 
people  of  the  mainland. 

Bangor,  July  6,  1902,  Sunday  P.M. 

My  DEAR  G.,  —  W'ere  it  not  that  the  habit  of  writing  you 

every  Sabbath  has  become  so  imperative  for  its  continuance, 

the  present  would  be  allowed  to  pass  without  a  repetition  of  the 

foolish  custom,  for  I  have  nothing  to  say  worth  the  Govern- 


LETTERS  269 

ment  imposition  of  the  2  cent  postage  stamp  to  communicate. 
But  the  Spirit  says  "write"  and  "obey  your  old  experience"  — 
and  so  I  obey,  tho  I  have  nothing  to  say. 

The  week  past,  tho  of  no  importance  to  your  especial  friends 
here,  has  been  a  vastly  important  one  in  a  public  view.  Con- 
gress has  bid  us  good  bye,  much  to  my  joy,  as  having  freed 
us  and  myself  in  particular,  of  the  grave  duty  of  keeping  close 
watch  of  its  important  and,  in  many  items,  its  very  foolish 
work.  I  feel  much  relieved  of  a  very  grave  duty  which  for 
seven  months  has  been  imposed  upon  me  by  the  daily  i^erusals 
of  its  proceedings.  But  the  President  has  very  markedly 
in  many  respects  taken  its  place  and,  to  the  extent  of  an  almost 
daily  reading  of  his  speeches,  the  grave  importance  of  which 
imposes  the  duty  of  these  being  read  and  adjudged. 

Roosevelt  is  truly  a  distinguished  man  and  one  who  is  prov- 
ing himself  a  person  of  great  importance  in  the  government 
of  his  country's  best  interests.  He  is  truly  a  very  important 
personage  and  has  if  ever,  very  seldom  found  himself  equalled 
by  any  of  his  predecessors.  I  find  myself  bound  to  read  his 
frequent  speeches  and  as  often  find  myself  informed  of  the  true 
sentiment  to  be  adopted  in  the  consideration  of  the  country's 
best  interest  in  the  decision  of  the  many  very  important  schemes 
now  prevailing  respecting  the  action  of  the  Country.  Cuba  and 
the  Phillipines,  Porto  Rico  and  the  Danish  West  Indies, 
The  Isthmian  Canal  and  Irrigation  propositions,  Trusts  and 
Tariffs,  and  Presidential  succession,  Bryanism  and  Clevelandist 
doctrines  and  the  hundred  other  minor  schemes  and  subjects 
of  Presidential  and  Government  importance,  all  have  so  much 
importance,  as  coming  within  the  presidential  scope  that  a 
citizen's  duty  seems  imposed  upon  us  for  consideration  and  the 
President  Roosevelt  keeps  us  all  fully  informed  on  the  subject. 
I  am  glad  to  be  relieved  of  Congressional  consideration  of  all 
these  and  other  subjects. 

We  are  having  one  of  the  brightest  of  Summer  days,  the  sun 


270       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

being  out,  shining  in  ail  its  glory  of  brightness.  But  our  sum- 
mer has  been  so  indulgent  of  its  rains  that  all  at  once  in  the 
brightness  of  sunshine  the  usual  daily  shower  is  beginning  to 
impose  itself  on  our  Sabbath  enjoyment.  Many  are  the 
victims  that  are  umbrella-ized  not. 

In  spite  of  my  having  nothing  to  say,  you  will  notice  that 
I  have  covered  my  usual  slieet  with  ink,  for  which  you  will  give 
me  due  credit  and  pardon,  with  love  from 

Burn  it.  P^P^- 

From  father's  last  letter  written  ten  days  before  he  went 
from  us. 

Bangor,  Sunday  P.M.,  Nov.  24,  1907 
My  dear  G.,  In  taking  my  pen  to  perform  my  accustomed 
Sabbath  day  duty  in  your  favor,  I  am  entirely  at  loss  to  know 
how  to  do  it.  I  have  no  news  to  send  you  and  nothing  else 
of  any  importance  wortli  the  ink  that  I  am  wasting  in  letting 
you  know  it.  During  the  past  week  our  city  &  the  world 
about  us  &  our  dear  family  are  in  about  the  statu  quo  that  we 
were  in  during  the  last  Sunday. 

Personally  my  experience  in  various  particulars  is  adding 
daily  to  the  knowledge  of  the  fact  that  I  am  an  old  man,  & 
constantly  growing  older,  as  one  Sabbath  takes  the  place  of 
its  predecessor  in  time.  .  .  .  During  the  past  week  I  have 
finished  the  garden  work  usually  devolving  on  gardeners  to 
perform  &  all  things  of  that  character  seem  to  be  well  done. 
Professionally  I  find  much  to  do  to  repel  the  anxiety  which 
our  Minnesota  neighbors  are  .seeking  to  impose  on  us  &  more 
or  less  of  each  of  the  passing  days  finds  me  employed  in  the 
endeavor  to  meet  some  of  the  many  points  which  the  facts 
of  the  law  governing  the  same  present.  .  .  .  How  shall 
Minnesota  law  &  facts  be  treated  in  the  Maine  Court  of  an 
entirely  different  character  &  especially  when  the  Minnesota 
Law  &  facts  are  of  such  a  peculiar  character.     But  for  an  old 


LETTERS  271 

man  so  nearly  a  centenarian  in  age  to  have  imposed  upon  him 
the  duty  of  managing  cases  of  so  nmch  importance  is  a  fact 
but  httle  known  in  the  professional  world.  .  .  . 

I  am  very  frequently  personally  troubled  with  certain  char- 
acteristic namesakes  of  the  Pai7ie  connection,  one  of  which  is 
now  being  inflicted  on  my  side. 

With  love  from 

your  dear  old 

Pap.\.  — 

Death  at  Ninety  Five 
To  Father 

How  he  bereaves  and  blesses  who  has  gone 
From  lofty  height  of  useful  years  as  thine, 
Believing  death  to  be  but  parting  line 

Between  the  uses  here  and  farther  on; 

And  joying  still  in  living  here  or  yon; 

Who,  wise  and  simple,  faithful  and  benign, 
Beholds  the  past  and  seeming  ill  combine 

In  greater  good  that  is  forever  won ! 

As  one  who  climbs  the  mountain  top  can  see 
A  larger  lighter  view  than  they  below. 
Yet  turns  and  smiles  its  meaning  from  above. 

Thus  "climbing  life"  on  earth  it  was  with  thee. 
Dear  father,  climbing  still,  now,  even  so. 
Smile  back  on  us,  bereft,  thy  strength  and  love! 

Selma  W.  Paine 


CHAPTER  SEVEN 
MARY  HALE  PAINE 

My  mother,  Mary  Jones  (Hale)  Paine,  was  born  in  North 
Yarmouth,  Maine,  May  8th,  1816.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Captain  John  and  Mary  Jones  Hale  who  was  the  daughter 
of  Dr.  David  Jones  Jr.  of  revolutionary  history,  in  turn  the 
son  of  Dr.  David  Jones  Sr.,  of  Abington,  Mass.  (formerly 
of  Weymouth),  whose  colonial  history  embraces  resolves  in 
committee  against  the  oppressive  acts  of  the  British  Parlia- 
ment. 

On  the  Hale  side,  she  was  the  direct  descendant  of  Rev. 
John  Hale,  the  early  pastor  of  the  church  in  Beverly,  Mass. 
who  had  so  much  to  do  in  dispelling  the  Salem  witchcraft 
delusion. 

An  accusation  was  brought  against  his  wife,  "whose  dis- 
tinguished virtues  had  won  for  her  a  reputation  which  super- 
stition could  not  sully  nor  shake."  "This  broke  the  spell  by 
which  they  had  held  the  minds  of  the  whole  colony." 

My  father  mentions  as  a  curious  coincidence  the  fact  that 
one  of  the  Ipswich  Paines,  Robert,  was  the  foreman  of  the 
impeaching  grand  Jury,  although  probably  not  one  of  the 
active  prosecutors.  The  two,  John  Hale  and  Robert  Paine 
were  both  ministers  of  the  same  faith,  residing  in  the  same 
neighborhood  and  both  graduates  of  Harvard  University,  in 
college  together  for  three  years. 

Her  childhood  was  passed  in  Portland  and  her  young  girlhood 
in  Foxcroft.  Here  came  my  father  to  make  legal  calls  and 
soon  to  make  social  calls  on  this  Miss  Hale.  Between  the  two 
there  was  a  strong  tie  in  a  common  ititerest  in  the  New  Church 
to  which  my  mother  had  been  led  by  her  friends  the  Chand- 
lers, one  of  whom  was  the  partner  of  father.     They  were  mar- 

272 


^ 


c^^ 


/ 


//' 


'•'^^-^ 


PUBLIC  UBRARYi 


MARY    HALE   PAIXE  273 

ried  on  the  9th  day  of  July  1840,  by  Rev.  Henry  Worcester, 
a  New  Church  clergj-man  of  Hallowell. 

In  1847,  they  moved  into  the  home  on  Court  St.,  in  Bangor, 
where  they  lived  for  the  rest  of  their  lives  and  where  the  un- 
married daughters  lived  until  1917  when  there  was  only  one 
left. 

The  life  of  my  parents  together  continued  for  nearly  sixty- 
one  years,  they  having  celebrated  by  gatherings  of  friends, 
both  the  silver  and  golden  wedding  anniversaries. 

My  mother  died  after  a  lingering  illness  of  four  years. 

A  little  son  was  born  to  them  but  did  not  stay,  but  four 
daughters  came  to  form  a  quiet  and  happy  home. 

As  an  invalid  her  life  was  lived  almost  wholly  within  the 
four  walls  of  the  house  and  in- thg'gafdAi,  secluded  from  public 
gaze  by  hedges  and  trees.  She  lived  for  us,  thought  and 
worked  for  us  far  beyond  her  strength,  was  ever  a  companion 
in  our  pleasures  and  interests  as  well  as .  a  guide  in  our  edu- 
cation and  in  our  higher  life.  The  plans  for  us  were  hers,  but 
the  father  was  ever  ready  to  help  in  their  execution, 
^"f  To  my  father's  love  and  appreciation  for  the  good  in  liter- 
ature, she  added  a  great  love  for  art  and  music,  being  herself 
a  proficient  pianist. 

Ever  Listening 

by  ]VL\RY  J.  Paine 

Listening,  listening,  ever  listening 

For  the  quiet  breathing  near; 
For  the  gentle  Voice  saying 
"  I  am  here." 


274       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

We  have  the  letters  written  by  father  and  mother  to  each 
other  before  their  marriage  in  1840.  While  there  are  many 
interesting  bits  of  family  news  and  happenings,  the  bulk  of 
the  letters  is  made  up  of  an  interchange  of  thought  given  them 
by  the  new  religious  teachings  that  had  come  into  the  lives  of 
both  of  them,  to  father  first.  I  give  some  extracts  from  the 
long,  closely  written  four-page  letters.  The  first  one  written 
by  Mary  Hale  to  Albert  Paine,  was  in  April,  18.S9,  about  five 
months  before  their  engagement.     This  begins  — 

Foxcroft. 

Mh.  Paine,  —  It  is  a  sweet  hour  in  which  to  begin  a  cor- 
respondence, the  sun  of  the  natural  world  has  just  illumined 
my  pen  with  his  mild  and  clear  light  e'er  he  departed  for  the 
night.  Not  the  smallest  shadowy  cloud  intercepted  his  rays, 
and  may  we  not  hope  that  the  sun  of  the  spiritual  world  will 
shine  upon  the  interchange  of  thought  and  feeling  and  will  give 
light  and  heat  from  his  own  pure  source? 

And  now  as  I  look  from  the  window  one  bright  star  comes 
forth,  it  speaks  and  it  says,  the  sun  has  but  left  us  to  darkness, 
to  appear  more  bright  and  gloriously  in  the  morning,  but  I 
must  stop  for  my  natural  eyes  want  natural  light.  An  artificial 
light  is  provided  and  I  will  now  tell  you  how  very  much  obliged 
I  am  for  your  prompt  compliance  with  my  wishes  in  sending 
the  books,  few  things  and  perhaps  nothing  besides  could  have 
given  me  so  much  pleasure.  .  .  . 

Mary  J.  Hale. 

[no  address]  Sebec,  June  9th,  1839 

I   will   devote   a   part   of  the  afternoon  in  writing  to  you. 

I  do  not  think  it  will  be  desecrating  the  Sabbath  and  I  am  quite 

sure  it  will  be  of  more  use  to  me  than  to  attend  the  meeting  here. 

I  suppose  you  will  be  surprised  to  receive  a  letter  from  me  dated 

at  Sebec.     I  have  taken  a  school  here,  and  I  am  very  happy 

in  endeavoring  to  perform  the  duties  of  it. 

Is  not  the  Providence  of  God  a  delightful  subject  on  which 

we  may  dwell?     It  seems  strange  that  we  can  ever  repine,  ever 


MARY  HALE  PAINE  275 

be  unhappy,  while  the  Lord  watches  over  us,  a  Being  infinite 
in  love,  in  wisdom.  From  childhood,  I  have  seen  that  what 
were  considered  afflictions,  were  real  blessings  and  am  quite 
sure  that  I  have  been  thought  either  heartless  or  "very  nervous" 
when  I  have  almost  rejoiced  at  those  things  about  which  so 
many  mourned.  Please  excuse  me  for  saying  so  much  about 
myself,  I  should  not  presume  to  do  so  were  you  not  of  the  N. 
Chh.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  be  able  to  express  my  feelings  and 
I  fear  I  shall  weary  you.  The  truth  is  that  here  all  that  I  love 
most  is  as  a  sealed  book  and  it  is  very  much  so  in  Foxcroft 
except  to  Miss  Everett.  I  feel  that  were  I  to  express  my  own 
peculiar  ideas  here,  at  present,  they  would  be  profaned  and 
it  seemed  to  me  a  week  since  that  I  could  not  remain  another 
day  in  this  place.  I  am  quite  surrounded  with  strong  Ortho- 
doxy, board  in  the  family  with  the  minister,  they  do  not  realize 
yet,  how  widely  I  differ  from  them,  but  they  will  soon  feel  it 
more,  for  I  was  on  the  point  of  telling  Mr.  Sewall,  the  minister, 
today,  that  he  might  take  away  my  sabbath  school  class  for 
I  could  not  teach  them  what  he  wished  to  be  taught  from  their 
lesson.  I  did  not  tell  him  today,  but  expect  I  shall  be  obliged 
to  soon,  and  I  only  dread  the  argument  he  will  want  to  have. 

I  said  the  Providence  of  God  was  a  peculiarly  delightful 
subject  to  me  but  I  am  not  reconciled  to  being  so  alone,  it  seems 
as  if  I  could  not  breathe  freely.  I  am  like  a  child  whose  parents 
have  found  it  necessary  to  place  in  confinement,  he  cries  and 
knocks  about  to  get  release  but  when  he  finds  his  feeble  efforts 
of  no  avail,  he  sits  down  quietly  and  waits  until  his  parent  shall 
think  it  proper  to  open  the  door.  So  I  think  it  is,  and  will  be 
with  me.  I  am  very  sure  that  I  shall  be  permitted  to  inhale 
the  pure  air  of  Heaven  just  so  soon  as  my  kind  Parent  sees 
that  it  is  best  for  me.  Strange  then  thinking  so,  that  I  should 
be  in  the  least  disposed  to  repine.  I  am  not  willing  to  wait 
but  I  expect  to  be  before  long.  Thank  you  for  mentioning 
your  sister  Harriet,  I  love  to  hear  about  her.     The  doctrines  of 


270       THE   DISCOVERY   OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

the  N  Chh  are  certainly  full  of  consolation  to  those  who  mourn 
for  departed  friends. 

M.  J.  Hale. 

Foxcrnfi,  April  lOtli  ISJ/O. 

My  dear  Friend.  ...  I  have  been  thinking  today  and 
in  fact  I  have  frequently  thought  of  it  before,  how  little  I  have 
ever  thought  of  your  external.  I  have  sometimes  endeavoured 
to  remember  hoio  you  looked,  to  bring  your  jjerson  before  my 
mind,  but  I  have  scarcely  ever  been  able  to  do  this  with  any 
tolerable  degree  of  distinctness.  When  it  has  seemed  to  me 
that  I  could  .see  clcurly  the  internal  and  spiritual  man,  I  have 
hardly  known  a  feature  of  your  face.  Perhaps  this  arises 
in  -part  from  our  having  written  so  much  and  seen  each  other 
so  little,  but  whatever  the  cause,  I  would  not  have  it  otherwise. 

I  did  commence  the  Psalms  at  the  time  I  propo.sed  and  I 
hoped  you  were  pursuing  the  same  order,  though  I  was  not 
sure,  of  this  until  the  reception  of  your  last  letter,  it  is  pleasant 
to  think  you  arc  reading  the  same  portion  with  myself.  Last 
evening  I  read  the  sixteenth  Psalm,  did  you? 

Mary. 

From  Albert  W .  Paine  to  Mary  J.  Hale 

Bangor,  Me.  15  July,  1839 
...  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you  enjoy  yourself  as  well  as 
you  do  in  your  present  situation  for  I  can  not  help  thinking 
it  a  very  lonesome  one  —  to  one  thoroughly  imbued  with 
NChh.  doctrines,  no  one  can  be  lonesome  in  this  world.  And 
this,  I  have  often  thought,  is  a  consideration  which  of  itself  is 
worth  a  world  of  fortunes  for  one's  earthly  happiness.  How 
completely  do  these  doctrines,  if  really  received  in  their  true 
spirit,  dispell  all  feelings  of  disquietude,  anxiety  and  care  and 
make  one  contented  with  his  lot  whatever  it  may  be.  On  the 
one  hand  the  believer  is  fully  assured  that  he  is  under  the 
special  guidance  and  protection  of  a  holy  and  all  wise  God 
not  subject  to  the  fluctuations  and  accidents  of  blind  fate 


MARY  HALE  PAINE  277 

and  that  whatever  happens  to  him,  if  he  is  in  order  himself, 
is  for  his  good;  and  on  tlie  other  liand  he  is  continually  con- 
firmed in  the  pleasing  and  consoling  belief  that  however  he  may 
be  in  respect  to  worldly  friends  and  companions,  he  is  still 
surrounded  with  a  higher  and  holier  order  of  beings  and  exist- 
ence. Now  under  such  a  belief,  do  accidents  and  mishaps 
(as  they  appear  externally)  assume  the  character  of  good 
and  wise  providence.  It  is  however,  important  for  us  in  order 
to  a  proper  reception  of  the  divine  influences  to  give  ourselves 
up  to  a  proper  state  of  instruction  and  guidance  and  make 
u.se  of  all  those  means  which  are  given  us  in  the  word  and  in 
nature,  to  introduce  us  into  a  state  of  orderly  reception  and 
action.  We  are  not  to  sit  listlessly  down  and  say  the  Lord 
reigneth,  and  he  will  guide  us  aright.  We  are  to  enlighten 
our  consciences  and  minds  by  all  those  aids  given  us.  I  cannot 
help  believing  that  I  every  day  become  more  and  more  con- 
firmed in  the  internal  belief  that  we  are  under  such  a  special 
providence  in  all  things  and  that  we  have  no  need  of  de- 
spondency and  gloom  or  discontent  and  uneasiness  in  relation 
to  our  worldly  state  and  condition  —  I  think  I  become  con- 
tinually more  fully  convinced  that  things  do  go  right  and  that 
we  shall  be  provided  for  not  only  according  to  our  deserts  but 
far  above  them.  And  is  it  necessary  to  say  that  entertaining 
such  a  belief  I  think  I  daily  grow  more  happy  and  enjoy  the 
world  the  more.  A.  W.  P. 

Bangor,  Febij  25  181,0 
My  dear  Friend,  Our  Court  has  today  blown  its  last  blast 
and  we  are  again  at  liberty.  Our  school  is  dismissed  and  we 
are  beginning  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  another  vacation. 
On  the  whole,  however,  I  have  enjoyed  this  Court  much  and 
have  found  little  to  regret  or  to  complain  of  in  its  progress 
towards  adjournment.  I  have  got  along  much  better  than  I 
feared  and  with  all  success  and  good  luck  that  I  could  have 


278       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A  GRANDMOTHER 

asked  for.  The  practice  of  law  in  Court  is  becoming  every 
term  more  and  more  pleasant  and  at  the  same  time  less  per- 
plexing and  troublesome.  And  need  I  say  that  this  becomes 
so  in  proportion  as  the  rules  of  law  and  practice  are  made 
subservient  to  the  true  rules  of  order  by  which  we  should  be 
governed.  The  whole  world  is  strangely  out  of  joint  and 
disordered  and  no  where  is  the  disease  more  evident  than 
in  the  practice  of  law  and  in  the  disclosures  to  which  it 
leads.  It  is  then  a  noble  place  to  exercise  ones  ingenuity  as 
well  as  honesty  in  putting  these  rules  into  active  practice  and 
due  execution. 

Your  Albert. 

Bangor,  May  28,  18W 
My  dear  Friend. 

I  have  just  returned  from  a  lovely  evening  walk  which  I 
have  been  taking  all  alone  thro  the  beautiful  field.  The 
delightful  character  of  the  weather,  together  with  all  the 
beauties  of  nature  which  are  now  put  forth  in  the  greatest 
splendor,  renders  a  ramble  at  such  a  time  as  this,  one  of  peculiar 
interest  and  value.  How  can  one  help  feeling  himself  elevated 
towards  a  communion  with  Him  who  is  the  author  of  what  is 
everywhere  meeting  him,  when  he  goes  abroad  on  such  a  lovely 
day  and  how  can  his  soul  fail  to  receive  a  kindly  influence  of 
light  and  love  as  he  breathes  in  the  refreshing  and  enlivening 
air  of  the  pure  heaven  about  him?  The  man  must  be  bad 
indeed  who,  on  such  an  evening  as  this,  does  not  feel  himself 
spiritually  better  for  the  natural  influences  around  him. 

Albert. 

[It  was  always  father's  custom  to  take  a  late  Sunday  after- 
noon walk.] 


SELMA   WARE  PAINE  279 

SELMA   WARE  PAINE 

My  sister  Selma  Ware  Paine  died  in  the  winter  of  1917, 
after  a  short  illness.  She  had  great  strength  of  intellect  and 
an  unusually  keen  appreciation  of  all  that  was  beautiful  in 
the  world  of  nature,  art,  music  and  literature.  Hers  was  a 
gifted  nature,  one  of  rare  beauty  of  character  with  the  spiritual 
side  predominant. 

■  I  have  written  much  of  father's  interest  in  the  New-Church 
teachings.  With  him  these  were  a  matter  of  intellect,  a  sure 
belief,  and  his  whole  life  was  guided  by  them.  With  her, 
these  teachings  became  spiritualized  and  she  breathed  them  in 
her  poems  and  in  her  life.  She  never  allowed  her  very  frail 
body  to  limit  her  service  for  others.  Her  own  happiness 
depended  upon  her  ability  to  .show  .some  delicate  attention  to 
others,  especially  to  tho.se  in  sorrow  and  sickness,  as  well  as 
to  those  in  health  and  happiness. 

Could  I  select  one  word  that  would  represent  the  strongest 
element  in  her  character  it  would  be  loyalty.  She  was  loyal 
to  things,  loyal  to  friends,  loyal  to  her  home,  loyal  to  her  family 
and  above  all  loyal  to  her  church,  but  her  keenness  of  appre- 
ciation for  all  that  was  beautiful  must  be  emphasized. 

When  a  mere  child  she  began  expressing  herself  in  rhyme 
and  was  called  u])on  to  write  ver.ses  for  many  a  celebration, 
public  and  private,  and  never  a  family  festival  but  brought 
with  it  offerings  from  her  pen. 

She  passed  nearly  three  years  in  Europe,  studying  music 
and  the  languages,  afterwards  adding  to  the  latter  during  her 
life  at  home.  She  was  one  of  the  first  to  feel  the  power  of 
Peer  Gynt  and  to  translate  parts  of  it  from  the  Danish.  One 
of  her  latest  treasures  was  a  small,  quaintly  illustrated  Bible 
written  for  our  Penobscot  Indians  in  their  own  language.  Of 
this  she  made  a  very  careful  study. 

Perhaps  her  greatest  delight  was  in  the  study  of  Dante  and 
this  delight  she  shared  with  others,  for  she  was  an  inspiring 
teacher  to  her  friends,  giving  them  many  new  thoughts  by  her 
interpretations  of  the  Divine  Comedy.  "Terza  Rima"  shows 
her  study  of  the  construction  of  this  work.  For  finish  she 
considered  it  her  best  poem. 

In  1907  we  published  a  small  volume  of  her  poems  "Fugitive 
Verses. " 


280       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

POEMS 
TERZA  RIMA 

Thou,  Terza  Rima,  never  art  completed. 
No  circled  sonnet  thou,  in  one  compounding 
Thy  sense  and  music  duly  mixed  and  meted, 

Within  itself,  itself  so  sweetly  rounding. 
Thou  rather  art  a  jeweled  chain.     Behind  thee 
Thou  ever,  though  in  concord  so  abounding, 

Dost  leave  a  waiting  link  of  rhyme  to  bind  thee; 
And  whereso'er  thy  lovely  way  may  wander, 
Before,  there  waits  another  link  to  find  thee. 

O,  Terza  Rima,  happily  I  ponder 

How  truly  thus  our  tale  of  life  thou  chimest 
It,  too,  awaits  completed  rhyming  yonder 

As  time  into  eternity  thou  rhymest. 

RONDEL 

Translation  from  "De  Charles  D'Orleans" 

The  weather  now  has  laid  aside 
Its  coat  of  wind  and  cold  and  rain; 
Has  clothed  itself  with  robes  again 
Embroidered  and  in  sunshine  dyed. 
No  beast  or  bird  that  has  not  tried 
In  its  own  tongue  to  sing  or  plain; 
The  weather  now  has  laid  aside 
Its  coat  of  wind  and  cold  and  rain. 
The  fountain,  brook  and  river  wide 
To  wear  a  livery  are  fain 
Of  silver  drops  and  jewelled  train. 
Each  man  in  new  attire  has  vied. 
The  weather  now  has  laid  aside 
Its  coat  of  wind  and  cold  and  rain. 


StU^ 


a 


kiiyu  /k 


ct/U^(U^ 


I     THE   NEW  YORK     f 

i  PUBLIC  library! 


SELMA    WARE  PAINE  281 

TO  THE   WOOD   PEWEE 

{Who  began  to  sing  his  Autumn  song  in  June.) 
Oh,  gentle  prophet  of  the  year's  dedine. 

Why  mark  so  soon  the  shortening  of  the  days? 

The  blooming  Summer  yet  has  maiden  ways 
And,  see,  her  cheek  is  roseleaf,  fair  and  fine. 
Her  breath  is  fragrant  with  the  flowering  vine, 

Her  voice  is  full  and  firm  with  chorused  lays. 

Why  then  your  sweet  untimely  warning  raise, 
Your  autumn  strain  with  summer  song  combine? 
And  yet  an  added  harmony  you  bring. 

There  is  a  message  in  your  inu.sic  laid. 

Could  summer  song  its  full  perfection  reach 
Without  a  tone  from  Autumn  and  from  Spring? 

Of  present,  past  and  future,  life  is  made 
And  what  is  perfect  has  a  touch  of  each. 

SWEET  PEA 
As  if  you  were  only  alight. 
With  pinions  of  pink  and  of  white 
Outspread  for  aerial  flight, 

Sweet  Pea ! 
As  if,  when  you  found  you  were  tied 
And  freedom  to  fly  was  denied, 
Your  longing  in  fragrance  you  sighed 

To  be  free. 
Yet  always  alert  for  a  spring 
And  buoyant  with  hope  that  a  swing 
At  last  might  unloosen  your  wing. 

Sweet  Pea. 
And  such  was  a  life  that  I  knew; 
As  longing  and  buoyant  it  grew, 
As  fettered  and  fragrant  as  you. 

Sweet  Pea! 


282       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

AN  EVENING  FANCY 

When  heaven  holds  Orion  forth 
No  belted  hunter  it  appears; 

It  is  an  instrument  of  light 

That  leads  the  music  of  the  spheres. 

From  Rigel  to  Betelgeuse  strung 
Across  the  gleaming  central  three, 

My  fancy  draws  the  shining  chords 
Too  far  away  for  us  to  see. 

And  thence  the  sweetest  numbers  swell 
That  tune  the  circling  nights  and  years. 

But  all  too  grand  the  mighty  strain 
To  enter  in  at  mortal  ears. 

OLD   BOOKS 

A  thresher  prime  is  father  Time, 
When  harvest  loads  his  wain 

He  beats  the  hollow  husks  aside. 
And  hoards  the  golden  grain. 

A  winnower  is  father  Time, 

The  chaff  he  blows  away. 
The  sweetened  seed  he  treasures  up 

For  many  a  year  and  day. 

Oh,  very  wise  is  father  Time, 

His  flail  is  tried  and  true! 
I  love  the  garnered  pile  of  books 

He's  winnowed  through  and  through. 


ll 


SELMA   WARE  PAINE  283 


TO  A  VERY  HAPPY  CHILD 


Oh,  happy  baby  boy. 

In  verse  could  you  express 
One  half  your  perfect  joy. 

Your  radiant  happiness, 
All  poems  ever  made 

By  any  bard  of  old 
Beside  that  verse  of  yours 

Would  be  but  poor  and  cold. 

Oh,  happy  baby  boy, 

If  you  could  put  in  songs 
One  half  the  perfect  joy 

That  to  your  smile  belongs, 
The  masters  of  the  world, 

From  Palestrina  down 
Would  to  your  melodies 

Award  the  victor's  crown. 

Could  singer  take  a  draft 

From  out  that  well  of  joy 
You  drink  from  every  day. 

Oh,  happy  little  boy. 
And  could  he,  also,  be 

Endued  with  highest  power 
To  sing  it  truly  —  then  — 

Aye,  in  that  very  hour 
The  listening  world  would  lie. 

Enraptured,  at  his  feet. 
Holding  breath  to  hear 

A  strain  so  heavenly  sweet. 


284       TEE   DISCOVERV   OF  A    GRASDMOTHER 


RANDOM   THOUGHTS 


The  body's  role; 
To  ser\e  the  soul. 
If  it  usurp  and  master  - 
■SMiat  disaster: 


If  the  soil  of  the  sou]  is  fallow  and  fit. 
The  suitable  seed  will  be  wafted  to  it. 


A  grief  did  Youth  }>etide. 

He  rent  his  garments,  weeping  sore 
And  laid  him  in  the  dust  and  cried 

"  I  never  shall  l>e  happy  more." 

A  sorrow  came  to  .\ge, 

He  slowly  bowed  his  stricken  head 
As  do  the  winds  when  temi>est  rage, 

"This,  too,  will  pass  away,"  he  said. 


•JUST   EXOrOH 


Between  Too  Little  and  Too  Much 
Just  Enough  suspended  swings 

If  we  give  it  Vjut  a  touch 
Lightly  backward,  forward  springs. 

Yet,  undaunted  by  rebuff, 
Hop)e  is  always  trj'ing  still 
To  catch  and  hold  the  Just  Enough 
And  believes  at  last  she  will. 


SELMA    WARE  PAINE  2S5 

SQUIBS 
THE  DIFFERENCE 

Tbere  was  a  man,  there  was  a  man 

Who  hated  meddling  so. 
He  saw  his  neighbor's  house  burn  down. 
And  closer  drew  his  dressing  gown 

Ar.a  'et  the  building  go. 

There  was  a  man.  there  was  a  man 

Who  always  lent  a  hand. 
WhateV.r  his  neighbor  did.  he'd  try 
To  have  a  finger  in  the  pie. 

They  drove  him  from  the  land. 

An  old  Diogenes  remarked 

The  differenoe  to  hit 
Twixt  meddling  when  you  do  no  good 
And  bravely  helping  when  you  should. 

Requires  a  pretty  wit. 

THE  TE.\SIXG   TYR.A.NT 

I  cannot  clip  the  wings  of  fancy. 

So  she  flutters  where  she  will; 
Brings  me  tales  of  fair  Elysium, 

And  I  listen,  listen  still. 

Till  my  soul  arises;  "Fancy, 

Wli.^t  you  tell  me  is  not  true." 
"I  never  said  it  wa*,"  she  chuckles, 

And  is  off  to  pastures  new. 

She  will  come  again,  —  I  know  her,  — 

Sweetly  l\-ing  a*  before. 
And  my  soul  will  sit  and  scorn  me 

Wliile  I  listen  as  of  yore. 


286      THE    DISCOVERY    OF   A    GRANDMOTHER 


LIGHTNESS  OF  HEART 

Lightness  of  Heart!     Lightness  of  Heart! 
^^'hy  have  you  left  me,  Lightness  of  Heart? 
In  the  morning  of  Ufe  we  were  seldom  apart, 
You  and  I,  Lightness  of  Heart. 
But  now  I  must  call  you  and  bid  you  to  stay, 
And  often  I  call  when  you  do  not  obey. 
Why  do  you  leave  me.  Lightness  of  Heart.' 

Then  Lightness  of  Heart,  pirouetting,  replies; 

"I  am  merrj'  and  thoughtless.     I  cannot  abide 

The  dull  afternoon  and  the  evening  tide 

With  its  thronging  of  thoughts  for  the  future  and  past^ 

With  its  loving  and  longing  for  all  that  will  last. 

There's  a  Gladness  of  Spirit,  serene  and  more  wise, 

Who  is  friendly  to  sunset  and  stars  in  the  skies; 

I  am  fair,  but  they  say  she  is  fairer  than  I. 

Call  her.     I  dance  to  the  sunrise.     Good-bye." 

"Oh,  Lightness  of  Heart!"  —  I  sigh  — 

And  turn  to  the  beautiful  sunset.     "Good-bve." 


PART   VI.     ELIMWGOD.     TIMOTHY  OTIS 
AND   AGNES   HOWARD   PAINE 

Chapter  One        The  Home 

The  Mother 
Chapter  Two       The  Pastor 

A  Sermon 
Chapter  Three    The  Scholar 
Chapter  Four      The  Poet 

Chapter  Five       Extracts  from  Journal  and  Letters 
Chapter  Six         Poems  of  the  Segur. 

Illustrations 

Timothy  Otis  Paine  at  38. 

Agnes  Howard  (Paine)  at  22,  from  daguerreotype 

The  Temple,  from  drawing  by  T.  O.  P. 

To  the  Chickadee,  from  manuscript  of  T.  O.  P.,  facsimile. 


THE   ^'•i''"''  '■'^^'^ 

pUBLlcllBRARY 

•     ASTOP,   LENOX 


INTRODUCTORY 

For  Ihe  interpretation  of  my  father's  inner  cliaracter,  liis 
interests  and  his  aims,  we  have  the  Journal  written  in  his 
youth.  For  that  of  his  brother  Timothy,  "My  Fourth  Son," 
we  have  tlie  Journals  of  his  mother.  From  the  pages  of  these, 
we  can  picture  tlie  details  of  his  inner  and  of  his  outer  life, 
from  birth  to  the  age  of  twenty-seven.  There  seems  to  be  a 
particularly  close  bond  between  the  mother  and  this  son. 
In  1824  his  birth  is  recorded,  the  only  one  of  the  eight.  "In 
October  we  were  blessed  with  a  beautiful  Son  in  addition 
to  my  other  three." 

She  gives  us  glimpses  of  him  in  his  studies,  in  the  beginnings 
of  Hebrew.  We  see  him  in  his  social  life,  in  his  rambles  through 
the  fields  in  search  of  precious  things;  we  see  him  at  work  on 
his  portraits  of  man  and  animal.  We  see  the  rose  in  his  cham- 
ber window.  We  have  many  glimpses  into  his  poetical  nature. 
Then  we  find  recorded  in  1843,  "This  is  the  first  Sabbath  that 
Timothy  has  spent  in  the  service  of  God."  The  one  longing 
of  her  heart  that  her  "sons  might  be  converted  and  redeemed 
from  sin"  was  realized  in  him.  Later  in  1851  she  rejoices  in 
his  entrance  into  the  New-Church,  and  although  the  special 
theology  does  not  follow  in  the  lines  of  hers,  still  she  is  happy. 

Very  interesting  letters  passed  between  my  sister  Selma  and 
my  uncle  Timothy.  After  his  death  she  sent  a  few  extracts 
from  them  to  Rev.  Theodore  F.  Wright,  President  of  the  New- 
Church  Theological  School  at  Cambridge.  These  he  published 
in  the  New-Church  Messenger  with  an  introduction  of  his  own. 
As  this  introduction  shows  such  an  appreciative  recognition 
of  the  character  of  Uncle  Timothy's  varied  genius,  I  place  it 
first  in  this,  his  part. 

Rev.  T.  O.  Paine,  LL.D.,  was  a  man  of  marked  genius. 
Those  who  remember  his  intensely  bright  eyes  and  the  quick- 
ness of  his  thoughts  and  actions  will  class  him  among  the  few 
people  whom  they  have  known  to  whom  the  term  "genius" 
seems  applicable.  From  his  eager,  impressionable  boyhood 
all  the  way  through  his  long  and  honored  life,  he  was  unlike 
the  average   man.     His   mind  seemed  always  to  leap  to  its 

289 


200       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

conclusions.  While  others  were  laboriously  studying  obscure 
inscriptions,  for  instance,  he  was  at  once  informed  of  their 
meaning.  It  may  not  be  known  to  our  readers  that  he  began 
life  as  a  sculptor,  but  such  was  the  fact.  He  was  always  deeply 
interested  in  ancient  languages,  and  was  at  home  in  several 
of  them.  He  chose  Hebrew  at  first,  he  once  said,  because  no 
one  seemed  to  care  for  it,  and  he  felt  that  he  might  make 
the  study  of  it  useful  to  others.  When  the  doctrines  of  the 
New-Church  came  to  his  knowledge,  they  met  his  every  want, 
and  his  active  mind  rejoiced  in  them  as  affording  him  constant 
instruction.  He  was  especially  fond  of  selecting  from  Sweden- 
borg  sentences  of  great  significance  and  of  repeating  them 
wherever  he  went.  The  power  of  a  passage  seemed  to  pene- 
trate every  fibre  of  his  being,  and  he  could  scarcely  sit  still 
and  speak  calmly  about  it. 

When  his  mind  was  attracted  to  the  study  of  the  sacred 
structures,  the  ark  and  the  temple,  he  found  what  was  for 
him  an  ideal  object  of  study.  He  possessed  remarkable  ac- 
curacy as  a  draughtsman,  and  in  making  drawings  of  the 
buildings,  used  measures  of  the  utmost  nicety.  He  may  be 
said  to  have  been  more  powerful  with  his  pencil  than  with  his 
pen,  for  his  drawings  never  left  the  student  in  doubt  as  to  the 
least  particular  of  his  meaning,  while  his  conciseness  in  writing 
sometimes  obscured  his  meaning,  to  less  perceptive  minds. 

He  spent  more  than  thirty  years  as  the  pastor  of  a  rural 
congregation,  preaching  on  Sundays  all  the  year  and  sending 
forth  his  sympathy  to  every  one  who  needed  it.  He  loved  his 
people,  and  they  loved  him.  Toward  them  he  was  never 
censorious,  and  they  did  not  stoop  to  criticise  the  eccentricities 
of  genius,  but  viewed  with  proper  pride  his  eminence  in  his 
chosen  studies. 

It  was  not  of  the  order  of  Dr.  Paine's  mind  to  make  long 
arguments.  It  may  be  said  without  disrespect  that  he  could 
not  do  so.     His  thoughts  came  forth  like  flashes  of  light.     His 


INTRODUCTORY  291 

first  words  contained  the  gist  of  what  followed.  To  his  in- 
tuition truth  presented  itself  immediately,  and  without  a 
long  process  of  induction.  His  sermons  therefore  often  con- 
tained sentences  of  marked  significance,  and  they  were  always 
brief  and  pointed. 

How  strongly  his  affections  were  fixed  upon  his  family  and 
flock  was  well  known  to  all,  and  his  kindliness  was  never  known 
to  fail.  He  loved  to  write  little  notes  of  friendship  and  to 
put  in  one  pearl  of  thought,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  extracts 
sent  by  a  near  relative  and  constant  correspondent,  in  the 
belief  that  they  might  serve  in  some  degree  to  give  to  others 
a  share  in  his  swift  and  incisive  utterances. 

T.  F.  Wright. 


CHAPTER  ONE 

THE  HOME 

1859-1864 

These  Glimpses  into  the  Home,  into  the  life  of  the  Mother 
and  of  the  Father  as  Pastor,  as  well  as  the  two  short  sketches 
of  the  Artist  and  the  Student,  were  written  at  my  request 
by  the  oldest  daughter,  Edith  Paine  Benedict. 

It  may  seem  strange  to  judge  a  man  by  the  recollections 
of  his  little  child,  but  I  have  always  felt  that  I  knew  my  father 
better  during  the  first  seven  years  of  my  life  than  through  the 
years  that  followed. 

My  mother  was  a  beautiful  princess  —  a  fairy  queen  —  a 
wise  and  true  counselor  who  was  always  right.  He  had  taught 
me  to  see  her  with  his  eyes. 

He  himself  was  but  a  faulty  human  being.  His  judgments 
were  hasty  and  must  often  be  forgiven  but  mother  lived  so 
close  to  our  Heavenly  Father  that  she  always  knew  the  truth. 
All  this  came  to  me  through  childish  intuition  from  his  mind. 

Father  almost  never  admitted  that  he  had  judged  hastily. 
He  never  apologized  to  us  in  words.  It  was  his  aim  to  be  for 
us  a  true  guide  and  a  noble  example  but  he  was  very  temper- 
amental. His  voice  was  like  sweet  music.  So  was  mother's. 
Loud  high  tones  caused  him  almost  physical  pain.  So  when 
he  was  disturbed  by  sounds  of  childish  altercation  the  child 
with  the  loudest  and  most  insistent  tones  and  who  uttered  the 
most  picturesque  denunciations  was  the  one  instinctively 
pounced  upon  and  sternly  rebuked.  That  child  was  almost 
always  myself.  As  a  matter  of  fact  I  was  often  in  the  right. 
I  loved  my  little  brother  far  too  well  to  be  mean  or  selfish  to 
him.     Mother  always  understood  and  with  a  few  gentle  words 

292 


■^  W  YORK 

ASTOR.    LE.N'0\ 


THE  HOME  293 

would  lead  Howard  to  stop  teasing  me  or  to  play  nicely. 
Then  father  would  come  through  the  room  again  and  lay  his 
hand  on  my  head  with  the  words  "Edie  is  a  good  little  girl." 
I  was  not  at  all  flattered,  but  I  was  instantly  comforted.  I 
knew  that  I  was  not  a  good  little  girl.  Father  only  meant 
that  he  was  sorry. 

My  earliest  memory  reaches  back  to  the  summer  of  1859 
when  I  was  twenty-six  months  old.  Mother  has  told  me  that 
then  occurred  my  only  sickness. 

I  lay  in  father's  arms  by  the  open  window  in  our  sitting 
room.  It  was  in  the  night  and  the  room  was  almost  dark. 
He  offered  me  milk  from  a  tin  cup  but  I  could  take  but  one 
sip  for  I  was  very  sick,  although  I  did  not  know  it.  I  only 
knew  that  father's  arms  felt  much  better  than  my  crib  and  that 
I  did  not  like  to  be  alone. 

After  a  time  his  eyes  closed  and  his  head  fell  forward,  then 
he  opened  them  with  a  start.  This  happened  several  times 
till  the  thought  came  to  me  (though  perhaps  not  in  words), 
"Father  wants  to  go  to  bed  and  go  to  sleep."  Then  I  thought 
that  I  would  close  my  eyes  and  pretend  to  be  asleep  so  that  he 
would  lay  me  down.  Next  I  wondered  if  it  would  be  wrong 
and  whether  it  were  better  to  pretend,  so  that  Father  could 
go  to  bed,  or  to  keep  my  eyes  open  for  the  mere  sake  of  being 
honest.  Probably  kind  nature  settled  the  question  by  bringing 
real  sleep. 

Do  parents  of  the  present  day  succeed  in  awakening  con- 
science at  such  an  early  age?  Perhaps  so  —  I  have  never  been 
sure,  but  mine  surely  taught  us  when  mere  babies  that  our 
loving  Heavenly  Father  watched  over  us  at  all  times  and  that 
the  one  thing  He  cared  most  about  is  that  we  should  do  what 
is  right. 

Our  home  was  in  the  little  village  of  Elmwood  which  was 
then  called  Joppa,  my  father  being  the  pastor  of  the  single 
church.     We  lived  in  one  of  the  little  white  cottages  which 


294       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

stood  quite  closely  along  the  shaded  streets,  each  with  its 
neat  door  yard  in  front  and  apple  trees  in  the  rear.  In  those 
days  each  yard  was  surrounded  by  a  substantial  fence  and 
entered  through  a  latched  gate.  Ours,  however,  had  also 
a  graveled  driveway  and  a  small  piazza.  There  were  four  or 
five  large,  square  houses  whose  yards  were  bordered  with 
hedges  of  evergreen.  There  were  several  families  of  culture 
and  refinement  whose  homes  breathed  the  air  of  other-world- 
liness  common  to  New  Church  households  of  that  generation 
but  there  was  absolutely  no  aristocracy  in  the  little  village. 
We  were  all  taught  from  infancy  to  feel  respect  and  considera- 
tion for  everyone.  Character  was  the  only  criterion,  and  even 
that  was  not  rigidly  applied.  We  never  heard  sharp  or  unkind 
criticism  of  any  kind.  Riches  and  poverty  were  terras  found 
only  in  books.  The  words  meant  nothing  to  us.  Intemper- 
ance was  probably  very  common  in  the  village  but  was  almost 
never  forced  upon  our  notice. 

Our  home  was  a  refuge  and  fortress.  No  one  ever  entered 
its  door  without  knocking.  Callers  were  to  be  expected  only 
between  the  hours  of  three  and  five.  Nothing  interrupted 
the  regularity  of  our  lives. 

We  were  out  of  doors  at  six  o'clock  each  morning,  our  glad 
new  day  begun.  We  played  almost  without  hindrance  or 
obstruction  all  the  long  forenoon.  The  neighbor's  children 
came  over  freely  and  we  never  stopped  to  wonder  why  we 
so  seldom  returned  their  visits.  Neither  were  we  conscious 
of  the  study  window  which  overlooked  our  garden  and  play- 
ground, except  to  be  vaguely  glad  that  father  was  so  near. 
Our  yard  was  the  best  in  the  village  and  all  the  children  knew 
it.  The  man  who  brought  our  wood  was  given  extra  money 
to  unload  it  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  a  safe,  strong  pile  in  the 
yard  which  might  serve  us  as  a  mountain,  a  ship,  or  a  fort  at 
will.  We  might  set  our  little  ladder  at  the  foot  of  the  apple 
tree  and  climb  up  to  sit  among  the  branches.     We  were  even 


THE  HOME  295 

allowed  to  run  about  on  the  woodshed  roof,  for  a  ladder  stood 
always  ready.  We  might  make  mud  cakes  with  plantain  seeds 
for  raisins  and  our  collection  of  broken  crockery  was  respected. 

After  dinner  there  was  another  nice  long  play.  My  mother 
has  often  told  me  that  she  never  in  her  life  heard  a  child  of 
hers  ask  "what  shall  I  do?"  I  cannot  remember  a  day  of  my 
life  that  was  long  enough  for  the  things  I  had  planned. 

But  at  three  o'clock  came  the  inevitable  washing  and  brush- 
ing and  "getting  ready"  for  afternoon.  My  dark  print  was 
changed  for  a  light  French  calico  with  tiny  flowers  dotted  over 
it  and  I  sat  in  my  little  blue  round-about  chair  and  learned  my 
lessons  and  did  my  stint  of  sewing  —  never  patchwork  but 
some  useful  garment  —  for  my  doll  or  baby  sister,  while  Howard 
whittled  with  his  jackknife  which  he  was  allowed  to  do  at  the 
age  of  four  or  five. 

Our  sitting  room  had  a  little  fireplace  down  whose  chimney 
Santa  Claus  used  to  come  on  Christmas  night  and  a  closet  in 
which  our  toys  were  kept,  for  the  room  was  our  only  nursery. 
Three  times  a  day  we  put  our  playthings  back  in  the  closet 
and  Bridget  moved  out  the  table  (under  which  on  rainy  days 
and  afternoons  we  always  played),  removed  its  woolen  cover, 
replaced  it  with  one  of  white  damask  and  the  place  became  a 
dining  room.  A  blind  staircase  led  to  father's  study,  a  pleasant 
east  chamber  with  sloping  walls.  It  was  a  treat  to  visit  the 
little  place  for  the  window  was  filled  with  choice  flowering 
plants,  the  homes  of  the  fairies.  One  lived  in  the  little  monthly 
rose  bush,  another  in  the  tiny  orange  tree.  Under  the  window, 
in  our  back  yard  was  a  tiny  box-bordered  garden,  filled  with 
polyanthus,  ladies  delights  and  all  old  fashioned  posies.  This 
looked  much  more  beautiful  when  seen  from  above.  So  did 
the  wood  pile  and  the  orchard.  Near  the  garden  stood  an 
arbor  covered  with  jessamine  which  had  been  built  for  mother 
and  in  which  she  sat  for  hours  on  summer  days  while  father 
read  aloud  from  beautiful  books.     We  children  seldom  listened 


296       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

to  the  reading  but  we  loved  to  watch  our  mother's  face  while 
father  read.  It  was  very  good  fun  to  read  to  mother  for  she 
always  laughed  delightedly  at  all  the  funny  parts  and  was 
breathlessly  excited  in  the  tragic  places,  deeply  serious,  with 
tears  in  her  eyes  when  the  book  called  them  forth.  And  so  we 
knew  long  before  we  could  read  for  ourselves  that  the  world 
of  books  is  real  and  wonderful. 

For  years  mother  had  not  been  able  to  use  her  eyes  for 
reading  or  sewing  but  her  father  had  read  aloud  to  her  for 
hours  each  day  and  she  had  been  accustomed  from  childhood 
to  commit  to  memory  beautiful  poems.  These  she  repeated 
to  us  in  her  low  sweet  voice  while  I  was  busy  with  my  daily 
sewing.  Some  of  the  poems  were  only  little  rhymes  and  songs 
for  childhood  and  all  through  the  day  there  were  delightful  bits 
of  Mother  Goose,  but  the  regular  sewing  hour  was  usually  made 
wonderful  by  the  magic  pictures  from  Marmion,  Lady  of  the 
Lake,  The  Prisoner  of  Chilian  or  best  of  all   Young  Lochinvar. 

Father  was  likely  at  any  time  to  come  down  from  his  study 
and  give  us  whatever  was  in  his  own  mind  at  the  time.  It 
might  be  the  grand  Bible  poetry,  like  the  Song  of  Deborah 
or  quite  often  half  a  dozen  verses  from  Tarn  O'Shanter  or  a 
scrap  from  Wordsworth  or  a  grand  strain  from  Homer  in  the 
Greek  which  he  would  translate  for  us  afterward.  We  were 
familiar  with  Ulysses  and  his  wanderings  as  well  as  with  Robin- 
son Crusoe  and  the  Arabian  Nights. 

Father  always  took  us  seriously.  He  respected  our  individu- 
alities. We  were  never  forced  to  make  embarrassing  confes- 
sions or  exploited  for  the  entertainment  of  friends  and  our 
property  rights  were  held  as  sacred  as  those  of  our  grown-up 
neighbors.  If  father  had  taken  one  of  my  books  or  toys  with- 
out permission  I  am  sure  that  I  would  have  been  surprised  and 
yet  he  felt  that  he  had  a  perfect  right  before  presenting  us  with  a 
book  to  paste  together  a  pair  of  leaves,  blot  out  a  probably  most 
interesting  word  or  otherwise  expurgate  it  for  our  use.     We 


THE  HOME  297 

never  knew  that  our  favourite  book  of  verse  contained  a  pic- 
ture of  a  heathen  woman  casting  her  plump  baby  to  the  croco- 
diles or  that  another  showed  a  cat  with  a  bird  in  her  mouth. 

When  we  were  very  tiny  it  was  father  who  saw  to  it  that  we 
were  out  of  doors  on  a  part  of  each  fine  day. 

We  had  a  sled  called  Reindeer  upon  which  he  tied  us  wrapped 
in  warm  quilts  and  took  us  for  delightful  rides  and  coasts. 
Or  he  would  sink  a  tub  in  the  snow  of  the  back  yard,  put  a 
bit  of  carpet  in  the  bottom  and  give  us  each  a  big  iron  spoon 
with  which  we  could  dig  in  the  beautiful  snow  until  hands 
and  feet  were  chilled.  Then  he  would  patiently  take  us  into 
the  house,  warm  our  feet  by  the  cheery  fireplace  and  let  us  go 
out  again  and  again. 

In  warm  weather  there  were  v,'onderful  walks  with  father 
in  the  woods  and  fields  by  "Apple  Tree  Pond"  over  "Moss 
Hill"  and  by  "Cleft  Rock"  to  "Rocking  Horse  Woods." 
The  other  names  were  father's  but  this  last  was  given  by  How- 
ard after  he  had  climbed  a  fallen  tree,  shaped  roughly  like 
a  horse  with  lifted  head  and  found  that  it  would  rock  most 
wonderfully.  In  warm  summer  weather  mother  came  too  and 
sat  in  some  charming  spot  while  father  and  we  children  wan- 
dered in  search  of  treasures  to  bring  to  her. 

During  these  early  years  mother  was  so  delicate  and  weak 
in  body  that  I  have  often  seen  her  faint  away.  But  for  her 
husband's  loving  care  she  might  have  been  an  invalid  or  would 
have  died  leaving  us  still  tiny  children.  But  he  realized  that 
freed  from  household  toil,  she  had  strength  to  be  a  perfect 
wife  and  mother.  So  there  was  always  Bridget  in  the  kitchen, 
an  adoring  and  faithful  Bridget  whose  love  and  respect  for  her 
kind,  cheery,  happy-hearted  mistress  knew  no  bounds. 

By  the  time  that  I  was  ten  years  old  mother  had  grown  so 
strong  she  could  "do  her  own  work  "  like  the  other  village  ladies- 

I  cannot  remember  the  time  when  father's  home  in  Winslow 
did  not  seem  real  to  us.     We  visited  it  when  I  was  barely  four 


298       THE  DISCOVERY   OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

years  old  and  Howard  less  than  three  and  father  would  never 
let  us  forget  it.  Clover  Brook  with  its  tiny  fishes  which  we  had 
fed  with  crumbs  of  bread,  the  little  room  in  which  he  had  slept 
throughout  his  boyhood,  the  beautiful  rolling  hills  where  grew 
wild  strawberries  were  often  in  our  thoughts.  The  many 
little  poems  he  wrote  about  them  were  often  recited  at  first 
to  his  own  little  children.  I  think  now  that  the  spirit  of  our 
grandmother  was  never  far  away. 

Heaven  was  very  near  us  for  it  was  there  that  our  baby 
sister  Miriam  lived.  I  remember  the  day  when  father  took  me 
on  his  knee  and  told  me  that  the  angels  were  upstairs  in  the 
spare  room  taking  little  Miriam  to  live  with  them  in  Heaven. 
I  wanted  to  run  upstairs  and  see  the  angels  but  he  held  me  close 
and  told  about  the  beautiful  place  called  Heaven  with  its 
flowers  and  lambs  and  its  other  little  babies.  We  had  loved 
to  hold  our  faces  close  and  let  baby  sister  stroke  our  cheeks  so 
I  asked,  "Will  Minnie's  pats  be  very  gentle  on  the  little  Heaven 
children?"  Father  shed  no  tears  for  Miriam;  he  thought  it 
would  be  wrong.  It  would  have  been  better  for  my  mother 
if  she  might  have  wept,  but  she  never  did,  even  when  we 
talked  about  the  baby,  as  we  did  every  day.  I  never  forgot 
her  and  she  never  .seemed  far  away. 

When  I  was  seven  years  old  we  moved  to  a  hou.se  shut  in 
closely  behind  the  church  and  divided  from  the  woods  and 
fields  by  .several  village  streets.  My  brother  Howard  played 
almost  wholly  with  the  village  boys  who  in  those  days  scorned 
to  play  with  girls.  The  next  year  he  began  at  his  urgent  re- 
quest to  go  to  school.  After  a  lonely  heartbroken  year  I 
followed  him,  a  sober  little  citizen  of  the  workaday  world,  — 
no  longer  a  dweller  in  Paradise. 

For  the  younger  children  the  new  home  was  the  only  one  and 
father  gave  it  a  beauty  of  its  own  with  flowers,  fruits  and 
grapevines.     It  was  the  birthplace  of  Bertha  and  Herbert. 

E.  P.  B. 


I 


THE  ARTIST  299 


The  Artist 


There  may  be  no  one  now  living  who  can  tell  about  father's 
artist  days,  he  avoided  the  subject.  It  was  not  because  it  was 
a  time  of  poverty  —  he  would  not  have  minded  that  if  it  had 
not  been  also  a  time  of  disillusions.  He  told  me  once  that  he 
found  nearly  all  the  youn<j  artists  whom  he  met  were  corrupt 
in  their  lives  and  in  their  imaginations  and  that  he  concluded 
that  the  moral  influence  of  the  study  of  art  could  not  be  good 
and  so  burned  all  his  beautiful  drawings  which  had  been  stud- 
ies from  classic  sculpture,  and  decided  to  enter  the  ministry. 
But  his  reverence  for  the  work  of  great  artists  nuist  have  re- 
mained with  him  intact,  for  he  .several  times  during  my  child- 
hood took  me  with  him  to  the  Athenaeum  where  he  often 
went  to  study  and  while  at  work  he  let  me  wander  freely  among 
the  plaster  casts  and  marbles  which  then  had  their  home  on 
Beacon  Hill. 

He  probably  saw  by  my  rapt  expression  that  they  taught 
me  nothing  but  good  and  he  would  sometimes  come  and  give 
me  a  few  words  of  explanation,  the  story  of  Laocoon,  the 
legend  of  Romulus  and  Remus.  He  would  call  my  attention 
to  the  beautiful  lines  of  a  crouching  figure.  I  am  afraid  he 
felt  afterwards  that  it  had  been  wasted  time  for  I  could  not 
put  what  I  felt  into  words  and  yet  the  memory  of  those 
times  has  been  priceless.  They  comprise  almost  all  the  art- 
instruction  that  I  ever  had  but  have  been  sufficient  to  lead 
me  to  love  only  the  best  in  art.  I  never  filled  my  house  with 
monstrosities  even  in  the  awful  "eighties." 

E.  P.  B. 


300       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 


The  Student 

I  have  always  heard  my  father  say  that  during  the  civil 
war,  he  had  had  no  heart  to  study.  That  was  the  reason  he 
spent  so  much  time  educating  his  children.  That  was  why  he 
chiseled  inscriptions  on  rocks  and  wrote  so  many  poems  and 
studied  literature.  All  these  things  were  as  a  relief  from  the 
strain  of  preparing  each  week  a  sermon  which  would  help 
the  suffering  parents  of  the  village  during  those  cruel  years. 

After  the  war  was  over  and  his  children  were  established  in 
the  public  schools,  he  gave  more  and  more  time  to  study  and 
research.  Every  year  he  bought  expensive  books.  He  had 
a  table  and  steel  rulers  made  to  order  for  the  drawings.  He 
often  arose  at  four  o'clock  and  had  two  hours  work  in  his  study 
before  the  family  life  had  begun.  On  such  days,  he  would 
come  to  breakfast  filled  with  enthusiasm  for  his  latest  discovery 
or  achievement.  He  always  believed  that  what  he  was  doing 
was  of  great  importance  and  we  all  took  it  for  granted  that  it 
must  be  so,  and  yet  I  fear,  he  had  but  little  satisfying  sympathy 
except  from  mother. 

I  was  married  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  and  in  all  the  years 
that  followed,  my  home  visits  were  infrequent  and  my  little 
children  always  tlie  center  of  attraction.  That  is  why  I  wanted 
to  leave  this  chapter  to  Bertha  who  lived  with  him  until  she 
was  twenty-nine  years  old,  when  the  family  was  small  and 
father  found  his  household  more  at  leisure  to  listen  appreci- 
atively to  his  discoveries  and  to  his  poems. 

E.  P.  B. 


AGNES  HOWARD,    THE  MOTHER  301 


Agnes  Howard,  The  Mother 

Father  was  married  on  his  thirty-second  birthday,  Oct.  14, 
1856.  The  officiating  minister  was  my  grandfather,  Adonis 
Howard.  His  wife  had  died  early  in  their  married  life,  leaving 
him  two  children,  Agnes,  aged  three,  and  Herbert,  two  years 
younger.  When  the  following  year  little  Herbert  followed  his 
mother,  Grandfather  was  for  a  long  time  a  brokenhearted  man. 
He  felt  that  he  could  not  live  many  years  and  so  gave  up  the 
study  of  medicine  and  became  a  New  Church  Minister.  My 
mother  was  a  little  Boston  heiress,  as  fortunes  were  considered 
in  those  days.  Her  maternal  grandfather  had  left  her  fifty 
thousand  dollars.  Adonis  Howard  would  not  touch  a  cent  of 
this  money  for  himself  and  preached  in  a  little  country  church, 
but  he  boarded  little  Agnes  in  one  of  the  good  New  Church 
families  on  Beacon  Hill  and  sent  her  to  the  excellent  New 
Church  school  there.  Rev.  James  Reed  was  her  schoolmate 
for  the  last  few  years  of  lier  stay,  being  about  three  years  old 
when  he  entered  it. 

Her  first  home  was  in  Myrtle  Street.  Agnes  was  brought  up 
with  a  strictness  that  seems  to  us  like  severity.  She  was  a 
merry  little  creature  bubbling  over  with  fun  and  mischief. 
Once  at  the  age  of  four  or  five  she  cut  off  her  eyebrows  and 
lashes  (which  she  could  ill  spare),  and  was  condemned  to  eat  all 
her  meals  in  soHtude  until  they  grew  again.  This  seemed  to 
her  an  endless  time  for  she  was  a  sociable  little  creature.  One 
morning  when  she  was  eating  her  solitary  breakfast,  Mr. 
Harrington  Carter  came  into  the  dining  room  on  purpose  to 
see  her.  He  had  a  big  breezy,  cheery  way  with  him  and  he 
had  in  his  hand  a  little  pile  of  "gift  books"  made  for  children. 
They  had  gay  little  covers  of  shiny  paper,  all  different  and  he 
scattered  them  in  a  rich  shower  over  the  table  cloth.     The 


302       THE   DISCOVERY   OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

little  tot  already  knew  how  to  read  and  the  fairy  gift  taught 
her  what  a  refuge  and  delight  books  may  be. 

She  lived  a  part  of  the  time  on  Mt.  Vernon  Street  and  once 
in  Louisburg  Square.  Best  of  all  for  several  summers  with  her 
grandmother  Holman  in  Joy  Street. 

In  summer  she  had  delightful  vacations  with  her  aunt, 
Mrs.  Whiting,  in  East  Bridgewater  or  with  Deacon  William 
Harris  in  the  same  town. 

She  often  saw  her  father  and  had  a  most  adoring  love  for 
him,  but  as  he  was  very  deaf  and  somewhat  absent  minded  and 
also  perhaps  rather  afraid  of  growing  too  much  attached  to  her, 
he  noticed  her  so  little  that  she  grew  to  fancy  that  he  did  not 
love  her.  Her  dearest  wish  was  that  he  should  marry  again 
and  live  in  a  little  white  cottage  with  green  blinds  and  that  she 
should  have  "ever  so  many  little  brothers  and  sisters." 

She  clung  to  the  liope  that  when  she  was  sixteen  he 
would  let  her  keep  house  for  him,  but  he  preferred  always 
to    board. 

When  she  was  sixteen  she  spent  a  year  or  two  in  Gardner, 
Maine,  and  while  there  taught  the  little  village  school.  I  am 
quite  sure  that  her  father  lived  with  her  at  the  time  and  boarded 
at  the  same  place.  At  any  rate  there  was  a  N.  C.  convention 
there,  when  she  was  seventeen,  and  it  was  there  that  she  first 
met  father.  She  had  recently  had  her  head  shaved,  in  the 
hope  of  making  her  hair  thicker  and  it  had  grown  out  in  childish 
little  curls  all  over  her  head. 

Father  thought  her  the  most  beautiful  and  wonderful  little 
creature  in  the  whole  world.  As  for  her,  alas  !  she  saw  nothing 
interesting  in  the  bashful  country  boy  of  nineteen  and  when 
his  ho.stess  asked  her  to  walk  in  the  garden  and  try  to  entertain 
him,  it  seemed  a  heavy  task.  She  must  have  managed  very 
well  for  she  was  a  graceful  little  lady  with  simple  manners  and 
a  kind  heart.  She  admitted  after  the  interview  that  he  seemed 
a  very  good  boy  but  I'm  afraid  she  forgot  all  about  him.     But 


c^^':H^<f    /c>/>-u>a^j/^ 


-  ■ "-  i  \  A  o'  f' 


A?TOR.    LENOX 


AGNES   HOWARD,    THE  MOTHER  ;]()3 

as  for  poor  Timothy  the  vision  never  left  him.  He  clung  to 
it  through  twelve  discouraging  years.  When  mother  lost 
nearly  all  of  her  property  through  the  treachery  of  her  Grand- 
father's partner,  the  matter  was  of  no  interest  to  him,  her 
lover.  When  her  eyes  failed,  so  that  she  lived  for  a  year  in  a 
dark  room,  he  must  have  been  filled  with  grief  and  sympathy 
for  her  sake  but  was  only  the  more  anxious  to  make  her  his 
wife.  One  could  hardly  blame  her  father  for  standing  guard 
over  his  poor  afflicted  child.  They  were  then  boarding  together 
in  a  delightful  and  congenial  home,  that  of  her  Uncle,  Oliver 
Holman,  in  Medford.  His  wife  Charlotte  was  more  like  a 
big  sister  than  an  aunt  to  Agnes  and  the  four  sweet  little 
children  were  like  brothers  and  sisters 

Other  people  have  told  me  tliat  mother  had  very  many 
suitors,  some  of  them  exceedingly  eligible,  and  Grandfather 
must  have  chosen  that  if  she  were  to  leave  him  at  all  it  would 
better  be  to  go  to  a  comfortable  and  well-appointed  home 
such  as  she  had  all  her  life  enjoyed.  Her  rare  visits  from  the 
shabby  artist,  T.  O.  P.,  were  met  with  little  favor  and  the 
touching  poems  which  he  sometimes  sent  to  her  either  directly 
or  through  some  friend  did  not  appeal  to  the  mind  of  the 
future  father-in-law,  although  they  finally  began  to  affect  the 
lady  for  whom  they  were  written.  After  six  years  she  was 
sure  that  she  loved  him  very  much,  but  she  had  so  much 
respect  for  her  father's  judgment  and  felt  herself  such  a 
very  poor  bargain  either  for  a  rising  young  artist  or  later 
for  a  young  country  minister,  that  the  lovers  were  separated 
for  six  years  more. 

One  summer  they  all  met  very  often  in  the  country,  for 
Mr.  Paine  had  accepted  a  call  to  Joppa  Village  and  Mr.  Whit- 
ing's home  was  only  two  miles  distant. 

One  day  when  father  was  leaving,  he  asked  an  important 
question  which  mother  answered  with  "Perhaps"  and  Grand- 
father remarked  "a  great  deal  may  be  included  in  that  word, 


301       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

perhaps."  Father  instantly  understood  that  the  paternal 
blessing  was  ready  to  be  had  for  the  asking.  In  less  than  an 
hour  the  lovers  were  engaged.  In  six  months  more  they  were 
married  and  Grandfather  could  hardly  have  loved  his  own 
son  Herbert  more  than  he  loved  his  son  Timothy  during  the 
rest  of  his  life.  In  fact  he  regretted  very  bitterly  that  he  had 
made  him  wait  so  long.  Yet  mother  always  felt  that  it  had 
been  for  the  best. 

E.  P.  B. 


CHAPTER  TWO 
THE  PASTOR 

Father's  day  began  early  —  often  at  sunrise  on  a  Summer 
morning  and  he  remained  in  his  study  ahnost  constantly 
till  midday.  But  after  a  little  doze  on  his  study  lounge,  he 
usually  spent  a  part  of  each  afternoon  in  making  short  neigh- 
borly calls  among  the  village  homes. 

I  do  not  think  that  he  thought  of  these  as  "pastoral  calls." 
He  went  because  he  loved  to  go.  He  felt  the  need  of  com- 
panionship. He  was  interested  in  every  life  that  was  lived  in 
Elmwood  and  was  helpful  in  a  thousand  little  ways.  He  would 
offer  to  regulate  a  clock  that  would  not  go  or  to  adjust  a  stove 
pipe  that  leaked.  But  the  topics  that  he  chose  for  conver- 
sation were  seldom  of  commonplace  things.  He  never  dwelt 
on  sordid  cares.  His  own  life  was  lifted  above  such  things  and 
he  took  it  for  granted  that  his  neighbors  would  rather  speak 
of  the  things  of  the  Spirit  or  hear  some  new  truth  that  he  had 
discovered  in  his  study.  All  of  his  own  gaining  was  for  the 
sake  of  giving. 

Perhaps  few  pastors  would  assume  that  feeble  Mrs.  Blank 
who  had  spent  all  the  morning  over  her  kitchen  stove  and 
whose  afternoon  was  devoted  to  mending,  whose  whole  life 
had  been  lived  in  that  little  village  and  whose  only  education 
had  been  gained  in  its  small  school,  would  enjoy  a  new  trans- 
lation of  an  old  Egyptian  prayer,  or  an  interpretation  of  a 
chapter  in  Ezekiel.  But  father  was  right.  She  did  enjoy  it. 
It  gave  her  something  new  to  think  about.  His  language  was 
so  simple  that  she  felt  that  she  understood  it  all  and  had  a 
delightful  sense  of  being  not  as  ignorant  as  she  had  supposed 
herself  to  be. 

Father's  voice!     Father's  eyes!     His  was  a  presence  good 

305 


306       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

to  remember!  Perhaps  even  if  he  had  spoken  in  Hebrew  or 
in  Syriac  his  visits  would  have  brought  a  measure  of  blessing. 

He  never  called  the  villagers  his  people  —  as  if  they  belonged 
to  him.  He  felt  rather  that  he  belonged  to  them.  We  chil- 
dren felt  in  no  way  distinguished  by  being  in  the  minister's 
family,  but  we  knew  that  for  Father's  and  Mother's  sakes 
everyone  was  very  kind  to  us. 

Father's  democratic  spirit  carried  him  to  extremes.  He 
found  something  to  admire  in  every  one  and  would  never 
allow  a  word  of  unkind  criticism  in  his  presence. 

When  I  was  quite  a  small  child  I  heard  a  man  severely 
rating  an  ab.sent  neighbor  as  a  "miserable  shiftless  drunkard" 
(doubtless  a  true  bill)  but  Father's  resjionse  given  with  his 
own  eager  enthusiasm  was,  "I  never  knew  a  man  who  could 

spread  manure  as  evenly  or  as  thoroughly  as  Mr.  C .      I 

always  hire  him  to  do  it  for  me  in  the  spring."  Thereafter 
I  felt  a  certain  respect  for  Mr.  C as  an  artist  —  of  sorts. 

Because  he  so  persistently  refused  to  see  evil,  many  people 
have  told  me  that  Father  believed  every  one  in  Elmwood  to  be 
a  saint.  This  was  not  at  all  the  case,  as  many  an  old  time 
sinner  could  testify.  He  was  very  clear-cut  and  uncom- 
promising in  his  advice  to  those  who  had  done  evil  but 
he  taught  them  to  accept  God's  forgiveness  and  to  "go  and 
sin  no  more." 

It  was  his  effort  to  create  a  village  atmosphere  of  courage 
and  good-will,  in  which  the  morally  weak  might  thrive  and 
grow  strong.  Lives  have  been  broken  and  also  redeemed  in 
Elmwood. 

I  think  that  even  after  a  quarter  of  a  century  some  of  the 
influence  of  that  forty-years'  pastorate  of  peacemaking  must 
yet  remain.  E.  P.  B. 

Mr.  Albert  G.  Boyden,  the  principal  of  the  Bridgewater 
Normal  School,  advised  his  students  to  listen  to  the  sermons 
of  Rev.  T.  O.  Paine  for  their  pure  Anglo-Saxon. 


THE  PASTOR  307 

A  Sermon  by  Rev.  T.  0.  Paine. 

"Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden, 
and  I  will  give  you  rest."     Matt,  xi:  28. 

If  we  come  and  receive  rest  from  Him,  we  can  impart  rest 
to  others.  One  way  of  coming  to  the  Lord  is  to  come  to  others : 
for  He  is  with  those  who  are  about  us;  and  when  we  come  to 
them,  we  come  where  He  is,  and  come  to  Him.  We  come  to 
each  other,  not  merely  by  making  ourselves  personally  present, 
but  when  we  bring  our  spirits  into  sympathy  with  each  other. 
We  come  unto  each  other  and  at  the  same  time  to  Him,  when 
we  have  His  spirit  within  us.  All  in  heaven  are  filled  with  His 
spirit;  for  they  have  their  Father's  name  written  in  their 
foreheads.  Whatever  of  His  love  they  have  is  Himself  in  them; 
and  whatever  of  truth  they  have  is  Himself  in  them;  and  what- 
ever of  life  they  have  is  Himself  in  them;  for  they  live  and 
move  in  Him,  that  is,  in  His  life  and  love  and  in  the  light  of  His 
countenance. 

It  is  entirely  possible  for  us  to  be,  in  our  measure,  like  tho.se 
who  have  left  us  and  are  now  in  heaven.  It  is  quite  possible 
for  us  to  live  and  move  in  a  degree  of  His  life  and  love  and 
light,  and  so,  possible  to  be,  in  our  degree,  as  angels.  When 
we  are  as  they,  we  shall  be  likenesses  of  Him,  and  shall  be  to 
each  other  somewhat  as  He  is  to  us:  for  there  are  two  rills  of 
life  from  Him  to  each  one  of  us.  One  rill  flows  into  our  inmost 
souls  directly  from  Him;  and  the  other  rill  flows  into  us  from 
Him  through  others.  These  two  rills  start  from  Him  as  one,  but 
branch  off  when  they  come  to  us.  He  has  two  ways  of  reach- 
ing us;  one,  with  His' right  hand,  and  one  with  His  left.  With 
His  right  hand  he  reaches  directly;  with  His  left,  he  reaches  us 
through  those  who  are  about  us.  He  has  two  ways  of  watch- 
ing over  us:  He  watches  over  us  directly  Himself,  and  He  watches 
over  us  through  others,  by  imparting  to  them  a  love  of  watch- 
ing similar  to  His  own  love  of  watching.    He  has  two  ways  of 


308       THE  DISCOVKRV   OF  A   GRAXDMOTHER 

hearing  our  prayers:  one  way  is  by  hearing  us  in  heaven  His 
dwelhngplace ;  and  for  the  other  way,  He  tries  to  open  our  own 
ears  to  the  cries  of  those  who  need  help  in  body  and  in  soul. 
And  so  He  has  two  ways  of  coming  to  us;  in  one  of  His  ways 
He  walks  upon  the  sea,  when  our  souls  are  in  trouble,  and 
calms  that  sea  when  the  waves  thereof  arise  about  our  spirits. 
In  another  of  His  ways  he  fills  another  with  His  spirit;  lightens 
the  footsteps  of  the  nurse,  man,  woman,  or  child;  screens  the 
light  from  the  sick  face;  and  brings  peace  and  rest  to  all  the 
house;  and  herein  is  it  true,  that  He  has  two  commandments 
for  us,  that  while  we'  love  Him,  we  should  love  each  other  also. 
Hereby  we  shall  know  that  we  are  His  disciples,  if  we  come 
to  Him  and  come  to  each  other  also.  And  by  this  also  others  will 
take  knowledge  of  us  that  we  have  been  with  Him,  if  they  can 
come  to  us  for  a  part  of  their  needed  help  while  they  come  to 
Him  for  another  part  of  it.  Even  while  He  was  yet  with  us  on 
earth,  the  people  came  to  the  disciples  for  the  same  things  that 
they  came  to  Him  for;  and  through  the  disciples  who  wrought 
in  His  name  they  received  divine  aid;  and  before  he  left  the 
world  He  committed  unto  us  His  disciples  powers  similar  to  His 
own.  By  this  he  showed  that  we  ought  to  be  such  that  others 
can  come  to  us  as  we  come  to  Him.  Here  is  a  new  direction 
which  we  are  to  give  our  lives.  His  Ufe  all  comes  this  way; 
and  while  we  never  cease  from  directing  the  rill  of  our  own 
life  so  that  it  shall  flow  back  to  Him,  we  are  to  fall  into  the 
great  current  of  His  life  flowing  forth  to  others.  Our  lives  can 
become  such  as  to  invite  the  confidence  of  others.  While  He 
was  with  us  His  life  was  such  that  it  invited  approach.  We  are 
His  disciples,  and  are  members  of  His  kingdom  which  is  not  of 
this  world,  only  so  far  as  we  bring  into  our  lives  what  He  brought 
into  His.  We  cannot  do  as  well  as  He  did,  because  we  have  so 
little  to  work  with,  and  because  we  are  such  poor  creatures  in 
ourselves.  But  we  can  make  good  use  of  what  He  gives  us  and 
we  shall  grow  better  with  practice. 


THE  PASTOR  ;50<) 

Good-will  to  others  often  prevails  in  our  hearts  when  it  is 
not  expressed  to  them:  hut  the  good-will  becomes  better- 
will  as  soon  as  we  express  it.  The  angels  at  Rethlehem 
were  heard  singing  good-will  to  men;  and  their  good-will 
grew  warmer  as  they  gave  it  expression  in  song.  Our 
streets  would  be  tilled  with  new  light,  if  good-will  were  more 
fully  expressed,  even,  than  now.  Even  our  own  good  ways 
can  be  improved.  Each  one  of  us  can  do  just  as  much  as 
another.  Above  all  things  else  let  sincerity  abound,  that 
each  one  of  us  may  fully  enjoy  the  good  words  of  our  lips.  If 
our  words  are  good  and  true  they  come  from  Him  who  is  the 
truth  and  is  good;  and  when  we  speak  truly  and  in  His  spirit, 
then  it  is  His  spirit  which  breathes  upon  us,  and,  through  us, 
upon  each  other.  Each  one  of  us  may  be  a  half-way-house 
between  another  and  Him  —  between  some  other  .one  and 
heaven;  a  shady  rock  by  the  wayside;  and  a  place  of  rest  in 
the  day.  We  need  the  sound  of  the  human  voice,  as  well  as 
the  thought  in  secret.  He  does  not  depend  wholly  upon  our 
coming  all  the  way  directly  to  Him.  He  sends  out  horses  of 
fire  and  chariots  of  fire  to  bring  us  into  heaven.  He  sends 
messengers  before  His  face  to  prepare  his  way  before  Him. 
He  sends  into  the  highways  and  hedges  and  compels  us  to 
come  in  unto  His  feast:  sends  forth  messengers  who  are  men, 
as  we  are. 

We  cannot  only  help  one  another  to  Him,  but  can  come 
between,  and  make  the  way  difficult.  We  can  sadden  those 
about  us.  In  this  we  do  not  suffer  the  little  children  to 
come  unto  Him:  we  offend  the  little  ones.  The  little  children 
of  the  mind  are  those  tender  thoughts  and  affections  which 
make  us  children  of  God  and  lead  us  to  Him.  We  may  so 
speak  and  do  as  to  hurt  these  little  ones  which  believe  in  Him. 
If  we  can  hinder,  so  can  we  help.  We  should  so  live,  that, 
while  we  are  seeking  to  come  ourselves  unto  Him,  we  should 
help  others  on  their  way  also.     We  can  find  many  little  rough 


310       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A  GRANDMOTHER 

places  which  we  can  bridge  over.  It  is  easier  to  see  the  Lamb 
of  God  which  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  when  some 
one  stands  near  us  and  points  towards  Him.  It  is  easier  to 
believe  that  there  is  such  a  Lamb,  and  that  He  is  near,  when 
we  hear  His  voice  tlirough  a  messenger,  and  see  His  life  and 
spirit  breathed  into  the  homely  duties  of  employments  and 
home. 

Many  have  gone  from  us;  and  when  we  think  of  them  and 
come  to  them,  we  seem  to  come  to  Him  also:  for  it  is  His 
will  that  they  should  be  where  He  is.  What  could  He  have 
thought  of  effecting  when  He  made  .so  great  a  promise  and  so 
broad!  What  was  He  going  to  do  with  all  the  world,  if  all  the 
world  had  come  unto  Him?  for  all  the  world  have  times  of  labor- 
ing and  of  being  heavy  laden.  He  is  not  going  to  take  away 
all  labor  and  lading,  but  is  going  to  give  us  rest,  as  He  promises. 
If  we  would  be  like  Him  we  shall  turn  away  from  no  one ; 
shall  be  patient  with  the  unjust  and  those  who  do  wrong;  shall 
be  planning  how  we  can  lighten  others'  burdens:  we  shall  be 
patient  with  ourselves  also;  be  merciful  to  ourselves  as  He  is 
merciful  to  us  —  be  hopeful  and  waiting  until  death.  We 
cannot  be  greater  than  our  Master,  but  we  can  be  as  He,  and 
be  servants.  We  cannot  give  rest,  but  can  do  what  will  bring 
rest.  And  in  yet  this  also  we  can  be  like  Him,  that  we  can 
will  to  do  good  where  we  can  not  do  it.  He  employs  children 
to  help  his  children,  and  to  help  them  come  to  Him. 

And  the  Spirit  and  the  Bride  say  Come.  And  let  him  that 
heareth  say  Ccme.  And  let  him  that  is  athirst  Come.  And 
the  only  way  in  which  we  can  say  Come,  to  others,  is  to  go 
on  silently  and  patiently,  doing  whatsoever  our  hands  can  find 
to  do,  making  our  narrow  footpath  seem  pleasant  and  inviting 
to  those  who  see  not  its  thorns  but  only  the  hopeful  promise 
of  harvest. 


CHAPTER  THREE 
THE   SCHOLAR 

In  the  Journals  of  Grandmother,  we  find  the  source  of  in- 
spiration for  Uncle  Timothy's  Bible  study,  especially  of  that 
part  which  came  to  he  his  life  study,  as  will  be  seen  in  these 
extracts  taken  from  "The  Sketch  Book." 

The  Middle  Bar 
March  1846. 

Today  as  I  was  reading;  the  Bible  by  course,  my  hap  was  to 
fall  upon  that  part  which  gives  a  description  of  the  Taber- 
nacle which  Moses  made  by  the  command  of  God  while  in  the 
wilderness,  contained  in  25,  26,  27  chap,  of  Exodus.  I  was 
delighted  and  entertained  even  to  a  charm.  To  contemplate 
its  richness,  its  beauty  and  splendor,  the  minute  exactness 
with  which  all  the  directions  were  given. 

"And  the  Lord  si)ake  unto  Moses  saying" 

"And  look  that  thou  make  them  after  their  pattern  which  was 
showed  thee  in  the  mount."  How  awe  struck  Moses  must 
have  been  to  receive  such  a  command  from  the  most  high  God. 
"And  Moses  went  into  the  midst  of  the  cloud  and  got  him  up 
into  the  mount,"  and  there  Jehovah  spake  with  him.  I  never 
read  it  when  it  appeared  so  solemn  before.     It  is  all  a  reality. 

As  I  was  reading,  meditating  and  admiring  its  hidden  truths 
which  to  me  are  yet  unrevealed  I  came  to  the  twenty  eight 
verse  of  the  twenty  six  chapter  which  reads  thus.  "And  the 
Middle  bar  in  the  midst  of  the  board  shall  reach  from  end  to 
end."  I  stopped  suddenly  to  inquire  what  that  could  mean. 
At  the  very  first  glance  it  was  evident  that  it  meant  something 
which  to  me  was  never  explained.     To  my  mind  it  is  evident 

311 


312       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

tliat  it  refers  in  some  way  to  the  Saviour,  at  least  I  can  conceive 
it  to  he  so  and  this  circumstance  revives  my  soul  with  hope 
that  e'er  long  I  shall  arrive  at  that  happy  land  where  all  dark- 
ness dispels  and  the  true  light  shines  upon  every  verse  of  my 
blessed  Bible. 

Sudden  Lm pulse 
18^7 

I  have  just  finished  the  reading  of  the  last  eight  chapters  of 
Ezekiel  "The  descriiilion  of  the  Tcini)le."  It  was  all  dark  to 
me,  I  had  no  understanding  thereunto.  It  grieved  me  much 
but  1  groped  my  way  through  like  one  with  no  eyes  knowing 
that  I  ought  not  to  pass  it  in  reading  by  course.  When  I  came 
to  the  last  verse,  a  sudden  impulse  pervaded  my  soul  and  all 
was  explained  to  my  entire  satisfaction,  I  was  happy  and 
resigned. 

Ezekiel  48  chap.  35  verse. 

And  the  name  of  the  City  from  that  shall  be  — 

The  LORD  is  there. 

The  Sketches  of  The  Scholar  and  of  The  Poet  were  written 
for  me  by  the  youngest  daughter,  Bertha. 

The  Scholar 

My  father's  interest  in  the  form  of  the  Temple  built  by 
Solomon  was  first  aroused  by  his  mother,  who  often  read  aloud 
to  him  those  chapters  in  Ezekiel  wherein  the  measures  of  the 
Temple  are  given.  The  seventh  verse  of  the  forty-third  chap- 
ter especially  aroused  her  wonder :  — 

"And  there  was  an  enlarging  and  a  winding  about  still 
upward  to  the  side  chambers;  for  the  winding  about  of  the 
house  went  still  upward  round  about  the  house;  therefore  the 
breadth  of  the  house  was  still  upward  and  so  increased  from 
the  lowest  chambers  to  the  highest  by  the  midst." 

One  Sabbath  afternoon,  December  twenty-sixth,  eighteen 
hundred  and  fifty-two,  father  first  made  a  sketch  of  the  Temple 


THE   SCHOLAR  313 

in  his  Journal,  representing  the  overhanging  galleries  supported 
by  pillars.     This  was  at  his  home  in  Winslow. 

The  work  then  begun  was  eontinued  after  his  marriage  and 
removal  to  Elmwood.  He  made  a  jjrofound  study  of  the  Books 
of  Ezekiel  and  Kings  in  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  Scriptures,  and 
other  Oriental  languages;  also  studying  perspective.  For  five 
years  he  worked  with  increasing  enthusiasm,  and  in  1861  a 
book  was  published  by  George  Phinney  of  Boston,  containing 
twenty-one  plates  of  sixty-six  figures  accurately  copied  by  the 
lithographers  from  careful  drawings  made  by  the  author, 
giving  the  form  of  the  Ark  of  Noah,  the  Tabernacle,  First 
Temple,  House  of  the  King  or  House  of  the  Forest  of  Lebanon, 
idolatrous  High  Places,  the  City  on  tlie  Mountain  (Rev.  xxi), 
the  oblation  of  the  Holy  Portion;  and  the  last  Temple.  Four 
of  the  plates  were  colored,  three  of  the  Tabernacle  and  one 
of  the  high  priest. 

In  his  introduction,  the  author  .says: 

"The  Hou.se  of  Jehovah,  built  by  Shelomoh,  commonly 
called  Solomon,  was  .seen  in  vision  by  Ezekiel  and  the  Angel 
fourteen  years  after  its  destruction,  Ezek.  xl:  1. 

"The  first  particulars  of  a  description  of  the  Temple  are 
given  in  the  first  Book  of  Kings,  a  few  more  are  added  in  the 
Second  Book  of  Kings  and  in  Jeremiah.  The  parts  wanting 
in  these  three  are  given  in  Ezekiel  and  nowhere  else  in  the  world. 
It  is  as  if  the  writer  of  the  Kings  and  Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel 
had  examined  each  what  the  other  had  written  and  then  each 
supplied  what  the  other  had  omitted.  Thus,  in  Kings  many 
inside  measures  of  the  hou.se  are  given  but  no  outside  ones; 
while  in  Ezekiel  the  outside  measures  are  supplied,  together 
with  .some  inside  measures  which  were  omitted  in  Kings; 
and  when  all  the  measures  are  put  together,  they  perfectly 
agree,  and  make  one  house. 

"In  general  it  is  a  truth  which  will  be  established  by  a  hun- 
dred examples  that  parts  which  are  fully  described  in  Kings  are 


314       THE  DISCOVERY   OF  A   GRASDMOTEER 

only  mentioned  in  Ezekiel  and  tliose  which  are  only  mentioned 
in  Kings  are  fully  described  in  Ezekiel.  Finally,  both  Ezekiel 
and  Kings  often  describe  the  same  forms,  as  the  holy  of  holies 
and  the  nave,  giving  the  same  dimensions  with  other  partic- 
ulars in  common. 

"Accordingly  Exodus  is  the  only  authority  on  the  Taber- 
nacle, the  description  there  being  given  by  Moses  who  saw  it 
in  Heaven  on  Sinai;  Josephus  knew  no  more  about  it  than  any 
man  at  our  day,  aside  from  the  description  in  Exodus. 

"Kings,  Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel  are  the  only  authorities  on 
the  first  Temple;  Josephus  never  saw  it.  But  Josephus  was 
the  eye-witness  in  respect  to  the  last  Temple  and  he  is  here 
the  only  authority  noticed  in  this  work." 

After  the  books  of  this  edition  were  sold,  the  author  began 
on  a  second  edition  and  to  work  out  details  more  fully,  studied 
the  Chaldee,  Syrian,  Samaritan,  Septuagint,  Coptic  and  Itala 
(N.  Africa)  Scriptures,  Josephus,  Talmud  and  the  Rabbis. 
With  infinite  patience  and  enthusiasm  new  drawings  were  made 
with  a  fine  pen  and  India  ink,  under  a  microscope.  \et  such 
was  his  care  that  in  twenty-five  years  of  his  work,  no  plate 
was  marred. 

In  1886  Houghton,  Mifflin  and  Co.  published  this  second  edi- 
tion of  Solomon's  Temple  and  Capitol,  Ark  of  the  Flood  and 
Tabernacle  or  "The  Holy  Houses"  with  forty-two  full-page 
plates  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  text  cuts,  these  being  photo- 
graphic reproductions  of  the  original  drawings  made  by  the 
author.  Like  the  subject  of  which  it  treated,  the  book  was 
massive  and  dignified.  The  pages  were  fourteen  and  a  half 
by  eleven  and  a  half  inches,  with  gilt  edges  and  with  large 
type:  made  especially  for  the  purpose.  The  work  has  been 
submitted  to  architects  and  civil-engineers  who  said  it  could  be 
buUt.  In  the  original  description  the  temple  is  called  the 
House  of  Jehovah  and  the  House,  not  Solomon's  Temple. 
The  Holy  Houses  include  the  Ark  of  the  Flood,  the  Sanctuary 


THE  SCHOLAR  315 

of  Sinai,  or  Tabernacle,  the  House  of  Jehovah  or  Temple, 
the  House  of  the  King  or  Capitol,  together  with  all  the  square 
and  rectangular  portions  of  city,  suburbs  and  land  round 
about  the  temple,  called  the  Holj^  Enclosure,  the  Holy  Oblation, 
for  the  Prince,  for  the  Priests,  for  the  Levites,  the  possession  of 
the  city,  the  suburbs  of  the  city  of  Jehovah  Shaminoh,  "The 
Lord  is  there"  and  the  holy  city  of  the  Revelation. 

In  1869  my  father  began  the  study  and  reading  of  the  hiero- 
glyphic texts  of  Egypt,  in  search  of  new  materials;  he  also 
obtained  old  and  rare  texts  from  the  Bodleian  Librarj\  Oxford, 
Astor  Library,  New  York,  tiie  Public  Library  and  Athenaeum 
of  Boston,  and  the  Library  of  Harvard  University,  Cambridge. 
He  deciphered  many  hieroglyphic  inscriptions  in  the  Museum 
of  Fine  Arts,  Boston,  and  delivered  lectures  on  the  meaning 
of  the  hieroglyphics.  He  proved  that  the  ancient  Egyptians 
had  a  belief  in  the  immediate  resurrection  of  the  spirit  and 
continuance  of  life  in  the  spiritual  world. 

His  poem  on  "The  Wheat  of  Amenti"  illustrates  this  teach- 
ing. He  dehvered  an  illustrated  lecture  on  Hieroglyphics  at 
Andover  Theological  School  before  an  audience  whose  faces 
were  "lighted  with  the  hope  of  immortality." 

In  addition  to  his  pastoral  duties,  father  was  Professor  of 
Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin  in  the  New  Church  Theological 
School,  until  1884,  when  he  retired  on  account  of  ill  health 
and  was  given  the  title  of  Professor  Emeritus. 

In  1886  he  sent  a  paper  to  the  Victorian  Institute  of  Great 
Britain  on  his  work  on  the  Temple. 

Bertha  Paine. 


CHAPTER  FOUR 
THE  POET 

In  writing  to  a  dear  old  friend.  Rev.  Joseph  Worcester  of 
San  Francisco,  father  says:  "I  have  composed  poems  since 
about  1840,  when  I  was  sixteen  years  old;  have  worked  very 
hard  and  steadily,  hoping  to  make  a  small  volume  of  songs, 
ballads,  idyls,  etc.,  almost  all  homely,  simple  farmer  and 
forest  things;  but  all  having  one  end  in  view,  without  every- 
where putting  the  end  into  words, —  the  end  of  making  simple 
life  seem  lovable  and  good  to  live." 

And  again,  writing  to  Mr.  J.  E.  Mills  of  Quincy,  Cal.,  he 
writes:  "Since  about  1843,  I  have  been  trying  to  write  a  vol- 
ume of  poems  that  shall  be  i)eaceful  and  good  to  read  in  good 
moods;  little  bits  on  little  things,  close  about  those  who  have 
no  money  to  spare  for  journeys,  trying  to  bring  down  sweet  life 
into  poor  homes,  longer  poems  also,  but  with  the  same  end 
in  view.  I  much  love  poor  things  and  try  to  make  others 
love  them  more,  the  ninety  and  nine  are  well  off." 

To  his  wife  he  writes  this  "little  bit": 

The  Waters  of  the  Meadow 

The  water  on  the  meadow's  breast 
Is  moving  slowly,  as  I  look; 
She  cannot  yet  be  called  a  brook 
But  water  seeking  rest  — 
Her  level  and  her  rest. 

She  is  not  seeking  greater  height, 
But  willingly  is  moving  slow 
And  going  where  the  ground  is  low; 

And  yet  her  face  is  bright  — 

Her  face  is  calm  and  bright. 

316 


THE  POET  317 

To  his  daughter  Isabel,  in  her  marriage  service,  he  writes, 

Sweet  Memories 

I  think  sweet  memories  will  not  die, 

I5ut  live  and  die  not  ever. 

I  think  the  hearts  sweet  memories  tie 

Will  bounden  be  forever. 

I  think  sweet  memories  will  awake 

That  long  have  slept  and  slumbered. 

I  think  the  longest  night  will  break 

In  dawn,  and  joys  unnumbered. 

It  was  his  aim  to  do  for  New  England  what  Burns  did  for 
Scotland.  "It  is  best  to  keep  in  open  sympathy  with  nature," 
he  writes,  "because  nature  is  a  child  always  at  peace."  He 
bids  us  "Come,  take  an  interest  in  simple  things.  See  how 
much  work  He  puts  in  all  He  makes." 

In  some  respects  there  is  a  resemblance  between  the  poets. 
Both  were  born  amid  rural  surroundings,  and  not  far  removed 
from  grand  scenery,  high  hills,  spreading  fields  and  rushing 
rivers.  Both  felt  and  lived  intensely  —  their  dark  eyes  glowed 
with  the  fire  of  genius,  \\lienever  their  natures  were  deeply 
stirred  the  feelings  found  expression  in  poetic  form.  Burns 
had  his  "Bonny  Doon "  and  father  his  "Segur's  Brook."  To 
him  this  was  the  insjjiration  of  his  earlier  poems.  The  Segur 
is  a  woodland  brook  in  Winslow,  named  for  Sergeant  Segur 
of  Fort  Halifax,  who  made  a  bridge  across  it.  The  Indianized 
name  of  the  brook  is  "Segagus."  It  was  surrounded  with 
"shaws"  or  open  woods  and  coppices  which  clothe  its  sloping 
banks;  with  natural  walks  carpeted  with  short  green  grass, 
and  here  and  there  beds  of  fragrant  wild  flowers  and  violets, 
or  "braes." 

"Nature  always  is  in  tune, 
Nature  always  hath  a  rune," 

"Nature  is  renewed  every  instant  out  of  heaven,  and  if  all 
good  things  in  Nature  are  in  order,  why  are  not  Nature  bits 
of  song  good  for  us  to  love?" 


318       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

He  was  a  close  student  of  Nature.  When  in  college  he  made 
a  book  of  pressed  specimens  of  all  the  wild  flowers  of  Maine, 
each  analyzed  and  marked  with  its  botanical  name.  He  could 
imitate  the  call  of  the  birds  so  perfectly  that  they  answered 
him.  In  his  poem  the  adjectives  are  scientificallj^  as  well  as 
poetically  descriptive,  and  are  carefully  chosen. 

Within  his  sinii)]cst  poem  lies  an  inner  meaning,  often  sug- 
gested in  the  closing  lines,  as  in  that  of  "The  Swallow." 

"Dost  come  down  from  a  heaven  serene. 
Into  a  |)lace  dark  and  unclean, 
Think'st  thou?     Then  thou  canst  lead  the  way 
For  thy  young  brood  up  back  into  the  day." 

The  getting  rciuly  of  the  soul  for  heaven  is  imaged  in  the 
changes  of  the  trees  in  autiunn. 

"Nature  dresses  her  children  best 
Just  before  they  fall  to  their  rest." 

His  love  j)oems  were  inspired  by  the  meeting  with  his  first 
and  only  love,  my  mother. 

"Separation  stern  and  strong 
Had  filled  an  age  of  love  with  tears." 

For  some  years  before  her  nuirriage,  mother  lived  at  Med- 
ford,  on  the  banks  of  the  Mystic  River,  often  alluded  to  in  his 
poems. 

l?oth  his  teachings  and  his  life  liore  witness  to  the  sacredness 
of  marriage  love. 

In  the  leisure  moments  of  the  last  ten  years  of  his  life,  father 
wrote  many  poems,  some  of  which  revived  memories  of  his  old 
home  in  IMaine.  He  wandered  by  the  banks  of  the  Matsfield 
River  in  Elmwood  as  in  the  days  of  his  early  youth  and  com- 
posed songs  which  he  wrote  in  a  tiny  leather  bound  volume, 
carried  in  his  pocket.  A  pile  of  logs  with  a  cedar  post  for  back 
served  as  his  rustic  seat  while  the  poems  were  written  with  the 
same  extreme  care  that  characterized  his  drawings. 


THE  POET  319 

His  friends  recall  with  delight  the  iiuisical,  rhythmical  read- 
ing of  these  gems  of  song,  in  his  mellow  voice.  The  long  poem 
"  Measure  "  was  written  for  the  Golden  Wedding  of  his  life-long 
friend  Samuel  Darling,  the  maker  of  the  steel  rule  that  measured 
1/1000  of  an  inch.  These  rules  were  used  in  the  drawings  of 
the  "Holy  Houses." 

"The  Lost  Sheep,"  written  to  he  sung  to  the  tune  of  "Rock 
of  Ages,"  was  written  near  the  close  of  life  when  the  way  began 
to  seem  long.  For  the  last  few  months  after  his  resignation 
of  the  pastorate  in  Elmwood  he  suffered  much  in  body  and 
mind.  As  he  lay  in  pain  on  his  coucli,  he  was  heard  to  repeat 
those  words  of  triumphant  anguish  in  Isaiah:  —  "Who  is 
this  that  Cometh  from  Edom  with  dyed  garments  from  Hozrah? 
This  that  is  glorious  in  his  ajjparcl  traA'cling  in  the  greatness 
of  His  strength.  I  that  speak  in  righteousness,  mighty  to 
save." 

He  entered  the  other  life  December  6,  1895. 

He  had  prejiared  in  a  clear  roimd  Iiand,  a  manuscTii)t  of  his 
poems,  containing  two  hundred  pages  with  notes,  under  the 
title  of  "The  Songs  of  the  Segur."  One  long  poem  "The 
Woodlanders"  was  verified  by  letters  from  a  friend  who  had 
known  the  life  of  tlie  lumber  cainj)s  in  Maine. 

The  poems  were  never  published  as  prepared  and  indexed 
by  him,  but  after  his  death  .selections  were  made  from  them  l)y 
his  niece  Selma  Ware  Paine,  who  wrote  a  charming  preface, 
describing  his  threefold  life  as  pastor,  scholar  and  ar<'heologist, 
and  poet.  The  volume  was  edited  by  my  mother  and  pub- 
lished under  the  title,  "Selections  from  The  Poems  of  Timothy 
Otis  Paine." 

Bertha  Paine. 


CHAPTER   FIVE 
EXTRACTS  FROM  JOURNAL  AND  LETTERS 

Journal  1S5'2. 

Be  thankful  that  you  can  do  as  well  as  you  can;  this  will 
enable  you  to  do  better. 

A  dew  drop  on  a  pine  tree  Fort  Hill,  Sept.  16  1852.  Standing 
up  (morning  7  o'clock)  it  was  brilliant  blue.  stoo])ing  yellow; 
sitting,  red;  each  color  exceedingly  brilliant.  The  drop  was 
between  me  and  the  sun.  These  are  the  simple  colors  of  which 
all  others  are  derivatives. 

Remarks  on  poetry.  1  That  words  should  be  used  in  their 
primitive  sense.  2  That  poetry  should  be  but  little  adjective 
e.g.  'On  the  roof  the  sound  of  rain,'  you  know  just  what  that 
sound  is  —  the  adjective  is  already  in  your  mind,  then  why 
expre.ss  it?  And  more,  that  adjective  is  more  perfect  that  any 
word  can  e.r press,  but  the  words  'sound  of  rain'  suggest  it  fully 
—  as  fully  as  you  know  what  that  sound  is.  Of  the  first  re- 
mark, the  primitive  sense  is  generally  the  physical  one,  hence 
its  meaning  is  felt  soonest  and  deepest.  The  expression,  the 
sun  shines  is  clear;  we  learned  the  meaning  of  the  expression 
in  infancy  and  consequently  its  meaning  is  felt  the  soonest 
and  deepest.  Phoebus  was  heard  in  later  years  and  of  the 
sun,  and  must  be  translated  into  sun  before  we  can  feel  it 
at  all.  In  poetry  I  would  use  the  word  sun  when  speaking 
of  the  sun,  and  Phoebus  when  speaking  of  that  ancient 
divinity. 

The  sun  shined  from  the  East;  and  'shined'  instead  of  'shone' 
for  although  'shone'  is  not  the  same  as  'shown,'  still  it  sounds 

340 


EXTRACTS  FROM  JOURNAL  AND  LETTERS     321 

like  it  and  hence  does  not  suggest  'shine'  so  forcibly  as  'shined.' 
The  sound  'shon'  suggests  'sho,'  while  the  sound  'shined' 
suggests  'shin.' 

Bluebirds,  robins,  sparrows,  Winslow,  March  '20,  1853. 
Phoebe  or  pewee  Apl  2,  frogs  6  large  red  butterfly  3:  wood 
thrushes  Apl  17.  Barnswallows  22;  in  great  numbers  all  at 
once  and  fill  the  l)arn.  May  13.  Bobolinkhorns  May  3,  13 
and  cherry  l)irds  May  24,  on  blo.ssoniing  trees.  A  yellow  bird 
is  lining  her  nest  with  the  white  blows  of  the  dandelion.  This 
bird  fastens  her  nest  very  firmly  to  the  limbs  .so  that  it  will 
stay  over  winter;  the  tree  sparrow  on  the  contrary  does  not 
confine  her  nest  at  all  so  that  it  generally  blows  off  in  the 
first  strong  wind.  She  does  better  to  build  in  a  bush  or  grape- 
vine. 

Flowers  order  of  coming:  Apl  20,  bloodroot,  hepatica,  May 
flower  (epigea  refens)  lurzula  compestris,  blue  violets  two 
kinds,  not  the  common  large  ones  and  the  white  violet,  also 
adders  tongue  and  venuspride,  saxifrage.  All  these  are  in  full 
bloom  May  3  in  the  valley  of  Segur's  brook,  but  they  appeared 
in  the  order  which  I  named.  Dandelions  have  blossomed  all 
at  once,  today  everywhere,  May  13,  Horseplum  trees  in  full 
bloom  this  warm  morning  (shower  in  the  morning)  Buttercups 
all  at  once  (warm)  June  5.  Lilacs  in  their  prime  May  30  fading 
June  5,  first  blossoms  May  20;  As  a  general  rule  flowers  have 
one  week  (7  days)  of  prime,  each  side  of  this  week  there  are  a 
few  blows  only. 

Sparrows  —  tree  and  ground  —  line  their  nests  with  hair; 
robins  with  withered  blades  of  grass;  barn  swallows  with 
feathers. 

There  is  no  bird  so  choice  as  the  blue  bird;  A  single  pair 
build  in  a  hollow  log  or  post  or  in  a  small  box  near  a  house  but 
that  pair  will  not  allow  any  other  blue  birds  to  come  near  their 
home  but  will  fight  all  day  and  renew  the  fight  the  next  day 
until  the  intruders  are  driven  off.     They  are  entirely  faithful 


322       THE  DISCOVERY  OE  A   GRANDMOTHER 

to  each  other  and  do  not  mingle  with  other  birds.     It  requires 
a  long  time  for  their  young  to  fly  after  they  are  hatched. 

Ground  sparrows  nest  in  a  thornbush,  the  top  of  the  bush 
having  the  appearance  of  being  the  continuation  of  the  mound 
near. 

So)i(j 

Now  Dingley's  field  is  white  with  snow, 
In  flocks  the  snowbirds  chirping  go; 
Their  little  feet  around  the  weeds 
Have  patted  down  the  snow  for  seeds; 
At  night  they'll  fly  to  Dunbar's  wood 
And  cedar  trees  are  shelter  good. 

If  as  much  rain  was  falling  as  there  seems  to  be  in  a  shower, 
the  ground  would  be  flooded.  1)  Each  drop  looks  like  a  stream. 
Compare  a  carriage  wheel  in  motion.  2)  Besides  the  drops 
are  much  further  apart  than  they  seem  to  be  for  we  see  all 
the  stream-drops  within  a  considerable  distance.  Similar 
remarks  apply  to  falling  snow.  Looking  directly  up  into  the 
storm,  the  drops  and  flakes  lose  the  appearance  of  streams  and 
white  lines,  although  from  the  2d  cause  above  mentioned  there 
seem  to  be  more  drops  and  flakes  than  there  really  are.  Ex- 
amine the  air  within  a  few  feet  of  you  and  the  truth  will  be 
evident. 

Do  not  say  bitter  things,  there  is  not  .so  much  nourishment 
in  a  bitter  apple  as  there  is  in  a  sweet  one. 

The  Lord.  He  is  perfect  and  was  complete  from  eternity, 
but  He  did  not  do  all  things  at  once  and  complete  all  things  at 
once.  He  created  first  of  all  the  material  universe  and  placed 
man  on  its  earths  and  then  commenced  a  heaven  from  them. 
He  sustains  the  Universe  created  and  thus  perpetually  creates 
it  anew.  Among  all  the  things  which  He  did  successively. 
He  created  Him.self  into  the  Universe  which  He  had  before 
created.  He  did  this  to  save  man,  and  that  He  might  be  every- 
where fully. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  JOURNAL  AND  LETTERS    '.m 

The  faith  of  the  New  Church,  universal  is  this;  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  transfigured  and  glorified  is  the  only  God  of  the 
Universe.  The  knowledge  of  this  doctrine  is  the  pearl  of  great 
price.  By  Father  understand  the  Divine  Soul  and  by  Son 
understand  the  Divine  Human  Body  and  the  Trinity  can  be 
understood.  It  is  usual  in  the  Word  to  give  a  general  view 
first  and  then  to  resume,  often  and  to  give  particulars. 

Extracts  from  letters  written  to  his  niece,  Selma  Ware  Paine. 

I  have  not  seen  the  article,  but  I  suppose  your  words  in- 
dicate the  nature  of  the  new  reading.  It  is  my  opinion  that 
when  they  touch  the  letter  of  the  Scriptures,  they  pull  out  all 
the  fastenings  of  a  train  of  cars  at  high  speed  and  let  the  whole 
train  go  to  crash.  The  old  original  sense  is  always  best.  That 
sense  is  the  massive,  unflinchable  gravel-bed;  the  imbedded 
ties;  the  steel  rails;  the  solid  cars;  the  omnipotent  engine; 
the  noble,  wi.se,  faithful  engineer,  whose  motto  ever  is,  stick  to 
the  machine.  You  come  to  the  desired  haven  with  this. 
Tender  and  loving  interpretation  is  the  oil  at  every  joint  — 
every  joint  unbreakable,  but  beautifully  jilaying  in  oil.  Let 
the  solid  work  alone.  The  Scriptures  in  their  rugged  letter  are 
a  cube,  always  right  side  up.  You  set  the  fire  to  where  I  blaze 
at  once. 

Oliver  Wendell  Holmes  has  just  made  himself  dearer  than 
ever  in  "Over  the  Tea-Cups,"  but  he  is  naughty  to  write  this 
libel;  —  "My  friend  I  hope  you  will  not  write  in  verse.  When 
you  write  in  prose  you  say  what  you  mean.  When  you  write 
in  rhyme,  you  say  what  you  must."  — 

If  I  could  find  one  single  line  that  does  not  say  exactly  what 
I  mean,  I  would  toil  over  that  line  five  years  till  I  made  it  say 
what  I  mean  —  work  over  it  ever  and  again,  all  the  rest  of  my 

life.    I  am  in  mo.st  thorough  earnest.    But  B .says  "Holmes 

is  in  fun."  But  I  will  allow  nobodj'  to  be  in  fun  about  poems. 
Poems  begin  where  prose  ends. 


3-24       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

A  poem  is  rich  according  as  it  is  filled  with  truth;  not  dead 
fact  but  truth  that  is  alive  and  full  of  tender  warmth.  What 
say  you?  But  busy  all-day  work  is  the  best  press  for  best 
wine. 

You  know  my  way  of  working  —  a  plodding,  beating,  bang- 
ing, chipping,  fitting,  toiling,  bothering,  tiring  everybody  out 
—  kind  of  way.     Please  fill  out  the  list. 

Plymouth  is  the  new  town  or  city  of  Massachusetts.  The 
resurrection  of  her  oldness  is  tiie  vigorous  soul  of  her  newness. 
Plymouth  is  the  most  beautiful  thing  we  have  to  show. 

I  never  knew  a  neglected  road  or  street  to  lie  idle.  It  goes 
to  work  like  a  child  to  get  beautiful  things  together.  Every- 
thing bears  a  flower.  I  heard  the  word  "frame"  sung  by  the 
choir,  and  almost  laughed  with  delight.  It  is  a  sweet  old  word 
for  "mood  of  the  spirit";  and  a  heavenly  frame  of  mind.  A 
small  flower  is  precious  if  we  are  in  the  right  frame  of  mind. 

The  profane  name,  "Solomon's  Temple."  It  was  the  Lord's 
Temple.     I  am  doing  all  I  can.  — 

Think  of  me  as  among  the  lilies,  for  I  am  working  right  under 
them;  and  drawing  the  final  figures  of  my  last  work;  final, 
that  is  press  —  figures.  They  are  more  beautiful  than  any- 
thing that  I  have  ever  prepared,  —  for  the  press  hitherto. 
Among  the  hieroglyphic  drawings  is  a  large  picture  of  a  white 
lily,  and  out  of  the  lily  is  written  in  most  ancient  hieroglyphic 
text;  "I  am  the  pure  lily  that  springeth  up  in  the  meadows 
of  God."  He  who  speaks  is  a  meritful  youth  who  once  lived 
on  earth  and  passed  upward  before  the  days  of  Abraham. 

Every  pillar  of  Egypt  was  crowned  with  a  lily  either  in  bud 
or  in  bloom. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  JOURNAL  AND  LETTERS     325 

Oct.  SO,  1895.     [Uncle  Timothy  died  Dec  6,  1895.] 
"A  little  piece  with  seven  "ests"  in  it. 

Getting  Ready 

Nature  dresses  her  children  best 

Just  before  they  fall  to  their  rest ; 

Puts  on  every  beautiful  vest 

Ere  they  pass  to  the  fields  of  the  blest; 

Every  fruit  is  fairest  drest. 

Every  leaf  is  beautifulest. 

S  files  exception,  however,  to  the  superlative  of  "beautiful" 
in  the  form  of  "beautifulest."  I  think,  dear,  that  you  will 
quite  agree  with  me  that  "most  beautiful"  and  "lieautifulest" 
do  not  make  the  same  impression  on  the  mind.  When  on 
choice  and  rare  o(ra.siO«.s  you  im.ih  to  wrap  up  in  one  word  all 
that  it  can  be  made  to  hold,  you  must  begin  with  that  word 
and  hold  upon  it  as  long  as  you  can.  You  begin  with  beautiful 
and  "beauti"  —  expresses  the  leading  thought.  The  "ful" 
adds  fulness  to  that.  Then  "est"  gives  the  idea  of  the  highest 
of  that.  But  "most"  in  "most  beautiful"  steals  away  some- 
thing by  coming  too  soon.  You  dwell  on  two  words.  In 
"beautifulest"  you  begin,  go  on  and  end  with  the  thought  of 
the  beautiful.  It  is  the  closing  word  of  the  little  song  of  the 
soul  and  was  intended  to  gather  up  the  whole  soul  of  the  lay 
into  its  one  single  self.  Each  syllable  should  be  pronounced 
slowly.     What  think  you?     Do  I  think  too  nicely? 

Good  evening. 

Wordsworth  teaches  us  —  tells  us  —  that  it  is  enough  if  the 
reader  likes  anything  he  has  written  —  It  is  of  little  moment 
who  the  readers  may  be.  You  see  I  am  trying  to  find  out 
whether  I  shall  have  any  readers. 


CHAPTER  SIX 
POEMS  OF   THE  SEGUR 

To  my  Uncle  Timothy,  his  jjoems  meant  more  than  did  the 
Temple  Studies;  his  whole  heart  was  in  them.  The  following 
extracts  are  taken  from  letters  written  to  my  cousin  Bertha, 
by  Prof.  George  Herbert  Palmer. 

What  a  beautiful  gift  you  have  sent  me!  I  had  never  seen 
these  poems  before.  But  when  I  opened  the  little  parcel  this 
morning  and  began  to  read,  I  was  so  fascinated  that  I  read 
the  book  from  cover  to  cover  and  with  increasing  delight. 
"The  Woodlanders, "  "Measure,"  and  the  bird  poems  especially 
pleased  me,  but  everywhere  I  found  the  keen  eye,  the  tender 
heart,  and  the  venturesome  phrase.  Poetry  so  fresh,  direct 
and  unconventional  is  unusual.  I  .shall  do  my  best  to  make 
the  precious  little  volume  known. 

I  hear  beautiful  accounts  of  the  life  of  Mr.  Paine,  which 
make  me  wonder  less  at  his  remarkable  verses.  These  have 
the  originality  and  innocent  directness  of  the  best  poetry  of 
the  English  William  Blake. 

All  I  get  from  him  exhibits  the  .same  traits  —  an  elevated 
and  unworldly  mind,  keen  observation,  vigor  of  language  and 
a  disposition  to  come  at  things  directly  without  intervening 
tradition.  This  inner  veracity  gives  to  my  mind  its  chief 
value  to  his  work. 

Indeed  it  makes  it  unique.  I  know  no  other  among  our 
American  authors  who  has  been  able  to  commune  as  freshly 
with  facts  and  to  state  what  he  has  seen  with  so  sweet  a  sim- 
plicity. His  range  is  not  large,  and  neither  man  nor  nature 
is  to  his  mind  complex  or  problematic.     But  what  he  sees  he 

320 


fLtf,^    iLiJ±-  ciftS^^  JU.^^^-tZ  .-»— a-  , 

7^-tn^     Cl-K£_    -/fc^-w^    ^3    .-•♦^,    ^Lx^'UJTty/ 

Jt~fry-^  ^-T-tl  ^^^at-    u.'t^^  f^  btn-^^^-f 


POEMH  OF   THE  SEGUR  3^27 

sees  as  if  no  one  had  ever  seen  it  before,  and  it  is  uttered  in 
words  that  are  entirely  his  and  with  a  tender  airy  grace  which 
makes  a  kind  of  springtime  pervade  all  his  pages.  It  is  amusing 
that  publishers  thought  the  book  was  "not  literature."  Yet 
they  were  perhaps  right.  It  stands  so  outside  the  manners 
and  customs  of  ordinary  writers  that  I  doubt  if  the  public 
would  purchase.  All  the  more  important  shall  I  consider  it 
to  call  the  attention  of  those  who  are  capable  of  appreciation 
to  the  exquisitely  chosen  selections  which  you  have  kindly 
sent  me. 


SEGUR'S  BROOK 

8egvr  always  sweet  and  good, 
Tumbling  through  the  piny  wood 
When  the  snow  is  melting  fast 
And  the  coldest  days  are  past! 
Thou  art  never  to  be  gone 
But  to  stay  and  live  right  on. 
Thou  art  never  to  be  gray 
But  to  live  in  youth  for  aye; 
Summer  sun  and  winter  snow 
Find  my  Segur  always  so. 


328       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 


THE  MYSTIC 


The  violet  blows  by  Mystic  side 
When  all  the  leaves  are  tender, 

And  on  her  fells,  a  day  in  June, 
The  honeysuckle  slender. 

The  violet  blooms  in  Segur  Dell, 
And  there  I  wander  early 

To  guess  if  honeysuckles  blow 
By  one  I  love  so  dearly. 

The  common  ocean  gathers  in 
The  Mystic  and  the  Segur, 

And  where  the  stormy  petrel  flits 
Unites  their  waters  eager. 

They  rise  in  mist,  they  fall  in  rain, 
In  dew  and  sunny  showers. 

And  glide  as  one  in  Segur  Dell 
Beneath  the  spreading  bowers. 

But  little  lioj)e  is  there  for  me 
That  I  may  meet  the  maiden 

Who  looked  at  me  and  spoke  to  me 
Then  left  me  lone  and  laden. 

FREE  AND   LOOSE 

I  will  sing  where  I  light 
And  alight  where  I  may. 

As  the  birds  in  their  flight 
That  go  singing  away. 

Not  a  foot  of  the  ground 
Do  I  own,  not  a  hand; 

I  go  trespassing  round 

For  the  flowers  of  the  land; 

Not  to  pick  anything. 

But  to  see  them  in  bloom 

And  to  hear  the  birds  sing 
Where  there's  plenty  of  room. 


POEMS  OF   THE  SEGUR  329 


TO  THE  BLUEBIRD 

Oh  dearest  birds  that  ever  sang, 
That  ever  sang  and  made  a  nest. 

Ye  bluebirds,  flying  round  in  pairs, 
I  love  you,  faithful  bluebirds,  best. 

From  early  spring  to  autumn  snow 
In  hollow  post  or  rail  ye  build; 

Or,  on  the  corner  of  the  barn 

Your  little  box  with  straw  is  filled. 

Oft,  going  for  the  pastured  cow, 

I've  turned  me  to  the  old  stump  fence 

To  see  your  blue  eggs  in  a  root 

Of  if  the  young  had  fluttered  thence. 

Ye  turtle  doves  of  northern  homes. 
Of  northern  homes  on  either  hand, 

Your  simple  note,  so  soft  and  deep. 
Will  soon  be  heard  out  o'er  the  land. 


HOME  LAKE 

I'm  like  a  fish  of  the  ocean. 

This  rustling  autumn  day, 
Remembering  with  emotion 

The  lake  of  infancy, 
Where  now  the  painter,  October, 

Oft  looks  and  turns  to  me. 
With  face  upraised  and  sober 

From  her  palate  in  the  tree; 
And  up  the  river  of  childhood 

My  thoughtful  way  I  take. 
And  up  the  streams  of  the  wildwood 

And  back  into  the  lake. 


330       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A  GRANDMOTHER 


ROBIN   SONG 


The  robin  sings  at  dimmy  dawn. 

At  any  time  all  day. 

And  when  the  twilight  cometh  on 

You  hear  the  robin-lay. 

All  while  the  robin  is  awake. 

With  time  for  leisure  wing. 

He'll  sit  and  sing  for  singing's  sake, 

Nor  sigh  if  he  can  sing. 

And  when  a  grief  is  over  past 

He'll  seek  the  topmost  bough 

And  sing  as  he  would  sing  his  last. 

As  he  is  singing  now. 

To-day  he  loves  the  sunny  sun. 

To-morrow  loves  the  rain. 

In  autumn  loves  the  winter  run, 

And  loves  the  spring  again. 

He  tliinketh  not  if  he  may  die, 

Or  mourneth  the  unknown, 

But  feels  the  moment  going  by 

And  maketh  it  his  own. 


THE  RAINBOW   IN  THE  SPRAY 

Another  present  from  Heaven, 

Another  perfect  day; 
Like  a  dew  that  covers  the  dryness. 

Like  a  rainbow  in  a  spray. 
And  this  is  all  of  my  lifetime. 

And  this  my  only  day 
That  I  need  to  think  of  or  care  for. 

With  its  rainbow  in  the  spray. 


POEMS   TO   THE  SEGUR  331 

MEASURE  ' 

'Tis  measure  leads  straight  on  to  perfect  fit; 

And  perfect  fit  is  i)erfect  perfectness. 

Who  marks  the  j)erfect  rule  helps  read  the  stars. 

The  slightest  fault  on  earth  is  great  in  heaven; 

The  line  that  deviates  will  never  reach 

The  targe  where  Truth,  the  Revelator,  stands, 

'Tis  accuracy  of  guidance  and  of  aim 

That  swings  the  planets  of  the  universe 

In  wavy  lines  without  one  accident. 

'Tis  perfectness  of  work  makes  silence  reign 

Among  the  myriad  stars.  .... 

Our  .souls,  like  planets,  know  not  where  to  go. 

But  follow  on  in  floating,  curving  lines. 

Now  up,  now  down,  to  left,  to  right,  but  on; 

Our  safety  certain  only  as  we  yield. 

But  as  we  yield,  the  Great  Astronomer 

Of  souls,  with  joyous  calculation,  .sees 

The  peaceful  patli  through  which  he  can  us  lead. 

Our  path  is  holy  ground.     By  step  and  step 

Is  meted  all  our  way.       ..... 

But  who  shall  find  the  measures  I  have  lost  — 
The  measures  of  a  man?     The  length  and  breadth 
And  height  must  eciual  be.     Length  is  a  line, 
A  hair,  a  viewless  thread.     The  largest  plane 
Is  but  a  surface  that  no  thickness  hath: 
The  length  and  breadth  and  height  alone,  a  cube. 
We  must  all  measures  have,  and  equal  ones. 
The  sculptor  measures  in  the  marble  block 
And  finds  a  man.     The  architect  will  .seek, 
With  rule  exact,  and  find  a  living  shaft. 
But  oh  what  sculptor,  architect,  .shall  .search 
With  line  and  reed,  and  beat  away  the  chips. 
And  find  a  worshiper,  or  living  stone. 
To  fit  in  somewhere  in  the  holy  fane! 
1  This  poem  unifies  the  scholar  and  the  poet  as  well  as  the  minister. 


332       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 


THE  WOODLANDERS 

A  Lament  over  them 

Ho,  come,  stand  with  heads  uncovered 
And  hear  the  story  told  growing  old ! 
How  men  went  to  war  as  to  pleasure 
As  they  go  to  seaside  and  mountain! 
How  died  they  like  flowers  of  the  summer 
That  appear  for  a  day  and  are  gone! 

I  saw,  out  of  Maine's  pine  forest. 
The  wood-camp  crew  on  dead  heavy  tread : 
Not  marching  from  schoolhouse  to  common, 
From  common  to  schoolhouse  returning. 
But  forward  and  onward  and  southward 
To  the  banks  of  Potomac  away. 

Old  mates  crossing  o'er  at  Fairfield 
The  Kennc'oec's  ])rou(l  wave,  to  the  grave 
High  travelling,  musket  to  shoulder; 
I  saw  them  in  columns  unsorted. 
In  ranks  like  the  tips  of  the  i)ine  tops. 
Short  and  tall  arm  to  arm,  friend  to  friend. 

Oh  men,  share  my  aching  sorrow. 

Bow  down  with  grief  profound  to  the  ground. 

They  never  marched  back  again  homeward; 

They  died  on  Virginia's  borders; 

The  boughs  of  their  bunks  from  the  hemlock 
Shed  their  leaves  and  dried  up  and  decayed. 


No  more.     Went  they  on  and  onward. 

I  heard  the  cannon  sound;   and  the  ground 
Was  alway  in  opening  her  bosom 
And  folding  them  mustered  from  battle. 
And  off  were  their  wraiths  to  the  wildwood. 

Their  freed  manes  were  back  in  old  home. 


POEMS   OF  THE  SEGUR  333 

Even  now,  when  the  snow  is  going, 
And  logs  are  hauled  no  more  to  the  shore. 
And  axes  no  longer  all  talking. 
Their  shades  wander  down  over  State  St. 
And  into  the  city  of  Bangor 
With  the  sturdy  old  step])ing  of  yore. 

Like  beeves,  free  of  yoke  and  loosened. 
Together  keep  they  still  down  the  hill, 

Along  by  the  Bridge  of  Keiiduskeag, 

To  Elder's,  the  Alleyway  ('ellar. 

And  eat  of  the  meal  they  had  promised 
Far  away  in  the  fields  of  the  South. 

THE  EVENING   rillMROSE 

The  primrose  l)looms  at  eventide. 

And,  where  I  go,  the  highway  side 

It  lights  up  with  its  yellow  blow: 

What  else  it  does  I  do  not  know.  — 

Except,  all  day,  with  dust  of  road 

The  leaves  are  gray,  and,  until  blowed. 

The  bud  is  gray,  with  slight  perfume, 

Till  eve  unfolds  a  clean  sweet  bloom. 

It  grows  there  in  the  short  green  grass 

Between  where  foot  and  carriage  pass: 

Where  wheels  might  crush  it,  should  one  ride. 

And  the  horse  startled  sheer  aside. 

It  sprang  up  there,  and  there  hath  grown 

And  made  the  narrow  green  its  own: 

Chose  not  a  place  by  nature  fair. 

But  made  one  so  by  growing  there. 

And  when  the  August  days  are  hot 

It  quitteth  not  the  chosen  spot. 

But  there  at  evening  may  be  found 

Because  the  root  is  deej)  in  ground. 

I  often  pick  one  for  my  wife; 
'Tis  so  much  like  her  own  dear  life 
To  stay  right  here  where  she  but  must 
And  be  a  flower  though  there  be  dust. 


334       TEE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 


THE  LOST  SHEEP 

Hear,  Good  Shepherd,  liear  my  cry; 
Lost  among  the  hills  am  L 
Leave,  for  me,  the  ninety-nine; 
Find  me,  find,  and  make  me  thine. 
In  the  mountains,  strayed  from  thee, 
Come,  O  come,  and  seek  for  me. 

Where  the  wilderness  is  dry 
Seek  for  me  before  I  die. 
Where  the  mountain-side  is  steep 
And  ravines  are  dark  and  deep. 
Where  thou  hearest  one  low  moan 
Seek  me  starvinf;,  lost  and  lone. 

Lay  me  on  thy  shoulders,  lay, 
Weak  and  weary  of  my  way. 
All  my  strength  in  wandering  spent, 
Take,  and  bear  me  to  thy  tent. 
Let  me  hear  thine  own  dear  voice, 
And  thy  friends,  with  thee,  rejoice. 

[Written  at  the  close  of  life. 3 


PART  VII.    THE   PATRIOTS  OF 
THE  FAMILY 

1775-1812-1846-1861-1914 


THE  PATRIOTS  OF   THE  FAMILY 

One  of  the  great-granddaughters,  Mrs.  Carrie  Stratton 
Howard,  was  the  Organizing  Regent  of  the  P'ort  Hahfax  Chap- 
ter of  the  D.  A.  R.  in  Winslow.  In  cordial  response  to  my 
request,  she  has  given  me  the  Patriotic  Records  of  the  Family. 

Colonial  Dameb 
The  Colonial  Dames  of  America  is  a  society  composed  of 
women  who  are  descended  in  a  direct  line  froln  an  ancestor 
who  rendered  distinguished  services  in  the  colonies  prior  to 
1776.  He  must  have  been  an  officer  in  the  Colonial  Army, 
a  member  of  the  Colonial  Legislature,  a  deputy  Governor  or 
Governor,  or  a  member  of  the  Governor's  Council.  I  feel 
very  sure  the  descendants  of  \Yilliam  Paine  and  of  his  .son 
John  Paine  are  eligible. 

1775-1783 

In  the  War  of  the  American  Revolution,  we  have  three  an- 
cestors. Timothy  Ware,  the  father  of  Abiel  Ware  Paine, 
was  a  private  and  served  at  Lexington,  April  11,  1775.  He 
served  on  a  secret  expedition  from  Sei)tember  25,  to  October 
30,  1777;  from  July  26  to  August  26,  1778.  Lemuel,  the 
father  of  Frederic,  Abiel's  husband,  was  a  private  in  Capt. 
Theophilus  Lyons  Co.,  enlisted  March  1,  1778.  The  company 
marched  to  Castle  Island.     He  was  discharged  April  5,  1778. 

Both  of  these  records  have  been  certified  and  are  on  file  in 
Memorial  Continental  Hall,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

Nehemiah  Carpenter,  the  father  of  Rachel,  wife  of  Lemuel 
Paine,  was  at  the  first  alarm,  marched  from  Foxboro  to  Con- 
cord, on  the  19th  of  April,  1775.  He  served  at  three  other 
times  always  as  an  officer.  He  had  two  sons  "Veterans," 
Nehemiah  and  Ezra. 

337 


338       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A  GRANDMOTHER 

1812-1815 

My  father  writes  that  his  father  Frederic  Paine  (this  in 
1814)  "volunteered  and  went  to  the  war"  but  that  "his  mih- 
tary  hfe,  however  was  a  short  and  bloodless  one  as  the  enemy 
did  not  make  his  appearance  and  the  volunteers  soon  returned 
home  and  peace  came." 

Grandmother,  in  one  of  her  letters,  written  o/  1814,  mentions 
the  "time  of  war." 

18JtG-18^8 
Charles  Frederic  Paine,  the  oldest  son  of  Frederic  Paine, 
was  drafted  for  the  Mexican  War  in  1846-7,  but  was  never 
called. 

1861-1865 

Charles  Frederic  Paine  had  two  sons  who  served  for  a  short 
time  in  the  Civil  War.  Otis  Frederic,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one,  enlisted,  July  15,  1864  and  was  nmstered  out  November 
30,  1864.  William  Loring,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  enlisted 
May  1864  and  was  mustered  out  Aug.  5,  1864. 

C.  S.  H. 

191it-1918 

In  the  great  World  War  just  brought  to  an  end,  it  seems 
invidious  to  mention  a  few  as  patriots,  when  all  were  patriots. 
Those  too  young  or  too  old  to  go  to  active  service  across  the 
water,  found  work  for  money,  hands  and  brains  at  home. 

There  are  those  in  the  family  who  had  the  privilege  of  being 
in  close  touch  with  the  great  strife. 

The  first  record  of  service  is  written  for  me  by  Edward  W. 
Paine,  M.  D.,  son  of  George  S.  Paine  of  Winslow  and  Great- 
grandson  of  Lemuel  Paine. 

Before  America  cast  her  lot  in  with  the  Allies,  there  were 
several  organizations  in  France  financed  by  Americans  doing 
what  they  could  for  the  cause.  One  of  the  most  active  of  these 
was  the  American  Ambulance,  which  maintained  an  ambulance 
service  on  the  French  Front  and  in  addition  supported  a  large 
hospital  at  Neuilly-sur-Seine  just  outside  of  Paris. 


TEE  PATRIOTS    OF    THE   FAMILY  339 

When  I  decided  to  ofTer  my  services,  it  was  to  the  American 
Ambulance  that  I  made  appHcation,  and  early  in  July,  1916, 
I  found  myself  on  board  the  French  Line  Boat,  "Rochambeau" 
en  route  for  the  scene  of  action.  On  landing  in  France  I  had 
expected  to  go  at  once  to  the  liospital  at  Neiiiily,  but  instead 
was  sent  to  a  smaller  hospital  at  Juilly,  a  town  about  twenty- 
five  miles  East  of  Paris.  This  hospital  was  entirely  financed 
by  Mrs.  Harry  Payne  Whitney.  It  provided  accommodations 
for  some  three  hundred  wounded  and  was  later  on  taken  over 
by  our  government. 

The  town  of  Juilly  where  the  hospital  was  situated  was 
on  the  very  edge  of  the  Marne  battlefield  and  French  and 
German  graves  dotted  the  landscape  everywhere. 

The  hospital  occupied  most  of  a  very  old  and  at  one  time 
rather  famous  school  building.  No  less  a  celebrity  than 
Jerome  Bonaparte  attended  school  here,  and  the  bed  in  which 
his  brother  Napoleon  rested  for  a  few  hours  is  still  in  active 
service. 

We  received  our  wounded  from  the  front  by  train  or  ambu- 
lance and  when  we  had  done  what  we  could  for  them  returned 
them  to  the  front  again,  or  to  their  homes.  I  worked  here 
nine  months;  towards  the  last  of  my  stay  I  was  granted  a 
two  weeks  leave  to  study  at  Dr.  Carrel's  hospital  at  Compiegne. 
Here  Dr.  Carrel  and  his  associates,  through  the  Rockefeller 
Foundation,  were  able  to  study  and  perfect  a  technique  for 
the  treatment  of  war  wounds  that  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant 
achievements  of  the  war. 

In  February,  I  received  an  ofi'er  from  an  English  organization, 
the  "Croix  Rouge  Frangaise,"  having  a  temporary'  hospital  at 
Arc-en-Barrois,  an  interesting  little  town  in  the  Haute  Marne. 
The  French  government  through  the  courtesy  of  the  Due  de 
Penthievre  had  turned  over  to  them  the  Duke's  hunting  lodge, 
a  tremendous  stone  Chateau  situated  in  a  beautiful  park  and 
surrounded  by  one  of  the  most  extensive  forests  in  France. 


340       THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A   GRANDMOTHER 

Here  I  spent  twelve  pleasant  months,  very  busy  but  with  time 
to  enjoy  the  lovely  climate  of  this  little  visited  section  of 
France. 

Both  this  and  the  Juilly  hospital  were  far  enough  back  from 
the  front  to  be  out  of  range  of  shell  fire  and  the  sound  of  guns 
came  to  us  only  as  distant  thunder. 

In  March,  1918,  I  underwent  a  surgical  operation  in  the  hope 
that  I  would  then  be  eligible  for  a  commission  in  our  own 
army,  but  was  rejected  and  returned  to  America  in  1918. 

Edw.\rd  W.  Paine,  M.D. 
May  8,  1919.     Winslow,  Maine. 

The  second  record  was  written  for  me  by  Edith  Paine  Bene- 
dict, several  of  whose  children  served  in  France. 

Florence  Benedict  Hedin  sailed  for  France  in  March,  1914, 
as  her  husband  had  been  appointed  head  of  the  "Eagle  Paris 
Bureau,"  53  rue  Cambon.  They  made  this  suite  of  rooms  a 
social  center  for  wounded  soldiers  throughout  the  entire  war 
and  did  much  to  keep  New  York  friends  in  touch  with  Brook- 
lyn soldiers. 

Florence  also  worked  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ernest  Shurtleff 
in  the  relief  work,  begun  almost  at  the  very  opening  of  the  war. 
They  worked  especially  for  blind  artists  and  musicians  thrown 
out  of  employment  by  the  war,  and  later  for  the  refugees. 
Florence  was  in  charge  of  the  layette  department,  distributing 
baby  clothes  to  needy  mothers. 

After  the  armistice,  Mr.  Hedin  was  one  of  the  reporters  at 
the  Peace  Conference,  representing  the  "Universal  Press." 

Miriam  Benedict  had  finished  her  training  and  become  a 
graduate  nurse  in  May  1916.  She  joined  a  "Harvard  Unit," 
saihng  Aug.  1916  and  served  as  nurse  in  a  British  Army  camp 
at  Camiers,  France,  from  Sep.  1916  to  March  1917,  Hospital 
22.     The  following  summer,  she  entered  a  Red  Cross  Hospital 


THE  PATRIOTS   OF    THE   FAMILY  341 

in  Paris  which  was  later  taken  over  by  the  government.  She 
then  united  with  the  U.  S.  Army  and  served  until  the  close  of 
the  war.     Military  Hospital  No.  2,  6me  Piccini,  Paris. 

Rev.  H.  Hawthorne  Benedict  tried  repeatedly  to  join  the 
army  but  was  rejected  for  defective  hearing.  In  September, 
1918,  however,  he  was  accepted  by  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  took  a 
training  course  at  Springfield,  and  sailed  in  December.  He  had 
charge  of  a  Y.  M.  C.  A.  foyer  du  Soldat  at  Cazean,  Gironde, 
France.  His  work  was  for  French  Aviators.  In  August, 
he  was  transferred  to  Warsaw  and  has  signed  for  six  months 
in  Poland  to  establish,  with  others,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  huts. 


There  were  other  grandsons  of  Timothy  Otis  Paine  who 
had  a  part  in  the  war,  the  sons  of  the  daughter  Isabel  of 
Cincinnati. 

Ernest  H.  Grant,  a  Chemical  Engineer,  was  in  the  service 
of  the  U.S.  at  Washington  throughout  the  war. 

Richard  E.  Grant  was  in  active  service  in  France  during 
the  last  year,  as  a  private  of  the  29th  division. 

Otis  Paine  Grant  joined  the  navy,  served  as  an  officer  in  a 
training  camp  but  did  not  go  to  France. 

E.  P.  B. 


My  aim  in  beginning  this  work  was  to  give  to  my  A-m  the 
records  of  the  family,  but  a  most  unexpected  result  has  come 
to  me.  The  Grandmother  brought  with  her  other  discoveries 
scarcely  less  precious  than  was  the  first. 

There  is  my  uncle,  "My  oldest  Son,"  whom  I  never  knew 
and  who  now  seems  a  part  of  my  past  and  of  my  present. 
There  is  "My  Fourth  Son,"  whom  I  ever  knew  and  whom  I 
had  ever  wondered  at,  but  who  now  with  these  "Ghmpses" 
into  his  intimate  home  relations,  seems  a  new  discoverj'; 
and  there  are  my  four  cousins  who  have  helped  make  these 
records  possible. 

Then  there  is  my  father,  "My  Second  Son,"  whom  I  thought 
I  knew  and  for  whom  we  all  had  the  greatest  regard  and  af- 
fection, but  whose  early  life,  with  its  strong  interests  and 
aspirations,  was  an  unopened  book  until  the  Journal  revealed 
him  to  us. 

But  perhaps  the  most  surprising  Discovery  these  Glimpses 
have  brought  to  me  is  that  of  the  close  kinship  in  thought  and 
expression  existing  between  my  sister  Selma  Ware  Paine  and 
my  Grandmother,  Abiel  Ware  Paine. 


It  is  my  pleasure  to  close  this  book  of  mine  with  the  clos- 
ing words  of  my  father  in  his  Genealogy. 

"This  book  is  respectfully  presented  to  the  many  members 
of  the  family  and  others  interested,  with  the  hope  that  its 
perusal  may  afford,  at  least,  a  passing  pleasure,  if  not  a  per- 
manent benefit  to  them  from  knowing  who  were  their  fathers 
whose  blood  now  flows  in  their  veins,  and  whose  spirit  con- 
trols or  influences  their  lives.  At  the  same  time,  the  writer 
cannot  hesitate  to  express  the  sentiment  that  all  members  of 
the  line  may  justly  realize  as  applicable  to  them,  the  truth  of 
the  adage  with  which  this  history  begins, 

'The  Glory  of  the  Children  are  their  Fathers.'" 

L.  A.  C. 

1919