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32X

ANNA GREEN WINSLOW

■^

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN
WINSLOW

•^

A BOSTON SCHOOL GIRL OF ryyi

EDITED BY

ALICE MORSE EARLE

BOSTON AND NEW YORK
HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY

1894

K73
"1-

:i91596

QJ / AJ"^ /o (^ fjQ

*^,w.

Coypyright, 1894,
Bv ALICE MORSE EARLE.

The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass., U. S. A.
Electrotyped and Printed by H. O. Houghton & Co.

WBBffKfnmmm

1596

ARLE.

IS DEDICATED

THE KINSFOLK OF

ANNA GREEN WINS LOW

^iyU.s.A.
ughton & Co.

FOREWORD.

TN the year 1770, a bright little girl ten
years of age, Atina Green IVifisloza, was
sent from her far aivay home in Nova Scotia
to Boston, the birthplace of her parents, to
be ^^ finished'' at Boston schools by Boston
teachers. She lurote, tvith evident eagerness
and loving care, for the edification of her par-
ents and her own practice in penmanship, this
interesting and quaint diary, which forms
a most sprightly record, not only of the life
if a yonng girl at that time, but of the prim
and narroiv ronnd of daily occurrences in pro-
vincial Boston. It thus assumes a positive
value as an historical picture of the domestic
life of that day ; a value of which the little
girl who wrote it, or her kinsfolk who affec-
tionately preserved it to our ozvn day, never
could have dreamed. To many Neiv Eng-
land families it is specially interesting as a
complete rendering, a perfect presentment, of
the childish life of their great grajidmotherSf
her companions.

It is an even chance which ruling thought

10 RE WORD,

in the clever little center, a love of religion
or a love of {/nss, s/iozvs most plainly its in-
flncnce on tliis diary. On the zvhole, I think
that youthful vanity ^ albeit of a very natural
and innocent sort, is more peroasivc of the
pages. And it is fortunate that this is the
case ; for, from the frankly frivolous though
far from self-conscious entries ive gain a very
exact notion, a very valuable picture, of the
dress of a young girl at that day. We know
all the details of her toilet, from the "pompe-
dore " shoes and the shifts {ivJiich she had
never zvorn till she lived in Boston), to the
absurd ami top-heavy head-decoration of
" black feathers, my past comb & all my
past garnet marquasett and jet pins, together
ivitJi my silver plume. " If this fantastic as-
semblage of ornament ivere set upon the *'IIed-
dus roll,'' so graphically described, it is easy
to tinderstand the denunciations of the time
upon women's headgear. In no contctnpo-
rary record or account, no matter ivJio the
ivriter, can be found such a vivacious and witty
description of the modish hairdressing of that
day as in the pages of this diary.

But there are many entries in the Jounial
of this vain little Puritan devotee to show an
almost equal attention to religion ; records of
sermons luhich she had heard, and of reli-
gious

FOKE WORD,

gious conversations in which she had taken a
self-possessed part ; and her frequent use of
Biblical expressions and comparisons shows
that she also remembered fully tvliat she
read. Her ambitions theological sermon-notes
ivere evidently somezvhat cnrtailedby the sensi-
ble advice of the aunt ivith whom she resided^
ivJio thereby checked also the conscqnefit inju-
dicious praise of her pastor, the Old South
minister. For Anna and her kinsfolk were
of the congregation of the Old South cJiurch ;
and this diary is in effect a record of the life
of Old South church attendants. Many zvere
what Anna terms "sisters of the Old SontJi,^'
and nine tenths of the names of her compan-
ions and friends may be found on the baptis-
mal and membership records of that church.

Anna zvas an industrious little wigJit, active
in all Jiouscivifely labors and domestic accom-
plishments, and attentive to her lessons. She
could make ^^ pyes,^ and fine network ; she
could knit lace, and spin linen thread and
woolen yarn ; she could make purses, and em-
broider pocket-books, and zvcave luatch strings,
and piece patchwork. She learned ^^ dansing,
or danceing I should say,'' from one Master
Turner ; she attended a saving school, to be-
come a neat and deft little sempstress, and
above all, she attended a writing school to

learn

FOREWORD.

learn that most indispensable and most appre-
ciated of eighteenth century accomplislnnents
'—fine writing. Her handwriting, of zvhich
a facsimile is here shoivn, ivas far better
than that of most girls of tzvelve to-day ; ivith
truth and justice could Anna say , " Aunt says
lean zvrite pretilyy Her orthography zvas
quite equal to that of grown persons of her
time, and her English as good as that of
Ulercy Warren y her older contemporary writer.

And let me speak also of the condition of
her diary. It covers seventy-tivo pages of
paper about eight inches long by six and a
half inches ivide. The writing is uniform in
size, every letter is perfectly formed ; it is as
legible as print, and in the entire diary but
three blots can be seen, and these are very
small. A fciv pages were 7'uled by the writer,
the othcj's are unruled. The old paper, though
heavy and good, is yellow zvith age, and the
water marks C. J. R. and the crozvn stand
out distinctly. The sheets are sezved in a
little book, on zvhich a marbled paper cover
has been placed, probably by a later hand than
Aunds. Altogether it is a remarkably cred-
itable production for a girl of tzvelve.

It is well also to compare her constant
diligence and industry displayed to us through
her records of a day s work — and at another

timCf

FOREWORD.

timCy of a week's work — with that of any
girl of her age in a correspojiding station of
life nozvadays, 'e learn that pJiysical pain

or disability zvere no excuse for slotJifulness ;
Anna zvas hotalzvays well — Jiad heavy colds,
ajid zvas feverish; but zvell or ill zvas alzvays
employed. Even zvithpainfnl local afflictions
such as a ^^ whit he l^ she still zvas industrious,
" improving it to perfect myself in learnijig to
spin flax '^ She read much — the Bible con-
stantly — and also found amusement in read-
ing "a variety of composures.'^

She was a friendly little soul., eager to be
loved ; resenting deeply that her Aunt Storer
let " either one of her chaises, her chariot or
babyhutt,'' pass the door every day, without
sending for her; going cheerfully tea-drinking
from house to house of her friends ; delight-
ing even in the catechising and the sober Thurs-
day Lecttire. She had feiv amusements and
holidays compared zvith the manifold pleas-
ures that cJiildren have noivadays, though she
had one holiday zvhich the Revolution struck
from our calendar — the King's Coronation
Day. She sazv the Artillery Company drills
and she visited brides and babies and old
folks, and attended some funerals. When
she was twelve years old she ^^ came out'''' —
became a " miss in her teens " — and zvent to a

succession

Vlll

FORE WORD.

succession of prim little routs or parties ,
which she called *^ constitutio?isy To these
decorous assemblies girls only were invited,
— no rough Boston boys. She has left to us
more tJian one clear, perfect picture of these
formal little routs in the great low-raftered
chamber, softly alight ivith candles on mantel-
tree a7id in sconces ; with Lucinda, the black
maid, ^^ shrilly piping ; " and roivs of demure
little girls of Boston Brahmin blood, in high
rolls and feathers, discreetly partaking of hot
and cold pu7ich, and soberly walking and curtsy-
ing through the minuet ; fantastic in costume,
but proper and seemly i)i demeanor, models of
correct deportment as ivere their elegant mam-
mas.

But Anna ivas not solemn ; she was ahvays
happy, and often merry — full of life and
wit. She jested about getting a *' fresh sea-
soning ivitJi Globe salt, " and wrote some
labored jokes and some zmconscious ones home
to her mother. She 2vas subject to " egregious
fits of laughterre,"" and fully proved the state-
ment, ^^ Aunt says I am a zvfiimsical child.'"
She was not beautiful. Her miniature is
now oivned by Miss Elizabeth C. Trott of
Niagara Falls, the great grand-daughter of
General John Win slow, and a copy is shown
in the frontispiece. It displays a gentle, wiii-

ning

FOREWORD.

ning little face, delicate in outline, as is also
the figure, and shozving some hint also of de-
licacy of constitution. It may be imagination
to think that it is plainly the face of one who
conld never live to be old — a face typical of
youth.

T ET us glance at the stock from zvhence
•^-^ sprung this tender and engaging little
blossom. When the weary Pilgrims landed
at Cape Cod before they made their memorable
landing at Plymouth, a sprightly young girl
jumped on shore, and zvas the first English
woman to set foot on the soil of Nezv England.
Her name zvas Mary Chilton. She married
John Winslozv, the brotJier of Governor Ed-
ward Winslow. Anna Green Winslozv was
Mary Chiltoii s direct descendant in the sixth
generation.

Annas grandfather, John Winslow the
fourth, zvas born in Boston, His son Joshua
zvrote thus in the Winslozv Family Bible:
** Jno Winslozv my Honor d Father zvas born
ye J I Dec. at 6 o^c. in the morning on the
Lords Day, l6gj, and was baptized by Mr.

Willard the next day & dyed att sea Octo. I J,
I y J I aged jS years. '^ A curious attitude zvas
assumed by certain Puritan ministers.^ of re-
luctance

X FOREWORD.

hictance and even decided objection and re-
fusal to baptize children ivho ivere unlucky
enough to be born on the Lord's Day ; but
Sanuiel Willard, the pastor of the " South
Church " evidently did not concur in that ex-
traordinary notion, for on the day follozving
^^Jnds " birth — on New Years Day — Jie zvas
baptized. He zvas married on September 21 ^
iy2I, to Sarah Pierce, and in their ten years
of married life they had three cJiildren.

Joshua IVinslozv, Annas father, zvas the
second child. He zvas born January 2^^ ^7^7^
and zvas baptized at the Old South. He zvas
'* published'' zvith his cousin Anna Green on
December J, Jty^S, and married to her four
zvceks later, January ^, ^759' -^'^ old piece
of embroidered tapestry herein shown gives a
good portrayal of a Boston zvedding-party at
that date ; the costumes, coach, and cut of the
horses' mane and tail are very curious and
interesting to note. Mrs. Winslows mother
zvas An7ia Pierce {sister of Sarah), and her
father was Joseph Green, the fourth genera-
tion from Percival Green, whose descendants
have been enumerated by Dr. Samuel Abbott
Green, the president of the Massachusetts His-
torical Society, in his book entitled " Account
of Percival and Ellen Green and some of their
descendants.'^

Mrs.

' h

FORE WORD.

Mrs. Joshua Winsloiv was the oldest of
tzvelve Green children, hence the vast array of
uncles and aunts and cousins in little Annas
diary.

Joseph Green, Annds maternal grandfather,
was born December 12 , 17OJ, and was bap-
tised on the same day. He died July II,
176^. He was a zvealthy man for his time, be-
ing able to pay Governor Belcher jQ J,6oo for
a tract of land on Hanover Street. His firm
name zvas Green & Walker. A Ji?ie portrait
of Jiini by Copley still exists.

Thus Anna came of good stock ifi all lines
of desccftt. The Pierces were of the Nezv
HampsJiire provincial gentry, to ivhich the
WeniivortJis and Langdons also belonged.

Before Joshua Winsloiv zvas married, when
he ivas but eighteen years of age, he began his
soldierly career. He was a Lieutenant in
Captain Light's company in the regiment of
Colonel Moore at the taking of Louisburg in

1745- ^^ "^^'^^ ^^^^^^ appointed Commissary-
General of tJie British forces in Nova Scotia,
and an account-book of his daily movements
there still exists. Upon his return to New
England he zvent to live at Marshjield, Mas-
sachusetts, in the Jiouse afterwards occupied
by Daniel Webster. But troublous times zvere
nozv approaching for the faithful servants of

the

Xll

FOREWORD.

the King. Strange notions of liberty filled
the lie ads of many Massachusetts men an '
women; and soon the Revolution became more
than a dream. Joshua Wins low in that cri-
sis, ivith many of his Marshfield friends and
neighbors, sided with his King.

He was in Marshfield certainly in June^
^775* f^^' ^ have a l:iter before me written
to him there by Mrs. Deming at that date.
One clause of this letter is so a7nusing that I
camtot resist quoting it. We must remember
that it ivas written in Connecticut, ivhence
Mrs. Deming had fied in fright and dismay
at the siege of Boston ; and that she had lost
her home and all her possessions. She zurites
in answer to her brother s urgcit invitation to
return to MarsJificld.

" We have no household stuffs. Neither
could I live in the terror of constant alarms
and the din of war. Besides I know not how
to look you in the face, unless / could restore
to you your family Expositer, which together
zuith my Henry on the Bible & Harveys
Meditations wJiich are your dajigJiter's {the
gift of Jier grandmother) I pack' d in a Trunk
that exactly held tJiem, some days before I
made my escape, and did my utmost to git
to you, but which I am told are still in Bos-
ton. It is not, nor ever ivill be in my power

FOREWORD.

Xlll

to make you Satisfaction for this Error — /
should not have coveted to keep ^eni so long —
I am heartily sorry noiv that I had more than
one book at a time ; in that case I viigJit have
thot to have bro't it azvay with viCy tJid I for-
got my own Bible & abnost every other neces-
sary. But zvJio ca7i tell whether yon may not
git your Valuable Books. I should feel com-
paratively easy if you had these your Valu-
able property!'

Her painful solicitude over the loss of a
borrowed book is indeed refreshing., as ivell
as her surprising covetousness of the Family
Expositor and Harvey s Meditations. And I
ivish to add to the posthumous rehabilitation
of the damaged credit of this conscientious
aunty that Annas book — Harvey s Medita-
tions — was recovered and restored to the
ozuner, and tvas lost at sea in 1840 by another
Winsloiv.

Joshua IVinslozv, when exiled, ivent to Eng-
land, and thence to Quebec, where he retained
througJiout Ids life his office as Royal Pay-
master. He luas separated many years from
his zvife and daughter, and doubtless Anna
died zvhile her father zvas far from her ; for
in a letter dated Quebec, December 26, ijSj,
and written to his wife, he says,

" The

XIV

FOREWORD.

** The Visiting Season is come on, a great
practice here about Christmas and the Neiv
Year; on the return of ivhicJi I congratulate
my Dearest Anna and Friends witJi you, it
being the fifth and I hope the last I shall be
obliged to see the return of in. a Separation
from each other ivhile ive may continue upon
the same Globe."

She shortly after joined him in Quebec.
His letters show careful preparations for her
comfort on the voyage. They tJien zuere child-
less ; Anna's brothers, George Scott andJoJin
Henry, died in early youth. It is interesting
to note that Joshua IVinslozv zvas tJie first of
the Winsloivs to give his children more than
one baptismal name.

Joshua Winslozv zvas a ma?i of much dig-
nity and of handsome person,. if ive can trust
the Copley portrait and miniature of him
ivhich still exist. The portrait is oivned by
Mr. James F. Trott of Niagara Fat's, New
York, the miniature by Mrs. J. F. Lindsey of
Yorkville, South Carolina, both grandehil-
dren of Genei'al JoJin Winslow, His letters
display much intelligence. His spelling is
unusually correct ; his penmanship elegant —
as zvas that of all the Winslows ; hi. forms
of expression scholarly and careful. He some-
times

FORE 'VORD.

times could joke a little, as when he began his
Letters to his wife Amia thus — 2. N. A. —
though it is possible that the " Obstructions to
a free Correspondence^ and the Circumspection
tve are obliged to practice in our Converse
with each other'' arising from his exiled con-
dition, may have made him thus tise a rebus
in the address of his letter.

He died i.< Qrebec in 1801. His zvife re-
turned to New England and died in JMedford
ill 1 8 16. Her funeral ivas at General John
Winsloiv s house on Purchase Street^ Fort
Hill, Bostcn ; she was buried in the IVinslow
tomb in Kings Chapel burial ground.

TJ/'E knoiv little of the last years of Anna
Green Winslozvs life. A journal
written by her mother in lyjj during their
life in MarsJifield is now ozvned by Jfiss Sa-
rah Thomas of MarsJifield, J\Iass. It is filled
chiefiy zvlch pious sermon 7iotcs and religious
thoughts, and sad and anxious reflections over
absent loved ones, one of zvhom {in the senti-
mental fashion of the times) she calls " my
Myron " — her husband.

Through this journal we see " Nanny
Greens'' simple and monotonous daily life ;
her little tea-drinkings ; her spinning attd

reeling

XVI

FOREWORD.

reeling and knitting ; Jier frcqnent catecJiis-
itigs, her conntry iva/ks. 1 1 ''e find Iter niot/iers
testimony to the ^* appearance of reason that is
in my eJiildren and f readiness with

ivhicJi :hey seem to team what is taught
them.''' And thongh she repeatedly thanks
God for living hi a warm house, she notes
that " my bason of water froze on the hearth
with as good a fire as we could make in the
chimney. ''' This rigor of climate and discom-
fort of residence, and Anna s evident delicacy
shown through the records of Jier fainting, ac-
count for her failing health. The last defi-
nite glimpse zvJiicJi zve have of our gentle lit-
tle Nanny is in the shape of a letter written
to her by ^^ Aunt Demitig.'* It is dated Bos-
ton, April 21., ^779^ ^^^d is so characteristic of
the day and so amusing also that I quote it in
ftdl.

Dear Neice^

I receivd your favor of &^
instant by nepheiv Jack, zvho zuith the Col.
his traveling companion, perfornid an easy
journey from you to us, and arrivd before
sujiset. I thank you for the beads, the zvire,
and the beugles, I fancy I shall never execute
the plan of the head dress to zvJiich you al-
lude — if I should, some of your largest com

stalks,

FOREWORD.

XVI 1

stalks ^ driV d of the fitJi aiid painted niigJit be
more proportionable. I rejoice that your cloths
came off so much better than my fears — a
troiiblesome journey, I expected you ivould
have ; and very mucJi did I fear for your
bones. I was ahvays unhappy in anticipating
trouble — it is my cojistitution, I believe —
ajid when matters have been better than my
fears — / have never been so dutifully thank-
ful as my bountiful Benefactor had a right to
expect. This, also, I believe, is the constitu-
tion of all my fellozv race.

Mr. Deming had a Letter from your Papa
yesterday ; he mention d your Mama & you
as indisposed & Flavia as sick in bed. I 'm
at too great a distance to render yoit the least
service, and were I near, too much out of
health to — some part of the time — even
speak to you. I am seizd ivith exceeding
weakness at the very seat of life, u. 'd to a
greater degree than I ever before knew.
Could I ride, it might help me, but that is an
exercise my income zvill not permit. I ivalk
out ivhenever I can. The day zvill surely
come, zvJien I must quit this frail tabernacle,
and it may be soon — / certainly knoiv, I am
not of importance eno' in this zvorld,for any
one to zvish my stay — rather am I, and so I
consider myself as a cumberground. However

xviii

FOREWORD.

Ill

/ shall abide my appointed time & I desire to
be found waiting for my change.

Our family are well — had I time and
spirits I could acquaint you of an expedition
tivo sisters made to Dorchester^ a walk begun
at sunrise last thursday morning — dressed in
their dammashs, padusoy, gauzCy ribbins.flap-
ets, floiverSy new white hats, white shades,
attd black leather shoes, {Pudingtons make) and
finished Journey, & garments, orniments, and
all quite fiuisJid on Saturday, before noon,
(mud over shoes) never did I behold such de-
struction in so short a space — bottom of pa-
dusoy coat fringd quite round, besides places
worn entire to floss, df besides frays, datn-
mask, from shoulders to bottom, not lightly
soiled, but as if every part had rub'd tables
and cJ'.airs that had long been us'd to wax
mingVd with grease. I could have cry d., for
I really pitied 'on — nothing left fit to be seen
— They had leave to go, but it never entered
any ones tho'ts but their ozvn to be dressd in
all (even to loading) of their best — their all,
as you know. What signifies it to zvorry ones
selves about beings that are, and zvill be, just
so ? I can, and do pity and advise, but I
shall git no credit by such like. The eldest
talks much of learning dancing, niusick (the
spinet & guita?'), embroidry, dresden, the

French

FOREWORD.

XIX

FrencJi tongue 6fc &c. The younger with an
air of her oiun, advis\i the elder zvhen she
first mention d French,^ to learn first to read
Englishy and was answered " lazv, so I ean
well end a ready T You *ve heard her do
what she calls reading, I believe. Poor crea-
ture ! Well ! ive have a time of it /

If any one at Marshfield speaks of me re-
member me to them. Nobody knoivs Vm
ivriti7igf each being gone their different ways,
& all from home except the little one ivho is
above stairs. Farewell my dear, I *ve wrote
end I find for this siting.

Yr affect

Sarah Deming.

It does not need great acuteness to read
between the lines of this letter an affectionate
desire to amuse a delicate girl whom the
ivriter loved. The tradition in the Winslow
family is that Anna Green Winslow died of
consumption at Marshfield in the fall of I jyg.
There is no town or church record of her
death, no known grave or headstone to mark
her last resting-place. And to us she is not
dead, but lives and speaks — ahvays a loving,
endearing little child ; not so passionate and
gifted and rare a creature as that star amo7ig
children — Marjorie Fleming — but a natural

and

FORE WORD.

and Jiomely little flozver of New England life ;
fated never to grow old or feeble or didl or
sad, hut to live forever a?td laugh in the gla-
monr of eternal happy yonth through the few
pages of her time-stained diary,

Alice Morse Earle.

Brooklyn Heights^ September^ iSg^.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

Anna Green Winslow. From miniature now owned
by Miss Elizabeth C. Trott, Niagara Falls, N. Y.

Frontispiece.
Facsimile of Writing of Anna Green Winslow.

From original diary

Wedding Party in Boston in 1756. From tapestry

now owned by American Antiquarian Society ... 20
General Joshua Winslow. From miniature painted

by Copley, 1755, and now owned by Mrs. John F.

Lindsey, Yorkville, S. C

Ebenezer Storer. From portrait painted by Copley,

now owned by Mrs. Lewis C. Popham, Scarsdale,

'^■^ 45

Hannah Green Storer. From portrait painted by
Copley, now owned by Mrs. Lewis C. Popham, Scars-
dale, N. Y g

Cut-Paper Picture. Cut by Mrs. Sarah Winslow
Deming, now owned by James F. Trott, Esq., Ni-
agara Falls, N. Y ^ .

fSi

y Ao^2£^ aAA/n>/' u/tyn^ '^e^ O'^^j^^

met. a/o P <^Pa/r ^mot/mnma, cjo-u (P^o-ri/' Ann»%o 6^vl 'f^(Xy6^7ii
At/f^—^tf^afd /ooA, coAjt o/A^e/t ^(yzA, ^ (m </i?ri& A/no

,^ /if' jMy a^*^^r^<^e

oUr^,

e^nx4yrt

Jrn'na Ccro/n yftyrMno.

a^f*^*'^^*^ O-f'-rrxy Orta/i/^

/ / Or., y;^^

Sifutt^rny

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN
WINSLOW.

1771-1773.

Lady, by which means I had a bit of the
wedding cake. I guess I shall have but
little time for journalising till after thanks-
giving. My aunt Demingi says I shall
make one pye myself at least. I hope some-
body beside myself will like to eat a bit of
my Boston pye thou' my papa and you did
not (I remember) chuse to partake of my
Cumberland ^ performance. I think I have
been writing my own Praises this morning.
Poor Job was forced to praise himself when
no mail would do him that justice. I am not
as he was. I have made two shirts for unkle
since I finish'd mamma's shifts.

Nov*" 1 8th, 1 77 1. — Mr. Beacons ^ text
yesterday was Psalm cxlix. 4. For the

Lord

I! i

^ 1

2 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW.

Lord taketh pleasure in his people ; he
will beautif}/ the meek with salvation. His
Doctrine was something like this, viz : That
the Salvation of Gods people mainly con-
sists in Holiness. The name ycsiis signifies
a Savior Jesus saves his people from their
Sins. He renews them in the spirit of their
minds — writes his Law in their hearts.
Mr. Beacon ask'd a question. What is
beauty — or, wherein does true beauty con-
sist .'' He answer'd, in holiness — and said a
great deal about it that I can't remember, &
as aunt says she hant leisure now to help me
any further — so I may just tell you a little
that I remember without her assistance, and
that I repeated to her yesterday at Tea —
He said he would lastly address himself to
the young people : My dear young friends,
you are pleased with beauty, & like to be
tho't beautifull — but let me tell ye, you '1
never be truly beautifull till you are like the
King's daughter, all glorious within, all the
orniments you can put on while your souls
are unholy make you the more like white
sepulchres garnish'd without, but full of de-
formyty within. You think me very unpo-

litc

e-
p-
tc

i-i

DIARY OF AiXNA GREEN WINS LOW. 3

lite no doubt to address you in this manner,
but I must go a little further and tell you,
how cource soever it may sound to your
delicacy, that while you are without holiness,
your beauty is deformity — you are all over
black & defil'd, ugly and loathsome to all
holy beings, the wrath of th* great God lie's
upon you, & if you die in this condition, you
will be turn'd into hell, with ugly devils, to
eternity.

Nov. 27th. — We are very glad to see Mr.
Gannett, because of him "we hear of your
affairs & how you do " — as the apostle Paul
once wrote. My unkle & aunt however, say
they are sorry he is to be absent, so long as
this whole winter, I think. I long now to
have you come up — I want to see papa,
mama, & brother, all most, for I cannot make
any distinction which most — I should like
to see Harry too. Mr. Gannett tells me he
keeps a journal — I do want to see that —
especially as Mr. Gannett has given me some
specimens, as I may say of his " I and Aunt
&c." I am glad Miss Jane is with you, I
will write to her soon — Last monday I went
with my aunt to visit Mrs. Beacon. I was

exceedingly

! I

4 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IVINSLOW.

exceedingly pleased with the visit, & so I
oHgJit to be, my aunt says, for there was
much notice taken of me, particylarly by Mr.
Beacon. I think I like him better every
time I see him. I suppose he takes the
kinder notice of me, because last thursday
evening he was here, & when I was out of
the room, aunt told him that I minded his
preaching & could repeat what he said —
I might have told you that notwithstand-
ing the stir about the Proclamatien, we had
an agreable Thanksgiven. Mr. Hunt's* text
was Psa. xcvii. i. The Lord reigneth, — let
the earth rejoice. Mr. Beacon's text P M
Psa. xxiv. I. The earth is the Lord's & the
fulness thereof. My unkle & aunt \v^inslow ^
of Boston, their son & daughter. Master
Daniel Mason (Aunt Winslows nephew from
Newport, Rhode Island) & Miss Soley '''spent
the evening with us. We young folk nad
a room with a fire in it to ourselves. Mr
Beacon gave us his company for one hour.
I spent Fryday with my friends in Sudbury
Street. I saw Mrs. WhitwelF very well
yesterday, she was very glad of your Letter.
Nov. 28th. — I have your favor Hon^

Mamma,

DTARY OF A NX A GREEN WINS LOW.

Mamma, by Mr. Gannett, & heartily thank
you for the broad cloath, bags, ribbin & hat.
The cloath & bags arc both at work upon, &
my aunt has bought a beautifull ermin trim-
ming for my cloak. A C stands for Abigail
Church. P F for Polly Frazior. I have
presented one piece of ribbin to my aunt as
you directed. She gives her love to you, &
thanks you for it. I intend to send Nancy
Mackky a pair of lace mittens, & the fag
end of Harry's watch string. I hope Carolus
(as papa us'd to call him) will think his
daughter very smart with them, I am glad
Hon^ madam, that you think my writing is
better than it us'd to be — you see tt is
mended just here. I dont know what you
mean by terrible margins vazc. I will en-
deavor to make my letters even for the
future. Has Mary brought me any Lozong
Mamma } I want to know whether I may
give my old black quilt to Mrs Kuhn, for
aunt sais, it is r^ever worth while to take the
pains to mend it again. Papa has wrote me
a longer letter this time than you have
Mad"^.

November the 29th. — My aunt Deming

gives

6 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW.

gives her love to you and says it is this
morning 12 years since she had the pleasure
of congratulating papa and you on the birth
of your scribling daughter. She hopes if I
live 12 years longer that I shall write and
do everything better than can be expected
in the past 12. I should be obliged to you,
you will dismiss me for company.

30th Nov. — My company yesterday were

Miss Polly Deming,^
Miss Polly Glover,9
Miss Peggy Draper,
Miss Bessy Winslow,^^
Miss Nancy Glover,^^
Miss Sally Winslow ^^
Miss Polly Atwood,
Miss Han'^ Soley.

Miss Attwood as well as Miss Winslow are
of this family. And Miss N. Glover did
me honor by her presence, for she is older
than cousin Sally and of her acquaintance.
We made four couple at country dansing ;
danceing I mean. In the evening young
Mr. Waters ^^ hearing of my assembly, put

his

I I'

DIARY OF A NX A GREEN WINS LOW.

his flute in his pocket and played several
minuets and other tunes, to which we danced
mighty cleverly. But Lucinda^^ was our
principal piper. Miss Church and Miss
Chaloner would have been here if sickness,

— and the Miss Sheafs,^^ if the death of
their father had not prevented. The black
Hatt I gratefully receive as your present,
but if Captain Jarvise had arrived here with
it about the time he sail'd from this place
for Cumberland it would have been of more
service to me, for I have been oblig'd to
borrow. I wore Miss Griswold's ^^ Bonnet
on my journey to Portsmouth, & my cousin
Sallys Hatt ever since I came home, & now
I am to leave off my black ribbins tomorrow,
& am to put on my red cloak & black hatt

— I hope aunt wont let me wear the black
hatt with the red Dominie — for the people
will ask me what I have got to sell as I go
along street if I do, or, how the folk at New
guinie do } Dear mamma, you dont know
the fation here — I beg to look like other
folk. You dont know what a stir would be
made in sudbury street, were I to make my
appearance there in my red Dominie & black

Hatt.

• ,.\

8 D/.ih'V OF AXNA GKl'.EN WINS LOW.

Ilatt. lUit the old cloak & bonnctt tof;cthcr
will make me a decent bonnett for common
ocation (I like that) aunt says, Us a pitty
some of the ribbins you sent wont do for the
Bonnet. — I must now close up this Journal
With Duty, Love, & Compliments as due,
perticularly to my Dear little brother (I long
to see him) & Mrs. Law, I will write to her
soon.

I am Hon^^ Papa & mama,

Yr ever Dutiful Daughter

Anne Green Winslow.

N. B. My aunt Deming dont approve of
my English & has not the fear that you will
think her concernd in the Diction.

Dec^'. 6th. — Yesterday I was prevented
dining at unkle Joshua's ^" by a snow storm
which lasted till 12 o'clock today, I spent
some part of yesterday afternoon and even-
ing at Mr. Glovers. When I came home,
the snow being so deep I was bro't home in
arms. My aunt got Mr. Soley's Charlstown
to fetch me. The snow is up to the peoples
wast in some places in the street.

Dec

, I

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOIV. 9

Dec 14th. — The weather and walking;
have been very winter like since the above
hotch-potch, pothooks & trammels. I went
to Mrs. Whitwell's last wednessday — you
taught me to spell the 4 day ot the week,
but my aunt says that it should be spelt
Wednesday. My aunt also says, that till I
come out of an egregious fit of laughterre
that is apt to sieze me & the violence of
which I am at this present under, neither
English sense, nor anything rational may be
expected of me. I ment to say, that, I went
to Mrs. Whitwell's to see Mad"' Storers ^^ fu-
neral, the walking was very bad except on
the sides of the street which was the reason
I did not make a part of the procession. I
should have dined with Mrs. Whitwell on
thursday if a grand storm had not prevented.
As she invited me. I saw Miss Caty Vans ^^
at lecture last evening. I had a visit this
morning from Mrs Dixon of Horton & Miss
Polly Huston. Mrs Dixon is dissipointed
at not finding her sister here.

Dec' 24th. — Elder Whitwell told my aunt,
that this winter began as did the Winter of
1740. How that was I dont remember but

this

TO DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW,

I {

I I

\ !

this I know, that to-day is by far the coldest
we have had since I have been in New Eng-
land. (N. B. All run that are abroad.) Last
sabbath being rainy I went to & from meet-
ing in Mr. Soley's chaise. I dined at un-
kle Winslow's, the walking being so bad I
rode there & back to meeting. Every drop
that fell froze, so that from yesterday morn-
ing to this time the appearance has been
similar to the discription I sent you last
winter. The walking is so slippery & the
air so cold, that aunt chuses to have me for
her scoller these two days. And as tomor-
row will be a holiday, so the pope and his
associates have ordained,^'^ my aunt thinks
not to trouble Mrs Smith with me this week.
I began a shift at home yesterday for myself,
it is pretty forward. Last Saturday was
seven-night my aunt Suky^^ was delivered
of a pretty little son, who was baptiz'd by
Dr. Cooper 22 the next day by the name of
Charles. I knew nothing of it till noonday,
when I went there a visiting. Last Thurs-
day I din'd & spent the afternoon at unkle
Joshua's I should have gone to lecture with
my aunt & heard our Mr Hunt preach, but

she

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW. II

she would not wait till I came from writing
school. Miss Atwood, the last of our board-
ers, went off the same day. Miss Griswold
& Miss Meriam, having departed some time
agone, I forget whether I mention'd the
recept of Nancy's present. I am oblig'd to
her for it. The Dolphin is still whole. And
like to remain so.

Dec"" ) This day, the extremity of the cold
2']^'^ \ is somewhat abated. I keept Christ-
mas at home this year, & did a very good
day's work, aunt says so. How notable I
have been this week I shall tell you by & by.
I spent the most part of Tuesday evening
with my favorite. Miss Soley, & as she is
confined by a cold & the weather still so
severe that I cannot git farther, I am to visit
her again before I sleep, & consult with her
(or rather she with me) upon a perticular
matter, which you shall know in its place.
How strangely indiistrioiLs I have been this
week, I will inform you with my own hand
— at present, I am so dilligent, that I am
oblig'd to use the hand & pen of my old
friend, who being near by is better than a
brother far off. I dont forgit dear little

John

I f

12 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW.

John Henry so pray mamma, dont mistake
me.

Dec'' ) Last evening a little after 5 o'clock
28''^ ) I finished my shift. I spent the
evening at Mr. Soley's. I began my shift at
12 o'clock last monday, have read my bible
every day this week & wrote every day save
one.

Dec) I return'd to my sewing school
30^^ ) after a weeks absence, I have also
paid my compliments to Master Holbrookes
Yesterday between meetings my aunt was
call'd to Mrs. Water's ^^ & about 8 in the
evening Dr. Lloyd ^^ brought little master to
town (N. B. As a memorandum for myself.
My aunt stuck a white sattan pincushin^^
for Mrs Waters.^^ On one side, is a plan-
thorn with flowers, on the reverse, just un-
der the border are, on one side stuck these
words, Josiah Waters, then follows on the
end, Dec 1771, on the next side & end are
the words. Welcome little Stranger.) Unkle
has just come in & bro't one from me. I
mean, unkle is just come in with a letter
from Papa in his hand (& none for me) by
way of Newbury. I am glad to hear that all

was

l!t'

f !

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW.

I ■ '!■

Vl )

was well the 26 Nov'' ult. I am told my
Papa has not mention'd me in this Letter.
Out of sight, oui; of mind. My aunt gives
her love to papa, & says that she will make
the necessary enquieries for my brother and
send you via. Halifax what directions and
wormseed she can collect.

V^ Jany) I wish my Papa, Mama, brother
1772. ) John Henry, & cousin Avery &
all the rest of my acquaintance at Cumber-
land, Fortlaurence, Barronsfield, Greenland,
Amherst &c. a Happy New Year, I have be-
stow'd no new year's gift,^^ as yet. But have
received one very handsome one, viz. the
History of Joseph Andrews abreviated. In
nice Guilt and flowers covers. This after-
noon being a holiday I am going to pay my
compliments in Sudbury Street.

Jany 4th ) I was dress'd in my yellow coat,
1772 ) my black bib & apron, my pom-
pedore^'^ shoes, the cap my aunt Storer^
sometime since presented me with (blue
ribbins on it) & a very handsome loket in
the shape of a hart she gave me — the past
pin my Hon^ Papa presented me with in my
cap. My new cloak & bonnet on, my pompe-

dore

II;

il.

14 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW.

dore gloves, &c, &c. And I would tell you,
ihdX for the first time, they all lik'd my dress
very irutch. My cloak & bonnett are really
very handsome, & so they had need be. For
they cost an amasing sight of money, not
quite ;^'45 ^ tho' Aunt Suky said, that she
suppos'd Aunt Deming would be frighted
out of her Wits at the money it cost. I have
got one covering, by the cost, that is genteel,
& I like it much myself. On thursday I
attended my aunt to Lecture & heard Dr
Chauncey ^ preach a third sermon from Acts
ii. 42. They continued stcdfastly — in break-
ing of bread. I din'd & spent the afternoon
at Mr. Whitwell's. Miss Caty Vans was one
of our company. Dr, Pemberton^^ & Dr
Cooper had on gowns. In the form of the
Episcopal cassock we hear, the Doct^ design
to distinguish themselves from the inferior
clergy by these strange habits [at a time
too when the good people of N. E. are
threaten'd with & dreading the comeing of
an episcopal bishop] ^^ N. B. I dont know
whether one sleeve would make a full trimm'd
negligee ^^ as the fashion is at present, tho'
I cant say but it might make one of the fru-
gal

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW.

gal sort, with but scant triming. Unkle
says, they all have popes in their bellys.
Contrary to I. Peter v. 2. 3. Aunt says,
when she saw Dr P. roll up the pulpit stairs,
the figure of Parson Trul liber, recorded by
Mr Fielding occur'd to her mind & she was
really sorry a congregational divine, should,
by any instance whatever, give her so un-
pleasing an idea.

Jany ) I have attended my schools every
ii'*^ ) day this week except Wednesday
afternoon. When I made a setting up visit
to aunt Suky, & was dress'd just as I was
to go to the ball. It cost me a pistoreen ^*
to nurse Eaton for tow cakes, which I took
care to eat before I paid for them.^^ I heard
Mr Thacher preach our Lecture last evening
Heb. II. 3. I remember a great deal of the
sermon, but a'nt time to put it down. W. is
one year last Sep*" since he was ordain'd &
he will be 20 years of age next May if he
lives so long. I forgot that the weather
want fit for me to go to school last thursday.
I work'd at home.

Jany ) I told you the 27th Ult that I was
17th J going to a constitation with miss

Soley.

► *!«,-.• -If*.-. W-"^

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'■ i

1 \

:i '

I f

I :

II !

\l\ !

1 6 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW.

Solcy. I have now the pleasure to give you
the result, viz. a very genteel well regulated
assembly which we had at Mr Soley's last
evening, miss Soley being mistress of the
ceremony. Mrs Soley desired me to assist
Miss Hannah in making out a list of guests
which I did some time since, I wrote all the
invitation cards. There was a large company
assembled in a handsome, large, upper room
in the new end of the house. We had two
fiddles, & I had the honor to open the diver-
sion of the evening in a minuet with miss
Soley. — Here follows a list of the company
as we form'd for country dancing.

Miss Soley &

Miss Calif
Miss Williams
Miss Codman
Miss Ives
Miss Scolley3«
Miss Waldow
Miss Glover

Miss Ai ' T. Greene

Win slow
Miss Scott
Miss McCarthy
Miss Winslow
Miss Coffin
Miss Bella Coffin ^'
Miss Quinsy^
Miss Draper
Miss Hubbard

Miss Cregur (usually pronounced Kicker)
& two Miss Sheafs were invited but were

sick

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW. 1/

sick or sorry & bcg'd to be excus'd. There
was a little Miss Russell & the little ones of
the family present who could not dance.
As spectators, there were Mr & Mrs Dem-
ing, Mr. & Mrs Sweetser Mr & Mrs Soley, Mr
& Miss Gary, Mrs Draper, Miss Oriac, Miss
Hannah — our treat was nuts, rasins. Cakes,
Wine, punch,^^ hot & cold, all in great plenty.
We had a very agreeable evenij.g from 5 to
10 o'clock. For variety we woo'd a widow,
hunted the whistle, threaded the needle, &
while the company was collecting, we di-
verted ourselves with playing of pawns, no
rudeness Mamma I assure you. Aunt Dem-
ing desires you would pertiadary observe^
that the elderly part of the company were
spectators only, they mix'd not in either of
the above describ'd scenes.

I was dress'd in my yellow coat, black bib
& apron, black feathers on my head, my past
comb, & all my past^ garnet marquesett*^
& jet pins, together with my silver plume
— my loket, rings, black collar round my
neck, ulack mitts & 2 or 3 yards of blue
ribbin, (black & blue is high tast) striped
tucker and ruffels (not my best) & my silk
shoes compleated my dress. Jan^

11 ;

It '

1 8 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IVINSLOW.

Jany } Yesterday I had an invitation to
i8''*) celebrate Miss Caty's birth-day with
her. She gave it me the night before. Miss
is lo years old. The best dancer in Mr
Turners ^'-^ school, she has been his scoller
these 3 years. My aunt thought it proper
(as our family had a invitation) that I should
attend a neighbor's funeral yesterday P. M.
I went directly from it to Miss Caty's Rout
& arriv'd ex ..... .

Boston January 25 1772.
Hon''^ Mamma, My Hon''^ Papa has never
signified to me his approbation of my jour-
nals, from whence I infer, that he either
never reads them, or does not give himself
the trouble to remember any of their con-
tents, tho' some part has been address'd to
him, so, for the future, I shall trouble only
you with this part of my scribble — Last
thursday I din'd at Unkle Storer's & spent
the afternoon in that neighborhood. I met
with some adventures in my way viz. As I
was going, I was overtaken by a lady who
was quite a stranger to me. She accosted me
with "how do you do miss .^ " I answer'd

her,

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 1 9

her, but told her I had not the pleasure of
knowing her. She then ask'd " what is your
name miss ? I believe you think 't is a very
strange questian to ask, but have a mind to
know." Nanny Green — She interrupted me
with " not Mrs. Winslow of Cumberland's
daughter." Yes madam I am. When did
you hear from your Mamma .-' how do's she
do .'* When shall you write to her } When
you do, tell her that you was overtaken in
the street by her old friend Mrs Login, give
my love to her & tell her she must come up
soon & live on Jamaca plain, we have got
a nice meeting-house, & a charming minis-
ter, & all so cleaver. She told me she had
ask'd Unkle Harry to bring me to see her,
& he said he would. Her minister is Mr
Gordon. I have heard him preach several
times at the O. South. In the course of my
peregrination, as aunt calls it, I happen'd in

to a house where D was attending the

Lady of the family. How long she was at
his opperation, I know not. I saw him twist
& tug & pick & cut off whole locks of grey
hair at a slice (the lady telling him she
would have no hair to dress next time) for

the

'•!

lii

I ii

20 DIARY OF ANNA CREEN WINSLOW.

the space of a hour & a half, when I left
them, he seeming not to be near clone. This
lady is not a grandmother tho' she is both
old enough & grey enough to be one.

Jany ) I spent yesterday with Aunt Storer,
31 ) except a little while I was at Aunt
Sukey's with Mrs Barrett dress'd in a white
brocade, & cousin Betsey dress'd in a red
lutestring, both adorn'd with past, perls mar-
quesett &c. They were after tea escorted by
Mr. Newton & Mr Barrett to ye assembly at
Concert Hall. This is a snowy day, & I am
prevented going to school.

Feb. 9*^ — My honored Mamma will be so
good as to excuse my useing the pen of my
old friend just here, because I am disabled
by a whitloe on my fourth finger & something
like one on my middle finger, from using my
own pen ; but altho' my right hand is in
bondage, my left is free ; & my aunt says, it
will be a nice oppertunity if I do but im-
prove it, to perfect myself in learning to spin
flax. I am pleased with the proposal & am
at this present, exerting myself for this pur-
pose. I hope, when two, or at most three
months are past, to give you occular demon-
stration

WEDDING PARTY IN BOSTON IN 1756

♦

I <

1 .

- 1

ii ,

DIARY OF AXNA GREEN WIN SLOW. 21

stration of my proficiency in this art^ as well
as several others. My fingers arc not the
only part of me that has suffer'd with sores
within this fortnight, for I have had an ugly
great boil upon my right hip & about a dozen
small ones — I am at present swath'd hip &
thigh, as Samson smote the Philistines, but
my soreness is near over. My aunt thought
it highly proper to give me some cooling
physick, so last tucsday I took 1-2 oz Globe
Salt (a disagreeable potion) & kept chamber.
Since which, there has been no new errup-
tion, & a '^reat alteration for the better in
those I had before.

I have read my bible to my aunt this
morning (as is the daily custom) & some-
times I read other books to her. So you
may perceive, 1 Jiave the tise of my tongue
& I tell her it is a good thing to have the
use of my tongue. Unkle Ned ^^ called here
just now — all well — by the way he is come
to live in Boston again, & till he can be bet-
ter accomodated, is at housekeeping where
Mad'" Storer lately lived, he is looking for a
less house. I tell my Aunt I feel a disposi-
cian to be a good girl, & she pleases herself

that

... i JIHi

1 1 '

22 DIAKY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOIV.

that she shall have much comfort of me
to-day, which as cousin Sally is ironing we
expect to have to ourselves.

Feb. io*\— This day I paid my respects to
Master Holbrook, after a week's absence, my
finger is still in limbo as you may see by the
writeing. I have not paid my compjiments
to Madam Smith,^ for, altho' I can drive the
goos quill a bit, I cannot so well manage the
needle. So 1 will lay my hand to the distaff,
as the viituous woman did of old — Yester-
day wa'', very bad weather, neither aunt, nor
niece at publick worship.

Feb. I2'^ — Yesterday afternoon I spent
at unkle Joshuas. Aunt Green gave me a
plaister foi my fingure that has near cur'd it,
but I have i new uoil, which is under poul-
tice, & tomorrow I am co undergo another
seasoning with globe Salt. The following
lines Aunt Deming found in grandmama
Sargent's ^^ pocket-book & gives me leave to
copy *em here. —

Dim eyes, deaf ears, cold stomach shew,

My dissolution is in view

The shuttle 's thrown, my race is run,

My sun is set, my work is done ;

My span is out, my tale is told,

!•

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW.

My flower 's decay'd, & stock grows old,
The dream is past, the shadows fled,
My soul now longs for Christ my head,
I 've lived to seventy six or nigh,
God calls at last, & now I '11 die.^o

My honor'd Grandma departed this vale
of tears 1-4 before 4 o'clock Wednesday morn-
ing August 21, 1771. Aged 74 years, 2
months & ten days.

Feb. I3^K — Everybody says that this is a
bitter cold day, but I know nothing about it
but hearsay for I am in aunt's chamber (which
is very warm always) with a nice fire, a stove,
sitting in Aunt's easy chair, with a tall three
leav'd screen at my back, & I am very com-
fortable. I took my second (& I hope last)
potion of Globe salts this morning. I went
to see Aunt Storer yesterday afternoon, &
by the way Unkle Storer is so ill that he
keeps chamber. As I went down I call'd at
Mrs Whitwell's & must tell you Mr & Mrs
Whitwell are both ill. Mrs. Whitwell with
the rheumatism. I saw Mad"^ Harris, Mrs
Mason and Miss Polly Vans '*' there, they all
give their love to you — Last evening I went
to catechizing with Aunt. Our ministers

have

|i<

24 DIARY OF AN A' A GREEN IF/NSLOIV.

have agreed during the long evenings to dis-
course upon the questions or some of 'em in
the assembly's shorter catechism, taking 'em
in their order at the house of Mrs Rogers
in School Street, every Wednesday evening.
Mr. Hunt began with the first question and
shew'd what it is to glorify God. Mr
Bacon then took the second, what rule &c.
which he has spent three evenings upon, &
now finished. Mr Hunt having taken his
turn to show what the Scriptures principly
teach, & what is God. I remember he said
that there was nothing properly done with-
out a rule, & he said that the rule God had
given us to glorify him by was the bible.
How miraculously (said he) has God pre-
serv'd this blessed book. It was once in the
reign of a heathen emperor condcmn'd to be
burnt, at which time it was death to have a
bible & conceal it, but God's providence was
wonderful in preserving it when so much
human policy had been exerted to bury it in
Oblivion — but for all that, here we have it
as pure & uncorruptcd as ever — many books
of human composure have had much pains
taken to preserve 'em, notwithstanding they

are

i I

•4'
J if

' DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 2$

are buried in Oblivion. He considered who
was the author of the bible, he prov'd that
God was the author, for no good man could
be the author, because such a one would not
be guilty of imposition, & an evil man could
not unless we suppose a house divided against
itself, he said a great deal more to prove
the bible is certainly the word of God from
the matter it contains &c, but the best evi-
dence of the truth of divine revelation, every
true believer has in his own heart. This he
said, the natural man had no idea of. I did
not understand all he said about the external
and internal evidence, but this I can say, that
I understand him better than any body else
that I hear preach. Aunt has been down
stairs all the time I have been recolecting &
writeing this. Therefore, all this of own
head, of consequence.

Valentine day.'^^ — My cousin Sally reeled
off a lo knot skane of yarn today. My
valentine was an old country plow-joger.
The yarn was of my spinning. Aunt says
it will do for filling. Aunt also says niece
is a whimsical child.

Feb. 17. — Since Wednesday evening, I

have

,,„.,-.- ^-.^ „.^ „„ J

i ;(

91 !

i I

26 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW.

have not been abroad since yesterday after-
noon. I went to meeting & back in Mr.
Soley's chaise. Mr. Hunt preached. He
said that human nature is as opposite to
God as darkness to light. That our sin is
only bounded by the narrowness • ' our
capacity. His text was Isa. xli. 14. 18.
The mountains &c. He said were unbe-
lief, pride, covetousness, enmity, &c. &c. &c.
This morning I took a walk for Aunt as
far as Mr. Soley's. I called at Mrs Whit-
well's & found the good man & lady both
better than when I saw them last. On my
return I found Mr. Hunt on a visit to aunt.
After the usual salutations & when did you
hear from your papa &c. I ask'd him if the
blessing pronounced by the minister before
the congregation is dismissed, is not a part
of the publick worship .!* "Yes."

" Why then, do you Sir, say, let us con-
clude the publick worship by singing } "
"Because singing is the last act in which
the whole congregation is unanimously to
join. The minister in Gods name blesses
his i. e. Gods people agreeable to the prac-
tice of the apostles, who generally close the

epistles

- 1

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IVINSLOW. 2/

epistles with a benediction in the name of
the Trinity, to which, Amen is subjoined,
which, tho' pronounc'd by the minister, is,
or ought to be the sentiment & prayer of
the whole assembly, the meaning whereof
is. So be it."

Feb. 1 8'^- — Anuther ten knot skane of
my yarn was reel'd off today. Aunt says
it is very good. My boils & whitloes are
growing well apace, so that I can knit a
little in the evening.

Transcribed from the Boston Evening
Post:

Sep. 1 8, 1 77 1. Under the head of Lon-
don news, you may find that last Thursday
was married ^t Worcester the Widow Biddle
of Wellsburn in the county of Warwick, to
her grandson John Biddle of the same place,
aged twenty three years. It is very remark-
able, the widdow had one son & one daugh-
ter ; 1 8 grandchildren & 5 great grandchil-
dren ; her present husband has one daughter,
who was her great granddaughter but is now
become her daughter ; her other great grand-
children are become her cousins ; her grand-
children her brothers & sisters ; her son &

daughter

. -♦:•*« •*--«#**.>M».

28 DIARY OF A XX A GREEN WINSLOW.

.} <

nisi

daughter her father & mother. I think ! tis
the most extraordinary account I ever read
in a News-Paper. It will serve to puzzel
Harry Bering with.

Monday Feb. iS'*'- — Bitter cold. I am just
come from writing school. Last Wednes-
day P. M. while I was at school Aunt Storer
called in to see Aunt Deming in her way to
Mr Inches's. She walk'd all that long way.
Thursday last I din'd & spent the after-
noon with Aunt Sukey. I attended both my
schools in the morning of that day. I cal'd
at unkle Joshua's as I went along, as I 9-rn-
erally do, when I go in town, it being all n
my way. Saterday I din'd at Unkle Storer's,
drank tea at Cousin Barrel's, was entertain'd
in the afternoon with seating. Unkle Henry
was there. Yesterday by the help of neigh-
bor Soley's Chaise, I was at meeting all day,
tho' it snow'd in the afternoon. I might
have say'd I was at Unkle Winslow's last
Thursday Eves & when I inform you that
my needle work at school, & knitting at
home, went on as usual, I think I have laid
before you a pretty full account of the last
week. You see how 1 improve in my writing,
but I drive on as fast as I can. Feb.

« i'

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IV INS LOW. 29

Feb. 21 i This day Jack Frost bites
Thursday. ) very hard, so hard aunt won't
let me go to any school. I have this morn-
ing made part of a coppy with the very pen
I have now in my hand, writting this with.
Yesterday was so cold there was a very
thick vapor upon the water, but I attended
my schools all day. My unkle says yester-
day was 10 degrees colder than any day we
have had before this winter. And my aunt
says she believes this day is 10 degrees
colder than it was yesterday; & moreover,
that she would not put a dog out of doors!
The sun gives forth his rays through a
vapor like that which was upon the water
yesterday. But Aunt bids me give her love
to pappa & all the family & tell them that
she should be gk.d of their company in her
warm parlour, indeed there is not one room
in th:s house but is very warm when there
is a good fire in them. As there is in this
at present. Yesterday I got leave (by my
aunt's desire) to go from school at 4 o'clock
to see my unkle Ned who has had the mis-
fortune to break his leg. I call'd in to warm
myself at unkle Joshua's. Aunt Hannah told

\ '-'if

30 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW.

mc I had better not go any further for she
could tell me all about him, so I say'd as it
is so cold I believe aunt won't be angry so
I will stay, I therefore took off my things,
aunt gave me leave to call at Unkle Joshua's
& was very glad I went no further. Aunt
Hannah told me he was as well as could be
expected for one that has a broken bone.
He was coming from Watertown in a chaise
the horse fell down on the Hill, this side
Mr Brindley's. he was afraid if he fell out,
the wheel would run over him, he therefore
gave a start & fell out & broke his leg, the
horse strugled to get up, but could not.
unkle Ned was affraid if he did get up the
chaise wheels would run over him, so he
went on his two hands and his other foot
drawing his lame leg after him & got behind
the chaise, (so he was safe) & there lay in
the snow for some time, nobody being near,
at last 2 genteelmen came, they tho't the
horse v/as dead when they first saw him
at a distance, but hearing somebody hollow,
went up to it. By this time there was a
countraman come along, the person that hol-
low'd was unkle Ned. They got a slay and

put

■A

■

' 1

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 3 1

put him in it with some hay and a blanket,
wrapt him up well as they could & brought
him to Deacon Smith's in town. Now Papa
& Mamma, this hill is in Brookline. And
now again, I have been better inform'd for
the hill is in Roxbury & poor Unkle Ned
was alone in the chaise. Both bones of his
leg are broke, but they did not come thro' the
skin, which is a happy circumstance. It is
his right leg that is broke. My Grandmamma
sent Miss Deming, Miss Winslow & I one
eight*'^ of a Dollar a piece for a New Years
gift. My Aunt Deming & Miss Deming had
letters from Grandmamma. She was pretty
well, she wrote aunt that Mrs Marting was
brought to bed with a son Joshua about a
month since, & is with her son very well.
Grandmamma was very well last week. I
have made the purchase I told you of a few
pages agone, that is, last Thursday I pur-
chas'd with my aunt Deming's leave, a very
beautiful white feather hat, that is, the out
side, which is a bit of white hollond with the
feathers sew'd on in a most curious manner
white & unsullyed as the falling snow, this
hat I have long been saving my money to

procure

■If

'i'i.

Ill

32 DIARV OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW.

procure for which I have let your kind allow-
ance, Papa, lay in my aunt's hands till this
hat which I spoke for was brought home.
As I am (as we say) a daughter of liberty ^^
I chuse to wear as much of our own manu-
factory as pocible. B • my aunt says, I
have wrote this account very badly. I will
go on to save my money for a chip & a
lineing &c.

Papa I rec'd your letter dated Jan. 11, for
which I thank you, Sir, & thank you greatly
for the money I received therewith. I am
very glad to hear that Brother John papa &
mamma & cousin are well. I '11 answer your
letter papa and yours mamma and cousin
Harry's too. I am very glad mamma your
eyes are better. I hope by the time I have
the pleasure of hearing from Cumberland
again your eyes will be so well that you will
favor me with one from you.

Feb. 22^. — Since about the middle of De-
cember, ult. we have had till this week, a
series of cold and stormy weather — every
snow storm (of which we have had abun-
dance) except the first, ended with rain, by
which means the snow was so hardened that

strong

1 ' M

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IV INS LOW. 33

strong gales at N W soon turned it, & all
above ground to ice, which this day seven-
night was from one to three, four & they
say, in some places, five feet thick, in the
streets of this town. Last Saturday morn-
ing we had a snow storm come on, which
continued till four o'clock P. M. when it
turned to rain, since which we have had a
warm air, with many showers of rain, one
this morning a little before day attended
with thunder. The streets have been very
wet, the water running like rivers all this
week, so that I could not possibly go to
school, neither have I yet got the bandage
off my fingure. Since I have been writing
now, the wind suddenly s^Drung up at N W
and blew with violence so that we may get to
meeting to-morrow, perhaps on dry ground.
Unkle Ned was here just now & has fairly
or unfairly carried off aunt's cut paper pic-
tures,^ tho' she told him she had given
them to papa some years ago. It has been
a very sickly time here, not one person that
I know of but has been under heavy colds
— (all laid up at unkle Storer's) in general
got abroad again. Aunt Suky had not been

down

' (i

DIARY OF A AW A GREEN WINSLOW.

II.'... < » I

down stairs since her lying in, when I last
saw her, but I hear she is got down. She
has had a broken breast. I have spun 30
knots of linning yarn, and (partly) new footed
a pair of stockings for Lucinda, read a part
of the pilgrim's progress, coppied part of my
text journal (that if I live a few years longer,
I may be able to understand it, for aunt sais,
that to her, the contents as I first mark'd
them, were an impenetrable secret) play'd
some, tuck'd a great deal (Aunt Deming
says it is very true) laugh'd enough, & I tell
aunt it is all human nature^ if not human rea-
son. And now, I wish my honored mamma
a very good night.

Saturday ) Dear Pappa, do's the win-

noon Feb. 23'' ) ter continue as pleasant at
Cumberland as when you wrote to me last .-*
We had but very little winter here, till Feb-
ruary came in, but we have little else since.
The cold still continues tho' not so extreme
as it was last Thursday. I have attended
my schools all this week except one day, and
am going as soon as I have din'd to see
how Unkle Ned does. I was thinking, Sir,
to lay up a piece of money you sent me, but

GENERAL JOSHUA WINSLOW

i' J

i'\

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 35

as you sent it to me to lay out I have a mind
to buy a chip & linning for my feather hatt.
But my aunt says she will think of it. My
aunt says if I behave myself very well in-
deed, not else, she will give me a garland of
flowers to orniment it, tho' she has layd
aside the biziness of flower making. ^^

Feb. 25'\ — This is a very stormy day of
snow, hail & rain, so that I cannot get to
Master Holbrook's, therefore I will here copy
something I lately transcribed on a loose
paper from Dr. Owen's sermon on Hab. iii,
I) 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. "I have heard that
a full wind behind the ship drives her not
so fast forward, as a side wind, that seems
almost as much against her as with her ; &
the reason they say is, because a full wind
fills but some of her sails.

Wednesday. — Very cold, but this morning
I was at sewing and writing school, this after-
noon all sewing, for Master Holbrook does
not in the winter keep school of afternoons.
Unkle Henrys feet are so much better that
he wears shoos now.

Monday

36 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW.

Monday I I have been to writing school
noon ^ this morning and Sewing. The

Feb. 25*^Jday being very pleasant, very
little wind stirring. Jemima called to see
me last evening. She lives at Master Jimmy
Lovel's.^^ Dear mamma, I suppose that you
would be glad to hear that Betty Smith who
has given you so much trouble, is well &
behaves herself well & I should be glad if
I could write you so. But the truth is, no
sooner was the 29th Regiment encamp'd
upon the common but miss Betty took her-
self among them (as the Irish say) & there
she stay'd with Bill Pinchion & awhile. The
next news of her was, that she was got into
gaol for stealing : from whence she was
taken to the publick whipping post.^^ The
next adventure was to the Castle, after the
soldier's were remov'd there, for the murder
of the 5th March last.^ When they turn'd
her away from there, she came up to town
again, and soon got into the workhouse for
new misdemeanours, she soon ran away from
there and sit up her old trade of pilfering
again, for which she was put a second time
into gaol, there she still remains. About

two

1
J

r't

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 37

two months agone (as well as I can remem-
ber) she & a number of her wretched com-
panions set the gaol on fire, in order to get
out, but the fire was timely discovered &
extinguished, & there, as I said she still
remains till this day, in order to be tried
for her crimes. I heard somebody say that
as she has some connections with the army
no doubt but she would be cleared, and per-
haps, have a pension into the bargain. Mr.
Henry says the way of sin is down hill, when
persons get into that way they are not easily
stopped.

Feb. 27. — This day being too stormy for
me to go to any school, and nothing as yet
having happen'd that is worth your notice, my
aunt gives me leave to communicate to you
something that much pleas'd her when she
heard of it, & which I hope will please you
my Papa and Mamma. I believe I may
have inform'd you that since I have been in
Boston, Dr. Byles ^^ has pretty frequently
preached & sometimes administer'd the sac-
rament, when our Candidates have preached
to the O. S. Church, because they are not
tho't qualified to administer Gospel Ordi-
nance,

38 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN VVINSLOW.

nance, till they be settled Pastours. About
two months ago a brother of the church sent
Dr Byles a Card which contain'd after the
usual introduction, the following words, Mr

W dont set up for an Expositor of

Scripture, yet ventures to send Dr. Byles a
short comment on i Cor. ix. 11. which he
thinks agreeable to the genuine import of the
text, & hopes the Dr will not disapprove it.
The comment was a dozen pounds of Choco-
late &c. — To which the D"^ return'd the fol-
lowing very pretty answer. D"" Byles returns
respects to Mr W & most heartily thanks
him for his judicious practica] Familie Ex-
positer, which is in Tast. My aunt Deming
gives her love to you mamma, and bids me
tell you, as a matter you will be very glad to
know, that D"" Byles & his lady & family,
have enjoy 'd a good share of health & per-
fect harmony for several years past.

Mr Beacon is come home. My unkle
Neddy is very comfortable, has very little
pain, h know fever with his broken bone.
My Unkle Harry ^ was here yesterday & is
very well. Poor Mrs Inches is dangerously
ill of a fever. We have not heard how she
does today. March

1^ *

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 39

March 4^^ — Poor Mrs Inches is dead.
Gone from a world of trouble, as she has
left this to her poor mother. Aunt says she
heartyly pities Mrs Jackson, Mr Nat. Be-
thune died this morning, Mrs Inches last
night.

We had the greatest fall of snow yester-
day we have had this winter. Yet cousin
Sally, miss Polly, & I rode to & fiom meet-
ing in Mr Soley's chaise both forenoon &
afternoon, & with a stove ^^ was very com-
fortable there. If brother John is as well
and hearty as cousin Frank, he is a clever
boy. Unkle Neddy continues very comfort-
able. I saw him last saturda3^ I have just
now been writing four lines in my Book al-
most as well as the copy. But all the in-
treaties in the world will not prevail upon
me to do always as well as I can, which is
not the least trouble to me, tho' its a great
grief to aunt Demirg. And she says by
writing so frightfully above.

March 6. — I think the appearance this
morning is as winterish as any I can remem-
ber, earth, houses, trees, all covered with
snow, which began to fall yesterday morning

\-'i.y

.1 ;

I '!

I ,1 J

40 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW.

& continued falling all last night. The Sun
now shines very bright, the N. W. wind
blows very fresh. Mr Gannett din'd here
yesterday, from him, my unkle, aunt & cousin
Sally, I had an account of yesterday's pub-
lick performances,^^ & exhibitions, but aunt
says I need not write about 'em because,
no doubt there will be printed accounts.
I should have been glad if I could have seen
& heard for myselfe. My face is better, but
I have got a heavy cold yet.

March 9*K — After being confined a week,
I rode yesterday afternoon to & from meet-
ing in Mr Soley's chaise. I got no cold and
am pretty well today. This has been a very
snowy day today. Any body that sees this
may see that I have wrote nonsense but Aunt
says, I have been a very good girl to day
about my work however — I think this day's
work may be called a piece meal for in the
first place I sew'd on the bosom of unkle's
shirt, mended two pair of gloves, mended for
the wash two handkerchiefs, (one cambrick)
sewf^d on half a border of a lawn apron
of aunts, read part of the xxi^^ chapter of
Exodous, & a story in the Mother's gift.

Now,

\\y

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IV INS LOW.

Now, Hon«^ Mamma, I must tell you of some-
thing that happened to me to-day, that has
not happen'd before this great while, viz My
Unkle & Aunt both told me, I was a very
good girl. Mr Gannett gave us the favour
of his company a little while this morning
(our head). I have been writing all the
above gibberish while aunt has been looking
after her family — now she is out of the room
— now she is in — & takes up my pen in my
absence to observe, I am a little simpleton
for informing my mamma, that it is a great
while since I was prais'd because she will
conclude that it is a great ivhile since I de-
serv'd to be prais'd. I will henceforth try
to observe their praise & yours too. I mean
deserve. It's now tea time — as soon as
that is over, I shall spend the rest of the
evening in reading to my aunt. It is near
candle lighting.

March 10, 5 o'clock P. M. — I have fin-
ish'd my stent of sewing work for this day
& wrote a billet to Miss Caty Vans, a copy
of which I shall write on the next page.
To-morrow if the weather is fit I am to visit.
I have again been told I was a good girl.

■i:\

( \

ill!!

f»i; .

42 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW.

My Billet to Miss Vans was in the following
words. Miss Green gives her compliments
to Miss Vans, and informs her that her
aunt Deming quite misunderstood the mat-
ter about the queen's night-Cap. ^^ Mrs.
Deming thou't that it was a black skull cap
linn'd with rod that Miss Vans ment which
she thou t vo^ >i not be becoming to Miss
Green's lig.c con^^.'exion. Miss Green now
takes the liberty to send the materials for
the Cap Miss Vans was so kind as to say she
would make for her, which, when done, she
engages to take special care of for Miss Vans'
sake. Mrs. Deming joins her compliments
with Miss Green's — they both wish for the
pleasure of a visit from Miss Vans. Miss
Soley is just come in to visit me & 'tis near
dark.

March 11. — Boast not thyself of tomor-
row ; for thou knowest not what a day may
bring forth. Thus king Solomon, inspired
by the Holy Ghost, cautions, Pro. xxvii. i.
My aunt says, this is a most necessary lesson
to be learn'd & laid up in the heart. I am
quite of her mind. I have met with a dis-
appointment to day, & aunt says, I may look

for

r I

DIARY OF ANNA GREEIV WINSLOW. 43

for them every day — vvc live in a changing
world — in scripture call'd a vale of tears.
Uncle said yesterday that there had not been
so much snow on the ground this winter as
there was then — it has been vastly added
to since then, & is now 7 feet deep in some
places round this house ; it is above the fence
in the coart & thick snow began to fall and
condtinu'd till about 5 o'clock P. M. (it is
about 1-4 past 8 o'clock) since wl ch there
has been a steady rain — so no visiti.ij^; as I
hoped this day, & this is the disappointment
I mentioned on t'other page. Las Saturday
I sent my cousin Betsy Ston ■ a Billet of
which the following is a copy. Miss Green
gives her love to Miss Storer & informs
her that she is very sensible of the effects
of a bad cold, not only in the pain she has
had in her throat, neck and face, which ha/e
been much swell'd & which she is not quite
clear of, but that she has also been by the
same depriv'd of the pleasure of seeing
Miss Storer & her other friends in Sudbury
Street. She begs, her Duty, Love & Com-
pliments, may be presented as due & that
she may be inform'd if they be in health.

i u

44 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW.

To this I have receiv'd no answer, I sup-
pose she don't think I am worth an answer.
But I have finished my stent, and wrote all
under this date, & now I have just daylight
eno' to add, my love and duty to dear friends
at Cumberland.

March 14. — Mr. Stephen March, at whose
house I was treated so kindly last fall, de-
parted this life last week, after languishing
several months under a complication of dis-
orders — we have not had perticulars, there-
fore cannot inform you, whether he engag'd
the King of terrors with christian fortitude,
or otherwise.

" Stoop down my Thoughts, that use to rise,
Converse a while with Death ;
Think how a gasping Mortal lies,
And pants away his Breath."

Last Thursday I din'd with unkle Storer,
& family at aunt Sukey's — all well except
Charles Storer who was not so ill but what,
that I mean, he din'd with us. Aunt Suky's
Charles is a pretty little boy & grows nicely.
We were diverted in the afternoon with an
account of a queer Feast that had been made
that day in a certain Court of this town for

the

*-^'mt. *•■- «« d^^

KBENEZER STORER

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IV/NSLOIV. 45

the Entertainment of a number of Tories —
perhaps seventeen. One contain'd three
calves heads (skin off) with their appurti-
nencies anciently call'd pluck — Their other
dish (for they had but two) contain'd a num-
ber of roast fowls — half a dozen, we sup-
pose,* & all roosters at this season no doubt.
Yesterday, soon after I came from writing
school we had another snow storm begun,
which continued till after I went to bed.
This morning the sun shines clear (so it did
yesterday morning till 10 o'clock.) It is now
bitter cold, & such a quantity of snow upon
the ground, as the Old people don't remember
ever to have seen before at this time of the
year. My aunt Deming says, when she first
look'd abroad this morning she felt anxious
for her brother, & his family at Cumberland,
fearing lest they were covered up in snow.
It is now 1-2 after 12 o'clock noon. The
sun has been shineing in his full strength
for full 6 hours, & the snow not melted
enough anywhere in sight of this house, to
cause one drop of water.

March 17. — Yesterday, I went to see

aunt

* There was six as I have since heard.

^it

46 DrARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOIV.

aunt Polly, & finding her going out, I spent
the afternoon with aunt Hannah. While I
was out, a snow storm overtook me. 1 his
being a fine sun shine (tho' cold) day I have
been to writing school, & wrote two pieces,
one I presented to aunt Doming, and the
other I design for my Honor'd Papa, I hope
he will approve of it. I sent a piece of my
writing to you Hon'd Mamma last fall, which
I hope you recciv'd. When my aunt Deming
was a little girl my Grandmamma Sargent
told her the following story viz. One Mr.
Calf who had three times enjoy'd the May-
orality of the city of London, had after his
decease, a monoment erected to his memory
with the following inscription on it.

Here lies buried the body of

Sir Richard Calf,
Thrice Lord Mayor of London.

Honor, Honor, Honor.

A drol gentleman passing by with a bit of
chalk in his hand underwrote thus —

O cruel death ! more subtle than a Fox
That would not let this Calf become an Ox,
That he might browze amony the briers & thorns
And with his brethren wear,
Horns. Horns. Horns.

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 47

My aunt told me the foregoing some time
since & today I ask'd her leave to insert it in
my journal. My aunt gives her love to you
& directs me to tell you that she tho't my
piece of linnin would have made me a dozen
of shifts but she could cut no more than ten
out of it. There is some left, but not enough
for another. Nine of them are finish'd
wash'd & iron'd ; & the other would have
been long since done if my fingers had not
been sore. My cousin Sally made three of
them for me, but then I made two shirts &
part of another for unkle to help her. I
believe unless something remarkable should
happen, such as a ivarm day, my mamma
will consent that I dedicate a few of my next
essays to papa. I think the second thing I
said to aunt this morning was, that I intended
to be very good all day. To make this out,

" Next unto God^ dear Parents I address
Myself to you in humble Thankfulness,
" For all your Care & Charge on me bestow'd;
** The means of Learning unto me allow'd,
** Go on I pray, & let me still pursue
" Those Golden Arts the Vulgar never knew."

Yr Dutifull Daughter

Anna Green Winslow.

The

48 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW.

The poetry I transcrib'd from my Copy
Book.

March 19. — Thursday last I spent at home,
except a quarter of an hour between sun-
set and dark, I stepped over the way to Mr.
Glover's with aunt. Yesterday I spent at
Unkle Neddy's & stitched wristbands for
aunt Polly. By the way, I must inform you,
(pray dont let papa see this) that yesterday
I put on No I of my new shifts, & indeed it
is very comfortable. It is long since I had
a shift to my back. I dont know if I ever
had till now — It seem'd so strange too, to
have any linen below my waist — I am going
to dine at Mrs. Whitwell's to day, by invita-
tion. I spent last evening at Mrs Rogers.
Mr Hunt discoursed upon the doctrine of
the Trinity — it was the second time that he
spoke upon the subject at that place. I did
not hear him the first time. His business
last eves was to prove the divinity of the Son,
& holy Ghost, & their equality with the'
Father. My aunt Deming says, it is a grief
to her, that I don't always write as well as I
can, I can write prctily.

March 21. — I din'd & spent the afternoon

W i

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 49

of Thursday last, at Mrs Whitwell's. Mrs
Lathrop, & Mrs Carpenter din'd there also.
The latter said she was formerly acquainted
with mamma, ask'd how she did, & when I
heard from her, — said, I look'd much like
her. Madam Harris & Miss P. Vans were
also of the company. While I was abroad
the snow melted to such a degree, that my
aunt was oblig'd to get Mr Soley's chaise to
bring me home. Yesterday, we had by far
the gratest storm of wind & snow that there
has been this winter. It began to fall yes-
terday morning & continued falling till after
our family were in bed. (P. M.) Mr. Hunt
call'd in to visit us just after we rose from
diner ; he ask'd me, whether I had heard
from my papa & mamma, since I wrote 'em.
He was answer'd, no sir, it would be strange
if I had, because I had been writing to 'em
today, & indeed so I did every day. Aunt
told him that Jiis name went frequently into
my journals together with broken & some
times whole sentences of his sermons, con-
versations &c. He laugh'd & call'd me News-
monger, & said I was a daily advertiser. He
added, that he did not doubt but my journals

afforded

■;i)

I \

*. ;

\ \

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW.

■!f

afforded much entertainment & would be a
future benefit &c. Here is a fine compliment
for me mamma.

March 26. — Yesterday at 6 o'clock, I went
to Unkle Winslow's, their neighbor Green-
leaf was their. She said she knew Mamma,
& that I look like her. Speaking about papa
& you occation'd Unkle Winslow to tell me
that he had kiss'd you long before papa
knew you. From thence we went to Miss
Rogers's where, to a full assembly Mr Bacon
read his 3^^ sermon on R. iv. 6, I can re-
member he said, that, before we all sinned
in Adam our father, Christ loved us. He
said the Son of God always did as his father
gave him commandment, & to prove this, he
said, that above 17 hundred years ago he left
the boson\ of the Father, & came & took up
his abode with men, & b*)re all the scourg-
ings & buffctJngs whiui 'he vile Jews in-
flicted on him, & then was hung upon the
accursed trne — he died, was buried, & in
three days rose again — ascended up to
heaven & there took his seat at the right
hand of the Majesty on high from whence
he will come to be the supream and impartial

judge

!1 ''-

DIAR Y OF . 1 A'.A 'A GREEiY WIXSL 0\V. 5 I

judge of quick & dead — and when his poor
Mother & her poor husband went to Jerusa-
lem to keep the passover & he went with
them, he disputed among the doctors, &
when his Mother ask'd him about it he
said "wist ye not that I must be about my
Father's business," — all this he said was a
part of that wrighteousness for the sake of
which a sinner is justafied — Aunt has been
up stairs all the time I have been writeing &
recollecting this — so no help from her. She
is come down now & I have been reading
this over to her. She sais, she is glad I re-
member so much, but I have not done the
subject justice. She sais I have blended
things somewhat improperly — an interup-
tion by company.

March 28. — Unkle Harry was here last
evening & inform'd us that by a vessel from
Halifax which arriv'd yesterday, Mr H New-
ton, inform'd his brother Mr J Newton of
the sudden death of their brothei Hibbert
in your family 21 January ult. (Just five
months to a day since Grandmamma Sar-
gent's death,) With all the circumstances
relating to it. My aunt Deming gives her

love

52 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW.

love to Mamma >■>: wishes her a sanctified

improvement of all God's dealings with her,

& that it would please him to bring her & all

the family safe to Boston. Jarvis is put up

for Cumberland, we hope he will be there by

or before Mayday. This minute I have re-

ceiv'd my queen's night cap from Miss Caty

Vans — we like it. Aunt says, that if the

materials it is made of were more substantial

than gauze, it might serve occationally to

hold any thing mesur'd by an 1-2 peck, but it

is just as it should be, & very decent, & she

wishes my writing was as decent. But I got

into one of my frolicks, upon sight of the Cap.

April I St. — Will you be offended mamma,

if I ask you, if you remember the flock of wild

Geese that papa call'd you to see flying over

the Blacksmith's shop this day three years }

I hope not ; I only mean to divert you. The

snow is near gone in the street before us,

& mud supplys the place thereof ; After a

week's absence, I this day attended Master

Holbrook with some difficulty, what was last

\'7eck a pond is to-day a quag, thro' which I

got sjie however, & if aunt* had known it

was

* Miss Green tells her aunt, thai the word refcr'd to be-
gins with n dipthong.

DIARY OF ANXA GREEN WINSLOW 53

was SO bad, she sais she would not have sent
me, but I neither wet my feet, nor drabled
my clothes, indeed I have but one garment
that I could contrive to drabble.

N, B. It is I April.

April 3. — Yesterday was the annual Fast,
& I was at meeting all day. Mr Hunt
preach'd A. M. from Zac. vii. 4, 5, 6, 7. He
said, that if we did not mean as we said in
pray's it was only a compliment put upon
God, which was a high affront to his divine
Majesty. Mr Bacon, P. M. from James v.
17. He said, ''pray's, effectual & fervent,
might be, where there were no words, but
there might be elegant words where there is
no prayr's. The essence of pray's consists in
offering up holy desires to God agreeable to
his will, — it is the flowing out of gracious
affections — what then are the pray'rs of an
unrenewed heart that is full of enmity to
God } doubtless they are an abomination to
him. What then, must not unregenerate
men pray } I answer, it is their duty to
breathe out holy desires to God iv pray's.
Prayer is a natural duty. Hannah pour'd
out her soul before the Lord, yet her voice

was

I ^i

lit

54 DIARY OF AXA'A GREEN IVEVSLOIK

was not heard, only her Hps moved. Some
grieve and complain that their pray's are not
answered, but if t/iy ivill be done is, as it
ought to be, in every prayer ; their prayers
are answcr'd."

The wind was high at N. E. all day yester-
day, but nothing fell from the dark clouds
that overspread the heavens, till 8 o'clock
last evening, when a snow began which has
continued falling ever since. The bell being
now ringing for i o'clock P. M. & no sign of
abatement.

My aunt Doming says, that if my memory
had been equal to the memory of some of my
ancestors, I might have done better justice
to Mr. Bacon's good sermon, & that if hers
had been better than mine she would have
helped me. Mr Bacon did say what is here
recorded, but in other method.

April 6. — I made a shift to walk to meet-
ing yesterday morning. But there was so
much water in the streets when I came home
from meeting that I got a seat in Mr Waleses
chaise. My aunt walk'd home & she sais
thro' more difaculty than ever she did in
her life before. Indeed had the stream get

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 55

up from our meeting house as it did down,
we might have taken boat as we have talk'd
some times of doing to cross the street to
our oposite neighbor Soltys chaise. I re-
member some of Mr Hunts sermon, how
much will appear in my text journal.

April 7. — I visited yesterday P. M. with
my aunt at Mr Waldron's. This afternoon I
am going with my aunt to visit Mrs Salis-
bury who is Dr Sewall's granddaughter, I
expect Miss Patty Waldow will meet me
there. It is but a little way & we can now
thro' favour cross the street without the
help of a boat. I saw Miss Polly Vans this
morning. She gives her love to you. As
she always does whenever I see her. Aunt
Deming is this minute come into the room,
& from what her niece has wrote last, takes
the liberty to remind you, that Miss Vans
is a sister of the Old South Church, a soci-
ety remarkable for Love. Aunt Deming is
sorry she has spoil'd the look of this page
by her carelessness & hopes her niece will
mend its appearance in what follows. She
wishes my English had been better, but has
not time to correct more than one word.

April

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IVINSLOW.

April 9. — We made the visit refer'd to
above. The company was old Mrs Salis-
bury,^*^ Mrs Hill, (Mrs Salisbury's sister she
was Miss Hannah Sewall & is married to
young Mr James Hill that iis'd to live in
this house) Miss Sally Hill, Miss Polly Bel-
cher Lyde, Miss Caty Sewall, My Aunt &
myself. Yesterday afternoon I visited Miss
Polly Deming & took her with me to Mr
Rogers' in the evening where Mr Hunt dis-
cours'd upon the 7"^ question of the cate-
chism viz what are the decrees of God .'' I
remember a good many of his observations,
which I have got set down on a loose paper.
But my aunt says that a Miss of 12 year's
old cant possibly do justice to the nicest
subject in Divinity, & therefore had better
not attempt a repetition of perticulars, that
she finds lie (as may be easily concluded)
somewhat confused in my young mind. She
also says, that in her poor judgment, Mr
Hunt discours'd soundly as well as ingen-
iously upon the subject, & very much to
her instruction & satisfaction. My Papa in-
form'd me in his last letter that he had done
me the honor to read my journals & that he

approv'd

W^^

DIARY 01' AXNA GREEN WINS LOW, 57

ai)prov'd of some part of them, I suppose he
means that he likes some parts better than
other, indeed it would be wonderful, as aunt
says, if a gentleman of papa's understanding
& judgment cou'd be highly entertain'd with
every little saying or observation that came
from a girl of my years & that I ought to
esteem it a great favour that he notices any
of my simple matter with his approbation,

April I3"'' — Yesterday I walk'd to meet-
ing all day, the ground very dry, & when
I came home from meeting in the after-
noon the Dust blew so that it almost put my
eyes out. What a difference in the space
of a week. I was just going out to writing
school, but a slight rain prevented so aunt
says I must make up by writing well at
home. Since I have been writing the rain
is turn'd to snow, which is now falling in
a thick shower. I have now before me,
hon^ Mamma, your favor dated January 3.
I am glad you alter'd your mind when you
at first thouejht not to write to me. I am
glad my brother made an essay for a Post
Script to your Letter. I must get him to
read it to me, when he comes up, for two

reasons

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23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

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58 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IV/NSLOIV.

reasons, the one is because I may have the
pleasure of hearing his voice, the other be-
cause I don't understand his characters. I
observe that he is mamma's "Ducky Dar-
ling." I never again shall believe that Mrs
Huston will come up to Boston till I see
her here. I shall be very glad to see Mrs
Law here & I have some hopes of it. Mr
Gannett and the things you sent by him we
safely receiv'd before I got your Letter —
you say "you see I am still a great house-
keeper," I think more so than when I was
with you. Truly I answer'd Mr Law's let-
ter as soon as I found opportunity therefor.
I shall be very glad to see Miss Jenny here
& I wish she could live with me. I hope
you will answer this "viva vosa" as you
say you intend to. Pray mamma who larnt
you lattan ? It now rains fast, but the sun
shines, & I am glad to see it, because if it
continues I am going abroad with aunt this
afternoon.

April I4*'\ — I went a visiting yesterday
to Col. Gridley's with my aunt. After tea
Miss Becky Gridley sung a minuet. Miss
Polly Deming & I danced to her musick,

which

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IV/NSLOfV. 59

which when perform'd was approv'd of by
Mrs Gridley, Mrs Deming, Mrs Thompson,
Mrs Avery,6i Miss Sally Hill, Miss Becky
Gridley, Miss Polly Gridley & Miss Sally
Winslovv. Col" Gridley was out o' the room.
Col" brought in the talk of Whigs & Tories
& taught me the difference between them.
I spent last evening at home. I should have
gone a visiting to day in sudbury street, but
Unkle Harry told me last night that they
would be full of company. I had the plea-
sure of hearing by him, that they were all
well. I believe I shall go somewhere this
afternoon for I have acquaintances enough
that would be very glad to see me, as well
as my sudbury street friends.

April 15^^ — Yesterday I din'd at Mrs.
Whitwell's & she being going abroad, I
spent the afternoon at Mad"' Harris's & the
evening at home, Unkle Harry gave us his
company some part of it. I am going to
Aunt Storer's as soon as writing school is
done. I shall dine with her, if she is not
engaged. It is a long time since I was there,
& indeed it is a long time since 1 have been
able to get there. For tho' the walking has

been

60 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW.

been pretty tolerable at the South End, it
has been intolerable clown in town. And
indeed till yesterday, it has been such bad
walking, that I could not get there on my
feet. If she had wanted much to have seen
me, she might have sent either one of her
chaises, her chariot, or her babyhutt,^^ one
of which I see going by the door almost
every day.

April i6"\ — I dined with Aunt Storer
yesterday & spent the afternoon very agree-
ably at Aunt Suky's. Aunt Storer is not
very well, but she drank tea with us, &
went down to Mr Stillman's lecture in the
evening. I spent the evening with Unkle &
Aunt at Mrs Rogers's. Mr Bacon preach'd
his fourth sermon from Romans iv. 6. My
cousin Charles Storer lent me Gulliver's
Travels abreviated, which aunt says I may
read for the sake of perfecting myself in
reading a variety of composures, she sais
farther that the piece was desin'd as a bur-
lesque upon the times in which it was wrote,
— & Martimas Scriblensis & Pope Dunciad
were wrote with the same design & as parts
of the same work, tho' wrote by three sev-
eral hands. April

1^ \

1 1'

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 6 1

April 17^^ — You see, Mamma, I comply
with your orders (or at least have done fa-
ther's some time past) of writing in my jour-
nal every day tho' my matters are of little
importance & I have nothing at present to
communicate except that I spent yesterday
afternoon & evening at Mr Soley's. The
day was very rainy. I hope I shall at least
learn to spell the word yesterday, it having
occur'd so frequently in these pages ! (The
bell is ringing for good friday.) Last even-
ing aunt had a letter from Unkle Pierce, he
informs her, that last Lords day morning
Mrs Martin was deliver'd of a daughter.
She had been siezed the Monday before with
a violent pluritick fever, which continued
when my LTnkle's letter was dated 13'^^ in-
stant. My Aunt Deming is affraid that poor
Mrs Martin is no more. She hopes she is
reconcil'd to her father — but is affraid
whether that was so — She had try'd what
was to be done that way on her late visits
to Portsmouth, & found my unkle was pla-
cably dispos'd, poor Mrs Martin, she could
not then be brought to make . any acknowl-
edgements as she ought to have done.

April

tJ««Si3r«..a^^'Tiit,

I! I

1 '' '■■

62 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW.

April I8*^ — Some time since I exchang'd
a piece of patchwork, which had been wrought
in my leisure intervals, with Miss Peggy
Phillips,^ my schoolmate, for a pair of curi-
ous lace mitts with blue flaps which I shall
send, with a yard of white ribbin edg'd with
green to Miss Nancy Macky for a present.
I had intended that the patchwork should
have grown large enough to have cover'd
a bed when that same live stock which
you wrote me about some time since,
should be increas'd to that portion you in-
tend to bestow upon me, should a certain
event take place. I have just now finish'd
my Letter to Papa. I had wrote to my
other correspondents at Cumberland, some
time ago, all which with this I wish safe to
your & their hand. I have been carefuU not
to repeat in my journal any thing that I had
wrote in a Letter either to papa, you, &c.
Else 1 should have inform'd you of some of
Bet Smith's abominations with the deserv'd
punishment she is soon to meet with. But
I have wrote it to papa, so need not repeat.
I guess when this reaches you, you will be
too much cngag'd in preparing to quit your

present

|rfl
If!'

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 63

present habitation, & will have too much
upon your head & hands, to pay much at-
tention to this scrowl. But it may be an
amusement to you on your voyage — there-
fore I send it.

Pray mamma, be so kind as to bring up
all my journal with you. My Papa has prom-
ised me, he will bring up my baby house with
him. I shall send you a droll figure of a
young lady,^* in or under, which you please,
a tasty head Dress. It was taken from a
print that came over in one of the last ships
from London. After you have sufficiently
amused yourself with it I am willing . . .

Boston April 20, 1772. — Last Saterday I
seal'd up 45 pages of Journal for Cumber-
land. This is a very stormy day — no going
to school. I am learning to knit lace.

April 21. — Visited at uncle Joshua
Green's. I saw three funerals from their
window, poor Cap'* Turner's was one.

April 22^^. — I spent this evening at Miss
Rogers as usual. Mr. Hunt continued his
discourse upon the 7^'' question of the cate-
chism & finish'd what he had to say upon it.

April 21^. — This morns early our Mr Ba-
con

64 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW.

con set out upon a tour to Maryland, he pro-
posed to be absent 8 weeks. He told the
Church that brother Hunt would supply the
pulpit till his return. I made a visit this
afternoon with cousin Sally at Dr. Phillip's.

April 24'^ — I drank tea at Aunt Suky's.
Aunt Storer was there, she seemed to be in
charming good health & spirits. My cousin
Charles Green seems to grow a little fat
pritty boy but he is very light. My aunt
Storer lent me 3 of cousin Charles' books to
read, viz. — The puzzeling cap, the female
Oraters & the history of Gaffer too-shoes.^^

April 25'^ — I learn't three stitches upon
net work to-day.

April 27^^ — I din'd at Aunt Storer's &
spent the P. M, at aunt Suky's.

April 28*^ — This P. M. I am visited by
Miss Glover, Miss Draper & Miss Soley.
My aunt abroad.

April 29^^ — Tomorrow, if the weather be
good, I am to set out for Marshfield.

May J I. — The morning after I wrote
above, I sat out for Marshfield. I had the
pleasure of drinking tea with aunt Thomas
the same day, the family all well, but Mr G

who

It ''

■ >' ■

MRS KBF.XK/EK STOKKR

I'f

0iJ

DIARY OF AAWA GREEN H7XSL01V. 65

who seems to be near the end of the journey
of life. I visited General VVinslow ^*^ & his
son, the Dr., spent 8 days very agreeably
with my friends at Marshfield, & returned
on saterday last in good health & gay spirits
which I still enjoy. The 2 first days I was
at Marshfield, the heat was extrcam & un-
common for the season. It ended on sater-
day evening with a great thunder storm.
The air has been very cool ever since. My
aunt Deming observ'd a great deal of light-
nh.j in the south, but there was neither
thunder, rain nor clouds in Boston.

May 16. — Last Wednesday Bet Smith
was set upon the gallows. She behav'd with
great impudence. Thursday I danc'd a min-
uet & country dances at school, after which
I drank tea with aunt Storer. To day I am
somewhat out of sorts, a little sick at my
stomach.

23^. — I followed my schools every day this
week, thursday I din'd at aunt Storer's &
spent the P. M. there.

25. — I was not at meeting yesterday,
Unkle & Aunt say they had very good Fish
at the O. S. I have got very sore eyes.

June

I : i

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M J

66 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW.

June i^'. — All last week till saterday was
very cold & rainy. Aunt Deming kept me
within doors, there were no schools on ac-
count of the Election of Councellers,®" &
other public doings ; with one eye (for t'other
was bound up) I saw the governer & his train
of life guard &c. ride by in state to Cam-
bridge. I form'd Letters last week to suit
cousin Sally & aunt Thomas, but my eyes
were so bad aunt would not let me coppy
but one of them. Monday being Artillery
Election^ I went lo see the hall, din'd at
aunt Storer's, took a walk in the P. M.
Unkle laid down the commission he took up
last year. Mr Handcock invited the whole
company into his house in the afternoon %l
treated them very genteelly & generously,
with cake, wine, &c. There were lo corn
baskets of the feast (at the Hall) sent to the
prison & almshouse.

4''\ — From June i when I wrote last there
has nothing extraordinary happen'd till today
the whole regiment muster'd upon the com-
mon. Mr Gannett, aunt & myself went up
into the common, & there saw Cap' Water's,
Cap' Paddock's, Cap' Peirce's, Cap' Eliot's,

Cap'

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW. 6/

Cap' Barret's, Cap* Gay's, Cap' May's, Cap'
liorington's & Cap' Stimpson's company's
exercise. From there, wc went into King
street to Col Marshal's ^^ where we saw all
of them prettily exercise & fire. Mr. Gan-
nett din'd with us. On Sabbath-day evening
7 June My Hon*^ Papa, Mamma, little Brother,
cousin H. D. Thomas, Miss Jenny Allen, &
Mrs Huston arriv'd here from Cumberland,
all in good health, to the great joy of all their
friends, myself in particular — they sail'd
from Cumberland the i^' instant, in the even-
ing.

Aug. 1 8. — Many avocations have pre-
vented my keeping my journal so exactly as
heretofore, by which means a pleasant visit
to the peacock, my Papa's & mamma's jour-
ney to Marshfield &c. have been omitted.
The 6 instant Mr Sam' Jarvis was married
to Miss Suky Peirce, & on the 13th I made
her a visit in company with mamma & many
others. The bride was dress'd in a white
satin night gound.'^^

27. — Yesterday I heard an account of a
cat of 17 years old, that has just recovered
of the meazels. This same cat it is said had
the small pox 8 years ago ! 28.

IRl.

"ii)

41,

>■. ■

;l^^

;*!i

ii*:r

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN IVINSLOIV.

28. — I spent the P. M. & eve at aunt
Silky's very agreeably with aunt Pierce's
young ladies viz. Miss Johnson, Miss Walker,
Miss Polly & Miss Betsey Warton, (of New-
port) Miss Betsey is just a fortnight wanting
I day older than I am, who I became ac-
quainted with that P. M. Papa, Mamma,
Unkle & aunt Storer, Aunt Pierce & Mr &
Mrs Jarvis was there. There were 18 at
supper besides a great many did not eat any.
Mrs Jarvis sang after supper. My brother
Johny has got over the measels.

Sept. I. — Last evening after meeting,
Mrs Bc^jon was brought to bed of a fine
daughter. But was very ill. She had fits.

September 7. — Yesterday afternoon Mr
Bacon baptiz'd his daughter by the name of
Elizabeth Lewis. It is a pretty looking
child. Mrs Whitwell is like to loose her
Henry Harris. He is very ill.

8. — I visited with mamma at cousin Rog-
ers'. There was a good many.

14. — Very busy all day, went into the
common in the afternoon to see training. It
was very prettyly perfcrm'd.

18. — My Papa, aunt Deraing, cousin Rogers^

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW. 69

& Miss Betsey Gould set out for Portsmouth.
I weiiL over to Charlestown with them, after
they were gone, I came back, & rode up from
the ferry in Mrs Rogers' chaise ; it drop'd
me at Unkle Storer's gate, where I spent the
day. My brother was very sick.

Sep' 17. 18. — Spent the days at aunt
Storer's, the nights at home.

19. — Went down in the morns & spent
the day & night there. My brother better
than he was

20. — Sabbath day. I went to hear Mr
Stihnan ^^ all day, I like him very much. I
don't wonder so many go to hear him.

21^^ — Mr. Sawyer, Mr Parks, & Mrs Chat-
bourn, din'd at aunt Storer's. I went to
dancing in the afternoon. Miss Winslow &
Miss Allen visited there.

22^. — The king's coronation day. In the
evening I went with mamma to Col" Mar-
shal's in King Street to see the fireworks.

23'^. — I din'd at aunt Suky's with Mr &
Mrs Hooper '2 of Marblehead. In the after-
noon I went over to see Miss Betsy Winslow.
When I came back I had the pleasure to
meet papa. I came home in the evening to

see

■v:' . k \

I ^:i!

70 DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINS LOW.

see aunt Deming. Unklo Winslow sup'd
here.

24. — Papa cal'd here in the morns No-
thing else worth noticeing.

25. — Very pleasant. Unkle Ned cal'd
here. Little Henry Harris was buried this
afternoon.

26. 27. — Nothing extraordinary yesterday
& to day.

28. — My papa & unkle Winslow spent the
evening here.

29. 30. — Very stormy. Miss Winslow &
I read out the Generous Inconstant, & have
begun Sir Charles Grandison. . . .

May 25. — Nothing remarkable since the
preceding date. Whenever I have omited a
school my aunt has directed me to sit it down
here, so when you dont see a memorandum of
that kind, you may conclude that I have paid
my compliments to mess*"^ Holbrook & Tur-
ner (to the former you see to very little pur-
pose) & mrs Smith as usual. The Miss Wal-
dow's I mentioned in a former are Mr. Danl
Waldo's daughters (very pretty misses) their
mamma was Miss Bccca Salisbury.^^ After
making a short visit with my Aunt at Mrs

Green's

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. yx

Green's, over the way, yesterday towards
evening, I took a walk with cousin Sally to
see the good folks in Sudbury Street, & found
them all well. I had my HEDDUS roll on,
aunt Storer said it ought to be made less,
Aunt Deming said it ought not to be made
at all. It makes my head itch, & ach, & burn
like anything Mamma. This famous roll is
not made ivJiolly of a red Coiv Tail, but is a
mixture of that, & horsehair (very course) &
a little human hair of yellow hue, that I sup-
pose was taken out of the back part of an old

wig. But D made it (our head) all carded

together and twisted up. When it first came
home, aunt put it on, & my new cap on it,
she then took up her apron & mesur'd me,
& from the roots of my hair on my forehead
to the top of my notions, I mesur'd above an
inch longer than I did downwards from the
roots of my hair to the end of my chin.
Nothing renders a young person more ami-
able than virtue & modesty without the help
of fals hair, red Cozv tail, or D (the bar-
ber)."* Now all this mamma, I have just
been reading over to my aunt. She is pleas'd
with my whimsical description & grave (half

grave

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW.

V\\

grave) improvement, & hopes a little fals
English will not spoil the whole with Mamma.
Rome was not built in a day.

3r^ May. — Monday last I was at the fac-
tory to see a piece of cloth cousin Sally spun
for a summer coat for unkle. After viewing
the work we recollected the room we sat down
in was Libberty Assembly Hall, otherwise
called factory hall, so Miss Gridley & I did our-
selves the Honour of dancing a minuet in it.
On tuesday I made Mrs Smith my morning
& p. m. visits as usual, neither Mr. Holbrook
nor Turner have any school this week, nor
till tuesday next. I spent yesterday with my
friends in sudbury St. Cousin Frank has
got a fever, aunt Storer took an emmetick
while I was there, cousin Betsy had violent
pains almost all the forenoon. Last tuesday
Miss Ursula Griswold, daughter of the right
Hon. Matthew Griswold Esq governer of one
of his Majesty's provinces, was made one of
our family, & I have the honor of being her
chambermade. I have just been reading
over what I wrote to the company present, &
have got myself laughed at for my ignorance.
It seems T should have said the daughter of

the

DIARY OF ANNA GREEN WINSLOW. 73

the Hon Lieu*. Governor of Connecticutt.
Mrs Dixon lodg'd at Capn Mitchell's. She
is gone to Connecticutt long since.

31 May. — I spent the afternoon at unkle
Joshua's, yesterday, after tea I went to see
how aunt Storer did. I found her well at
Unkle Frank's. Mr Gerrish & wife of Hali-
fax I had the pleasure to meet there, the lat-
ter sends love to you. Indeed Mamma, till
I receiv'd your last favour, I never heard a
word about the little basket &c. which I sent
to brother Johny last fall. I suppose Harry
had so much to write about cotton, that he
forgot what was of more consequence. Dear
Mamma, what name has Mr Bent given his
Son .-* something like Nehemiah, or Jehosha-
phat, I suppose, it must be an odd name (our
head indeed, Mamma.) Aunt says she hopes
it a'nt Baal Gad, & she also says that I am
a little simpleton for making my note within
the brackets above, because, when I omit to
do it, Mamma will think I have the help of
somebody else's head but, N. B. for herself
she utterly disclames having either her head
or hand concern'd in this curi is journal,
except v/here the writing makes it manifest.
So much for this matter.

l:i!

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V ' ' '! ''

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Iv' .■

CUT-rAI'F.K I'ICTURE

h. -if I

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NOTES.

Note i.
Aunt Deming was Sarah, the oldest child of John
Winslow and Sarah Peirce, and therefore sister of
Joshua Winslow, Anna Green Winslow's father.
She was born August 2, 1722, died March 10, 1788.
She married John West, and after his death married,
on February 27, 1752, John Deming. He was a re-
spectable and intelligent Boston citizen, but not a
wealthy man. He was an ensign in the Ancient and
Honorable Artillery in 1771, and a deacon of the
Old South Church in 1769, both of which offices were
patents of nobility in provincial Boston. They lived
in Central Court, leading out of Washington Street,
just south of Summer Street. Aunt Deming eked
out a limited income in a manner dear to Boston gen-
tlewomen in those and in later days ; she took young
ladies to board while they attended Boston schools.
Advertisements in colonial newspapers of "Board
and half-board for young ladies " were not rare, and
many good old New England names are seen in
these advertisements. Aunt Deming was a woman
of much judgment, as is shown in the pages of this
diary ; of much power of graphic description, as is

proved

AOJ£S.

:fl|

proved by a short journal written for her niece, Sally
Coverly, an*-' ' "s of hers which are still preserved.
She died c ,.is.

Note 2.

Cumberland was the home in Nova Scotia of Anna
Green Winslow's parents, where her father held the
position of commissary to the British regiments sta-
tioned there. George Green, Anna's uncle, writing
to Joseph Green, at Paramaribo, on July 23, 1770,
said: "Mr. Winslow & wife still remain at Cumber-
land, have one son & one daughter, the last now at
Boston for schooling, &c." So, at the date of the
first entry in the diary, Anna had been in Boston
probably about a year and a half.

Note 3.

Anna Green Winslow had doubtless heard much
talk about this Rev. John Bacon, the new minister
at the Old South Church, for much had been said
about him in the weekly press: whether he should
have an ordination dinner or not, and he did not;
accounts of his ordination ; and then notice of the sale
of his sermons in the Boston Gazette.

All Mr. Bacon's parishioners did not share Anna's
liking for him ; he found himself at the Old South in
sorely troubled waters. He made a most unpropi-
tious and trying entrance at best, through succeeding
the beloved Joseph Sewall, who had preached to Old
South listeners for fifty-six years. He came to town
a stranger. When, a month later, Governor Hutchin-
son

\-:\

A'OTES.

son issued his annual Thanksgiving Proclamation,
there was placed therein an "exceptionable clause"
that was very offensive to Boston patriots, relating
to the continuance of civil and religious liberties. It
had always been the custom to have the Proclama-
tion read by the ministers in the Boston churches for
the two Sundays previous to Thanksgiving Day, but
the ruling governor very cannily managed to get two
Boston clergymen to read his proclamation the third
Sunday before the appointed day, when all the church
members, being unsuspectingly present, had to listen
to the unwelcome words. One of these clerical in-
struments of gubernatorial diplomacy and craft was
John Bacon. Samuel Adams wrote bitterly of him,
saying, " He performed this servile task a week be-
fore the time, when the people were not aware of it."
The Boston Gazette of November ii commented
severely on Mr. Bacon's action, and many of his
congregation were disgus<^"d with him, and remained
after the service to talk ti e Proclamation and their
unfortunate new minister over.

It might have been offered, one might think, as
some excuse, that he had so recently come from
Maryland, and was probably unacquainted with the
intenseness of Massachusetts politics ; and that he
had also been a somewhat busy and preoccupied man
during his six weeks' presence in Boston, for he had
been marrying a wife, — or rather a widow. In the
Boston Evening Post of November ii, 1771, I read
this notice : " Married, the Rev'd John Bacon to Mrs.
Elizabeth Cummings, daughter of Ezekiel Goldthwait,
Esq." He

' I

I I

NOTES.

He retained his pastorate, however, in spite of lus
early mistake, throu,L,^h anxious tea-party excitement
and forlorn war-threatened days, till 1775, with but
scant popularity and slight happiness, with bitter
differences of opinion with his people over atonement
and imputation, and that ever-present stumbling-block
to New England divines, — baptism under the Half
Covenant, — till he was asked to resign.

Nor did he get on over smoothly with his fellow
minister, John Hunt. In a curious poem of the day,
called "Boston Ministers" (which is reprinted in the
New England Historical and Genealogical Register
of April, 1859), these verses appear: —

At Old South there 's a jarring pair,

If I am not mistaken,
One may descry with half an eye

That Hunt is far from 15acon.
Wise Hunt can trace out means of grace

As leading to conversion,
But Hopkins scheme is Bacons theme.

And strange is his assertion.

It mattered little, however, that Parson Bacon had to
leave the Old South, for that was soon no longer a
church, but a riding school for the British troops.

Mr. Bacon retired, after his dismissal, to Canter-
bury, Conn., his birthplace. His friendly intimacy
with Mrs. Deming proved of value to her, for when
she left Boston, in April, 1775, '^t the time of the
closing of tlie city gates, she met Mr, Bacon in Provi-
dence. She says in her journal : —

" Towards

A'OTES.

•'Towards evening Mr & M" Bacon, with their
dauglitcr, came into town. IMr Bacon came to see
me. Enquir'd into my designs, (Sec. I told himlruely
I did not know what to do. Tliat I had thot of
giting farther into the country. Of trying to place
Sally in some family where she might earn her board,
& to do something like it for Lucinda, or put her
out upon wages. That when I left the plain I had
some faint hope I might hear from Mr Doming while
I continued at Providence, but that I had little of
that hope remaining. M"" Bacon advised me to go
into Connecticutt, the very thing I was desirous of.
Mr Bacon sd that he would advise me for the present
to go to Canterbury, his native place. That he would
give me a Letter to his Sister, who wouLl receive me
kindly & treat me tenderly, & that he would follow
me there in a few days."

This advice Mrs. Deming took, and made Canter-
bury her temporary home.

Mr. Bacon did not again take charge of a parish.
After the Revolution he became a magistrate, went
to the legislature, became judge of the court of com-
mon pleas, and a member of congress. He did not
wholly give up his disputatious ways, if we can judge
from the books written by and to him, one of the
latter being, " A Droll, a Deist, and a John Bacon,
Master of Arts, Gently Reprimanded."

His wife, who was born in 1733, ^^id died in Stock-
bridge in 1 82 1, was the daughter of Ezekicl Gold-
thwait, a Tory citizen of Boston, a register of deeds,
and a wealthy merchant. A portrait of Mrs. Bacon,

painted

NOTES.

painted by Copley, is remarkable for its brilliant eyes
and beautiful hands and arms.

Note 4.
Rev. John Hunt was born in Northampton, Novem-
ber 20, 1744. He was a Harvard graduate in the class
of 1764, a classmate of Caleb Strong and John Scol-
lay. He was installed colleague-pastor of the Old
South Church with John Bacon in 1771. He found
it a most trying position. He was of an amiable and
gentle disposition, and the poem on " Boston Minis-
ters " asserted that he " most friends with sisters
made." Another Boston rhymester called him "puny
John from Northampton, a meek-mouth moderate
man." When the gates of Boston were closed in
1775, after the battle of Lexington, he returned to
Northampton, and died there of consumption, Decem-
ber 20, 1775. A full account of his life is given in
Sprague's A finals of the Avierican Pulpit. See also
Note 3.

Note 5.
" Unkle and Aunt Winslow" were Mr. and Mrs.
John Winslow. He was the brother of Joshua Wins-
low, was born March, 1725-26, died September 29,
1773, in Boston. He was married, on March 12, 1752,
to Elizabeth Mason (born September, 1723, died
January, 17S0). They had five children: I. Gen.
John Winslow, born September 26, 1753, married
Ann Gardner, May 21, 1782, died November 29,
1819. II. Sarah, born April 12, 1755, married Dea-
con

NOTES.

con Samuel Coverly, of^ Boston, on November 27,
1787, died April 3, 1804. See Note 13. III. Henry,
born January ir, 1757, died October 13, 1766. IV.
Elizabeth, born November 28, 1759, died September
8, 1760. V. Elizabeth, born September 14, 1760,
married John Holland, died November 21, 1795.

Gen. John Winslow was the favorite nephew of
Joshua Winslow and of his wife, and largely inherited
their property. He remained in Boston through the
siege, and preserved the communion plate of the Old
South Church by burying it in his uncle Mason's
cellar. He was an ardent patriot, and it is said that
his uncle Joshua threatened to hang him if he caught
him during the Revolutionary War. The nephew
answered, "No catchee — no hangee, Uncle;" but
did have the contrary fortune of capturing the uncle,
whom he released on parole. He was the sixth
signer and first treasurer of the Society of the Cincin-
nati. General Winslow's daughter, Mary Ann Wins-
low, born in 1790, lived till 1882, and from her were
obtained many of the facts given in these notes.

Note 6.
Miss Soley was Hannah Soley, daughter of John
Soley and Hannah Carey, who were married October
II, 1759. Hannah Soley was born June 5, 1762, and
married W. G. McCarty,

Note 7.
William and Samuel Whitwell and their families
were members of the Old South Church, and all were

friends

NOTES.

friends of the Winslows and Demings. William
Whitwell was born September 3, 1714, died April 10,
1795. He was a prosperous merchant, an estimable
and useful citizen, and church member. His first wife
was Rebecca Keayne, his second Elizabeth Scott (or
Swett), who died May 13, 1771 ; his third, the widow
of Royal Tyler. The Mrs. Whitwell here referred to
must have been Mrs. Samuel Whitwell, for William
Whitwell just at that interval was a widower. Sam-
uel Whitwell was born December 17, o. s. 171 7, died
June 8, 1801. His first wife was Elizabeth Kelsey;
his second, Sarah Wood ; his third, Mary Smith.

Note 8.
Polly Deming was a niece of John Deming.

Note 9.
Miss Polly Glover was Mary Glover, born in Bos-
ton, October 12, 1758, baptized at the Old South
Church, married to Deacon James Morrell, of the
Old South, on April 23, 1778, and died April 3,
1842. She was the daughter of Nathaniel Glover
(who was born May 16, 1704, in Dorchester; died
December, 1773), and his wife, Anne Simpson. They
were married in 1750. Nathaniel Glover was a grad-
uate of Harvard, and a wealthy man ; partner first of
Thomas Hancock, and then of John Hancock.

Note 10.
Miss Bessy Winslowwas Elizabeth, Anna's cousin,
who was then about ten years old. See Note 5.

Note

NOTES.

Note ii.
Miss Nancy or Anne Glover was Mary Glover's
sister. See Note 9. She was born in Boston, March
28, 1753, baptized in the Old South Church, died in
Roxbury, August, 1797. She married Samuel Whit-
well, Jr., son of Samuel Whitwell, a prominent Bos-
ton merchant. See Note 7.

Note 12.
Miss Sally Winslow was Sarah, daughter of John
Winslow (see Note 5), and was, therefore, Anna's
cousin. She was born April 12, 1755, died April 3,
1804. She married, November 27, 1787, Samuel
Coverly, deacon of the Old South Church. She was
the Sally Coverly for whom Mrs. Deming's journal
was written. Several of Sally Coverly's letters still
exist, and are models of elegant penmanship and cor-
rect spelling, and redound to the credit of her writing
teacher. Master Holbrook. All the d's and y's and
t's end with elaborately twisted little curls. A care-
ful margin of an inch is left on every side. The let-
ters speak so plainly of the formal honor and respect
paid by all well-bred persons of the day to their
elders, even though familiar kinsfolk, that I quote
one, which contains much family news ; —

Boston, Feb. 17th, 1780.
I thank you my dear Aunt for your kind Epistles
of April 9th & Nov'r loth, the kind interestedness
you yet continue to take in my concerns n; nts the
warmest returns of Gratitude.

The

if
1

1 1

, i\ '1

V . i'-

NOTES.

The Particular circumstances you wish to know I
shall with pleasure inform you of — Mr. Coverly is the
youngest son of a Worthy Citizen late of this town
but his Parents are now no more. His age is thirty-
five. His Occupation a Shopkeeper who imports
his own goods. And if you should wish to know who
of your acquaintance he resembles, Madam, I would
answer He has been taken for our Minister Mr Eck-
ley, by whom we were married in my Aunt Demings
sick chamber the 27th of Nov'r last twelve months
since. He has two Brothers who both reside in town.
I have been remarkably favor'd the last year as to
my health & we are blest likewise with a fine little
Daughter between 4 & 5 months old, very healthy,
which we have named Elizabeth for its Grandmamas
and an Aunt of each side. My Brother call'd today
& inform'd me that M"" Powell intended setting out
tomorrow for Quebeck & left a Letter for you which
I shall send with this. He is almost if not quite as
big as my uncle was last time I saw him — he was well
& his family, he has three sons, the youngest about
eleven months old, he has buried one.

In your last you mention both my Uncle & your-
self as not enjoying so great a share of health. I
hope by this time you have each regain'd that bless-
ing more perfectly. Be pleased with him My Dear
Aunt to accept My Duty in which Mr Coverly joins
me.

My Sister was very well last week & her son John
who is a fine child about 3 months old. Capt. Hol-
land has purchased a house near fort hill which lias

remov'd

11:^

NOTES.

)hn
[ol-
|has
)v"d

remov'd her to a greater distance from me. She is
now gone to the West-indies, she is connected in a
family that are all very fond of her. We expect soon
to remove. Mr Coverly has taken a lease of a
house for some years belonging to Mr John Amory,
you will please to direct your next for us in Cornhill
No 10, I shall have the pleasure of your friend Mrs
Whitwell for my next neighbor there. I had not the
pleasure of seeing Mr Freeman whiles here altho' I
expected it, as his brother promis'd to wait on him
here.

In one of your kind Epistles, Madam, you men-
tion'd some of your Movables which you would wi h
me to take possession of which were at my LxiCle
Demings. The Memorandum you did not send me
& my Uncle Deming has none nor knows of any
thing but a great wheel.

He is now maried to the Widow Sebry who is very
much lik'd and appears to be a Gentlewoman, they
were very well today. My Aunt Mason was to see
me a few wi:eks since witli Mrs Coburn Mrs ScoUy
& Miss Becky Scolly from Middleborough. Mrs
Scolly has since married her youngest daughter to
M*" Prentice, Minister of Medfield.

Please to give my Love to Cousin Sally Deming if
she is yet with you I hope she has regain'd her usual
health. I should be very glad to be informed how
her Mamma is & where & her family.

Be pleased to continue your Indulgence, as your

Epistles

hll

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NOTES.

Epistles My Dear Aunt will at all times be most
gratefully receiv'd by

Yr Oblidg'd Niece

Sarah Coverly.

Note 13.
Josiah Waters, Jr., was the son of Josiah and Abi-
gail Dawes Waters. The latter lived to be ninety-
live years old. Josiah Sr. was a captain in the Artil-
lery Company in 1769, and Josiah Jr. in 1791. The
latter married, on March 14, 1771, Mary, daughter of
William and Elizabeth Whitwell. See Note 7.
Their child, Josiah Waters, tertius, born December
29, 1 77 1, lived till August 4, 181 8. He was a Latin
School boy, and in the class with Josiah Quincy at
Harvard.

Note 14.

The life of this slave-girl Lucinda was a fair exam-
ple of the gentle form of slavery which existed till
t^ is century in our New England States. From an
old paper written by a daughter of Gen. John Wins-
low, I quote her description of this girl : —

" Lucinda was born in Africa and purchased by
Mrs Deming when she was about seven years of
age. She was cherished with care and affection by
the family, and at Mrs. Demings death was 'given
her freedom.' From that time she chose to mako
her home with * Master John ' (the late Gen. John
Winslow, of Boston), a nephew of Mrs Demings —
at his house she died after some years. The friends

^1 ^:^

3 s .:ii

NOTES. 8y

of the Winslow family attended her funeral ; her pas-
tor the Rev Dr Eckley of the Old South and Gen.
W. walking next the hearse as chief mourners. A
few articles belonging to her are preserved in the
family as memorials of one who was a beloved mem-
ber of the household in the olden time."

Lucinda figures in Mrs. Deming's account of her
escape from besieged Boston in 1775, and was treated
with as m.uch consideration as was Sally, the niece ;
for her mistress remained behind for a time at
Wrentham, rather than to allow Lucinda to ride out-
side the coach in the rain.

In a letter written by Sally Coverly, August 6,
1795) to Mrs. Joshua Winslow, at Quebec, she says :
"You enquire about Lucinda, she is very much grat-
ified by it. She has lived with my Brother this ten
years and is very good help in their family."

iven
nake
ohn
s —
ends
of

Note 15.

The " Miss Sheafs " were Nancy and Mary Sheaffe,
youngest daughters of William Sheaffe, who had re-
cently died, leaving a family of four sons and six
daughters. He had been deputy collector of customs
under Joseph Harrison, the last royal collector of the
port. He left his family penniless, and a small shop
was stocked by friends for Mrs Sheaft'^. I have
often seen her advertisements in Boston newspapers.

Mrs. Sheaffe was Susanna Child, daughter of
Thomas Child; an Englishman, one of the founders
of Trinity Church. She lived till 181 1. The ten
children grew up to fill dignified positions in life.

One

; 5

■ 1

i !

ll:'

i t ' ; ■

NOTES.

One son was Sir Roger Hale Sheaffe. Susanna, at
the a!>;e of fifteen, made a most romantic runaway
match with an English officer, Capt. Ponsonby Moles-
worth. Margaret married John R. Livingstone ; she
was a great beauty. Lafayette, on his return to
France, sent her a satin cardinal lined with ermine,
and an elegant gown. Helen married James Lovell.
(See Note 52.) Nancy, or Anne Sheaffe, married, in
September, 1786, John Erving, Jr., a nephew of
Governor Shirley, and died young, leaving three chil-
dren, — Maria, Frances, and Major John Erving.
Mary married Benj. Cutler, high sheriff of Boston,
and died December 8, 1784, leaving no children.
These Sheaffes were nearly all buried in the Child
tomb in Trinity Church.

Note 16.
Governor Matthew Griswold wa.s born March 25,
1714, died April 28, 1799. He married, on Nov. 10,
1743, ^^'s second cousin, Ursula Wolcott, daughter of
Gov. Roger Wolcott. A very amusing story is told
of their courtship. Governor Griswold in early life
wished to marry a young lady in Durham, Conn.
She was in love with a physician, whom she hoped
would propose to her, and in the mean time was un-
willing to give up her hold upon her assured lover.
At last the governor, tired of being held in an uncer-
tainty, pressed her for a definite answer. She pleaded
that she wished for more time, when he rose with
dignity and answered lier, " I will give you a life-
time." This experience made him extremely shy,

and

1 ;

\ j

XOTES. 89

and when thrown with his cousin Ursula he made no
advance towards love-making. At last when she was
nineteen and he ten years older she began asking
him on every occasion, " What did you say, Cousin
Matthew?" and he would answer her quietly, "No-
thing." At last she asked him impatiently, "What
did you say, Cousin Matthew ? " and when he answered
again "Nothing," she replied sharply, "Well, it's
time you did," — and he did.

Their daughter Ursula, the visitor at Mrs. Dem-
ing's, was born April 13, 1754, and was a great
beauty. She married, in November 22, 1777, her
third cousin, Lynde McCurdy, of Norwich, Conn.

Note 17.

" Unkle Joshua " was Joshua Green, born in Bos-
ton, May 17, 1 73 1, "Monday^ past 9 oclock in the
morng " and died in Wendell, Mass., on September
2, 181 1. He attended the Boston Latin Scliool in
1738, and was in the class of 1749 at Harvard. He
married, as did his brother and sister, a Storer —
Hannah, daughter of Ebenezer and Mary Edwards
Storer — on October 7, 1762. After his marriage he
lived in Court Street, the third house south of Han-
over Street. His wife Hannah was for many years
before and after her marriage — as was her mother —
the intimate friend and correspondent of Abigail
Adams, wife of John Adams. Some of their letters
may be found in the Account of Percival and Ellen
Green and Some of their Descendants, written by Hon.
Samuel Abbott Green, who is a great-grandson of
Joshua and Hannah Green. Note

u-i

jVO tes.

Note 18.
Madam Storcr was Mary Edwards Storer, the
widow of Ebenezer Storer, a Boston merchant. She
was the mother of Anna's uncle Ebenezer Storer, of
her aunt Hannah Storer Green, and of her aunt
Mary Storer Green. See Notes 19, 32, 59.

Note 19.
Miss Caty Vans was the granddaughter of Hugh
Vans, a mercliant of Boston, who became a member
of the Old South Church in 172S. He was born in
Ayr, Scotland, in 1699. He married Mary Pember-
ton, daughter of Rev. Ebenezer Pemberton, and died
in Boston in 1763. They had four sons, John, Eben-
ezer, Samuel, and William. One of the first three
was the father of Caty Vans, who was born January 18,
1770. There are frequent references to her through-
out the diary, but I know nothing of her life. William
Vans married Mary Clarke, of Salem, and had one son,
William, and one daughter, Rebecca, who married
Captain Jonathan Carnes. The Vans family Bible is
in the library of the Essex Institute.

Note 20.

In the cordial hatred of the Puritans for Christmas
Anna heartily joined. It was not till this century
that in New England cheerful merriment and the
universal exchange of gifts marked the day as a real
holiday.

Note

NOTES.

Note 21.

"Aunt Sukey" was Susanna Green, born July 26,
1744, died November 10, 1775. She married, on Oc-
tober 18, 17C9, her cousin, Francis Green. The little
child Charles, of whom Anna writes, proved to be a
deaf-mute, and was drowned near Halifax in 1787.
Francis Green had two deaf-mute children by a second
wife, and became prominent afterwards in Massachu-
setts for his interest in and promotion of methods in
instructing the deaf. In a letter of George Green's,
dated Boston, July 23, 1 770, we read : " Frank Green
was married to Sukey in October last and they live
next house to Mi's Storers." From another, dated
December 5, 1770: "Frank keeps a ship going be-
tween here & London, but I believe understands little
of the matter, having never been bred to business wch
was one great objection with my father to his court-
ing Sukey." I think he must have developed into a
capable business man, lor I have frequently seen his
business advertisements in Boston newspapers of his
day. Anna's mother bequeathed seven hundred and
fifty dollars to Francis Green in her will. He was a
man universally esteemed in the community.

Note 22.
Dr. Samuel Cooper was born March 28, 1725 ; died
December 29, 1783. He graduated at Harvard in
1743, and became pastor of the Brattle Street Con-
gregational Church, of Boston. He was a brilliant
preacher, an ardent patriot, the intimate friend of
John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, and a very hand-
some man. Note

NOTES.

H •

f» 1

S '

Note 23.

Master Holbrook was Samuel Holbrook, Anna's
writing-master, on"" of a liiglily honored family of
Boston writing teachers. Porliaps the best known of
this family was Ahiah Holbrook. In the Boston
Ga::ct/eoi January 30, 1769, I find this notice : —

" Last Friday morning died Mr Abiah Holbrook in
the 51st year of his Age, Master of the South Writing
School in this Town. He was looked upon by the
Best Judges as the Greatest Master of the Pen we
have ever had among us, of which he has left a most
beautiful Demonstration. He was indefatigable in
his labours, successful in his Instruc''ons, an Honour
to the Town and to crown all an Ornament to the
Religion of Jesus. His Funeral is to be Attended
Tomorrow Afternoon at Four Oclock."

The " beautiful Demonstration " of his penmanship
which he left behind him was a most intricate piece
of what was known as " fine knotting " or *' knot
work." It was written in "all the known hands of
Great Britain." This work occupied every moment
of what Abiah Holbrook railed his "spare time" for
seven years. It was valued at ;^ioo. It was be-
queathed to Harvard College, unless his wife should
need the money which could be obtained from selling
it. If this were so, she was to offer it first for pur-
chase to John Hancock. Abiah was a stanch patriot.

Samuel Holbrook was a brother of Abiah. He
began teaching in 1745, when about eighteen years
old. A petition of Abiah, dated March 10, 1745-46,
sets forth that his school had two hundred and twenty

scholars

I' i

NO TEH.

ing

scholars (Well may his funeral notice say that he was
indefati/^ablein his labors!), that finding it impossible
to properly instruct such a great number, he had ap-
pointed his brother to teach part of them and had
paid his board for seven months, else some of the
scholars must have been turned off without any in-
struction. He therefore prayed the town to grant
him assistance. Think of one master for such a
great school! In 1750 Samuel Holbrook's salary as
usher of the South Writing School was tifty pounds
per annum.

After serving as writing-master of the school in
Queen Street, and also keeping a private school, he
was chosen master of the South Writing School in
March, 1769, to supply the place of his brother Abiah
deceased. His salary was one hundred pounds. In
1776, and again in 1777, he received eighty pounds in
addition to his salary. He also was a patriot. He
was one of the " Sons of Liberty " who dined at the
Liberty Tree, Dorchester, on August 14, 1769; and
he was a member of Captain John Haskin's company
in 1773. He was a member of the Old South Church,
and he died July 24, 1784. In his later years he kept
a school at West Street, where afterwards was Amos
Lawrence's garden.

Abiah and Samuel left behind them better dem-
onstrations of their capacity than pieces of " knot-
work " — in the handwriting of their scholars. They
taught what Jonathan Snelling described as " Boston
Style of Writing," and loudly do the elegant letters
and signatures of their scholars, Boston patriots,

clergy,

It' '!

NOTES.

clergy, and statesmen, redound to the credit of the
Masters Holbrook.

Other Holbrooks taught in Boston. From the
Selectmen's Minutes of that little town, we find that
on November lo, 1773, —

<' Mr Holbrook, Master of the Writing School in
the Common, and Mr Carter the Master Elect of the
school in Queen St having recommended Mr Abiah
Holbrook, a young man near of age, as a suitable
person to be usher at Mr Carters school — the Select-
men sent for him, and upon discoursing with the
young man thought proper to appoint him usher of
said school."

And from the Boston Gasette^ of April 17, 1769, we
learn that Mr. Joseph Ward "Opened an English
Grammar School in King St where Mr Joseph Hol-
brook hath for many years kept a Writing School."

These entries of Anna's relating to her attending
Master Holbrook's school have an additional value in
that they prove that both boys and girls attended
these public writing schools, — a fact which has been
disputed.

Note 24.

Dr. James M. Lloyd, born March 14, 1728, died
March 14, 1810. He began his medical practice in
1752. He was appointed surgeon of the garrison at
Boston, and was a close friend of Sir William Howe
and Earl Percy, who for a time lived in his house.
He was an Episcopalian, and one of the indignant
protesters against the alteration of the liturgy at
King's Chapel. Though a warm Tory and Loyalist,

i'J

NOTES.

he was never molested by the American government.
He was one of Boston's most skilful and popular
physicians for many years. While other city doctors
got but a shilling and sixpence for their regular fee,
he charged and received the exorbitant sum of half
a dollar a visit ; and for " bringing little master to
town," in which function he was a specialist, he
charged a guinea.

Note 25.
A pincushion was for many years, and indeed is
still, in some parts of New England, a highly conven-
tional gift to a mother with a young babe. Mrs.
Deming must have made many of these cushions.
One of her manufacture still exists. It is about five
inches long and three inches wide ; one side is of
white silk stuck around the edge with old-fashioned
clumsy pins, with the words, "John Winslow March
1783. Welcome Little Stranger." The other side is
of gray satin with green spots, with a cluster of pins
in the centre, and other pins winding around in a vine
and forming a row round the edge.

Note 26.
Though the exchange of Christmas gifts was rare
in New England, a certain observance of New Year's
Day by gifts seems to have obtained. And we find
in Judge Sewall's diary that he was greeted on New
Year's morn with a levet, or blast of trumpets, under
his window; and he celebrated the opening of the
eighteenth century with a very poor poem of his own

composition,

■. i, i

NOTES.

composition, which he caused to be recited through
Boston streets by the town-crier.

Note 27.
The word " pompedore " or Pompadour was in con-
stant use in that day. We read of pompedore shoes,
laces, capes, aprons, sacques, stockings, and head-
dresses.

Note 28.

Aunt Storer was Mrs. Ebenezer Storer. Her mai-
den name was Elizabeth Green. She was a sister of
Mrs. Joshua Winslow. She was born October 12,
1734, died December 8, 1774; was married July 17,
1 75 1, to Ebenezer Storer, who was born January 27,
1729-30, died January 6, 1807. He was a Harvard
graduate, and was for many years treasurer of that
college. He was one of Boston's most intellectual
and respected citizens. His library was large. His
name constantly appears on the lists of subscribers
to new books. After his death his astronomical in-
struments became the property of Harvard College,
and as late as 1843 his comet-finder was used there.

As Anna Green Winslow spent so much of her
time in her *' Aunt Storers " home in Sudbury Street,
it is interesting to know that a very correct picture
of this elegant Boston home of colonial days has
been preserved through the account given in the
Memoir of Eliza Susan Morton Quincy^ — though
many persons still living remember the house : —

"The mansion of Ebenezer Storer, an extensive

edifice

NOTES.

ve
Ice

edifice of wood three stories in height, was erected in
1700. It was situated on Sudbury Street between
two trees of great size and antiquity. An old English
elm of uncommon height and circumference grew in
the sidewalk of the street before the mansion, and
behind it was a sycamore tree of almost equal age
and dimensions. It fronted to the south with one
end toward the street. From the gate a broad walk
of red sandstone separated it from a grass-plot which
formed the courtyard, and passed the front door to
the office of Mr. Storer. The vestibule of the house,
from which a staircase ascended, opened on either
side into the dining and drawing rooms. Both had
windows towards the courtyard and also opened by
glazed doors into a garden behind the house. They
were long low apartments ; the walls wainscoted and
panelled; the furniture of carved mahogany. The
ceilings were traversed through the length of the
rooms by a large beam cased and finished like the
walls ; and from the centre of each depended a glass
globe which reflected as in a convex mirror all sur-
rounding objects. There was a rich Persian carpet
in the drawing-room, the colors crimson and green.
The curtains and the cushions of the window-seat
were of green damask ; and oval mirrors and giran-
doles and a teaset of rich china completed the furni-
ture of that apartment. The wide chimney-place in
the dining room was lined and ornamented with
Dutch tiles; and on each side stood capacious arm-
chairs cushioned and covered with green damask, for
the master and mistress of the family. On the walls

were

i- ■

. u

NOTES.

were portraits in crayon by Copley, and valuable
engravings representing Franklin with his lightning
rod, Washington, and other eminent men of the last
century. Between the windows hung a long mirror
in a mahogany frame ; and opposite the fireplace was
a buffet ornamented with porcelain statuettes and a
set of rich china. A large apartment in the second
story was devoted to a valuable library, a philoso-
phical apparatus, a collection of engravings, a solar
microscope, a camera, etc."

As I read this description I seem to see the figure
of our happy little diary-writer reflected in the great
glass globes that hung from the summer-trees, while
she danced on the Persian carpet, or sat curled up
reading on the cushioned window-seat.

Note 29.

As this was in the time of depreciated currency,
£\^ was not so large a sum to spend for a young
girl's outfit as would at first sight appear.

Note 30.
Dr. Charles Chauncey was born January i, 1705;
died February 10, 1787. He graduated at Harvard in
1 72 1, and soon became pastor of the First Church in
Boston. He was an equally active opponent of White-
field and of Episcopacy. He was an ardent and ro-
mantic patriot, yet so plain in his ways and views that
he wished Paradise Lost might be turned into prose
that he might understand it.

Note

NOTES.

Note 31.
Rev. Ebenezer Pemberton was pastor of the New
Brick Church. He had a congregation of stanch
Whigs ; but unluckily, the Tory Governor Hutchin-
son also attended his church. Dr. Pemberton was
the other minister of the two who sprung the Govern-
or's hated Thanksgiving proclamation of 1771 on their
parishes a week ahead of time, as told in Note 3,
and the astounded and disgusted New Brick hearers,
more violent than the Old South attendants, walked
out of meeting while it was being read. Dr. Pem-
berton's troubled and unhappy pastorate came to an
end by the closing of his church in war times in 1775.
He was of the 1721 class of Harvard College. He
died September 9, 1777.

Note 32.
We find frequent references in the writings and
newspapers of ihe times to this truly Puritanical dread
of bishops. To the descendants of the Pilgrims the
very name smacked of incense, stole, and monkish
jargon. A writer, signing himself " America," gives
in the Boston Evening Post, of October 14, 1771, a
communication thoroughly characteristic of the spirit
of the community against the establishment of bish-
ops, the persistent determination to •' beate down
every sprout of episcopacie."

Note 33.
A negligde was a loose gown or sacque open in
front, to be worn over a handsome petticoat ; and in

spite

I' !

!.■

'81 * ■

.. h*'

( I

i I

100

NOTES:

spite of its name, was not only in high fashion for
many years, but was worn for full dress. Abigail
Adams, writing to Mrs. Storer, on January 20, 1785,
says : " Trimming is reserved for full dress only,
when very large hoops and negligees with trains three
yards long are worn." I find advertised in the Boston
Evening Post, as early as November, 1755: " Horse-
hair Quilted Coats to wear with Negligees." A poem
printed in New York in 1 756 has these lines : —

" Put on her a Shepherdee
A Short Sack or Negligee
Ruffled high to keep her warm
Eight or ten about an arm."

Note 34.
A pistoreen was a Spanish coin worth about seven-
teen cents.

Note ^s.

There exists in New England a tradition of "groan-
ing cake," made and baked in honor of a mother
and babe. These cakes which Anna bought of the
nurse may have been "groaning cakes." It was al-
ways customary at that time to give " vails " to the
nurse ^'hen visiting a new-born child ; sometimes
gifts of money, often of trinkets and articles of cloth-
ing.

Note 36.

Miss " Scolley " was Mary Scollay, youngest of the
thirteen children of John Scollay (who was born in

1712

NOTES.

lOI

1 71 2, died October, 1799), and his wife Mary. Mary
was born in 1759. She married Rev. Thomas Pren-
tiss on February 9, 1798, had nine children, and lived
to be eighty-two years old — dying in 1841. Her
sister Mercy was engaged to be married to General
Warren, but he fell at Bunker Hill: and his betrothed
devoted herself afterwards to the care and education
of his orphaned children whom he had by his first
wife.

Note 37.
Miss Bella Coffin was probably Isabella, daughter
of John Coffin and Isabella Child, who were married
in 1750. She married Major MacMurde, and their
sons were officers in India.

Note 38.
This Miss "Quinsey" was Ann Quincy, the daugh-
ter of Col. Josiah Quincy (who was born 1710, died
1784), and his third wife, Ann Marsh. Ann was born
December 8, i 'jdi, and thus would have been in her
ninth year at the time of the little rout. She married
the Rev. Asa Packard, of Marlborough, Mass., in
1790.

Note 39.
In the universal use of wines and strong liquors in
New England at that date children took unrestrain-
edly their proportionate part. It seems strange to
think of this girl assembly of little Bostonians drink-
ing wine and hot or cold punch as part of their

" treat,"

ii)

V i I

\i-\\

';' 'Ii

;

(

1, ^:

102

NOTES.

" treat," yet no doubt they were well accustomed to
such fare. I know of a little girl of still tenderer
years who was sent at that same time from the Bar-
badoes to her grandmother's house in Boston to be
"finished" in Boston schools, as was Anna, and who
loft her relative's abode in high dudgeon because she
was not permitted to have wine at her meals ; and her
parents upheld her, saying Missy must be treated
like a lady and have all the wine she wished. Cob-
bett, who thought liquor drinking the national disease
of America, said that " at all hours of the day little
boys at or under twelve years of age go into stores
and tip off their drams." Thus it does not seem
strange for little maids also to drink at a party. The
temperance awakening of this century came none too
soon.

Note 40.
Paste ornaments were universally worn by both
men and women, as well as by little girls, and formed
the decoration of much of the headgear of fashion-
able dames. Many advertisements appear in New
England newspapers, which show how large and
varied was the importation of hair ornaments at that
date. We find advertised in the Boston Evetiing
Post., of 1768: "Double and single row knotted
Paste Combs, Paste Hair Sprigs & Pins all prices.
Marcasite and Pearl Hair Sprigs, Garnet & Pearl
Hair Sprigs." In the Salcvi Gazette and various
Boston papers I read of " black »& coloured plumes
& feathers." Other hair ornaments advertised in the

Boston

. '^ ' ■

: j

' !

r 1

NOTES.

103

Boston News Letter, of December, 1768, were " Long
and small Tail Garnets, .Alock Garland of all sorts
and Ladles Poll Combs." Steel plumes, pompons,
aigrettes, and rosettes all were worn on the head, and
artificial flowers, wreaths of gauze, and silk ribbons.

Note 41.
Marcasite, spelled also marcassite, marchasite, mar-
quesett, or marquaset, was a mineral, the crystallized
form of iron pyrites. It was largely used in the
eighteenth century for various ornamental purposes,
chiefly in the decoration of the person. It took a
good polish, and when cut in facets like a rose-dia-
mond, formed a pretty material for shoe and knee-
buckles, earrings, rings, pins, and hair ornaments.
Scarce a single advertisement of wares of milliner or
mantua maker can he found in eighteenth century
newspapers that does not contain in some form of
spelling the word marcasite, and scarce a rich gown
or headdress was seen without some ornament of
marcasite.

Note 42.
Master Turner was William Turner, a fashionable
dancing master of Boston, who afterward resided in
Salem, and married Judith, daughter of Dr. Edward
Augustus Holyoke, of Salem, who died in 1829, aged
one hundred and one years. It was recalled by an
old lady that the scholars in the school of her youth
marched through Boston streets, to the music of the
fiddle played by "Black Henry," to Concert Hall,

corner

t .i

104

NOTES.

corner Tremont and Bromfield streets, to practice
dancing; and that Mr. Turner waliced at tlie head of
the school. His advertisements may be seen in Bos-
ton and Salem papers, thus : —

" Mr. Turner informs the Ladies and Gentlemen
in Town and Country that he has reduced his price
for teaching from Six Dollars Entrance to One Guinea,
and from Four Dollars per month to Three. Those
ladies and Gentlemen who propose sending their
children to be taught will notice no books will be
kept as Mr. T. has suffered much by Booking. The
pupils must pay monthly if they are desirous the
School should continue."

Note 43.
" Unkle Ned " was Edward Green, born September
18, 1733 ; died July 29, 1790. He married, on April
14, 1757, Mary Storer (sister of Ebenezer Storer and
of Hannah Storer Green). They had no children.
He was, in 1780, one of the enlisting officers for Suf-
folk County. In a letter of George Green's, written
July 25, 1770, we read : " Ned still lives gentleman-
like at Southwacks Court without doing any business
tho' obliged to haul in his horns ; " and from another
of December 5, 1770: "Ned after having shown off
as long as he cou'd with his yello damask window
curtains &c is (the last month) retired into the coun-
try and lives wth his wife at Parson Storers at Water-
town. How long that will hold I cant say."

Note

NOTES.

105

Note 44.

Madam Smith was evidently Anna's teacher in
sewing. The duties pertaining to a sewing school
were, in those days, no light matter. From an adver-
tisement of one I learn that there were taught at
these schools : —

"All kinds of Needleworks viz: point, Brussels,
Dresden Gold, Silver, and silk Embroidery of every
kind. Tambour Feather, India & Darning, Sprig-
gings with a Variety of Open-work to each. Tapes-
try plain, lined, and drawn. Catgut, black «& white,
with a number of beautiful Stitches. Diaper and
Plain Darnings. French Quiltings, Knitting, Various
Sorts of marking with the Embellishments of Royal
cross. Plain cross, Quetn, Irish, and Tent Stitches."

Can any nineteenth century woman read this list of
feminine accomplishments without looking abashed
upon her idle hands, and ceasing to wonder at the
delicate heirlooms of lace and embroidery that have
come down to us !

Note 45.
Grandmamma Sargent was Joshua Winslow's mo-
ther. Her maiden name was Sarah Pierce. She
was born April 30, 1697, died August 2, 1771. She
married on September 21, 1721, John Winslow, who
lived to be thirty-eight years old. After his death
she married Dr. Nathaniel Sargent in 1749.

Note

1 •

io6

NOTES.

Note 46.
These lines were a part of the epitaph said to be
composed by Governor Thomas Dudley, who died at
Andover, Mass., in 1653. They were found after his
death and preserved in Morton's New England's
Memorial. They run thus : —

Dim eyes, deaf ears, cold stomach show

My dissolution is in view ;

Eleven times seven near lived have I,

And now God calls, I willing die ;

My shuttle's shot, my race is run.

My sun is set, my deed is done ;

My span is measur'd, tale is told,

My flower is faded and grown old.

My dream is vanish 'd, shadow's fled.

My soul with Christ, my body dead;

Farewell dear wife, children and friends,

Hate heresy, make blessed ends ;

Bear poverty, live with good men,

So shall we meet with joy again.

Let men of God in courts and churches watch

O'er such as do a toleration hatch ;

Lest that ill egg bring forth a cockatrice,

To prison all with heresy and vice.

If men be left, and other wise combine

My epitaph's, I dy'd no libertine.

Note 47.
Miss Polly Vans was Mary Vans, daughter of
Hugh and Mary Pemberton Vans, and aunt of Caty
Vans. She was born in 1733. We have some scat-
tered glimpses of her life. She joined the Old South

NOTES.

107

in 1755. In the Boston Gazette^ of April 9, 1770, we
read, " Fan Mounts mounted by Mary Vans at the
house of Deacon Williams, in Cornhill," We hear
of her at Attleborough with Samuel Whitwell's wife
when the gates of Boston were closed, and we know
she married Deacon Jonathan Mason on Sunday
evening, December 20, 1778. She was his second
wife. His first wife was Miriam Clark, and was
probably the Mrs. Mason who was present at Mrs.
Whitwell's, and died June 5, 1774. Mary Vans
Mason lived till 1820, having witnessed the termina-
tion of eight of the pastorates of the Old South
Church. Well might Anna term her " a Sister of the
Old South." She was in 181 7 the President of the
Old South Charity School, and is described as a
"disinterested friend, a judicious adviser, an affec-
tionate counsellor, a mild but faithful reprover, a
humble, self-denying, fervent, active, cheerful Chris-
tian." Jonathan Mason was not only a deacon, but
a prosperous merchant and citizen. He helped to
found the first bank in New England. His son was
United States Senator. Two other daughters of
Hugh Vans were a Mrs. Langdon, of Wiscasset,
Maine, and Mrs. John Coburn.

Note 48.

St. Valentine's Day was one of the few English
holidays observed in New England. We find even
Governor Winthrop writing to his wife about "chal-
lenging a valentine." In England at that date, and
for a century previous, the first person of the oppo-
site

io8

NOTES.

site sex seen in the morning was the observer's valen-
tine. We find Madam Pepys lying in bed for a long
time one St. Valentine's morning with eyes tightly
closed, lest she see one of the painters who was gild-
ing her new mantelpiece, and be forced to have him
for her valentine. Anna means, doubtless, that the
first person she chanced to see that morning was " an
old country plow-joger."

Note 49.
Boston was at that date pervaded by the spirit of
Liberty. Sons of Liberty held meetings every day
and every night. Daughters of Liberty held spinning
and weaving bees, and gatliered in bands pledging
themselves to drink no tea till the obnoxious revenue
act was repealed. Young unmarried girls joined in
an association with the proud declaration, " We, the
daughters of those Patriots who have appeared for
the public interest, do now with pleasure engage with
M.iCm in denying ourselves the drinking of foreign
tea." "^ ven the children felt the thrill of revolt and
joined in patriotic demonstrations — and a year or
two later the entire graduating class at Harvard, to
encourage home manufactures, took their degrees in
homespun.

Note 50.

The cut-paper pictures referred to are the ones

which are reproduced in this book, and which are

still preserved. Anna's father finally received them.

Mrs. Deming and other members of the Winslow

family

NOTES.

109

family seem to have excelled in this art, and are
remembered as usually bringing paper and scissors
when at a tea-drinking, and assiduously cutting these
pictures with great skill and swiftness and with ap-
parently but slight attention to the work. This form
of decorative art was very fashionable in colonial
days, and was taught under the ambitious title of
Papyrotamia.

Note 51.

The " biziness of making flowers " was a thriving
one in Boston. We read frequently in newspapers
of the day such notices as that of Anne Dacray, of
Pudding Lane, in the Bosto7i Evening Post, of 1769,
who advertises that she "makes and sells Head-
flowers : Ladies may be supplied with single buds for
trimming Stomachers or sticking in the Hair." Ad-
vertisements of teachers in the art of flower-making;
also are frequent. I note one from the Boston Ga-
zette, of October 19, 1767 : —

"To the young Ladies of Boston. Elizabeth
Courtney as several Ladies has signified of having a
desire to learn that most ingenious art of Painting on
Gauze & Catgut, proposes to open a School, and
that her business may be a public good, designs to
teach the making of all sorts of French Trimmings,
Flowers, and Feather Muffs and Tippets. And as
these Arts above mentioned (the Flowers excepted)
are entirely unknown on the Continent, she flatters
herself to meet with all due encouragement; and
more so, as every Lady may have a power of serving

herself

NOTES.

herself of what she is now obliged to send to England
for, as the whole process is attended with little or no
expence. The Conditions are Five Dollars at en-
trance ; to be confin'd to no particular hours or
time : And if they apply Constant may be Compleat
in six weeks. And when she has fifty subscribers
school will be opened, &c, &c."

m. \

^' n

\i^

i^*;

Note 52.

This was James Lovell, the famous Boston school-
master, orator, and patriot. He was born in Boston
October 31, 1737. He graduated at Harvard in 1756,
then became a Latin School usher. He married Miss
Helen Sheaffe, older sister of the "two Miss Sheafs"
named herein; and their daughter married Henry
Loring, of Brookline. He was a famous patriot: he
delivered the oration in 1771 commemorative of the
Boston Massacre. He was imprisoned by the British
as a spy on the evidence of letters found on General
Warren's dead body after the battle of Bunker Hill.
He died in Windham, Maine, July 14, 1814. A full
account of his life and writings is given in Loring's
Hundred Boston Orators.

I ,

Note 53.
Nothing seems more revolting to our modern no-
tions of decency than the inhuman custom of punish-
ing criminals in the open streets. From the earliest
days of the colonies the greatest publicity was given
to the crime, to its punisliment, and to the criminal.
Anna shows, in her acquaintance with the vices of

Bet

NOTES.

Ill

Bet Smith, a painful familiarity with evil unknown in
any well-bred child of to-day. Samuel Breck wrote
thus of the Boston of 1771 : —

"The large whipping-post painted red stood con-
spicuously and prominently in the most public street
in the town. It was placed in State Street directly
under the windows of a great writing school which I
frequented, and from them the scholars were induljred
in the spectacle of all kinds of punishment suited
to harden their hearts and brutalize their feelinirs.
Here women were taken in a huge cage, in which
they were dragged on wheels from prison, and tied
to the post with bare backs on which thirty or forty
lashes were bestowed among the screams of the cul-
prit and the uproar of the mob. A little further in
the street was to be seen the pillory with three or four
fellows fastened by the head and hands, and standing
for an hour in that helpless posture, exposed to gross
and cruel jeers from the multitude, who pelted them
incessantly with rotten eggs and every repulsive kind
of garbage that could be collected."

There was a pillory in State Street in Boston as
late as 1803, and men stood in it for the crime of sink-
ing a vessel at sea and defrauding the underwriters.
In 1 771 the pillory was in constant use in Newport.

Note 54.

In 1770 British troops were quartered in Boston,
to the intense annoyance and indignation of Boston
inhabitants. Disturbances between citizens and sol-
diers were frequent, and many quarrels arose. On

the

»"

i'M

^■:

112

NOTES.

the nig;lit of March 5 in that year the disturbance
became so great that the troops, at that time under
command of Captain Preston, fired upon the un-
armed citizens in King (now State) street, causing the
death of Crispus Attucks, a colored man, Samuel
Gray and James Caldwell, who died on the spot, and
rn rrtally wounding Patr k Carr and Samuel Maver-
ick. At the burial of these slaughtered men the
greatest concourse ever known in the colonies flocked
to the grave in the Granary Burying Ground. All
traffic ceased. The stores and manufactories were
closed. The bells were tolled in all twe neighboring
towns.

Daniel Webster said, that from the moment the
blood of these men stained the pavements of Boston
streets, we may date the severance of the colony from
the British empire.

The citizens demanded the removal of the troops,
and the request was complied with. For many years
the anniversary of this day was a solemn holiday in
Boston, and religious and patriotic services were
publicly held.

\y\

Note 55.

Mathew Byles was born March 15, 1707; died
July 5, 1788. He was ordained pastor of the Hollis
Street Congregational Church, of Boston, in 1733.
He was a staunch Loyalist till the end of his days, as
were his daughters, who lived till 1837. His chief
fame does not rest on his name as a clergyman or an
author, but as an inveterate and unmerciful jester.

Note

NOTES.

113

Note 56.
Henry Green, the brother of Anna's mother, was
born June 2, 1738. He was a Latin School boy, was
in business in Nova Scotia, and died in 1774.

Note 57.

This stove was a foot-stove, — a small metal box,
usually of sheet tin or iron, enclosed in a wooden
frame or standing on little legs, and with a handle or
bail for comfortable carriage. In it were placed hot
coals from a glowing wood fire, and from it came a
welcome warmth to make endurable the freezing floors
of the otherwise unwarmed meeting-house. Foot-
stoves were much used in the Old South. In the
records of the church, under date of January 16, 1771,
may be read : —

*' Whereas, danger is apprehended from the stoves
that are frequently left in the meeting-house after the
publick worship is over; Voted that the Saxton make
diligent search on the Lords Day evening and in the
evening after a Lecture, to see if any stoves are left
in the house, and that if he find any there he take
them to his house ; and it is expected that the owners
of such stoves make reasonable satisfaction to the
Saxton for his trouble before they take them away."

The Old South did not have a stove set in the
church for heating till 1 783.

Note 58.
The first anniversary of the Boston Massacre was
celebrated throughout the city, and a miss-meeting

was

114 NOTES.

was held at the Old South Church, where James

Lovell made a stirring address. See Notes 52 and

54.

1 )

w -

m '%

Note 59.
The Queen's night-cap was a very large full cap
with plaited ruffles, which is made familiar to us
through the portraits of Martha Washington.

Note 60.
*'01d Mrs. Sallisbury" was Mrs. Nicholas Salis-
bury, who was married in 1729, and was mother of
Rebecca Salisbury, who became Mrs. Daniel Waldo,
and of Samuel Salisbury, who married Elizabeth
Sewall. See Note 73.

Note 01.

Mrs. John Avery. Her husband was Secretary of
the Commonwealth and nephew of John Deming,
who in his will left his house to John Avery, Jr.

Note 62.
A baby hutt was a booby-hutch, a clumsy, ill-con-
trived covered carriage. The word is still used in
some parts of England, and a curious survival of it in
New England is the word booby-hut applied to a
hooded sleigh ; and booby to the body of . ackney
coach set on runners. Mr. Howells uses the word
booby in the latter signification, and it may be heard
frequently in eastern Massachusetts, particularly in
Boston.

Note

NOTES.

115

Note 63.
Peggy Phillips was Margaret Phillips, daughter of
William and Margaret Wendell Phillips. She was
born May 26, 1762, married Judge Samuel Cooper,
and died February 19, 1844. She was aunt of Wen-
dell Phillips.

Note 64.

This " droll figure " may have been a drawing, or a
dressed doll, or <'baby," as such were called — a doll
that displayed in careful miniature the reigning modes
of the English court. In the New England Weekly
Jottrnal, of July 2, 1733, appears this notice : —

"To be seen at Mrs. Hannah Teatts Mantua
Maker at the Head of Summer Street Eoston a Baby
drest after the Newest Fashion of Mantuas and Night
Gowns & everything belonging to a dress. Latily
arrived on Capt. White from London, any Ladies that
desire it may either come or send, she will be ready
to wait on 'em if they come to the House it is Five
Shilling, & if she waits on 'em it is Seven Shilling."

These models of fashion were employed until this
century.

Note 6$.
We can have a very exact notion of the books im-
ported and printed for and read by children at that
time, from the advertisements in the papers. In the
Boston Gazette and Country Journal, of January 20,
1772, the booksellers, Cox and Berry, have this
notice : —

The

Ii6

NOTES.

\ \

The following Little Books for the Instruction & Amuse-
ment of all good Boys and Girls.
The Brother Gift or the Naughty Girl Reformed.
The Sister Gift, or the Naughty Boy Reformed.
Hobby Horse or Christian Companion.
Robin Good-Fellow, A Fairy Tale.
Puzzling Cap, A Collection of Riddles.
The Cries of London as exhibited in the Streets.
Royal Guide or Early Introduction to Reading English.
Mr Winloves Collection of Stories.
" " Moral Lectures.

History of Tom Jones abridg'd from the works of

" " Joseph Andrews H. Fielding.

" " Pamela

*' " Grandison

" " Clarissa

abridg'd from the works of
S. Richardson, Esq.

J,""^!

'il

Note d^.
General John Winslow was but a distant kinsman
of Anna's, for he was descended from Edward Wins-
low. He was born May 27, 1702 ; died April 17, 1774.
He was a soldier and jurist, but his most prominent
position (though now of painful notoriety) was as
commander of that tragic disgrace in American his-
tory, the expedition against the Acadians. It is told
in extenuation of his action that before the annihila-
tion and dispersion of that unfortunate community he
addressed them, saying that his duty was •' very dis-
agreeable to his natural make and temper as it must
be grievous to them," but that he must obey orders, —
and of course what he said was true.

Note

NOTES.

117

Note 67.

The exercises attending this election of counsellors
must indeed have been an impressive sight. The
Governor, attended by a troop of horse, rode from the
Province House to Cambridge, where religious ser-
vices were held. An Election Sermon was preached.
Volleys and salutes were fired at the Battery and
Castle. A protest was made in the public press, as
on the previous year, against holding this election in
Cambridge instead of in the "Town House in Bos-
ton, the accustomed Ancient Place," and also directly
to the Governor, which was answered by him in the
newspapers ; and at this election a most significant
event occurred — John Hancock declined to accept
a seat among the counsellors, to which he had been
elected. The newspapers — the Massachusetts Spy
and the Boston Gazette and Country Journal — com-
mented on his action thus : —

" Mr Hancocks declining a seat in the Council
Board is very satisfactory to the Friends of Liberty
among his constituents. This Gentleman has stood
five years successively and as often Negativ'd.
Whatever may have been the Motive of his being
approbated at last his own Determination now shows
that he had rather be a Representative of the People
since he has had so repeatedly their Election and
Confidence."

Note 68.
Boston had two election days. On Artillery Elec-
tion the Ancient and Honorable Artillery had a dress

parade

Ill

Ii8

NOTES.

)

'■ .

parade on the Common. The new officers were
chosen and received their new commissions from the
new Governor. No negroes were then allowed on the
Common. The other day was called " Nigger Lec-
tion," because the blacks were permitted to throng
the Common and buy gingerbread and drink beer, as
did their " ters at Artillery Election.

Note 69.
Col. Thomas Marshall was a Revolutionary officer.
He commanded the Tenth Massachusetts Regiment
at Valley Forge. He was Captain of the Ancient
and Honorable Artillery from 1763 to 1767, and at
one time commanded Castle Island, now Fort Inde-
pendence. He was one of the Selectmen of Boston
at the time when the town was invested by troops
under Washington. He died at Weston, Mass., on
November 18, 1800.

Note 'jo.
A night gown was not in those days a garment for
wear when sleeping, but resembled what we now call
a tea-gown. The night attire was called a rail. Both
men and women wore in public loose robes which
they called night gowns. Men often wore these
gowns in their offices.

Note 71.
Many Bos!:on people agreed with Anna in her esti-
mate of Rev. Samuel Stillman. He was called to the
First Baptist Church in 1765, and soon became one

■^ I

f! i I

i: ' I

NOTES.

119

of Boston's most popular and sensational preachers.
Crowds thronged his obscure little church at the
North End, and he took an active part in Revolu-
tionary politics. Many were pleased with his patriot-
ism who did not agree with him in doctrine. In the
curious poem on Boston Ministers, already quoted,
we read : —

Last in my list is a Uaptist,

A real saint, I wot.
Though named Stillman much noise he can

Make when in pulpit got.
The multitude, both grave and rude,

As drove by wind and tide,
After him hie, when he doth try

To gain them to his side.

Note 72.
Mr. and Mrs. Hooper were " King " Hooper and
his wife of Marblehead. He was so called on ac-
count of his magnificent style of living. He was one
of the Harvard Class of 1763 ; was a refugee in 1775,
and died insolvent in 1790. The beautiful mansion
which he built at Danvers, Mass., is still standing in
perfect condition, and is the home of Francis Pea-
body, Esq. It is one of the finest examples of
eighteenth century architecture in New England.

Note 73.
This *' Miss Becca" was Rebecca Salisbury, born
April 7, i73i,died September 25, 1811. She was a
fine, high-spirited young woman, and upon being
taunted by a rejected lover with,

" The

t".

120

NOTES.

" The proverb old — you know it well,
That women dying maids, lead apes in hell,"

(a belief referred to in Taming of the Shreiv^ Act II,
Scene i), she made this clever rhyming answer: —

" Lead apes in hell — tis no such thing ;
The story's told to fool us.
But better there to hold a string,
Than here let monkeys lead us."

She married Daniel Waldo May 3, 1757. The
*' very pretty Misses " were their daughters ; Eliza-
beth, born November 24, 1765, died unmarried in
Worcester, August 28, 1845; and Martha (who in
this diary is called Patty), born September 14, 1761,
died November 25, 1828. She married Levi Lincoln,
Lieutenant-Governor of Massachusetts, and became
the mother of Levi Lincoln, Governor of Massachu-
setts, Enoch Lincoln, Governor of Maine, and Col.
John Lincoln.

: I

Note 74.
The fashion of the roll was of much importance
in those days. A roll frequently weighed fourteen
ounces. We can well believe such a heavy mass made
poor Anna's head "ach and itch like anything."
That same year the Boston Gazette had a laughable
account of an accident to a young woman on Boston
streets. She was knocked down by a runaway, and
her headdress ueceived the most serious damage.
The outer covering of hair was thrust aside, and cot-
ton, tow, and false hair were disgorged to the delight

\^\

AZOTES.

\>\

of jeering boys, who kicked the various stuffinos
arou.Kl the street. A Salem hair-dresser advertised
that he would " attend to the polite construction of
roils to raise ladies heads to any pitch desired."
The Abhd Rol)in, traveling tlirou-h Iloston a few
years later, found the hair of ladies' heads " raised
and supported upon rolls to an extravagant height."