The Proceedings of the Cambridge Historical Society, Volume 16, 1922 TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME 16 EDITOR'S NOTE PROCEEDINGS FIFTY-EIGTH MEETING.............................................................5 ​ FIFTY-NINTH MEETING.............................................................7 SIXTIETH MEETING..................................................................8 SIXTY-FIRST MEETING............................................................10 ELIZABETH CARY AGASSIZ CENTENARY...................................13 PAPERS TWO LETTERS FROM JOHN ADAMS TO REV. JOSEPH WILLARD...........14 NOTE BY WALTER BENJAMIN BRIGGS THE HOOPER-LEE-NICHOLS HOUSE...................................................18 BY MARY ISABELLA GOZZALDI THE OLD HOOPER-LEE HOUSE....................................................................21 BY THOMAS COFFIN AMORY TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO.......................................................................29 BY SOPHIA SHUTTLEWORTH SIMPSON CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.........................................................69 BY THOMAS FRANCIS O'MALLEY ON A CERTAIN DEPLORABLE TENDENCY......................................................97 BY. REV. PRESCOTT EVARTS SOME CAMBRIDGE PHYSICIANS................................................................110 BY DR. HENRY PICKERING WALCOTT ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY AND COUNCIL...............................132 OFFICERS................................................................................................138 MEMBERS.................................................................................................139 The death of Samuel Francis Batchelder in 1927 interrupted his carefully arranged plan for bringing the Proceedings of the Society up to date. He had, however, gathered much material for the volumes then in arrears (1920 to 1924 inclusive), so that the present Editor has needed only to prepare this for the press and add whatever further matter is still available after the lapse of so many years. In doing so, he has been constantly indebted to Mrs. Gozzaldi's unfailing memory and to the encouragement of Mr. Briggs. In connection with the present volume he would particularly acknowledge the kindness of Mr. Thomas Francis O'Malley in preparing explanatory and critical Notes for Two Hundred Years Ago, a task that has required much labor and research as well as a wide knowledge of Cambridge history. Following Mr. Batchelder's plan, Volume XV, containing the Proceedings for 1920 and 1921, was issued in January, 1931; Volume XVI contains the Proceedings for 1922; and Volume XVII, covering the years 1923 and 1924, will be published shortly. Volumes XVIII (1925) and XIX (1926) have already been published under Mr. Batchelder's editorship. DAVID T. POTTINGER Editor August 1, 1931 PROCEEDINGS OF The Cambridge Historical Society FIFTY-EIGHTH MEETING WINTER MEETING OP THE SOCIETY was held at the residence of Mr. Byron Satterlee Hurlbut, 32 Quincy Street, at 8 P.M., on Tuesday, January 24, 1922, President Emerton in the chair and about forty persons present. The minutes of the last meeting were read and allowed. Mr. Lane, the delegate of the Society to the recent meeting of the Bay State Historical League at Dorchester, gave a brief account of that pleasant and interesting event. Mr. Saunders protested against the proposal of the Cambridge City Government to rename sundry streets and squares in honor of Cambridge men who fell in the Great War. In many cases the present names are ancient and historically interesting. At the suggestion of the Chairman he drew up a written protest in the name of the Society. This was read and after amendment voted that the Secretary forward the same to the Mayor and City Council. On the subject for the evening, "Some unpublished letters of John Adams, Abigail Adams, and John Quincy Adams," Mr. WORTHINGTON CHAUNCEY FORD read selections and comments on a group of these letters loaned to the Society by Mrs. E. W. Hall of New Brunswick, N. J. Mr. WILLIAM COOLIDGE LANE read two letters in the Harvard College archives from John Adams relative to the admis- sion of John Quincy Adams to college, also the latter's description of meetings of the Phi Beta Kappa during his college days. Mr. WILLIAM ROSCOE THAYER spoke on the condition of Harvard College during that period, especially of the controversy with John Hancock, the college treasurer. The meeting then adjourned and light refreshments were enjoyed. 5 FIFTY-NINTH MEETING THE SPRING MEETING OF THE SOCIETY was held at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. William ​ ​ Emerson, 159 Brattle Street (the old Hooper-Lee-Nichols house), at 8 P.M. on Tuesday, April 25, 1922. President Emerton presided, and about fifty persons were present. The meeting was held in the remodelled kitchen at the rear of the house, supposed to be the oldest portion of the fabric. The minutes of the last meeting were read and allowed. The Secretary requested that members who would like to act as delegates to the meetings of the Bay State Historical League, communicate with him. Miss FRANCES FOWLER read diverting extracts from a rare volume entitled "Two Hundred Years Ago" recounting incidents of life in Cambridgeport and East Cambridge. Mrs. GOZZALDI gave a brief history of the old house, dating back to 1700 or earlier. Mr. JOSEPH EVERETT CHANDLER, under whose direction the house was restored about six years ago, described its architectural peculiarities, and under his guidance the members inspected its various rooms. Refreshments were served and the meeting adjourned about 10.30 P.M. 7 SIXTIETH MEETING A GARDEN-PARTY was tendered the Society by Mr. and Mrs. Moses Perkins White, at 11 ​ Highland Street, on Saturday, June 10, 1922; but as the afternoon was cool and threatening, the exercises were held indoors. About thirty members were present. After refreshments had been enjoyed, the meeting was called to order by President Emerton. The minutes of the last meeting were read and allowed. A discussion took place as to a suitable tablet on the old Hooper-Lee-Nichols house reciting the names of its historic owners. Voted that this subject be referred to the Council, to report at the next meeting of the Society. The Chairman read a communication from Miss Dana as to the better care of the Old Burying Ground in Harvard Square. On motion of Mr. Sever, amended by Mr. Blodgett, it was voted to refer this subject to the Council with full powers, a report to be made to the Society at its next meeting. Mrs. LOVEJOY spoke of the discovery during the past week of human remains apparently about one hundred fifty years old in an excavation near her house on Traill Street, three skeletons in a straight line having been found in three successive days. This may have been the burying-place for the hospital known to have been at "Elmwood" during the Siege of Boston. After considerable discussion on motion made and amended, it was voted to give the Council discretion in this matter whether steps should be taken to preserve this ground by the Society either alone or acting with the various patriotic societies, but to report to a meeting of this Society before taking any action. The Rev. PRESCOTT EVARTS read a paper "On a Certain Deplorable Tendency among the most Respectable Members of the Community to Abstain from Church-Going — as Observed in the Year 1796." This paper was based on a broadside recently presented to the Society by the Rev. Henry Wilder Foote and exhibited to the meeting. 8 The paper was followed by extempore remarks by President CHARLES W. ELIOT on his recollections of compulsory church-going at Harvard College, and the struggle to abolish compulsory morning prayers. The meeting then adjourned. 9 SIXTY-FIRST MEETING EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CAMBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY was held ​ ​ at the residence of Mrs. Thomas Russell Watson, 71 Appleton Street, at 8 P.M. on Tuesday, October 31, 1922. About fifty members were present. President Emerton presided. The minutes of the last meeting were read and allowed. The Secretary read his annual report, with which was incorporated, according to custom, the annual report of the Council. Voted that the above reports be accepted and referred to the Committee on Publication. No report was received from the Curator. The Treasurer read his annual report, showing a balance on hand of $1,942.38. Inasmuch as the report had not been audited, it was allowed to lie over to the next meeting. The President stated that he had appointed in advance of the meeting the following Committee on Nominations: Rev. H. B. Washburn (chairman), Rev. H. W. Foote, and Mr. W. R. Thayer. In the absence of this committee he read their report, containing a list of nominations in form of a ballot. Voted to accept the report and adopt it as the official ballot; and that the Secretary cast one vote as follows: OFFICERS FOR 1922-23 President ............................................ EPHRAIM EMERTON Vice-Presidents.................................... WORTHINGTON CHAUNCEY FORD MARY ISABELLA GOZZALDI WILLIAM COOLIDGE LANE Secretary ............................................ SAMUEL FRANCIS BATCHELDER Treasurer ............................................ FRANCIS WEBBER SEVER Curator ............................................... EDWARD LOCKE GOOKIN Council: the above and JOSEPH HENRY BEALE, STOUGHTON BELL, FRANK GAYLORD COOK, RICHARD HENRY DANA, ALICE MARY LONGFELLOW, FRED NORRIS ROBINSON 10 As the reports on the Hooper-Lee-Nichols House and the Old Burying Ground were