Edmund Quincy Sewall, Jr., the Gentle Boy Hdt What? Index
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EDMUND QUINCY SEWALL, JR., THE GENTLE BOY HDT WHAT? INDEX EDMUND QUINCY SEWALL, JR. THE GENTLE BOY 1692 September 22, Thursday (Old Style): Magistrate Samuel Sewall –the progenitor of the Edmund Quincy Sewall, Jr. of Scituate in the Bay Colony who would begin to attend the Concord Academy in Concord in June 1839 and of the Ellen Devereux Sewall to whom Henry Thoreau would propose– was involved in the offing of 19 women of Salem for being in league with Satan. On this one day Martha Corey, Margaret Scott, Mary Towne Estey or Easty (whose sister, Goodwife Rebecca Towne Nurse, had already been taken to the gallows), Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator, Wilmott Redd, Samuel Wardwell, and Mary Parker were hanged. FINAL EXECUTIONS Jo. Wilkinson of Sowerby and final beheadings on the famous Halifax Gibbet December 30, 1648 Anthony Mitchell Martha Corey, Margaret Scott, hanged for witchcraft in the American colonies Mary Towne Estey or Easty, “...what a sad thing it is to see Eight Firebrands of September 22, 1692 Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator, Hell hanging there” Wilmott Redd, Samuel Wardwell, and Mary Parker last person to get actually hanged in England, for 1709 Henry Young being judged to have been defeated by his oppo- nent in a Trial by Combat Mary Towne Easty: “...if it be possible no more innocent blood be shed... ...I am clear of this sin.” The Reverend Nicholas Noyes: “What a sad thing to see eight firebrands of hell hanging there.” HDT WHAT? INDEX EDMUND QUINCY SEWALL, JR. THE GENTLE BOY William Hathorne’s son John Hathorne (1641-1717), a chip off the old block, a Colonel in the Massachusetts Militia and a deputy to the General Court in Boston, was a Magistrate during this episode in which in addition to the hangings of this day one woman had a short time before been tortured to death.1 WITCH 1. Nathaniel Hawthorne, a descendant, would be much troubled by a curse Sarah Good had placed on her executioners, “God will give you Blood to drink.” His tale “The Gentle Boy” of 1831 would make reference to this history. Let us thank God for having given us such ancestors; and let each successive generation thank him, not less fervently, for being one step further from them in the march of the ages. HDT WHAT? INDEX EDMUND QUINCY SEWALL, JR. THE GENTLE BOY HDT WHAT? INDEX EDMUND QUINCY SEWALL, JR. THE GENTLE BOY Major American Witchcraft Cases 1647 Elizabeth Kendall, Alse Young 1663 Mary Barnes 1648 Margaret Jones, Mary Johnson 1666 Elizabeth Seager 1651 Alice Lake, Mrs. (Lizzy) Kendal, Goody 1669 Katherine (Kateran) Harrison Bassett, Mary Parsons 1652 John Carrington, Joan Carrington 1683 Nicholas Disborough, Margaret Mattson 1653 Elizabeth “Goody” Knapp, Elizabeth 1688 Annie “Goody” Glover Godman 1654 Lydia Gilbert, Kath Grady, Mary Lee 1692 Bridget Bishop, Rebecca Towne Nurse, Sarah Good, Susannah Martin, Elizabeth Howe, Sarah Wildes, Mary Staplies, Mercy Disborough, Elizabeth Clawson, Mary Harvey, Hannah Harvey, Goody Miller, Giles Cory, Mary Towne Estey, Reverend George Burrough, George Jacobs, Sr., John Proctor, John Willard, Martha Carrier, Sarah Good, Martha Corey, Margaret Scott, Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator, Wilmott Redd, Samuel Ward- well, Mary Parker, Tituba 1655 Elizabeth Godman, Nicholas Bayley, 1693 Hugh Crotia, Mercy Disborough Goodwife Bayley, Ann Hibbins 1657 William Meaker 1697 Winifred Benham, Senr., Winifred Ben- ham, Junr. 1658 Elizabeth Garlick, Elizabeth Richardson, 1724 Sarah Spencer Katherine Grade 1661 Nicholas Jennings, Margaret Jennings 1768 —— Norton 1662 Nathaniel Greensmith, Rebecca 1801 Sagoyewatha “Red Jacket” Greensmith, Mary Sanford, Andrew San- ford, Goody Ayres, Katherine Palmer, Judith Varlett, James Walkley HDT WHAT? INDEX EDMUND QUINCY SEWALL, JR. THE GENTLE BOY January 14, Thursday (1696, Old Style): This was the Fast Day set by the General Court to expiate the Salem witchcraft episode. Judge Samuel Sewall had had some bad events occur in his family that had caused him to suspect that he and his were being punished of God. So this progenitor of the Ellen Devereux Sewall and Edmund Quincy Sewall, Jr. of Thoreau’s love stood in his pew in the South Church of Boston while the Reverend Samuel Willard read out his statement, that the Sewall family had been cursed of God because of the trials, and that he Samuel did take “the Blame and shame” upon himself, and read out his petition for the pardon of God and men. The twelve jurors of the Salem witchcraft trial of September 22, 1692 were in attendance to acknowledge that they had “unwittingly and unwillingly” brought upon ourselves and this people of the Lord the guilt of innocent blood. The judge did then and there publicly admit the injustice of the witch hangings he had ordered on Gallows Hill in Salem. [The Score So Far: Seven judges, one repentant.] HDT WHAT? INDEX EDMUND QUINCY SEWALL, JR. THE GENTLE BOY 1820 August 23, Wednesday: In Boston, Edmund Quincy Sewall, a divinity student studying with the Reverend Ezra Ripley at the Old Manse in Concord, and Caroline Ward, daughter of Colonel Joseph Ward (deceased) and Prudence Bird Ward, did the right thing, the bride being already 2 or 3 months pregnant. The illicit pregnancy would not impact the father’s career as a minister (the wedding document would be made to bear the date July 19, 1820). The couple would produce 1st Ellen Devereux Sewall and then Edmund Quincy Sewall, Jr. Here is a sketch Waldo Emerson drew in his journal, of his dorm room at Harvard College, which was Hollis 15: HDT WHAT? INDEX EDMUND QUINCY SEWALL, JR. THE GENTLE BOY 1828 February 29, Friday: La muette de Portici, an opera by Daniel-Francois-Esprit Auber to words of Scribe and Delavigne, was performed for the initial time, at the Paris Opera. It was a great success with the public. Edmund Quincy Sewall, Jr. was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts to the Reverend Edmund Quincy Sewall and Caroline Ward Sewall of Scituate, Massachusetts. HDT WHAT? INDEX EDMUND QUINCY SEWALL, JR. THE GENTLE BOY 1837 In South Scituate, Massachusetts a relative of the Mays, Edmund Quincy Sewall, Jr., little brother of Ellen Devereux Sewall, began a journal “by the suggestion of Mr. Alcott.” BRONSON ALCOTT August 10, Thursday: John Downes took Edmund Quincy Sewall, Jr., the same age as his daughter Frances Downes, son of the Reverend Edmund Quincy Sewall, Sr. of Scituate’s First Parish Unitarian Church whom he knew, to Fulling Brook2 in Scituate to collect caddis-fly larvae. Bernardo de Sa Nogueira de Figueiredo, visconde e barao de Sa Bandeira, replaced Antonio Dias de Oliveira as Prime Minister of Portugal. Friend Stephen Wanton Gould wrote in his journal: 5th day 10th of 8 M / Our Meeting was rather smaller than usual, but I thought was a solid good opportunity - Towards the close Father prayed & after spoke a few words. - John Farnum, Marmaduke Cope & his wife & Sister sat the evening with us. — it was a pleasant interview - they are Philadelphians. RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS From the Sewall Family Papers at the American Antiquarian Society: E. Q. Sewall his Journal Thursday August 10th 1837. Forenoon. Went to school. Afternoon. Staid at home, and went to the Post Office. After supper we all went to the Fulling brook except Ellen who went to visit her friend Sarah Cole. We got some very pretty roses and other flowers, and had a very pleasant time. August 11, Friday: The Liberator. Friend Stephen Wanton Gould wrote in his journal: 6th day 11th of 8th M 1837 / Today Augusta Deshon an old Scholar at the YMB School & a relation of mine by the Wanton connection from New London called to see us & spent the day - She is an innocent girl & very sweet spirited - We were very glad to have her company— We had Eliza & Mary Gould with us at tea. — RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS Edmund Quincy Sewall, Jr. wrote in his diary (per the Sewall Family Papers at the American Antiquarian Society): Friday. Went to school all day. Just before tea as Enoch and I were carrying some oats into the barn on the handles of two rakes, we upset twice which made me laugh very much. I forgot to say in the proper place that we had company at school this afternoon a cousin of the schoolmistress I believe. 2. Now called First Herring Brook. HDT WHAT? INDEX EDMUND QUINCY SEWALL, JR. THE GENTLE BOY August 12, Saturday: Edmund Quincy Sewall, Jr. wrote in his diary (per the Sewall Family Papers at the American Antiquarian Society): Saturday afternoon I went with Mr. Downes to the Fulling brook for the purpose of getting some Cadis worms who form for themselves cases of small stones sticks and other materials. I found some cases which had the worms in them besides a snail and many other cases which were empty. August 13, Sunday: Robert Schumann proposed to Clara Wieck. Friend Stephen Wanton Gould wrote in his journal: 1st day 13th of 8 M / Our Meeting pretty well attended in the Morning & to me a lively good meeting tho’ there was some preaching which streightened me - In the Afternoon it was a heavy time as to the body, having caught a cold & felt quite unwell - again streightened with the preaching, but see no way to labour, every attempt to labour makes the case worse, hence we are subject to occasional suffering. RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS Edmund Quincy Sewall, Jr. wrote in his diary (per the Sewall Family Papers at the American Antiquarian Society): Sunday. In the forenoon I went to church. Mr. White3 preached from Revelations 21st Chapter 5th verse. “And he that sat on the throne said. “Behold make all things new.” In the afternoon I staid home with George.