QUARTERLY NEWS MARY BAKER EDDY MUSEUM and Historic Sites

VOL. 15, NO. 3 PUBLISHED BY LONGYEAR HISTORICAL SOCIETY AUTUMN 1978

THE SETTING OF 1870

An advertisement in The Christian Science Monitor of June 5, 1961 sent many of its readers to look over family treasures and to assess their future disposition. The advertisement read: IN STOUGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS THE WENTWORTH HOUSE Where Mrs. Eddy lived during a portion of the years 1868-1870 (see Sibyl Wilbur biography) is now being restored by LONGYEAR FOUNDATION and will be open to visitors when the work is completed.

If you know of any furniture or furnish­ ings of that period, suited to the simple aud moclost oilNironmcnt of that hom&;-­ please write to us so we may communi­ cat"' '"'Jth th9 ownl'>r abovt BCQViring svch authentic pieces.

In the 1960's many remembered their grandparents' and great grand­ parents' homes and the furnishings Painting by F. Mortimer Lamb shows Wentworth house, barn and shoe shop as they were in 1868-1869. which dated back to the 1860's. So furniture, quilts, clocks, footstools, home. The Longyear collection also chase of the Amesbury Historic candlesticks and whale oil lamps, provided several items from the House, also associated with Mrs. stereoscopes and dishes, along with Baker homestead, including a glass Eddy during this period, where most their happy memories, were sent off in an antique pattern called "thumb of the original furnishings had been to Longyear Foundation to find their print," brass andirons, a curling iron left intact. However, finding one places in the reconstructed Went­ and some curling pins, straight piece, the Wentworth chest, was suf­ worth home, where Mrs. Eddy (then razors and a shaving mug. ficient to tie history and the house Mrs. Glover) had spent periods of An original Wentworth piece, - together with other items of the time from 1868 to 1870. considered variously as a carpenter period, and the interest and love ex­ Among the pieces donated were a chest, sea chest or blanket chest, was pressed made up in atmosphere the pair of chairs bought at an auction of donated by Mrs. Doris Holmes Blake, essence of Mrs. Eddy's time there. the poet Nathaniel Hawthorne's be- . daughter of Lucy Wentworth Holmes The house had been sought out by longings; four ramekins once owned and granddaughter of Sally Went­ Mrs. Longyear during the 1920's and by Mrs. Eddy's sister, Abigail Tilton; worth. In fact Lucy had said that as an offer made to the owners. Al­ a footstool that came from the Colby long as she could remember this though they refused to sell any part of house, neighbor to the Bakers; and a chest had been in the upstairs back their farm, permission was granted to sewing stand bought when Mrs. Eddy bedroom where it now stands. place a bronze marker on a large moved from her Columbus Avenue The many changes of owners of the boulder under one of the spreading house had unfortunately scattered maple trees bordering the road. f' Quarterly News Autumn 1978 the furnishings which would have Through the years the plaque has ©Longyear Foundation 1978 Vol. 15 , No. 3 made up an authentic background of caught the eye of passers-by, and Subscription, $6.00 Annually Mrs. Eddy's stay there. This was in of Christian Science visitors who (Includes Activities at Longyear) Sent without charge to Members of Longyear contrast to what was so happily knew of Mrs. Eddy's experience in achieved in Mrs. Longyear's pur- Stoughton. It reads:

233 Left, marker placed on property in 1920's by Mrs. Longyear, with owner's permission. Right, Historic House as it appears today

case, the fluted door frames of the tion. A front porch, probably added MARY BAKER EDDY parlor contrasting with the plain around 1900, had to be removed; the THE DISCOVERER AND FOUNDER OF ones of the rest of the house, the many ell, originally the oldest part of the CHRISTIAN SCIENCE RESIDED IN THIS changes in the kitchen area, the cel­ building, needed its early 20th cen­ HOUSE FROM THE AUTUMN OF 1868 lar, the wee shoemaker's shop. tury second story taken off. This lat­ TO THE SPRING OF 1870 Old foundation stones in the cellar ter project when further studied When in 1961 changes had come to indicated the presence of a small called for a complete demolition, and the town and the property was no house on that site dating from colo­ a total rebuilding on the old founda­ longer being farmed, the house came nial times and later investigation of tion of an authentic copy of what had on the market and was bought by an town records confirmed this fact. The originally been a small one-story interested Christian Scientist, and Wentworth house was built about house. soon after it was given to Longyear. A 1840, the small wing being con­ The following statement was made most interesting and exciting restora­ structed first. Alanson Wentworth in an article on the Wentworth house tion then took place. added the large part in simple Greek appearing in The- Christian Science Mr. William G. Perry of the ar­ Revival design. One surprising fea­ Monitor of June 2, 1962, written by chitectural firm of Perry, Shaw, Hep­ ture was the single staircase at the Kenneth Hufford. "Another intrigu­ burn & Dean, who had worked on the back where the main house and the ing feature of the house was the use of restoration of Colonial Williamsburg wing joined. That arrangement saved large timbers for basement and ceil­ in Virginia, was available for consul­ a good deal of space in the bedroom ing beams, whose mortise joints tation. His first visit to the house was area, but the lack of a front stairway served no functional purpose. It is of an exploratory nature. Founda­ was unusual for that type of construc­ presumed that the beams were sal­ tions, joints, rooflines, timbers, tion. vaged from an earlier structure for beams, all were examined. Other ob­ The intent of the examination was which the mortises were necessary jects for consideration were the deli­ to bring the structure back to an -probably a barn." cate window sashes, the single stair- historically accurate 1870 presenta- A wonderful confirmation of Mr.

Left, house with front porch and second story added to original building, before Longyear restoration. Right, porch and ell removed prior to reconstruction

234 Left to right, shoe shop interior, grindstone with initials "A.C.W. ", and shoe shop undergoing restoration

Perry's vision of the house was found bought fo r the sitting room, smaller watching over the house and all who in a painting by F. Mortimer Lamb scatter rugs of old hooked patterns set foot on the property, and being (1861-193 6), an artist raised in the were acquired. Later, Mrs. Blake do- keeper of the keys! Stoughton area and a nephew of the nated a small braided rug to the His- Portraits of Alanson and of Sally Wentworths.1 The painting has a toric House made by Lucy Went- Wentworth, also by Mortimer Lamb, statement on the back of the canvas worth Holmes in her BOth year. had been commissioned by Mrs. that this was an accurate representa­ When it came to making a Longyear years before, and were ap­ tion of the Wentworth home in 1868- homelike atmosphere by putting pic- propriately hung in the parlor where 1869. The statement was signed by tures on the walls, all sorts of in- guests to the resto.red house were to Mrs. Lucy Wentworth Holmes, Ar­ teresting ideas presented themselves. be welcomed and registered. What thur L. Holmes, Horace T. Wentworth One donor supplied a small painting would be more natural than to have a and Susan M. Wentworth, and wit­ of a canary and a moss rose, the deli- painting of their daughter Lucy? nessed by Anna R. Lamb. cate pink rose so much admired by Lucy had played a happy part in Mrs. And so the work of reconstruction Mrs. Eddy. Another gave an old print Eddy's stay at Stoughton. She had went on and the furnishings came in. called "Reading the Scriptures" been a devoted companion on Mr- Perry confirmed the accuracy of showing a Yict.or.iaiLS.etlin.o;g_w.lllL.Lituh.J....J:aL__._,n""e><.!i,..g..!lh""b~o~rh~o~o~d~w~a\!!l~k>f!s ...... !.!hc!!a!o!d-"wt!..h'.o~rn~M~rs~. the proposed decorations - wall­ family gathered around a table listen- Eddy's ring (and Mrs. Eddy hers) for papers, paints, floor coverings, fab­ ing to the reading of the Bible. short periods, had been met at school rics, etc. The few window sashes Another gave a "chromo" type of by Mrs. Eddy, and had been wei­ which did not conform to the right print showing children playing in a corned into Mrs. Eddy's room after period were removed and copies of home. A fas cinating illustrated ver- the day's study had been completed. the older ones installed. sian of the Lord's Prayer was also Unfortunately the only existing One floor treatment had an in­ donated. All of these were found to be painting of Lucy was by Mortimer teresting sidelight. The parlor pro­ suitable for the walls of the room Mrs. Lamb depicting her at age 80 sur­ claimed itself a special room with its Eddy had occupied, the same room in rounded by colorful hollyhocks. It simple fluted woodwork as con­ which she searched the Scriptures, was obviously not the right portrait, trasted with the plain undecorated and the room that was frequently the as Mrs. Eddy knew her only as a style of the other rooms. Parlors in scene of an evening of games of young girl. So a fine contemporary this type of 1870 home were seldom checkers, backgammon or hunt the used by the family except for wed­ thimble with young Lucy and Mrs. Marion Dow Pierce dings, funerals, or the minister's Charles Wentworth and their friends. Mrs. Pierce, who passed on Au- calls. While most of the rugs in the The painting by Mortimer Lamb of gust 28,1978, brought to the Board home would have been handmade the house as it looked about 1870 was of Trustees a keen business acu- out of rags or old woolens, the parlor naturally of much interest and it now men, and a love for Longyear carpet would have been purchased if hangs in the sitting room or what we Foundation and for what it stands. possible. Carpeting in the 1960's was would today call the family room, She was a member of this Board for broadloom, but looms in 1870 were over the harmonium, a gift to tie in five years, and before that she de- not broad but narrow. Therefore to with the family's love of singing. 2 The voted five years to Longyear's create an accurate representation of painting shows a dirt road with the Board of Visitors. She served as a an 1870 parlor, stair carpet was pur­ house and little shoe shop on one member of the Board of Four- chased in an old design, sewed to­ side and a barn across the road, - square Corporation. From 1949 gether, and laid directly over the quite a change from today's gasoline when her husband passed on, she floorboards with no padding but a station and paved highway. However, ran his company, Boston Filter layer of newspapers. As a result the while the reconstruction was taking Company, as President and finished flooring feels quite different place it was a great help to have Joe Chairman of the Board. She was an from a modern carpeted floor. Lanata, who ran the serviCe station, active member of First Church of To supplement a large braided rug Christ, Scientist, Winchester, Mas­ 2. Quarterly News, Spring 1977, Vol. 14, sachusetts. 1. Quarterly News, Spring 1978, Vol. 15, No.1. No. 1.

235 Left, sitting room of Wentworth family. Right, parlor with portrait of Sally Wentworth artist, Linn Ball, was asked to con­ ting, the gravel of the driveway was neth Hufford, a journalist and a histo­ sider the problem. 3 Mr. Ball said he not paved and so to day's · visitor rian, was commissioned to write a had had experience in painting sev­ leaves the paved highway, drives on a book, "Mary Baker Eddy and the eral portraits from old photographs typical farm dirt road and parks on Stoughton Years." His expertise in and pictures, and asked if he could the field grass beside the shoe shop. research and writing of history pro­ borrow the Mortimer Lamb work to Eastern Massachusetts had many duced an interesting and informative study the facial contours and bone shops of this size and type.4 manuscript. Then, a renowned artist, structure of the head. His resulting Mr. Wentworth and his older son, Nora S. Unwin, was engaged to cut enchanting portrait of Lucy at 14 now Horace, farmed during the summer the original wood engravings from hangs with her father's and mother's and made shoes in the winter. which some of the illustrations are on the parlor wall. A delightful Shoemakers used grindstones to lithographed. The other illustrations sequel to this effort was provided shape their iron or steel tools, to are reproductions of the Wentworth when an old album of tintypes of the which wooden or bone handles were portraits and a map of Stoughton of Wentworth family came to light. Two usually added. When the Stoughton the period. Mr. William Bayless de­ girls were depicted. One was Celia, shoe shop was in the process of resto­ signed the format and arranged to the older daughter, and the other was ration, a large grindstone was found have it printed by Columbia Univer­ the face in Linn Ball's portrait, con­ carved with the initials "A.C.W." ­ sity Press. 5 firmed as Lucy by her daughter, Mrs. Alanson C. Wentworth. An inscrip­ The restoration of the Stoughton Blake. tion was also found on the wall of the House took longer and cost more than After the front porch was removed shop, "Sep 8th 69 Grant w(on)". This at first expected. It was open for from the house, the front yard needed was during the period when Mrs. showing at the time of the 1962 An­ to be restored from hard packed earth Eddy was making her home with the nual Meeting, a year and a few 1 to a grassy slope. It was decided not to Wentworths. A picture of Grant was months after it had been presented to plant grass seed and thus produce a secured to hang in the sitting room as Longyear. A preview was given to an modern velvet lawn, or to lay a brick one may well have hung there in appreciative Stoughton Historical or cement walk which would belong politically-minded Alanson's day. Society late in May. Since then many to a more elegant home than the Mrs. Eddy on occasion met Lucy at people have enjoyed visiting this Wentworth's farmhouse. But what to school and walked home with her. house, and have had reason to be do to keep the atmosphere of an 1870 On their way home, they sometimes grateful to the donors whose gifts farmhouse now faced with a gasoline visited Kate Porter, a Wentworth have enhanced an interesting his­ station across a macadam highway! cousin who did the copying for Mrs. toric site. In that period there were always extra Eddy's manuscripts. In 1962 it was Marian H. Holbrook rocks and boulders that farmers had still possible to walk across fields to to remove from their fields. Why not the spot where the Porter home use them as stepping stones? And stood. field grass taken from the adjoining In order to present a top-notch his­ 5. This charming book can be purchased through Longyear's catalogue or at the meadow could be mowed and look torical background of the times, the Mary Baker Eddy Museum and Historic like a New England farm grass! There town, the house, the Wentworth fam­ Houses. A list of donors who helped to was the solution to the problem. ily and Mrs. Eddy's stay there, Ken- furnish the Stoughton Historic House is The little shoe shop had already 4. Quarterly News, Summer 1973, Vol. 10, included in "Mary Baker Eddy and the been moved back from the road and No.2. Stoughton Years." placed across the driveway from the back door when the highway was LONGYEAR FOUNDATION: Board of 'frustees: Mrs. Marian H. Holbrook, widened. To keep the country set- Frederick D. Herberich, Robert C. Dale. President: Richard C. Molloy. QUAR­ TERLY NEWS is published four times annually, in the Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, at the headquarters of Longyear Historical Society, 120 Seaver Street, Brookline, Massachusetts 02146. Inquiries about memberships, 3. Quarterly News, Summer 1978, Vol. 15, subscriptions, and services are welcome. No. 2.

236 Printed in the United States of America