John Pierce: Yankee SocialHistorian BYJAMESR. MCGOVERN EV. John Pierce, D.D., extensively known than any other clergy- (1773-l 849) was Secretary of the man” in the Boston area.” As a member R Board of Overseers, serving four of the Massachusetts Historical Society Harvard presidents from 1816 to 1849. he conversed with such men as John Q. Were it only for his neat script in this Adams, George Bancroft, Nathan Ap- function or his role as one of Harvards’ pleton, Jared Sparks, Samuel Hoar, Rev. first professional Harvard men, he would Samuel Ripley, and George Tichnor.5 He hardly merit the attention of scholars and belonged to and regularly attended meet- their readers. But this mild and unassum- ings of the American Academy of Arts ing man was also like Pepys and Sewall, a and Sciences, Phi Beta Kappa,(j and the type of social secretary to his age. He was Boston Association of Congregational an outstanding chronicler by virtue of his Ministers. He was a founder of the wide acquaintance with the prominent Massachusetts Bible Society and an hon- men and movements, especially in New orary member of the American Statistical England, and his dutiful desire to record Society and the New England Historical his experiences for posterity. As such he Genealogical Society. He records his is invaluable for the social historian of the attendance at the dedication of 39 early and middle nineteenth century and churches, 42 funerals of ministers and it is difficult to understand why he has several hundred ordinations. He was received so little attention. ’ The following invariably present at exhibitions, com- article will suggest the possible uses to mencements, and public functions at which his vast writings may be put by Harvard. ’ His close friend the Baptist various types of historians. minister in Brookline, Rev. Shailer, Pierce was pastor of the First Con- oberved “to no public institution has he gregational Church in Brookline* which devoted more time and over none has he he served from 1797 to 1849 and held watched with more interest than Harvard numerous civic offices there. Indeed, in University.“8 His numerous trips about the minds of his friends, his name was the state of Massachusetts to “exchange synonymous with Brookline. But his pulpits” with other ministers, or to visit contacts ranged far beyond his home Dorchester where his family roots could community. In an age that prized the be traced to the 1630s’ or to his wifes’ principle of voluntary organization he family, the illustrious Tappans of North- might be seen as one of its consummate ampton, Mass., afforded still other oppor- practitioners, an indefatigable joiner and tunities to extend his acquaintances. He ceremonialist. Sibley describes him as may have been, as one of his friends “present on every public occasion,” al- judged, the best known man in the state ways “welcome everywhere” and “more of Massachusetts9 Old- Time New England While there were probably very few and Live and Let Live, Hawthornes’ Twice persons in New England of his period so Told Tales and Irvings’ Sketch Book, conversant with its prominent men and proving that some people at least were major institutions, there were surely none reading American books at this time. who preserved such a detailed record of Poetry read included Spenser, Long- his activities and associations with fellow, two volumes of Miss Sigourney them.tO and five volumes of Wordsworth. Euro- His writings consist principally of eigh- pean didactists were readily consumed: teen volumes of Memoirs and Memo- Cicero, Pliny, Thomas A. Kempis, Eras- rabilia, Account and Expense Books, mus, Pascal and Madamede Stael. Amer- both deposited in manusript form in the ican books in the same mode included Massachusetts Historical Society, Parish nine volumes of Franklin, three volumes Records of the First Congregational of Bancrofts’ histories and W. E. Chan- Church and numerous handwritten ser- nings’ writings. While Pierces’ fondness mons found in the Brookline Public for history is illustrated by his numerous Library and his numerous letters in the readings about the Puritans and Pilgrims, Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe College. It especially authors Winthrop and Brad- would seem reasonable to estimate close ford, he stayed abreast of the fashions to ten thousand manuscript pages in the and events of his own day by reading the first two collections, which deal almost works of European travellers, especially exclusively with his public life. Letters Harriet Mantineau (9 volumes) and written by him and members of his Charles Dickens. The writings of Horace family also number into the thousands. Bushnell, Frances Wayland and a study These were released for historical inquiry of Charles Bulfinch are listed. There are by his descendants as recently as 1965 also travel books to nearly every part of and are very revealing about such ques- the world and studies of major events in tions relating to family as roles, nurture, European history.t3 education, and values.” John Pierces’ Account Books may The overall records of Pierce encom- contain the most detailed statement of pass such detailed information as a list of family economics in American History. the authors and titles of the 1489 books In them he lists every purchase made by which he read from January 1, 1814 to his household, as well as the presents his the end of his life.t2 An intellectual family received along with the market history of the literate Yankee mind of the value of the gift, for every year from 1802 period may be reconstructed from its to 1848. We learn that the minister paid contents. While many of the books, from 30 to 45 dollars for a suit between perhaps two-thirds, deal with devotional 1804 and 1807, $1.50 for an iron rake in matters, homilies ( Death Bed Scenes), and 1805, $1.00 for a “fine razor” and $1.16 sermons, the remainder underscore his for two pairs of shoes for children in sophistication and catholic tastes. He read 1806, $8.75 for seven and one half yards 8 volumes of Shakespeares’ plays; Don of silk for a gown for Mrs. Pierce and Quixote, Tom Jones, Pitcairns’ Island, Oliver $1.50 for Hyson tea in 1810.t4 The impact Twist, Two Years Before the Mast, and of Americas’ China trade is illustrated in Ivanhoe. He also read two of Catherine such presents awarded Dr. Pierce in Maria Sedgwicks’ novels. Means and Ends 1810-1813 as a “very elegant tea cady” JohnPierce: YankeeSocial Historian from Canton $5.00, a box and small insurance, 5% for a domestic, 4.8% for waiters from China $2.00, and an elegant coal, 4.3% on books and papers, 2% for tea set from China $65.00.15 Similarly, the hired help other than the maid, 1.3% on accounts show when household fixtures postage and the rest on miscellaneous are introduced. An entry for June 2,1845 items such as charities and “to a black,” records a present of a shower bath valued washing 12 windows,%2.00.23 at %5.00.6‘ Dr. Pierces’ Memoirs and Memorabilia To supplement his regular income of are laden with facts which justify the $400.00 a year salary plus small amounts observation of the gentleman who intro- aggregating less than one hundred dollars duced him at the Phi Beta Kappa meeting for other services in Brookline and at in 1848 with the observation he was Harvard, Pierce calculated in 1844 that he “such a busy collector of facts” as “to had received over $11,000 in presents of create the suspicion that he will leave goods and money from friends and par- nothing for the Recording Angel to do.“24 ishioners” and more than four thousand They provide a veritable compendium of dollars from his wealthy brothers-in-law the organizational and intellectual life of John, Lewis, Charles and Arthur Tap- the Boston area. Summaries of college pan.*‘ The presents together with his commencement addresses; ministerial purchases tell us much about his familys’ conferences, Phi Beta Kappa addresses, life style.They reveal, for example, the temperance meetings, sermons, gen- essential menu of this Yankee family eologies, and copies of letters written to with its heavy reliance on pork, beef, fish, him by prominent people punctuate its bread and milk (the Pierces ’ consumed pages.25 In addition, he had a fascination I5 quarts a week for a household of nine for obituaries and wrote them for many in 1816J.19The presents alsodeclare what prominent Bostonians based on his per- the society valued as delicacies-special sonal contacts with the deceased. Pierce treats which the minister, as his pur- also recorded in both letters and memoirs chases attest, could not ordinarily buy, many valuable views of his leading con- oranges 6 for $.50 in 1810.20 chocolate 6 temporaries and the historical move- pounds for $1.20 in 1811, a keg of Sicily ments of his time. grapes (presented January 29, 181 l.* ’ He often dined with John Adams and and valued at $1.001, 2 pounds of very later with John Quincy Adams and re- fine Chinese tea $5.00 in 1816, a drum of cords information of a highly personal figs ($1.50) and a yearly present of a large nature about both.26 “Last Sabbath,” he box of raisins or prunes by merchant S. wrote to his friend Rev. Abiel Abbot, “I Pierce.** Cocoa four pounds for S.66 and had the honor of dining with Vice lemon syrup, 3 bottles for $1.50 in 1831, President Adams . I confess I expected etc. An itemization of Pierce family to find him a different man from what he purchases for the year 1838 reveals that it appeared.