eral new resident and corresponding members nominated by the Curators were elected.

Mr. A. Ward Lamson gave a short account of the old parish clock, which has recently been placed in the rooms of the Historical Society, and now hangs against the wall over the President's chair. This fine old clock was given to the First Parish by Samuel Dexter, Esq., son of the minister, Rev. Samuel Dexter, upon the completion of the new meeting-house in 1763, and for many years was in use, a striking feature in the old edifice. When superseded by the new clock which was presented by some member of the Doggett family, the old clock was relegated to a position upon the gallery wall at one side of the organ. At a still later date it was taken down, and its very existence forgotton by many. During a period of church renovation in 1882, one of the persons employed in charge of the work discovered and coveted the old clock, which he afterwards removed with the permission of some unauthorized individual, who failed to realize its historic value to the parish. Quite recently it has been recovered and placed in the rooms of the Historical Society. Restored once again to Dedham by the generous descendants of two of Dedham's best remembered ministers, it appears in a new sphere of usefulness, and is quite likely to beat out the passing hours in a safer haven than it found in the old parish meeting-house.

Mr. Erastus Worthington then entertained the Society in a most agreeable manner for three-quarters of an hour, his theme being an old-time book entitled Madam Knight's journey from New York to Boston in 1704."

MADAM KNIGHTS JOURNAL.

BY ERASTUS WORTHINGTON.

The diary or journal of Madam Knight, which was written by herself, in daily entries made during the progress of her journey from Boston to New York in 1704, has always excited interest and admiration in many readers. That this long journey was made at so early a period in colonial history, following a path or road, which at best could only have been cut by an axe through the forest, either fording streams, or ferried in a canoe over rivers, that it was accomplished by a woman on horseback, with only such guides as she could procure from day to day, in postmen and hired out-riders, that she rode through the wilderness by night as well as by day-all these incidents would be sufficient to impart the charm of adventure to her narrative. But Madam Knight, besides being apparently insensible to the possible perils of such a journey, was a woman of superior intelligence, and an acute observer of the manner of life and speech of

1891.]

JOURNAL.

those whom she met, which she reproduces in her journal with a vivacity and naivete truly surprising. Her style and method compare favorably with those of an English classic of her day, and she gives us some pictures of life in the country inns where she tarried, which are quite as strongly drawn as an interior by some Dutch painter.

We have taken up this book at the present time, however, simply for the purpose of endeavoring to trace the route she took from Boston to the line of the Plymouth Colony in Rehoboth, now North Attleborough, and specially the two taverns she refers to in the first day's journey. She left Boston at three o'clock on the afternoon of Oct. 2, 1704, with her kinsman, Robert Luist (Lewis), of Charlestown, who accompanied her to Dedham, without any incident which she records. She could hardly have accomplished this distance in less than two hours, considering the length and condition of the road. Her first call was upon the Rev. Joseph Belcher, the minister of Dedham since Nov. 29, 1693. The parsonage, towards which the town had contributed sixty pounds, was built by him on the land now occupied by the Congregational Church, though nearer the street. From thence she went to the tavern in search of a guide, for a further journey of twelve miles to Billings' the same night.

This was the Fisher tavern, then kept by Capt. Joshua Fisher. Lieut. It had then been kept as a tavern for nearly half a century. Joshua Fisher, the father of Capt. Joshua Fisher, was licensed by the General Court, Oct. 20, 1658, "to sell strong waters to relieve the inhabitants, being remote from Boston, for one year." The inventory of his estate in 1672 discloses that, beside being a military officer, he was a surveyor, an apothecary, and an inn-holder. There was a drinking room in the brew-house, and one small beer vessel among his effects, perhaps the same which Madam Knight calls the "pewter engine," to which their lips were tied at the time of her visit. Capt. Joshua Fisher succeeded his father as inn-holder, and is so described The site of the tavern was in his will. He died March 11, 1730.

near the present junction of High and Court streets, fronting on High Street. This estate was devised by Capt. Joshua Fisher to his daughter Mary, subject to the life estate of his widow. Mary was the first wife of Dr. Nathaniel Ames, the elder, to whom she was married Sept. 14, 1735. At this time the old tavern was raised six inches higher above its foundations; the walls filled with brick; it was fitted with closets, and completely finished "to the turning of the keys, inside and out." Dr. Ames, after the death of Mary his wife, Nov. 11, 1737, and of their infant son Fisher, who died Sept. 17, Dr. Ames subsequently (Oct. 30, 1742,) 1738, inherited the estate. married Deborah, the daughter of Jeremiah Fisher, who was the The tavern was mother of the Fisher Ames known in history. known as the Ames Tavern until the time of the Revolution, when It was taken down in it became known as Woodward's Tavern. 1817, and was the birthplace of Fisher Ames.

Madam Knight, with John the son of Joshua Fisher as her guide, started probably about seven o'clock in the evening for her ride of twelve miles to Billings'. Her exit from the village toward the south, must have been made over East Street and the old country road which diverged from it through "Ridge Hill," near the present residence of Mr. Benjamin Weatherbee. Thence her course was probably through the present towns of Norwood and Walpole by the old country road into Sharon, then Dorchester. She describes a swamp through which she passed about an hour before reaching Billings'. This must have been the swamp on the margin of Neponset river, near the Sharon line. The old country road crossed the Neponset River by a bridge near the present mills of George H. Morrill & Son in Norwood. It is now known as Pleasant street in Norwood and Walpole, and as the "old country road" in Sharon.

Through information kindly furnished by Mr. Charles Billings, of Billings' Bridge, Ontario, Canada, the genealogist of the Billings family, we are able to state in his own words, the exact location of the Billings Tavern. The tavern was originally known as 'Wainmans Ordinary.' It stood at the extreme southerly end of 'Pole Plain,' also called 'Billings'' Plain, in that part of ancient Dorchester, now Sharon, near the Foxborough line. Descending a hill, with the Billings' graveyard' on the right, going in a southwesterly direction, just before reaching a brook which crosses the old country road from Dedham to Rehoboth, on the left stood the Billings' Tavern.' A building used for storing cranberries now occupies the site of the old tavern. The farm on which it stood was granted to Roger Billings, March 10, 1678-9, and was occupied by him before that time. his death the estate descended to his son, Capt. Ebenezer Billings, who kept the tavern until he died in 1717." The Billings Inn is repeatedly referred to in the Diary of Samuel Sewall. It is also indicated on the plan of Twelve Divisions Dorchester New Grant, by John Butcher, 1696, and on Blake's Plan of Twenty-five Divisions, 1713, both of which are now in Norfolk Registry of Deeds.

At

At this tavern Madam Knight arrived late at night, and tarried until morning. Her route on that day was through Foxborough (then Dorchester) and Wrentham to Rehoboth. She does not mention Woodcock's Tavern just over the line, well known as a point of rendezvous in Indian wars, and where a tavern was kept for two hundred years. Here we must leave Madam Knight to continue her journey through Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Upon her return March 2, 1705, she again passed through Dedham, where her horse gave out and she was compelled to take another. She now speaks of the Causeway and the difficulty she encountered from the high water. This is the short section of High Street built upon the meadow which passes over Dwight's Brook, near the railroad bridge. In time of flood this road was frequently impassable. In 1685 the town voted to raise the road so as to be suitable for

1891.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

There was also a wooden foot-bridge
An axe was exhumed at the

travel in times of high water.
here in the early history of the town.
depth of many feet, during the construction of the high bank wall by
the Railroad Company a few years since, showing how much filling
Madam Knight spent
at different times has been deposited here.
the last night of her long journey at the house of one Draper in Rox-
bury. It is easy to believe this may have been the house still stand-
ing on Centre Street, now or lately owned by one named Draper,
and which is reported to have been built prior to the Revolution.

NOTES AND QUERIES.

NOTE.

6. A new club has recently been formed under the auspices of the Dedham Historical Society, and is called the Dedham Camera Club. Its objects are mainly mutual improvement in the art of photography and the collection of photographs. One feature of the work will be the making of lantern slides, including the best in Dedham and vicinity. Much interest has already been manifested in this new

movement.

19.

QUERIES.

Samuel Ray and Miriam Smith were married in Wrentham, When and where was said Samuel Ray Mass., August 10, 1710. born, and what is his ancestry? When and where was said Miriam Smith born, and what is her ancestry? Mary Richardson was born in Wrentham, Mass., June 1, 1722, and was dau. of Samuel and Sarah [ ] Richardson. Mary married April 18, 1745, Robert Ray, son of Samuel and Miriam [Smith] Ray. When and where was said Samuel Richardson born, and what is his ancestry? What was the When and where was she maiden name of Sarah, wife of Samuel. EDSON SALISBURY JONES, born, and what is her ancestry? PROVIDENCE, R. I.

20. Sarah Ellis married Joseph Lovering, of Boston; marriage She died in Boston, intention recorded in Boston, Dec. 1, 1757. July, 1789, aged 56. She executed a deed, May 21, 1783, recorded in Suffolk Deeds, Vol 138, p. 223, selling to Eleazer Golden 25 acres of upland and meadow in Dedham, bounded S. on school land, W. on land formerly of Capt. Hezekiah Allen and Thomas Ellis, deceased, N. and E. on land of Col. Jones. Witnesses: John Avery, Joseph F. L. G. Lovering. Where was this lot of land? Did she own it by inheriWho were her parents? tance and from whom?

21. Were the Massachusetts Caryls descended from, or in any way related to, Joseph Caryl of London, the Independent divine of the Commonwealth period. HENRY A. CHANEY.

22 a. In 1744 there was living in Attleboro, Mass., a Mr. James Pullen. Wanted, the names of his parents, the place of his nativity, also the place and date of his marriage to Miss Lydia Woodcock, which occurred prior to his settling in Attleboro. Wanted, to correspond with every one interested in the genealogy of the Pullen family in America.

22 b. In the records of the City of Boston, Mass., I find the following:

Abraham Pullen & Mary Ward were married September 17, 1703 Joseph Pullen & Elizabeth Dennis were married Nov 29, 1716. John Pullen & Mary Marjory were married July 10, 1713. Richard Pullen & Elinor Andrews were married Dec 6, 1705.

I would like to obtain some trace of the descendants of any one or all of them. CHARLES L. PULLEN, MEMPHIS, TENN.

What are the names of the children of Stephen and Rebecca [Bowman] Choate of Roxbury, Mass? Stephen and Rebecca were married February 4, 1730. E. O. JAMESON,

MILLIS, MASS.

REPLIES.

6. In my youthful days, the hake was an article used in connection with the little spinning wheel on which my mother used to spin so much flax for linen cloth and thread. The flax after being prepared was wound upon it, a small quantity at a time needed for immediate use. The hake was made of wood, and resembled somewhat a hand reel for winding yarn, with sticks movable in umbrella form. When enough flax was wound for use, the handle was placed in a fixed position at the head of the wheel with a cup of water to dip the fingers in. The flax was drawn out like threads with the left hand, thumb and finger, while the wheel was propelled with the foot. Many webs of cloth were thus spun for the weaver. It was a great curiosity and attraction for the children MRS. R. E. G. LUCE.

15 b. Desire Metcalf, the widow of Nathaniel Metcalf, who married for her second husband Major Abijah Draper of Dedham, was probably a native of Wrentham. Her maiden name was Desire Foster. R. G. R.

17 b. Benjamin Weatherbee was born in Bristol, R. I., in 1732, and married Susanna Aldridge of Walpole, in 1760. He was the fourth son of Thomas, who came from England in 1711. B. W.