Bristol County, Massachusetts - Chapter 18: Famous Men, Visitors and Residents, 1924

Kings, Presidents, ex-Presidents, Statesmen and Soldiers, have all been welcome guests in. New Bedford. President John Quincy Adams visited the place in 1835, and also as ex-President he was the guest in 1843. Abraham Lincoln came here in 1848 to talk to a Whig political meeting, but unfortunately no notes were preserved of what he said, save what have been carried in the memory of some who were still living a few years ago, who heard him when they were youths.

General Ulysses $. Grant, when President, spent a few hours in the city in 1874, and his Majesty Kalakaua, King of the Hawaiian Islands, and his staff, visited the city the same year. When President Grant visited New Bedford in 1874, he came from Martha's Vineyard on a steamer. He had visited the camp grounds at Hyannis and Oak Bluffs and also at Nantucket. He went from New York to Newport by steamer, and there Mayor

One of the earliest ovations given visiting guests in New Bedford was in March, 1813, just at the time of the War of 1812-14. A public dinner was tendered Lieutenant George Parker in honor of his gallant conduct in the action wherein the irigate "Java" (British) surrendered to the "Constitution" (American) off the coast of Brazil, December 29, 1812. The local paper, the "Mercury" of March 12, 1813, said:

Between the hours of two and three o'clock p. m. a large and respectable concourse of citizens, attended by an excellent band of music, and escorted by a part of Captain Stalls artillery company, proceeded from Nelson's Hotel in Main street to the bridge, where they met Lieutenant Parker, accompanied by Lieutenant King. On coming off the bridge, Lieutenant Parker was greeted' with repeated cheers and escorted to the hall of the hotel, where an excellent repast was furnished by Mr. Nelson. The hall was decorated with trophics and devices emblematic of the occasion. The party was very numerous, and hilarity and propriety marked their proceedings.

Among the toasts were "Our Naval Heroes," "Our Gallant Tars," "A Navy to Protect Commerce and Commerce to Protect a Navy,' "Our Constitution - may it be as well managed on the land as it has been on the water," "A speedy Peace With England," "Russia rendered truly great by her successful opposition to the destroyer of history."

After Lieutenant Parker retired, this toast was given: "Lieutenant George Parker and his brave associates in arms; may our country reward their services with something more substantial than Praise."

"Hon. A. Lincoln,' was the caption of hand-bills and an item in the Mercury in New Bedford during the Whig campaign in 1848, when Zachary Taylor was candidate for President. It was in September, and Mr. Lincoln was thirty-nine years of age, a member of Congress from Illinois, and the rally at which he spoke was in old Liberty Hall. The "Mercury" had as part of its report on the meeting the following:

Mr. Page, chairman of the executive committee, then introduced the Hon. Abraham Lincoln, member of Congress from Illinois, who had kindly yielded to the solicitations of the committee to come from Worcester to address our citizens. Mr. Lincoln enchained the attention of a delighted audience for nearly two hours. This speech covered the whole ground of the National election; and was marked by great originality, clear, conclusive, convincing reasoning, and enlivened by frequent flashes of genuine, racy, western wit. We have rarely seen a more attentive or interested audience. In fact, he took the house right between wind and water, and made a most admirable speech, which cannot fail to make a lasting impression on his hearers, and to gain friends for that honest old man, and tried patriot, as well as soldier, Zachary Taylor.

The committee deserves and will receive the thanks of the Whigs of New Bedford for securing the services of Mr. Lincoln. After Mr. Lincoln had finished his address, the audience gave him three hearty cheers, and repeated with rousing cheers for Taylor and Fillmore.

These might seem commonplace paragraphs, were it not for the fact that they are written in memory of the great Emancipator who "now belongs to the Ages."

John Quincy Adams visited New Bedford on different occasions, one being in September, 1843, and it was announced that he "arrived by the railroad." He did not come to make a political speech, but did make quite a telling oration before he left. He had become nettled at what leading men in Europe had been saying about this Republic being a failure, and

I was here eight years ago and then this town of yours had not half the population that it now has - not half the wealth that has been drawn from the depths of the ocean. I say that the experiment of a Republican government has not failed. Let the European men of learning who have concluded that the experiment of a Republican government in this country is a failure, let them show the spot on the face of this earth which has FAILED SO SUCCESSFULLY. I have witnessed it heretofore - I now witness it.

Authors. - From a list of local writers of both prose and poems, compiled several years ago by George H. Tripp, librarian at New Bedford, the following has been gleaned:

The principal literary men of the first century in New Bedford, were within the ministry - the clergy seeming to think that their profession was in some way identified with writing prose and poetry, as well as expounding the gospel truth to dying souls. Some were good writers and others not so good. Creeds and doctrines in the early days of the American churches were held in the highest terms, and thought to be a part of the "Divine Plan of Salvation." Volume upon volume of such religious writings, together with endless sermons, were published, bound and placed on the shelves of libraries and studies, some to be read and reread and possibly answered by some other school of theology, while others were destined to be consigned to back rooms and out-of-the-way places in some hbrary or private house, to be sold at auction a half century or more later, when creeds and dogmas had materially changed - sold not to be read, but sold as "old paper," or in instances placed in antique book shops to show the more recent believers what their ancestry held as Biblical teachings and the only true faith. But while the foregoing-was true of many literary characters at the early day, there were not a few brilliant writers whose works have stood the test of time.

Among the earliest local preachers in this part of the State was Rev. Samuel West, a Harvard graduate, who wrote "Essay on Liberty and Necessity," printed in 1793, in which he contended hotly against the famous Jonathan Edwards. He also wrote on scientific subjects with a ready pen.

Another clergyman was Dr. Orville Dewey, of New Bedford, who pub-. lished many sermons and theological essays, ordination sermons, and the like. He also wrote a book on "The Old World and the New," and showed the morals and manners in this country and Europe. In one of his works he sought to show the "Moral Uses of the Pestilence, denominated Asiatic Cholera: " which had quite a sale here in New England.

"The True Believers' Defense Against Charges Preferred by Trinitarians," This was answered by Phineas Crandall, pastor of the Second Methodist Kpiscopal Church, who wrote "The True Faith Vindicated." Then that book had a reply by Rev. Morgridge, "An Appendix to the True Believers' Defense," usually styled "Reply to the True Faith Vindicated."

Other writers who published their works included Rev. Ephraim Peabody; Enoch Mudge, the last on "Lectures to Young People"; Sylvester Holmes, whose sermon on the death of Averick K. Parker, wife of John

Avery Parker, was published in 1847; Wheelock Craig, minister of the Trinitarian Church, a sermon in book form on "Legislation as an Implement of Moral Reform."

Others of literary note among the clergy were J. N. Morrison, John Girdwood, William G. Eliot, later of the Middle West, and John Weiss William J. Potter, pastor of the Unitarian Church for thirty years, was a man of rare literary ability. His "Twenty-five Sermons of Twenty-five Years" and "Lectures and Sermons," attracted much general attention. He was the editor for many years of the "Index." Later ministers who wrote with ability and strength were Henry M. Dexter, authority among American writers on the subject of the Pilgrims and Puritans, and of the history of Congregationalism. The Rey. M. C. Julien published sermons, fairy tales, and poems. An ethical writer of the middle of the last century, at New Bedford, was Clother Gifford, whose book has the following interesting (long) title: "Essays on Health, Natural and Moral Laws and Education by Clother Gifford, Teacher of Phrenology, Physiology, Natural and Moral Science, advocate of religion, purity, peace, temperance, Christian Union," etc. Rev. L. B. Bates, a Methodist Episcopal clergyman of New Bedford, was the author of "Hymnal For Social Worship Everywhere" ; this was issued in Bedford in 1869. Among the later writers is recalled Miss Averic Francis, author of "The Religion of Christ in the Twentieth Century." In 1817 Dr. Alexander Reed published an address before the New Bedford Auxiliary Society for the Suppression of Intemperance. A few years ago a native of Dartmouth, Benjamin R. Tucker, wrote much along the line of socialism and anarchism. He styled himself "a philosophical anarchist." His writings were of a literary style, and possessed logic, from his standpoint.

So many authors have lived in and near New Bedford that the writer scarcely knows who to pick out as examples of literary ability. Among writers of more than ordinary talent may be noted: Hon. T. D. Elliot, Congressman; Hon. J. H. Clifford and George Fox Tucker, on legal questions, including the Monroe Doctrine; Andrew Ingraham, author of the "Swain School Lectures," "How Shall My Child Be Taught," C. F. King, Harry F. Harrington, Mrs. Rachel S. Howland, author of the "Christian Reader"; George B. Emerson, Walter S. Allen, Frederick K. Brown ("Al Priddy") author of "Through the Mill," and "Through the School," also "Man or Machine, Which?" Benjamin K. Rodman, 1840, wrote a plea against imprisonment for debt, called "A Voice from the Prison," he him- -elf having been in prison in New Bedford for non-payment of his debts. He stated that in the New Bedford prison there had been incarcerated 438 persons for debts. Still some argue that the world is no better than formerly.

E. W. Hervey published three notable books of more than local interest : namely, "Plants Found in New Bedford and its: Vicinity," 1860; "The Flora of New Bedford," 1891; "Observation On the Colors of Flowers and Leaves," 1889. Charles G. Congdon, of New Bedford, later on the editorial staff of the "New York Tribune,' wrote many interesting, valuable things in his time; one of his books was called "Flowers Plucked Along Life's Journey." Rev. Walter Mitchell wrote many beautiful poems, and Senator Hoar, believed he wrote one that would immortalize his name over and above the other members of his Harvard class. He referred to "Tacking Ship off Fire Island." W. W. Crapo, president of old Dartmouth Historical Society, was a poet of his class in Yale, and had he stuck to authorship instead of law, doubtless would have immortalized himself. E. H. Macy published in 1896, "Between Whiles," and Rev. H. W. Parker, pastor of the North Congregational Church, wrote "The Despised Race," 1863.

Strictly modern writers here include William C. Lawton, who writes with a wonderful vigor of expression. He is author of "Studies of the New ingland poets," "Folia Dispersa," "Art and Humanity in Homer." "The Student's Shakespeare" was by a Methodist minister of Fairhaven, 1880. The books of travel written in New Bedford is only expressed by the one word - Legion. A book entitled "Life in Feejee, or Five Years among the Cannibals, by a Lady," is said to have been written many years ago, by a Mary Wallis, wife of a sea captain who sailed from New Bedford.

Biographical writers have been numerous in this vicinity, and some have been excellent in the preservation of historic facts gleaned as they compiled biography of the long since loved but now departed citizens of the county cf Bristol: Crapo's "Memoir of John $%. Brayton," Rodman's "Memoir of Joseph Grinnell," "The Autobiography of Joseph Bates," "Biographical Sketches of the Graduates of Yale College," by F. B. Dexter; "Biography of Samuel Clemens," or Mark Twain, written by Albert Bigelow Paine, a native of New Bedford; and "My Bondage and Freedom," written by Hon. Frederick Douglas, who lived in New Bedford for a number of years immediately following his escape from slavery. This work stands alongside "Uncle Tom's Cabin," by Harriet Beecher Stowe, as antislavery logic and fine literature.