The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-09-06
COnrtship Of the Elder a inn,s.


Some ten years since spent a colleg,
vacation in the town of Weymouth, Nor
folk county, Nashville there, | at
tended church one Sunday morning a
what was called the old Weymouth NEE
ting house and heard sermon from the
venerable pastor, Rev. Jacob Norton
About the same time, | made Mr.. Nor.
ton visit, and became much interested
in the old gentleman. mentioned my
agreeable visit to an aged lady of the par.
lsh, whose acquaintance had made. She
informed me that Mr.. Norton was ordain-
ed their pastor when he was about TWEEN.
ty-years of age, and that he had been with
them nearly forty-years. She observed
that most of his parishioners could remem.
Der no other pastor; but that she could
remember his predecessor, the Rev. Mr..
Smith, and that he and Mr.. Norton had
filled the same pulpit for the better part
of the last eighty years.
'Mr. smith, said she, twas an excel.
len. man. and very fine preacher, but
he had high notions of himself and fami-
ly-n other words, he was something of
an arlstocrat.' One day, said she TO me.
10 illustrate to you little the character
of old parson Smith, well tell you an
anecdole that relates to himself and some
persons Of distinction. Mr.. Smith had
two charming daughers-lhe elder of
these daughters Mary, the others name
have orgotlon-who were the admira.
tan of all the beaux, and the envy of all
The bellies of the country around. But
while two careful guardians of the par
sons family were holding consultations
on the subject, it was rumored that two
young lawyers. think both of the
neighborug town of Quincy, a Mr..
Cranch and Mr.. Adams, were paving
their addresses 10 the Miss Smiths. AS
every man, woman and child of a country
parish in New.England, is acquainted
with whatever takes place in the parsons
family, all the circumstances of the court
ship soon TRANSFERRED. Mr.. Cranch was
Of respectable family of some note, was
considered young man of promise. and
altogether worthy Of the alliance he
sought He was verysacccptable to Mr..
Smith, and was greeted by him and his
family with great respect and cordially.
lie was received by the eldest daugter as
"A lover; and was in fact young man of
much responsibility. lie aflerward rose
to the dignity Of Judge of the Court of
Common Pleas in Massachusetts, and
was the father of the Hon. Judge Cranch,
of the District Of Columbia.
The suffer of the other daughter was
John Adams, who ,aflerward became
President of the United States. But at
that time in the opinion of Mr.. Smith and
family, he gave out slender pfornjse of
the distinction to which he afterwards ar.
rived. His pre,ensions were scorned bv
all the family. except the young lady to
whom his addresses were especially direc.
ted. Mr.. Smith showed him of the Or
binary clvlllies of his house; he was not
asked to partake Of the inequalities of the
table; and it is reported that his horse
was doomed to share with his master the
neglect and modification to which he was
subjected, for he was frequently seen
in the cold, and gnawing the
post at the PASTORS door, of long winter
evenings. In fine it was reported that
Mr.. Smith had minated to him that his
visits were unacceptable, and he would
40 HIM favor by disseminating them.
tie told his daughter tina. John Adams
was not worthy Of her; that his father
was an honest tradesman and farmer, who
had tried TO initiate John in the arts of
and shoemaking, but w,hou,
success; and that he had sent him to col.
lege as last resort. He in fine, begged
his daughter not TO think of making an
alliance with one so much beneath her.
Miss Smith was among the most du,.
Iul OF daughters, but she saw Mr.. Adams
through medium very different from tina,
which he father viewed him. She would
not Tor the world offend or disobey her
!a'her' but still John saw something in
her eye and manner which seemed to saw
perserere,' and on that hint he acted.
Mr.. Smith, like a good parson. and an
a!lec'iona'e father. had told his daughters
il they married with his appreciation, he
would preach each Of them sermon on
The Sabbath after the joyful occasion and