Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-03-19
COURTsHIP OF THE ELDER ADAMS.

Some ten yefrs since, spent college
vacation in the town Of Weymouth, Nor
folk county, Massachusetts. Whileihere
l attended church one Sunday morning.
at what was called the old Weymouth
Meeting house, and heard a sermon from
the venerable pastor, Rev. Jacob Norton.
About the same time 1 made Mr.. Norton
visit and became much Interested in
the cd gentleman. 1 mentioned my
agreeable visit to an old lady of the rar-
ish, whose acquaintance ] had made
She informed me that Mr.. Norton was
ordained their pastcr, when she was
about twenty-one years of age, and that
he had been with them nearly forty years.
She observed that most of his present
Pensioners could remember no other
pastor; but she could remember his pre-
decessor, the Rev. Mr.. Smith, and that
he and Mr.. Norton had filed the same
pulpit for the better part of the last eighty
years.
"Mr. Smith," said she, "was an ex-
cellent man, and very fine preacher,
but he had high notions of himself and
family-in other words, he was some
thing of an aristocrat."
One day she told me the following
arecdote of parson Smith, and several
other persons of Distinction
Mr.. Smith had two charming daugh-
ters. Mary was the name of the eldest,
the others name have forgotten. They
were admired by the beaux, and envied
by the bellies of the country around
But while the careful guardians of the
parsons family were holding consulta-
ton on the subject, it was rumored that
two young lawyers-I think both of the
neighboring town of Quincy "a Mr..
Cranch, and Mr.. Adams-were paying
their addresses to the Misses Smith
As every man, Woman, and child, of a
country parish in New England is ac-
quainted with whatever occurs in the
parsons family, all the circumstances of
the courtship soon transpired.
Mr.. Cranch was of a respectable fam
lily of some note, was considered a young
man of promise. and altogether worthy
Of the alliance he sought. He was very
acceptable to Mr.. Smith, and was greet
cd by himself and his family, with great
respect and cordiality. He was received
by the eldest daughter as a love er, and
was, in fact, young man Of great re-
spectability. He afterwards rose to the
dignity of Judge of the Court of Common
Pleas, of Massachusetts, and was the
father of the present Judge Cranch, of
the District of Columbia.
The suitor of the other daughter was
John Adams. who afterwards became
President of the United States. But al
that time, in the opinion of Mr.. Smith
and family, he gave but slender promise
of the distinction to which he afterward
arrived. His pretcntions were scorned
by all the family, except the young lady
to whom his addresses were especially
directed. Mr.. Smith showed him none
of the ordinary civilities of his house; he
was not asked 10 partake of the hospital
tiles of the table, and it is reported that
his horse was doomed 10 share with his
master, the neglect and modification to
which he was subject, for he was FIRE.
quently seen shivering in the cold and
gnawing the post at the parsons door,
of long winter evenings. In short it
was reported that the parson had intima-
ted 10 him, that his visits were unaccep.
table, and that he would confer favor
by discontinuing by them. He told his
daughter that John Adams was unwor-
thy of her-that his father was an hon.
est man, ard tradesman, who had
tried to initiate John in the art OF hus-
bandry and shocmaking, but without
success and that he sent him to college as
last resort. He begged his daughter
not TO think Of making an alliance with
one so much beneath her.
Miss Smith was among the most duti-
full of daughters, but she saw Mr.. Adams
through medium very different from
that in which her father viewed him.
She would not for all the world offend
or disobey her father; but John saw
something in her eye and manner, which
seemed TO say "persevere, and on that
hint he acted. Mr.. Smith like a good
parson and an affectionate father, had
told his daughters that if they married
with his appreciation, he would preach
each of them sermon on the Sabbath |
after the joyful occfsion; and that they
should have the privilege of choosing
the text.
The espousal of the oldest daughter,
Mary arrived, and she was united to Mr..
Cranch in the holy bonds, with the ap-
proval, the blessing and the bcncdictions
of her parents and friends. Mr.. Smith .
then said, "My dutiful child, am now !
ready to prepare your sermon for next
Sunday. What do yeu select for your
text?"
my dear father" said Mary, 81 have
selected the latter part of the forty-sec-
ond verse of Luke-"Mary hath chosen
the good part, which shall never be ta-