Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-03-01

Mr.. Reuben Rawson Dodge, OF Sutton, has
in his possession the family Bible of Edward
Rawson, who was many years secretary of
the colony of Massachusetts, and from whom
he is descendant. 1t is in folio, but the title
page and the books of Genesis and Exodus
are wanting. 1t is of the Geneva version,
translated and published by the English re-
formers who fled to that city during the per-
secutions in queen Mary's time, and which was
the favorite version of the Purians long after
the translation made by order of king James
was published. 1t is the same which goes by
the name of the "Breeches Bible" so called
from the peculiar rendering of Genesis 81
"They sewed fig-leaves together and made
themselves breeches." Mr. George Liver
more, very competent judge, believes it to
have been printed as early as 1920, or before.
1t contains a record of the birth of Edward
Rawson, "who was born in old England in the
year 1915, and departed this life August the
9th day, in the year of our Lord 1898, in
New England, aged rs years." with that of
many of his descendants, and contains the fol-
lowing testimonial, in the handwriting of Ed
ward Tying, one of the assistants and counsel
Tors of the colony This is to certify all
whomsoever this may concern, that on the
31st day of July, 1873, on certificate 1 re-
ceived that William Rawson and Ann Glover,
we daughter of the late Mr.. Nathaniel Glover,
had been duly and legally published, 1 Joined
them in marriage at the house and in the pres
enee of Mr. Habakkuk Glover, his wife, and
Mr.. Edward Rawson, father to the said Will
liam Rawson, and other friends, as witness my
hand, this 91st July, 1878. Pr Edward
Tying, asst"
A brother of William was the well known
co-laborer with Eliot in instructing the In
dams, Grindall Rawson. He was minister of
Mendon, in this county, and his granite tomb
is still standing in the old burying ground.
His death was thus announced in the News
letter :-"Mendon, Feb. 7, Halls. Yester-
day died here the Reverend Mr.. Grindall
Rawson, much lamented not only by the Eng
fish but by the Indians also, to whom he
preached in their own language, which he well
understood. He was very valuable man, had
his name given him for the sake of the anna
Bile archbishop Grindall, most primitive in all
his conversation, to whom his father, Mr.. Sec
rotary Rawson, was related"
Mr.. Dodge has also in his possession an
original portrait of Rebecca, the daughter of
the Secretary, whose history is of highly ro-
mantle character, and is best related by the
Rev. Mr.. Barnard, in small volume entitled
plymouth and the Pilgrims" This young
lady was wooed and won under false pretenses,
by bold and successful adventurer, who
came to New England about 1878, represent
ing himself to be the son of Sir Thomas Hail.
and by his gentemanly department, was adj
mitted to the best society in Boston. That he
enjoyed the confidence of others as well as
Miss Rawson, is evident from the fact, not
mentioned by Mr.. Barnard, that the shrewd
and sagacious inancier, John Hull the treas
urer and mint-master of the colony, adj.
vanced him f250, as he says, Gin silver mon.
ey every shilling" on bills drawn on Sarah,
Viscountess Croydon, whom he found to be n
myth, and Sir Thomas "a very slippery fe
low" Miss Rawson was married in 1879, and
accompanied her husband to England, where,
deserted by him, and robbed of her property,
of which he gained possession, she supported
herself principally by her skill in needlework
for thirteen years, when, leaving her child in
the care of sister who was settled in London,
she embarked for Boston in vessel owned by
her uncle, which, entering ON her passage, a
port in Jamaica, was lost with all on board, in
consequence of an earthquake which occurred
June 8, 1892. Although the apparent date of
this portrait is 1870, we cannot conceive of
one SO delicately executed by an artist of that
time in Boston, but are inclined to believe its
date should be read 1879, and that it was
painted in England.
Mr. Dodge has deposited the Bible for a
time in the library of the American Antiqtia-
rian Society, and proposes to leave the family