Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-18

MILES STANDIsH.-The celebration at Dux-
bury, yesterday, described in our dispatches re-
wives the interest in the life and character of
Miles Standish. From an elaborate article pre-
pared by Mr.. Stephen NJ. Allen, TO whom the
success of the celebration yesterday is largely
due, the Boston Journal of last evening takes
the following sketch of the life of Capt Stand
ish: He was born at Lancashire, England
probably in 1884, and was descended from an
llustrious line, Thurston de Standish and Ralph
Standish being his ancestors, his family was d.
vided and known as the Standishes of Randolph
and the Standishes of Duxbnry hall. The bar
onetcy of Standish erected in 1876, became ex-
tinct in 1912. The family seats are situated
near the village of Chorley, in Lancashire, and
the property is large, the income being some
five hundred thousand dollars per annum. The
records of the parish from 1549 to 1862 were
thoroughly searched few years since by Mr..
Bromley, the agent sent out by the heirs of
Standsh in this country, the result proving to
his mind that Miles StandiSh was the true and
rightiul heir to the estates which were surrepti-
tously detained from him. The fact that the
only records which could not be deci-
phered were in 15S4-5, about the time
Captain Standish was born, and the parish
register of those years was evidently detaced
with pumice stone or something else, indicating
pretty surely that an attempt was made to de-
stroy legal evidence of his birth Standish was
educated to the military, and was early lieu
tenant in Queen Elizabeth's forces on the CON
tinent in aid of the Dutch. After peace was
declared, he Joined the English refugees at Ley
den, and was one of the first company of pill
grims for America, and on their arrival on our
coast, was sent out in command of the pinnace,
with sixteen men, to make discoveries along
shore, and, in about a month, decided on
Plymouth for final landing. He was soon
elected to chief military command, and re-
tanned the position until his death, thrty-sX
years afterward. His services to the colony are
too well known to require recital here, and were
hardly less important in their civil than in their
military affairs. He held the office of an assist
ant and deputy during the whole of his life,
was treasurer of the colony from 1914 to 1919,
and once he was sent to England as their agent.
Scarcely an appraisement was made where the
colony were interested, but Standish was on the
commission, unless otherwise occupied.
OF his domestic relations the record states
that Rose, his first wife, died at Plymouth, Jan.
49, 1921, about month after the landing. She
was among the first to succumb TO the priva-
tons of that terrible first winter. He married a
second vile, Barbara, who survived him. To
his house on Captains Hill Standish removed
after his second marriage, and he drew around
him a devoted class of friends, among whom
were the elder Brewster, George Partridge, John
AluCn, MI. nOWlduuJ fIdllClS CdlOU, refer
Brown, George Soue, and other settlers Of
Duxbury. Captain Standish, in his old age, so
far as can now be ascertained, enjoyed good
health till his last illness. His vigor both of
mind and body, seemed as strong and fresh as
in early days. He combined in a pre,eminent
degree the practical use of intuition and intel
lect; and when convinced of the wisdom of
plan, however suddenly made, he executed it
with great rapidity. His temperament was
sanguine and impulsive, but through the whole
course of his life he seemed to exercise Won
derfu control over his passions. The following
familiar picture by Longiellow is not out OF
place in this connection:
'1n the Old Colony days, in Plymouth, the land of
the Pilgrims,
To and fro In room of his simple and primitive
- dwelling,
Clad in doublet and hose, and boots of Cordovan
leather,
Strobe, with martial air, Miles standish, the Pu-
Buried in thought he seemed with his hands behind
MIN, and pausing
Ever and anon to behold his gittering weapons of
warfare,
Hanging in shining array along the walls of the
chamber
Cutlass and corselet of STEEL and his trusty sword
Arabic sentence,
While underneath, in corner, were fOwling piece
Short Of stature he was but strongly built and ath-
DFOau III ile ueep cHeSJeu, Win muscles
and sinews of iron;
Brown as a nut was his face, but his russell beard
was already
Flaked with patches of snow, as hedges sometimes
in November"
Capt Standish settled in Duxbury about the
year 1880 on tract of land granted to him by
| the colony, which has since been known as the
| Standish farm, and upon which is the famous
| Captains Hill" Tradition locates his house
on the southeasterly part of the peninsula
where there still remain the walls of two cellars
singularly Joined at one end. 1t is supposed
that the cellar of one part was constructed to ac-
commodate a storehouse, built after his death in
| 1856, by his son Alexander, which was supposed
| to have been burned sometime during the next
nine years, or previous to 1865. The present
Standish house was erected by Alexander
Stanlish, partly from old timbers taken from the
| .cmains vi his fathers house, This fact is fully