Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-02-22
The Wentworth Mansion.

VI the old homestead of Governor
Wentworth, spoken of in Longfellow's
"Lady Wentworth" which is still
standing, the Taunton (Mass.) Gazette
gives the following description:
"Governor Benning Wentworth built
this retired and romantic home about
the year 1850, and here, he lived ever
after, through the prolonged term of
twenty years, during which he held his
commission as Governor. The house
as described in q Portsmouth paper in
1867, lis generally Of two stories, built
around three sides of square, and
formerly contained fifty-three rooms.
A part of the house has since been re-
moved, and there now remain only
forty five. Itlooks like collection Of
buildings of various dates and styles.
The: house is so hidden Behind an
eminence that it is not visible from the
road, and cannot be seen Until you
reach the gate. On one side it COM
mands q fair view of the water. In it's
cellars troop of horses could be &C.
commodated in times of ianger. The
mansion has yet the council room, an
imposing room, of high story, where
meetings important to the state and
nation were held by the Council for
many years. By its side opens the
billiard room, where the ancient spirit
is still located; and in its corner the
buffet, which has held many full and
empty punch-bowl. At the entrance of
the council chamber still stand :the
racks for twenty guns, which were for
guards when occasion required.
The walls are finished in oak,
in the old style, exquisitely carved
with the knife and chisel of carpenter,
being more than years work. On as
cending a short flight of steps from the
council chamber, you enter the spa.
cious parlor, still as rich IN it's original
fnishas it was one hundred and twenty
years ago. Here lived and kept a
famous table, old Governor Bennine,
and here it was, in his sixtieth year,
that he married his pretty serving-maid
young Martha Hilton, or Patty Hilton,
according to the family tradition, hand
ed down: to the present generation.
Patty, although servant. and once
Barefooted, ragged, with neglected hair,
was the granddaughter of Hon. Rich
ard Hilton of Newmarket, who was JUS
tice of the Superior Court in 1898 and
1893. 1t was probably owing to the
renowned fickleness of fortune that
pretty Patty,
"'In mean habiliments bore
A pail Of water, dripping, through the street,
And bathing as sho went, her naked feet
cat a great dinner-party given on
his birthday, when the walnuts and
wine were on, the Governor rung for
Patty, who came and stood blushing at
his side; and then as Governor of New
Hampshire, he commanded the clergy
man, the Rev. Arthur Brown, who had
hesitated at his request as a private
gentleman, to marry him; and Patty
straightway became Lady Wentworth
Of the Hall, and carried things with q
high hand ever afterwards, thus fulfill
ing her own prophecy: ;,
"tNo matter how look: I yet ahal ride
In my own chariot, ma'am.'
:" This marriage, owing to the ine-
quality of ages as well as of position,
caused much excitement at the time.
and the excitement was greatly increas-
ed by his making her sole heir ut his
death. He died October II, ITO.
Two month after his decease, Patty, or
rather Lady Wentworth, married Col.
Michael Wentworth. She died Decem-
Der 28, 1906, at the age of sixty-eight.
The Boston Traveller subjoins the
following:
"To which we may add that Colonel
T. W. Higginson takes the romance out
OF the poem very nicely. He says that
Governor Wentworth married for his
second wife (March 9Th. 1850, quot in
May, nor yet on hlsbirt day, } a young
g1rl named Martha Hilton, grand
daughter of the Hon. Richard hilton.
who was Justice of the Supreme Court
in 1898. 1t is possible--though I have
found no record of it-that she NAV
have been reduced to poverty, and have
lived as a servant ut the great Went
worth House ut Little Harbor before
her marriage. But take this to have
come from the poets imagination, like
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