Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-03-26
Puritan Courtship and Marriage.


publication Of Judge Sewall's journals.
We lately published some curious ex-
tracts, and now reproduce from the
Boston Advertiser the following resume
OF facts cleaned from the recently is
sued second volume:
The story of the courtship, married
life, and early death Of Judge Sewall's
daughter, Mary, as it may he pieced to.
gether from the brief and widely scat
tered entries in his diary, 10 fall of q
certain kind OF pathetic interest. A
few extracts will tell the story, and at
the same time give very fair idea Of
Judge Sewall's character and of the
kind Of interest which attaches to the
diary. II would seem that Samuel
Gerrish, book seller of Boston, and
son of the minister OF Wenham, had in
some way intimated to the Judge de.
sire to visit Mary Sewall with view to
marrying her. The first entry which
we End is under date of January 81,
100: "Mr. Spensar calls here and
inquire of him about Mr.. Gerrish, of
Wenham, what he should say. He an.
swered not directly; but said his Cous-
in would come if he might have admit
s0hSOs l. tOAo A4h4 L uO0ku 10 WOul W OxI.
Coney's daughter. He said he knew
nothing of that; l desired him to en-
quire and tell me. understand he
undertook it; but he came no more"
A few days later, February 4, Sewall
went to q funeral, as he was very apt to
do, aud looming from the Grave" he
writes, II asked Mr.. Pemberton whether
s. Gerrish courted Mr.. Coney's daugh-
ter; he said no; not now. Mr.. Coney
thought his daughter young" This
apparently satisfied the Judge, for three
days afterward he records: II delivered
a letter to s. Gerrish to enclose and
send to his father, which he promises
to doe." In ten days he received an
answer, and the next day he writes: II
leave Word at Mr.. Gerrlshes shop that
l would speak with him after Mr..
Bromfeld's Meeting was over. He
came and l bid him Welcome to my
house as to whe. his father writ about.
So late hardly it then to see my daugh-
ter, appointed him to come on Tuesday,
invited him to Supper" At the APP
pointed time, apparently. the young
man came, and asked the Judge in pri-
vate whether it was best to frequent
my House before his father come to
Town; I said that were the best intro.
duction; but he was welcome to come
before, and bid him come on Friday
night" The next day we read that
Sewalls son in law. Grove Hirst, "tells
me Mr.. Gerrish courted Mr.. Coney's
daughter. 1 told him I knew it, and
was uneasy. In the evening daughter
Hirst came hither, l suppose to tell that
MIR. Gerrish had courted Mr.. COney's
daughter" and that if she should. have
Mr.. Stoddard she would do better than
to marry MI. Gerrish. And, alas! on
the appointed Friday the Judge writes
rish comes not; we expected him. Mary
dressed herself: it was q PAINFUL dis
graceful disappointment" The braach,
however, was healed, and after a time
we read: "March, IA. The Reverb
Mr.. Joseph Gerrish comes to our house
in the evening. Dimes with US March
10. Tuesday. At night his son comes,
and Mary goes to him. Mr.. Gerrish
goes home on Wednesday. His son
comes and is entertained then ALSO"
On Friday we read: rs. Gerrish
comes. Tells Mary except Saturday
and Lord 's.day nights intends to wait
on her every night; unless some ex-
.raordinary thing happen" From that
everything seems to have gone on
smoothly; and August "a the Judge
writes: "In the evening Mr.. Pember-
ton marrys Mr.. Samuel Gerrish and
my daughter Mary: He begun with
Prayer, and Mr.. Gerrish the Bride
groom's father concluded: Mr.. May
hew was present.. The next day "Mr.
Cotton Mather. Mr.. Pemberton and
wife, and others, dine with us after
Lecture. In the even I invite the Govr.
and Council to drink Glass of Wine
with me; About 20 came; Gave
them variety Of good Drink, and at 60
ing away large piece of Cake Wrapd
in Paper. They very heartily wish'd
me Joy of my daughters Marriage" A
little more than year passed and the
young wife,-"my dear child" Sewall
calls her,-died. "being but nineteen
years and twenty days DID," leaving a
daughter not week old, named Han
nah. In the following spring the child
died, and on the Oath Of April the Judge
notes: Hannah Gerrish is buried.
Bearers, Gillian Phillips and Benz.
Gray: white Scarvs. Was put into
the Tomb just before Sunset, several of
the Council, DR.. Cotton Mather, Mr..
Wadsworth, Colman there" II this
were the whole story it would seem to
want nothing to make it a complete and
rounded narrative; but turning over q
good many pages of the diary we find
the following entry under date of May
8, 1712: cat night, DIR. Increase Ma.
ther married Mr.. Saml. Gerrish and
and Mrs. Sarah Coney; DR.. Cotton
Mather pray'd last. PS. 80 13--2H
slaves, I set Windsor Tune. Had
Gloves. Sack poser, and Cake. Mr..
Gerrish, the minister, and Mr.. Pember-
ton were there" Sarah Coney was the
young lady to whom Gerrish had paid
marked attentions before counting Mary
Sewall, and that his second marriage
was not displeasing to the Sewall fami-
ly is shown, not only by the fact that
the Judge led the singing at the we'd
ding. but by an entry in his Journal
few days afterward: MAY ID, l7l2.
My Wife visits the bride and Bride