Smyrna times., 1881-01-19


P. Episcopalans, b, fore st. Peters (present
cburch) was built. Priestly was the piinci-
pie of the Academy. He was an English
man and staunch churchman. He always
opened school by reading prayers. On one
occasion Henry Kennard entered the school
room during the opening service and instead
of going to his own seat, he walked to the
girls side and knelt beside daughter of
Benjamin Coombe. Mr.. Priestly believed in
the duty of watching as well as praying. He
He at once suspended his religious exercises,
took his rod from his desk, called young
Kennard to him, chastised him severely
and sent him to his proper seat. He then
knelt down and finished the reading of the
morning prayers. Some years ago 1 met
the old gentleman in Philadelphia. He
remarked that death had given him four
raps. The first dimmed his sight, the
second dulled his hearing the third loosen.
ed his teeth, and the fourth had frosted his
head. What raps he has since received
from that grim parsonage, do not know.
If he has crossed the Jordan l hope he is
happy on the Shining Shore. He was
good teacher, good deciplinarian, a good
man and good citizen.
John and Alex. Peterson's Tan Yard, on
the hill, was one of Smyrna's most import.
ant industries. AT the time of which l
write, John had removed to Philadelphia,
and was in business there. Alexander was
running the machine at Smyrna. He was
of dignifisd bearing and great force Of
character.
From Petersons Tannery to the lane,
leading to the Methodist meeting house,
were several dwellings occupied think by
tenants.
On the N. f. corner Of this lane was the
house of Sampson Rodgers Old Sampson
was the sexton of the church and grave
digger. He gathered them in" and put
the dead away in a manner that would be
shocking at the present day.
Daniel and James Mcdowell were cabinet
and coffin makers. For funerals in the
town, hearse was rarely used. A bier
crrried by four bearers was commonly adop.
ted. The coffin was hip.roofed, deep and
wide at the shoulders, and tapSred towards
the head and feet. They were generally
plain inside and out, some fine shavings
were usually left in for the head to rest
upon. Sometimes they would have an
inside lining and a pillow. The graves
were dug with straight sides and ends for a
a given depth, then an Offset and pit dug
to the shape and size of the coffin. Rough
boards were sometimes mot always) placed
across the pit to keep the earth from the
coffin. Thus the young and the old, the
tall, the wise, and the reverend head were
unostentatiously laid low. There were nc
caskets in those days. The rich sometimes
INDUCED in plain mahogany or walnu
collins with iron handles. Now compare
lively poor people must have Rosewood
lined with silk and satin and covered will
black cloth. French plate glass top and
silver mountiRgs. Are fashionable funeral:
of the present day an improvement? Is no
the expense of the trappings and the hun
dreds of dollars expended in fading flowers
: really serious matter? And have no
funeral sermons to some extent come to b
bore or panegyric of the dead?
From Methodist street to the Meetin
| house, there was no pavement or boar
I walk, or lamps to dispel darkness. TIL
a Meeting house was large frame building
! weatherboarded outside and wainscote
, inside. 1t was a cold barn Of q place il
!. Winter, which the two tea plate WOO
}, stoves could not heat. No carpets grace
t the floor and single plank kept you frer
the ground. To keep the stills and 6oorin
}. boards from decay, openings were made i
f the foundation walls and the wind whistle
a merciessly under your feet. There was
- front door and and single aisle runnin
through the centre TO the altar. There WI
9 also a side door for convenient access I
q. the pulpit, at the end was a gallery f
4" negroes, approached from an outside doc
il The main floor was seated with woode
% benches with q strip back and extendC
4 from the aisle to the side walls of the hous
10 Of course much Inconvenience was expe
n fenced in getting in and out of the seal
N or the preachers who used to be then,
a remember Laurence McCemb, "Larr,
a Laurenceson, Jacob Moore, " Father" Ride
~ Eliphlet Reed, Ezekiel Cooper, Villa
or Torbert, Jimmy" Smith, " Father" Wi
Sc shire, h" Father" Gruber, Solomon Shar
IN II. g. King, R. NJ. Greenback, Jam
y. Nichols, and others. 1 once heard N
IS. Grubsr reprove a lady for calling hi
" Father Gruber," for said the old Germs
de 81 ish Father to noting" l suppose
D was equally improper to call Mr.. Wiltsh
on Father" for he was an old bachelor.
les remember two sessions of the Philad
ch phia Conference held in Smyrna, the o
let in 1927 and the other in 1929. At t
he latter the sessions of the Conference We
ad held in the Friends Meeting House, a
ar. public religious services were conducts
ar. morning, afternoon and night, in
,r" Methodist Meeting House. After this G.
ur' ference season Of great revival prevail
L. and continued all Summer and for someti
AN thereafter. Business was to large deg
IL