New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-24
OLDTOWN.
THE QUAINT VILLAGE OF MRS. STOVES
STORIES

THE QUAINT VILLAGE OF MRS. STOVES
STORIES.
South Natck famous the place where the
Apostle John Eliot made his frs; Indian converts.
and as the "Oldtown" of Harriet Beecher Stoves
stories 10 a quaint old New-England village, rich
in relics and associations. one enters II from
Wellesley. driving past the broad estates OF the
Hunnewell families where once stood the wlgwams
and cornfeds Of Chief Waban and his lndan
brethren.
The starting point of interest in South Natick is
rho old Eliot oak a tree twenty feet IN crcumfer-
euce at it's base under whose branches John Eliot
preached to the assembled Indians In the early
DAYS of his ministry. Near this tree STANDS lvpi-
cal New-England church, with blank walls ana
staring windows. 1t was built nearly seVent! years
ago the present structure being the fifth meeting
house upon this spot and lineal descendant OF the
log-cabin church erected by Eliot and his Indian
converts in 1851 Tradition says that in the loit OF
the primitive church the apostle to the indians
stored blankets and provisions for use when on MS
visits to his Indian parish.
Not far away on Pleasant-s.. is an oblong. upright
stone bearing the inscription: Here Lyeth We
Body of Daniel Takawambpait. Aged "a Years
Died September Il. 116" An entry IN Samuei
Sewalrs diary says that Daniel Takawamppai,
was ordained November. 1882 Eye first Indian min
lister" Not far from this Sravestone Is the square
old Colonial wooden house. with brass doorknop
and knocker. where Mrs. Stowe formerly hFeu-
the site OF the Badger house in her story OF OId-
town Folks" by whose fres.de the Indians al
ways found warm welcome, wholesome rare ana
the inevitable mug OF cider.
Opposite the Badger house, a portion OF the
old Indian burying ground, stands the village
library. The lower story OF this building Is ue-
voted 10 the uses of the Historical, Natural HIS
tory and Library Society OF Natick. Indian axes,
sDears and arrow heads. old wooden cooking uten-
sis of the early Colonial days, tin ovens such as
the O.dtoWn housewives used, specimens or hne
needework and old brocades-these and many
other relics make up an interesting ana Va!uapie
collection In the library above are some rare ana
quaint old books and documents. Here Is TO be
seen a warrant issued by Chief Waban Cwho was
anno.nted Justice of the peace addressed TO an
Indian constable and reading as follows: ou'
Won big constable quick you catch UNI Jeremiah
Orscow: strong you hold UNI, safe you bring um
before me- Waban. Justice Of the Peace" Here
also NAV be found the record OF that unique SEN
fence pronounced by Justice Waban in case be-
tween some Indians of Nonantum constable Tie
UNI all up: and whip UNI plalnu1 anu whip u'
PENDANT, and whip um witness
There is still a hotel on the site OF the old Eha-
kim Morrill, tavern. which was built IN l"Z' ana
which vas stopping place in the old stage-coach
dave famous for ns cheer. In still more remote
DAYS the Indians used the warm. sunny slope. be-
ginning with the tavern site and extending TO me
Eliot oak as a burying ground. and 1t Is hardly
nossible at this day, remove the earth any
or coming upon beads spoons, arrow-heads and
such other articles as the Indians were wont to
hurry with their dead. resident OF South NaticK
whose home has always been upon tins nil te,s
the marvellous tale that when she was cnd
agures of indians could be seen outlined plainly
i'm the ground after heavy ain! a., -,
to the northern limit of the Indian buryng,,
ground was granted by the 'PToprietors OF Natck
fr t79I 70 the Rev. Oliver Peabody. VINO succeeded
Holm Eliot as missionary in l72l, and whose grave
is marked By plain gray slab win ,sor La and
iabors The majority Of the stones gate BACK INTO mo
the last century. and the inscriptions are ev Sus
gTebs ongbts" over little grave is stone marked
Patty Smith, aged 10 mos % days with '"eSe
words below:
"A pleasant plant. a blooming flower.
cut down and withered in an hour"
In this cemetery too IT, he e remains OF Fo man
OF the characters immor;allzed In 0idt1wn Mse
('Parson LothropD with It's ponderous epitaph; De De
p Ss6d e en- Badger lie was BY the Com
missioners for propagating the Gospel IN new
E nGians in ana Sa S% March a. l Angus, 3
is0S Respect this stone. As tribute OF affection.
s sded fe each virtue shall renew
Parson othrops grave to o Pars3n n 9as
tavern site and along the riverside where
the Charles
Slips seward silently. through
Marshes purple and green
The locality Of the Iothrop house Is marked ., by
as the Friendship trees having been brought
u,hen Young saplings, to the good parson upon tee
shoulders Of two friendly Indians The nouse was
huIlt about 1888 and IL substantial wooden struct-
ire Two stories high, with large garnet. on
each floor are four spacious. high studded rooms
each containing a huge fireplace. now boarded over
on the right OF the main entrance 10 the house IS
he narlor stately room. with carved nou.dnss'
snd dren ample closets for the best china d.shes
hack OF the parlor Is the room known as 'Parfon
Iothrop's study" and over the mantel there may
90, he ssen few OF the blue-anf-whie Dutc"
;nes that once bordered the par.or fireplace Oppo-
site the parlor, across the broad nan "nch es-
.nUhih ,
on elaboraiely carved mantel reaching II the eel
10 and DIRECTLY IN the rear or this room the Dig
srnnv kitchcn A modern cooking stove now stands
in front OF the brcked-up fireplace but on one s;se
Tier me "arch-keti,e" whore soups and boiled
timers were cooked. one can picture the homey
cenee in this oll-ime kitcGen-espec ally the festi-
cal On eraphicslly described In Mrs. stoves memo
rsble chaptcr How We Kept Thanksgiving at Old
,owr"-ghen the apples were all gathered ana the
cdrr was ali made and the yellow pumpkins were
rallied in from many Mill IN pillows OF eoa' ana
The corn was hnsh.d ana INC 'h"o'' VI NV ~"
son done