The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-05-01
SHE KNEW DANIEL WEBSTER,
Some Account of the statesman's Homo
Life in Marshfield.


(From the Rochester Democrat anu
| Chronicle.)
| There lives in a large, old fasnloheo
farmhouse on Chill avenue, just outsloe
thu city limits in Gates, an elderly lsos'
who is in all probability the only person
in Rochester who enjoyed an intimate
acquaintance with Daniel Webster wnen
the latter was in his prime MIS-.
Dawes, for such is her name, is so years
old and is descended from long line OF
| Puritan ancestors. Mrs. Dawes's great
grandfather came over with Gov. Brad
ford on the Mayfower and the name OF
George Soule can be seen to this day on
the tablet which records the landing OF
that sturdy little band of pilgrims. HIS
was one of Gov. Bradford g closest friends.
| Mrs. Dawes's grandparents purchased
a small promontory on the Massachusetts
coast, midway between Plymouth and
Marshfeld, about six miles distant from
the former place. Here they lived for
nearly two centuries the place assuming
the name of Duxbury. Mrs. Dawes was
born there, and, when she was about 30
years of age, Daniel Webster, who was
then member If Congress- moved to
Marshfield, purchasing the Thomas farm,
directly across the little bay from the
Dawes homestead. 1t did not take long
for the two families to become aoquaint-
ed for Webster's genial nature and win
ming personality soon made him the
friend of the entire neighborhood. Mrs.
| Dawes said the other evening in talking
with reporter, that Webster was large
man, with a decidedly plain but intelli-
gent face. He used to walk around his
farm wearing the poorest clothes he
could find, and always with a large
colored handkerchief wound around his
throat.
He owned two or three. sloops and one
small smack. When home from Wash
ingtons his fayorite pastime was fishing.
Mrs. Dawes's uncle William. was a
cripple. He was exceedingly popular
with the neighbors, and also Fwith the
great statesman. Webster and "Uncle
Bill" as Mrs. Dawes's uncle was ia
military called, could almost always be
found in each others company, at least
during the fishing season. Mrs. Dawes
| said that many times she has stood on
the shore of the bay when Webster, COM
ing down on the other side, dressed in
torn clothes and the seldom absent hand
kerohief, would sing out in his deep
| voice, Come on, Uncle Bill, let's go out
on the bay fishing" He was always
kind and sympathetic and ready to mako
| friends with all, rich or poor.
Mrs. Dawes said that one of his chief
hobbies was the raising of imported cat
| tie. Fine breeds OF COWS, hogs and horses
were bred by him; and his farm was
| known as one of the most fertile tracts
| in that portion of the State. He would,
in the spring of the year, send one OF
his sloops out on to the bay after men,
haden, which he used, as did the Indians,
| as fertilizer.
Webster would cause s,oop loads of this
| fish to be spread over his land, with ash.
es obtained from the north of Boston.
| Mrs. Dawes said that he would often
turn whole drove of cattle into field
| of oats, declaring that animals, to be of
any use, needed the best kind of food.
One little incident was narrated by Mrs.
Dawes illustrating Webster's strong char
aunts lived in Marshfeld. Her father
had given her COW after she married,
which Aunt Cllnty" as she was called
valued highly. Webster coveted the ami
mai and offered to buy it several times
"Aunt Clinty refused to sell the beast,
and one day her husband came in the
houSe and said 81 see that Daniel Web
ster has bought your cow" Looking out
through the window "Aunt Clinty' saw
Webster's man leading the animal to-
ward Marshheld. Webster came in q few
minutes later, and laying SIS on the
table, told her that be had purchased the
COW. The amount was large one, and,
knowing full well that Webster was de-
terInined to obtain the animal, and thai
it was of little use to oppose him, sht
took the money and wished the COW Ions
life.
Mrs. Dawes said that Webster was ad
mjred by the wealthy because of his goo(
nature and sociability, and By the poo
because Of his generosity. One day h,
was asked to speak at the opening of
} new district school at Duxbury He con
scented, and in the course of his remarks
said: "If l had 100 Children ] would
send them al to the public schools. ,
Mrs. Dawes remom bers every event O.
that day as distinctly as though it bat
happened but yesterday. Among Web
ster's most frequent visitors at Marshfiel(
was John Quincy Adams Mrs. Dawes
met Adams on different occasions but
UAiet, UttoOGti lld AfsfO bCCI
more highly educnted than Webster, hi
did not have rs bright an intellect.
Adams was inclined to faery, while
Webster always dressed in a most un
conventional fashion. Although Web
ster has often been accused of drinking
heavily Mrs. Dawes said TINT she never
saw HIM the worse for liquor during the
long term Of years he lived at Marsh
field. She recalled the part played by
Webster at the time the Ashburton
treaty was signed. She said that although
he was never communioant of any
church Webster attended the old Congre-
| gational church at Marshfeld regularly
and was Of deeply devotional nature.
She remembers several pointed words OF
advice that he delivered to young man
who failed to act with proper deoorum in
the ri ucoh Une Sunday. Mrs. Dawes
considered Webster to be man of strong
will but like all others living at Duxbury
and Marshfleld at the time she loved the
great statesman Tor his sterling qualities.
Always kind and considerable he won
the hearts Of every one he met.
One day when Mrs. Dawes was still a
young woman Webster and her uncle
were busily engaged in fishing near the
| shore Of the bay. She was walking along
| ha ha, IN, CT, j,Iv ~