The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-11-15

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
/: ELIZABETH MANCHESTER :
By ifta Allen FeHner.
svevevsvevsvevevevev.vovey
L was on the 18th day of Nav. in
L the year 1854. The hour lust be-
fore sunset, and all the western slsy
was aglow with brilliant light. A
fair young girl sitting on the door
step OF her home was spinning flax
as she hummed softly to herself
snatches of old English ballads, until
she was startled by the sudden re-
port of gun. The frightened girl,
realizing the situation, instantly left
her spinning wheel and fled into the
house, where her guardians wife
was preparing the evening meal The
mousse, story and a half frame one,
was situated in small clearing near
the Hoosicll river at Petersburgh, n.
y, and was one of the first substan-
tlal houses erected in that section. 1t
was not an unusual thing for the set
tiers in Petersburgh in those early
days to be attacked by Indians and
to be suddenly called upon to defend
their lives and their homes by heroic
measures.
! Elizabeth Manchester, the maiden
spinning beside the door, was born
and bred in England. When she was
Is years of age her mother died, and
her father, who had many friends in
New England, embarked for Amer
lea, taking her with him. The long
sea journey had made her father
very ill and fatigued him much more
than he wished his little daughter to
know, and he rejoiced when they
were safe in Salem, Mass, with their
dear old friends, the Brimmers, who
had awaited them anNiously. Mr..
Manchester did not survive the New
England winter. When dying he left
his daughter in charge of his beloved
friend, John Brimmer.
The Brimmer family consisted of
the father, John Brimmer, his esti-
mable wife and two stalwart sons,
Godfrey and John, Jr. The latter
were fine, noble boys, and John es-
pecially was very handsome. At the
time Elizabeth was added to their
household John was just in early
manhood. He was five years older
than Elizabeth, and they called each
other cousins, although there was no
relationship between them. Their
fathers We're lifelong friends and
their mothers school chums in dear
old England, SO when the Brimmers
found themselves upon foreign soil,
in vast new country, they welcomed
Elizabeth in their family more as a
beloved daughter than friend.
Mr.. Brimmer was very ambitious
and had sought the new world for a
purpose, SO he and his family pushed
on and on to the then western from.
tier and were among the first to settle
in Petersburgh, N. Y, truly beau
tiful and fertile country, almost in
although beyond the now famous
Berkshire Hills. Here they cleared
the land and made a home for them
selves, first living in a very crude
cabin, but after two years of hard
patient toll they erected their fine
frame house, and with a good thre,
acres of land under cultivation wer,
,, beginning to be very comfortable in
: deed. They were and had Away
been exceedingly friendly with tn,
Indians around them, and had helped
. them in many ways. In return the,
had as yet met with no hostilitie
: from the savages.
Mrs. 'Brimmer was skilled in al
! household duties. She and Elizabetl
kept the farmhouse as clean and pur
e as the finest manor in old England
e while Mr.. Brimmer and the boy
worked diligently to clear the LAM
). and cultivate the fields. They ha
$ been three years in their new home
and they had been very busy ye
{, happy years.
Il How well Elizabeth remembere
the journey from Salem! 1t ha
a taken them many weeks to reac
: their destination. They had mad
d the journey in summer, travelling lill
n gypsies. She had been Cousin John
y especial care on the trip, and bein
h so constantly together naturally the
became very dear to each Other
n Then came the building and settlin
a of the new home. How much pleas
e ure it had been to help beautify tn
!, home, for she loved them all S
(, dearly
d The second year they raised som
flax, for Elizabeth's spinning whee
e had been brought all the way froI
e Salem over the mountains and hill
g on the great OK cart that had carrie
: Mrs. Brimmer's rocking chair, silve
n tea set used in England and othe
e very precious household articles. A
7 this May day was warm and sum
!, Elizabeth had carried her wheel on
d of doors, where she could work i
S the open air and listen to Johns CON
ing. She intended to make grea