The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-07-24
ADOPTED HOME TOWN OF DAN WEBSTER
Life, Habits And Possessions OF Noted Orator Reviewed
CELEBRATES ITS BOOTH ANNIVERSARY
BY FRANK w. LOWERING
Especial to The Citizen)

MARSHFIELD, Mass, July "a.
This adopted Atlantic shore
town of the great statesman,
Daniel Webster, peer of the ora
tors of his own or any other day
in the history Of America, where
he lived for 20 years during the
height of his fame, where the
vast farm he owned is a show
place and a shrine, and where on
one of the sandy hilltops over
looking the sea he loved, his
ashes rest beneath a simple
marble slab, is this week Observ-
ing its Booth anniversary.
Across from the embroidered
village green in the white-spired
Congregational Church, where
Webster's pew, first at the right
of the cumbersome mahogany
pulpit, is marked with a simple
tablet of bronze, the exercises of
commemOration began on Sum
day. The severely Straight-back-
ed peWS with narrow crimson
cushions were crowded to the
limit; the high gallery was pack
ed, and modern public address
system carried the services to an
overflow audience of some 500
on the lawns beyond the tarvia
highway, freed for the hour and
a half of Sunday motoring
crowds by a squad of traffic po-
lice
Scarlet hangingS behind the
pulpit Silhouetted six ministers
who took part in the program of
the day. Through broad, high
windows each set with 30 panes
of glass, most of which had been
there since the edifice was erect
ed 1O2 years ago, fifth in its line.
the vista led to a typical New
England City of the Dead. There,
under curious slate tombStoneS
scattered beneath elms, naples
and Straight-armed hackamatack
trees, curious evergreen heavy
with little cones, sleep many de-
scendants of the WinsloWS, the
AldenS, the Thomases and the
Ames families. Their fOrebears
came to these Pilgrim shores on
the MayflOwer, ten years before
Marshfield was else than a will
derneSs peopled by Indians.
Webster's Burial Place
The tomb OF Daniel Webster
and his family is about a mile
and a half south of the church
and burying ground, back of the
Webster place, so-called, a great
yellow house set in pleasant fields
beside a pond 1t is not the orig
inal dwelling occupied by Web
ster in the years from 1882 to
1852. That was burned, but on
its site the present building was
constructed. much after the de-
tailed architecture of the original
homestead. 1t is occupied today
by Mr. and Mrs. Walton Hall
Mrs. Hall, a charming woman, is
an almost perfect double of Mrs.
V. A. Johnson of Key West-in
facial expression, quick smile,
speech and action.
The big house is filled with
Webster souvenirs all saved from
the fire, and preserved with the
utmost care. Here are the ora
tors big leather-upholstere
arm chair with attached arm
book rack; a pair of light-colored
trousers-the waistline gives an
accurate idea of the great mans
bodily girth: his collection of
marvellouSly colored butterflies;
his books and papers: his table
ware, bookcases, tables, desk
and chairs.
Near the house in a sylvan
dell is WebSter's original study.
a small wooden building. its
many-paned window half hidden
by heavy brocaded blue and
white draperies, which Times
fingers have touched rather
harShly.
On the walls are curious old
maps the statesman used-one of
the lower end of Cape Cod
which reaches like a Bonded arm
with clenched fist straight out
from eastern Massachusetts, to
thrust at the broad Atlantic. This
is dated 1833-34-35. and signed
by the United States Topographic
Survey. predecessor of the Coast
and Geodetic Survey of today.
Another wall map. in ageing
colors, shows the United States
when much of if was an unchart-
ed wilderness. There are steel
engravingS of the Landing of the
Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock in
1880. and of other Old Colony
scenes that live forever in his
tory.
Roses In Memory
Webster's grave is in a portion
of his fields set aside as a burial
plot. From it across the verdant
salt marshes the open sea is
visible; and the South river. a
ribbon of light. In the river.
Webster was wont to fish in the
forest solitude of more than a
hundred years ago. composing
the while some of the great