e-Newsletter | September 10, 2021 |
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The day we met. Gift of Deborah and Donald Chesnut. |
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The Enigmatic Captain Alexander Livingston
On July 26, I “met” Alexander Livingston for the first time. Let me tell you the story. A year before, Donald and Deborah Berry Chesnut of Durham, North Carolina, contacted the Museum of Old Newbury with the intention of donating two paintings of Newburyport captains, Stephen Poor Bray (1811-1883) and Alexander Livingston (1785-1826).
The donors had a family connection to these men, whose portraits had been hanging in their home for many years.
A year later, amid COVID restrictions and delays, time was running out. The Chesnuts were moving, and Alexander and Stephen were not moving with them. After attempts to find safe packing and transport options failed, my husband and I hopped into the minivan and headed to Durham.
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Meeting the Chesnuts was a delight. Deborah had many memories of visiting her grandparents, Arthur and Annie (Bray) Berry, who lived on Bromfield Street. The tangled path to Alexander Livingston begins here.
Annie (Bray) Berry was the grand-daughter of Stephen Poor Bray, whose son married the grand-daughter of Alexander Livingston. Though Stephen Poor Bray led a fascinating life and is worthy of a story of his own, the portrait of Alexander Livingston is captivating. His skin is dark, his hair curly and loose around his face. His fringe of a beard is painted in painstaking detail.
After returning to Newburyport with the captains, cursory research revealed scant information about Captain Livingston. His obituary in the Newburyport Marine Society records, often the richest source of information about their members, yielded only this:
CAPT. ALEXANDER LIVINGSTON,
Joined the Marine Society Nov. 25, 1819.
Died Aug. 27, 1826, aged 43 years.
Capt. Livingston commanded schooners Lydia, Peace and Plenty, Ames.
Livingston’s death records are also surprisingly vague. He “died at home,” according to Marine Society records. His widow received payments from the relief committee of the Marine Society for a decade after his death, indicating that he had left her in financial difficulty. He was born in Cambridge, New York, a tiny town near the Vermont border. His birth records have, thus far, eluded me.
Another tantalizing piece of evidence? Alexander Livingston was the captain of a ship, the Atlas, a schooner of 40 tons, not listed in the Marine Society records. It was captured en route to Newburyport, by the British privateer, Dove, on February 9, 1815, during the War of 1812. He lost 150 barrels of flour and 12 tierces (42-gallon casks) of rice.
Another tidbit? Livingston was a member of the Sea Fencibles, a company formed in 1814 to “guard and protect the coast at Plum Island…against the landing of the British, who might destroy the town.” He was the lowest ranking member of the company, a humble private, but the captain of the Atlas less than one year later.
Alexander Livingston was living under another cloud when he died. The year before, on March 5, off the coast of South Carolina, the schooner Lydia, bound for Martinique, pulled up to chat with another Newburyport ship, the Sewell.
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The Schooner Lydia and Brig Sewell left Newburyport on the same day, February 4, 1825. They would collide a month later, sinking Lydia. (From page 3 of Newburyport Herald, published in Newburyport, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, February 8, 1825.)
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The maneuver was poorly executed, the Sewell slammed into the Lydia, and punched a hole in her. She sank two hours later.
Though it was Livingston’s ship that sank, he was involved in a legal battle with the other captain, Isaac Stone, and the owners of his ship, who believed Livingston to be responsible for negligence, as “there was but one man at the helm on the Lydia’s deck at the time.” Livingston was reportedly sick belowdecks.
There is much more to learn, ship’s logs to be scoured, newspaper articles to be squinted at. Many of you have done this kind of research, and we invite you to see what you can find out about Captain Livingston. Please send along source information if you find any juicy tidbits that will enhance our understanding of his life and help us better understand this extraordinary gift.
The members of the Museum of Old Newbury who attended the 143rd Annual Meeting, held in the Perkins Printing and Engraving Plant on Wednesday, September 8, were also able to “meet” Alexander Livingston as he arrived at the museum. The portrait is awaiting cleaning and conservation, but is visually striking. Thanks to the research of Collections Committee member Monica Reuss, we know a great deal about the painting itself, even if its subject remains something of a mystery.
Stay tuned for next week’s installment, when Captain Livingston goes to Amsterdam and lets his hair down.
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Captain Alexander Livingston and his family are buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Newburyport, Mass. (Courtesy image.) |
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Woman on the MOON
That Feeling When…Your Dead Husband Hides the Toilet in the Woodpile...a blog by Bethany Groff Dorau
My marriage is basically one long sea shanty – some drinking, lots of laughs, a few dirty jokes. Comfortable, stable, call and response. He says, “where are my keys?” I say, “t’wer in that crack.” I say, “how was your day?” He says, “I’m all bloody but my eyes.” Added to any list of ways that things have gone wrong? “Also, I swore.”
Okay, we may have the only marriage whose love language is 17th century court testimony. Over the course of the decade-plus that we co-hosted the Tales and Ales event at the Swett-Ilsley House, he as operations manager for Ipswich Ale, me as historian, we had our favorite court cases, our favorite people.
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A pewter chamber pot, perhaps similar to this English made version, was the focus of a court case against Frances Quilter. (Image courtesy of WikiMediaCommons.)
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Reuben Guppi, who shoved a hen down his pants and ran away from home; Rev. Gilbert, who had a bit too much to drink before the service and threw up in the middle of a psalm; Ruth Peters of Wenham, who attacked a man with…cheese. But there is no set of weird, wild, crazy people in the history of this area quite like the Quilter family.
The Quilters were a raging dumpster fire, in the age before dumpsters. Here’s the call and response that they bequeathed to us. If one of us is on a wild tear about something, the other one will offer to “open a window for you to shoot out of” or declare, “you have killed the man!”
Here's why.
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It's 1672. John Edwards is bartending in Ipswich. “I was attending at Quartermaster Perkins' house drawing beer for his Guests and being to & fro in several Rooms of the House, I saw ten men in one room. In this Room there was much disturbance & offence given to the master of the House by shooting of pistols in the Room, so much that the Quartermaster & his wife went to bid them to cease firing in ye Room. A window was opened for them to shoot from, but they shot under the table instead.” That’s right. The Thirsty Whale on a summer Saturday has nothing on the scene at the Perkins tavern on training day.
Let’s unpack this a bit more. Every man in every town, unless he was ninety years old or missing both legs, had to be part of the militia company. Imagine this today. Take every guy over the age of sixteen in, say, West Newbury. Every guy – the flag-waving Trump guy, the Buddhist vegan, the guy with the stamp collection and Road Runner whirligigs on his lawn – all of them are given guns and ammo and forced to spend the day together. So after a day of this, they all pile into the tavern, and ten of them start shooting, just for fun, inside the bar. Instead of asking them to leave, the owner opens a window, but they shoot under the table. What could possibly go wrong?
Enter Mark Quilter. “When I told the men there that I did not care for drinking, some answered & said you must kiss the cup then. And I, going to follow the Quartermaster, was stopped by those that sat on each side of me: and going to creep under the table was stopped by some holding my Coat behind; till watching my opportunity got from behind the Table & making Towards the door, it was clapped (shut) too, & some cried, here is the man, here is the man,” etc.
According to the testimony of bystander John Burr. “One and then several pistols were shot. And Mark said you have lamed me: I then did light the light, and cried out you have killed the man, and as all the persons were hustling they presented & snapped their pistols at Mark as they went, he lying by the door & Bleeding: I viewing his wound saw a wad sticking which I took out, it being on fire, & I Cried again, you have killed the man, for he lay speechless & Ready to die away.”
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The author and her husband, James Dorau, hosted Tales and Ales at Historic New England's circa 1670 Swett-Ilsley House from 2009 to 2019 (and again, soon, we hope). Photo credit Sara Willman. |
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Mark Quilter walks into a bar. Drunk guys tell him to have a drink. He says he doesn’t drink (which they all know is a lie). They shove a cup in his face. He tries to run away. They grab his coat, he crawls away, and they, well, shoot him. But not very effectively. You see, the ball (if there was one), and the wadding material were so sloppily arranged that Mark Quilter was shot with a flaming chunk of cloth. And the guys filed out and snapped their guns at Mark, bleeding on the floor with the aforementioned cloth sticking out of his leg.
You hate this story. It’s violent and terrible. Not funny at all. Well, you don’t know Mark Quilter. If you had, you may have wanted to shoot him in the leg.
Mark Quilter was in and out of court for most of his life for drinking, being beastly to his wife, punching the neighbors, refusing to pay medical bills. In 1664, Quilter was grumbling at his wife about his inadequate breakfast. His neighbor, Goody Shatswell, who was visiting, said something under her breath, and then it was ON. Mark was brought to court for “violently taking her from the chair on which she sat, throwing her down on the floor, her head against a door, her neck being doubled, then taking her up, and continuing violent shaking and thrusting her out of the house.” Quilter’s wife rushed to her husband’s defense, saying that neither of them could stand the Shatswell woman, who kept inviting herself over.
I have followed Mark and his wife, Frances, through the record for years. Today, I found a new tidbit, and it made me smile.
“Frances Quilter testified that the pewter (chamber) pot which she was accused of taking was found in her husband’s woodpile…by her maid servant, the day her husband Quilter died, which was about two years ago. She supposed her husband had laid it there to keep it from her, as he did his money.”
The hot chamber pot was sent to Newbury to the home of her sister, Dorothy Woodman, to hide it from the men who came to assess the value of Mark Quilter’s meager estate. After a lifetime of trouble, I am sure a pewter potty is the least she felt he owed her.
Another delicious detail - she knew full well that her husband hid money from her in the woodpile. My husband hides his in…well, I can’t say. We must pretend to have our secrets.
Editor's note: Inconsistencies in spelling of names, etc., are from the historical record and not a typographical error.
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Learn about upcoming programs, register, find Zoom links and catch up on previous presentations here. All of our virtual programs are free, however donations are gratefully accepted to help defray speaker fees.
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Writers and historians explore the lives and work of Black New Englanders and abolitionists through a fresh examination of the historical record and recent research.
John Demos, Samuel Knight Professor Emeritus of History, Yale University, will provide opening and closing remarks. Speakers & presenters include:
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Manisha Sinha, Draper Chair in American History at the University of Connecticut;
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John Stauffer, Sumner R. & Marshall S. Kates Professor of English and of African and African American Studies at Harvard;
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Kabria Baumgartner, Dean's Associate Professor of History and Africana Studies at Northeastern University;
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Allegra di Bonaventura, Associate Dean for Academic Support at Yale’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences;
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James DeWolf Perry, Principal Historical Consultant for “Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North,” former Executive Director at Tracing Center on Histories and Legacies of Slavery; and
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Keidrick Roy, PhD candidate in American Studies at Harvard University.
Made possible by the generous support of The Governor's Academy, Eastern Bank, First Religious Society and Historic New England.
This is an in-person event. On-site ticket limit: 200.
• For admittance to the in-person symposium, proof of vaccination and a photo ID must be presented at the on-site registration table, and in-person attendees are required to wear masks indoors. Masks will be available.
• The Governor's Academy reserves the right to cancel the venue, at its discretion, for reasons of health & safety concerning the coronavirus.
Fees include all presentations, lunch (with vegetarian/non-vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options), hot and cold refreshments throughout the day and access to all recordings.
Virtual/Zoom access is also available by donation on a sliding scale. Individual Zoom links for each presentation will be sent to all participants on Friday, October 8, 2021.
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Puzzle Me This...
She is "Ceres"-ly Beautiful!
This carved wooden figure of Ceres is attributed to ship carver Joseph Wilson.
For many years it was mounted in a broken arch pediment over the doorway of a home on Washington Street.
From the collections of the Museum of Old Newbury.
Click on image to begin.
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Something is Always Cooking at the Museum
When it comes to sniffing out a good, stick-to-the-ribs entrée, Peter Wiggin's skill in the kitchen is effortless and always delicious. His secret of finishing with slivered almonds is an exceptional treat.
Hunter's Casserole
1 cup uncooked wild rice
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups light cream
12 large white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
3 cups diced, cooked chicken, breast meat
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds
Prepare rice according to directions. Cook onion and celery in butter over moderate heat until tender, but do not brown. Remove from heat and stir in flour and gradually stir in chicken broth. Add cream and cook, stirring, until thick and smooth. Mix in cooked rice, mushrooms, chicken, parsley and seasonings. Place in 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 325ºF for 30 to 40 minutes. Serves 8.
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During this difficult period of COVID-19, we rely on your support more than ever. We continue to develop new, online programs for you to enjoy and keep us connected and look forward to in-person events as protocols for safety loosen. We hope, if you are able, that you will consider a donation to the museum. Thank you for your continued support.
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Museum of Old Newbury
98 High Street
Newburyport, MA 01950
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