Diary of Ezra Green, M.D. from November 1, 1777, to September 27, 1778

Part 2

Chapter 24,001 wordsPublic domain

Ten years more had nearly elapsed, when another more serious accident befel him. From an early morning stroll in front of his house, he came in doors, and standing by the window reading, was suddenly prostrated backward to the floor, seemingly, to him, by a violent blow on his cranium, and so wrenching his spinal column, as deprived him ever after of all power of locomotion. Happily this accident was unattended with pain, and there in his cosey easy chair, with books, papers, &c. around him, his days and years flew apace without weariness or complaint, and with that sweet serenity of mind and calm christian patience which won the most devotioned care and affectionate love of his two only surviving daughters.

From his personal friends, he had frequent social visits, and from strangers not a few, from far and near, attracted by his venerable age, or a desire to hear him recount his varied experience during our revolutionary war. Groups too of merry children, for whom he had a kindly fondness, came often with tasteful flowers to greet him. Such indeed was his uniform gentleness of disposition, and lively interest in all public and domestic affairs, that he left questionable evidence on the minds of not a few strangers, as to the extreme old age attributed to him.

Here, in conclusion, I will add that, on learning my dear father's indisposition, I hastened to see him, and found him suffering somewhat, as it seemed, from the effects of a cold and cough. To gratify me he took some homoeopathic pellets I recommended, smilingly remarking that such an infinitesimal potion could neither kill nor cure. Finding himself the next morning much relieved, he exclaimed that that was not what he desired, "for it has been my daily prayer the last year to my Heavenly Father, to take me to himself, and I believe he has kept me here a year longer, for my ceaseless importunity." Whereat I asked, have you not enjoyed your usual good health and happy intercourse with your devoted daughters and friends? O yes! that I have, and every worldly comfort and enjoyment I desire, but now I long to depart. Like the late renowned Mrs. Mary Somerville, of England, he dreaded the possibility of his physical powers outliving his mental faculties; and then said, "what an incubus I should be to my loving daughters, who would then wish me in my grave."

Happily was it that he was exempt from all those fretful, fractious feelings to which aged people are occasionally subject. Such was his universal cheerful temperament and mental activity, that his death to his idolizing daughters was no less grievous than that of a darling child to a fond mother; and so it was, that this eminently good and venerable man's prayer was soon after my visit indulged, and on July 25, 1847, he expired at the very advanced age of 101 years and 28 days, retaining to his last hour a clear unclouded mind, and with the full faith and confiding hope of entering a future world of progressive improvement and happiness.

On the one hundredth anniversary of Dr. Green's birth-day, the 28th of June, 1846, his former friend and pastor, the Rev. Samuel K. Lothrop, of Boston, preached in Dover a commemorative discourse[5] on this event, and from its appendix I make the following extract:--

Dr. Green is still able to employ himself with books for several hours every day. He reads the papers, and keeps himself well informed upon all public affairs, and retains his interest in them. As an evidence of the declaration that "the intellect and the heart have been slightly touched by time," I am permitted to publish the following extracts from a record, made in my journal, of an interesting interview had with him after service on the Sunday on which the sermon was preached. I had said that he was so well and strong that perhaps his life would still be prolonged some years; to which he replied--"I know not how long I may live. Death was always a very solemn and affecting thing to me. When a young man nothing affected or impressed me so much as a funeral. It has been so through life and is so now. I contemplate death with awe. It is a solemn thing to die, to exchange worlds, to enter upon an untried, spiritual, eternal state of being, of which we can form no adequate conceptions. To appear before an omniscient God, to account for the deeds done in the body, _all_ of them, through a _long_ life, is a solemn thing; I feel it to be so--I have always felt it. But I thank God that I am able to contemplate him as my Father in Heaven. Through Jesus Christ, the mediator, I have hope in his mercy, and a perfect trust in his paternal goodness." * * * *

These observations, and others in a similar strain, were made spontaneously, with pauses in which he seemed to be collecting his thoughts, but with only a single question put to him on my part. I publish them, not on account of the particular religious opinions which they express, but for the evidence they afford of the unabated vigor and activity of his intellect at the age of an hundred years. I have given very nearly his exact words. He was much affected during the utterance of these sentiments, and evidently spoke from the bottom of an earnest and sincere heart. The interview was exceedingly interesting, and left on those present the impression that he was ripe for the Kingdom of Heaven, and that an old age surrounded by so many comforts, with the intellect and the heart so little impaired, was not so sad and gloomy a period as we sometimes imagine.

In June, 1846, he received the following letter from Daniel Webster:

WASHINGTON, June 17, 1846.

MY DEAR SIR:--I hope you remember me at that period of my life, when I was in the habit of attending the Courts at Dover, and when I had the pleasure of enjoying your society and hospitality.

And I hope that in subsequent life I have made some efforts which you have approved, for the maintenance of those political principles to which, as a friend and follower of Washington, you have ever been attached, and which I have heard you so often and so intelligently defend. This is the day[6] on which you complete the hundredth year of your age. Will you allow me, therefore, to greet you, to-day, with a respectful and friendly letter, congratulating you on the degree of strength, mental and bodily, which Providence allows you to enjoy, so far beyond the lot of man, and tendering to you my cordial and affectionate good wishes for your continued health and happiness. I send you a copy of a speech lately made by me in the senate, and remain, dear sir,

Your friend and obedient servant,

Dr. Ezra Green.

DANIEL WEBSTER.

[6] Mr. Webster fixed the date according to the "old style" of reckoning, which explains the apparent discrepancy between his statement and the date named in Dr. Lothrop's sermon.

* * * * *

To my cousin the Hon. James D. Green, of Cambridge, Mass., I am indebted for the following authentic annals from his manuscript volume, in the library of the New-England Historic, Genealogical Society, in Boston, relative to his and my father's earliest progenitors.

Dr. Green's earliest ancestor who came from England to this country, was:

1. JAMES^1 GREEN, yeoman, 24 years. He was an inhabitant of Charlestown, 1634, and admitted freeman of the colony in 1647, purchasing lands and settling in "Mystic Fields," since called Maiden. He died March 29, 1687, aged 77 years, leaving a widow and two sons, John and James. After a proper provision for his widow and son James, he willed his "lands and housing thereon" to his son John.

2. JOHN^2 (_James^1_), the eldest son of James, was born about 1650 and died at the age of 59, leaving a widow, three daughters and one son, Samuel, to whom, after providing for his widow and daughters, he by will gave all his lands in Maiden and Charlestown "to him and his heirs forever."

3. SAMUEL^3 (_John,^2_ _James^1_), who was born in 1679, was a representative of the town in the general court in 1742. His wife died at the age of 72, and he died February 21, 1761, at the age of 82, leaving four sons: James, John, Timothy and Ezra, and one daughter, Mary Daua. To his beloved son Ezra, he by will gave all the remainder and residue of his real and personal estate, he paying his debts, funeral expenses and the various bequests to his other children and granddaughters.

4. EZRA^4 (_Samuel,^3_ _John,^2_ _James^1_), was born in 1714, and married Sarah Hutchinson, who died July 7, 1741, at the age of 26 years. His second wife, Eunice Burrell, of Lynn, died October 20, 1760, aged 47, leaving two sons, Ezra and Bernard. For his third wife, he married Mary Vinton, by whom he had one son, Aaron. Said Ezra Green was deacon of the church in Maiden, selectman and representative in the general court during the years of 1760, '61 and '62. He died April 28, 1768, at the age of 54 years. By his will, after providing for his beloved widow Mary, he gave to his son Ezra twenty acres of land in Chelsea, and about five acres near "Penny Ferry," apart from what he had paid for his collegiate and medical education, and the gift of a horse, which he deemed equivalent to the homestead, real and personal (except what he had disposed of to his son Aaron, besides his collegiate educational expenses), which he bequeathed to his son Bernard, making as it did the fifth generation, and embracing more than two hundred years since its first purchase by James Green in 1610.

Dr. Green was in his second year's naval service, when, by the Rev. Jeremy Belknap, he was married to Susanna Hayes in the twentieth year of her age. She was then reputed to have been quite handsome and a great favorite with all her acquaintance. She had a delicate and petite figure, nut-brown hair, shading bright hazel eyes that lit up her regular cut features with a winning expression, which played over a soft transparent complexion, lovely as a fresh-blown rose.

Her father's will, making his estate reversionary in the event of his daughter's decease without issue, happily placed her and her husband in no such unpleasant dilemma; for in the brief time of nineteen years, thirteen children were born to them, viz.:

i. EUNICE, b. July 1, 1780; d. Oct. 7, 1782. ii. REUBEN HAYES, b. Aug. 20, 1783. iii. CHARLES, b. March 26, 1785; d. April 5, 1854. iv. DEBORAH SHACKFORD, b. March 20, 1787; d. May 7, 1860. v. SARAH, b. Oct. 19, 1788; d. Nov. 2, 1874. vi. SAMUEL, b. Jan. 4, 1790; d. Jan. 23, 1791. vii. MARTHA, b. July 13, 1791; d. Nov. 25, 1792. viii. EUNICE, b. Oct. 8, 1792; d. May 25, 1839. ix. A DAUGHTER, b. July 15, 1794; still-born. x. MARTHA, b. June 9, 1795; d. Aug. 3, 1795. xi. A SON, b. April 27, 1796; still-born. xii. SAMUEL, b. Oct. 5, 1797; d. Nov. 3, 1823. xiii. WALTER COOPER, b. July 1, 1799.

My mother's earliest paternal ancestor[7] in America,

1. JOHN^1 HAYES, is said to have emigrated from Scotland about 1680, and settled in Dover, New-Hampshire. He had a grant of land in 1693. By his wife Mary Horn, he had seven sons and three daughters, viz.:

2. i. JOHN, b. 1686. ii. PETER. iii. REUBEN. iv. ICHABOD, b. March 13, 1691-2. v. SAMUEL, b. March 16, 1694-5. vi. WILLIAM, b. Sept. 6, 1698. vii. BENJAMIN, b. ----, 1700. viii. A DAUGHTER, m. Phipps. ix. A DAUGHTER, m. Ambrose. x. A DAUGHTER.

2. JOHN^2 (_John^1_), married Mrs. Tomson, and lived at Tole-End, four miles from Dover corner. He was a deacon of the First Congregational Society in Dover. They had eight children, viz.:

i. ANN, b. June 3, 1718. 3. ii. REUBEN, b. May 8, 1720; d. 1762. iii. JOSEPH, b. March 15, 1722. iv. BENJAMIN, b. March 6, 1723. v. MEHITABEL, b. Dec. 11, 1725. vi. JOHN, went to North Yarmouth, Maine, to reside. vii. ELIJAH, went to Berwick, Maine. viii. ICHABOD, went to Berwick, Maine.

3. REUBEN^3 (_John^2_, _John^1_), was born May 8, 1720. He lived at Tole-End and married Abigail Shackford, by whom he had only one child, viz.:

i. SUSANNA, b. March 23, 1759.

Reuben Hayes died in 1762, at the early age of 42 years, and by his will, after a liberal provision for his wife Abigail, he gave all the residue of his estate, real and personal, to his only child Susanna Hayes, consisting of his farm of 150 acres at Tole-End, with this reservation that, in case "his said daughter Susanna, at her decease, should leave no issue of her body lawfully begotten surviving, then my will is that, my whole estate that shall then be remaining, both real and personal, shall revert and be divided among my four Brethren, namely, Benjamin, John, Ichabod and Elijah Hayes."

[7] I am mainly indebted for the annals of my mother's paternal ancestry to John R. Ham, M.D., of Dover, N.H.

DIARY OF DR. EZRA GREEN.

_Portsmouth Road, Nov. 1st, 1777. Saturday._--Between the hours of 8 & 9 this morning weigh'd anchor and proceeded to Sea with a moderate breeze, before night lost sight of the American shore.[8]

[8] The Ranger 18, was built 1777, on Langdon's Island, Portsmouth Harbor, by order of Congress, under the direction of Colonel James Hackett.

On the 14th of June, 1777, Congress _Resolved_, That Capt. John Paul Jones be appointed to command the ship Ranger, and under date Philadelphia, June 18, 1777, the marine committee write to him, "You are appointed to the command of the Ranger, lately built at Portsmouth. Col. Whipple, the bearer of this, carries with him the resolves of Congress appointing you to this command, and authorizing him, Col. Langdon, and you to appoint the other commissioned as well as warrant officers necessary for this ship, and he has with him blank commissions and warrants for this purpose."

Though great diligence was used by Jones in equipping the Ranger, she was not ready to proceed on her destination until the middle of October. Twenty-six guns had been provided for the ship, but Jones exercised great judgment in mounting only eighteen on her, as he considered from her size and slight construction, that she would be more serviceable with eighteen than with a greater number. The following extracts from his letter to the marine committee, dated Oct. 29, 1777, two days before sailing, gives a lively idea of the difficulties he had to contend with, and the poverty of our resources. "With all my industry I could not get a single suit of sails completed until the 20th current. Since that time winds and weather have laid me under the necessity of continuing in port. At this time it blows a very heavy gale from the northeast. The ship with difficulty rides it out, with yards and topmasts struck and whole cables ahead. When it clears up I expect the wind from the northwest, and shall not fail to embrace it, although I have not now a spare sail nor materials to make one. Some of those I have are made of hissings. I never before had such disagreeable service to perform, as that which I have now accomplished and of which another will claim the credit as well as the profit. However, in doing my utmost I am sensible that I have done no more than my duty."

Thus imperfectly equipped, having a very good crew, but "only thirty gallons of rum," as Jones laments, for them to drink on the passage, the Ranger sailed from Portsmouth on the 1st of November, 1777.--_Mackenzie's Life of Paul Jones._

_Sunday, Nov. 2nd._--A very fine morning and a favorable wind, all well on board--except some few who are a little Seasick.

_Friday, Nov. 7th._--A strong gale at Northwest which carrys us 10 knots.

_Thursday, Nov. 13th._--About seven this morning saw a sail on our lee Bow distant about 2 Leagues, gave chase and spoke her about 12 o'clock, a Brig from Carolina bound for Bordeaux with several Tory Passengers on Board, among whom were Hartley the Organist & his wife.

_Friday, Nov. 14th._--This Morning at 5 o'clock came up a severe Thunder Storm from the southwest.

_Saturday, 15th._--Last evening came on a gale of wind which increas'd till about 3 this morning when it began to abate, in the hight of the gale a sail was seen under our lee Quarter, hove too till she came up, a Schooner from St. Peters bound to Bordeaux.

_Sunday, 16th._--A fresh Breeze, and high Sea from the late Gale, about 10 o'clock our tiller Rope broke by which we were in great Danger of the Consequences of the Ship's broaching to.

_Wednesday, 19th._--About six this morning saw a Sail under our lee Quarter, gave Chase or rather bore away till we came within about a mile of Her found Her to be a large Ship standing Our course clued up Our Courses and hawl'd Our wind--got ready for Action she standing on her course close to the wind, wore Ship when it was too late, continued the chase till night and lost Her.

_Saturday, Nov. 22nd._--At nine o'clock this morning saw a Sail on our weather Beam--little wind; One of Our People fell from the Chains but was saved by a Rope's End handed Him.

_Sunday, Nov. 23rd._--Early in the morning saw a Sail supposed to be the same we saw yesterday, came up with and made a Prize of--about 8 o'clock, a Brig laden with fruit and wine from Malaga bound to Yarmouth, Riches Comm^r.--She is called the Mary--there are no less than six sail in sight at this Time.

_Monday, Nov. 24th._--Spoke a Schooner from Malaga bound to Liverpool vessel and Cargo owned by a Portugal Merch^t.

_Tuesday, 25th._--Last night spoke a Ship & Snow bound to France,--and are now chasing a vessel under Our lee Bow, at 11 at night came up with & made a Prize of the Brig George from Malaga bound to London laden with fruit and wine, she was commanded by Bulfinch.

_Wednesday, 26th._--Early in the morning gave chase to a Brig under our lee Bow, but were obliged to give over Chase on seeing a very large Ship to windward with several other Sail in Company she appeared to be standing athwart us, about 2 she hove too with a Fleet of 13 Sail of Ships & Brigs at 2 Leagues Distance, clewed up Our Courses & stopp'd our Ship's way expecting every minute when she would come down upon us about 4 she stood on her Course, we made sail close to the wind with a design to cut off a Brig which could not keep up with the Convoy, lost her in the night.

_Thursday, 27._--A fresh gale from the S.W. in the afternoon vear'd a Barrel of Beef astern for the Brig, Sea running High she carelessly ran upon our Larboard Quarter but did no other Damage than breaking our Driver Boom--at 10 at Night saw several Sail spoke one of them found them all to be Dutch Daugers.

_Saturday, 29th._--A very heavy gale, hove too at night in the Bay of Biscay 60 Leagues distant from Land.

_Sunday, 30th._--Fine weather and a strong wind in the night hove too and sounded in 80 Fathom water.

_Monday, Dec. 1._--Saw Land from mast Head at 10 in the morning, with fine weather.

_Tuesday, Dec. 2nd._--Ran in for the Land with a fine moderate Breeze, narrowly escap'd running on a Sand through want of a Pilot and arrived all in good spirits at Peanbeauf on the River Loire and came to anchor in the evening.

_Wednesday, 3rd._--Wrote a Letter to Capt. Shackford at L'Orient and inclos'd one to my very good friend Cooper--favour'd by Cap^t. Mutchemore.[9]

[9] The letter to his friend Cooper is given in the Memoir.

_Friday, Dec. 5th._--The Prize Brig Mary arrived here safe--went to Nantez with Capt. Simpson arriv'd at 9 in the Evening this is a very considerable City distant 10 Leagues from Peanbeauf am told there are 12 Parishes in Nantes in one of which are 30,000 Souls.

_Saturday, Dec. 6._--Went to the Tragedy but it was to me in an unknown Tongue, was not much pleased or entertained, however the Musick was good.

_Sunday, Dec. 7._--Returned to Peanbeauf, and on board the Ranger.

_Friday, 13 Feb._--Set sail for Quiberon Bay M^r. Williams & Brother on board, in company with us Brig Independence, anchored in the Bay about six in the Evening, 4 Ships of the Line besides Frigates in the Bay.

_Saturday, 14th Feby._--Very Squaly weather, came to Sail at 4 o'clock P.M. saluted the french Admiral & rec'd nine guns in return this is the first salute ever pay'd the American flagg.

_Sunday, 15th Feb'y._--Brig Independence saluted the french Flagg which was return'd.[10]

[10] Jones, in his letter to the naval committee, dated Feb. 22, 1778, reporting this important recognition of our flag, says:--

"I am happy to have it in my power to congratulate you on my having seen the American flag, for the first time, recognized in the fullest and completest manner by the flag of France. I was off this bay [Quiberon Bay] on the 13th inst., and sent my boat in the next day to know if the Admiral would return my salute. He answered that he would return to me as the senior continental officer in Europe, the same salute as he was authorized to return to an Admiral of Holland, or any other republic, which was four guns less than the salute given. I hesitated at this, _for I had demanded gun for gun_.

"Therefore I anchored in the entrance of the Bay at a distance from the French fleet; but after a very particular inquiry, on the 14th, finding that he really told the truth, I was induced to accept his offer, the more _as it was an acknowledgment of American Independence_.

"The wind being contrary and blowing hard, it was after sunset before the Ranger was near enough to salute La Motte Piquet with thirteen guns, which he returned with nine. However, to put the matter beyond a doubt, I did not suffer the Independence to salute until the next morning, when I sent word to the Admiral that I would sail through his fleet in the Brig and would salute him in open day. He was exceedingly pleasant, and returned the compliment also with nine guns."

_Wednesday, 25th Feb'y._--Fleet got underway and left us at anchor contrary to Expectations, about 12 o'clock it being very windy we came to sail, ran out of the Bay without a Pilot, attempted to the Northward of Belisle, but did not succeed, put back hoping to run into the Bay again, but could not weather the Rocks, in the midst of our Trouble having narrowly escap'd over setting the Ship, were alarm'd with the cry of Fire--after all our endeavours to procure a Pilot were in vain, & night coming on, bore away and ran out to the Leward of the Island, very squaly still.

_Thursday, 26._--Arrived in Quiberon-Bay again the Evening after a short but very tedious & unprofitable Cruize.