HOW JUDAH DANA, DARTMOUTH 1795, WON HIS HANOVER BRIDE

The Society of Hanover was refined, social and intelligent. There were many young ladies whom we met; three at General Brewster'52, three at Madame Ripley'53, three at Mr. Farrar's², and four at Deacon Fuller's5, besides many others. They were well educated, and familiar with the literature of the day. After tea we often walked, chatted and sang. The Misses Ripley were beautiful singers, and their brother, John Philips Ripley6, a Dartmouth graduate of 1791, who had been in Europe to join the Polish Army, and had just returned with many songs and airs in English, French and Italian, which his sisters sang delightfully. In this intercourse I became more and more acquainted with the young ladies, their tastes, talents and turns of mind. I now entertained an idea of making a selection, and thought much of the qualifications which would make life pleasant, but made no advances ;my attentions were general. As time rolled on, I found my attention imperceptibly turning toward Polly, the eldest daughter of Mrs. Ripley. She had received an accomplished as well as a thorough education; she was small, rather short, beautiful in form, full, fair face, black eyes, and remarkably easy and attractive in conversation, so that, whoever saw her and conversed with her once, would like to see her again. Her sister Nabby7, was a superior girl, and Dr. Hedge8 and others were partial to her, and with me often called at Madame Ripley's. She had been bred in clerical and courtly style, her Father had been a celebrated divine and President of Dartmouth College, and her husband a popular and eloquent clergyman, and Professor of divinity at Dartmouth. She was now a widow who had seen much of the world, and the waywardness of youth, and kept her daughters the more secluded. For just that reason, they attracted the more attention. It would have been easy for me to have been smitten with Polly, had not the charms of her younger sister Betsey and what I had known of her, so absorbed my attention and convinced my understanding of her superior excellence, that even the charms of Polly were powerless.

My acquaintance with Betsey who was now a blooming miss, was on this wise. When I was preparing for college in Colonel Dunham's9 celebrated Academy at Hanover, he had one Exercise in which all the scholars, except those in languages, participated, viz: Spelling for Places. A word went around partly again, when it was spelled right and the speller was directed to go to the head. Up stepped a little Miss with two medals about her neck and a third was then put upon her. We Latin students admired her modest, lovely and benevolent countenance, but could see in her nothing of exultation or embarassment, only the stirring of the blood in her beautiful cheeks. From this time I saw nothing of the Little Speller until my Junior year, when I became an assistant to Mr. McFarland10, the Preceptor of the same school, where I again found her and some of her mates studying Virgil. McFarland often spoke to me of her wonderful powers of mind and I soon heard her class recite and was delighted with the ease, accuracy and fluency of her scanning, and parsing, and her correctness in her knowledge of the etymology of the language. But, most of all, "was I delighted with the ease and composure with which she would vary the pronunciation of some words in common use which might be thought indelicate, without moving a muscle of her face, except a little quicker circulation of the blood in her rosy cheeks.

When I ceased to be the Assistant, I saw no more of her, until September, 1795, when I was selected by the President to take charge of the same Institution in which I had been fitted for college and had acted as Assistant. She then again, became my pupil, and as I daily witnessed the well balanced powers of her mind, I knew not which most to admire, her intuitive perception, deep investigation, or critical accuracy. With her genius, I thought. I might aspire with a fair prospect of success to any place of honor and profit. She continued in my school until its close, and had she known the ascendancy which her genius and loveliness had acquired over my judgement and affections, she might have given me much trouble. This attachment had not abated when I became a student of law, and was gallanting her elder sisters and others. The powers of her mind, the loveliness and intelligence of her countenance, and the sweetness of her disposition interested me, more and more. But, how to obtain such a prize, the value of which was better known to me than to others! She was young to be addressed, and her elder sister in every way desirable to me as a companion.

While engaged in the study of law with "Baron" Gilbert11 by day, I studied another subject with deeper interest and solicitude by night. To make known my intentions might disappoint and disaffect her sisters, and others, whilst her mother would naturally prefer to have the elder sister settled first. My attentions therefore, were general, my calls were as usual at Mrs. Ripley's, but neither she nor her daughters suspected my object. Little Betsey had now arrived at womanhood, was taller than her sister Polly, nearly the height of Nabby, and more erect and charming. Her forehead was high, rather broad, her face full, lovely, most transparent, with a dimple in one cheek, and when she smiled, upon both. Never were the lily and the rose more beautifully blended12.

In June, 1797, I escorted her to visit her Sister Polly, then teaching in Cornish, and in this I acquired her confidence and esteem as a friend. Again, I waited upon her to a Strawberry Party, where some neglect of the Misses Ripley and my attention to them, interested me in her favor, and ever after she reposed confidence in, and attachment for me. But while her elder and lovely sister Polly was not engaged I had some fears of success.

In May, 1798, I was appointed by the Phi Beta Kappa to deliver their annual Commencement address. In June, I visited Maine, to find a place in which to commence my professional business. I returned in July, and invited Nabby and Betsey to go with me, and visit their Sister Polly at Woodstock, Vermont, where she was instructing school, while I went on to Pomfret to visit my people. They accompanied me as far as Woodstock, where we found Polly pleasantly situated, highly esteemed and addressed by two of the most promising lawyers in the State and both of whom afterward became Judges of their Supreme Court. She preferred Mr. Baylies13, to Mr. H.14, and accepted his proposal of marriage. This was very gratifying to me as it removed a great obstacle out of my way. I met them at Woodstock on my return, we had a delightful visit there and then returned joyfully. Mrs. Ripley was as much gratified as any of us, only she and Nabby seemed to fear that I would be disappointed at Polly's engagement. But Betsey, who was far more knowing about my feelings and intentions, intimated to them, that I "Bore it very well." Then, Mrs. Ripley for the first time suspected my intentions, and said to Betsey: "So, you. are the rogue now, are you!" But I was still cautious and general in my attentions to the young ladies.

At length Commencement arrived, I delivered my Address which was well received, dined with the Society in public, had a good time, but instead of attending the Grand Commencement Ball. Betsey and I by appointment, walked upon the illuminated Plain, and streets. In our ramble I made known my attachment, solicited her heart and her hand, and never was I more delighted than m her frank confession of a mutual flame, long concealed by her, for fear of a disappointment. Our feelings can be better imagined than described. Before Nine, I conducted her homeland we separated to meet the next evening. Our absence from the Ball was a matter of surprise and speculation. Next evening I called at Madame Ripley's and made her acquainted with our wishes and intentions. She interposed no objectopms, but said: "Betsey is very young15 but in her you will have a treasure unequalled by any I have ever known." I thanked her, bade her Good Evening, and returned to the room where Betsey was. We spent a happy hour or two, and reluctantly separated. The next morning I was off for Pomfret, had a good visit to my family and friends, and my Father fitted me out for my journey to seek a place of residence. On my return to Hanover, for Maine, our engagement was generally known and we were greeted and congratulated by our young friends.

On the first day of "September, 1798, I bade farewell to Hanover, went to Plymouth, Grafton County, New Hampshire, was there admitted to the bar, and then left for Maine. I went through York and Cumberland Counties, was admitted to the bar of Maine at Waldoborough, County of Lincoln, then returned to Fryeburg where I very soon obtained a living practice, and in 1799 began to build a house for my promised wife and myself. Having finished it at the end of that year, and put in order inside of it, my furniture, books, and papers, I wrote, on New Year's day 1800, to my friends at Pomfret and Hanover and requested my beloved Betsev to prepare and come and enjoy my new residence with me. I informed her, that, I expected to go directly from our Court (to open in the 2d Tuesday in January, and to set one week) to Hanover to be married, to visit our friends in Vermont, and then return to enjoy our domestic happiness. I attended the Court, which sat two weeks instead of one, for I could not leave being engaged in every case, the time fixed for our marriage passed by, and as I later heard, conjecture and falsehood with her thousand busy tongues were hard at work because I had not arrived according to expectations. The next week, however, put an end to conjecture and silenced scandal by my safe arrival, amongst them. On the evening of Wednesday, the 22 of January, 1800, the friends assembled for the wedding. Professor Smith16 the College Minister being absent, James Wheelock17 uncle to my intended was called upon to perform the ceremony. Whilst the guests were assembling, Betsey dressing, and I conversing in a small room with Madame Ripley, her brother, and others, my particular friends, Judge Woodward18 and Daniel Gilbert19, real lovers of fun, put on long faces, and expressed a fear that there would be no wedding, that I, like others, would prove a heartless swain. That news flew like electricity amongst the astonished guests, and while all were in confusion and vilifying me, Judge Woodward opened the door, requested them to be seated, and then ushered in the bride and bridegroom and their attendants, when the ceremony was gracefully performed. The amazement and sorrow of the guests were turned into joy and hilarity, and all were prepared to enjoy one of the best weddings ever held in Hanover."

After seeing friends for a day or two in Hanover, I procured an elegant double sleigh, and span of horses, and with my bride visited my Family and friends in Vermont, where she was much admired. We were fitted out with many conveniences at Pomfret. My father gave me a new, neat, well made and ironed double sleigh and a pair of young and valuable horses, and a good harness and cash to take us home to Fryeburg. We returned in two weeks to Hanover, Mother Ripley got all our things packed up, and Nabby had fixed hers, and the next morning we arose at 5 and before daylight breakfasted, and had all our baggage packed in our sleigh, and with my beautiful pair of horses, my wife, sister Nabby, brother James and I well wrapped up at dawn of a cold February morning bade adieu to Hanover their natal spot to seek a home in the wilds of Maine. The sun greeted us as we rose upon a hill a short distance from Hanover Plains, and they all, being delightful singers began: "Bright Chanticleer proclaims the Dawn"20 their voices echoed upon the hills, the whip snapped, the steeds started, and thus merry and joyful we passed on to Lyme, and then to Orford and on to Mayhew's21 at Rumney where we passed the night. On the next morning we went on to Plymouth, still very cold, and through Centre Harbor to Gilman's22 in Tamworth, where we passed the second night, and on the evening of the third day we arrived safely in Fryeburg without an accident of any sort.

Before leaving my new home in the village I had prepared fuel for a fire and after a generous supper at a neighbor's, our fire was started and then into a home well warmed I conducted my young and beautiful wife. In this neat little tenement we began domestic life and never were mortals more happy. The villagers called and welcomed us warmly and we reciprocated their kindnesses. At meals, we four gathered together around our new white pine table, without man or maid to assist us or to interrupt us, my wife at the head, myself at the foot, Sister Nabby on my right, and Little Jim on my left. When friends came in, the little pine table was exchanged for a longer one of cherry, handsomely wrought with turned legs and knobs. I attended strictly to law business, wife and sister did their housework, and Little Jim studied law in the office with me23. I was soon appointed a Trustee of Fryeburg Academy, in 1805 I was Judge of Probate, between 1805 and 1811 I argued on one side or the other in every Case, civil or criminal occuring in the County, and leaving the bar after abandoning a lucrative practice, I was in 1818 appointed a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, later on Bank Examiner for Maine, and finally in December 1836, I received, very much to my surprise, an appointment from the Governor, to fill the vacancy in the United States Senate from Maine, caused by the resignation of the Hon. Ether Shepley24 of Saco of the Class of 1811 in Dartmouth College.

During my brief term of service, beginning near the end of December 1836 and ending March 3, 1837, I often had the pleasure of hearing in the Senate, Buchanan, Walker, Calhoun, Clay and Daniel Webster all debating on the same day25.

Judge Dana might have added that he failed of a Legislative election to succeed himself in 1837, owing to a change in the political parties of Maine. The autobiography from which the College Days and the Romance have been excerpted, and carefully edited, is about three times as long as both of these papers combined. Much of it is given to the journey to Washington and return, and to political affairs in the Capitol during Dana's term of service. All these items throw light on the career of one of Dartmouth's most famous men, for in his short term, Judge Dana made himself very prominent by his outspoken speeches against the Senators from the South who had no other nick name for him than "The Six Weeks' Senator from Maine." But in return, he delivered a speech on Benton's "Expunging Resolution" that will endure.

Interesting as all these items are, they have no place in this paper which has been planned merely to describe a Romance at Hanover, which ended so happily. For, the married life of Judge Dana and his beautiful and idolized wife was exemplary. Betsey Ripley Dana lived until 1819, and brought into the world three daughters who married three students in Judge Dana's office; Maria Annette married Joseph Howard a Justice of the Supreme Court of Maine; Abby Ripley married Louis Osgood, a lawyer of Fryeburg, and Catharine Putnam married Henry Brown Osgood, a lawyer also at Fryeburg. The only surviving son of Judah Dana, John Winchester Dana, served honorably as Governor of Maine in 1848-9.

The paper on Judah Dana in the February (1917) number of this MAGAZINE produced much discussion especially concerning "Rev. Aaron Hutchinson," Father of Miss Susannah Hutchinson, the first teacher that Judah Dana ever had; "Lebanon City"; and the "Birth Place of Judah Dana." Aaron Hutchinson should have been annotated as born in 1725 and a Yale Graduate of 1747, Lebanon City was a title actually applied to a part of Lebanon adjacent to Hanover and was not a sarcasm, at all; whilst so far as regards the Birth Place of Judah Dana, let this quotation from his MSS. speak for itself and settle forever the perennial dispute: "Judah Dana the 3d son and 4th child of John Winchester Dana and Hannah Pope Putnam was born at Pomfret, Vermont, on the 27th of April, 1772. about ten miles west of Dartmouth College."

2Ebenezer Brewster was born in Preston, Connecticut, April 25, 1741, served as a Captain in the Revolution, followed in the wake of President Wheelock to Hanover, was College Steward for some years, and was called "General" because he was a Brigadier General in the New Hampshire Militia.

³Abigail Ripley was the youngest Daughter of Eleazar Wheelock, and was at this time widow of Sylvanus Ripley who was born in Halifax, Massachusetts in 1749 and died at Hanover in 1787. They lived on a farm North-West of the College given to them by President Wheelock. After graduation from Dartmouth in 1771, Ripley was Tutor, Professor of Theology and Preacher in the College Church until his death. Mrs. Ripley ultimately removed to Fryeburg, Maine, where she died in 1818.

4Humphrey Farrar, born in Concord, Massachusetts in 1741, removed to Hanover with his wife Lucy Farrar about 1778, and died in Colebrook, New Hampshire. Of their three daughters. Lucy married Rev. Ebenezer Price of West Boscawen, New Hampshire, Mary, Married Dr. Moulton of Bucksport, Maine, and Lydia, Married Beza Woodward of Hanover. Four of the five sons were graduated at Dartmouth, Humphrey and Joseoh in 1794, George in 1800, and William in 1801.

5Caleb Fuller, very prominent in Hanover Church-affairs, especially in the quarrels arising about this time between the College Authorities and the Villagers, concerning their asserted respective rights in the occupation and uses of the Meeting House.

6After his return from Europe, Ripley practiced law in Philadelphia where he died in 1816.

7Abigail Ripley married Dr. Eliphalet Lyman of Woodstock, Connecticut.

8Abraham Hedge was in turn a druggist at Windsor and Woodstock, Vermont, and during his studies at the Dartmouth Medical School, he carried on a similar business at Hanover. After obtaining his medical degree in 1799, he practiced at Chester and at Chelsea, dying in the latter village in 1809. The lately'published "Life of Dr. Lyman Spalding," contains several letters from this curious and interesting physician.

9Josiah Dunham (1769-1844) a tall, commanding, and very handsome and eloquent character at Hanover, and in fact wherever he passed his life, was graduated at Dartmouth in 1789, acted as Preceptor of Moore s Indian Charity School (otherwise known as Dunham's Academy) from that date until 1793, became editor of a newspaper, a Captain in the Army, superintendent of a School for Girls at Windsor, Vermont, Secretary of State for Vermont and finally the head of a School for Young Ladies at Lexington, Kentucky where he died.

10Asa McFarland (1769-1827) was graduated at Dartmouth in 1793, was at the head of the Indian Charity School for two years, as successor to Colonel Dunham, then served as Tutor in the College, and finally became a clergyman at Concord, New Hampshire, where he died.

11Benjamin Joseph Gilbert (1764-1849) was born in North Brookfield, Massachusetts, and was graduated at Yale in 1786. He began the practice of law at Hanover about 1794, and gained the distinction of being "The Honest Lawyer." He was also called "Baron" Gilbert, after Baron Geoffrey Gilbert of the English Court of the Exchequer, whose "Treatise on Evidence" was a standard text book for every English speaking lawyer in the world. Gilbert's practice gradually fell off owing to his loss of hearing, his wife inherited property from a brother, and "The Baron" removed to Boston where he looked after the newly acquired and highly unexpected windfall, and finally died.

12Daniel Webster who studied law in Judah Dana's office, and lived in his family, wrote in one of his letters that "Mrs. Dana outparagons perfection and beggars fame."

13Nicholas Baylies (1772-1847) a Dartmouth man of 1794. He was associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Vermont from 1831 to 1834. and the author of "A Digested Index to the Modern Reports of the Courts of Common Law in England and the United States." (Three Volumes) 1814.

14Titus Hutchinson, a Woodstock Lawyer, son of Rev. Aaron Hutchinson, and a Princeton man of 1784. He was Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Vermont from 1825 to 1829, and Chief Justice of the same Court from 1829 to 1833. Disappointed in not obtaining the hand of Polly Ripley, he married in 1809 Miss Clarissa Sage.

15If the genealogical records are correct, Betsey Ripley was at this time hardly more than 14 years of age.

16John Smith (1752-1809) was graduated at Dartmouth in 1773, and was Professor of Latin, Greek and Hebrew and Oriental Languages from 1779 until his death. He was also Librarian of the College for thirty years, assistant Pastor and Pastor of the College Church during all that time, and m addition to all those labors, lie wrote Grammars of Latin, Greek and Hebrew and had a great reputation as a linguist.

17The adventures of this gentleman ought to be rescued from the Histories of Dartmouth College, for his career was in many ways remarkable. After obtaining his degree in 1776, he served as a private with our forces at Montreal, was present as an officer at the surrender at Saratoga, went twice to Europe on long voyages on business for the College, remains forever memorable as having furnished the carriage for conveying one of the celebrated College Bells, from the foundry in Connecticut to the belfry in Dartmouth Hall in 1790, was very active in all the College and Hanover religious and political differences, very much in evidence in the "University troubles and altogether, apparently, a man of much force of character. He removed in his old age to Burlington, Vermont, where he passed the rest of his life with his two daughters.

18William Henry Woodward (1774-1818) was the first boy born on Hanover Plain, and was graduated at Dartmouth in 1799. He practiced law for many years in Hanover, was Treasurer of the College from 1805 to 1816, and Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Court of Common Pleas from 1819 until his death.

19Daniel Gilbert born in North Brookfield, Massachusetts, followed his brilliant brother "The Baron" to Hanover, was graduated at Dartmouth in 1796, studied law at Hanover, practiced first at Enfield, New Hampshire, then at Lebanon, and finally in his native place, where he also managed a magnificent farm, which came .down to him by inheritance.

20"Bright Chanticleer" was a favorite Hunting Song of that era, the first line of which Judge Dana quotes. The song ran to three verses, each containing eight stanzas.

21Peter Mayhew, one of the early settlers of Rumney and a Tavern Keeper.

22David Gilman, the well known Innholder at that village.

23 James Ripley Wheelock, Mrs. Dana's youngest brother was born in Hanover in 1786, became a lawyer, and was a Member of Congress from Maine for four years (1826-1830), and died at Fryeburg in 1835.

"Ether Shepley (1789-1877) rose to many positions of high honor after graduating from Dartmouth in the Class which included Amos Kendall, Postmaster General; Joel Parker of the Massachusetts bar, and many other distinguished men. Ether Shepley was delegate to the Constitutional Convention of Maine in 1820, United States Attorney for Maine, United States Senator, Associate . Justice of the Supreme Court for twelve years, and finally Chief Justice of Maine, for seven years.

25No annotation is needed for these famous men, but concerning Walker, Robert John, by name, it may be recalled that he was an eloquent Senator from Mississippi, much talked of as a debater and orator.

From autobiographical notes edited by Dr. James A. Spalding, '661