Dorothy Payne, Quakeress Part 4

Dolly in the meantime had developed into a charming woman, who entered into all the modest gaieties of the little town, where during the day the daughters of the family, simply dressed, did much of the household work, although even then "some" were so remiss as to "read novels and walk without business abroad."

When the daily tasks were finished the families gathered on the front porch, the girls dressed in plain stuff or chintz frocks with white ap.r.o.ns, and here the pa.s.sing neighbors stopped to chat awhile or tarry longer. Everybody had a speaking acquaintance, at least, in this little Quaker town.[18]

It was probably in the fall of 1787 that two of Dolly's Virginia friends came to pa.s.s the winter in Philadelphia,--Deborah Pleasants,[19] the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Pleasants of Beaver Dam, who had been a friend and schoolmate at the old Cedar Creek School; and her cousin Elizabeth Brook,[20] then from Leesburg, Virginia, a Quaker settlement where the smaller plantations of from one hundred to three hundred acres were cultivated entirely by free labor.

The journey from Beaver Dam had been made on horseback, in easy stages, as there were many Friendly homes to stop at on the way, and the days spent in riding through the almost unbroken forests of Virginia pines and the fording of the rivers had been a delightful experience to the two girls, who, with their entire outfit on their saddle pommels, finally drew rein in the quiet neighborhood of Brook Court, where the arrival of their little cavalcade caused an unwonted stir.

A happy winter followed, in which the three girls were much together, but when summer came "Deborah" and "Elizabeth" returned to their southern homes.

The following girlish letter[21] from Dolly Payne to Elizabeth Brook is undated, but must have been written about December, 1788, or later:

Philadelphia.

How much am I indebted to thee dearest Eliza For throwing off that formality so stifling To the growth of friends.h.i.+p! and addressing First her who feels herself attached to thee by Every sentement of her heart and she often In her "hours of visinary indulgence" calls to Recollection the two lov'd girls who rendered Her so happy during their too short stay in Philadelphia.

I should most gladly have offered you the Tribute of my tender remembrances long before This by the performance of my promise of Wrighting, but my ignorance of a single conveyance[22] was the only preventative.

Let this however, my D^r Betsy obliterate the Idea of my neglect occasion'd by my prospects Of happiness[23] for be a.s.sur'd that no sublunary Bliss whatever should have a tendency to make Me forgetful of friends I so highly value.

This place is almost void of anything novell, Such however as is in circulation I will endeavor To Recollect in order to communicate.--Susan Ward and thy old Admirer W. S. have pa.s.s'd Their last meeting & are on the point of Marriage. Sally Pleasants and Sam Fox[24] according to the Common saying are made one--Their wedding Was small on account of the death of a cousin, M. Roads.

The Bride is now seting up in form For company. I have not been to visit her but Was informed by Joshua Gilpin[25] that he met 40 Their paying their respects, etc., etc.

A general exclamation among the old Friends Against such Parade--a number of other matches

Talked off but their unsertainty must apologize For my not nameing the partys----

A charming little girl of my acquaintance & A Quaker too ran off & was married to a Roman Catholic the other evening--thee may have seen Her, Sally Bartram was her name.

Betsy Wister[26] & Kitty Morris too plain girls Have eloped to effect a union with the choice of Their hearts so thee sees Love is no respecter Of persons----

The very respectful Compliments of Frazier Await the 2 Marylanders--Frazier that unfortunate youth whose heart followed thee captive to Thy home--do call to mind this said conquest Betsy--I see him every day & thee is often the Subject of our Tete-a-tetes--he says the darn in Thy ap.r.o.n first struck him & declares that he Would give any _mony_ for that captivating badge Of thy industry.

After bloting my paper all ore with nonsense I must conclude with particular Love to Debby Pleasants when thee should see her & respects

To her brother James--write often & much to Thy affectionate

Correspondent

[Ill.u.s.tration: Signature of D Payne]

Addressed to-- Eliza Brooke Jun^r: Montgomery County Maryland

P^r Favour of } _Cap^t Lynn_ }

A later letter to Elizabeth Brooke[27] (from Sarah Parker) gives further news of Dolly Payne. After referring to rumors current regarding the approaching marriage of her friend she continues:

"It may be an encouragement, probably, should I inform thee of some old acquaintances jogging on in this antiquated Custom. Dolly Payne is likely to unite herself to a young man named J. Todd, who has been so solicitous to gain her favor many years, but disappointment for some time seem'd to a.s.sail his most sanguine expectations, however things have terminated agreeable to his desires & she now offers her hand to a person whose heart she had long been near and dear to--he has proved a constant Lover indeed & deserves the highest commendation for his generous behavior, as he plainly shows to the world no mercenary motives bias'd his judgment (on the contrary) a sincere attachment to her person was his first consideration else her Father's misfortunes might have been an excuse for his leaving her--they pa.s.s'd meeting[28] fourth day, was the same day George Fox[29] & Molly C. Pemberton were united, rather an uncommon instance, but their marriage was postponed on account of a relation's death.

"Pine Street meeting house was amazingly crowded, a number of gay folks--I heard a young man say he was surprised on viewing the galleries, as they had more the appearance of a play house than of Friends' meeting. There were great affronts given, I am told, when Dolly retired in the other room to pa.s.s by Nicholas Waln, rising and saying 'it was not customary for those that do not belong, unless near connections, to go into meetings of business'--but some were so rude as to press in without any kind of ceremony, very indecent behavior was too obvious to be un.o.bserved, even by children."[30]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Pine Street Meeting-House.

Built 1751.]

The "pa.s.sing of meeting" was then a formidable proceeding. The intended groom, with a friend from the men's meeting, entered the women's side after the closing of the part.i.tions, and taking the intended bride on his arm announced, first in one meeting and then in the other, that "we propose taking each other in marriage."

Many anecdotes are related of Nicholas Waln, who was a leading member of Pine Street meeting, and had been one of the shrewdest and wittiest lawyers of the Philadelphia bar. His words were very apt to hit the mark.

A month later, on Dolly's wedding day, at the head of the meeting (at Pine street) sat James Pemberton[31], "erect and immovable, with his crossed hands resting on his gold-headed cane"; beside him "Nicholas Waln with his smile of suns.h.i.+ne," "Arthur Howell[32], with hat drawn low over his face," and "William Savery of the solemn silvery voice," and other ministers and elders of the meeting. The body of the meeting was composed of the solid Quaker element of the city, and the "gay folks"

again crowded the galleries to their utmost capacity. After a short silence Dolly Payne and John Todd arose, and each repeated the solemn marriage ceremony of the Friends, each signed the marriage certificate, and "John Todd of the city of Philadelphia, attorney-at-law, son of John Todd, of this city, and Mary his wife, and Dolly Payne, daughter of John Payne of the city aforesaid, and Mary his wife," were married, 1st mo.

7th, 1790.

MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE OF JOHN TODD AND DOLLY PAYNE.

Whereas John Todd of the city of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, attorney at law, son of John Todd of said city and Mary his wife, and Dolly Payne daughter of John Payne of the city aforesaid and Mary his wife having declared their intentions of marriage with each other before several Monthly Meetings of the people called Quakers held in Philadelphia aforesaid for the Southern District according to the good order used among them, and having consent of parents, their said proposals were allowed of by the said meeting.

Now these are to certify whom it may concern that for the full accomplis.h.i.+ng their said intentions this seventh day of the first month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety, they the said John Todd and Dolly Payne appeared in a public meeting of the said people held at their meeting house in Philadelphia aforesaid and the said John Todd taking the said Dolly Payne by the hand did in a solemn manner openly declare that he took her the said Dolly Payne to be his wife, promising with Divine a.s.sistance to be unto her a loving and faithful husband until death should separate them. And then in the same a.s.sembly the said Dolly Payne did in like manner declare that she took him the said John Todd to be her husband, promising with Divine a.s.sistance to be unto him a loving and faithful wife until death should separate them.

And moreover they the said John Todd and Dolly Payne (she according to the custom of marriage a.s.suming the name of her husband) did as a further confirmation thereof then and there to these presents set their hands. And we whose names are hereunto also subscribed being present at the solemnization of the said marriage and subscription have as witnesses thereof, set our hands the day and year above written.

John Todd.

Dolly Todd.

NAMES OF THOSE SIGNING THE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE OF DOROTHY PAYNE & JOHN TODD

Edward Tilghman, James Ash, Owen Jones, John Pemberton, Thomas Clifford, James Pemberton, Samuel Pleasants, Caleb Foulke, William Savery, James Cresson, James Logan, Benedt. Dorsey, Samuel Clark, John Parrish, Thos. Harrison, John Payne, Mary Payne, John Todd, Mary Todd, James Todd, Alice Todd, Lucy Payne, Anna Payne, Mary Payne, Betsy Blau, Thos. Poultney, Stephen Burrows, Mary Burrowes, Sarah Waln, Esther Fisher, Saml. Coates, Arthur Howell, John Elliott, Jr., Thos. Follet, Caleb Atmore, John Poultney, Caspar W. Morris, Zaccheus Collins, Henry S. Drinker, Chas. West, Jr., John Biddle, Elijah Conrad, Ebenezer Breed, John E. Cresson, Richard Johnson, Geo. Roberts, Benj. Chamberlain, Abigail Drinker, Maria Hodgdon, Kitty Doughten, Benjamin Morgan, Jr., Caleb Carmalt, James Bringhurst, Anthony Morris, Griffith Evans, Isaac Bartram, Anna P. Pleasants, Israel Pleasants, Samuel Emlen, Jr., Nicholas Waln, Samuel Emlen, Owen Biddle, Samuel Shaw, Eliza Collins, Anna Drinker, Mary S. Pemberton, Sarah Biddle, Mary Shaw, Abigail Parrish, Susanna Jones, Phebe Pemberton, Sarah Parrish, Mary Pleasants, Elizabeth Dawson, Mary Eddy, Ann Marshall, Sarah Ann Marshall, Mary Drinker, Jr., Eliz. P. Dilworth

The short but happy married life of Dorothy Payne Todd was spent at 51 South Fourth street,[33] now Fourth and Walnut streets, and here her sons, John Payne and William Temple Todd, were born.[34]

In 1793 that dread disease, the yellow fever,[35] raged in Philadelphia, and John Todd hastened to send his wife to a place of safety. She and her infant son, William Temple, three weeks old, were carried in a litter to Gray's Ferry, then well beyond the city's limits. John Todd himself returned to the city. His parents were first taken, and he, feeling himself stricken, hastened to Gray's Ferry for one last glance at his beloved wife. Dolly, in spite of his remonstrances, threw herself into his arms and pressed her lips to his. After days of unconsciousness she slowly recovered to find her husband and her infant son no more.

John Todd, Sr., left a will. To his son John he willed 500 and his watch; and to each of his grandsons, Payne and William Temple, he left 50.

John Todd, Jr.,[36] died October 24, 1793. To his wife he left the settlement of his "very small estate." His will had been made some time before his death, and said:

I give and devise all my estate, real and personal, to the Dear Wife of my Bosom, and first and only Woman upon whom my all and only affections were placed, Dolly Payne Todd, her heirs and a.s.signs forever, trusting that as she proved an amiable and affectionate wife to her John she may prove an affectionate mother to my little Payne, and the sweet Babe with which she is now enceinte. My last prayer is may she educate him in the ways of Honesty, tho' he may be obliged to beg his Bread, remembering that will be better to him than a name and riches.--I appoint my dear wife executrix of this my will.

John Todd, Jr.

Inventory and Apprais.e.m.e.nt of the Goods & Chattels &c late the property of John Todd, Jr.[37]

Viz:-- s d

One large Side Board 9 00 00 One Settee 10 00 00 Eleven Mahogany & Pine tables 17 17 06 Three Looking Gla.s.ses 14 00 00 Thirty-six Mahogany and Windsor chairs 27 12 06 One Case of knives & forks 5 00 00 And-Irons, Shovel & Tongs 9 02 06 Window curtains & Window blinds 12 00 00 Carpets & Floor Cloaths 11 15 00 Bed, Bedstead & Bed Cloaths 30 00 00 Sundry Setts of China &c 9 00 00 Articles of Gla.s.s Ware & Waiters etc 9 07 06 Gla.s.s lamp, pr Scones & six pictures 3 17 06 Sundry Articles of Plate & Plated ware--also Sett of Castors 14 07 06 Sundry Kitchen furniture 12 10 00 Desk & Book case 5 00 00 An open stove 2 05 00 Two Watches 9 15 00 One fowling piece 3 00 00 One Horse & Chair 40 00 00 Library 187 15 00 --- -- -- 434 05 00

Appraised Seventh day of Dec. 1793.

The estate of John Todd was more ample than his modest statements would indicate. He left his wife that commodious dwelling of English red and black brick still standing at the corner of Fourth and Walnut streets, with stable on the grounds. The inventory of his effects shows that the house was well furnished. His library, too, was a good one, and with her "horse and chair" Dolly found herself more than comfortably provided for.

The moving of the national capital to Philadelphia had crowded the city to its utmost capacity, and homes were hard to find. Mary Payne had opened her doors,[38] and Aaron Burr, then Congressman, was fortunate to find boarding there.