Master Holbrook was Samuel Holbrook, Anna's writing-master, one of a
highly honored family of Boston writing teachers. Perhaps the best
known of this family was Abiah Holbrook. In the _Boston Gazette_ of
January 30, 1769, I find this notice:--
"Last Friday morning died Mr Abiah Holbrook in the 51st year of his
Age, Master of the South Writing School in this Town. He was looked
upon by the Best Judges as the Greatest Master of the Pen we have
ever had among us, of which he has left a most beautiful
Demonstration. He was indefatigable in his labours, successful in
his Instructions, an Honour to the Town and to crown all an Ornament
to the Religion of Jesus. His Funeral is to be Attended Tomorrow
Afternoon at Four Oclock."
The "beautiful Demonstration" of his penmanship which he left behind
him was a most intricate piece of what was known as "fine knotting"
or "knot work." It was written in "all the known hands of Great
Britain." This work occupied every moment of what Abiah Holbrook
called his "spare time" for seven years. It was valued at £100. It
was bequeathed to Harvard College, unless his wife should need the
money which could be obtained from selling it. If this were so, she
was to offer it first for purchase to John Hancock. Abiah was a
stanch patriot.
Samuel Holbrook was a brother of Abiah. He began teaching in 1745,
when about eighteen years old. A petition of Abiah, dated March 10,
1745-46, sets forth that his school had two hundred and twenty
scholars (Well may his funeral notice say that he was indefatigable
in his labors!), that finding it impossible to properly instruct
such a great number, he had appointed his brother to teach part of
them and had paid his board for seven months, else some of the
scholars must have been turned off without any instruction. He
therefore prayed the town to grant him assistance. Think of one
master for such a great school! In 1750 Samuel Holbrook's salary as
usher of the South Writing School was fifty pounds per annum.
After serving as writing-master of the school in Queen Street, and
also keeping a private school, he was chosen master of the South
Writing School in March, 1769, to supply the place of his brother
Abiah deceased. His salary was one hundred pounds. In 1776, and
again in 1777, he received eighty pounds in addition to his salary.
He also was a patriot. He was one of the "Sons of Liberty" who dined
at the Liberty Tree, Dorchester, on August 14, 1769; and he was a
member of Captain John Haskin's company in 1773. He was a member of
the Old South Church, and he died July 24, 1784. In his later years
he kept a school at West Street, where afterwards was Amos
Lawrence's garden.
Abiah and Samuel left behind them better demonstrations of their
capacity than pieces of "knot-work"--in the handwriting of their
scholars. They taught what Jonathan Snelling described as "Boston
Style of Wri^ting," and loudly do the elegant letters and signatures
of their scholars, Boston patriots, clergy, and statesmen, redound
to the credit of the Masters Holbrook.
Other Holbrooks taught in Boston. From the Selectmen's Minutes of
that little town, we find that on November 10, 1773,--
"Mr Holbrook, Master of the Writing School in the Common, and Mr
Carter the Master Elect of the school in Queen St having recommended
Mr Abiah Holbrook, a young man near of age, as a suitable person to
be usher at Mr Carters school--the Selectmen sent for him, and upon
discoursing with the young man thought proper to appoint him usher
of said school."
And from the _Boston Gazette_, of April 17, 1769, we learn that Mr.
Joseph Ward "Opened an English Grammar School in King St where Mr
Joseph Holbrook hath for many years kept a Writing School."
These entries of Anna's relating to her attending Master Holbrook's
school have an additional value in that they prove that both boys
and girls attended these public writing schools,--a fact which has
been disputed.