When Israel Brayton’s father, John the farmer, died in 1829, the life
of Israel, the Trader, went on as before. Captain Stephen Brayton,
Israel’s brother, returned to the farm and took over. He had been
engaged in a few ventures of his own, as we know from letters found in
the barrel.
The widow, Israel’s mother, petitioned the court to appoint Israel
administrator. In June, 1829, he made an account of his administration.
And that was all.
Stephen found in the house of his inheritance his mother; an aunt; a
sister, Content, the old maid of the family; (all households had them).
These women were absolutely dependent upon him as they had been upon
his father, and he thought it right that this should be so.
To him had descended not only the use of the house but the use of all
its furnishings. And these furnishings were astonishingly good. It was
the age of mahogany and fine cabinet makers. John Brayton, according
to the inventory found in the barrel, had owned a mahogany desk, a
mahogany card table, a mahogany round table, a pair of mahogany dining
tables, 8 mahogany arm chairs, a mahogany light stand, and a chest.
From an earlier age of even better cabinet makers, there was a cherry
Pembroke table, a maple table, a high chest of drawers, 8 dining
chairs, a tall clock, 7 bedsteads, 8 leatherbottomed chairs, 12 flag
bottomed chairs, a pair of ordinary looking glasses, a gilt framed
looking glass, a floor carpet--who has better? There was a brass
fireset, 8 feather beds and 24 pillows, coffee and tea sets, 12
tablecloths--and of course a “weaver loom” and “2 spinning wheeles”.
On the farm were 2 yoke of oxen, 13 steers, 2 horses, 31 sheep, 21
lambs, 4 swine, and 14 pigs--2 ox carts, 1 horse sleigh and bells, 1
horse wagon and harness, 1 cider mill and press. Under Stephen all
remained on the farm, and life went on as before. That some of these
articles were bought through Israel’s Scrabbletown Store, we know.
Stephen died suddenly in 1832. According to the custom of the country,
Israel, the trader of Scrabbletown, closed down his trading posts, and
went back to the Farm of his fathers as his brother Stephen had done.
He took over the responsibility of running the farm and the family.
He was still a young man, just turned 40. His eldest child, Mary, was
18. There was Elizabeth and Nancy and John Summerfield, and David, and
Israel Perry and William Bowers--all born in Scrabbletown--now moving
down to the Homestead Farm by the Taunton River. And there were more
children coming--Hezekiah, Sarah, Submit.
It was a young household, ambitious, with a fine house and money to
spend. Israel’s mother was an old lady, of course, well content to sit
in the chimney corner. But there was Aunt Content, Israel’s sister,
Stephen’s widow and his children, and probably some others needing
shelter at the moment; Mary Morrison, for instance.
The house was perhaps a little crowded--it must have been. Mary, the
oldest of the children, seems to have thought so. She left. We hear of
her teaching school in the village of Troy, now called Fall River, as I
noted earlier.
Kezia, Israel’s wife, was mistress of the house and of all that was
therein. Which included all that she and her husband had brought from
Scrabbletown. There was indeed plenty.
Kezia was not, however, a good housekeeper. No, she was not. For in
all her housecleaning she never cleaned out the barrel that Israel had
brought over from his Scrabbletown store and put up in the attic.
To her negligence, we owe our chance to see at first hand how the
traders of Scrabbletown lived in those days now all forgotten.
_Weavers who lived on the East Bank of the Taunton River_
(_on territory now called Fall River_)
Baker, Jonathan
Barker, Hicks
Barnaby, Lucy
Bennett, Anna
Bradford
Grace
Hannah
Ruby
Ruth
Sweet
Black, Mary
Bliffins, Amelia
Olive
Pamela
Royal
Valentine
Boomer, Crocker
Hannah
Sally
Nathaniel
Borden, Amos
Stephen
Bragg, Samuel
Briggs, Josephine
Welthy
Burroughs, Isaac
Olive
Butts, David
Sarah
Brightman, Benjamin
Edward
Gardner
George
Henry
James
Lois
Lydia
Lucy
Mary
Nathan
Pardon
Challoner, Thomas
Chace, Benjamin
Hannah
Harriet
Hezekiah
John
Moses
Palmer
Stephen
Clark, Henry
Mary Ann
Cleaveland, Abigail
Bertha
Henry
Olive
Cobb, Abiah
Ann Maria
Joseph
Corey, William
Cummings, Jail
Davis, Howard
Joseph
Nancy
Pa----
Downing, Frederick
Joshua
Durfee, Thomas
Eaton, Apollos
Elsbree, Aaron
Nathaniel
Omer
Ely, Joseph
Evans, Caleb
David
Josephus
Leonard
Thomas
Freelove, Stephen
Gifford, Benjamin
Royal
Goodwin, Nicholas
Gregory, Thomas
Harris, Abigail
Julian
Polly
Harrison, Elisa
Hathaway, Abigail
Diadema
Enoch
George
Gideon
John
Lydia
Malbone
Michael
Olive
Peleg
Rosamund
Russell
Ruth
Silas
Hawkins, Lydia
Horton, Benjamin
Hunt, Benjamin
Lawton, Francis
Marble, Elizabeth
Rebeccas
Ruth
Miller, Ebenezer
Phoebe
Robert
Sophia
Negus, Benjamin
Knowles
Sally
Nichols, Hannah
Pierce, Cynthia
Job
Raymond, Benjamin
Read, Abigail
Betsy
Brayton
Catherine
George
Hannah
Joseph
Lucy
Martha
Mary Ann
Nancy
Nathan
Rosamund
Ruby
Ruth
Sally
Stephen
Susan
William (Captain)
Ripley, Bradford
Rogers, Lucy
Sampson, Ebenezer
Simmons, Nathan
Tryphena
Smith, Judas
Snell, Abiah
Amos
Baylis
Rebecca
Susan
Sowle, William
Strange, William
Terry, Job
Tew, Sally
Thurston, Amey B.
Jonathan
Tubbs, Rebecca
Wardwell, Joshua
Whitwell, Olive
Winslow, Frederick
Isaac
John
Luther
Young, John
_Weavers living on the farms and in the villages
west of the Taunton River_
Adams, Nathaniel of Swansea. (Wove badly)
Allen, Permelia
Allyn, Sybel
Anthony, Ann Maria
Gardner
John
Mary Brayton
Sarah
Baker, Joseph
Nancy
Barton, Nancy
Bliffin, Mary, daughter of Royal
Bliss, Hannah of Wellington
Lucinda of Rehoboth
Lucy
Lydia
Bosworth, Amos
Gardner
Hope
Bourne, Anna of Somerset
Betsy
Francis
Jonathan
Stephen
Bowers, Gertrude
Sarah of Dighton
Bowen, Betsy of Warren
Hannah
James
Jonathan
Jabez
Lydia
Martha
Brayton, Daniel of Swansea
Brown, Esther of Somerset
John of Swansea
Joseph
Lydia
Sarah
Sharlot
Buffinton, Betsy
Benjamin
Elisha
Eunice
Mason
Bullock, Levi
Bush, John W.
Burr, Betsy of Rehoboth
Butterworth, Caleb of Swansea
Lydia
Sarah
Canedy, William B.
Carey, David of Barrington
Cartwell, Lydia of Swansea
Cartwright, Margaret of Somerset
Chace (Chase), Abner
Bethany
Deborah
of Swansea
Edward
of Somerset
Hope
Lurana of Swansea
Lydia
Luther
Martha
Nabby
Nehemiah
Mary of Somerset
Phebe
Rebecca
Reuben
of Swansea
Sarah of Somerset
Samuel
Stephen
Wanton
Kingsley, Anthony of Swansea
Barton
James
Ladew, Curtis of Barrington
Lee, Israel of Dighton
Lewin, Nathaniel of Swansea
Sarah
Luther, Ann B. of Somerset
Eliza
Eunice
James
Nancy of Warren
Patience of Somerset
Rebecca
Samuel
Susannah
Susan
Theophile
Upham
Macomber, Nancy of Swansea
Noah
Mark, Lucy
Martin, Abraham
Elizabeth
Sally
Marvel, Elizabeth
Joseph
Lorna
Patience
Rebecca
Ruth
Mason, Mary
Miller, Lydia of Warren
Morrison, Clarissa of Swansea
Mary
Munroe, Bosworth
Thomas
Norton, Eliphalet of Rehoboth
Palmer, David of Swansea
Jonathan
Pettis, Martha
Patty
Perry, David (negro)
Phillips, Samuel
Pike, Phoebe
Ruth
Pierce, Lewis
Lydia of Rehoboth
Sarah of Swansea
Pitts, Alice
Potter, Anna
Purinton, Benjamin
Eunice
Read, Otis of Dighton
Rice, Elizabeth of Swansea
Richards, Patty of Dighton
Rhounds, Betsy of Rehoboth
Joshua
Susannah
Robinson, Patience (a widow)
of Swansea
Sherman, Atherton
Loisa
Robert
Shorey, Almiry
Shove, Abraham
Lydia
Nathaniel
Sisson, Isaac
Isaih
Susannah
Slade, Alexander of Somerset
Almira
Betsy P. of Swansea
Elisha of Somerset
Eliza
Henry (Capt.) of Swansea
Mial of Dighton
Martin of Swansea
Mary (negro) of Warren
Phoebe of Somerset
Polly of Swansea
Prudence of Somerset
Stephen of Swansea
Waity, (d. Charles)
William of Somerset
Snell, Sally of Dighton
Swazey, Polly of Somerset
Talbot, Josiah C. of Swansea
Targee, Ardelia
Thrasher, Isaac
Thompson, James of Somerset
Trafton, Clarinda of Swansea
Elias
Valentine, Betsy
Vennaman, Rebecca
Walker, Nancy
Waterman, Asa of Dighton
Weaver, Nathaniel of Somerset
Wheeler, Sally of Swansea
White, Betsy
Wilbur, James of Somerset
John
Wilcox, Job of Swansea
Williams, John (negro)
of Warren
Wilson, Hezekiah of Swansea
Rachel
Winslow, Bethia
Betsey
Ebenezer
George
Rebecca
Seth
Whitmarsh, Clarissa of Dighton
Fanny
Wood, Hannah of Swansea
Israel
George of Dighton
John
Otis of Swansea
Wright, Abigail of Dighton
_INDEX_
(_not necessarily including the weavers just listed_)
Albany, New York. Letters from Albany, 44-45, 47, 48.
Allerton, William, Clerk in Dighton Manufacturing Company, 60.
Alleyn, Sybel, Bonnet maker. Settlement of her Estate, 43.
Almanacks, 38.
Anthony, chiefly Hezekiah, 7, 14, 20-23, 28-35, 37, 42, 50, 57, 66.
Assonet, Massachusetts, 6, 11.
Banks, 17, 19, 32, 49.
Barrington, Rhode Island, 11, 66.
Barter System, Widely used, 11, 13-15, 41-42, 47.
Beard, Abner. Sold Soap in Swansea, 21.
Berkeley, Massachusetts, 6, 19.
Bliss Family, 32, 43, 66.
B. M. C. Durfee High School in Fall River, 7.
Bonnets and Bonnet Makers, 40-53.
Boston Wholesale Merchants, 13, 15-17.
Bowen Family, 30, 66.
Bowers Family, chiefly William, 15, 22, 25, 35-36, 39, 45-55, 66.
Brayton and Bowers, Traders, 19-22, 26-29, 40, 53-55, 60.
Brayton Family, chiefly Israel. References on nearly all pages.
Brayton and Mason. Traders, 9-15, 21-27.
Briggs Family, 20, 63.
Brightman Family, 31, 63.
Bristol Cotton Manufacturing Company, 55-58.
Bristol, Rhode Island, 6, 18, 56.
Brown Family, 8, 14, 43, 66.
Buffinton Family, 20, 66.
Butterworth Family, 27, 66.
Canton, China, 22.
Letter written in Canton by William Bowers, 54-55.
Cartwright Family, 26, 66.
Carver, J. A. Bonnet presser, 42.
Chace (Chase) Family, 19, 21, 27, 41, 63, 66-67.
Charlestown, Carolina. Letters written in Charlestown, 26, 49, 53.
China. Listed in the invoices, 16.
Church Activities. Church Choirs, 36-38.
Cleaveland Family, 20, 63.
Coggshell Family, 20.
Colburn, Jonathan C., Singing Teacher from Taunton, 37.
Commission Sales, 50-51.
Company Store, 9, 11, 13-15, 19-24.
Corbett Family, 21.
Cotton, John, Trader, 52.
Cotton Spinning, 8, 10, 11, 23, 31, 61.
Cotton Shipped up from the South, 8, 29, 52-53.
Cotton Yarn Factories, 8-14, 23-32, 55-60.
Counterfeit Money, In general use, 17, 19.
Cows, Exported, 52.
Crackers and the Cracker Barrel, 19, 20.
Credit, 14, 17, 28, 32, 48, 57.
Currency in use, 14, 32.
Dancing Lessons, 10.
Darien, Georgia. Letter written in Darien in 1821, 52.
Debts and Debtors, 3, 21, 27, 29.
deWolf, James, 56-57, 59.
Dighton Manufacturing Company, 11, 57, 59-60.
Dighton, Massachusetts, 6, 13, 20, 59-60.
Disabled Veterans, 6, 34.
Dow, Lorenzo, Evangelist, 37-38.
Downing Family, 27, 64.
Dry Goods, Imported and Domestic, 13, 15-16, 50.
Durfee, M. C., Clerk for “Mr. Anthony’s Bank” in Troy, 32.
Earle Family, 14, 27, 34.
Earthquake in Charlestown, described by eyewitness, 26.
East Indies. Perry expected to sail for the East Indies, October 15,
23.
Eddy Family, 27.
Egypt, Massachusetts, 25-26, etc.
Fall River Factory and Iron Works, 18, 30-32.
Fall River, Massachusetts, 7, 29-33. See Troy and Freetown.
Fashion, 48, 50-51.
Fayetteville, North Carolina, 50.
Foxboro, Massachusetts, 7.
Freetown, Massachusetts, 11, 31.
Fuller Family, 20.
Funerals, 18, 43.
Garden Seeds, 21.
Gardner Family, 14, 21, 59.
Georgetown Bar, 49.
Georgia Cotton Manufacturing Company, 28-29.
Georgia, State of, 29.
Gibbs, Captain Benjamin and Captain Joseph, 49, 50.
Gingerbread in the Company Store, 20.
Glass, Imported, 16.
Goodyear, Amasa, of New Haven, 18.
Goosefeathers exported to Boston from Scrabbletown, 13.
Gray, Samuel, Ship Captain, 43.
Gypsies of Hot and Cold Lane, 55.
Handy Family, 14, 32.
Hathaway Family, 27, 42, 57, 64.
Hats, Felt, Palm leaf, Straw, 20-21, 40. See Bonnets.
Holman Family, 20.
Idioms and local traditions, 39-40, 51.
Inventory of Property, 1829, 61.
Johnson, Nathan P., sold Palm leaf hats, 21.
Jones, Nehemiah, of Raynham. Trader in Straw Braid, 41.
Kilby, Asa, of Somerset. Dealer in dried codfish, 20.
Kingsley Family, 57, 67.
Labor Difficulties, 24.
Lawton, Henry, War Veteran, 34.
Leather Goods sold on commission, 18.
Lewin Family, Good Weavers, 60, 67.
Lima, Peru. William Bowers was there in 1826, 54.
Literacy, 3-4, 38, 50.
Literature in Scrabbletown, 38-40.
Lotteries, 3, 8.
Lovell and Durfee, Fall River Business Firm, 32.
Lum, Isaac, Confectioner in Somerset, 20.
Luther Family, Chiefly Wheaton, 8, 10-11, 20, 24-27, 42, 67.
Lyman Cotton Manufacturing Company, 23-25, 43.
Mail Carriers, 38.
Manilla. Visited by William Bowers in 1824, 54.
Marion, Anthony, Captain of Schooner “Jane.” Lost at sea, 49.
Marvel Family, 58, 67.
Mason Family, Chiefly John Mason of Brayton and Mason, 9, 35-37, 67.
Menhaden Fish. Used for fertilizer, 59-60.
Militia, Local, 6.
Mills. See Yarn Mills and Paper Mills.
Mill Stock, 8.
Mitchell, William, Manager of Swansea Paper Manufacturing Co, 27-28.
Morrison Family, 62, 67.
Mount Hope Manufacturing Company, 55-58.
Music, 16, 36-37.
Nails, made in Troy, sold in Scrabbletown and Egypt, 18, 31.
Negus Family, 27, 64.
New Bedford, Massachusetts, 6, 18, 40.
New Haven, 18.
Newport, Rhode Island. Letter written in Newport, 1820, 45.
Newspapers, 38-39, 54.
New York, N. Y. William Bowers in New York, 47.
New York Commission Houses, 17, 43-45.
Nichols, Joseph D., School Teacher in Swansea, 35.
Paper Mill in Swansea, 27-28.
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, 43, 58.
Peckham, John, Bristol Manufacturer of Leather Goods, 18-19.
Pensions for Disabled Veterans, 5, 34.
Pettibone, Charles, sold powder and shot, 21.
Physicians, 34, 43.
Pierce, Captain David. Letters to friends in Egypt, Mass, 49-50, 53.
Pitchforks made in New Haven, 18.
Politics, 40.
Poor Relief, 33-34.
Potter Family, 4, 67.
Power Loom Cotton Cloth, 17.
Pratt, Captain Charles, School Teacher, 35.
Providence, Rhode Island, 4, 6-7, 22, 29.
Purinton Family, 27, 67-68.
Raynham, Massachusetts, 13, 40-41.
Read Family, 5-6, 27, 31, 64-65, 68.
Rehoboth, Massachusetts, 11, 43.
Sandwich Islands. William Bowers was there in 1826, 54.
Saunders, Daniel, baker of crackers, 20.
Sanderson Family, 21.
Savannah, Georgia, 49-53.
Schools and School Houses, 5, 7, 10, 26, 35-36.
School Books, 36.
School Committee, 7, 35, 36.
School Teachers and their letters, 7, 35, 36, 62.
Shad. Taunton River Shad exported, 44-45, 48.
Sherman Family, 20, 44, 68.
Ships, By name: Sloop “Henry” of Somerset, 44-49.
Sloop “Reindeer” of Troy, Sloop “Rambler” of Troy, “Rosette” of
Troy, 31.
Schooner “Jane”, 49.
Shipboard Life, 46-48.
Shipyards and Shipping, 6-9, 23, 25, 31.
Shoemakers, 13, 19.
Shove Family, 43, 68.
Singing School, 36-37.
Slade Family, 14, 27, 36, 43, 68.
Slade’s Ferry Landing, 25, 31.
Smith, Allan and Daniel, Darien, Georgia, 52.
Horatio, 20.
Judas, 65.
Someset, Massachusetts, 5-6, 8, 11, 13, 20-22, 25, 30, 31, 35, 53,
66-68.
Spain, 13, 23.
Spanish Settlements, 26, 54.
Sproat, Mr. of Taunton. His marriage, 36, 37.
Stebbins, Sophia, School Teacher, 36.
Stock Certificates, 8, 59.
Store of Brayton and Bowers, Built and Stocked, 40-41, 51.
Store Books, 14.
Straw for paper, 27-28, 44.
For Bonnets, 40-44, 48.
Swansea, Massachusetts, 3-4, 7-11, 14, 20, 27, 30, 34-37, 40.
Swansea Paper Manufacturing Company, 27-28, 32-33.
Swansea Union Cotton Manufacturing Company, 8-10, 14, 24.
Sweet Family, 14.
Talbot, Simeon, Hatter in Dighton, 20.
Taunton, 38, 43.
Taunton River, 3, 5, 49.
Threeshere, Isaac, 14, 68.
Tobacco. Segars, 21-22, 32.
Transportation by land and sea, 15, 17, 25, 31, 37-38, 43-45, 50, 53.
Troy, Massachusetts, alias Fall River, 7, 11, 25, 30-33, 53, 58,
62-65.
Troy, New York, 44-45, 48.
Vickery Family, 57.
Walker Family, 42, 68.
War Department Regulations, 34.
War of 1812, 6, 8.
War of the Revolution, 5.
Warren, Rhode Island, 5-6, 11, 21, 32, 37.
Warwick Manufacturing Company, 58.
Water Power for the Yarn Mills, A Necessity, 8, 29.
Weave Books, 10, 14, 23-25, 29-31, 56, 58.
Weavers’ Instructions and Tickets, 10, 12-13, 23.
Weaving in the factory and the home, 9-14, 23-25, 29-31, 56-57,
60-61.
Wellington, alias North Dighton, 55, 57, 59.
Whale Ships and Whale Oil, 9, 18.
Wheeler Family, 7-9, 28-30, 56-59, 68.
White Family, 21, 68.
Wholesale Merchants. See Boston, New York, New Haven, Providence.
Wilcox, Edward and Ruth, of Someset, 19, 49.
Wilkinson, Jemima, 40.
Wilmarth, Larned, and his baggage waggon, 18-19.
Williams, Jeremiah, Merchant in Warren, 21.
Winslow Family, 6, 36, 65-68.
Wood Family, 26, 68.
Wrightington, Stephen, Baker, 20.
Yankeys, 49, 53.
Yarn Mills, 8-14, 23-32, 55-60.
PRINTED BY
WARD PRINTING COMPANY
(HENRY C WILKINSON)
NEWPORT
RHODE ISLAND
=Transcriber’s Notes=
Perceived typographical errors have been silently corrected.