THE PICKERING HOUSE
It is doubtful if any other historic home in New England can boast, as
does the Pickering house situated in Salem, Massachusetts, of being in
the direct line of a family for nine generations.
This family originated in Yorkshire, England. John Pickering, the
founder of the Salem branch, was born in old England in 1614; he came to
the colonies and lived in Ipswich from 1634 to 1636. In the early part
of 1636 he came to Salem, and on December 7, 1636, John Pickering,
carpenter, was granted to be an inhabitant of that city.
[Illustration: PLATE IX.--The Pickering House, Salem, Mass.]
Long years ago, when this city was in its youth and sparsely settled,
large estates, many of them original grants, were founded. It was then
that this now famous house was erected. It was commenced in 1650 and
finished in 1651 by one John Pickering, the emigrant ancestor of the
present owner of the old mansion, who became a considerable landowner,
purchasing his estate in different lots until his property extended
from Chestnut Street to the Mill Pond, then known as South River.
[Illustration: PLATE X.--Pickering House, Side View.]
The twenty-acre lot known as the home lot, on which he built the
historic mansion, was originally a part of the governor's field, once
owned by Governor John Endicott. It was conveyed by him to Emmanuel
Downing, who sold it, so tradition tells, to one John Pickering to pay
for the commencement dinner of Sir George Downing, who was graduated in
the first class at Harvard. The original deed is still in the possession
of the family.
[Illustration: PLATE XI.--Entrance Door, Pickering House; Entrance Door
in the Pickering House.]
The house was built in the Elizabethan style of architecture and
resembled the famous Peacock Inn in Rouseley, England. It was
constructed of white oak, which grew in a swamp on the estate. The
exterior is practically unchanged; and the interior shows low, beamed
ceilings and small windows. The entrance door opens into a low hall,
from which the stairs ascend to the second story floor. This has been
lengthened within the last few years by taking out one of the chimneys.
As in many old houses, large rooms open on either side. At the right is
the library, which has been enlarged by opening up an alcoved recess.
This was formerly a chamber, and is used to-day to accommodate several
bookcases filled with rare old books, many of which are in manuscript.
The colonial fireplace, with its scriptural tiles, is a feature of this
room, where is shown a wonderful old English ball table that was brought
over by the emigrant ancestor. The chairs, many of them, were made by
Theophilus Pickering, whose old desk where he wrote many of his sermons
stands at one side of the fireplace. Rare books and interesting
mementoes are found on every side.
[Illustration: PLATE XII.--Hallway, Pickering House.]
[Illustration: PLATE XIII.--Dining Room, Pickering House; Alcove,
Pickering House.]
Opposite is a large drawing-room filled with Chippendale and colonial
furniture, and showing Colonel Timothy Pickering's picture on the wall.
At the rear of this room is a dining-room which, as does the rest of the
house, contains more fine furniture.
[Illustration: PLATE XIV.--Living Room, Pickering House; Drawing Room,
Pickering House.]
[Illustration: PLATE XV.--Fireplace with Scriptural Tiles, Pickering
House; The Old Pickering Sideboard.]
Autograph letters fill many books, some of them received by Colonel
Timothy Pickering from President Washington. Rare old glass, china, and
silver speak of bygone days.
Up-stairs are interesting, rare old four-posters, still showing their
quaint hangings; and one notes the old chimney that occupies such a
large space in the house. Inside one of the closets is the old army
chest marked with Pickering's initials and showing his rank. It was
used by him when quartermaster in the Revolutionary War.
The builder of the house married Elizabeth, whose surname is not known.
He resided upon the estate until his death, which occurred in 1657; the
property descended to his son John, who increased his landownings by the
purchase of the eastern or Anthrum lot from Edmund Batter.
The second John married Alice Flint, a most estimable lady, in 1657. He
served as a lieutenant in the Indian War, in 1675, and particularly
distinguished himself in the memorable fight of Bloody Brook at
Deerfield, Massachusetts. He died in 1694 and was succeeded by another
John, third in line, who was a farmer, frugal and industrious, and who
held many positions of trust in the community. He married Sarah Burrill,
of an influential Lynn family. There were two sons, Timothy and
Theophilus. The latter was graduated from Harvard and was called to
Chebacco parish, first as assistant to Reverend John Wise, and
afterwards as minister. There is in the Pickering house a manuscript
book on physics bound in leather and illustrated by him. There is also a
set of ten chairs made by his hand in 1724.
His brother Timothy, who inherited the estate, was deacon of the
Tabernacle Church in Salem at his father's death. He was the father of
nine children. During his lifetime he added three more rooms on the
northern side, raising the roof, which sloped almost to the ground after
the fashion of buildings of that period. At the time of these
improvements, the eastern part of the house was one hundred years old
and the western part eighty. When the weather boards were ripped off,
the sills of white oak were so sound that it was decided they would last
longer than new ones. One of the peaks was removed at this time because
of leaks but was replaced in 1840 by John, the son of Colonel Pickering.
When Timothy inherited the estate, he was the first to break the line of
Johns. He is described as a gentleman of great piety, firmness of
character, and decided convictions. He died at the age of seventy-five
and left the estate to his son John, the fifth of the line, who was a
bachelor and lived in the old home with his sister, Mrs. Gool, as
housekeeper. His occupation was agricultural, but he held several public
positions. He represented the town in the General Court for many years,
and was town treasurer in 1782. His brother Timothy, who was Clerk of
Register of Deeds, entered the Continental Army, and at that time John
took his place with the intention of returning the office to him on his
return from the war, but he became so accustomed to the work that he
kept the position until 1806, when he was compelled to resign through
the infirmities of age. It is related of him that at one time he was
supposedly fatally ill, and the question of his successor in office
coming up, it was proposed to canvass for a candidate. This so enraged
John that he recovered from his illness. He was one of the original
members of the Academy of Arts and Sciences and was noted for his
honesty, industry, and the careful management of his affairs. At his
death, the ancestral estate passed to his nephew John (the fifth), the
only break in the transmission of the property from father to son.
John's father, Colonel Timothy, the brother of John (fourth), although
never owning the estate, spent his early boyhood upon it, and much of
its fame comes from his connection with it. Colonel Timothy was born in
the old house July 17, 1745. Upon his graduation from college, he
entered the office of the Register of Deeds as clerk and was appointed
head of this department a few years later. In 1768, he was admitted to
the Bar, and became the leader and champion of the patriots of Essex
County; he wrote the famous address from the citizens of Salem to
General Gage, relative to the Boston Port Bill. He held the office of
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Essex County, being sole Judge of
the Maritime Court of the Middle District. This was an office involving
great responsibility and decisions concerning large amounts of property,
as that was the day of privateers. His military service began in 1766,
when he was commissioned lieutenant of the Fourth Military Company of
Salem.
Three years later he was promoted to the rank of captain and by his
interest and careful training raised appreciably the standard of
discipline. He was commissioned by the Royal Government colonel of the
First Regiment, Essex County Militia. He led the troops who marched out
to oppose the entry of Leslie and his Redcoats into Salem on February
26, 1775, when the famous colloquy on North Bridge took place, and the
munitions of war concealed in the town were saved to the colonists.
In the fall of 1776, he joined Washington in New Jersey with a regiment
of seven hundred men, and the next year he was made Adjutant-general of
the Continental Army, commencing his service July 17, 1777. When
Congress decided to change the personnel of the Continental Board of War
from members of Congress to three men not congressmen, Colonel Pickering
was chosen to serve on the Board, whose powers and duties were many and
important. He was made Quartermaster-general of the Army, also, holding
this position until its abolishment, July 25, 1785. He was a member of
the committee which wrote the farewell address delivered to Washington,
November 15, 1783. With the close of the war, Colonel Pickering withdrew
from public life to devote himself to agriculture. He settled in
Philadelphia, but his private life was of short duration, as his
services were needed for the adjustment of claims made by Wyoming
settlers. He had a thrilling experience in the West, being captured by a
band of masked men who carried him off and subjected him to horrible
torture.
Colonel Pickering was a most charming host and though apparently stern
and forbidding, delightful in the midst of his family. He retained his
inherited fondness for agriculture, at seventy-five still filling the
position of President of the Agricultural Societies of Essex County and
bearing off the first prize for plowing, in competition with the
farmers of the vicinity. It was his habit to preserve letters and
documents of every description, the most important of which were
published after his death in 1829, and which, owing to his prominence in
national affairs, are very interesting reading.
Colonel Pickering is an example of one of the best types of a New
Englander of his time: a brave, patriotic soldier, a talented writer, an
impartial, able, and energetic public official, a leader of the Federal
party, occupying four Cabinet positions, serving his country whenever he
was needed, but content to return to his simple life when the need for
him in public life was over.
At the death of Colonel Pickering's brother, John, the ancestral estate
descended to the colonel's son, John (fifth). He inherited his father's
public spirit and served in the General Court, three times as
representative from Essex and twice from Norfolk and Suffolk counties.
He was Secretary of the Legation at Lisbon and later under Rufus King in
London, and finally became United States Minister to England. He was a
member of many learned societies in Europe, received several diplomas,
and brought home a fine library collected on the continent. He was a
profound scholar, a writer in law, and especially interested in
philology, understanding twenty-two different languages.
The house is now in the possession of John Pickering, the eighth of the
line, whose son John will succeed his father. The ancient house, in all
the dignity of old age, is the central feature of the lot, a picturesque
historic mansion, considered one of the most important landmarks of
Salem, Massachusetts.