Historic Homes of New EnglandNorthend, Mary Harrod
History
Historic Homes of New England
Northend, Mary Harrod
Architecture, Colonial; Historic buildings -- New England
Across the hall is a smaller room known as the nursery. Tradition has it
that John Hancock concealed himself from the British in this apartment,
making use of the secret passageway. On one of the window-panes is
scratched with a diamond the initials, "J. H." and again in handwriting
similar to his: "You I love and you alone." In this room are preserved
the breakfast-table of John Hancock; a linen chest which belonged to the
wife of William Penn; various articles of clothing that at one time were
used by the Quincy family; a bed spread hand-embroidered on homespun
linen quilted by Madam Burr and used in her guest chamber when Dorothy
Quincy was staying at her house.
Over the dining-room is the Quincy room, so named from the fact that
many of the Quincy children, including the two Dorothys, were born
here. By a curious trick of fate, there still remains here a
nail-studded chest which once belonged to George III of England, bearing
the date 1790. One wonders, if the old chest could speak, whether it
would pour vituperations upon the heads of those who brought the
possessions of the tyrant to the colonies, to be stored in the Quincy
mansion.
Across the hall is the guest chamber with its canopied Field bed, and
the little trundle-bed underneath, used in the olden times for the
children of the family. The Franklin stove, presented by the inventor,
is also in this room. Opening from it, and approached by a second
staircase, we find the chamber of Tutor Flynt, here the recessed bed is
an interesting feature. The room is furnished with fine pieces of the
olden times.
Every room in this house contains mementoes of the days of long ago. The
house was one of the first to be built on American soil, and has
sheltered some of our most important citizens. To-day it reminds us of
the past, carrying us back to the earliest days of our country's
history.
CHAPTER XXII
"HEY BONNIE HALL"
As a nation Americans have grown to feel a deep reverence for the homes
of their ancestors, those stately colonial houses that were erected
during the period of commercial prosperity. These mansions were built
from about the middle of the sixteenth to the early part of the
seventeenth century. Recently a wave of sentiment has swept through the
country, awakening a desire to save the old mansions, many of which were
fast falling into decay. Prominent among those which have been preserved
is "Hey Bonnie Hall," a quaint house built in the Maryland manor-house
style of architecture, with long, projecting ells, a type prevailing
throughout the South. "Hey Bonnie Hall" is situated on Papoosesquaw Neck
in Bristol, Rhode Island. It was built in 1808 by Honorable William
deWolf, great-grandfather of the present occupant.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account