The Treadwell Harpsicord
Quaint relic of a pleasant past, flow
Oft remembrance brings
The forms of those whose graceful touch
Oft waked thy tuneful strings,
Beside thy silvery waves, Champlain: A
Lovely household band,
Whose voices waked the soul-fraught songs Of
The dear Fatherland.
To catch enchained the listening ear,
The curious; or the kind,
With sweet"Lochaber," "Banks of Ayr," Or
"Roslyn Castle " bind
With " Lowdon's bonnie woods and braes," Or
"Comin' thro' the rye,"
Or " Highland Mary "--ah! how sad
That those so loved should die!
There " Uncle Natty's " sweet-voiced flute,
Breathed forth the same loved strain
His statesman father's voice rang out,
Blending with each refrain:
While one, the flower Or that bright band,
The earliest to fade,
With a sweet stringed lute, essayed the same,
And sang the while she played.
The sparkling jest the quick retort,
The kindliest repartee,
Oft gathered in that Lakeside home,
A brilliant coterie,
When genial converse thrilled the ear,
And patriot fire the heart,
And gifted natures gathered there
The treasured works of art.
The fierce, fell hands of time and change
Had deft each charm away,
While yet the Treadwell homestead stood, In
Olden times, "The Bay."
It stood while most who loved it sleep;
Their graves are green, but oh!
T' was theirs to love, to joy, to weep
A hundred years ago
A score beyond this, thy first notes,
Dulcet and soft and clear,
In Philadelphian halls rang out,
With strains of lofty cheer;
And while our nation gathered there,
Cenicnniai lights to see,
Was there not one to tell thy tale
Of Freedom's ministrelsy?
A. C. M.
STRACUSE, March, 1878.
This instrument was purchased by Judge Treadwell while a member
of Congress in Philadelphia, and thence sent to hi family, being for many
years the only instrument of the kind in that section.
" Uncle Natty " was Hon. N. H. Treadwell, a prominent Canadian
gentleman. One daughter was Mrs. Dr. Davis, of Clinton; another,the
first Mrs. Isaac C. Platt, and the two maiden sisters, "Aunt Polly " and
"Aunt Betsey" An elegant women of that day, cultured, and yet prac-
enough to have their wheels carried down to the lake shore, where, in
short gown and petticoat, in the gloaming they would sometimes sit and
spin.
The Harpsichord, now the cherished possession of a great Grand-
(Mrs. C. T. Longstreet), bears date 1755.
A Letter Written by the Rev. Benjamin Treadwell
March 15th 1822
Very Dear Parents.
In haste I catch the present moments opportunity to answer your letter dated 6th Inst. for which favor I am truly thankful and glad to hear from you all once more. Thankful to God for the health you both enjoy together with the family. Truly sorry to hear of your suffering with your arm and shoulder. Hope divine providence will clean and heal the described body
and keep the soul in perfect peace and health and give you to enjoy the rich treasure of God's grace and love and give you to enjoy him and his grace here and hereafter. O that the Lord may may protect, defend, preserve and comfort you both and give you much of his presents and spirit to console and comfort you down the declining life and give you both to live in sight of heaven by faith and then die in the Lord, and live in heaven forever. No temporal satisfaction could equal that of my being able to live near you and confort you in your old age, but oh the world and affairs of each are such with me, that it is out of my power to do so.
I long to see you my dear parents and my dear younger Brother but often think it will never be the case again in this world. Sometimes I feel like breaking the ole obstacles and trying to pay you one more visit in time, but they are so many and great, I fear I never shall be able to do so. Eliza feel very desirous with myself to see you again in life if possible but fear we never shall tho. At a distance our hearts often
melt into sympathy and occasions a silent tear to steal from our eyes when in our imagination look you in the face and know we are deprived of your company and the delightful converse we should have in your society and by your social fireside. I stop, I sigh, I weep, I am ever to enjoy these comforts I past, I answer, in glorious immortality, if not in immortal
stage. Often I think of and pray for you my loving Mother and Father.
May God in his grat mercy and goodness keep you as in the hollow of his hand and fill you will all spiritual knowledge and grace and fit your souls to fly far beyond the regions of those poor world. Brot, John wrote to me from conference, he is stationed in Washington, Ct. and was blest
with good health of body and quite comfortable in soul. Brot. Adoniram a
and family were all well and doing reasonable well. Reuben was well in body but cool and indifferent towards his brothers and treated John as a stranger, paid him one visit of about 8 or 10 minutes and nomore,
still remains in Augusta and lives with Holly(Hobby?) We are still striving to do the best in our power, both for here and eternity but know not how we shall speed, we are still in Columbia. and I suppose shall continue here this year. We aim at serving the Lord and trying to do and suffer his will, that we me live under his divine approval here and then in his kingdom beyond the grave. May the Lord aid us by his grace and crown us his forever. We desire an interest in your prayers and wish you to remember us in your nearest approaches to a throne of grace. May we all live and die the Lords and meet in his Kingdom to here and suffer no more and so may we ever be with the Lord....Farewell
signed Benjamin and 'Eliza M. Treadwell
a postscript of sorts
"With regards to Elizabeth and the children coming up in the summer
I should be more than glad for them to do so but know not how I am to send them as my business is truly confining. Give our love to all the dear
children. We are all well as usu sal, Eliza has sent you college letters
________the children, James, William send their best love to their dear
grand papa and Mah and their Uncles also.
A Very Special Letter to his Daughter by E.C. Treadwell
Dear bro:
I send you the letter from father to the daughter of our cousin Mrs. Mary Clark of
Portland, Maine. Cousin Mary is Uncle Chas. daughter. I want to get it published if I
can. I am not very well this A.M. but able to write this. Had a big fine birthday cake
yesterday. When you come over go fishing first and bring me the results. One boy
fell into our creek yesterday. So keep sober. Your Brother, Clarence S. Treadwell
425 S. 2nd St. W.W.W. (Walla Walla, Washington)
Ritzville, Feb2, 1916
Dear Allice,
This is a snowy day almost like the one described in Whittier's "Snow-Bound". I
hope it will not continue as long or be quite so severe. I think it is such a day as book
lovers like to cuddle down in some cozy corner by a good warm fire and a good
book, and then you can nearly bid defiance to the elements without.
I am in my room with very pleasant surroundings. The walls are nearly covered with
pictures. Some of them are almost sacred, as their dear faces represent years of
happiness. A bed is in one end of the room and beside it a stand and chiffonier, a
few easy chairs, carpet and rugs on the floor, and a table partially covered with
papers and books where I sit writing. One of the most prized books is a Bible that
has many places marked and interlined by her whom her Savior has taken home to
be with Him. This letter is written on stationery that was hers, so it will be in part a
letter from her as well as from me. Now I have given you just a brief look at my
surroundings today. I haven't any special story or book to read today, so I think I will
write a story for you to read, and for not knowing a better title for it I will call it a Love
Story--and who does not love to read a good Love Story? Its sparks touch the heart
and set it aglow to the greatest faculty that God has given us, namely love. The old
proverb that the world loves a lover will never grow old.
Many years ago a young Quaker and his wife came from New York State to
Wisconsin and started a home there. Soon after they were converted to the Baptist
Faith and united with the Baptist Church. He was engaged in the mercantile
business for several years and finally felt his duty to go to work more directly for his
Master. He entered the co-pastor work which he followed for a time, also supplied
many destitute churches on the Sabbath.
After a while he felt it his duty to give all of his time to the ministry. He was
ordained and held several very successful pastorates. Several children came into
their home, but most of them were taken home in childhood. The one I wish to speak
of more particularly was a daughter, Ettie R. She was educated in the common
schools and finally took a partial academic course.
At the age of 18 she began teaching and taught 2 or 3 years in Wisconsin. Then
her parents moved to Iowa and soon after she followed them and taught there for a
year or two when her health gave out, owing to the exposures of the severe winters
and deep snows. Sometimes she was obliged to stay at the school house for days
and do what cooking she did on a box stove.
Then followed nearly a year of illness when her parents and friends nearly
despaired of her recovery. She finally took treatment from a doctor in New York
City, and his remedies restored her to health again. About that time a young man
came from the East to Iowa, where he had a brother residing.
He visited with him for 2 or 3 weeks and then went out looking for work at his
trade. After visiting several towns without success, he came to the City of Nashua,
Iowa, and there found employment. After the business arrangement was
completed the young man inquired as to the Baptists in the town and was informed
that there was a Baptist Church and a Baptist pastor of the Church.
He also informed me that he was doing some work for him at the shop and that he
would soon be in as he had just passed down the street. The minister soon returned
and I was introduced to him. He gave me a very cordial greeting. I had left my
baggage back to a town about 20 miles distant, could go back on the evening train
and return on an early morning train. (I see I have given myself away.)
I did, so I was kindly invited to come to the parsonage which was but a short
distance away, and I gladly accepted the invitation. I was received into the home very
cordially by the minister, Rev. S. Sherman, and his wife. After a while I was invited out
to the breakfast table, and there for the first time I met their daughter, Ettie R.
Sherman. I was seated beside of her, and I think I engaged her in conversation as
much as I know how. However I think the meal passed without any special event. I
was so much pleased with the home that I persuaded them to board me tend thereby
hangs the tale).
My not being acquainted in the town I did not have any other place to spend my
evening but at the home. So we sang some and talked a good deal. I knew
something about the East but very little about the West. She knew lots about the
West and of course little about the East, so we had to swap off.
Time passed very pleasantly from weeks into months, and the first we knew Cupid
had entered the circle and shot his arrows at us both, and they sure were fatal shots.
We discussed the matter afterwards and it was a mystery how he ever got in for we
kept the doors closed and the curtains down at the windows. I had quite a severe
cold for a while that winter and we drank ginger tea together. But she never made it
until the old folks had retired; that might have had something to do with it. The winter
passed away very happily and springtime came, also the birds and their mates.
There was a grove just back of the house, and it was full of song-birds. We went out
to hear and watch them, and perhaps it was them that induced us to do the same.
So one beautiful April day her father gave her to me. We stayed with the father and
mother a few months; then we went to a home of our own. We were very happy in
each other's love and companionship. We found many friends and enjoyed many
pleasant hours with them. After nearly 2 years a little babe came into our hearts and
home--our Clarence boy. Then we had the Golden Link to unite us closer than ever.
About 3 years later our Allieboy came to us and we had another tie to bind us closer
together. The next came our little Mabe l, a beautiful sweet little girl. I don't know but
we loved her too dearly, for she was taken away from us when 3 1/2 years old. That
was our first great sorrow, and sad indeed were our hearts at her loss.
In the meantime R.A. had come to us. He has always been our baby, although he
is now over 30 years of age.
All 3 of the boys have always been very kind and thoughtful of us. We lived in Iowa
about 13 years and then the climate was too severe for us, so in '84 we moved to
Kansas and lived in our home there nearly 18 years. We had a pretty little cottage
home and had flowers and fruits in abundance. We kept a horse and carriage so we
could go whenever we pleased.
In the spring of 1902 all 3 of the boys came to Washington, well knowing that we
would not stay behind them very long. We were very lonely without them, so in the fall
we came to Washington. We had a good home at Colville where we lived for 6
years. The town is located in a beautiful valley with mountains all around, fruits of all
kinds in abundance. The snow air that came from the mountains was too severe
cold for my companion's lungs. She took pneumonia and came very near dying. That
was 4 years ago this winter. She partially regained her health so we were able to
come here in the spring where it is much milder. A year ago this winter she took
pneumonia again and we despaired of her life for weeks, but she rallied again after
severe suffering last spring. As soon as she was able I took her out in her wheel
chair, and we spent many happy hours together. She was of a loving temperament,
easily grieved and grieved herself very much if she saw any one else grieved. Those
that knew her best loved her the dearest. I did not know how much I loved her until
she was taken from me.
I dreamed a few nights-since that I was lying on the bed and she came and bent
over me and kissed me. It almost seemed to me that her blessed spirit had come
back to me as a ministering angel to comfort me. When the angels took her home I
wonder if she was greeted by our little Mabel and many others of our loved ones that
have gone before, and will she be permitted to greet me when I go. Our Heavenly
Father permitted us to love each other so dearly here that it cannot be possible that
death will separate our love. God is love, and I think human love is next to God's
love. We dearly love our Heavenly Father here, and we shall love him more dearly
then, and why not our dear ones also? My story is told. I hope it may be of interest to
you. Kind regards to all the dear ones.
E.C. Treadwell
THE MOURNING MOTHER'S SOLILOQUY
The following is the poem written by a friend after the death of
little Mabel, Edwin and Ett's only Daughter.
Inscribed to Mrs. Treadwell on her sudden bereavement
June 1881, a friend who is throng's sympathy partaker of her
sorrow.
The Mourning Mother's Soliloquy
In yonder room is my darling sleeping
Pale and motionless yet so sweet,
Her little white hands serene ley folded
Over the flowing folds final reach her feet.
See her? Yes, we cannot disturb her
(Pity alas that we never may!)
She has slept unchanged Alas! has rested
Since the dark dark morning of yesterday!
Yes it seems but a moment ago--my hearing
her ringing laugh-its accustomed noise
When she strewed the floor with a pleasant litter
Of childish trinkets and books and toys.
But now my heart has a restless aching
My thoughts throng by in a wondrous maze
And my pulses throb to a restless yearning
On her living features once more to gaze.
Alas! Ere long they must hence convey hwe
And under the sod from my gaze must hide
Her Beautiful head, where in silence lying
Are scattered groups on the green hillside.
Over the spot in repeated cycles
The changing seasons must come and go,
The summer shedding its petals over her
The winter its crystals of ice and snow.
So I sit By my empty cradle thinking
How dreary for me they must ebb and flow,
Till I lay me down to rest beside her
Beneath the lilies of sun and snow
"Murmur no more" are you kindly saying,
"For the Father above is good always!"
If all seems dark, yet I know that Heaven
The promise gives of a perfect day.
When infancy never more shall languish
And age full fils ifs round of days,
When instead of the draperies of anguish
Shall be worn the garments of joy and praise.
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