Darrow School - Shaker Post Yearbook (New Lebanon, NY)

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The Peg Board 1936 long, into her carriage, Hannah Kendall and Lucy Wood followed, then gave her the reins, and as they were about to start, Mother spoke to Prudence Hammond, who brought her budget, and said, Prudence, keep along with us. They had not proceeded more than three or four rods, when the rufiians cut off both the reins of the bridle. Eliab then at- tempted to lead the beast, and proceeded six or eight rods further, when the mob sur- rounded the carriage, and beat him off, with many severe strokes, and undertook to lead the beast themselves, and drove on, very furiously, toward Grant's. Prudence Hammond, according to Mother's orders. kept close by the side of the carriage. A certain young man of the mob, observing her, exerted himself, very much to beat her off, and ride over her, but was not able, for Mother often repeated her order, Prudence, keep along with us, don't let your faith fail, which gave Prudence a degree of power which the world was not able to resist. At length, another young man said to his companions, These people have got a power that we know nothing about, it is the power of God that carries that woman along in such a manner. He then politely offered to take Prudence on behind him and carry her civilly. But, Mother cautioned her, saying, Prudence, don't be enticed by them, don't let your faith fail, and you will hold out to the end. So Prudence ran along on foot, still keeping close by the side of the carriage. Here let us interrupt the narrative and insert Prudence Hammond's own account of her experiences on that day. It was committed to writing in-Iune 1826: When Mother was taken from George Darrow's by the mob, and was so cruelly abused, I was there. By her direction I followed the carriage, and kept close by the side of it all the way to Grant's. Some of the wicked tried to beat me off and ride over me, ' but were not able. Mother often encouraged me to keep up, and not let my faith fail, and said, You will not be hurt. When she arrived at Grant's, the mob crowded around her. She requested them to stand off, but they refused. One man, in particular, was very rude and insolentf' But Prudence Hammond has carried us too far ahead and has omitted many incidents which occurred while the mob was progressing from George Darrow's to the house of the magistrate. The narrative, which was interrupted, continues as follows: In this manner they proceeded about sixty rods further, when they came to a narrow bridge, across a small rivulet, upon the side of a steep hill, which formed a dangerous pre- cipice. Here the inhuman wretches attempted to overset the carriage, but, were prevent- ed by Medad Curtiss, who, at that instant, saved the chair, but, in the struggle, Thomas Law, who was the most active in the business, fell down the precipice. Law was afterward heard to say, I should have finished the old woman, if it had not been for that devil of a Medad. 1' The bridge here mentioned has disappeared. The small rivulet, which, except in times of Hood is a mere trickle of water following a rocky channel down the side of a steep hill, passes under the road through a culvert. On the western side the road is now lined by a massive re- taining wall. The foot of this wall is only about ten feet below the surface of the road, but in the time of Ann Lee the drop to anything like level ground must have been considerably greater. From this place the Shakers were driven along to a spot where an interesting reminder of that day's work is still to be seen. By the side of the old roadway-long ago abandoned-is a large rock. Cut deeply into its face are the letters 7. W., the initials of Elder James Whittaker. Here Elder James was dragged from his horse by Thomas Law and thrown violently against the rock now marked with his initials: 12. See pages 146 and 147 of the 1888 Testimonies. 18. From the 1827 edition of the Testimonies, p. 53. 14. From the 1888 edition of the Testimonies, p. 147. 12

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1936 The Peg Board to keep them back, but in vain. They seized and hurled us out of doors, one after an- other, with the utmost violence. I was thrown out and beaten so that my flesh was black and blue in spots all over me. Many others of the brethren and sisters shared the same fate. Several doors were broken to pieces, the ceiled partition of the little room where Mother had retired, was torn down flat to the Hoorg and she was hauled out and thrown into the carriage without any ceremony. Two of the young sisters followed her and sprung into the carriage. Q55 THE PRESENT-MEETING HOUSE This building stands on the site ofGearge Dano'w's house While the sisters were being driven from the house, the brethren were being handled even more roughly. The edition of the Testimonies printed in 1888 tells how they were treated and continues the story: They seized the brethren, one after another, and dragged them out with theamost savage violence. Richard Spier was three times thrown out of a back door, which was very high from the ground. Some were drawn out by the hair of their heads, some were taken by four or five men, one at each arm and leg, and pitched headforemost, with great violence, into a mud puddle near the door, some had their clothes badly torn. After a conflict of fifteen or twenty minutes, the mob succeeded in getting into the house. Mother, at this time, was in a back bedroom, separated from .the rest of the people by a ceiled partition. The ruiiians strove to enter the room where she was, but were kept back by the Brethren who guarded the door, after a considerable struggle they succeeded in tearing down the ceiling of the room, seized Mother Ann by her feet, and dragged her in a shame- ful manner, through the parlor and kitchen, to the door. Eliab Harlowe had made ready Mother's carriage, before the action commenced, and sat in it, before the door, where he had a fair view of the scene. Mother was pitched, head- ll Testimonies concerning the Character and Ministry of Mother Ann Lee, Albany 1827, p. 27. 11

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1936 The Peg Board Photograph by Winthrop B. Coffin '36 Photogmph by pyimhmp B. Coffin '36 THE RlVULET THE ROCK When they had proceeded about half a mile further, Law violently seized hold of Elder James, and pulled him from his horse, evidently intending to precipitate him, head- foremost, upon a rock, but, one of the Brethren instantly caught him upon the shoulders, and, by that means, saved his head, but he fell with his side upon the rock with such violence, that three of his ribs were fractured by the fall. By the assistance of some of the Brethren, he mounted his horse again, and rode on to Grant's. In driving from George Darrow's to Eleazer Grant's, which was about one and a half miles, the mob continually strove to keep the Believers back, by beating and abusing them, and trying to ride over them: but were not able to effect their purpose. Prudence Hammond kept close by the side of the carriage, the whole distance, and though the mob drove furiously, she was not in the least fatigued, nor out of breath.15 VN hen the disorderly throng reached the house of Eleazer Grant, which stood near the famous Columbia Spring, Ann Lee was roughly dragged before him. Grant was then trying the case of David Meacham and George Darrow. Mother Ann was held there until he had finished: When Grant had disposed of this case, he had Mother Ann brought before him, and called upon her to hear her indictment. But, instead of attending to the false accusa- tions brought against her by her enemies, and which it was in vain to counterplead, before a mob tribunal, headed by an unjust judge, whose sole object was to overthrow the work of God, she reproved him for sitting as a magistrate, and suffering such riotous mobs to abuse innocent people contrary to law, without attempting to suppress them. Grant, unable to endure this reproof, ordered his constable to take her to a new house, which he was then building, and put her under keepers. The constable and two other ruflians took her, and in a very abusive manner, dragged her out of the house, and along the street, about fifteen or twenty rods, to the new house. Mother felt extreme anguish, from the cruel abuses of these men, who vented their enmity by beating, gripping and pinching her, as they dragged her along. She cried out, saying, Must I give up my life in your hands? But regardless of her cries, they dragged her along into the house, and 15 From the 1888 edition of the Testimonies, p. 147. 13