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

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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

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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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The Peg Board 1936 up stairs, as though she had been a dead beast, and then thrust her into a room, where she sat down and cried like a child. The mob immediately surrounded the doors, and refused to let any of the Believers enter, though many of the Brethren and Sisters strove hard to get in. But Father William boldly insisted on going in, declaring that she was his sister, therefore he had a right, and would go in to her. The mob still obstinately opposed it, but, at length, he, and two of the Sisters, found their way in, and went up stairs to Mother. Soon after this, Mother Ann and Father William put their heads out at the window, and sung to the Believers without, who danced with great powers. In the mean time, Grant, and his wicked court, consulted among themselves, to know in what manner they should proceed, and having settled the point, Mother was brought back again. Elder James, during the whole time of trial had been kept under guard, in a room, in a house where Grant's Court was sitting, he was also called in, and a suit was now entered against them for a breach of the peace. They were accused of making dis- turbance, and breaking people of their rest, by singing and shouting along the road, at a late hour of the night. Grant inquired of them if they did not pass by such a man's house, Cnaming the manj to which Elder James replied, I 'never saw that man in my life, that I know of, but I sung and served God a great deal. Grant again asked if they did not pass by such a man's house, fnaming another manj, and received the same answer. Thus he inquired, concerning one house and another, but received invariably the same answer. Grant then made a pretense of binding them over to the County Court, and said they must be taken to jail, or get bondsmen for their appearance. David and George immediately offered themselves as bondsmen, and were accepted. The bondsmen then said, The prisoners are ours, and we have a right to take them where we please. It appears, however, that Grant did not give them up to their bondsmen, but they all went out, and Mother and Hannah Kendall and Lucy Wood got into their carriage. The Brethren, who were the bondsmen, considering themselves as having the right, attempted to lead the carriage, but were prevented by the mob, who had determined on taking the carriage themselves. Grant came to the door and addressed them thus, As a magistrate of the state of New York, I desire that there be no mobs, nor riots, and then added, Lay hands sudden- ly on no man. These words he repeated several times, laying a peculiar emphasis on the last words, no man. He then went back into the house, and was seen no more that day. This speech was evidently intended as a cloak, to cover his own hypocrisy, while it held out a license to the mob, to abuse Mother at their pleasure, seeing she was a woman. This was evidently well understood by the mob, for they took hold with increased zeal, and separated Mother from the body of Believers, and would not suffer them to come near her, but drove on, with great violence, toward Albany, still keeping the Be- lievers back, and threatening and abusing every one who attempted to go forward. Many of them were inhumanly beaten, some of those on horseback, besides being beaten them- selves, had their horses beaten with such violence that they several times nearly fell down. Thus they drove on about seven miles, over a rough and muddy road, over stones and stumps, seeking the roughest places in the road for Mother's carriage, which, together with many severe strokes, which she received from her drivers, greatly increased the fatigue and sufferings she had already endured. And, though several families of the Believers lived on the road, the mob would not suffer Mother to stop for any refreshments, although it was near sunset, and she had eaten nothing that day, except a few mouthfuls which she had obtained of Grant's wife, at the intercession of some of the Sisters. At length, about dusk, they arrived at a tavern on the road, and the Landlord, whose name was Ranny, hearing the tumult, and understanding the cause, came out, and with great authority of spirit, and keen severity of language, reprimanded the mob for such shameful abuse, toward an innocent and civil people, and boldly threatened them with the utmost rigor of the law, if they did not immediately disperse. This severe rebuke and bold threat from Ranny, greatly embarrassed the mob, and concluding they were near the 14