Old New England Traits

In Short

This volume serves as a repository of local history, anecdotes, and cultural observations centered on the life of Newburyport, Massachusetts, in the early nineteenth century. Rather than a formal history, it is a collection of personal recollections, folklore, and character sketches that document the transition from a simpler, agrarian society to a more modernized era. By recording the daily habits, political passions, and peculiar superstitions of his forebears, the author preserves a vanishing world, offering an intimate look at the rugged, individualistic temperament that defined early New England.

The Story

The narrative begins with a reflective look at the author's own upbringing, where the daily rhythms of boyhood—boating, nutting, and exploring local landmarks like the "Devil’s Den"—set the stage for a town defined by its specific, often eccentric, population. The author paints a vivid portrait of a community where every individual possessed a distinct, often jarring, personality. He recounts the lives of prominent merchants like William Bartlett and Nathaniel Tracy, whose success and local influence shaped the town’s development, while simultaneously celebrating the memory of those who established its schools and libraries.

The story progresses through a series of vignettes that highlight the "traits" of the title. These include domestic scenes, such as the stern widow who famously threatened her son for rushing his meal before grace, and reports of local shipmasters navigating the dangerous waters of international trade under volatile foreign potentates. The author reflects on the political atmosphere of the time, observing that even the most "upper-class" citizens were deeply invested in the daily workings of democracy, a habit he contrasts with the perceived apathy of his own contemporary era. He notes that the town maintained a curious social order, where madness was rare and the few who were "light-headed" were tolerated as part of the community fabric, often wandering the streets with wild, imaginative promises of future riches.

As the narrative moves toward its conclusion, the focus shifts to the supernatural and the uncanny. The author shares chilling tales of haunted houses and inexplicable occurrences—such as a mysterious black cat that seemed to operate doors with human malice—which were recounted to him by family members. These stories are treated not merely as ghost tales, but as vital, if unsettling, threads of the local oral tradition. The book ends by grounding these memories in documentary evidence, including letters and genealogical notes that link the families of Newburyport to the early settlers of the seventeenth century. The final impression is one of a world that was deeply rooted in its own history, where the lines between the physical and the metaphysical, and between the mundane and the romantic, were often blurred by the force of individual character.

How It Unfolds

The childhood landscape The author recounts the sensory details of growing up in Newburyport, from gathering wild herbs for the garret to the forbidden thrill of "nutting" in the fields. These early excursions to local landmarks like Pulpit Rock establish the communal, somewhat superstitious nature of the town’s youth.

The men of influence Biographical sketches of local merchant princes and public benefactors demonstrate the town’s foundational commitment to education and civic duty. The author highlights the specific roles played by figures like William Bartlett and Oliver Putnam in anchoring the prosperity and intellect of the region.

The character of the townspeople Through anecdotes about eccentric neighbors and ship captains in distant ports, the author illustrates the rugged independence of his fellow citizens. He contrasts the scarcity of mental illness in his youth with modern times, suggesting that a simpler, harder life provided a natural bulwark against the anxieties of the future.

The supernatural and the uncanny The narrative takes a turn into the realm of the unexplained, relaying personal accounts of hauntings and strange domestic events. These stories emphasize the fear and reverence with which the older generation regarded the lingering spirits of the past.

The historical record The volume concludes by supplementing its anecdotal findings with formal documents and historical notes. This final section connects the anecdotes to the actual lineages and records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, cementing the town's place in the larger narrative of American history.

The People

The book is populated by a gallery of local figures who, in their own ways, represent the New England spirit. William Bartlett stands out as the archetype of the shrewd, successful merchant, whose commitment to the town's theological and educational institutions secures his lasting reputation. Beside him, figures like the Honorable Tristram Dalton represent the intersection of local industry and national political life.

The author’s relatives—particularly the brave-spirited but terrorized Aunt Judith and the philosophical Uncle Richard—serve as the conduits for the town’s oral history. They are caught between a rational desire to explain the world and a lingering, traditional belief in the supernatural. Their personal struggles and their reactions to the town's oddities reveal a society that is both deeply practical and profoundly prone to wonder. Finally, the "light-headed" townsman who wanders the streets, promising wealth "when his ship comes in," serves as a tragicomic foil to the industrious citizens, representing the fragile edge of a society that values work but cannot entirely ignore the allure of pure fantasy.

In Its Own Voice

"Sometimes, New England has been spoken of as devoid of the elements of romance; but perhaps this idea may be owing to the fact, that the means of presenting a different aspect of the case have not been sufficiently investigated."

The author defends the rich, often unexamined history of his home, arguing that it is just as worthy of legend as the classical world.

"The fact is," he said, "the water in certain parts of the earth becomes intensely heated and lets off a quantity of steam of amazing expansive power."

Uncle Richard, acting as the local amateur philosopher, attempts to explain the terrifying phenomenon of an earthquake to a group of impressionable children.

"Now, O reader! mark, / And if my tale thou slowly shalt receive, / Thy doubt will cause in me no great surprise, / For I, who saw it, scarcely can believe."

The author quotes Dante to preface a particularly unbelievable account of a haunting, acknowledging the skepticism of the reader while maintaining the sincerity of his memory.

What It's Really About

The book is an argument for the dignity of the local. It posits that the "romance" usually reserved for ancient history or foreign lands is equally present in the mundane details of a small town. The underlying question is whether the modern age, with its increasing complexity and wealth, has lost the "simplicity and severity of character" that allowed the early inhabitants of New England to thrive. It explores how a culture is built not just on grand events, but on the accumulation of unique personalities, the maintenance of civic duty, and the persistent, irrational hold of local legends. Ultimately, it is a meditation on the necessity of memory in maintaining the identity of a community.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the quiet, observational prose of nineteenth-century antiquarians will find this an essential experience. It feels like a long, fireside conversation with a sharp-witted local historian who has reached back into his own past to pull out the most telling, amusing, and eerie details. You will love it if you have an interest in the "texture" of early American life—the way people spoke, what they feared, and how they perceived their own civic importance.

However, be prepared for the book's period attitudes; the author is unabashedly elitist in his view of politics and social standing, and his reverence for the "hardier race" of his ancestors is deeply colored by the prejudices of his own time. You may also find the structure occasionally loose or rambling, as it functions more like a collection of memories than a modern, tightly plotted narrative. Despite these quirks, the book stays with you because of its profound sense of place. It reminds the reader that every town, however small, holds within its history a complex architecture of human ambition, peculiar tradition, and ghost-haunted silence. It is a rewarding read for anyone looking to understand the bedrock on which the New England character was built.