History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

IGG HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
Office remains, and quotations will be found iu the
fourth volume of Palfrey's history. This author
writes : "Usher's want of personal dignity provoked
gross affronts His invariable style of speak-
ing and writing had a ludicrous peculiarity, consist-
ing partly in the omission of connecting words.
The following is a specimen of his characteristic
' manner : Acts of Parliament ought not to be laws
for plantations, unless had representatives in Par-
liament, if may write plainly, are not for Kingly
but for commonwealth government, which pray
HLera nos.' " Lord Bellomont speaks of Usher's
choleric temper, and, indeed, his administration
was at a time and under circumstances calculated to
provoke the mildest temper. As the representative
of the claimants of the soil under a royal grant, he
had to wage a ceaseless contest with the actual set-
tlers, — " squatters," as they may be termed.
He held office at intervals, often going to Mas-
sachusetts or to England, until 1715, when he was
displaced. Vaughan wrote then^: "We pray Lieu-
tenant-Governor Usher may have his quietus, which
he said he had often w'ritten to England for. He
complains his office is a burden to him, and so 't is
a pity but both were eased."
He withdrew to Medford, where he died September
25, 1726. His widow sold his estate of 504
acres and his house, to Colonel Royal, December
26, 1733, for £10,350.
He left a son. Rev. John Usher (H. C. 1719),
a clergyman at Bristol, .R. I., whose son was also
ordained, and descendants are still living iu that
state. An own coushi to Lieutenant-Governor
Usher was Robert Usher of Dunstable, who left
descendants, one of whom, Robert, moved to Med-
ford, where he died in 1793. Of his sons. Rev.
James M. Usher has been prominent in political
affairs, as has also Roland G. Usher of Lynn,
late United States marshall for Massachusetts.
In 1724' Medford acquired as its pastor Rev.
Ebenezer Turell. He was a clergyman of consid-
erable note, an author in a small way, a clear-
headed and useful man during his long ministry of
over fifty years. He oppo.sed Whiteficld inul his
revivals, but he also wrote against uitdici-all. He
married Jane, daughter of Rev. jiciiiaiiiiii ((ilinan,
and he printed biographies of his wife mid his
father-in-law. Mrs. Turell was one u[ ,,ur few
American authoresses before the iicvuliilinn, mul
she was perhaps the most able of thiiii. llcr me-
moirs show that she possessed a decided piutical
I I'uliivv, IV. yyi.
inclination, and iier religious convictions, though
strong, had not the morbid tendency so often shown
in the writings of that date. A century after her
death her poems were quoted and praised in BlacJc-
wooiVs Magazine, when any literary ability in an
American was deemed a wonder. Both husband
and wife may be included among our notabili-
ties.
The following extracts from the Memoir of Mn.
Turell present a fair view of her character, and
indicate slightly her literary abilities.
" Before her second Year was compleated she
could speak distinctly, knew her Letters, and could
relate many Stories out, of the Scriptures to the
Satisfaction and Pleasure of the most Judicious.
I have heard that Governour Dudley, with other
Wise and Polite Gentlemen, have plac'd her on
a Table and setting round it own'd themselves
diverted with her Stories. Before she was four
Years old (so strong and tenacious was her Memory)
she could say the greater Part of the Assembly's
Catechism, many of the Psalms, some hundred
Lines of the best Poetry, read distinctly, and make
pertinent Remarks on many things she read.
" In tliis her Eleventh Year I find an Hymn fairly
written by her, dated January 4, 1718, Which I
give you Verbatim.
' I Fear the Great Eternal One above,
The God of Grace the God of Love :
He to whom Seraphims Hallelujah's sing,
And Angels do tlieir Songs and Praises bring.
Happy tlic Soul tliat does in Heaven rest,
Wliere with Ills Savior he is ever blest
Witli licavcnly Joys and Kaplnre is possest.
No Tlio'K l)u't of his God inspire Ids Breast.
Happv ,uv tliev tlii.t walk ill "Wisdom Ways,
That Iread h.i' i'allis, and shine in all her Rays.'
" When I was first inclin'd (by the Motions of
God's Providence and Spirit) to seek her Acquaint-
ance (which was about the Time she entered her
nineteenth Year) I was surpri/'d and charm'd to
find her so accomplish'd. I found her in a good
measure Mistress of the politest Writers and their
Works ; could point out the Beauties in them, and
had made many of their best Tho'ts her own : And
as she went into more free Conversation, she dis-
cours'd how admirably on many Subjects
"An Iiivilalidii into (he Country, iu Imitation
of Horace, left uiily in a rough Copy.
'From the soft Shades, and from tlic balmy Sweets
or Medfcn-d's flow'ry Vales, and green Retreats,
Ymir alisent Delia to her Father sends
;
!