Some Copies of Auto-graphic Memoirs of My Dear Mother – Mary H. Howland Brinton, First wife of Joseph Brinton, 1864, 1864-1928

Includes “Memoranda of my beloved wife, Mary H. Brinton.” Mary H. Brinton died in 1870 shortly after the birth of her fifth child. The manuscript was sewed into acidic, water-stained corrugated cardboard covers, probably compiled by David Brinton, son of Mary and grandfather of the donor. Mary Howland taught school in the home of Jesse and Mary Ann Tucker in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. In Mary’s memoir, she suffered her first hemorrhages in 1857 and was forced to give up teaching, but was able to attend New England Yearly Meeting in 1863 with Joseph and record the sessions. David Brinton's memoranda includes excerpts of letters to Mary's sister Anna. Sister Anna came to assist with care of Mary's first child, David, born 1864, and remained to help with the family. Mary, who had three additional children, was fragile and weak presumably from tuberculosis; she died days after the death of the fourth child, Mary. Removed from acidic cardboard covers.