Representative women of New England/Eunice H. W. Cobb
EUNICE HALE WAITE COBB.—Eunice Hale Waite Cobb was born in Kennebunk. Me., January 27, 1803, the second child of Captain Hale Waite and his wife, Elizabeth Stanwood. Her father had removed to Kennebunk from old Ipswich, Mass., a short time before she was born, and he returned thither soon after her birth, so that Ipswich is ever associated with her earliest childhood. Captain Waite died when Eunice was in her fifth year, leaving a widowed mother and four children, two of whom died at a very early age.
After her father's death Eunice was cared for by her maternal grand-parents until she was ten years old, when her mother took for her second husband Samuel Locke, of Hallowell, Me., a man of liberal education, a school preceptor by profession. He had a strong, clear mind, and exerted an influence on the youthful mind of his stepdaughter for which she was ever grateful.
Thoroughly imbued with the Calvinistic doctrine by her grandparents, she became at an early age a prominent member of the Baptist church of Hallowell, her fervid and effective speech making her a religious power unusual for one so young. Her conversion to Universalism was remarkable. Her stepfather was a profound student of the Bible, and he could see naught else in its pages, as he declared, but evidences of the supreme and unchangeable love of God, whose divine fatherhood was one with his eternal being. Eunice was deeply distressed by this condition of her stepfather's mind, and finally prevailed upon her pastor, Mr. Moses, to visit him and bring him to the orthodox faith. Having brought them together, she sat back and listened with intense interest and anxiety. Her account of this interview, with the results that followed, given in her diary, presents an epitome of religious experience of the past century in a most interesting manner.
The discussion that followed left Eunice in dismay. After Mr. Locke had disposed of the final attack in the consideration of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, which her minister had brought forward with great confidence, he," we quote from Eunice's diary, "was going to explain further, when the minister's watch came out again, and he said he must go. I asked him to wait a moment and I would accompany him. I could not bear to be left alone, just then, with my father. On our way to the meeting-house we were mostly silent. Not a word was spoken in allusion to the late discussion. Arriving at the vestry, I took my seat with my sisters, and then gave myself up to thought. At this meeting, called for meditation and prayer, I was to relate my experience for the last time previous to my baptism and admission into the church. When I was called upon to speak I arose, and tremblingly (for my heart was painfully wrought upon) asked that my baptism might be suspended (that was the word used) ; and I further said that I made the request after serious deliberation. An old lady, sitting a few pews from me, spoke up quickly and excitedly, *Aha! I guess you have been taught in Master Locke's school since you were with us last.' This remark, so impudently uttered, gave me strength. 'No,' said I, firmly and steadily, 'I have been taught in Christ's school, and I will seek further instruction from the same divine and blessed source.'
"The minister said not a word: he only bowed acquiescence. He knew what I meant. I will only add that I went home and sought the instruction of which I had spoken. I sought it earnestly, humbly, and honestly; and, thank God! very soon my soul was basking in the full glory of my heavenly Father's boundless and answering love. I had become a Universalist."
The now declared she would marry a Universalist clergyman, and bring up twelve chil dren in the fold of Israel. On May 8, 1821, she enters in her diary: "Have been indulged this evening with a privilege never before by me enjoyed: have heard the universal love of God publicly contended for by the Rev. Sylvanus Cobb, a preacher of the Universalist order. Indeed, my soul has been abundantly feasted. How animating, how soul-cheering, the subject of God's universal and impartial benevolence ! To me it seems the most glorious theme men or angels can dwell upon; and, though I have never before heartl the doctrine publicly proclaimed from the pulpit, yet I have long enjoyed a firm belief therein, and have enjoyed great satisfaction therefrom. It is about a year and a half since I burst the harrowing bonds of the narrow creed of partialism — man-made — and found light and joy in the glorious field of God's universal and impartial love, and I find I can gather daily of its wholesome and delicious fruits a fresh supply; and, should I be spareil to the common age of men, and be permitted to range the same broad field of glowing grace and partake of the heavenly bounties, I surely shall find a spiritual food sufficient for all my wants. In the good Father I fear not to trust."
Eunice's heart beat in sympathy with her soul. Sixteen months later she was united in marriage to the preacher who had so inspired that soul, the ceremony taking place at her stepfather's house in Hallowell, Me., on September 10, 1822.
She became the mother of nine children, and a more affectionate and faithful mother has not lived. Their names and the dates of their birth are as follows: Sylvanus, Jr., June 5, 1823; Samuel Tucker, June 11, 1825; Eunice Hale, April 15, 1827; Eben, January 17, 1829; George Winslow, March 31, 1831: Sarah Waite, Decem- ber 1, 1832; Cyrus and Darius (twins), August 6, 1834 ; James Arthur, December 22, 1842.
Immediately after the death of James Arthur, at nine years of age, Mrs. Cobb, with a mother's fondness, wrote his memoir, poi-traying traits of character, remarkable for one so young, which she desired to be known as an example to others. Especially did she desire to publish to the world an account of a remarkable vision that he had, in which there appeared hovering about him many angels, whose apf)earance and words he described with heavenly serenity. He repeated words spoken to him by the angels, and presently he exclaimed, "Oh, this is Sally'" His mother says, " My feelings here were inde- scribable, for this was a dear sister of mine, who died before I was married, and whom he knew nothing about."
From this time to the day of his death, some two months afterwartl, he longed to be with the angels with whom he had so happily con- versed. His life seemed transported. The faith his mother had implanteil in his mind had found its fruition in heavenly reality.
Mrs. Cobb's life was spent in work for the public welfare. She was a frequent contribu- tor to the religious press, and was a great fa- vorite with the Sunday-schools, which she ad- dressed with a heart filled with love for children and a mind stored with all that interests them. She was also equally interesting to the adult listener. Every word told. Her utterance was very distinct, her voice full, meloilious, and far- reaching, not only into space, but into the hearts and souls of her audience. She loved humanity, and her eloquence was as the elo- quence of a mother talking to a fondly listen- ing family of children; in sliort, it was of the kind with which Abraham Lincoln moved and controlled his autlience. Without any mani- festation of con.sciousness that she knew more than her auditors, she kept them on a level with her best, her highest, and her deepest thought. She riveted attention the instant her voice was heard. All felt as if they were individually addressed, and each gave ear to her words accordingly.
Mrs. Cobb, in her motherly way, once wrote a letter to Queen Victoria, congratulating her on the birth of her third child, a letter so hap- pily worded, .so sympathetic and sincere, that it touched the royal heart, and was cordially acknowledged.
Mrs. Eunice Hale Cobb's name as a writer appears in the work devoted to the poets of Maine, published a few years ago. As with all else she did, her poetry was devoted to the good of humanity.
She was a champion for the rights of woman in the broadest sense. While she was not iden tified with the public advocates of woman's rights, she counted among her warmest and most devoted friends eminent leaders of this exalted reform, and ever sympathetically interchanged views on this topic. She attended, by invitation, the first Woman's Rights Convention held in this State — at Worcester. She was greatly amused by the cliroax of an eloquent appeal of a somewhat aged colored woman, who, in the midst of a fervid harangue, cried out as only one of her race could, " Why, sisters, if I am what I am without an edicashun, what on earth would I be with one?"
Mrs. Cobb was widely known as a comforter of the sick, the dying, and the bereaved. She ever lived consciously with God, and those she visited in the hour of trial and sorrow ever felt through her his presence. Her obituary poems were the source of much solace : many were the aching hearts that were soothed by her heaven- inspired lines. There were those without num- ber who might well ask, after a consoling visit from her or a word from her pen, "0 death, where is thy sting? grave, where is thy vic- tory?" She walked with Jesus, and it would seem at times as if she must have felt his hand in hers.
Mrs. Cobb and her husband joined with Professor C. P. Bronson in founding the Ladies' Physiological Institute of Boston, the leader of all similar institutions in this country, Mr. Cobb obtaining the charter for it. Professor Bronson acted as president, by courtesy, the first year. Mrs. Cobb then became the first elected president, and served this her beloved family, as she was wont to call it, until old age compelled her to resign the leadership, still by their earnest desire continuing her official connection with them by acting as correspond- ing secretary until a short time before her death.
Probably no past president is more fondly enshrined in memory than is Mrs. Cobb in the memory of the surviving older members of the Ladies' Physiological Institute. The national eminence of this pioneer institute reflects very high honor upon the woman whose devoted life was largely influential in imparting to it so enduring a vitality.
The Masonic order hold her in honored mem- ory. In 1834, while the excitement was raging on account of the mysterious disappearance of Morgan, who, having exposed the secrets of Masonry, was suspected to have been made away with by the Masons, an attempt was made in the Massachusetts Legislature to sup- press Free Masonry in this Commonwealth. Mr. Cobb, who had consented to an election as Representative, to secure the passage of a bill for the bridge between Charlestown and Maiden, in which he met with his usual success, opposed the attack on Free Masonry with a power that ensured its. defeat, he himself being a Free Mason.
The committee of the Maiden church of which Mr. Cobb was pastor waited upon Mrs. Cobb, and urgently requested her to use her influence, which they knew to be strong with her husband, to draw him from his position in his defence of Free Masonry. "Gentlemen," she replied, "I glory in my husband's defence of Free Ma- sonry, and not one word will I utter to with- draw him from it." "But, Mrs. Cobb," re- sponded one of the committee, "yours and your children's . bread and butter may dej)end upon it." "Gentlemen," was the answer, "when it comes to that, I will go with my children into the woods and feed on nuts and acorns before I speak to him as you desire."
An old Mason informed Mrs. Cobb several years afterward that her name was inscribed on the Masonic record in such a manner as virtually to make her an honorary member of the order.
Mrs. Cobb was a prominent and active member of the order of Rechabites, a temperance association organized by women. In fact, wherever the opportunity was offered her to aid mankind through her woman's influence, there she was found performing her duty.
Five of her family served in the Civil War — four sons, Sylvanus, Jr., George Winslow, and Cyrus and Darius, and Lafayette Culver, husband of her daughter, Eunice Hale. Sylvanus, Jr., commanded at Fort Kittery, Me., and the others served in Virginia and North Carolina, George's name now standing on record at Washington for signal bravery in leading the charge as First Sergeant from "Fort Hell" to "Fort Damnation," as the Confederates named them. Of the sons, Cyrus and Darius first enlisted; and the mother displayed her Spartan spirit from this time throughout the war. She was present as a leader in the meetings of mothers and sisters and others, held so often in Boston for prayer for the loved volunteers fighting at the front. Her disinterested patriotism was the more marked inasmuch as the twins were the only sons left her at home, the others being married. She was a welcome visitor to Readville Camp, always responding to the request of the twins' comrades to address them, in which the father joined when he visited the camp with her. On account of her fervor at the prayer meetings it was anticipated that there would be a somewhat dramatic scene when the Forty-fourth Regiment should be received by their friends on Boston Common on their return, but the anticipated scene was not enacted. Mother and sons met with marked calmness. The same calmness that had attended the departure for possible death in battle received the safe return.
Fortitude was a prime virtue* It attended her through life, and appeared with a kind of solemn grandeur on the approach of death. Having had two strokes of paralysis, she awaited the third stroke with tranquillity. She calmly arranged with her twin sons for her funeral, going into all details with them as if it were an ordinary, every-day matter. She requested them to sing at her grave, which they promised to do if they were able. They then knelt at her feet, and she placed her hands upon their heads and blessed them. They feel those hands upon their bowed heads to this day, and listen to the dying mother's blessing uttered in that same firm, fervid tone which had so often been an inspiration and a comfort. Her last hours were spent in a pleasant chamber, that overlooked Mystic River and Bunker Hill Monument. On a beautiful morn- ing, May 2, 1880, while the Sabbath bells were ringing, she realized that the last summons had come. She asked her grandson, Albert Wins- low, who was alone with her, to help her to a large arm-chair awaiting her in the chamber. Her mother and grandmother had died in this chair, and she had always. desired to die in it. When she waa in the chair, she made a sign for her grandson to take her hand. "Help me over, don't hold me back," she said with tran- quil happiness. Her son George Winslow and his wife and daughter appeared, having been warned by Albert. Heaving struggles for breath ensued. "Excuse me for making this noise," she gasped. "I cannot help it." Thus did she show to the last that tender regard for the feelings of others which had ever charac- terized her — an ever-attendant virtue. The funeral services were held in the Univer- salist church at East Boston, and were attended by the Ladies' Physiological Institute in a body. According to her dying request, the funeral sermon was delivered by the Rev. Dr. A. St. John Chambr^, whom she loved as a son.
A very touching, memorable incident now occurred. A lovely little babe, seven months* old, the infant daughter of Darius and Laura, died the same day her grandmother died, so that those who parted with her could but be- hold her, in their faith's vision, received into the grandmother's arms in greeting, she never having seen the child in this life. Her little casket was placed beside the casket of the grandmother, and as the members of the In- stitute passed by, to look for the last time upon the features of their tenderly remembered presi- dent, their eyes were unexpectedly greeted by the sight of this little babe, sweetly sleeping its last sleep by the side of its grandmother. Many were the responsive tears from those who wit- nessed this scene. It seemed as if enacted by Heaven itself, to impress upon our hearts the memory of that blessed mother in- Israel, who so loved the little children and ever made them so happy.
When the little child was drawing her last breath, her eyes were fixed upward with a mar- vellously heaven-inspired gaze, ere their earthly lids were forever closed. What she there saw only Heaven knows. In their souls' vision the parents have always seen that sainted grand- mother, whom the Sabbath morning bells had ushered into heaven, awaiting, while the even- ing bells of the same holy Sabbath were ushering in her dear grandchild.
At the grave the cwin sons, Cyrus and Darius, kept their promise. Sylvanus, Samuel Tucker, and Eben expressed to the assembled friends their love and reverence for their mother, whose mortal remains were about to be consigned to the earth, when Cyrus and Darius began to sing, as they never had before, "Nearer, my God, to Thee/' Those assembled united with them, and the very hills and forest seemed to join in that sublime hymn. Fitting music to accompany the dropping of the curtain on the final act, directed by the radiant angel of death and immortality.
This article was the last work from my twin brother's pen for publication before he died, January, 1903. It was tenfold a labor of love.