BRIGGS' SCHOOL AGAIN: DICK IN DETAIL; SALLY AND MARENA
I have given the little stratagems of Dick in Burke's time. When
I entered Briggs's school I found Dick then and there its leader.
Briggs at the outset no doubt, had heard of the compromise between
Burke and Dick.
Dick had "skinned the cat" many times in Briggs' school before I
entered it, so Briggs had stopped all other punishments and relied
solely on the whip.
Dick, Sally White and her sister Marena got the whip almost
every day. Sally and Marena were tempered somewhat like Dick; it
seemed that they could not sit still, nor keep from whispering in
school; therefore, the whip. Sally and Marena, like Dick, would
assist the small ones in their lessons, even though in doing so
they could be heard throughout the house.
Half the quarter had passed before I got to the picture of the
Bear in my primer, at which place, there were easy words of two
syllables and some hard ones of one syllable. Dick had previously
told me when I got to that lesson to be sure and come to him and
he would tell me how to speak it. For the first lesson of a
certain evening this lesson was assigned me. I considered myself
now ninety degrees above my former plane and capable to sit with
Dick, and to Dick I went.
To shift seats without permission was against the rules. Dick was
really glad of my advancement and with great zeal was teaching me
how to master this lesson. His whispers grew to an audible talk,
so that the whole school, as well as Briggs, could hear him.
Briggs: "Richard, what is all that talk about?" Richard: "I am
teaching Henry his lesson." "Come up here both of you." Dick went
readily--what cared he? Hadn't he scores of times been ordered up
and flogged too? He loved the excitement. Henry didn't go till
ordered the second time; he was badly frightened for up to this
time he had not received a lick in school. He went up, crying,
crying, crying. Dick assumed the blame, informed Briggs that he
had invited Henry to him, and explained the reason of the talking.
With a seasoned reed Dick received three sharp cuts in each hand,
and we were sent back to our respective seats; and I was carefully
warned not to listen to Dick's advice. Briggs ordered me up to
hear my lesson; not knowing it all, I was sent to get it at once.
Dick took in my failure and was soon at my side, and as before,
the whole school could hear him instructing me in this lesson. We
were ordered up again. Dick received six cuts on each hand. "Give
me your hand, Henry." Oh, Lord, Mr. Briggs:" Three light cuts on
each hand, yes very light cuts, I am sure, yet, I can feel the
pain now.
The ice being broken a dressing or two weekly was received
thereafter.
The tinkling of Briggs' brass bell called us to books, and if
pupils failed to be in place within, five minutes, likely there
would be war.
Girls and boys were not allowed to play together. Briggs could
often be found behind trees or fencelocks watching to see if this
rule was violated. He was very particular in this respect as to
the daughters and grand-daughters of Dennis Simmons in whose
family he lived. The girls hated this rule for they often needed
the help of the boys in making their playhouses, which, being
built of poles, brush and straw, resembled an old fashion potato
house.
One day the girls wanted the writer to get some straw to make
seats in their house, and promised in the meantime to keep a
strict watch for Briggs. He got the straw and help to make the
seats, which were overspread with aprons and shawls. We all took
seats and were having a good time.
A grand-daughter of Dennis Simmons named "Rose Butler Ann
Lewellyn," was watchman, and at this moment gave the alarm,
"Briggs is upon us."
There was no way for this helper to escape. The large girls,
being equal to such emergencies bad him get under this seat of
straw and shawls--quick while two girls lightly sat on this high
seat. Briggs peeping in at this moment saw no boys and, much to my
relief, went away.
Dick Waters and Sally and Marena White got more licks thrown upon
them than any others in school; indeed it was said that never a
day passed that these three did not get a brush from Briggs. Sally
when quite a small girl had a rising on her arm. It became chronic
and supperated and it was said that a piece of bone came out of
the arm. Let that be as it may, the writer knows that she suffered
from this arm for a long time and perhaps, if living, may suffer
from the effects even now. As Sally got frequent floggings, she
would invariably holler out: "Mr. Briggs, you have whipped me on
my sore arm." Every one in school knew of Sally's sore arm and
whether Brigg's switch did whip around that sore arm I am not able
to say. I can't think Briggs intended such cruelty toward Sally.
Sally by crying in this way may have thought that Briggs would
mitigate the punishment.
Every other Friday was preaching day at the Methodist Church,
three quarters of a mile away from the school. On these days
Briggs would march his pupils in double-file to church; would seat
the boys and girls in their respective places; place himself in
the altar side to them, so that he could observe their behavior.
After service he would march them back, giving them ten minutes in
which to eat their lunch.
On a certain Friday preaching-morning Briggs had got a blow at
Dick, but Sally and Marena had escaped. In the afternoon these
girls still escaped the switch. When school closed that afternoon
the boys congratulated these girls on their good luck, and
concluded that Briggs that day probably had got religion. Dick
said that for such an omission a monument should be erected to the
memory of such an event and that he would fix it up by Monday
morning. Monday morning arrived and Dick was at the school house
early.
He took the axe and cut out of that long brace stretched partly
across the house a deep chip as big as a pint bowl. He had since
last Friday prepared an inscription which he proceeded to tack up
over that cut place in the brace. This inscription was in large
legible letters. It ran thus: "This deep cut chip is in
remembrance that 'Old Goggles' after taking himself and pupils to
church last Friday as usual, came back so spiritually minded that
he forgot to whip Sally and Marena. We are dead sure he got
religion. So, now, upon this, come boys, come girls let's have a
rally; Hands around: Sing:
We are all jolly fellows together,
We are all jolly fellows together,
We are all jolly fellows together,
Hi-O: hi-O: hi-O.
When Briggs came in sight of the school, all were hands around
singing the above to the tune, "Keep fingers and thumbs a moving.
As follows:
1st line medium high,
2nd line still higher,
3d. line very high.
1st Hi-O, rising inflection
2nd Hi-O high inflection 3rd Hi-O, falling inflection prolonged
and dying out like near rumbling thunder and the last gurgglings
of the bullfrog.
*(When the writer first heard this tune, it was called: "Two
fingers and a thumb keep moving." This was a singing play tune and
by adding another finger to every round; every finger and thumb
would be moving at the finish, so the first name given above
covers the ground.)
When Briggs came up, all flew to books and quiet reigned. He
surveyed the more than usual quiet, apparently with satisfaction.
He gave a short lecture on rules to cover the conduct of the
school during the present new week. After this he heard the
lessons of the classes, then seated himself to hard work in making
and mending quill pens and setting copies.
It was not long before Briggs' every ready ears heard some
giggling near that brace, which was close to where said Sally and
Marena sat. Briggs took a chinkapin switch (he never whipped girls
in the hand), went that way and inquired of these girls and others
who was the guilty party. Of course, the answer to this pressing
question none knew. All eyes were now fastened on Briggs, for at
this moment, his head and body bent forward about forty five
degrees from the vertical, he gazed searchingly at something in
his front. Briggs: "Who did that dastardly piece of work?" All
pretended they did not know what he meant. "Who cut that brace and
posted that infamous writing there, I say?" At once all the pupils
were gazing at the cut and script declared they had not seen it
before. Dick to the front. "Mr. Briggs, I am quite sure no one
here did that; and I am satisfied that some of those Williams boys
who wanted to whip you here last Saturday evening at your singing
school did that, and not your scholars." This was a stinging
sentence, for Briggs was a singing master, and had instructed his
class here the previous Saturday evening, when two or three of the
sons of old man Billy Williams threatened to drag him out and beat
him, so that Briggs had to keep his class in singing motion till
the sun had gone down behind the piney woods, and the Williams
boys had left.
Briggs: "No, that piece of work was not there Saturday evening
and to get the right party I'll punish you all." We all stood in
line as directed except some of the older boys he dared not whip.
Dick caught the fun lively. Thereupon Dick said: "Mr. Briggs,
where is the justice in whipping these small chaps who can neither
read nor write; surely they could not have done it." Briggs: "No
more of your slack jaw, Richard, or I'll double your dose; these
small one told lies to screen you, who, I am sure, are the real
offender." Dick: "Justice demands proof before punishment." This
judicial hand-out brought Dick another slash or two, but it
shielded the others, even Sally and Marena.
Almost all the boys on the Island had nicknames, and seldom were
they called by their proper names. A particular girl, the oldest
one in school, seldom or never called the small boys by their
proper names. Dick and I had become worried at the name she
applied to us. The older boys told us what to call her and we did
so. She informed Briggs the morning of our conduct and we were
called up.
Dick verified the accusation and imputed all the blame to
himself. Dick caught it sharply, for Briggs never let a chance
slip when Dick was before him on a charge. It now looked as though
I was going free, since Dick had assumed all the blame. I was
sorry for Dick and was tired of seeing him whipped, not only for
his own faults alone but for mine and others. This was the first
time in my life that I wished to be flogged, and I said: "Mr.
Briggs, I was just as much in this affair as Dick, or even more
so." The girl said: "Yes he was. n Briggs: "Well, really, the
truth for once:" I got it, and not very lightly.
Many in this day might take Dick as a dare-devil. Where was it?
It was true his young blood flowed swiftly through his veins; his
keen voice could be heard farther in play than any other's; his
rubber-like muscles rendered him an athlete of the first order; he
could jump higher and farther than the other boys; and he was an
instructor and leader in all games in vogue at that day.
Dick was never seen angry with play-mates on the play-ground; the
whole school respected him; the children, big and little would
rather suffer themselves, than to do or say anything to Dick's
injury; his only faults, if any, were the mischievous tricks he
played on these crusty, cruel, unjust, Down-East teachers, who
slashed only the small of their flock. This he considered not only
unjust but unmanly. He intended at all hazards to thwart them. He
proved a success.
If he ever told a falsehood it was to screen others,not himself.
His sweetness of temper was unbounded; his mental qualities, far
above the ordinary, consisted of good, sound sense; his education
evolved practical usefulness. In short, Dick was a bold, fearless,
truthful, sympathetic, and friendly lad, always ready to
contribute help, aid and benefit to others when in his power, and
in doing so, many times hazarded his own good. It can only be said
by the most scrupulous that he may have been rather rough in his
scheems to keep even with these teachers, but his good traits
out-weigh these a hundred fold.
APPENDIX TO CHAPTER VIII
Dick's visit to Norfolk in 1854; Had been to California with his
step-father and his mother; Mother had married again; The blending
of the Watters and Jones families; Dick's or Dr. Richard H. L.
Watters Genealogy; Dicks marriage; Family; Death.
The time, the above school narrative is based, was, during the
first half of the '40's of the last century. After this I lost
sight of Dick or his whereabouts for about ten years.
However, in 1854, Richard came to Norfolk from New York, to visit
his relatives and friends in Virginia and Carolina. He soon found
out that I, at that time lived in Norfolk.
He sent me a message by a young clerk Tom Hunt to meet him at lO
O'clock A. M. the next day at Gronor's tailor shop on Main Street.
I gladly went and found Dick already there. After the greeting, we
sat down for a joy chat as of yore.
We canvassed our early school days; its joys and mirths, yet,
often tinged with unhappy moments.
But the recounts of our activities in the aforesaid school days,
so excited our facial muscles in spasmodic laughter, especially
so, and increased apace, when Richard recalled the Keen cuts of
the seasoned reeds applied to our palms by teacher Briggs, we
could scarcely contain ourselves. In the meantime Dick had become
fatherless, at what time, I do not know. However Dick's mother had
married again to a Captain T. B. Lee of New York. This Captain Lee
was a seafaring man and had taken after this marriage his wife and
her son Richard around Cape Horn to California and back again
prior to this visit to Norfolk as above set out.
Dick was still jolly, and had grown to be a bright and handsome
man.
To the best of my recollection of this our last talk together, he
said, he thought of going back to California to traffic on that
coast, as business was plentiful and lucrative there then for the
gold fever was at its height. After this, I was sure he had gone
back to California, and I had lost sight of him for over fifty
years.
A few years back a Mrs. Mulligan wrote to the Clerk of our Court
an inquiry about the Jones family of Knotts Island but did not
give her post office address. After this, I inquired of Mrs. Mary
E. Spruill, Colonel John B. Jones's grand-daughter, among other
matters about this Mrs. Mulligan and she informed me that this
Mulligan was our Richard's grand daughter and she informed me a
good deal about Dick's life and death in New York and gave the
post office address of some of Dick's family.
Since I have had quite a friendly correspondence with Dick's
daughter, a Mrs. Elizabeth Lee Halsted, Brooklyn.
So instead of our hero going back to California, he went back to
New York to his mother and step-father and here he studied
dentistry and became a successful practitioner in that profession.
He married a Miss Corneliar Toombs of Brooklyn N. Y. and from this
union they were parents of four children, two of which are now
living; one the Mrs. Halsted aforesaid of Brooklyn, N. Y. the
other a son, a singing master of New York City, who is at present
holding forth in his profession in Atlanta, Georgia. This
Elizabeth Lee Watters who is Dick's daughter, she married a
Halsted, which union resulted in two children, daughters, both
married, the older to a Hill, the younger to a Mulligan named
before, each a child I believe. Their mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Lee
Halsted, has been a widow for some years, and has had the care of
her mother, who was Richard Watters widow, who was an invalid of
at least two years back and about the first part of January, 1913,
as Mrs. Halsted has just informed me, she died.
Our friend Richard following his profession in Brooklyn,N. Y.;
his health failing somewhat, he was advised to take a more active
out-door life, and he did so. He went to Jackson, Miss., here he
superintended the building some large bridges in that state and
made a success of it. He then returned to New York City, and
followed his profession there as long as he was able to do
anything; In 1896 he was attacked with pneumonia from the effects
of which he died.
The correspondence between the writer and Richard's daughter,
Mrs. Halsted, are very friendly, interchangable mutual and she
wished me to note the genealogy of her father Richard H. Lee
Watters and how of the linkings of the Watters and the Jones
families came along. I'll try and give an epitome the blendings of
these two families.
The Genealogy of Richard H. L. Watters with the Jones Family
Richard Watters great grandfather on the mother's side was Taylor
Jones, a Revolutionary patriot; he held many positions in that
struggle for independence. He was before this or at its
commencement captain of Knotts Island militia; was in 1776, a
Justice of the Peace--a war Justice; in 1775 was appointed a
major--a Field Officer of 1st Regiment of Militia. He was also
Field Officer of the minute men as well as of the
militia--interchangable. December the 20th, 1777, was elected by
General Assembly at Newbern, Marshall of the Court of Admiralty of
the Port of Currituck; he held is position till he died about
middle of summer of 1780. His will was dated 11th Nov., 1777,
Probated 11th, Aug., 1780. Will can be found in Clerk's office of
Currituck County. His sons Malachi, Cornelius, Jonathan, David
& Taylor; daughter Charlotte, wife Sarah.
He gave his homestead to his son Malachi. This Malachi Jones died
in 1822. His will can be found also in the same office that
records his father's will in will book No. 8 page 121. Recorded
Feby. Term 1822.
This Malachi Jones had two lots of children. One set Colonel John
B. Jones is all I find; the other set, Albert G. Jones, Jerome B.
Jones and Catharine Jones; there may have been some others who may
have died young, but the last three named I have seen. Jerome B.
Jones was a famous medical doctor, at one time, located in a nice
white house at Great Bridge, Va.; Albert Jones was a sea captain
running large mail steamers to South America and I believe around
to California. He was captured on the high seas by a Confederate
privateer in the war between the States in the last '60's, but he
and his ship and cargo were allowed to go their way to New York.
It was said at the time this leniency shown to Capt. Jones was
because he was born in the South. This Catharine Jones was mother
of our Richard the school hero. It came along this way: Colonel
John B. Jones married the first wife, a Catharine Watters of
Princess Anne Co., Va. She lived but a short time; then for a
second wife, he married the cousin of his first wife, Elizabeth
Watters; this wife Elizabeth was the mother of all the colonel's
children, viz: Sally, Mary, Lydia, Elizabeth, Ann, Georgia, Jenny
and Edmund W Jones and William Jones. The last was educated for a
doctor but died young; his brother Edmund took charge of his
medical books and practiced medicine till his death. Now this
Elizabeth Watters, the colonel's wife who bore his children had a
brother John Watters, he in turn married Colonel Jones half sister
Catharine Jones, and from this union our hero Dick Watters of our
school narrative appears; so now we see the blendings of the
Watters and the Jones families.
Now I have given the children's names (that is, the Colonel's
children) and for the benefit of either of these families that may
not know I will go a little further: Sally married Davitson
Morris, both dead; three children, Mary " James Bonney, both dead;
only three out of seven children live. Elizabeth married
___(?)____Woodhouse, both dead, result one girl child, she is a
widow having married a Spruill who died; result two children both
dead. Ann married Calvin B. Cason, both dead; result a girl and
boy John C. Cason lives on the parents old homestead on Morse's
Point: he is about sixty years of age, has never married. His
sister married an Heistand, he died recently but his widow still
lives. Lydia, married a Whitehurst, no children, husband dead many
years back, the widow still lives and is now, 1912, about 87 years
old. Jenny, Married a Wilkins I believe. She died long since
childless. Georgia never married and died, 1912, at the age of 75
years. Edmund W. Jones, married and lived on Morse's Point. I
don't know of any children; he is dead. Dr. William Jones, I don't
think ever married. He died young. The name of Jones, in this
large family of Colonel John B. Jones' is it appears gone forever.
It has been a very notable family from Revolutionary times down to
recent date, and it is a great pity that the name of that family
should die finally out, yet I think the David Jones' set on the
Island now sprang from the old ancester Taylor Jones, for Taylor
Jones had a David in his family of boys.
As Dick our hero, and Briggs the teacher, are prominent actors in
this Knotts Island School narrative, I will add the following
chapter, showing Briggs' lash career in this tale.
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