Kinsmen and Kinswomen

In May of 1883, after having been ill for only a few days, Gertrude Lawrence Peabody, just 28 years old and the mother of two small children, died.

For more on the memory hole her absence left in our family, see this post here.

Recently, a kind and thorough researcher at Groton School, Alyssa Mattei, in the course of preparing for an article in The Groton Quarterly on Lawrence women’s contributions to that institution, happened upon my blog post and became intrigued. Picking up where I had been forced to leave off, she decided to go looking in the journals of the wife of the school’s founder, Fannie Peabody, which are preserved in Groton’s archives, for the entries on the days surrounding Gertrude’s death to see what she could find. It was a shot in the dark, but one worth taking. Long story short, Alyssa made a really wonderful discovery.

Over three successive days, Fannie meticulously documented the news of Gertrude’s death, accounts of her last hours, her husband’s and family’s effort to bear her loss together, and the funeral at Harmony Grove.

The only issue, once Alyssa had found the pages, was reliably reading the archaic script, and figuring out who was who. For that, she then passed the baton back to me, and I got to work. The rest of this post is my attempt to first read, and then document, what happened.

Why does this matter? Because as I wrote, years ago now in the post on Gertrude’s legacy, there is, or was, SO little known about her, especially including her death. These entries offer a deeply intimate look at Gertrude’s emotional composure while dying, some of her last words, the immediate reactions of family and friends, the comings and goings as people sought community and solace with one another and prepared for her service, the male relatives carrying her coffin, the actual hymns that were sung, the flowers placed in the grave, and the lasting grief as shock gave way to resignation…

It’s as though we can now be there, and in some small way, count ourselves among the witnesses to her life.

from Fannie Peabody’s Journal, May 3-5, 1883

Before I offer the actual pages of the journal, it will be useful to include a brief roster of who is mentioned, the names Fannie used for them, and how we might remember them today.

Principle Figures

• Author —
  • Fannie Peabody 1860-1946, wife of Endicott Peabody, daughter of Francis & Helen Bloodgood Peabody; sister-in-law to the grieving widower John Endicott “Jack” Peabody and his deceased wife Gertrude Lawrence Peabody.
• Gertrude —
  • Gertrude Lawrence Peabody 1855-1883
• Jack — Gertrude’s husband.
  • John Endicott Peabody 1853-1921
• Cottie — goes to Jack “directly” and stays “all night.”
  • Rev. Endicott Peabody 1857-1944
• Father — present at dinner, later accompanies the diarist to Salem.
  • Fannie’s father, Francis Peabody 1831-1910
• Mama / Mother — rushes downstairs with the news; travels with Fannie to Boston.
  • Helen Bloodgood Peabody 1834-1911
• Mamie — travels with “Mother” and Fannie to Boston; goes on to West Roxbury.
  • Educated guess is this was Fannie’s mother-in-law, Marianne Cabot Lee Peabody 1828-1911, wife of Samuel Endicott Peabody, mother of Endicott and John E.
• Martha — left her jacket behind; helped in church with flowers.
  • Martha Endicott Peabody Lawrence 1863-1935, wife of John Lawrence 1861-1926, daughter of Samuel Endicott Peabody and Marianne Cabot Lee Peabody, sister of Endicott, so Fannie’s sister-in-law. No other Martha Peabody’s alive at that time.

Extended family and friends

• Uncle John — mentioned early, in connection with Salem.
  • Could have been John Rose Lee 1827-1908, the brother of Marianne Cabot Lee Peabody, so, Endicott’s maternal Uncle. Given that the Uncle John of the journal is spending time with “Father,” generationally, this man makes more sense than John Lawrence (see below).
  • Possibly John Lawrence 1861-1926, later, in 1887 the husband of Martha Peabody Lawrence 1863-1935. John was also the nephew of Katherine Bigelow “Kitty” or “Kittie” Lawrence Lowell and the first James Lawrence. Cousin to Gertrude.
• Uncle Joe —others are present at his house.
  • Joseph Peabody 1824-1905, uncle to Fannie’s husband, Endicott Peabody, and brother to Endicott’s father, Samuel Peabody 1825-1909
• Uncle Jacque — at Uncle Joe’s; implied husband of Aunt Lizzie
  • Jacob Crowninshield Rogers 1828-1900, husband of Aunt Lizzie/ aka Elizabeth Putnam Peabody Rogers 1829-1921
• Aunt Lizzie — at Uncle Joe’s with Uncle Jacque.
  • Elizabeth Putnam Peabody Rogers 1829-1921, wife of Uncle Jacque / aka Jacob Rogers.
• Aunt Kittie — repeats Jack’s story about Gertrude looking asleep.
  • Most likely, this was Catherine Elizabeth Peabody Gardner, 1808-Sep 1883, Fannie’s paternal great aunt. Like Kitty Lowell, see below, she lived in Brookline in 1880, near enough to all the events described here. Her death in September of that year would echo the fact that per the Friday entry, bottom of page, she was “not that well either.” NB: she was, however, never recorded as being referred to as Kittie.
  • An alternative possibility is that this was Katherine Bigelow “Kitty” or “Kittie” Lawrence Lowell 1832-1895, wife of Augustus Lowell. She was sister to the first James Lawrence 1821-1875, who was Gertude’s father, so, literally the aunt of the deceased, as well as the aunt of Arthur Rotch, also mentioned at the funeral. She lived in Brookline in 1880. NB: Unlike Catherine Gardner above, she was widely known as Kitty or Kittie.
• Uncle Dick
  • Richard Peabody 1858-? Fannie’s brother
• Mr. Field — telephoned early in the May 3 entry.
  • ?
• Mr. Franks — conducts part of the funeral service.
  • ?
• Willie Lawrence — reads part of the service at the grave.
  • (later would become) Bishop William Lawrence 1850-1941
• Arthur Rotch — helps carry the coffin.
  • Arthur Rotch 1850-1894, nephew of Katherine Bigelow “Kitty” Lawrence Lowell
• Frank — assists Jack in carrying the coffin.
  • Francis Peabody 1854-1938, husband of Rosamund Lawrence 1856-1934, Endicott and John E. Peabody’s brother
• Rosamund
  • Rosamund Lawrence Peabody 1856-1935. Wife of Endicott’s brother Francis or “Frank”; she was also John Lawrence’s (Martha’s future husband) sister, and first cousin to not only Arthur Rotch, but also the second James Lawrence 1853-1914 (Caroline Estelle Mudge Lawrence’s husband) and – by extension – Gertrude herself.

Children

• Unmentioned
  • Marion Lee Peabody — daughter of Gertrude & John, 1879-1935
• Little Harold
  • Harold Peabody — son of Gertrude & John, 1880-1961

Houses/ Homes

•  “Kernwood” – the Salem estate of S.E. Peabody, the patriarch Peabody and Marianne Cabot Lee Peabody; Endicott and John E.’s parents. More on Kernwood here.
• “205” 205 Commonwealth Ave., the in-town home of S.E. Peabody and Marianne Cabot Lee Peabody. More on 205 here.
• “Jack’s” or 80 Commonwealth Ave. Sold following Gertrude’s death, when Jack moved to 183 Marlborough.  More on “80 Commonwealth” here.

Transcribed text:

(Not 100%, but the best I can make out; I’ll add any mistakes are my own and not down to anyone who has helped me.)

Thursday, May 3, 1883

How can I write the dark news of today; this morning while practicing Mama (Helen Bloodgood Peabody 1834–1911) rushed downstairs with the dreadful dreadful news of Gertrude’s (Gertrude Lawrence Peabody 1855–1883) death, she saw it in the paper, we have had no telegram + scarcely can believe it; I drive to Oak Hill with Mama and telephone Papa (Father—Francis Peabody 1831–1910), Mr. Field (identity uncertain) answers that he has gone to Salem with Uncle John (maybe John Rose Lee 1827-1908, Marianne Cabot Lee’s brother, see other possibilities above), we drive back to Mother (Helen Bloodgood Peabody 1834–1911), but it is too late for her to go to town which is a pity. Drive to Post Office + home by Collins St. (guessing this was Collins Street in Newton’s Oak Hill district, currently the area of the Charles River Country Club); a lovely balmy day, The Spring is hardly the time for the young to die, + yet as Mama says looking at it the other way, it is, for do not they begin to live, with the flowers. Uncle John and Father come to dinner, oh the sadness of it! He says Gertrude seemed to know she was dying at the last + when Jack (John Endicott Peabody 1853–1921) said he hoped she would be easier, she answered “As easy as I shall ever be Jack.” Both children kissed her good-night, poor little darlings. But Jack, my poor poor Jack to have your bright life’s light put out like this, my poor boy only the All loving All merciful father can comfort you. Cottie (Rev. Endicott Peabody 1857–1944) went to him directly + was there all night + who could better have helped him than my boy with his beautiful faith + strength.

Friday, May 4, 1883

To Boston at 9 with Mother (See Mama; Helen Bloodgood Peabody 1834–1911) + Mamie (Marianne Cabot Lee Peabody 1828–1911), forget to take Martha’s (Martha Peabody Lawrence 1863–1935) jacket. Mamie leaves us at station, preferring to go to West Roxbury for Sunday. Mama + I go straight to Jack’s. Cottie lets us in + says Jack will see us, he comes in presently + I never shall forget the way he looked at us, he told us more about Gertrude, + says she never complained once, only regretted the misfortune of her illness as they were going abroad; he says she looked exactly as if she were asleep at first, so much so that he could not help calling her. Aunt Kittie told us the same touching story afterwards; oh Jack my poor cousin! We saw little Gertrude as she lay there in the parlor + she did look most lovely. Uncle Dick (Richard Peabody 1858-? Fannie’s brother) came + Jack left us to go to him. At Uncle Joe’s (Joseph Peabody 1824–1905) we found Uncle Jacque (Jacob Crowninshield Rogers 1828–1900) + Aunt Lizzie (Elizabeth Putnam Peabody Rogers 1829–1921, wife of Uncle Jacque/ Jacob Rogers) who of course had come directly home. From here to Rosamund’s (Rosamund Lawrence Peabody 1856-1935) who I am thankful to say is still improving. Little Harold (son of Gertrude + John E. “Jack” Peabody, Harold Peabody 1880–1961) was at 205 (205 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, the in-town home of S.E. and Marianne Peabody). Sweet little boy, pathetic in his happiness + spirits; we must all do our very best for those two little ones. Aunt Kittie feels it dreadfully of course, + is not very well either. We met Cottie on our way to the car, + he put us into a carriage.

Saturday, May 5, 1883

Father (Francis Peabody 1831–1910) + I start at 9–20 to walk to Peabody + from there to take the horse car to Salem in order to take Martha (Martha Peabody Lawrence 1863–1935) her jacket, I help her in the church with the flowers; many came from Kernwood (Kernwood was the name of S.E. and Marianne Peabody’s estate in Salem) both plants + flowers, we put the first in front + behind the altar rail + some of the flowers in the two brass vases which Gertrude gave + which Jack wanted filled with K. flowers (K.= Kernwood, i.e. flowers grown at the family estate, Kernwood); many beautiful crosses + wreaths came which we hung over the reading-desk under the lectern + on the pulpit. It did look lovely + I hope if poor Jack saw it he liked it, my poor poor boy, he certainly stood the whole touching service as well as a man could, singing himself in the beautiful hymn “Nearer My God to Thee” which was oh so touching. Cottie and Arthur Rotch (Arthur Rotch 1850–1894) brought the coffin in at least as far as Arthur R. could when Frank (Francis Peabody 1854–1938) who was behind with Jack took it—so much nicer than having ordinary men—but I do hope it did not strain them. Added as superscript: “Asleep in Jesus, Blessed Sleep” (a hymn, written by Margaret Mackay in 1832) was most lovely as we went out. At Harmony Grove the grave was beautifully arranged with fine boughs + flowers. The pall-bearers all lowered the coffin into the simple grave + the rest of the service was read very touchingly by Mr. Franks (identity uncertain) + Willie Lawrence (later, Bishop William Lawrence 1850–1941) and then we put all the flowers in over the dear little cousin + Jack went away with Frank. God grant we may not for years + years to come have such another sad day. The whole service was most lovely + most touching, all felt so.

Finally, as a kind of postscript, some photos of Gertrude, her widower “Jack”, and Marion and Harold only a few years later…

Gertrude Lawrence Peabody c. 1880-83

John Endicott Peabody, c. early 1880s

Daughter Marion Lee Peabody
and son Harold Peabody

***