Plate XLII.—Dummer Mansion, Byfield, Mass.
The Dummer Mansion, which is situated in Byfield, then Newbury, Massachusetts is prominently connected with the town's history, being one of the most notable colonial homes in New England. It was built by Governor Dummer about 1715 on a farm which was given him by his father on October 15, 1713, a few months before his marriage. It is a fine specimen of the houses of that day, showing brick sides and resembling in architecture the Royall House at Medford, Massachusetts.
Just after he and his bride took up their abode in the newly completed mansion, a housewarming was held. Governor Dummer, so the legend runs, was a famous horseman, and on this occasion he is said to have dashed up the broad front staircase to the second floor, mounted on a magnificent white charger, much to the consternation of the guests. This event took place in the month of August in the time of the full moon, and tradition relates that he repeats this performance even unto the present day whenever in August there are two full moons, riding forth on the occasion of the first full moon and charging up the stairs and down again.
In the kitchen of the mansion house on several occasions a little child appeared. Whenever the apartment was left vacant, the next person to come in would find a little golden-haired, blue-eyed girl about five years of age, balancing herself upon the door-sill and peeping in and out just as a real child naturally would do at play. She was never seen in any other part of the house. Where she came from no one ever knew. She always appeared in the same doorway and after standing awhile would vanish. She became so familiar to the people of the house that they called her Elizabeth. She had such a pleasant, smiling face that even the most timid person felt no fear of her.
During the oiling of the kitchen floor a child's ring was discovered in a crack where it had lain for years. In trying to get it out, a secret spring was seen and a trap-door was disclosed. On opening it, an old ladder was revealed, leading to the space below, but it fell to fragments at a touch. The cellar underneath was explored. In a secret recess was a small chamber not larger than a grave. Inside was a large, round, cheese box, which contained the bones of a child. These were properly buried, and the apparition ceased to appear.
In the slave quarters, which were in the ell of the mansion house, the slaves were chained each night to prevent their escaping. The rings to which the chains were attached were to be seen until quite recently, and when the wind was right, the clanking of the chains could plainly be heard.
Outside the house on the green, so the story runs, a duel was fought by an English officer and a gentleman over an affront concerning Madam Dummer. The English officer was killed, and tradition relates that he appeared subsequently. He was clad in epaulets and gold lace, wandering about as if in search of his adversary. He always wore an amazingly large, powdered white wig and carried a dress sword in its sheath, as on the occasion of the fateful encounter.
Plate XLIII.—Doorway, Dummer Mansion; Hallway, Dummer Mansion.