Mathias Hutchinson's Notes of a Journey [1819-20

Abstract

Nofes and Documents MATHIAS HUTCHINSON'S NOTES OF A JOURNEY [1819-20] Edited by Pat M. Ryan* Mathias Hutchinson (1795-1894), a Quaker farmer of Newtown , Bucks County, Pennsylvania, kept a detailed daily log of his 1819-20 horseback journey through western Pennsylvania, upstate New York, Upper Canada (Ontario), and thence homeward via Friends' settlements in the Finger Lakes country, Mohawk Valley, and Hudson River. He traveled in company with his neighbor, Quaker painter-preacher Edward Hicks, and Horsham Friend Isaac Parry; and his Notes of this trip (Part I published in the Autumn 1979 issue of Quaker History) record their day-to-day itinerary, describe road and weather conditions, tell us where they ate and slept, and offer illuminating insights into the Society of Friends' social and religious practices along the advancing frontier. In the spring of 1821, Hutchinson and his parents moved to Cayuga County, New York; he became the Clerk of Scipio Monthly Meeting; and he served two terms in the New York State Assembly (1853, 1854). A contemporary described him as "amiable, benevolent, cultivated, with a spice of eccentricity"; yet, apart from his hitherto unpublished Notes of a Journey, his most notable other extant writing would appear to be this brief holograph statement , ca. 1876, inscribed in the autograph book of Howard Hutchinson Franklin (1847-1931), now the property of Franklin's grandson, Jason D. Franklin, of King Ferry, New York [the assistance of Elizabeth Lyon Kabelac is gratefully acknowledged]: It has been said that an honest man is the noblest of God's works on diis earth. It is therefore desireable the number be increased: but our late civil war has so demoralized the people in these United States, that some are apprehensive, from what appears, that the number of such is decreasing, and the destruction of our civil institutions may be the consequence; unless a reformation is effected. M.H. In the initial published segment of his Notes, Hutchinson and his companions had reached Lewistown, New York; crossed the Niag- *Pat M. Ryan is a teacher of English and research and development consultant for Greensboro Public Schools, Greensboro, North Carolina. 36 HUTCHINSON'S NOTES37 ara River by ferry to Queenstown, on the Canadian shore; and put up their horses at Forsythe's Tavern, about one-half mile from that "wonder of wonders," Niagara Falls. Hutchinson's account resumes on this same date, Monday, October 4, 1819, as their party approaches rising clouds of spray towards the Falls. Notes of a Journey to Upper Canada &.c. in company with Edward Hicks, who has a prospect of paying a religious visit to Friends and others within the Compass of New York Yearly Meeting. [By Mathias Hutchinson.]t (Part II—conclusion) Near the river we found a narrow road, encompassed by high banks which leads to the top of the great pitch, called the Horseshoe.— Following this enclosed patii we were led within a short distance of the falls before we came in sight of them. When the vast sheets of tumbling foam bursted suddenly on our view which made us pause a moment with sensations which may be more readily conceived than described, then we followed a wet bushy path which led us to the Table Rock. This is a broad horizontal rock near the sheet, projecting several feet over the great abyss into which this vast body of water is thrown. Here is perhaps the best prospect, as die sheet, the Islands, rapids &c. are in full view.—¦ It appears to be a place of general resort, for we saw great numbers of names carved upon it— We were told that a great collection of people, 50, were on this rock (the day before a large part of it was broken off a few years ago, but fortunately it fell in the night and no damage was done. Thus we remained where many oft have stood in awful admiration, beholding this falling ocean until the shades of evening urged us to quit the scene; neither were we unmindful of the great Creator of all things— On returning to the tavern we found our feet quite wet, and as the Bar-tender was not accommodating , and but ill disposed, it...