cessfully, to ascertain the lineage of Capt Isaac Davis, who fell at Concord Bridge in 1775, the writer, one of the descendants, would copy from a family record just completed an authentic account. He was the son of Ezekiel, son of Dr. John Davis of Acton, son of Dr. Simon Davis of Carlisle, son of Lieut. Simon Davis, so called, a representative, and otherwise distinguished in Concord in 1660, son of Dolon, or Dollar Davis of Cambridge, Groton, Concord and Barnstable. In the latter place he died.

C. W.

PUNISHMENT FOR BLASPHEMY.By the Rules and Articles of War" for the Government of the Militia and other Forces in the Province of New York" in 1691, it was enacted as follows:

"§ 2. If any Officer or Souldier shall presume to Blaspheme the Holy and undivided Trinity or the Person of God the Father, God the Son, or God the Holy Ghost or shall presume to speak against any known Article of the Christian faith, he shall have his Tongue bored thro' with a Red hot Iron."

ham was an engraver, and at the Boston Athenæum will be found ranged round the wall, near the entrance, some six or more engravings by him of the prominent clergymen of the day. More than this, there will be found one engraving dated 1753, made by Copley himself, then only fifteen years old, showing clearly that he was brought up to exercise the same art as his stepfather. Pelham engraved one or two plates from Smibert's pictures; hence, presumably, he was a friend of the latter, and this intimacy may account for the story that Copley was the pupil of Smibert.

The only point now to consider is this:

was Pelham a painter as well as an eugraver? I think he was, and that the proof is at the Athenæum. The visitor will find there an old engraving of Cotton Mather thus inscribed: P. Pelham ad vivum pinxit ab origin fecit et excud. Over the entrance door will be seen a portrait in oil, kindly loaned by the American Antiquarian Society, which came from the Mather family. It is precisely the same portrait, except that everything is reversed; as if the artist having painted the sketch had copied it exactly as it stood. Now since we have Pelham's statement that he painted just such a picture, and there is no other artist suggested for this, is it not fair to claim this for Pelham as his original? I believe I am right in adding, that this portrait is the work of a better artist than Smibert.

As to the time of Pelham's decease noth

ing is known, though it seems probable that it was in 1752. This would account for Copley's name being placed on the engraving before cited. It seems incredible that he should have done the work at so youthful an age. One of his earliest pictures, no doubt, is the portrait of Rev. Arthur Browne, of Portsmouth, N. H., dated 1757, and now, by the kindness of Rev. Charles Burroughs, D. D., in the exhibition at the Athenæum. Though the widow Copley before and after her second marriage, undoudtedly was a tobacconist, Pelham did not interfere in the business. Pelham kept school, but left the other matters to his wife at home. Instead of "spining pigtail," John Singleton Copley no doubt, was very soon found serviceable at his stepfather's studio, and there passed busy and useful hours in learning the rudiments of painting and engraving.

WASHINGTON CENTS.-The following extract in relation to the Coins which have brought such enormous prices, at the late sales in this city will he read with interest at this time. The prices at which these pieces were sold when they were first coined in England was from a six pence to a shilling. One of English origin was lately sold here for $450!

"I have in my possession fifty-five different American pieces, some minted there,

VENERABLE VOTERS. The number of aged citizens on the island of Nantucket who voted the Union ticket at the Presidential election is somewhat remarkable. Not less than fifty-five men, the age of each one of whom was more than three score years and ten, went to the polls and cast their ballots for Abraham Lincoln. Among them was the venerable Capt. Peter Russell, who has not walked a step for many years, but who in spite of the inclement weather, insisted upon being carried to the ballot-box. Their ages are as follows:Fourteen

Seven

aged 75 years.

76

for more than a thousand years, with no diminution of fertility or production, as is known from the number of sheep kept from year to year. Of course, the newness of our country does not admit of its furnishing any such example as this; but we have lands on which sheep have been pastured ever since the forest was cut off, embracing in some instances a period of nearly two hundred years.

THE IRREPRESSIBLE NEGRO.-Sweer Teunissen's negro Jacob, of Schenectady, ran away in 1679, and a hue and cry was sent forth for his arrest. He is described as of a very dark complexion, wearing a half worn gray hat, "buttoned of on one side." "He speakes good English and Dutch, and can read Dutch; he speakes good Maguase and Mahikanders, Indian Langadge."

having brought with me here from Barbadoes, one of the same sort of little Mill (meulentie) as is made use of in Siara, and by that can have made as many as will be needed." Mr. Beck had served previously in Brazil, where, it is supposed, he had seen the above cotton mill in operation. It will be observed that one of the properties of this mill was to clean the cotton, it is supposed, of the seed. The question then naturally suggests itself, whether it had any affinity to Whitney's celebrated Cotton Gin.

o' c.

WHO WAS JOHN CAREY, THE EDITOR OF WASHINGTON'S LETTERS IN 1795? Mr Sparks, while giving his name, makes no allusion to his history. In his preface the editor says the letters were copied from the originals in the state department, Philadelphia, and that their authenticity would be vouched for by the then minister to Great Britain, Thomas Pinckney. I have searched vainly in works on Washington to ascertain who this John Carey was; none of the biographers of Washington seem to know who he was. Any particulars as to him will be interesting, not only to the inquirer, but to many others. The edition is highly prized, and now so scarce that it readily commands from seven to ten dollars.

INQUIRER.

NEW YORK PAPER MONEY.-Was any paper money issued by the city of New York, between the years 1784 and 1810?

P.

WHAT WAS THIS BOOK?-A gentleman residing in Paris in 1791 writes in his journal" I am informed by Mr. Short, American charge des affaires that there is a book now in Paris that one may with propriety assert was manufactured wholly in America - that is to say, the types were founded there, the paper made, the treatise composed and printed, and the material of the binding produced and fabricated there and the nobleman who now has it in possession says the impression is equal to that of the types made by the famous Baskerville."

REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONERS, VOL. VIII, p. 148. Of the twelve Revolutionary Pensioners mentioned in vol. viii, p. 148, as then living, Amaziah Goodwin, born Feb. 16, 1763, not 1759, and William Hutchings, born in York, Me. 1761, were both on the pension roll of Maine. Goodwin received his last pension in March 1863, and died in June, of that year, which would make his

ings is still alive at the age of 100 years, age 100 at the time of his death. Hutchresiding in the town of Penobscot, Maine.

The great age attained by some of the following list of those living in Maine, in Revolutionary pensioners may be seen by the 1859, viz:

1859, 96, dead. Nathan Doughty, CumJob Allen, Cumberland County, aged in berland county, aged in 1859, 95, decd. Wm. Tukey, Cumberland County, died in 1858, aged 93. Isaac Abbott, Oxford County, aged in 1859, 97, died 1861. Samuel Ackley, Oxford County, aged in 1859, 94, died 1861. Benjamin Berry, Somerset County, aged in 1859, 97, dead. Josiah Parker, Somerset County, aged in 1859, 95, dead. Ralph Farnham, York County, aged in 1859, 103, died 1860. A'maziah Goodwin, York County, aged in 1859, 96, died 1863. John Hamilton, York County, aged in 1859, 99, decd. Jacob Rhodes, York County, aged in 1859, 95, deed. Wm. Hutchings, Hancock County, aged in 1859, 95, living. James W. Head, Lincoln County, aged in 1859, 93, died Aug. 1861. John C. Mink, Lincoln County, aged in 1859, 96, dead. 96, dead. Foster Wentworth, Lincoln Co., aged in 1859, 95, decd. Wm. Wyman, Lincoln County, aged in 1859, 97, decd.

The Rev. John Sawyer, a clergyman of the congregational order, of great worth, died in Bangor, Oct. 14, 1858, at the age of

correction should chance to die, it shall not be accounted felony, but the master and other person appointed by him shall be acquitted from molestation."

The next year the following curious enactment relative to slaves appears:-" All Servants, not being Christians, imported into this Country [Virginia] by shipping, shall be slaves for their life time, but such as come by land shall serve, if boys and girls till 30 years of age, if men and women, twelve years and no longer." There is nothing further in this volume of laws bearing upon the subject of slavery in Virginia, while it contains several pages on the subject in Maryland; but as my object. in this paper was merely to revert to slavery in New England, and to show from an authentic source, that it was not regarded at the beginning of the last century as having anything like permanency here, the subject will now be dismissed.

Societies and their Proceedings.

NEW YORK.

G.

LONG ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY.-Brooklyn Nov. 3, 1864. A regular meeting of the Society was held at their rooms, in the evening of November the 3rd, which was attended by a large and fashionable audience. Judge Greenwood presided. Dr. H. R. Stiles, Librarian, announced that during the past month there had been received by donation 55 bound and 77 unbound volumes, and by purchase and exchange 26 bound and 9 unbound volumes; total, 81 bound and 86 unbound works. Also 130 Mss. and 97 articles of a miscellaneons nature, such as coins, pictures, &c.

Special mention was made of a valuable donation of autograph letters of distinguished men, presented by Mr. Gabriel Harrison; and, also, of an exceedingly curious and interesting collection of 10 Ms. volumes, in the handwriting of Rev. N. Huntting, of Easthampton, L. I., covering the period from 1700 to 1748; also, a package of 78 autograph letters, of nearly all the pastors of Easthampton, the gift-together with many rare and valuable Long Island pamphlets, of the sons of Jonathan Huntting, of Southold, L. I. Also, an original copy (in form) of the "Boston News Letter," of July 3. 1710, printed sixty-six years before the Declaration of Independence, presented by T. W. Valentine, Principal of Public School No. 19; a fine water-color HIST. MAG. VOL. VIII. 51

sketch of the house in Philadelphia, in which Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, printed and presented by Mr. Gabriel Harrison; a rebel soldier's cap, with the Pelican buttons and a piece of Perry's flag ship, the Laurence, presented by the Rev. J. E. Rockwell, D. D.

The second set of colors of the First Long

Island Regiment, have been deposited with the society, and are now festooned over the folding doors which open into the lecture room. The national flag, perforated with bullets, bears the scar of the ball which killed its gallant bearer His in the battle of Spotsylvania, in May last. portrait hangs in the Society's Trophy and Relic Room, under the first set of colors, which after having been carried throngh 17 battles, were given last year to the keeping of this Society.

The Committee on the Natural History of Long Island reported, that considerable progress had been made with the collections, during the past month. Several jars of crustacea and reptiles, with a few species of shells, have been received from Mr. W. S. Pelletrean of Southampton. A fine bald eagle, shot near Flatbush, has been secured, and several other birds are promised and are nearly ready for the cases. A large woodchuck, (a species of marmot), has been received from Elias Hopkins, of Westbury, L. I.; the skin of a raccoon had also been procured and would be prepared. Henry G. Reeve, Esq., of Brooklyn, has kindly placed at the disposal of the committee $100 towards a collection of the aquatic or swimming birds of Long Island, The committee take great pleasure in announcing this liberal donation, and trust they may be aided and encouraged by similar contributions to other branches of this department. A like sum would secure a good collection of the larger land-birds, and another hundred dollars would go far towards procuring specimens of the warblers, thrushes and finckes. As the Committee have reason to anticipate contributions of birds already prepared for exhibition, it is probable that the sums named would nearly complete the collection of Long Island birds. In addition to Mr. Reeve's gift, five life-memberships to the Society have been taken on account of the organization of this department, showing the interest felt in its success. The Committee, with its sub-committees have arranged to meet at the Library on the last Thursday evening of each month, for the exhibition of interesting specimens, and the discussion of matters connected with their work. A paper will be read at the next meeting by Mr. John Hooper, on "The Algo of Long Island." As soon as the collections are sufficientiy advaned, cases will be prepared and specimens placed on exhibition.

Fifteen new members were elected. The Society then listened to a very interesting paper by A. J. Spooner, Esq., on "Montauk Point, its Indian History and Traditions." As the essential portion of this paper will be published in.