Representative women of New England/Lavina A. Hatch
LAVINA ALLEN HATCH. — On June 19, 1819, occurred the marriage of Isaac Hatch, Jr., and Lavina Allen. During the ceremony a heavy thunder-storm prevailed, but later the moon came out. In its pleasant light the young couple rode the four miles from the home of the bride to a large house on a pleasant site in the east part of the town of Pembroke, where they were to begin their life work together. Opposite the house was the pond that furnished power for the woollen-mill where the young man, five years before, at the age of seventeen, had commenced his business career as a manufacturer of kerseymere.
Mr. Hatch, known as Isaac, Jr., was the fourth of his name in direct line, and was of the seventh generation of his family in New England. William1 Hatch, his earliest known ancestor, a native of Sandwich, England, came to this country in 1633 or a little earlier, and in March, 1635, settled in Scituate, with his wife Jane and five children. His son Walter2 was the father of Samuel,3 born in 1653, whose son Isaac4 was born in Scituate in 1687. Isaac settled in Pembroke, Mass. His son Isaac,5 born in 1717, was the father of Isaac,6 born in 1764. Isaac7 (Isaac, Jr.), son of Isaac,6 was born in 1796.
His wife Lavina came from the Allen family of Dover, Mass., but was born in Bowdoinham, Me., her father, Hezekiah Allen, having moved there and engaged in ship-building. Lavina Allen was sent to Roxbury, Mass., at the age of twelve, to continue her studies, and after leaving school she made her home in the family of an uncle, the Rev. Morrill Allen, settled over the First Parish (now Unitarian) of Pembroke. A few years of school-'teaching with the low wages of that period followed, and then, at the age of twenty-two, she became, as narrated above, the wife of a woollen manufacturer. Industry and economy were the rule of the household. The record shows the births of seven children, four of whom grew to adult age. The two now living are Isaac, fifth, and Martin.
Lavina A., the subject of this sketch, born May 20, 1836, and named for her mother, was the youngest child. It was a very small bit of humanity, weighing less than six pounds, whose eyes then opened to earth life. The baby seemed healthy, but endowed with a frail- ness of organization that caused frequent ill turns. The family doctor was an uncle, much loved by the little niece, who always remem- bered his look of surpri.'^e, when, with his finger on the little wrist, he said, "Child, will you never have any pulse?" At the age of thirteen she was sent to Wheaton Female Seminary, to be fitted for teaching. Her eyes soon gave out, and, in place of pursuing the course of study anticipated, she began to teach a school two miles from home in order " to have an object that would make long walks each day a neces- sity."
In this way years passed, the winters spent at Partridge Academy in Duxbury and Hano- ver Academy, and other months spent in teaching. Pembroke, Scituate, Hanover, East Bridgewater, and Abington were the towns where she is still remembered as a teacher who not only disapproved of corporal punishment, but succeeded in controlling even the most un- ruly members of what were known as " hard schools," doing this by the use of moral suasion joined to a personal magnetism that made friends of those who came to make mischief, but remained to become helpful scholars. It was the habit of this teacher to join in the games and sports of the pupils. Many will never forget one summer da}', when, the rain having poured for hours, and the sun just struggled out, the door of the school-room was softly opened, and the three committee-men stood amazed to find the teacher with eyes blinded and a brisk game of blind man's buff in active progress. A sudden hush, and "O teacher, the conmiittee are here," brought the game to a close and the blinder from her eyes. She simply said, "Now recess is over, let the committee see that we can work as well as play." In later years this same physician, the late Asa Millett, M.D., recalled an incident that showed her to be resourceful under diffi- culties, as when being "examined" to take a school. She had gone through the ordeal on one occasion with doubtful success, and felt in despair of the result, when physiology was introduced, and Dr. Millett said: "I think we need not ask many more questions. Miss Hatch, suppose one of your boys at play should sever the jugular vein, what would you do first?" "Send for the doctor" came like a flash from her lips, as her eyes met his; and both indulged in a laugh that was a contrast to the look of dignified displeasure of the two ministers who had hardly approved the sudden close of the examination. "So true it is," she used to say, "when wisdom leaves me, wit saves."
At the close of three years of what she called her model school, in Abington, she gave up teaching to take charge of a brother's home and care for a motherless niece and nephew. Later she adopted the children, and was a mother to them. In the early sixties we find her in the old country home, teaching a private school, helping an invalid mother, doing a share of the cooking and the other housework, caring for the little ones, and performing the duties of the postmistress of East Pembroke, all in the same day. In these years she wrote much for the Student and Srhoolmate, a monthly magazine, which ended its existence when the Boston fire in 1872 swept out the building where it was published. Stories, poems, dia- logues, puzzles, prepared by her in odd minutes, appeared over the name of "Eben."
When the Massachusetts Society for Preven- tion of Cruelty to Animals was formed. Miss Hatch was the first agent who answered its call for help. Taking Plymouth County as her field of labor, she spent much time in ob- taining subscribers to the paper. Our Dumb Aninialif, and members for the society, her mother becoming the first life member on her list. A few years later Mrs. Hatch made her daughter a life member also. Joining a lodge of the Sons of Temperance, Miss Hatch was an active member, in the frequent absences of the regular chaplain taking his place, conducting the initiatory exercises as well as the usual opening services. While the Civil War was in progress, a local society was formed to co operate with the United States Sanitary Com- mission, and, persuaiUng a neighbor to accept the office of president. Miss Hatch assumed that of secretary. All the women around be- coming interested, they provided a compara- tively large amount of soldiers' clothing. When no more money could be raised there, she went to Boston and conferred with Abby W. May, president of the State Association, and after that until the close of the Rebellion material for sewing and knitting was sent from Boston to the willing workers of East Pembroke. At the close of the school, each after- noon, a horse and wagon stood ready, and this patriotic teacher drove around the neighbor- hood for fruit with which to make pickles. This work she always did herself, and the barrels of pickles often brought a letter of response from the "boys" who had been so fortunate as to get them. One special barrel of pickled peaches will always be remembered by maker and consumers.
After a severe attack of spinal meningitis in the winter of 1875-76, the summer finds her at the Centennial Fair in Philadelphia. She lived four and a half months on the grounds of Fairmont Park in the New England Log Cabin, where was shown a collection of antiques, and daily was served an old-fashioned New England dinner. Each of the workers had an old-fashioned name, and wore an ancient style of dress. The name of Dorcas, assumed by Miss Hatch, clung to her ever after. At this time she was also known to a few as the writer of centennial notes over the signature of "John Lake."
For the next two years she lived in Charles- town, in order to be near Boston and under the treatment of Dr. J. T. G. Pike.
In 1878 the invalid mother passed on and left the daughter more free to take up various kinds of work. The niece had become a suc- cessful music teacher, the nephew a promising young machinist; so the aunt established a home for all at 50 Boylston Street, Boston, spending the summers at the old home in the country. She soon became an active worker on suffrage lines, being the secretary of Ward Twelve Club and of the National Woman Suffrage Associa- tion of Massachusetts. The latter office she held seventeen years, and did not once omit a monthly meeting, except when sick or absent from the State, attending one of the Association's annual conventions in Washington.
Here, too, she was a working member, always on one or more committees that left little time for recreation. In the fourteen seasons in which, she was present, not one hour was spent outside while the convention was in session. Of the Boston Political Class, also, which was formed by the Association in 1884, and which continued in existence for several years. Miss Hatch served as secretary.
Soon after the formation of the Boston Suf- frage League she took active part as recording secretary, and later succeedetl to the office of corresponding secretary. The work attend- ing the initiatory steps in forming leagues in and arountl Boston was largely done by the secretary. It was she who went to the outlying districts, called on the people, worked up the interest, hired halls, engaged speakers, sent out notices of meetings, and was present to help make each one a success.
In 1886 Miss Hatch removed to 60 Bowdoin Street. Ward Ten now had one more voter, with the same enthusiasm for public school work that had helped develop the cause in Ward Twelve; and the ward committee, with Dr. Salome Merritt as leader, maile a persist- ent study of the situation, giving valuable aid to the Massachusetts School Suffnige Asso- ciation in the search for the best women and men to elect for the school board. It was at this time that the New England Helping Hand Society began its work, the object being to give a home to small girls whose wages were insufficient to provide even the necessaries of life. For several years, as secretary of the Board of Management of the Working Girls' Home, as well as a member of committees, Miss Hatch did her full share in directing its affairs, though often disapproving the action of the majority; but finally, with several other officers and members, she withdrew from the organization.
Having been one of the workers at the fair in aid of the Intemiierate Woman's Home, she joined with others in the formation of the Woman's Charity Club Hospital. Just as the institution was to be opened with appropriate ceremonies, Miss Hatch was very ill with la grippe. A year later she fell and broke her right wrist, but she retained her office as secretary of the Hospital Board, and accomplished the usual committee work.
The year 1888 proved unfortunate. Having passed three years at 60 Bowdoin Street, she spent time and money in the expectation of staying there years more. But, the place suddenly changing owners, she moved out, and stored her furniture.
As chairman of the nominating committee of women voters. Miss Hatch labored to secure a suitable list of men and women to report for the fall campaign. The A. P. A. element came to the front, and in some cases men as well as women joined it, but many soon left on learning its narrow and deceptive platform. Miss Hatch went to Washington in December, remaining there for several months. She there conceived the idea that the thing needed in Boston was concerted action by the women and men of a liberal turn of mind, to educate the people against the wave of narrowness sweeping the State in the shape of lectures and literature. In letters to the old workers she explained this plan. The Rev. Samuel J. Barrows being in Washington the same season, she conferred with him, and was greatly encouraged by his approval and promise of aid. Miss Hatch reached Boston in July in time to attend the meeting called to discuss this new plan. It proved a disappointment, as some of those present advised that it be an organization of women. But wiser ways prevailed, and soon the Citizens' Public School Union, composed of men and women, was in working order, with Dr. Salome Merritt as president and Mrs. Frances E. Billings (wife of the artist Billings) as the secretary. Meetings were held, literature printed and circulated, and in time much of the mischief was stamped out. After Mrs. Billings removed from the city, her place was filled by Miss Hatch as long as she remained in Boston. In 1889, as delegate from the Woman's Charity Club, Miss Hatch became a member of the Committee of Council and Co-operation; and in the years following she held much of the time the office of clerk. When Dr. Merritt passed on, in November, 1900, Miss Hatch was unanimously elected chairman.
Having been brought up in the liberal atmosphere of Unitarianism, Miss Hatch early became a member of the church and a teacher in the Sunday-school. To her early religious belief she added that of Spiritualism, of which she became a consistent and persistent student. Unwilling to encourage by her presence any sensational display, she was never found where any doubt could exist of the genuineness of the phenomena exhibited. Though neither clairvoyant nor clairaudient, she seemed always aware of the presence of spirit guides and friends, and talked with them in familiar style as if they were in the body. She has been heard to say, "My life would not have been worth living the last twenty-five years but for the constant help and companionship of my spirit friends."
Removing from Boston in 1897, Miss Hatch spent the closing years of her life at East Pembroke, with summers at Onset. Invited by Susan B. Anthony to prepare the chapter giving the work of the Massachusetts National Association for the fourth volume of the History of Woman Suffrage from 1884 to 1900, that writing was crowded into her busy life. Many hours each week she passed out of doors, often for whole days riding with an invalid brother, camping out in suitable weather and as late as was comfortable. Work in the home garden was not neglected, however numerous might be other cares, and at all hours of the day she was out of doors, taking a rest from her pen in pulling off dry leaves or picking bouquets for the numerous children who frequented the place. She reported herself but a few months ago as feeling each year younger than the last.
Though nearing the old age of which many speak as a dreary season, she had no such thoughts, but contemplated many busy years, possibly the happiest of her life, before the coming of the change which is "but crossing, with bated breath and with set face, a little strip of sea, to find the loved ones waiting on the shore, more beautiful, more precious, than before."
This change came March 20, 1903.