Elizabeth Sergeant

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Jeanette S. A. Rice (Sergeant) mentioned her sister Elizabeth Sergeant in her 1883 memoir "Tales That Have the Rime of Age." Jeanette noted that following the wedding of Mary Ann Newbury (Sergeant) to Rev. Samuel Newbury in Lee, Massachusetts, April 24, 1832:

"After an hour pleasantly spent, cake and wine being served, as was the custom upon wedding occasions, the goodbyes were spoken. Then the bride and groom, accompanied by sister Elizabeth and brother Frederic, took their carriage to drive to Hudson, New York, forty miles away, to take a boat to New York City. The next morning the final sad leave taking between the brothers and sisters took place — Elizabeth and Frederic returning to the now desolate home among the Berkshire Hills, the young couple going for a brief visit to New York, with the many relatives there."

This was the beginning of the newlyweds' move west to Ohio. They subsequently moved many times — to various towns in Indiana, Michigan, and Iowa.

Later in Jeanette Sergeant Ames Rice's memoir, she wrote that after Mary Ann and Samuel Newbury's departure, her mother suffered a long illness:

"The days were long and lonely, particularly for me, as I was not allowed to attend school constantly. Sister Elizabeth, who was always ready in expedients to amuse and interest me, proposed that I should make a bead chain and when she went to New York, she would take and sell it for me. They were very fashionable at the time and commanded a good price. I was delighted with the idea and thought I could make quite a little sum of money in the enterprise. So I gathered all of my little savings together and bought some pretty pearl white and gilt beads and began my work. Twenty strands of white sewing silk were stretched upon a frame half a foot long, and the fine beads woven in and out were fastened by a needle strung with silk almost as fine as a hair. As part of the chain was in loops, the strands of silk had to be loosened from the bottom of the frame and separately strung and joined every little way with a gilt bead, which added greatly to the beauty of the work. Altogether it was a slow, tedious process and I might have given up but for the habit well inculcated never to give up a piece of work once commenced until finished. So I persevered day after day until the beautiful chain was complete and perfect. It was nearly or quite a yard and a half long, with heavy bead tassels at each end, and was designed to be worn about the neck, in full dress, or put about the hair. I was delighted with my completed work and was sure it would bring a good price. When not long after, Sister Elizabeth went to New York, it was carefully confided to her care, and I awaited anxiously the result of my first speculation. Upon her return, I eagerly asked about my chain. To my utter amazement and disappointment she told me that she was only offered five dollars for it, when the season before they had brought ten. So she gave it to Aunt Serena Keeler, Uncle Matthew’s wife. Only those who have felt the keen, cruel disappointments of childhood can realize what mine was — my whole investment gone with nothing to show for it, to say nothing of the painstaking labor I had bestowed upon it. It was hard for me to be consoled. I loved this aunt whom I had not seen for my Uncle’s sake, and was willing she should have it as any one, but it was not made to give away. My sister like many other grown up persons did not realize all that chain meant to me, and what a disappointment it would be to lose it. She meant no wrong.

"My eldest brother Frederic entered fully into my feelings and said he would get me a nice silk dress for my chain, which he did afterward, and it was made for me when I was fourteen years old, a pretty fawn colored silk. My first silk dress. I wore it until outgrown, when it was made over for you and was your first silk; afterward worn successfully by your sisters, Mary and Kate, the latter finishing it up. So it was not such a bad investment after all. I sometimes wonder if self-denying painstaking labor is ever lost! It seems to me not.

"Now comes the strangest part of all. My good Aunt, ignorant of the history of the chain, recognized it as a dainty piece of work, always taking good care of it. And although she had a family of six daughters, who would need it more or less in dressing up, as children will, it was not injured, but was kept put away in a little box with batting in it. The years went on and it came your time to go often to New York, where you met this aunt and told her for the first time the story of the chain. She was interested and said she would give it back to me. You presented it to me in Detroit, while I was visiting from my home in Jackson, Michigan, forty-seven years old. As I looked at the delicate workmanship, I wondered more than ever that I had the patience and skill for the work, when but ten years old. As I handled then the historic little chain the memories of other years came rushing over me, and I realized the value of my first investment, and felt grateful that my sister did not sell my chain and that I could now keep it as an heirloom in my family. And so later on in life I have found that great disappointments and crossing of plans and purposes have often brought rich returns when least expected."

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