26 



arm chairs, alike in pattern, a tape loom and a chest now 

 in the possession of Mrs. E. G. Perkins, of Salem, having 

 upon it the date "1634 ;" and there is reliable traditional 

 evidence of the age of said furniture corresponding with 

 the year 1634, and that these articles were brought over 

 from England by the first emigrant of the Dennis family 

 of Ipswich. 



A RELIC OF "YE OLDEN TIME," A STONE MILL. 



In form the mill is mortar like, about as large as a peck 

 measure, with the furred stone fitting so as to make an 

 effectual grinder. It is similar to the stone mills spoken 

 of in the Bible, which the Jewish women used. It was 

 presented by Mr. D. L. D. Balch, of Amesbury, accom- 

 panied by the following letter : 



AMESBURY, FEBRUARY 7, 1872. 

 To the Officers of the Essex Institute : 



GENTLEMEN : In accordance with a purpose long entertained by 

 me, I hereby offer for your acceptance the "Stone Mill" which was 

 brought to this country by " Lieut. Francis Peabody," in the year 

 1635. 



This "mill" has been preserved in the Peabody family from that 

 date to the present time, mostly at Topsfleld. It was finally presented 

 to my father, the late Israel Balch, M. D., some sixty years ago, by 

 Jacob Peabody, and by him kept till his death in 1858. 



It was my father's special request that this relic of "ye olden time" 

 should be presented to your Institute, and it is not only a duty but a 

 pleasure to comply with the same. 



Trusting that this ancient memento of the ancestor of that hon- 

 ored benefactor, the late George Peabody, may be accepted and pre- 

 served through all coming time, I am 



Your obedient servant, D. L. D. BALCH. 



HOWARD STREET CHURCH. 



Mr. GEORGE D. PHIPPEN presented a communication 

 from Rev. C. C. Beaman, formerly of this city, on "The 

 Closing History of the Branch or Howard Street Church 

 in Salem." Referred to the committee on publications 



