HOUSE AND GARDEN 
TOO 
February, 
1914 
Dorothy Quincy’s bedroom contains a fine old mahogany field bed, which is appropriately covered with the flowered chintz 
popular at the end of the Eighteenth Century. The chairs are fitting for all bedrooms decorated in Colonial style 
closing days of the eighteenth century. The sofa is a fine ex¬ 
ample of a Sheraton pattern, and it was this designer who also 
planned the chairs, which are some of the best examples of his 
artistry. Hepplewhite’s skill is shown in those chairs of graceful 
motifs placed around the Dutch table of 1720. The work table 
at one side of the 
room is also of Shera¬ 
ton make. The mir¬ 
ror is a rare Chippen¬ 
dale, showing a deco¬ 
ration of golden wheat 
of a design identical 
with thatnow found in 
the Dedham historical 
house. The spinnet 
carries us back to the 
days when the stately 
Colonial dames, with 
powdered hair and 
pannier dress, played 
love songs to the gal¬ 
lants of the day. 
The fireplace is 
perhaps worthy of 
more attention than 
any other feature of 
the house. It is won¬ 
derfully paneled, and 
Scriptures. Within 
the last few years this was opened and the original fireplace was 
found at the back. It was fifteen feet wide and shows a curious 
brick herring-bone pattern. In order to exhibit this fireplace, the 
outside one was hinged so that it could be easily opened. 
This north parlor, as it was generally known, was prepared for 
the wedding that took place in Fairfield, Conn. The Revolution 
broke out just before it was 
planned, and Hancock was 
forced to flee to Lexington for 
safety. On April 18, 1775, he 
was joined by his aunt, Madam 
Hancock, and Dorothy. The 
hatred of the Tories toward the 
Quincy family forced her to 
flee to Fairfield. Here she took 
refuge in the house of Thadeus 
Burr, where Aaron Burr met 
and fell in love with her. 
Madam Hancock became anx¬ 
ious, and sent a letter to John 
Hancock apprising him of the 
situation. Correspondence 
shows that Hancock wrote im¬ 
mediately to his fiancee to keep 
his place in her favor, and, 
while reminding her of her 
promise to send him a woven- 
hair chain, revived her waning 
interest by presenting a box of 
silk stockings. The lady’s mind 
evidently remained undecided, 
for at another urgent summons 
from his aunt the nervous 
suitor obtained a leave of ab¬ 
sence and came to the Burr 
mansion to press his suit. Whether it was the stockings or the 
weight of his pleadings is not determined, but at any rate Dorothy 
became his wife on August 28th. 
This room that was to have been the scene of the ceremony has 
many interesting mementos in the closets at either side of the fire¬ 
place. Here has been 
placed a parasol that 
once was used by 
Mrs. Hancock; a lit¬ 
tle shoe that patheti¬ 
cally told of the little 
child that died, to¬ 
gether with the bap¬ 
tismal shirt and cap 
that had been worn by 
Josiah Quincy third. 
The dress worn by 
Abigail Adams when 
presented at the Court 
of St. James, and the 
portrait showing the 
same gown are both 
found in this room. 
Tutor Flynt’s study, 
which is a typical 
bachelor’s room, leads 
off the parlor. It is 
situated in the ell, and 
is entered from an 
outside door. This 
apartment overlooks 
the brook, and is the quietest room in the house. To-day we 
find the chair in which Hancock sat when he was inaugurated 
Governor of Massachusetts. A table that belonged to President 
John Quincy Adams is also found here. The open fireplace gives 
it an air of comfort. From this room a steep flight of stairs leads 
to Tutor Flynt’s chamber. Here is found a fine example of a 
shows 
pictures 
tiles bearing 
from the 
In the Coddington room there is another pleasing design of the old field bed. The chairs here are 
samples of some eighteenth century manufacture that are to-day reproduced in admirable consistency 
