Why I wrote "Perley"

In writing this book I wanted to not only tell Perley's story, but also include interesting tidbits of neighbors and other family members. One example was the Taylor family of Stoddard, NH, the original owners and builder of Perley's home. Many of you may not realize it but you probably have items in your home with their family name on it. In 1851 members of the Taylor family were the founders of the Taylor Instrument Company which is still in business to this day and produces thermometers, bathroom scales and other household measuring tools. Look around your house and I bet you will find something with the name Taylor on it.

Perley's siblings

Excerpt from 1903 diary

Thursday, April 30, 1903

48d at 5 o'clock. Pleasant. cool west wind.

We took off a hen with 8 chickens the 28th of this month. Festina and Myrtie went away this a.m. and carried the children to school. Yesterday they got excused earlier.
Mrs. Pierce came here. Mrs. Dyer came over and Paul came over after her.
A one-legged man went up by this a.m.

Excerpt from 1903 diary

Wed, April 29, 1903

76d at 6:40 Clear and hot. Cool north wind.

Festina and I went up to our traps and got a hedgehog; we saved its head; we see about a dozen dandelions up there.
Ella, Walter and Martin [Perley's siblings] took off their stockings and shoes tonight.
Everett and Paul came over here this evening.

Perleyism

"I'm glad you were thoughtful enough to be married so close to Xmas as it would seem one present could cover both occasions." (Written to Perley's daughter)

Excerpt from Perley's 1903 diary

Tues. April 28, 1903

50 degrees at 5:45 Clear and real warm
Wind in the northwest

We set two more traps up to the Whittier place.
Festina and Myrtie [Perley's half-sisters] came up here today, they brought Ella and Walter home.
Papa went to East Sullivan this a.m. and carried the children to school

Excerpt from 1888 letter

Mary Andrews Whittier Tarbox
(Perley's grandmother holding Luella Guillow)

The following is taken from a letter dated May 2nd, 1888 written by Mary Andrews Whittier Tarbox (Perley's grandmother) to her daughter in Kansas, Almina Whittier Guillow, Elsie Jane's (Perley's mother) sister.

Mary is telling Almina about her stay with Elsie Jane shortly after Perley was born, Feb. 6, 1888. Elsie Jane was confined to her bed and Mary was there to help.

"I was there fourteen weeks and eleven of them I never undressed, only to change my clothes. I laid on the old lounge and got up and changed the baby [Perley] but she [Elsie Jane] is stronger in her arms and can change him now by drawing up her feet and laying him acrost her. She can't lift up her feet yet. Her eyes are stronger and she had the east curtain put up a week before I came home and she looked upon the Woods hill and see a bare spot but wanted to set up long enough to have her bed made and to have her chair to the window so she could look out in the garden but I liked not to get her bed made. Dan [Elsie's husband] tipped her so far back and I hurried to make it and she did not faint away. It seems so hard to lay there and can't get up to save her life but she don't get so discouraged as I should. You know she is blessed with great fortitude and good constitution.

It was something new to see such a destitute house. He [Daniel, Elsie Jane's husband] missed it in keeping so many hens and not raising any grain to feed them. I asked the first years why he didn't raise some barley to feed his hens and fat the pigs. He said 'I couldn't thresh it' and so he tugged corn or meal on his back or on his handsled rather than break out the roads and so the horse and oxen have stood still all winter.

Elsie tried to have him get up a good wood pile the first of the winter but he said, "O, I have got some oxen now and I can get it up any time." I told her I didn't pity him much. I never was used to such shifflessness. Elsie says she won't stay there another winter and I can't ask her to unless he will try and raise something to eat.

We have had a hard winter for NH and not raising grain he got out of meat and we had to cut potatoes three times a day and fed the hens on them as well and now not a potatoe to eat. She wants her potatoes and something she can relish. We can give him beets and potatoes if he will only come after them.

Read the town news and see what a winter we have had. The oldest people never see such a time."

Mary A. Tarbox

Why I wrote "Perley" continued

Though Perley chose to live what most of us view as a simple, uncomplicated life, at least in his later years, he was a complex human being. He grew up with a deeply ingrained puritanical view of the world. To him something was either right or it was wrong and he had a hard time understanding or accepting anything that ended up in a grey area. When faced with what life had to throw at him, Perley sometimes reacted in ways that we, now, might find difficult to understand. Perhaps the hardest choice for me to make while writing this book was how to portray Perley. Was he the loving grandfather I had always idealized and who always treated me kindly or was he the narcissistic, pig-headed and stubborn individual I discovered as I read through some of his poetry and letters. Often, I wanted to shake some sense into him and make him see what he was doing to his life and family by his actions. In the end, I decided I didn't have to portray him in any certain light, he was who he was and like most human beings he had his good side and bad side and I would try to portray him as honestly as possible and leave it up to the reader to decide whether they can forgive him for his actions and like him for the person he became. (to be continued)

Why I wrote "Perley" continued

It took me about 6 months to sort and catalogue everything but in doing this a story of Perley's life started to unfold that I had no idea existed. So often over the years people have asked me, "Why did Perley live the way he did, as a hermit?" As he himself said, "How easy to become a famous hermit just by not moving or dying."

As I was growing up, I had heard bits and pieces of Perley's story, mostly just rumors. Once, as a child, I remember finding in our attic a scrapbook with old, faded newspaper clippings telling of the time Perley spent in the County Farm. I was shocked and could not imagine what had caused him to be there but I also never dared to ask my parents "why" either.

Once I was able to read through all of this newly acquired information, the questions I had wondered about for so many years started to fall into place and I could understand the reasons behind some of Perley's rather odd behavior, maybe even better than he ever understood them himself. (to be continued)

excerpt from 1963 diary

June 21, 1963

Rained some in night but mostly pleasant day.

A party of five was to pond fishing, a lady, boy and three men. Gave me forty-four cents. Frank and Danny came up fishing later and brought up loaf of bread, dozen doughnuts, three dozen cookies, a cake and three packages of candy. I put two dollars in empty cake box as reimbursement in part.

Wilber and wife and two of children came up in late p.m. and gave me a check for seven dollars as payment for a cord or more of pine cut but not taken to mill. Phone was not working but did not known it till Frank tried to call his mother when he got here. Later I called Ella and also Mildred.

Why I wrote "Perley" (Continued)

I pestered my family for the next several months and collected hundreds of old family photos. I became fascinated with these family members that I had never known but of course it was my grandfather, Perley, who was the most colorful character in the family and the one I wanted to learn more about.

In the process of collecting information about Perley I became obsessed with finding any little tidbit I could. I remembered that Quentin, an indispensable friend of Perley's for the last few years of his life, had ended up with the majority of Perley's papers, poetry, letters, pictures and diaries after he died. Basically everything that had been piled high on Perley's kitchen table! I had no idea where Quentin was living now, or what the likelihood would be that he would still have any of Perley's things after almost 30 years. After several months of searching I finally located Quentin living in Utah, he still had all of Perley's 'stuff' stored in his garage and after assuring him I would take good care of it, he was willing to return it all to my family. It was like Christmas when UPS showed up with 8 big boxes filled with the remnants of Perley's life. (to be continued)

Perley, The True Story of a New Hampshire Hermit

My Book!

Why I wrote "Perley"

It wasn't until my father died in the year 2000 that I really became interested in the family history. Unfortunately, with his passing I realized that I had lost an invaluable resource to the past. And I had never questioned him in detail about the family history. In fact before he died I didn't take the time to find out what questions needed asking. Like so many I was tied up with my own family and raising my children. It wasn't until I started sorting through all the family pictures in that infamous box of old photos in the attic that I realized I didn't know half the people in them and, of course, no one had bothered to label them. It took me a while but with other family members help, I was able to figure out who most of these people were and it made me wonder how many family pictures my remaining aunts, uncles and cousins might have, all of us being something of packrats. (to be continued)

If you would like a copy of "Perley"

To order a copy of "Perley" go to the Historical Society of Cheshire County's website www.hsccnh.org Thanks!

Excerpt from 1904 diary

Friday, June 10, 1904

"Papa went over to Frank Knight's place to help Mr. Howard load some hay.
Eleven or more cattle went down to the mill. We went down later after sawdust.
Mr. Howard lost his hat off going home and after he got home he came back after it.
This a.m. I went down to the mill, there was three fisherman there.
Mr. and Mrs. Wellman came over here to look at our cows."

Why I wrote "Perley"

Perley touched a lot of people with his lifestyle, his friendships, his generosity and sometimes even his stinginess! So many people have memories and stories of visiting him, that we have all come to the conclusion that the term "Hermit," when applied to Perley, may be a little bit of a stretch. But it is thanks to everyone's willingness to share their memories, stories and pictures of Perley along with his letters and poetry, that I have been able to collect a library of information about him. And it is through that information that I was able to piece together Perley's life story and the story of those that influenced him. Through this blog I hope to expand on Perley's story and delve deeper into his life.

Leaving a comment

Because I am so new to this I'm not sure I understand exactly how to leave a comment but a few people have mentioned they had a hard time doing it. I guess the easiest way would be to leave your comment as "anonymous" (when you scroll down the list for a signature) but sign your name so I know who it is. Otherwise I think you need have an account. Hopefully I will figure it out more as I go along!

Excerpt from Perley's 1904 diary

June 11, 1904

"Joe Waldron came over and sawed a little and this P.M. went back. I went over to Mr. Pepper's but he had gone to Keene. Mr. J.E. Verris(?) and three other men came over Chandler Hill and looked Mr. Pepper's and Mr. Proctor's timber lots over. Mr. Verris has put a new steam mill in Stoddard. Papa went with them to show them the timber. We found some ripe strawberries today."

One of the things that surprised me the most as I started my research into Perley's life was that I expected him and his family to be totally isolated, living so far out of town in the wilderness. I thought they had to fend for themselves with very little contact from neighbors, but just about every entry in Perley's diaries (at least the early ones) show almost daily contact with atleast one or sometimes several neighbors. Everyone in the family seemed to be going in different directions. It really makes you realize how much everyone relied on their neighbors for help.

1908 letter from Helen to Perley

Dear Mr. Swett,

Are you at home now? I have been intending to write before but didn't know where to address the letter. And I have been pretty busy this summer.

We have about 120 bushels of popcorn, we don't raise any field corn. Two of our neighbors had huskings this fall and I went to them and have been to two or three parties at our neighbors. I expect to go to a Poverty Party next Friday night. Did you ever go to one?

Is there any fires over that way? There have been two or three small ones round here.

From your twin-sister,

H.E.W.

This is a letter that Helen Whitney wrote to Perley in 1908. Those of you that have read the book know that Perley married Helen in 1911. She says "twin sister" because both Helen and Perley were born on the same day and year, February 6, 1888. Does anyone know what a "poverty party" is? - Sheila

Perley's diary 1904

August 25, 1904

87d. at 7:30am Pleasant. Southwest wind.

While we were after berries last night Mr. Pepper came over and two city people from Munsonville stopped here.
Mr. Howard brought a barrel of flour which he got for us.
Mr. Pepper came over. Everett Dyer came over.
We went to Munsonville to see Aunt May and Ocie Whittier.
Some city people went by; two teams of them.
I got a new pair of .75c shoes today. I weighed 113 lbs.

Excerpt from my book

Let me introduce you:

My Grandfather, Perley Swett, dug his own grave, both literally and figuratively.

"Perleyism"

"How easy to become a famous hermit just by not moving or dying"

Perley - The True Story of a New Hampshire Hermit

This is the cover to my book. We will be going into our 3rd printing soon. I have been amazed at the interest there has been in it. By doing this blog I am hoping to get the word out to more than my hometown area of Cheshire County, New Hampshire. Also, for those of you who have read the book and would like a little more info on Perley I will be regularly adding excerpts from the book and diary entries, letters, poems, etc. from Perley himself.

Trial run

This is a trial run. I know nothing at all about setting up blogs but will give it my best try.

This is a sketch of my grandfather, Perley Swett. It was drawn by Arthur Tremblay in 1975. His son Tony was kind enough to let me use this image for my book, Perley - The True Story of a New Hampshire Hermit.

The reason I am setting up this blog is to give additional information to all the people who have been so supportive and interested in my book and Perley's life.