THE DEWITTS
SAM PEMBROKE
1869.…
It was a beautiful early spring day in Fall River. A young man named John DeWitt was walking his nineteen year old bride out of the church. Jessica Brownell DeWitt was everything a wife should be. She was loyal, kind, and gentle. John DeWitt was twenty years old and a shipbuilder's apprentice. He worked at the Shiverick Shipyard in the Taunton River. He was rather tall for someone his age, and his brown eyes gave him an air of peace. He was relatively easy going. His temper, when he released it; never got him into any trouble. He met Jessica Brownell in late 1868, when he was running errands for his father; John DeWitt senior. Jessica was the daughter of the Republic's top general: Thaddeus Brownell. The Brownell family lived in New Bedford. Jessica was the last of the Brownell children to be born. Many people avoided her, because they found her odd. Jessica was pleasing to the eyes; her auburn hair and green eyes were the biggest features she had. She was neither tall, nor stout. Most different about her, she hated wearing corsets. She didn't like the way they felt on her body, and most certainly didn't like wearing the bustled dress that was custom to wear.
Today however, all differences and similarities were put aside; for John had just wed the young Jessica Brownell. The marriage almost didn't happen. Her mother was against the marriage, and her father thought she'd only be good enough to live in Taunton State Hospital. Secretly, he wanted his daughter to get married so that she'd screw up, and John would have no choice but to throw his wife in an institution. John's family wanted his son to get married. He entered the shipbuilding trade when he was seventeen. He wished to become a naval architect and design a modern fleet for the republic. His father fought in the republic's civil war, spanning from 1851 to 1856. His regiment was called "The Dartmouth Guard" named after the town they enlisted from: Dartmouth. During the war, the DeWitt family was guarded by republican troops; they were that important. John took a liking to the sea at an early age. He would often draw pictures of ships, down to the technical details. His father suggested that he take an apprenticeship at the Shiverick Shipyard in Fall River, one town away. He gladly took the job. He made quite successful inroads at the company, he was loved by all the workers there.
Jessica however, didn't have it so easy. Instead of pumping money into her education, she was tutored at home due to her "erratic" behavior. Her family didn't like her too much. The Brownell's were about power, and Thaddeus had power. Her mother, Alicia was domineering and never let Jessica have any fun or have any friends. She was downright cruel to her daughter. Her mother gave all of her love to her brothers and sisters, but never to Jessica. She even referred to Jessica as "it." Thaddeus wouldn't even speak to his daughter, and when he did; he often would end each sentence with "you belong in an institution Jessica." Why did Jessica have to endure all of this torment? Unbeknownst to them, Jessica was very intelligent and saw through their lies and deceit. She told her mother that she was going to marry the man she saw running around New Bedford: John DeWitt. Her mother just laughed at her and told her that she wouldn't last for merely a month. Jessica wanted to prove them wrong.
For their honeymoon, they went somewhere upstate. It was during their honeymoon that John impregnated Jessica. The news of the pregnancy spread quickly. John's family was happy for them. Jessica's family on the other hand, was shocked.
"Who does he think he is, getting my daughter pregnant?" Thaddeus lamented.
"They'll have to give up the baby. She's not able to care for it herself." Her mother retorted.
She was several months along in her pregnancy now, and it was taking a toll on her health. She was ordered to remain in bed by her doctor. They picked out names for the baby: if the baby was a girl, they'd name her Ruth. Jessica was attracted to the name Ruth. If the baby was a boy, they'd name him after John's father: John DeWitt. John secretly wished for a son, whom he could also teach about the art of ship design. If they had a daughter, he'd make sure that she was brought up well, and given the finest education the republic offered. In John's mind, children were not meant to be just seen and not heard. He would want his children to participate in family functions (when time allowed). He also hoped Jessica would be there to witness his child grow up. He hoped they wouldn't stop at just one child. They put her family on the back burner and deemed that they would not see their grandchildren.
The DeWitt's lived at 501 Oak Street in Fall River. The house was large and modest, but not gaudy or oppressive. The walls were painted in dark colors. The master bedroom was spacious, with their bed in the center of the room. Off to the side was a cradle for the new baby. The front windows in the room overlooked Oak Street. The back yard was rather large for Fall River, as land was at a premium. John bought the house for next to nothing, and moved in right away. His days were spent mainly at Shiverick, where he was working on designs for a new cruiser the Connecticut. Jessica lay in bed all day, barely moving. This greatly worried John. He urged that the child be born in a hospital, but Jessica loudly vetoed that notion. She wanted the baby to be brought into the world at home surrounded by her and John. That is what would make her happy. She could hardly wait for the new baby. Some days, after John had left for work Jessica would get up and walk around briefly. She knew the risks that she took, but she needed the exercise.
Christmas, 1869 was spent at home. John's family came to visit. He was the oldest of five children. The youngest was only eleven years old. She couldn't comprehend the true severity of Jessica's situation. That Christmas, they received many things for the new baby, like socks and clothes. Jessica's family didn't even send her anything. The Brownell's had seemed to forgotten about Jessica. This was good for Jessica, for she didn't need to worry about what her parents thought about her. Christmas was a joyous time, and everything was put on the back burner. As the rest of the DeWitt's left to go back to Dartmouth, John settled in upstairs; having no idea that this would be the last Christmas he'd spend with Jessica.