Name/Title
Memoirs Ethelbert CecilEntry/Object ID
2008.011.0001Description
8 1/2"h x 6 7/8"w x 1"d medium brown leather bound book of numbered leaves of handwriting by Ethelbert Cecil. Spine title=Memoirs Ethelbert Cecil
Mr. Cecil, born on July 30, 1763, was very interested in scientific and practical agriculture. According to p. 161, he selected articles in magazines and newspapers to copy and annotate for the edification of local farmers. He does not give his specific location beyond always mentioning lower Maryland on the western shore. [There is a brief mention of his property line in Ben Tippett's Survey Book B, p. 270.] Beginning on p. 173, he wrote a personal history of some fifty-three pages, discussing his family, especially his father, his education, and his life as a farmer. Because of his father's wishes, he was denied training as an artist, but kept on drawing and painting most of his life. There are a few drawings in the book. There are four pages of index at the end, done by the author. The handwriting is quite good; most information can be read without transcribing. There are some unfortunate cross-outs in his personal history; whether done by the author or a later person is difficult to say. The ink does appear to be similar.
The book has 29 pages numbered with Roman numerals and over 200 pages numbered with Arabic numerals. It is an impressive accomplishment in a time of no electric light, expensive paper and ink, and very little leisure time.
The pages have been bound into a book. Some of the pages have been augmented with tissue to help them lie flat, but it was not done for all the pages; some have information down in the binding. The first page and index pages were not given enough leeway and are quite damaged.
Highlights: p. XXIX pen and ink profile of adult male
Page numbering anomalies: The author skipped over p. 93 in the Arabic numbering
There are 5 pages numbered 121
Between Arabic numbered page 183 and 191 are two pages
with invisible numbers. The binding is broken and very
rough and the text does not track, so there are likely missing
pages. The leaf for pages 190-191 is entirely loose.
P. 212 was mistakenly numbered 112 by the author
p. 1-6 Chapters 1 & 2 of the author's thoughts on morality and the well-lived life were created for an acquaintance who died suddenly, so Mr. Cecil stopped writing those thoughts
p. 7-44 recipe for persimmon beer, remarks on various crops, veterinary remedies, land measurement, soil science, several articles on potatoes, cider making, eradicating pests, crop rotation
p. 45-46 discussion of and drawing of an improved harrow
p. 46-52 examines tobacco culture, thinks it has impoverished the county and is a poor choice for farmers
p. 52-79 fertilizers, recipe for French cement, feeding rutabagas to stock, tillage
p. 80-83 Conclusion
p. 84-156 Essays copied mostly from American Farmer--"to Friend Skinner," notes on domestic economy, marriage, and child-rearing, grass, wheat, and corn cultivation, the agricultural habits of the farmers of lower Maryland, dairying, garden crops, manure management, soil analysis, more crop rotation, a theory of vegetation, a "letter from an older to a younger brother," moral reflection
p. 156-157 article on a seed rake and a wonderful drawing of the implement
p. 158-161 agricultural implements and tools
p. 161-172 "Final conclusion" reflections on good husbandry and the well-lived life
p. 173-226 "Memoirs of myself" tells about his family, especially his father, his up-bringing and education, especially moral education, his thwarted hope for artistic training, etc.
A great-grandfather, William Cecil, had land on Beggar's Neck and in Scotland that he acquired. This great-grandfather had five sons, Luke, Arthur, William, John, and Matthew, plus two daughters Margaret (Thompson) and Ann (Brown). Luke and Arthur, E. Cecil's grandfather, received the Scotland lands. Arthur had two sons, John and James, John being E. Cecil's father. John Cecil had a first wife and several children, few of whom survived to adulthood. He married Miss Newton, with whom he had more children. Ethelbert was the only survivor from that marriage. James, John Cecil's brother, died in 1774 and divided his land between his brother John and a half-sister. John married a third wife, a Norris, who was too old for child-bearing. She died in 1792 and John died in 1793, aged about 70. Ethelbert discussed this man at length--he was moral and upright to an extreme degree and did not suffer fools gladly. He required good behavior of his surviving son. Ethelbert began drawing in elementary school and loved it. He also became proficient in woodworking and designed several tools. He was a very quiet person, seldom speaking in company. He spent several pages on his education after he had finished formal schooling. He devotes several pages to female fashion, the Valentines he drew, and paper folding. He moved on to an exposition on living beyond one's means. He also had much to say about good and bad government. He announced on p. 206 that Charles Wilson Peale had been approached to take him as a pupil, but Mr. Peale required 300 guineas for this service. Arrangements were made to pay the sum later and in kind, but John Cecil begged his son not to go, fearing for his behavior in the wicked city. Ethelbert acquiesced, but he went on and on about doing it, so it must have been the disappointment of his life. There are more pages about fashion and clothing. He describes his friend Henry Sewall and discourses on friendship generally. On p. 218, Ethelbert announced his marriage to an un-named woman on February 4, 1792. He said he very seldom painted after that. He wrote at length about people who did not understand the necessity for hard work when beginning to "keep house." He apparently had a hard go for several years and found he had quite a temper, but he worked hard to master it. Ethelbert spent several paragraphs on the best treatment of slaves. On p. 223, it became apparent he had done the writing about his life while ill with erysipelas (painful skin infection). As an afterthought, he mentions that his mother's brother, Joseph Newton, married a Miss Greenwell, who had a small fortune. The couple had several children and lived the high life, but eventually the money ran out. Ethelbert regarded this as only fair. The account ended abruptly with no date mentioned--perhaps the erysipelas killed him.
Index pages: The author made a topical index to both the Roman and Arabic pagesCollection
Mary E. Morgan CollectionDimensions
Height
8-1/2 inWidth
6-7/8 inDepth
1 inDimension Notes
Details: Page size varies from 7 1/2"h x 6"w to 8"h x 6 1/2"wLocation
Container
Mary E. Morgan CollectionShelf
Rack 07, Shelf 2Rack
Rack 07Wall
West wallRoom
Archives 1Building
Tudor HallContainer
Mary E. Morgan CollectionShelf
Rack 07, Shelf 2Rack
Rack 07Wall
West wallRoom
Archives 1Building
Tudor HallContainer
Mary E. Morgan CollectionShelf
Rack 07, Shelf 2Rack
Rack 07Wall
West wallRoom
Archives 1Building
Tudor HallRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Brown, Ann CecilPerson or Organization
Carbery, John BaptistPerson or Organization
Cecil, Arthur (fl. 1729)Person or Organization
Cecil, Ethelbert (1763- )Person or Organization
Cecil, James ( -1774)Person or Organization
Cecil, John ( -1729)Person or Organization
Cecil, John (17??-1793)Person or Organization
Cecil, John (fl. 1729)Person or Organization
Cecil, Luke (fl. 1729)Person or Organization
Cecil, Matthew (fl. 1729)Person or Organization
Cecil, William (fl. 1729)Person or Organization
Newton, JosephPerson or Organization
Scott, CuthbertPerson or Organization
Sewall, Henry2Person or Organization
Thompson, John B.Person or Organization
Thompson, Margaret Cecil (fl. 1729)