Naturalist, Huggins, Memoirs of an American Lady, Rafinesque, P. T. Barnum, W.C. Brann, Pickle
Ever heard of Mrs. Anne Newport Royall? This lady was a Common Scold*.
What's a "common scold"?. Why was she one and how was she punished for being one?
As you shall see, Anne Newport Royall was as, Phineas T. Barnum called her, "the eccentric old lady" and after suffering from one of her diatribes said, " I have seen some fearful things in my day - some awful explosions of tempestuous passion, but never have I witnessed such another terrible tempest of fury as burst from Mrs. Anne Royall". But she was much more; a newspaper editor, a critic of men and women alike, an author of a group of books that describe in detail, and a fair amount of criticism the life and times of our country from the turn to the middle of the 19th century, but first and foremost she was a self anointed(?) defender of the United States!
Who was this lady "libber" long before Molly Ivers, Carol Foreman, Hillary Rodman, Ellen Goodman, Gloria Steinmann, &c., came on the scene? Anne Newport was born near Baltimore on June 11, 1769. At the age of three her family moved to Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh which was very much on the frontier. Indian raids were common place as they attempted to stem the tide of the immigrants moving west and many of the settlers as well as Indians died. Her father died when she was sixteen and her mother moved the children to Virginia hoping to find support for herself and children. Charity was available to those who showed a creative spark and willingness for hard work and Mrs. Newport found employment in the household of Captain William Royall. And, here begins the story of Anne's strange and most interesting life.
Captain Royall has been described as a puttering, scholarly recluse; in other words an eccentric. Anne, her half-brother and mother lived in the household of the Captain and for twelve years, she was under the watchful eye of The Master. He was delighted to discover that she possessed an intelligence hidden under cover of a menial servant's lack of formal education. He took it upon himself to educate this one he termed his "Galatea" and carefully exposed her to the lode of information in his extensive library. She emerged from semiliteracy and became as he described her the "most learned woman in all the country". So went her life until when she was 28, the Captain fell in love with this object of his own creation.
In the autumn of 1797 when she was working, sowing seeds, she was summoned to the house. She was told to take the saddled horse which had been prepared for the purpose; return to the house and get married. She did, and she was - all in one day! Until the Captain died when he was 63, some sixteen years after they were married, they continued their studies. Anne was his equal in the reading and understanding the works of philosophers as well as his staunch support of free-masonry. Never has a man poured so much of himself into a project and they were, according to records, a most happy couple. Both were acknowledged as eccentric - he by his own desire and she by the careful shaping of her knowledge of the world-about and how she should respond.
He died; and while his will left his entire estate to Anne, his family protested; and through the Court, denied his wishes and her inheritance. Anne Newport Royall was essentially destitute and for the next six years ranged from Alabama, to Washington D.C. to Richmond, Virginia, at first "sampling the ways of mankind", then with almost a missionary zeal, attempted to establish a pension for herself as the wife of Captain Royal, who had been a gallant participant in the Revolution and most surely deserving of the Country's support. Now at this point, most people's lives would be considered finished - rising from poverty, marrying a rich and respected member of the community, living a happy married life, becoming a widow at a fairly young age, going out to see the world, having her fortune snatched from her by the action of the Court, going to Washington to plead her case for a pension from the Government (which she rightly deserved) and then living out the remainder of life with little to claim of value. Such was not to be the case for our "Anne".
Obtaining the pension became problematic as the city of Richmond had been mostly destroyed by fire and her husband's records lost. With her unmitigated gall she sought help, and found it in the person of John Quincy Adams (In the course of his support for Mrs. Royall, he became Secretary of State, a Congressman, and finally President of the United States), not a bad choice for a friend, for a penniless old woman of 55 years hard-riding and being put-away-wet. But yet the pension was not forthcoming so Anne decided that writing a book was perhaps the solution to her present financial problems. Now consider this was in 1824-25, Florida had just been purchased from Spain, the Missouri Compromise on slavery had been reached to accord an equal number pro and con entering states to the Union, the foundation of the Monroe Doctrine was being set with republics of Mexico, Columbia, &c. being recognized, and boundary expansion to settle the West was underway. So for a woman to undertake to write a book that would encapsulate the goings-on of the Country, and to expect to find subscribers was at the least, a great leap in faith. But, Anne Newport Royall was not without faith in her own abilities!
And write she did. She researched New England and produced Sketches of History, Life and Manners in the United States, by a Traveller. The book was well commented on, and sold well according to Irving Wallace's writings on Mrs. Royall. In the book, her caustic tongue was unleashed and she was not about to let a misstatement of untruth be found in her writings. But one book did not make for a secure future and it was only by a stroke of perhaps "divine intervention" that her next book writing project was found.
In 1826, the country was being divided in thought by two camps, the Masons and the anti-Masons. Politically, spiritually and economically the two groups were engaged. Unfortunately, a book written, disclosing the secret rituals of the Masons, by a Mason and the author became cause celebre. The author, William Morgan, was in jail having been arrested on charges of bad debts and petty theft (Charges supposedly trumped up by the Masons to remove Mr. Morgan from circulation and to curtail distribution of his book). He was removed from the jail by men who paid his bail, over his protest and he disappeared, never to be heard from again. The Country was ablaze with rumors that his "removal" was the work of the Masons. And, the Masons were worried, they needed a defender of their cause to prevent discredit to their order. Their leaders remembered Captain Royall and his charge who was a spirited supporter. Acknowledging her first book had given no quarter to stuff and nonsense, and that no woman had a better knowledge of the purposes of the Order, they made a bargain with Anne. She was to be paid to research as she would choose, and write as she pleased and if she had a good word for the Masons, so be it. Of course she agreed, these were men she respected, money while well and good, was not the object -- writing was.
In the next three years, Mrs. Royall wrote four books, in nine volumes. They were extensively researched, well written and were to serve the reading public well. The books, The Black Book, Letters from Alabama, A Southern Tour (in three volumes) gave a most accurate picture of the American scene, much better than Trollope's jaded view of the Country through the eyes of a disgruntled English woman. If then her writing was so much appreciated by the public, how did she come to be charged as a "Common Scold"?
First, let's see how Webster defines a common scold. According to Webster, a common scold is (or was) a habitually rude and brawling woman whose conduct is subject to punishment as a public nuisance. Decide for yourself if trying Anne as a common scold was justified, I don't think so. She lacked propriety in attacking problems but you can't quarrel with the results, too bad for those she crossed who had thin skins!
In the course of Anne's research and writings, she became focused on the wayward teachings and actions of Evangelical clergymen. In particular she made enemies of the members of a Presbyterian congregation that lived near her in Washington D. C. A member of the group and its most prominent member was called by Mrs. Royall, " a damned old bald-headed son of a bitch". This, because he had impregnated Mrs. Royall's maid, the resulting union being a bastard child. Another of the group, she called "Love Lady" as he had been observed in one of the Nation's park, attempting to convert a young lady to his religion while they were both in a state of undress. She called the female members of the congregation, "Miss Dismals", and the male members, "Hallelujah Holdforths". Not surprising, the group sought retribution, and they found it in charging her as a "common scold". She was tried in the courts of the District and although strongly defended was found guilty. The penalty, as in England, was to be publicly dunked. However the judges in the case in seeing the severity of the punishment for so trivial a "crime", decided to fine Anne instead and the fine of ten dollars was imposed; the fine being readily paid by her friends. So having been accused, tried, convicted and sentenced, she was a common scold! Does this end our story, of course not.
Now at the age of sixty-three, Anne Newport Royall began a new career. She was to become a publisher, editor, journeyman, publicist, advertiser, assembler, hawker and other titles as may be assumed for a newspaper for which she became famous. (This before the Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Times rose to prominence as being the "investigative sole of the press".) She wrote, " Let it be understood that we are of no party. We will neither oppose nor advocate any man for the Presidency. The welfare and happiness o f our country is our politics. To promote this we shall oppose and expose all and every species of political evil, and religious frauds without fear, favor or affection... Let all pious young ladies who hawk pious tracts into young gentlemen's rooms beware, and let all old bachelors and old maids be married as soon as possible." As a side note, it is important to say that in Anne's time, newspaper editors were much more outspoken than they are today. Up until the turn of the century, many carried guns to protect themselves and some were killed by advocates of causes that they attacked. William Cowper Brann was one of these editors that dared to attack the status quo. Another was J. M. Dixon, who wrote the "Experiences of a Blind Editor", who while not being injured by his opponents, carried a gun in fear that they might attack him. Printing presses were often removed from the offices in the dark of night and dumped into the rivers to silence the press. How sad it is that our current editors and their minions haven't the backbone to stand up and say what is right and proper for the defense of our country and its mores.
Anne Newport Royall, published first Paul Pry and later The Huntress, newspapers which never gave quarter to those she saw as foes to the Republic. (It was in a visit to Anne by P. T. Barnum where she accousted him as being a scoundrel, a traitor, a rascal, a hypocrite, a spy, and an electioneering fool; all because Barnum spoke in defense of Martin Van Buren' candidacy for president.
Imagine if you will, that Anne continued to write and publish her beloved papers until 1854 and at the age of eighty-five, she wrote her last squib on the then President, Franklin Pierce. A surprisingly mellow editorial that perhaps reflected her own view of how times were changing. She died on October 1, 1854, a pauper, laid to rest in the Congressional Cemetery, her estate lacking funds for a tombstone and totaling according to records, thirty-one cents. But no stone could properly cover this lady, no mausoleum contain her spirit. And opponents in life could not silence her tongue. Here lies a Great Lady!
***
Much that I have written comes from Irving Wallace's book, The Square Pegs, published by Knopf in 1957. But to fully appreciate Mrs. Anne Newport Royall, one must read her books. Her descriptive writing, calling a spade a spade, and her attention to detail, of course, are important; but she revealed her self in her writings and it is as if she is sitting before you telling you the story of her travels that makes her a most memorable person. She is recording events of the day (which we now call history) and without here writings we would have no appreciation of the circumstances which we call hardships but which were just every day occurences. When she talks (writes) of fleas, you feel them hopping and biting and have a subconcious desire to scratch.
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