(b. 1836)
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Mary Huske Pearce was determined to improve herself, as evidenced in her letters to her cousin, William N. Tillinghast.Some of Mary’s letters are in the Tillinghast papers.
In 1845, when Mary was 8 years old, her mother Eliza Mildred Lewis Pearce died. Mary’s aunt Anna Maria Pearce joined the household to take care of Mary and her brother Oliver who was 4 years old, and sister Eliza who was 2 years old. It may be that Mary’s mother died in childbirth; born in 1844, Cicero Pearce is listed in the household of Jane and William Denslow Pearce. Many records indicate they were Cicero’s parents, but by the time he is a teenager, he is in the John Wesley Pearce household with Mary and her siblings. Mary’s father remarried in 1847 to Laura Martine who was only seven years older than Mary. In 1851, Mary’s half-brother James Martine Pearce was born. Her stepmother died in 1855. In addition, her family was involved in the care of her cousin John P. Pearce, who was Mary’s age, and insane. It was during these times of change in the family that Mary attended the Burwell School and Louisburg Female Academy [1].
MARY HUSKE PEARCE (Updated July 2017 by a BSHS Researcher)
Mary Huske Pearce was a student at the Burwell School during 1851 when she was fourteen years old. She studied here and also at Louisburg Female Institute.
Mary came to the Burwell School from Cross Creek, which today is Fayetteville. She was the daughter of merchant John Wesley Pearce and his first wife, Eliza Mildred Lewis of Franklin County. Mary’s grandparents had come to Fayetteville as merchants from New York. Her great grandfather was a surveyor in the Hudson River valley, and owned a great deal of property.
Mary found at the Burwell School not only a good education but also a place of care. Her mother had died in 1845. An aunt came to live with Mary, her brother Oliver, and her sister Eliza. In addition, a cousin, John Pearce, who was insane, was in care of the family. In 1847 Mary’s father remarried, to Laura Martine. In 1851 Mary’s half-brother James Martine Pearce was born. It was during these times of change in the family that Mary attended the Burwell School.
While she was at the Burwell School, she wrote wonderful letters to her cousin which have been preserved in the Tillinghast papers at Duke University Library. Today we enjoy walking along the Riverwalk. In a letter of November, 1851, Mary wrote about walking along the railroad bed:
"We took a walk of about two miles the other evening to see the railroad, which I know you will be glad to hear, is progressing. They have a considerable way raised to the same height, though a great deal more work is necessary to make it sufficiently even. It runs through Mr. Norwood's wheat field, where the young wheat is just peeping above the ground, and we left it at the foot of a tremendous hill, which it seems almost impossible to cut down, though I hope industry and perserverance will be able to effect it. The road is now as solid as our Plank-Road, so planks would not be necessary had we the Hillsboro clay, which you see is of some perceptible use, after all. The Hillsboro people seem to take a good deal of interest in the work; a good many were walking upon it, while we were there----more young men indeed, than I thought the town afforded, and I believe, they expect it to be finished in three years."
After she left the Burwell School and Louisburg Female Academy, Mary returned to Fayetteville. She lived with her brother Oliver and sister Eliza. The last documented mention of Mary is from the 1880 census, when she was 43 years old. She is living on a farm in Cross Creek with her brother Oliver and sister Eliza. Later census reports show that Oliver moved to Alabama and Georgia, where he married and raised a family, ending up in Florida as a potato farmer.
Mary’s ancestors were of note. She was the granddaughter of Rebecca Chase and Nathan Pearce who moved to Fayetteville as merchants from New York in 1825. Nathan Pearce was the son of Benoni Pearce of New York and his second wife Ruth Tweedy. Benoni Pearce was the son of Nathan Pearce (1707-1790) and Abigail Spink; Nathan Pearce was a surveyor in New York especially along the Hudson River valley. Through the descendants of Benoni Pearce, Mary Huske Pearce was related not only to Pearce and Huske families, but also to West, Robinson, Stark, Tillinghast, Alves, Hogg, Norwood, and Kirkland.
Mary's cousins Annabella Giles Norwood and Mary Elizabeth Robinson were also students at the Burwell School.Annabella Norwood married Benjamin Robinson Huske, cousin to Mary Huske Pearce and son of John Huske, Jr. and his second wife Ann Tillinghast. Ann Tillinghast was the daughter of Paris Jencks Tillinghast and Elizabeth Pearce Tillinghast, Mary Huske Pearce’s great aunt. Mary Elizabeth Robinson was the daughter of Benjamin West Robinson and Joanna Ann Huske, who was Mary Huske Pearce’s cousin. Joanna Ann Huske was the daughter of John Huske, Jr. and his first wife Joanna Jencks Tillinghast. Joanna Tillinghast was the daughter of Paris Jencks Tillinghast and Elizabeth Pearce Tillinghast, Mary Huske Pearce’s great aunt.
From the Book of Burwell Students by Mary Claire Engstrom:
Mary Huske Pearce of Fayetteville was a student at the Burwell School in 1851 and perhaps earlier, but did not return for the spring session of 1852. Two of her surviving letters, preserved in the W.N. Tillinghast Papers in the Perkins Library at Duke University, picture a warm-hearted, highly intelligent girl, bent on improving herself as Mrs. Burwell (Margaret Anna Robertson) urged all Burwell girls to do.
Her letter of September 27, 1851, written from the Burwell School to her cousin William N. Tillinghast, states that they cannot get "novels or tales" to read at the Burwell School, so she has turned to reading history, "Maria Antoinette, for example." "I believe you have an idea that I do not take exercise enough, so I will try to clear myself on that point by telling you---that on each of these cool mornings, while some of the girls were huddling around the fire, I have been running up and down the hill several times, which kept me warm the whole day. And when it is too warm for that, I always take exercise in the evening by walking about.
We now have to write composition every week, and I know you would feel sorry for me, if you knew how difficult it is for me, especially as we have to write something imaginative, and I am nearly exhausted of subject, substance, and everything else.
Cousin Ben Huske (Benjamin Robinson Huske) has thirteen scholars. Armstead [sic] Burwell (Armistead Burwell) goes to him, and is always very careful about preparing his lessons, getting to school on time, &c. He says, "Mr. Huske (Benjamin Robinson Huske) makes us walk a chalk line"; and I believe he is generaley considered as being pretty strict.
I expect you will be glad to hear we have changed our French teacher. Miss Molly Burwell (Mary Susan Burwell ) now fills Miss Kollock's (Sarah Jane Kollock ) place, and is much more gentle. I never know how well I loved Miss Sarah (Sarah Jane Kollock ), until now that I am seperated [sic] from her. She is in Oxford, and I am really anxious to see "La petite" as we call her."
Mary adds that she has received a little pen-knife (in Sarah C. Ray 's bundle) which she presumes is a gift from W.N.T (William N. Tillinghast): "All the Fayetteville girls are well and in good spirits, Lucy Gilchrist (Lucy Gilchrist) sends her love to you, and Sarah her respect. Your affectionate cousin, Mary H. Pearce."
Another letter of November 1, 1851 to William N. Tillinghast describes Robina Norwood 's self-improvement program with considerable admiration:
"...I had the pleasure of seeing Miss Bell and Rob Norwood (Robina NorwoodWe took a walk of about two miles the other evening to see the railroad, which I know you will be glad to hear, is progressing. They have a considerable way raised to the same height, though a great deal more work is necessary to make it sufficiently even. It runs through Mr. Norwood's wheat field, where the young wheat is just peeping above the ground, and we left it at the foot of a tremendous hill, which it seems almost impossible to cut down, though I hope industry and perserverance will be able to effect it. The road is now a solid as our Plank-Road, so planks would not be necessary had we the Hillsboro (Hillsborough) clay, which you see is of some perceptible use, after all. The Hillsboro (Hillsborough) people seem to take a good deal of interest in the work; a good many were walking upon it, while we were there----more young men indeed, than I thought the town afforded, and I believe, they expect it to be finished in three years. Cousin Ben (Benjamin Robinson Huske) made a promise last night of giving the boys holyday, when the railroad whould be finished, and seemed to consider it a very safe one, but Armstead Burwell (Armistead Burwell), I believe, thought himself certain of it in a very short time.
We had a picnic on the mountains, some time ago, though I think it was since I wrote to you. We were assembled in the school-room as usual, not even suspecting we were to have holydays, when Mr. B (Robert Armistead Burwell) entered and told us we could go to the mountain, if we wished. I can tell you we quickly concluded, (as one of the girls remarked) that "unexpected pleasures were better than unknown quantities," and joyfully assented. We spent a delightful day---took our dinner, sitting on the grass around the Mountain Spring---quite romantic. Was it not? We went to Panther's Den, which I suppose you have often visited. You remember the dripping rock near it. I think it is beautiful---more so than I can express---indeed the whole scenery is lovely."
William N. Tillinghast wrote from Fayetteville to his brother John A. Tillinghast at (Oaks) on February 2, 1852, "I suppose Sister told you that Miss S___ Ray (Sarah C. Ray ) had gone to Cheraw [to her "Uncle Coit's"] and that Mary P[earce] had remained in Lousiburg. We are all very sorry to lose our belles; but it is so much better for Mary to be away from home (how miserable a situation)---"
Mary Pearce's "miserable situation" appears to have been that her brother(?) Tom Pearce had become mentally deranged. The Tillinghast Papers mention also a Mr. Samual Pearce and "Cousin Nan" Pearce who may or may not have been Mary's parents (letter of Sept. 6, 1850 from Thomas H. Tillinghast to John H. Tillinghast, Bethmount [Oaks], Orange County.). The Tillinghast Papers indicate that Mary Pearce finished school at the Louisburg Female Seminary with flying colors [1].
Mary Huske Pearce was born in 1836, in Cumberland County, NC.
finished school in Louisburg [1]. and Mary Elizabeth Robinson .