Burbidge Family Valentine, 1913

This Valentine’s Day post honors Samuel Silver and Jemima Kimball, who were married on this day, just 685 years ago.

They are 7th great-grandparents to my children and their many cousins in our 4Family Cummings line. According to the Amesbury, Massachusetts town records, they were married on 14 February in 1733. [efn_note]Vital Records of Amesbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield, Mass.:The Topsfield Historical Society, 1931), 481. The date is written in the Julian Calendar, which was used at this time in Massachusetts.[/efn_note]

Because of their Puritan beliefs and traditions, they probably did not celebrate Valentine’s Day. Even without Cupid’s arrow, though, their tradition did encourage them to court and marry for love’s sake. Below is a love poem written by an early Puritan, Anne Bradstreet, to her husband:

To My Dear and Loving Husband

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were lov’d by wife, then thee;
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me ye women if you can.

I prize thy love more than whole Mines of Gold,
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that Rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee, give recompence.

Thy love is such I can no way repay,
The heavens reward thee manifold I pray.
Then while we live, in love lets so persevere,
That when we live no more, we may live ever.

                                       —Anne Bradstreet

There are no love poems, that I know of, written by either Samuel or Jemima, but there is one document in which Samuel professed his love. In his will of 4 January 1770, Samuel declared Jemima to be “my well Beloved wife.” Besides his love, he bequeathed her a portion of his property.[efn_note]“Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881,” database and images, New England Historic Genealogical Society (https://www.americanancestors.org/DB515/rd/13855/25335-co1/247767862 : last accessed 13 Feb 2019), search term> Samuel Silver.[/efn_note] He wrote:

“I give and bequeath to Jemima my well Beloved wife one cow, three sheep & one swine and the southerly Part of my now Dwelling house (viz)  the Lower room with a Privilege Sufficient for her in the Chamber and Cellar. Together with all my household goods.”

After being married for nearly 40 years, this might make the better Valentine and so “persevere” their love!