Though very little has been written about Patty Benjamin Washburn, her influence has been eloquently told in the lives of her seven sons who achieved political, military and industrial prominence during the Civil War era and the years that followed. She is the only mother in the United States to have four sons elected to Congress. Among her brood were also a banker, an inventor and three daughters.
Patty, whose given name was Martha, was born in 1792 in Livermore, Maine, the daughter of Tabitha Livermore and Lieutenant Samuel Benjamin. Her father had served in the Revolution from Lexington to Yorktown and Patty was proud of his record. So proud was she of her family name that she gave it as a middle name to four of her children.
Uneducated but intelligent, Patty possessed a greater than average interest in political affairs and the welfare of the infant republic. In 1812 she was married to Israel Washburn whose interests paralleled hers. Life on their farm in Livermore was primitive and Patty’s lot was not an easy one. She bore eleven children, losing one in infancy. Her hands were never idle for on the farm there was much to do, but always she found time to teach her children her own happy philosophy and fire them with ambition to rise above their present station in life. Early she taught them the dignity of hard work, the value of study and the importance of sticking together.
In the summer of 1819 Patty Washburn, already the mother of four sons, was expecting her fifth child. Much as she loved her little boys she hoped this time she would bear a daughter. Another fond wish was that the child would be born in the State of Maine rather than the District of Maine. For as long as she could remember there had been talk of separation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, but at times she despaired of it ever coming to pass.
In the little store where her husband Israel dispensed rum, molasses, tobacco, salt, and other goods to his fellow townsmen, separation had long been the prime topic for discussion when customers lingered after doing their trading. Sometimes the discussion was heated when divergent opinions were expressed, but always men listened to Israel’s views and respected them. Proof of their faith in his judgment lay in the fact that they had elected him to represent the town at the General Court of Massachusetts since 1814.
Patty shared Israel’s keen interest in public affairs. Even now she was less concerned with her own condition than with the future of the District. With relief and satisfaction, she heard Israel’s report that statehood was assured by the overwhelming vote in favor at the last referendum. As summer wore away into fall, events were moving rapidly toward separation. Neighbors Ben Bradford and Thomas Chase, Livermore’s elected delegates, attended the constitutional convention in Portland. All the proceedings were thoroughly discussed in Israel Washburn’s store and were faithfully reported to Patty by her husband.
In December, when the people of Maine voted 9,040 to 796 in favor of the Constitution, statehood seemed certain. So it was with utter disbelief the news was received that Maine’s application for statehood had become entangled with the “most inflammatory issue of the day – the extension of slavery beyond the Mississippi.” Like most residents of the District, Israel and Patty were apprehensive that Maine would not be admitted before the March 4 deadline.
Patty’s disappointment that statehood had not yet been achieved was completely eclipsed by her joy in the birth of her first daughter on Feb. 6, 1820. The first-born son had been named Israel for his father, and the first daughter was named Martha after the mother. As Patty placed the child in the pine cradle that Israel had made in 1813, she thought of the four sons who had in their turn been rocked to sleep in its ample comfort —Israel, Jr. now almost seven years old; Algernon Sidney, five; Elihu, three; and little Cadwallader, not quite two. She felt a surge of pride in her growing family.
Already Patty was dreaming great dreams for her sons. Soon after the exciting news reached Livermore that on March 15th Maine was at last admitted to the Union, she shared one of her great dreams with Mr. Strickland, the ferryman. Pointing to Israel, Jr., she said, “I expect that little boy to grow up and become governor of the State of Maine one day.” (Her prophecy was fulfilled 41 years later.) She had equal ambitions for her other sons, and when they had to manhood they did not disappoint her. Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, as well as Maine, were touched by their greatness. As Patty once said, “No one state is big enough to hold them.”
The busy, happy days passed quickly and little Martha had just marked her second birthday when a son, Charles (1822) was born. Less than two years later another son arrived and Patty named him Samuel Benjamin for her father. On Nov. 11, 1825, a second daughter, Mary, was born. The homemade cradle was scarred and battered now, but it was destined to be used for three more children of Israel and Patty Washburn.
Next came William Drew (1827), and Patty, at age 35, rejoiced in her brood of nine active children. Her happiness was short lived for little William died soon after his first birthday.
Trouble in other forms also beset the family. The little store was in financial difficulty. Israel had more, far more, on the books than in the till. Too many customers were like Samuel Park of Dixfield whose September order read “three gallons of rum, one gallon of molasses, one pound of tea, and I will pay you next winter.” Always Israel had found it difficult to refuse to extend credit, and now, after twenty years of being too generous, there was only one way out of his financial problems. All the stock in trade was sold at sheriff’s sale and the farm was mortgaged to his brother, Reuel Washburn. The bankrupt storekeeper turned to farming and for a few years, the family knew extreme poverty. After the death of her seventh son, Patty had sadly stored the old cradle in the attic, but in 1831 it was restored to its rightful place downstairs. Another son had arrived and Patty said, “Let’s call him William Drew, too. He’ll take the place of the little lad we lost.”
When Patty was forty-one and Israel forty-nine (1833) the third daughter, Caroline, was born, completing the roster of eleven children. These last two babies, fondly called Willie and Callie, were the children of their parents in later years and they doted upon them. The four older boys were seldom at home now. Israel, Jr., was reading law with Uncle Reuel; Algernon Sidney was working for a merchant in Boston, Elihu and Cadwallader were working at whatever jobs they could find. No one could foresee that another decade would find them carving out careers in three different states.
Patty was a dreamer as well as a doer. She dreamed great dreams for her sons which they fulfilled. Wherever they went they carried out their duties with distinguished ability and untarnished records, extending Patty’s influence far beyond the family fireside. Patty was justly proud of her seven sons, among whom were two governors of two different states, four Congressmen from four different states, one Captain in the Navy, one General in the Army, one Secretary of State, one United States Senator, and two Foreign Ministers. She was equally proud of her three daughters who did exactly what was expected of women in their era. They were fine women, faithful wives, and devoted mothers.