Rambles about Portsmouth. Sketches of persons, localities, and incidents of two centuries: principally from tradition and unpublished documents. By Charles W. Brewster.

CAPT, DANIEL FERNALD. 259
occurred March 7, 1866, at the age of 98 years 3 1-2
months.
About the time of the close of the Revolution the house
was ow ned by Capt. Nichols, a merchant, brother of Nathanl
Nichols who occupied the Gardner house, and of Ichabod,
who at the same time occupied the Buckininister house.
Nathan and family occupied the southern half of this house,
and his mother and a maiden sister occupied the end on
Howard street. Rev. Dr. Nichols o[ Portland wats a son
otf Nathan.
In 1788, Capt. D.niel Fernaldr married a daughter of
Samuel Nichols, and became an occupant of this house, lhalf
of' which he purcllased, and the other half became his wife's
)v illheritance.
We called on the old gentleman a few years before his
death. He was feeblte, and his hearing somewhat imnpaired,
but lie was as warmlhearted, and his recollection of early
events as good as ever. The events of the day he was also
able to keep in mind: for he told us he had attended
church a few weeks previous and listened to his good
pastor, Dr. Peabody. To the inquiry what did lie preach
about'? lie readily responded, "about Mary and Martlla
lred the one thing needful. I could not hear all he said,
but was able to spell out much of it.' How few
church attendants there are Twho are able to repeat a
text a fortnight after listening to a sermon.
He showved us his old long lost family record, whicl lhad
recently been found, written on tlle leaf of an old bible,
anll wafered to the cover. By it we learn tllbat his ftller
was George Fernaldc, who was born on tlhe Island now the
Nav Yard, ill 1721, and was ma-rried in 1761 to Alnna
Leach, born in 1744. Ie was a regular descendant of Dr.
Reginald Fernald, who was one of the first emigrantsi to
New Hampshire.
The island was a family inheritance, and would now be