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Rebecca Gore continued...
She lived at a time when the work and influence of
women were seldom documented. Her opinions and her
philosophy are little known to us, yet she lives on,
in the home she helped design, in the furnishings
she chose and in the writings of her family and friends.
Born in Boston in August 1759, Rebecca Amory Payne
was the third child of Edward William Payne (1721-1788)
and Rebecca (Rebekah) Holmes Amory (1725-1799), both
of Boston. In that year, her parents were living on
Eastern Point in Gloucester with their twin daughters,
Sarah and Mary. Mother and child returned to Gloucester
where Rebecca was baptized when she was 3 days old.
By 1752, Edward Payne, and his partner James Perkins
had founded a mercantile fish business in Gloucester
with a store, a wharf and a flake yard for drying
fish. They also owned a number of fishing vessels
as well as coastal and foreign trading ships. At this
time, Payne represented the town of Gloucester at
meetings held in Boston protesting British taxes.
The partnership of Payne and Perkins proved quite
successful but after 9 years, they sold their interests
and the Payne family returned to Boston. Payne continued
to be involved in European trade and, after the Revolution,
opened an insurance office, making him a leading business
man in Boston. When the Massachusetts Bank was chartered
in 1784, Edward Payne became a director.
Little is known of Rebecca's childhood. In a family
history, her brother William (1762-1827) describes
their father as “honorable” and “well
respected” and their mother as “amiable.”
By her own account, Rebecca enjoyed excellent health
throughout her life outliving her brother William
and their twin sisters.
In 1785, Rebecca married the prominent Boston attorney,
Christopher Gore. They shared a love of books, of
horticulture and of nurturing children. In letters,
Gore revealed a true affection and concern for his
wife. Although they had no children of their own,
they frequently took charge of nieces and nephews
as well as the children of Rufus and Mary Alsop King.
King, the United States Senator from New York, was
a political ally and lifelong friend to Christopher
Gore.
In 1789, Christopher and Rebecca purchased what is
now Gore Place and it was to this estate they returned
after eight years in Europe. Rebecca helped design
the mansion house built in 1806. Here for the next
25 years they would live at least part of every year
surrounded by congenial friends, enjoying what Christopher
refered to as “Happiness and Tranquility”.
Letters of family and friends such as Lydia Lyman and
Sarah Ripley, speak of the warmth of Rebecca’s
Waltham society. Sarah, in particular, writes about
Rebecca’s “famous fruit parties” and
praises Mrs. Gore for her “wisdom.”
Rebecca died in 1834, six years after Christopher,
leaving few letters. Her nephew William gives the
best description we have of our intriguing “leading
lady”:
“With a mind above ordinary women, was united
a kindness of heart and a disinterestedness, which
showed itself in deeds and not in words. Without
children she was a mother to those of two families.
Fond of retirement and domestic quiet, she loved
to have her friends about her. Devoted to the
care of a sick husband, she still kept up her
intercourse with society and fulfilled her duties
to it. An active member of society, none could
live within the circle in which she moved without
being affected by her influence.”
Information cited is from the collections of the Massachusetts
Historical Society, the New York Historical Society,
the Harvard University Libraries and Gore Place Society.
Summary from research by Jane Wiker, guide and researcher
at Gore Place.
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