The Whole History of Grandfather’s Chair
In the 1840 story, The Whole History of Grandfather's Chair, Massachusetts author Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the tale of the wedding of John Hull's daughter. In a passage, Hawthorne describes Hull's attire and the decorative Pine Tree coinage:
"On the wedding day, we may suppose that honest John Hull dressed himself in a plum-colored coat, all the buttons of which were made of pine-tree shillings. The buttons of his waistcoat were sixpences; and the knees of his small-clothes were buttoned with silver threepences. Thus attired, he sat with great dignity in Grandfather's chair..."
As a dowry, Hull gave the groom his daughter "Betsy's" weight in Pine Tree Shillings. Although the mintmaster did have a daughter, her name was Hannah, and the groom received £500, not her weight in shillings.
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