griffing@fnal.gov

Gorham R. Walton was James S. Griffing's roommate during the 1851-1852 school year at Wesleyan University. The following letter was mailed to James from Bucksport, Maine, where Gorham worked as a professor at the East Main Conference Seminary:

Bucksport [Maine]
February 21, 1853

My Dear Old Chum:

Received your letter today – have expected one for some time in answer to one I wrote to Columbus, Ohio, which it seems you did not receive. I hope you may receive it however, as I believe there are some things in it which I have now forgotten but which I would like to have you read. I remember however that I wrote to you that if it suits your pleasure, I would be happy to have our correspondence continue without interruption for a good long time. And as you are at present a moving planet and may not always receive my letters, don’t cease to write for that reason for I do assure you, your letters will always be acceptable and will, I think, always receive a speedy notice from me. At any rate, please consider the case thus till I inform you to the contrary. I answered your last letter according to your directions though perhaps not quite as soon as I ought.  Though very soon after I received yours, I believe. I should be rejoiced to see you and hope to be able to do so some time next spring or summer, if we are both well.

You speak of a project by which we may be enabled to spend other days & perhaps years together. I must confess to you that I almost shrink from such an idea, for I remember bitterly how unkindly I sometimes treated you at Middletown [Connecticut] & perchance this demon of my evil nature might prompt me to [do] the same again. I am sorry to mention this but deeply regret some things which transpired at college. I am not blessed with so mild, so forgiving a disposition as yourself, and when I get exhausted from over study or over labor of any kind, I am apt to be irritable and unsocial. This disposition, which I sometimes manifested towards you at Middletown, I now sometimes indulge towards our music teacher and give her a sad countenance, if nothing more, for a long time. The girl is silly enough to have more regard for me than I naturally deserve and would be glad to be on social terms at all times [with me]. But sometimes I feel unsocial & then I treat her coldly. [She,] being quite sensitive, soon finds out something gone wrong and she too becomes unsocial, and so it goes. When I feel free from my “blue companion” I resume my hotter nature, talk with the lady and she as kindly returns the favor. So we spend about half the time in himy sober and the other half in a merry good time. But I aim to reform, to maintain more equanimity. But laborious teaching is hard business for a disposition so ignorable as mine.

Our last term was easier than the preceding. We numbered only about 56 students in all. We commenced at 8 ¼ A.M. and closed about 4 ¼ P.M., teaching about 7 hours – one hour less than the Fall Term. We closed our Winter Term [on] February 16th and are now having a week’s vacation, when our Spring Term begins and continues 11 weeks, at the end of which we have an examination & another week’s vacation when our Summer Term commences & continues 11 weeks, at the end of which we have our long vacation [of] 5 weeks. [1]

I shall probably remain here if they desire it another year and during that time shall decide upon my future course in life, which is now uncertain. My situation here is an agreeable one & I do not wish to leave it, but chum, I am unhappy, sometimes very unhappy, I have no guiding star. I cannot enjoy so much religion as I might and I have no fixed object ahead to strive for. In college it was otherwise and I was happy, but college life with all its joys is over & I almost lament it. My college friends are all so far from [here] that I am lonesome & hear from but few. But the worst of all is I am in the dark as to my future course. I dare not decide upon the ministry for I am not quite sure that I am a chosen vessel & I almost fear to take my other course lest I offend Him who has a right to me and my services & whom if I served as faithfully as I ought would call me to devote myself to His service alone. To be plain, Chum, I am afraid I shall be called to preach though I do not now feel that I am positively thus called. Again, I am afraid if I should preach, I should not be an acceptable, faithful & humble minister, desiring only my Master’s glory & the sinner’s good. Again, I fear if I should study law, which I should feel inclined to do if I did not decide on the ministry, I should enter into the excitement and corruption of politics, forget my God and my religion & even my own soul & do nothing for the good of others. So I am raked and tormented by contrary impulses without knowing which way to turn or what course to steer. But this I am resolved to do – to let God decide this matter and abide by the decision.

Your project of our taking a Theological Course together and going west I will consider more fully. I had not thought much of going west to preach, though if a lawyer, I should think the west a good opening. I have thought something of taking a Theological course at Bangor, Maine, at a Congregational Seminary. I am quite sure I never shall go to Cono__.

[Your chum, -- Gorham Walton] [2]

[1] "In 1848 the Eastern Maine Conference of the Methodist Church held its first meeting in Bangor and proposed the establishment of a seminary or what we would call a preparatory school. Bucksport offered the land and raised $25,000 for the project. East Maine Conference Seminary opened in August 1851 to a class of 13 boys and 14 girls. In 1888 the school had 526 students. It closed in 1933 after Bucksport opened its first public secondary school." Source: Tom Parker

[2] Gorham Rollins Walton was born in Mercer, Somerset County, Maine in April 1826 and died 22 Sep 1866. He was the son of Maine farmer Joshua Walton (1797 - Aft. 1860) and Mary Rollins (1800 - Aft. 1870). Their seven children included:

Sylvanus Boardman Walton, born 1818, died 1893 (a school teacher)
John Walton, born 3 Feb 1821, died 29 Mar 1890 (a farmer)
Gorham Rollins Walton, born Apr 1826, died 22 Sep 1866
Isaiah C. Walton, born 16 Apr 1830, died 25 Dec 1901
Sylvester Joshua Walton, born 23 Apr 1837, died 13 May 1920
Stephen Decatur Walton, born Sep 1842, died 16 Sep 1898 (a factory worker)
Mary E. Walton, born July 1849, died 24 Oct 1859

Gorham Walton's mother, the former Mary Rollins (or Rawlins) was the daughter of John Rollins (or Rawlins) and Deborah Cromwell. Mary Rollins had an uncle named Gorham Rollins, whom she undoubtedly named her son after.

griffing@fnal.gov