The Brick Store Museum holds over 30,000 pieces of archival material written by historic Kennebunkers. The Voice from the Past feature will share compositions from the museum’s collection. This week’s column comes from a 335-page journal by William Symonds to his daughter, Susy, which he started writing in 1866.

March 1866

To Susy

To pass away many weary hours at sea I have amused myself by writing these few pages – so that, if it is of no amusement for you it has been a wonderful help to me – and as such I have saved it.

William Symonds Brick Store Museum photo

These weary, weary hours – at sea when books, tasks thoughts are all dull and insipid – a new resource is hailed with joy and – as such – remembered afterwards. Should I again – someday see these pages again, charity for my own bantling will spring from the remembrances of the lonesomeness that gave it birth. As such let it be to you Dear Susy – and to any other under whose eye it may hereafter come – pass it by unheeded and unobserved.

I begin now to look upon myself as one of the Patriarch of the Sea – I believe a twenty five years experience give claim to that little – and I shall soon arrive thereto in a few more months. It is queer to me that I should have grown up into such an experience – feeling as I do, inwardly – as young again as ever. Perhaps with other years may come wisdom – to know myself as others know me – to see myself as I am seen – but just now I have it not – but like the old Athenian in the Fable – look only backward – and see neither present or future.

Twenty six coastwise trips and almost forty times crossing the ocean – with one solitary trip half way round the world. Altogether makes up a distance if traversed off into space would nearly reach the moon. Perhaps I may be spared to finish the distance yet – but I cannot hope for that issue in preference to that other one of home and kindred when I remember the day that this is the anniversary of an of her who has thus far shared my sorrows and joys. May the coming years bring yet coming happiness for us both, and all.

There remains now only to tell you in few words where I have been, and what I have seen, for the last thirty eight or nine years – as well as I can recollect.

William Symonds

Cynthia Walker is executive director of the Brick Store Museum. She can be reached at cwalker@brickstoremuseum.org or 207-985-4802.