Edward Coffin Jones Bedroom

The adjacent room has been installed as Edward Coffin Jones’s (1805 – 1880) bedroom. This room may have been used as a nursery when the Jones family lived here. The extension of the elevator is in the left corner and opposite is a dressing room with a marble sink. The bed has a rope structure underneath supporting the straw-filled mattress. The rope can be tightened when the mattress appears to sag. The saying “sleep tight” comes from tightening the rope. A basin on the nightstand was filled with water for brushing teeth, shaving or other grooming needs. Indoor toilets and plumbing were installed on the first floor by the time Edward purchased the home, so a chamber pot would not have been necessary. However, it is important to note that while affluent homeowners like Edward had access to modern conveniences such as indoor plumbing by the mid-19th century, the majority of households were not as fortunate. Many families still relied on alternative methods for their sanitary needs, such as a chamber pot. It wasn't until later in the 19th century that toilets became more common and accessible to a wider range of individuals. 

The wooden medicine cabinet atop the dresser would have been used on board a ship and it contains 19th century remedies. A wing chair dating from the 1770s has been reupholstered and suggests a place for Mr. Jones to rest between journeys. Near the chair is a staff carved with the names of the ships for which Edward Coffin Jones was agent. The signal book Mr. Jones used on his voyages showing the red circle of the Jones signal flags rests on the desk along with a chart. The long wooden telescope on top of the desk was used in the cupola of the house by the Jones girls watching for their father’s returning ships. The print above the desk shows the Ship Emma flying the Jones flag with the red circle.