William Cobb Guided Walking Tour

Home (12 Grove Street)

We live at 12 Grove Street. The house is modest but comfortable, with two bedrooms upstairs for the children and one for Charlotte and me. There’s a parlor, kitchen, and a small study where I keep some of my old herb journals and receipts. Charlotte keeps the home running smoothly while I am out, and she often makes supper by the time I return. The twins help with chores and study at the kitchen table in the evenings. Grove Street is peaceful, lined with old trees and close enough to the shop that I can walk each morning. We have a small garden in back where I grow a few herbs like mint and lavender to use in my remedies.

Jarvesville Store (2 Pleasant Street)

A few times a week, I stop at the Jarvesville Store on Pleasant Street to purchase herbs, oils, and other supplies I need to keep up with medicine-making. The store sells dried chamomile, elderflower, willow bark, and other useful plants. Sometimes they receive shipments from Boston with rarer ingredients I like to stock up on when I can. The store is small but well-kept, and the clerk, Mr. Pratt, always sets aside anything special he thinks I might need. It’s important I keep a good relationship with him so my customers don’t have to wait too long for their remedies.

Thomas Hatch's House (8 Summer Street)

After I close the shop in the evening, I sometimes stop by my friend Thomas Hatch’s home on Summer Street for a drink. He and I have been friends since we were boys, and we both enjoy unwinding with a bit of whiskey or beer while discussing the day. Thomas works in carpentry and always has stories from around town. His wife usually lets us be in the sitting room while we talk. It’s a simple pleasure, but one I look forward to after a long day standing and mixing medicines. We talk about the war and sometimes write letters to our friends who are off fighting. We also sometimes make rounds to their wives to drop off medicines or baked goods when we have time. 

Town Hall (130 Main Street)

Once a month, I attend the town meeting at Town Hall to discuss matters concerning the war and how it affects our town. Lately, the meetings have been focused on organizing support for Sandwich men who have gone off to fight. We talk about supply drives, funding stipends for families left behind, and how to keep our industries running with so many gone. I’ve donated medicines to be sent to the regiments, and I’ve offered to teach others how to make simple remedies in case supplies run low. The war weighs heavy on all of us, and these gatherings help remind me that we are not alone in our concern or our efforts. Even those of us who aren’t fighting have a part to play.