When Lucretia was twelve years old, the family moved to Boston.  At first all the children attended a private school; but Captain Coffin, fearing this would make them proud, removed them to a public school, where they could “mingle with all classes without distinction.”  Years after Lucretia said, “I am glad, because it gave me a feeling of sympathy for the patient and struggling poor, which, but for this experience, I might never have known.”

A year later, she was sent to a Friends’ boarding-school at Nine Partners, N.Y.  Both boys and girls attended this school, but were not permitted to speak to each other unless they were near relatives; if so, they could talk a little on certain days over a certain corner of the fence, between the playgrounds!  Such grave precautions did not entirely prevent the acquaintance of the young people; for when a lad was shut up in a closet, on bread and water, Lucretia and her sister supplied him with bread and butter under the door.  This boy was a cousin of the teacher, James Mott, who was fond of the quick-witted school-girl, so that it is probable that no harm came to her from breaking the rules.

At fifteen, Lucretia was appointed an assistant teacher, and she and Mr. Mott, with a desire to know more of literature, and quite possibly more of each other, began to study French together.  He was tall, with light hair and blue eyes, and shy in manner; she, petite, with dark hair and eyes, quick in thought and action, and fond of mirth.  When she was eighteen and James twenty-one, the young teachers were married, and both went to her father’s home in Philadelphia to reside, he assisting in Mr. Coffin’s business.

The war of 1812 brought financial failure to many, and young Mott soon found himself with a wife and infant daughter to support, and no work.  Hoping that he could obtain a situation with an uncle in New York State, he took his family thither, but came back disappointed.  Finally he found work in a plow store at a salary of six hundred dollars a year.

Captain Coffin meantime had died, leaving his family poor.  James could do so little for them all with his limited salary, that he determined to open a small store; but the experiment proved a failure.  His health began to be affected by this ill success, when Lucretia, with her brave heart, said, “My cousin and I will open a school; thee must not get discouraged, James.”

The school was opened with four pupils, each paying seven dollars a quarter.  The young wife put so much good cheer and earnestness into her work, that soon there were forty pupils in the school.  Mr. Mott’s prospects now brightened, for he was earning one thousand dollars a year.  The young couple were happy in their hard work, for they loved each other, and love lightens all care and labor.

But soon a sorrow worse than poverty came.  Their only son, Thomas, a most affectionate child, died, saying with his latest breath, “I love thee, mother.”  It was a crushing blow; but it proved a blessing in the end, leading her thoughts heavenward.