Yale University Library 39002008719198 liyXETVERVT^J YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Presented by the Author Etm byDCHiutnan Lrom a cjayon sketch \>y RomLrnndt Pczdeni lb.e possession of Ceo Gibbs ,Est(. <0) \u II " 7 JBTrR 'W CD 1L* C O T T„ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OP THE COUNTY OF LITCHFIELD, CONNECTICUT: COMPRISING BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF DISTINGUISHED NATIVES AND RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY; TOGETHER WITH COMPLETE LISTS OF THE JUDGES OF THE COUNTY COURT, JUSTICES OF THE QUORUM, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, JUDGES OF PROBATE, SHERIFFS, SENATORS, &c. FROM THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY TO THE PRESENT TIME. BY PAYNE KENYON KILBOURNE, NEW YORK: CLARK, AUSTIN & CO., 205 BROADWAY. NDCCCll. itrj EMIGRANT SONS AND DAUGHTERS 'tLQT©!M][FDlIlL©® ©@(yMTYaQD THIS VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS. PAGE. Preface, > 7 -Ethan Allen, .... 9 - Oliver Wolcott, ll. d 24 John Trumbull, ll. d 39 Seth Warner, 53 Nathaniel Chipman, ll. d 70 , Samuel J. Mills, Sen'r 75 Daniel Chipman, ll. d. 81 Stanley Griswold, 84 Martin Chittenden, 89 •Samuel J. Mills,, Jr., 92 — Ephraim Kirby, . . . 103 John Cotton Smith, ll. d 107 Ira Allen, 117 Jonathan Brace, 121 ^-Bezaleel Beebe, 126 Frederick Wolcott, 132 Augustus Pettibone, ... 135 Nathaniel Smith, 137 Horace Holley, ll. d 140 Abraham and Phineas Bradley 154 Richard Skinner, ll. d 161 Joseph Vaill, 164 David Bostwick, 175 Ebenezer Foote, . . 181 Daniel S. Dickinson, 187 VI PAGE. r_Jedediah Strong, 193 Edmund Kirby, 196 Ambrose Spencer, 203 William Ray, 210 Timothy Merritt 221 Henry W. Wessells, 225 Amasa J. Parker, ll. d 233 VElijah Boardman, 237 Elisha Whittlesey 242 Junius Smith, ll. d. 246 Peter B. Porter, 258 Nathaniel W. Taylor, d. d. 261 Joseph I. Foote, d. d. 263 William Thompson Bacon, 269 Frederick Whittlesey, 273 Samuel S. Phelps, 277 John Pierpont, 283 Jeremiah Day, d. d., ll. d 289 Ebenezer Porter, d. n. 291 Horatio Seymour, ll. d. 303 Thomas Day, ll. d 307 Nathan Smith, 310 Frederick A. Tallmadge 3J3 Arphaxad Loomis, 315 William W. Boardman, 319 John Milton Holley, ..... ... 321 Mrs. Laura M. Thurston, 324 Francis Bacon, 336 Charles G. Finney, 341 George B. Holt, 344 Ebenezer Porter Mason, .... . , 349 Brief Sketches, &c, 353 Appendix, County Officers, &c, . . 3g] PREFACE " The history of nations," says Plutarch, " is little else than the history of its warriors, sages, poets and philosophers." In a similar sense, this volume may be properly entitled a history of Litchfield County. The author has endeavored to collect and pre serve in a durable form, the prominent incidents in the history of some of the more conspicuous personsages, who have spent their lives among us, or who have gone out from our borders and distin guished themselves in other fields of usefulness and fame. The body of the work is devoted exclusively to sketches of natives of the County, who are either numbered among the dead or who are residents abroad. The rule thus adopted, must of course exclude not a few men, now high in office and honor at home. These, and many other natives and former residents of the County, are briefly noticed at the close of the volume. Litchfield County is the youngest in the State in point of organi zation — having been incorporated at the October Session, 1751. Much of the land, moreover, having been very rough and unin viting, some of our towns were the very last in the State to be set tled. Persons are now living who can remember when wolves and other wild animals inhabited the " Green Woods" and other regions in the northern part of the County. When, therefore, we take into consideration the newness of the country around us, and the privations and hardships incident to pioneering in the midst of mountains, and rocks, and swamps, and interminable forests, such as our fathers here encountered, we have no fear in comparing the number and position of our great men, with those of any other region of no greater limits and population. Most of the materials for this volume have been collected from original sources ; at the same time the author has availed himself of such other facts and sketches as have fallen in his way, without, in all cases, giving credit. He has aimed to make his work as correct as possible, though even in that particular, it is by no means improbable, that errors of date or otherwise, may now and then be discovered. He hopes it will prove an interesting and valued memorial to those for whom it is especially intended. Litchfield, August 4, 1851. BIOGRAPHY. ETHAN ALLEN. Among the most conspicuous in laying the foundation upoft which the 'independent State of Vermont has been reared, and indeed the leader and champion of that lesolute band of hus bandmen, who first planted themselves in the wilderness of the Green Mountains, was Ethan Allen. He was born in Litchfield,* January 10, 1737. His parents soon after wards removed to Cornwall where other children wete born, making in all six sons and two daughters-^-Ethan, Heman, Heber, Levi, Zimiri, Ira, Lydia, and Lucy. The family sub sequently became residents of Salisbury, where, in 1762, Ethan was one of the proprietors of the Iron Furnace. All the brothers grew up to manhood, and at least four of them emigrated early to the territory west of the Green Mountains' where they all were active and conspicuous characters in their border feuds and in the Revolutionary struggle — and the name *Biographers have differed in regard to the place of his birth. Hinman says he was a native of Roxbury : Allen's Biographical Dictionary calls him a native of Cornwall; Salisbury has also been named as his birth place. Si.arks and Barber have correctly designated Litchfield as the place of his birth — his birth being recorded upon the records of that lown His father was Joseph Allen be morey proper, to comply with, or refuse the request of the House t These opinions in Writing, and your attendance, will be expected at 12 o'clock to-morrow. George Washington." With the Fourth Congress, (1797,) the administration of Washington closed: Was it strange that there were few smiles on his last reception day, or that tears fell from eyes unused to them upon the hand that many pressed for the last time 1 The relation in which the Secretaries had stood with the President* had been one of respectful but affectionate intimacy. Famil iarity with him was a thing impossible, but the most c&rdial and unreserved friendship was extended to all whom he trusted and esteemed. Wolcott, among others, had enjoyed much of the domestic society of the President's house. His gentle and graceful wife had been regarded with maternal solicitude by Mrs. Washington, and was the friend and correspondent of her eldest daughter. His child had been used to climb, con fident of welcome, the knees of the chief; and, though so ma ny years his junior, while Wolcott's character and judgment had been held in respect by the President, his personal and social qualities had drawn towards him a warm degree of in* terest. On leaving the seat of Government, Washington presented, it is believed, all his chief officers, with some token of regard. To Wolcott he g.tve a piece of plate. Mrs. Washington gave his wife, when visiting her for the last time, a relic still more Interesting. Asking her if she did not wish a memorial of the General, Mrs. Wolcott replied, "Yes, I would like a lock of his hair." Mrs. Washington, psmiling, took her scissors and cut off for her a large lock her husband's, and one of her owm These, with the originalsof the President's letters, Wolcott pre' served with careful veneration* and divided between his survi ving children. , s-s " On the retirement of General Washington," says Wolcot t,. * being desirous that my personal interests should not embar rass his successor, and supposing that some other person might be preferred to myself, I tendered my resignation to Mr. Ad ams before his inauguration. The tender was declined, and I retained office under my former commission." On the 8th of November, 1800, Mr. Wolcott sent the Pres ident his peremptory resignation of the office of Secretary of the* Treasury — which was accepted by Mr. Adams- At Mr. Wolcott's request, a Committee was appointed by Congress. to examine into the condition of the Department which he Jtad vacated. The Committee consisted of Messrs. Otis, Nich olas, Griswold, Nicholson, Wain, Stone, and Craik ;. who, af-. ter a thorough investigation, unanimously reported that " the financial concerns of the country have been left by the late Secretary in a state of good order and prosperity." The subject of this notice had now, and as he supposed for ever, retired from public life. The necessities of his family required that he should at once enter upon some active em ployment for their maintenance — his whole property consisting at this time of a small farm in Connecticut, and a few hundred; dollars in cash. He had the satisfaction of going out of office poorer than when, at the first establishment of the Government,, he entered upon the duties of the auditorship. Men had not in those days acquired the art of becoming rich in the public service — though even then our officers were not exempt from the charge- of peculation and fraud. It was a period character- ized by unprecedented bitterness of party spirit. The stc* reotyped charge of defalcation, made by the organ of'the Jef- fersonian party, the Aurora, and other kindred prints, received a momentary impulse from two events of the winter of 1800- 1801. Fires successively occurred in the buildings occupied; by the W^r and Treasury Departments. Furious attacks were. at once made upon the federal officers, of which Wolcott re^ 36 * eeived his full proportion. The fires, as a matter of course, were attributed to design, and party malignity vented itself in accusations of the most attrocious kind. The fact that the persons under whose charge the Departments had so long been, had resigned, and that the federal party itself was on the eve of going out of power — that predictions of such occurrences had been among the thousand calumnies of hack editors— gave a tempory but only a temporary coloring to those falsehoods. A Committee of the House was appointed on the 10th of Feb- ruary, to examine into the cause of these occurrences — a ma jority of whom were members of the opposition. The Com mittee reported that in regard to the fire in the War Depart ment there was "• no evidence whatever on which to ground a suspicion of its originating in negligence or design ;" that concerning the fire in the Treasury Department, "they had obtained no evidence which enables ihem to form a conjecture satisfactory." — and therefore " choose to report in the words of , the witnesses themselves." The published testimony of those witnesses, (though unsatisfactory to a party committee,) fully exhonorated Mr. Wolcott from all blame in the eye of the public. Mr, W. now left Washington and repaired to Middletown, Connecticut, where his family had for some time resided; His resources but little exceeded what was necessary to satis' fy his family expenses for a few months. Most unexpectedly to him, he was nominated by President Adams as Judge of the United States Circuit Court for the second district, embra cing the States of Connecticut, Vermont, and New York — which nomination was unanimously confirmed by the Senate. This was a proud day for Wolcott— a day which forever silen; ccd the calumnies of his political and personal enemies, both' in and out Of Congress. Partizan libelers no longer dared to throw out their base insinuations relative to the burning of the Treasury building, for th.e object of their vengeance was shield- S7 ed by the unanimous vote of the American Senate, a targe pro> portion of whose members were his political opponents. On the 3d of March, 1801, the ascendency of the federal party in the United States ended, Mr. Jefferson succeeding Mr. Adams in the Presidential chair. In 1802, the Judiciary Act under which Mr. Wolcott had been appointed to the Judgeship, was repealed. He then took up his residence in the city of New York, where he engaged in mercantile business, in company with nine other gentlemen, with a capital of $ 100,000. During the succeeding year, the Merchants' Bank, a joint stock corporation, was created, and he was elected its President The hostility of De Witt Clinton and Governor Lewis, however, shortly after destroyed it by effecting the passage of the act known as the 'restraining act.' It was subsequently re-incorporated, and flourished for many years under the Presidency of the late Lynde Catlin, Esq., also a native of Litchfield. On the expiration of the charter of the first Bank of the United States, Mr. Wolcott employed nearly all his capital in establishing the Bank of America. It was incorporated in 1812, and he was chosen its first President, which office he held until 1814, when, in consequence of political differences between himself and the directors of the institution, he resign ed. About this time, (in connection with his brother, the late Hon. Frederick Wolcott,) he commenced the extensive man ufacturing establishments at Wolcottville, near Litchfield. In 1815, he returned to his native town, and in the follow ing year was placed in nomination by the democratic party as their candidate for Governor of the State of Connecticut, but was defeated. In 1817, he was elected Governor; and the same year he was chosen a member of the Convention which formed our present State Constitution, and was called to pre side over the deliberations of that distinguished body. He w^s annually re-elected Governor for ten successive years. 3-8 Governor Wolcott subsequently returned to New York, and| died, there on the 2d of June, 1833,. He was the last survivor of Washington's Cabinet. The departure of few men from the world, ever produced a moie deep and general feeling of sorrow. AH felt that, a W>sl important link in the chain that united the present generation with the era of the Father. of bis Country, was broken... John trumbull The family of Trumbull was among the early settlers of New- England. Their ancestor came from England, and in 1645 fixed his residence at Ipswich in Massachusetts. His son, John, removed to Suffield, in this State. He had three sohsj John, Joseph,' and Benbni. The Rev. Benjamin Trumbull-. D. D., the historian of Connecticut, was a grandson df Benoni ; Joseph settled at Lebanon, and at his death left one son,-Jon- athan Trumbull, who was Governor of the State during the Whole of the revolutionary war, and whose patriotic exertions are amply recorded in history. Two of his sons were Jona than Trumbull, afterwards Governor of the State, and John Trumbull, the celebrated painter, whose merits have long been distinguished both in Europe and America. The subject of this sketch was the grandson of John Trum bull, eldest son of him who first settled at Suffield. He was born on the 13th day of April, old style, in the year 1750, in the then parish of Westbury, but since formed into a separate town by the name of Watertown, in Litchfield county. The settlement of that village was begun a few years before his birth. His father, who was the first pastor ol the Congrega tional church in that place, was a good classical scholar, high ly respected by his brethren, and for many years one of the Trustees or Fellows of Yale College. His mother was a daugh ter of the Rev. Samuel Whitman, of Farmington, in Hartford, and grand-daughter of the Rev. Solomon Stoddard, D. D;, of Northampton, Massachusetts. 40 Being an only son, and of a very delicate and sickly constl1 tution, he Was of course the favorite of his mother. She had received an education superior to most of her sex, and not only instructed him in reading, from his earliest infancy, but find- ing him possessed of an extraordinary memory, taught him all the hymns, songs, and other verses, with which she was ac quainted. The Spectator and Watts' Lyiic Poems were the only works of merit in the belles-lettres, which he possessed. Young Trumbull not only committed to memory most of the rhymes and poetry they contained, but was seized with an un accountable ambition of composing verses himself, in which he was encouraged by his parents. The country clergy at that time generally attempted to increase their income by keep ing private schools for the education of youth. When he was about five years of age, his father took under his care a lad, seventeen years old, to instruct and qualify him for admission as a member of Yale Cpllege. Trumbull noticed the tasks first imposed — which were, to learn by heart the Latin Acci dence and Lilly's Grammar, and to construe the Select Collo- loquies of Corderius, by the help of a literal translation. With out the knowledge of any person, except his mother, he began the study of the Latin language. After a few weeks, his fath er discovered his wishes, and finding that by the aid of a better memory, his son was able to outstrip his fellow-student, en. couraged him to proceed. At the Commencement in Sep tember 1757, the two lads were presented at college, examined by the tutoTs, and admitted as members. Trumbull, however, in consequenee of his extreme youth at that time, and his sub sequent ill health, was not sent to reside at college until 1763, , He spent these six years in a miscellaneous course of study, making himself master of the Greek and Latin authors usually taught in that institution, reading all the books he could meet with, and occasionally attempting to imitate, both in prose and verse, the style of the best English writers whose works he 41 could procure in his native village. These Were of course few. Paradise Lost, Thompson's Seasons, with some of the poems of Dryden and Pope, were the principal. On commen cing his collegiate life, he found little regard paid to English composition, or the acquirement of a correct style. The Greek and Latin authors, in the study of which, only, his class were employed, required but a small portion of his time. By the advice of his tutor, he turned his thoughts to Algebra, Geome try, and astronomical calculations, which were then newly introduced and encouraged by the instructors. He chiefly pursued this course during the three -first years. In his senior year he began to resume his former attention to English liter ature. Having received the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1 767, he remained three years longer at college as a resident graduate. Being now masteF of his own time, he devoted himself chiefly to polite letters ; reading all the Greek and Latin classics, especially the poets and orators, and studying the style and endeavoring to imitate the manner of the best English writers. His acquaintance now commenced with Timothy Dwight, afterwards President of the University, who was then in his third year in college, and two years his junior in age. That young gentleman had translated two of the finest Odes of Horace, in a manner so elegant and poetical as would not have disgraced his more mature intellect. Happy in the discovery of a rising genius, Mr. Trumbull immediately sought his ac quaintance, and began an intimacy which continued during their joint residence at New Haven, and a friendship which was terminated only by death. At this period the learned languages, mathematics, logic, and scholastic theology, were alone deemed worthy of the at tention of a scholar. They were dignified with the name of ** solid learning." English poetry and the belles-lettres were called nonsense, Mid their study was deemed an idle waste of \ 42 time. The two friends were obliged to stem the tide of gen> «ral ridicule and censure. This situation called forth the sa tirical talents of Trumbull, in occasional humorous poetical essays. Their party was soon increased by the accession of .Several young men of genius ; and a material change was eventually effected in the taste and pursuits of the students.^ In 1 769^ they began the publication of a series of essays in the manner of the Spectator, in a gazette printed in Boston, and continued it several months. They next commenced a course of similar essays in the New Haven papers, which in creased to more than forty numbers. In September, 1771, Messrs. Trumbull and Dwight were chosen tutors of Yale College. From this period, every effort was unanimously made to ecdtivate in that seminary a correct taste in style and elocution. In 1772, Trumbull published the first part of a poem, which he entitled, The Progress of Dullness, designed to expose the absurd method of education which then prevailed; he added a second and third part in the course of the next year. Dwight about the same time published a poem entitled, America, writ ten in the manner of Pope's Windsor Forest. He had some time before begun his greatest poetical work, The Conquest of Canaan, and now completed his first sketch in five books; By the advice of Mr. Howe, a tutor in the same institution, Be added the Vision of Futurity, which now makes the tenth book, and upon the suggestion of Mr, Trumbull, he inserted the night-scene of the battle, illuminated by the burning city of Ai. The whole was the work of Dwight — those gentlemei assisting him only by their criticism and advice. After thei dispersion, he considerably altered and enlarged the poem,an< published it in its present form, in eleven books. During their residence at the university, several young gen tlemen were associated in their literary and poetic society particularly Messrs. David Humphreys and Joel Barlow. A3 Trumbull, while he held the office of tutor, devoted as much- attention as his other avocations would admit, to the study of law, which be had now selected as his future profession. In November, 1773, he was admitted as a practicing attorney at the bar in Connecticut, but immediately went to Boston, and entered as a student in the office of John Adams, Esq., after wards President of the United States, taking lodgings with Tho mas Cushing, Esq., then Speaker of the House of Representa tives, but since a delegate to Congress and Lieutenant Gov ernor of Massachusetts- He was now placed in the centre of American politics. The contest between Great Britain and the Colonies approached rapidly towards a crisis. The vio lence of party was extreme. The Governor, Council, Judges, and all the legal authority under the crown, employed their utmost efforts to establish the universal supremacy, and enforce the oppressive acts, of the English Parliament. In the con test, Trumbull warmly espoused the cause of the people. — Though he prosecuted his studies with the utmost attention, he frequently employed his leisure hours in writing essays on political subjects, for the public gazettes — which had perhaps a greater effect from the novelty of his style, and the caution he used to prevent any discovery of the real author. Nor did he neglect occasionally to cultivate the muse; and just before he left Boston, he anonymously published his Elegy on the Times, which is now known throughout the country. Even then verging towards hostility in Massachusetts, the sessions of the courts being suspended, and Mr. Adams absent at. the Congress, in Philadelphia, Trumbull returned to New Haven, and successfully commenced practice at the bar, in November 1774. The following y ear was a period of terror and dismay. The war had commenced by the battle at Lexington. Un conditional submission, or a total rejection of the authority of England, presented the only alternative. Every exertion was rn,ade by the friends of American liberty, to inspire confidence 44 in ©ur cause, to crush the efforts of the "tory party," and to, pepare the public mind for the declaration of independence. With these views, at the solicitation of some of his friends in. Congress, Trumbull wrote the first part of the poem of " Mcv Fingal," which they immediately procured to be published at- Philadelphia, where Congress was then assembled. He had also formed the general plan of the work, sketched some of the scenes of the third Canto and written the beginning of the fourth, with the commencement of the Vision, at which point,, not being gifted, with the prophetic powers of his hero, he left it unfinished. In November 1776, he married Miss Sarah Hubbard, daugh ter of Colonel Leverett Hubbard, of New Haven. That town being exposed to invasion, and all business lapidly declining,, he returned in the following May to his native place, where he remained during the four succeeding years. Too constant ap plication to his studies, and the fatigue of attending courts at a distance in all seasons, especially during the severe winter of 1780, occasioned the loss of his health by a nervous decline, With the hope of recovery, by a change of situation to a place more advantageous to his professional business, and more agreeable by its literary society, he removed w ith his family to- Hartford in June 1781. A friendly club was soon established, which assembled onee a week for the discussion of questions on proposed subjects, legal, philosophical, and political. Trumbull, - though fully employed in the duties of his profession, was one of its most active members. The fate of the revolution being now event ually decided by the capture of Lord Cornwallis and his army, the friends of the author urged him to complete the poem of McFingal, and having obtained his promise, they immediately put in circulation a subscription for the work. Thus situated, ie employed his leisure hours in revising the first half of the poem, which he divided into two Cantos, and in composing the 45 dast. The whole was finished, and the first edition published! at Hartford, before the close of the year 1782. As no author at that period was entitled by law to the copy right of his pro ductions, the work soon became the prey of every bookseller and printer, who chose to appropriate it to hi? own benefit, Among more than thirty different editions, one only, at any subsequent time, was published with the permission, or evei^ the knowledge of the author^ Our author thus introduces his hero and his subject ; When Yankies, skilled in martial rule, First put the British troops to school ; Instructed them in'tvarlike trade, _ And new manoeuvre of parade — - The true war-dance of yankee-reels, And manual exercise of heels ; Made them give up, like saints complete, The arm of flesh, and trust to feet, And work, like christians undissembling. Salvation out, with fear and trembling ¦} Taught Percy fashionable races, And modern modes of Chevy-chases : From Boston, in his best array, Great 'Squire McFingal took his way, And graced with ensigns of renown, Steered homeward to his native town. 1, His high descent our heralds trace To Ossian's famed Fingalian race ; For though his name some part may lack. Old Fingal spelt it with a Mac ; i" Which great M'Pherson, with submission > f We hope will add, the next edition. _t. His fathers flourished in the highlands Of Scotia's fog benighted islands ; Whence gained our 'Squire two gifts by right,. Rebellion and the Second-sight. i: 46 Of these the^rst, in ancient days, Had gained the noblest palm of praise, 'Gainst kings stood forth, and many a erown'd head^ With terror of its might confounded, Till rose a King with potent charm. His foes by goodness to disarm, Whom every Seot and. Jacobite Straight fell in love with at first sight ; Whose gracious speech, with aid of pensions, Hushed down all murmurs of dissensions, And with the sound of potent metal, Brought all their blustering swarms to settle . Who rained his ministerial mannas, Till loud Sedition sang hosannahs ; And good Lord Bishops and the Kirks, United in the public works. For these our 'squire among the valiant'st Employed his time and tools and talents ; And in their cause with manly zeal, ¦ , Used his first virtue, to rebel ; And found this new rebellion pleasing As his old king-destroying treason. Nor less availed his optic slight, And Scottish gift of second-sight. No ancient sybil famed in rhyme, Saw deeper in the womb of time ; No block in old Dodona's grove, Could ever more orac'lar prove. Nor only saw he all that was, But much that never came to pass ; Whereby all prophets far outwent he, Though former days produced a plenty ; For any man with half an eye, What stands before him may espy, But optics sharp it needs, I ween, To see what is not to be seen,.. 47 In another part of the same canto, our author thus hits a class of men in each of the professions which is not even ye* extinct; And are there in this freeborn land, Among ourselves a venal band, A dastard race, who long have sold Their souls and consciences for gold — Who wish to stab their country's vitals, If they may heir surviving titles — With joy behold our mischief brewing, Insult and triumph on our ruin ? Priests who, if Satan should sit down To make a Bible of his own, Would gladly for the sake of mitres, Turn his inspired and sacred writers ; Lawyers, who should he wish to prove His title to his old seat above, Would, if his cause he'd give 'em fees inv Bring writs of Entry su? disseisin, Plead for him boldly at the session, And hope to put him in possession ; Merchants who, for his kindly aid, Would make him partner in their trade^ Hangout their signs in goodly show, Inscribed with "Beelzebub & Co.* And Judges, who would list his pages, For proper liveries and wages ; And who as humbly cringe and bow To all his mortal servants now ? There are — and shame with pointing gestures, Marks out the Addressers and Protesters ; Whom, following down the stream of fate, Contempts ineffable await, And public infamy forlorn, Dread hate and everlasting scorn. 48 In the following lines McFingal exercises his faculty of "second sight," in foretelling the doom of Britain and the ris ing glory of America. Are not his predictions relative to our own country, already verified 1 Now view the scenes in future hours, That wait the famed European Powers. See where yon chalky cliffs arise, The hills of Britain strike your eyes ; Its small extension long supplied By vast immensity of pride, — So small, that had it found a station In this new world at first creation, Or were by Justice doomed to suffer, And for its crimes transported over, We'd find full room for't in Lake Erie, or That still larger waterpond, Superior, Where North on margin taking stand, Would not be able to spy land. No more, elate with power, at ease She deals her insults round the seas ; See dwindling from her height amain. What piles of ruin spread the plain! With mouldering hulks her ports are fill'd And brambles clothe the cultured field. See on her cliffs her Genius lies, His handkerchief at both his eyes, With many a deepdrawn sigh and groan, To mourn her ruin and his own ! While joyous Holland, France and Spain, With conquering navies rule the main, And Russian banners wide unfurled, Spread Commerce round the eastern world; And see (sight hateful and tormenting,) Th' American empire proud and vaunting, From anarchy shall change her crasis, And fix her powers on firmer basis, To glory, wealth and fame aseend, Her commerce rise, her realms extend. 49 Where now the panther guards his den, Her desert forests swarm with men, Her cities, towers and columns rise, And dazzling temples meet the skies ; Her pines, descending to the main, In triumph spread the watery plain, Ride inland lakes with favoring gales, And crowd her ports with whit'ning sails, Till to the skirts of western day, The peopled regions own her sway* These brief extracts will give the reader some idea of the style and manner of this greatest of American Satires — a po em which Blackwood called "the Hudibras of the new world." "McFingal" is a builesque epic of some thousands of \ines, directed against the enemies of American liberty, and holding up to particular scorn and contempt, the tories and British officers, civil, military and naval, then in this country. It is a merciless satire throughout. Whatever it touches, it trans forms ; kings, ministers, lords, bishops, generals, judges, ad mirals, all take their turn, and become in the light or associa tions in which they are exhibited, alternately the objects of our merriment, hatred, or scorn: So wedded is the author to this vein of sarcasm, that even McFingal himself, the professed friend of England and champion of the tories, is made in fact the scoffer of both them and their cause. The story of the po em may be thus briefly stated : the hero, a Scotchman and justice of the peace in a town near Boston, goes to a town meeting, where he and one Honorius make speeches at each other through two whole cantos. At the end of the second canto, the meeting breaks up tumultuously ; and the people gather round a liberty pole, erected by the mob. Here Mc Fingal makes a violent speech of near two hundred lines, at the end of whichhe is pursued by the whigs, and brought back 50 to the liberty pole, where the tory constable is swung aloft* and McEingal tarred and feathered. The latter is then set at liberty ¦ he goes home, and at night makes a speech to some of his tory friehds in his Cellar, extending through the rest of the poem, leaving only room to tell that the mob broke off the address in the middle by assaulting the house, and McFingal escaped to Boston. After the peace in 1783, in Consequence of mobs and insur rections in various parts of the country, the public became sen sible of the want of an efficient general government, and a protracted contest ended in the adoption of the federal con stitution. During most of this exciting period, several of the principal literary characters of the State were resident in Hart ford, and gave to the friends of order whatever assistance could be afforded by their publications; The principal work they produced wasa series of essays entitled "American Antiquities," first printed in the gazettes of New Haven and Hartford, and re-printed in other newspapers in almost every part of the Un- ion. At this time public curiosity had been awakened by the discovery of ancient Indian fortifications, with other relics, which were considered as proofs that this country had once been inhabited by a people highly advanced in the arts of civ^ ilized life. The story of the emigration of Madoc, with a body Of Britons and Welch, about the year 800, and of an existing tribe of their descendants in the interior part of the continent, was revived and circulated. These writers assumed the fic tion, that in digging among the ruins of one of those jorts, an ancient heroic poem in the English language was found. The essays consisted of supposed extracts from that poem, (which they styled, The Anarchiad,) accompanied with critical re marks in prose. Colonel Humphreys, who had seen a similar work in England, called The Rolliad, ascribed to Fox, Sheri- den, and their associates, was the first proposer of the design. Most of the essays were written in concert. The writers wejj? 51 Humphreys, Barlow, Dr. Lemuel Hopkins, and our author. The publications of these gentlemen were supposed at the time to have had considerable influence upon the public taste and opinions ; and, by the boldness of their satire, to have checked and* intimidated the leaders of disorganization and in' fide! philosophy. ¦*' After the adoption of the federal constitution, Trumbull was first called to act in a public capacity — he having been appoint ed State's Attorney for the County of Hartford in 1789. In 1792, he was elected a Representative frcm Hartford to the State Legislature, where he took an active and influential part jn their deliberations and debates; particularly in obtaining an enlargement ot the funds and an alteration of the charter of Yale College: But the increasing i burden of his employ ments, public and professional, again impaired his health, and at length reduced him to the lowest stages of nervous debility. He spent the summers, for two or three successive years, in taking long journeys and visiting the most noted mineral springs, in quest of health, but in vain. In 1795, he resigned the office of State's Attorney, and declined all public business. ' In November 1798, he experienced a severe fit of sickness, from which, contrary to expectation, he escaped with his life, and which appeared to form the crisis of his nervous disorders, His convalescence, though slow, was favorably progressive ; and as, during his long confinement, he never relinquished his habits of reading, nor his attention to public affairs, he was enabled, on his return to society, to resume his former rank in his professional and official employments. In May 1800, Trumbull was again a member of the Legis lature ; and during the following year, he was chosen a Judge of the Superior Court of the State of Connecticut. From this period he declined any interference in politics, and applied himself exclusively to the duties of his office — being of opinion that the character of a politician and political writer were in-* 52 consistent with the station of a Judge, and destructive of the confidence of suitors in the impartiality of judiciary decisions. In 1808, he received from the Legislature the additional ap pointment of a Judge of the Supreme Court of Errors. He was happy in the society of his brethren of the bench, and the Courts of the State were at no period more respectable for le gal science, or more respected for the justice and integrity of their adjudications. To these offices he was annually appointed until May 18J9, when he, with all his associates on the bench, were remWfed from office — a State Constitution having been adopted, and a new party having risen into power. He was for several years Treasurer of, Yale College, from which institution he subsequently received the honorary degree, of Doctor of Laws, Trumbull continued his residence in Hartford until 1825, when he removed to Detroit, Michigan, and there spent the remainder of his days in the family of his daughter, Mrs. Woodbridge, (wife of the distinguished Senator and Governq Woodbridge.) He died in Detroit in 1831. 53 SETH WARNER. This renowned warrior and successful leader in the civil commotions amidst which the foundations of a sister State were laid, was born in Roxbury, then a parish of Woodbury, in the year 1743. Without any advantages for an education beyond those which were found in the common schools of those times, he was early distinguished by his energy, sound judg ment, and manly .and noble bearing. In 1763, his father, Dr.. Benjamin Warner, removed with his family to Bennington, in, the New Hampshire Grants, the second year after the first set-. tlement of the town. The game with which the woodsaboun- ded at once attracted the attention of young Warner, and he was soon distinguished as an indefatigable, expert and success ful hunter. About this time a scene began to open, which gave a new direction to his active and enterprizing spirit — the controversy between New York and the settlers upon the New Hampshire Grants had commenced. As a general outline of the history of this controversy has been given in the biograph ical sketch of Ethan Allen, it will be referred to again only so far as may be necessary to illustrate the principal events in the life of Colonel Warner. It will be remembered that the colonial government of New York not only claimed exclusive civil jurisdiction over the set tlers on "the Grants," but even assumed a right of property in the soil ; consequently the New York sheriffs, constables, ma gistrates. &c, were constantly being sent into the disputed territory, to dispossess those settlers who had not purchased their right from Governor Tryon. It was to resist these ar- 54 bitrary acts, and this assumption of civil power, that the o,_en Mountain Boys formed themselves into a military compact, constituted their own courts of judicature, and not unfrequent' ly executed "summary justice" upon ihe agents of wha,t they regarded as a foreign government. In all these border feuds, extending through a series of years, Seth Warner and Ethan Allen were the acknowledged leaders and champions of a band of patriots as heroic and self-sacrificing as any that the world ever saw. Twins in fame, and fellow-pioneers in the cause of American freedom, they suffered and triumphed to gether — together they were declared outlaws, and hunted like wild beasts through the mountain-forests-^-side by side they fought the battles of independence — and side by side their names are written high in the niche of human glory, Previous to 1770, many acts of violence had been commit ted by both of the billigerent parties ; but it was not until this year that the Govemor of New York attempted to enforce hia authority over the Grants by resort to military force. The Green Mountain Boys having learned that the Sheriff of Albany county was on his way to their settlements with 750 armed militia, immediately organized a military association, of which Allen was appointed Colonel commandant, and Seth Warner, Remember Baker, and others, were appointed Cap tains. The Sheriff and his force, having advanced at night up on the dwelling of a settler, were suddenly surprised by the Mountaineers in ambush, and the whole posse ingloriously fled without a gun being fired on either side. The settlers were not again disturbed for some months, but in the mean time they occasionally met for exercise and discipline. John Monro, in a letter to Governor Tryon, says, " The rioters have established a company at Bennington, commanded by Captain Warner, and on New Year's day [1771] his company was re viewed, and continued all day in military exercise and firing at murks," 55 On the 27th of November, 1771, the Governor of New York issued a proclamation offering a reward of £20 each, for the arrest of Warner, Allenj and Baker. On the 22d of March following, John Monro, moved by a hope of the reward and a desire for notoriety, resolved to attempt the arrest of Baker. Having collected ten or twelve of his friehds and dependents, he proceeded to the house of Baker in Arlington, before day light. The intruders broke open his door, rushed upon and wounded him by a cut across his head with a sword, and hav ing bound him, he was thrown into a sleigh and conveyed with the greatest speed towards Albany. The news of this trans action being sent by express to Bennington, Warner with nine Others immediately mounted their horses and Set off at full speed, determined to intercept the "Yorkers" ; and they did overtake them before they reached the Hudson. On the first appearance of the pursuers, the abductors threw the prisoner overboard and fled. Finding Baker nearly exhausted by his sufferings and loss of blood, they refreshed him, dressed his wounds, and conveyed him home, to the great joy of his family and neighbors. Shortly after this, Monro made an attempt to arrest Warner. While Werner, in company with a single friend, was riding on horseback in the vicinity of Monro's residence, he was met by Monro and seveial of his dependents ; a conversation ensued, in the midst of which Monro seized the bridle of Warner's ' 'lorse and commanded those present to assist in arresting him. Yarner, after vainly urging him to desist, struck Monro over he head with a dull cutlass and leveled him to the ground. , 7hough stunned and disabled for the time, he received no per manent injury, and the spectators manifesting no disposition to nterfere, Warner passed on without farther interruption. Finding the settlers intractable, the government of New York next endeavored to bring them to terms by negotiation ; but failing in this also, they resorted to threats and intimida- 56 lion. A law was immediately passed, threatening " death without benefit of clergy" against any one who should wilfully "oppose any civil officer of New York in the discharge of his bfficial duty." At the same time, Governor Tryon issued a pro clamation, increasing the reward for the arrest of Warner and Allen to £50 each. This sanguinary law, as Well as these proffered bribes, were simply themes of derision to the sturdy settlers. No Green Mountain Boy ever fell into the hands of the enemy during the continuance of this controversy. Warner, having thus been engaged as a prominent leader of these Mountaineers in defence of their property against the oppressive acts of the Royal ' Government of New York from the year 1763 to 1775, Was perfectly prepared to enter heart and soul in the defence of his whole country against the oppressions of the Royal Government of Great Britain: AcJ cordingly, we find him in the very commencement of the Rev olutionary War, engaged in the enterprize against the enemy's posts on Lake Champlain. The reduction of Ticonderoga and Crown Point having been secretly resolved upon, in 1775, by the Legislature of Connecticut in concert with several of the most eminent men in other parts of New England, a Committee was appointed to proceed to the frontier towns, ascertain the strength of the garrisons, and, should they think proper, raise men for their capture. At Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the Committee were joined by Colonel East on with about fifty volunteers ; and at Bennington, by Colonel Allen and his Green Mountain Boys. On reaching Castleton, May 7th, a council of war was held, and Ethan Allen, James Easton, and Seth Warner, were ap pointed to command the expedition. The surpriseand capture of Ticonderoga by Allen, on the 10th of May, are familiar to every American. Warner had succeeded in crossing the lake with his men, just in time to find that the garrison had sur rendered. As soon as the prisoners were properly secured, 51 Warner set out with a detachment of men take Crown Point. Strong head winds drove back the boats, and the Whole party returned the same evening. The expedition was, however, renewed on the following day, and the result was all that could have been desired. The men were made prisoners, and one hundred and thirteen cannon were captured. Just previous to this, Colonel Allen had sent a messenger to Captain Baker, who Was at Onion River, requesting him to join the army at Ticonderoga with as large a number of men as he could as semble. Baker obeyed ; and when he was coming Up the lake, he met two small boats, which had been despatched by the enemy from Crown Point to carry intellegencs of the re* duction of Ticonderoga to St. Johns and Montreal, and solicit reinforcements. The boats were seized by Baker, and he ar rived at Crown Point just in time to unite with Warner in tak ing possession of that post. Grown Point, next to Ticonderoga, was the strongest and most important garrison on Lake Champlain. For many years previous to 1 759, it had been in possession of the French. In that year, an expedition was fitted out by the British Govern ment, comprising 18,000 men, and arms and ammunition in proportion, for the express object of capturing these two for-' midable fortresses. The command of the expedition was giv en to Sir Jeffrey Amherst, who succeeded in accomplishing the object deemed so desirable by his King. They remained in possession of the British from that time until they were cap tured by the invincible Warner and Allen and the heroic spir its under their command. Congress subsequently ratified these doings, and ordered that all the officers and soldiers who marched against the for tresses on Lake Champlain should receive the same pay that they would have been entitled to had they belonged to the continental army. The soldiers, having served out their time, now returned 58 home ; and Warner and Allen were forthwith sent to the con tinental congress, by the people of the Grants, for the especial purpose of soliciting authority to raise a new regiment, and to obtain the necessary funds for paying off the soldiers recently disbanded. In both these objects they were successful. They were welcomed by Congress with great cordiality, were for mally introduced on the floor of the Hotise, and each in an address stated the objects which had called them to the seat of government, and co'm-municated such information as was desired by the members. They then repaired to the congress' of New York, where they were received With the same corisid* eration, notwithstanding they were objected to by certaia members On the ground of their being outlaws. The delegates having concluded their mission, returned to their friends. The committees of the several towns assembled at Dorset to choose officers for the new regiment, which was to be commanded by a lieutenant -colonel. Seth Warner was chosen lieutenant-colonel, and Samuel Safford major. Dw Jared Sparks, in his biography of Ethan Allen, commenting upon the result of this election, says, "Whether Colonel Allen declined being a candidate, or whether it was expected that the regiment would ultimately have a colonel and that he would be advanced to that post, or whether his name was omitted for any other reason, I have no means of determining." The subjoined extract from a communication from the Hon. Daniel Chipman, of Vermont, to the author of this volume, will solve the query. Referring to the above passage from Sparks, he justly remarks, " This, it is obvious, is calculated to lessen the real merit of Warner with posterity. To prevent this false impression, they should be informed that in the conven tion which met at Dorset on the 27th of July, 1775, for the purpose of nominating field officers, Warner was nominated by a vote of 41 to 5; and this was a fair expression of public opinion of the two men at that time." Allen was a candidate 5!> for the office, as appears by his letter to Governor Trumbull, written shortly after, in which he says he was overlooked be cause the old men were reluctant to go to war. For a bold, desperate, off-hand enterprise, Allen was invariably the leader selected ; but in choosing a commander for a long and^doubt- ful campaign, where coolness, perseverence, and patient endur ance, united with patriotism, bravery and tact, were deemed requisite to success, Warner was preferred. In September, 1775, we find Warner at the head of his re giment, during the seige of St. Johns by Montgomery. Gen eral Carleton, while crossing the St. Lawrence with 1000 men to relieve the garrison at St. Johns, was attacked from the south shore by Colonel Warner with about 300 Green Moun tain Boys; By a sudden and: well-directed fire of musketry and grape-shot, Carleton's force was thrown into the utmost confusion and retreated with precipitation and disorder. In consequence of this defeat, the garrison was left without relief; and Major Preston, the commander, was obliged to surrender. By this sui render, several cannon, a large quantity of military stores, and 600 prisoners, fell into the hands of the Americans. Warner's regiment having served as volunteers, and the men being too miserably clad to endure a winter's campaign in that severe climate, on the 20th of November Montgomery dis charged them with peculiar marks of respect, and his thanks for their meritorious services. The gallant officer now re turned home with his regiment, but instead of enjoying a res-1 pite from fatigues and hardships, he was called on to return to Canada in the dead of winter. General Wooster, in a letter to him, dated at Montreal, January 6, 1776, after giving an ac count of the defeat at Quebec, says, " I have sent an express to Gen. Schuyler, to Washington, and to Congress, but yon know how very long it will be before we can have relief from them. You, sir, and your valiant Green Mountain Boys, are in our neighborhood ; you all have arms, and i am confident 60 ever stand ready to lend a helping hand to your brethren in distress ;. therefore, let me beg of you to, raise as many men as you can, and have them in Canada with the least possible de lay, to remain till we can have relief from the colonies. You will see that proper officers are appointed under you, and the officers; and privates will have the same pay as the continental troops. It will, be well for your men to start as soon as they can be collected. No matter whether they all march together*, but let them come on by tens, twenties, thirties, forties, or fif ties, as fast as they can be prepared to march. It will have a good effect upon the minds of the Canadians, to see sucGor, coming in. You will be good enough, to send copies of this letter or such parts of it as you shall judge proper, to the people below you,. I can but hope the people will make a push to get into this country, and I am confident I shall see you here, with your men, in- a very short time." And General Woo&ter < was not disappointed. He did see Warner in. Canada, with his men, even before be anticipated* Probably no revolutionary patriot during the \y^r> performed a service evincing more en ergy, or a mare noble patriotism, than the raising of a regiment in so short a time, and marching it to Quebec In the face of a Canadian winter. The men of this day wbu.ld. shiver, at the, thought of it. The following letter from General Schuyler to. Washington! (written only about two weeks after the above call upon War^ ner,) shows the promptness with which, that call was respond*1 ed to : Albany, January 'itl, 1776. Dear Sir — Col. Warner has been so sucessful in sending men into. Canada, and as a regiment will soon be sent from Berkshire county in Massachusetts, and as I am informed by letter from Congress, that' one regiment from Pennsylvania and one from New Jersey will im-. mediately be sent to Albany, and put under my command, and as these troops can be in Canada as early as any which your Excellency can send from Cambridge, the necessity of sending on thosetroops Vhioft I had the honor to. request you to send, will be superceded., 61 1 am, sir, with respect and esteem, your Excellency's most obedient and very humble servant, PHILIP SCHUYLER. His Excellency, George Washington. Warner had advantages in the performance of this service, which no other man possessed. His regiment of Mountaineers had long been armed in self:defence, and were accustomed to rally at his call almost at a moment's warning. As they had hitherto been successful in every enterprise, they had the roost perfect confidence in their leader, and they moreover loved him for his moral and social qualities. He sympathised with allclasses, and this rendered him affable and familiar withi them, while at the same time he maintained a self-respect and a dignified deportment.. This winter campaign in Canada proved! extremely dis- tressingv The troops were in want of comfortable clothingj barracks, and provisions. Most of them took the small pox, and many of them died. At the opening of spring, in May 1776, a large body of British troops arrived at Quebec to relieve the garrison, and the American army, in their distressed situ ation, were compelled to make a hasty retreat. Warner took a position exposed to the greatest danger, and requiring the utmost care and vigilance. He was ever in the rear during the retreat, picking up the wounded and the diseased, assisting and encouraging those who were least able to take care of themselves, and generally keeping but a few miles in advance of the British, who closely pursued the Americans from post to post. By calmly and steadily pursuing this course, he. brought off most of the invalids, and with this corps, of the disr eased and infirm, arrived at Ticonderoga a few days after the . main army had taken possession of that post. Highly approving of these extraordinary exertions, Congress resolved to raise a regiment out of the troops who had served ! with so much reputation in Canada, to be commanded by a ', lieutenant-colonel. Of this regiment, also, Warner was ap- 62 pointed lieutenant-colonel,, and Samuel Safford major. Most of the officers of the regiment were persons who had been dis tinguished by their opposition to the claims and proceedings of New York. By this new appointment, Warner was again placed in a situation perfectly suited to his genius, and, in con formity with his orders, he raised his regiment and repaired': to Ticonderoga, where he remained until the close of the cam*, paign of 1 776-. On the 16th day of January, 1777, the convention of the, New Hampshire Grants declared the whole district to be a free. sovereign and independent State, by the name of Vermont The provincial congress of New York was then in session,, and, on the 20th of the same month, announced the transac-r tion to the continental congress, complaining in strong terms Of the conduct of Vermont, denouncing it as a dangerous re: volt, and at the same time remonstrating against the appoint ment of Warner to the command of a regiment independent of the Legislature of New York, " especially as this Col. War ner hath been constantly and invariably opposed to the Legis lature of this State, and hath been on that account proclaim ed an outlaw by the late Government thereof. It is absolute; ly necessary to recall the commission of Warner, and the of fleers under him, to do us justice." No measures were taken by Congress, at this time, to interfere in the civil concerns of the two States, or to remove Warner from his command. Still anxious to effect this purpose, the Legislature of New York, oh the 1st of March following, wrote again on the subject, and among other things declared, that " there was no probability that Warner could raise such a number of men as would be aji object of public concern." Congress still declined to dismiss so valuable an officer from their service. On the 23d of June following, Congress was obliged to take up the controversy between New York and Vermont, but instead of proceeding to disband Warner's regiment, on the 30th of the same month, 63 they resolved, " that the reasons which induced Congress to form that corps were, that many officers of different States who had served in Canada, and who, as was alleged, might soon raise a regiment, but who were then unprovided for, might be retained in the service of the United States." Fortunately, Governeur Morris was the only member pres ent from New York, when Congress acted upon this subject; and he was too true a patriot and too honorable a man to vote to recall Warner's commission, even though he knew he was incurring the displeasure of his constituents by not doing so. While Burgoyne was on his way up Lake Champlain in the summer of 1777, Col. Warner addressed the following letter to the Vermont State Convention, then in session at Windsor ; Rutland, July 1, 1777. Gentlemen : Last evening I received an express from the General commanding at Ticonderoga, advising me that the enemy have come up the lake, with 17 or 18 gun-boats, two large ships, and other craft, and lie at Three Mile Point. The General expects an attack every hour. He orders me to call out all the militia of this State, of Mas sachusetts and New Hampshire, to join him as soon as possible. I have sent an express to Col. Simonds. Col. Robinson and Col. Wil liams are at Hubbardton, waiting to be joined by Col. Bellows, who is with me. When the whole are joined, they will amount to 700 or 800 men. I knew not to whom to apply except to your honorable body, to call-out the militia on the East side of the mountain. I shall expect that you will send on all the men that can possibly be raised, and that you will do all in your power to supply the troops at Ti- oonderoga with beef. Should the seige be long, they will be abso lutely destitute, unless the country exert themselves. If 40 or 50 head of beef cattle can be brought on by the militia, they will be paid for by the commissary, on their arrival. The safety of the post de pends on the exertions of the country. Their lines are extensive and but partially manned, for want of men. I should be glad if a few hills of tsorn unhoed should not be a motive sufficient to detain men at home, considering the loss of such an important post might be irre trievable. I am, gentlemen, with the greatest respect, your obedient and very humble servant, SETH WARNER. When Ticonderoga was evacuated, on the night of the 6th 64 of July, 1777, thi1. main body of the American army took the road through Hubbardton and Castleton. When they arrived at Hubbardton, the rear guard was put under the command of Warner, with orders to follow the main army, as soon as those who were left behind should come up, and keep about a mile and a half in the rear. The retreat of the Americana was no sooner discovered by the British, than an eager pursuit was begun by Fraser, with the light troops, who was soon fol lowed by Reidesel with the greater part of the Brunswiekre- giment. Frazer continued the pursuit through the day, and learning that the rear guard of the American army was not far distant, he ordered his men that night to lie on their arms. Early on the morning of the 7th, he renewed the pursuit, and about 7 o'clock commenced an attack on the Americans un der Warner. Warner's force consisted of his own regiment, and the regiments of Colonels Francis and Hale. Hale, for some reason retired, leaving Warner and Francis with only seven or eight hundred men to dispute the progress of the en emy. The conflict was fierce and bloody. Warner charged the enemy with such impetuosity, that they were thrown into disorder, and gave way, but they soon recovered, formed anew, and advanced upon the Americans, but were again brought to a stand. At this critical moment, Reidesel arrived and joined Fraser, with his troops, and Francis fell, fighting bravely at the head of his regiment, which then gave way, and the fortune of the day was decided. The Americans fled into the woods in all directions: Those of Warner's regiment, who heard the order to that effect, repaired to Manchester, the others, with Francis's regiment, followed and joined the main army, and marched to Fort Edward. Warner was soon after stationed with his troops at Man chester, where, by order of the Council of Safety, Herrick's regiment of Rangers was placed under his command. Many of the inhabitants the present county of Rutland were 05 what were termed "tories," or friends of the Crown. Some' of them, in consequence of being so near the Canadian fron tier, were led to seek British protection more through fear than from principle. These men were very offensive to the Whigs, particularly because of their furnishing the British troops with large quantities of fresh provisions. In consequence of the "aid and comfort" thus afforded to the enemy, Gen. Schuyler directed Warner to sieze and bring in all the property north of Manchester which might be liable to fall into the hands of the British, and to arrest the tories and cause them (jo be sent into the interior. These prders were promptly and thoroughly ex ecuted. Large droves of cattle were driven into Bennington, and sold under the direction of the Council of Safety, who held a perpetual session in that town during the summer. Many of the protectionists escaped and joined the enemy; others were taken and brought before the Council of Safety, and all declared that they took the oath of allegiance to his Majesty by compulsion, that they did not consider themselves bound by it, and were ready to take the oath of allegiance to the Uni ted States. After taking this oath, they were discharged. Most of them soon after fought bravely in the battle of Ben nington. Through the whole of this unpleasant business, the magna nimity and humanity of Warnerwere conspicuous. Only one person was killed or injured by the scouts during the summer^ and that one was killed through a misapprehension. About the first of August, Stark arrived at Manchester with some 800 New Hampshire militia, on his way to the sept of war on the Hudson: By General Schuyler's order, these ve ry militia were to be stationed at Manchester, under the com mand of Warner, but the Government of New Hampshire had given Stark the command of the militia of that State, indepen dent of the Continental officers. Situated as Stark and War ner were, men of narrow minds, influenced by the mere love 66 of personal glory, would have come in collision at once. But they, actuated by higher motives, were ready to serve their country in any station in which they could be most useful. They therefore acted together cordially, manifesting a high degree of respect for each other, and in the Bennington battle they in fact commanded jointly, so that if the result had been disastrous, Congress would have censured Warner for yielding the command to Stark. Though Warner had assisted Stark in planning the battle of Bennington, his regiment (which had been left behind at Man chester,) did not arrive on the battle-ground until the Ameri cans were beginning to fall back. Disappointed that they had not been in season for the first engagement and shared in the glory, they now advanced and attacked the enemy with great spirit and resolution. The British troops, who had just been exulting in the prospect of an easy victory, were now brought to a stand, and more of the scattered militia being brought forward by Stark and Herrick, the action became general, The combat was maintained with great bravery on both sides, until sun-set, when the enemy gave way, and were pursued till dark. In the two engagements at Bennington, the Americans took four brass field pieces, four ammunition wagons, and above 700 prisoners, with their arms and accoutrements. The number of the enemy found dead on the field was 207, their number of wounded not ascertained. The loss of the Ameri cans was 30 killed and about 40 wounded. The following letter from General Gates to the President of the Massachusetts Council, renders it probable that Warner was present with his regiment at the capture of Burgoyne— i Albany, 25th November 1777. Dear Sir — This letter will be presented to the Hon. Council, by Colonel Seth Warner, an officer of merit. His business at Boston, is to solicit your Hon. Board to give order for a supply of clothing, for the regiment under his command. Having experienced the good be- 67 havior of this corp3 during the summer campaign, I cannot but recom mend them to your good offices, for the supply they so much want, and the more especially as I hare in view a service of much importance in which Colonel Warner's regiment will be very actively concerned: I am, sir, with respect, your most humble and obedient servant, HORATIO GATES. It is very certain, that after this Warner was able to perform but very little active service. His constitution, naturally strong and vigorous, gave way under the fatigues and hardships which he endured in the service, particularly in his winter campaign in Canada, It has been seen that in the year 1776, Congress gave Warner the command of a regiment with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He held the same rank at the battle of Bennington, but soon after was appointed colonel, and Safford lieutenant colonel. In a return of his regiment, made Novem ber 10, 1777, Colonel Warner was returned sick at Hoosic. He recovered from this sickness, but was never afterwards able to perform any active duty in the war, and of course re ceived no farther promotion. He however continued in com mand of his regiment, residing with his family in Bennington, to the end of the year 1781. In the mean time, the number of men in the regiment had been greatly reduced by the loss es sustained in several hard fought actions, and by the capture of Fort George, by the enemy, in October, 1780, which was garrisoned by about 70 of Warner's regiment, under the com mand of Captain John Chipman, On the first of January, 1781, the regiment was reduced, under a resolution of Congress, and some of the officers were transferred to other regiments. Chipman was promoted to the rank of Major in the New York line. In the year 1782, Warner returned with his fttmily to Rox- bury, his native town, in the hope of obtaining relief from the painful disorders under which he was suffering ; but his hopes proved fallacious, and he gradually wasted away till the 26th :i 68 of December, 1784, when death put ail end to all his earthly sufferings. His funeral serman was preached by the Rev, Thomas Can^ field, from Samuel 1, 27. " How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of War perished." Seth' Warner was over six feet in height, erect and well pro portioned, his countenance, attitude and movements indicative of great strength' and vigor of body and mind, of resolution, firmness and self-possession. His commanding appearance, and known character, undoubtedly saved him from many an attack by the New Yorkers. In one instance only, during the long controversy with New York, did any one attempt to ar rest him single-handed. He pursued his public and private business among the settlers in the different towns, with appar ent unconcern, and yet he was always prepared for defence; He was for so long a time and so ardently engaged in the public service, that his attention seems to have been wholly diverted from his own private concerns. He had been so long engaged in maintaining the rights of propeity, that a disposition to acquire it seemed to be wholly eradicated ; and the mode rate estate which he inherited having been spent in the service of his country, he left his family destitute. The proprietors of several townships gave him tracts of land of considerable val ue, as a reward for his services in defence of the New Hamp shire grants, but the greater part, if not all of them, were sold for taxes, and his heirs never received any considerable bene fit from them. In October, 1787, the Legislature of Vermont generously granted his heirs 2000 acres of land, in the HoruV west part of the county of Essex. It was then supposed that this land would become valuable by a settlement of that part of the county, but it was subsequently found that the tract was of little or no value, and it yet remains unsettled. The following inscription is on the tablet erected over his graye in the Roxbury burying-ground — 69 In memory of COL. SETH WARNER ESQ., Who departed this life, December 26, A. D. 1781, In the 42d year of his atje. Triumphant leader of our armies' head. Whose manial glory struck a panic dread, Thy warlike deeds engraven on this stone *" Tell future ages what a hero's done. Full sixteen battles he did fight For to procure his country's right. Oh ! this brave hero, he did fall By death, -who ever conquers all. When this you see, remember me, 70 NATHANIEL CHIPMAN. The common ancestor of all those bearing the name of Chipman in North America, was John Chipman, born in Barn stable, England, a. d. 1614. He emigrated to America in 1630, at the age of 16, and married a daughter of John How- land, one of the pilgrims who landed from the May Flower upon the Rock of Plymouth. He settled on a farm in Barn stable, Massachusetts, on which his descendants have ever since resided. He was made a freeman by vote of the town, in December 1662. His son, Samuel, wasborn at Barnstable, August 15, 1661 — married Sarah Cobb, and had ten children, one of whom was John Chipman, born in 1691, graduated at Harvard College, was ordained minister at Beverly, Mass., in 1715, and died in 1775, aged 84. He had fifteen children. Their descendants are very numerous in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, among whom is the Hon. Ward Chipman, one of the Commissioners under the Treaty of Ghent for settling the North Eastern Boundary. The eldest of the ten children of Samuel Chipman, was Thomas, born November 17, 1687. He settled in Groton, Connecticut, and had five sons, Thomas, John, Amos, Samuel and Jonathan. In 1740, he removed with these sons to Salis bury, in the present county of Litchfield. In the following year, the town was organized, and he was chosen the first Representative to the Legislature. When the county of Litch field was organized, in 1751, he was appointed a Judge of the county court, but died before the first term. His son Samuel married Hannah Austin, of Suffield, Conn., and had six sons. 71 Nathaniel, Lemuel, Darius, Cyrus, Samuel and Daniel — the eldest and first named being the subject of this sketch. NATHANIEL CHIPMAN, ll. d., was Lorn in Salisbury, Nov. 15, 1752. In 1772 he commenced his studies prepare- ' tory to entering college, and, after spending only nine months I with his books, he became a member of the freshman class in Yale College, at the age of twenty-one years. He immediate ly took a high stand in his class, which he maintained through out his collegiate course. Although he had a peculiar taste for the languages, he had the reputation of a universal scholar. In consequence of the systematic course pursued by him in his studies, he was enabled to devote a certain portion of every day to general reading, and writing. Several pieces of his po etry, written during this period and subsequently, are preser ved in his Memoir, edited by his brother, the Hon. Daniel Chipman — which evince a true poetic taste, and a remarkable facility at versifying. During his senior year — in the spring of. 1777 — the subject of this notice received a Lieutenant's commission in the revo lutionary army, which he accepted and at once entered the service of his country. The succeeding winter and spring he spent at Valley Forge ; and afterwards participated in the battles of Monmouth and White Plains. In a letter dated, "Camp, at Fredericksburg, October 3, 1778," to Mr. Fitch, (afterwards President of Williams College,) he writes, "I shall spend the winter in Salisbury, Connecticut, in the study of law. Winter quarters are now in agitation. Litchfield is talked of for this division. Where they will be is uncertain as yet. I think, from all appearances, we may reasonably con clude that the glorious contest draws near a glorious conclu sion, when, with the blessing of heaven, we may enjoy the sweets of liberty in peace.'' He resigned his commission soon after, and, as intimated above, commenced his legal studies in his native town. At the annual commencement of Yale Col-. 72 lege in 1777, while he was absent in (he army, the degree of Bachelor of Arts was conferred upon him, and his name wa3 enrolled among the regular graduates of that institution. In a letter to the same gentleman, dated at Salisbury, Janu ary 1, 1779, he writes in the following strain of prophetic pleasantry — " I have not yet taken the attorney's oath, but expect to take it in March, and then I shall probably settle in Bennington, where I shall indeed be rara avis in terris, for there is not an attorney in the State. Think, Fitch, think what a figure I shall make, when I become the oracle of law to the State of Vermont !" On the 20th of March following* he writes to the same friend, informing him that he has been admitted to the bar, and in a few days shall start for Vermont. He then faceciously adds, " Ha, ha, ha ! I cannot but laugh when I think what a flash we shall make, when we come to be members of congress. And then again I am vexed when I think how many steps there are by which we must mount to that pinnacle of happiness. Let's see: First an attorney, then a selectman, a huffing justice, a deputy, an assistant, a mem ber of congress. Is not this a little vexing? However^ we must make the best of it." On the 10th of April, he arrived at Tinmouth, the then cap ital of Rutland county, Vermont— to which place his parents had previously removed. During this and the following year, several able lawyers became residents of the State, and the litigation growing out of the disputed land-titles gave them suf ficient employment- Nathaniel Chipman immediately took a high stand at the bar, and was employed in nearly every impor tant case that came before the courts of that State. In 1784 he was a member of the State Legislature, where he ren dered himself useful in quieting the turbulent feelings existing in the minds of a majority of the members, growing out the pe cuniary distress occasioned by the war. In 1786, he was elec ted an Assistant Judge of the Supreme Court — an office which 73 he accepted, but resigned the next year. The reader of this volume will have seen, in the sketches of Allen and Warner, some particulars respecting the controvtr* sy between New York and Vermont. This controversy was far from being settled when Chipman removed into the latter State. On the 5th of July, 1789, the legislature of New York passed an act appointing Robert Yates, John Lansing, Gulian Verplanck, Simeon De Witt, Egbert Benson and Melancthon Smith, commissioners, with full power to acknowledge the sovreignty of Vermont, and to adjust all matters of controversy between the two states. And on the 23d of October follow ing, the legislature of New York passed an act, appointing Nathaniel Chipman, Isaac Tickenor, Stephen R. Bradley, Ira Allen, Elijah Paine, Stephen Jacob and Israel Smith, commis sioners on the part of Vermont, to treat with those of New York. The difficulties were all amicably adjusted ; and on the 6th of January, 1791, the State Convention met at Bennington to decide the question, whether Vermont should accede to the union. Of this convention Chipman was a member ; and, af- tei the question was decided affirmatively, he and Lewis R, Morris were appointed to attend congress and negociate for the admission of Vermont into the federal union. In October, 1779, Nathaniel Chipman had been elected Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and continued in that office two years, when he was appointed Judge of the United States Court for the District of Vermont. There was very little bu siness in this court, and he resigned in 1793, and returned to his practice at the bar. In October, 1796, he was re-elected Chief Justice. During the same year, he was appointed one of a committee to revise the code of statute laws ; and nearly all the acts known as the revised laws of 1797, were written by him. In 1797, he was elected a Senator in Congress for six years from the 4th of March, 1798: In that body he was distinguish- 74 ed for his talents, learning and independehrc. From 1806 to to 1811, inclusive, he was a representative to the legislature. lii March, 1813, he was chosen one of the council of censors — a council consisting of thirteen persons elected by a general ticket, at the expiration of every seven years, whose duty it is to revise the constitution, suggest amendments, call conven tions to consider such amendments, &c. In October, 1813, hei Was once more' elected Chief Justice, but two years afterwards was displaced in consequence of the ascendency of another political party. At this time the judges were elected anrfUally. In 1816, Judge Chipman was appointed Professor of Law in Middlebury College, to fill the vacancy" occasioned by the re signation of his brother, the Hon. Daniel Chipman. He had previously received the degree of Doctor of Laws from Dart mouth College. He published, in 1793, a work entitled, "Sketches of the Principles of Government," and a small volume entitled, " Re^ ports and Dissertations." During the last ten years of his life, he lived somewhat se' eluded, with few companions except his books, and occupied himself with their daily study until a short time before his death. He departed this life at Tinmouth, February 15th, 1843, in the 91st year of his age; Nathaniel Chipman married Sarah Hill, of Tinmouth, aifd had five sons and two daughters, viz., Henry, Jeffrey, Edwin, Laura, Evelinas and two others. 7a SAMUEL J , MILLS, Sen, " Father Mills," (as he. was familiarly called,) was born in the beautiful valley of the Housatonic, in the town of Kent, a. p. 1743, and graduated at Yale College in 1764. He stud ied divinity with the celebrated Rev. Dr. Bellamy, of Bethlem, and was ordained pastor of the church in Torringford, in his native county, on the 29th of June, 1769. In this quiet and rural parish he spent the remainder of his days in the pastoral office, though in 1822, after a ministry of fifty-four years, he had a colleague who relieved him of most of his public duties. So many anecdotes have gone abroad over the country, de signed to illustrate simply his eccentricities, that few of those who are familiar with his name, have any correct idea of his his real character as a man and a preacher. In person he was portly, very erect, and in height overtopped all his compeers ; he had a large, ruddy face and high forehead, more venerable and majestic for the white wig above. His voice and manner Were uniqne. His deep reverence for God and the Bible — the shaking of his large frame with sudden and strong emotion — his inimitable naturalness in stating facts — and the entire ease with which he could convulse those around him with laughter, and the next moment make them sober as the grave itself — were peculiarities which caused him to stand out in bold relief among the men of his generation, and have contributed in giving his name to posterity. In the pulpit he was at home ; perfectly self-possessed, the master of his subject, and impress^ ed himself with the importance of his theme, no man could more effectually chain the attention of his auditory. His meth,7 76 od of illustration was one of the principal things that gave to his preaching its peculiar cast of originality. Scriptural his tory, and the history of the church in all ages, were made pro fitably subservient to him in this respect. Nor did his obser vant eye fail, with the same object in view, to notice current events. Whether he rode, or conversed, or read, he gleaned something that would be of use to him in the illustration and inculcation of truth- He lacked nothing in the compass of his voice to express what his mind conceived, or his heart felt. The tones, the cadence, and the emphasis which he used, the light of his eye, the expression of his countenance, and his ev ery motion, indicated what seemed to be a perfect perception and discrimination. His appositeness, the singular associa tions with which his mind teemed, and the vividness of the pic ture which he presented to others, not unfrequently affected those not familiar with his manner, with levity. Of this he seemed to be unaware. While a smile was lighted up in the countenances of his auditors, his eyes were not unfrequently suffused with tears. Others may be regarded as examples for imitation, but much as there was found to admire in the man ner of Mr. Mills, none could safely attempt to imitate it. Those who saw him at a distance, would be ready to sup. pose that his habits of study were loose, and that he was not laborious in his investigations. He did, indeed, read less than some, but few thought more than he, or to better effect. He read, so far as was necessary to furnish materials for thought, and with these his active mind was ever busy. His sermons; though generally unwritten, were thoroughly studied, and ex celled in logical arrangement and practical power. He was for many years one of the editors of the Connecticut Evangel ical Magazine, and as a writer he displayed great tact, vigor, and correctness of style. Mr. Mills was greatly esteemed and blessed in his ministry, both at home and abroad, and several powerful religious awa- 77 kenings were among the fruits of his preaching. The interest which he took in the henevolent opeiations which distinguish ed the latter period of his life, was peculiar for one of his age. His habits of feeling and acting were evidently formed under the influence of the spirit which produced this era. Hence he was prepared to hail its commencement, and his heart never ceased to glow in view of the wants which shed upon it such signal lustre. Apparently, it did not cost him a struggle to give up a beloved son to the service of the American Board. When he learned the purpose of this excellent son, and sup posed he was soon to go far hence to the Gentiles, he seemed ready so bless God for having imparted such grace, and to deem the sacrifice required of him a privilege. He contempla ted with wonder and admi*ation, the enlargement of the Re deemer's kingdom. This was a theme ever present on his mind and" tongue. He lost, in his advanced age, his interest in other things, but in this it never abated. His recollection of persons and things failed, at length, but this subject was fresh with him to the last. Under the title of " Old Father Morris," Mrs. Harriet Beech er Stow, (a daughter of the Rev. Dr. Beecher, then of Litch field,) gives us her recellections of Mr. Mills in her " May Flower"— from which we make the following extracts : Of all the marvels that astonished my childhood, there is none I remember to this day -with so much interest as the character of old Father Mills. When I knew him he was an aged olergyman, settled over an obscure village in New England. He had enjoyed the advan tages of a liberal education, had a strong original power of thought, an omnipotent imagination, and much general information; but so early and so deeply had the habits and associations of the plow, the farm, and country life, wrought themselves into his mind, that his after ac quirements could only mingle with them, forming an unexampled amalgam, like unto nothing but itself. He was an ingrain New Eng- lander, and whatever might have been the source of his information it came out in Yankee form, with the strong provinciality of Yankee dialect. » 78 * It is in vain to attempt to give a full picture of such a genuine, unique ; but some slight and imperfect dashes may help the imagina tion to -a faint idea of what none can fully conceive but those whq have seen and heard old Father Mills. Suppose yourself one of half-a-dozen children, and you hear the cry, " Father Mills is coming !" You run to the window or doorj and you see a tall, bulky old man, with a pair of saddle-bags on one. ami, hitching his old horse with a fumbling carefulness, and then deliber ately stumping towards the house. You notice his tranquil, florid; full-moon faGe, enlightened by a pair of great, round blue eyep, that' roll with dreamy inattentiveness on all the objects around, and as hg takes off his hat, you see the white curling wig £hat sets , off his round head. He comes towards you, and as you stand staring with all the children around, he deliberately puts his great hand on your head, arid with a deep, rumbling voice, inquires, "How d'ye do, my darter? J$ your daddy at home?" "My darter" usually makes off as fast 4' possible in an unconquerable giggle. Father Mills goes into the house, and we watch him at every turn, as, with the most liberal simplicity, he makes himself at home, takes off his vig, wipes down his great face with a checked pocket-handkerchief, helps himself hither and thither to whatever he wants, and asks for such things as he cannot lay his hands on, with all the comfortable easiness of childhood. I remember to this day how we used to peep through the praek of the door or hold it half ajar and peer in to watch his motions; and how mightily diverted we were with his deep, slow manner of speakipg, his heavy, cumbrous walk, but, above all, with the wonderful facul ty of hemming which he possessed. His deep, thundering, protracted a-hem-em was like nothing else that ever I heard ; and when oncfe/as he was in the midst of one of these performances, the parlor door sud denly happened to swing open, I heard one of my roguish brothers calling, in a suppressed tone, " Charles ! Charles ! Father Mills has hemmed the door open !" and then followed the signs of a long and desperate titter, in which I sincerely sympathized. Btit the morrow is Sunday. The old man rises in the pulpit. He js not now in his own humble- little parish, preaching simply to. the hoers of corn and planters of potatoes, but there sits Governor W., and there is Judge R., arid Counsellor P., and Judge G. In short, he is before a refined and literary audience. But Father Mills rises; bethinks nothing of this — he cares nothing — he knows nothing, as ho himself would say, but '¦' Jesus Christ and him crucified." It was after this very sermon, that Governor Griswold, in passing outjof .the house, laid hold on the sleeve of his first acquaintance — " Pray tell rne," said he, "who is that minister ?" "Why, it is old Father Mills." /, " Well, he is an oddity — and a genius too 1 I declare ! he continued, J have been wondering all the morning how I could have read the Bible 7*1 hi sn little purpose as not to see all these particulars he has presented." I once heard him narrate in his picturesque way the story of Laaar- tis. The great bustling city of Jerusalem first rises to view, and yoii .ire told, with great simplicity, how the Lord Jesus " used to get tired of the noise ;" and how he was " tired of preaching again and again to people who would not mind a, word he said ;" and how, " when it fcame evening, he Used to go out and see his friends in Bethany.'' Then he told about the house of Martha and Mary : '• a little white house among the trees," he said ; " you could just see it from Jerusalem." And there the Lord Jesus and his disciples Used to go and sit in the evenings, with Martha, and Mary, and Lazarus. Then the narrator went on to tell how Lazarus died, describing with tears and a choking voice, the distress they were in, and how they sent a message to the Lord Jesus, and he did not come, and how they wondered and won dered ; and thus on he went, winding up the interest by the graphic minutiae of an eye-witness, till he woke you from the dream by his tri umphant joy at the resurrection scene.- On another occasion, as he was sitting at a tea table Unusually sup- >lied with cakes and sweetmeats, he found an opportunity to make a oractical allusion to the same familiar story. He spoke of Mary as quiet and humble, sitting at her bavio'nr's feet to hear his woids ; but Martha thought more of what was to be got for tea. Martha could not find time to listen to Christ : no ; she was " cumbered with much serving" — "around the house, fryirig flitters, and making gingerbread." At another time Father Mills gave the details of the annointing of David to be king. He told them how Samuel went to Bethlehem, to Jesse's house, and went in with a •' How d'ye do, Jesse ?" and how, when Jesse asked him to take a chair, he said he could not stay a min ute ; that the Lord had sent him to annoint one of his sons for a king ; and how, when Jesse called in the tallest and handsomest, Samuel said "he would not do ;" and how all the rest passed the same test ; and at last, how Samuel says, " Why, have not you any more sons, Jesse ?" and Jesse says, " Why, yes, there is little David down in the lot ;'' and how as soon as ever Samuel saw David, " he slashed the oil right on him;" and how Jesse said " he never was so beat in all his life !" "Father Mills sometimes used his illustrative talent to very good purpose in the way of rebuke. He had on his farm a fine orchard Of peaches, from which some of the ten and twelve-year-oldgentlemen helped themselves more liberally than even the old man's kindness thought expedient. Accordingly, he took occasion to introduce into his sermon one Sunday, in his little parish, an account of a journey he took ; and how he was very warm and very dry ; and how he saw a fine orchard of peaches that made his mouth water to look at them. " So," says he, " I came up to the fence and looked all around, for I would not have touched one of them without leave for the world. At last 1 spied a man, and says I, ' Mister, won't you give me some of your 80 . peaches?' So the man came and gave me nigh a hat full. And while I stood there eating, I said, 'Mister how do you manage to keep your peaches ?' ' Keep them !' said he, and he stared at me ; ' what do you mean ?' ' Yes sir,' said I ; ' don't the boys steal them ?' ' Boys steal them ?' said he i ' no indeed !' ' Why, sir, said I, ' I have a whole lot full, of peaches, and I cannot get half of them' — here the old man's voice grew tremulous — ' because the boys in my parish steal them so.' ' Why, sir,' said he, ' don't their parents teach them not to steal?' And I grew all over in a cold sweat, and I told him, I was afeared they didn't ' Why how you talk !' says the man ; ' do tell me where you live ?' ' Then,' said Father Mills, the tears running over, ' I was obliged to tell him I lived in the town of T.' After this Father Mills kept his peaches, Although the old man never seemed to be .sensible of anything tending to the ludicrous in his own mode of expressing himself, yet he had considerable relish for humor, and some shrewdness of repartee. One time,4as he was Walking through a neighboring parish, famous for its profanity, he was stopped by a whole flock of the youthful repro bates of the place : — ' Father Mills ! Father Mills ! the devil's dead!' ' Is he ?' said the old man, benignly laying his hand on the head of the nearest urchin, ' you poor fatherless children !' But the sayings and doings of this good old man, as reported in the legends of the neighbourhood, are more than can be gathered or re ported. He lived far beyond the common age of man, and continued when age had impaired his powers, to tell over and over again the same Bible stories that he had told so often before. [Here end our extracts from Mrs. Stow. The following anecdote is from another source ;] Paul Peck, one of the first settlers of Lichfield, was the most fa mous hunter and trapper in the county. In- one of his sermons, Fa ther Mills, wishing to illustrate the progress and certain doom of the sinner, compared him to a timid Berkshire fox, that set out on a trip to the Sound. "When he started, he was fearful and cautious — wari ly shunning every appearance of evil, and trembling at the so.und of a leaf ; but having passed the hunters of Salisbury, the hounds of Cornwall, and the snares of Goshen, he considers himself sate; proud of his superior adroitness in thus escaping from predicted evil?, he becomes more and more heedless and self-conceited ; he enters Fat Swamp at a jolly trot — head and tail up — looking defiance at the enemies he has left far behind him ! But oh, the dreadful reverse! in the midst of his haughty reverie he is brought to a sudden and ev' erlasting stop, in one of Paul Peek's traps !" Father Mills died in Torringford, in May, 1833, at the age of 90 years, and in the 64th year of his ministry. 81 DANIEL CHIPMAN. DANIEL CHIPMAN, ll. b., (brother of Chief Justice Chipman,) was born at Salisbury, October 22, 1765. Inl775, his father removed with his family to Tinmouth, in what was then called the New Hampshire Grants, in the present county of Rutland, Vermont. Daniel labored on the farm until No vember 1783, when he commenced his studies preparatory to entering college. In the following year he entered Dart - ;mouth College, graduated in 1788, and immediately com menced the study of the law with his brother above alluded to. He was admitted to the Bar in 1190, opened an office in Rutland, and soon had an extensive practice. In 1793, he represented the town of Rutland in the Convention held at Windsor for amending the Constitution. Mr. Chipman removed to Middlebtiry, in the county of Ad dison, in 1794, which town he frequently represented in the Legislature until 1808, when he was elected a member of the Council — in place of which the Senate has since been consti tuted. In 1812, he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Most of the time between 1809 and 1815 he represented Middlebury in the Legislature, and in 1813 and '14 he was chosen Speaker of the House. In 1815 he was elected to the Congress of the United States — and attended the first session, but was confined at home by sick ness during the second session. The following year his heatlh was so far restored that he resumed the practice of law ; and in the years 1818 and '21, he was elected to tht Legislature.1 In 1822 he published an Essay on the Law of Contracts for '82 the Payment of Specific Articles — which was well received by the legal profession generally, and highly commended by Judge Story, Chancellor Kent, and other eminent jurists. In the Preface to this work, Mr. Chipman urged the importance of having the decisions of the Supreme Court reported ; and at the next session of the Legislature, an act was passed pro viding for the appointment of a Reporter, and he was selected for that office. He published one volume of Reports, when ill health compelled him to relinquish his station. In the Preface to his Reports, he suggested and urged the idea of elevating the Legislature, by constituting a Senate; and in 1836 an amendment of the Constitution to that end was proposed, and a Convention called. In the mean time, the subject of this sketch had retired from public life, and taken up his residence in the secluded village of Ripton. Such, how ever, was his desire to have the amendment adopted, that he yielded to the wishes of his fellow-townsmen, and represented them in the Convention. He was justly regarded as the champion of the Amendment in that body — which Amendment was, after three or four days' debate, adopted by a majority of three. It was universally admitted that the project would have failed had it not been for the vigorous and well-directed efforts made in its behalf by Mr, Chipman. A speech which he delivered on the occasion was published in a pamphlet form. Since the death of his brother, Judge Chipman, he has pub lished his biography, under the title of—" The Life of Nathan iel Chipman, ll. d., formerly a member of the United States Senate, and Chief Justice of the State of Vermont ; with Se lections from his Miscellaneous Papers." This work has also been highly extolled by Chancellor Kent, and others, whose capacity to judge of its merits none will question. Mr. C. has recently written and published the Life of Col, Seth Warner, a distinguished officer of the Revolution. 83 In 1848, the subject of this brief memoir received the degree- of Doctor of Laws from Dartmouth College, This distinguish ed honor in connection with those so often received from his fellow citizens, afford the most gralifying indications not only of his high attainments as a scholar, but of the general esteem in which he has long been held by the people of his adopted, State- si- STANLEY GRISWOLD. STANLEY GRISWOLD wWbornm Torringford, Novem-. her 14, 1768. Like most farmers' sons at that period, his / youth was passed alternately on the farm and at the district j school, until he reached the age of sixteen years, when he \ was placed in an academy. At the age of nineteen, he en tered the freshman class of Yale College, at which institution he graduated in September 1786. For about a year thereaf-. ter, he taught a high'school and, then began the study of Di vinity with the learned Rev. Dr. McClure, of East Windsor, He commenced preaching early in the year 1789, and soon after received an invitation to settle over the church in Lyme,, which he declined, On the 14th. of jAme of the same year, he began to preach as a candidate in New Milford, and was there installed as a colleague of the Rev. Mr. Taylor, Janua ry 20, 1.790; About this time he was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. Samuel Flagg, of East Hartford. At the time of his ordination, and for a period of years after, he was very popular with his people, and ndeed with all who heard him preach. He was a good' writer, an easy and grace ful speaker, and- having the advantage of a good1 voice and a, fine personal appearance, few equalled and still fewer excelled him in pulpit oratory. In ordinary and; private intercourse, he was familiar and pleasant, and seemed in all respects well cal culated to gain and retain friends. The principles of the Government seemed at that time to_he in a state of chaos, and the great minds of the nation were al most universally drawn into the vortex of politics. " Jeffeiw So nian Democracy," as it was termed, had risen into popularity in many sections of the country. In New England, however, (as is well known,) Jefferson was regarded by the clergy and by religious people generally, as but little better than an avowed Atheist — and his political adherents were consequently looked upon with suspicion and prejudice. To the young and ardent mind of Griswold, glowing with the fire of genius, aspiring to whatever was true and progressive in Freedom, and grasping after new thoughts and new theories, the political fabric of the great apostle of democracy was seized upon as the most perfect model of a republic which had been conceived. Unaccustom ed to conceal his opinions on matters of general interest and importance, and conscious of the rectitude of his motives, he did not hesitate from the first to declare his preferences in con versation whenever he thought proper to do so. As a matter of course, it was soon noised abroad that Mr. Griswold was a. "democrat." Still his popularity was not materially affected thereby, so long as his seittimsuts were not publicly expressed. His talents and eloquence secured for him crowded audiences, and elicited the applause of his hearers, though very many ; mourned over what they regarded as his errors. When first settled, he was regarded (and probably justly so,)> as belpnging to the Cnlviiiistic School of divines. But after a few years his brethren in the ministry gradually became dis satisfied with some of his religious tenets, and the Rev. Mr. Day, of the neighboring parish, of New Preston, was deputed to conyerse with him on the doctrines. Not being satisfied; with Mr- G.'s conduct and opinions as expressed on that occa sion, Mr. Day made an unfavorable repoit to the Association, and ultimately preferred charges against him. What the pre cise charges were, are unknown to the author of this volume, fan her lhan that they were designed to impeach his orthodoxy, and did not in any way affect his moral character. Mr. Gris wold, however, was cited to appear and make answer thereto 8 became a member of college that his real objects and designs were made manifest to the world. He there unburthened-his mind to a few fellow-students ; these he led to a secluded spot, where, by the side of a large haystack, (hey devoted the day to fasting and prayer, and familiar conversation on this new and interesting theme ; and he had the satisfaction of finding a like spirit kindling in their bosoms. After graduating, he became a resident graduate of Yale College. His ostensible object was the study of theology*:. but his great purpose was to ascertain whether there were not some kindred spirits in that institution. Shortly after his arri' val in New Haven, he became acquainted with Obookiah,1 k heathen youth from Owyhee, one of the Sandwich Island*, who will be again referred to hereafter. Having succeeded, in an eminent degree, in infusing a mis sionary spirit into a goodly number of students and graduates of the college, he became a member of the Theological Sem inary at Andover. Here he was- more than ever active in urg ing the claims of the heathen upon the attention of his breuV ren in the institution ; and it is sufficient to add, that from their number went forth in after years, a Newell, a Hall; a Nott, and a Judson. The hallowed influence of Mills spread rapid- idly among the religious people of New England. It was by. his instrumentality, and the advice and co-operation of the Professors at Andover, and the Rev. Drs. Worcester and I Spring, that on motion of the last named gentleman the subject was first introduced to the attention of the General Association of Massachusetts, at their annual meeting at Bradford; June 27, 1810. On that occasion the following paper was intra- duced — " The undersigned, members of the Divinity College, respectful^ request the attention of their Reverend Fathers, convened in General Association at Bradford, to the following statement and inquiries .' .,, " They beg leave to state, that their minds have long been impress- 06 ' *ed with the duty and importance of personally attempting a Mission to the Heathen — that the impressions on their minds have induced a serious, and they trust a prayerful consideration of the subject in its various attitudes, particularly in relation to the probable suocess and the difficulties attending such an attempt — and that after examining all the information which they can obtain, they consider themselves as devoted to this work for life, whenever God in his providence shall open the way. "They now offer the following inquiries, on which they solicit the opinion and advice of the Association. Whether, with their present views and feelings, they ought to renounce the object of Missions as visionary and impracticable — if not, whether they ought to direct their attention to the eastern or the western world ; whether they may ex pect patronage and support from a Missionary Society in this country, Or must commit themselves to the direction of a European Society ; ¦and what preparatory measures they ought to take previous to actual ¦engagement ? " The undersigned, feeling their youth and inexperience, look up to their Fathers in the Church, and respectfully solicit their advice, di rection, and prayers. ADONIRAM JUDSON, Jr. SAMUEL NOTT, Jr. SAMUEL J. MILLS, SAMUEL NEWELL." This document was referred to a special committee, who reported favorably, urged the young men to persevere in their glorious undertaking, and submitted the outlines of a plan which at that meeting was carried into effect in the appoint* ment of a Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, " for the purpose of devising ways and means, and adopting and prosecuting measures, for the spread of the Gospel in heathen lands." Here was laid the corner-stone of an edifice, which will'long be an ornament to the American Church; such was the origin of an institution, which, for the extension of its plans and the wisdom of its direction, has long been a distinguished monument of divine favor to the American people: The first efforts of this organization, resulted in the embark ation of the Rev. Messrs. Hall, Nott, Judson, Rice, and New ell, for Calcutta, in February 1812. Missions were also soon after established in Ceylon, the Sandwich Islands, &c. 96 in consequence of the deep interest which Mills felt in th<* welfare of Obookiah, he conceived the idea of establishing a Mission School for the education of heathen youth. He took the young Owyhean under his personal care, and instructed him in the use of language and in the precepts of religion. They lived together in New Haven, Torringford, and Andover. Wherever they went, the interest excited in behalf of the youth was very great. Meantime Mills continued to agitate his favorite project, until he had the gratification of seeing the Mission School established at Cornwall, in his native county! The institution was received under the care of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in the autumn of 1816, and it was from this School that the Sandwich Island Mission originated In 1819, it contained thirty -two pupils from various heathen nations. Mr. Mills received ordination as a gospeLminister, at New- buryport, Massachusetts, in company with Messrs. Richards, Bard well, Meigs, Poor, and Warren, on the 21st of June, 1814, all destined to missionary services. Shortly afterwards, he began to make preparations for a missionary tour through the western and southern States, Such was his impression of the the importance of this service, that he performed two distinct tours through those sections of the Union — the first of which was made under the direction and patronage of the Connecti cut and Massachusetts Missionary Societies ; and for the sec ond, he obtained the assistance of the Philadelphia Bible and Missionary Societies. The objects of these tours were, to ex* plore the country and learn its moral and religious state— to preach the gospel to the destitute — and to form and promote the establishment of Bible Societies and other religious and charitable institutions. In connection with the Rev. JohftiF. ScheTmerhom on his first, and the Rev. Daniel Smith on his second tour, he passed through New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, &c, to New Orleans, Nearly six hun- 97 deed miles of their route lay through a mere wilderness. The Report made by Mr. Mills, of these tours, is one of the most interesting ever given to the public, Preaching to the soldiers of Generals Jackson, Adair and Thomas, at their respective camps — visiting the hospitals for the sick and wounded — and attending to the spiritual wants of the British prisoners in their dungeons — these were some of his employments during his mission to the south west in 1814. On his return, it was his paramount desire to turn the at tention of the Atlantic States to the destitute regions he had visited. He accordingly presented their claims to the Socie ties in Philadelphia and Baltimore, and to the Connecticut Bible Society — which immediately set on foot measures for the supply of the South and West with Bibles ; the Connecticut. Society promptly voting five hundred copies for gratuitous dis tribution in Louisiana. Among Mr. Mills' great projects of benevolence was the formation of a National Bible Society. Dr. Spring remarks ; " The formation of this great national institution Mr. Mills thought of, suggested, and pressed the suggestion, long before it probably en- teredifCto tne mind or heart, of any other individual. With the gen tlemen who w-ere interested in the early stages of this measure, he had frequent interviews ; and though he concealed the hand that moved it forward, was himself the principal mover of the design, and a princi pal agent in inducing others of greater weight of character, to become its abettors. If the lofty edifice has inscribed on one side the endear ed and memorable name «f Elias Boudinot, it has on the other the humbler inscription, Samuel J. Mills." The American Bible Society was formed in the city of New York on the 8th day of May, 1S1C. Mr. Mills' next great effort was to unite the Presbyterians of the General Assembly, the Dutch Reformed, and the Associate Reformed churches, in the missionary cause, and the result was, the formation of The United Foreign Missionary Society. About this time he spent some months in the city of New York, seeking out the wretched abodes of poverty and vice, cheering 98 and relieving the wants of the suffering, and lifting up the fallen. But the darling object of Mr. Mills, and the one for which he seems to have been specially raised up, was the ameliora-. lion of Africa. The civil, moral and spiritual degradation of that benighted land, lay with continual weight upon his mind. His first effort in his new enterprise, was, to establish a sem- irfary for the education of colored men in this country, with a view to their becoming missionaries in the land of their fathers. The institution, through his instrumentality, soon went into operation under the management of a Board of Directors ap pointed by the Synod of New York and New Jersey, and Mr,, Mills accepted an appointment as their Agent. He had at the same time a commission from the Directors of the Foreign Mission School at Cornwall. In a letter dated at Philadel phia, July 15, 1816, Tie says — "I arrived in this place yester day from Baltimore. I collected for the Mission School while in the State of Virginia, about, fifteen hundred dollars. I re ceived at Baltimore, and two or three other places in Mary land, for the African School, about eight hundre-1 dollars." These schools flourished for several years ; but at length, miss ing the fostering care of their projector and friend,, they died. A colonization project had long occupied the thoughts of Mills, and in all his travels South and West, he had labored to awaken on the subject a spirit of inquiry and interest. A kindred feeling, in the meantime, was beginning to burn in the hearts of other distinguished philanthropists. A preliminary meeting of the friends of the scheme was held at the residence of Elias B. Caldwell, Esq., in the city of Washington, towards the close of the year 1816, at which Mr. Mills was present. He wus also present and participated in the deliberations of the meeing at which the American Colonization Society was formed, held on the 1st day of January, 1817. At the commencement of the Society's operations, great 99 embarrassment ivas felt thiough want of information as to the most eligible places for the establishment of a colony. With a view to obviate this difficulty, it was resolved to commission some person- of suitable qualifications to explore the western coast of Africa, This commission, replete as it was with responsibility, was put into the hands of Mr. Mills. No soon er had he accepted it, than he saw the importance of having a colleague to share the burthen with him in this arduous mis sion. As the funds of the Society would not then allow of this appointment, Mr. Mills was employed in forming Auxilia ry Societies in several of the large cities, till the Board felt warranted in incurring the additional expense — and gave Mr. Mills the privilege of selecting his own companion on the tour. His thoughts were at once directed to a kindred spirit, viz , the Rev. Ebenezer Burgess, Professor of Mathematics and Natu ral Philosophy in the University of Vermont. To him he im mediately wrote on the subject, and in September, 1817, Mr. B. signified his acceptance of the appointment. Messrs. Mills and Burgess left America on the 16th of No" vember following, and after a perilous voyage arrived in Eng land late in December. They at once presented their letters to Zachary Macauley, Esq., formerly Governor of Sierra Leone, and to the Rev. Messrs. Pratt and Bickersteth, Secre taries of the Church Missionary Society, who were partially informed as to the designs of the Colonization Society and the nature of the embassy, and gave them many expressions of their confidence. Mr. Wilberforce also received them wiih great cordiality, and introduced them to Lords Bathurst and Gam- bier, and to his Royal Highness the Duke ol Glocester — all of whom entered into the objects of the mission with enthusiasm. Lord Bathurst gave them letters of introduction to the Gov ernor of Sierra Leone, and other officers on the coast ; and Lord Gambier called upon them at their rooms, and politely proffered them any service in his power. 100 Having adjusted their affairs in Ergland, they embaiked for Africa on the 2d of February. 1818. A pleasant passage brought them to the coast of that continent on the 12th of March. The incidents of the voyage, as well as their journey along the coast in pursuing the objects of their mission, are graphically related by Mr. Mills in his journal. After spend ing upward**of two months in exploring the country, and col lecting and noting facts, they embarked for the Uniied Statesj via. England, on the 22d of May. The health of Mr. Mills was feeble when he left AmeriaH and the climate of Africa and the fatigues which he bad under gone th^re, had not improved it. It was a delightful evening when he left those heathen shores. The sun was just going down, and the mountains of Sierra Leone appeared in their majesty and beauty. As he stood on the quarter-deck, taking a last glance of Ethiopia, his bosom began to heave with thoughts of home. " We may now," said he to his colleague, be thankful to God and congratulate each other, that the la bors and dangers of our mission are past. The prospect is fair, that we shall once more return to our dear native land, and see the faces of our beloved parents and friends." To all human appearance, this was true ; but an all-wise providence haddrdered that he should not realize this prospect. On the evening of the 5th of June, when about two weeks out, he took a heavy cold, became ill, and expressed someap:. prehensions of a fever. He continued to grow worse until the 16th, when, between two and three p. m., he gently folded his hands on his breast, as if to engage in some act of devotion, while a celestial smile settled upon his countenance, and yielded up his spirit. Thus, in his thirty-fifth year, did this beloved man close his life of distinguished piety and usefulness. Brief as was his career, he contributed more, perhaps, to the formation and advancement of the existing national benevolent societies, than 101 any other man of the age in which he lived, or even of this age. The American Bible Society, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, the American Coloniza tion Society, the Foreign Mission School at Cornwall, and the African School at Baltimore, all had their origin, either direct ly or indirectly, with him. And when they were once organ ized, he devoted his whole energies to the furtherance of the objeets for which they were designed. To the eye of man,. the shaft of death could not have fallen upon one in whom was centered so many hopes for the moral and religious reno vation of our race. Blessed be his memory ! No monumental! marble records his worth — no fragrant dews shall descend up on his tomb. His dust sleeps unseen amid the pearls and corals of the oeean, and his name shall swell upon the breeze and be echoed by the wave, until the dawning of that day when the sea shall give up her dead. After the arrival of Mr. Burgess in this country, the Coloni zation Society presented a memorial to Congress, through the Speaker of the House, Mr. Clay, from which we extract the following — " In order to obtain the most acuurate information, from scources of the most unquestionable authority, the Society sent out, at great expense, two Agents, Messrs. Mills and Burgess, who have proved themselves eminently qualified for the undertaking. They proceed ed to the west coast of Africa, where they prosecuted their researches with such zeal, industry and intelligence, as to have contributed es sentially to the illustration of many important and interesting facts connected with the geography, climate, soil, and products, of that part of the continent, and with the habits, manners, social institutions, and domestic economy, of its inhabitants. From the information thus obtained, the present period would seem to be designated, by a com bination of favorable circumstances, as the fortunate crisis for reducing to test of actual experiment, these views and objects of the Society, which have already met so encouraging a notice from Congress," &c: " The volume of accurate and valuable information, collected by them, will be found among the documents which we now beg, sir, through your kind mediation, to present Congress." 102 [Note. — A volume of 250 pages was published in 1820, with the following title: "Memoirs of the Rev. Samuel J. Mills,. late Missionary to the South-Western section of the United States, and Agent of the American Colonization Society, de. puted to explore the Western Coast of Africa. By Gardner Spring, D. D." The foregoing Sketch is mainly compiled from this work.] lo», EPHRA1M SIRBY. This gentleman was a native of Litchfield, and was born .on he 23d of February, 1757. His father was a farmer in mod- irate circumstances, and Ephravm was employed on the farm luring his boyhood. At the age of nineteen, (fired with the aatriotism which burst into a flame throughout the country on he news of the battle of Lexington,) he shouldered his musket, md inarched with the volunteers from Litchfield to the scene >f conflict, in time to be present at the battle of Bunker Hill. He remained in the field until independence was achieved, with anly such intervals as he was driven from it by severe wounds. He was in nineteen battles and skirmishes— among them, Brandywine, Monmouth, Germantown, &c. — and received thirteen wounds, seven of which were sabre-cuts on the head, inflicted by a British soldier at Germantown, where Kirby was left for dead upon the field. These "honorable scars" he carried with him through life. At the close of the Revolution, he rejected with indignation the offer of pecuniary assistance to speculate in soldiers' certi ficates, by which he might haveamassed wealth without labor, He would not tarnish the glory of the cause of Freedom, by thus taking advantage of the necessities of his comrades in arms — preferring, penniless as he was, but conscious of the fire within, to take a more congenial road to eminence. By the lahor ofhis own hands he earned the price ofhis education. For some time he was a member of Yale College, and in 1787 he received from that institution the honorary degree of Mas ter of Arts. Mr. Kirby studied the legal profession in the of- 104 flee of Reynold Marvin, Esq., who had been King's Attorney before the war, and who relinquished the office for the purpose of engaging with all his might in the great struggle for inde pendence. After he was admitted to the Bar, Mr. Kirby was married to Rnth Marvin, the excellent and accomplished daughter ofhis distinguished patron and preceptor. In 1791, Colonel Kirby was for the first time elected a Rep resentative to the Legislature— a post of honor and responsibil ity to which he was subsequently re-chosen at thirteen semi annual elections. As a legislator, he was always distinguished for the dignity of his deportment, for his comprehensive and enlightened views, for the liberality of his sentiments, and far his ahlility, firmness and dtscision. On the elevation of Jefferson to the Presidency in 1801, Col. Kirby was appointed Supervisor of the National Revenue for the State of Connecticut. About this period, he was for sev eral years a candidate for the office of Governor. Upon the acquisition of Louisiana, the President appointed him a Judge of the then newly organized Territory of Orleans. Having accepted the station, he set out for New Orleans.; but he was not destined to reach the place. Having proceeded as far as Fort Stoddart, in the Mississippi Territory, he was taken sicky and died on the 2d of October, 1804, aged 47— at a period when a wide career of public usefulness seemed opening upon him. His remains were interred with the honors of war, and other demonstrations of respect. While in the practice of the law in his native town, in the year 1789, he published a volume of Reports of the decisions of the Superior Court and Supreme Court of Errors in this State. This was anovel undertaking; being the first volume of Reports ever published in Connecticut, and perhaps in the United States.* It was executed with faithfulness, judgment, * Pease and Niles's Gazetteer spsaks of this work as the first vol ume of Reports published in Connecticut ; Colonel Edmund Kirby; 105 and ability, and is now regarded as authority in all our Courts. Col. Kirby was a man of the highest grade of moral as well as physical courage — elevated in his feelings and aspirations — warm, generous and constant in his attachments — and of indomitable energy. He was, withal, gentle and winning in his manners, kindly in his disposition, and naturally of an ar dent and cheerful temperament, thowgh the last few years ofhis life were saddened by heavy pecuniary "misfortunes.* As a lawyer, he was remarkable for the frankness and down right honesty of his advice to clients, striving always to prevent litigation, uniformly allaying irritation and effecting compro mises, and only prosecuting with energy the just and good cause against the bad. He enjoyed the friendship of many of the sages of the Revolution, his correspondence with whom would form interesting materials for the history of his time ; but, unfortunately, almost all of it was lost at sea between New York and St. Augustine, some twenty-five years ago. A few letters to and from President Jefferson are, however, still preservedby Col. Edmund Kirby, of Brownville, New York, which are interesting as showing the relations of confi- expres:es his belief that it was the first work of the kind ever pub lished in the United States. * Col. Kirby had acquired a handsome property by his profession, but in an evil hour he employed an agent to purchase for him a large tract of new land in Virginia. This agent betrayed his trust, and by his dishonesty involved his affairs in irretrievable ruin. To be har- rassed by liabilities which he could not meet, was, to an honest and sensitive mind like his, a source of the keenest solicitude. This reverse took place but a short time before his appointment to the judgeship, and consequently he left Litchfield for the la;t time in a very dejected state of mind. My friend and kinsman, who still survives, (Colonel J. Kilbourne, late member of Congress from Ohio,) informs me that he unexpectedly overtook Col. Kirby while crossing the Alleghanie i, in the summer of 1804, and traveled with him for many miles. Kir- by was then on his way to fulfil the duties of his appointment in Louis iana. He was gloomy and sad, and expressed his forebodings that he should never return to his native State. 106 dence existing between the subject of this notice and that great statesman. Mrs. Kirby died at Litchfield, in October, 1817, aged 53.* * We cannot forbear inserting here the " following beautiful and well deserved tribute to the memory of this estimable lady, contained in a private letter from her gallant and lamented son already alluded to, (Col. Edmund K.,) to the author cf these pages — dated August 4, 1848. "She is worthy of honorable mention on the page that com memorates those who have done most to reflect honor on Litchfield — so full of cherished memories ! She possessed a rare combination of talents and accomplishments, blended with all Christian virtues that adorn and make the female character lovely. Born to the pros pect of a fortune, highly educated and refined, she met the reverses of after life with equinimity and energy, and a display of practical tal ent for the business of life, in the husbandry of her narrow resources and the education of her children, that commanded the admiration of all who knew her." v 107 JOHN C OTTON SMITH In the year 1639, the Rev. Henry Smith was the minister at Wethersfield, on the Connecticut River. A few years be fore, the Rev. John Cotton and the Rev. Richard Mather, har- rassed by the persecutions to which the non-conformists were subjected, left their mother country and sought refuge in the feeble colonies of New England. They had both been emi nent in their native country for learning and piety. A son of the latter, the Rev. Increase Mather, was for twenty years President of Harvard College. He married a daughter of the Rev. John Cotton, and from this marriage sprang the Rev. Cotton Mather, of world-wide renown. His daughter, Jeru- sha, married Mr. Samuel Smith, of Suffield, a grandson of the Rev. Henry Smith, above-mentioned, and was the mother of the Rev. Cotton Mather Smith, the father of the subiect of this sketch. He was for more than fifty years the minister of the church in Sharon, in this county, where his name is still pre served in the affectionate traditions of the people, as a sound divine, a most faithful and tender-hearted pastor, and a man of great personal dignity. His wife was a daughter of the Rev. William Worthington, of Saybrook, one of the old puritan women, in whom faith was the fountain of mild dignity and earnest well-doing. Of thase parents JOHN COTTON SMITH was born in Sharon, February 12, 1765; and he could thus' enumerate among his ancestors no less than seven of the clergy of New England, some of whom are illustrious in her history. It, was the great blessing of his childhood to receive hw training in 108 one of the best of the old New England households, where Law stood embodied in patriarchal authority, and Christian Faith gave the key-note to the domestic harmonies ; and much of the loveliness of his character was doubtless owing to the pure and quickening atmosphere of his father's house. His early education, till he was six years old, was commit ted to his mother ; and he pursued his classical studies partly in Sharon and partly with the Rev. Mr. Brinsmade of Wash ington. He entered Yale College in 1779", being then in his fifteenth year.* Though so young, he passed through his col legiate course with honor, acquiring a high rank as a scholar, and preserving his moral principles and habits from the slight est stain. It was at the time of the Revolution* the h eroic era in our annals, when the energies of our people were quicken. ed to their utmost — and, although our young student took no part in the war, his whole heart went with his country in her struggle for freedom. His father was a zealous patriot, having served as chaplain in the campaign of 1775., and full of hope as to the issue even in the darkest reverses. The son partook of the father's spirit, and with the hopefulness of youth anti cipated a high and honorable destiny forhis new-born country.f He graduated in 1783, the year of the termination of the *"Tiie following winter his father went to bring him home for the vacation. A great snow storm came on, and they were compelled to leave their sleigh in Woodbury, and travel to Bcthlem on horseback. By that time the roads had beeeime impassable to horses, and, fearing that they might be wholly blocked up, they set out, with Dr. Bellamy's sanction, on Sunday afternoon, on snow-shoes, reached Washington that night, Warren the next day, and home on the third. t" The appearance of a large British army from Canada, under Gen. Burgoyne, and the expedition up the North River, under Gen.Vaugh- an, in 1777, filled the whole country with terror and despondency. The firmness and confidence of Parson Smith, however, remained un broken, and his efforts to revive the drooping spirits of his people were unremitted. In the month of October, he preached a sermon from these words; " Watchman, what of the night ? The watchman saith, the morning conieth." He dwelt upon the indications which the deal 109 war, ami immediately entered on the study of the law in the office of John Canfield, Esq., in his native village. In 1786, he was admitted to the Bar of Litchfield county, then inferior to none in the State for the brilliant array of legal and forensic talent : among whom we may mention Reeve, distinguished for his wisdom and learning as a jurist, as well as for the ex cellence of his moral and religious character ; Tracy, surpass ed by none in sparkling wit and subduing eloquence; and Na thaniel Smith, who, by the energy of extraordinary talents, forced his way through great disadvantages to the highest pro fessional eminence. With these and other distinguished com petitors, Mr» Smith soon obtained a high reputation, and a lucrative practice. In 1793, he was first chosen to represent his native town in the General Assembly of Connecticut ; and from 1796 to 1800, he was without interruption a member of the lower House. At the October session 1799, he was appointed Clerk — and in both of the sessions of the following year he was el evated to the Speaker's chair. In October 1800, he was chosen a member of Congress to fill a vacancy occasioned by a resignation, and at. the same time ings of providence afforded, that a bright and glorious morning was about to dawn upon a long night of defeat and disaster. He told his congregation he believed they would soon hear of a signal victory crowning the arms of America, and exhorted them to unshaken con fidence in the final triumph of their cause. Before the congregation was dismissed, a messenger arrived in Sharon with the intelligence of the surrender of Burgoyne's army: The letter was immediately sent to Parson Smith, who read it from the pulpit, and a flood of jay and gratitude burst from the entire audience. — Conn. Hist. Coll. A body of Hessians, belonging to the same army, marched through Sharon after their ^capture, and their officers were hospitably enter tained at Parson Smith's. The next morning, when drawn up for march, they sang psalms in their noble language, and then moved on to the sound of sacred music. His son, (John-Cotton,) then twelve years old, was so much delighted with it, that he followed them abng way on their march, and he often spoke of it with enthusiasm after-. wards. 110 he Was elected to the full te.m of the 7th Congress. When he entered the National Legislature, the Federal party was still in power ; but the close of that session saw the sceptre pass out of its hands, and the party with which he acted lost its national ascendency forever. During almost the whole of his congressional career, he was in a minority ; and the honors which he received were not, therefore, the reward of a parti- zan by a dominant faction. Nor did he ever seek to conciliate his political opponents; he was an open, decided, uncompro mising opponent ; and yet, such were his talents as a states man, such his bearing as a gentleman, and such the spotless integrity of his character, as to command the respect and win the confidence of the House and of the country during times of the most violent party excitement. After the first session, he was Chairman of the Committee on Claims so long as he held his seat — a most laborious office at that time, when there was less subdivision of duties in Congress than now, but which he filled with great ability and reputation. Clear-sighted, prompt, energetic and indefatigable, he was able rapidly to dis entangle the most perplexed subjects, and present them with luminous distinctness ; while his lofty rectitude, never soiled even by the breath of suspicion, gave moral weight to his de cisions, as coming from one who would never sacrifice justice to party or even national ends. He was oftener called to the chair in Committee of the Whole than any other member, especially when those questions were before the House which were most fitted to awaken par ty animosities. In the celebrated discussion on the Judiciary in 1801 , he presided to universal acceptance — on one occasion, when the excitement was at its hight, sitting immvoable in his place, with the firm endurance of a Roman Senator, for twelve hours. His Congressional career closed in 1806, when he resigned his seat that he might minister to the comfort of his aged father. He did not resume his practice at the Bar, but Ill devoted himself to the management of his farm, and to those literary pursuits which were congenial to his refined taste. But his townsmen would not suffer his talents to be wholly buried. He was sent to the Lower House of the State Legis lature in the autumn of the same year, and was again chosen Speaker ; and he continued a member of that body until 1809, when he was elected to the Council. In October of that year, he was elevated to the bench of the Supreme Court, in the place of Roger Griswold, who had been elected Lieutenant Governor. Before the second term of this Court was held, Mr. Griswold was elevated to the chief magistracy, and Judge Smith was called from the bench to fill the office of Lieutenant Governor. Of his associates on the bench, the venerable Simeon Bald win, of New Haven, father of the ex-Governor, is now (1849) the only survivor. In consequence of the death of Governor Griswold in Oc tober 1812, Mr. Smith became acting Governor. For the four following years, and until the political revolution ol 1817, he was elected to the office of Governor, which station he filled with eminent ability and faithfulness. The life of a Governor of Connecticut is generally tranquil, and presents few incidents for history. The narrow limits of our territory, the orderly habits of our people, and the stability of our institutions, leave little to be done by our rulers save calm supervision and such gentle amendments as the change of circumstances may require. Apart from the war, there is nothing demanding special notice in Governor Smith's admin istration. He adorned the station by the consummate grace and dignity with which he appeared on all public occasions. All the duties and proprieties of the office were most faithfully performed and observed, and his State Papers were distinguish- ed for perspicuity and classic elegance. He was always equal to the occasion. 112 From his retirement in 1817 until his death, a period of al most thirty years, he lived upon his estate in his native town, wholly withdrawn from all participation in political affairs, and devoted to the studies and employments befitting a scholar, a gentleman, and a Christian. The connection of Governor Smith with the great moral and religious enterprizes of the age, was an important feature in his later life. He rejoiced when the Church, startled out of the sleep of the last century by the shock that engulphed the monarchy of France, began to grope her way in the morning twilight, and with weak faith and dim vision to gird herself for her work, as the light of the world and the pillar and ground of the truth. He was President of the Litchfield County For eign Mission Society, and of the Litchfield County Temperance Society ; he was also the first President of the State Bible So ciety, which preceded by several years the national institution. In 1826, he was chosen President of the American-Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions ; and in 1881, President of the American Bible Society,-— thus receiving the highest marks of confidence and esteem which the christian public could bestow upon him. The former he resigned in 1841, but the latter he retained nntil his death. It was a noble spectacle to see the retired statesman conse crating his old age to such a work. Standing wholly apart from political contests, yet full of filial anxiety for his country, ¦ he gave to the Church of God the first place in his affections and labors; Nor was it only in enterprizes the magnitude of which might seem to give them an outward magnificence, that he felt an interest; he was equally for those humble works of which the world takes but little notice. His wisdom and gen tleness made him much sought for in healing the wounds of distracted ehurches, and never was he more thankful than when he saw a blessing on those labors of love. Besides the political and religious honors already mentioned, 118 he received several of a literary kind. In 1814, the degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred upon him by his Alma Ma ter. During the following \ear, he was eiecled a member of the Northern Societyof Antiquaries in Copenhagtn, Denmark. He was also elected a member cf the Connecticut Historical Society, and an honoiary member of the .Massachusetts His torical Society, in the aims and objects of which societies he entered warmly, and gave them his cordial support. He was for several years an occasiot.-al contributor to various scientific and literary periodicals, and was a deeply interested observer of the progress of those arts, sciences, and inventions, which tend to advance civilization, and promote the partial or general welfare of our race. His essays on these subjects, evince patient investigation, deep research, correct observation, with occasional prophetic glimpses of their probable results in the unknown future. But the portraiture of Governor Smith's character will bein- complete, without giving greater prominence to the clement of the Christian gentleman. He was an eminent ornament of a class of which very few survive, commonly spoken of ns gentlemen of (he o!d school. This is commonly understood to designate a lofty tone of manners which belonged to a state of society i now gone by, and the loss of which is as little to be regretted as the obsolete fashions of our grandsires' coats. The free and easy spirit of our age rejoices in its deliverance from the un comfortable restraints of those punctilious times, and ridicules the antique forms of social and public life. But manners are shaped by principles. They arc the expression of the senti ment, of the moral and spiritu'al character, of men ; and when these are debased, they will stamp their meanness on the man- , ners also. Outward coarseness and vulgarity are a fruit and an index of moral debasement ; and the stately and beautiful forms of life are the fit embodiment of high and honorable feeling, though they may be the decorated sepulchre that hide* 114 ¦life corruption df death. The loftier manners of past agei, grew out of their loftier principles. The life of man was felt to be encompassed by a heavenly Light. Society was a di vine structure, and office-bearers therein were the representa tives and ministers of God. Hence a reverential spirit, and its Outward expression, a respectful manner, grew out of the faith ©f men in the Invisible as symbolized in the visible, in the Eter nal as symbolized in the temporal. In the father they saw set forth the everlasting fatherhood of God ; in the ruler, the ma jesty of the great King. Admiration of the person, was a distinct thing altogether from reverence for the office-bearer; the individual properties of the stone, were not confounded with the powers given it by its place in the arch. Governor Smith was trained from childhood to revere and obey ; life, in the forms in which it was developed around him, was full of sacredness, and thus the ground-work was laid of that gentlemanly character, that union of courtesy and suavi ty with a princely bearing, for which he was so eminently distinguished.* Elevated above all around him by the official honors which lie had so nobly worn ; possessed of an ample estate, which enabled him to live in the style of dignified sim plicity suited to his station, and which was the fit decoration and instrument ofhis majestic character ; and standing among his townsmen, not as a novus homo, but as the scion of an hon* ercd slock, that for more than a century had struck its roots deep in thesoil, and thus invesied with strong hereditary claims * Siiys Mr. Andrews, ".His dwelling had a nobility about it, in harmony with the man. lis position was one of almost unequalled beauty, near the western base of tltfit range of hills which separates much of the rugged county of Litchfield from the, gentle slopes of Dutchess, and overlooking a landscape of considerable extent and great loveliness: And the old stone mansion itself, with its spacious and lofty piazza, its battlemented roof, its regal look — it was a fit abode for one • Whose soul was like a star, and dwelt apart.' 115 on their affections, he entered upon the last great period ofhis life, a recognized guide and leader of men. And seldom are such gifts turned to nobler account. He was a fountain of purifying and ennobling influences. All loved and revered him; and well it is for men when they can find worthy objects to love and revere. But we must come to the closing scenes ofhis life. His Inst appearance in public was in New Haven at the annual com mencement of Yale College, August, 1845. Yielding to the entreaties of his friends against his own convictions, he con sented to preside at ihe meeting of the Alumni. The journey in the heat of summer, across the rough and rain-washed hills ofhis native county, w.is too much for his advanced years. A night's severe illness followed — and when the morning came, he was too enfeebled for the task he had undertaken. But he had never known the pain of giving disappointment, and, rallying his strength, he passed with slow and trembling steps up the loft)' hall — but how were all shocked at the death-like paleness of his countenance, so unlike its wonted freshness. Twice in that stifled atmosphere he fainted ; but even then we saw how painful it was for his energetic will to relinqui-h its purpose. Never before had he assumed a duty that crushed him. From that illness he never fully re covered ; and after a few weeks of extreme bodily suffering, under which he manifested great patience and faith, on the 7th of December, 1845, the spirit of John Cotton Smith departed to its rest. " That," says Andrews, " was the quenching of a great light. A M^n was taken from us— a man for whom all may mourn, for the beauty and majesty of manhood shone forth in him. Noble aims, an unspotted life, a tender conscience, the sim plicity and gentleness of childhood united with manly vigor, alj were his," 116 An Eulogy upon Governor Smith was pronounced before the Connecticut Historical Society, at its annual meeting in 1846, by the Rev, Wm. W. Andrews, of Kent, from which the foregoing sketch is mainly compiled. 117 IRA ALLEN. IRA ALLEN, (a younger brother of Ethan Allen,) was born in Cornwall, a. d. 1752, and in early life removed to the wilderness of Vermont (thencalledtheNewHampshire Grants.) Though less known to the world than the broiher alluded to, Ira acted a part equally honorable and useful, and shaied much more largely in the civil and political honors of their adopted State. He was actively engaged in the celebrated controversy between Vermont and New York, and subsequent^ ly in the American Revolution. In the latter, he rose to the rank of Colonel, and was distinguished for coolness, patience, and courage. In 1780, the British Generals in America began to meditate the scheme of bringing Vermont into a union wiih Canada, by taking advantage of the disputes which had continued so long and waxed so warm between the settlers and the New York Government. Knowing the bitter feelings thus engendered, and the delay and hesitancy with which Congress had tieated her remonstrances and petitions, these officers supposed Ver mont would be ready to accept tempting overtures from the British. This idea received encouragement from the fact, that Congress afforded but a slender defence to these frontiers, while the Governor of Canada could at any time send a force among the settlers sufficient to bear down all opposition. The first step was, to bring over soma of the leaders. According ly, on the 30th of March, 1780, Col. Beverly Robinson wrote to Ethan Allen, revealing the plan and suggesting negocia- tions. This letter did not reach Allen until July. He imrne- 113 diately sent back the messenger, and n. confidence laid tht. communication before Gov. Chittenden and a few other friends. That they might not be outdone in the allowable stratagems of war, they bethought themselves to turn to a profitable account this advance on the part of the enemy. Several prisoners from Veimont were then confined in Canada, and it was advised that the Governor should write to the commander in Canada, proposing a cartel for an exchange. A letter was accordingly written and despatched with a flag. Soon after, the British fleet were seen coming up the Lake. The alarm spread, and thousands of Green Mountain Boys rushed to arms. The commander on board the fleet sent, secretly, a letter lo Gov. Chittenden with a flag, assenting to the proposal for the ex change of prisoners, and offering a truce with Vermont tint}! the cartel should be arranged. As this arrangement was not publicly known, the people were surprised to see the fleet re treating down the Lake, and the military disbanded and going home. Ira Allen and Maj. Fay were appointed Commission ers to meet others fiom Canada, and settle the terms of a car tel. The season was so far advanced, however, that they were obstructed in their voyage across the Lake by the ice, and were obliged to return, " In the month of May following," says Col. Stone, in his rLife of Brant,' "the Governor and Council of Vermont commissioned Colonel Ira Allen to proceed to the Isle au Noix, to settle a cartel with the British in Canada, and, if possible, negociate an armistice in favor of Vermont. The arranges ments for this negociation were conducted with the most pro found secrecy, only eight persons being cognizant of the pfd- ceedure. Colonel Allen, accompanied by one subaltern, two sergeants, and sixteen privates, departed on his mission on the1 first of May,, and, having arrived at the Isle au Noix, entered* at once upon his business — negociating with Major Dundag, the commander of that post,, only on the subject of an exchange' 119 of prisoners, but more privately with Captain Sherwood and George Smith, Esq., on the subject of an armistice. The ski y of Allen at the island was protracted for a considerable time, and the conferences with the two commissioners,' Sherwood and Smith, were frequent, but perfectly confidential — Allen carefully avoiding to write anything, to guard against acci dents. After a negotiation of seventeen days, the cartel wa? arranged, and an armistice verbally- agreed upon, by virtue of Which hostilities were to cease between the British forces and the people under the jurisdiction of Vermont, for a specified time. Notwithstanding the suspicions of the people were aroused, so adroit was their management that the Aliens held communication with the enemy during the whole summer without detection. On more than one occasion, British Guards of several men came to the very precincts of Arlington, delivering and receiving packages in the twilight." On neither side would it answer to confide the secret of the armistice to the subordinates and soldiers. They, of course, regarded the opposing armies as enemies in good faith — a fact which in one instance, at least, placed the superior officers in an embarrassing predicament. An American sergeant, having been killed by the British, in a skirmish, Gen. St. Leger sent a messenger to Gov. Chittenden, with the sergeant's clothes, and an explanatory letter, in which he expressed regret for his death. This letter by some means fell into the hands of the people, and a popular clamor was the consequence. Major Runnels confronted Ira Allen, and demanded to know why St. Leger was sorry for the death of the sergeant. The an swer was evasive and unsatisfactory. The major repeated the question, and Allen replied that he bad better go to St. Leger at the head of his regiment, and demand the reason for his sorrow in person. A sharp altercation ensued, which had the effect, for a short time, to divert the attention of the people: from ths letter itself. 120 This finesse on the part of these few leaders, had the desired effect to protect the setilers from the attacks of the British until the news of (he capture of Cornwallis, soon after which, ihe enemy left !he Lake. Ira Alien was a member of (he Convention which formed the Constitution of Vermont, and was chosen one of ihs com missioners to negociate for the admission of the State into the federal union. He was also appoii.ted the first Secretary of State, and was subsequently member of the Council, State Treasurer, and Surveyor General. Hnving risen to the rank of Major-General of the militia, in December, 1795, he pro* ceeded to Europe to purchase arms, as a private speculation, for for the supply of the State. In France he contracted for twenty thousand muskets and twenty-four brpss cannon, with a part of which, on his return to New York, he was captured and carried to England, being charged with the purpose of supplying the Irish reb-jls with arms. This led to a litigation of eight years in the court of admiralty, but the result was final ly in his favor. He was the author of "The Natural and Civil History of Vermont" — a work of much merit, and esteemed as unques tionable authority in regard to I lie part which that Stale acted in the border warfare and in the revolutionary struggle. The subject of this nutice died in (he city of Philadelphia, January 7, 1814, in the 67th year ofhis age. 121 JONATHAN BRACE, Another one in that group of worthies which Litchfield* Court., ty has produced— one valued in all the relations of life, and long entrusted with great public interests — was the subject of* this sketch. JONATHAN BRACE wai born in Harwinton, Novem ber II, 1754, His father, after whom he was named, (and who had ten children, five sons and fivo daughters,) was one of the first settlers and a substantial farmer in that town. Jon athan had such advantages as the schools of the village at that time afforded ; and being a good scholar and desirous of & lib eral education, he was sent to Yale College. During his1 col lege course, he appreciated the value of time, and was distin guished by close application td his studies, and received the baccalaureate in 1779. Of this institution, at which he grad uated, and whose interests he ever afterwards cherished, he was subsequently elected one of the Corporation. Mr. Brace made a public profession of religion at the age of tiventy years, and designed to have chosen the Christian min- i«try as his sphere of actibn and duty ; but the arrangements of Providence seeming to order otherwise, he commenced the study of the law, under the direction of Oliver Ellsworth, then of Hartford, and afterwards Chief Justice of the United States. Soon after his admission to the bar, he removed to Manchester; Vermont, and in the counties of Bennington and Rutland hei obtained a very extensive and lucrative practice in his profes sion. While there, he held for a considerable part of the time the office of State Attorney for the county of Bennington, and 122 attended courts in the State of New York. He was also ap pointed a Justice of the Peace for said county, and was elected by the freemen'of the State a member of the Council of Cen sors- From Manchester, he removed to Glastonbury, Conn., where he had married, and where he had lived for a time be fore going to Vermont. Here he was several times chosen by hia fellow townsmen a Representative to the Legislature, &nd faithfully served them in that capacity in the years 1788, '91, '92, '93 and '94. In August of the latter year, he removed to Hartford, and there pursued his professional business with good success. There were at that period men of high atlain- menls at the Hartford bar, but he was inferior to none of them; His bodily frame was large, manly, and commanding, his voice full and sonorous, his countenance indicative of honesty and benevolence, and his manner easy and popular. Add to this. An intimate acquaintance with the law, and the springs of hu man conduct — the ability of seizing upon the main points in a case, and of reasoning logically on common sense principles, connected with so complete a control of his temper and spirit as never to be thrown off his guard or unduly excited, by the remarks of his opponents — and you have an idea of what he ihen was before a jwry, and as an effective lawyer. These qualities were duly appreciated, for he was chosen to the of fices of State Attorney for the county of Hartford, Judge tof the County Court for said county, and Judge of Probate for that District. In May, 1798, he was elected an Assistant; in 1799, he was chosen a member of Congress, in the room of the Hon. Mr. Coit, deceased; in May 1800, he was re-elected to Congress, and attended the winter following. That session closed in May 1801, and was the last meeting of that body in Philadelphia. At its close, his health being impaired, he ten* dered his resignation, which was accepted. He was, however, again chosen an Assistant in May 1802, and afterwards an- 123 nually until May 1819, when the State having adopted a new Constitution, he was chosen a Senator— that title being sub stituted in place of Assistant, and that branch of the Legisla ture being denominated the Senate which before had been styled the Council. He was again chosen a Senator in 1820, and attended the session that year in New Haven, and declined a further election. The office of Judge of the County Court he held twelve years, and the office of Judge of Probate fifteen years. He was likewise for a protracted period one ol the Common Councilmen for the city of Hartford, subsequently one of the Aldermen, and subsequently still, Mayor, which of fice he held nine years, and resigned the same on account of age. For more than thirty years he was annually appointed, in connection with the Rev. Dr. Perkins, of West Hartford, a Trustee of the Missionary Society of Connecticut, which office he held until the time of his death ; which occurred in Hart ford August 26, 1837. The following notice of that event is extracted from the Connecticut Observer, of which the Rev. Horace Hooker of Hartford was the Editor. Died, in this, city on the 26th inst. Hon; Jonathan Brace, aged 83. Rarely has the grave closed over a member of our community, who was more widely esteemed, or more fondly loved. His worth, early appreciated, won for him the confidence of the public ; — and most of the offices of honor and trust whieh it was in their power to bestow, were conferred upon him. He was several times elected to the State Legislature ; and held successively the offices of State Attorney, Judge of the County Court, Judge of Probate, a Representative to Congress, and Mayor of the City. These responsible stations he ably filled, so ably, that he could say, what few can say, that he was ejected from no one of .them. All of them he voluntarily resigned. But while distinguished as a civilian, he was no less distinguished as a christian: Here he shone pro-eminent. Admitted to the church at the early age of twenty, his character was moulded under the purify n ing, elevating influences, of divine truth, and the divine Spirit. Hence the production of a character, signally symmetrical and faultless. In his daily walk, he embodied Paul's idea of " the living epistle." He was " read of men," and the reading was profitable to them. His life.exhibited the lovliness and energy of the gospel ; — and his 124 pours© fulfilled, he came to the grave " as a shock of corn cometh in its season." He died, as such an one might be expected to die. Perfectly con scious of his critical situation, he was composed and tranquil; The valley of the shadow of death was nqt dark to him. The star of Bethlehem shone in upon it, with a reviving light, '¦' paving so often given myself away to the Saviour," he observed, «j him — confidence in is talents and integrity ; — confidence in him as an honest man ; — a confidence in him as a lawyer, that he would be\employed in no cause, touching which he had not a fair conviction of its justice ; and confidence in him as a statesman, that however he might vote, speak, or act, if vyoiild be as a tender, enlightened ponscience dictated. Hence he was respected even by the wicked, who " felt how awful goodness is," and received the patronage and support pf those who were politically opposed to him, Such a man must have been very useful in his day ; per haps more so, than if he had carried out his original intention of preaching the gospel ; far his influence which was invariably thrown on the side of righteousness, had additional weight from the fact that jt was past by a layman and civilian, and so not cast professionally, Uniformly kind, uniformly firm to his convictions of duty, and inflexibly opposed to iniquity in all its forms, he " served his generatjqn faithfully by the will of God j" and while many a widow whose rights as Judge of Probate he vindicated, and mapy a fatherless one whom he protected, and many an unguarded youth whom he counselled and befriended., have bad occasion to bless him, and have blessed him ; his native tpwn and pounty, if true to themselves, must ever count him among those who are worthy of their; esteem; i2e BE?ALEEL BJ5EBE.. BEZALEEL BEEBE was born in Litchfield on the 28th of April, 1741. He was a son of Ebenezer Beebe, who emU grated from Fairfield county to Litchfield in the early settle ment of that town, and purchased a tract ofland lying on the north side of Bantam Lake, which is still owned and occupied by his descendants,. The mother of the subject of this notice, was Berthia Osborn, sister of the late Capt. John Osborn of Litchfield— both natives of Long Island. In 1758, at the age of seventeen years, Bezaleel Beebe was enrolled as a soldier in the French and Indian war, and march ed with Capt, Evarts' company to Fort St. George, where he was for some time stationed. He soon after enlisted into Ma-< jor Rogers' celebrated corps of Rangers, an account of whose daring exploits was subsequently published in London by their heroic commander. While with Rogers, he participated in the sanguinary fight which resulted in the capture of Major Rafter- wards General) Putnam. At this time, Gen. Abercrombie commanded the Northern Army, but was goon after superce^ ded by Lord Amherst, During much of the succeeding year, he was a soldier in Capt. Whiting's company, and was station ed at Fort Miller. In 1760, he enlisted under Capt. ArchW bald McNiel, of Litchfield, and shared in the glory and peril* of the reduction of Montreal. He continued with McNiel un til the close of the war in 1763, having in the meantime been, appointed Sergeant. His country having no longer need of his services in the field, young Beebe, now in his 2?d year, returned home, and. 127 engaged in the labors of the farm. On the 11th of July, 1764} he was married to Elizabeth Marsh, daughter of John Marsh of Litchfield, and settled upon his paternal estate, hoping to spend the remainder of his days in the quiet enjoyment of do mestic life. But his lot was oast in troublous times; Only a few years of peace had elapsed, before the spirit of revolution^ too long smothered in the breasts of the people, burst into a flame throughout the colonies. At the April session of the General Assembly of Connecticut, 1775, a law was passed mustering into the public service one-fourth of all the militia of the colony — formed into companies of 100 men each, and into six regiments. He was commissioned as Lieutenant of one of these companies* and immediately joined his command. This entire force was sent to Boston sodn after battle at Lexington. In July of the same year, the Legislature sent one hundred ¦oldiers, with their officers, to man the fortresses on Lake Champlain, which had been recently captured from the British, Lieutenant Beebe, who accompanied this expedition, was sta tioned at Crdwn Point, having been transferred to the Quar ter Master General's department; In January, 1776, he received a Captain's 6ommissioh, and at once raised a company for an eight weeks' campaign for the defence of New York, at the expiration of which period the Company WaS disbanded and returned to their homes. At the following May session of the General Assembly, it was deemed advisable, "inconsequence of the alarming movements Pf the ministerial army and navy," to raise two new regiments for the defence of this and other colonies, and subject to join the continental army if so ordered by the Governor: These troops were placed under the command of Colonels Waterbury and Hinman, and Captain Beebe was appointed" to the com mand of one of the companies in Hinman*s regiment, and was for some time in active service in New York and New Jersey. At this time, the second lieutenant of his company was James 128 Watson, who subsequently rose to an honorable rank as ah 'of ficer, and, aftei the war, became a Senator in Congress from the State of New York. Early in November, Captain B. was placed !n command of thirty-six picked men, raised for the de fence of Fort Washington near New York. On the 16th bf that month, the Fort, after a desperate resistance on the part of its brave defenders, fell into the hands of the British, and all the Americans were either killed or taken prisoners.* The subsequent treatment and sufferings of the prisoners, who were confined in the Sugar House and on board the prison-ships, is perhaps without a parallel in the history of the wars o£ any civilized nation. Crowded into a narrow space, without air, and for two days without food, contagion and death were the natural consequences. The dysentary, small pox, and other terrible diseases, broke out among them, and very few pf the whole number survived the terrible ordeal. December thd 27th, an exchange of prisoners took place ; but only eleven of those who survived were able to start for Connecticut—six of whom died on the way. The remainder of those who were living at that date, being too ill to be removed, where alk, with a single exception, (Sergt. Mather,) died within a few days-^ ouist of them with the small pox. Captain Beebe, in consid- * As these thirty-six men, selected for so fearful an enterprise, were all or nearly all from Litchfield county, this is deemed a fitting plaoe in which to record their names atid destiny for the admiration of their posterity. Corporal Sam'l Coe, Jeremiah Weed, Joseph Spencer and John Whiting were killed at the time of the capture ; Sergt. David Hall; Isaac Gibbs, Timothy Stanley, Amos Johnson, Samuel Vaill, Nathan iel Allen, Gershom. Gibbs, Enos Austin, Daniel Smith, David Olm sted, Jared Stuart, John Lyman, Aaron Stoddard, John Parmely, Joel Taylor, Alex. McNiel, Gideon Wilcoxon, Elijah Loomis, and Phineas Goodwin, died in prison or within a few days of their liberation -, Tim othy Marsh,. Berius Beach, Oliver Marshall,. Elisha Brownson,, Zebulon Bissell and Remembrance Loomis, died on their Way home ; Solomon Parmely is supposed to have -been drowned -from the prison-ship;; Sergeant Cotton Mather, Thomas Mason, Noah Beach, Daniel Bene dict, James Little and Oliver Woodruff, reached their homes, but two or three of them died soon after. Oliver Woodruff lived until TSik l*t> eration of his office, was allowed tha limits of the city, but was compelled to provide himself with food, lodging, &c., or go without. He was accustomed to visit his men daily, so long as as any remained, but he could do little to alleviate their wretch- ed conditiPn. There then being no British officer of his rank in thehanda.of the Americans, he was not exchanged with the other prisoners, but was confined within the 'limits' for nearly a year at his own expense. During a part or whole of this period, the celebrated Ethan Allen was held as a prisoner in and near New York, and Captain Beebe often met him on parol and consulted with him on the condition of his men and the means for their relief. Oh the 13th of August, 1777, the General Assembly re solved to raise a regiment by voluntary enlistment, to serve in the northern department, or elsewhere ; and appointed Sam uel McLellan, Colonel of said regiment ; Noah Phelps, Lieu tenant-Colonel ; and Bezaleel Beebe, Major. It was further resolved, that the Governor and Council should give all necessa ry orders for raising and directing the same, during the recess of the Assembly. This regiment, which was to continue in service thirty-one days, was soon raised, and served in Rhode Island and parts adjacent under orders front the Governor and Council. On the 2 tth of September following, the Assembly ordered that a recruiting officer to enlist men for the continental army and to arrest deserters, should be appointed in each of the six brigades of the Slate. Major Beebe was appointed for the sixth brigade, and Litchfield was designated as his place of rendezvous. Here he remained until he was appointed Lieu tenant-Colonel, in 1780, when he was stationed with his regi- menfat Horse-Neck. Early in the following year, he receiv ed a Colonel's Commission, and was soon after appointed to the command of all the Connecticut troops raised for the defence of the sea coast. Under this appointment he was assigned tin, duties and received the emoluments of a Brigadier-General. 130 In the autumn of 1781 he retired from the army, and once more returned to his home. But his fellow-citizens still had claims upon his services which they were unwilling to lehn- quish. It was a period of great interest and anxiety to the American people. Just emerging in triumph from the War of Revolution, their laws were to be re-modelled and their system of government to be formed and established, and men of wis: dom and experience were needed in the councils of the State and nation. Colonel Beebe was elected a member of the Le gislature of Connecticut for the October Session, 1781, and he continued to be re-elected at intervals until 1795, when he de clined being again a candidate for the House— a treaty of peace having in the mean time been concluded with Great Britain, and our general and State governments being fully established and in successful operation. He, however, continued to serve his fellow-townsmen in various public employments for several years thereafter, and always to the entire satis faction of his constituents. Few men ever possessed in a more eminent degree the confidence of those who knew him — confidence not only in his honesty, but in his ability to per form whatever trusts might be committed to his care. He died in his native town on the 29th day of May, 1824, aged 83 years — his wife surviving him only about a year. He had three sons, viz., Ebenezer, (Major U. S. Army, died in the service during the last war with Great Britain,) William,, and James, (both of whom have been members of the Senate of Connec ticut,) and three or four daughters. The Hon. Julius Rock well, Representative in Congress from Massachusetts, is his grandson. Colonel Beebe was in person tall, portly and erect, with an open, cheerful, and benevolent countenance, and in all res-, pects he was a noble specimen of a man. As a soldier, legis lator and citizen, he was worthy of imitation for his devoted patriotism and self-denying labors ; as a Christian, he adorn- 131 ed the doctrines of the cross by a life of practical godliness. The spirit of missions, and the other great benevolent projects which characterized the church and the world during his lat ter years, found in him an earnest friend and zealous supporter. Long accustomed to look upon death with the eye of an un clouded failh, the summons for his final departure found him not only waiting but anxious to go. 13* FREDERICK WOLCOTT FREDERICK WOLCOTT, a younger brother of the. last Governor' Wolcott, (a sketch of whose history will be found in this volume,) was born in Litchfield, Nov'r. 2. 1767. His, boyhood was spent in his native town, and necessarily partook much of the excitement consequent upon the Revolution. His father, during much of this period,, was absent from home— . sometimes on military duty, and sometimes in his seat a,s a member of the continental congress. When, in 1776, the lead-. en statue ol George the Third was torn by a mob. from its po sition on the Bow 'ing Green in New York, and conveyed to, the care of General Wolcott, Frederick, then a lad of nine years, a^sis ed in casting it into bullets for the use of our army In 1787, he graduated at Yale College, and soon after entered, upon the study of the law, but was prevented by ill health, from engaging in its practice. His uncommonly sound and mature judgment early attracted the attention of the public, so that without the least solicitation on his part, he was called to, the discharge of many important civil trusts before he had at tained the age of 25 years. In 1793, Mr. Wolcott was appointed Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas and of the Superior Court, and, upon its estab lishment five years afterwards, Clerk of the Supreme Court. These offices he continued to hold until his resignation in 1836. In 1796, he was appointed Judge of Probate for the District of Litchfield, a station to which, notwithstanding the fluctuations. of party, he was annually re-elected by the Legislature for. forty-one successive years. In 1802 and in 1803 he was a 13S member of the House of Representatives ; and in 1810 he was- chosen by the freemen of the State, a member of the Council, in which body he sat until after the adoption of the Constitution in 1819. At this date the Council was abolished, and the Sen- 1 ate organized in its stead; and Judge Wolcott was subsequently ; for several years elected Senator. Within the limits of the last brief paragraph, we have passed over almost a life-time in the years of one whoee prime was literally spent in the public service ; yet in thus enumerating the various offices of trust and responsibility which he filled so long and so well, we are conscious of having given but a single item of his history. His was a life of unsullied purity and ex tensive usefulness. Wherever good might be accomplished, whether in the humble walks of life or in the more enlarged : sphere of benevolent operations, he was a willing and welcome ' actor. Hence, all institutions of learning, and societies for / ameliorating the physical and moral condition of mankind, ev er found in him a warm and efficient friend. He was President of ihe Litchfield County Foreign Mission and Education Soci eties, President of the Board of Trustees of the Litchfield Female Academy, Fellow of the Connecticut Academy of Arts' and Sciences, Member of the Corporation of Yale College, j &c, &c. No man was less covetous of the world's applause, yet few received more fully i he. homage and regard of his fellow men, not only in his native State, but wherever he was known. With a commanding personal appearance, and a countenance of singular majesty and benignity, he moved among his compeers like a being of superior mould. His clear and comprehensive mind, well disciplined, and well stored with common sense, combined with a calm and tender conscience, furnishing strongs instinctive and enlightened perceptions of right and wrong, admirably qualified him for an arbiter and judge. He held with equal balance the scales of justice, and when the spotless 134 ermine of the judicial robe was placed upon him, it touched nothing less pure and spotless than itself. All his official du ties were discharged in the most exemplary manner, and those who required his services and counsel, will long remember the fidelity and urbanity with which they were performed. And although these duties were often arduous and complicated, and his decisions on legal points numerous, it is worthy of honora ble record that not one of them was reversed by the higher,, tribunals. But the charms of Judge Wolcott's character were most attractively unfolded in the peaceful and retired scenes of pri vate and social life. In these he most delighted to move, and in these it is most pleasing to contemplate him. Possessing a singularly modest and unassuming deportment, a frank, gener-/, ous and cordial disposition, he loved the exercise of those kind ly offices which pertain to the citizen, the neighbor, the friend, : the father and the christian. In the performance of the vari ous duties incident to these relations, he was pre-eminently happy; In these the moral beauty of his character was daily developed in all its loveliness. His elevated standard of duty and honor, and his warm and benevolent spirit, qualified him for a prudent counsellor and compassionate friend. He re joiced in relieving the distresses of the widow and the orphan ; and when relief could not be extended to human suffering, he delighted to bind up the broken-hearted, and to pour the oil of consolation into the bosom of affliction. Meek and merciful, pure in heart, and a peace-maker, he enjoyed in all their rich ness the blessings which they ensure, and clothed in this pan oply of power and love, like his great Master, he "went about doing good." Hence he was appropriately denominated the pa triarch of the village, a pillar in the church aluminary in the land. Judge Wolcott died May 28, 1837, leaving several children. His first wife was Betsey Huntington, of Norwich, who died April 2, 1812 ; his 2d, Mrs. Sally W, Cook, died Sept; 14, 184a. 185 AUGUSTUS PETTIBONE. Colonel Giles Pettibone, of Simsbury, in Hartford county, Was one of the earliest settlers and most prominent citizens of Norfolk. He was the first Representative of that town to the General Court, the first Judge of Probate for the District, the second Town Treasurer, and one of its earliest Magistrates. After sharing in the labors and triumphs of a pioneer for more thun half a century, he died at an advanced age in 1810, greatly lamented by the entire community. AUGUSTUS PETTIBONE, his son, was born in Norfolk, February 16, 1765. He was admitted to the bar in early man hood, and in a few years was regarded as one of the shrewdest lawyers in the county. He was elected a Representative to the Legislature at the October Session, 1800, and was re elected at twenty-eight semi-annual elections — his father, whom he succeeded in the House, having previously been a member of that honorable body at twenty-six sessions ! In 1S12, the Legislature appointed him a Justice of the Quorum for the county of Litchfield, and four years after elevated him to the bench of the Common Pleas. Upon the re-organization of the County Courts in 1820, Judge Pettibone was appointed Chief Justice ofhis native countyT, and so continued by annual ap pointments for eleven years. In 1818, he was a member of the Convention which formed the Constitution of this State ; and in 1830 and '31, he was elected to the Senate from the 17th district. He was also for seventeen years Judge of the Probate Court for the District of Norfolk. 188 We have thus briefly noted some of the public employments of one who, for a period of more than forty years, bore a con spicuous and useful part in the public affairs of Litchfield coun ty. The simple fact that he was so long, and in such a variety of ways, honored by his fellow citizens, is of itself a sufficient indication of the fact that Augustus Pettibone was not an or dinary man He was distiuguished for the extent of his legal acquirements, as well as for his talents, industry, and strict sense of honor. He was a safe counseller, a just judge, a use ful legislator, and an exemplary citizen. After a quiet and cheerful old age, he departed this life at his residence in Nor folk, on the 5th of October, 1847, in the 83d year of his age> leaving a wife but no descendants. The monument erected to his memory in the grave yard of his native town, is one of the finest in the State. 187 NATHANIEL SMITH. The "Smith Family" is an extensive one, the world over ; Stnd he who shall accomplish the herculean task of beginning and completing its genealogy, will be worthy of the thanks of that innumerable and respectable race. Scarcely a town or village can be foflnd, either in Great Britain or America, where the name ddeS nPt e&ist ; no haunt of depravity, no lonely back woods settlement, no office of honor in Church of State, where the Smiths have not been repiesentated. In another part of this volume, we have traced the genealo gy of the late Governor Smith, of this State, back to the Rev; Henry Smith, the first minister of Weathersfield. We have not; 'however, succeeded in obtaining any definite information rela tive to the remote ancestry of that distinguished branch of the family with which we have now to do. The father of the sub ject of the brief sketch given below, was a pioneer of that part of Woodbury since incorporated into the town of Roxbury. lie married a sister of the Celebrated Gen. Benjamin Hinmart of the Revolution, (a woman of superior mental endowments,) and had three sons who became men of eminence, viz., Na thaniel — Phineas, (the father of the Hon. Truman Smith,) long a Magistrate and Representative — and Nathan j formerly of the' U. S. Senate. NATHANIEL SMITH was born in Roxbury, January 6, 1762. His labors upon ihe farm. in the rugged aud mountain ous region ofhis nativity, gave him a robust constitution and sinewy frame ; while his early struggles with, and triumphs1 138 over, the indigence and hardships consequent upon war and a new country, gradually disciplined his mind for the important positions which he was destined to occupy. Soon after the close of the Revolution, he commenced the study of the law with Judge Reeve of Litchfield, and, after being admitted to the ba^ opened an office in Woodbury in 1789. He rose rapidly in his profession, and in public esteem. For keenness of discern ment, accuracy in investigation, adroitness in argument; and energy of delivery, he had few if any equals in the State. In 1790, he was elected a member of the House of Representa tives, and was eight times re-elected. In 1795, he was cho sen a member of the Congress of the United States, and after remaining in that body for four years, he was elected a mem- of the Council ofhis native State. In 1806, he was promoted to the office of Judge of the Superior Court and Supreme Court of Errors. He remained upon the bench until 1819 having thus been constantly in public life for the period of twenty-nine years. Though compelled to forego the advantages of a collegiate education, bis studies were by no means confined to his pro fession. He early made respectable progress in the study of the classics, and was a proficient in the abstruse sciences. At the age of thirty-three, the honorary degree of Master of Arts was conferred upon him by Yale College, and he was subse quently elected a Fellow of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences. His success as a lawyer lay in his tact and power, united to a uniform consistency and integrity of purpose which inspired the jury with confidence in him and' in his cause. He never resorted to the petty quibblings of the Craft, for the purpose of diverting the minds of the jurors from the real points at issue; but wiih a steady, systematic, straight-forward argument, he presented his cause with luminous perspicuity, and he seldom \ failed in the accomplishment of his object. As a judge, he 139 tempered judgment with mercy, and, wherever the demands of justice would allow, he delighted to say to the offender, "Go and sin no more." As a legislator, he was eminently wise, patriotic and sagacious. His mind seemed to" comprehend at a glance, the various bearings which any proposed measure might have upon the public weal ; and he possessed the rare faculty of so vividly presenting the subject to the minds of oth ers, that they could see it in the same clear light. As a man of mind — of exalted capabilities, and pure aspirations — few ofhis generation might be compared with him. A distinguished Governor of the State, now living, lately said of him, " Connec ticut never produced a greater intellect that Judge Smith pos sessed." He died in Woodbury, March 9, 1822, in the 61st year of his, age. * 14P, HORACE HOLLEY The present village of Lakeville, in the town of Salisbury^ near the northwest corner of the county and of the State, was the birth-place of the subject of this memoir. The town boasts of having given birth to very many persons wljo have been highly distinguished in our country, and who still adorn its civ il, military and literary walks. Its iron soil, at once rugged, and fertile, seems to have a peculiar adaptation to the produc tion of vigorous intellect; Glowing patriotisryi, patient industry, ardent enterprise, and exuberant fa,ncy, have been its eornmon products. These active energies, as exhibited in the character of its sons, are diffused throughout the nation. Its towering mountains, its beautiful lakes, its luxuriant valleys, though de serted by the genius they inspired and nurtured, still claim, their share in those ardent aspirations which sent it forth to an admiring world, and in that affection which, amidst toil and vicissitude, ever directs its warmest impulses to the cherished. remembrances and dear scenes of its birth and infancy. Which. of its sons, on revisiting his native village, does not direct his eye afar off to the lofty Tachannac, and the pile of stones which his boy-hands assisted to raise as an altar to fame on its summit 1 Which of them is not moved by the sight of the pla cid Wonscopomac, with its woods and lawns and the little skiff upon its 'waveless mirror? Which OI" them is not inspired, with holy sentiments, as he sees the dwelling of his father, witri, its orchard and meadow bathed by the limpid waters'? Which pf them does not feel his heart glow with religious emotion, while on a Sabbath morning he presses on with the throng of 141; neatly dressed youths and maidens, oldi men, and children, and discovers in the distance, " The village church among the trees, Where first his lisping prayers were given,. Whose solemn peal still swells the breeze^. Whose taper spire still points to heaven."- Luther Ho^ley, (the father of Horace,) was, descended in: a direct line frorn Edmund Halley, a celebrated English philos opher, born the 29th of October, J 556, in St. Leonard's Parish,, Shoreditch, London. His, great-grandfather came from Eng land and settled in Stratford^ Connecticut, and afterwards re moved to Stamford, His grandfather married Waitstill Webb, and continued aji.Sia/nford until bis qhjldren were grown up, when he remoredsto Sharon, in this county^ being one of the first settlers of that town. His second eon, John, whose wife's name was JSarah Lord, was the father of Luther. Luther wa% a man of unusual energy and enterprize, and rose from com-. parative indigence to circumstances of independence and great,, respectability. He died in, 18^6^ HORACE HOLLEY, l*,. p., was born on the 13th of Feb-. ruary, 1781. He early manifested a more than usual degree of ' meatal vivacity, and, even in childhood, gave indications of high and generous qualities. Blessed froin _ birth, with a soundu and- he.althjul frame, no physical, infumaaties checked the ex pansion of hjs faculties. His, senses were perfect ; his percep-. tions were quick and clear, and his memory retentive.and ready.. Thufj qualified to learn, he was naturally fond of trying his, ppeningpowers ; and the acquisition of new ideas, from what ever source, was to hini an enjoyment. He was placed, at the- common district scjhpol in^.the.nningdiate vicinity, of his father's. house, when he was but little, more than three years old; and-; the peculiarly rapid progress which he, made in the simple stud-., jes suited to his age, proved his aptitudeJo.rgceiveinstructiQn^, and plainly showed that his lessons were no burde.n to him. "The nrst ten years of his life passed in this way, .chjefiy at5 142 school or in such light labor as was suited to his years, and; which, intermingled with the customary sports of childhood, served both to develope his corporeal powers, and to give a healthful tone to his mind. With such faculties, and such a disposition to use them, he soon became familiar with the com mon rudiments of knowledge ; and as nothing farther was to be acquired at a district school, he was permitted to avail him self of other modes of gratifying his active spirit. His father, in addition to the cultivation of a farms was pretty extensively engaged in country trade, which gave occasion for the transpor tation of considerable quantities of produce and merchandise, and to many errands of business from home. New York was, then, .as now, the ultimate market for that quarter of the coun-J try, and intercourse with it, previous to the construction of the • Housatonic Railroad, was carried on through the freighting villages on the Hudson river. A drive to Rhinebeck, or Red. hook, or Poughkeepsie, on a smooth road, through a cultivated, and pleasant district, with a pair of good horses, and charged with business, was no repulsive employment to a lad of manly' temper and enterprizing spirit. It was well adapted to pro mote many valuable objects. It was calculated to help for ward a knowledge of men and things — of the modes of bu siness, and the relative value of commodities — to throw a youth in a beneficial way upon his own resources, and to aid in giving firmness and tone to character ; and in this kind of occupation, this new school of practical education, was young Holley fre quently and cheerfully engaged, while yet a boy of twelve or thirteen years of age, the promptitude, accuracy and fidelity with which he discharged' his trust, always bringing tokens of parental approbation. About this time, his father, in pursuance ofhis original pur pose of educating Horace for a merchant, sought a place for- him in the city of New York. Finding, however, that a silur %tion in a mercantile house of respectable standing and exte'n- 144 sive connexions, could not be procured for him without paying a considerable premium for the privilege; the design was relin quished, at;d he went into his father's store, as the best means then at hand of furnishing him with wholesome occupation, cul tivating habits of industry, and advancing his knowledge of bu siness. Still, he was not exclusively devoted to this employ ment; but, With those of his bi others then at home, he was Occasionally on the farm and at school, and, wherever enga ged, was active, faithful, intelligent and efficient. As his faculties unfolded, however, and as the impulse from within gave more decidedindications of the direction of his proi pensities and tastes, it became more and more obvious that intellectual pursuits attracted hint most powerfully ; and the rising desire to obtain a liberal education strengthened, until his thoughts became so engrossed with that object, his hopes and wishes so clung to it, that his father finally consented, and came to the determination to set apart for the purpose that por tion ofhis estate with which he had intended to set him up in business. The plan being adopted, it was speedily acted uport ; for procrastination was no part of the character of father or son. Accordingly, in 1797, Horace, then being sixteen years old, was taken to Williamstown, in Berkshire county, Massac chusetts, and placed in the academy or preparatory school Con nected with Williams College, with the view, when the prop er time should arrive, of entering him in that institution. At that early period, however, Williams College was more limited in literary means than at present. Perceiving the deficiences in that establishment, and ascertaining the superior advantages of Yale College, after completing his preparatory studies at Williamstown, he went to New Haven, and entered the Fresh man Class of Yale at the commencement of the collegiate year in 1799. Yale was then flourishing under the auspices of its celebrated President, Dwight, whose brilliant reputation shecl lustre on the institution committed to his care, and whose indif- '144 vidual fame had long before become fixed as a part of the pub- ¦lic-glory ofhis country. Horace now found his long cherish ed desire for knowledge ih the way of being satisfied. His course was upward, frdm the beginning. He studied intensely and stood among the foremost. He 'had his full share of cok lege honors, and has since been heard to say, that during the 'four .years of'nis'cotlefe life, he was neve'r the subject of a fine, 6r admonition from his itut6i-s. Indeed, 'he "was a favorite' with 'them all, and with the President, the oest 'test of talent a'rid application. He was also distinguished in me ipolife circles of fthe t6wn, for'¥iSlexegant'per'son,ipolished manners, and intellect ual conversation. He already began to take that lead in soci ety which he ever afterwards maintained. He discovered also thus early, that taste for Tfoental philosophy, then called meta- IphystcS, aftd hot "so much in repute ot'feo we'll understood as at ipresent, for Wftitm he became so much distinguished. The religious revival of 1803, which Spread over New Ha ven, extended also info the 'college. Many of the students were numbered among its subjects. It is hot strange that one,. ¦of the enthusiastic temperament we have described, should have 'caught its influence. His mind, equally ardent in everything^ imbibed t'lis spirit of the time, and gave all its elbquence to di vine things. The debating clubs Were changed into meetings of religious exhortation and Iprayet. With these softened feelings, during the Senior Vacation, he retired to the bosom of his brother's family, then in Poughkeep- sie, to prepare for the last honors of his college, being appoint ed to deliver an oration. Here he was seized with the fever and ague, which nearly unfitted him for the task. Pale ana emaciated, he appeared upon the stage on commencement day, and, as he ever did, carried with him the admiration, a* well as the deep sympathy of the audience. It will give the reader sonde idea of the state of religious feel ing at that time existing in college, to state^ that a great prfa 145 portion bfthe graduating class, before parting for their distant homes, entered into a solemn engagement in writing, to pray for each other at a certain hour every day. Bound together by so many ties, the parting was solemn and affecting. They ¦embraced in tears, and bade each other adieu — with many an ¦eternal adieu ! In the winter following his graduation, we find the subject °i" this sketch in the office of Riggs and Radcliff, New York, as a student at law. All his energies -were for some months en gaged in i his study. But soon a reaction took place which gave a different direction to his mind, and determined his destiny for life. This change, which gave to the profession of divinity one of its brightest ornaments, and a most eloquent expositor, maybe ascribed in a great measure to the influence of Dr. Dwight, who, much interested in his favorite pupil, was desirous of en gaging in this service so much active talent. He was proud of this son of his beloved institution; one who was no bad example of his own mind and manner, his powerful eloquence and successful instruction. Accordingly, in the summer of 1804, Holley entered as a student of theology under Dr. Dwight, and resided in the fam ily of the venerable Dr. Dana. Here he engaged in his new course of study with all the zeal which novelty as well as ardor, and a lively satisfaction with the late change in his destiny, could inspire. Here also he cultivated poetry, and indulged his tastes and his friendships. On the first of January, 1805, Mr. Holley was married in New Haven, to Miss Mary Austin, a lady of many and varied accomplishments, since distinguished as the biographer of her husband, and author of " The History of Texas," to which country she some years since accompanied her uncle, the cel ebrated General Stephen Austin. The first six months after their marriage were spent beneath the paternal roof in Salisbu- 146 ry. The lime of the young divine, the date of whose license preceded but a few days that of his marriage, was employed, during a severe winter in the country, in writing sermons and pursuing his theological studies. In the following summer he lepaired to New Haven, and various invitations were received by him. Much expectation was excited by the advent of the young pulpit orator, and it was in no respect disappointed.— Invitations pressed upon him, and he Was not long in select-- ing a residence— and the selection in a personal point of view-, as often happens to the young and romantic, was made less in reference to the real wants of life, than to laste, literary ease-, and rural retirement. It is sufficient 10 name Greenfield Hill, Fairfield county, Connecticut, which once boasted as its pastor the venerated President of Yale, Timothy Dwight, who cele brated its beauties in verse, and who retained an after influence on its destinies. He was ordained by the Western Consocia tion of Fairfield, September the 18th, 1805. The parish voted " to give Mr. Holley five hundred and sixty dollars per year for his services in the ministry, so long as said parish and Mr. Hol ley shall agree." It was at the option of either to dissolve the union, when they should consider it no longer expedient to remain together. There was never the least disaffection be tween them, but after the experience of nearly three years, it was found that (he salary was too small. And though the sit-, uation was delightful, the people kind, the professional duties congenial, the tender charities of life agreeable, it was not in the power of so small a community to increase the annual sti* pend of their pastor. A dissolution of his pastoral connection with this parish was consequently effected on the 13th of Sep tember, 1808. Again at New Haven, ever the starting point of his hopes, and freed from all engagements and every external influence, Mr. Holley determined on a journey through Massachusetts and Maine. He had now reached the maturity ofhis intellect^ 147 and perhaps no man ever presented a finer combination of rare qualities. His mind was active, vigorous and glowing; his person manly, graceful any imposing ; — ami he had a power of eloquence which few possess and none surpass. On the 13th of October we find him at Marblehead, where he remained preaching with such success that he was invited to become the paster of the church in that plaee. This, however, he declin ed. He received also about this time invitations from Middle- town, Albany, New York, and oiher places; but he detei min ed against establishing himself in either. Having finished his engagement in Marblehead, he repaired to Boston, whither his fame hid preceded him ; and we next find him preaching at the Old South Church, always to crowded houses. Subse quently he was engaged at the church in Hollis street, where, after several weeks' probation, he was invited to take the pas toral charge. He did not hesitate to accept of a situation so eligible — a situation that not only promised but. more than re alized all he had hoped. His installation took place on the 8th of March, 1809. This connection continued for ten years, and no society and minister ever lived together more harmo niously — he giving to his people the most entire and perfect satisfaction, and receiving from them every demonstration of affection and esteem. His sermons were generally extempo,- raneous, or, if written, were seldom finished, but left to be fill ed out by (he suggestions of the moment. His method of com posing, or of preparing them, was as follows. His mind was richly stored with information on all subjects ; he never forgot anything he had once learned, and he learned all things accu- sately and definitely. Whatever he read or saw in his walks during the week, was made tributary to his Sabbath exercises. Frequently a visit, or an accidental conversation with one of his parishioners, would furnish a train of thought upon which his hearers hung with intense interest. Hence these sermons were always practical, always addressed to the heart and uru demanding ; and hence, in part, their power. • 148 It was his custom to enter his study on Saturday evening,, and remain there until a late hour, more for the purpose of re flection than composition, to arrange the plan of his discourse, and to make notes. After a few hours' of sleep, he was. again, in his study, when he would suffer, no interruption from any, cause, not even slopping for, breakfast. He then, entered the pulpit, fired with his theme, and rivited all atiention for an hour or more, with scarcely a recurrence to his notes. If the after noon service required a similar effort, lie ate no dinner. If he- dined, he would take a familiar subject and treat it less elabo* rately. His mornings were spent in intense study — for, everything with him was intense ;, and his evenings were devoted to the Current liierature of the day, which he read aloud in his fami ly, and to the enjoyment of society and conversation, which were made subservient to the objects on which his mind was acting in retirement. Thus the fruits of his. studious hours were brought into society, and thus also society in its turn add ed its contributions to the stores of his intellect and taste. His occasional sermons were composed with, care and written out. In 1815, he was invited to the Presidency of Transylvania University in Kentucky, to which invitation, however, he gave little heed. The church and society over which he was settled were united and happy under his ministrations — and the idea of leaving them appears not to have entered into his thoughts. The change which is alledged to have taken place in his views . of the Trinity, during his lesidence in Boston, did not in the least estrange his people from him. In November, 1817, the. invitation from Transylvania was, unanimously renewed, and1 with so much authority, promise and plausibility, that he was induced to listen to the proposition, and to undertake a journey thither. On reaching Lexington, he was welcomed with dem onstrations of joy by all. From his correspondence it appears, that he was mvited to preach in their several pulpits by the- 1 to Rev. Messrs. Vnndeman, (Kaptiwt,) Wire],* (V. \ is< opal,) Mr-. Chord, (Presbyterian,) and also by the ministers ofi'ilfc, Meth odist and Associate Reformed cliurohes. In one of his letlers he says — " This morning I breakfasted at Mr. Clay's, who lives a mile and a. half from town. Ashland is a very pleasant place, handsomer than I ; had anticipated. The grounds are beautiful, the lawns and walks ex tensive, the shrubbery luxuriant, and the garden well supplied. The native forest of ash in the. rear, adds a charming effect to ths whole. After breakfast Mr/. Clay rode in with me, and we went with the-Trus- tees, by appointment, to the college, to visit the professors and stu dents. They were all. cpllecied in., the largest halhto receive us. Il made a,sh<)r.t address, which was received in a kind manner. I was then conducted to the Library, the Apparatus and the Recitation Rooms. The library is small and the apparatus is smaller. There is no regular division of students into classes as in other colleges, and . but few laws. Everything is to be done, and so much the better, as npthingis to be reformed. Almost the whole is proposed to be loft to me to arrange- I am now making all necessary ^inquiries, and a meet ing of the Trustees is to be called next week." After remaining in the vicinity for several weeks, informing himself of the state of feeling whjch existed among (he people, as well as of the prospects of the institution, he, on the 13th of April, 1818, signified his acceptance of the invitation. He seems to have regarded the new field before him with all his. wonted enthusiasm. In a letter to Mrs. Holley, after reverting te the love which he bore the Hollis street church, and his de termination to leave it, he, adds, "L.slull make a sacrifice in many things, but I shall do my duty, and if I meet with success it will be glorious. I am not about to bury myself, or my tat-; ents, humble, as they are, from an active and conspicuous sphere,. This whple western country is to feed my seminary, which .will send outkwyersi physicians, clergymen, statesmen, poets, orators and savans, who will make the nation feel them.-, li is a great, opening! and. I should be pusillanimous to shrink from it, on-aceount, of the sacrifice I shall make in the refine- * Rev. John Ward, a native of Litchfield, Conn. 150 menis of society, and the breaking up of connections, however dear to my heart. The course I am pursuing is a high and honorable one, entirely above the region of clouds and storms of sects, and in a clear and pure day. 1 breathe an atmosphere more agreeable to me, in the large view that I take, than I have breathed before." It now only remained to break up his connection in Boston.. He immediately informed his church and society of his decis ion, ^ind returned home to make the necessary' preparations far removing his family to Kentucky. His Farewell, Discourse^ which was a master-piece of eloquence, drew together an im mense crowd of listeners. The large church, which had been erected and consecrated for him, was not only filled, but the entrance, the steps, and even a part of the street, were crowded- with people — and thousands were moved to tears by the pa thos and power of his eloquence. In the autumn of 1818, Dr. Holley removed to Lexington, with a stipulated salary of $3,000 per annum, and was inducted into office on the 19th of December following. This act, as had been anticipated, proved a life-spring to the institution. It was like the sun to, vegetation, after the lapse of a dreary winter. Pupils came in from every quarter, until, in a few months, the institution was highly respectable in numbers and importance. But it will be useless to follow Dr. Holley through the nine years of his Presidency of Transylvania. Suffice it to say, that the institution which, in 1818, was little more than a grammer school, with but a single class, and that of insignificant numbers, grew and flourished under his care, until, in 1824 and 1825, it numbered 400 students, divided into the four college classes—with an elevated standard of study, and a high and growing reputation. But subsequently to this period, the spirit of sectarianism set itself to work against the University and its distinguished head ; in consequence of which Dr. Holley, feeling that his prospects of extended usefulness. 151 Av'ere in a degree cut tailed, signified to the Trustees, in the spring of 1826, his intention of resigning his post. This step was regarded with deep regret by the citizens of Lexington and by the friends of the University generally. Not a few who had been hostile to him, expressed a readiness to unite in a general request that he would retain his station, declaring that in future he should have their cordial support- But their repentance came too late. Although, some monihs after writing it, Dr. Holley was induced to recall his letter to the Board, he carried his intended resignation into effect in the. spring of 1827. On the 27th of March, of the year last named, he left Lex ington, accompanied for a considerable distance by a proces sion of pupils, citizens, and friends. On his arrival at New Orleans, he was waited upon by several distinguished and wealthy citizens, with a proposal to establish for him a College near that city. As soon as it was ascertained that he regarded the plan with favor, a subscription was started for the object, which in three or four weeks amounted to thirty thousand dol1 lars. But the hot season had now arrived, and Dr. Holley found his health rapidly failing him. He, therefore, resolved upon a visit to his friends at the North, and accordingly took passage (with Mrs, Holley*) on board the ship Louisiana, for New York, The remainder of our story is sad, and soon told. When a few days out, he was seized With a violent illness-, which terminated fatally on the fifth day from his embarkation --July 31, 1827, aged 46 ; and on the following day his re mains were consigned to the bosom of the ocean. Thus passed from the earth one of its purest and most gifted spirits — distinguished alike for his learning, his virtues, his genius, his broad philanthropy, and his inspiring eloquence. As the tidings of his death spread through the country, they were received with demonstrations of sorrow and mourning. In New Orleans, Lexington, Plymouth, Boston, and elsewhere, * This estimable lady died in New Orleans, in September, 1846. 152 funeral discourses were delivered. The Rev. John Pierpoiif, 'Dr. Holley's successor hi the Hollis streef'cluifCh, pronounced a discourse on his life and character, by request ofhis society; and the same "p'easant yet mournful" duty was assigned to Prof. Charles Caldwell by the University over which the de ceased had so long presided. We cannot better close this sketch than by copying the following paragraphs frdm the Dis course by Prof. Caldwell : "As art orator it may be asserted of Dr. Holley, as truly as it was of the great Challnm, in reference to his Roman virtues and peerless en dowments, that, in some respects, at least he ' stood alone.' In that capacity, neither truth nor justice forbids me to add, that 'modefo degeneracy had not reached him.' Of the orators of antiquity, whose ¦fame is the theme of classical story, and who still furnish models for 'the' world'* imitation, the mantle of inspiration would seem to have de scended to him and gifted hinrlike themselves. To the-eloquence of the pulpit he was the paragon of his country, if not of the age, and ¦might calmly look down on all the efforts of cotemporary rivalry.— Nor, in that line of oratory, has his superior, perhaps, ever shed a lustre on any age. Bossuet, of France, was not more elevated, vehe-i ment, and impressive, nor Massillon himself more enchantingly attract- '-ire. To award to him a triumphant ascendency over 'Chalmers and living, the living Massilon and BosSuet of Britain, is biit 'to do whiM has been repeatedly done, by sundry judges, whose decision is entitled to undisputed confidence. To say the least of them, the matter, ar rangement and language of his discourses were equal to those of' the 'discourses 'of the British orators; and his delivery of them incontesti- ¦ bly and greatly superior. In general opulence of diction, and splen dor of elocution, more especially in the majesty of lofty and solemn : declamation, he left the two: foreign divines immeasurably behind him. "Nor, of his powers of analysis, When topios of depth and intricacy presented themselves, am I inclined to speak in less elevated terms. Here, as on all other points, he descanted as he'thought, with accuracy, •vigor, and resplendant perspicuity. Even matters of mystery almost .ceased to be mysterious, as they fell from his lips irradiated by his ,'genius." "As if she had cast him intentionally in her happiest mould, and en dowed him in a moment of her most abundant prodigality, Nature had show ered on this her favorite.in unwonted profusion and of the choice- est stamp, those minor attributes, which are so powerful in their in fluence, as the exteriors of oratory. In person and general aspect, aa heretofore mentioned, he was not only elegant and imposing, but 153 splendidly beautiful. But, with out any of that delicacy, which though peculiarly characteristic'^of youth adheres to some throughout their lives, or the slighest admixture of feebleness or effeminacy, his beauty was as masculine as it was rare and attractive. With a stature of the most approved dimensions, a figure so sy metrical as to be almost fault less, features bold, expressive, and comely, giving strength to a coun tenance beaming with the brightest intelligence, and animated with the workings of the loftiest sentiments and the most ardent feelings, hs truly and emphatically gave to the world, assurance of ft man * take him for all in all, we shall not look upon his like again.' _ "Thus configured, gifted and accomplished, when he ascended, in his flowing toga, the pulpit or the rostrum, assumed the air and atti tude of the orator, and threw his eyes around him on an admirinc audience, the presentation itself was a burst of eloquence — an exquis ite exordium to a splendid discourse- Under the illusion of the moment, the Genius of Oratory, indebted for his existence to poetic fiction, might have been almost fancied to have started into actual being, and stood forth to view, clothed in the form and aspect most suitable to his character. An ordinary address from a source of such promise would have been deep disappointment. One of consummate elegance, opulency, and force, could alone redeem the pledge that was proffer ed. When to these attributes were added, a mellow, rich, and silver- toned voice, thrilling at times with the very essence of melody, and of unusual compass, flexibility and power an enunciation uncommonly distinct and varied ; a manner in the highest degree tasteful and ani mated, and action the most graceful, expressive, and appropriate, the combinaticn to give to elocution all its faseination, and produce by its most powerful and indelible effects, was as complete as nature in her bounty could bestow. To render it irrestible, nothing was wanting but the outpourings of a mighty and cultivated intellect — and the whole Were united in the person of the deceased." '* And, though man had been silent when his body was committed to" the deep, the rolling surf, as it broke over the reef near which he was deposited, would have resounded to him, as it did, a solemn re quiem, which will never cease to salute the ear of the passing mariner, while the winds shall continue to waft him and, the ocean to be his home. And, amidst the roar of the mighty waters, his repose will be as peaceful as if be slept under fretted marble, or the grassy sod, silently wept on by the dews of evening, and smoothed by the vespess of the softened breeze." m 154 ABRAHAM AND PHINEAS BRADLEY, Stephen Bradley emigrated from England about the year 1660, and settled in Guilford, Connecticut, where he died on the 20th of June, 1702, aged 60 years. He had sons Ste phen and Abraham. The latter was born in Guilford, May 13, 1675, married Jane Learning, and died April 20, 1721, aged 46 years. He had three sons, viz., Abraham, Daniel, (died in Salisbury, Ct., in 1794,) and Joseph, (died at Guilford, in 1799.) Abraham, last named, was born July 26, 1702, graduated at Yale College, married Reliance Stone, and died in 1771, aged 69 years. He had three sons, viz., Abraham, Learning,* and Peleg. Abraham Bradley, last named, was born in Guilford, on the 11th of December, 1731. In 1763, he married Hannah Baldwin, of Litchfield, where he settled and resided for up wards of thirty years. He subsequently removed to Hanover, (near Wilkesbarre,) Penn., and in his latter years went to re side with his son Phineas, near Washington City, D. C. He was successively master of a vessel, surveyor of lands, select- beaming Bradley settled in Litchfield, where he died in 1821,. aged 85 years — leaving three sons and three daughters. One of his sons, the late Capt. Aaron Bradley, was a member of the Legislature from Litchfield at six sessiSns. One of his daughters, Anne, married the late Mr. Levi Kilbourn ; another, Lucy, married Mr. Jacob Kilbourn — both of Litchfield: 155 man, town treasurer, representative to the legislature, justice of the peace, captain in the militia and in the revolutionary war, judge, town clerk, &c. His wife died in Wilkesbarre, Sept. 18, 1804, aged 67 ; he lived to be about 90 years old. * ABRAHAM and PHINEAS BRADLEY, (sons of Capt. Abraham Bradley,) were both native* of Litchfield — the form er, born February 21, 1767; the latter, July 17, 1769. As their public career was passed together in the same Depart ment of the Government, we have deemed it advisable to blend the outlines of their history in a single sketch, The elder brother was educated for the bar, and in early manhood com menced the practice of his profession in the beaatiful valley of the Wyoming, in Pennsylvania — where he married Miss Han nah Smith, of Pittston, Luzerne county. The younger brother was bred a physician, and, after practicing a short time in Mid- dletown, Ct., he opened a drug store in his native town. From thence he removed to Painted Post, N. Y., and soon after to Wilkesbarre, Pa. He married Miss Haanah Jones, of Litch field, a lady eminently distinguished for pleasing manners and personal beauty. When, in 1791, Colonel Pickering was called by Washing ton to take charge of the Post Office Department, Abraham Bradley, then an Associate Judge of Luzerne county, (where Colonel P. exercised the duties of Prothonotory,) was invited to accompany him to Philadelphia as a confidential clerk. A very unassuming man, yet a lawyer of competent learning, with a clear and diicriminating mind, and an industry which knew no relaxation while thera was a duty to be performed, a more valuabla officer could not have been selected than Judge Bradley. He accepted the invitation, and soon remov ed with his family to the seat of Government, and entered up on his new and arduous duties, But the Post Office, then in extreme infancy, needing addi tional aid, Dr. Bradley also received an appointment in that 156 Department. Abraham was appointed Assistant Postmas ter General in 1799; and very early after a second Assis tant Postmaster General was authorized by law. The station was conferred on Dr. Bradley, the former having charge of the accounts, collecting, disbursing, settling with postmasters, &c. ; while Phineas took upon himself the more difficult, because more varying and complicated business of arranging pos- routes, forwarding the mails, making and enforcing contracts* The difficulties experienced at every step may be best appreci ated by men, thorough-going business men, who will for a min ute give their minds to the establishment of a mail line, say eastwardly, from Philadelphia to Boston; At every ten or twelve miles along the main stem there must be ramifications, diverging lines starting off on each side into the country, up the North river, on to Long Island, through every leading road in Connecticut; indeed, through all New England. On each of these ramifications innumerable other branches shootout. Some of the mails are daily, some weekly, some once a fort night ; but they must be arranged to depart and meet so as to answer prompt and regular connexion and facilities throughout, the whole. "A mail contractor myself for twenty years," says a correspondent of the National Intelligencer, "the propo- als for contracts were ever a puzzle to me — a labyrinth too in tricate for me to explore, and the most sagacious business man would find the arrangement a tangled skein most difficult of - unravelment. Precisely the mind lo manage this complicated machinery was that of Dr. Phineas Bradley. From the time he entered the Dapartment he availed himself of the best lights afforded him, and, as if by intution, saw through the whole matter with the clearness, I had almost said, of inspira tion. With the rapid settlement of the country and the extra ordinary development of its business and resources, the situa- . fion of Dr. Bradley was no sinecure. No servant ever toiled harder ; but his way was cheered by the consciousness (for. 157 he had a noble ambition) that he was in the path of duty, per forming highly useful and honorable service to his country, while he was establishing his own reputation and fairly serving his own interest." Colonel Pickering having been called to the execution of other trusts, a succession of Postmasters General followed : — ¦ Habersham from the South, Granger from Connecticut, Meigs and McLean from Ohio, succeeding. Party politics raged then as now, and the "tempestuous sea of liberty," wiih its rolling waves and rushing storms, shook at times not only the Depart ment but the Government itself; yet the Bradleys remained at their elevated posts, commanding by their talents, capacity for business, unwearied application, and unspotted integrity, universal confidence. Appointed by Pickering, it need hardly be said they were both Federalists of the old school ; but min gling the rarest prudence with the most free and unreserved expression of their opinions, they passed the ordeal of all the Administrations for nearly forty years without scath, and, ex cept in one' instance, without serious alarm — a matter alike honorable to themselves and to the Democratic gentlemen who were called to preside over them. Thus it may be said that the Post Office Department, from infancy to childhood, and from childhood up to vigorous mat urity, was nursed and educated under the superintendence of Phineas and Abraham Bradley. They laid its foundations in wisdom, they erected the edifice in strength, they adorned it with a beauty approaching perfection. This brief sketch is no fitting place for statistics, or it would be a pleasure to trace up from small beginnings the extension of post routes, the mail stage accommodations, the multiplication of post offices, the steady increase of income and expenditure, from the time they entered to the period they left the establishment. A fact new ('--to many, and not incurious, may be here stated. In early ! times, it being deemed necessary to increase the speed of the 158 mail on one of the. great routes, the Government established a line of stages between Philadelphia and Baltimore — the Gen eral. Post Office owning horses and carriages and hiring dri vers. The fare through between the two cities, on the Gov ernment Line, was ten dollars. On the coming in of Governor Barry, of Kentucky, as Postnaaster General, in 1829, whose administration of the De partment proved so unfortunate, Abraham Bradley was dis missed, to make room for an influential partizan of the Admin istration. Dr. Bradley would have been retained, but he dek clined to remain. Twenty-five hundred dollars a year, though a strong temptation, could not for a moment shake his resolve to leave the office, if his^ faithful brother was dismissed, or, as he deemed it, dishonored. The confidence and affection ever existing between these brothers, present a most amiable trait in their characters. For a season the Department was in no lit tle perplexity ; for, though the papers were all there, and in excellent order, Dr. Bradley's head, his wonderfully retentive memory, were wanting, and seemed indispensable to explain the intricate involutions and connections when a new adver tisement for mail contracts was to be made out. So remarka bly clear and tenacious was his memory, thatthere was scarcely a m?tter pertaining to his office which he could not explain without reference to a paper. The Bradleys, during their continuance in office, probably wrote more letters than any other two men in the nation. Brief and pertinent, it might be regarded a wonder if one in a thousand ever occupied more than a single page. Their hand writings were peculiar, yet different. If ever seen, they could never be mistaken, for they were unlike any other in existence. Neither of them was a diner out, a girer of parties, an attend ant upon levees, or seen as courtiers at the houses of the great. Each at home, living in elegant simplicity, their hospitable ta- « 159 hies were always well set, and their doors were opened with a cordial welcome to their friends and occasional guests. Abraham Bradley was a book-man. In his hours of leisure he loved study, talked philosophy and metaphysics, was fond of abstruse speculations, and wrote well or. every subject on which he chose to employ his pen. Asa more active recreation, acriculture was his delight. He had a farm some eight or ten miles from the city, whither he was wont to resort whenever his public duties would permit. Extremely domestic, moder ate in all his wants and expenditures, he ought to have accu- mulated n fortune. But after the education of a fine family of children, who do honor to his name and memory, he left but a moderate independence.* In 1793, he drew and published a map of the United States, which soon passed to a second edition. In 1814, he commenced the great work of preparing his Map of Post Roads, which was subsequently published, and which contained every mail route and every post office in the United States, with the distances clearly defined. This was the first work of the kind ever given to the public, and for ac curacy and minuteness of design, it has never been equalled. Dr. Bradley, on the other hand, was thoroughly read in the great book of human nature. Man he had studied to advan tage, and rarely has any one understood his subject more per fectly. There was no affectation of graceful manner or fash ionable politeness about him. A bow would have been to him an awkward affair ; but he met you with a cordial shake of the hand — a cheerful " gocd morning." Perfectly master of the topics of the day, you would seldom meet a more intelligent gentleman, or interesting companion. Tall, a high forehead, dark thin hair, yet so long as to be tied behind, dress plain, * Among the reasons assigned by the Government paper, for the removal of Abraham Bradley, it was asserted that he had accumula ted a property of $100,000; it was subsequently stated that Dr. Phineas Bradley was the individual meant. 160 countenance habitually cheerful ; an excellent physician, nat-j iirally so, above and beyond the rules of art ; though he did not practice for his fee, he was ever attentive and most wel come at the bedside ofhis friends when ill. This doubtless in-^ creased his influence among those with whom he was associa ted. For many years he resided at " Clover Hill," his country seat, two miles north of the Capitol. " Clover Hill," with its charming embelishments, awakened the muse of his aged fa ther, and produced a poem of no inconsiderable merit from the pen of that venerable gentleman, who enjoyed in advanced age the gratifying success and unceasing attentions of his sons and their families, emulous to make him happy. Dr. Bradley was for many years a consistent member of the Presbyterian church; In liberality — and his means were ample — no name stood he- fore his, when religious or charitable objects solicited his sub scriptions. The sketch is done ; the mere profiles are taken, " It would require a volume," ilays the writer already quoted, "to do jus tice to their biography, every page of which would be a portion of the history of the rise, expansion and success of the Post Office, which contributes so largely to the general intelligence and happiness of the people. The merits and blessings of that great establishment' are more especially theirs than any other persons who have yet lived, Their image and superscription is impressed on every leaf of its growth. Marble statues of the - two Bradleys ought to be chiselled in the best style of Persico, and placed on the right and left of the two entrances of the noble structure wherein it is accommodated." Phineas Bradley died in the Spring of 1845 — having sur- vied his brother several years. Both left highly respectable families, some of the sons having risen to eminence at the bar and in public stations. 161. RICHARD SKINNER, RICHARD SKINNER, Ll. d., (son of General Timothy Skinner,) was born ih Litchfield, on the 30th May, 1778. He received his legal education at the Law School of his native town', was admitted to the bar of Litchfield county in 1800, and dur ing the same year, emigrated to Manchester, Vermont, wherte he spent the remainder of his days. He immediately took a high stand in his profession, and though surrounded by older and long distinguished competitors, he Was in a few years acknowledged as the ablest lawyer in the State. In 1801, at the early age of 23 years, he was appointed State's Attorney for the county of Bennington, where his extraordinary talents, legal accumen, and great forensic powers, were put to severe though triumphant test. Ail intellect less vigorous, a purpose less determined, would have Quailed before the formidable ar ray of learning, shrewdness, and experience, which his pecul iar position rendered it necessary for him to combat. But, conscious ofhis own abilities, he bore himself with a mild dig^ nity and a loftiness of purpose, which sectlred for him not only the admiration but the good will of his associates at the bar and of the public generally. Young as he was, and thus ear ly elevated to a station to Which much older men aspired, he did not forget the respect and courtesy due to his seniors. His demeanor in their presence, and towards them, was perfectly unassuming and deferential ; he was more ready to receive instruction, than to instruct. In 1809, Mr. Skinner was appointed Judge of Probate for Bennington county ; and at the age of thirty-five he was elect" 162 ed a member of the American Congress. In fulfiling the du ties of the last office, his labors were as arduous as his position was peculiar. Our nation was in the midst, of a war with Great Britain, when Judge Skinner entered the councils of the nation. He, and the State which be represented, had steadily opposed the measures and policy which had originated the war. The contest having been, as he believed, unnecessarily begun, it became an interesting question in ethics, how far he ought to go towards carrying it on — a question which we do not pro pose to discuss, much less decide. A step too far in one direc tion, might justly cause his patriotism to be suspected; while a step too far in an opposite course, might be chargahle with inconsistency. It is sufficient to add, that Judge Skinner so far discovered and pursued the " happy medium " as to pass the ordeal without scath. In 1816, the Legislature appointed him an Associate Judge of the Supreme Court; and daring the following year, he was elevated to the office of Chief Justice of the State of Vermont. In 1818, he was a member of the House of Representatives' from Manchester, and was elected Speaker of that body. In 1820, Judge Skinner was elected to the office of Govern or of the State— and was re-elected in 1821, and again in 1822. The period of his administration was characterized, not only i» his own State but throughout the nation, by unusual quietness. There was a calm on the sea of party politics— a lull of the giant storm which previously had well nigh shipwrecked the Union, and with it the hopes of a world sti uggling for freedom. Thos'e were genial and prosperous days for that sturdy old commonwealth— a commonwealth as immovable in her adhe* rence to the principles and spirit of liberty, asher own majestic mountains. Soon after retiring from the chair of the chief ma gistracy, he was re-elected Chief Justice, a station which he continued to fill with general acceptance until 1829, when he retired from public life. 163 Though Governor Skinner thus for a series of years occu pied the highest civil and judicial stations within the gift of the people of his adopted State, his thoughts and labors were by no means exclusively engaged in objects pertaining to those stations, He felt that the various benevolent and religious societies of the day, had claims upon him which he could not innocently or honorably resist. Hence they ever found in him an earnest co-worker and liberal patron. He was an officer of various local benevolent associations, besides being President of the North-Eastern Branch of the American Education Society, and member of the Board of Trustees of Middlebury College. From the institution last named, he received the degree of Doctor of Laws. He died at his residence in Manchester, May 23d, 1833, in the 55th year of his age. 164 JOSEPH V AHL JOSEPH VAILL, (son of Captain Joseph Vaill, who emi grated from Southhold, L. L, to Litchfield about 120 years, ago,) was born in Litchfield, July 14, 1751. His mother, Je- rusha Vaill, was a daughter of Mr. WilKam Peck, of the same place. He continued to reside with his parents, engaged in the labors of the farm, until he had reached the age of twenty-one years. In 1772, a plan was proposed by Mr. Jeremiah Osborn, who, had removed from, Litchfield the preceding year into the neigh borhood of Dartmouth College, for several young m,en to de fray the expense of a college education for them.selyes, by tending a saw ntiill and grist mill, the property of the college, which he bad taken to run on shares. A brother of Mr. Os. born had before this become a member of Dartmouth College, The subject of this sketch had long been desirous of a public education, byt the way bad seetned hedged up with insur mountable difficulties. Two of hjs acquaintances, however, concluded tq make trial of the plan proposed, and lie signified, to his parents his desire to join in the new and arduous enter- prize ; but they raised such strong objections^ that he at first felt it to be bis duty tq abandon the project. His father was considerably advanpedjn life, and had no other son except an infant ; he had seven daughters mostly dependant on him.— These were considerations which weigned heavily upon the mind of the son, but they did not deter him from wishing and hoping for the consummation of his favorate idea. In Septem ber he receiyed a letter from Mr. Osborn which fixed hi^dei 165 termination to go. His father offered him one half of his; estate if he would remain on the farm ; but he replied that lie would rather give up his claims to any part of it than not to go. His friends generally regarded the scheme as wild and visiona ry, and did all they could to persuade him to stay, but in vain. His father rendered him such assistance as he was able, and he set out for the college, in company with three others, Sep tember 28th, 1772, taking with hint his axe and such clothing and books as were deemed most necessary. These four young men took with them one small horse, on which the youngest and most feeble of their number rode most of the way — the others traveling on foot, with their packs slung across their backs. The distance they were to travel was computed to be one hundred and eighty miles. Mr. Vaill thus speaks of this journey : " I had only about fifteen shillings in money in my pocket to bear my expenses on the journey ; and as this prov ed insufficient, I received some more from one of our company. We traveled on an average about thirty miles a day. I had never before been twenty miles from home, nor gone on foot a whole day at a time. I became excessively weary, and at times was almost ready to lie down in the street. On the third day, as we went from Hartford, on the east side of the Connecticut River, we reached the Chickopee River in Massachusetts; and finding the bridge gone, one of our number rode the horse over and ascertained that it was not dangerous as to depth. We then pulled off our stockings and shoes, and waded across, a distance of about ten rods. The water was cold, the stream rapid, and the bottom covered with sharp and slippery stones; We reached Claremont, in New Hampshire, on Saturday night, and put up over the Sabbath at a small tavern on the beach of Sugar River. The landlord was an Episcopulian. A meeting was held at his house on the Sabbath. On Monday, October 5th, we reach the College Mills." Few young men at this day would practice such self-denial, 166 for the purpose of obtaining an education. The following additional extracts from Mr. Vaill's narrative, will let the reader still further into the nature of the labors and privations of the students of those primitive times. Is it to be wondered at that they made robust and vigorous men ! " The mills were one mile south from the college. They stood on a large brook, and near them was an interval of fif teen or twenty acres of land, which interval was nearly sur» rounded on one side by a high hiHNof simicircular form, which extended from north east to south west. This hill was thickly covered with forest trees. The road from the mills to the col lege, after about sixty rods of level land, passed directly up this hill, thence through a hemlock swamp, nearly half a mile in width, before it reached the plain where the college stood. "We found Mr. Osborn living alone in a small framed unfin ished house, which had been built for the man who should tend the college mills. A more solitary and romantic situation can seldom be found. The howling of the wild beasts, and the plaintive notes of the owl, greatly added to the gloominess of the night season, Mr. O. was supplied with some provis ions and utensils, sufficient for one who lived in his solitary condition. His lodging was a box made of boards, called a bunk, with a ticken filled with pine shavings, and a sufficient covering of Indian blankets. For the first week we strangers took each one a blanket and slept upon the floor ; but in a short time we furnished ourselves with bunks and straw beds, and utensils sufficient to take our meals in a more decent man ner. The first four or five weeks we spent in tending the mills, and in clearing away the trees near our house, which furnish ed a supply of fuel for the winter. One of our company soon gave up the idea of studyimg, and returned to Connecticut be fore winter. Three of us now entered on the study of the Lat in Grammar, and so continued through the winter. Our tutor was a brother of Mr. J. O., and a member of the Sophomore 167 Class in college. We gave him his board for his services in teaching us ; and we had no other teacher until we entered college. During the first winter, we studied in our cold house* and used pine kuots to burn for lights, instead of candles, for a part of the time. I lodged with one of my classmates in the chamber, which we reached by a ladder placed in the en try. My pillow was a duffed great coat, and our covering nar row Indian blankets. We did our own cooking and washing until the latter part of March, when a young married couple came from Connecticut and lived in our house, and superin tended our domestic affairs. Having repaired a small cottage near by, built in part of logs, we removed into that to study and lodge, where he remained during the next summer, suf. eri ng many inconveniences, and undergoing many privations. " On the return of spring in 1773, as soon as the ice dis solved, we resumed our sawing. We sawed about sixty thou sand feet of pine boards, and stuck them up. We also tended- the grist mill in our turns, besides burning over several aeres of ground, and clearing the same for tillage ; we sowed a part with cloverseed for mowing and pasture, and planted yearly about one acre of corn, besides our garden. Our corn-field was never plowed. We employed our hoes iti planting the eorn, and we dug our field, when the corn was up, with onr hoes. The first spring after we commenced our settlement there, the measles broke out in our family, and proved fatal to one of our number. This was an afflictive Providence to* as all. In the first summer, we built a new convenient house One of our number and myself constructed the chimney : and for want of cattle, we backed the stones from several rods dis tance. The mantle-stone two of us carried on our shoulders nearly a mile ; and the jamb-stones we backed some distance. By the time we had finished our house, which was in Septem ber, my health was very much reduced ; and I experienced so> severe an attack of dysentery, attended with a- burning fever,, 168 that for several days my life was greatly threatened. But through a merciful Piovidenct", I was at length restored to health. Thus I continued to labor and study for two years, before I, with-one of the company, entered college. My hard ships were excessive, and especially in the spring, when, after studying through the winter, we turned out in the latter part of March, two of us at a time, and tended the saw mill for about six weeks together. We made it our rule to saw every evening, except Saturday and Sunday evenings, until ten o'clock, and in the meantime some one in his turn tendedthe grist mill. " About two years. after we commenced our enterprize, two young men from Massachusetts joined us, one of whom brought on an excellent cow, which furnished us with milk and butter for most of the year, and greatly contributed to our living more comfortabty; After I entered college, I went twice and sometimes three times a day to recite with my class. In the winter, we rose at five o'clock, and having united in morning prayer in our family, I set off for college, having to face the north-west wind, which was cold and piercing in that climate; and not unfrequently I had to break my path through a new fall of snow a foot in depth or more. It is marvellous I did hot freeze my limbs, or perish with the cold, especially as I was but thinly clothed. I had scarcely a moment's leisure from one week or month to another. I was frequently exposed to being drenched with water when mending the trough or buckets of the water -wheel ; and in one instance, I experi enced a narrow escape from being torn in pieces by the saw." In 1777, then in his junior year, Mr. Vaill, finding his health greatly impaired by his routine of labors and hardships, sought advice of the President of the College, (Rev. Dr. ^Wheelock,) whether some other course might not be open to him by which he might defray his expenses and pursue his .studies. The President proposed that he should remove into college, and take 169 charge of certain Canadian boys, who had been sent there to receive an English education, and that he should have his board and tuition for instructing and taking the oversight of them. Accordingly he took a room in college — became the instructor of these boys— and in this manner defrayed his expenses and at the same time kept up with his class, till his health failed under this change. He was taken down with a violent billious fever, which confined him for several weeks. As soon as he was able to travel, he visited his parents, with whom he re mained until his health was fully restored. On his return to college, he took charge of More's School, so called from a benefactor of the institution. This school was kept in a room in the college, and by means of this service, Mr. Vaill continu ed to defray his expenses for some time, when, in consequence of the excitement and alarm occasioned by the march of Bur - goyne, the college exercises were suspended, and he once more took up his abode at his father's house in Litchfield. He, however, resumed his studies with his class in the spring of 1778, and received his degree in the August following. Having honorably finished his college education, Mr. Vaill at once turned his attention to the study of Theology ; and for this end he went to reside with the Rev. Mr. Stores, of North- bury, (now Plymouth,) in his native county, Oct. 14, 1778. Here again he was favored with the privilege of teaching a public school in the winter, which enabled him to meet his pecuniary engagements. Mr. Storrs also gave him privileges, received him into his family, furnished him with fire-wood, gave him the use of his library and instructed him gratuitously. He remained with Mr. Storrs till May, 1779, when the Associ ation to which Mr. S, belonged, met at his house, and on his recommendation, Mr. Vaill offered himself for examination ; and, having sustained himself in its several paits, he was li censed as a candidate for the gospel ministry. The first. Sabbath after he was licensed, he preached for Mr'- 170 Storrs, and about three weeks after, he was sent for to preach in Hadlyme, in the County of New London. After supplying the pulpit of the Congregational Church in that place for five months, he received a unanimous invitation to become its pas tor. He ultimately accepted the call, and was installed on the' 9th 'of February, 1780, On the 12th of the following Octo ber, he was married to Miss Sarah Fowler, eldest daughter of Rev. Joseph Fowler, of East Haddam. The connection was an eminently happy one, Mrs. Vaill having been educated ih: a minister's family, knew how to accommodate herself to the situation she was to fill, and her good sense and exemplary pie ty procured for her the respect and confidence of the people to' whom her husband ministered. We cannot, in a work like this, follow this excellent divine: through the long period ofhis ministry. For nearly sixty years,* he remained in the pastoral office over the church in Hadlyme,- although, during the last few years of his life, he was relieved from active duty as a preacher by a colleague, tn the pulpit, Mr. Vaill was plain and simple in his style, and solemn and ar». dent in his manner. His countenance was grave and sober, in dicative of sincerity and seriousness of purpose; His voice was full and distinct, so that it could easily be heard in all parts- of the assembly. Although he could not properly be ranked among the greatest of preachers, he was nevertheless quite above the ordinary grade — often eloquent and powerful; and always edifying and instructive. He possessed a natural shrewdness, and quickness of discernment in regard to men and things, which gave his conversation at times a facecious turn, highly enlivening and interesting. Many anecdotes are still in remembrance, illustrative of (his trait in his charac ter. It was by means of this trait, that he was sometimes1 very severe in his retorts upon such as would accost him im pertinently, or, forthe sake' of drawing forth some humorous- reply. At times, also, his wit would spend itself pleasantly 171 upon his friends. It would flow out so unexpectedly and from under so ministerial a countenance, and with such pertinence of application, that every one in the company would be amused and yet' no one be injured or offended by it. In addition to his clerical duties, Mr. Vaill devoted some por tion ofhis time for several years to the instruction of youth. Among those who were instructed by him in the preparatory stages of their education, were the Rev. Drs. Griffin and Har vey, and Win. Hungerford, Esq,, of the Hartford bar. By means of this school, he was enabled to assist his two sons in obtaining their College education, and also to give his daugh ters an education. These sons have long been useful and con spicuous ministers. The eldest, Rev, William F. Vaill, became pastor of the church in North Guilford in 1808 ; in 1820, he was dismissed from the'pastoral care of this church, and went on a mission to the Osage Indians, under the patronage of the United Foreign Mission Society. The Rev. Joseph Vaill, Jr., (youngest son of the subject of this sketch,) was ordained as pastor of the church in Brimfield, Massachusetts, in 1814. — At the settlement of each of these sons, the father preached the ordination sermon- His farewell address to his eldest son, just upon the eve of his departure with his family for his mis sion-ground in the far western wilds, was published. It is a most interesting and affecting memorial. In concluding that address, he says, "No. matter, my dear children, whether you are laid in the sepulchre of your fathers, or whether your dust be deposited three thousand miles from the land of your nativi ty. If you die in the Lord, it will be as glorious to meet your descending Redeemer, when the voice of the archangel and the trump of God shall awake you from the sleep of death, in the Arkansas country, as to rise surrounded by your former Christian connections." As early as 1792, a missionary spirit began to manifest itself (D Middlesex Association, to which Mr. Vaill belonged, in 172 some special efforts in behalf of the new settlements in the, State of Vermont. A temporary mission was projected to Vermont by the Association referred to, and Mr. Vaill was se lected to go on this mission. He consented, and went into that State and spent six weeks, laboring in destitute places. His pulpit was supplied in his absence by his clerical brethren,. In the year 18Q7, the Trustees of the Missionary Society of Connecticut, appointed and commissioned Mr. Vaill to perform a mission to the " Black River country," in the State of New , York. He was absent from his people, on this mission, fifteen Sabbaths. In the report of his labors, which he presented 1q the Trustees, they were furnished with gratifying evidence that he was well received, and that the mission had been attendedj with good. In the latter part of the year 1831, finding the infirmities of age increasing upon him, Mr. Vaill entered into an arrange; with his people for them to procure him a colleague- To en able them to do this, he consented to relinquish his salary when Jhe arrangement should go into effect. Accordingly, in the spring of 1832, the Rev. Ralph S, Crampton was installed colleague pastor of the church in Hadlyme. He was dismiss ed in the autumn of 1834 ; and in the following spring, the Rev. George Carrington was installed colleague pastor with Mr. Vaill. Though Mr. V; had now retired from the respon sibility of supplying the pulpit on the Sabbath, stijl he did not lose his interest in his people. He was about among them, en couraging whatever was calculated for their good, strengthen-; ing the hands of his colleague, and exercising a fatherly affec tion over his parishioners. In the winter of 1836, he broke up his family establishment, and went to reside with his son-in-law David Evarts, Esq., of Killingly. Here he remained in the full enjoyment of a quiet old age, occasionally visiting his peo ple at Hadlyme and the neighboring pastors, until the 21st of November, 1838, when he "fell asleep in Jesus," in the 88th 17n year of his age, and 59th of his ministry. He was buried at Hadlyme ; his funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. Isaac Parsons, of East Haddam. Mr. Vaill wrote, well and much, though he published but little. In 1796, a poem ofhis was printed in pamphlet form, entitled, " Noah's Flood." This poem, containing about fire hundred and fifty lines, is preserved in the library of the Con necticut Historical Society. Several minor poetical pieces arc printed in the same pamphlet. The following is the com mencement of the principal poem— " In the beginning, frqm chaotic night, God, by his powerful voice, called forth the light. When he the corner stone of nature laid, The morning stars their joyous homage paid, And all the sons of God, with sweet amaze, . In glorious concert joined to shout his praise ; They saw with raptured minds this work divine, And gazed to see the rays of Godhead shine ; Saw the thick darkness sever from the light, And infant time commence her day and night." The extract which follows is from the conclusion of the poem — " The world, once drowned, is now reserved in store, To be destroyed by God's consuming power. ' Redemption finished, and his Church complete, The elements shall melt with fervent heat ; Dread lightnings flash, and peals of thunder roll, And rock the burning worlrl from pole to pole ; Creation welter in a mass of fire, When days, and time, and nature, shall expire ! When God shall pour his vengeance from on high, Where will poor infidels for covert fly ? No Ark to screen them from the fiery flood, The powers of darkness, or the wrath of God ; No hiding-place for safety can be found, 174 In dark retreats, or caverns of the ground ; No one to guard them from the burning flame, Or fiercest wrath of the incensed Lamb." The Sermon which Mr. Vaill preached at the ordination of his son Joseph, in 1814, was published. The Connecticut Evangelical Magazine contains several of his essays over the signatures of Senex and Jethro. He was also a contributor tq several religious periodicals. [A volume of 236 pages was published by Taylor & Dodd, New York, in 1839, entitled, "Memoir of the Life and Char acter of the Rev. Joseph Vaill, lgte Pastor of the Church of Christ in Hadlyme. By the Rev. Isaac Parsons, Pastor of the. Church in East Haddam."] 175 DAVID BOSTWICK .*' John and Arthur Bostwick came over from Cheshire; England, and settled in the town of Stratford, Connecticut. Arthur subsequently removed to Bedford, New York- John removed to New Milford with his family in 1707, he being the second white person who settled there. He had seven sons,' viz., John, Robert, Ebenezer, Joseph, Nathaniel, Lemuel, and Daniel ; the last named1 having been the first white male child born in New Milford. John Bostwick, Jr., married Mary Bushnell, of Danbury, in 1711, and had five sons, viz., Bushnell, John, Benajah, David, and Samuel. DAVID BOSTWICK was born in New Milford, January 8th, 1721, and graduated at Yale College in 1740. On leav ing college, he was engaged as a teacher in an academy at Newark, New Jersey, under the inspection of the Rev- Aaron Burr, afterwards President of the College of New Jersey — ¦ with whom Mr. Bostwick at the same time pursued the study of divinity. He was ordained to' the work of the gospel min istry, and installed pastor of the church in Jamaica, Long Isl and, October 9th, 1745. The sermon on that occasion was preached by the Rev. Mr. Burr, and subsequently published. Here Mr. Bostwick remained upwards of ten years, enjoying in a very high degree the affection and respect, not only of the people of his charge, but also of his brethren in the ministry + For most of the materials of this sketch the author acknowledges' his indebtedness to David E: Bostwick, M. D., of Litchfield: 176 and the churches in general. During this period large addi tions were made to his church, and his fame as an eloquent and most successful preacher, rapidly extended. There was, however, little excitement in his parish, except on the occa» sion of a visit from the celebrated George Whitefield, whom Mr. Bostwick admitted into his pulpit in spite of the remon strances ofhis deacons and many ofhis church members. The tumult caused by this event was intense, but temporary in its duration ; and many were afterwards constrained to acknowl edge the goodness of God in sending that great evangelist among them. The First Presbyterian -Church in the city of New York was established in 1719, and Mr. Anderson, a Scotch minister, was settled over it. In 1727, he was succeeded by the Rev. Ebenezer Pemberton. Mr. Alexander Cumming was chosen colleague to Mr. Pemberton in 1750; but in consequence of , a most unhappy difficulty among the members relative to cer tain doctrines and measures, both the pastors soon after re signed. For a length of time, the church remained destitute of a pastor. Two or three eminent divines were invited to the pastoral office— among whom was the Rev. Dr. Bellamy, of Betblem, Conn., — but the invitations were declined because of the divisions alluded to. The church and society now began to turn their thoughts towards the Rev. David Bostwick, as the man of all others best calculated to heal their divisions arid unite them ir; one harmonious body. In July, 1 755, they gave him a call. The people of Jamaica made warm and persever ing opposition to the removal of their minister ; and the divided state of the church in New York, formed another obstacle to his acceptance of the invitation. The Presbytery, on the matter being laid before them, referred a decision to the Synod, which met in Newark, in the month of September following. The Synod appointed^ committee to meet at Jamaica on the 29th of October, that they might deliberate more at leisure, and 177 ¦decide with more light. The committee met at the time and place designated ; when the elders, deacons and trustees of the church in New York, presented a memorial, praying in the most earnest yet respectful terms, that they would favor the acceptance of their call to Mr. Bostwick. The committee not being able to agree, referred the case back to the Synod. A special meeting of the Synod was therefore called, which convened at Princeton on the 14th of April 1756. After a full hearing of the delegates from the churches of Jamaica and New York, his removal to the latter place was decided upon. in this decision Mr. Bostwick acquiesced; and his pastoral relation to the church at Jamaica was thereupon dissolved, Mr. Bostwick shortly after removed his family to the city, and entered on his new charge. Possessing pulpit talents su perior to most ofhis brethren, he was a very popular preacher,; and his piety and prudence, which were no less conspicuous, rendered him highly acceptable to his people, and to the city :in general. The result of this choice proved as favorable as the most sanguine expectations of its friends. Smith, in his History of New York, published in 1758, says ;in reference to this church and its pastor — " The congregation consists at present of twelve or fourteen -hundred souls, under the pastoral charge of the Reverend Mr. ¦David Bostwick, who was lately translated from Jamaica to New York by a synodical decree. He is a gentleman of mild, 'catholic disposition, and being a man of piety, prudence and zeal, he confines himself entirely to the proper duties of his pi o- fession. In the art of preaching, he is one of the most distin guished clergymen in these parts. His discourses are method ical, sound and pathetic ; in sentiment, and in point of diction, singularly ornamented. He delivers himself without notes, ¦and. yet with great ease and fluency of expression." ¦In 1762, the society purchased a parsonage, and gave the use of it to Mr. Bostwick in addition to his stated salary. The 178 congregation having greatly increased, and Mr. Bostwick's health becoming much impaired in consequence of overexert tion, it was deemed advisable that a colleague should be settled; Accordingly, in October, 1761, a call was given to the Rev. Joseph Treat, a member of the Presbytery of New Brunswick — which was accepted, and the colleague immediately entered upon his new duties. But the joint labors of these two emi nent divines Were destined soon to terminate. Mr. Bostwick died on the 12th of November, 1763, aged 42 years. In 1758, Mr. Bostwick published a sermon entitled, "Self Disclaimed and Christ Exalted," which received the Warm rei commendation of Gilbert Tennent. He published, also, an account of the Life, Character, and Death, of President Da- vies, prefixed to Davies' Sermon on the Death of George II., 1761. Soon after the death of Mr. B., a small volume appeal ed from the New York press, with the following title, " A Fair and Rational Vindication of the Right of Infants to the Ordi nance of Baptism. By David Bostwick, A. M., late Minister of the First Presbyterian Church in the city of New York." In 1765, an edition of this work was published in London, " Re printed for Edward and Charles Dilly, in the Poultry, near the Mansion-House," In 1837, it was re-published by Robert Carter, 112 Canal street, New York. The compiler of the last mentioned work, says, in the pre face to the first edition, " The subtance of this treatise was composed for the pulpit, and preached but a few weeks before the author's decease, To those who were acquainted with the mild and pacific temper, the gentle and cautious deport ment of Mr. Bostwick, and the general course ofhis ministry, it may seem strange that a controverted point should have oc cupied Iris mind just before he entered into the joy of his Lord. Especially, as it was remarked by his hearers, that he appear ed in his public discourses, for several months before his depart ure, to have been under an uncommon impress of the glorious 1 70 and dreadful realities of the future world. The truth was, that this excellent and godly servant of Christ thought the subject of such high concernment in religion, that it well deserved his attention even in the immediate view of eternity." Several biographical sketches of Mr. Bostwick have been published, all of which agree in ranking him among the fyst ministers of his generation. Middleton's Ecclesiastical Biog raphy, in an extended notice of him, says, " Though he was remarkable for his gentleness and prudence, yet in preaching the gospel he feared no man. With a lively imagination, and a heart deeply affected by the truths of religion, he was ena bled to address his hearers with great solemnity and energy. Few men could describe the hideous deformity of sin, the mis ery of man's apostacy from God, the wonders of redeeming love, and the glories and richness of divine grace, in so distinct and affecting a manner-" The London edition of his work on Infant Baptism, contains a brief notice of his life, from, which we make the following extract :. " As a preacher, Mr. Bostwick was uncommonly popular. His gifts and qualifications for the pulpit were of a high order. His appearance and deportment were peculiarly venerable ; possessing a clear understanding, a warm heart, a quick ap> prehension, a lively imagination, a solid judgment, and a strong- voice; he spake in a distinct, deliberate and impressive man ner, and with a commanding eloquence. He was a Divine of the old stamp, fully believing and faithfully teaching the pure ifoctrines of Christianity, contained in the Holy Scriptures, and as they were declared in the public confessions of the Reform ed churches in their original and genuine meaning. He wa" a-scribe well instructed in, the great truths of Revelation, anc knew how to defend them. In treating divine subjects, h manifested^ habitual reverence for the word of God, a deep sense of the worth of souls, and an intimate knowledge of the 190 the human heart. He preached not himself, but Christ ; and; when delivering his message, he remembered in whose place he stood, and was kept from the fear of men." Mr. Bostwick married a Miss Hinmap, of, Southbury, and left four sons and six daughters, viz., Andrew, David, William, James, Mercy, Polly, Hannah, Amelia, Lucretia, and Nancy. Mercy and Lucretia died unmarried; Polly married Gen. Robertson, of Philadelphia ; Hannah married Gen, Alexander McDougal, of the continental army, afterwards a Senator in Congress from the State of New York ; Amelia married a Mr, Plumb ; Nancy married Captain McGee, U. S. Army. 181 PENEZEE FOOTE'. EBENEZER FOOTE was the eldest son of John Foote,. by his second wife, Mary Peck, and was born on the 6th of July, 1773, at Watertown. His grandfather, Dr. Thomas Foote, lived and died — his father was born, lived and died — and he was born, on the same farm, which is still in the family, . being now owned and occupied by his nephew, Mr. Hubert Scovill. John Foote, the father of Fbenezer, was an industri ous and successful farmer. He had eight children, three sons and five daughters, to whose support and education he devoted the proceeds of his farm. His second son, John, and his youngest son, Samuel Alfred, received liberal educations at college. Ebenezer being the eldest, was designed by his father to be the farmer of the family ; and remained on the farm un til he was twenty years of age. He then became anxious to - change his pursuit. He wished to acquire an education and enter the profession of law ; it then being the expectation of the family that John would enter th« ministry. His parents , did not oppose his wishes, and after the season of labor was over in the autumn of 1792, he left home, went to the neigh boring town of Cheshire, and commenced classical studies un der the tuition of the Rev. John Foote, with a view of prepar ing himself for entering college, and in the sophomore or jun ior class. He pursued these studies nearly two years, not, however, giving his whole time to them, as he was obliged to - devote a considerable portion of it to tettehing school for the purpose Of earning in part the means of obtaining his education. Finding that full four years would be required to complete bis 182 collegiate course, with the interruptions alluded to, he deter mined to enter at once upon the study ofhis profession. Ac cordingly he went to Litchfield, and entered the law school of the Hon. Tapping Reeve, and commenced the study of the law. This school deservedly had a high reputation, and fur nished great facilities for acquiring a knowledge of legal science. Mr. Foote here pursued his studies for two years, a portion of each year being spent in teaching. In December, 1796, he was admitted to the bar of Litchfield County, and in the lan guage of his license, was allowed " full right and authority to practice, as attorney and counsellor at lawr, in all the courts, as well supreme as inferior, both of law and equity, throughout this State." Soon after obtaining this license, he removed to, the State of New York, and established himself at Lansing- burg, in the county of Rensselaer. He reserved the small por tion which his parents were able to give him until this time of his need. In February, 1797, he sold the land which his fa ther had given him on his attaining his majority, and with the nroceeds provided an outfit for the commencement ofhis career in life. He was a dutiful son, and left the paternal roof with. the affection and blessing of pious parents. Admission to the courts in the State of New York was at thafr time easy, and after a few months professional study he was licensed to practice. His first license was given to him in No vember, 1797, by the Court of Common Pleas of Rensselaer county. His admission into the other and higher courts of the State, followed soon afterwards. A strong constitution, a large and vigorous frame, a full and manly voice, a mature intellect, a ready and rough wit, together with uncommon self-reliance, fitted him for success in the profession which he had chosen. That success he obtained at once. He also became a promi nent politician, and was soon an active and influential member of the old republican party. He early acquired the confidence of the leaders of that party in his adopted State, and in after 183 years his political opponents, in consequence of the intimacy and friendship existing between him and the late Chief Justice Spencer, who was the leading spirit of the republicau party of that day, used to call him "Spencer's Foot." Troy proving to be a more fortunate location for a commer cial town, and increasing more rapidly in business and popu lation than Lansingburg, and being also the shire town of the county, Mr. Foote soon changed his residence to that place and entered into copartnership with John Bird, Esq.^ (a native of Litchfield,) a gentleman of brilliant intellect and finished schol arship. Their copartnership continued for several years, and was finally dissolved by the death of Mr. Bird; In 1801, only four years after his admission to the bar, Mr. Foote had ac quired considerable eminence in his profession. He had at tracted the notice and secured the friendship of Governor George Clinton. So high an estimate did the Governor put on his talents and worth, that in August of that year he caused him to be appointed Assistant Attorney General of the State.- The District over which his official jurisdiction extended, em braced the large and flourishing counties of Columbia, Rens selaer and Greene. The duties of this office required the ex ertion of high professional talents, and they were discharged by Mr. Foote to the entire satisfaction of the public. He held the station for several years, and until a change in the party politics of the State caused a general change in the official incum bents. After the discontinuance of the professional. connection be tween him and Mr. Bird, he pursued his business alone for sometime ; but finding it impossible to attend the courts where his extensive practice required his presence almost constantly, and also give the requisite attention to the attorney's business in the office, he entered into a new copartnership with a gen tleman of high respectability, who had industry and tact, for business, and was well versed in the practice of the law. This 184. was a 'fortunate arrangement for both: Their labors were in- ¦ cesant, and they were very prosperous. His partner gave his attention -principally to the duties of an Attorney and Solicitor which confined him to the office, while Mr. Foote performed those of Counsellor and advocate. He was almost constantly engaged in the trial and argument of causes. He excelled •particularly in 'trials before juries, and in that branch of his profession had few if an superiors in the State. His influence and standing as a politician kept pace with his progress as a lawyer. Finding that the capital of the State afforded a more con venient location for him than the then village of Troy,, he 'dissolved his copartnership in August, 1808, and shortly after wards removed to the city of Albany, where he spent the re mainder of his days. During this period he took an active part in politics, wrote considerably for tli3 press,and exerted a strong influence in favor of tire side he espoused. He was on one oc casion a prominent candidate for the office of United Slates Senator, and his friends for a time believed they should accom plish his election, but did not. His young and only surviving brother, Samuel A. Foote, ¦entered his office as a clerk in 1811. Samuel North, Esq», was then his partner. Mr. North's ill health obliged him to withdraw from the duties ofhis profession in February, 1812. From that time, Mr. Foole's brother took charge of the business of the office. Mr. North's illness proved fatal. He died in January, 1813, while yet a young man, beloved and admired id -life, and mourned in death, for his moral qualities and intel lectual attainments. This event opened the way for a profes sional connection between Mr. Foote and his brother, who had then just attained his majority, but had not studied law the length of time required by the rules of the court for admission to the bar. Mr. Foote, however, availing himself of the lime ;had spent in the office while a youth, and before entering col- IS* .^e, made a special application to the Court, who dispensed with the rule in favor of his brother, and admitted him to an examination. He was found qualified, received his license, and the brothers entered into copartnership in January, 1813; This connection was happy and prosperous, but of shoit dura tion. Mr. Foote attended the Circuit Court of Rensselaer County, held at Troy in the early part of July, 1814. He was engaged in several important trials; the weather was unusually warm, and his temperament ardent. Over exertion brought upon him a bilious fever. He returned home, medi cal aid was obtained and nothing serious apprehended for some days. But on the fourth or fifth day of his illness, the fever began to rage and the disease assumed an alarming aspect. On the 21st of that month, and in the 42d year of his age, af ter an illness of only eleven days, he died in the full maturity ofhis intellectual and physical powers. Mr, Foote was a large man, full six feet in height, had a good constitution, and a well formed and muscular frame. His forehead was high, and his eyes dark and remarkably bright. Cut down unexpectedly and early in life, no portrait of him was taken, and his likeness only remains in the recollection of those who knew and now survive him. He was. married to Elizabeth Colt in December 1803. She survived him, and also a daughter and only child, born in December 1804. His daughter was married some years after his death to Lebbeus Booth, Esq. Mr. Foote had a strong and active mind, a warm and generous heart. Had he enjoyed the advantages of an early and thorough education, he would have had few equals in this country. As he was, he had no superiors in the State of New York, in those contests at the bar where ready wit, strong and discriminating judgment, powerful reasoning and great intellectual resources were essential to success. 'He wrote as he spoke, with vigor and wit, but without the elegance or polish of a finished scholar. A brief notice like the pres- 186 ent will not permit a reference to any of the important causes in which he was engaged, nor extracts from his speeches, many of which were published in the newspapers and pamph lets of the day, nor even a recital of ihe many anecdotes told of him, and which show the force and brilliancy ofhis unpolish ed butexhaustless and spicy wit. One act of Mr. Foote's life should not be omitted, nor for gotten whenever his name is mentioned. The present Fe male Academy in the city of Albany, owes its existence main ly if not entirely to him. It is now and has been for many years one of the most valuable institutions in this country. It was commenced in February, 1814, under the name of the "Union School in Montgomery Street." The original sub scription paper is still extant, bearing date the 24th of that month. The subscriptions are made payable to Mr. Foote, who, it is proper to remark, started the project and obtained the subscribers' names, j Engraved, "by T ^x^> JBngraytxLrcrUu-AemjrraJic&tbW lrrr„ a D ifiurr^lvpe try IVumhi 181 DANIEL S. DICKINSON. The able and distinguished Senator whose name heads this sketch, is a native of Goshen, and was born on the llth of September, 1800. When he was about six years of age, his father removed to the present town of Guilford, Chenango county, N. Y. Carrying with him into that new country his New England habits and spirit of enterpiize, he established a common school, of which his own family, with others, had the benefit. Daniel attended this school winters until he had reached the age of sixteen, when he was apprenticed to a me chanic in the neighborhood, to learn the art and mystery of manufacturing woolen cloths. From this time he had no other advantages than such as are common to all apprentices. Hav ing procured such books as he could, he continued the more practical studies, without the aid of a teacher, among which was the art of surveying, which he subsequently practiced ex tensively. At the termination of his apprenticeship, he had qualified himself for a teacher, and for several years thereafter divided his time between teaching, studying, surveying, and working at his trade. In 1822 he married. In 1825 he commenced studying law in the office of Messrs. Clark & Clapp, counsellors at law, Norwich, N. Y. Being destitute of pecuniary means, and hav ing a family to supp.irt, he still continued to teach and survey, rising early and sitting up late to pursue his professional studies, until 1829. In February of that year, he was about making application to the Court of Common Pleas of Chenango coun ty for admission to the bar; but was informed that this would v 188 be opposed by some of the senior members, the rule of all court* requiring that the studies must be pursued " in the office,"' while his had in part been pursued out of the office. He ac cordingly waived the application to the inferior court, and. went to Albany where the Supreme Court of the State was. then sitting— called in person upon Chief Justice Savage, rekv ted to him the peculiarities ofhis history, and asked to be ad mitted to examination. The Chief Justice granted his request, and he was admitted to (he Supreme Court, which gave him, access to every court, in the State. Mr. Dickinson imm3diately opened an office in Guilford, where he did a small business until 1831, when he removed to Binghamton, Broome county, a distance of forty miles from his former residence. Here his business rapidly increased, and he was brought in collision with some of the ablest members of the bar in the State. In 1834, he was chosen President of the village of Binghamton; and in 1836, he was elected a member of the Senate of New York for four years, ending the. 31st of December, 1840. As a Senator, he was e*x officio a Judge of the Court for the correction of errors- In 1840, Mr. Dickinson was nominated for the office of Lieu tenant-Governor of the State, but was defeated at the general election. In 1842, perceiving that he was often spoken of by the public press in connection with the office last named; he wrote a letter declining the honor of a nomination. He was, however, nominated, and elected by about 25,000 majority. He entered upon the duties of thisstation on the 1st of Janua ry, 1843, and continued their exercise for two years.* The Lieutenant-Governor of that State is President of the Senate, Chief Judge of the Court of Errors, a Regent of the University, President of the Canal Board, &c. In the autumn of 1844, he was elected a Presidential Elector for the State at large, and as such gave his vote for Mr. Polk for President of the United States. About the same time, he !80 received from Governor Bouck the- nppoinlment of United States Senator, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resigna tion of Mr. Tallm.idge, whose term was to expire on the 4th of March, 1845. , On the assembling of the Legislature, he was elected to fill that vacancy, and was subsequently re-elected for the full term of six years, which expire March 4, 1851, In addition to the legislative and congressional speeches, (some of which have -been widely circulated and extensively read,) several of his addresses have been published. The earliest of these with which we have met," was delivered at the Annual Fair of the Queens County (N. Y.) Agricultural Society, October 17, 1843. The only other one now before us, is An Address to the Hermean Society of Geneva College, August 2,1848. Governor Dickinson is still in the prime of life, and a long public career may be still before him. Of course any sketch of him at this time must of necessity be incomplete. The fact, too, that he is so conspicuous and earnest a partizan, renders it no easy task for a biographer to do him " equal and exact justice." He has not been content to run a noiseless career, or walk in the beaten track of ordinary life. Few public men have more unrelenting political enemies than he — and still fewer could ever rally around their standard a host of more devoted personal and political friends. None who have known him personally, or who have listened to or read his addresses, will call in question his ability. As a self-made man, his his tory is full of interest and encouragement (,0 the youth of our republic. In May, 1850, several hundred of his fellow-citizens in the. counties of New York, Westchester, Kings, Queens and Rich mond, addressed him a card inviting him to a public dinner in, the city of New York, in order that they might " have the op: portunity of giving full utterance to the sentiments of respect and confidence with which his distinguished political services 190 to our country had inpired them." In concluding their invita tion they say, "In the trying crisis through which oui country, and we may add, the cause of ihe world's freedom and of re publicanism, is now passing, the State of New York is most fortunate in being represented in the Senate of the Union by one whose patriotism soars above the level bf time serving purposes, and whose eminent talents and moral worth com' rnand respect, both in the State he represents and in the Couiv< cils of the Nation." Among the names signed to this card, we recognize those of ex-Mayors Mickle, Lawrence, and •Morrris ; Hon. Messrs. Win. B. Maclay, James R. Whiting, Aaron Ward, Campbell P White, Gen. Sandford, Gen. George P. Morris, Theodore Sedgwick, Francis B. Cutting, Schuyler Livingston, Gen. Henry Storms, and others equally distin guished. The municipal authorities of New York also joined the citizens in doing him honor. The invitation was accepted by Senator Dickinson, and the 17th of June was fixed upon for a public demonstration. On the afternoon of that day he arrived in the cars from Philadel phia, accompanied by ex-Senator Stewart, of Maryland. On reaching New York in the steamboat from Jersey City, his hon* or, Mayor Woodhull, in company with a Special Committee from both blanches of the Common Council, went on board the boat, and after each member of the Committee had been intro> duced to the Senator, the Mayor read to him the Resolution of the city authorities, and addressed him briefly, cordially wel coming him, and extending to him the hospitalities of the city, At the conclusion of Senator Dickinson's reply, he was con. ducted by the commitiee to a splendid barouche, (drawn by four dark bay horses,) in which he was seated with the Mayor, the President of the Board of Aldermen, and Alderman Shaw. In the rear of the barouche followed a train of carriages, con taining the members of ths common council- and other persons connected with (he city government. The New York Globe 191 adds, " A large number of citizens were in attendance at the landing, and greeted the favorite son of the Empire Stn-te in true republican style. At the Astor House, where rooms had been provided for the guesi by direction of the City Authorities, Senator Dickinson was waited upon by hundreds of citizens, who were anxious to pay their respects to the man whom they had so long admired as being one of the warmest defendeis of our state and national liberties." The Dinner came off at Tammany Hall during the evenings and over two hundred citizens shared in the festivities. The toasts and speeches on the occasion, however, were too much of a partizan character to be reported here. We will conclude this sketch with two 01 three extracts of letters from distin guished statesmen which were read at the festival. The Hon George M. Dallas, late Vice President of the Uni ted States, writes as follows — " As patriots and politicians, you have every reason to approve the public conduct of your Rep resentative in the Senate of the United States, Gov. Daniel S. Dickinson. During my service in that chamber, I did not fail to notice the untiring zeal, manly frankness, quick and pow erful ability which he invariably applied to forward the interests and sustain the sentiments of the commonwealth of New York. It is no wonder that you should desire, at the present interest ing juncture in national affairs, to mark prominently with your encomium and encouragement a public agent so eminent, so honorable, and so useful ; and it would give me very sincere gratification, were it in my power, to join you at the enter tainment for that purpose on Monday next, to which you have obligingly invited me. I am, however, constrained by my en- gagements to forego this pleasure, and content myself with of fering to your indulgent adoption the following toast : ' The Patriot Senator of New York — He who cherishes no higher aim than his country's good, and adopts no higher law than his country's Constitution.' " 1P2 The Hon.* Lewis Cass says, "I have received your invita tion to be present at the dinner to bf given to your able and patriotic Senator, Governor Dickinson, for his services during the period of excitement growing out of the slavery question, and regret that I cannot accept it. This testimonial of your approbation has been as nobly won as it is honorably bestowed. It comesin good time, and from a good quarter — from ihe Com mercial Metropolis of our country, and now, when the dark hour is upon us. I have observed with pride and pleasure the conduct of your Senator, during this whole unhappy controver sy, and never was a State represented in the councils of our nation, with more patriotism, firmness and consistency." Letters of similar purport were read from Governor Marcy, Hon. James Buchanan, Hon. George Bancroft, Chancellor Walworth, Governor Toucey, &c; ¦193 JED:EDrAH STRONG Perhaps no name occurs more frequently upon the Litch°- ¦field Town and County Records, for a period of twenty-five years, than that of JEDEDI AH STRONG. He was a son of Supply Strong, one of the first settlers of Litchfield, where he was born on the 7th of Nov'r. 1738. In 1761, he graduated at Yale College, and first studied divinity, but soon abandoned it for the profession of law. He became a member of the bar ¦of this county, but, being constantly in some public station for many years thereafter, he had little or no business before the Courts? In 1771,! Mr. Strong was elected a Member of the Connec ticut House of Representatives, and held a seat in that body for thirty regular sessions^-dui'mg several of which he was Clerk of the House. In 1774, he was chosen a MetBber of the Continental Congress. In 1780, the Legislature appointed him a Judge of the County Court, an office which he hefd for elev en years. Jn the mean time he had been elected to the Coun cil, or Upper House of the Legislature, in place of which the Senate has since been constituted. In all of these honorable public employments he appears to have given general satisfac tion, both to the Government and to the people. "At a town meeting of the inhabitants of Litchfield, legally warned, held on the 3 ist of August 1770,— Mr. Abraham Kilborm, Moderator—It was Voted to chose a Committee .to attend the General Meeting of the Mercantile and Landed Interests of the Colony, at New Haven, on the day after the Commencement. Jedediah Strong, Esq., and Capt. John Osborn, were chosen said Committee." IT) 4, In 1774 and '75, he was appointed a member of the Revo lutionary "Committee of Inspection,'' in connection with Ol iver Wolcott, James Morris, Seth Bird, Abraham Kilhorn, Andrew Adams, Abraham Bradley, and others. At the commencement of the Revolution, Mr, Strong was appointed by the General Court, a Commissary of Supplies for the Army. In April, 1775, the Governor and Council sent him to Albany with a special commission to secure all "the arms belonging to this colony, left the ie during the French War, and return them as soon as might be." In the spring of the following year, the Legislature selected him as one of a committee "to procure £1,800 in specie, in exchange for bills, and pay the same to the Governor for the use of the Northern Army, on a request of Congress." During the period of the disaffection in the army in 1777, complaint was made to the Legislature against several militia officers in Litchfield county: and Jedediah Strong, Capt/ John Watson, Reuben Sniith, and H. Fitch, were appointed a committee "to examine the facts and report to the Assembly." In 1788 he was chosen a Delegate to the Convention which adopted the Constitution of the, United States. Judge Strong was also conspicuous in all matters of local in terest in the town. He was Town Clerk for sixteen years — a Lister and Inspector for six years — a Selectman, for thirteen years — besides being a Constable, Grand Juror, Surveyor, &c, The first wife of Judge Strong was Ruth Patterson, to whom he was marriad on the 17th of April 1774. She having died, he was married to Susannah, daughter of the Hon. George Wyllys, of Hartford, (Secretary of State,) on the 22d of Janu ary, 1 788. Previous to this last date, his popularity had begun to wane. By our town records it appears that committees were appointed to oppose certain claims ofhis against the town — and subsequently a committee was chosen to prosecute him for alledered "dues to the town." He had scarcely been mar- 195 ried a year, before his young wife petitioned the General Court for a divorce, on the ground of intemperance, personal abuse, &c. ; and her petition was granted. In 1789 he re- resigned the office of Town Clerk " at the particular request of the Selectmen." — and after the year 1791, he appears to have lived in obscurity and poverty until his death in 1802 i His remains were interred in the burying -ground west of the village of Litchfield, but no stone was ever erected to his mem ory. He left one daughter, who died unmarried. 1,96. EDMUND KIRBY. •Iu another part of this volume we have briefly noted the life- and character of the Hon. Ephraim Kiiby, a distinguished lawyer and politician of the last generation. He had three sons, viz., Ephraim, who died young ; Reynold-Marvin, a Ma jor in the U. S. Army ; and Edmund, the subject of this sketch,, One ofhis daughters married Major Belton, of the Army ;, an other became the wife of Colonel Joseph L. Smith, who was; formerly an attorney in Litchfield, subsequently an officer in, the Army, and at a still later period was Judge of the District of East Florida. She was the mother of Major Ephraim K. Smith, who fell in the assault on Molino del Rey, Mexico ; and Lieufenant Edmund K. Smith, who was also, distinguish ed in the war with Mexico. EDMUND KIRBY was born at Litchfield on the 8th of April, 1794, and continued to reside in his native town until the breaking out of the war between the United States and Great Britain in 1812, when he received a Lieutenant's com mission in the Army. He served with distinction throughout the war, on the Northern and North- Western frontier^ and re ceived the highest commendation from his superiors in rank; Immediately after the Peace of 1815, he was placed in com mand of the military station at Detroit, in the Territory of Michigan. This was a frontier post, and the few white set tlers scattered along the line, were constantly exposed to the depredations of the savages. Hence the duties of the officers and soldiers there stationed, in protecting and defending our own citizens, were frequently of the most onerous and difficult 1&1 nature— requiring courage, sagacity, and skill. Here Kirby remain for five years, and until appointed Aide-de-Camp to Major-General Jacob Brown, whose daughter he married. In 1821, he was transferred to the City of Washington, having been appointed to the honorable and responsible post of Ad jutant General. He remained at the seat of Government, in the discharge of the duties of this office, for about two years, when, having been appointed Paymaster, he took up his resi dence in Brownville, Jefferson county, N. Y., (the seat ofhis father-in-law, Gen. Brown,) where his family have since con tinued to reside. From 1833 to 1840, Major Kirby served faithfully through the Black Hawk, Creek and Seminole wars. His dutiesproper, were but a small part of those actually rendered by him. On the march, in the camp, and in the field — wherever duty or danger might call — he was wise and prudent in council, and' prompt and efficient in action. The diseased or the Wounded soldier found him at his side, to soothe his sufferings and ad minister relief. Soon after General TayloT marched to the Rio Grande; he was joined by Major Kirby, who continued at his side, as an accepted Volunteer Aide-de-Camp, until the "Regulars" were called to join General Scott; For his distinguished services at the taking of Monterey, he was promoted to the rank of Lieu tenant-Colonel. In addition to his arduous duties as Chief of the Pay Department, he also acted as a Volunteer Aide to Gen eral Scott at Vera Cruz, Cerra Cordo, Contreras, Cherubusco, Chepultepee, and the City of Mexico, and distinguished him self for wisdom, bravery and fidelity. For his meritorious ser vices in this campaign, he was honored by the President andi Congress with a Colonel's commission. In private as well as in public life, Colonel Kirby was ai model man. Every object of local or general enterprise, or of private charity, found his heart right and his hand open, As 198 a husband, a father, a friend, a neighbor, he had few equals- no superiors. No man was ever more universally beloved while living, or more sincerely mourned in death, than Edmund KiKBr. On his return homeward from his last campaign in Mexico, he was greeted with many gratifying demonstrations of public regard. Landing at Saeket.t's Harbor, citizens and soldiery turned out en masse to welcome him. The Watertown (N. Y.) Journal of May 3d, 1848, says, " On Thursday last, the ring ing of bells, the booming of cannon, and other demonstrations of popular enthusiasm, announced to the people of Brownvii|e and its vicinity that their excellent fellow-citizens, Colonel Kirby, was returning to his home. Although the unexpected manner of his arrival was such as to preclude" any preconcert of arrangement, and disappointed the desire of thousands pf the adjacent country to join in the congratulations and welcome ; yet a large cavalcade of his friends were able to meet him be fore his arrival in town, and before reaching the village the en tire population had formed in procession, and gave him a most cordial and heart-felt reception." He was addressed by Thom as Y. Howe, Esq., in behalf of the eitizens — to which Colonel Kirby responded. " The reply," says the Journal, " was drowned in cheers — three times three, and one more, the pro. cession moved on to the gate ofhis beautiful and beloved^ home stead, and with a parting cheer left him to the embraces of his family," After spending a few weeks at home, he repaired to Louis ville and Cincinnati, for the purpose of discharging and paying off the Western Volunteers— a difficult and arduous duty, but one which he most faithfully performed. While at the city last named, he addressed a communication to the author of this volume, detailing the principal incidents in the life of his father, brother, &c. Of himself he modestly remarks, " I am not conscious of deserving a conspicuous notice in your work: 109 My career has been humble— my aspirations for a higher and more enlarged sphere of action, in the walks of my profession, especially during the last two years, have been curbed by the higher powers, and I can only hope to transmit to my children a name free from reproach." His anticipations in this respect are more than realized. Completing his duties abroad, he once more returned to his home, where he devoted the intervals of his public labors to the superintendarice of his noble farm. He had long been known as an eminent agriculturalist — had at various times been an officer of the New York State Agricultu ral Society, and early in 1849 he was appointed by the Gov ernor one of the Commissioners to mature a plan for an Agri cultural College and au Experimental Farm. So prominent had Col, Kirby's long and faithful public ser- ices rendered him, that, upon the elevation of General Tayloi to the Presidency, he was frequently spoken of in the news papers as one who would in all probability be called to a seat in the new Cabinet ; and we have good reasons for saying) that such would have been his destiny had not one of the chiel offices of the Government (that of Vice President,) been held by a citizen of New York. A disease of the liver, contracted in Mexico, gradually un dermined his naturally strong constitution, and he died at Avon Springs, (whither he had gone in the hope of obtaining relief from the medicinal waters,) on the 20th of August, 1849. His remains were taken to his residence at Brownville, and were committed to the earth on the 22d, with military honors, the troops from Madison Barracks being present. The notice of his death, and of the time appointed for the rites of sepulture, although brief, brought together the largest assemblage ever convened on a funeral occasion in Jefferson county. Thou sands on foot and in carriages pressed towards the church, tyhere a solemn and impressive Sermon was delivered by the Rev. Wm. H. Hill, Rector of St. Paul's. At the grave, the 200 service of the Episcopal Church was read, three vollies were fired by the U. S. Troops present, and the body of our friend was left to its slumbers, until the trumpet shall summon him to the last dread Muster-Day ! The following extracts from Mr. Hill's Funeral Discourse, present his character as a citizen and as an officer, -in its true light; After alluding to the dishonesty and the defalcations of many of the agents of Government, the preacher continues* But who and where is he that can rise and say that tkat man ever gave place to such a temptation, even for an hour? The challenge may be made from the great Lakes to the swamps of Florida— from the Northeastern Boundary to the halls of the Montezumas (and he was the public servant over all that extent,) and the answer would be from old and young, officer and private, President, Cabinet, public offi cer, and all with whom he was brought in contact — "he was faithful te Ms trust." He never learned that there could be any difference between public and private honesty. He would have scorned, suck an intimation, had it come to him even from his nearest friend. Tens, and I may say hundreds of millions of dollars of public money have passed through his hands. Not one cent remained on its passage,- save the exact amount justly due him for his arduous and most faith fully discharged duties. Comparatively brief as has been my per: sonal intercourse with him, I have seen and know enough to satisfjr me, that he lies there this moment the victim of personal; unwearied devotion to his public duties. In Mexico, though his station as Chief of the Pay Departments-bad he been a man-of but common mould — might justly have exempted him from the vast mass of the personal -labor which he actually per formed — yet he endured all this additional task, lest the public busi-; ness might become entangled through the want of capacity or experi ence of some who had been entrusted with a particular branch of it. With all his fellow officers, he too endured equally the hardships of a long and weary campaign. The dangers of the battle-field he never shunned, though his station never called him to such a post. He felt, as he expressed himself to me, that though many precious lives [at home were dependent on his own— and I need not tell you he never forgot them — yet, situated as he was, he owed all his energies to his country and his companions in the field, and he might not withhold them. Hence he was found a volunteer, a cheerful and accepted volunteer, to both of those distinguished Generals upon whom so muck depended. In the thickest of the battle was he found, and his fellow. officers knew and felt and said, that in all those terrible scenes of peril on .the Rio Grande, and on the route from the Gulf to the City of- 20\ Mexico, no coward's heart was hid in the breast of Edmiwd Ktkbi-. He was there, not because his soul loved such scenes, but because he felt that his duty called him there. His brave and lion heart could not be kept in the quiet tent of the Paymaster. He must be in the battle where his friends and companions needed and well appreciated his services. All these public dangers and fatigues, I repeat, he shared equally with his companions. But when they could rest, he might not. Day and night did this faithful public servant draw upon the energies of his iron constitution, until the wonder is, that we ever had the pleas ure of meeting him again. And since his return, I can bear witness how unceasingly he toiled to finish up the labors which had been imposed upon him, and which were arduous enough to < xbaust and break downthe energies and constitution of any three men. Person al fatigue was as nothing to him — and even when sickness had sapped the very foundations of that iron frame, he would still sit for hours in his chair writing and working for the public, whose servant he was, while the perspiration of real anguish would bedew his whole coun tenance. Often when seeing him thus have I besought him to save him self. Others added their expostulations. But he had only one answer. The work was to be done, and he must do it. And he labored thus, until his relaxed muscles almost. refused to grasp the pen, which to him was more fatal than the sword, for it drained out his very heart's blood. Such was the fidelity of the decsased to his public trust. It was not for an hour, or month, or year merely, but for life. He lived and he died an honest man. His example in this is bright, without a spot. He served his country faithfully, and surely ; with his example before us, I may say to all those present, who like him, are entrusted with public duties — "Go ye and do likewise." I need scarcely add, that the same sterling unintermitting honesty and fidelity marked all his private dealings, and his relations to the society about him. We all mourn a friend lost. His energies, his public spirit, and his confessedly commanding position in society, have so interwoven him and his name with almost every thing in which any^ of us had any personal interest, that, we can scarcely bsgin to realize the blank which ha-s been made. Every eye was upon him. If he moved, we telt confident that the particular work would succeed. Was there any station of usefulness to be filled or any public trust to be' discharged, involving either pecuniary or other responsibility ? — Whose name rose spontaneously to every lip as the man for that sta tion or trust ? I need not answer. It seemed as if in reference to him, envy herself had ab tained from exerting her baleful influence. He was respected, esteemed, beloved by all. We all weep, for we have lost a father, a brother, a friend. Oh ! there was no stimulated woe, no hypocritical pretence, in those saddened .faces, which almost 202 literally lined the road for the last few miles of our journey home*- ward. There were all ages and sexes and classes. All knew him and all mourned that their friend — not one of whom they had read in books or heard by the hearing of the ear merely, but their own, personal, true friend had been called away. Col. Kirby leaves behind him a widow and nine children to mourn his loss. One of his sons (Jacob Brown Kirby,) gradu- ated at Yale College the Wednesday preceding his (Col. K.'s) death. uyw^/^y 203 AMBROSE SPENCER. Albany, April 4, 184§. P. K. Kilbourne, Esq. — Sir — Your letter of October 12, 184*7, to my deoeased father^ the late Judge Spencer, requesting information respecting incidents in his life, must have arrived at Lyons after the severe attack of the dis ease which terminated his life, and when, of course, he was unable to pay any attention to it. As I find it among his letters, I have deem ed it proper to explain the reason why it has not been answered. My father was taken ill in April, but no serious apprehensions of any fatal result were entertained until the 1st of October, when he had severe chills, and from that time he was confined to his bed until his death on the 13th of March last. The best answer I can give to your enquiries, is contained in a bio graphical notice of him in the Evening Journal of this city, of the 14th of March, a copy of which I enclose herein, and which is very accu rate in its data, &c. Very Respectfully, Yours, J. C. SPENCER. AMBROSE SPENCER was born December 13th, 1765, in the town of Salisbury, in the State of Connecticut. His father was a mechanic and a farmer, who, although in mode rate circumstances, by his industry and economy, obtained the means of giving his two sons, Philip and Ambrose, the very best educatiou which the country then afforded. He often de clared his conviction that he could not better endow his sons, if it cost all he had, than by giving them a finished education. The generosity and self-devotion of this resolution at that time, and under the privations which it occasioned, render it worthy of record. The two sons entered Yale College in the autumn of 1779, and after remaining three years, were removed to Harvard University, where they graduated in July, 1783. The 204 subject of this notice was then but IV years and six months old. ' This fact, as well as the concurring testimony of his classmates, among whom were John Cotton Smith and Har rison Gray Otis, show that he must have possessed remarka ble talent as well as close application to enable him to pass through the rigid discipline of that day, and to receive the hon ors of Harvard. He devoted himself to the profession of the law, and studied for some time with John Canfield, an eminent lawyer of Sharon, in his native county, and completed his studies with John Bay, at. Claverack, and with Ezekiel Gilbert, at Hudson, New York. Before he was nineteen, he married Laura Canfield, a daugh ter ofhis preceptor, and made Hudson his residence. In 1786' he was appointed clerk of the city ; and in 1793, he was elect ed a member of the Assembly of New York from Columbia . county. In 1 795, he was elected to the Senate fc-r three years, and in 1798, was re-elected for four years. In 1796, he was appointed asssistant attorney-general for the counties of Colum bia and Rensselaer. In February, 1802, he was appointed Attorney General of the State ; and in 1804, he received the appointment of a Justice of the Supreme Court, of which he was made Chief Justice in 18i9. His professional practice is known to have been very extensive and very successful. He was engaged in every important cause in that part of the State, and often met in forensic contest the great intellects that illu mined that period — Hamilton, Burr, Brockholst and Edward Livingston, Josiah Ogden Hoffman, Richard Harrison, Abra ham Van Vechten, John V. Henry, William W, Van Ness, and others of less notoriety. His advancement to the highest hon ors of his profession, at a time when office sought merit and talent, is the best proof of the estimation in which his powers and attainments were held- During the period of his service in the Senate, he became the personal friend and political associate of De Witf Clinton, 20,? and there commenced an intimacy which, with a short interval' of alienation, continued during the life of that great benefac tor of his native State. It was during this period, also, that the great political revolution occurred which placed Mr. Jef ferson in the Presidency. How much of this result was attri butable to the efforts of Messrs. Clinton and Spencer, it is now needless to enquire. But by the general voice of their political friends, they were placed in the front of battle and at the head of the Republican columns in the State. During this struggle, those gentlemen were chosen members of the Council of Appointment, at that time the dispenser of all the patronage of the State. A controversy arose between the ma jority of the Council and Governor Jay respecting the claim of the latter to the exclusive right of nominating officers to the Council, which agitated the State, and resulted in calling a Convention of Delegates to expound and amend the Consti tution, which body sustained the views of the majority of the Council. During his whole life, Judge Spencer took a warm interest in the. public events effecting the destiny of his country, and contributed his best services to the promotion of its welfare. Ardent in his temperament, as resolute as he was honest in his purposes, and firm and persevering in the execution of them, he necessarily became mingled with the political organ ization of the times through which he passed. But he was no blind partizan ; he saw and deprecated the errors of his own associates as freely as he exposed-those of his antagonists. And it was his known independence and disinterestedness, his fearless maintenance of truth and justice on all occasions, that gave his opinion that great weight which for a long series of years they received not only from his friends, but from the whole community. The judicial course of the subject of this notice has given him a reputation over the whole extent of our country, equal to that 206 of its most distinguished jurists. For nearly twenty years he was associated on the bench of the Supreme Court of the State^ and in the Court of last resort, with Kent, Thompson, Piatt, Woodworth and Van Ness. No lawyer need be informed that those twenty years were the. Augustan age of our jurispru dence. The reports of cases decided by these Judges, became standard authorities in the various Slates of this Union, and were quoted with the highest respect in Westminster Hall. They adapted the principles of the common law of England to the new exigencies of our country — a task requiring the most profound knowledge and the greatest circumspection, — and were distinguished as well for their conformity to the spirit of our institutions, as for their soundness and perspicuity. In these decisions, Judge Spencer had his full' share: Indeed, it is but just to say, according to the concurrent testimony of those best able to judge — the members of the legal profession — to the opinions delivered by him does she Court owe much of its reputation for strict and accurate reasoning, clearness of views and of language, and a thorough comprehension of the philosophy of the common law. Although Judge Spencer was heki to be"bne of the best, if not the first, common law lawyer of his time, yet his opinions delivered in the Court for the Cor rection of Errors, show that he was also a consummate master of equity jurisprudence. ' Having nearly arrived at the period limited by the then Constitution for judicial' service, Judge Spencer retired from the bench in January, 1823, amidst the universal regret of those who had witnessed his labors. The accomplished reporter of the decisions of the Supreme Court, William Johnson, Esq., n the dedication of the Twentieth Volume ofhis Reports, has expressed the genera] sentiment of the Bar and of the com munity, m the lofty testimony he bears to the strict impartiality; stern justice, and unwavering independence, of Judge Spencer dupng his I6ng judicial career, and amidst party contention* of th^most ferocious character. 207 In 1808, during his judicial term, Judge Spencer was ap pointed by the Legislature together with Peter J. Monroe, to prepare and report such reforms and improvements in the Chancery System of the State, as- they should detm expedi ent. This report, made in March, 1809, was enlightened, comprehensive, and well adapted to the wants of the State. It proposed the division of the State into three equity, districts, with a Chancellor for each, and a court in banc consisting ol the three Chancellors, and various modifications of the prac tice and improvements of the whole system, which, if they had been then adopted, would have obviated the necessity of the extensive and vital changes which have recently been made. It is singular that many of the modern changes are in conformity with those recommended by the report of 1809. After leaving the bench, Jadge Spencer devoted himself for a few years to the legal profession, more, it is presumed, more for the sake of the occupation it afforded, than for the emolument. His usual success attended him, but he found the cares and anxieties of the profession irksome and encroach ing too much on his time. He soon occupied a farm in the vicinity of Albany, and employed himself in superintending its cultivation. He was chosen Mayor of the city .of Albany, and served his fellow citizens in that capacity to their great grati fication. In 1829 he was elected to the Congress of the Uni ted States, and discharged all the duties of the station during his term. He declined taking any leading part in the political movements of the day, although his advice and aid were al ways at the command of his friends. The difficulty with the Cherokee Indians was, however, of a character calculated to enlist his warmest sympathies. His innate love of justice, which had been invigorated by his judicial duties and had be come the ruling principle of his life, was shocked by the treat ment of that unfortunate people ; and with characteristic en ergy and fearlessness, he united with Wirt and that noble 208 "band of statesmen and philanthropists, who resisted and en deavored to arrest the cruel aggressions and the monstrous injustice, of our government. But it was in vain. In vain did the virtuous Marshall and his associates on the bench of tEe Supreme Court of the United States, declare the eternal prim. ciples of right. The law was too weak. Cupidity and vio lence triumphed over a helpless people, and drove them from the land in which they were born and from the graves of their ancestors, into a wilderness. He continued his agricultural pursuits in the vicinity of Albany, enjoying the universal esteem and regard of the com munity, until 1839, when he removed to the village of Lyons, — having previously lost, by death his last wife. In' that se questered village he lived in the calm enjoyment of a green old age, and in the grateful recollections of a well spent life,, until* summoned hence. Possessing a vigorous constitution, impro' ved by great regularity and temperance of life, he scarcely knew disease until his last fatal sjckness. His wonderful health at his advanced age, and the firmness and elasticity of his step, were for years the admiration of all who knew him* In 1844, he was President of the Whig National Convention held at Baltimore, which nominated Henry Clay for the Pres idency and Theodore Frelinghuysen for the Vice Presidency of the United States. The last public act of his life was to address an able letter to his fellow-citizens in opposition to a proposed amendment of the Constitution, providing -for an elective judiciary with brief terms of office. In an eloquent and logical argument, equal to the best efforts of his best days, he presented the subject in a manner to elicit universal com mendation of its ability and manliness. Some years previous to his death, Judge Spencer became a member of the Episcopal church, and was sustained in his last days by the hopes and promises of the Gospel. 209 The Hon. John Canfield Spencer, a son of Judge SpenceT, was a member of Congress from 1817 to 1819 ; and was sub sequently Secretary of State for the State of New York. In 1841, upon the resignation of the Harrison Cabinet, he was appointed to and accepted the office of Secretary of the United States Treasury, which he held until the close of President Tyler's Administration, 210 WILLIAM RAY. WILLIAM RAY was born in Salisbury, on thefSth of De cember, 1771 . While he was a child, his father removed to a remote town in the State of New York, where the son had lit- tie opportunity for cultivating those intellectual and literary tastes which were very early developed in him. At the age of nineteen, he left the paternal roof and went to Dover, in Duch ess county, where he assumed the charge of a school. He , soon abandoned this occupation, and engaged in trade, which he pursued for several years. His commercial speculations, however, proved unsuccessful, and finally issued in bankruptcy. Finding it impossible to obtain a release from his creditors, or to procure employment for the support of himself and wife, he left his home in the spring of 1803, and started for Philadel phia in search of some congenial occupation. He traveled ¦through the State of Pennsylvania under circumstances of great distress, and with but very slender pecuniary resources. He was overtaken by sickness ; his last cent was expended ; and he at length reached Philadelphia in a state of extreme destitution, and not yet restored to a comfortable degree of health. Here new trials awaited him. He failed to procure employment, and, impelled by his necessities, on the ISthof June, 1803, he enlisted into the maritime service of the United Sta es. He admits that "imprudence, vice, intemperance and prodigality, were the primaiy causes ofhis misfortunes ;" and pleads that "the miseries and horrors of painful mancipation, «nd a thousand concomitant evils and sufferings, ought, in an some degree, to expiate his faults and follies in the benignant eyes of Charity. On the 3d of Julyr, Ray and his comrades were ordered on board the frigate Philadelphia, under the command of Captain Bainbridge, destined to join our squadron against Tripoli. She sailed in the course of the same month, having on board a com plement of three hundred men. The frigate proceeded pros perously on her voyage, and arrived at Gibraltar on the 26th of August. Here she remained a few days, and was joined by several American ships of the line. Information being receiv ed that a vessel with Barbai y colors was cruising off the 'Rock,'' the Philadelphia went in pursuit of her, under English colors. The stranger was easily captured, and proved to be a Moroc co vessel mounting twenty-two guns, and containing about one hundred men. The prize had captured an American brig, which the Philadelphia, on the following day, overtook and re-captured, liberating her crew from their bondage. The frigate, in company with the prize and brig, then returned to Gibraltar. In October, the Philadelphia proceeded to the island of Malta, and from thence sailed for Tripoli. On the 31st day of October, she fell in with an enemy's vessel off the harbor of Tripoli, and gave chase. The pirate stood in for the town, and the frigate made every effort to cut off her retreat. Having no pilot on board who understood the harbor, and be coming excited in the pursuit, the Americans ventured in too far, and when about three miles distant from the town, their vessel struck upon a shoal, and remained fast. Every effort was made, though in vain, to release her, while the enemy, emboldened by her condition, sent off three gun-boats against her. It was a little past twelve o'clock when the frigate struck, and the crew continued firing at the boats, at the same time endeavoring to get their ship afloat, until four o'clock in the afternoon, when, unable to escape or longer to resist, they Struck their flag, and the Philadelphia was consigned to her 212 piratical victors. The enemy immediately boarded her, when convinced that she had in reality surrendered, and the officers and crew were soon escorted into the presence of their new master, the Bashaw of Tripoli. From this period, for more than a year and a half, the his tory of Ray and his comrades is a tale of sad captivity and hardship. The officers of the Philadelphia suffered much from confinement, and the want of proper nourishment : but the greatest misery was allotted to the unfortunate crew. Strip ped of almost all their clothing, reduced to, so pitiful an alow- ance of food that life could scarcely be sustained, they were driven forth in bands to the performance of the most incredi ble labors ; and when sickness necessarily succeeded to such unnatural exertions, the wretched captives received from their tyrants only threats and blows. At one time we find many of them employed to raise the wreck of a vessel, deeply sunken in the sand. At the coldest season of the year they are forced into the water at sunrise, and compelled to shovel the sand from the bottom, and carry it in baskets to the bank. Once through out the day they are allowed a scanty meal, when they resume their labors until sunset, and then return to their prison to pass the night upon the damp earth, and await the horrors of the succeeding day. Again, at another season, many of them are compelled, barefooted and almost naked, to drag a heavy wag on five or six miles into the country, over burning sands, and back again, loaded with timber, before any food was allowed them, except, perhaps, raw vegetables. A number were re leased from their sufferings by death, and to the survivors life became a burden almost, insupportable. Eyery exertion in his power was made by Captain Bainbridge for the relief of his crew, and frequently, through the Danish Consul, he was en abled to send them some comfortable provisions. Yet he was himself a captive also, and could effect but little for their relief, But the American Government was not unmindful of the 813 fate of its unfortunate defenders. Duringthe summer of 1804, an American squadron was sent out under Commodore Preble against Tripoli. On the 3d of August, the squadron stood in for the harbor, and commenced a severe cannonade against the shipping, and also bombarded the town. Th ree of the Tripolitan gun-boats were eaptured, three were sunk, a num ber of prisoners were taken, and many killed and wounded, with but little loss on the part of the Americans. On the 7th, Commodore Preble renewed the attack on the town with much execution, though sustaining a greater loss than on the former occasion- The Bashaw still demanding a large ran*o m for his prisoners, on the 26th of August, and again on the 3d of September, the attack was renewed upon the town, and upon the gallies and gun-boats of the enemy. Soon after, the weather proving unfavorable, and the ammunition being great ly reduced, the Commodore dismissed all the vessels but three, for Syracuse, and with these determined to keep up the block ade. He was shortly afterward joined by two other ships un der command of Commodore Barron, to whom the charge was resigned. But the season was now so far advunced that little more was done to the enemy, save the capture of a number of vessels laden with wheat, and bound for the Tripolitan market. Early the following season the Bashaw was willing to treat for peace. He was impoverished in his finances, and justly alarmed at the report of the formidable armament preparing against him. On the 26th of May, three American frigates appeared in sight. The smallest came near the town, and hoisted the banner of peace, a signal to which he gladly res ponded. The frigates however disappeared, and hope and fear alternately agitated the breasts of the Tripolitans and their miserable captives. On (he 29th, three frigates and a brig bore down upon the town, and displayed the signals of peace, which were immediately answered from the castle. From this period, friendly negociations went on rapidly, and 214 «j j c »..„„ ie orable place in his "Poets of Connecticut," from which work this sketch is principally taken. In the conclusion of his long and well Written "Exordium'* to his first volnme, Ray deprecates criticism, alluding, we pre sume, as well to his verses as his Narrative* and he may be" head in his own defense : " Reader ! lay prejudice aside, And let calm reason be your guide ; If in the following, then, you find Things not so pleasing to your mind, And think them false, why disbelieve them j Errors of weakness ? then forgive them J And let our -sufferings and abuses For several facts make some excuses ; And when you 're captured by a Turk, Sit down and write a better work!''' We make two or three extracts from his poems on the iot> lowing pages* 216 TRIPOL I. Ye lurid domes ! whose tottering columns stand, Marks of the despot's desolating hand ; Whose weed-grown roofs and mouldering arches shows The curse of tyranny, a nation's wo ; In every ruin, every pile, I find A warning lesson to a thoughtful mind. Your gloomy cells expressive silence brealk, Echo to groans, and eloquently speak . The Christian's blood cements the sthe stones he rears This clay was moistened with a Christian's tears ; Pa4e as these walls, aprisoner of has lain, Felt the keen scourge and worn the ruthless chain* While scoffing foes increasing tortures pour, Till the poor victim feels, alas ! no more! Here thy brave tars, America, are fonnd, Locked in vile prisionS, add in fetters bound. * * * Must free Columbia bow Before yon tinsel tyrant's murky brow ? Cringe to a power wh|e;h death anfl.rapine crowa? Smile at a smile, and tremble at a frown 1 Kneel at a throne, its clemency implore> Enriched by spoils and stained with human gore ? Bear the sharp lash, the ponderous load sustain^ Suppress their anger, and revenge restrain ? Leave a free clime, explore the treacherous wavesi The sport of miscreants and the slave of slaves? Heavens ! at the sight, each patriot bosom glows With virtuous hatred on its eonntry's foes; Atevery blow indignant passions rise. And vengeance flashes from resentful eyes. But Heaven in just, tho' man's bewildered mind Th the dark ways of providence is blind ; Else why are some ordained above the rest, Or villains treated better than the best ? 217 Why, martyred virtue, hang thy injured head ? Why lived an Arnold, why a Warren bled ? Earth's murderers triumph, proud oppressors reign While patriots bleed, and captives sigh in vain ? Yet slumbering Justice soon shall wake and show Her sword unsheath'd, and vengeance wing the blow, Columbia's genius, glorious as the sun, With thy blest shade, immortal Washington, Unite to guard us from nefarious foes, And Heaven defend, and angels interpose ! VILLAGE GREATNESS. In every country village,"where Ten chimney-smokes perfume- the air, Contiguous to~a steeple, Great gentle-folks are found, a score, Who can't associate any more With common " country people." Jack Fallow, born amongst the woods, From rolling logs, now rolls in goods, Enough awhile to dash on — Tells negro -stories, smokes cigars, Talks politics, decides on wars, And lives in stylish fashion, Tim Ox-goad, lately from the plow, A polished gentleman is now, And talks of " country fellows ;" But ask the fop what books he's read, You'll find the brain-pan of his head As empty as a bellows. 218 Miss Faddfe, lately from the wheel", Sow talks affectedly genteel, And sings some tasty songs, to& ;¦ But my veracity impeach, if she can tell what part of speech Gentility belongs- to: Without one spark of wit refined. Without one beauty el the mind„ Genius, or education, Or family, or fame to- boasts— To see such gentry rule the roast, Turns patience to vexation. To clear such rubbish Frc-m the earthy Though real genius, mental worth, And- science to attend you, You might as well thesty refine-, Or cast your pearls before the swine ;: They'd only turn and rend you.. THE WAY TO BE HAPPY, Do troubles overwhelm thy Soul, Like billows of the ocean, That o'er the shipwrecked Victim roll In terrible commotion ? Seize bold Imagination's wing And soar to heaven, so- seeming,. Or reign a- potentate or king- - Tis all obtained by dreaming. Do pain and poverty unite To rob thee of all pleasure ? Like thieves break in at dead of mght, And steal away thy treasine ? ¦219 The treasure of a tranquil mind, With joy and rapture teeming, Seek, seek, my friend, and thou Shalt find More solid joy in dreaming. For let the world still darker frown Than night-elouds on creation, And shower its tenfold vengeance down, Its wrath and indignation, On this devoted bead of mine, One star is still left gleaming — One light that will forever shine, The hope, the bliss of dreaming. Whene'er I lay me down to rest, With toils and sorrows weary, A heart most feelingly distressed, And all on earth looks dreary ; Aerial powers around me throng, With light and glory beaming, And waft my raptured soul along The paradise of dreaming. And oft as pensively I walk In solitary places, I hear celestial spirits talk, And think I see their faces ; They bid me leave all earthly things, While tears of grief are streaming — I mount Imagination's wings, And find my heaven in dreaming. THE LIEUTENANTS. Who's he that walks with such a swagger With cockade, uniform and dagger, Holding this motto up to view, " I am much better, sir, than you ?" 220 Why, 'tis our officer — young Davy — A smart Lieutenant of the Navy ; Who's challeng'd, tho' they call him cruel, Twice twenty bumpers to one duel, And fought where clubs, not cannon, rattle, A score of watchmen in one battle ; Wounds he's received— in all his clothes, And bled profusely — at the nose ; For which grown bolder still and braver , He basks in govermental favor. And who is that with feathered head, And coat broad-faced with warlike red ? That blustering, tell me what it means ? Why, he's Lieutenant of Marines ; Whose duty 'tis to follow fashions, To draw his pay and eat his rations ; To 'list recruits for calls emergent — To drill them, or to make his sergeant — Defraud them out of half their pay, Then flog them, if a word they say ; For all the art of war consists In pay-rolls and provision lists, Well filled, which men are forced to sign, —This, this is martial discipline. 221 TIMOTHY MERRITT. TIMOTHY MERRITT, a celebrated clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was born in Barkhamsted, in October, 1775. He entered the ministry in 1796, and was stationed on New London Circuit, where his services were both acceptable and useful. During the next year he was stationed on the Penobscot Circuit, in the Province of Maine, and continued in that Province for about fourteen years. Du ring this period his labors were arduous and peculiar. He filled appointments constantly on the Sabbath, and delivered occasional week-day lectures ; and, as most of the stationed preachers were unordained, be had to visit their societies to administer the ordinances, and assist in organizing and regu lating affairs necessary for the peace and prosperity of the cause. Occasionally he attended Quarterly Meetings for the Presiding Elders, from twenty to an hundred miles from home, taking appointments in his way to visit the churches. He went to his appointments in canoes, and skated to them in #inter, on the streams and lakes of that cold region, Mr. Merritt had by this time become one of the most emi- inent and successful preachers of his denomination in New England. From 1817 to 1830, he was stationed in Boston, Piovidence,", New Bedford, Lynn, Springfield and Bristol, and extensive revivals followed his ministry. In 1831, he was the editor of Zion's Herald. From 1832 to 1835 he was in New York, as one of the editors of the Christian Advocate and Journal. 222 Thence he returned to the New England Conference, and was stationed at Lynn a second time, where he continued two years. His health and physical energies failing, he was pla ced upon the superanuated list, and there continued until his death. Mr. Merritt was in many respects an extraordinary person. Possessed of rare intellectual endowments, and blessed with an unusual degree of mental and bodily vigor, he was fitted to endure the fatigues and labors incident to the new and wild region in which his lot was cast for many years. The Rev. A. Stevens, A. M., in his " Memorials of Methodism," calls him " a prince and a great man in our Israel." One ofhis as sociates in the ministry says of him, " No man has been taken from the Itinerant ranks of New England, who had a higher claim to an honorable memorial among us, than had Mr. Mer ritt. He was a learned man — a man thoroughly read in di vinity and philosophy ; critical in his observations — powerful. in analysis — of untiring application^-deeply experienced in the things of God^-always exhibiting the fruits of the spirit by the patience of faith and the labors of love. He was a self-tauglf man. By close and long continued application, he acquired a terse, perspicuous and beautiful style of writing and speakiD^ The attention he bestowed upon the arguments of an opponent, before answering him, was remarkable. He weighed every word, and comprehended it, before he framed a sentence, and then replied in the most concise and forcible manner, Thus he seldom either misunderstood or misrepresented — always kept directly to the point, and seldom failed of a complete vic tory. There was a dignified simplicity, a loftiness of language and thought, accompanied by a solemnity and fervency of spir- ; it, which awed the hearer, and made him feel that God was near : and not unfrequently, as the good man's soul filled and gathered strength, and in the light and majesty of confidnig faith, rose higher and higher still, the spectator would stand 223 entranced, like an astonished Israelite looking up into the mountain to see Moses talking with God." Another clergyman says, "Holiness to the Lord, was his constant motto. He literally forsook all to follow Christ and seek the salvation of his fellow-men. Both his mental and phy sical system were formed for the work. He had a muscular energy fitted for labor and fatigue. He was constantly grasp ing for new subjects of thought and new scenes of usefulness. Mr. Merritt's gravity was not sour or sombre, so as to render him unsocial or unamiable. I ever found in him one of the most free and social companions of my life. The out-pourings ofhis amiable heart never appeared more interesting and ex cellent than in his confidential correspondence, which I have had the happiness to enjoy for more than forty years, and to which I never refer without the purest pleasure. As a preach er, his subjects were generally well chosen, his manner serious, plain, distinct and direct. He was often doctrinal, and in these discourses he stated his object and presented his propositions; with precision, and brought his Scripture proofs aptly, fully, and forcibly. His inferences and reflections were various and pertinent. He felt that he was called to defend the great doc trines of the gospel, and did it fearlessly, searching out and ex posing error and detecting sophistry. But his most delightful theme was the doctrine of holiness. In treating of this he found ample scope for illustrating every part of Christian expe rience, and of explaining and enforcing all the practical duties enjoined in the gospel. There were no flashes of wit, no ef forts of eloquence to excite a stare, no meretricious drapery, no bombast, no passionate exclamations for effect, no useless verbiage to fill an empty space — but a straight-forward, plain effort to open, explain and improve the subject and to profit his hearers. The duties of a pastor were conscienciously and faithfully performed by him, as the various places of his charge can testify," 224 When his physieal energies gave^way, his active mind felt the shock and totterings of the earthly tabernacle. But this was the time for the moie beautiful development of Christian resignation and calm submission. He died in the full exercise of faith, and patience, and love ; and his memory is embalmed in the affections and gratitude of many hearts. A likenessof Mr. Meriitt may be found in the frontispiece of "The Memorials of Methodism,'' before alluded to. 82S HENRY WALTON WESSELLS. This distinguished officer in (he army of the United States, is a son of Dr. Ashbel Wessells, of Litchfield, in which town he was born the 20lh of FebrUarj', 1809. He spent the year 1828 at Captain Partridge's Military School in Middletown, Conn., where he was a classmate of Thomas H. Seymour, of Hartford, since distinguished in I he councils of the nation and as an officer in the late war with Mexico. In July, 1829, young Wessells entered as a cadet at the West Point Military Academy, and graduated in 1833. He at once entered the Army as brevet second-lieutenant in the Second Infantry — a regiment to which he has ever since been attached, and in which he has won all his laurels as a military commander. The two years immediately succeeding his grad uation, were spent at Hancock Barracks, near the disputed boundary between Maine and the British Possessions, and in Boston, yi 1835, he was engaged in the Creek War in Geor gia, and subsequently, until the breaking out of the Seminole War in Florida, he was stationed^t Green Bay and Fort Gra- triot. In 1837, Lieut. Wessells joined the army in Florida, and the five succeeding years were passed in the protracted and most dangerous struggle with the Seminole Indians. On the breaking out of the war between the United States and Mexico, in 1846, Lieut. Wessells sailed with the troops under General Scott for Vera Cruz, in Colonel Riley's regi ment, and was promoted to a Captaincy soon after his arriva1 on the enemy's territory. He was actively engaged in the great battles of Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Churu- 226 busco, and at the capture of the city of Mexico. In all these engagements, he was conspicuous; but was particularly dis tinguished in that of Contreras, in which he was wounded, and for his services in which he was brevetted a Major. In the official report of Colonel Riley he is commended in the highest terms. Major Morris, in his report, alluding to a most important crisis in the history of that eventful day, says, " The color-sergeant, Dennis Daily, manfully bearing himself among the foremost, was shot dead ; and Captain Wessells, though wounded at the same time, gallantly raised the colors and pressed on." We may add, that Morris's report is chiefly occupied with details of the services of Captains Wessells and Casey. On his return from Mexico, in the autumn of 1848, Major Wessells re-visited his native town ; but sailed soon after (No vember 10,), with the regiment bound for our newly acquired territory on the shores of the Pacific — and is now in California* In May, 1849, the Legislatuie of Connecticut, in considers ation of the distinguished services of Major Wessells in his country's cause, appropriated the sum of $300 for the purchase of a Sword, to be presented to him in the name of the State ' and Governor Trumbull, General Francis Bacon, Colonel George C. Woodruff, Colonel Henry D. Smith and Major A, C. Goodman, were appointed & Committee to procure the sword, and make a public presentation of it. On the 24th of December, 1849, a meeting of the. citizens of Litchfield was held at Spencer's Mansion House, to make preparations for the ceiemonyof Presentation — Chief Justice Church in the Chair, and Dr. George Seymour, Secretary, At this meeting, the following gentlemen were appointed** Committee of Arrangements, viz., — Generals George P. Shel ton of Southury, William T. King of Sharon, Edward A. Phelps of Colebrook, Frederick Buel of Litchfield, and Merritt Hem' ingway of Watertown, Colonels David Gould of Sharon* Rob* 22 f bins Battell of Norfolk, John C. Smith of New Milford, Wil liam F. Baldwin of Litchfield, Charles B. Smith of Wolcottville,, Peter W. Mills of Kent, Dwight W. Pierce of Cornwall, Major Chester W. Birge, Captains Charles Coe of Winsted, William S. Nash of New Hartford, Solomon Marsh of Litchfield, Quar-v ter Master George B. Turrell of South Farms, Dr. David E. Bostwick and Lieutenant Alfred H. Beers of Litchfield. The following particulars of the ceremony of Presentation' are copied from the Litchfield Enquirer of January 31, 1850 :. Notwithstanding the severe storm of the preceding day, (which pre vented the attendance of many from abroad, who had designed being piesent,) a large concourse of citizens and strangers was drawn together to witness the interesting ceremony, and to do honor to one whose. conduct has reflected so hroch honor upon the town and State which gave him birth. The day dawned beautifully. At sunrise, a national salute was fired. The " Bacon Guards," commanded by Capt. L. W. Wessells, and the " Litchfield Artillery," commanded by Capt. Solomon Marsh, paraded during the forenoon, and presented a fine appearance.. At half past 12, a Procession was formed, under the direction of Adjutant-General Shelton, (Chairman of the Committee of Arrangements,) and Colonel. Baldwin — which moved around the East Park in the following or der — t. Military Companies. 2. Band. 3. Committee of Arrangements. 4. Committee of Presentation and Reception. 5. Officers, Past and Commissoned. 6. Cilizens and Slrangers. ^Returning, the ceremony of Presentation took place on the Balcony of the Mansion House, in the presence of the crowd of spectators who. thronged the street and side-walk in front, and some hundreds of ladies in the hall, balcony, and the rooms adjacent. Colonel Woodruff, in behalf of the Committee and of the State, made the presentation ; the gallant Colonel T. H. Seymour, of Hartford, (by request and in behalf of the absent Major,) received the beautiful present. col. woodbuff's address. Golonel Seymour • The Legislature of this State, at its last session, made a liberal; appropriation for the purchase of a Sword, to be presented to Major Henky W. Wessells, as a testimonial of respect for his bravery andj gallant conduct in the late war with Mexico. 228 A Committee was subsequently appointed to procure the Sword^ and make a public presentation thereof. In the absence of His Excel lency the Governor, and owing to the decease of the late and lamented Major General of this State, it has devolved upon me, as the organ of the Committee, to announce, that we have proeured the Sword, and are. now prepared to present it. I need not say how gratifying it would be to us to meet Major Wes sells on an occasion so interesting — to grasp the hand so often raised. .in defense of his country — and to embrace the form so fearless!)' ex posed in vindication of that country's honor. But, sir, the soldier is, not his own ; and duty detains the gallant Major at his post far towards the setting sun, in that golden land acquired in no small measure by his own bravery. And permit me to say, sir, that no more fitting representative than yourself, could have been selected by him, to act in his behalf on this occasion. You have been the companion of his youth, and in the hard ships of the Camp ; you have participated'"with him in the dangers of the bloody battle-field ; you, if not an eye-witness to his efforts, are well informed of the lion-hearted courage with which he led his command against the bravest troops of Mexioo ; together you have borne no. undistinguished part in those triumphs, unequalled on Mexican soil since the days of Cortez, and in that crowning- victory which gave to us. possession of the Imperial City of the Montezumas. You may have known him, too, when, the stern soldier being laid aside, he retired to the sweet scenes of social and domestic lif \ His. affability, his benevolence, his generosity, need no eulogy ; his moral virtues no recapitulation. To know him, is to love and admire him. Of such a Soldier, and such a Man, this State has reason to be proud — is proud, and delights to show him honor. And every citizen of this. bis native town and county glories in saying, he is one of us. And we may well sympathise with his venerable parents, who early surrendered a beloved son to their country's service. We may imagine the torturing fear which has harrowed their souls, lest he should fall a victim to the pestilence, or the sword of the enemy ; and the tumultu-. ous joy, with which tidings of his safety, and the honorable report of his conduct, have swelled their breasts ; consummated by this testimo nial of the respect of his fellow-citizens for a favorite son, — rsweet in cense to a parent's heart. To the Major, in his exile from his native hills, we trust, the ceremo nies of this day will prove an assurance that his past services are not unappreciated, and that the remembrance thereof will alleviate his la* bors, and encourage him in his honorable career. We then present to yuu for him, this beautiful emblem ofhis profes-, sion. ^ May its purity never be sullied in an unrighteous cause. , Re-: ceiveit from a State, not lavish nor indiscriminate in its honors. Re? eeive it as a token of the gratitude of this Republic. 229 cot, Seymour's reply. Colonel Woodruff — Sir : I come forward with a degree of pleasure which forbids anything like reluctance on my part. I appear in the presence of your towns men, and my fellow-citizens of the State, to discharge one of the most gratifying duties which can be hud upon any man— 'a duty enlivened by the warmest recollectio-i of early friendship, and, supported by the honor of the position it has devolved on me to occupy on this occasion. The pleasure of which 1 have spoken, derived from a desire to fulfil the request of an absent friend, is not unmixed with those painful re grets, which the mention of another to whom you have referred, has brought forcibly to mind- -regrets which come like shadows between the living and the dead. Nor am I insensible to the force of those memories, which show us, that there is a vacancy in the ranks of the youthful soldiers who have taken a part in this ceremony, which is both seen and felt by them and all of this assembly. Far from the scenes of this day, the officer whom I have the honor to represent under circumstancesbf such peculiar interest, will deeply lament with us the execution of the stern decree which has consigned to an early grave, the abject of his grateful consideration and regard — that grave which we so lately saw bedewed with the tears of weep ing relatives, companions and friends. " The hand of ihe reaper Takes Ihe ear I hat is hoary, But Ihe voice of the weeper VVails manhwod in glory." I have listened, sir, with feelings of personal gratification to the just tribute which you have been pleased to pay to the social and domestic virtues of our absent friend, as well as to those sterner qualities which the service ofhis country required ; in which ssrvice, he will feel grate ful for the assurance which iTas been given, that his efforts have not been unappreciated. Strongly attached as I know him to be to the place of his birth, where his affections are firmly planted— bound by many personal ties to his native State, the honor conferred upon him, however he may choose to consider it beyond his deserts, will greatly influence his course I am convinced, and shed a light along the path of his chosen profession, whether that path shall hereafter be strewn with the blessings of peace or torn by the storms of war. In confirmation of what I have said, and in support of the weight which I attach to his feelings on this subject, I might mention, that at successive interviews which I had with him prior to the late battles in which he distinguished himself, and often afterwards, I had cause to be impressed with the strength of his filial regard for the home of his youth, and the State to which he belonged. From what I believe I know of his local attachments, which kindle the pride of the soldier, 23f> »nd of his high regard for the honor of his native State, — from what is generally known of his ardent desire to serve his country to the best of his abilities, I may safely assume in reply to your remarks,' that this. gift from the State will be affectionately preserved by him, and never dishonored in his hands. Thouo-h often his companion abroad, I cannot say that I was a wit-' ness to the gallant part which he took in the struggles to which yon have alluded. But I had the pleasure to hear him spoken of in terms. of the hio-hest praise by those under whose immediate orders he acted. Our State had many like him in the old line of the army, who, with. him, served through the entire war, with honor to themselves and to, the State. They are too well known through the official reports, the true history of the war, to require any notice from me. They belong,. together with my friend Wessells, to that accomplished class of officers in our army whose military science, and admirable prowess, exhibited1 in so many battle-fields of the war, have justly contributed to the honor of the institution at which they were educated. Pardon me for saying in this connection, that on a recent occasion, similar in its object to this, I could not divest myself of the reflection, that amongst those to whom I have already referred, many might havft been found better entitled to, the honors of the State than myself— to, whom I would gladly have yieldeJ the precedence. The garfant offi cer — neighbor to my honorable friend of the committee from another county— who won his brightest laurels in the op'enmg blaze of the war, from what I believe I know ofhis generous nature, will not hesitate to, credit the sincerity of the avowal which I have felt called upon thu& publicly to make. Whilst I have felt called upon1 by a sense of respect for that portion.) of the American Army in which we find the candidate for the honors of this day- -allow me to turn for a moment from the living to the dead. I am forcibly reminded that this is the birth-place of the lamented* Kirby, so highly eulogized in the report of General Worth, and of^ that chivalrous spirit, E. Kirby Smith, who fell at Molino del Rev, whose heroic death it is impossible to recall without at the same time bringing to mind the fate of another gallant youth of the highest promise, born in an opposite section of fe Mate, descendant of a race of heroes,. the youthful Rogers, who fell under the walls of the last proud fortress. which held the Key to the City of Mexico. " AbJ the soldier of the legion in a foreign land lay dead.'' I have already expressed the pleasure with which I have come for ward to receive this sword in behalf of its rightful owner, whose ser vices you have met to commemorate and reward. I have but a few words to add in full discharge of the duties I haire undertaken. In the presence of these fair ladies of his native town, before theSft citizens and citizen soldiers, witnesses of this ceremony, I have noW the honor to accept of this gift from the State of Connecticut to Major 231 Henry W. Wessells of the 2d Infantry, United States Armv. In its rare workmanship and significant devices he will see the friendly hand which bade the arts contribute to polish and ndorn it, and I feel assured that he will preserve it in sacred remembrance of his honored State, and of the youthful Senator, now alas no more, whose voic6 filled the halls of legislation with the praise of the absent whose deeds he contributed to reward. Cheered and encouraged by the proud distinction which has been conferred upon him, a deep sense of gratitude, mingled with the du ties of his military career, will make those duties light, J.nd the flinty couch of the soldier as a bed of down. Having been a party in the War which has given us vast possessions on the Pacific border, he has %em called With 'others to protect the flag which floats over those rich 'acquisitions — that flag which, wherever it wav«s, over plain, or moun tain land, or sea-girt shore, prefigures the power of the Anglo-Saxon race, or heralds the march ofour language and our liberties. In no vain boast I may say of him that he will seek to be among th^ foremost to guard that proud banner in Whose shining folds the Star 'ofhis native State gleams brightly in the clustering " old thirteen" — and brighter still in the reflected beams from the new-born States which have been added to the glorious constellation of the American Union. And should he be called again to those sanguinary fields^ tyhere the sword must point the way to victory or death, howevBi-his heart may relent in view of the calamities of war, his hand we have no doubt will be firm to execute whatever his country shall demand in the name of Justice, Ordek, and Liberty. At the conclusion cf this address, three hearty cheers were given by the crowd for Major Wessells, and three more for Colonel Seymour — which were responded to by a salute from the artillery. During the ceremony, we noticed among those standing on th6 balcony, the Hon. H. D. Smith, Treasurer of the State, the Hon. Abijah Catlin, Comptroller of the State, and Major Webb, late of the Army in Mexico. A grand Military Ball came off in the evening, in which between four and five hundred persons participated. The sword is straight, arid of Ihe usual length. The blade is of the finest temper, beautifully wrought and ornamenied to within about ten inch es of its point. The hilt is of gold inlaid with pearl; in the strips of pearl gold studs are inserted, and in the centre of the pearl upon one side of the hill is an oriental garnet. In the upper end of the hilt is a topaz, and Dear the base an emerald, both set in gold. A massive gold cord is at tached to the top of ihe hilt, passes to its base, and Ihence depends, ler* ftinatins in a. mssel. Just below the hilt is a gold plate on which are engraved the arms of the Stale of Connecticut and its mono ¦' qui irans- tutit sustinet." Upon the scabbard Which is heavily gilt throughout, any exqhisitely polished except where embossed, is a gold plate containing this following inscription, viz j 232 " The Stale of Connecticut to Major HENRY W. WESSELLS, 2d Infantry, U. S. Army, for distinguished services at Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Contreras and Churubusco." Below is a representation of arms in relief bound logelher; upon the band are inscribed ihe names of Ur.' battles above ijienlioned. Slill lower is nnotliei representation of weapons of war, also in relief. The point of the scabbard is protected by an acorn-shaped fence upon its edges. Major Wessells was married in September. 1834, to Mary T., daughter of Chester Griswold, Esq. ; she died at Fort. King, Florida, in the autumn of 1641 , leaving one daughter who still survives. In 1844, he was married to Miss Hannah Cooper, o Cooperstown, N. Y., a niece of J. Fennimore Cooper; by this marriage he has had three children, two sons who are liv ing, and a daughter, Julia, who died in California in June 1849. 293 AM ASA J. PARKER, 'This gentleman, who holds so conspicuous a place among the distinguished men of the empire State, was born in Shar on, Ellsworth parish, on the 2d of June, 1807. A notice of him in the "American Biographical Sketch Book," prefaces a sketch ofhis public services with the following complimentary remarks concerning this county : " It has been remarked, that there is no neighborhood in the United States, of the same limits and population, which has been the birth-place or the home of so many eminent men, as the county of Litchfield. It is a region of hard -hills and rocky farms, contiguous to no commercial cities, and crossed by no important lines of travel — but its homesteads, so quiet and retired, have been the fa vorite haunts of the genii. Here the bracing air of the high lands, and the habits of industry and self-dependence, formed from childhood, have given strong lungs and vigorous frames, expanded souls, and spirits full of energy, to a hundred men, where the influences of city life will scarcely endow with the same gifts a single one," The Rev. Daniel Parker, (father of the subject of this noiice,) was a graduate of Yale College. He married Miss Anna Fenn, daughter of Thomas Fenn, Esq., and was for almost 20 years the settled minister at Ellsworth. During this period he established and had charge of an academy at that place, which acquired a high reputation, and in which many young men, since distinguished in vai ious parts of the Union, were ed ucated. He was a son of Amaza Parker, of Watertown, Conn., in which place Thomas Fenn, above named, also re sided. 234 In 1816, Mr. Parker removed with his family to Greenville, Greene county, N. Y., and took charge of an academy at that place. Here Amaza J. Parker, then only nine years of age, commenced the study of the Latin language. At the end of two years, he was placed at an academy in Hudson, and from thence was transferred to the city of New York. At the age of sixteen, he had completed the usual course of collegiate study, although not within the walls of a college. In May, 1823, as its principal, he lock charge of Hudson Academy, an incorporated institution, subject to the visitation of the regents. During the four years which he remained at its head, the academy stood high in public estimation; His age was not then mature, and his pupils, scattsred over the State, were afterwards surprized to learn that their preceptor was younger than many of themselves. During this time, the argument was used by the academy at Kinderhook, a rival in stitution, that the principal of the Hudson academy was not.a graduate of a college. To obviate any such objection, Mr. Parker availed himself of the opportunity afforded by a short vacation, to present himself at Union college, in order to take an examination for the entire course, and to graduate with tha class. This he did, and took his degree of bachelor of arts, in July, 1825. During the latter part ofhis term at the Hudson academy he entered as a student at law, in the office of that sound jurist, John W. Edmonds, then residing at Hudson, and since judge of the supreme court. At the age of twenty, in the springof 1828, having resigned his charge, Mr. Parker retired to Del hi, Delaware county, for the purpose of pursuing his legal studies in the office of his uncle, Col. Amasa Parker, a prac, ticing lawyer of eminence at that place. He continued there until his admission to the bar, at the October term, in 1828. He then formed a co-partnership with his uncle, which lasted fifteen years, during which period they were engaged in a most extensive practice. 235 Delaware county having for forty years been strongly dem ocratic in its politics, Mr. Parker was early engaged in the great political struggles of the dny. In the fall of 1833, at the age of twenty-six, he was elected a Representative in the State LegisUtttire.wheie he served on the Committee of Ways and Means, and in other important positions. In 1835, he was elected by the Legislature, a Regent of the State Universi ty — a rare honor for so young a man— the post never having' been before conferred upon one ofhis age- At the age of twenty-nine, he was elected a member of the twenty-fifth Congress, to represent the district composed of the counties of Delaware and Broome. It is here worthy of remark, that at both elections, he ran without opposition, the opposite party deeming it useless to bring a candidate into the field against him. While in Congress he served upon several important committees, and his speeches were upon the public lands, the Mississippi election question, the Cilley duel, and other great subjects of the day, all of which may be found in the Congressional Globe. In the fall of 1839, he was a candidate for the office of State Senator, in the third senatorial district. The canvass was a very exciting one, owing to the fact that a United States Sena tor was to be elected by the next legislature, in the place of Mr. Tallmadge, Very great exeri ions were made, and about fifty thousand votes were polled. The result was, the election of the whig candidate, the late Gen. Root, by a small majority. On the 6th of Mai ch, 1844, he was appointed Circuit Judge, on accepting which he immediately took up his residence in the city of Albany, and continued there during his term of of fice. The duties of this appointment were very laborious, and required the most c.instant application. As Judge in the com mon law courts, and as Vice Chancellor in the Court of Equi ty, the whole of his time was occupied and heavy responsibili ties devolved upon him. In addition to the ordinary business 238 ofhis district, the anti-rent difficulties added much to his labors. He commenced his civil calenders with questions of title, and at the oyer and terminer, the most painful uties were imposed upon him, in punishing violations of the public peace. His labors at the Delaware Circuit, in 1845, will not soon be for gotten. He found in jail upwards of one hundred persons, un der indictment. At the end of three weeks, the jail was clear ed, every case having been disposed of, by conviction or other wise. Two were sentenced to death for the murder of Sheriff Steele, and about fifteen to confinement for various periods in the state prison ; and for the lighter offences, fines were in sev eral cases imposed. The course pursued by Judge Parker met with general approbation. After the adjournment of the court, the military were dismissed, peace was restored, and in no instance of a like resistance to the law has since occurred. in .hat county. During the following summer, the degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred upon Judge Parker by Geneva College, His term of office as circuit judge terminated with the then existing Constitution of the State, and at the first election held under the new Constitution, he was chosen a Judge of the Supreme Court. On the 27th of August 1834, Judge Parker was united in marriage with Miss Harriet L. Roberts, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and they have now six children, ELIJAH BOARDMAN. ELIJAH BOARDMAN was the third son of Sherman and Sarah Boardman, and was born in New Milford, March 7, 1 760. His excellent mother used most feelingly to relate to her young er children, that, while busily employed in her household con cerns, she thought she heard a noise like that occasioned by something falling into the water ; and stepping to the door to look for her little boy, she saw the water in a large trough in motion, and found her child lying at the bottom of the trough. Had the almost inaudible sound not reached the mother's ear his name would scarcely have been heard beyond that little family circle, and his services and influence would have been lost to his country and the world. His early education was conducted chiefly by his mother, at home, until the winter of 1779-80, when a very excellent in structor was employed. From his too rapid growth and con sequent debility, he became unable, before this period, to en dure constant labor on the farm ; and he occasionally attended school in the village, walking to and from it, a distance of two and a half miles each day. At the age of fifteen years, he com menced the study of Latin with the Minister of the parish, the Rev. Nathaniel Taylor, who had a private class. In March, 1776, himself desirous of the service and with his father's con-. sent, he enlisted as a common soldier into the revolutionary army, he now being sixteen years of age. The regiment in which he enlisted was commanded by Col. Charles Webb, and was one of the sixteen regiments first raised by authority of the Cort':"ental Congress. The officers of the company to which '238 young Boardman belonged, were Captain Isaac Bostwick, Lieutenant Kimball, Lieutenant Elisha Bostwick, and Ensign Amos Bostwick — all except the first lieutenant being from the town of New Milford. The first destination of the regiment was for Boston, but before getting out of the limits of Connec ticut, they were ordered to New London, where they embarked for New York, in and about which city the regiment remained until it was evacuated by the American army, in the month ef October. Shortly before this event, Mr, Boardman was seized with a dangerous illness, from which he had but partially recovered, when the retreat of the army seemed to render his situation hopeless. In this extremity, observing a wagon to stop near the house in which he was, he improved the opportunity afford ed by the driver being a moment absent, and exerting to the utmost his wasted strength, he threw himself into the wagon. When the driver was about to eject him, an officer passing by ordered him to desist, and to permit the sick man to ride as far as the wagon was going. This was to the neighborhood of Kingsbridge. There Mr. Boardman was left, lying on the ground, and incapable of further exertion. In that situation he was discovered by a neighbor of his father, who had gone to New York to convey home a sick relative. The neighbor took him to a place of safety, and gave immediate notice to bis father, who hastened to his relief. His state of health render ing it quite manifest that he could render no further service during the remainder of the period for which he had enlisted, a discharge was obtained, and he was brought home in a de- plorable state. He slowly recovered ; but his constitution, a* he always thought, then received a shock, the effects of which were abiding. In the autumn of 1777, he performed a short tour of duty on the Hudson, aud then returned home and entered upon a course of study under the direction of a private tutor. He wa« 239 soon after employed as a clerk in the store of Elijah and Arch ibald Austin, then prominent merchants in New Haven. In the fall of 1781, he commenced business as a retail merchant in New Milford. For eleven years, his brother Daniel was his partner in business ; and subsequently he was associated for a few years with Elijah Bennett. In 1819, the establishment was sold out to Stanley Lockwood, and Mr. Boardman relin quished the mercantile business. In September, 1795, the subject of this sketch became a member of the Connecticut Land Company, and, as such, one of the purchasers of the Connecticut Western Reserve, so called, now forming the northern part of the Si ate of Ohio. That part of this purchase lying east of the Cuyahogo River the Company caused to be surveyed and divided into toWn ships and tracts ; and a partition among the purchasers was made by lot, in May, 1799. By this partition, Mr. Boardman and his immediate associates became entitled to two entire townships and the "equalizing lots" of land (as they were call ed,) annexed thereto. His interestextended to somewhat more than half of each township. No. 1 of the second range, was named, after him, "Boardman" — a name which the town still retains. Some years after, the Land Company, having com pleted the survey of that part of their purchase lying west of the Cuyahoga, made, in the same manner as before, a partition among the purchasers. By this, Mr. Boardman and his as sociates became the proprietors of the town of Medina. Mr. Boardman's assiduous attention to his piivate concerns,, long prevented his taking >a active part in the political dis cussions which became rife throughout the country, soon after the establishment of the new Constitution of the United States. Yet, from the habitual activity ofhis mind, he was by no means an inattentive observer of passing events. About the year 1800, howeyer, he became quite prominent as a politician in Connecticut, But having embraced the principles of the par- £•10 ty which then, and tor a considerable time after, was in the mi nority in the State, he received no higher appointment than that of Representative to the State Legislature, to which he was six times elected between and including the years 1803 arid 1816. When the political party to which he was attached gained a partial ascendency, he was elected, in 1517 and again in !8!8, an Assislant, or member of the Upper House. In. May, I SI 9, when the New Constitution of the State went in to operation, he was elected to the State Senate, and continued in that body until May, 1821, when he was elected to the Senate of the United Slates. He occupied his seat in the lat ter body during the two-sessions of the seventeenth Congress', and continued a member until his death, which took place at Boardman-, Ohio, (while on a visit there,) August 18, 1823. His remains were brought to New Milford for interment. From nature, education, and habit, he was emphatically a practical man In all respects. His business talents were un common ; and his constancy in their exercise was rarely sur* passed. His natural temperament inclined him to hilarity ; but his srictly moral and industrious habits so far repressed this natural propensity, as to give him rather the appearance of gravity than of its opposite, in the latter part of his life. Yet his natural and acquired ease and urbanity, rendered him a pleasing companion both to the grave and the gay. His len- der emotions were easily excited, and not easily concealed j nor were they ever suppressed but from a sense of duty or pro. priety. He was benignant and exemplary in his domestic re lations—and just in his dealings with all. He had been for many years previous to his death, a consistant member of the' Episcopal Church. On the 25th of September, 1792, Mr. Boardman was mar ried, to Miss Mary Ann Whiting, daughter of Dr. William Whi- *ing, of Great Barrington, Mass., and had six children, viz., 1, Hon. William W, of New Haven ; 2, Henry M., who marl 241 ricd Sarah H., daughter of the Rev. Benjamin Bauham, tlieh bf New Milford, and died at Boardman, Ohio, in 1846, leaving four sons ; 3. George S., who graduated at Union College, and died at the age of 26 ; 4. Caroline M.. the wife of ihe Rev. John Frederick Schroeder, D. D., of New Yc.-k, who has ei^ht children ; 5. Mary Anna, who died at the age of 17 years ; 6. Caroline E., unmarried. Mrs. Boardman was a lady eminent for her piety, judgment, talents, and dignity of character. She died in June, 1843 ; and during the following year, her Memoirs, edited by Dr. Schroeder, were printed in a handsome volume of 478 pages. lit ELISHA WHITTLESEY. ELISHA WHITTLESEY is a native of Washington, New Preston Society. While he was a child, his parents removed to Salisbury, where his boyhood was chiefly speut. He early qualified himself for admission to the bar, and commenced the practice ofhis profession on the " Connecticut Reserve," in the State of Ohio. He rose rapidly in public estimation, and' was soon universally esteemed not only for his soundness and ability as a lawyer, but as a gentleman of singular uprightness and disinteresledness of purpose. In 1823, Mr. Whittlesey was elected to Congress from the Reserve, and was continued a member of that body, by suc cessive re-elections, for eighteen years ! Of his long and distinguished congressional career we prefer to let others sptak; In 1837, the " Pennsylvania Inquirer," published in Philadel phia, contained a series of sketches of public men, under the head of " Portrait Gallery," which were widely copied. The second sketch of the series is as follows — The Honorable Elisha Whittlesey, of Ohio, is one of the oldest members of Congress, and has held a seat in the House of Represen tatives ever since I can remember. Of his early history I know but little. He is a native of Connecticut, but early in youth emigrated to Ohio, and there commenced the. practice of the law. As a lawyer, lie was soon distinguished in the west, for the soundness of his judgment; the correctness of his purposes, and an unyielding integrity, which, if the scandal of the world is to be accredited; does not always attach itself to the followers of the legal profession. The confidence reposed in him by the people, soon induced them to delegate him as their Representative to Congress, and if I mistake not, he has held the seat he now occupies since the year 1821. S-1S For many years past, Mr. Whittlesey has held the important an* ^sponsible place of Chairman of the Committee on Claims, an office that requires a greater degree of industry, actual labor, and patience, than any other that falls within the duties of the House. Tho business of this committee is to examine and investigate all private claims, or claims presented by individuals against the government, and report their merits to the House. In discharging duties like these, the chairman of the committee is necessarily subjected to intense labor, its many of the claims presented to him involve all tho principles of tho ;ommon and statute law of the country, and not unfrequently are ;losely connected with the documentary history of the Republic from its very foundation. To ascertain the justice of Amey Darden's :laim for the loss of a horse during the war of tho Revolution, for in stance, all the papers of the old Continental Congress, and the regis try of the original W;l r office, had to be ransaeked — a labor that would, at its opening, have staggered and dismayed any other man than Mr. Whittlesey. Claims, requiring a corresponding amount of labor, are of daily occurrence, and are investigated with alacrity by the indefatigable and untiring Chairman of the Committee on Claims. The duties of the Chairman of the Ways and Means, are but trifles, so far as labor is concerned, in comparison with those which devolve on the Chairman of the Committee on Claims, and which are disehar» ged with promptitude and a zeal that command the respect of all sides of the House of Representatives. The House has unbounded confidence in the ability and integrity of Mr. Whittlesey, so much so, that it invariably adopts whatever ho may report ; and it is only necessary to have it understood, that the Chairman of the Committee on Claims has reported favourably to a claimant, to secure immediate redress. The contidence thus secured is as advantageous to the business of this House, as it is to the security of justice to individual merit, and the futherance of parliamentary jus tice. And whilst it subserves tho ends and aims of legislative action, it reflects a credit on Mr. Whittlesey of far greater moment than all the glory that can be attained at the hands of partizan warfare. As a useful — as an indefatigable legislator, Mr. Whittlesey has no superior in Congress — nay, he has not an equal. His whole time and study are directed to the furtherance of the public good, not to tho promotion of mere party warfare and discipline ; and in the discharge of the trusts reposed in him, he is above the reach of the contamin ating influence of party creeds and party dictation. In legislating he knows but one party — his country. Ever anxious to promote the best interests of the people, and expedite the true course of legislation, he never annoys the House with a harrangue for the purpose of send ing a speech home to operate in his district, or to influence his election. He daily has occasion to participate in debate, but he is always brief, •oncise. distinct, and confines himself exclusively to the subject under. 244 discussion. If he rises to offer a fesr remarks on the Navy Appro- priation, or on any other subject, he discusses the subject itself, and does not, like nine-tenths of the speakers in the House, direct himself to all other matters this side of the grave, to the exclusion of the question at issue. In debate, he is distinguished for clearness, perspicuity, precision, and a rigid adhesion to facts as they present themselves, and never strains at effect. He is always listened to with attention and great respect; and what he utters always produces a desirable influence. His manner is plain and unostentatious, adapted to the every day scenes nnd business of life. No man ever listened to him for a moment, .without passing judgment in favor of his integrity, .his statesmanlike qualities, and practical good sense. Mr, Whittlesey is about five feet eight or ten inches high, rather thick set, and possesses a countenance which is an idex of his heart. Stern integrity, benevolence, and morality, are to be read in his fea tures ; and his whole life has been a comment, and an illustration of his physiognomy. Without any ostentatious parade of his benevo lence and morality, he has devoted a life, now somewhat protracted, to the good of his country and the world ; and I do not believe, that he has at any time perpetrated an act, for the consequences of which he need blush. Although now well advanced in life, he is in the midst of a " green old age ;" and notwithstanding he is on the down hill side of sixty, a course of morality, of virtue, temperance, and of honor, has shielded his constitution against the invasions of age, and he does not appear to be more than two-and-forty. Mr. Whittlesey is a whig, and acts with the party in maintaining its general principles, but is by no means a violent or a noisy partizan. He undoubtedly is of opinion, and correctly too, that the principles of a party, and the honour of a country, can be maintained without rs* sorting to acts of violence, or to the enactment of the scenes of actual outrage, which not unfrequently, at all stages of the world, have dis graced party struggles. He possesses all the great talents necessary to the office of Chief Executive of the United States, and if people could be induced to se lect a candidate for their suffrages, on the basis of legitimate worth and merit, their favour .would be conferred on just such a man as the Hon. Elisha Whittlesey, of Ohio — a man who is an honor to his country, and who has proved himself, by a long series of public duty, to be a Patriot too pure, and a man too incorruptible, to be swayed by party, whilst engaged in discharging the duties of an enlightened American Statesman. U pon the elevation of General Harrison to the Presidency, Mr. Whittlesey was appointed Auditor of the United States Treasury for the Post Office Department- He consequently 24 0 declined a re-election to Congress, and on the 1 9 th of March, 1841, he entered upon the duties of his new office, and re mained in their faithful and efficient discharge until near the close of President Tyler's administration, when he resigned. In 1845, he was appointed General Agent and Director of the Washington National Monument Society — a post which he still holds. His energetic and systematic efforts in behalf of this grand national enterprise, have contributed in an emi nent degree to its success. In 1849, Mr. Whittlesey was made First Comptroller of the Treasury o( the United States, and he still continues to discharge the complicated and res ponsible duties of that important, office. !4« JUNIUS. SMI TH\ JUNIUS SMITH, ll. d, a son of Major-General David Smith, was born hi Plymouth, October 2, 1780. He gradua ted at Yale College in 1802, and during the following year he was a member of the Litchfield Law School. In 1803, h e pro- nouned the annual oration before the " Cincinnati of Connec ticut," a Society composed of Revolutionary Officers. In 1805, by a somewhat singular train of circumstances, Mr. Smith became a resident of London. His brother, David, was engaged in commercial business in New Haven, and was, in conjunction with Captains Gad Peck and Elnathan Atwater. of that city, owner of the ship "Mohawk," and engaged in the West India trade. This ship was captured by a British crui- zcr, sent into Tortola, and condemned. The subject of this sketch was then practicing law in New Haven, and was appli ed to by the owners to go tq Lqndon and prosecute an appeal in the High Court of Admiralty. He accepted the invitation, and sailed from New York on the 25th of November of that year. He had no idea of remaining in London longer than might be necessary to complete the business entrusted to his care ; but the time was protracted more than four years, be fore the Lords of Appeal would even give him a bearing. The .decision of the Vice Admiralty Court in Tortola was reversed, ..and the avails of the ship and cargo were restored. In the mean time Mr. Smith had become extensively engaged in commerce, and eonnected as he was with the house of TalU madge, Smith & Co., of New York, it was not an easy matter forhim to quit his post, 241 In 1810, his business requiring his presence in New York, he sailed for that city on the 19th of November. Having dis solved his partnership, and visited his friends in Connecticut and elsewhere, he returned fo London during the following spring. On the 9 th of -April, 1812, he was married to Miss Sarah Allen, daughter of Thomas Allen, Esq.,ofHuddenfield, in Yorkshire — a young lady distinguished for her many accom plishments and her ardent piety. Mr. Smith continued his mercantile pursuits until 1832 sometimes with much success, and sometimes in adversity When ht commenced the great work of Atlantic Steam Navi gation, which has led to such important results. On the 12th of August, in that year, he. sailed from London for New York, with his wife and daughter, in the British barque, St. Leonard, Captain Rutherford, He chartered the vessel for the voyage out, and had 150 passengers on board. The passage proved rough and tedious, and was protracted to fifty-seyen days. The practicability of crossing the Atlantic by steam,' and the vast advantages which would result from that mode of conveyance, occupied his thoughts ; and the more he consid- the subject, the more clearly it developed itself to his mind, until he became perfectly convinced that it was not only prac ticable but the most philosophical mode of navigating the ocean. Upon his arrival in New York, he began to disclose his views on this subject, and to argue the question with those of his friends who differed from him in opinion, and who could see nothing but insuperable difficulties. The project was never out of his mind, and all the objections raised and all the difficulties foreseen, only served to confirm his own opinion. He answered all objections to his own satisfaction, and gath ered strength in the combat, although he knew they remained unconvinced, for their incredulity was visible in every feature. It was not a slight affair for a single individual, without the co-operation of others, to devise, shtpe and follow out measure* 248 which were to change the system of commercial intercourse between Europe and America, and establish a mode of navi gation, new in itself, against the combined interests of com. mercial arid naulical men, against the uniform practice of ah past ages, and ihe stubborn, unbending prejudices of the world. Having maturely considered the undertaking in all its bear ings, he determined, previous to his leaving New York in De cember, 1832, to propose the scheme to some of the most influ ential merchants of that city. He did so ; and the answer was characteristic if not rational — "Try the experiment when you get back to London, and if it succeeds, we will then join you." Not one favored the plan upon independent grounds. He was not much disappointed — for he had no very sanguine expecta-* tions that the merchants of New York would lead the way. Mr. Smith sailed from New York on the 20th of December. and oh the 24th of January he arrived in London. To en list the public generally, at that period, in such an undertaking, was to his mind an unpromising undertaking. The only chance of success seemed to be, that of inducing those already engaged in the steam coasting trade, and who had therefore had some experience in a small way, to look favorably upon the project. With this view he Called upon Mr. Jones, a Directorof the London and Edinburgh Steam Navigation Com pany, whose steam vessels were then the largest afloat, explain- to him his views, and solicited his co-operation in carrying into effect the plan of navigating the Atlantic by steam. After two or three interviews, this gentleman requested Mr. Smith to commit his ideas to writing, and be would lay them before the Directors. In compliance with this request, he wrote the fol lowing letter : London, Feb. 9, 1833. DkAr Sir, — In conjunction with my friends in New York, I am de sirous of forming a line of steam-packets to run between this port sad New York, I apprehend that four in number will be sufficient, and ftilly equal to the twelve American sailing ships now running bis tu'« 240 Same line; and tho cost of the four steam-packets, at S0.000J. each, will be about the same as the aggregate cost of the twelve American line of packets now running. It is my intention to have two Biitish and two American ships ; and the reason is, first, to combine the interests of the two countries in their support; and secondly, to afford a certain conveyance both ways for goods of foreign as well as domestic growth and manufacture. Ely the treaty of commerce with tho United States, British ships cannot take foreign goods into the United States, nor can American ships bring foreign goods from the United States to England for home con sumption, but the converse is true of both. It will, therefore, be read- ly seen that a line formed of the ships of both nations, to sail alternately will embrace all branches of the carrying trade. I left London for New York in August last, and ihe latter place f^r London, on the 20th December. My friends in New Yoik make no doubt of the practica bility nor of the success of such an undertaking, and have assured me that they will build two stearri- vessels suited to the object in view, as soon as they learn that the plan, so far as regards the British interest, tan be carried into execution here. In New York, the plan is regarded as one of the first importance (o the commercial interests of both countries. I examined and traveled in many American steam-packets, but they have not one calculated for a sea voyage. They are all constructed to run upon the rivers, sounds, bays, and canals. These packets are in general very roomy, and calculated to carry a great many passengers. The North America, in which Ltook passage on the 16th October, at New York, for Albany, 145 miles up the Hudson river, is 230 feet in length, 30 feet beam, has two 60-horse low-pressure engines, which work at the rate of 26 strokes of the piston per minute. This packet is calculated to accommodate 1200 passengers, and there were 400 On board at the time mentioned. She draws but 4 feet of water, and performed the passage to Albany, against the current of the river, in twelve hours, including stoppages at the numerous landing-places on both sides of the river. Several other packets of nearly equal dimen sions ply upon this river, a particular description of which is unneces sary here. The same general description of packets run in all the rivers, sounds, bays, &c, from which you will perceive their unfitness for the high seas. The commercial intercourse between Great Britain and New York is of late years so amazingly increased, that more than 40,000 pas sengers and emigrants landed in the last year in the port of New York from Europe, chiefly from Great Britain. Since the construction of the Erie Canal, running through the State of New York 350 miles, from Albany to Lake Eiie, opening a water communication every step of the way from London to the Niagara 850 Fallu, the Lakes, Canada, Ohio, Michigan, anil alt of the western part of the United States, now peopling with astonishing rapidity, and tha establishment of elegant and convenient packet-boats upon the canal for the accommodation of passengers, New York has become the great thoroughfare for travelers aiid'emigVants from every part of Europe. Whatever mode of conveyance will shorten and' facilitate the passage1 from Europe, is certain to have' a preferencs ;¦ arid a line of steam- paekets-from London to New York, would have not only the supjlbrli' of Great Britain, but of all Europe. I can hardly expect in a short' letter to open up the subject so fully to 'those unacquainted with the American trade, as to induce them to enter into my views fully at Ottce, or to'appreciate the commercial advaittrige^ which it promises,' It' was Under this impression that I proposed, if the company enter tained doubts as to the success of the undertaking, to charter of thenr a suitable vessel for two voyages, or two vessels* for one'voyag3 each, and to take upon myself the result of such an experiment. The distance from Portsmouth to New York is about 3,000 mile's, ¦ and a good packet ought to make the passage in twelve or thirteen days. From March to October is generally the best seaschv of the-year fbr passengers, and if we sail from London 20th April to 1st May, it1 Would be in good time. I am quite sure that no foreign port can offer such decided advan tages for a line of steanr-pnc'kets'as New York; and upto the present- time the ground' is unoccupied! I' abstain at preseht from entering into any calculations as to the p'robable returns to New York. If thesfe hints are not entertained, I- should be glad to have them considered as confidential, and should feel- obliged for as early an answer as practicable, for1 my future govern-' client. Your obedient servant, Junius Smith. 20, Abchurch-larte. To this letter the following laconic answer was received, which put an end to any further correspondence in that quar ter. 35 Leaderihalf-streeff, Feb. If, r833. Mr. Junius Smith— Sir : Your letter of the 9th Instant, addressed' tb Mr. Jones, was this day laid before the committee of the London and Edinburgh Steam-packet Company, and I am directed to state,1 they decline your proposal for this season, as all their vessels are oth erwise appointed; Sir, 3Tour most obedient servant, A; Mitchell:- 251 There was but one other steam vessel in England besides those owned by the London and 'Edinburgh Company, of suf ficient size, or in any way adapted to risk a voyage across the Atlantic, and that was the " London Merchant." This ship was then in the service of Don Pedro, in Portugal. Mr. Smith resolved to wait her return. In May, 1833, she arrived :at Blackwall, and he went down immediately to examine her. She was a strong, well built ship, in bad condition, miserably fitted up — and could nof well have been more filthy if a cargo of pigs, instead of Don Pedro's soldiers, had inhabited her.. Still, he thought she might be put in condition to go the voy age, and accordingly applied to a gentleman interested in the ship, and offered to charter her for New York. After some d?ys spent in talking, he learned that there were sixteen own ers ; and to induce sixteen owners of one vessel to listen to so preposterous a scheme as the one contemplated, was entirely hopeless — -and he consequently abandoned her- Seeing.the difficulties which attended all his efforts to char ter a ship, and feeling at the same time the unsuitableness of .the ships themselves for so long a voyage, he turned his atten tion most seriously to the formation of a company for the pur pose of building steam-ships for Atlantic navigation. The /nore he resolved this point in }iis mind, th.e clearer he saw he was following the safest and most correct course, "and there fore was soon reconciled to formei disappointments. Not a single individual whom, he consulted at this time, gave h/im the slightest encouragement, and as yet he had taken no steps to ascertain the bearing of public opinion. It seemed necessary that some measures to that end should be taken ; jbr he felt that ultimate success must depend upon public sup port- He knew London well. Few men had experienced more of its commercial life than he had. Hence, he was well aware of the importance of wealth, distinguished con nexions, and a titled name, in successfully carrying forward 252 any new enterprizc in that great metropolis. Without these, a*ul even without the least encouragement from the honored .and great, he was not disheartened. Relying solely upon the intrinsic merit of his enterprize, he resolved to persevere. On the 1st of June, 1835, he published a Prospectus c-f a joint, stock steam navigation company in his own name— fqr in truth he find could no one to second him— proposing to raise £100,000 in 200 shares, of £500 each, to construct steam ships for the New York trade. These Prospectuses were widely distributed, at a considerable expense of money and labor. No person in the American trade was omitted, and most of the public .companies and public officers were furnished with a copy. Not a single share was appliedfor, nor did Mr. Smith expect many applications: But one object he had in view was answered. Through those .employed in distributing the prospectuses, he learned what tibe feeling qf the public was upon the subject. A few looked upon. the scheme with some favor, and several gentlemen called upon him to make inquiries. General!}', however, the plan was made the subject of sarcasm, slander, and ridicule. The storm raised by (he shipping interest andall in the American trade, with a single exception, was a fearful thing to encoun ter, and Mr. Smith took some time to consider before proceed ing further. The expense was heavy, the labor, severe, and the risk of defeat and consequent loss and disgrace, deserved some attention. He was not long in deciding upon his course. He revised his Prospectus, raised the capital stock to ,£500,- 000, and and adopted the name of The British and American Steam Navigation Company, though as yet he had not secured a single Director. He called personally upon all the princi pal American Houses to solicit their aid by becoming Direc tors, and every one declined. By this time Mr. Smith was convinced that the company must be formed, if at all, entirely ^independent of the shipping interest. This increased the d if- 253 faulty ten fold. Those must be enlisted who were sti angers in the field, and who must be argued into the belief that they could do what those concerned in the trade could not do. After encountering various other obstacles, which it is unr necessary to detail, the company was organized, with the fol lowing Board of Directors, viz., Isaac Solbv, Esq., (Chair man of the London and Birmingham Railroad Co.,) chairman, Moses Allen, Esq., Colonel Aspinwall, Captain T. Liukins, James Beale, Henry Bainbridge, Charles Endeiby, George Lunell, Joseph R. Pim, Junius Smith, and Paul Twigg, Esq's. Macgregor Laird, Esq, of London, was chosen Secretary, and several Bankers to the Company were appointed. Seven of these Directors resided in London, and one in each of the cities of Bristol, Liverpool, Dublin, and Cork. Adrerlizements were now published in the daily journals, informing the public of the formation of ihe Company and stating where shares might be obtained. Applications poured in from all quarters. The capital was raised to £l, 000,000, and a resolution was adopted to establish, two lines of steam ships to run to New York — one from London and one from Liverpool. In Jul}7, 1836, the Directors gave notice that they were ready to receive plans and proposals, and in September a contraet was made with some ship builders in London, to construct a steam ship of 20 1 G tons burthen — the keel of which was laid on the 1st of April, 1837. This vessel, after the accession of Victoria to the throne .of England, was called the "British Queen." The company were delayed in sending out this ship by the failure of those who contracted to furnish the engines ; in consequence of which the Sirius, a steam ship of about 700 tons, was chartered and dispatehed for New York. This was the first ship that ever crossed the Atlantic propelled by steam. Subsequently the British Queen crossed it from London and . the President from Liverpool. Mr. Smith embarked in the 254 Britidi Queen on the I2ih of July, I £39, and at half- past d2 o'clock, P. M., she was under full headway, shooting out to sea from Spiihead, ihe eastern extremity of the Isle of Wight, wiih 150 passengers. They had a. most delightful run, and at 2 o'clock ou the morning of the 28ih of July, they were at *Sandy Hook, waiting for a pilot — thus making the passage in fourteen and a half da}s. On Thursday afternoon, August •2J, they hauled' out ot dock and proceeded down the Narrows, cheered by innumerable spectators who thronged the wharves, shipping, batteries, &c , and accompanied by several steam boats, gaily decorated and crowded with ladies and gentlemen. Returning to England, on the 14th they took on board a Cowes pilot- — twelve days from pilot to pilot, and thirteen and ,a half days from New York to Portsmouth. Mr. Smith ar rived at his own house precisely on the day and hour he had fixed upon previous to leaving England, The navigation of the ocean by steam, was now no, longer a doubtful experiment. The praises of Junius Smith were -upon every tongue. He was elected President of the Com pany which he had founded, and Yale College conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. We shall not speak of the untold advantages which have resulted and may yet result from the persevering labors of this one man ; pos- ' terity will do him justice. Having accomplished this great object of his ambition and ' hopes, he turned his thoughts into another channel. He had j visited those countries where Tea was the staple production, •and had minutely watched its growth and cultivation in con nection with soil and climate ; and having satisfied himself rel ative to the feasiblity of the plan, he determined !o introduce its cultivation into his native county. With this view he pur chased an extensive plantation in Greenville, South Carolina, where for some eight years past he has been experimenting with' this new article of agriculture. The following lettef d'n the subject is contained in the lust Patent Office Report: Dear Sir : — The frequent nttices which have appeared in the pub lic journal », by those who have visited my tea-garden in Greenville, S. C, and by those who have not, seem to render superfluous the ad dition of another word. , i, . ' ¦ .Nothing but your request to make a comrwuriication on the subject bf tea cultivation, through the the Patent Office, would induce mo to risk (.he danger of wearying the public ear and of exposing myself to' obloquy •' . DuVingthe pastyea'r the tea-plant undermy care has passed through' severe trials, from the, injury received in transplanting, from the heat generated in the , packing-cases, from the uarijt, of shelter during the severe frosts of February, from the excessive heat in June, and from the drought of 58 day's continuance in July and August. The plants were divested of their leaves and generally of their branches arid twigs in February, during ray absence in New York. Knowing that the plants were tender, and- not fortified by age and mature growth against, severe weather, I had directed them to bq covered' in case a material change of temperature should oeeur. But these of ders were negdected, and, they consequently suffered from that cause. .The plant is sufficiently hardy to resist any weather occurring in1' this part.of the country, when seasoned for one year. .. The plant has grown thrifty since April, and, the quantity of foliage, buds and blossoms, show that the root has taken strong hold, and is now fully equal to produce its fru,tt next autumn, which always follows the year after the blossoms. I have a variety of both black and green tea-plants.- The buds and blossoms of the latter did not ap« pear until a fortnight after the black tea-plant. But the blossoms were kwger when they did appear in September, October, November, t and December. From present appearances, I think the blossoms of sbme of the late pknts will-continue to unfold until spring. It is not' an unusual thing "for the blossoms and the fruit to appear at the same time upon the sanw plant. .In thjs particular it differs from any plant I- have seen. As my chief object, at present, is to cultivate and increase the tea-nut, it will be a year Or two perhaps before I attempt to convert the leaf into tea. The root supports the leaf and fruit, and the leaf the root, so that neither can be spared without detri-* ment. , *, This climate appears congenial to the growth of the p^nt, and the soil is so diversified in this mountainous district that there is no> difficulty in selectina that best adapted to seed growing plants of that designed for the leaf only. Upon the plantation purchased-tlns* •256 summer, I have light- yellow, dark-brown, red elay subsoil, 6'f a fria ble character, with a 'surface soil sufficiently sandy to answer .the demands of the plant. I do not see any reason to doubt, from a year's experience, that the tea- plant in its- varieties will flourish in what L heretofore denominated the tea-giovving district of the UniterTState's, as well as in any part bf China. ^ The slowness of its growth requires patience. But when once es tablished the tea-nuts will supply the means of extending cultivation, and the duration of the plant for twenty years diminishes the e^ heme of labor. To illustrate the hardihood of the plant, I may ob serve, that notwithstanding the zero severity of .February frost des troyed the leaves and branches of most of the plants, and those now blooming in great beauty and sttength are from roots the growth of this summer I have one green tea-plant the stem and branches of which withstood the frost of February without the slightest protection and is now a' splendid plant, covered with brandies and ever-greeri leaves affording undeniable evidence rtot only of its capability of re sisting' frost, but of its adaption to just Such a degree of temperature. I have often remarked that the tea- plant requires for its perfection the influence of two separate and distinct climates, the hsat of sum mer and the cold of winter. The thermometer in this vicinity during the heat of summer generally ranges from 74 at 6 o'clock A. M. td 82 at 3 o'clock P. M., only one day during the summer so-high as 86. This is a most agreeable temperature, nights always cool, which the tea-plant enjoys, and the days hot and fanned with the. mountain breeze. ' -: The drought I found the most difficult point to contend with, ow ing to the want of adequate means for irrigation. I lost 20 or 30 plants through this, and learned that no tea plantation should be es^ tablished without irrigation. After two or three years there will he little necessity for it, because the depth of the roots will generally then protect the plant. My. plantation at Golden GrOve is well supplied with water, or I should not have purchased it at any price. It is the first and most important point to secure a southern or western aspect, a gentle declivity the second; salubrious air and suit able soil the third. Our country is filled with natural tea plantations, which are only waiting the hand of the husbsndman to be eovered with this luxuri ant and productive plant; Iknow the public is riatdraily impatient of delay. Like- corii, it is expected that the tea-nuts will be planted in the spring, and the crop gathered in the autumn. But they forget that the tea-plant does not Interfere with any other crop, and when once planted it does not soon require a renewal. 257 I have sometimes felt this impatience myself, and longed for a cup of tea of my own growing, but I have never had one. As a husband man, I must wait some time longer, and let patience have her perfect work. Your obedient servant, JUNIUS SMITH. Golden Grove Tea Plantation, Greenville, S. C. December llth, 1849. In July, 1851, Mr. Smith writes to the New York Journal of Commerce, that he has just drank for the first time, a dish of tea of his own raising. Mrs. Smith, (the wife of the subject of this sketch,) died in 1836. They had one child, a daughter, who became the wife of the Rev. Edward Knight Maddox, a graduate of Cambridge and a clergyman of the church of England. In October, 1842, Mr. Maddox was appointed a chaplain to the army in India. They sailed for Calcutta with a httle son about two months old, in November of the same year. In September, 1843, he was appoint ed chaplain to the important station of Mearut, a little north of Delhi, and about seven hundred miles east of Bombay. Mrs. Maddox has since died. 258 PETER BTJEL PORTER General PETER B. PORTER, (son of Colonel Joshua Por ter,) was born in Salisbury in 1773, and graduated at Yale Col lage in 1791, in the class with the Hon. Lyman Law, of New London, and the Hon. James Gould, LL. D., of Litchfield. Hav ing completed his legal studies with Chief Justice Reeve of Litch field, he, in company with his brother, the late Hon. Augustus Porter, emigrated to Western New York, they having purchased large tracts of land in that then wilderness. The country around him increased rapidly in population and resources, and he was called early to the performance of various public trusts. Having passed, step by step, through various offices of minor grade, in 1809 he was elected to represent the western district in the Con gress of the United States, in which body he served with fidelity and distinction on some of the most laborious committees. In the summer following, he was chosen by the legislature of New York, in conjunction with De Witt Clinton and Gouveneur Morris, a Commissioner to explore the route from Albany to Buffalo, and report upon the feasibihty of uniting the waters of Lake Erie with those of the Hudson. The Report subsequently presented by these Commissioners, determined the grand question of commen cing the "Erie Canal" — one of the greatest works of internal improvement in the world. In 1811, Mr. ,Porter was again elected to Congress for another full term of two years. The events which transpired during this 259 latter period, and in which he was an active participant, were among the most important in our history. The long series of alleged indignities to our countrymen and our Hag, were brought to a crisis by a declaration of war by our Government against Great Britain, in 1812. Mr. Porter was among the earliest and most efficient advocates of the justice and policy of that decla ration. During the exciting sessions of 1811 and 1812, he was Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations. In the latter part of November, 1811, he reported a set of resolutions, authori zing immediate and active preparations for war ; and on the llth of December following, justified their propriety and necessity by a speech of great ability, firm and energetic in its tone, yet temperate and judicious. Soon after the war, he was elected Secretary of State for New York ; and was also appointed by President Madi son, one of the Commissioners to run the boundary line between the United States and the British possessions. In 1813, he was transferred from the national councils to the field — having been appointed Major General and Chief in com mand of the New York state troops. From that time until the close of the war, General Poter was in active service, and distin guished himself in several engagements on the northern frontier. It is a fact not generally known, that in 1815 he received from President Madison the appointment of Commander-in-chief of the army of the United States — a post which he respectfully decli ned. The letter tendering to him that distinguished station, is still in the hands of his family at Niagara Falls. At the termination of that unhappy conflict, in 1815, General Porter was once more elected to Congress. At the close of that term, he declined a' re-election, and retired to his seat at Niagara, intending to spend the remainder of his days in the quiet of domes tic enjoyment. He was regarded as one of the great men of the nation, and the animal throng of visitors to the Falls, were wont to pay him respectful homage and share in his cheerful hospitality. For his services in the war, the legislature of New York voted him 260 an elegant and costly sword, with appropriate devices and inscrip tions commemorative of his military career. In 1828, President Adams called him from his retirement, having appointed him to an important post in his cabinet, that of Secretary of War. He repaired at once to the seat of govern ment, and entered upon the arduous duties of the office, and con tinued to discharge them with extraordinary industry and fidelity, until the inauguration of President Jackson ; when, presummg that his place would be wanted by some friend of the new administra tion, he sent in his resignation. The famous John H.. Eaton suc ceeded him, who was soon succeeded by General Lewis Cass of Michigan. The wife of General Porter was Leticia Breckenridge, of Ken tucky, a sister of the Rev. Robert J. Breckenridge, D. D. a dis tinguished clergyman of that state. She died at Black Rock, N. Y. in August, 1831, leaving a son and daughter. General Porter died at Niagara Falls, March 20, 1844, aged 71 years. RlBV. rcATBLATOIISIi W-TAYlU-llilBL. =1 1» - _ID>~ ^^?J^o^r/^ 261 NATHANIEL W. TAYLOR, D. D The Rev. Nathaniel Taylor, the second minister in New Mil ford, was settled over the Congregational church in that town, in June, 1748, and continued his pastoral duties there until his death, in December, 1800 — over fifty two years. His wife was Tamer, daughter of the Rev. Daniel Boardman, his predecessor in the pas toral office. His sons were 1, John B. died in infancy ; 2, Nathan iel; 3, General Augustine, graduated at Yale College, was an officer in the Revolution, and died in Sharon in 1816 ; 4, Colonel William Taylor, graduated at Yale College, died in New Milford, in 1841. Nathaniel Taylor, Esq. (son of the Rev. Nathaniel Taylor,) was born in New Milford in 1753 ; married Anna Northrop ; he died in 1818. Their children were, 1, Laura, died in childhood ; 2, John, died in 1837, aged 60 ; 3, Charlotte, married the Hon. David S. Boardman of New Milford, and died in 1846 ; 4, Nathan iel W. the subject of this sketch. The Rev. NATHANIEL W. TAYLOR, D. D. was born in New Milford, June 23d, 1786, and graduated at Yale College in 1807, in the class with the Hon. John P. Cushman, M. C, Thomas L. Grimke, LL. D., Jacob Sutherland, LL. D., Rev. Samuel R. Andrew, and other distinguished men. Having completed a regular course of theological study, he was ordained and installed pastor of the First Congregational Church and Society in New Haven, April 8, 1812. In this relation he continued the prompt 262 discharge of his ministerial duties, for a period of ten years — during which time he established for himself the reputation of being one of the ablest and soundest divines in New England ; and what is still more to his praise as a faithful ambassador of the Great Head of the Church, he became the instrument of everlasting good to very many who sat under his preaching. In November, 1823, Dr. Taylor was appointed to and accepted the important post of " Dwight Professor of Didactic Theology" in Yale College — a position which he still occupies with distin guished ability. He has long occupied a prominent position in the religious world ; being regarded as the official exponent of the system of theology taught in one of the largest and most important theological seminaries in the United States. But aside from his peculiar position, his sermons and lectures, published and unpub lished, have attracted very general attention from their own intrin sic merits — the soundness of their philosophy, the loftiness and dignity of their language, and the depth and fervency of piety which they exhibit. While in the pastoral office, Dr. Taylor was married to Miss Rebecca Hine, daughter of Major Beebe Hine, then of New Mil ford, but now a resident of New Haven. His only son, Nathaniel, graduated at Yale College in 1844, and is now a practicing physi cian in New Haven. 263 JOSEPH I. FOOTE, D. D, Rev. JOSEPH I. FOOTE was born in Watertown, November 7, 1796. We have no information of his early life and education, until he graduated at Union College, N. Y. in 1821. He fitted himself for the Christian Ministry at the Theological Seminary at Andover, Mass., where he spent three years. In 1826, on the 26th of October, he was installed pastor of the Congregational Church and Society in West Brookfield, Mass. in which relation he resided there until May 1, 1832. In the year following he was called to the charge of the church in Salina, N. Y. where he resided until 1835, when he removed to Courtland in the same state, where he continued to labor in the ministry until 1837. In 1839 he removed to Knoxville, East Tennessee, to the pastoral charge of the church in that place. Here his reputation as a scholar and divine arrested the attention of the corporation of Washington College, in that section of the state, who conferred upon him the degree of D. D. and tendered him early in 1840, the presidency of that Institution. This College was the first incor porated west of the Alleganies. It dates back to 1794, and within its walls were educated many of the most distinguished professional men in the Southern and Western States. Dr. Foote, after consulting the advice of his friends, accepted the presidency, and on the 9th of April, 1840, left Knoxville on a visit to the seat of the College in Washington county. On his way, he preached on the Sabbath, April 13, at Rogersville, from a part of the apos- 264 folic benediction — " The communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all" — and on the following Sunday, at New Providence, from another part — "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all." These labors were his last, and seem prophetic of his end. On the 20th, as he was continumg his journey, he was thrown from his horse near Leesburg, and received such injury that he expired on the following day, twenty hours after his fall — the day preceding that on which he was to be inaugurated Presi dent of the College, and enter on anew and wide career of useful ness. The following summary of Dr. Foote's character is taken from a Biographical Sketch of him, published soon after his death. " By this mysterious and afflictive dispensation of Providence, the church of Christ has lost a bright and shining light — the cause of literature and science, an illustrious and efficient advo cate and patron — a large circle of friends and acquaintances their pride and ornament — and a fond and devoted wife, a kind and affectionate guide and protector. " As a faithful, zealous, and evangelical preacher, Dr. Foote had few equals, and perhaps no superiors. As a theologian, he was thoroughly conversant with the various systems of faith embra ced by the different denominations of the Christian church. As a controvertist, he made no compromise with essential error, either in the doctrines or order of the church ; but with that boldness and intrepidity which characterized the Fathers of the Reforma tion, he combatted whatever he believed to conflict with the plain canons of Scripture, or to stand in opposition to the advancement of a pure, practical, and evangelical religion. As a scholar and writer, he stood pre-eminently high ; and the frequent contribu tions of his pen to the New York Literary and Theological Review, and other periodicals of equal celebrity, have placed him on an eminence in polemic and didactic theology, to which but few can, with confidence, aspire. In his intercourse with the world, he was frank and undisguised — an instructive and sociable com- 265 panion — a candid, sincere, unaffected and sympathizing friend ; and in his domestic circle, a very pattern of tenderness and affec tion." The address which Dr. Foote had prepared to deliver on the occasion of his inauguration was published immediately after his death. In this address he advocates the claims of the College in a very able manner. The following extract shows his sympathy with the poor, to whose doors he would carry the means of the highest intellectual improvement. " A prominent motive in extending the operations of the Col lege, is the education of the poor. I use not this term in reproach. Who, almost in the whole circle of distinguished schools, has not been indigent ? If from the lists of those who have been distin guished officers in Colleges, or pre-eminent in the profession of Law, Medicine or Divinity, or celebrated for their attainments in science — if from these lists we were to strike out the names of those who were originally indigent, how small then would be the remainder ? Nor is this scarcely less true of the many who have risen to the principal places of honor in the several states, and even in the nation itself. " There is a disposition in the community to compound indigence with ignominy, and to treat the poor as if they were criminal ; no other tendency is so injurious to the general elevation of society or to our republican institutions. It is, indeed, an affecting fact, that scarcely a son of the indolent, the worthless and the immoral has ever risen to eminence in our country. The habitations of vileness engrave their own character so legibly on their children, that it is rarely, or never, obliterated. By far the greater portion of those, who in our country have been denominated poor, are entirely competent to sustain their families at home. They are honest. Their morals are without a stain. They are beloved by all their neighbors. Their children are trained in every virtue. They are the joy of their parents and the delight of their wealthy neighbors. If instead of undertaking to procure an education in 34 266 the liberal arts and sciences, they were to apply themselves to agri culture, to merchandize, or to any ordinary employment, it is unquestionable, that competence and perhaps wealth would soon smile around them. But if instead of limiting their circle of use fulness by these boundaries, their minds contemplate a wider range of operation ; if instead of growing up with the rapidity of the pop lar, they endeavor to acquire the solidity and the expansion of the oak ; if their hearts are fixed on being widely and permanently useful to the human race, such aspirations in the youthful bosoms, ought to he hailed by the community. Facilities ought to he pro vided for the development of such desires and faculties. With steady and persevering industry, these minds will soon shine with a lustre, equal to that of a prince in his court, or the sons of the rich in their palaces. " They will, indeed, outshine all those whose industry is not of the most stem and enduring kind. Time would fail me to recount by name the distinguished men who, from an honorable poverty in childhood, have risen by persevering industry and economy to the very suinmit of literary and professional excellence. Excluded from participating in the commercial affairs of the country, the commodities of the agriculturist cannot be made to yield him those pecuniary returns which reward the husbandmen of other regions. Hence, many whose home is blessed with abundance, can procure but limited means to sustain themselves or their children abroad. For such individuals, this institution has always been an asylum ; and while she has educated her full share of the rich and the hon orable, she has always been the patron of the honest and the obscure. In this she will persevere. It is undeniable, that greater facilities than any now enjoyed in these regions for acquiring an education, can here be offered at a comparatively small expense. The door will always be opened for the admission of the moral, industrious and persevering sons of the community to enter. Equally with the heirs of the opulent, will it be our delight to train those who cannot otherwise he prepared for extensive usefulness. In this 267 country, neither honor nor office is hereditary. Every boy is born a candidate for the Presidency of the United States. Thus the sons of the rich and the poor are equally permitted to run. ' But one receiveth the prize ;' the son of an obscure minister of the gos pel, or of a laborer in bricks and mortar, or of a lonely widow, is as likely as any other one to sit in Washington's seat and adminis ter the government ofhis country." During his connection with the church at West Brookfield, Dr. Foote prepared and delivered " An Historical Discourse" on the occasion of the annual Thanksgiving, November 27, 1828, which was published. This discourse exhibits much patient research, and is full of interesting facts relating to the settlement and early history of Brookfield, and breathes an affectionate and grateful spirit towards the fathers of the town and of New England. It concludes with impressing on the present generation the duty not only of preserving but of increasing the means of civil and reli gious liberty which have come down to us from our ancestors. " A review of the dispensations of Providence is calculated to impress our minds with the importance of increasing, as well as perpetuating the blessings which we enjoy. Had not our ances- ters acted on this principle, they would have remained in subjec tion to an oppressive prelacy. They would never have crossed the mighty deep, to seek an asylum in the Western hemisphere. They would never have taken up their abode in the immense wil derness of America. Had those who first arrived in this place, been content with a bare subsistence and with the few privileges which they then enjoyed, the forest would still have covered these hills and plains. These fields would never have been cultivated. These dwellings would never have been erected. These houses for the instruction of children and youth would never have been reared. These cheerful villages would not have risen. These temples for the worship of Jehovah would never have been built. It was care for those who should come after them, that chiefly influenced our ancestors to cultivate the soil, and to lay deep and 268 broad the foundations of literary and ecclesiastical institutions. It was the regard of each succeeding generation for the welfare of posterity, that has caused these blessings to accumulate in their descent to us. And shall we be content to hand down to the next generation only the inheritance which was left us by our fathers ? Is it enough that we preserve the rights and privileges which we have received ? Shall the stream of civil and religious blessmgs, which in passing each generation became broader and deeper, receive no tributaries from us ? Can we do nothing to advance to that state of perfection at which it is destined eventually to arrive ' when nation shall no more lift up sword against nation,' and when there shall be nothing to molest or intimidate throughout the wide extent of God's earthly dominions ? Shall the wheel of civil and intellectual and moral improvement, which during two centuries has been increasing its rapidity, instead of receiving additional impulse, be retarded in our generation ? 0 let gratitude for the blessings which we inherit, impel us to make efforts' for the good of those who shall come after us. Let us endeavor to leave some memorials of our regard for future ages ; and when our bodies shall have mingled with the dust, and our very names been forgotten, may those ' who arise and declare' the ' mighty acts of the Lord,' find amongst their occasions of thankfulness, that their blessings were augmented by our generation." A volume of Dr. Foote's Sermons, edited by his brother, the Rev. George Foote, was published after his decease, and have elicited high praise from some of the most eminent theologians of the country. 269 WILLIAM THOMPSON BACON WILLIAM THOMPSON BACON was born at Woodbury, in Litchfield county, on the 24th of August, 1814. At the age of twelve he was sent to the " Episcopal Academy," at Cheshire, to be fitted for college, but, after two years, determined on a mercan tile life, and became a clerk in the city of New York. After three years, at the age of seventeen, he established himself in business in New Haven. In a short time, however, he withdrew from his mercantile connection, and devoted himself to study. He entered Yale College in 1833, where he was regularly gradu ated in 1837, and was appointed by his class to deliver the Vale dictory Poem, at the time of the leaving the Institution. During the following autumn, he entered the Divinity School of New Haven, and, after the usual term of study, was licensed as a min ister in the Congregational denomination. On leaving that insti tution, he was married to a daughter of Professor Knight, of the Medical Department of Yale College, and, in 1842, was settled over the Congregational church and society in the town of Trum bull, where he remained until 1845, when ill health compelled him to ask a dismission. He subsequently became one of the editors of the " New Englander" a quarterly magazine of great ability. He was also for a few years the editor and proprietor of the New Haven daily and weekly " Journal and Courier," which he con ducted with marked ability and success. He is now engaged in his ministerial labors in Kent, in his native county. Soon after leaving college, Mr. Bacon published a volume of 270 Poems from a Boston press, which, in 1840, passed into a third edition, revised and enlarged. In 1848, a new volume of Poems from his pen, was published by Mr. Putnam of New York, con taining two hundred and seventy five pages. His lighter Poems possess much simplicity and grace. He has a fine perception of natural beauty, and his graver productions are pervaded by a cur rent of deeply reflective moral and religious sentiment. The following will serve as specimens of his Poems. ROME. The Coliseum's lonely walls still tower, In all their massy strength, to greet the skies ; The Csesars' hundred palaces of power In undecayed magnificence still rise; And towers, and tombs, and temples desolate, Tell of the solemn grandeur of her state. The winding walks are there, which, erst, have rung With steel-shod foot, and hoof, and clattering car, When hosts met hosts, like waves on wild waves flungj And Fury sped the thunderbolt of war; And there, to greet the traveller, still rise The trophies of a thousand victories. Each step records some tokens of a day, Whose pomp and power we cannot comprehend ; *Tis grandeur in the grandeur of decay, Where ruin mars what man has scorned to mend ; Arid, as from pile to pile the step is led, We seem amid the dwellings of the dead. We walk amid those temples tottering ; Each foot-fall starts the young owl from her rest ; Where mantling vines round mouldering arches cling, To furnish forth the bat her dusky nest ; 271 And every breeze that through the ruin straj's, Seems like the ghost of Rome's departed days, Romans and Roman matrons wandered here ; Here blushed the cheek as its sweet beauty spoken ; Trembled the delicate hand, and sparkled clear The bright drop in the eye, at Love's fond token ; And children's voices woke these streets all day, And echoed the light laugh of maidens gay. Tempest, and terror, war, and flood, and fire, And cruelty, and guilt, and avarice, These have been here, and wreaked their vengeance dire, On pillared fane, and smouldering precipice; Yet sits she still amid the solemn scene, Queen of the hills ! ay, " every inch " a Queen. Rome's greatness, and Rome's grandeur may not be The greatness and the grandeur that we prize; Yet, though her soul was chained, her mind was free, ; And power was there which men cannot despise; She lifted her proud arm, each flag was furled, And, at her haughty beck, bowed down the world. And with her, though a tyrant in her mood, Was genius, learning, talent consecrate; And though on land and sea her track was blood, Yet intellectual greatness marked her state ; For while was heard the trumpet's deafening clang, The Forum thundered with the loud harangue. Yet we walk forth upon the breast of earth, Arid dare to speak and tell how great we are ; Less than the ancient worthies from our birth, We talk of deeds of daring — thus we dare; It is as if the young and timorous dove Should mate itself with the proud bird of Jove I 272 "THE LEAVES ON THE BOUGH STIRR'D." The leaves on the bough stirr'd, Are fading and falling, And the wind and the wood-bird Are mournfully calling; And music around us, Of landscape and river, And feelings that bound us, Are passing for ever. The mists of the mountain, With morning upspringing, The chime of the fountain, Its melody ringing ; The foam where the river burst Up to the day, And all by the sweet stream nurs'd, Passing away. So hearts we have cherish'd, When life was before us, Are grown cold or perish'd, As years have roll'd o'er us ; And we look in the faces, Once glowing with gladness, And we find in their places, But sorrow and sadness. O, life ! it is tearful, We 're all of us sighing; The moment we 're cheerful, That moment we 're dying; And all we have tasted, And all we have spoken, Are hopes — that are wasted, And hearts — that are broken. 213 Frederick: whittlesey. FREDERICK WHITTLESEY was boin in Washington, (New Preston Society,) on the 12th of June, 1799. His fa ther, David Whittlesey, Esq., still survives ; his raether was Martha Pomeroy, a daughter of Quartus Pomeroy, of North ampton, Mass. When about ten years of age, Frederick com menced a course of studies preparatory to entering college — first with the Rev. Dr. Backus of Bethlem, and subsequently under the tuition of the Rev. Samuel Whittlesey, then pastor of a church in New Preston. From thence he went to the Academy of the Rev. Daniel Parker, in Sharon, Ellsworth So ciety, where he completed his preparatory studies. In the autumn of 1814, he entered the Freshman Class pf Yale College, and graduated in 1818. Soon after, he entered as a law student in the office of Bleeker & Sedgwick, in Alba ny, N. Y., and after remaining there about nine months, he became a member of the Litchfield Law School. At the end of one year, he took up his abode with his kinsman, Robert Campbell, Esq., of Cooperstown, N, Y., with whom he fin ished his legal education, and was admitted to the bar of the Slate of New York, at Utica, in October 1821. 'During the whole course of his professional studies, he was distinguished for his application, and profitted by the advantages allowed him. He was not only well qualified for the bar, but in the mean time he had reviewed the classics, devoted much time to general literature, and had to a considerable extent practiced in the art of composition. 2U After his admission to the bar, Mr. Whittlesey spent about three1 months at his father's house in Connecticut, revolving in his mind where he should commence business. Remember ing the pleasant associations connected with Cooperstown, he finally returned to that village, opened an office, and remain ed there about nine months. Not meeting with a success ade quate to his wants and wishes, he became somewhat uneasy. He finally packed up his books, made his way to the Erie Ca nal, placed himself, trunks and boxes, on board a boat, and pro ceeded westward in search of some indefinite place of residence which should afford a prospect of subsistence. He had a vague idea of ultimately reaching Detroit — but there was no definite purpose in his mind, except to go somewhere and settle down. He followed the Canal as far as Rochester, where it then ter minated. The weather was bad — the roads were muddy be yond precedent. He was wearied and ill, and instead of pro ceeding onward, put up at a public house. Rochester was hut a small village, and he knew not a soul there- While tarrying in this place, undecided and desponding, he made some ac quaintances, who suggested it as a favorable point of location. He decided to remain rather than encounter the miserable thoroughfares which lay beyond — and accordingly opened an office, November 1822. From that moment; lie looked upon Rochester as his home, and such it has continued? to be un til the present time. In 1824, the first Bank was established in Rochester, and in some of the disputes growing out of its establisment, Mf, Whittlesey was appointed one of its Attorneys. During the following year, he was appointed Clerk of the Court of Equity for the Eighth Circuit of the State of New York — an office which he held until 1830, when the Courts were differently arranged. In September 1825, he was mariied to Miss Ann Hinsdale, daughter of Bissell Hinsdale, Esq., of Winsted, in his native county, who is still living. 275 In 1826, the abduction of William Morgan occurred, on ac count ofhis alleged revelation of the secrets of Free Masonry, The nature of his offence, and the mystery which shrouded his fate, caused great excitement in the community in which the events occurred. At a public meeting held in Rochester in relation to this transaction, Mr. Whittlesey was chosen one of a Committee of Investigation, since known as the " Morgan Committee." In connection with others, he bestowed much time and labor in investigating the circumstances of this abduc tion — in endeavoring to unravel the dark conspiracy — in tra cing out his mysterious fate, and seeking to bring the perpe trators of a great social crime to justice. This investigation almost imperceptibly ran into politics, and led to the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party, of which Mr. Whittlesey was an active and leading member. Previous to this time he had be come one of the editors and proprietors of a political newspa per, in which his talents as a writer had become favorably known to the public. In 1826, he was appointed Commission er of Deeds ; and during the following year he was appointed one of the Trustees of the village of Rochester, and subse quently was elected Clerk of the Board of Trustees of that village, In 1829, he was appointed Treasurer of the County of Monroe, and held the office for two years. Mr. Whittlesey was elected a Representative to Congress in 1830, from the district composed of the counties of Monroe and Livingston ; and was re-elected in 18S2, from the district composed of Monroe county alone. Having served his con stituents in this capacity for four years with distinguished abil ity and general acceptance, his congressional career termina- ated on"the 4th of March, 1835. In 1839, the Legislature of the State of New York passed a law creating the office of Vice Chancellor of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, and Mr. Whittlesey was appointed to that office by the Governor and Senate. He continued to discharge the duties 2?6 of this appointment for eight years, when the office ceased un-, der the provisions of the new Constitution. In 1847, he was one of the Whig candidates for the office of Judge of the Court of Appeals, a new Court created by the Constitution then re cently adopted, and to which the Judges were elected by the people. Immediately upon ceasing to be Vice Chancellor, he was appointed by the Governor and Senate, a Judge of the old. Supreme Court, which was to continue in existence until July 1848; In January 1850, Judge Whittlesey was appointed: Professor of L,a.w in Ge»e§see College.. 77 SAMUEL SHEA T HER PHELPS, SAMUEL S. PHELPS was born at Litchfield, May 13th, 1793. His father, Captain John Phelps, was a wealthy and •respectable farmer in Litchfield, and a soldier of the Revolu tion. Soon after the war broke out, he enlisted into a com pany^ of cavalry corfimanded by Captain Moses Seymour, of the same town, which was present at the battle of Saratoga, and rendered other valuable services in the struggle for Amer ican Independence. He was the only son of Edward Phelps, who was a Representative to the General Court of Connecti cut in 1744 and '45, and who died at an advanced age, on the. same farm where he had spent a great part of his life, and to the possession of which his son succeeded. Johp Phelps mar ried Miss Sheather, of Litchfield, and had several children, most of whom still reside in that town. The subject of this sketch was the youngest son, and named after his maternal nuclei Samuel Sheather, At an early age, Samuel was placed under the care of the Rev. Ammi Robbins, of Norfolk — who kept a family school for boys — where he pursued the preparatory studies required far entering college. Judge Phelps still occasionally refers, with great apparent pleasure, to the days he spent with the good Connecticut pastor who laid the foundation ofhis mental discipline — always speaking of him in affectionate terms, and as one of whom he has ever retained a reverent and kindly re membrance. In September, 1807. at the age of fourteen, he entered Yale College, where he was duly graduated, and with credit to him- 278 self, though considerably younger than most ofhis class— among the number of whom were the Hon. John M. Clayton, late Secretary of State, and the Hon. Roger S. Baldwin, formerly Governor of Connecticut, and United States Senator. The winter ensuing was spent at the Litchfield Law School, where he attended the lectures of Judges Reeve and Gould, In the following spring he removed to Vermont, and took up his residence at Middlebury — a town which had been settled chiefly by emigrants from Connecticut, and, in a great propor^ tion, from Litchfield county. He there continued his legal studies in the office of the Hon. Horatio Seymour, since a Sen ator in Congress from Vermont. At that time, (1812,) party spirit ran high ; in New England, and in the particular region where he lived, the Federal, Anti-War party was strongly in the ascendant. Notwithstanding this, however, he was a de cided Democrat and a warm supporter of the Administration, Soon after hostilities commenced, he was drafted as one of the 100,000 men who were to hold themselves in readiness, and during the summer was ordered to the Canadian frontier. He continued in the ranks at Burlington and Plattsburgh until au tumn, when he received from President Madison the appoint-. ment of Paymaster in the United States' service. In that ca pacity he remained, until the object of his appointment was accomplished. Returning to Middlebury, he resumed his law studies, and was admitted, in December, 1814, to practice in the Superior Courts, and, three years after, in the Supreme Court. Here he continued in an extensive and successful practice for the. next seventeen years, and until called upon to give up these duties, to fill high and responsible public stations. Previous to the termination of this period, he was elected (in 1827) one of the Council of Sensors. The address to the, people, put forth by this Council, was written by Mr, Phelps. fjne peculiar feature in the Constitution of Vermont, at that 279 period, was the vesting of the principal legislative power in one body of men, called the House of Representatives — subject, however, to the approval and consent of the Governor and Council, The latter body consisted of one member from each county in Ihe state, elected by general ticket. In 1831, Mr. Phelps was elected a member of the Legislative Council, and during the session of the Legislature of that year, he was ap pointed a Judge of the Supreme Court. This office he held by successive elections until 1838. In the autumn of 1838, Judge Phelps was elected to the Sen* ate of the United States, and at the close of his term of six years, was re-elected to the same office in 1844. The military appointments held by Senator Phelps, we may add, have been, Paymaster in the governmental service, Aid to Gov- Galusha, adjutant of a regiment, captain of a volunteer company of riflemen, and colonel of a regiment. The office of brigadier-general he declined in favor of a friend who stood tiext in the line of promotion. The high reputation which Judge Phelps enjoyed, as a mem ber of the Supreme Bench, would undoubtedly (notwithstand ing the too frequent change ofjudicial officers in hisState)have retained him in that capacity for many years beyond ihe time of his resignation, to enter the Senate, but for that event. No decisions of the Vermont Bench are more highly valued than his, as contained in the Reports from 1831 to 1888. None are more marked by clearness and force of language, as well as by a deep and thorough scrutiny of the whole case, in all its bear ings, that exhausts the subject, and leaves scarcely room for a cavil. The confidence of the people at large in his integrity and ability in this capacity has been rarely equalled, and their admiration of his judicial character and talents cannot be ex pressed in exaggerated terms. As an advocate, his reputation is not confined to his own State, or to New England: His ar guments before the Supreme Court of the United States, at 280 Washington, have made him vsry generally known as one who has few superiors as a cogent and powerful reasoner — one who, at a glance, can look through the merits and bearings of a case, and leave no strong point for his client unoccupied, and no assailable point in the positions ofhis adversary unaitacked. We deem it no impropriety to mention here the remark of one highly distinguished, both as advocate, orator and statesman; after arguing a complicated and important case before the Su preme Court, in which Judge Phelps was his opponent : "1 would rather," said hej " have met any other lawyer from New England. Judge Phelps has no superior there or iii the CounJ try." In the Senate, he has been known as a useful and influen tial, rather than as a noisy member { a man of sound practical judgment, and acting fearlessly up to his convictions of right j cautious and conservative, yet not to such an extreme but that lie can recognize and cheerfully adopt every real and positive improvement ; true to the Constitution he has sworn to sup1 port, and to the Union ; and commending himself, by his cour tesy and candor, to the respect and esteem of all parties. He seldom speaks, unless some important question is pending, and unless, on that question, he has some well-considered opinions. His quiet and industrious labors in the committee-room — and especially as a member of the committee on Claims, and of the committee on Indian Affairs, in one or both of which capacities he has rendered efficient service for several years- have been highly appreciated by his associates at Washington, and have not been valueless to the country. v Several able speeches have been delivered by him in the Senate, two of which, in particular, attracted much attention in all parts of the Union, We allude to his speech on the bill veyed to my beloved and devoted wife the assurance that she was not a widow, nor her children fatherless: But it is past ! The friends who buta moment before (he fatal accident were seated with me at the festive board, blest with health and clothed with honor — the select and distinguished few, a nation's pride and a na tion's ornament — are now in the presence of their God, whither I must soon follow. My worthless lite has" been spared—may it not have been for the purpose of a better preparation! Adieu. S. S. PHELPS. 283 JOHN PIERPONT. The Rev. JOHN PIERPONT is a lineal descendant of the Rev. James Pierpont, the second minister of New Haven, who is supposed to have been allied to the noble English fam ily ofhis name, which held the earldom of Kingston, and bore the motto "Pie repone te." The grandson of Mr. Pierpont of New Haven was a resident of Litchfield, where his son, the subject of this sketch, was born, on the 6th of April, 1785, He entered Yale College at fifteen years of age, and was reg ularly graduated in 1804. After assisting for a short time the Rev. Dr. Backus, in the charge of the Academy at Bethlem, he went to South Carolina in the autumn of 1805, and resided as a private tutor in the family of Col. William Alston, with whom he remained for nearly four years. Here he commen ced the study of the law, which, after his return to Connecti cut in 1809, he continued in the law school at Litchfield. In 1812, Mr Pierpont was admitted to the bar in Essex County, Massachusetts, and practiced his profession for a tin e in Newburyport. Here he first became known to the public in a poetical character, by delivering before the " Washington Benevolent Society" of Newburyport, a patriotic poem entitled " Th6 Portrait," which was afterwards published. His health demanding more active employment, he relinquished his pro fession, and engaged in mercantile transactions, first in Boston and subsequently in Baltimore. In 1816, he abandoned these pursuits, and about the same time published the " Airs of Pal estine," three editions of which were published in the course two years. He now devoted himself to the study of theology, 284 first at Baltimore, and afterwards at the Theological School connected with Harvard College. In October, 1818, he left that institution, and in April of the following year, was ordain ed pastor of the Hollis Street Church, in Boston, as successor to the Rev Dr. Holley, who had been elected President of Transylvania University, in Kentucky, In 1835, Mr. Pierpont left his native country, and passed a year among the most interesting scenes of foreign travel. He visited England, France and Italy, and from thence extended his tour through Greece into Asia Minor, and to Constanti nople. On his return, he resumed his pastoral charge in Bos ton, which he retained until 1846 — a period of more than twen ty-seven years from his settlement. After leaving that city, he was for a short time a resident of Troy, New York, but was subsequently'settled over a church in Medford, Massachusetts, where he still resides. In addition to his more legitimate du ties as a pastor, he has been often and zealously engaged in various moral and political reforms. He was at one election, the regular candidate of the Liherty Party for the office of Governor of Massachusetts ; and in the autumn of 1850, he was the Free Soil candidate for Representative to Congress from the district in which he resides— but there being no choice, he withdrew from the contest before another election. The " Airs of Palestine" is a poem of about eight hundred lines, in the heroic measure, designed to illustrate the influence of music upon the passions of mankind, by examples chiefly drawn from sacred history. It was written in the cause of charity, its recitation having formed part of the exercises of an evening concert of sacred music for the benefit of the poor. It is the largest work of our author, and its graceful verse and glowing imagery have justly rendered it one of the most pop ular of American poems. The minor and occasional poems of Mr. Pierpont have been numerous, and of a highly varied character. They are composed in almost every variety of 285 measure, and are generally marked with more of boldness and less of delicacy that the " Airs of Palestine." They were collected and published with the latter poem, at Boston, in a duodecimo volume, Mr. Pierpont is elected as the Poet of the Phi Beta Kappa Society of Yale College for the year 1851. In addition to his poetical works, Mr. Pierpont has publish ed several school books, which have been very popular. The following extracts from his poems will give the reader some idea of his style and talent : THE PILGRIM FATHERS. The pilgrim fathers — where are they ? The waves that brought them o'er, Still roll in the bay, and throw their spray, As they break along the shore ; Still roll in the bay, as they rolled that day, When the May-Flower moored below, When the sea around was black with storms, And white the shore with snow. The mist that wraped the pilgrim's sleep, Still broods upon the tide : And his rocks yet keep their watch by the deep, To stay its waves of pride. But the snow-white sail, that he gave to the gale, When the heavens looked dark, is gone, As an angel's wing, through an opening cloud, Is seen, and then withdrawn. The pilgrim exile — sainted name ! The hill, whose icy brow Rejoiced, when he came, in the morning's flame, In the morning's flame burns now. 28(5 And the moon's cold light as it lay that night On the hill-side and the sea, , » Still lies where he laid his houseless head, But the pilgrim — where is he ? The pilgrim fathers are at rest ; When SummerVthroned on high, And the world's warm breast is in verdure dresse d Go, stand on the hill where they lie. The earliest ray of the golden day On that hallowed spot is cast ; And the evening sun, as he leaves the world, Looks kindly on that spot last. The pilgri m spirit has not fled, It walks in noon's broad light ; And it watches the bed of the glorious dead, With the holy stars, by n ight. It watches the bed of the brave who have bled, And shall guard this ice-bound shore, Till the waves of the bay where the May-flower lay Shall foam and freeze no more. DEDICATION HYMN. O Thou, to whom, in ancient time, The lyre of Hebrew bard was strung, Whom kings adored in songs sublime, And prophets praised with glowing tongue,- Not now, on Zion's height alone, Thy favored worshipper may dwell, Nor where, at sultry noon, thy Son Sat, weary, by the patriarch's well. From every place below the skies, The grateful song, the fervent prayer — 287 The incense of the heart— may rise To heaven, and find acceptance there. In this thy house, whose doors we now For social worship first unfold, To Thee the suppliant throng shall bow, While circling years on years are rolled. To Thee shall age, with snowy hair, And strength and beauty, bend the knee, And childhood lisp, with reverend air, Its praises and its prayers to thee. 0 Thou, tq whom in ancient time, The lyre of prophet bards was strung, To thee, at last, in very clime, Shall temples rise, and praise be sung ! INVOCATION. From the "Airs of Palistine." 0, Thou Dread Spirit ! Being's End and Source I Check thy bright chariot in its fervid course ; Bend from thy throne of darkness and of fire, And with one smile immortalize our lyre. Amid the cloudy lustre of thy throne, Tho' wreathy tubes, unheard on earth, are brown, In sweet accord with the undying hymn Of angel choirs and harping Seraphim, Still hast thou stooped to hear a shepherd play, To prompt his measures and approve his lay. Hast thou grown old, Thou, who forever livest ! Hast thou forgotten, Thou, who memory, givest ! How on the day th;ne ark, with loud acclaim, From Zion's hill to Mount Moriah came, 288 Beneath the wings of cherubim to rest, In a rich veil of Tyrian purple dressed ; When harps and cymbols joined in echoing clang, When psalters tinkled, and when trumpets rang, Thou didst descend, and, rolling thro' the crowd, tnshrine thine ark and altar in thy shroud, And fill the temple with thy mantling cloud 1 And now, Almighty Father, well we know, When humble strains from grateful bosoms flow, Those humble strains grow richer as they rise, And shed a balmier freshness on the skies ! What though no Cherubim are here displayed, No gilded walls, no cedar colonnade, No crimson curtains hang around our choir, » Wrought by the cunning artizan of Tyre ; No doors of fir on golden hinges turn ; No spicy gums in golden censers burn ; No frankincense, in rising volumes, shrouds The fretted roof in aromatic clouds ; No royal minstrel, from his ivory throne, Gives thee his father's numbers or his own ; If humble love, if gratitude inspire, Our strain shall silence even the temple's choir. And rival Michael's trump, nor yield to Gabriel's lyre. 289 JEREMIAH DAY, JEREMIAH DAY, D. D., LL. D., late President of Yale College, was born in New Preston, a parish in the town of Wash ington, Connecticut, 1773. His father, the Rev. Jeremiah Day, who was graduated at Yale College in 1756, was pastor of the church in New Preston, and lived to an advanced age, much respected. President Day was entered a freshman in Yale Col lege, 1789, but on account of infirm health, did not complete his collegiate course with the class to which he at first belonged. After an absence of several years, he rejoined the College, and received the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1795. This was the year of Dr. Dwight's accession to the presidency. By the removal of Dr. Dwight from Greenfield, the school which he had established in that village, and which had flourished very greatly under his instruction, was destitute of a preceptor. Mr. Day was invited to take charge of this school, and continued in it a year; when he was elected a tutor in Williams College, Massa chusetts. Here he remained two years. In Yale College, he commenced his tutorship in 1798. He had early chosen Theology as a profession, and while officiating as tutor, began to preach as a candidate for the ministry. On the resignation of Professor Meigs, who had been called to the presidency of the University of Georgia, Mr. Day was elected, in 1801, to succeed him as Profes sor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. At this time Mr. Day was in feeble health, and was obliged to suspend the business 37 290 of instruction. By the advice of his physician, he passed one winter in the island of Bermuda. In 1803, his health was so far restored that he entered upon his professorship; the duties of which he continued to discharge, till the death of Dr. Dwight, in 1817, when he was elected to the office of President. He was inaugurated in July of the same year. On the same day in which he was introduced into the presidency, he was ordained, by the clerical part of the Fellows, a minister of the gospel. While President Day was Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, he published several mathematical treatises for the use of students in that department; which are used in Yale College, and some, or all of them, extensively in other institutions. While he was President of the College, he published several occasional sermons, and "An Inquiry respecting the Self-determining Power of the Will, or Contingent Volition." In 1817, the College in Middlebury, Vermont, conferred on President Day the degree of Doctor of Laws, and in 1818, Union College, in Schenectady, the degree of Doctor of Divinity. The degree of Doctor of Divinity, likewise, was conferred on him in 1831, by Harvard University. President Day occupied his station until 1846 — longer than any other head of the College. Yalo College has been peculiarly for tunate in its Presidents ; and it may be said with truth, that it at no time flourished more, than under the administration of President Day. His learning and talent imited to great kindness of heart, and urbanity of manner, secured alike the respect and love of the thousands of pupils committed to his charge. 291 REV. EBENEZER PORTER, D. D. EBENEZER PORTER was born October 5, 1772, at Cornwall. His father, Hon. Thomas Porter, was a farmer, but for many years, especially in the latter part ofhis life, was somewhat prominent as a political man. In 1779, he removed with his family to Tinmouth, a small town in the Southern part of the county of Rutland, Ver mont. . Dr. Porter began to fit for college at an early age, under the instruction of his brother-in-law, the Rev. Mr. Osborn, then minister of Tinmouth. He completed his preparatory studies under the superintendence of the Rev. Job Swift, D. D., pastor of the Congregational church in Bennington, Vt. He entered the freshman class in Dartmouth College in 1788, and in 1792 received the degree of A. B. At the commencement exercises, he had the first appointment. During the whole college course, he had sus tained a high rank as a scholar. The remark'has not unfrequently been made, that the standing of a student in college furnishes little or no data on which to esti mate his subsequent usefulness or reputation. Cases, indeed, occur of premature growth. The mind which shoots suddenly to manhood, may speedily decay. Boys who have excited extraordi nary hopes in college, have afterwards sunk into utter obscurity. The mind is also sometimes under the stimulus of vicious excite ments. A young man toils for the highest honors of his class. Day and night his powers are stretched to the utmost intensity. A stranger to the hallowed motives to literary effort furnished by the Christian religion, he nourishes his feverish hopes. The goa? 292 is reached ; the vahdictorv oration is soured : the starring scenes of commencement-day vanish ; the plaudits of too partial friends have lost their relish. The unhappy youth is thrown out upon the world without an object or a motive. His mental energies suffer a fearful, collapse. We hear no more of him. He is a disgrace to one of the learned professions, or betakes himself to a life of idle ness, or lingers out a miserable existence in dissipation. Perhaps his health was ruined by his unnatural application while in the col lege. The valedictory has been in more than one instance a pre cursor to the grave. The constitution was shattered by the enor mous draughts which the four years made upon it. Still we are inclined to think that the character in college is a pretty good index of the whole subsequent life. The early developments, as a general thing, correspond to the subsequent history. Mind is not so changeable in its aspects as to falsify every prediction. Some of the most powerful motives which stimulate the youthful scholar are of a permanent, as well as a laudable character. Years of idleness in college are occasionally recovered at a single bound, or atoned for by subsequent indefatigable application. But this is not the ordinary law. " Seest thou a man diligent in his business; he shall stand before kings." This is as applicable to a scholar's life, as to that of any other person. Dr. Porter's career is an illustration of this conclusion. He studied industriously and methodically in college ; in the whole of his subsequent life, so far as his health permitted, he was a hard student. In college he acquired for himself respect and an honor able rank; in his professional career he maintained the same ascendancy. Dr. Porter became pious during his junior year in college. The circumstances connected with this interesting event in his history are not known to the writer of this article. The year after he left college, he connected himself with the Congregational church in Washington, Litchfield county, Conn. Of this church he was afterwards pastor. It was then under the pastoral care of the 293 Rev. Noah Merwin, with whose daughter Dr. Porter subsequently became connected in marriage. After leaving college, Dr. Porter spent several months in teach ing a school. He then commenced the study of divinity in the celebrated private theological school of the Rev. Dr. Joseph Bel lamy, in Bethlem, Conn. Of this distinguished 'divine and theolog ical instructor, his pupil frequently spoke in terms of the highest veneration and respect. For vigor and clearness of intellect ; for his power in presenting doctrinal truth to the understanding and the conscience ; for the hold which he gained in the judgement and affection of the students in divinity who resorted to his house ; and for the great and happy effects produced by his preaching, his lectures and his published discourses, Dr. Bellamy ranks very high among the theologians of this and of other lands. The American church has great reason to rejoice that she has been favored with such luminaries as Drs. Bellamy, Strong, Hart, Beecher, Backus, Stephen West, Hopkins, Dwight, Hyde, and oth ers. Perhaps no county in New England has been more highly favored in this particular than our own beloved Litchfield. Not a little of the spiritual good which Dr. Porter was enabled to effect, is, no doubt, to be attributed to the counsels and example of Dr. Bellamy. The length of time employed by Dr. Porter in the study of divinity, is not certainly known. It was probably about sixteen or eighteen months. On the 6th of September, 1796, he was ordained pastor of the Congregational church at Washington, vacant by the death of Mr. Merwin. The Theological Seminary at Andover was opened on the 28th of September, 1808 ; on which occasion the Rev. President Dwight of Yale College, one of the visitors, delivered a sermon. At the same time, the Rev. Eliphalet Pearson, LL. D.;, professor elect of sacred literature, was ordained. Rev. Leonard Woods, D. D., was appointed Abbot professor of Christian theology. Soon after, Rev. Edward D. Griffin, D. D., was chosen Bartlet professor of sacred rhetoric. On the resignation of Dr. Pearson, Rev. Moses 294 Stuart of New Haven, Conn., was chosen professor of sacred litera ture ; and on the resignation of Dr. Griffin, the Rev. Ebenezer Porter, the subject of the present sketch, was appointed professor of sacred rhetoric. The appointment of Dr. Porter was made in 1811. On the 18th of December of that year, the South Consociation of Litch field county held a special meeting at the house of Dr. Porter, for the purpose of considering the circumstances of the application, and, if thought advisable, to dissolve the relation between him and his people. The clergymen present on this occasion, were the Rev. Drs. Backus of Bethlem, Tyler of South Britain, Beecher of Litchfield, and the Rev. Messrs. Benedict of Woodbury, Chase of South Farms, Swift of Roxbury, Whittelsey of New Preston, Tay lor 'of Bridgewater, Hart of Plymouth, and Gelston. The Conso ciation, after considering the whole subject, came to the conclusion unanimously, that it was Dr. Porter's duty to accept the appoint ment. His pastoral relation was accordingly dissolved. On Wednesday, April 1, 1812, Dr. Porter was inaugurated as professor of sacred rhetoric in the theological seminary at Ando ver. In the mental habits and character of Dr. Porter there were very obvious and striking excellencies. His sound common sense must have been apparent to the most superficial observer. In his public performances, there were, frequently, remarks of great pith and sententiousness, which were not drawn from books, but from a close observation of human nature. During his journeys, and in his extensive acquaintance with men and institutions, he had treas ured up numerous and striking anecdotes illustrative of the foibles and the weaknesses, or of the commendable points in human char acter. In the thousand incidents of familiar and domestic life he exhibited a keen insight in respect to the motives by which men are governed. No one was better qualified to give advice to young men in relation to the many points where they would come in con tact with society. Dr. Porter was also remarkable for his industry. 295 It was a habit which he early acquired, and which he retained through life. He had to contend with frequent bodily indisposition, and, for many of the latter years of his life, with a shattered and broken constitution. Yet no moment, in which it was possible to labor, was lost. He seized with avidity upon every interval from pain. Even when under the pressure of severe suffering, and unable to leave his study, he had contrived some mental employ ment, which would relieve the tedium of confinement, and at the same time, be useful to his fellow creatures. In this respect, he resembled Richard Baxter, of whose writings he was extremely fond, and who labored indefatigably, while suffering under almost all the ills to which men are incident. This industry was, however, very far removed from all bustle and excitement. There was not the least affectation of extraordinary diligence. Some men, by their glowing zeal and boisterous industry, convey the impression that they have no method in their labors, and that their work will need amendment, if not an entire revision. Dr. Porter was ever calm and collected, for he clearly apprehended the nature of his duties, the order in which they were to be performed, and the strength necessary for their accomplishment. Dr. Porter possessed a discriminating mind. In power of profound investigation on abstruse subjects he was excelled by some other men. But he mastered whatever he undertook. He clearly apprehended the relations of the different parts of a subject, and the bearing of the whole on a particular object. His study of language, his skill in the use of it, the necessity, imposed upon him by his office, of skillfully analyzing sentences, doubtless contributed to this result. Language without meaning, terms without discrimination, discourse without logic, no one was more unwilling or less liable to exhibit. This fault in others, when it fell under his observation, and when circumstances rendered it proper, he subjected to a severe yet just and kind animadversion. There is a great perfection in Dr. Porter's style of writing. So far as the nice balance of sentences, the harmonious collocation of their members, and the selection of 296 apt and beautiful words are concerned, he was rarely ever excelled. There was no heterogeneous agglomeration of epithets or of sen tences, no verbiage, no confusion of metaphors. Every thing was distinct, clear, finished. We have the same associations respecting the perfection of his style, which we have with that of Prof. Playfair, Thomas Campbell, and Prof. Frisbie. His words fell on the ear like the music of Handel. In his best discourses, the extreme polish was not apparent. The order was so logical, and the sentences were so clearly and precisely expressed, as to occupy the entire attention of the hearer. It found a lodgment in the inmost soul. Some of Dr. Porter's sermons, as delivered by him when in the enjoyment of comparative health, were felt in the conscience and in the heart, and produced great and permanent effects. After all which may be said respecting unstudied nature, the out-breaking of natural eloquence, the happy disregard of rule and of formality, of which we so frequently hear, it is yet refresh ing and instructive beyond expression to listen to well-composed sentences, which have been subjected to the, revision of a severely disciplined mind. There is a perfection in some of the sentences of a few English writers, like Milton and Cowper, which we are wholly unable to describe, but which affords the highest mental pleasure. A prominent trait in the social character of Dr. Porter was his exact and methodical arrangement of all his business transactions, in connection with great benevolence of character, and, consider ing his means, extensive charities. No individual was ever less obnoxious to the charge of avarice. We never heard the least intimation of any thing resembling meanness in his intercourse with his fellow-creatures. At the same time, a thoroughly bred accountant could not have managed his affairs more systematically and prudently. His habits in this particular, as must be the case with all good habits, descended to things minute and compara tively unimportant. It is a most valuable acquisition, and worthy of the serious attention of all students, who would, on the one hand, 297 preserve themselves free from the charge of avarice and a want of fair and honorable dealing, and, on the other hand, maintain the rules of Christian economy, providing things honest in the sight of all men, in order that they may render their families comfortable, and have wherewithal to bestow upon him that needeth. A parsi monious habit and a wasteful expenditure are equally removed from the spirit of the Christian religion. Cheerfulness was an interesting and prominent trait in Dr. Porter's domestic character. When suffering severe pains of body, while confined whole dreary winters to his house, or compelled, on the approach of winter, to leave his beloved home and his ardently cherished seminary, and repair to a warmer climate and the society of strangers, he still maintained the serenity of a composed mind. When any thing hetided ill to the cause of his country, or of Christianity, he was not accustomed so to dwell on the unfavorable aspect, as to cloud his brow in gloom, to distrust a merciful Providence, or to incapaci tate himself for labor. His natural character was undoubtedly peculiarly amiable. The influence also of a firm and humble hope in Christ, had refined and perfected an original endowment of nature. We may also add that there was a remarkable simplicity and honesty of character in Dr. Porter. No one ever accused him of duplicity, double dealing, equivocation, or any thing of the kind. He possessed a sterling integrity, founded on Christian principle, which carried him above all the arts of evasion and of insincerity. He was an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile. No one ever imagined that Dr. Porter could be enlisted in any under taking which would not bear the light of day and the scrutiny of an enlightened conscience. At the same time, there was nothing scrupulous or over-just in his habits of thinking or acting. He did not fall into the fault of some excellent men, in following the letter of the law beyond its spirit, or of pressing rules excellent in them selves into matters indifferent, and thus creating positive injustice. Combining these, and other interesting traits of social character which we have not room here to delineate, Dr. Porter was, as 38 298 might have been expected, an interesting companion, a tender and faithful counselor, a conscientious instructor, and a Christian gen tleman. Dr. Porter's religious views were distinguished for the attribute of clearness. He did not possess the spiritual imagination of Pay- son, nor the amplitude in range of John Howe, nor the fertile invention of Richard Baxter, but the objects of faith which came within the scope of his mental view, were most distinctly appre hended, and left on his character and conduct the most definite impressions. His religious reading was extensive, and always discriminating, his acquaintance with pious men and sacred institu tions was varied and long continued, his religious experience decided and thorough, and all were turned to the Best practical purposes. The system of religious doctrines which he cherished, and at all times firmly maintained, accorded with that taught by his venerable theological instructor, Dr. Bellamy. After mature and careful examination, he was convinced that this system was founded on the Scriptures. Hence, in the exhibition and defence of it, he was explicit and decided. Yet he was never intolerant, nor perti nacious. He never maintained the opinion, nor exemplified it in his practice, that orthodoxy, in the absence of the Christian tem per, is acceptable to heaven, or that the mode and spirit in which a doctrine are exhibited are of no consequence, provided the doc trine itself be sound. He strove to maintain peace, and a Christ ian temper, while he explained and enforced the pure truth of the gospel, never postponing or undervaluing peace while he contend ed for purity. Scarcely any topic was exhibited more frequently or impressively in his public preaching than the importance of love for the truth and Christian meekness, in addition to zeal for ortho doxy ; and that eminent spiritual affections ought always to accom pany and consecrate fresh acquisitions of religious knowledge. He was ever aware of the great danger of substituting biblical or theo logical learning for vital piety. His influence upon the seminary, and upon candidates for the ministry, in this respect, was con stantly and successfully exerted. 299 To our various public charitable institutions, Dr. Porter was a uniform and invaluable friend. He not only felt a deep interest in them, and offered prayer in their behalf, but contributed liberally for their support. He perceived their intimate and essential rela tion to the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and to the promotion of the best interests of the human race. To no one of these institutions did he exhibit a stronger attachment, than to the American Edu cation Society. He was among the first to perceive the necessity of special efforts to seek out and bring forward ministers and missionaries for the numerous fields which are whiteniag for the harvest. To this important subject, from the outset, he gave a large amount of thought and personal effort. His extensive and important influence in the southern States, as well as in other por tions of the country, was most cheerfully exerted. When this Society was called to experience severe embarrassment and trial, Dr. Porter remained stedfast to its interests, and prompt to afford encouragement and aid. Every successive year in its history fur nishes evidence of the wisdom and forecast of his views in relation to this great cause. At the anniversary of the Society in Boston, in 1820, he delivered a sermon, which has been regarded as among his ablest productions. It discovers the anxious paternal interest which he felt in the subject. It is filled with facts dis playing the most elaborate and careful research, and is written with his accustomed taste and power. Dr. Porter died at Andover on the 8th of April, 1834, at the age of sixty-two years. He had been for many years an invalid. Early in the spring, some severe domestic afflictions were the means of still further reducing his feeble frame. The powers of nature sunk, till the energies of his body and mind entirely gave way. Owing to the absence of reason, for the last few days of his life, he was not able to give those testimonies of the precious- nessof the Christian hope, which, in other circumstances, his uni form and consistent piety, his mature and settled views of Christian truth, would have led us confidently to anticipate. 300 The funeral services were attended on Friday, the llth of April. A procession of the trustees, patrons, and students of the theological and literary institutions was formed at Dr. Porter's house, and moved with his remains to the chapel, where prayers were offered by the Rev. Drs. Dana and Church, and a sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Woods, from John xvii. 4, " I have glorified thee on the earth ; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." The following is the inscription on a neat monument, in the form of an obelisk, of white marble, which has since been erected to his memory, by the American Education Society. [In front.] SACRED to the memory of EBENEZER PORTER, D. D* who died 1834, aged sixty-two years j was graduated at Dartmouth College, 1792, ordained as Pastor at Washington, Conn. 1795, inaugurated as Professor of Sacred Rhetoric in the Theological Seminary at Andover, 1812, appointed President of the same 1827. [ On the right sidi.] Of cultivated understanding, refined taste, solid judgment, sound faith and ardent piety ; Distinguished for strict integrity and uprightness, kind and gentle deportment, simplicity and godly sincerity; A Father to the Institution with which he was connected, a highly useful Instructor, a zealous Patron of the Benevolent Societies of the times in which he lived, 301 a true Friend to the temporal and eternal interests of his fellow beings ; Living, he was peculiarly loved and revered ; Dying, he was universally lamented. [On the left side.] The American Education Societt, to whose use he bequeathed the greater part of his property, in token of their high esteem, and grateful remembrance of his services and bounties, have caused this monument to be erected. The following is the most complete list of Dr. Porter's publica tions, which we have been able to make. It is probable that some single sermons are not included. 1. Missionary Sermon ; Hartford, Conn. 1806. 2. Fatal Effects of Ardent Spirit ; Hartford, Conn. 1811. 3. Great Effects from Little Causes ; a Sermon before the Moral Society, Andover, 1815. 4. Sermon at the Ordination of the Rev. Israel W. Putnam, Portsmouth, N. H. 1815. 5. Character of Nehemiah ; a Sermon ; Andover, 1816. 6. Sermon at the Dedication of the Chapel of the Theological Seminary; Andover, 1819. 7. Sermon at the Ordination of the Rev. Thomas J. Murdock ; Portland, Me. 1819. 8. Sermon at the Installation of Rev. D. Oliphant; Beverly, Mass. 1819. 9. Young Preacher's Manual, or a Collection of Treatises on Preaching; Boston, 1819, 1 vol. 8vo. A second edition enlarged, has since been published. 10. Sermon before the American Education Society ; Boston, 1820. 11. Signs of the Times ; a Sermon delivered at the Public Fast ; Andover, 1823. 12. Analysis of Vocal Inflection; (Pamph.) Andover, 1824. 302 13. Analysis of the Principles of Rhetorical Delivery ; 1 vol. 18mo. ; Andover, 1827. 14. Rhetorical Reader, and a course of Rhetorical Exercises; 1 vol. 18mo. ; Andover, 1831. Fourteen editions of this book have been published. 15. Syllabus of Lectures ; (Pamph.) Andover, 1832. 16. Treatise on Spiritual Mindedness, by John Owen, D. D- abridged by Ebenezer Porter, D. D. ; Boston, 1833, 1 vol. 18 mo. 17. Lectures on Homiletics and Preaching, and on Public Prayer, together with Sermons and Addresses, 1 vol. 8vo. ; 1834. An edition of this volume was published in London, in 1835, wiih a Preface, and with Notes, by Rev. J. Jones of Liverpool. 18. A Practical Exposition of the 130th Psalm, by John Owen> D. D. abridged by Ebenezer Porter, D. D. ; Boston, 1834, 1 vol. 18mo. Since the death of Dr. Porter there have been published from his manuscripts — 19. The Biblical Reader, consisting of Rhetorical Extracts from the Old and New Testaments, revised for publication by T. D. P. Stone ; Andover, 1834, 1 vol. 18 mo. ; and 20. Lectures on Eloquence and Style; 1836. Dr. Porter also published some Sermons in the American National Preacher ; various essays, biographies, etc. in the Connecticut Evan gelical Magazine, the Panoplist, the Spirit of the Pilgrims, and the American Quarterly Register. The Lectures on Eloquence do not comprise an entire course. They were intended as a sequel to those which have been incorpora ted into the Author's Analysis of Rhetorical Delivery. He was indu ced to enlarge on the vocal organs, by the urgent request of those whose judgment he regarded, and because no instruction on the abuses of those organs, had been accessible in any regular form to young ministers. The Lectures on Style are also designedly limited in extent, embracing only a few topics, the discussion ofwhich was deemed most important in its bearing on the reputation and usefulness of the American Pulpit. All the Lectures discover that good sense, that careful discrimination and cultivated taste, visible in the author's pre vious publications. They are well worth the study, not only of theo logical students, but of all who are preparing to become public speak ers, or to influence the public mind by the press. 303 HORATIO SEYMOUR, L.L.D, < Was bom at Litchfield, Conn., May 31st, 1778. He was of the sixth generation in lineal descent from Richard Seymour, one of the first settlers of Hartford. This Richard Seymour, his son John, his grandson John, and his great grandson Moses, all lived and died in Hartford. Moses Seymour, the great grandson of Richard, and the grandfather of Horatio, was born at Hartford in 1705, and died there, Sept. 24th, 1795, aged 85. His wife Rachel was born in 1716, and died July 23d, 1763, aged 47. Major Moses Seymour, Jr., the son of Moses and the father of Horatio, was born at Hartford, July 23d, 1742, removed early to Litchfield, and married Mary, the daughter of Ebenezer Marsh, Esq., of Litchfield, a pious and estimable woman. Major Seymour was in the war of the Revolution, and was present at the surrender of Burgoyne. He represented the town of Litchfield in the State Legislature, much of the time, from 1795 to 1812; was Town Clerk from 1789 to 1826, and Senior Warden of St. Michael's Church, Litchfield, more than seventeen years. He died, greatly respected, Sept. 17th, 1826, aged 84. His wife died, July 17th, 1826, aged 73. They had six children, namely : (1.) Clarissa, horn Aug. 3d, 1772, married in October, 1791, to Rev. Truman Marsh, who was born in Litchfield, Feb. 22d, 1768 ; graduated at Yale in 1786 ; was ordained a Deacon by Bishop White, in March, 1790, and a Presbyter by Bishop Seabury, in June, the same year; became the Rector of St. John's Church, New Milford, till November, 1799; then Rector of St. Michael's Church, Litch- 304 field, till 1810. (2.) Moses Seymour, Jr., Esq., born June 30th, 1774, married Mabel Strong, of Addison, Vt., was for several years Postmaster in Litchfield, and High Sheriff, and died there, May 8th, 1824, aged 52. His son, Dr. George Seymour, born in 1817, is a physician in Litchfield, and has twice represented that town in the State Legislature. (3.) Ozias Seymour, born July 8th, 1776, married Miss Sebrina Storrs, of Mansfield, Conn., was for several years Sheriff of Litchfield county, and died in 1851. His wife died, Nov. 2d, 1814, aged 28, leaving an only son, Origen S. Seymour, Esq., who was born, February, 1804, graduated at Yale in 1824, and is a noted lawyer in Litchfield, and now a member of Congress. (4.) Horatio Seymour, the subject of this memoir. (5.) Henry Seymour, born May 30th, 1780, removed to Utica, State of New York, became wealthy, was Mayor of Utica, Canal Commissioner, State Senator, and died recently, leaving a widow and reputable descendants. One of his sons, the Hon. Horatio Seymour, of Utica, was the Democratic candidate for Governor of New York, in 1851. (6.) Epaphro- ditus Seymour, born July 8th, 1783, removed to Brattleborough, Vt., where he still lives, and is president of a bank. He was never married. Horatio Seymour, the fourth child of Major Moses Seymour, was, from early childhood, amiable, studious, and decorous in all his conduct. He fitted for College at New Milford, under the instruction of his brother-in-law, the Rev. Truman Marsh. The first year after his graduation, he was an assistant teacher in the academy at Cheshire, Conn. The next year he spent in Litch field, attending the Law School of Judge Reeve. In October, 1799, he removed to Middlebury, Addison county, Vermont, and became a student of law in the office of the Hon. Daniel Chip- man. In the spring of 1800, he was admitted to the bar, and commenced business in Middlebury, which has been his place of residence ever since. In 1809, he was elected a member of the Council, or Upper House, in the State Legislature ; and for seven 305 or eight years, he was annually elected to that body. In October, 1820, the Legislature of the State appointed him a Senator in the United States Congress for six years from the 4th of March, 1821; and, at the expiration of that term, he was reelected for a second term of six years. In 1833 he resumed the practice of law, and has continued it to the present time. In 1836 he was the whig candidate for Governor of Vermont, but Mr. Palmer, the anti- masonic candidate, was elected. Up to the time that he went into the United States Senate, his law practice had been very extensive, and his pecuniary affairs prosperous. He had acquired an amount of property, which might be deemed a competency for the remainder of life. But he subsequently lost it all, and chiefly by becoming surety for others. Since he left the Senate, his pro fessional business has afforded him a good support, and has also enabled him every year to pay a considerable amount of debts. Still he is destitute of property. In October, 1847, the Legisla ture appointed him Judge of Probate for the district of Addison. This affords him employment a great part of the time, and adds something to his means of support. The Corporation of Yale College, at the Commencement in 1847, conferred on him the honorary degree of LL. D. In the spring of 1800, Mr. Seymour was married to Miss Lucy Case, of the town of Addison, Vt., who bore him six children, and died in October, 1838. Since her death he has remained single. His six children were — (1.) Ozias Seymour, educated at Middle bury College, a lawyer in Middlebury, and residing near his father. He has a wife and five children. (2.) Hoses Seymour, bred a merchant, engaged in business in Middlebury, was unfortunate in his business, and removed to the West, a few years ago, and now resides in Geneva, Walworth County, Wisconsin, where he culti vates a small farm. He has a wife and two children. (3.) Mary Seymour, who died in June, 1821, at the age of sixteen, of con sumption. (4.) Emma Hart Seymour, married Philip Battell, Esq., son of the late Joseph Battell, of Norfolk, and died of 39 consumption, November, 1841, leaving two small children, a son and a daughter. These grandchildren and their surviving parent now constitute a part of Mr. Seymour's family. (5.) Horatio Seymour, Jr., was educated at Middlebury College, and is a lawyer of note at Buffalo, State of New York. He has a wife and two children. (6.) Henry Seymour, was a merchant's clerk until of age, never embarked in regular business, and was never married. He was with the army in Florida during most of the Seminole war, afterwards went to the coast of Africa in the United States ship Jamestown, returned in the ship, and died in Boston, January, 1847. Mr. Seymour united with the Episcopal Society in Middlebury at its first organization, and for several years has been the Senior Warden of the parish. He has been a communicant in the Epis copal church for many years. He says : " I have, through life, with a few exceptions, enjoyed good health, and am at present exempt from bodily infirmities to a much greater degree than are most persons who have arrived at my advanced age. I attend regularly the sessions of the court in this county, and take part in the trial of causes. I keep an office, and am regular and constant in my attention to the business of it. So long as I shall be blessed with the measure of health I now enjoy, I ought not to feel any anxiety in relation to a comfortable support," .397 THOMAS DAY, L. L. $>, Was the third son of Rev. Jeremiah Day, a Congregational minis ter, in New Preston Society, in the town of Washington, and a younger brother of Rev. Jeremiah Day, D. D., LL. D., President of Yale College. He was a descendant, in the sixth generation, from Robert Day, of Hartford, who was born in England, came to America among the first settlers in Massachusetts, and joined the company of one hundred persons, who, in 1638, removed from Newtown, Mass., to Hartford, Conn., with the Rev. Thomas Hooker, the first minister of Hartford. Thomas Day was born at New Preston, July 6th, 1777. He passed his childhood and youth under the paternal roof, attending the common district school in winter, and laboring with his brothers on a farm in summer. His father and older brother first instructed him in Latin and Greek ; and he afterwards spent some months under the tuition of Barzillai Slosson, Esq., in the neighboring town of Kent. The winter of 1793-4 he passed at an academy in New Milford. Thus fitted for College, he entered the Freshman Class in the spring of 1794, and graduated in 1797, at the age of twenty. During his first year after graduation, he attended the Law lectures of Judge Reeve, at Litchfield. From September, 1798, to September, 1799, he was a Tutor in Williams' College, and, at the same time, read law under the direction of Daniel Dewey, Esq., of Williamstown, afterwards a Judge of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. In September, 1799, Mr. Day went to Hartford, 308 read law for about three months with Theodore Dwight, Esq., was admitted to the bar in December, 1799, and immediately entered on the practice of law in Hartford, where he has resided ever since. In October, 1809, he was appointed by the General Assembly of Connecticut, Assistant Secretary of State ; and in 1810, he was elected Secretary of State by the people, and re elected for twenty five successive years, or until May, 1835. In May, 1815, he was appointed associate Judge of the County Court, for the County of Hartford, and annually afterwards, except one year, until May, 1825, in which year he was made Chief Judge of that Court, and was continued in that office, by succes sive annual appointments, until June, 1833. In March, 1818, as one of the two senior aldermen of the city of Hartford, he became one of the Judges of the City Court, and continued such, by suc cessive annual elections, until March, 1831. Mr. Day was one of the Committee who prepared the edition of the Statutes of Connecticut, published in 1808 ; and by him the notes were compiled, the index made, and the introduction written. He was also one of the Committee who revised the Statutes ih 1821, and likewise one of a Committee to prepare and superintend a, new edition in 1824. ( In June, 1805, he began to attend the Supreme Court of Errors, for the purpose of taking notes and reporting the decisions of that Court ; and he has attended it ever since for the same purpose. Provision being made by law for the appointment of a Reporter, Mr. Day was appointed to that office in June, 1814, and has been continued in it to the present time. As a volunteer, he prepared and published reports of cases decided by the Supreme Court of Errors, from 1802 to 1813, iu five volumes 8vo ; and as official Reporter, reports of cases decided by the same Court, from 1814 to 1846, inclusive, in seventeen volumes royal 8vo, the 18th being now in course of preparation. He has also edited several English law works, in all about forty volumes, in which he introduced notices of American decisions, and sometimes of the later English 309 cases, either by incorporating them in the text, or by appending thenl as notes in the margin, together with other improvements. Mr. Day's name likewise stands connected with many literary and benevolent institutions. He is, or has been, one of the Trustees of the Hartford Grammar School, and Clerk of the Board ; one of the Trustees of the Hartford Female Seminary, and Presi dent of the Board ; one of the Vice Presidents of the American Asylum for the education of the Deaf and Dumb ; one of the Trustees of the Retreat for the Insane ; one of the Directors of the Connecticut Bible Society ; President of the Hartford County Missionary Society, auxiliary to the Am. B. C. F. M. ; President of the Connecticut Branch of the American Education Society ;' President of the Goodrich Association, &c. &c. He was an original member of the Connecticut Historical Society, and aided in its organization, in 1825, being at that time its Recording Sec retary. On the revival of the institution in 1839, he became its President, a position which he still retains. Mr. Day was married on the 18th of March, 1813, to Sarah Coit, daughter of Wheeler Coit, of Preston, (now Griswold,) who was a grandson of the Rev. Joseph Coit, of Plainfield, one of the first class of Yalensian graduates. They have had eight children, two sons and six daughters. One of the sons died in infancy, the other son and all the daughters but one are living. They are Sarah Coit, horn in 1814, resides with her father ; Elizabeth, born in 1816, is the wife of Prof. N. P. Seymour, of the Western Reserve College, and resides at Hudson, Ohio ; Thomas Mills, born in 1817, graduated at Yale in 1837, was admitted to the bar in Hartford, 1840, and is resident in Boston ; Catherine Augusta, born in 1819, was recently married ; Harriet, born in 1821, is the wife of John P. Putnam, LL. B., who graduated at Yale in 1837, and resides now in Boston ; Robert, bom in 1824, and died the same year ; Mary Frances, bom in 1826, and Ellen, bom in 1829, and died in 1850. At the Commencement of Yale College, in 1847, the Corporation of that Institution conferred on Mr. Day the Honorary Degree of LL.D. 310 NATHAN SMITH. The Honorable NATHAN SMITH, of New Haven, was bora in Roxbury, in 1770. He was a son of Richard Smith, and brother of the late Hon. Nathaniel Smith, whose history is briefly sketched in this volume. His mother was a daughter of Benjamin Hurd, and grand-daughter of Benjamin Hinman, of Woodbury.* The parents of the subject of this sketch were plain, unaspiring people, yet among their descendants have been some of the most eminent lawyers and statesmen of the commonwealth. On arriving at a suitable age, Nathan was transferred from the farm to the office of his brother above named, and afterwards to that of Judge Reeve, to learn the "art and mystery" of the law; and in due time he was admitted to the bar of his native county. He commenced the practice of law in the city of New Haven, where he continued to reside until his death. Slowly but surely, he won his way to the highest professional eminence. Indeed, he was an enthusiast in the profession he had chosen, ever regarding success therein, as the goal of his ambition. Conse quently, he studied the standard legal authors of England and America thoroughly and systematically. No practitioner in the Connecticut Courts better understood the law in all its crooks and turns, and no one could more effectually impress the minds of a jury with his own views and feelings on any case, than he. The theoretical and practical, the profound and witty, were so happily * In the sketch of the Hon. Nathaniel Smith, (p. 137,) we erroneously stated that hie mother was a Hinman. 811 blended in his arguments, that while they attracted the admiration of the listener, they were almost certain of securing the wished for verdict. His wonderful success at the bar, however, must not be attributed solely to his talents and ingenuity. His strict regard for justice and right, would not permit him to plead a case which he knew to bo grossly unrighteous. Before enlisting his services in any cause, he was wont to examine minutely the main facts and circumstances connected with it ; and if convinced of its justice, he entered upon the discharge of his duties to his client with his whole soul, and rarely failed of coming off victorious. It was his own manifest confidence in the goodness of the cause he advocated, united to a knowledge of his uniform integrity of purpose, which so surely won from every jury a favorable verdict. Mr. Smith was not a politician, and had the utmost contempt of the office-seeking propensity of many of his legal brethren. And even if his own ambition had been turned into that channel, it is by no means certain he would have been successful. The political party with which he acted, was for a long series of years in the minority in the region in which he lived ; and where party lines are closely drawn, a zeal for place and power not unfrequently triumphs over merit. His name was sometimes, without his con sent, used by his fellow-citizens in the political struggles of the times. In 1825, he was a principal opponent of Oliver Wolcott for the office of Governor of Connecticut. There were, however, some offices more directly in the line of his profession, which he did not dislike, though he was far from seeking them. He was for many years State's attorney for the county of New Haven, and subsequently, United States' attorney for the District of Con necticut. In these stations, his peculiar genius and learning were often rendered conspicuous. In May, 1832, Mr. Smith was elected a Senator in the Con gress of the United States, to succeed the Hon. Samuel A. Foote, whose term would expire on the 3d of March following. He took his seat in that distinguished body, March 4, 1833, and continued to discharge the duties of the station until the 6th of December. 312 1835, when he died suddenly in the city of Washington, in the 66th year ofhis age. The correspondent of the New York Daily Advertiser, gives the following account of the funeral ceremonies of Senator Smith, which took place on Wednesday, the 9th of December. "The flag-staff, with the American flag floating at half mast, denoted early on the morning of Wednesday, that the capitol was to be the scene of solemnity. At 12 o'clock the hour of adjournment came. The ladies' gallery was filled with the beau'y and fashion of the nation, and the opposite gallery was not less crowded with spectators, all anx ious to witness the obsequies. A motion was made for adjournment till 12 o'clock on the following day, which was carried by a silent vole. Prior to this, however, the President and Vice President of the United States, the Heads of Departments, public and private Secretaries, with the Senators and clergymen entered and seated themselves in the Senate chamber. Soon the coffin was borne in by servants with broad white 6carfs around their hats. Next came the Representatives with crape upon their left arms, preceded by the members from Connecticut, (the state of the deceased,) in deep mourning, with a broad black scarf extending from the right shoulder under the left arm. The Vice President was in the chair; the President and Heads of Departments sat on the left side of the front row of seats ; "the Senators and Repre sentatives filled the remaining seats. Opposite the President were the delegation from Connecticut. All was still and solemn as the grave, when the minister, dressed in a black robe over which was a white scarf, arose from the seat in front of the Vice President's chair, repeat ing some expressive and appropriate texts from the volume of Holy Writ. He addressed the assembly for some minutes, when, after invoking a blessing from the Almighty, the funeral procession was formed. The Committee of Arrangements, dressed in white scarfs, preceded the hearse ; next came the pall-bearers ; then followed the clergymen, President, Vice President, Secretaries, Members and Citizens. The procession consisted of one hundred carriages, extend ing nearly a mile in length. All of the hackmen were dressed in a uniform mourning, with a crape around their hats. The deceased was carried to the national burying-ground, where, after the accus tomed services, the procession was re-formed find returned. The whole scene was truly impressive and solemn — worthy of the nation and of the venerated character of the' deceased." In 1808, Mr. Smith received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Yale College, 313 FREDERICK AUGUSTUS TALLMADGE. The Hon. F. A. TALLMADGE, the celebrated lawyer and politician of the City of New York, is a son of the late Hon. Benjamin Tallmadge, an officer of the Revolutionary Army and for fifteen years a distinguished member of Congress from Connecticut. The subject of this sketch was born in Litchfield, August 29th, 1792, and graduated at Yale College in 1811, in the class with his distinguished fellow-townsman, the Hon. S. S. Phelps, of Ver mont. Immediately after graduating, Mr. Tallmadge entered the Law School at Litchfield, and after prosecuting the usual course of legal studies, he was admitted a member of the Bar of Litchfield County. In 1814 he commenced the practice of his profession in the City of New York. Notwithstanding he was surrounded by experienced and eminent lawyers, he soon rose to distinction in the metropolis, and in a few years he was regarded as one ol" its most successful advocates and counsellors. In 18-34, he was elected an Alderman of that city, and while a member of the Common Council, in the fall of 1836, he was chosen a member of the State Senate, and was subsequently elected its presiding officer. As a Senator he was ex officio a Judge of the Supreme Court for the Correction of Errors. After remaining a member of that dis tinguished body for four years, Mr. Tallmadge was appointed by the Governor and Senate, to the office of Recorder of the City of New York — a post which he occupied for five years. As Chief Justice of the Police Court in the city, his labors were arduous 40 314 and responsible, and it is sufficient praise to say that he discharged them promptly and faithfully. In 1846, he was elected a Representative to the Congress of the United States. In the autumn of 1848, before the expiration of his Congressional term, he was elected Recorder of New York by ihe people — his being the first election to that office under the new Constitution of the State. He still occupies the station. Soon after locating in New York, Mr. Tallmadge was married to a daughter of the Hon. Judson Canfield of Sharon, in his native County. His public career has been eminently popular, and as he is still in the prime of life, we trust new honors await him. 315 ARPHAXAD LOOMIS, Was bom at Winchester, on the 9th of April, 1798. His father was a farmer, in very moderate circumstances. Arphaxad was the fifth son, and from the time his father removed with his family to Herkimer county, New York, until his fourteenth year, he was accustomed to steady service on the farm. He enjoyed, however, the usual opportunities afforded to boys in the country, of attending the common school, and which he improved to good advantage. When fourteen years of age, his father hired him out as the teacher of a common school, seven or eight miles from home. He was then quite small of his age. His agreement was six dollars per month, and to "board round." He subsequently, for several successive years, taught school in the winters, and during the summers he attended the academy at Fairfield, Herkimer county, paying his tuition by his winter earnings. According to the com mon practice of that institution, he lived in his room, at the acad emy, upon his own food, a week's snpply of which he was accus tomed to carry from his father's house, a distance of four miles, every Monday morning. He also wore the home-made garments of his father's household. It was understood, however, that he was not to be a burden to the family, even to this extent, and accordingly, his winter's earnings were, with the exception of "tuition," and "book-money," regularly paid over to his father, as an equivalent for his suppfies. He was very desirous of going through a collegiate course, but his resources would not permit the gratification of this ambition. 316 In 1818, he entered his name as a student in a law office at Johnstown, Montgomery county. At the end of three months, however, his funds became exhausted, and he was compelled once more to commence teaching. Although he sometimes brooded in deep despondency over his want of means to prosecute his legal studies, he was determined not to " give up." Having heard that a teacher of his acquirements might probably find good employ ment at Watei-town, Jefferson county, he borrowed ten dollars of his father, and on the 20th of December, 1818, he started on foot with a knapsack on his back, over the bleak hills and frozen ground. Owing to the extreme cold, which happened to set in, about that time, the journey proved a very severe one, and to that he attrib utes his impaired hearing. At Watertown, he obtained employment in the district school. Here, also, he entered a law office, and pursued his legal studies. At the end of three months, he obtained sufficient law business to enable him forever to relinquish the school room, and to continue his studies without further interruption. He completed them at Sacketts Harbor, in January, 1825, and took his license as attor ney at law. He spent the two succeeding years in practicing in the office where he finished his course. A part of the third year was spent in a journey through the south-western states, with a vague notion that he would locate himself in a new country, and "grow up with it." He visited Gen. Jackson, and saw all the lions in his way. He found the country, however, too "new" for his taste, and returned to his father's house exhausted in funds, and in feeble health. After recruiting himself to some extent, he finally located at Little Falls, Herkimer county, his present resi dence. He there devoted himself to the practice of his profession, with considerable success. In February, 1828, he was appointed surrogate of Herkimer county, which office he held until 1837. In the winter of 1834, his name was sent .to the senate, by Gov. Marcy, for the office of circuit judge ; but, owing to an apprehension that his defective 317 hearing would interfere with tho proper discharge of the duties, the nomination was subsequently withdrawn. On that occasion he received complimentary letters from all the democratic senators, assuring him that nothing but the said impediment had induced them to advise the substitution of another person. During the spring of the same year, Gov. Maroy appointed him on the commission, with Messrs. Elisha Litohfield and Eli Moore, to investigate the subject of mechanical labor in the state prisons ; also, the prison policy and discipline. After a most laborious investigation, a report and bill, both drawn up by Mr. Loomis, were submitted to the legislature, in 1835, on which the law of the year was based. This had the effect of subduing the prevail ing excitement for several years, when the continual disregard of the regulations, by executive officers of the prisons, caused the mechanical interests in the state to renew the complaint. In the fall of 1836, Mr. Loomis was elected a representative in congress, and took his seat at the first session under Mr. Van Buren's administration. During the long session of 1837-8, he was a member of the committee on private land claims, and his labors were so severe as to seriously impair his health. The following session he served on the committee on public lands, where he also found that there was work to do. While on the latter committee, he strenuously exerted himself to prepare the way for the sale of lands to actual settlers only, and at a very moderate price, believing then, as now, that all other sales are detrimental to the public interest. He also exerted himself in favor of postage reform, and the regulation of the franking privi lege, and with this object he introduced many resolutions of inquiry into the existing abuses, and which had the effect of hastening the subsequent action of congress on those subjects. On the 1st of January, 1841, Mr. Loomis took his seat in the New York legislature, as a representative of Herkimer county. Here, entertaining strong convictions of the great evils of a public debt, and thinking that he perceived a strong tendency to create 318 debts, and in many cases from selfish motives, it occured to him that these tendencies might be lessened, if not entirely obviated, by preventing any public debt, unless sanctioned by the direct vote of the people themselves. In addition to giving his views through the press, on the 14th of January, 1841, he introduced a resolution to amend the constitution, so as to restrain the legisla ture from borrowing money, or creating any public debt, except to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, or to defend the state in war, unless authorized by a direct vote of the electors, at a general election. This proposition was approved by most of the democratic papers in New York, and other states. Many of the editors kept it at the head of their columns for months. Although the resolu tion was not' carried, yet its frequent repetition by him during succeeding sessions, resulted, in the convention of 1846, of which Mr. Loomis was an active member, in its adoption. Of the arduous labors of Mr. Loomis, as chairman of the judi ciary committee, in the legislature, and of his eminent services as a member of the convention, and which seriously injured his health, our limits, will not permit us to speak. It will be sufficient to say, that a more devoted public servant cannot be found. 319 WILLIAM W. BOARDMAN. This gentleman is a son of the late Hon. Ehjah Boardman, of the United States Senate, and was bom in New Milford, on the 10th of October, 1794. During his boyhood, he was for a while at school in Great Barrington, Mass., among his mother's relatives, and was thence transferred to Bacon Academy, at Colchester, where he fitted for College. In the autumn of 1808, he entered Yale College and graduated in due course, before he was eighteen years of age. The following year was spent by him as a resident graduate at Harvard College. He read law with David S. Board- man, Esq., of New Milford, and at the Litchfield Law School, and commenced the practice of the legal profession at New Haven, in 1819, where he still resides. Upon the organization of our State Government under the new Constitution, in May, 1819, Mr. Boardman was elected Secretary of the Senate, and was annually re-elected until 1824, when he was appointed Judge of Probate for the District of New Haven ; a post which he filled for five years. In 1830, he was elected to the Senate of this State, and was twice re-elected. In the spring of 1836, he represented New Haven in the Connecticut House of Representatives, at which session he had a somewhat famous debate with the Hon. Perry Smith (since of the United States Senate,) then a member from New Milford. At the extra session held during the following winter, the law relating to electors' meet ings, enacted in pursuance of an amendment of the Constitution, was drawn up and reported by him. Mr. Boardman was again a 320 member of the House in 1837, and was appointed chairman of the Committee on Divorces. At the same session he proposed amend ments to the Constitution, giving the election of Judges of Probate and Justices of the Peace to the people, amd though they failed at that time, they have recently been adopted. In 1838 and 1839, Mr. Boardman was a member of the House, and elected Speaker both years. In 1840, he was chosen amem- of the 26th Congress to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resigna tion of the Hon. Wm. L. Storrs, who had been transferred to the Supreme Bench ; and was a member of the Committee on Private Land Claims. In April, 1841, he was re-elected to the National House of Representatives, and during the three sessions of the 27th Congress, he served as Chairman of the Committee on public buildings and grounds. The subject of this sketch was returned as a member of the Connecticut Legislature in 1845, and was again elected Speaker. He was also a member in 1849, and would have been elected Speaker on one of the ballotings if he had ivithheld his own vote. On the ballot alluded to, Mr. Boardman had 110 votes ; John C. Lewis, Esq., of Plymouth, had 108 ; and" there was two scattering votes, one of which was cast by Mr. Boardman. On the following ballot Mr. Lewis was chosen by one majority. During this session, Mr. B. was Chairman on the part of the House of the Committee on Divorces, the late Gen. Bacon, of Litchfield, being Chairman on the part of the Senate. In 1851, Mr. Boardman was once more a member and candidate for Speaker of the House. We have thus given the leading events in the history of one of the distinguished sons of Litchfield County — a gentleman who is still in the prime of life and on the highway to new preferment. 321 JOHN MILTON HOLLEY. JOHN MILTON HOLLEY, (son of a distinguished gentleman of the same name,) was a native of Salisbury, where he was born in November, 1802. He graduated with distinguished honors at Yale College, in 1822, and after pursuing a course of legal study, he was admitted to the New York bar in 1825, and commenced practice the next year at Lyons, in Western New York, where he has ever since resided. His learning, capacity, and integrity, soon placed him in the front rank of his profession. To a mind at once brilliant and solid, he united those generous qualities of the heart which attract the love and confidence of mankind. Popular hon ors were showered upon»him, and, during his whole career, he enjoyed the most gratifying demonstrations of public regard. In various stations of public trust he exemplified the remark that offi cial elevation is made truly illustrious by the personal worth and fidelity of the incumbent. He was chosen to represent his county in the Assembly of his State in 1838, and again in 1841. In the Legislature of his State he gained a high reputation for eloquence and ability. Ever firm and unyielding in the assertion of what he deemed to be the truth and the right, always fearless and bold in the expression of his convictions, yet the ingenuous candor of his spirit disarmed hostility by winning the admiration and friendship of political opponents. Whilst he had no personal enemies, no man could boast a more devoted "troop of friends." In 1845, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the State Senate. In 1846, he was chosen to represent the 27th Congressional dis- 41 322 trict, composed of the counties of Seneca and Wayne, in the Thir tieth Congress, and was, at the time of his election, in the enjoyment of health which gave promise of a long life of usefulness and honor. But, he was struck suddenly down with a fit of pulmonary apo plexy from which he never fully recovered. Being desirous to dis charge with fidelity his representative obligations, at the commence ment of the ensuing session, though exceedingly feeble and infirm, he repaired to the Capital, and took part in the organization of the House, and yielded reluctantly to the advice of his physician and friends to seek relief in repose and a southern clime. Immediately after the opening of the session, he proceeded to Jacksonville, in the State of Florida, where the genial influences of the climate seemed to revive him for a season, and his friends were flattered with the hope of his recovery. But a sudden return of the disease brought with it a fatal termination, and he expired on the 8th of March, 1848. He died conscious of the mighty change which awaited him, calm and resigned, in the hope of a glorious future. The companion of his life, who had accompanied him with that fidelity and affection known only to woman, was present at his bed side, to smooth his dying pillow, and close his eyes in death. In writing to a friend, the day before his death, he said, " With hopes of earthly fame or distinction I have done ; I seek those better things to which 'the humblest votary may aspire." He had evi dently withdrawn his thoughts from " the competitions, factions, and debates of mankind," to contemplate the higher concerns of that immortal existence upon which he now has entered. On the 18th of March following the decease of Mr. Holley, the Hon. Washington Hunt, Representative in Congress from the State of New York, arose in his place and said : Mr. Speaker, I rise to discharge a mournful and unwelcome duty, Upon me has been devolved the melancholy task of announcing to the House that John M. Holley, one of the Representatives of the State of New York, has departed this life. He died at Jacksonville, in Florida, on the 8th instant, after a protracted illness, which he endured with calmness and Christian resignation. 323 I feel the inadequacy of language to express the grief with which I am penetrated by this afflicting event. The nation has lost one of her noblest sons, and the public councils are deprived of the services of a pure patriot and a wise statesman. The estimation in which his virtues were held by the people of the State to which he belongs, forms of itself, the, highest eulogium upon his character. Mr. Speaker, in the community where our lamented colleague had dwelt so long, the intelligence of his death will be received with the deepest sorrow. Universally beloved while living, his loss will be uni versally mourned; whilst the memory of his manly graces and virtues will be fondly cherished by all who knew him. I dare not trust myself to speak of the domestic circle which is made desolate, and the hallowed ties which are sundered by this afflictive dispensation. Would that we might impart consolation to the bereaved family by the expression of our affectionate sympathy and condolence! May they he sustained and comforted by the protecting power of the Supreme Being whose merciful promise it is to he the widow's friend and "a father to the fatherless." In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I offer the following resolutions : Resolved, That this House has heard, with deep sensibility, the annunciation of the death of Hon. John M. Holley, a member from the State of New York. Resolved, That this House tenders to the relatives of the deceased the expression of its smypathy on this affecting event, and, as a testi mony of respect for the memory of the deceased, the members and officers of the House will go into mourning by wearing crape on the left arm for thirty days. Resolved, That, as a further mark of respect for the memory of the deceased, this House do now adjourn. The Hon. D. S. Dickinson announced the death of Mr. Holley in the Senate, and paid a feeling and appropriate tribute to his memory. Both Houses adjourned. 324 MRS. LAURA M. THURSTON. MRS. THURSTON was the daughter of Mr. Earl P. Hawley, and was born in Norfolk, December, 1812. Her parents being in moderate circumstances, her early advantages for education were such only as were afforded by the common district school. On arriving at maturer years, however, she found means to enter Mr. J. P. Brace's "Female Seminary," in Hartford, where she prose cuted her studies with unusual diligence and success, and secured the marked approbation of the Principal and teachers. After leaving this Institution, she was for a few years engaged as a teacher in New Milford and Philadelphia, and subsequently became an assistant in Brace's Seminary. Here she remained until 1837, when, upon Mr. Brace's recommendation, she left Connecticut to take charge of the Academy at New Albany, in the State of Indiana. In 1839 she was married to Mr. Franklin Thurston, a merchant of New Albany. She was at this time a frequent con tributor to the Western papers and periodicals, usually over the signature of "Viola," — and soon won for herself the reputation of being one of the best female writers at the West. But in the midst of her growing fame, and ere her dreams of earthly happi ness had scarcely begun to be realized, death marked her for his victim ! Yet, when he came to execute his dread commission, he found her not unprepared. In the bloom of youth and health she had consecrated herself to God, and the hopes she had long cher ished did not desert her as she descended "the dark valley." 325 When told that she must die, her joyful exclamation was, "Is it possible I shall so soon be in Heaven !" She expired on the 21st of July, 1842. In the autumn of 1843 the author of this volume accompanied a literary friend to the "Childhood's Home" of Mrs. Thurston. Her early residence is situated about three miles to the north-east of the village of Norfolk, Litchfield county, Connecticut — in a quiet, secluded nook, shut out, as it were, from the great world ; in short, just such a place as a poet might choose for the undisturbed indul gence of his day-dreams. On our way thither, we paused for a moment over the foundations of the now demolished school-house, where, in early childhood, my friend had been the school-companion of the future poetess ; and many pleasant reminiscences of those halcyon days were called to mind, and related by him, as we pur sued our war down the green lane, toward the cottage which had been her home from infancy. The dwelling is a small, venerable looking, wood-colored building, of but a single story, located about half a mile from the main road, on a path which has the appear ance of being but seldom traveled. Her father still resides there, and appears to take a pride in the growing fame of his daughter. He pointed out to us the spot on which she was born, about two miles distant, near the borders of a small and picturesque lake — from whence he removed to his present residence, during her first year. He also showed us several of her poems, and gave us the materials from which the annexed brief sketch of her history is drawn. The following beautiful poem, descriptive of the home and scenes of her childhood, (the frequent perusal of which first induced in us the desire to visit them,) is preserved in the Appendix to Gris- wold's " Poets and Poetry of America." It was written after her removal and settlement in the West, and but a short time previous to her death. 526 THE GREEN HILLS OF MY FATHER LAND, The green hills of my father-land, In dreams still greet my view ; I see again the wave-girt strand, The ocean-depth of blue; The sky, the glorious sky, outspread Above their calm repose; The river o'er its rocky bed, Still singing as it flows! The stillness of the Sabbath-hours, When men go up to pray, The sun-light resting on the flowers, The birds that sing among the bowers, Through all the summer day ! Land of my birth! — mine early home! Once more thine airs I breathe ! I see thy proud hills tower above — • Thy green vales sleep beneath ; Thy groves, thy rocks, thy murmuring rills, All rise before mine eyes; The dawn of morning on thy hills, Thy gorgeous sun-set skies; Thy forest, from whose deep recess A thousand streams have birth, Gladdening the lonely wilderness, And filling the green silentness With melody and mirth. I wonder if my home would seem As lovely as of yore ! I wonder if the mountain stream Goes singing by the door ! 327 And if the flowers still bloom as fair, And if the woodbines climb, As when I used to train (hem there In the dear olden time! I wonder if the birds still sing Upon the garden tree, As sweetly as in that sweet spring, Whose golden memories gently bring So many dreams to me. I know that there hath been a change — A change o'er hall and hearth — Faces and footsteps new and strange, About my place of birth. The heavens above are still as bright As in the years gone by, But vanished in the beacon-light Which cheered my morning sky ! And hill, and vale, and wooded glen, And rock, and murmuring stream, Which wore such glorious beauty then, Would seem, should I return again, The record of a dream. I mourn not for my childhood's hours, Since in the far-off West, 'Neath summer skies and greener bowers, My heart hath found its rest. I mourn not for the hills and streams, Which chained my steps so long ; But still I see them in my dream, And hail them in my song! And often by the hearth-fires blaze, When winter eves shall come, We'll sit and talk of other days, And sing the well-remembered lays, Of my green mountain home ! 328 Who that has been a sojourner in a land of strangers, can fail to appreciate the beauty and pathos of these exquisite fines? Thousands of hearts have felt all that the writer has here portrayed, but who could have expressed those feelings so well ? At such times, how naturally the " winged thoughts " fly back to our " fatherland," — reviving the scenes hallowed by early associations-1 — and re-uni ting the long-severed links in the chain of youthful companionship ! And how natural it is in our search after happiness, to turn from the joys of the past, to the joys of the future! The beautiful and quiet picture of domestic felicity which the writer has drawn in the concluding stanzas, will be admired by every kindred mind; and few will read it without a heart-felt sigh that her gifted spirit must so soon have taken its departure from earth, even though we rejoice in the full assurance that she has found "a home of rest" in a purer and better world. As our eyes rested upon the scenes which had once been so dear to her, and which she was wont to look back upon with feel ings of interest from her new home in the far west, it was sad to reflect upon the changes which a few years had wrought, not only "o'er hall and hearth," but in the absence of many of those sim ple ornaments which, during her residence there, had helped to make up the attractions of the spot. The "woodbines," (which then almost covered the dwelling,) soon missed the fostering care of her who "Used to train them there In the dear olden time." And nothing is now to be seen of them, save a few straggling, half- decayed vines. The flowers which once adorned the door-way and garden-walks, no longer attract the admiration of the passer by. Yet still "The mountain stream Goes singing by the door." And now, as then — "The birds still sing Upon the garden tree," though she is no longer there to listen to their melody. S29 The poems which follow will serve as specimens of her peculiar talents. ON CROSSING THE ALLEGANIES. The broad, the bright, the glorious West, Is spread before me now! Where the gray mists of morning rest Beneath yon mountain's brow! The bound is past, the goal is won; The region of the setting sun Is opeu to my view : Land of the valiant and the free — My own green mountain land — to theej And thine, a long adieu ! I hail thee, Valley of the West, For what thou yet shalt be! I hail thee for the hopes that rest Upon thy destiny ! Here, from this mountain height, I see Thy bright waves floating to the sea, Thine emerald fields outspread; And feel that, in the book of fame, Proudly shall thy recorded name, In later days be read. Yet, while I gaze upon thee now, All glorious as thou art, A cloud is resting on my brow, A weight upon my heart. To me, in all thy youthful pride, Thou a land of cares untried, Of untold hopes and fears; Thou art — yet not for ihee I grieve; But, foi' the far-off land 1 leave, I look on thee with ti-ars. Oh! brightly, brightly, glow thy skies In Summer's sunny hours ! 42 330 The green earth seems a paradise, Arrayed in Summer flowers! But oh ! there is a land afar, Whose skies to me are brighter far, Along the Atlantic shore! For eyes beneath their radiant shrine, In kindlier glances answered mine : Can these their light restore ? Upon the lofty bound I stand, , That parts the East and West ; Before me, lies a fairy land; Behind, a home of rest ! Here, Hope her wild enchantment flings, Portrays all bright and lovely things, My footsteps to allure ; But there, in Memory's light, I see All that was ouce most dear to me — My young heart's cynosure! THE PATHS OF LIFE. An Address to a Class of Girls about leaving School, in Indiana. Go forth ! the world is very wide, And many paths before ye lie, Devious, and dangerous, and untried: Go forth, with wary eye! Go! with a heart by grief unbowed! Go! ere a shadow, or a cloud, Hath dimmed the laughing sky! But, lest your wandering footsteps stray, Choose ye the straight, the narrow way. Go forth! the world is very fair, Through the dim distance as ye gaze; And mark, in long perspective, there, The scenes of coming days. 331 Orbs of bright radiance gem the sky, And fields of glorious beauty lie Beneath their orient rays ; Yet, ere their altered light grow dim. Seek ye the Star of Bethlehem ! Go forth! within your distant homes There are fond hearts that mourn your stay ; There are sweet voices bid ye come ; Go ! ye must hence, away ! No more within the woodland bowers Your hands may wreathe the Summer flowers, No more your footsteps stray; To hail the hearth, and grove, and glen, Oh! when will ye return again! Not when the Summer leaves shall fade, As now they fade from shrub and tree, When Autumn winds, through grove and glade* Make mournful melody ; The long, bright, silent, Autumn days, The sunset, with its glorious blaze, These shall return — but ye, Though Time may all beside restore, Ye may come back to us no more, Go ! ye have dreamed a fairy dream, Of cloudless skies and fadeless flowers, Of days whose sunny lapse shall seem A fete mid festal bowers ! But of the change, the fear, the strife, The gathering clouds, the storms of life, The blight of Autumn showers, Ye have no vision — these must be Unveiled by stern reality ! Ye yet must wake, (for Time and. Care Have ever wandered side by side,) 332 To find earth false, as well as fair, And weary too, as wide. Ye yet must wake, to find the glow Hath faded from the things below, The glory and the pride ! To bind the willow on the brow, Wreathed with the laurel garland now. But wherefore shall I break the spell That makes the Future seem so bright? Why to the young glad spirit tell Of withering and blight ? 'T were better, when the meteor dies, A steadier, holier light shall rise, ¦Cheering the gloomy night ; A light when others fade away, Still shining on to perfect day. Go, then ! and when no more are seen, The faces that ye now behold, When years, long years, shall intervane, . Sadly and darkly told ; When time, with stealthy hand, shall trace His mystic lines on every face, Oh, may his touch unfold The promise of that better part, The unfading Spring-time of the heart! PARTING HYMN. Bung at the close of the Anniversary Kxercises of the New Albany Theological Seminary. Brethren, we are parting now, Here perchance to meet no more i Well may sorrow cloud each brow, That, another dream is o'er. 333 Life is fraught with changeful dreams, Ne'er to-morrow as to day ; Scarce we catch their transient gleams. Ere they melt and fade away. But, upon the brow of night, See the Morning Star arise; With unchanging, holy light Gilding all the Eastern skies. Bethlehem's Star! of yore it blazed, Gleaming on Judea's brow, While the wondering Magi gazed; Brethren, let it guide us now. Guide us over land and sea, Where the tribes in darkness mourn, Where no Gospel jubilee Bids the ransomed ones return ; Or, beneath our own blue skies, Where our green savannahs spread, Let us bid that Star arise, And its beams of healing shed. Shall we shrink from pain and strife, While our Captain leads the way? Shall we, for the love of life, Cast a Saviour's love away ? Rather gird his armor on, Fight the battles of the Lord, Till the victory be won, And we gain our long reward. Oh ! may many a radiant gem, Souls redeemed by us from woe, Sparkle in the diadem That our Leader shall bestow. Change and trial here may come; But no grief may haunt the breast, 334 When we reach our heavenly home, Find our everlasting rest. Broken is our household band, Hushed a while our evening hymn : But there is a better land, Where no tears the eye shall dim : There is heard no farewell tone, On that bright and peaceful shore; There no parting grief is known, For they meet to part no more. ELEGIAC STANZAS. She sleepeth: and the Summer breezes, sighing, Shedding the green leaves on the fountain's breast, And the soft murmur of the stream, replying Unto her melody, break not their rest. I know thy hearth is lonely : that thy dwelling No more may echo to that loved one's tread 5 I know too well thy widowed heart is swelling With silent grief: yet weep not for the dead. She yet shall waken ; on that morning glorious When day shall evermore displace the night ; O'er time, and care, and change, and death victorious, A holy seraph in the land of light. Yes, she shall waken ; not to earthly sorrow, Not to the blight of care, the thrill of pain ; Wake to the day that ne'er shall know a morrow, To life that may not yield to Death again. She rests in peace: for her forbear thy weeping: Thou soon shalt meet her in the world on high : The care-worn form in yonder grave is sleeping, But the freed spirit lives beyond the sky. 335 FRANCIS BACON- FRANCIS BACON, the third son of Asa Bacon, Esq., was born in Litchfield, in January, 1820, and graduated at Yale Col lege in 1838. He pursued his professional studies with the Hon. 0. S. Seymour, was admitted to the Bar of Litchfield county in 1840, and at once commenced the practice of the law in his native village. He was soon ranked among the most able and popular advocates in our courts. In 1842, he removed to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and formed a legal co-partnership with the Hon. Thaddeus Stevens, one of the most successful lawyers in that state. Here he gradually won for himself an honorable reputation, and his growing fame and extended practice were regarded with just pride by his friends in Connecticut. He regarded his location as per manent, but, upon the death of his only remaining brother, E. 0, Bacon, Esq., he was persuaded to return to Litchfield, that he might be near his venerable parents, and solace their declining years. Being once more established amid the cherished scenes and friends of his youth, where he had long been a favorite, his success at the bar and in political life was almost unprecedented. In 1845, he was appointed Clerk of the Probate Court for the District of Litchfield. Having risen to the rank of Colonel of the Regiment with which he was connected, in 1846 he was elected Brigadier General, but declined the office. Upon the reorganization of the militia system of Connecticut, by which the entire militia of the state was embraced in one division, he was elected Major General 336 by the Legislature. In 1847 and 1848, he was the whig candi^ date for Representative from Litchfield. During two successive sessions of the Legislature, those of 1847 and 1848, he was chosen First Clerk of the House of Representatives; and in the spring of 1849, he was elected to the Senate by an unparalleled plurality of votes. Much to his credit, he received the suffrages of many of the best men among his political opponents, who appreciated his talents and personal worth beyond mere party expediency. In the discharge of legislative duties he was sincere and ardent, but ever courteous in his manners ; while no political asperity embittered the intercourse of private life : hence he enjoyed the respect and kind regard of all. In the honorable Senate he was its youngest member, and yet his quick perception of truth and character, his retentive memory, his ready and discriminating judgment, his practical tact, his flowing eloquence, and his conservative course, secured for him an influence much beyond his years — an influence which was much felt in several important acts of legislation. General Bacon died on the 16th of September, 1849, in the 30th year of his age. His funeral was attended on the afternoon of the Wednesday following his decease, drew together a very large collection of people from Litchfield and the adjacent towns, and many members of the bar and other prominent gentlemen from a distance. The silence and solemnity which seemed to pervade all hearts, bore convincing testimony to the respect and affection with which the entire community regarded the deceased, and the bereavement which all felt they had sustained in his untimely departure. Among the strangers present, were the venerable ex-Chief Justice Williams, and Judges Waite and Storrs, all of the Supreme Court; the Hon. D. S. Boardman, of New Milford, late Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas ; the Right Rev. T. C. Brownell, D. D., Charles Chapman, Esq., Francis Fellows, Esq. Col. Thomas H. Seymour, (since Governor,) and Quarter-Master General Ely, of Hartford ; Adjutant-General Shelton, of South- bury ; Brigadier-General Jiang, of .Sharon ; Hon. William W. 337 Boardman, of New Haven ; Professor Larned, of Yale College ; Professor Stewart, of Trinity College, &c. There were also pres ent, several clegymen of various denominations, and members of the bar, from the towns in the vicinity. At the late residence of the deceased, the funeral services were commenced with a prayer by the Rev. Mr. Swan, of the Congre gational Church. At half-past two o'clock, the remains were taken to St. Michael's Church, accompanied by^the mourners, citizens, &c. As the procession entered, a voluntary of solemn music was played upon the organ by Miss Julia H. Beers. The funeral ser vice was read by the Rector, the Rev. Dr. Fuller, who then preached from the text, " He being dead yet speaketh," in which he portrayed the character of the deceased, and most feelingly urged the solemn admonitions which his death awakened, upon all present. Appropriate prayers were then read by Bishop Brownell. The services being over, the procession formed, and moved to the East Burying Ground, in the following order : — Clergy. Citizens on foot. Members of Societies of Odd Fellows. Members of the Bar. Military, Litchfield Union Blues, and New Milford Rifle Company. Pall Bearers. General King, Colonel Ely, G. H. Hollister, Esq. G. F. Davis, Esq. Colonel R. Battell, a B General Shelton, Col. Thomas H. Seymour^ E. B. Webster, Esq. C. B. Smith, Esq. E. C. Buel, Esq. Relatives in Carriages. Judges of the Supreme Court, and Citizens in Carriages. At the Burying Ground, the solemn burial service of the Epis copal Church was read by the Rev. Dr. Fuller, and the remains of the deceased were committed to the silent dust, near the splen- 43 338 did monument recently erected to the memory of his brothers, who died abroad. We conclude this sketch with two or three extracts from the Funeral Sermon of the Rev. Dr. Fuller. Speech is the utterance of thought, the audible expression of the emotions of the soul. The distinguished individual whose sudden departure from our midst we all so deeply deplore, and whose mortal remains we are about to convey to their last resting-place, was a man of whom every one that knew him must say, " He speaketh." He did not merely live and move, but he spake, and exerted an influence. He was not the silent and passive person who floats through life without being observed and respected, but at all times and in all places he caused his voice to be heard, and his talents, opinions, and character to be felt and appreciated. This was true even in his boyhood, passed amidst the lovely scenes of this delightful region, when he showed the same characteristics that marked his maturer years: intelligence, memory, activity, energy, decision, generosity, courage. This was the case in his youthful days, while he was engaged in study ; for his class mates, both at school and in college, will never forget the mental and moral qualities which attached them to himself. His voice was heard and his influence felt during his brief but successful legal, military and political career, in which he proved himself a sagacious and eloquent counselor and advocate, an energetic officer and efficient disciplinarian, and a diligent and patriotic legislator and statesman. In the social and family circle, his words of intelligence and kindness, of neighborly intercourse, of filial affection, and of domestic love, will never fade from the memories of his bereaved and afflicted friends and relatives. In the house of prayer his lips were vocal with the prescribed expres sions of confession and suplication, of thanksgiving and praise; while in his dying hour, he professed with decided and fervent voice, his firm belief in all the articles of the Christian faith, and sealed his con victions of the truth of our heaven-born religion, by requesting to be baptized into the adorable name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. But while our lamented fellow-citizen and Christian brother was thus speaking and acting' in a wide and rapidly extending sphere of honor and usefulness, an inscrutible Providence had appointed him to an early grave. A fever, which is the bane of our salubrious New England, fastened with stealthy approach upon his athletic frame, baff ling all medical skill, and mocking the tears and prayers of distressed neighbors and relatives, till now, the last of three manly and promis ing brothers, the only children of their aged and stricken parents, the dutiful son, their pride and hope, their support and staff, the affection ate husband, the beloved companion, the useful citizen, the rising law- 339 yer, the respec'ed general, the honorable senator, lies before us, silent, speechless, unconscious, motionless, dead! But, "he being dead yet speaketh;" not indeed with the living voice, for we shall no more hear his energetic tones, either at the fire side, in professional consultation, in secret fraternity, at the bar, on the bristling parade, on the tented field, or in the halls of legislation ; but he though dead speaketh to us by his example; and he speaketh to us as an affecting witwss to the vanity of worldly pursuits: while our Saviour Christ, who, though once dead, is alive for evermore, also speaketh to us by this mournful event as a loud and earnest admon- isher, to seek with fervent seal the great salvation which he offers to all who love and obey him. Thus fast and thickly did honors cluster upon a man, who had not yet completed his thirtieth year. Nor was this the apparent summit of his political eminence, since it was the universal conviction, not only among his friends, but likewise among his opponents, that there was no office in the gift of his native State, which he would not sooner or later occupy. Honored as a lawyer in his own county, and through out the Commonwealth as a soldier and a statesman, he was inquired after by the citizens of one of our largest cities, as a civilian, whom they desired to have established in their midst; so that had his life been spared, and he desired the change, he might have soon ceased to be a resident of his beloved Litchfield. But when thus on the high road to distinction and honor, he is stopped in his ascending path by the unsparing hand of death. What a comment upon this world's transitoriness ! what an affecting witness is this dead advocate, general, and politician, thus cut down in the prime of his days, and in the vigor of his strength, to the vanity of earthly pursuits! His eminence, what is it? A heap of dust, which the wind of death has unexpectedly scattered! His honors, where are they now ? Faded flowers, to be buried with him in the lowly and forgotten grave! His future wealth, so carefully preserved for his future benefit by his doating parents, of what use is it to him in his present state? Of no more service than is his perishing body to his departed spirit, which, if he died in the Lord, now rejoices to be freed from the burden of the flesh. Thus affectihgly does our dead son and brother bear witness to the emptiness and worthlessness of all earthly objects: and may the Spirit of God write this impressive testimony indelibly upon the hearts of all who are acquainted with this distress ing providence which has invested this whole community with sadness and mourning ! This entire community, which is deeply impressed by the sad prov idence which has convened us this afternoon, might, by the dead, be thus 340 admonished, could his voice once more be heard : Boast not your selves of to-morrow, for ye know not what a day may bring forth ; for what is your life ? it is even a vapor which appeareth for a little while, and then vanisheth away. The end of all things is at hand ; in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh ; be therefore sober, and watch unto prayer, that your loins may be girt about, your souls may be prepared for death, and yourselves waiting and ready for the advent of your Judge. Ah! desolate parents, chastened relatives, gentlemen of the law, •joldiers, christian brethren, citizens: the departed and lamented one will not speak to us again ! but, till the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, announcing the final judgment, and the descent from heaven of the Son of Man, shall awake the slumbering dead, he shall lie in silence, sealed and deep, which nq lapse of years, no revolution of ages can ever break ! To his long rest in the dust of the earth we then lay him down, with the assured hope, that if he died in the Lord, he is sleeping in Jesus, who by the sudden and calamitous bereave ment we have all sustained, as well as by his living word and striving Spirit, is calling to every one of us, who is still reposing in his sins : Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and I will give thee light: hear, and your soul shall live!" 341 CHARLES G. FINNEY. REV. CHARLES G. FINNEY, the celebrated Revivalist, was bom in Warren, on the 29th of August, 1792. The following interesting facts respecting his early life, conversion, &c. are con tained in communication to the New York Evangelist, in May, 1850, written from Adams, Jefferson County, N. Y. " His father was a plain farmer. On reaching manhood, he left the paternal estate, and commenced the study of law in this village. He also led the choir of the Presbyterian church. His clear intel lect and independence of character, gave him a commanding influ ence over the youth of the place. He was intellectually orthodox on the great doctrines of revelation, but impenitent and careless. His views of Christian duty were so vivid, that he poured contempt on the apathy of the church.. A fellow-student, (now Judge W ,) remarked to me recently, that Finney asked him one evening to attend a prayer-meeting. They went, and upon their return, Mr. F. said with an oath, that it made him indignant to hear Christians pray after that fashion — uthey didn't know what they wanted.'''' He often told professors of religion and clergymen, that they were not sincere — that it was not possible to believe that he and others were on the verge of hell, and yet be so indifferent in regard to the terrific fact — and assured them, if he ever served God, it would be in earnest — he would " pull men out of the fire." This fearless manner gave him tremendous power, and one minister remarked that the. young people would not be converted while 342 Finney was here. But during the great revival of 1821, he was reached by the truth of God — in an agony of conviction, he retired to a grove alone, and yielded to the Spirit. Returning to his office, he invited Dea. B. to come in; and with tears and smiles of rapture, told him what had transpired. When it was known in the place, many seemed to feel like the disciples when Saul was converted — they were in doubt. When he arose in the crowded sanctuary soon after, his first expression was, "My God! is it I?" He acted immediately on his former assurance. No modern Christian ever more literally exemplified Paul's experience, who warned men day and night with tears. This has ever been his manner of life, from that time of consecration to the Lord. His way of conducting meetings was always solemn ; he never appealed to the animal feelings ; his dependence was prayer, and a pungent presentation of God's law and man's ruin, without hope but in the arms of a Mediator. Mr. F. doubtless, had faults — some eccen tricities, but they were those of a man who was thoroughly pene trated with a sense of eternal realities. Heaven and hell were words full of meaning to him. We find everywhere noble monu ments of his labors in the gospel — the pillars in many a Zion, will call him blessed at the last day. And doubtless a rank of pro fessed disciples, and among them not a few ministers, who have ignorantly or malignantly reproached him, will gaze there upon his radiant crown with wonder, while their own will be set with com paratively a few stars of rejoicing." Mr. Finney commenced his labors in the ministry in 1824, at the age of thirty-two. His preaching, from the first, seems to have had a startling effect upon his auditors, and powerful revivals followed his labors wherever he went. He determined not to enter the pastoral office > but to continue his labors as an evange list, which he did, with wonderful success, until 1835, when he accepted a Professorship in Oberlin College, Ohio. He, however, continued to preach in the City of New York during certain por tions of each year, for some time after his removal to Ohio. 343 In 1848, Prof. Finney visited England, where he was received with high consideration by the Christian public. In that country he continued for about three years, returning to New York just in time to participate in the "Anniversary Exercises," in May, 1851. Of his labors abroad, something may bo inferred from the following significant paragraph from the London Morning Chronicle : " Dr. Finney, the celebrated American revivalist, leaves England for his native country by the next Steamer. Though he came here for purposes of health and relaxation, he has not been idle. His fer vid eloquence has created a powerful and we hope a permanent effect wherever he preached. Perhaps no man since the days of George Whitfield, has succeeded in producing a more wonderful sensation." The following are some of Prof. Finney's published works, viz : "Sermons on Important Subjects," 277 pp. 8vo; three editions of which had been published in this country, in 1836, and several editions abroad ; " Lectures on Revivals," pp. 437, 12mo ; six edi tions of which had been published in 1835 ; " On Sanctification," pp. 150, 16mo, 1840 ; " Systematic Theology," 2 vol. pp. 600 and 583, 8vo, 1847 ; " Guide to the Saviour," 204 pp. 16mo ; and several other smaller works. An edition of " Systematic The ology" was published in London in 1851, in one volume of 1016 pages, with a preface by the Rev. Dr. Redford, of Worcester, who says that " when a student he would gladly have bartered half the books in his library to have gained a single perusal of this volume." 344 GEORGE B. HOLT. This gentleman was bom in Norfolk, in the year 1790, and is now in the 60th year of his age. With fine talents, more of a practical than of a showy kind, he has been enabled to leave his mark, broad and deep, on the early Legislation of Ohio, and the future historian, in giving to the public that desideratum, a history of that State, (for it has yet to be written,) must give the name of Mr. Holt a place among the patriotic and the far-seeing statesmen of the commonwealth, who, a quarter of a century ago, planted the seed which has made Ohio the third, if not the second in rank among the states of the Union. The parents of Mr. Holt, early designed him for the legal pro fession, and his inclinations being nothing averse to the course marked out, he entered the Law School of Judges Reeve & Gould, in Litchfield, and in 1812, underwent an examination, and being found qualified, was licensed to practice law. Ohio, at that time, was in the " far west," and the hardy emi grants who had sought its wilds, after the close of the war, were loud in their praises of its vast fertility, and of the magnificent wildness of its scenery. The ambition of young Holt was fired — he wished to see the country, — to become a part and parcel of it, and to share the privations of its settlers, and in 1819, we find him a citizen of the then small village of Dayton, and the following year, he raised his shingle as an Attorney at Law. The profession of law, at that time, was no sinecure. The cir cuits extended over many counties, in most of which roads were 345 but bridle paths, and houses of entertainment few and far between. Bridges, there were none in the country, and when the streams were swollen into angry floods by the spring freshets, the members of the bar had to brave the torrent, and trust to a frail canoe, after driving their horses across, or else to plunge in, and trust to their horses to carry them safe across, and then, wet, chilled and weary, to traverse the woods for miles before they could espy the blue smoke of the log cabin, by whose hospitable hearth they could dry their clothes. The history of the early bar of that state, would be among the most readable of books, for many were the mishaps and adventures of these disciples of Blackstone and Chitty, which still live in memory, and are cherished by the younger members of the profession, as the child cherishes the legends in which his father bore a part. During the Administration of Mr. Monroe, party politics meas urably died away, nevertheless there were times, places and occa sions in which the spirit of party was temporarily aroused. Such was the fact in Dayton, in the year 1822, when Mr. Holt estab lished, and for three years conducted the " Miami Repubhcan," a newspaper, devoted to news, agriculture, and the dissemination of Democratic doctrines. In the fall of 1824, Mr. Holt was a candidate for, and elected to, the Legislature of the State, and deeply participated in the passage of the laws which made that session the most important ever held in Ohio. The lands of the State were then divided into first, second and third classes, and taxed accordingly — the improved farms as high as the wild lands of the same class. The injustice of the system and the gross inequality of the classification, by which the sterile hills of eastern Ohio, in many cases, were taxed as high as the rich alluvian of the Miami and Sciota valleys, called loudly for amendment, jet it was not until the session of 1824-25 that the evil was abated by the adoption of the ad valorem system, which from that time, became the settled policy of the State. New York, under the auspices of De Witt Clinton, had commenced 44 346 her canal policy, by which the waters of the Hudson were united with those of Lake Erie, so as to have a direct water communica tion between the inland seas of the Northwest and those of the Atlantic. The necessity of similar communications between the Lakes and the Ohio river, sweeping through Ohio, had excited public attention, and with it, an oppositton of a bitter kind. Judge Holt stood forward as a prominent advocate of the work, and employed the columns of his paper to favor the measure, and this fact brought him forward more prominently as the man for the crisis. He was elected to the Legislature, and during the session which followed, the first canal law was passed, and under which the Ohio and the Miami canals were commenced, and the policy of the State in favor of internal improvements, from that moment was considered settled. Ohio, at that time, had no school system. Parents in the thinly settled portions of the State, were forced to rely on chance for teachers, who were themselves better fitted to be taught than to be the instructors of embryo men, and who mainly relied upon the birch and ferule, to beat learning into the head of their pupils. Money at the time was scarce — but little produce was exported, and many men who had a farm they could call their own, were yet in circumstances too straitened to allow them to give their children that schooling so much needed, to make them useful citizens of community. To remedy this evil — to give all, the rich, the poor, the high and the low, the same benefits of a common school edu cation, was a matter which excited much attention. Fortunately for the State, the Legislature of 1824-25 was composed of men of more enlarged philanthropy than any which preceded it. Mr. Holt was appointed a member of the committee to whom the sub ject was referred, and that committee reported a bill which passed into a law, and which established the common school system of Ohio. To us, at this day, it seems a matter of astonishment, that such a system should meet with opposition ; yet such was the fact. It 347 was deemed as a daring infringement on the rights of property — as a tyrannical and unjust law, which drew money from the pockets of the wealthy, to educate the children of other men. The poor were appealed to, and were told by those who opposed the law, that their children were to be educated at pauper schools, and their pride was thus aroused to resistance ; and, at the next elec tion, the clamor became so great that many of the friends of the school system were sent into retirement. The colleague of Mr. Holt went down in the contest, and the Judge was reelected, chiefly from the fact that his services in securing the passage of the law for the construction of the Miami canal, in which his con stituents felt a deep interest, gained him a popularity which ill- founded clamor could not shake. He was reelected to the Legis lature at the next session. In 1827, during the palmy days of the militia system, Mr. Holt was elected Brigadier General, and for some years commanded one of the finest Brigades in the State. At the annual election in 1828, Mr. Holt was elected to the State Senate, and served during the sessions of 1828 -'29 and 1829 -'30. He was Chairman of the Committee on Internal Improvements, then one of the most important in the body. During the last session of which Mr. Holt was a member of the Legislature, he was elected President Judge of the Circuit Court, in which he had practiced law, and served during the constitu tional term of seven years. At the commencement of his term of service on the Bench, the circuit was composed of the counties of Montgomery, Clark, Champaign, Logan, Miami, Darke, Shelby and Mercer. The counties of Allen and Putnam were subsequently attached to the first circuit, over which Judge Holt presided, in lieu of Clark, Champaign and Logan, which were transferred to the seventh circuit. At the end of his service as President Judge, Judge Holt par tially resumed the practice of law, and, during which time, under appointment of the Court, he served one year as Prosecuting 348 Attorney of Montgomery county, one year in the same office in Mercer, and two terms in the same station in the county of Van Wert. At the session of the Legislature of 1842 -'43, Judge Holt was again called to the Bench, by a reelection to the office of President Judge of the same circuit, and served out his constitutional term. During the interval between his first and second term as pre siding Judge of the Common Pleas Court of his circuit, Judge Holt divided his time between his practice and agriculture and stock growing, of which latter he was always passionately fond, and spent large sums in improving the breed of cattle — he having introduced into the counties of Miami, Mercer and Montgomery, the first thorough bred short-horned Durham cattle — part of which time he filled the honorable station of President of the Agricultural Society of Montgomery county. At the breaking out of the Cholera in Dayton, during the summer of 1849, it became an object of much concern, to have an able and energetic Board of Health, that the fell ravages of the disease might be stayed. Judge Holt, having been among the earliest and constant volunteers to visit and minister to the relief of the sufferers, was made President of the Board, in which capacity his services were constant, efficient, and highly valued by the citizens. During the spring of 1850, in casting around for a man, at once available for his personal worth and popularity, and with an enlarged mind, to be the candidate of the Democratic party, in a county where the tide of popular favor runs in a contrary direc tion, Judge Holt was found to possess all the requisites, and he received the nomination and was elected to the important station of Delegate to revise, amend or change the Constitution of the State. On his arrival in Columbus, to attend to the responsible duties of his station, he met Jacob Blickensderfer, of Tuscarawas, who had participated as a member from the county he represents, in the House of Representatives, during the important session of 1824-25. From the adjournment of that Legislature, Judge 349 Holt and Mr. Blickensderfer had never met, until they came together as Delegates to form a new Constitution for the State, for which they they had aided, a quarter of a century since, in giving a canal policy and a school system, which have stood the test of time, and have aided much in bringing Ohio to its present proud position. As President Judge of the first Judicial circuit, Judge Holt gained an enviable reputution. He ranked, before his election to the Bench, as a sound lawyer, and to that he soon added the highest reputation of an able and impartial Judge. During a service of fourteen years in the service of the State, as presiding Judge of a circuit distinguished for the legal talent of its bar, it is a high compliment to say, that he gave entire satisfaction, and that, popular as he ever has been as a man, his popularity as a Judge exceeded it. For thirty-five years past, Judge Holt has been a member of the Presbyterian Church, and although far from being a bigot in his religion, has ever been recognized as a sincere Christian. While on the Bench, he saw, in its worst form, the evils of intem perance, and he was among the early, as he has ever been the steady friend of the temperance cause. The mind of Judge Holt, as we before intimated, is less showy than solid. The distinguishing traits are a subjection of all ques tions to a philosophic test, industry in investigation, and a perseve ring pursuit of and rigid adherence to the just and true. In his domestic attachments, ardent and constant; ready and reliable in his friendships ; and an active philanthropist. In politics he is a Democrat, with a strong tendency to radicalism. In the Conven tion he was at the head of the committee on Jurisprudence, and, though a silent member, yet, if we mistake not, his impress for influence and utility, in the result of its deliberations, will be found deep and enduring. 350 EBENEZER PORTER MASON Was born in Washington, December 7th, 1819. His father, the Rev. Stephen Mason, a native of Litchfield, was pastor of the Congregational Church in Washington, at the time of the birth of the subject of this notice. Young Mason, though he died in his 21st year, attained so distinguished a rank as a scholar, as to excite the wonder and admiration of the great men with whom circum stances brought him in contact. At the same time, his amiable deportment and strict regard for Christian principle, won for him the affection of all. Ebenezer pursued his preparatory studies at the celebrated school at Ellington, and entered Yale College in the autumn of 1835. Professor Olmsted says — "I well remember his appear ance at that time, and the impression he made on me. He was now in his seventeenth year, hut his figure, complexion and whole air, were those of a child of fourteen — being slender in person, complexion hale, voice soft, and his whole appearance very juve nile. I was immediately struck with the superiority of his math ematical powers and attainments, from the full and luminous expla nations he gave of the principles of arithmetical rules, and from the ready and correct solutions he furnished of problems. I was uncommonly impressed with his adroitness in extracting roots, and in explaining the reason for each step of the process. Even in extracting the cube root, he required no figuring ; but, soon after a case was proposed, he gave the answer by a process purely men tal. I remember mentioning to a gentleman associated with me 351 in the examination, that that boy was or would make a first rate mathematician. The first notice I had of his taste for astronomy, was one evening, when a small party of students of the senior class went, under my direction, to look for Halley's Comet, with a small telescope. It had already been seen in the large col lege telescope, (which had afforded to Professor Loomis and myself the first view that was obtained of that remarkable body, on this side of the Atlantic ;) but the object was now to find it by the aid of a small refractor. Mason obtained permission to be present, and excited much notice by his familiarity with the stars." He soon became distinguished for the solution of problems, and obtained therefor the first premium of the Freshmen class. Not content with this, he even went in advance ; and, simply for his amusement, solved all the problems of the Sophomore class. Some of these problems were of the most difficult class, but they were solved with great elegance and apparent ease, and many of them by several different methods. In the above paragraph, Professor Olmsted alludes to the "taste for astronomy" which Mason early manifested. The Professor, speaking of him during his Freshmen year, remarks: "Instead of the transient and superficial views which most persons are satisfied to take, when they first have access to a large telescope, we see him exploring at once all the phenomena of Jupiter — his belts — his moons, with their eclipses and the shadows they cast on their primaries. With great delicacy, he marks the exact position of each body observed ; and, if it has motions, delineates the precise path it lias among the stars. The more hidden objects of astronomy are immediately sought for, as the Asteroids, Double Stars and Nebulas ; and we find only a day or two intervening before his resolution served him to rise in a cold morning, before day, to enjoy the luxurious view of the sys tem of Saturn. This was the beginning of a course of night- watchings which speedily terminated his earthly career." His enthusiasm in this department of science continually increased, and he resolved, during his Sophomore year, to devote his life to 352 his favorite pursuit. By means of a telescope, and other instru ments of his own construction, he commenced calculating eclipses. During his Senior collegiate year, in connection with a fellow- student, he made the largest telescope then ever constructed on this side of the Atlantic. Mason graduated in August, 1839. After remaining in New Haven for a few months as a resident graduate, pursuing his favorite studies, and writing and stereotyping a "Practical Treatise on Astronomy," he was invited to a Tutorship in Western Reserve College, Ohio. In consequence of the continued decline of his health, his friends dissuaded him from accepting the appointment. In the summer of 1840, he was selected as one of the Assistants to the Commissioners for exploring and fixing the disputed bound ary between Maine and Canada. Thinking that the more active duties connected with such an expedition might be a means of restoring his health, he joined the Commissioners, at Portland, about the 1st of September. For several weeks, he was busily engaged in making surveys and taking observations — traveling on foot, or being rowed up the wild rivers of that inhospitable region — encamping out nights — and, in short, enduring all the fatigues and privations and hardships of the more robust members of the expedition. About the 1st of November, he returned to New York, and soon after took up his residence in the family of Pro-: fessor Olmsted, where he completed his work on Astronomy, which was soon after published. His health continuing to decline, in December he started on a visit to some relatives in Richmond, Virginia, hoping that the balmy air of the South might prove beneficial to him. He died at the residence of his uncle, (Rev. J. H. Turner,) near Rich mond, on the 24th of that month, aged twenty-one years and seventeen days. In 1842, his Memoirs were published by Pro fessor Olmsted, in a volume of 252 pages, with the following title : "Life and Writings of Ebenezer Porter Mason; interspersed with Hints to Parents and Instructors, on the Training and Education of a Child of Genius." BRIEF NOTES Of some of the more prominent Natives and Residents of Litchfield County, not sketched in the preceding pages. AD \M3, Andrew, LL. D., a native of Stratford, and a graduate of Yale Col lege, settled in Litchfield in 1774, where he spent the remainder of his days He was a Representative, Assistant, member of the continental congress and chief justice of the State. Died November 29, 1799, aged 63. His mother died in Litchfield in 1803 aged 105 years. ALLEN, John, a native of Great Banington, Mass., settled in Litchfield as a lawyer in 1785, and died therein 1812. He was a Representative, member of Congress, &c. : he was not only a man of great intellect, but of giant stature —measuring full six and a half feet in height and weighing about 300 lbs. He rece.ved the honorary degree of A. M. at Vale in I7"91. His son, John W. AU len of Cleveland, O'hio, was lately in Congress. ALLEN, Pelatiah, a native of Windsor, was tho first settler of Barkharri- stead in 1746, and remained the only inhabitant for ten years— clearing and cultivating the land in summer and hunting in winter, When apprehensive 6f.dani,who died at thfe age of 101 years,) is a native of Cornwall and » 355 graduate of Williams college ,• stifled in Pompey, Onondaga county, New York, and became a representative, member of the Constitutional convention, and in 1815 and 1841 was elected to congress BISSELL, Alden, a native of Litchfield, settled in Meigs counly, Ohio, and became Judge of Ihe court Ql common pleas. BOARDMAN, David S. a native and resident of JVew Milford, has been a • representative, senator, and chief judge of the court Bf common pleas." His brother, Homer Boardman, who died in. 1851, had been representative, senator and presidential elector. BOOTH, Reuben, a native of Kent, settled in Danbury as a lawyer rose to the rank of Lieutenant Governor of the State, and died in 1848. BOSTWICK— long an honorable and conspicuous name in JVew Milford.— Coianels Elisha and Bushnell were officers of the Revolution, and afterwards well known in civil life ; Rev. Gideon was the first Episcopal minisler in Great Barrington, Mass. Several others have been honored at home and abroad, BRADLEY, William A, late Mayor of Washington City, D C , and now Postmaster, was born in Litchfield in 1794. BRINSMADE, Daniel N. (son of the Rev. Daniel Brinsmade, the first minis ter of Washington,) graduated at Yale in 1772; lived and died in his native lown. He was longer in public lire than any other person who ever lived there. Died in 1826, aged 75. General Da..iel B. Brinsmade is his son. BU3L, John, from Lebanon, was a first settler and original proprietor of Litchfield in 1720— and there became a deacon, captain, representative and magistrate; hedied-in 1740 aged 74. His wife, Mary Loomis, died in 1768 aged 93— having hid 410 descendants, 336 of whom survived her. BUEL, David Jr, of Troy, N. Y. is a native of Litchfield; he has been First Judge of the Renselaer county court, member of the Constitutional convention of 1821, and is now a Regent of the University. BUSHNELL, Horace, D.D., (he celebrated Harlford Divine, was born in LUehfieid in 1802 ; graduated at Yale college in 1827 : and for the lasl tweniy years has been pastor of the Nerth congregational church in Hartford. He is selected to preach .the sermon at the Centennial, Celebration of Litch field County, August 13th and 14th, 1351 ; he has probably delivered more orations and discourses on anniversary occasions, than any other New England clergyman. The author hoped Ic have obtained an extended sketch of his life. BUTLER. David, D. D., born in Hatwinton in 176S— was rector of St. Mi-, chaei's church in Litchfield from 1794 to 1799— was afterwards rector of a church in Troy until his death, which occurred July 11, 1842, at the age of 80. Rev, Clement M. Butler, D D. now chaplain of the U. S. Senate, is his son, BURNHAM, Oliver, born, lived and died in Cornwall. In youth he was a revolutionary soldier — in early manhood a practical Surveyor — and subsequent ly for many years a Representative* Magistrate, and Judge of the County Court, He died in 1845. BURRALL — of Canaan — one of the mostdistinguished names in the counly. CATL1N — of Haruiinlon and Litchfield. Several of this family have been or are distinguished : among them, Jacob D. D of New Marlborough. Mass. — Lynde, President of the Merchant's Bank in New York city— Pulnam, of Mon trose, Penn , (fathei of George Ihe painter and historian of the aboriginees,) a Judge of the common pleas — George S. member of Congress, &c. from Windham county — Abijah, late senator, judge, comptroller, and now commissioner of the school fund — Julius of Hartfi.rd. CHITTENDEN, Thomas, from Guilford, settled- in Salisbury in 1750, and was a resident of that town for 24 years, during which time he was elected colonel of militia, representative, &c. In 1774 he emigrated to Vermont, and in 177S was chosen Governor of that slate, to which office he was re-elected 356 tor IS years. He died in 1797; his memoirs by the Hon. Daniel Ch ipman were published in 1850. CHIPMAN, Lemuel, born in Salisbury in 1744— studied medicine and settled in Pawlet.Vt, represented Ihe town in Ihe legislature at 14 sessions, and was judge of the Rutland county court from 1789 to 1794. About Ihe year 1800, he removed to Ontario county, New York, and was there chosen a mem ber of the senate and judge of the county court. His brother, Darius, was a representative from Rutland, and state's atlorney for 14 years, CHILDS, H?man W. colopel, resided in Litchfield until 1830, when he re moved to New York : he twice represented the city in Ihe legislature, was collector of the city revenue, commissioner of streets and lamps, and manager of the American Institute, Died in 1851, aged 50. ,CHAPIN, Graham H, a native of Salisbury and a graduate of Yale, was elec ted to congress from Ihe.state of New York in 1S35— died in 1942. CHURCH, Samuel, LL. D., was born in Salisbury in 1785— graduated at Yale college in 1803, and settled in his native towri as a lawyer. He was represen tative at six sessions, senator three years, judge-of probate eleven years, an I member of Ihe Constitutional convention. In 1832 he wa» appointed a Judge ofthe $uperior,Court and Supreme Court of Errors, and in 1847 he was elec'ed Chief Justice. In 1845, he removed to Litchfield, his present residence. His son, Albert E. Church, is, Professor pf Mathematics at West Point. CHURCH, Le.nan, of Canaan, brother of the preceding, one of the most eminent and successful lawyers in the county, died in 1849. COLLIER, Thomas, a native of Boston, established the Litchfield Monitor in 1784 — the first newspaper ever published in the county — which hecontinued for 20 years. He died at Binghamton, N. Y., about ten years since. COLLIER, John A. son ofthe preceding, settled in Binghamton, where he still resides. He has been a member of the legislature, member of congress, comptroller of the state, presidential elector, &c. His brother, General James Collier of Steubenville, Ohio, was recently collector ofthe national customs for California. They are both natives of Litchfield. jPAVIES, Charles, LL. D„ born in Washington — has been Professor at West Point, in the New York Unfvewity, and in Trinity college. He is the authorof fifteen or twenty volumes, several. of which are mathematical woiks. DEMING, Miner R., son of Stephen Deming, Esq. of Litchfield, was born in Sharon in 1810 — removed to Cincinnati in 1836, and to St. Mary's, Illinois, in 1839- In 1842, he was elected brigadier general ; and was chief commander of the State troops during the Mormon War. He was elected high sheriff ol Han cock county,in 1S44.; died in 1845, DUTTON.Mathew R. born in Watertown in 1783 : was Professor of Natural Philosophy and Mathematics in Yale college from 1SV2 until his death in 1825. DUTTON, Henry, Professor of Law in Yale College, is a native of Plymouth. He has been a representative, senator, judge ofthe N. Haven county court, &c, EDWARDS, Jonathan, D. D. President of Union college, sludied diyinily with Dr. Joseph Bellamy, was licensed to preach by the South consociation of Litchfield county, and was pastor ol thechurch in Colebi ook from January 1796 to July 1799— and there wrote some of hi3 mo3t important works, Died 1801., EMERSON, Ralph, p. D., now Professor at Andover, was pastor of a church in JVorfplk for 12 y'rs. His son, Joseph, a now Professor in Beloit college, was born in that town. FRANKLIN, John, colonel, an officer of the revolution, and afterwards con« spicuous in Wyoming. Pennsylvania, was a native of Canaan; he was fre quently a representaiivs and judge in Pennsylvania, and in 1787 he was arrest' ed and imprisoned in Philadelphia on a charge of treason. He was liberated on bail, which, by connivance of the authorities, was never required to be paid. ^^0f^ TJ . C TTn-mifiTi . Ma^Y. HS3LISMA Ml^EDEM*,!]).!)). PROPESSOU OF CHEMISTRY, MINERALOGY" AND OTCOJjOGY, IS THE l1^! VERS IT Y OF NORTH: C\_nOT,TNA. ^ V.u-A i'oi' Hie Plia.iiilln-ii|iri, Snraetf in tin 1 ll , i\n- rsity. 307 FOOTE, Samuel A. a native ol Watertoum, now a resident of Canandaigua. New Yolk, and a Judge of the Supreme Couitof that state. He formerly prac ticed law in Albany and in New York city. GALU8HA, Jonas, for 20 years a resident of Salisbury, emigrated to Vermont and was for nine years Governor of that State. Died 1834, aged 83. GOLD. Thomas Ruggles, a native of Cornwall and a graduate of Yale, set tled in Whitestovvn, New York, in 1809 was elected to congress, and was twice reelected. Died in 1826, GOULD, James, LL. D , a native of Branford and a graduate of Yale, settled in Litchfield, where he rt-sided until his death in 1838. For about 40 years he was associated wiih Judge Reeve in conducting thp Law School at that place. He was Judge of the supreme court, and author of a work on special pleading. HITCHCOCK, Samuel J., LL. D , a native of Bethlem, and a gradu»te and tutor of Yale college, in which institution he was instructor of law until his death in 1845; he was mayor ol the city of New Haven, judge of the county .court, and commissioner of bankruptcy under the national bankrupt law. HOLLEY— of Salisbury— one of the most talented families in the stale, HOLMES, Uriel, from Hartland, graduated at Yale in 178 1, studied law in Litchfield, settled in that town and remained there until his death ; he was a representative, judge, and member of congress. HINMAN. — This has fong been one of the most respectable and prominent names in that part of the county embraced in the present town of Southbury. Southbury was incorporated in 17S6, and was annexed to New Haven county in 1S06. Joel of the suprene court, and Royal R, late secretary of Slate, were .born in this county — as were also a long list of officials who have borne the .name during the Ust century. [See appendix] They are all descendanls of Edward Hinman, a sergeant in Ihe life guard of Charles II. who came to this colony and died at Stratford in 1681. HUNTINGTON, Jabez W, a native of Norwich and a graduate of Yale in .1806, vvas a resident of Litchfield for about 30 years — represented the town in the legislature and the county in congress ; and became a judge of the supreme court and senator in congress. Died in his native town in 1847. .HUDSON. David, a native of Goshen, emigrated to Ohio in 1800, and found ed the town of Hudson. JACKSON, William, D. D. a native of Cornwall and pastor of the congrfga- tional churches ol Dorset and East Rupert, Vermont, for 46 years, died in 1845 aged 74. His epitaph says he was the 'founder ofthe first Education Society in the U. P, and was the first member of the corporation of Middlebury college.' JANES, Edmund, D. D. one ofthe present Methodist Episcopal Bishops of the United Stales, is a native of Salisbury. JEWETT, Freeborn G. born in Sharon— settled in Onondaga county, New York, and has been surrogate, representative, mtmher of congress, and is now Judge of the Court of Appeals. JOHNSTON, Josiah S. a native of Salisbury, removed in 1789 with his pa rents to Kentucky. He emigrated from thence to Louisiana, wherein 1821 he was elected to congress— and in 1825 he was chosen United States Senator, On his return homeward from Washington city in the spring of 1833, he was in stantly killed bv the buistingof a steamboat boiler on the Ohio river, May 19. His father. Dr. "John Johnston, died at Washington, Ky. October 25 1833. JUDSON, Adoniram, born in Woodbury in 1751— graduated at Yale, and was pastor of the congregational churches in Maiden, Wenham and Plymouth, Mas3. until 1817, when he became a Baptist, resigned his charge, and died soon after. He was the father of the late Rev. Dr. Judson, of ihe Burman Mission, LAWRENCE. James R. General, a native of JVorfolk, but a'resident of Syr acuse, New York, was a member of the legislature in 1825 '38 '39 '40— Judge 358 ofthe county couit in 1847. and is now United States Attorney for the Northern. District of New York. His hrothef, Grove, also of Syracuse, was First Judge of the county couit for several years from 1838. LYON, Mathew, colonel, a native of Ireland, came to this country in 1758 and was lor several yearf a resident of this county. He emigrated to Vermont and was there elected to congress in 1797 and again in 179^; he soon aller le- mnvi-d to Kentucky, and was sent lo congress from that Slate Irom 1803 to 1811. His son, Chittenden Lyon, was in congress Irom Ken lucky lur ei^ht years. Bolh of colonel Ly i's wives were natives ot this county, the first being a niece of Ethan Allen, the second a daughter of Governor Chittenden. LYMAN— long an honored and honorable name in Goshen. The head of Ihe family was Deacon Moses Lyman fiom Northampton who died in 1768,— his son, Colonel Moses Lyman, a braveofficer of (he revolution, died in 1829, aged 87. LYMAN, Samuel, son of deacon Moses, born in Goshen .Jan- %f>, 1749, and graduated at Yale in 1770; settled in Springfield, Mass.— became a Judge of Ihe supreme court, and in 1795 was elected to congress, and served in that body five years. Died in 1802 LYMAN, Darius, son of colonel Moses, born in Goshen July 19, 1789, and graduated at Williams college in 1810-^settled at Ravenna, Ohio, where he still resides. He has been much in public life, and in 1832 was a candidate for Gov ernor of Ohio — receiving 63,185 votes, to 71,251- for Governor Lucas. Mr. Ly man is now a member of the Ohio Senate. MARVIN, Reynold, a native of Lyme and a graduate of Yale in 1748, was the first lawyer in Litchfield at.d King's Attorney for the counly. Died in 1802. MON3QN, Levinus, born in Canaan, graduated at Yale, and settled at Ho- bart, New York, his present residence — he wa3 formerly a judge of the county court, and is now a judge of the supreme court. MITCHELL, Elisha, D. D., a native of Washington and a graduate of Yale in 1813, is now Prolessor of Natural Philosophy in the University of Norlh Car olina —[See plate. MERWIN, Orange, a native and resident of JViw Milford, was a member qf congress four years commencing in 1825. McNIEL, David, colonel, a native of Litchfield, settled in Phelps, New York, and became a Judge of Ihe court ol common pleas, OWEN, John, a native of Salisbury; died in Chatauque county, New York, in 1S43, aged 107, OSBORN, Selleck, from Danbary, was editor of the Litchfield Witness in 1804 '5 — and distinguished as a poet- During the war of 1812 he published a newspaper in Wilmington. Delaware. Died in Philadelphia in 1826. PECK, John M., a native of Litchfield, a celebrated Baptist minister at Rock Spring, Illinois. He is so popular with the people, that the whigs of that state a few years since (about 1845,) nominated him for Governor. PECK, William V., of Portsmouth, Ohio, and Judge of the circuit court of ti.at state, is a son of Litchfield parents, and wa; brought up from infancy to manhood in lhat town. PKET, Harvey P., LL.D., a native of Bethlem, is now President ofthe Neve York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. PETTIBONE, Rufus, a native of Norfolk, and a graduate of Williams col lege, settled in St. Louis and became judge ol the supreme court of Missouri.. PORTER, Augustus, a native of Salisbury, was an early pioneer of Western New York, where he became an extensive landholder, and a Judge. He died at Niagara Falls in 1S50. Peter B. Porter, Jr, lalo speaker of the New York. House, and Augustus A. Porter, late senator in congress from Michigan, are his sons. 359 . PIERCE, John, ci lonel, a native of Litchfield) became Paymaster-General of (he Army, and Commissioner (or settling War Accounts-^died in New York in 1788, He was broiher of Miss Sarah Pierce, the founder ofthe Litchfield Fe male Academy, who is still living. PIERPONT, Robert, born in Litchfield in 1792— settled in Vermont, became lieutenant governor and is now a Judge of the supreme court. REEVE, Tapping. LL. D., born at Brookhaven, L. I , and graduated at New Jersey college in 1763; settled at LUchfield and became chief justice of ihe State. He established the Litchfield Law School, Ihe most celebrated in the Union, with which he was connected until his death in 1823. His first wife was a si9ter of the celebrated Aaron Brarr, who sp.-nt several of his early years in the Judge's family, and was hire when, on hearing of the battle of Lexington, he slatted for the scene of conflict and entered the army. ROGERS, Edward, of Madison, New York, and a graduate of Williams col lege in 1S09, is a native of Cornwall; he was elected to congress in 1839. RIGGS, Dr. Lewis, a native of Norfolk, was elected to congress in 1841 from Western New York. ROBBINS, Thomas, D. D. son of Rev. Ammi R. the first minister in JVoifolk, was born in that town in 1777, and graduated at Yale in 1796 Having dis charged the duties of a pastor for about filty years, in 1845 he accepted Ihe appointment of Libiarian of the Connecticut Historical Society— a post which he still holds. He has Ihe largest antiquarian library in the country ; and has published two or three volumes, and fifteen sermons and addresses in pamphlet form. The degree ol doctor ol divinity was conferred on him at Harvard. ROCKWELL— a distinguished name in Colebrook ; the Hon. Julius, SpeaK* er of Ihe Massachusetts House, and member of congress, was born in that town. SANFORD, Edward I. now American Secretary of Legation to France, is a native of Wcodbury. ST. JOHN, Daniel B late member of congress from (he state of New York and now superintendt-nd of the banking system, is a native of Sharon. SEDGWICK— one of the most eminent names in the county. All who bear it among us, ar* descendants of Richrrd, a Major General in Cromwell's army. A branch of the family removed from West Hartford to Cornwall in H49. — Theodore, LL. D, (speaker of Ihe National House and President of the Senate,) then a child of three years, was brought up in that town- A goodly number of the name have been sr are piominent men, SHELDON, Daniel Jr, was burn in Washington — died at Marseilles, France, in 1823, while secretary of legation to that country, SKINNER. Roger, born in Litchfield in 1773— settled at Sandy Hill, New York, and became a Senator and United States District Judge. SMITH, Perry, of JVew Milford, has been a representative, judge of probate and Senator in Congress. SMITH, Truman, a native of Roxbury and resident of Litchfield, has been a representative, member of cosgress,and is now United States Senator. STRONG, Theron R. a native of Salisbury, settled in Palmyra, New York, and was eleetea to congress in 1S39. [Moses Strong, anativeof the same town, settled in Rutland, Vermont, became chief judge of fhat county, and died in 1842, aged 70. Adonijah and Martin were also prominent men.} STERLING— Ansel of Sharon and Elisha of Salisbury— both Eminent men in public and private life, are natives of Lyme, 360 TALLMADGE, Benjamin, colonel, & distinguished officer ofthe conti nental army, was born at Brookhaven, L. I„ in 1754, and graduatea at Yale in 1773. He entered the army in 1776, and was in several impor tant battles. In I7S4, he settled, in Litchfield, and resided there until his death in 1835. He was a member of congress from 1800 to 1815. TALLMADGE, Henry F. was born at Litchfield in 1787 ; he is now U. S. Marshal for the Southern District of New York. Benjamin, Jr., his hrother, a Lieutenant in the Navy, died on board the United States frigate Brandywine, off Gibialiar, June 20, 1831, aged 36. TANNER, William, a native of Rhode Island, but long a resident of Cornwall, died in that town a few years since at the age of 104 years. — After 100 years old, he became a professed convert to Christianity and joined ihe Methodist church. TRACY, Uriah, General, a natiye of Norwich and a graduate of Yale, settled in Litchfield, and there spent his entire professional and official life. He was a member of congress three, and United States Senator eleven years; and died in the latler office, in Washington city, in 1807, TICKNOR, I/uther, M. D., of Salisbury, President ofthe State Medi cal Society, &c, died in 1846. Caleb, his brother, a native of that town, and distinguished as a physician and author, died in New York city in 1840, aged 36. Another broiher, Benajah, is a surgeon in the Navy. WATSON, James, b. in Washington, fitted for college with" Rev. A. K. Robbins of Norfolk, and graduated at Yale in 1776. He was an officer of the Revolution, at the close of which he settled in New York city, and there became a wealthy merchant. He was appointed Naval Officer, and a Director ofthe Bank of the United States — and in 1798 he was elected a Senator in congress. Died in 1806. His parents are both buried in a retired little graveyard about half a mile soulh-west of Bantam Lake inr Litchfield, under a red-slone tablet erected by their distinguished son. WOODWARD, Samuel B., M. D., a native of Torringt&n, settled as af physician at Wethersfield and in 1832 was elected to the State Senate.-1- He was subsequently Superintendent of the Insane Retreat at Hartford, and of ihe Massachusetts Lunatic Asylum. Died in 1849, | Several of his brothers have been or are prominent physicians.} WOODRUFF, Morris, a native and resident of Litchfield, died in that town in 1841. He had been Major General, representative, Judge ofthe county court, presidential elector, &c. His son. Lewis B., is now Judge' ofthe court of common pleas for the city and county of New York. WOODRUFF, Clark, brother ofthe preceding, has been Jud&« ofthe supreme court of Louisiana. 361 APPENDIX LITCHFIELD COUNTY, North of the ancient towns of Waterbury, Woodbury and New Milford long remained a wilderness after most of the other parts of the State were settled. To secure the fee of the soil to the colonists, when at and subsequently to the administration of Sir Edmund Andros, efforts were made to wrest from us our charter privileges, the General Assembly granted Patents to several towns ; and as most of Litchfield County was not then embraced in any townships, the land was granted to the inhabitants of Hart ford and Windsor, as far west as the Housatonic river. All other parts of the State, not included in any townships, when the dan ger was over, quietly and without question reverted to the Colony ; but Hartford and Windsor on pretence that it was a bona fide grant, laid claim to the whole. While the controversy was pend ing, Litchfield was incorporated ; and the government gave indica tions of a determination to do right and improve these lands, then called Western Lands, for the benefit of the whole Colony. But the leading men of Hartford and Windsor were determined to give the government no peace till their rights Ave re acknowledged. Finally, wearied out with their importunity, the General Assembly, after reserving to Litchfield their chartered rights, ceded the East 46 S62 portion of the territory to Hartford and Windsor, and those towns relinquished all claim to the Western portion. The dividing line has Goshen and Norfolk on the West, and Torrington, Winchester and Colebrook on the East. Hartford took for their portion the townships of New Hartford, Winchester and Hartland ; and Wind sor took Barkhams'ted, Torrington and Colebrook. Harwinton was divided one half to each town, and named from the two towns, Har-Win-ton. The portion secured to the government was laid out into townships and rights, which were sold at auction at the several county seats. Norfolk was sold at Hartford, Goshen " " New Haven, Canaan " " New London, Cornwall " " Fairfield, Kent " " Windham. And the avails appropriated originally for schools, though after wards some part was allowed to be used for ecclesiastical pur poses. The several toAvns of the County Avere incorporated as follows : though most of them did not send members to the General Assem bly till several years subsequently. Woodbury, incorporated 1683. The towns taken from Wood bury Ave re Bethlem, incorporated May, 1787 ; Southbury, incorporated, May, 1787, and annexed to New Haven County in . Roxbury, incorporated October, 1796 ; and part of Washington, incorporated Jan. 1779. The other parts of Washington were taken from New Milford, Litchfield and Kent. New Milford was incorporated Oct. 1712. Litchfield " " May, 1719. Harwinton " " Oct. 1737. New Hartford" " Oct. 1738. Sharon, Salisbury,(?) Canaan, Goshen and Kent, Oct. 1739. From Kent was taken 863 Warren, incorporated May, 1786. Cornavall was incorporated May, 1740. Torrington " " Oct. 1740. Norfolk " " May, 1758. Hartland, May, 1761. Annexed to Hartford County. Winchester, May, 1771. Barkhamsted and Colebrook, Oct. 1779. Watertown was taken from Waterbury and incorporated May, 1780, and annexed to Litchfield County. And included Plymouth, incorporated a separate town, May, 1795. Woodbury was originally embraced in Fairfield County. New Milford, Sharon and Salisbury in New Haven County. All the other towns in Hartford County. The Act of Oct. 1751, constituting the County was " Be it enacted, &c. That the townships of Litchfield, Wood bury, New Milford, Harwinton, NeAV Hartford, Barkhempstead, Hartland, Colebrook, Norfolk, Canaan, Salisbury, Kent, Sharon, Cornwall, Goshen, Torrington and Winchester, lying in the north westerly part of this Colony, shall be and remain one entire County, and be called the County of Litchfield ; the bounds of which County shall extend north to the Colony line and west to the Colony line, till it meets with the township of New Fairfield, and to include the towns above mentioned." [Col. Rec. vrri. 84. JUDGES OF THE COUNTY COURT. Acces. Exit. William Preston, Woodbury, 1751 1754 John Williams, Sharon, 1754 1773 'Oliver Wolcott, Litchfield, 1773 1786 Daniel Sherman, Woodbury, 1786 1791 Joshua Porter, Salisbury, 1791 1808 Aaron Austin, New Hartford, 1808 1816 364 Access. Exit. Augustus Pettibone, Norfolk, 1816 1831 David S. Boardman, New Milford , 1831 1836 William M. Burrall, Canaan, 1836 1838 Ansel Sterling, Sharon, 1838 1839 Calvin Butler, Plymouth, 1839 1840 Ansel Sterling, Sharon, 1840 1842 William M. Burrall, Canaan, 1842 1844 Abijah Catlin, Harwinton, 1844 1846 Elisha S. Abernethy, Litchfield, 1846 1847 Holbrook CurtSs, Watertown, 1847 1849 Hiram Goodwin, Barkhamsted, 1849 1850 Charles B. Phelps, Woodbury, 1850 1851 Hiram Goodwin, Barkhamsted, 1851 JUSTICES OF THE QUORUM. Access. Exit. John Miner, Woodbury, 1704 1716* John Sherman, Woodbury, 1708 1714* a u u 1723 1728* Joseph Miner, " 1725 1739* William Preston, " 1740 1751* Thomas Chipman, Salisbury, 1751 1753 John Williams, Sharon, 1751 1754 Samuel Canfield, NeAV Milford, 1751 1754 Ebenezer Marsh, Litchfield, 1751 1772 Joseph Bird, Salisbury, 1753 1754 Noah Hinman, Woodbury, 1754 1759 Elisha Shelden, Litchfield, 1754 1761 Increase Moseley, Woodbury, 1755 1780 Roger Sherman, New Milford, 1759 1762 Daniel Sherman, Woodbury, 1761 1786 * In Fairfield County. 365 Access. Exit. Bushnell Bostwick, New Milford, 1762 1776 Joshua Porter, Salisbury, 1772 1791 Samuel Canfield, NeAV Milford, 1777 1790 Jedediah Strong, Litchfield, 1780 1791 Heman Swift, Cornwall, 1786 1802 Aaron Austin, New Hartford, 1790 1808 Nathan Hale, Canaan, 1791 1809 David Smith, Plymouth, 1791 1814 Daniel N. Brinsmade, Washington, 1802 1818 Judson Canfield, Sharon, 1808 1815 Birdsey Norton, Goshen, 1809 1812 Augustus Pettibone, Norfolk, 1812 1816 Uriel Holmes, Litchfield, 1814 1817 Moses Lyman, jr., Goshen, 1815 1817 Oliver Burnham, Cornwall, 1816 1818 Cyrus Swan, Sharon, 1817 1819 Martin Strong, Salisbury, 1817 1820 John Welch, Litchfield, 1819 1820 ASSOCIATE JUDGES. Martin Strong, Salisbury, 1820 1829 John Welch, Litchfield, 1820 1829 William M. Burrall, Canaan, 1829 1836 Morris Woodruff, Litchfield, 1829 1838 Hus-h P. Welch. 1836 1838 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. Morris Woodruff, Litchfield, appointed 1839 Joseph H. Bellamy, Bethlem, " 1839, '41 John Boyd, Winchester " 1840, '9, '50 William Beebe, Litchfield, " 1840 366 Lester Loomis, Barkhamsted, Frederick Kellogg, Cornwall, Russell C. Abernethy, Torrington, Oliver W. Pickett, New Milford, Leman W. Cutler, Watertown, Joseph I. Gaylord, Goshen, Stephen Deming, Litchfield, William P. Russell, Salisbury, Hiram Goodwin, Barkhamsted, Dunning Babbitt, New Milford, Eli Mygatt, New Milford, Henry L. Randale, Roxbury, Daniel Parsons, Sharon, Peleg Shepard, Barkhamsted, William Cothren, Woodbury, appointed 1841, '4, '5 " 1841, '2, '3 " 1842, '3 " 1842, '3 " 1844, '5 1844, '5, '7, '8, '9 " 1846 " 1846, 51 " 1847, '8 " 1847, '8 " 1849 " 1850 " 1850 " 1851 " 1851 CLERKS OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS AND THE COUNTY COURT, AND OF THE SUPERIOR COURT AFTER ITS ESTAB LISHMENT IN THE COUNTY IN 1798. Access. Exit. Access. Exit. Isaac Baldwin, 1751 1793 Origen S. Seymour, 1846 1847 Frederick Wolcott, 1793 1836 Gideon H. Hollister, 1847 1850 Origen S. Seymour, 1836 1844 Elisha Johnson, 1850 Gideon H. Hollister, 1844 1845 SHERIFFS. Access. Exit. Oliver Wolcott, 1751 1772 Lynde Lord, 1772 1801 John R. Landon, 1801 1819 Moses Seymour, jr. 1819 1825 Ozias Seymour, Albert Sedgwick, Charles A. Judson, Albert Sedgwick, Access. Exit. 1825 1834 1834 1835 1835 1838 1838 367 JUDGES OF PROBATE. TEAKS OK APPOINTMENT ARE SPECIFIED. Barkhamsted District, from NeAv Hartford District in 1834. Lancelot Phelps, 1834 Hiram Goodwin, 1847 Amos Beecher, 1836, '7, '46, '5 Lester Loomis, 1848, '9 Jesse Ives, 1838 to '45 James Eggleston, 1851 Canaan District, from Sharon District, in 1846. William M. Burrall, 1846 Miles T. Granger, 1849 to '51 William G. Pierce, 1847, '8 Cornwall District, from Litchfield District in 1847. Philo Kellogg, 1847, '8 Frederick Kellogg, 1850, '1 Burritt B. North, 1849 Harwinton District, from Litchfield District in 1835. Benajah Hayden, '35 to '7, 42, 3 Lewis Smith, '44, '5, '7 to 9, '51 Abijah Catlin, 1838 to 1841 Martin Cook, 2d, 1846, '50 Kent District, from New Milford District in 1831. N. P. Perry, 1831 to '4, '8 to '41 R. Fuller, jr. 1842, '3, '9 to '51 Frederick Chittenden, 1835, '6 J. C. Hatch, 1844, '5, '7, '8 Wells Beardslee, 1837 John H. St. John, 1846 Litchfield District includes Goshen and Warren ; from Hart ford and Woodbury, Oct. 1742. Ebenezer Marsh, 1742 to '71 Phineas Miner, 1838,'9 Oliver Wolcott, 1772 to '95 Ralph G. Camp, 1840, '1, '4, '5 Andrew Adam, pro tern, 1776 Charles Adams, 1847 to '9. Frederick Wolcott, 1796 to 1836 Oliver A. G. Todd, 1850 E. S. Abernethy, '37, 42, '3, '46 Henry B. Graves, 1851 368 Neav Hartford District, from Simsbury District in 1825 ; originally in Farmington District. Isaac Kellogg, 1825 to '32, '34 Roger H. Mills, 1838 to '41, Lancelot Phelps, 1833 '44, '5, '7 to '51 Tertius Wadsworth, 1835 to '37 Wait Garrett, 1842, '3, '6 New Milford District, from Woodbury and Sharon Districts in 1787. Samuel Canfield, 1787 to '89 Perry Smith, 1833, '5 Daniel Everet, 1790 to 1804 George Taylor, 1836, 7, '42, '3 David S. Boardman, 1805 to '20 Thomas B. Lacey, 1846 Jehiel Williams, 1821 to '31 David C. Sanford, 1847, '8, '51 Nathaniel Perry, 1832, '4, '8 to Julius B. Harrison, 1849, '50 41, '4, '5 Norfolk District, from Simsbury and Litchfield Districts, 1779. Giles Pettibone, 1779 to 1806 Daniel Hotchkiss, 1846 Augustus Pettibone, 1807 to '21 Darius Phelps, 1847, '9 Mich'l F. Mills, 1822 to '41 '4 '5 William R. Peck, 1848, '51 Joseph Riggs, 1842 John Dewell, 1850 James C. Swift, 1843 Plymouth District, from Waterbury District in 1833. Calvin Butler, 1833 to '41 Henry B. Graves, 1845, '7 El'a Johnson, 1842, '3, '6, '9, '50 Barnabas W. Root, 1848 Calvin R. Butler, 1844 Ammi Giddings, 1851 Roxbury District, from Woodbury District in 1842. H. B. Eastman, 1842 to '4, '50 Henry L. Randall, 1846 Aaron W. Fenn, 1845, '7 to '9 Myron Downs, 1851 Salisbury District, from Sharon District in 1847. John G. Mitchell, 1847 to '51 369 Sharon District from Litchfield District, Oct. 1755. John Williams, 1755 to 1773 C. F. Sedgwick, 1S40, '1, '4, '5 Joshua Porter, 1774 to 1S10 '7, '8, '51 Elisha Sterling, 1811 to 1820 John G. Mitchell, 1842, '3, '6 Samuel Church, 1821 to 1832 James Orr, 1849, '50 William M. Burrall 1833 to '39 Torrington District, from Litchfield District in 1847 . George D. Wadhams, 1847 to '9 Henry S. Barbour, 1851 Harlow Fyler, 1850 Washington District from Woodbury and Litchfield Dists. 1832. Daniel B. Brinsmade, 1832 to Ithiel Hickox, 1837, '42, '43 '4, '8 to '41, '4, '5, '7 to '9,51 William Moody, 1846 Frederick S. Fenn, 1835, '6 Daniel G. Piatt, 1850 Watertown District from Waterbury District in 1834. Holbrook Curtiss, 1834, '5, '8 Men-it Hemmingway, 1837 to '45, '47 to '49 Charles S. Woodward, 1846 Benjamin De Forest, 1836 Allyn M. Hungerford, 1850, '1 Winchester District includes Colebrook ; from Norfolk Dis trict in 1838. John Boyd, 1838 Samuel W. Coe, 1843, '9, '50 Gideon Hall jr., 1839 to '41, Roland Hitchcock, 1846, '51 '44, '5, '8 William H. Rood, 1847 Daniel Coe, 1842 Woodbury District from Hartford and Fairfield Dists. Oct. 1719. John Sherman, 1719 to '27 John Strong jr., 1816, '17, '34 Joseph Minor, 1728 to '56 Charles B. Phelps, 1823 to '33, Daniel Sherman, 1757 to '94 '35 to '37, '42, '3, '6, '9 to '51 Nathan Preston, 1795 to 1804, Nathan'l B. Smith, 1838 to '41 '18 to '22 Leman B. Sprague, 1844 Noah B. Benedict, 1805 to '15 Thomas Bull, 1845 '7, '8 47 370 JUDGES OF SUPERIOR COURT. Andrew Adams, Litchfield, appointed Chief Justice in Tapping Reeve, Litchfield, appointed Chief Justice in Nathaniel Smith, Woodbury John Cotton Smith, Sharon, James Gould, Litchfield, Samuel Church, Salisbury, appointed Chief Justice in Jabez W. Huntington, Litchfield, SENATORS OF CONGRESS. Uriah Tracy, Litchfield, Elijah Boardman, NeAV Milford, Jabez W. Huntington, Litchfield, Truman Smith, " MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. Uriah Tracy, Litchfield, Nathaniel Smith, Woodbury, John Allen, Litchfield, John Cotton Smith, Sharon, Benjamin Tallmadge, Litchfield, Uriel Holmes, Litchfield, Ansel Sterling, Sharon, Orange Merwin, NeAV Milford, Jabez W. Huntington, Litchfield, Phinehas Miner, " Lancelot Phelps, Colebrook, Truman Smith, Litchfield, 1839 '43 Origen S. Seymour, Litchfield, Access. Exit. 1789 1798 1793 1798 1815 1814 1806 1818 1809 1811 1816 1819 1833 1847 1834 1840 1796 1807 1821 1823 1840 1847 1849 1793 1796 1795 1799 1797 1799 1800 1806 1801 1817 1817 1818 1821 1825 1825 1829 1829 1834 1834 1835 1835 1839 1845 1849 1851 371 GOVERNORS. Access, Exit. Oliver Wolcott, Litchfield, 1796 1798 John Cotton Smith, Sharon, 1813 1817 Oliver Wolcott, Litchfield, 1817 1827 LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS. Oliver Wolcott, Litchfield, John Cotton Smith, Sharon, William S. Holabird, Winchester, 17861811 1842 179G 18131844 SECRETARIES OF STATI Royal R. Hinman, Roxbury, Roger H. Mills, New Hartford, 18351849 1842 1850 STATE COMPTROLLERS. Oliver Wolcott, Litchfield, Abijah Catlin, Harwinton, 1788 1847 1789*1850 COMMISSIONER OF SCHOOL FUND. Seth P. Beers, Litchfield, Abijah Catlin Harwinton, 1825 1851 1849 ASSISTANTS UNDER THE CHARTER. • John Sherman, Woodbury, Elisha Sheldon, Litchfield, Oliver Wolcott, " Andrew Adams, " Jedediah Strong, " 1713 1761 17711781 1789 1723 1779 1786 1790 1791 ' Resigned on appointment of Auditor of the United States Treasury 372 He|man Swift, Cornwall, Tapping Reeve, Litchfield, Aaron Austin, New Hartford, Nathaniel Smith, Woodbury, John Allen, Litchfield, John Cotton Smith, Sharon, Judson Canfield, Sharon, Frederick Wolcott, Litchfield, Noah B. Benedict, Woodbury, Elijah Boardman, NeAV Milford, SENATORS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION ELECTED liY (JKNKILYL Tlt'kET Frederick Wolcott, Litchfield, Elijah Boardman, NeAV Milford, Orange Menvin, New Milford, Seth P. Beers, Litchfield, John Welch, Litchfield, Samuel Church, Salisbury, Homer Boardman, New Milford, 1828 1829 senators under the district system. District No. 15. Phineas Lord, Litchfield, 1830 1831 William G. Williams, New Hartford, 1832 1833 Theron RockweU, Colebrook, 1834 1835 James Beebe, Winchester, 1836 1837 AndreAv Abernethy, Harwinton, 1838 1839 Lambert Hitchcock, Barkhamsted, 1840 1841 Martin Webster, Torrington, 1842 Israel Coe, " 1843 Abijah Catlin, Harwinton, 1844 William Beebe, Litchfield, 1845 Access. Exit. 1790 1802 1792 1793 1794 1818 1799 1805 1800 1806 1809 1810 1809 1815 1810 1819 1816 1818 1818 1819 BY GENERAL TIC ¦1819 1822 1819 "1820 1821 1824 1824 1825 1827 1825 1827 373 Access. Exit. Lucius Clark, Winchester, 1846 Gideon Hall, Jr., " 1847 Roger H. Mills, New Hartford, 1848 Francis Bacon, Litchfield, 1849 Samuel W. Coe, Winchester, 1850 Charles Adams, Litchfield, 1851 District No. 16. Homer Boardman, New Milford, 1830 Thomas Mitchell, Plymouth, 1831 Calvin Butler, " 1832 Nehemiah C. Sanford, Woodbury, 1833 1834 George Taylor, NeAV Milford, 1835 1836 MattheAV Minor, Woodbury, 1837 John Buckingham, Watertown, 1838 Alvin Brown, Washington, 1839 Eh Potter, Plymouth, 1840 Joseph H. Bellamy, Bethlem, 1841 Elijah Warner, Plymouth, 1842 Charles B. Phelps, Woodbury, 1843 Silas Hoadley, Plymouth, 1844 Leman W. Cutler, WatertoAvn, 1845 Minot Smith, Bethlem, 1846 John C. Ambler, " 1847 Henry Merwin, New Milford, 1848 Elisha Johnson, Plymouth, 1849 1850 Levi Heaton, " 1851 District No. 17. Augustus Pettibone, Norfolk, 1830 1831 Charles F. Sedgwick, Sharon, 1832 Elisha Sterling, Salisbury, 1833 1834 Horatio Smith, Sharon, 1835 374 Access. Exit. Martin Strong, Salisbury, 1836 Peter Bierce, Cornwall, . 1837 1838 Nathaniel P. Perry, Kent, 1839 1840 Augustus Miles, Goshen, 1841 William M. Burrall, Canaan, 1842 . John Dewell, Norfolk, 1843 Philo Kellogg, Cornwall, 1844 1845 Sidney Ensign, Canaan, 1846 John H. Hubbard, Salisbury, 1847 1850 Samuel W. Gold, CornAvall, 1848 William P. Russell, Salisbury, 1849 William W. Welch, Norfolk, 1851 375 REPRESENTATIVES TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, Including the delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1818, marked * from the towns in Litchfield County. Previous to the adoption ofthe Constitution of 1818, the Legislature held two sessions a year, in May and October, under the provisions of the Charter of 1662, to both of which Representatives were chosen. The several towns iirst sent Representatives to the General Assem bly as follows : Woodbury, May, 1684 Torrington, May, 1762 New Milford, Oct. 1725 Norfolk, Oct. 1777 Litchfield, May, 1740 Washington, May, 1779 Sharon, Oct. 1755 Watertown, Oct. 1780 Harwinton, Oct. 1756 Winchester, May, 1781 Goshen, Oct. 1756 Warren, Oct. 1786 Salisbury, May, 1757 Bethlem, Oct. 1787 New Hartford, May, 1757 Plymouth, May, 1795 Kent, May, 1757 Barkhamsted, Oct. 1796 Canaan, May, 1757 Colebrook, Oct. 1796 Cornwall, Oct. 1761 Roxbury, May, 1797 First Last Number Representatives. Towns. Chosen. Chosen. Sessions Abernethy Andrew, Harwinton, 1886 1837 2 " Elisha S Litchfield, 1844 1 " John, Woodbt try, 1845 1 " Russell C. Torring ton, 0 1815 1828 5 " William C Harwinton, M 1816 1820 8 Ackley Benjamin, Kent, M 1781 o 1782 2 " Chester, Washin; ;ton, 1829 1840 2 376 First Last 1 Vumber Representatives. Towns, Chosen. Chosen. ' Sessions Adam John, Canaan, M 1791 O 1809 8 " Samuel F. u M 1816 1828 4 Adams Andrew,f ¦" Litchfield, .0 1776 m 1781 10 Charles, it 1845 1 " George R, New Hartford, 1849 1 Matthew, Winchester, m 1818 1831 5 " Normand, i. 1851 1 Alford Arba, Barkhamsted, 1850 1 Allen Gideon, Bethlem, 1843 1 " James, it 1836 1 " " Jr, a 1851 1 " John.J Litchfield, m 1793 o 1796 7 " Noble, Bethlem, 1838 1 Ailing James, Cornwall, q 1817 1 Allyn Austin, Goshen, 1846 1847 2 '' Henry, Barkhamsted, 1828 1 " Matthew, u 1829 183-4 5 " Pelaiiah, a o 1796 m 1814 23 " Sanford, tt 1846" 1 Alvord Eliphaz, Winchester, m 1782 o 1811 11 " Roswell, Harwinton, o 1818 1826 2 Ambler David, Woodbury, m 1787 }i» a a Bethlem, o 1787 o 1793 Ames Horatio, Salisbury, 1848 1850 2 Andrews Daniel, Winchester, 1833 1 " Edward W. Cornwall, 1851 1 Andrus Seth, Canaan, o 1806 o 1818 3 Atwood Stephen, Woodbury, 1843 1 Austin Aaron, Torrington, m 1778 m 1782 3 u u New Hartford, m 1777 1820 28* " George, Colebrook, 1849 1 " Nathaniel, Torrington, o 1799 1 Averill Moses, Kent, o 1770 m 1776 3 — t Speaker, 1779, 1780. t Clerk, Oct. 1796. 377 First Last Number Representatives. Towns, Chosen. Chosen. Sessions Averill Roger, Salisbury, 1843 1 Babcock Timothy, Colebrook, o 1818 1822 2 Bacon Asahel, Roxbury, m 1812 O 1816 2 " Daniel, Woodbury, o 1811 1846 10* E. Champion, Litchfield, 1840 1841 2 " Nathaniel, Woodbury, O 1810 m 1813 4 " William H. it 1836 1 Bailey Eber, Goshen, 1833 1834 2 " Philo, .< 1845 1846 2 " Putnam, tt 1839 1840 2 Baker Elisha, New Hartford, m 1768 1 tt tt Canaan, m 1769 o 1772 4 Baldwin Albert N. New Milford, 1840 1851 4 " Amos, Watertown, m 1818 1820 4* " Collins, Goshen, 1836 1 " David, Watertown, m 1816 o 1816 2 * " Isaac, *=-*' Litchfield, M1745 m 1766 10 " " Jr. — tt o 1782 o 1784 4 Nathaniel, Goshen, o 1759 1 " Theophilus, New Milford, o 1735 o 1741 6 " Truman, Washington, 1838 1 Ball Robert, Salisbury, 1827 1829 2 Bancroft Ephraim, Torrington, m 1772 o 1776 4 Barber Asahel N. Harwinton, 1842 1843 2 " Dorrance, Colebrook, 1837 1843 3 Barbour Henry S. Torrington, 1850 1 Barnes Nathaniel, Watertown, o 1782 m 1784 4 Barnum William H. Salisbury, 1851 1 Bartholomew Thomas, Goshen, 1842 1843 2 Bass Nathan, Colebrook, o 1808 1825 8 " Henry, tt 1821 1 Bates Samuel S. New Hartford, 1840 1 " William S. tt .t 1850 1 Battle Joseph, Norfolk, M 1811 1828 7* or William, Torrington, 48 o 1792 M 1802 9 378 Representatives. Battell William Jr. Towns. Torrington, First Chosen. M 1804 Last Number Chosen. Sessions 1832 18* Baxter Gilbert, Colebrook, 1836 1 Beach Abel, " Edmund, Kent, Goshen, m 1818 m 1767 1828 o 1774 35 " John, tt M1757 o 1761 3 " Julius, tt o 1817 m 1818 2 " Moses, Harwinton, 1841 1842 2 " Wait, Torrington, o 1798 m 1800 2 Beardsley Agur, " Birdsey, " Charles, " Everett, Kent, tt Roxbury, tt 184518301839 1848 " Wells, Kent, 1834 Beckley Samuel Jr. Beebe Asahel, Canaan, t. o 1816 m 1775 o 1777 4 " Bezaleel, Litchfield, «=* o 1781 o 1795 6 " James, Winchester, 1819 1826 3 n tt Canaan, m 1767 o 1765 5 John, u m 1758 m 1764 3 " William, Litchfield, m 1815 1833 7 Beecher Abraham, Bethlem, 1842 1 " Amos, Barkhamsted, o 1817 1827 2 Rollin L. Winchester, 1846 1 Beers Seth P.| Belding Oliver, Litchfield, Canaan, 1820 o 1768 1823 4 1 Bellamy David, Bethlem, m 1794 o 1810 22 " Joseph 11. Benedict Benjamin, Isaac, " Nathaniel Jr. Noah B4 Benham Leonard D. Bennett William, Winchester,Colebrook, Salisbury, Woodbury, Colebrook, Cornwall, o 1818 m 1787 o 1802 1833 o 17961848 1821 1827 o 181718511827 5 7 1 4 12 1 1 Benton Ebenezer, Litchfield, m 1787 1 t Clerk, 1821, Speaker 1822, 1833. t Clerk, Oct. LS09, Mav, 1813. 379 Representatives. Benton Jacob, Towns. Harwinton, First Chosen. o 1756 Last Chosen, i O 1758 Number Sessions 3 Berry Nathaniel, Kent, o 1783 o 1792 6 •' " Jr. a o 1804 m 1805 2 Bierce Peter, Cornwall, 1824 1829 6 Bidwell Eleazer, Colebrook, o 1803 1 " Riverius, New Hartford, o 1803 m 1806 6 " Thomas, tt a m 1785 o 1785 2 Bird James, * " John,-- Salisbury, Litchfield, o 1768 6 1740 o 1775 m 1748 2 3 ¦ — " Joseph, ' Birge Allen, tt Harwinton, si 1740 1840 m 1749 1841 9 2 Bishop Asa, " James, Colebrook,Watertown, m 1805 1828 1829 1 2 " Miles, Bissell Zacheus W. Roxbury, Sharon, o 1813 1836 1841 12 Blackman Simeon, i. o 1809 o 1811 5 Blake Jonathan, Winchester, 1851 1 Blakesley Ransom, " Samuel, Plymouth, Colebrook, 1826 o 1805 1827 m 1806 2 2 Bliss Linus, Barkhamsted, 1847 1 Bloss Charles A. Bethlem, 1841 1 " George T. t< 1845 1 Boardman Daniel, " David S. New Milford, tt a m 1790 o 1812 o 17921829 2 8 Elijah, " Homer, tt it tt tt m 1803 o 1805 m 1816 o 1818 6 2 " Sherman, tt .t m 1771 o 1800 23 Bolles Samuel P. Booth Charles, " Gerardus, " Reuben, " Walter, Litchfield, Woodbury, New Milford, tt ti a tt 18481840 o 1815 m 1778 1831 o 1786 1832 1 *L 1 2 2 Bordwell Mills, Bostwick Bushnell, Daniel, Kent, NeAV Milford, tt it 1826 m 1750 m 1753 m 1773 o 1761 1 30 4 380 Representatives. Bostwick Elisha, " John, " Nathaniel, " Reuben, " Richard, " Samuel, Bosworth Thomas B. Botsford Daniel,Gideon B. Isaac G. " Nathan, Boyd James, " John, Brace James, Bradley Aaron, " Abraham, — Albert, " Aner, Joel, " Phineas S. Brewster Asa S. " Jabez, " Rev. Daniel, Brinsmade Daniel N.f " " B. Bronson Abraham, or Isaac, Brownson Moseley V. %r Ozias, Brunson Richard, " Salmon, " Samuel, Theron, "' Timothy, Towns. New Milford, Salisbury,Roxbury, Woodbury, Roxbury, New Milford, Winchester, u Harwinton, Litchfield,Torrington,Watertown, Harwinton, Woodbury, Canaan, tt Washington, Roxbury, Winchester, Washington, Winchester,Woodbury, Warren, New Milford, Winchester, Salisbury, First Chosen. M 1791 O 1725 m 1738 m 1785 o 1769 m 1763 1839 1840 1832 1844 o 1752 m 1804 1830 o 1797 o 1806 o 17751850 M 1795 m 1810 1842 1825 m 1817 m 1787 m 1784 m 1816 m 17981823 1851 M1783 o 1740 o 1813 o 1726 1849 o 1761 Last Chosen. M 1815 O 1740 o 1743 m 1796 18401834 1819 1835 a 1818 o 1810 m 1785 m 1797 o 1814 18261820 o 1814 1848 m 1805 1832 M1784 NumberSessions 1518 5 11 22 1 2 1 1 5 2 30* 6 4 1 34 1 6 3 1 43 10 33 1 3 11 1 1 1 t Clerk, Oct. 1800. 881 Representatives. Towns. First Chosen. Last Chosen. Number Sessions Brooks Watts H. Goshen, 1851 1 Brothwell David, Roxbury, 1829 1836 3 Brown Edmund, Norfolk, 1831 1 " Frederick, Colebrook, o 1812 o 1814 2 Sanford, New Hartford, 1844 1 Bryan Piatt, Washington, 1847 1 Brush John, Woodbury, 1828 1 Buckingham John, Watertown, 1825 1827 2 Buell Frederick, Litchfield, 1840 1841 2 " Jonathan, tt o 1815 o 1817 5 " Jonathan, Goshen, o 1770 M1772 2 — " John, — Litchfield, o 1740 M 1741 2 " Norman, tt m 1806 1 — " Peter, — it m 1755 m 1756 2 " Samuel, tt 1838 1839 2 Bull John, Harwinton, 1843 1844 2 " Merrit, Winchester, m 1817 o 1817 2 " Thomas, Woodbury, 1845 1 Burnham Arvin, Washington, 1851 1 " Daniel, tt 1849 1 " Hiram, Barkhamsted, 1846 1 Oliver, Cornwall, m 1801 1823 33* Burr Silas,* Norfolk, 1845 1 Burrall Charles, Canaan, m 1760 m 1792 32 " " Jr. a o 1788 m 1795 7 " Jonathan, tt o 1795 m 1804 10 " Wm. M. tt * a 1818 1833 5* " Wm. P.f tt 1835 1846 3 Burritt Ebenezer, Roxbury, o 1811 1 Burton Nathan, Jr. Bethlem, 1823 1 Bushnell Ensign, Washington, a 1818 1821 2* " William, Salisbury, 1849 1 Butler Calvin, Plymouth, m 1814 1828 10* Oliver B. Norfolk, t Clerk, 1835, 1836. 1847 1 382 Representatives. Calhoun Sheldon H. Towns. Washington, First Chosen. 1849 Last , Chosen, i Number Sessions •l " John, Washington, m 1782 1 tt tt Cornwall, m 1808 o 1810 2 " " C. it 1839 1847 2 Camp Abiel, " David, Salisbury, Bethlem, m 1775 o 1788 o 1780 71 " Edward, Barkhamsted, 1848 1 " Enos, New Milford, M 1755 1 " Israel, Sharon, o 1816 1832 4 " John, Winchester, 1844 1 " Riverius, New Milford, o 1808 1 " Treat, Candee Eli, Woodbury, Harwinton, 1831 1821 1834 1822 2 2 " Lewis B. Canfield Elihu, " Ithamer, Woodbury, Roxbury, New Milford, 1842 o 1797 o 1814 m 1813 m 1816 1 11 2 " John, Sharon, o 1775 o 1786 12 " Joseph, Jr. " Judson, Salisbury, Sharon, m 1798 o 1791 o 1799 m 1809 4 17 " Samuel, tt tt .t New Milford, o 1780 o 1735 o 1797 M1754 7 14 tt it tt m 1765 m 1788 27 tt tt Carrington Riverius, .ttt 1822 o 1751 1*323 2 1 Carter Benjamin, Dan, " Henry W. " Joseph, " Russell, " Samuel, Cartwright David S. Warren, tt u Kent, Warren, ft Sharon, o 1807 1827 1843 o 17771837 m 1788 1850 1820 1835 1844 m 17841838 o 1797 632 6 2 41 Cary N. H. Case Abial E. Washington, Norfolk, 1847 1837 11 " Abial, " Ashbel, Barkhamsted,Norfolk, 1849 o 1780 1 1 383 First Last Number Representatives. Towns. Chosen. Chosen. Sessions Case Chester N. Harwinton, 1834 1 " Hira, Barkhamsted, 1850 1 " Jehiel, .1 1842 1 " Lyman, Winchester, 1839 1 " Zopher, Barkhamsted, o 1818 1826 2 Castle Henry, Woodbury, m 1727 0 1729 2 Catlin Abijah, Harwinton, m 1757 0 1773 23 tt tt + tt 1837 1851 5 " Benjamin, Cornwall, 1832 1833 2 " Dan, Litchfield, 1844 1845 2 " Daniel, Harwinton, o 1759 O 1768 14 .1 tt tt o 1791 0 1802 20 " George, tt o 1766 0 1783 8 " Joel, tt o 1765 0 1767 2 ¦' Jonathan, tt m 1767 1 " Sheldon G. ti 1847 1848 2 Chamberlin Abiram, Colebrook, 1831 1 Chapman Clark, Sharon, 1830 1833 2 " Laurin, Warren, 1840 1842 2 Chapin Phineas, Salisbury, m 1803 1828 8 Chipman Thomas, tt m 1757 1 Chittenden Frederick, Washington, 1842 1 " Thomas, Salisbury, o 1764 M 1772 13 " Timothy, Jr. tt m 1803 M 1812 4 ' tt tt tt m 1779 0 1779 2 Church Leman, Canaan, 1834 1835 2 " Nathaniel, Salisbury, m 1802 0 1802 2 *' Samuel, | tt a 1818 1831 7* " Samuel, Jr. Bethlem, m 1810 M 1814 3 Clark Ebenezer, Washington, o 1779 1 " John, Woodbury, m 1800 0 1801 4 " Philo, Washington, 1822 1 Nehemiah, Salisbury, 1840 1 " Silas, Woodbury, 1849 1 t Clerk, 1839. t Clerk :, 1S24. 384 Representatives. Clark Timothy, Jr, " Victorianus, Towns. Harwinton,Cornwall, First Chosen. M 18031833 Last Chosen. ; o 1812 1834 Number Sessions 10 2 " William, tt 1836 1 Cleveland Alexander, Barkhamsted, 1841 1 a ft p tt 1849 1 " James C. Winchester, 1834 1 Cobb James, Colebrook, 1847 1 Coe Demas, " Jonathan, Torrington, tt 1845 o 1762 m 1765 1 4 " " Jr. Winchester, 1822 1828 4 " Linus W. Torrington, 1845 1 " James R. Winchester, 1845 1 " Norris, it 1838 1839 2 " Roger, " Thomas M. tt Litchfield, m 1814 1851 o 1815 3 1 Coffin John C. Cogswell William, Cole Benjamin, Coleman Josiah, Collins Cicero, Salisbury, Washington, Canaan,Sharon, Goshen, m 1815 M1779 M1759 o 1783 1835 1823 m 1788 1 14 1 3 1 " Timothy, Colt Anson, Jr. Comstock David, • " Eliphalet, " Peter, John, tt Torrington, Kent, tt tt New Milford, 18241839 0 1799 o 1762 o 1793 o 1757 18341840 m 1804 o 1767 2275 11 " Samuel, Concklin Thomas, tt Colebrook, o 1771 1823 m 1806 81 Cone Calvin, " Warren, Converse Hiram, Cook Elisha, " George, " John, " John W. Barkhamsted, Norfolk, Kent, Torrington, Goshen, Torrington, tt o 180118341836 1819 1831 m 1762 ' 1851 18381820 1835 o 1777 1 2 12 3 22 1 885 First Last Number Representatives . Towns. Chosen. Chosen. Sessions Cook Joseph, Harwinton, o 1778 O 1798 11 " Moses, Goshen, 1820 1850 3 " William, New Hartford, o 1813 m 1817 8 Cornish George, Barkhamsted, 1840 1 Cornwell John, Cornwall, o 1787 m 1788 2 " Joshua, Canaan, o 1815 o 1818 4 " William, Washington, m 1781 1 Cowles Asa, New Hartford, o 1806 O 1809 7 " James M. Norfolk, 1844 1851 2 " Richard B. New Hartford, 1836 1 Craft Chauncey, Woodbury, 1823 1 ""Culver Samuel, Litchfield, o 1741 1 Cummings J. T, Winchester, m 1809 1 Cunningham Garwood H. Woodbury, m 1799 o 1801 3 Curtis Augustus, Warren, , o 1818 1 or" Daniel, Woodbury, m 1742 1 " Daniel, ti 1843 1844 2 " Eleazer, Kent, o 1779 m 1786 4 " Elizur, New Hartford, 1829 1 " Holbrook, Watertown, 1821 1845 7 " Israel, Woodbury, m 1689 o 1704 12 " Jesse, Watertown, o 1780 m 1781 2 " John, Woodbury, m 1696 m 1735 8 " Solomon, Norfolk, 1848 1 " Stephen, Woodbury, m 1718 1 " Thomas, Norfolk, 1829 1842 5 " Truman, New Hartford, 1848 1 Cutler Leman W. Watertown, 1836 1840 2 Daley Elijah, Woodbury, o 1815 1 Dauchy Jeremiah, Salisbury, m 1800 m 1805 5 Davis Nathaniel, Harwinton, m 1759 1 Day Jeremiah, Sharon, o 1766 m 1767 2 " Noble, Washington, m 1809 o 1818 6 Dayton Daniel, Kent, 1835 1 49 386 Representatives. Dean Jesse, Towns. Canaan, First Chosen. 1842 Last Number Chosen. Sessions 1 De Forest Benjamin, '• John, Watertown, it 1831 1838 11 John H. u m 1809 o 1815 5 Deming Julius, -= — Litchfield, o 1790 m 1798 3 " Ralph, Dibble Isaac H. Sharon, Torrington, 18351824 18391825 22 Dickinson John, Norfolk, m 1807 o 1810 6 Dodge Stephen, Doolittle Richard A. Kent, Barkhamsted, m 1792 1843 11 Doty Erastus, Jr. Colebrook, 1845 1846 2 Douglass Benajah, " William, Canaan, m 1817 A 1818 18301850 6 3* "¦ Riverius, Dowd David L. New Hartford, Norfolk, 1842 1841 1 1 " Elizur, tt 1835 1839 2 Downs David, Sharon, o 1778 m 1795 13 " Myron, Drake Noah, Jr. Roxbury,Torrington, 1851 1829 1835 14 " Rufus, Winchester, 1836 1837 2 Drakely William, Woodbury, 1822 1824 3 Dudley George, Winchester, 1847 1 Dunham Samuel, Sharon, m 1758 m 1760 2 Dutcher Ruleff, Canaan, 1840 1 Eastman Josiah R. Eaton Ira, Roxbury, Kent, m 1818 1833 1833 3 1 Eldred Judah, Warren, o 1798 1819 7 Elliott Matthew, Kent, m 1808 m 1816 4 " John, tt o 1794 m 1797 3 " Nathan, tt o 1760 o 1790 15 " Youngs, Washington, 1832 1833 2 Elmore Henry B. New Hartford, 1838 1 " John, Canaan, o 1802 m 1815 13 " " Jr. .t 1837 1 " Samuel, Sharon, m 1779 o 1781 4 387 Representatives. Towns. First Chosen. Last Chosen. Number Sessions Elton Samuel, Watertown, m 1817 o 1817 2 Eno Eliphalet, Torrington, o 1782 sr 1792 9 Ensign Eli, Canaan, 1831 1 " John, " o 1772 m 1776 3 it tt Salisbury, 1836 1837 2 " Sidney, Canaan, 1841 1851 2 Essex Joseph, Cornwall, 1845 1 Everett Charles, Warren, 1846 1 " Daniel, New Milford, o 1780 o 1783 3 " Elmore, Sharon, 1837 1846 4 " Samuel E. tt o 1811 1832 9* William, tt 1843 1 Everts John, Salisbury, m 1757 m 1772 13 " Nathaniel, it m 1807 o 1807 2 Farnham Peter, Salisbury, o 1808 m 1813 4 Farrand Jonathan, Washington, o 1785 o 1790 4 Fellows Thomas, Canaan, m 1780 1 Fenn James, tt 1820 1 " Thomas, tt tt (Waterbury,) Watertown, m 177S o 1780 sr 1780 m 1807 J- 38 Ferris Fitch, Canaan, 1838 1839 2 Fisk Ebenezer, New Milford, m 1745 1 Fitch Elisha, Salisbury, m 1782 m 1787 5 " Hezekiah, tt o 1774 o 1793 22 Forbes Samuel, Canaan, o 1766 m. 1802 29 Ford John M. Washington, 1839 1 Foster David, Sharon, o 1763 o 1764 2 Fowler Warren R. Washington, m 1810 1 Fox Reuben, Cornwall, o 1813 1 Francis Asa, Goshen, m 1777 m 1780 3 Frisbie Daniel, Washington, 1842 1 " Enos, Harwinton, 1819 1 " Russel, Colebrook, 1845 1 " Samuel, Washington, 1834 1 Fuller Alpheus, Kent, 1827 1 Representatives. Fuller Amos, Towns. Salisbury, First Chosen. m 1764 Last Chosen. Number Sessions 1 " Henry I. " Robert N. Kent, Salisbury, 18511845 1 1 " Rufns, Jr. Kent, 1848 1 Gager Samuel R. Gains Edward, Sharon, New Hartford, 1821 1846 1829 31 Garnsey Samuel, Gay Calvin, Plymouth, Sharon, 18291827 18301828 2 2 " Ebenezer, tt m 1774 m 1784 9 " John, tt m 1761 1 Gaylord Anson, " Benjamin, Norfolk,New Milford, 1849 m 1760 1 1 " Daniel, tt ft 1824 1 " Elijah, Harwinton, o 1811 o 1813 2 " Hiram, Norfolk, 1840 1851 2 " Joseph I. " Nathan, Goshen, New Milford, 1848 o 1762 1849 o 1764 2 4 " Nathaniel B. Winchester, o 1816 o 1818 2 " Willard, Goshen, 1840 1841 2 " Sereno, " William, Plymouth,New Milford, 1850 o 1733 11 Giddings Ammi, Gilbert Alvin, Plymouth, Winchester, 18511850 1 1 " William L. tt 1849 1 Gillet Asaph, Torrington, 1831 1844 3 " Horace, tt 1829 1830 2 kl Jabez, tt o 1784 o 1803 10 " John, .. m 1801 1 " " Jr. it o 1809 1837 12 " " A. Canaan, 1843 1 " Jonathan, Sharon, m 1787 o 1787 2 " Matthew, New Hartford, o 1762 M1783 26 Goodwin Asa, tt .ft o 1810 1825 15 '? Eleazar, u tt o 1759 m 1764 2 " Hezekiah, Sharon, m 1818 1 389 Representatives. Goodwin Hiram, " John P. " Nathaniel, Towns. Barkhamsted,Sharon, Litchfield, First Chosen. 1836 1846 o 1808 Last Chosen. 18871847 o 1809 Number Sessions 223 " Orrin, " Stephen, Gold Benjamin or " Hezekiah, Graham Andrew, New Hartford, Goshen, Cornwall, i. Woodbury , 1841 o 1771 m 1802 o 1787 o 1778 1850 o 1780 o 1814 2 3 20 11 " Freeman, Grant Daniel, New Hartford, Torrington, 1842 ol782 m 1785 1 2 " Elijah, " Harvey, " Matthew, Norfolk, ft Torrington, o 1782 1832 1822 m 1783 1833 2 21 Gregory Hezekiah C. Cornwall, 1849 1 Griswold Benjamin, " Giles, Harwinton, Goshen, m 1805 o 1779 m 1813 12 1 " Giles, tt 1826 1828 3 — " Joseph, — ' " Marvin, Litchfield, Harwinton, m 1742 1821 o 1742 1831 2 6 " Normand, Torrington, m 1807 M 1811 2 " Thaddeus, tt o 1810 o 1816 " Shubael, tt m 1776 o 1793 11 Guittean Ephraim, Gunn Abraham, Norfolk, New Milford, o 1783 m 1800 " Abner, n o 1799 " Frederick, u 1843 " John N. Washington, m 1812 o 1818 4 Hale Adino, " Nathan, Goshen, Canaan, m 1786 Aug. 1818 o 1780 m 1798 54* 15 " Timothy, Hall Asaph, " Ephraim S. " Gideon, Jr." Goshen, tt Litchfield, Winchester, o 1802 o 1773 m 1817 1838 o 1817 o 1792 m 18181846 8 18 3 2 " Philip, Hamlin Luman B. Harwinton,New Milford, 1849 1848 1849 1 2 390 Representatives. Hammond David, Harrison Elihu, " Jared S. •' John R. Towns. Roxbury, Litchfield,Salisbury, Cornwall, First Chosen, O 1803 1832 1830 1840 Last Chosen. 1835 1835 1841 Number Sessions 1 23 2 " Myron, " Thomas,— tt Litchfield, 1837 m 1747 o 1848 1754 29 Hart Alpha, " Henry, " Josiah Hall, " Miles, Goshen, it Barkhamsted, Goshen, 1837 1822 m 1813 'l841 M 18381823 1816 1842 2222 Hartwell Sherman, Hatch Jethro, " Johnson C. Warren, Kent,Washington, 1822 o 17751831 M 1824 1780 27 1 " Washington, Winchester, 1844 1 Hawes George, Canaan, 1841 1 Hawley Isaac B. " Jehiel, Roxbury, New Milford, 1824 o 1753 M 1761 1 4 " Nathan, Bethlem, M 1816 1639 4 " William, Woodbury, m 1802 O 1805 3 Hayden Cicero, '' Moses, Torrington, Barkhamsted, 1834 m 1812 M 1835 [1817 27 " Samuel, tt o 1797 Aug ,1818 3* Hayes Ezekiel, " Elijah, " Jeriel, tt Warren, Bethlem, 1851 1830 1837 1839 151 " Timothy, Hazen Elijah, Heakox Benjamin, Hecex Benjamin, Heaten Levi, " Stephen, Barkhamsted, Washington, Woodbury, u Plymouth,Goshen, 1841 m 1797 o 1719 m 1747 1847 o 1758 M O M 1808 1758 1848 1768 1 11 1 6 22 Hemingway Jacob, Henderson, Gordon, Plymouth, New Hartford, m 18151843* 1819 1844 4 2 tt a ¦^¦- tt 1851 1 James, tt m 1804 1823 3 391 Representatives. Henderson James Ft Towns. New Hartford, First Chosen. 1839 Last ! Chosen. 1 Number Sessions 1 " John, tt m 1786 m 1803 18 Hickox Daniel, Watertown, 1819 1 Hickcox Edmund, ti 1847 1 " Curtis, Washington, 1821 1 " Ithiel, tt 1846 1 " Nathan, tt m 1781 o 1787 6 " Samuel, Watertown, m 1782 o 1784 3 Higley Horace, Hill George A. Winchester, Goshen, m 1799 1849 m 1806 1850 7 2 Hills Hewitt, Winchester, m 1792 o 1794 4 " Seth, i. m 1781 o 1793 6 Hind James, New Milford, o 1748 1 Hindman William, Cornwall, 1842 1846 3 Hine Abel, New Milford, o 1769 o 1798 12 it tt tt 1824 1 '• Beebe, tt o 1806 m 1812 11 " Clark, tt 1828 1829 2 '' Lyman, " Myron S. " Noble, tt Warren, New Milford, 1836 1850 m 1780 m 1795 1 17 Hinman Andrew, Woodbury, m 1725 m 1740 8 " Benjamin, tt tt tt it M 1711 o 1757 o 1787 1 21 " Daniel, Harwinton, 1850 1 Hinman Eleazer, " Edward, Woodbury, tt o 1749 m 1773 1 1 " Ephraim, Roxbury, o 1798 m 1809 3 Noah, " Royal R. " Titus, Woodbury, Roxbury,Woodbury, M1731 m 1814 m 1699 m 1752 1831 o 1720 20 4 9 Hinsdale Abel, Torrington, m 1815 1821 4* " Bissel,* Winchester, m 1815 o 1815 2 " Elisha, " Horace, Torrington,Winchester, o 18051821 o 1806 3 1 392 First Last Number Representatives. Towns. Chosen. Chosen. Sessions Hinsdale, Lorrain, Torrington, 1846 1847 2 " Jacob, Harwinton, o 1756 m 1761 3 " Theodore, Winchester, 1837 1 Hitchcock John, New Milford, o 1749 m 1758 6 it tt Kent, o 1763 1 " Lambert, Barkhamsted, 1834 1 " Southard, .Sharon, 1850 1 Hoadley Samuel, Winchester, M 1811 , 1 " Silas, Plymouth, 1832 1837 2 Hodge Chauncey, Roxbury, 1842 1 Hodges Elkanah, Torrington, M1792 1 " Erastus, tt m 1813 1832 5 " Elkanah H. tt 1839 1 Holabird John, Canaan, o 1801 o 1816 8 " Milo, a 1848 1849 2 Holcomb Hiram, tt 1845 1 Hollister Gideon, Washington, m 1780 o 1780 2 " Horace, Salisbury, 1846 1 Holly Luther, tt M 1811 o 1812 3 " Newman, tt 1821 1827 4 Holmes Israel, Torrington, 1838 1 " Joseph, Winchester, m 1808 o 1814 6 " Uriel, Jr. New Hartford, o 1792 m 1793 }u " " Jr.t Litchfield, o 1803 o 1814 Holt James, Harwinton, 1830 1849 4 " Eleazer, Norfolk, o 1798 o 1815 12 " Isaac, tt o 1781 1 Hooker Asahel, Harwinton, 1832 1 Hopkins Asa, Litchfield, 1833 1 " Samuel, Goshen, m 1787 m 1801 13 tt ft Cornwall, 1821 1823 3 " Uriah, Harwinton, o 1816 1826 9* Hopson Wm. T. Kent, t Clerk, Oct. 1806. 1837 - 1 393 Representatives. Hosford Chauncey, Hosmer Thomas, Hotchkiss R. H. " Samuel, " Win. B. Howard Jarvis C. Howd Salmon, Howell Arthur, " Edmund, Hubbell Ephraim, Jr. " Jedediah, Hubbard Parley, Humphrey Asahel, " Dudley, " Hosea, " John,Noah, " Obed M. Hungerford Allyn M. " Joel, Hunt Amos, " Reuben, " Russell, Huntington Jabez W. Hurd Curtis, " David, Hurlbut George, " Gideon, " John, " Samuel, tt tt « Timothy, Hutchinson John, Ives Jesse, Towns. Canaan, Woodbury, New Hartford, Woodbury, Warren,Barkhamsted,Colebrook, tt Kent, tt Salisbury, Norfolk, Goshen, tt Watertown, tt Canaan, Litchfield,Woodbury, tt Roxbury, Goshen, Canaan, Winchester, tt Canaan, Salisbury, Barkhamsted, First Last Number Chosen. Chosen. Sessions 1837 1838 2 m 1783 m 1784 2 1847 l 1849 l 1848 l 1851 l o 1818 1848 4 1826 1839 7 m 1804 1 m 1764 m 1777 15 o 1778 1 1823 1824 2 o 1778 m 1797 13 m 1779 o 1794 14 m 1787 o 1787 2 1849 1 1820 1821 2 1843 1844 2 1850 1851 2 1834 1 m 1809 o 1812 2 1828 o 1805 1828 m 1794 o 1788 o 1789 1845 o 1757 (See Holabird.) n 1791 m 1810 1835 m 1765 m 1785 10 o 1758 1 1824 1827 3 50 394 Representatives. Ives Titus, Towns. Norfolk, First Chosen. o 1780 Last Number Chosen. Sessions M 1787 2 Jackson Ebenezer, ¦' Nathan, Jr. Cornwall, Bethlem, o 1788 1829 M 1795 1833 6 4 Jenkins Benjamin, " Eleazer, Winchester, Sharon, o 1803 1842 o 1804 2 1 Jenner Samuel, Jerome Amasa, " T. G. Woodbury,New Hartford, n tt m 1702 o 1815 1847 1 1 1 Jewett Caleb, Sharon, o 1760 m 1776 11 " John S. tt 1851 1 Johnson Amos, tt M> Cornwall, tt o 1763 1850 1 1 " Augustus S. Harwinton, 1835 1846 4 " Daniel, Salisbury, m 1817 1819 5* " James, ft m 1805 1 Jones Caleb, Cornwall, 1836 1838 3 " Elijah, Barkhamsted, 1821 1836 7 " Henry, New Hartford, 1835 1845 2 " Israel, Jr. Barkhamsted, m 1796 o 1808 19 " Orville, ti 1851 1 Judd Leverett, Bethlem, o 1813 o 1814 2 " Russell, Kent, 1823 1838 2 Judson Elmore, " Horace, Woodbury, New Milford, 1837 1846 1 1 David, " John, Washington, Woodbury, o 1789 m 1706 m 1794 m 1721 7 3 «( tf tt 1835 1840 2 " Joseph, tt tt f. tt m 1684 m 1725 o 1686 61 " Wells, Kasson Alexander, Roxbury, Bethlem, M 1804 o 1801 1 1 " Benadam, New Hartford, 1836 1 " George D. Bethlem, M 1811 m 1813 2 Kellogg Elias, New Hartford, M 1811 1 " Frederick, Cornwall, 1830 1841 4 895 Representatives. Kellogg Isaac, Towns. New Hartford First Chosen. M 1759 Last Chosen. . o 1776 Number Sessions 23 " Abraham, Jr. tt tt 1824 m 1797 1843 4 1 " George C. " Judah, Noah, .t .1 Cornwall, New Hartford, 1826 o 1776 o 1777 1834 o 1801 o 1779 5 11 2 " Norman, tt tt 1841 1 Oliver, Sharon, m 1797 1820 15 Philo, Cornwall, 1834 1835 o " William, tt 1820 1 Kilbourn Abraham, Litchfield, m 1769 o 1770 A . " Joseph, King George, tt Sharon, Q..1752o 1800 m 1753 m 1801 2 2 " Plato, New Hartford, o 1811 1 Kingsbury Lemuel, Canaan, m 1784 o 1784 2 -Kirby Ephraim, — Knapp Horace B. Litchfield, Norfolk, o 1791 1846 o 1802 14 1 Kniblo William N. Sharon, 1845 1 Knowles Thomas, Woodbury, m 1722 o 1739 3 Lamb Alexander, Salisbury, o 1818 1 Lambert Nehemiah, Bethlem, o 1803 a 1818 9* " Willys, Lamson Nathaniel, Woodbury, 1849 o 1810 M 1811 1 2 Landers Joseph, Sharon, m 1782 1 Landon James, Salisbury, m 1758 m 1774 12 Lane Daniel P. Kent, 1840 1 " Jared, New Milford, m 1809 m 1812 5 Lawrence Daniel, Canaan, m 1758 1 " E. Grove, Norfolk, 1845 1 " Isaac, " Joseph, " William, Canaan, tt Norfolk, o 1765 O 1780 1844 111 Leavenworth Gideon, " Wait, Roxbury, tt m 18061837 11 Leayitt David, Jr. Bethlem, m 1798 o 1802 6 ¦5 .2 ^ "^ ^ £ "53 0^rtHHHH^IHfflH(MNHriNHO)TilH'*,*eOt>lH«HriCl ^ccntooococjto to CO t-i CO CM CO O — < *S0O036O|>l»IXl H^r- |i— ll— It-Hi— ti-H Q o o o to t^ CM CO CM t~- o to CO ¦* fc~ CO GO t^ CO CO t>- oo CO CM t- c> N H tO H 00 OO N OD i-H iH r-1 fH o S oo „SiO«l'OOOIOINOtO^,*OCON^>OtOtI)iO-*t.l>Ha)0!5IOl»MiolOO oc — mBHWH^aJHiomi'^ti^OOOOOWHW^Nt.HiOCNHiOHO^'OO^ .SOooOIBt"l"OOBlBOOtDa)OO^CDNI>irjOI»tjoN^OOI»J)fflI»0005tOl»OC, 00 IXJ J5 _h-_i^h^Hi— It— fi-H^-l^-''— ti— l^-I^Hi— ll— ti— It— IrHi— l^-li-HrHr-lr-lrHi— 1>— I?— It— I^Hi— I — > g oooo ooSo s ooo SSoo CO so . 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Chosen. 1 Sessions Manner Ephraim, Sharon, M 1787 0 1783 3 Marsh David, New Milford, 1837 1 u David, Litchfield, 1824 1847 4 ^ <* Ebenezer, tt m 1740 m 1771 48 .— •( tt ^ t. m 1784 m 1790 10 u Elihu, 2d, New Milford, 1826 1827 2 u Isaac, Cornwall, 1839 1851 3 a Jonathan, Jr. New Hartford, m 1797 a 1818 17* *- te John, —" Litchfield, o 1766 m 1774 8 — k> Solomonp- tt o 1792 1 " William S. Canaan, 1839 1847 2 Si Cyrus, Kent, m 1761 o 1766 10 Marshall Abner, Torrington, o 1777 m 1782 6 u Maiden, New Hartford, 184*8 1 Cli Hermanus, Washington, a 1818 1* u John P. Woodbury, m 1817 o 1818 2 " Noah, Torrington, o 1771 m 1775 3 " Seth, Colebrook, o 1809 m 1816 6 Martin Caleb, Woodbury, o 1747 m 1748 2 tt Reuben, tt m 1814 1819 4 Marvin John, Sharon, m 1756 m 1768 2 Masters Nicholas S. New Milford, m 1792 m 1794 2 Mattoon David, Watertown, 1848 1 McCune David, Winchester, o 1791 1 tt Robert, tt o 1781 o 1797 9 McMahen Constanline, Washington, o 1817 1827 3 Merrill Abel, New Hartford, m 1765 ' o 1775 11 tt Elijah, tt tt m 1781 1 ti George, Barkhamsted, 1830 1831 2 .t Ira, New Hartford, 1846 1 u James, tt it 1838 1 a John, Barkhamsted, o 1805 1821 10 « Merlin, tt 1838 1839 2 u Norman, New Hartford, 1828 1845 4 .. Zebulon, t. tt m 1775 1 898 First Last '. Number Representatives. Towns. Chosen. Chosen. Sessions Merriman George F. Watertown, 1849 1 a W. H. tt 1835 1 Mervin Abel, New Milford, o 1806 M 1807 2 t< Henry, ft tt 1846 1847 2 a Orange, .f ti o 1816 1838 9* lb Samuel H. Goshen, 1851 1 Miller Amos, New Hartford, m 1783 m 1784 3 u Ebenezer, Torrington, o 1798 1 a Joseph, Winchester, a 1818 1829 2* (4 Hubbell, Kent, 1839 1 Miles Augustus, Goshen, 1824 1839 4 « Daniel, " o 1778 m 1789 10 tt William, tt 1836 1837 2 Mills Gideon, Jr. Barkhamsted, o 1810 M 1811 2 • " Hiram, Norfolk, 1839 1 a John, Kent, 1824 1 ti Joseph, Norfolk, m 1780 1 u Lawrence, tt 1821 1 u Lewis, Kent, o 1780 m 1781 2 4i tt tt 1819 1820 2 it Michael, Norfolk, m 1779 o 1791 12 a " F. «t 1830 1833 3 u Oliver, Barkhamsted, O 1815 a 1818 5* it Philo, Kent, m 1817 1831 3 a Roger, New Hartford, 1822 1 tt " H.f tt .t 1839 1847 2 a Samuel, Colebrook, o 1796 h 1813 9 Miner Phineas, Winchester, m 1809 m 1816 »" a tt Litchfield, 1823 1835 Minor Andrew, New Milford, o 1807 1 it Ephraim, Woodbury, o 1718 m 1735 5 tt Jesse, tt t Clerk, 1839. o 1817 1 399 Eepresentatives. Towns. First Chosen. Last Number Chosen. Sessions Minor John,f Woodbury, m 1684 M 1710 21 '¦ Josiah G. tt 1851 1 " Matthew, tt m 1808 M 1810 2 " " Jr. tt 1830 1833 3 " Miles, Canaan, 1S40 1 '' Joseph, Woodburj', m 1712 m 1745 35 " Samuel, tt m 1742 o 1756 12 " Silas, Roxbury, m 1815 1821 5 " Thomas, Woodbury, m 1698 1 Mitchell John, tt o 1709 o 1740 2 " Kniel, ft m 1741 1 " Reuben, ti m 1799 o 1807 7 " Simeon, Washington, o 1791 m 1802 3 " Thomas, Plymouth, 1823 1824 2 " Timothy, Washington, 1822 1 Moody Ebenezer, New Hartford, o 17S3 m 1791 3 " Evetts, Washington, m 1811 1823 2 Moore Albert, Salisbury, 1846 1 " Josiah, New Hartford, m 1781 o 1790 11 " Samuel, " Silas, Salisbury, ft m 1759 m 1810 o 1765 o 1810 4 2 Morehouse Miner P. Morris James, " Harvey, " John, New Milford, Litchfield, Woodbury, Watertown, 1848 m 1798 1829 1826 o 180518381832 1 932 " Levi, New Milford, 1841 1 Moseley Increase, u ft Moss Nicholas, Munger Elizur, Munsell Levi, " Luman, « Marcus, Washington, Woodbury, Bethlem,Norfolk, Torrington, tt Winchester, t Clerk, May 1707. M1779o 1751 1844 o 1811 1823 1840 1847 o 17841847 1821 1833 1841 1 39 253 2 1 400 Representatives. Munson Ephraim, " Medad, " Samuel, Murray Philo, Mygatt Eli, H. S. Towns. Barkhamsted, tttt Woodbury, New Milford, tt tt First Chosen. M 1800 m 1809 o 1811 m 1815 1825 1847 Last Number Chosen. Sessions 0 1802 4 o 1809 2 1826 5 M1818 2 1826 2 1 Nash Alva, " Samuel, Winchester, Goshen, 1829 o 1756 1830 m 1778 2 22 Nettleton Samuel H. Newill Abel, Watertown, Goshen, 1823 m 1781 1846 m 1782 4 3 Newton John, Washington, o 1811 1838 3 " Nathan, tt 1826 1 Nichelson Augus, Noble David, New Milford, tt tt o 1793 o 1745 M 1747 1 4 " Phineas W. •, Harwinton, 1827 1850 5 " Stephen, " Thomas, New Milford, it tt o 1725 o 1750 -m 1739 m 1774 15 4 North Enos, Colebrook, o 1807 1846 6 " Jonathan, Goshen, 1832 1833 2 " Noah, " Phineas, Torrington, ti m 1779 o 1800 m 1787 m 1805 8 4 " Rufus, Colebrook, m 1818 1826 3 " Theodore, Goshen, m 1813 a 1818 10* Northrup Amos, New Milford, M1756 m 1762 4 " David, tt tt m 1786 1 Northway Samuel D. Norton Birdsey, Norfolk, Goshen, 1850 m 1797 M 1811 1 26 " Dudley, Norfolk, 1842 1 " Ebenezer, Goshen, m 1760 o 1791 24 " Lot, Salisbury, o 1783 m 1786 3 " " Jr., tt o 1804 0-1815 13 tt ti tt 1831 1 Orr James, Sharon, 1849 1 Orton Samuel, Osborne Shadrach, Woodbury, tt m 1794 m 1791 o 1795 4 1 401 First Last Number Representatives. Towns. Chosen. Chosen. Sessions Osborne Sheldon, Harwinton, 1838 1839 2 " Eliada, Kent, 1850 1 Painter Deliverance L. Roxbury, o 1808 1 Palmer Robert, Goshen, 1830 1831 2 Pardee Isaac, Sharon, m 1789 o 1812 12 '' James, ft m 1769 m 1780 9 " John, tt o 1755 M1762 6 Thomas, tt ' m 1768 o 1774 5 Parker Jason, Woodbury, 1850 1 Parmelee Abraham, Goshen, o 1769 1 " Oliver, Bethlem, o 1792 m 1797 Pachen Abel, Sharon, o 1798 m 1799 2 Patchen Farman, Woodbury, 1839 1 Patterson Elisha, Roxbury, o 1817 1826 3 " Matthew, Cornwall, si 1781 m 1787 8 " Samuel, Roxbury, 1820 1 Pattison Amos L. Salisbury, 1847 1 Payne Abraham, Cornwall, o 1778 I Pearson Enoch, Sharon, o 1795 1 Pease Calvin, Canaan, M 1811 m 1812 3 Peck Jeremiah, Woodbury, 1825 1833 2 " Peter F. it 1826 1836 2 " Sherman, New Milford, 1834 1835 2 " Sidney, Bethlem, 1850 1 Peet Abijah C. Salisbury, m 1817 1830 5 " George W. Canaan, 1850 1 Percival Lorain, Colebrook, 1833 1834 2 Perkins Lyman, Harwinton, 1835 1 Perry Nathaniel, Woodbury, M1805 1820 9* " tt + New Milford, 1832 1 tt tt p_ Kent, 1822 1829 2 ' Persons Huntington, Colebrook, 1847 1 Pettee Seneca, Salisbury, tClerk 1832. 1825 1 51 402 First Last Number Representatives. Towns. Chosen. Chosen. ! Sessions Pettibone Amos, Norfolk, 1826 1830 4 " Augustus, tt O 1800 1828 31 Giles, tt o 1777 M 1800 23* " Samuel, Goshen, m 1759 m 1762 5 Phelps Arah, Colebrook, m 1800 1825 9* C. B. ti 1835 1 " Charles B. Woodbury, 1831 1837 2 " Daniel, Winchester, o 1818 1828 2 " Darius, Norfolk, 1836 1 " Edward A. Colebrook, 1840 1851 3 " Jannah B. Torrington, 1848 1849 2 Phelps Edward, ^ Litchfield, o 1744 o 1745 2 " Jedediah, Norfolk, 1832 1 " Jeremiah W. tt m 1806 o 1806 2 " Josiah, Harwinton, o 1770 o 1800 43 " Lancelot, Colebrook, m 1817 1830 9 " Warren, Barkhamsted, 1843 1844 2 Pickett Daniel A. New Milford, 1820 1821 2 Pierce John, Cornwall, m 1774 m 1788 5 « « H. tt m 1815 1819 4 " Joshua, tt o 1761 m 1770 11 " Seth, Jr. ft 1828 1 " Wm. Roxbury, 1832 1 Pine Samuel W. Barkhamsted, 1847 1 Pinney Asaph, Colebrook, m 1808 1823 4 " David, tt o 1797 M 1798 2 " Grove, tt M1800 Aug. 1818 13* " Harvey W. tt 1851 1 Piatt Levi, Winchester, Aug. 1818 1* Plumb Frederick, Salisbury, 1834 1 " Ovid, Canaan, 1819 1 Pool Wm. Washington, 1839 1 Porter Joshua, Salisbury, o 1764 O 1801 51 " Thomas, Cornwall, o 1768 o 1777 14 Post Henry, Canaan, 1832 1834 2 403 First Last Number Representatives. Towns. Chosen. Chosen. ! Sessions Potter Daniel, Watertown, o 1786 o 1792 5 tt tt Plymouth, m 1799 M 1811 10 " Eli, " 1834 1836 3 " Lake, tt 0 1798 o 1813 12 " Tertius D. tt 1838 1839 2 Pratt Chalker, Cornwall, 1847 1 " Hopson, Kent, o 1810 m 1814 5 " Joseph, tt M1770 o 1800 21 " Peter, tt m 1793 1 " Schuyler, Salisbury, 1850 1 Preston Bennett S. Roxbury, 1849 1 " Gardner, Harwinton, 1846 1847 2 " John S. tt 1822 1825 2 " Joseph, Woodbury, m 1731 1 " Nathan, tt m 1791 1819 14 " Nathaniel, tt 1838 1 " Wm. tt M1714 M1749 30 Prindle Mark, Harwinton, M1774 o 1791 11 Randall Henry L. Roxbury, 1838 1 Ransom John, Kent, m 1766 m 1770 5 Ray Wm. Litchfield, 1838 1839 2 Raymond John M. Kent, 1841 1 Reed Chauncey, Jr. Canaan, 1844 1 " Horace, Sharon, 1840 1 " Silas, Salisbury, o 1818 1826 3 " Stephen, tt m 1806 o 1806 2 -Reeve Tapping, ^- Litchfield, o 1789 1 Richardson Leonard, Salisbury, 1849 1 Riggs Eden, Norfolk, 1841 1 " Joseph, ¦f 1827 1 Robbins Samuel, Canaan, M 1811 1819 5 Roberts Clark H. Colebrook, 1839 1840 2 " Samuel, Sharon, 1822 1823 2 " Nelson, Torrington, 1846 1847 2 " William, New Milfordj 1845 1 404 Representatives. Rockwell Alpha, " Elijah, Towns. Winchester, Colebrook, First Chosen. 1807 0 1796 Last Chosen. M 1814 Number Sessions 14 " Martin, tt o 1808 o 1816 6 " Reuben, tt o 1799 m 1815 6 " Samuel, Sharon, o 1815 m 1816 2 " Solomon, Winchester, 1820 1 " Theron, Colebrook, 1838 1 Rogers Anson, Cornwall, 1835 1 " Edward, tt o 1775 o 1783 10 " Noah, tt m 1766 o 1781 2 tt tt tt m 1813 o 1818 5 " Timothy, Rood Marinus, ti Canaan, m 1791 m 1807 m 1792 o 1808 3 2 Root Barnabus W. Rose Alban, Plymouth,Canaan, 1845 m 1810 o 1815 1 3 Royce Phineas, Roys Harlow, Watertown, Norfolk, o 1781 1846 m 1782 2 1 Ruggles Benjamin, " Philo, New Milford, tt tt o 1757 o 1796 o 1802 1 6 " Timothy, Russell Barlow, " Giles, '• it Woodbury, Winchester, M1785 1848 m 1810 m 1816 11 3 " Nathaniel, tt o 1801 1 " John, " Stephen, " Thomas, Salisbury,Litchfield, Cornwall, 1838 M 1818 o 1761 1834 o 1773 1 5 16 " William P. Sackett Homer, Salisbury, Warren, 1837 o 1801 1842 1821 17 " Justus, Kent, m 1771 m 1782 10 t. tt Warren, o 1792 1 tt tt tt 1831 1 " Orrin, Sanford Daniel, tt Barkhamsted, o 1810 1837 1838 1 2 Glover, New Milford, 1850 1 " Joel, tt tt m 1817 1830 3 COXWNNHtNOSINOlCljHtDOJCOTJlHCil'JrtHH CM »— I T — I S3 <« « O o oto O OO CO to ¦* .-I co co oo t- 00 H CM O ¦* M W H N oo oo co oo oo CO IXM o ,— I -* i- 1 K3 00'CO 00 00 r-t CO to C3 CMr-(asCMt>r-l«CcJ>00to ,-i t— I t— CO CM tO .-I tO Ci o »— I *— I Q CO 03 t— co co t- t» t— t- S o a o ^Bf£:OcM^c3MiO-*OCMOcn'HCS)^(Mc^ioc2 00l>I>^T*l>t>.l>05000>0'-' 2»-*cc)5i^H^TiicNraiCCTTiio-*ffi'*^ioffilOTi,^niOiniooiHcjjio»iai> ^O|>00000000C0CO0000l^0000C0C0i^CO00^I^CO0000CO00l>^i^00coC0<>I>.t-- o 2 £» £ _- £ ™ 1J 5 in C! b I 2 8 ¦§ S =3 " •— b*. O o ca kI F tf d co o s g s s a o o g g 3" g s $ 5- s ^ c - "S eS t, c3 t. 3 ^3 O J3 O .«J co o co a w Wo ts t> ^ £ c4 ^ 3 U -*-j 0 0) til .K CD O P- fc O o. co A -s > -3 a a 9- oo CO m 3 CD 0 Q •? 2 60 g3 t3 : CD CD CO CO "3 c" c S -3 X O 1-3 1-3 CD3303 -T—CO ' 3Cl> 6 .SP« - - 5 ,-- t- - .-¦ c - a is B o a 3 O P3 c~ - r?. .* .0 o l—l CD ++ O ~ f-i 3 3 wwfe^ci^«fifiw |a s-3 a 53 = C3CD CD CO CO >-. 3 3 3 3c "3 J3 CO C3 Oh CD v. ¦a - co co 6J3 a> CD O a, P-i H-l c3 -3 w co 406 First Last Number Representatives. Towns. Chosen. Chosen. Sessions Simons Samuel, Jr., Colebrook, 1836 1837 2 Skiff Joseph, Kent, o 1816 1 tt Gibbs W. Sharon, 1851 1 Skinner Ashbel, Harwinton, o 1772 1 Slosson Barzillai,t Kent, o 1797 0 1812 15 , tt Nathan, Jr., tt 1821 1 Smedley William L. Litchfield, 1848 1 Smith Aaron, tt m 1808 m 1814 11 it Asahel, Winchester, 1827 1831 2 tt Azariah, Canaan, m 1807 o 1811 3 tt David, Watertown, o 1784 o 1794") o 1812) 38 «t tt Plymouth, o 1795 tt Ebenezer, New Milford, o 1809 1 tt EliM, Roxbury, 1819 1827 2 t. Elisha, Torrington, o 1786 m 1812 32 t< Garret, Watertown, m 1810 m 1814 5 tt Heman, Winchester, o 1795 m 1800 3 tt Horatio, Sharon, 1823 1834 4 d Ithamar H. Canaan, 1848 1 ft John C.J Sharon, m 1793 o 1809 IS it *' " Jr., tt 1833 1842 3 tt Jonathan, Bethlem, m 1789 o 1789 2 tt Josiah, Barkhamsted, 1820 1 tt Lorenzo D. Sharon, 1843 1 u Lyman, New Milford, 1849 1 it Martin, » New Hartford, m 1757 m 1766 11 tt Milton, Colebrook, 1843 1844 2 tt Minor, Bethlem, 1832 1 tt Nathaniel, Woodbury, M1790 o 1795 10 tt B. tf 1828 1847 2 tt Perry, New Milford, 1822 1836 4 tt Phineas, Woodbury, m 1796 1 ft tt Roxbury, M1797 1 t Clerk, 1812. J Clerk, Oct. 1798, 1799,— Si leaker, 1800 to 1808; 5 sessions. 407 Representatives. Towns: First Chosen. Last Number Chosen. Sessions Smith Phineas, Sharon, o 1790 M 1792 4 " Ransom, tt 1848 1849" 2 " Richard, tt 1841 1 " Seth, New Hartford, m 1771 o 1787 13 " Simeon, Sharon, o 1767 o 1787 14 " Sylvester, Colebrook, 1831 1832 2 " Truman, Litchfield, 1831 1834 3 " 'Thomas N. Salisbury; 1822 1828 2 " Wait, Watertown, m 1789 1 " Zebina, Winchester, m 1798 o 1802 2 Soper David, Torrington, m 1785 1 Soule Benjamin B. New Milford, 1830 1833 2 Southmayd Samuel W. Watertown, o 1798 o 1812 17 Spencer Grinnell, Winchester, 1824 1 " Job, Colebrook, 1848 1 " John, New Hartford, 1829 1831 3 Seth, ft tt o 1793 o 1803 20 Squire Amos, Roxbury, m 1807 1 " Anson, New Milford, 1839 1 Stanley Roderick, Plymouth, o 1817 1 " Timothy, Goshen, m 1777 1 " William, tt 1818 1819 2 Stanton Joshua, Salisbury, m 1779 o 1783 2 Starr George, Warren, 1823 1829 4 " Josiah, New Milford, M1771 o 1802 18 " Truman, Goshen, 1855 1 Steele Elijah, Cornwall, m 1768 1 " " Jr. tt M1798 1 " George, Washington, 1843 1 " James, New Hartford, o 1786 1 " Samuel, Woodbury, 1821 1829 3 Stevens Andrew, Canaan, m 1759 M1761 2 or" Benjamin, tt m 1764 o 1768 5 Stephens John, f. o 1778 1 " Nathaniel, tt m 1792 M1818 7 408 Representatives. Stephens Nathaniel, Jr. t< tt Towns. Canaan, Norfolk, First Chosen. 1826 M 1781 Last Number Chosen. Sessions 1836 4 o 1803 18 " " Jr. tt m 1805 1819 20 Sanford P. Canaan, 1842 1 Sterling Ansel,f Sharon, m 1815 1837 11 " Elisha,| Stiles Benjamin, Stillman Roger, Salisbury,Woodbury,Colebrook, o 1797 o 1754 m 1815 O 1816 o 1771 o 1815 8 9 2 St. John Daniel, Sharon, m 1803 o 1815 5 " Jesse, Kent, o 1814 m 1815 2 " Lewis, u a 1818 1* " Thomas, Sharon, o 1817 m 1818 2 Stoddard Elisha, " Enos, Woodbury, Litchfield, m 17551842 m 1757 1843 22 " Harman, " Israel, Woodbury, tt 1839 m 1780 1 1 " Josiah, Strong Adonijah, " Adino> " Charles B. Salisbury, t. Woodbury, it o 1757 m 1789 m 1726 1846 m 1762 o 1802 6 7 11 "" " JededianJ)" Litchfield, o 1771 m 1789 28 " John, i* « " Jr. Woodbury, it m 1803 m 1813 m 1812 1826 10 3 " Josiah, Sharon, m 1757 o 1760 3 " Martin, Stuart John L. Salisbury, Kent, o 18131843 18221847 22 Swan Cyrus, Sharon, o 1810 1828 9* Swift Clark S. Warren, 1847 1848 2 " Elisha, Kent, M1768 o 1770 5 " Heman, Cornwall, o 1766 m 1787 16 " Isaac, tt o 1792 m 1799 9 " Jabez, Kent, m 1757 m 1760 6 " JohnS. ft 1825 1 t Clerk, 1819, 1820. t Clerk, 1816. /$"i Slerk, 1779 to 1788, 14 sessions. 40!) Representatives. Towns, First Chosen. Last Number Chosen. Sessions Swift Nathaniel, Jr. Warren, o 1786 M 1810 19 " Philo, Cornwall, o 1816 o 1818 5* Tnlliman David, Woodbury, m 1796 o 1796 Tallmadge George P. Warren, 1841 1 John, n o 1793 a 1818 14* Tanner Ebenezer, tt o 1794 m 1812 S " Marvin, Canaan, 1831 1832 o Trial, Cornwall, o 1791 m 1798 3 Taylor Augustin, Sharon, o 1790 o 1802 4 " George, New Milford, 1833 1850 3 " Lawrence, t. it 1842 1 " Uri, Torrington, 1841 1842 2 " William, New Milford, o 1796 o 1816 5 it ft Barkhamsted, o 1814 1 Terrill Nathan, Kent, 1846 1 Terry Henry, " Silas B. Plymouth, it 1844 1846 1 1 Thayer Wheelock, Winchester, 1833 1 Thomas Charles, Roxbury, 1847 1 Thompson Abijah, New Milford, 1843 1 or " David, Goshen, o 1775 o 1770 2 Thomson Edwin L. Bethlem, 1849 1 " Gideon, Goshen, o 1756 m 1759 " Hezekiah, Woodbury, m 1782 m 1790 5 Thorp James D. New Hartford, 1832 1834 3 Thrall Homer F. Torrington , 1849 1 " Lorrain, tt 1838 1 Tiffany Joel, Barkhamsted, 1832 1833 2 Titus Joseph, Jr. Washington, 1831 1836 2 Todd Carrington, •< Eli, Cornwall, New Milford, 1846 o 1805 1821 1 3 " Jonah, tt tt o 1778 1 " Marvin S. Bethlem, 1848 1 Tolles Amos, Winchester, m 1812 o 1812 2 52 410 First Last Nuinber Representatives. Towns. Chosen. Chosen. Sessions Tomlinson Abijah, Washington, 1824 1-M8 2 " Eliphalet, tt 1823 1 " Johnson L. tt 1850 1 Tracy UrialiJ?-- Litchfield, O 1788 M 1793 9 Ticknor Luther, Salisbury, 1832 1833 2 Thatcher Partridge, New Milford, o 1759 o 1705 2 Trowbridge James, New Hartford, 1851 1 " John, Roxbury, o 1800 a 1818 6* .. tt h 1843 1 Tuttle Uriel, Torrington, m 1815 1820 2 Upson Garry, Barkhamsted, 1839 1840 2 Vail Charles, Washington, 1837 1 Wadhams Isaac, Goshen, 1825 1826 2 " John M. tt 1844 1845 2 Wadsworth Isaac S. Belhlem, 1835 1 " Samuel, Cornwall, m 1786 o 1801 f{ Wakefield Luman, Winchester, 1826 1827 2 Wakeley Abner, Roxbury, M 1803 1 Walker Samuel, Woodbury, m 1805 1 " Zachariah, tt m 1720 1 Walter William, Norfolk, o 1777 i Walton Frederick A. Salishury, 1835 1836 2 " William II. it 1839 1847 3 Ward Abirarn, Roxbury, 1841 1 AVarner Bennett, Bethlem, 1846 1 Donald J. Salisbury, 1848 1 " Ebenezer, Woodbury, o 1722 o 1723 2 " Apollos, Plymouth, 1840 1 " Elijah, Jr. tt 1825 1833 3 " Elizur, New Milford, m 1782 m 1783 3 " " Jr. u tt o 1803 1837 4 " John, tt tt m 1744 o 1756 6 « " S. Plymouth, 1842 1 ( tQlerk, Oct. 1789 to May, 1792; Speaker, May, 1793. 0 411 Representatives. Warner Oliver, Towns. New Milford, First Chosen. m 1777 Last Chosen. NumberSessions 1 " Orange, " Reuben, Warren Alanson, Waterman David, Watson Frederick, " John, tt tt tt if AVatertown,Salisbury, Canaan, tt 1839 o 1810 1841 m 1794 1846 o 1774 18421825 o 18001847 m 1795 2 5 1 22 11 i. tt Levi, Thomas Jr. New Hartford, tt tt 1843 m 17801837 1843 m 1815 2 4 1 " William, Webb John, Webster Abijah, Canaan, tf Harwinton, 1851 o 1806 1833 o 1809 1834 142 " Benjamin,--* Litchfield, o 1752 m 1755 5 " Cyprian, Harwinton, m 1777 1 t. tt " Martin, tt Torrington, o 18131833 m 1816 01 " Reuben, Litchfield, 1826 1 Welch Benjamin, Norfolk, m 1808 1823 6 " Jr. " 1836 1 5~ " David, — Litchfield, m 1770 o 1780 5 " John> tt o 1799 1822 8* t. - tt New Milford, o 1727 1 " Paul, .. tt m 1740 m 1749 10 " William W. Norfolk, 1S48 1850 2 Weller David, Roxbury, 18.14 1 " Elisha A. t. 1846 1 " Samuel, t. o 1807 1 " Zaccheus W. tt 1828 1 Wells Absalom, (Jr.) New Hartford, 1826 1828 3 " Gaylord, " Joseph, Harwinton, New Hartford, 1832 o 1S11 18331833 2 2 Welton Heman, Plymouth, 1843 1 " Noah, Harwinton, 1827 1828 2 Wentworth Chester, Barkhamsted, $ 1835 412 First Last Number Representatives. Towns. Chosen. Chosen. Sessions Weston Salmon, Warren, 1826 1 Wetmore Abel S, Winchester, 1848 1 " Lyman, Torrington^ o 1809 M 1818 9 " Seth, tt m 1794 o 1794 I a tt tt Winchester, m 1799 o 1802 iG Wheaton Daniel, Washington, 1835 1 " George, Cornwall, 1830 1831 2 Wheeler Alanson, Sharon, 1838 1839 2 " Ansel, Barkhamsted, 1842 1 " Christopher, Litchfield, 1849 1850 2 " Lemuel, Salisbury, o 1786 o 1789 6 Wheelock Daniel B. Winchester, 1849 1 White Edward K. Cornwall, 1845 1 " Edwin, it 1842 1843 2 Whitford Robert, Barkhamsted, o 1S07 1 " Samuel, Colebrook, 1820 1834 4 Whiting Frederick P. Torrington, 1848 1 Giles, tt 1836 1837 2 John, Colebrook, M 1811 1 " Lewis, Torrington, 1851 1 " Riley, Winchester, m 1818 1832 2 Whitney David, Canaan, m 1757 m 1766 13 " John, it si 1770 1 Tarball. tt at 1770 1 Whittlesey David, Washington, m 1793 o 1814 14 tt tt " 1846 1 " C. U 1832 1833 2 " Eliphalet, Kent, m 1775 1 t. tt Salisbury, o 1813 m 1814 2 " John, tt o 1804 1 .. ti Washington, o 1781 m 1791 17 " Joseph, tt o 1809 1820 5 Wilcox Abiram, New Hartford, 1840 1 " Hosea, Norfolk, m 1778 o 1781 4 Ueuben, Cornwall, 1849 1 413 First Last ] dumber Representatives. Towns. Chosen. Chosen Sessions AVilcox Robert, Barkhamsted, m 1807 0 1811 6 AVilder Joseph, tt o 1797 m 1798 2 Williams Jehiel, New Milford, o 1815 1851 5* " John, Sharon, o 1755 m 1773 27 AVilson Abijah, Winchester, o 1798 m 1802 2 " Abner, Harwinton, m 1787 m 1795 7 " Amos, Torrington, m 1772 o 1787 3 " David, Harwinton, 1829 1830 2 " A. tt 1851 1 Eli, it in 1778 o 1788 3 " John, tt m 1764 m 1778 10 " Noah, Torrington, m 1766 m 1770 5 Winegan Garrett, Kent, 1832 1 AVolcott Frederick, Litchfield, m 1802 m 1803 2 " " Oliver, ~~ tt o 1764 o 1770 5 ti " -j- tt Aug. 1818 1* Woodruff Gideon, Plymouth, 1820 1 " George C. % Litchfield, 1851 1 " Jacob, tt m 1759 o 1768 2 " John, Sharon, 1848 1 " Morris, Litchfield, o 1812 1837 13 AVoodward Griswold, Torrington, 1831 1844 3 » Elijah, AVatertown, o 1791 o 1794 4 " Lucius, tt 1844 1 " Samuel, Torrington, o 1783 iw 1790 6 .. tt f< 1822 1 Wooster David, Goshen, 1829 1830 2 " John, New Milford, 1838 1 Wright Elizur, Canaan, o 1799 m 1805 7 " Moses, Jr. Colebrook, m 1806 1 " Joseph A. Watertown, m 1793 m 1795 4 Young Andrew, Cornwall, o 1779 o 1784 7 Youngs Daniel, Barkhamsted, 1844 1 t Pmsident of the Convention. X Clerk, 1849. '1 9198