USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Croydon > Croydon, N.H., 1866. Proceedings at the centennial celebration, June 13, 1866. A brief account of the leading men of the first century Together with historical and statistical sketches of the town > Part 5
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Very truly yours,
WM. P. WHEELER.
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In accordance with the foregoing suggestion from the President of the day, and at the request of the Committee of Arrangements, I insert the following speeches:
SPEECH OF JOHN COOPER, ESQ., OF CROYDON.
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen :
Allusion in flattering terms has been made to my poor efforts to rescue from oblivion the names, labors, and charac- ters of some of the first settlers of Croydon. What I have done in that direction, has brought its own reward with it ; for it has afforded me much pleasure to collect the facts re- specting your ancestors and mine. I venerate the memories of those men and women who were the pioneers of civiliza- tion in this town ; and the better I have become acquainted with their history, the more I have admired their courage in leaving the older settlements of Massachusetts and coming to this place-then a howling wilderness-for the purpose of providing for themselves " a local habitation and a name." Their children and their children's children should, on this commemorative occasion, rise up and bless their memories. But I will leave it to others older than myself, to eulogize the Whipples, Powerses, Lelands, Halls, Bartons, Wheelers, Havens, and others who came to this town nearly one hun- dred years ago, while I confine myself to a few brief remarks concerning my paternal grandfather, one of the early set- tlers of this town.
Deacon John Cooper was born in 1725 ; he married Mary Sherman, of Grafton, Mass., in 1748, and the same year settled in Hardwick, Mass. While living there he divided his time between the cultivation of a farm and teaching the " town school." During the "French and Indian War,"
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from 1754 to 1763, he was also engaged largely in supplying the English and Provincial troops with beef. In 1769 he removed to Cornish, N. H., and the year following he came to this place-four years only after the first settlement of the town. His locating here added but little to the mate- rial wealth of the place (for he was a man of a broken for- tune), but he brought with him what was of more value than money, namely, an intelligent and energetic wife and eight healthy children. He settled on a spot within sight of this stand, where Otis Cooper, Esq., one of his lineal descendants, now resides. There he lived ; and there, in 1805, he closed his earthly labors at the ripe age of eighty years. His remains now rest in the " Old Burial Ground on the Hill."
Tradition does not represent the character of Dea. Cooper as perfectly well-balanced. He did not possess that courage -that backbone, necessary to face danger of every kind without flinching. But he was distinguished for honesty, sobriety, love of order, and for full an average share, of common sense. As far as energy and decision of character were concerned, his wife was the better man of the two. But still his abilities were considered above the general Jevel, as the early records will show ; for he was chosen repeatedly Town Clerk, and was often elected one of the selectmen, and several times chairman of the board.
He ruled his own house well, and was in other respects peculiarly fitted for the office of deacon. He held that office forty-seven years-twenty years in Hardwick, and twenty-seven years in this town. It is the concurrent testi- mony of tradition that Dea. John Cooper was a faithful and an efficient church officer.
In conclusion, I will add that, in consequence of his chil-
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dren's intermarrying with the families around them, the Cooper blood has become so intermingled with that of almost every other name, that standing here to-day and looking at the vast concourse before me, I can claim you all as cousins.
SPEECH OF S. M. WHIPPLE, M. D., OF NEW LONDON. Mr. President :
It is with mingled feelings of diffidence and confidence, that I present myself before you on this joyous occasion to respond in behalf of the medical profession. It is with dif- fidence when I recollect that the practice of medicine does not require the possession, or exercise, of those powers of eloquence which can arrest the attention of a large audience and hold them spell-bound at will, and hence I might fail to interest you; but, on the other hand, it is with confidence when I feel that we have all gathered around this old fami- ly altar, not to criticise, but to exchange friendly greetings, and be happy, and hence that any voice is welcome, if only it be the voice of a son, or daughter of Croydon.
From the first attempts to heal diseases, Medicine began to exist as a profession. From the earliest antiquity it will compare most favorably with the other professions. Aristo- tle, Lock, Hartley, Mackintosh and Brown-all standing high on the roll of fame-were all physicians.
It may not be inappropriate on this occasion to refer a moment to the profession as it has existed in this town. Tradition says that during the first third of. a century, Croydon had no regular bred physician, and that the prac- tice of medicine was almost entirely in the hands of females. Originally, and for many years it was given to Mrs. Phineas
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„Lithof .J.11.Bufford, Boston
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Sanger " to heal diseases and minister to the distressed." And then came Mrs. Sarah Powers, wife of Amos Hagar, a woman of uncommon intellectual and physical powers. That she had some weight in town is sufficiently evinced by the fact that she could make a scale of three hundred and fifty pounds avoirdupoise, honest weight, kick the beam. On her favorite steed she promptly answered all calls in storms, in winter, and by night. True she was less skilled in the books than the Crosbys and the Peaslees of to-day, yet her strong common sense and ready judgment seldom failed to do the right thing in the right way.
First among the trained physicians-for I am old enough to recollect him in his more advanced years-comes the plain straight forward, practical Carroll, who, riding over these hills, with his saddle-bags, on horseback, was a most welcome visitor in every sick room. And I have not forgotten the sad accident-the upsetting of his carriage on yonder hill-which ended his life. And I remember the more learned Gustin that followed him-and Alden, and Cooper, and Leavitt, and Coburn, and Hall. Of Marsh and Barton, now here, I need not speak, for you all know them better than I do.
Croydon has contributed more men to medicine than to either of the other learned professions. Few towns in the State have furnished comparatively so many eminent and skillful physicians and so few quacks as this. Her Coopers, her Wheelers, her Gibsons and her Powerses, in their pro- fessional acquirements, rank deservedly high. And hence it is that wherever they go you will find them enjoying the confidence and esteem of the community in which they reside. Sir, I am proud of the medical profession, and I am proud of the success that has attended those sons of Croydon who have devoted themselves to so noble a calling.
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SPEECH OF EDMUND WHEELER, OF NEWPORT. Mr. President :
I am happy to respond in behalf of the mechanics of Croydon. I have always regarded the mechanic arts as among the most useful and honorable occupations of man. I have long regarded Franklin and Fulton and Morse, men who first harnessed the steam power and the lightning, and others like them, as among the greatest benefactors of our race.
Well do I remember the names and faces of those me- chanics who flourished here some half century ago-the Kemptons, the Humphrys, the Eastmans, the Fletchers, the Dodges and others. To-day I almost hear these hills echoing back the hearty ring of their hammers, their lap- stones and their anvils.
We do not often consider how very much we are indebted to the mechanic for all the ordinary blessing's and luxuries of life. For example, how very much it would detract from the dignity and elegance of this vast audience were we to take away from them the handiwork of the milliner, the dressmaker and the tailor, and carry them back to the prim- itive days when fig-leaves only were worn in Eden. Nor are these outward adornings, charming though they be, all we owe the mechanic-but the tables around which we gather, the chairs in which we sit, the beds on which we sleep, the beautiful carriages in which we ride, and the grand old man- sions which shelter our heads, and around which cluster so many thousand sweet memories, are also the work of his hand.
Take away from the farmer his hoe, his shovel, his axe, his plow, and his cart, and you have robbed him of his strength and paralyzed his labors.
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Take away from the clergyman, the lawyer, and the phy- sician those immense libraries of their's in which are garner- ed up all the wisdom of ages, and their light would be comparative darkness-they would be no longer the learned professions they now are.
Look also at the telegraph and the steam-press. That thought of the philosopher which otherwise would have fall- en almost still-born from his lips, or hardly have reached beyond the sound of his own voice, is seized upon by the telegraph and the steam-press and in twenty-four hours is giving joy and blessings to a million homes all over the land. Yes, the press, that mighty engine of power, invent- ed and wielded by the mechanic, has gathered up the choice works of art, science, poetry, history, literature, and above all of inspiration, and multiplied them a million fold and scattered them abroad until the whole earth is literally flood- ed with light.
I might also point you to the mammoth factories which he has erected, and filled with machinery almost endowed with intelligence, and which are throwing off their thousand varied products for the benefit of man. But why need I stop to enumerate ?
As on the land so also on the water : It is with his leave that the navies of the world are to-day so proudly walking the ocean; and it is by his permission that commerce spreads her white wings and carries her countless treasures all over the world.
But I need utter no language in commendation of the mechanic. His glory is proclaimed not by spoken words, but in the proud monuments of his skill and industry everywhere around us.
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As I close, allow me to say that those sons of Croydon who have devoted themselves to the mechanic arts, have done their full share towards maintaining the honor of their native town.
A vote of thanks was passed to the Orator, the President, the Band, the Glee Club, and all others who had aided in the celebration.
The audience then all rose and united in singing Old Hundred.
Three cheers were then given for the Old Century, three for the New, three for the Ladies, and three for the Coun- try. After which a vote to adjourn to June 13, 1966, was unanimously carried amid the wildest acclamation.
C. K. FLETCIIER. R. COOPER. D. HUMPHREY.
0. COOPER. D. RIDER.
E. POWERS.
D. HALL. B. C. WHIPPLE.
J. COOPER.
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Officers and Committees.
President of the Day, HON. WILLIAM P. WHEELER, of Keene.
Vice-Presidents,
Hon. MOSES HUMPHRY. -
Concord.
ALEXANDER BARTON, Esq.,
Boston.
LEVI W. BARTON, Esq.,
Newport.
ADOLPHUS HALL, Esq., -
Grantham.
CALVIN HALL, Esq., Lowell, Mass.
Capt. ARIAL HALL,
Williamstown, Vt.
Hon. ORRA CROSBY,
Hardwick, Vt.
FREEMAN CUTTING, Esq.,-
Claremont.
ORLANDO POWERS, Esq.,
ELOM MARSH, Esq.,
RUEL DURKEE, Esq.,
Cornish. Westmoreland. Croydon. Croydon. Springfield. Sunapee.
SAMUEL BLANCHARD, Esq.,
WM. E. MELENDY, Esq., -
ELIJAH G. RYDER, Esq.,
Capt. MOSES HAVEN,
Plainfield.
WM. F. COOPER, M. D.,
Kelloggville, N. Y.
HIRAM SMART, Esq., -
Nashua.
JONAS C. KEMPTON, Esq.,
Nashua.
WARREN M. KEMPTON, Esq., -
- Concord.
Chief Marshal, CAPT. NATHAN HALL.
Assistant Marshals, WILLIAM W. RYDER, MARTIN A. BARTON, Esqs., Major DEXTER G. REED.
Committee of Arrangements,
COL. OTIS COOPER, BARNABAS C. WHIPPLE, REUBEN COOPER, CYRUS K. FLETCHER,
CAPT. DANIEL R. HALL,
. JOHN COOPER,
DANIEL RYDER, EsQ.,
NATHAN HALL.
CAPT. WORTHEN HALL,
Committee of Ladies,
MRS. HUBBARD COOPER, MRS. OREAN LOVERIN,
MRS. INGALLS HEATH,
MRS. E. DARWIN COMMINGS,
MRS. REUBEN COOPER,
MRS. JAS. BOYCE,
MISS THANKFUL RYDER,
MRS. JOHN HURD,
MRS. DANIEL IDE,
MRS. WORTHEN HALL,
MRS. WM. RYDER,
MRS. NATHAN HALL,
MISS ANGENETTA HARDING,
MRS. GILMAN STOCKWELL.
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PERSONAL SKETCHES.
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The following pages contain brief sketches of the former and present families of Croydon, arranged in alphabetical order. They have been made as full as the data at hand and the room at our disposal permits.
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AMES.
JACOB AMES and SIMON AMES settled on farms on the north-east slope of the Pinnacle. The former had previous- ly been a saddler, at which occupation he had amassed quite a handsome little fortune. He married Sally, daughter of Darius Hall, and died at Newport, leaving a large family.
Rev. JACOB WORTHEN HALL AMES, son of Jacob Ames, was born May 7, 1838, and died at Middletown, Ct., June 12, 1866. He was married July 12, 1864, to Miss Tillie Mathison, of Middletown. He fitted for College at the New Hampshire Conference Seminary, and graduated at the head of his class from Wesleyan University in 1864. He received his first regular appointment in 1864, and was stationed at Berlin, Ct., where he remained one year. He was then transferred to the N. E. Conference and stationed at Chelsea, Mass., and at the end of the year was re-appointed to the same place. On account of ill health he resigned his pastor- ate in May, and spent some six weeks among his native hills in vain search of health. He survived his return to his fam- ily at Middletown but twenty-four hours. As he had been
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a favorite at College, his sudden death cast a deep gloom over the place. He was buried with much honor. A most touching tribute,-" Farewell, my Husband" -- written by his wife, on the morning of his funeral, was sung in church by Prof. Harrington, and a beautiful Hymn, entitled " Gather- ed Home," written by Prof. H. for the occasion, was sung by the students and faculty at the grave. Mr. Ames had been invited to be present and invoke the Divine blessing upon the assembled sons and daughters of his native town at their centennial jubilee, but Providence had ordained it otherwise,-he died on the evening before. His body was quietly sleeping in its shroud in his much loved home, and his spirit was mingling with a nobler and brighter throng above.
ALLEN.
JOHN ALLEN came from Plymouth County, Mass., and from him have descended the Allens. .
BARTON.
BAZALEEL BARTON, BENJAMIN BARTON and PETER BAR- TON, brothers, came to this town during the Revolution, from Sutton, Mass. From these have descended the numerous family in town bearing the name of Barton. As a family they are distinguished for their social qualities. .
BAZALEEL BARTON was one of the company that dispers- ed the Mass. Legislature, then sitting at Worcester, at the commencement of the Revolution. They were away to din- ner. He stood at the door, and when they approached in procession, with royal gown and cap-with loaded gun and fixed bayonet bid them defiance.
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CARLTON BARTON, only son of Bazaleel, has been a suc- cessful teacher, and a man much in public business. He has a clear intellect, and "is a wag when he will."
BENJAMIN BARTON, (see speech of Alexander Barton.)
JOHN BARTON, son of Benjamin, born Feb. 17, 1784, was distinguished for his plain common sense. He kept an extensive stock, a dairy sometimes of fifty cows, was a large land-holder-owned " Croydon Mountain"-and left a fam- ily of boys, all industrious farmers. Aceah his wife d, Iwon $41885.
FRY BARTON, son of Benjamin Barton, Esq., married Ju- dith Powers, daughter of Samuel Powers, and removed to Leon, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., where he has been a prominent farmer. He is the father of Ara Barton, a lawyer of fine intellect, at St. Paul, Minnesota.
Hon. CYRUS BARTON, son of Benjamin Barton, Esq., was born Dec. 25, 1795. He commenced the " Claremont Spec- tator," at Claremont, in 1823, but in 1825 removed to New- port and commenced the "New Hampshire Spectator," where he remained until June, 1829, when he removed to Concord and took charge of the N. H. Patriot. He retired for a short time from the editorial chair and was engaged in agriculture at Hopkinton, but in Jan. 1852, returned to Con- cord and established the " State Capital Reporter," a semi- weekly paper, which he superintended during the remainder of his life. He was Register of Deeds for Sullivan County in 1827 and 1829, and was appointed Aid-de-Camp of Gov. Pierce in 1829 ; chosen Secretary of the College of Electors of President and Vice President in 1833, and again in 1836 and 1840 ; elected Senator from District No. 4 in 1833, and
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re-elected in 1834; elected Councilor from Rockingham District in 1843 ; appointed by President Polk, U. S. Mar- shal for the District of N. H. in 1845; was a member of the Constitutional Convention, and President of the City Coun- cil of Concord in 1845. He married Hannah Hale, sister of the late Hon. Salma Hale, of Keene. "He was a man of · ability, a ready, pointed and vigorous writer, and exerted a wide influence in the State." He died Feb. 17, 1855, at Loudon, while making a political speech, falling into the arms of his opponent.
GEORGE S. BARTON, son of Hon. Cyrus Barton and grand- son of Benjamin, graduated at Dartmouth College in 1851; studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1853. He open- ed an office at Burlington, Iowa, but the next year returned to Newport. He was Clerk of the Senate in 1855 and 1856. He died July 24, 1857, aged 26 years. He was a supe- . rior draftsman, a fine writer and a ready poet.
Capt. ALEXANDER BARTON, son of Benjamin Barton, Esq., was born June 14, 1804. After leaving Croydon he spent a few years at Ludlow, Vt., and from thence removed to Boston, where, immersed in business, has been spent the greater portion of his active life. He is courteous and genial in his intercourse with others, and hence was always quite a favorite. In his earlier days he was much in office. He was Representative from his native town for the years 1836, 1837 and 1843, and was in 1850 a member of the Constitutional Convention of Vermont.
MARTIN A. BARTON, son of Peter, and grandson of Ben- jamin Barton, was born Aug. 22, 1813. He is a man of
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much executive ability. He was formerly engaged in trade, but is now devoted to farming. He has been Representative, Selectman, and for many years Deputy-Sheriff.
PETER BARTON settled on " Winter Hill," east of East Village, and was the father of PETER who went to Ohio, of AMos and MosEs substantial farmers now living in town, and of AARON who removed to Piermont, N. H., where he has been an honored citizen.
LEVI W. BARTON, son of Bazaleel Barton, 2nd, and grandson of Peter Barton, was born March 1, 1818. The advantages even of our Common Schools were in a great measure beyond his reach until the completion of his eigh- teenth year. He then prepared himself for a teacher, and for that purpose used his spare hours in study while engaged as a day laborer in the field. He attended for a few terms the Academy in Unity. After attaining his majority he conceived the purpose of obtaining a collegiate education. He pursued his preparatory studies at Kimball Union Acad- emy, and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1848. Dur- ing his senior year in College, he read law with Hon. Daniel Blaisdell, of Hanover. Immediately after graduating he entered the law office of Jonathan Kittridge, Esq., of Canaan, afterwards Chief Justice of the court of Common Pleas, where he remained till January of 1851, when he came to Newport and finished his preparatory studies with Messrs. Metcalf and Corbin, and was admitted to the bar in July of the same year.
While in Canaan he taught the Academy in that place five terms, in addition to his full course of reading.
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Soon after being admitted to the bar he opened an office in Newport, where he has since been actively engaged in the practice of his profession. He was Register of Deeds in 1855, 1856 and 1857, and Solicitor of Sullivan County five years, commencing in 1859 ; was Representative from Newport in 1863 and 1864, and a member of the Judiciary Committee-the latter year its chairman. In 1863 he was a candidate for the office of Attorney-general, and in 1866 was chairman of a board of Commissioners appointed by the Gov- ernor to audit and report to the Legislature the war indebt- edness of the several towns in the State. He was married. to Mary Ann Pike, of Newport, in 1839, who died the year fol- lowing, leaving an infant son five days old, now Lt. Col. I. McL. Barton, late of the N. H. Heavy Artillery, and now a Lieutenant in the regular army. He was again married to Lizzie F. Jewett, of Nashua, in 1852.
WILLIAMS BARTON, M. D., son of Bazaleel Barton 2nd, and grandson of Peter Barton, was born Aug. 6, 1820. He received his literary training at Unity and Kimball Union Academies ; studied medicine with Drs. Coburn, Hall and Nichols; graduated at the medical department of Dartmouth College in May, 1845, and soon after commenced practice at Croydon, where he still resides. He was often chairman of the Superintending School Committee, and was three years Commissioner of Common Schools for Sullivan County, during which time he was often employed as professor of elocution, in teachers' institutes, in different parts of the State. Li25, 1:1.
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BRAGG.
IRA W. BRAGG, son of Ira Bragg, who came from Royals- ton, Mass., was born July 28, 1833. Fitted for college at Meriden and studied medicine with Dr. Perkins, of Marlow, N. H. He attended lectures at Dartmouth and Harvard Colleges, and graduated at the latter institution in 1859. After spending a year in the Marine Hospital at Chelsea, he went to Europe and passed several months in the hospitals of Liverpool and London, endeavoring to still further qualify himself for his profession. Upon his return, after practicing a year at Chelsea, Mass., he was appointed Assistant Sur- geon in the Navy ; was on board the Minnesota at the time of its fearful engagement with the Merrimac, when the Cumberland went down, and the famous Monitor made its first appearance. He was transferred to the San Jacinto, the flag ship of the East Gulf Blockading Squadron, and was on board her during her pursuit of the Alabama among the West Indies and at South America. He was ordered to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron, and from thence to the Naval Hospital at New Orleans, where, on the twenty-first of Octo- ber, 1864, worn down by excessive labor and anxiety for the sick, he fell a victim to the yellow fever. In few men were more happily combined rare merit and graceful modesty.
SARAH C. BRAGG, sister of the above, a lady of much liter- ary merit and one of our most accomplished teachers, was born July 3, 1830. She graduated at Meriden with high honors, in the class of 1852. By her own industry and per- severance she defrayed the expenses of her education. After graduating she went to Georgetown, Mass., and taught a year and a half, she then became principal of the Young Ladies High School at Haverhill, Mass., which position she
J. H. Bufford's Lith. Boston.
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occupied most acceptably to all for four years, until her marriage with Seth Littlefield, Jr.
BROWN.
BRIANT BROWN was a social man. He came from Wil- liston, Vt., and married Abigail, daughter of Capt. Edward Hall. He resided at the Flat, was Representative in 1827 and 1828, and was more or less engaged in public business. He died Feb. 18, 1854, aged 61 years.
EDWARD BROWN, son of Briant Brown, a worthy farmer and a man of good judgment, was born January, 1818. He has for a long time taken a deep interest in the agricul- tural affairs of the State and County. In 1866 he was one of the Committee on the State Agricultural College, whose duty it was to report to the Legislature a suitable plan, location and other matters relating to the State College. He et, aire- Dangh Lais L. d Aps. 15188-38
BLANCHARD.
SAMUEL BLANCHARD, son of Darius Blanchard, was born Sept. 17, 1790. He is a man endowed by nature with un- common abilities, has much shrewdness and wit, and has been the most successful teacher the town ever produced. Would our limits permit we could relate many an amusing instance of how the ready genius of " Black Sam" has out- generaled and conquered a large, turbulent, and to others ungovernable school, without a blow. He has devoted most of his life to farming.
DARIUS BLANCHARD and JOHN BLANCHARD were among the early settlers of the town. The former settled in the
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valley north of C. K. Fletcher's, and the latter on Baltimore Hill.
LESTER BLANCHARD, son of John Blanchard, was born June 17, 1808. He has ever remained on the homestead. He was Representative in 1848 and 1849.
BRECK.
JAMES BRECK, a native of Boston, was for twelve years, from 1804 to 1816, the leading merchant and one of the most influential men in Croydon. While here, he was Se- lectman five years and Representative four. In 1811, he married Martha Burr, daughter of Capt. Martin Burr, one of the early settlers of the town. They had a large family. Martin B., the oldest son, followed his father's calling. WILLIAM and JAMES, the second and third sons, graduated at Dartmouth College and turned their attention to law. The former, appointed Consul to China, has been, with his lady, for several years enjoying a residence in the " Celestial Empire." The latter settled at Chicago. From this town Mr. Breck removed to Newport, where for a long time he was a leading man in all public enterprises, in trade, in poli- tics and the religious society to which he belonged. He is now living at Rochester, N. Y., and, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years, still retains a vivid recollection of his many happy hours at Croydon, the birthplace of his com- panion and the spot where were first developed those quali- ties which gave him so marked an influence and laid the foundation of his extensive fortune. In 1861 they had a brilliant golden wedding.
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