USA > Vermont > Rutland County > The history of Rutland county, Vermont; civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military, pt 2 > Part 60
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April 6, 1779. Voted That this town do | years; Mary Noble, George Capron, 83 years ;
accept the report of the committee sent to Poultney to assist in building the fort at Castleton.
Voted, That we will raise the men, that is, 30, in order to build the above Fort.
Voted, That Capt. John Spafford shall choose the men, with Gideon Warren and Major Royce, to assist as a committee to choose the men."
TOWN CLERKS.
Charles Brewster, Thomas Porter, Orange Train, Eastus Barker, Jared Porter, George Capron (for nearly forty years), George Capron, jr, Harvey Shaw, Levi Rice, jr., Marcus Norton, J. B. Valentine, Tilley B. Norton, A. W. Hathaway, Levi Rice, jr., Lewis Cobb, J. H. Round, Isaac D. Tubbs.
TOWN REPRESENTATIVES,
Charles Brewster, Solomon Bingham, Col. John Spafford, Orange Train (9 years), Na- thaniel Chipman (8 years), Samuel Mattocks (4 years), Ebenezer Marvin, M. D., (5 years), NOW LIVING OVER 75. Thomas Porter (Speaker), Elias Post, Erastus Barker, Thomas Porter, jr., Theophilus Clark, M. D., Obadiah Noble, Payne Gilbert, Noah W. Sawyer, Eliada Cramton, Jeffrey Ballard, Calvin Brewer, Harvey Shaw, John REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS. Cobb, Lampson Allen, Royal Coleman, Dex- ter Gilbert, George Capron, jr., Judah H. Round, Levi Rice, jr., Loring Waldo, Erwin Lillie, Geo. M. Noble, M. D., Lyman Cobb, . John T. Ballard, Absalom Noble, Lewis | Samuel Noble, Elisha Clark, John Train.
Cobb, Cyrus Cramton, J. W. Noble, Henry D. Noble.
Tinmouth was the home of three Supreme Court Judges, Ebenezer Marvin, Thomas Porter and Nathaniel Chipman.
OBADIAH NOBLE, Judge of Probate and County Judge for several years, was one of the foremost men of the town and a well ed- ucated lawyer and one of the best presiding officers in the State. Elisha Clark, was also Judge of Probate.
LONGEVITY.
Persons who have died in town over 80 years of age :
Nathaniel Chipman, LL. D., 90 years ; Rev. O. Noble, 91 years; Mrs. Noble, 91 years ; Elisha Clark, 85 years; Beulah Wal- do, 84 years ; Amy Waldo, 82 years ; Milley Cobb, 81 years; Huldah Ballard, 88 years ; Jane Gilbert, 83 years; Chad. Phillips, 80 years ; Mrs. Dr. Clark, 90 years ; Obadiah Noble (Judge), 87 years ; Samuel Noble, 88
Mrs. Betsey Capron, 83 years ; John Rogers, 98 years ; Neri Cramton, 85 years ; Hannah Valentine, Abigail Ambler, 88 years ; Jaco- miah Palmer, Alvin Hoadley, Rachel Hoad- ley, 83 years; Joseph Brown, Huldah Mat- teson, Maj. Stephen Royce, 85 years ; Chas. Roise, 96 years ; Mrs. Baldwin, 84 years; Hezekiah Harrington, 80 years ; Mr. Benja- min, 95 years ; Rufus Post, 88 years ; Mr. Turner, 88 years ; Abram Smith, 81 years ; Samuel Chipman (father of Judge C.), 90 years ; Rachel Perry, 85 years; Experience Rossiter, 98 years; Abigail Carpenter, 100 years and 6 months ; Widow Dean, 98 years ; Elisha Hamilton, 81 years; Lucy Barker, 84 years ; Widow Gillett, 85 years ; Thomas Rogers, 85 years ; Elias Post, 88 years ; Judge Thomas Porter (died in Granville), 99 years ; Stephen Rice, David Sawyer, John Train, 86 years.
Theophilus Clark, M. D., 95 years ; Calvin Brewer, 88 years ; John Norton, Amanda Norton, Polly Rogers, Seth Phillips, Barton Peters.
We can find but the following names, though there may have been more :
Nathaniel Chipman, (Lieut.) Neri Cram- ton, - Phillips, Maj. Stephen Royce, 1512,
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TINMOUTH SOLDIERS FOR THE WAR OF '61.
Henry Mattocks, killed in battle; Duane Hall, died in army ; Alfred C. Ballard, Henry Ballard, Medad Hubbard - died in army ; Charles Packard, Stephen Packard, Elias E. Clark, Job Corey, killed in battle ; Stephen Corey, George Phillips. Ephraim Phillips, died in army ; Dwight Eddy, died in army ; De Forest Doty, Alvin P. Stafford, Rufus Nicholson, Nathan Nicholson, Ira Nicholson, Arthur W. Hathaway, John A. Salisbury, Charles T. Miner, Lucius Grover, Wallace Battese, died in army; Charles M. Noble, Julius Hart, Orange Hart, Joel Rog- ers, Alonzo Levins.
IRON AND OTHER MINERALS.
There are several iron ore beds in Tin- mouth. The most notable are the Chipman now owned by Bartlett Stafford, and the frain now owned by Seth Phillips. These beds were worked more than 75 years ago, and are supposed to be almost inexhaustible. They contain some of the best ore in the State.
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The furnaces in Tinmouth were supplied by these and other beds in Tinmouth, and large quantities have been exported to other furnaces, among them Tyson Furnace in Ply- mouth, within a few years.
A furnace and forge were built in the north part of the town, previous to the year 1800, and were carried on by Major Willard and Abner Perry, and at a later date, by Wait Rathbone. The last named, after working the Furnace for a few years, built another on Tinmouth river, leaving the first near the center of the town, and soon after took William Vaughan as partner. Under the name of Rathbone and Vaughan they did a large business in making stoves, pot- ash-kettles and small hollow ware. The last named was so plenty as to become al- most a medium of exchange.
There is an abundance of marble here, some of it is of superior quality ; but it has not been much developed in consequence of distance from Railroad.
We have also a black lead mine, on the farm of Daniel Clark. L. Kice, jr.
ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH, TINMOUTH.
This place was the first residence of the Rev. Bethuel Chittenden in Vermont. By him the little parish was formed and served, more or less, until his decease, in 1809.
the church in Tinmonth was represented by Elisha Hamilton. In 1793, in the Conven- tion at Pawlet, it was represented by Eben- ezer Marvin, the maternal grandfather of the Hon. Stephen Royce of Berkshire. In 1803, Abraham Gillett and Elisha Andrews were delegates to the annual Convention from this parish.
The parish in Tinmouth, after the death of Mr. Chittenden, had occasional services by the different clergymen on duty at Pawlet, Wells and Poultney. In the early part of 1837, this parish was re-organized under the name of St. Stephen's Church. During that year, the Rev. Darwin B. Mason, did duty in this church one half of the time. The number of communicants was then twelve. In 1838, he was followed by the Rev. Lu- man Foote, who reported twelve communi- cants. Since that time this church has not had any but occasional services and it has made no progress.
COL. SPOFFORD FAMILY,
recorded in the old family bible by John Spofford, the elder. "John Spofford born Aug. 31, 1752 and Mary Baldwin born Apr. 20, 1750, were married Mar. 19, 1772; chil- dren : Hannah, died young; Heman born Dec. 4, 1772; married to Betsy Spofford, Nov. 1805; Eleazer died young; Horatio Gates, born Feb. 18, 1778 ; married to Han- nah Bristol, May 19, 1800; died Aug. 7, 1833 ; Polly, born Sept. 10, 1779; married Caleb Rice, Esq., Oct. 30, 1797; John jr., born Oct. 7, 1781 ; married Sally Carxallar, 1809; Hannah 2d, born Nov. 23, 1783, mar- ried Rev. Royal Phelps, Feb. 2, 1800; Hi- ram, born Sept. 20, 1785; Guy died young ; Phebe, died young ; Sophia, born Jan. 9, 1791, married to Richard Williams, June 7, 1807 ; Phebe 2d, born Dec. 6, 1792 ; married Edward Stevenson, Feb. 8, 1820.
. John Spofford Sen., died Apr. 24, 1823, aged 71. Mary Spofford Sept. 9, 1842, aged 92.
In the summer of 1874, we had a pleasant historical visit from Mrs. Williams, Sophia, the last but one of the twelve children of old Capt. Spotford of Bennington battle and Rev- olutionary fame, from whom we took the following notes. "My father was captain of a company in the Bennington battle at the approach of Burgoyne, he called out his militia and from his own stores provided for his company. My mother drew a pension
In the Convention of 1790, at Arlington, I for years on account of drawing the lines of
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rations and dealing them out. I was the eleventh of 12 children all born by the large Spring in Tinmouth, except Horatio who was born in Dorset just after the Bennington battle.
My parents settled in Tinmouth shortly after they were married. All the citizens fled before the approach of Burgoyne. The whole inhabitants started off at once. They crossed the mountain in the night. Mother rode on horseback, Heman behind her on the pillion. Mother intended to go to the sea- side, but could not go further than Dorset. Abijah Pratt, who married my father's sister Phebe, accompanied the women and children. He was one of father's militia men. After the war, my parents returned to their place in Tinmouth.
When my father died 200 different lodges sent their representatives to his funeral. They came from Utica N. Y., and from the lodges all through that section. It was the largest funeral I ever saw. He was a high Mason-had been a Green Mountain Boy of ficer and lived to be an old man. He was captain in the Revolutionary war and after- ward colonel in the militia."
DR. HORATIO GATES SPOFFORD
wrote and edited several works. He died of cholera at his summer residence in Troy. His place goes by the name of Spofford's Summer House. It was a noted place for grapes."
We have among our collections of Ver- mont authorship, his gazetteer-" A Gazett- eer of the State of New York," in which he has the title of LL. D., published by B. D. Packard, Albany and by the author at Troy, Packard & Van Benthuysen, printers, 1824. 8vo. 620 pp-Ed.
LETTER OF REV. JONATHAN H. NOBLE.'
As I have not lived in Tinmouth since I was 16 years old, I have little but memory to rely upon. As to churches, I am doubtful whether any but the Congregational was ever organized in town till the Methodist of re- cent date. In the Congregational, the min- isters following Mr. Martindale were Rev. C. Clapp and Rev. - Gates, pastors, and, as temporary supplies, Revs. Stephen Wil- liams, A. Fleming, G. S. Woodhull, P. Bates, L. Brevster, S. Parmelee. Possibly some others. No minister now [Oct. 3, 1875.]
Physicians -Dr. Marvin was the first no
doubt. Dr. Hamilton was in practice when I was a boy. He removed before I was old enough to remember much of him. Dr. The- ophilus Clark, the first physician I ever knew, still lives in Tinmouth, at the age of 95; was from Connecticut; must have prac- tised about 70 years ; very skillful. His son, Clarles C. Clark, M. D., a graduate of Middlebury College, practises his profession in Oswego, N. Y .; quite eminent; has been Government collector of customs at that port. Some others born in Tinmouth have followed the same profession-Dr. A. S. Clark in Maine, Dr. Ebenezer Porter, Poultney, Dr. M. O. Porter, Cornwall, Dr. Geo. M. Noble, Wallingford.
Lawyers .- First, Judge Chipman from Con- necticut. My father (Judge Obadiah Noble) was from New Hampshire. He came to Tinmouth when a child. Of those born in Tinmouth, John Mattocks must have been the first. I knew his brother, Samuel P. Judge Chipman's son, Henry, graduated at Middlebury ; practised in Detroit, and be- came Judge of U. S. Circuit Court.
David Nicholson and his brother, Anson A., both lawyers, now residing in Rutland, were natives of this town; also Marcus P. Norton, now living in Troy, N. Y .; A. B. Waldo, Port Henry, N. Y .; H. Ballard and Alfred Ballard recently deceased; and the Hon. Stephen Royce, afterwards of Berk- shire, Vt.
Rev. Orrin Pier and his twin brother, Rev. Orfis Pier, Methodist clergymen, were born in Tinmouth ; also Rev. Edwards A. Beach, a Presbyterian clergyman ; Rev. Caleb S. Ives, Episcopal clergyman, labored in Texas, born and buried in Tinmouth.
Rev. Dr. Porter,* to whom you refer, was born in Connecticut, brought to Tinmouth when 7 years old; a son of Hon. Thomas Porter, Judge of Supreme Court of Vermont ; graduated at Dartmouth College; pastor in Washington, Ct .; he became President of Andover Theological Seminary ; author of several works. I have his memoir, contain- ing a sketch of his father.
Revolutionary Soldiers .- I think my father speaks, in his paper, of Elisha Clark in the battle of Bennington, and Mr. Clough and Allen and Crampton. When a boy, four were living within a mile of our house: E.
* Author of Porter's Analysis and Porter's Rhetori- cal Reador .- Ed.
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Clark, David Dean, John Swett and Samuel Benham. I have heard Dean and Swett speak of being in the battle with Washington, at Monmouth, N. J., and I believe Samuel Benham, jr., and Julius Clark were soldiers in the war of 1812. Of the soldiers in the late Rebellion, I know only two personally, Col John Salisbury and my nephew, Charles M. Noble, of 10th Vt.
You speak of Capt. Spafford-the same, doubtless, called Col. Spafford when I was a boy. I remember well his sons, Heman and David.
Mrs. Relief Harris, of North Hartford, Washington Co., N. Y., my father's sister, is the oldest person * now living, born in Tin- mouth. Memory assures me that, in my boyhood, my native town contained an in- telligent, industrious and well to-do set of inhabitants, nearly all of them attendants upon the worship of the Congregational church, which was always well filled. My recollections of Rev. Mr. Boies, the first min- ister I ever knew, are very pleasant, and also of his successor, Rev. Mr. Martindale. Good seed was sown by both those men, and much fruit resulted from their labors.
HON. OBADIAH NOBLE
of Tinmouth died suddenly on Sunday, - 1864, aged 87 years. Not coming to his breakfast, as usual, on that morning, his chamber was entered and he was found dead upon the floor, partially dressed. It is sup- posed he arose as usual in the morning, and died while in the act of dressing.
He was justice of the peace in Tinmouth for 38 years; was register of probate in 1799; was judge of probate from 1814 to 1828 ; and assistant judge of the county court from 1839 to 1842 inclusive. He rep- resented the town of Tinmouth in the years 1811, 1812, 1815, 1816, 1820 and 1830; was senator from this county in 1838 and 1839 ; was member of the council of censors in 1827, and member of the constitutional con- ventions of 1828 and 1836.
Judge Noble was a man of eminent good Rense and practical judgment, of retentive memory, of genial and kindly feelings, and spotless character. He possessed a rich fund of anecdote and information regarding events which transpired in the time of his youth and vigorous manhood, which will make his
Joss all the more seriously felt by those in- terested in the early history of the State, and especially of Rutland County .- Rutland Herald.
REV. NATHANIEL HURD. . BY REV. J. H. NOBLE.
Died at Kewanee, Ill., Oct. 23, 1867, Rev. NATHANIEL HURD, a member of the Presby- tery of Rochester, aged 65 years.
He was born in Tinmouth, Vt., Aug. 31, 1802; at the age of 14, connected himself with the church in his native town ; he de- veloped a marked and decided Christian character. He soon turned his attention to the gospel ministry ; and, after such prepara- tion as was accessible, and an unusual self- culture. he received his theological training at Pittsfield, Vt., in the private school of Rev. Justin Parsons, father of Rev. Levi Parsons, the missionary.
He commenced preaching in 1825, at Plainfield, Vt., receiving ordination sooner after licensure than was usual, on account of special promise of usefulness, and on ac- count of the special wants of the congrega- tion. He married, Oct. 15, 1828, the excel- lent lady who, with one son and daughter, survive him. After 4 years' preaching in Vermont he came to the State of New York, where the remaining 38 years of his ministry were spent; the last thirteen of which he labored in connection with the presbytery of Rochester.
It is a judicious statement, that his mission has been " to broaden and deepen the found- ations of churches;" and the churches which have been thus edified and enlarged during his labors, remember him as one whose firm- ness and gentleness, whose faithful and highly acceptable and effective preaching, and whose manifest uprightness, candor and agreeable social intercourse, were adapted both to build up the church and to win the confidence and attention of those ordinarily outside of re- ligious influences. The churches at Turin, at Bergen, and at Mendon, where rest the remains of his beloved son, as well as others, will long remember his work of love among them.
His last engagement, after he had become too feeble to endure the work of the ministry, was with the Presbyterian church at Onion, N. Y. Here, among a people greatly at- tached to him, his health entirely failed He
* Aged 93 years.
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had to be borne even from the pulpit, when he was attempting his last public effort, to that retirement where he was to await, for a few weeks, the summons of the Master he had so long and so faithfully served.
By the desire of his friends, he tried the experiment of a journey to the home of his son in Illinois, but only thus to gather the little family together in the pleasant : little town where now repose his remains. He revived a little while on the journey, er d .h er lu to delight even strangers by his sweet"
intelligent converse, and to show a servi tion of Christ ready for the coming of the Lord, when his decline and his sufferings returned and speedily hastened him to his blessed rest. His clear mind, his ripe judgment, his deli- cate taste and sensibility, his really eloquent soul, are now at home on the Mount of God.
REV. STEPHEN MARTINDALE.
BY HON. DANIEL ROBERTS, OF BURLINGTON.
Rev. Mr. Martindale, born in Dorset, Vt., Nov. 25, 1787, died at Wallingford, Vt., of pleurisy, March 8, 1847, in his 60th year.
He was the son of Col. Stephen Martindale and Huldah ( Smith ) Martindale, who were married at Lenox, Mass., Oct. 10, 1781, and removed from Stockbridge, Mass., to Dorset, Vt., in 1783. She was daughter of Major Simeon Smith, of Lenox, a soldier of the Revolution. He and Col. Bronson, of Man- chester, while on an excursion west of Lake Champlain, were captured by the Indians and carried prisoners into Montreal. Col. Martindale, when a lad of sixteen and weigh- ing but 66 pounds, was at the battle of Ben- nington, as an officer's waiter. Stephen (the son) fitted for college under Rev. Wil- liam Jackson, D. D., of Dorset, and graduated at Middlebury College in 1806, and in 1807 married Dianthe Kent, daughter of Cephas Kent, who was the son of Cephas Kent, that "inn-holder in Dorset" at whose house several conventions of the " Inhabitants of the New Hampshire Grants, by their dele- gates," were held, in the year 1776, to trans- act business " for the safety of the Colonies in general and the New Hampshire Grants in particular."
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Vermont militia, under a commission from Gov. Martin Chittenden, dated May 2, 1814, he accompanied his regiment to the Northern frontier. He assumed theological studies under Rev. Dr. Jackson, and was ordained as a minister in 1818; preached a short time at Riga, N. Y., and became pastor of the Con- gregational church of Tinmouth, Vt., Jan. 6, 1819, where he labored for 13 years, eking out the meager ministerial salary of those days by keeping a private school, of an ex- cellent character and quite famous in its day. Judge Nathaniel Chipman was his familiar ¡friend and frequent visitor there, spending many hours and evenings, smoking and tea- drinking, full of anecdote and mirthful hu- mor, discussing law, politics, philosophy and theology. From this pastorate, he was dis- missed Feb. 6, 1832, and soon after went to Wallingford, where, without being formally installed, he remained as acting pastor of the church and people until his death.
He was a man of fine presence, of great courtesy, in spirit and deportment a born gentleman -chivalrous, tender, and brave; of quick sympathies and sensibilities; one whom children and the poor and lowly loved ; given to generous hospitality ; apt at command and to teach ; prudent in word and act, and of great wisdom in counsel, and tact in administration ; honorable, truthful, hon- est and sincere. Among the recollections of the older people, is his appearance upon mili- tary parade. With what grace and skill he managed his horse, and how he would send his voice along the lines in tones ringing clear and soft as those of a bugle; and how, when accustomed to be called to act as mili- tary Chaplain, his enthusiasm seemed to be kindled into inspiration, as he prayed over a drum-head !
As a preacher, while he lacked the severity of method which characterizes the produc- tions of the closet student, his delicate fancy, which turned all nature to its use for apt illustration, his gushing sensibility and broad humanity, speaking through a voice musical and expressive, and action graceful and dig- nified, gave to his sermons great effectiveness, and, in conference meetings, occasional ex- hortations, and, in prayer, made him greatly to excel. His reading of the Scriptures and hymn book was artistically beautiful.
After graduation, Mr. Martindale e-tab- lished an Academy at West Dorset, of which he was preceptor for several years, and pur- sued the study of medicine for a time. As His last sickness was brief and distressing, adjutant of Col. Martindale's regiment of | but, though racked with extreme pain, and
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able to utter his thoughts only in broken sentences, he dictated his will and arranged his affairs, even the most minute, with com- posure; and, on his last Sabbath morning, mindful of the day and his duties, he gave orders that one of his family should attend meeting and read a sermon. A day or two before his death, he insisted upon being raised in bed and called for pen and ink, and a bible, and then, summoning all his wasting energies, he wrote upon a blank- leaf in the bible, in a bold hand,-"I BE- LIEVE AMEN," and subscribed his name,- his last legacy. To a brother minister, who, on the morning of his death, inquired how he did, he answered with a pleasant and meaning smile, " Almost well." His funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. Philetus Clark, then of Clarendon, from the apt text (Acts, viii. 2., ) " And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lam- i the farm. entation over him." He rests under a mon- ument erected by his people, bearing the inscription, "Our Pastor." *
DIANTHE (KENT ) MARTINDALE, relict of Rev. Stephen Martindale, died at the resi- dence of J. Munson Hill, his son-in-law, at Beloit, Wisconsin, Aug. 5, 1858, in the 71st year of her age. She lies buried by the side of her deceased husband, in Wallingford.
NATHANIEL CHIPMAN.
Address on the dedication of the Chipman Monument at Tinmouth, Oct. 3d. 1873, by HoN. E. P. WALTON, of Montpelier. [Somewhat abridged.]
The most fitting service this day to be rendered to the memory of the man whom the State has determined to honor in an unusual way, would be an elaborate and discriminative account of that great man's lile, services, and character ; but to be most fitly done, that service requires the best talents of one who is not only equal with, but superior, in classical scholarship, and profound learning in arts, sciences, history, law, and statesmanship, to him who is to be measured. A tyro can flippantly praise or foolishly criticise ; but the just judge should be wiser than the man who is to be judged. With this conception of the work best to be done, I deemed myself utterly unfit to undertake it, and flatly refused a broad in vitation sent to me. When that invitation
[* In the Vermont Chronicle of March 24, 1847, will be found an appreciative notice of Mr. Martindale, written by one who well knew him.
was changed, to a specific request to prepare a biographical sketch, I determined to at- tempt it, and have come, with a grateful and admiring heart, to lay my offering on the grave of Chipman.
Nathaniel Chipman was a descendant, in the fourth generation, from John Chipman of Barnstable, England, who came to Mas- sachusetts in 1630, married a daughter of John Howland (the last male survivor but 002; of those who came in the May-flow- " vith and settled in Barnstable, Mass. Na- velaniel was born in Salisbury, Conn., Nov. 15, ch752, the first son of Samuel Chipman of Salisbury, and Hannah Austin of Suffield, Conn.
The father of Nathaniel was both black- smith and farmer, an industrious and meth- odical man, who kept all his sons in con- stant employment, either in the shop or on A descendant of the Puritans, he was himself puritanical. He subjected all the affairs of his family to an orderly system, one rule rigidly enforced upon every member, being to retire early to rest, and to rise early for work. The days were given to labor, Nathaniel's on the farm; and the ev- "nings to reading books drawn from a well- selected town library, and to free conversa- tion on the topics suggested by the books.
At the age of twenty, with mind and body well disciplined by this sort of domestic ed- ucation, and a fixed habit of untiring indus- try, young Chipman entered upon preparato- ry classical studies with the minister of his parish, and in nine months he fitted himself for Yale College, which he entered in 1773. In college he took high rank in the regular courses of study ; but being both industrious and wisely independent, he went far beyond the curriculum, into a course of general read- ing and literary studies. He quit college for the field, as lieutenant in the continental army, before his senior term had ended; but he had well mastered more than the prescrib- ed studies, and was honored with the usual collegiate degree in his absence.
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