and died unmarried; Sarah, who lived to old age, unmarried; and Elisabeth, who married in 1757 the Rev. Nathaniel Robbins of Milton, who was the father of the late Hon. Edward Hutchinson Robbins, who graduated at Harvard College in 1775, was Speaker of the House of Representatives, Judge of Probate for the County of Norfolk, and also Lieut.-Governor. He was also much employed in other ways by the State in public business, as on important committees and boards of commissioners.

Judge Robbins married Elisabeth Murray, daughter of Hon. James Murray, merchant, of Boston. Their children, who are still living, are Eliza, Sarah Lydia, who married Judge Samuel Howe of Northampton, Anne Jean, who married Judge Joseph Lyman of Northampton also, Edward Hutchinson, M. D., of Boston, graduate of Harvard College, Mary, who married Joseph Warren Revere, merchant, of Boston, Hon. James Murray of Milton, and Catharine.

Lieut.-Governor Robbins was a man of undoubted native talents, good acquired abilities, fair moral character, and a faithful public functionary.*

*Extract of a Letter from Gov. Hutchinson to the Hon. J. H. Hutchinson, at Palmerston, near Dublin, dated Feb. 14, 1772, giving some genealogical account of the family.

"Give me leave, sir, now to thank you for so particular an account of Mrs. Hutchinson's family. I am unfortunate in one discovery. I am one remove farther from her than I expected. We had, however, a common ancestor in America. William was the name of my ancestor. He had three brothers, who were all in Boston about the year 1636, viz, Samuel, Edward and Richard. The mother of these four I find in a bible of my grandfather, [who] died at a town called York, in the Province of Maine, but now part of this Province. William, as you may see in the first Volume of the History, went to Rhode Island, and was there Governor at the beginning of the Colony, and died about 1641. Samuel lived till 1667, and died an old bachelor. He was accounted a scholar in those days. I kept a little [book] he had wrote upon the Millennium, and a curious pair of tobacco tongs, from a pious regard to his memory. The latter I lost when my house was destroyed. Edward I met with traces of in London after he had been in New England. Richard returned to England, was agent for the colony before and after the restoration, acquired great wealth in the iron monger way, I think in Cheapside, and lost £60,000 in the fire in London. He had eight sons as you observe. Edward I suppose to be the eldest, for I have of his hand writing of a very early date, and he appears to be about the same standing with another Edward who was the eldest son of William and my great grandfather. I trace no certainty of the other sons of Richard until Eliakim, the youngest, who was rather younger than a son of the last named Edward, whose name was Elisha and was my grandfather This Eliakim died in Boston in the year 1718, was one of the counsel many years, and lived to be near 80. I remember his funeral, being then about six years old. He left an ingenious son, who died about three years after him, and left several children, yet living, the eldest named Eliakim about my age, and was, about 20 years ago, one of the counsel, and is now a judge of one of our county courts. He married a daughter of the late Lieut. General Shirley, and you may find the name of his eldest son, William Hutchinson, in the court register for 1771, as judge of the Admiralty in the Bahamas under his uncle, the present Gov. Shirley. These are all the posterity of Richard in New England, and they have the honor of being one degree nearer to you than I am.

"Now let me give you William's posterity. He left many children, sons and daughters. The latter married, and have very numerous posterity scattered throughout New England; but there is no posterity of any son except the Edward I have mentioned. He married a Catherine Hamby, daughter of a noted counsellor at law in Ipswich, in England, and in the year 1675, being the principal officer of the horse in the colony, was killed in a skirmish with the Indians. His eldest and only son, who has left posterity, was Elisha, who made a figure for many years in the colony in every part, civil and military, in succession, except that of commander-in-chief of the Province. He died in 1717 about the age of Richard's son Eliakim, and left two sons, the eldest of which, Thomas, was my father, who, for thirty years was of the Massachusetts Council, and died in 1739 at the age of 65, and deserved the integer vitae as much as any man I ever knew. So far the family has done worthily. I hope, therefore, and

THOMAS HUTCHINSON, Governor of Massachusetts Bay under the second charter, and the more particular subject of this memoir, was the son of the Hon. Thomas Hutchinson, and was born at Boston, 1711. He was admitted into Harvard College, when only 12 years of age. His progress in study was a subject of particular notice and applause. In 1727, he received his bachelor's degree; but, instead of pursuing his studies and entering one of the learned professions, as it was expected he would, he engaged in mercantile business. In this, however, he did not succeed. He then applied himself to the study of the common law of England, and the principles of the British constitution, with reference to employment in public life. His townsmen, regarding him for his probity, honor, and capability, elected him, in 1738, a Selectman. His prudence and fidelity were such that, even at this early period of his life, he was appointed by the town their agent to transact very important business in Great Britain, which he undertook and settled to their satisfaction. When he returned from London, he was chosen a Representative to General Court, and was annually elected for ten years succeeding, three of which, commencing with 1747, he was Speaker. In the House of Representatives, he acquired great reputation, as possessing the charms of oratory beyond any man in the Assembly. There was with him equal fluency and pathos. He could argue as well as declaim. He was active, diligent, plausible, and always seemed to be influenced by a patriotic spirit.

At this period the country was much embarrassed by the public debt. This amounted to about £2,000,000, old tenor. All classes of the community suffered beyond description, especially clergymen and widows. All complained of the evil, but no one could suggest a remedy, until Mr. Hutchinson presented a plan of relief. Through his plan and influence £1,792,236, old tenor, were redeemed, the rest of the debt not being called for at that time. This paper money at that time passed at the rate of ten to one, yet the Provincial authorities redeemed the debt at seven and a half to one. It required for redeeming the last amount a fraction over £238,964,

I think I shall demonstrate that the information you had of our relation to the regicide was not well founded. It is certain that neither of us descended from him. We have traced Mrs. Hutchinson's ancestor back to Richard, and in me back to William, his brother. John, the regicide, could not possibly be their father, for their mother died in New England, a widow, before the year 1640. If he was of the family it is most likely he was the son of Edward, the brother of William and Richard, who I have reason to think had divers children. If he had been one of the sons of Richard it would appear from his papers, of which I have been informed there are many still remaining, in the hands of his great grandson, the Eliakim I have just now mentioned."

in hard money, at 20 shillings per pound. This sum of money was paid by the British government to Massachusetts, to cancel their charge for assisting to capture and retain Louisburg. *

Mr. Hutchinson first proposed this plan to Gov. Shirley, who approved of it. He then offered the same to the members of the House, who were unable to comprehend it. From respect to the Speaker they appointed a committee to examine it; but their report was not satisfactory to him. The plan, however, which their most experienced members were disposed to reject; which the most politic thought unwise; and which to commercial men seemed impracticable, was at last, by his exertions, adopted, and found upon trial to be wise and judicious. The bill passed in 1749.

Many are the documents in the Massachusetts Archives, written by Mr. Hutchinson, while a member of the Legislature. These show that he was not only on the most important committees, but was, also, the one generally selected to make their reports.

At the succeeding election, Mr. Hutchinson was chosen a member of his Majesty's council, and was continued in that office till 1766.

When his uncle Edward Hutchinson died, in 1752, he succeeded him as Judge of Probate. His conduct in this office endeared him to many. He was tender and compassionate, had a generous sympathy for the children of affliction, and often wiped the tear from the eye of the widow and the orphan. This trait of character was exhibited in the benevolent and active interest he took in the welfare of the French Neutrals, who were expelled from Nova Scotia, in 1756, and sent to the British Provinces; especially of those who came to Massachusetts.

In 1758 he was appointed Lieut.-Governor, and this appointment was gratifying to all classes of people; but in 1760, when he received the commission of Chief-Justice, in the place of Judge Sewall, who had deceased, great offence was given to some leading individuals in the state, and for a time the measure operated unfavorably to him.

This year Gov. Pownall left the Province, and Lieut.-Gov. Hutchinson presided as Chief Magistrate. At one time he held the offices of Judge of Probate, Councillor, Chief-Justice, and Lieut.. Governor. The salaries of these offices, with the income of his own property, enabled him to live in a handsome and gentlemanly

*See Felt's Massachusetts Currency.

manner. High life has its at:ractions, and he seemed greatly to desire wealth, that he might give a splendor and charm to his station. This may in some measure account for certain peculiarities in his conduct, characterized by profusion and parsimony.

While Mr. Hutchinson officiated as Judge of the Supreme Court, he performed his duties so well that soon opposition to him ceased. His respect for religious institutions, his sympathy with the distressed, his affability, his integrity, industry, and talents procured in a very high degree, public confidence. He was so much a favorite of the Legislature in the year 1763, that they appointed him agent to the court of Great Britain, by a vote almost unanimous. The state of civil affairs in the country at that period was very critical, and seemed to demand special attention. But by the advice of Gov. Bernard, he was persuaded to remain at home until he should obtain permission to leave the Province, he being at that time Lieut.-Governor. He wrote to Lord Halifax respecting this subject, who gave him permission to visit England. But when this communication was received, the tide of his influence was ebbing, the popular gale had changed, and the General Court rescinded their vote, and concluded not to send an Agent. At this, he was greatly disappointed; but his friends could not relieve him, and his enemies rejoiced at his discomfiture. They had exerted themselves, totis viribus, to persuade the General Court that he was a man of arbitrary views, and would seek his own aggrandizement rather than the interests of the State.

As he sympathized with the mother country in her attempts to raise a revenue from the colonies, he of course became extremely obnoxious to the people. The first measure adopted for this purpose by the British parliament was the Stamp Act, and a brother-inlaw of Mr. Hutchinson, Secretary Oliver, was appointed distributer of stamps. The law was to go into effect Nov. 1, 1765. Just before that time had arrived, Jared Ingersoll, the distributer of stamps for Connecticut, arrived in Boston from London. When he left town, Mr. Oliver accompanied him a short distance, in consequence of which a mob hung him in effigy on the "Great Tree," or "Liberty Tree," which stood at what was then called South Boston, near the corner of Washington and Essex streets, about opposite Boylston Market. The mob moreover destroyed a building which he had erected, supposed to be designed for a stamp office, and also destroyed the furniture of his house. Mr. Oliver immediately resigned his office. In the evening the mob thanked

him, and made a bonfire on Fort Hill near his house. The next evening the house of Mr. Hutchinson was attacked, a report being circulated that he had written letters in favor of the Stamp Act, but the chief damage was the breaking of the windows. In a few evenings after there was a more formidable assault. The merchants being displeased with the officers of the customs and of the admiralty, a mob was collected in the evening of Aug. 26, 1765, in King street; and, having first plundered the cellar of the comptroller of the customs, of the wines and spirits deposited there, proceeded with intoxicated rage to the house of Mr. Hutchinson, and, splitting the doors to pieces, destroyed or cast into the streets every thing which was in the house, and kept possession of it until daylight. Mr. Hutchinson was that night at the Castle. The damage was estimated at £2,500, besides the loss of a great collection of public and private papers. He received a grant of £3,194 17s 6d for his losses, and other sufferers received in the same proportion. The town, the next day, voted their abhorrence of the riot; but the public feeling was such that no person was punished. Even six or eight persons who were imprisoned for this offence were released by a company, who by threats obtained the keys of the prison from the prison keeper.

The political controversy continued during the remainder of Gov, Bernard's administration, from 1765 to 1770; and Mr. Hutchinson, by taking his seat in the Council, in 1767, merely on the ground of being Lieut.-Governor, excited a prejudice and clamor against himself. His seat, however, was voluntarily abandoned, though he thought that the early practice sanctioned his claim. By the present constitution of Massachusetts, the Lieut.-Governor is ex officio a member of the Council. The claim of Mr. Hutchinson, therefore, does not appear to have been very preposterous. In a few days after this occurrence, he was appointed by the Legislature to the important post of a commissioner for settling the boundary with New York.

In 1768, the arrival of the troops at Boston increased the popular excitement against Mr. Hutchinson. At the request of the Governor, (Bernard,) he accompanied the sheriff to the manufactory house, to advise the occupants to leave it, as it belonged to the State, and

*Referring to this occurrence, Gov. Hutchinson in one of his private papers preserved at the State House, says, "When I had proceeded as far as the year 1730, [in my History] I was dispossessed of all my papers of every kind by an enraged, deluded mob. My manuscript history which had been scattered about the streets was all recovered, except about half a score sheets, when the greatest part of the materials from which it was composed and of my other papers were destroyed. I am prevented publishing in the appendix some papers which were curious and well worth preserving."