The Portland daily press., 1871-04-17

death OF HON. 1ETER " tIRGIN.-ln6
Star announces the death of Hon. Peter G
Virgin at his home in Rumford on the 7th
inst. at the ripe age of 8S years. Perhaps Mr..
Virgin was little known to the majority of the
people of this section, and it may be that there
are not dozen comparatively of the present
active generation around our city who knew
him; but it is not proper in journalist to al
low the departure of man who filled so large
space in the public mind in his own county,
or who quietly did SO much to shape the his
tory of the State, to pass by unheeded. Mr..
son of Ebenezer Virgin, one of the early set
tiers of that town. The subject of this brief
notice obtained his academic education at Con-
cord, at Salisbury Academy and at Phillips
Academy in AndOver, at the last of which
schools he was fitted for college. His class
mates at AndOver were Hon. Charles s. Daveis
OF this city, Newell. the missionary, Enoch
Chandler and several other well-known men
Mr.. Virgin entered Harvard, but in his junior
year left college and started q school in Con-
cord, and at the same time began the study Of
law. After pursuing his legal studies in Con-
cord and Westford and Haverhill for four
years be joined his father at Rumford in 1907,
soon after the settlement of the town had be-
gun, and applied for admission to the bar but
as the rule required six months legal study in
this State, Mr.. Virgin passed the requisite
time in the Office of Judge judah Dana Of
Fryeburg. On being admitted 10 the bar he
began tire practice of his profession in Rum
ford, and continued in it, with success, nearly
all the remainder of his life, interrupted only
when called to filled offices of public trust. In
1818-19 he was elected member of the Gen.
eral Court of Massachusetts. He was mem
Der of the Convention which formed the pres
ent Constitution of the State, and q delegate
to the famous Brunswick Convention which
sat five weeks. He was elected to the first
Legislature of Maine, where he found Bepja-
min Ames in the chair, whom he had been in
innate with in Westford. In 1880 he was
made Chief Justice of the Court of Sessions
for Oxford county, and in 1888 was appointed
County Attorney by Gov. Kent. In all these
places of trust the community know with what
uprightness and ability he did their duties
After his withdrawal from public life he devot-
ed himself entirely to his profession, and it is
only within very few years that he has been
missed from the familiar forum where he had
been found so regularly for more than half a
century. 'i''siz t'
MI. VirginIwas Wbig in politics as long az
that party had an existence, and on its dsso-
luton he became member of the Republican
organization, and was outspoken ard firm
adherent of its policy and an active partici-
pant in its work, showing by precept and ex.
ample his faith in its principles. We remem-
ber him years ago as a polished and dgnified
gentleman of the old school, courteous in his
demeanor TO all, sound adviser whom it was
pleasure to consult. 1t may be said that his
heart never grew old. He had special inter-
est in young men, and they cheerfully accord
ed to him an unusual degree of honor and re-
spect. By all the citizens Of Oxford county
he was held in the highest esteem, and was the
repository of the most sacred trusts Two
sons and a daughter survive him, one OF the
former of whom is Hon. VIM. Writ Virgin of
Norway, the present Reporter of Decisions,
and himself an accomplished and distinguished
lawyer.
On the 1st of July next Mr.. James 7. Fields
will retire from the edtorship of the Atlantic