Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1882-12-30
TRANSMITTED ABILITY.


says: Ofall the names distinguished
in colonial days very few are now
known by eminent representatives.
The Quincys and Adamses, of Massa-
chusetts. are the most prominent OK
captions To the rule, and they really
furnish only one case John Adams
was of rather obscure descent, and,
though not lacking talent, was irrit
bic and crOtchety He owed much
of his success in life to his brilliant
wife. whose grandfather was a Quin-
cy. 1t Is the Quincy rather than the
Adams blood that gave John Quincy
Adams and his son. Charles Francis
Adams, their ability. The same may
be said of the sons Of Chas. Francis,
who have inherited much Of the an
cestral talent. Louise May Alcott,
the writer. is also an oifshoot OF the
| Quincy stock.
The first of the name to gain cmi-
ncnce w2s Edmund Quincy 16Sl
1888. a Judge of the Supreme Court
of Massachusetts. and agent to the
British Court for the settlement of
the boundary question between Mas
sachusctts and New Hampshire. He
died while prosecuting this mission.
His son Edmund 0103-SSl was a
prominent merchant of Boston, the
father-in law of John Hancock. and
the author of treatise on Hemp
Husbandrv." Another son, Josiah
| 1709 81. was also a Boston merchant.
His son Josiah 17f1-75) became a
distinguished la Yyer. showed great
courage and incurred temporary cd
ium by joining with John Adams in
the defense of the soldiers who per
petrated the Boston massacre flIIO.
Soon after his health failed. but his
zeal for the patriot cause was I'M
ouenchable. In 1774 he went to Lon
don in the interest OF the country,
and his letters show that he worked
in season and out Of season against
the oppressive policy of Great Britain.
He died on his return, just in sight
of his native shore, at the age Of 81.
He was known as Josiah Quincy, Jr.,
since his father. who bore the same
name, survived him,
His son. Josiah, Q775-l06D was
called, through most of his long life,
| John Quincy, ST., as he had son
Josiah. He studied law and was
elected to Congress, where re was a
Federalist leader, opposing with
equal energy the Louisiana purchase
aud the war of 1872 He was six years
Mayor of Boston, and the author of
MANY important municipal improve
ments. subsequently, from 1929 to
1S45. he was President of Harvard
University. The finances of the in
stitution were in sad plight at his
accession, having been badly misman-
| aged. He left them in very pros
porous condition During his latter
years he was an energetic anti slavery
man, was one of Fremonts most
earnest supporters, and predicted
| that the war of secession though he
did not live to see its end-would be
the opening of new era of national
| greatness. He was the author of a
life of his father, of histories of Har
ward University and the city of Bos
ton, and of other works. He was not
a man of genius, but possessed that
thorough balance of powers which in
sured his success in whatever he I'M
dertook.
His son Josiah Quincy known as
junior until 1864, who has just died,
was not his fathers equal in ability,
but was still man of more than or
binary talent and worth. Born Jan
uary II, 1902, he was nearly 81 at his
death He graduated from Harvard
with Emerson in the class of 1871,
and adopted the legal profession.
Most of his attention, however, was
given to public affairs He held
many State and municipal offices,
and it was during his mayoralty that
Boston was supplied with Cochituate
water, a vast undertaking for the day.
He was not as successful in the adj
ministration of his personal finances
as was his father, but this did not
sour his temper or abate his interest
in public matters. He gave a good
deal of attention in his later years to
the encouragement Of improved sub
urban homes for working people.
His sons, Josiah Phillips, author Of
several dramatic poems, and Samuel
Miller, distinguished rs a volunteer
officer in the war of the Rebellion. and
since as a legal writer, are his worthy
SUCCESSORS in keeping up the family
name. Their uncle, the late Edward
Quincy. was the author of an enter
tanning life of his father, and of
"Wensley, q Story without Moral"
!. novel quite popular 20 years ago.
He was also foremost as an Abolition
list in day when it required great
courage to take such stand
We have sketched the foregoing
family history, not for any genealog-
ical purposes, but as a remarkable
and almost solitary instance of the
persistence of talent through several
generations. Neither Webster nor
Clay left sons at all comparable with
their father. And 50 it is with most
| men Of eminence.
TTr..r n,,,,r1r, W. Fl'ln Nt,