The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-11-05
of Hon. Nathan Read,
Who Died at Belfast, Maine, Jan. 20. 1919.

| llduSOn, LII. ", Oh beIidSI, Me-, TO Cue
| New England Historical and Genealogical
| Register
was born at Western (now Warren) in
the County Of Worcester. Massachusetts,
July 2, 1859, and lived with my father,
Reuben Read, till was about fifteen years
old, and worked with him at farming,
and occasionally with my grandfather,
Capt. Nathaniel Read, who owned large
farm adjoining my fathers, which, being
good land and easily cultivated, he made
quite productive. Having learned in early
life the carpenters trade, he had good
set of tools, which enabled him to make
his own farming utensils, and even his
own buildings, which was great advant-
age to him. My grandmother's maiden
name was Pheby Lamb, a very benevolent,
pious, kind hearted woman. My mothers
maiden name was Tamsin Meacham, of
Enfield, Connecticut, and was cousin to
General Green of Rhode Island, who, in
the Revolutionary war, was next in COM
mand to General Washington. My father
was major in regiment of minute men
IN the Revolutionary war, and was under
| the command of General Ward of Shrews-
bury, and being appointed by him to take
charge of the Hessians and British troops
captured with Burgoyne, and then prison
ers of war at Cambridge, he removed
them to Rutland in the County of Worces-
ter, and superintended them to the close
of the war. In the autumn of 1T76, hav-
ing had very little schooling, | was per
mitted to attend Rev. Samuel Wizards
school at Stafford about three months,
and was taught arithmetic English gram
mar and Burr Latin grammar; and then
| rot IN ~,
town school, kept about two months by
Dwight Foster, an undergraduate Of Prov
idence College. | was then inoculated for
the small pox, and in the spring went to
Mr.. Nathan Goddard's private school at
Shrewsbury; and in April, soon after
began to study Greek, | was taken sick
with the measles, which injured my eye
sight, and disqualified me for several
weeks for reading Greek. Mr.. Goddard
being called away to preach for several
months as a candidate for the ministry, |
was necessitated to 90 to school to
clergyman in a neighboring town to study
Greek and qualify myself as well as |
could to enter college. AT the close of
the summer vacation in iii, | was eX-
amined by Mr.. Caleb Gannett and Mr.
Benjamin Guild, and admitted to Cam
bridge College. As my parents We're de-
SlIouS ltliI L Sllpuitl DG tudll1leu lot IL
| preacher, attended Professor Sewall's
lectures on the Hebrew language, and ac-
quired 50 much knowledge of it as to be
appointed to deliver a Hebrew Grafton at
public exhibition. During the interval
| between the death of Professor Sewall
and the appointment of Professor Parsons,
| | was requested to instruct such students
as wished to learn the Hebrew language
which did, and was handsomely reward
ed for my services Previous to com
mencement in 11Sl, | was selected by my
class mates to deliver valedctory ad-
dress on a fixed day previous to Com
mencement in compliance with a long es-
tablished custom: but II consequence of
hard times the students We're dismissed
from college much sooner than usual and
of course, the address was not Delivered
After Commencement | went to Beverly
and taught the town school about year
and a half and boarded at the house of
Hon. Nathan Dune, the founder of the
Law School at Harvard University He
was then a student of law with Mr.. Pvn-
chion Of Salem, a distinguished and high
ly respectable member of the bar. After
leaving Beverly | taught a private school
for young ladies in Salem, which kept
till | was elected tutor of Harvard Col
lege in October, 1888.
resigned my office of tutor Immediate
ly after Commencement in 1877, and
studied physc with DR.. Edward Angus
tus Holyoke of Salem till October 1888:
and then opened an apothecary' in Main
Street, Salem. In February, 1870, went
to New York. Had letters of introduce
ton to President Washington and several
of the most respectable and influential
members Of Congress. On the Sth of that
month (February) presented petition to
Congress praying for an exclusive privi-
| lege of constructing and using several
machines and engines which had invent
ed for promoting the purposes of naviga-
ton and land carriage. After spending
considerable time in New York without
e1fecting the object | had in view, | re-
turned to Salem, and in October, 1870,
was married to Miss Elizabeth Jeffrey
daughter of the late Elizabeth Jeffrey and
William Jeffrey, ESD, clerk of the courts
i'll the County of Essex, and granddaugh-
ter of Joseph Bowditch, Esq, for many
years clerk of said courts. August II,
1871, was elected a member of the Ameri-
can Academy of Arts and Sciences.
April 4, 1875. moved to my farm in
Danvers, and in eight months built a per
manent bridge over Waters River which
cost 81, 355. co. exclusive of $500. CO extra
expense as a dam.
1896 the Salem Iron Factory was built
and put in operation by Capt. Osgood at
$50. 90 per month, and | was afterwards
appointed agent.
1897, constructed and put in operation
at the Salem Iron Factory my patent nail
machine, which cat and headed nails at
one operation.
October, 1900, was elected member of
I Congress for the County Of Essex, South
! District, to fill the place of the late Judge
Sewall who died at Wiscasset; November
5, 1900, was elected again for the next
two years.
February 10, 1902, while resident of
Danvers, | was appointed by Governor
Strong special Justice Of the Court of
Common Pleas for the County of Essex
November, 1907, removed my family
from Salem to Belfast. Was appointed
Chief Justice of the Court of Common
Pleas for the County of Hancock.
AT meeting of the Linnean Society of
New England, May II, 1915, | was elect
ed an honorary member.
The writer Of this autobiography, Hon.
| n than Read of Belfast, Me, left a record of
| the children of his grandfather Nathaniel
! Read, and his father Reuben Read, which
! was printed in the REGISTER for july, page