Putnam patriot., 1909-05-21
Roheri (. Winthrop.
krr. s.r. relw nnIn..E..

The New England ceionists were deeply indebted 10 John Winthrop and his IIinstfGeas son--aiso John hy nanfe flor leading part in Inc estabiisiH- meut Of ci vi and religious government if the New World. The father was the first Governor appointed by the Crown for the Massachusetts Bay Com pany--an office which he retained in trust and fidelity for several years. Ills son, with even higher houoF-, was associated with the founding of the city of New London and the governor ship of Connecticut. He has always been looked upon As the !" flower of American Padtanism." The memory of these men will always be reyered among us.
 Today we reach the centennial ot the birth of Robert C. Winthrop, their li- neal descendant and faithful biogra- phef--the most illBstrious member cf the Winthrop family in America whom the last century gave Us. He was born Tn Milk street, Boston, May 1z. 1s1g, in the home of his great uncle, the Hon. James Bowdoin, at that time United States Minister 10 Spain. lie was the youngest of fourteen children, and at first he appeared so be tine feebiest also. but fl was his sipgula, fortune to sur siye all his brothers and sisters for 90 long period that, in his old age, few people remembered he had ever enjoy ed such early companionships.
 His father, Thomas l.. Winthrop. WAS T Harvard graduate, and a man Of distinction. but his mother, Elizabeth Bowdoin, daughter of Sir John Fem. pie, was the tperson to whom this son early training. She was very talent cd woman and the possessor of unusual beauty. The Marquis de Chastellux, in his "Tfavels in North America" in l7s2, speaks of her as A girl of great beauty. and Gilbert stuaftis portrait of her, at later period, fully eorrobo- rates this opinion. She was Roberts only teacher till he entered the Boston Latin School, where Benjamin A Gould, that prince of New England pedaRogues, then al the height Of his fame. Of all his school and college pfizes-and he had many-Mr. Win throp afterwards said that those he looked upon with the warmest interest were the two sets of books s-the first bestowed by MT. Gould as n personal gift, and consisting of Murry's edition of the works of Washington; and the second, fine edition of the writings of 5ophocles, presented him by Mayor Quincy, on the platform of Faneuil Hall, al the dinner Of the Franklin me dal scholar.
 At the age of fifteen Robert C. Win thfop entered Harvard, and graduated from that institution of his fathers, in the class of 1928. standing third among the recipients of honor. His own chnm, the short lived charlesC. Finer son, younger brother of Ralph Waldo, was the leader of the class, and George \. Hillard stood next. Later in life, MT. Winthrop often boasted, on com meneement occasions, that his gradua- ton address was the longest ever de- livered at Harvard. He had been al- lowed the regulation time of twelve minutes, and had promised the Pro lessor of Rhetoric what seemed an un- usually long ofation, but he actually spoke thifty-seyen minutes.
 He was admitted to the Suffolk bar in 1881, having been nominally under the tuition of Daniel Webster in his law course. Mir. Webster, being then a Senator from Massachusetts at Wash ington, his influence of this student of his wns stronger in politics than in any other way.
 Winthrop heard Webster's Bunker Hill oration tn 1895, and his eulogy on Adams and Jefferson, delivered in the following year. These events were qui- e,ly preparing him for his future posi- ton in State and National affairs; but our young hero was 10 cut dash tn Boston society before he would settle down to the serious business of life. He were the most eenspieueas of the parti- colered waistcoats then in vogue, and, according to one of his sisters accounts, he devoted an uncoasctonahle amount of tune to the art es tying velumiuous crayats.
 These, however did uot eheke his H. efary aspirations. The first money he ceef earned was paid him at this pe- ried hy the publishers of the North American ReNiew--ss, regular cempen- sation of one dollar per pase-tor an article entitled American Annals {" iiefe was. then, the beginning of that long and very celebrated career in let. ters which will permanently signalike the history of Robert (. Winthrop.
 In his lectures, historical surveys, and miscellaneous articles, he has left the Amerieal people fund of interest ing and valuable information, large part of which was of such a nature. had it mol been gathered when ii was, it could never have been obtained. His style, as an author, is always clear and