Rural Cemetery of that city, by the side of those of his wife and daughter who had preceded him to the grave. Mr. Parker married Martha Lincoln, daughter of Levi Lincoln, Sen., of Worcester, by whom he had three daughters. The two who survived him still live in that city.

JOHN SPAULDING was the next in chronological order, from among the Shirley homes, who received the honors and advantages of a public education. His father, at the time of his marriage, had purchased a farm in Shirley, intending to make it his life home,-an intention in which he was not disappointed. But by some promise of pecuniary advantage, he was induced to pass a few years in the neighboring town of Mason, N. H., previous to his complete establishment on his Shirley estate; and it was during this interval that the subject of this notice was born, Nov. 3, 1800. But, while he was yet in early childhood, his parents returned to their Shirley home, and were residents of the town during their lives. The farm still remains in the possession of their descendants.*

The boyhood of John was passed in the healthful occupation of cultivating the soil; yet he early imbibed a strong inclination to prepare himself for a higher usefulness than could come from any merely manual employment. He had become a subject of deep religious conviction, and desired to devote his life and powers to the work of the gospel ministry. But there were obstacles in the way. His father, though a thriving farmer of the time, was encumbered with a large family, and was not only unable to give his son any pecuniary assistance, but could hardly afford to dispense with his service during what would be to him the profitable years of the young man's minority. These objections were, however, in a measure waved, and the earnest student was permitted to enter upon his coveted career, with nothing but poverty to

*See Appendix I.

overcome. This, to some a formidable impediment, had but little influence with the subject of this notice.

In 1818 he entered the Phillips Academy at Andover, as a beneficiary; of which institution he was a member for three years, availing himself of the privilege of teaching during a part of each winter. He graduated at the College in Middlebury, Vt., in the September of 1825. So anxious was he to commence the great work to which he felt himself called, that before the end of that year he was entered a student of the theological school in Andover, from which he was graduated in 1828. The purpose, of long solicitude, anxiety and fervent prayer, was now in a measure realized. The vineyard of his Master rose before him, demanding his labor, and he entered upon that labor with a tireless devotion. His work of preparation having closed, he immediately received the seal of consecration. A few weeks from graduation found him an ordained evangelist. This occurred on the 25th of September, in the town (now city) of Newburyport; and the appointed field of his missionary labor was the great valley of the Mississippi. On the day of his ordination he was united in marriage with Miss Olive Catharine B. Kendall of Dunstable, who departed with him on his western mission. She continued with him, a sharer of his toils, his joys and his sorrows, until the 14th of March, 1852, when she departed from this to a better world.

Although the tastes and talents of Mr. Spaulding were admirably adapted to the work of a religious pioneer, he was permitted to remain but a few months in the missionary sphere of operations. The Presbyterian church in Athens, Ohio, was without a pastor, and it invited the young itinerant to take that position,—with which invitation he complied, and was installed April 23, 1829. In this field of usefulness he remained four and a half years, and was instrumental, it is believed, of winning many souls to God.

In 1833 he was dismissed from this charge that he might assume the office of secretary of the Western

Education Society, at Cincinnati, Ohio, to which he had been elected. Here he remained also four and a half years, when he resigned the place and was installed pastor of the Main Street Presbyterian Church, in Peoria, Illinois. This occurred June 6, 1838. During this and his former settlement, a period of seven years, Mr. Spaulding received to church-membership one hundred and seventyseven persons,-which must be regarded as a successful if not a brilliant ministry. In one of these churches he had a Bible-class of eighty-seven members, all but nine of whom became professors of religion. Twenty-one of them entered the gospel ministry, two became foreign missionaries, and five of them were married to ministers of the gospel.

It would seem that such signal results should have continued the laborer at his post for longer periods,—but a new sphere of usefulness now opened to him which he did not feel at liberty to decline. On the 4th of March, 1841, he was dismissed from his charge in Peoria, and appointed secretary of the Seaman's Friend Society, whose head-quarters were in the city of New-York. In this office he was continued until failing health compelled him to retire from all active engagements. His labors in his last position were very arduous. He had to travel and preach much, and also had the editorship of a monthly periodical, devoted to the interests of seamen, called the "Sailor's Magazine."

At the close of a ministry of a little more than a quarter of a century, Mr. Spaulding had preached two thousand four hundred and thirty sermons!

On the 22nd of March, 1853, he was married to his second wife, Mrs. Adeline J. McMartin of New-York, in which city he now lives, in retirement from all public engagements.

JAMES O. PARKER, son of James Parker, Jr.,— grandson of the first of the name that settled in town, and a nephew of Gen. Daniel and Hon. Leonard M. Parker,

who have already been noticed as belonging to the list of college-graduates from Shirley,-is the next to be added to that list.

He was born at the family mansion,-in the beautiful valley which was the ancestral domain from the incorporation of the town,-where he passed the days of his childhood, and from whence he went to prepare for the university. This preparation was commenced at the academy in Groton, and completed under the instruction of Jacob Caldwell, who was principal of the academy at Stow. He graduated at Amherst in 1834, and afterward attended two courses of lectures at the medical college connected with Harvard University, and one course at the medical institute in Pittsfield, from which he received a diploma in 1841. The same year he was admitted a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society in Boston.

He commenced the practice of his profession in his native town, but in 1849 went to California, then a new territory, and resided for two years in San Francisco, devoting himself, in that place, to the interests of his calling. He then returned to Shirley, where he has since remained, living on the estate which he inherited from his father. He never has been anxious to let his profession claim his whole thought and attention, yet in the discharge of its duties he has proved himself well-read, careful and skilful.

His public services have been sought by his fellow townsmen, and he has been called to fill stations of responsibility and trust. In 1846, and in 1847, he was chairman of the selectmen, and for several years he was a member and chairman of the school committee; and some of the most able reports of that body are the products of his pen. He had a faculty for ingenious investigation and the ability to communicate his thoughts intelligibly, two very important qualifications for a public official. Having entered upon the declining years of his life, his time is divided between the practice of his profession and the rural occupations of agriculture and horticulture, to which he is led both by taste and inclination.

JOHN DWIGHT was the next to receive the honors of a college education. He was a son of Francis and Maria (Blanchard) Dwight, and a nephew of Dr. John Dwight, whose name has before appeared on these pages. His father and mother both died when he was quite young, and he fell under the uncertain care of strangers. A guardian had been appointed for him by his father, while on his death-bed; but this guardian exercised but little control over the moral instruction of his ward, and he passed along without the aid of what is so essential in the establishment of character on a proper basis. Notwithstanding these obstacles in the way of a correct early training, young Dwight grew up an orderly and industrious boy, and secured a reputation that met a general approval.

Being of a studious habit, he early resolved to avail himself of the benefits of a collegiate course of instruction, that he might be ready, at a proper time, to enter upon the duties of some learned profession.

He was prepared for the university at the academy in Woburn, and was graduated at Amherst in 1835.

He studied divinity with that distinguished scholar and preacher-Rev. Jacob Ide, D. D., of West Medway -and received a license to preach from the Mendon Association in the January of 1837.

His first settlement was in North Bridgewater, (now the city of Brockton,) where he received ordination April 12, 1837. He was thus, in early life, placed in the spiritual oversight of a large parish, with all the pastoral duties of his profession to learn, and required to make weekly preparation for the pulpit instruction of a people not easily satisfied with commonplace performances. He therefore soon found himself unequal to the task thus imposed upon him, and, after an effort of from two to three years, asked and obtained a dismission from his charge.

His second settlement was in South Plymouth, in 1841. Here his labors were crowned with a most gratifying success.

There was such a general awakening among