people, of the town were fond of him, and kind to him, and made him presents as though he had been their minister. The last time he was abroad he had some conversation with the ministers of the town, which manifested his catholick and christian spirit. He died after a sickness of a few days, and the Congregational ministers were among his pall-bearers."

Mr. Weeks succeeded him; "a virtuous, sweet tempered, learned gentleman."

For several years after the revolution, the church was destitute. Mr. Thomas Oliver was then invited to settle with them, who removed to Providence, and was succeeded by Mr. William Harris, the preceptor of the academy. Both these gentlemen were educated at Harvard College. Mr. Harris is now a respectable minister in the state of New-York.

He was succeeded in the church in Marblehead, by Mr. James Bowers, who was graduated at Cambridge, A. D. 1794; and when the Episcopal convention met in Boston, May 25th, of the present year, was ordained in Trinity Church, by the hands of the Rev. Bishop Bass: the assistant minister of the church, the Rev. John Gardiner, preached upon the occasion.

Beside the places for publick worship already mentioned, a number of the inhabitants of Marblehead erected a meeting-house, in 1789, for those "whose opinions differed from the opinions of their neighbours."

In the year 1800, a meeting-house was built for the Methodists.

The people of various denominations live together in harmony. May they have no other emulations but to provoke unto love and good works!

Boston, December 10th, 1802.

P. S.-In compiling the above, a free use has been made of newspapers, sermons, and a large manuscript, written by the late venerable Barnard. But we are greatly indebted to the Topographical Account, published in the Salem Register the last year, written by Isaac Mansfield, Esq. and have also received many documents from the papers and manuscripts, which, by the kindness of that gentleman, have been handed to the Society.

BILL OF MORTALITY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBOROUGH, FROM THE YEAR 1779 TO 1801.

A

REV. SIR,

Middleborough, 7th March, 1802.

FTER complimenting you with my sincere regards, &c. agreeably to my promise to you, I hereby inform, that the deaths in the first precinct in Middleborough (which contains about fourteen or fifteen hundred persons) since the beginning of the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine, are as followeth, viz.

Which is submitted for the benefit of the Historical So

ciety, from your's in sincerity,

ISAAC THOMPSON.

Rev. John Eliot, D. D.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF MARSTON WATSON, ESQ. MEMBER OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

MR

R. WATSON was a descendant from one of the branches of an ancient and respectable family, in the town of Plymouth. He was born, May 25th, 1756. After receiving an excellent school education, and being qualified for admission into the university, he was, at the age of fourteen, placed an apprentice with Colonel Jeremiah Lee, then an eminent merchant at Marblehead. Upon the death of Colonel Lee, in 1775, Mr. Watson resumed his classick studies, with an intention of entering College, in advance, and had actually made arrangements, at Cambridge, for that purpose; but the revolutionary war having then commenced, and Colonel Glover offering him a lieutenancy in his own regiment, Mr. Watson, reluctantly abandoning his literary pursuits, accepted the commission, and in the month of December, 1776, was actively engaged in the battles of Trenton and Princeton, in which Glover's regiment bore a distinguished share. He was particularly patronized by General Charles Lee, and acted as his temporary aid-de-camp. General Lee had

made arrangements for his permanent establishment in that office, and he served in that capacity at the battle of Monmouth. But upon the suspension of General Lee, his hopes of immediate promotion being checked, he relinquished the army and engaged in commerce. His activity and industry were prospered. He married in 1779, and established himself at Marblehead. In 1790, he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of the Marblehead regiment, and in about three years afterwards, was Lieutenant-Colonel commandant. In 1794, when eighty thousand of the militia of the United States were provisionally detached, under the apprehensions of a rupture with Great-Britain, Colonel Watson was selected to command a regiment detached from the division to which he belonged.

In the year 1792, he represented the town of Marblehead in the General Court.

In May, 1797, he removed from Marblehead to Boston, where

where his extensive commercial concerns could be more conveniently and advantageously conducted.

In this situation, he greatly extended his business and connexions, and, in the midst of a community where the able and intelligent merchant is sure to be duly estimated, he was highly respected. His residence in the town was considered as a publick benefit, and the prosperity which attended his commercial pursuits was regarded with complacence, as the just reward of strict integrity,* unblemished honour, and well directed exertion. To great industry and application to business, he united the virtues which adorn and elevate the human character. He was hospitable, beneficent, publick spirited, friendly, and sincere. In his domestick relations the deep sensibilities of his afflicted family and friends, afford affecting evidence of his tenderness and worth.

The busy engagements of active life, never extinguished that attachment to letters, to which he was prompted by the native bent of his mind and by early education. All the leisure he could command, was devoted to mental improvement and attentions to the education of a numerous family. The Massachusetts Historical Society, from a conviction of his literary attainments, and his regard to the objects of their institution, elected him a member of their Society, April 29th, 1800.

He died August 7th, 1800, after a short illness, in the 45th year of his age. d. j. d.

An honourable instance of this gentleman's scrupulous regard to justice deserves to be recorded. About seven years before his removal to Boston, a deranged state of his affairs, the effect of mere misfortune, rendered it necessary for him to seek a composition with his creditors, who gave him a discharge, receiving only a portion of their demands. In a few years afterwards, when his renewed exertions were blessed with success, his first care was to pay those creditors in full, though they had no legal demand against him.

SKETCH OF THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF THOMAS BRATTLE, ESQUIRE, MEMBER OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

THE

HOMAS BRATTLE, Esquire, was born at Cambridge, February 11th, 1742. He was the son of the Honourable William Brattle, Esquire, and grandson of the Reverend William Brattle,* who was an eminent and highly respected minister in that town. His mother was the daughter of GURDON SALTONSTALL, Esquire, who was, in early life, minister of New-London, in Connecticut, and afterwards, for many years, Governour of that Colony.

Mr. Brattle received his education at Harvard College, the honours of which were conferred in 1760 and 1763. He afterwards received the degree of A. M. at Yale and Nassau.

The mercantile life was the object of his early choice; in which line he was employed several years, in Boston.

In 1775, war commencing, and commercial business being suspended, he executed a design, which he had, for years, contemplated. He went to England, carrying with him an ample testimonial of his patriotism, from the Committee of Inspection and Correspondence in Boston. After spending a considerable time in visiting the several parts of Great-Britain, he made a tour through Holland and the Netherlands into France. Americans, and the friends of his country, were his friends. Accordingly, he was honourably noticed by the first diplomatick characters, as well as other gentlemen of distinction. Having gratified his curiosity, in viewing and examining the various objects in those countries, demanding the attention of the inquisitive, he returned from Paris to London.

Finding, on his arrival, many of his countrymen confined in prisons, he generously exerted himself to procure them relief, and contribute to their comfort. These benevolent exertions not only attracted the notice, and conciliated the affections, of similar characters in England;

but

* See his character, in the Collections of the Historical Society, for the year 1800, p. 55.