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Boston's first sons in prostrate numbers lay,

And freedom tottered on destruction's brink;
Warren stept forth to solemnize the day,

And dared to speak what some scarce dared to think.

Yet, glorious honor! more than one man's share,

He in his latest, as his earliest breath,

In camp or forum, equally could dare,

And seal his bold philippic with his death.

LUCIUS.

III.

CHILDREN OF WARREN.

The four children of Warren, on the death of their mother (Everett's Warren, 179), were committed to the care of their maternal grandmother. Their names were Elizabeth, Joseph, Mary, and Richard. A name made illustrious was their only inheritance (Sparks's Life of Arnold, 126). Immediately after their father's death, the masonic fraternity contributed liberally to their necessities (Moore's Masonic Memoir of Warren, 118). On the 31st of January, 1777, on the motion of Samuel Adams, Congress resolved that the eldest son "should be educated at the expense of the United States." He says (Febuary 1, 1777), in a letter to James Warren, "I moved in Congress, that the eldest son of our deceased friend, General Warren, might be adopted by the continent, and educated at the public expense. The motion was pleasing to all; and a committee was appointed to prepare a resolve. . . . These things I would not have yet made public."

About the month of April, 1778, General Arnold who made the acquaintance of Warren in Cambridge-was informed that the children "had been entirely neglected by the State; " when, in a letter dated July 15, 1778, addressed to Miss Mercy Scollay, the greater portion of which is printed (Sparks's Arnold, 127), -he contributed five hundred dollars for their

support, and expressed generous sentiments for their welfare. Warren was betrothed to this lady for a second wife (Loring's Orators, 49). In another letter, addressed to Dr. Townsend, dated August 6, 1778 (printed in the Life of John C. Warren, ii. 56), Arnold expresses similar sentiments. In the next year, there was additional correspondence on the care of the children. A letter addressed to Samuel Adams and John Hancock, on the 19th of November, 1779, by Elbridge Gerry and James Lovell, elicited the following:—

BOSTON, Dec. 20, 1779.

GENTLEMEN, Since my last letter to you, I have had an opportunity of conversing with Dr. John Warren, brother of our deceased friend, concerning the situation of his children. He tells me, that the eldest son was, as early as it could be done, put under the care and tuition of the Rev. Mr. Payson, of Chelsea; a gentleman whose qualifications for the instructing of youth, I need not mention to you. The lad still remains with him. The eldest daughter, a miss of about thirteen, is with the doctor; and he assures me, that no gentleman's daughter in this town has more of the advantage of schools than she has at his expense. She learns music, dancing, writing and arithmetic, and the best needle-work that is taught here. The doctor, I dare say, takes good care of her morals. The two younger children, a boy of about seven years, and a girl somewhat older, are in the family of John Scollay, Esq., under the particular care of his daughter, at her most earnest request; otherwise, I suppose, they would have been taken care of by their relations at Roxbury, and educated as farmers' children usually are. Miss Scollay deserves the greatest praise for her attention to them. She is exceedingly well qualified for her charge; and her affection for their deceased father prompts her to exert her utmost to inculcate in the minds of these children those principles which may conduce" to render them worthy of the relation they stood in " to him.

General Arnold has assisted, by generously ordering five hundred dollars towards their support. This I was informed of when I was last in Philadelphia. I called on him, and thanked him for his kindness to them. Whether he has done more for them since, I cannot say. Probably he originated the subscription you have mentioned to me. I have omitted to tell you, that, two years ago, I was in this town, and made a visit to the present General Warren, at Plymouth. His lady was very solicitous that the eldest daughter should spend the winter with

her, and desired me to propose it to miss. I did so; but I could not prevail upon her. She said that Mrs. Miller (Mr. Charles Miller's lady), at whose house she then was, did not incline to part with her; and that it would be a breach of good manners, and ungrateful for her, to leave Mrs. Miller against her inclination. She very prettily expressed her obligations to both those ladies, and thus prevented my saying any more. I am very certain it was Mrs. Warren's intention to give her board and education. You know the distinguished accomplishments of that lady. I think it does not appear that Betsey has been altogether friendless and "deserted," or that the others are in danger of "suffering irreparably on account of their education." Yet, as I am very desirous that they should have the greatest advantage in their growth into life, I shall, among other friends, think myself much obliged to any gentleman who, from pure and unmixed motives, shall add to those which they now enjoy.

since

I have not yet had the honor of an interview with Mr. I sent him the letter which you wrote to us jointly, and requested his sentiments thereon. Adieu, my dear friends, and believe me to be, Respectfully yours,

Hon. ELBRIdge Gerry and
JAMES LOVELL, Esqrs.

}

SAMUEL ADAMS.

General Arnold applied to Congress for a provision to support the children. On the 1st of July, 1780, is the following record :

On motion of Mr. Livingston, seconded by Mr. Adams, Congress came to the following resolutions :

Whereas Congress have thought proper to erect a monument to the memory of Major-General Warren, in consideration of his distinguished merit and bravery, and to make provision for the education of his eldest son; and whereas it appears no adequate provision can be made out of his private fortune for the education and maintenance of his three younger children; therefore

Resolved, That it be recommended to the executive of Massachusetts Bay to make provision for the maintenance and education of the said three children of the late Major-General Warren.

Resolved, That Congress will defray the expense thereof, to the amount of the half-pay of a major-general, to commence at the time of his death, and continue until the youngest of the said children shall be of age.

"General Warren," Sparks says (Life of Arnold, 128), "had been dead five years, and the annual amount of half-pay was somewhat more than thirteen hundred dollars, making the sum due nearly seven thousand dollars, besides the future stipend. In the congratulatory letter which Arnold wrote to Miss Scollay on this event, only six weeks before the consummation of his treachery, he reiterated his ardent concern for the welfare of the children."

Dr. John Warren, the general's youngest brother, on his marriage took the children to his home (Everett's Warren, 179).

Both the daughters were distinguished by amiable qualities and personal beauty, and were highly accomplished.

Elizabeth, born in 1765, became in 1785 the wife of General Arnold Welles; died without issue in Boston, July 26, 1804, at thirty-nine years of age, and was buried from her residence in School Street.

Joseph was born in 1768; graduated at Harvard College in 1786; was an officer at the Castle; and died while on a visit to Foxboro', at the house of his uncle Ebenezer. The following is the inscription on his tombstone: "Sacred to the memory of Joseph Warren, son of the late Major-General Joseph Warren, who died suddenly, April 2, 1790, Æ. 22. Be ye also ready."

Mary was twice married. Her first husband was Mr. Lyman, of Northampton. She lost all her children by this marriage (Mrs. Paine's Letter). Her second husband was Judge Richard E. Newcomb, of Greenfield, Mass., who, in a letter dated April 14, 1843, says, "My late wife, Mary, was the youngest and only surviving child of the late Gen. J. WarShe died on February 7, 1826; leaving an only child, a son, who bears the name of his grandfather, Joseph Warren. He is an attorney-at-law, and now lives at Springfield, in this State. He, with the exception of his two children, is the only descendant, in a direct line, of him who fell on Bunker Hill." Both of these children are (1865) living. One is the wife of Dr. Buckminster Brown, and resides in Boston.

ren.

Richard, according to the letter of S. Adams, born about 1772, was engaged in mercantile business in Alexandria (Mrs. Paine's Letter in Life of J. C. Warren, ii. 24); returned to Boston; and died in the family of his uncle, Dr. John Warren, at the age of twenty-one.

IV.

RELICS OF WARREN,

.

I have seen several interesting relics of Warren, which were procured and preserved by the late Dr. John C. Warren. One is the manuscript of the oration which he delivered on the 6th of March, 1775. It is in a black cover, and is in a large, round handwriting. It has few interlineations. Another relic is a small Psalm Book, which a British soldier said that he took out of Warren's pocket, and as such sold it to Dr. Samuel Wilton of London, who sent it to Dr. William Gordon with the request that it should be delivered to Warren's relatives. It was printed at Geneva, in 1559. On the inside cover is written, "North America. Taken at ye Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775, out of Dr. Warren's pocket." The name, "Thomas Knight," is written at the end of the volume. These relics, with a sword, which was owned by Warren, are in the possession of Dr. J. Mason Warren, who has also Warren's day-book, containing entries by him from May 4, 1774, to April 17, 1775. I have mentioned on page 167, that there are fragments of a prior day-book. These books show Warren's professional connection with the families of the popular leaders. At the celebration of June 17, 1836, in Charlestown, Hon. A. H. Everett exhibited the bullet which he regarded as the one that killed Warren. (See Loring's "Hundred Boston Orators," p. 67.) The Historical Magazine" of December, 1857, has an interesting paper by Mr. Loring, on the relics of Warren.

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