Page:King Philip's war, and Witchcraft in New England (IA kingphilipswarwi00hutc).pdf/7



, the last governor of Massachusetts under British rule, belonged to a family quite celebrated in the history of that colony. His great-great-great-grandmother was the Mrs. Anne Hutchinson who, with all her family, was banished from Massachusetts on account of her religious opinions in 1637. Captain Edward Hutchinson, his great-grand-father, was prominent in much business with the Indians, and was killed during King Philip’s War, August, 1675. Ilis more immediate ancestors also played important parts in the public life of the colony. Governor Hutchinson was born at Boston in the year 1711. At the age of sixteen he graduated from Harvard College, with an excellent reputation as a student. He at first engaged in mercantile business, but soon becoming satisfied that he was not qualified to succeed in this, he gave it up and devoted himself to legal studies. In 1738 he entered political life as a member of the board of selectmen in Boston, and from that time on he was almost uninterruptedly in public office. For ten years he represented Boston in the colonial legislature. For sixteen years he served in the governor's council. During this later period his talent and his activity were so effectively displayed that other offices of great importance were bestowed upon him. At one time he held, in addition to his position as councilor, the offices of judge of probate, chief-justice, and lieutenant-governor. In all his official life his integrity was above suspicion; but the cagerness which he displayed to secure all possible sources of income illustrates a grasping and parsimonious spirit, which manifested itself also in other ways.