Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/193

 JOHN FARMER TO WILLIAM PLUMER. 167

degree the confidence of his neighbors, and received from them many public and private trusts. In local politic? for m my years he was a power, staunch and true to his political friends, and a fair opponent with his political enemies, the ])ersoiial friendship of many of whom he enjoyed to the last.

He was standing by the side of his friend, General Jackson, when his life was attempted in the rotunda of the Capitol at Washington, and often related the incident to his children and friends. According to Mr. Bean's account the excitable old general armed with a cane had to be held forcibly by his friends to restrain him from taking the law into his own hands and wreaking dire vengeance upon his assailant.

After Mr. Bean retired from public life, he lived for thirty years on his be- loved farm and attained a good old age, honored and respected by all who knew him.

Of his children, John Q. A. Bean resides in Boston ; Benjamin F. Bean lives in Vineland, N. J. ; A. A. Bean is superintendant of a division of the Southern Pacific Railroad ; George L. Bean lives in Newton, Mass. ; William E. Bean lives in Somerville, Mass., and Hannah J., wife of Josiah C. Sturtevant, resides in Centre Harbor. Four of the children have joined their parents.

��LETTER FROM JOHN FARMER TO EX- GOV. WILLIAM

PLUMER.

��Concord, January 13, 1830.

Dear Sir: From yours of yesterday I was glad to learn that the Historical Catechism has your approbation, and that Field's Statistical Account of Middlesex county affords you some facts of consequence. I am in possession of several local histories, other than those you mention, and shall send you at this time, by Mr. Corser, one octavo volume of them, and others, which are not bound, I will look up and forward by next conveyance. The History of Dedham is among those I have, and in my judgment is one which affords greater interest to a large portion of readers than that of any other town his- tory. It was written by a gentleman of the bar. I have looked with some anxiety for the History of Exeter, which, it was laid some years since, was un- dertaken by Mr. Smith. That town affords incidents for an interesting sketch.

I have felt the want of Hasard very much, and understanding from your son that you possess a copy, intended applying to him to ask of you the favor of the loan of it for a week or two, while he was attending the legislature in 1828. If you could with convenience spare the work, and if it could come safe by Mr. Corser, it would be a great favor to have it for a short time, but I do not ask for it unless perfectly agreeable to you. There is no copy of it in this town, nor any, I believe, so near as yours.

The Worcester Magazine has several good town histories, particularly the one written by Mr. Willard of Lancaster, and I have concluded to send the second volume containing it with the volume before mentioned.

I am Sir, very respectfully,

Your obliged,

JOHN FARMER.

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