Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 8.djvu/375

 Hon. Josiah Quincy.

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��I moved to Wentworth in June, 1847 ; and from that time I was familiar with all the proceedings, and attended many of their meetings : and although Mr. Quincy had many strong friends who worked with him and stood by him faithfully, yet he was evidently the lead- ing spirit in the enterprise ; and with- out him I do not believe the Boston, Concord, and Montreal Railroad would have been built when it was. His whole heart and soul were in the work. He had courage, perseverance, energy, abundant means, a strong will, elo- quence, and influence. All these he used, and taxed as it were, to their utmost ; and he succeeded.

This was the crowming work of his life, and it was accomplished against the most violent opposition and the most formidable obstacles. When new difficulties and new emergencies arose, he soon made himself master of the situation ; showing that his mind was fertile in resources, and that his will was indomitable. This cost him more sleepless nights than all the other busi- ness of his life. It was not a matter of speculation with him, nor was it the desire to increase his wealth ; but he regarded the enterprise as one of great public benefit, he considered the oppo- sition to the road as altogether selfish, unjust, and inexcusable. He had be- come connected with the road at the urgent solicitations of his friends, and not by any seeking of his own ; and he saw that he must either fight or fail ; and, believing his cause to be just, he was bound not to fail, but to succeed, at whatever cost of labor or of means. Taking into the account the depreci- ation of his stock, I am satisfied that he was many thousands poorer on account of his connection with the road, but he succeeded ; and with him,

��under these circumstances, success was more than money. He was president of this road for some sixteen years, commencing with 1 844 ; and as long as he lived he took a great interest in its prosperity.

Oct. 20, 1845, ■^''■^- Quincy married Miss Harriet Tufts of Rumney, N.H. He had early been elected a director in the bank at Plymouth, N.H., which place he held some twenty years, and until its charter expired, and it was closed. He was early very successful in financial matters. He made most of his money in his profession, aided by his connection with mercantile busi- ness. His connection with the rail- road gave him considerable business, and at times interfered with his regular business, and was a hinderance. After a time his experience in railroad affairs and litigation led to his being retained as counsel in many important railroad cases outside his own county.

For many years he was in the habit of spending his winters in Concord, and afterwards in Boston ; but he always kept his home at Rumney, to which he could return in the summer, and have his family and friends around him. About 1862 he fell at his hotel in Concord, by slipping on the floor, and broke his thigh of his well limb, after which he became more helpless than before ; and after this he had his car- riage arranged very low, so as to be easy of ingress and egress. And he did not after that, as he says, " go into a court-house ; " but he always attend- ed the terms of court, and arranged all his matters, and attended to hear- ings, at his room or hotel, and really continued in quite active professional business till after 1870, a period of about fifty-five years.

On the eleventh day of June, 1868,

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