Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 9.djvu/291

 Lietit.-Gen. Sir William Pepperrell, Bart.

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��and kept open house for all his friends, although he was choice in his acquaint- ance. His library was the best in that part of the country, and was much con- sulted by scholars, especially the clergy. His large and substantial house was hung with beautiful paintings and costly mir- rors. His cellar was filled with rare old wines, — not to mention the highly prized New-England rum, that had been mellowed by its voyage to the Indies and back. His park was stocked with deer ; he kept a coach-and-six, and also had a splendid barge, manned by six slaves in uniform.

In March, 1751, Sir William and Lady Pepperrell met with a severe affliction in the death of their son Andrew, who died from the effects of a severe cold contracted while crossing the Piscataqua River late one night, after attending a party at Portsmouth. He was a young man of much promise. They had three other children ; namely, Elizabeth, William, and Margery, but the latter two died in infancy. Andrew was born Jan. 4, 1726, and, after a care- ful preparatory course, graduated at Har- vard College in 1 743. He of course had the best social advantages that Boston afforded, and was very much of a favor- ite in society. He never married.

The name of Pepperrell, that was a power fn the eighteenth century, is now extinct ; and but one or two of his de- scendants, if any, are living. There are, however, several collateral relatives of the baronet in New England.

Having seen something of Sir Wil- liam in his official capacity, let us now look at him for a moment in his higher character, — that of a man. Perhaps

��the best thing that can be said of him is that he had deep religious convic- tions, and always followed the Golden Rule. His benefactions were many and large. Among other public gifts was that of a four-acre lot to the town of Saco, for a church. He also gave a bell to the town of Pepperrell in Massachu- setts.

Pie owned immense tracts of land in Maine : and it is said that he could travel from Portsmouth to Saco River, a distance of thirty miles, all the way on his own soil. All these vast estates were confiscated during the Revolution.

Still another honor awaited him ; for he received a commission of lieutenant- general in the royal army, bearing date Feb. 20, 1759, giving him the command of all the forces engaged against the French and their savage allies. But the old veteran could not take the field, for his health was failing ; and he died on the 6th of July, 1759, in the sixty- third year of his age. His remains were placed in the family tomb on his estate at Kittery Point. There he sleeps in a quiet spot overlooking the restless, changing sea, — fit burial-place for his ambitious soul. The same winds play over his tomb that brought his argosies from foreign lands. The waves still break upon the shore. But his tide had ebbed into the great sea. He was brought up to beUeve that his duty consisted in being a loyal subject of the British Crown. Had he Hved un- til the stormy days of the Revolution, would he have led the colonists, or would he have been a royalist, and man- fully supported his king, who had so trusted and honored him ?

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