Boston of to-day; a glance at its history and characteristicsWith biographical sketches and portraits of many of its professional and business men . d at the age of fourteen, and was graduatedin the class of 1838. Then he pursued his lawstudies in the law department of the university, andin the Boston office of Hubbard & Watts, andwas admitted to practice in 1841. He establishedhimself in Franklin county, first residing in North-field and subsequently in Greenfield, where heremained until 1849; the last two years of hisresidence in that district representing it in theState senate. At the close
Boston of to-day; a glance at its history and characteristicsWith biographical sketches and portraits of many of its professional and business men . d at the age of fourteen, and was graduatedin the class of 1838. Then he pursued his lawstudies in the law department of the university, andin the Boston office of Hubbard & Watts, andwas admitted to practice in 1841. He establishedhimself in Franklin county, first residing in North-field and subsequently in Greenfield, where heremained until 1849; the last two years of hisresidence in that district representing it in theState senate. At the close of his term he wasappointed United States marshal for the district ofMassachusetts, which office he held from 1849 to 1853. It was during his service as marshal, in1S51, that the fugitive slave Thomas F. Simms wasreturned to slavery — a deed which greatly excitedmany citizens and brought upon him their severestcensure. We do not believe, writes one of hiseulogists, that the United States marshal actedwith alacrity. No doubt his soul abhorred thedeed, and consented not, even while his officialarm performed it. Three or four years after-. CHARLES DEVENS. wards he strove, through the colored preacher, theRev. A. L. Grimes, to obtain freedom for Simms,offering personally to defray the entire expense ; butthe effort proved fruitless. And again, when helearned that Lydia Maria Child was endeavoring toraise a fund for the slaves redemption, he madeanother effort with a similar offer ; but the war camebefore the negotiations were completed. ^ Subse-quently he aided Simms pecuniarily to establishhimself in civil life, and when attorney-generalappointed him to a place which he was able to fillin the department of justice. On retiring from themarshalship, Mr. Devens resumed the practice ofhis profession, making his home in the war broke out he accepted the position ofmajor, commanding an independent battalion ofrifles, and remained with it about three , in Jul
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidbostonoftoda, bookyear1892
