312 History of Hingham. 



He married for his first wife Mary Otis, daughter of Ebenezer Gay. 

 She died 8 August, 1852, aged 51 years. He married secondly, 

 Oct. 16, 1854, Anna L., daughter of John Baker, and died the 8th 

 of May, 1866, aged 66 years. He resided on North Street opposite 

 Fountain Square. See Genealogical Record, Vol. II. p. 230. 



Daniel French, whose family record will he found in Vol. II. 

 p. 236 of this history, was probably a native of Hingham and born 

 about 1*720. During his early practice as a physician he resided 

 at the west part of the town, near Weymouth line, until his first 

 wife died, which was Aug. 6, 1742, — three days after her infant 

 babe was born. Our records show that he was not without patron- 

 age ; but being located at a considerable distance from the more 

 thickly settled parts of the town, he no doubt saw a better opening 

 for his professional services in the neighboring village of East 

 Weymouth, whither he shortly after removed, and where all but 

 one of his ten children were born. Several of his daughters, how- 

 ever, married residents of Hingham, and this town was after- 

 wards their home. Dr. French died suddenly in Weymouth, at 

 fifty-five years of age. 



Henry F. Gardner, a native of Hingham, and born Feb. 13, 

 1812, was the second son of Melzar and Silence (Gardner) 

 Gardner. In early life he learned the trade of blacksmith with 

 Charles Howard, and later was in the employ of the Messrs. Ste- 

 phenson at Hingham Centre. He afterwards removed to Hartford, 

 Conn., and thence to Springfield, Mass. Upon leaving Hingham 

 he abandoned his former calling to become an eclectic physician. 

 From Springfield he removed to Boston, and for a number of years 

 was the landlord of a hotel at the corner of Beach Street and Har- 

 rison Avenue. About 1870 he assumed the position of Superin- 

 tendent of the Pavilion estate, which he managed with great success 

 and to the satisfaction of the trustees. Dr. Gardner was one of 

 the early advocates of Spiritualism, and the first person to lecture 

 upon this subject in Hingham, as well as at Boston. Possessed 

 of more than ordinary talents, and of an active, sanguine temper- 

 ament, he made many warm friends, especially among those who 

 held views similar to his own. He died at Boston the 6th of De- 

 cember, 1878, in his 67th year. 



Charles Gordon, born in Hingham,. Nov. 17, 1809, was the 

 second son of Dr. William and Helen (Gilchrist) Gordon, of this 

 town. He was graduated at Brunswick College, 1829, and re- 

 ceived his degree of M. D. from the Harvard Medical School in 

 1832. The following notice was published in the Hingham Ga- 

 zette dated June 7, 1833. " Dr. William Gordon informs the in- 

 habitants of Hingham and vicinity that he has connected with him 

 in his Professional Business his son Charles Gordon, M. D." The 

 same year (1833) he was elected a Fellow of the Massachusetts 

 Medical Society, being at that time a resident of Lowell, Mass. 

 He died at Boston, March 1, 1872, aged 62 years. 



William Gordon was for more than 30 years a practising 

 physician in Hingham. He was educated at Exeter Academy, 



