324 History of Hingham. 



Nova Scotia, and that towards the close of the Revolution he was*, 

 surgeon on a privateer. 



Gridley Thaxter, fourth son of Major Samuel and Abigail 

 (Smith) Thaxter, was born in Hingham, April 9, 1756. He 

 studied medicine with his brother Thomas, and was for some 

 time surgeon on an armed vessel during the War of the Revo- 

 lution. About the year 1780 he was settled in Abington ; and 

 as a physician for more than half a century, enjoyed a very 

 extensive practice. " He probably rode more miles and visited 

 more patients," says his biographer, " than any other physician 

 who ever resided in the County of Plymouth." In 1809 he was 

 elected a Fellow of the Massachusetts Medical Society. His. 

 first wife, whom he married July 13, 1783, was Sarah Lincoln, 

 a daughter of General Benjamin and Mary (Cushing) Lincoln. 

 He died the 10th of Feb., 1845, aged nearly 89 years. Dr. Ezekiel 

 Thaxter, of Abington (Harvard University, 1812), was his son. 



Robert Thaxter, born in Hingham, Oct. 21, 1776, was the 

 oldest son of Dr. Thomas and Mary (Barker) Thaxter. He was 

 graduated at Harvard College in the class of 1798, with Dr. Wm. 

 E. Channing, Judge Story, Rev. Perez Lincoln and others, who 

 at a later period were distinguished for their eminent services. 

 After graduating, he studied medicine with his father, and for 

 nearly ten years was a practising physician in Hingham. In 1808 

 he joined the Massachusetts Medical Society, and in 1842 was 

 elected its vice-president. In 1809 he removed to Dorchester, 

 Mass. There he published the following : — 



Notice : Doct. Robert Thaxter informs the Inhabitants of Dor- 

 chester that he has taken lodgings at the residence of Mr. William Rich- 

 ards, where he will be ready at all times to attend to his profession. He 

 will inoculate with kine Pox, free of expense, all persons who feel them- 

 selves unable to pay. — Columbian Centinel, July 22, 1809. 



Dr. Thaxter was an accomplished physician, and highly appre- 

 ciated in a widely extended circle. Gentlemanly and kind to all, 

 and especially charitable to the needy, "he was indeed the beloved 

 physician." He contracted a ship disease while in the discharge 

 of his professional duties, from which he died the 9th of Feb. 

 1852, aged 75 yrs. He never married. 



Jonas Underwood, who succeeded Dr. Daniel Shute, announced 

 to the public of Hingham and vicinity, through the columns of 

 the local newspaper of April 5, 1839, " that in compliance with 

 an invitation of a committee of the Parish of South Hingham, 

 he has taken rooms at the house of the late Bela Tower, and 

 respectfully tenders to the public his services in the several 

 branches of his profession." 



Dr. Underwood was a native of Hudson, N. H. Receiving 

 his early education in his native town, and in the academy at 

 Exeter, he afterwards entered Harvard University, and was 

 graduated in 1815, in the class with Appleton Howe, William 

 Svveetzer, John Jeffries, and others, who in later years be- 



