340 History of Hingham. 



four years at Harvard College, where he was graduated in 1888 ; 

 studied law in the office of Richardson & Hale, Boston, and at the 

 Boston University Law School, where he received the degree of 

 LL.B. in 1891 ; was admitted to the bar Jan. 17, 1891, and has 

 offices in Hingham and Boston. 



David Thaxter [III. 237] was the son of Joseph B. and Sally 

 (Gill) Thaxter, and was born in Hingham March 24, 1824. He 

 was educated in the schools of this town, and learned the trade of 

 a silversmith in his father's shop ; but pursued his studies, partly 

 under the tuition of Preceptor Luther B. Lincoln, and afterwards 

 at the Harvard Law School. He obtained his legal education by 

 his own exertions, and with the aid of his brothers, and entered 

 the office of Sidney Bartlett, Esq., the eminent lawyer of Boston. 

 His office was in connection with Mr. Bartlett's during his entire 

 professional career, until his death, which occurred June 10, 1878. 

 Mr. Thaxter never sought or held public office. His life was un- 

 ostentatious and somewhat retired. His reading was extensive 

 and varied, and he was a man of broad and liberal views. In pro- 

 fessional ability and character he commanded the entire respect 

 of the members of the bar, and had the confidence of his clients as 

 a barrister of perfect integrity. 



John Thaxter [III. 233] was born in Hingham July 5, 1755, 

 and was graduated at Harvard College in 1774. He studied law 

 with (President) John Adams, in Braintree, and in 1776 was ap- 

 pointed deputy secretary to Congress. Afterwards, in the absence 

 of Mr. Thompson, he performed the duties of secretary. In 1779, 

 when Mr. Adams was appointed minister to make a treaty of peace 

 with Great Britain, Mr. Thaxter went with him to Europe, as his 

 private secretary, and with Mr. Adams resided in France and Hol- 

 land. His integrity and fidelity won for him the greatest confi- 

 dence of Mr. Adams. After peace was confirmed in 1783, the 

 commissioners sent him to America with the charge of presenting 

 the definitive treaty to Congress. 



In 1784 he commenced the practice of law in Haverhill, Mass., 

 where he died at an early age. 



" As a lawyer, Mr. Thaxter was eminently respected for those 

 qualifications the want of which, in some of the profession, has 

 brought a degree of odium upon the whole ' order.' A nervous 

 system, too delicate by nature to withstand the imperious taunts of 

 overbearing arrogance, and still more debilitated by disease, dis- 

 appointed the expectations which his strong, manly style of senti- 

 ment had created, and unhappily rendered him less useful as an 

 advocate at the bar than as a counsellor in his chamber. But he 

 was rich in the less glaring virtues, — honor, integrity, fidelity, 

 and love of peace. These gained him the esteem and confidence 

 of all." 



John Thaxter [III. 235] was the son of Quincy Thaxter, and 

 was born in Hingham Nov. 4, 1793. He was graduated from Har- 

 vard College in 1814, read law in the office of Hon. Ebenezer Gay, 

 of Hingham, and settled in Scituate, where he died in 1825. 



