8 FACTS RELATING TO GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS. 



or Jeffersonian side in politics, and for many years in early life 

 he had been the competitor of Timothy Bigelow, who had 

 been a resident of Groton and a leader in the Federal Party of 

 the State. The town supported Bigelow and returned him 

 to the House, where he became speaker for many sessions. 

 Dana as a candidate for the Massachusetts Senate was elected 

 by the county of Middlesex then Democratic, and for three 

 terms he was president of the Senate. Judge Dana was in- 

 terested in a small social library that was kept in a chamber 

 over the store. It contained Josephus, Plutarch's Lives, Rol- 

 lins' Ancient History, and some other standard works whose 

 titles I do not now recall. 



Judge Dana was also interested in the organization of a 

 reading room club in a building connected with the store. 

 As clerk in charge of the store I was custodian of the read- 

 ing room and library. I found time to read Plutarch and 

 Josephus, and I was skeptic enough to question in my own 

 mind the passage in Josephus in regard to Jesus. Judge 

 Dana died in the month of November, 1835, ^^ the age of 

 sixty. His hair was white and long, and his appearance was 

 so venerable that it is now difficult for me to realize that he 

 was not seventy-five years of age at least. His abilities were 

 considerable, and his descendants, in more than one instance 

 have shown distinguished qualities. 



Two other well-known lawyers, one of them a lawyer of 

 eminence in the profession, were also residents of the town: 

 Benj. M. Farley and George F. Farley, brothers. They were 

 natives of the small town of Brookline, N. H. The elder, 

 Benj. M., had practised in Hollis, N. H., where by economy 

 and good care of his earnings he had acquired a competency. 

 At Groton he made no effort to obtain business, and acted 

 for the most part as an associate or aid to his brother, who 

 was in the enjoyment of a large practice and income, for 

 those days and parts. 



With George F. Farley, whose age ran with the century, I 

 was well acquainted from 1835 until his death in 1855. ^^ 

 was one of the small number of men that I have known who 

 underestimated their powers. In one respect, perhaps, this 



