JOHN FARRAR. 155 



had not any such authority at hand. Whereupon it was ordered that 

 the defendant, Hateful W, Parkins, be discharged. 



The next case was that of Barnabas Blackwood,^ who pleaded not 

 guilty, and Mr. Russell put in his case. 



Mr. Hopkinson for the defence then stated that the defence in this 

 case and the eight others was the same as in the cases of Mr. Dana 

 and Mr. Hopkinson ; namely, want of proof of notice of enrolment. 

 The Court said to Mr. Russell that unless he could furnish such 

 proof in this case and the others, he should be obliged to decide in 

 favor of the defendants. The counsel regretted his inability to 

 furnish the proof. The Court said : " It is of no use to waste time. 

 It is ordered that Barnabas Blackwood and the eight other defend- 

 ants be discharged, and this Court is adjourned without day." 



There was a suppressed giggle all along the line of ten. The com- 

 plainant and his numerous sympathizers wore long and wry faces. 

 The crowd emerged, when the jolly ten formed in line before 

 the tavern, and Parkins called out, "Three cheers for our young 

 lawyers," which were given with a will. Before the next May Train- 

 ing the embryo lawyers had said good-by to the old town of Groton. 



JOHN FARRAR. 



John Farrar the writer of the following letter was a graduate 

 of Harvard College in the Class of 1803, and from the year 

 1807 to 1836 was the Hollis Professor of Mathematics and 

 Natural Philosophy. While keeping school at Groton he 

 boarded in the family of Major Joseph Moors, who com- 

 manded one of the Groton companies at the Battle of Bunker 

 Hill. He Hved near the site of the present Groton School, 

 and a large part of his land is now owned by that institution. 



Groton Jan. ist 1803 

 Dear Sir, — After leaving you at Concord we proceeded on our 

 journey as fast as the badness of the road would permit us to travel and 

 arrived at Groton about 6 in the evening. We tarried at Mr. HalFs 

 tavern near the meeting house over night and the next morning were 

 conducted to our respective districts. On the friday following I 



1 This name is fictitious. 



