34 THE HORTICULTURE OF 



nut avenue. This was the home of Aaron Davis 

 Williams, who succeeded his father, and who, during 

 a long and useful life, contributed largely to the 

 advancement of the horticulture of our vicinity. His 

 father, John Davis Williams, was celebrated as a culti- 

 vator at the close of the last century, as was probably 

 his grandfather before him. From the orchards of this 

 place for more than a hundred years have come to the 

 Boston market many of the choicest fruits and vegeta- 

 bles that it could boast of. This spot is also memorable 

 as the birthplace of the brothers John Davis Williams, 

 and Moses Williams, so renowned as merchants of 

 Boston, the latter now surviving at ninety years in 

 a healthful old age, from whom the writer has received 

 the following letter : 



BOSTON, May 10, 1881. 



Hon. MARSHALL P. WILDER : Dear Sir, Your favor of yesterday was re- 

 ceived this morning. The house on Walnut avenue, in the Roxbury District, 

 where my brother, Aaron D. Williams was born, and where he died, was 

 originally a Leanto, two stories on the front and one story on the rear. It was 

 inherited by my father, John D. Williams, who was baptised John, married 

 Hannah Davis, and after his marriage, petitioned the legislature, and took the 

 name of John Davis Williams. My brother, the oldest child of my father, 

 was baptised John, and after he became a man, he petitioned the legislature 

 for leave to take the name of John Davis Williams, instead of John Williams, 

 but as my father was a farmer and received but few letters, my brother never 

 signed his name junior, as it appears to me now that it would have been 

 proper for him to have done. However, my father received so few letters 

 that no trouble ever arose on this account. My father, and I am almost cer- 

 tain, my grandfather, were born, at any rate, they lived, on the same estate 

 where my brother Aaron D. was born and where he died. There was no 

 better cultivators of fruits and vegetables than my father, in his day, and my 

 brother, Aaron, in his. My father left an estate in 1807, of $85,000, all ac- 

 quired by uncommon ability, as a cultivator of fruit and vegetables. My 

 brother Aaron made all to thrive under his care, but became too rich the 

 latter part of his life to give to cultivation his exclusive attention. 

 Very truly, your friend, 



MOSES WILLIAMS. 



Another fine old place in Eoxbury to be remembered 

 was that of Eufus G. Amory, with its long avenues, 

 entering from Washington street, bordered with noble 



