three miles north of the mouth of the Merrimack river, and thence running westerly and northerly, keeping at three miles' distance from the river to the junction of the Winnipiseogee and three miles further north, thence due west to his majesty's other dominions; but if it did not, then the dividing line should begin at a point three miles north of the Black Rocks and thence due west to his majesty's other dominions. These lines are all shown on the plan.

But both parties appealed from this decision, and the matter was carried before the king in council. This august body seems to have been run by New Hampshire's paid agent, one George Tomlinson, and the line was established at three miles north of the river to Pawtucket falls, and thence due west, etc. This gave New Hampshire some 700 square miles of Massachusetts more than that Province had ever claimed, consequently her willingness to pay all the expenses of running the lines that make the area of that state to-day 1,400 square miles larger than Massachusetts.

These records and maps are not only interesting historical documents,

but they show past all controversy that the boundary line matter was settled by the king's decree, that the execution was served, the land set off, the lines run and marked on the ground, the plans returned, accepted, and recorded, and the whole business executed as perfectly and thoroughly as it was possible to fix any division line anywhere at that time. It was all done with the cordial assent and concurrence of New Hampshire. Massachusetts protested against it, but without avail. The line thus established has been the line of jurisdiction ever since. Massachusetts set the bounds stones at the angles in 1827: they are all there to-day, and mark the angles in the line. Mr. Spofford has run on the ground, and there is not the slightest doubt of its correctness substantially, and why any person should now suppose for a single moment that a boundary line thus established by both parties can be changed at the option of one, and without the consent and against the wishes of the inhabitants living near it, is a mystery we shall not attempt to solve. Exchange.

lowed him to work as a farm hand near home; and with one hundred dollars saved from his wages, and a like sum left him by his grandfather, he determined to get an education. Rev. Enoch Pond was his instructor in the preparatory studies required for admission to Brown University, which he entered in 1818 and graduated

from in 1822 with high honors. Having secured university honors, he taught in the academy at Wrentham, Mass., one year, and began theological studies at Princeton in 1823. In 1825 he was licensed to preach, and took charge of a Congregational church in Sangerfield, N. Y., where he remained four years. At this time the agitation against secret societies was at its height, and Mr. Peirce being a member of the Masonic fraternity, his congregation and himself could not harmonize. He resigned his pastorate, and for a while left the active work of the ministry. After teaching a while in Goshen, Conn., as principal, he left for Michigan in 1831, having been appointed by the Home Missionary Society for work in the (then) territory of Michigan. His first missionary work was in Marshall, Calhoun county, in July, 1831. In May, 1832, the Congregational church of Marshall was organized with five members, one of them being Mrs. Peirce, the wife of the pastor. Mr. Peirce is remembered for his kindliness of speech and manner, his selfsacrifice, and his truly Christian life. His thorough acquaintance with the sacred writings made his labors as pastor eminently successful. His missionary labors were brought to a close in July, 1838, when he was appointed supertendent of public instruction at the organization of Michigan as a state. He had been nominated to this office in 1832, but his nomination was not confirmed by the legislature until July 26, 1836. Previous to this time very little attention had been paid to education in Michigan. Most of the new settlers were poor, and their time was fully occupied in clearing up their

land and providing for their families. Some of the leading men had held discussions on the subject, but no authorized system of education yet existed. Among those who were becoming interested in educational matters, Gen. Isaac E. Crary, a graduate of an Eastern college, and Mr. Peirce were the most prominent. They met frequently, and earnestly discussed, the theme with increasing interest. They agreed to make an effort to have the education of the youth of Michigan a distinct branch. of the government, and that its affairs should be in the hands of an officer, and thus give it an importance it could not otherwise gain. They prepared an article on the subject, which was presented to the convention, and, by its adoption, became the organic law. The law thus adopted provided for a state superintendent of instruction. In the creation of this office, Michigan was alone; and to these men, Messrs. Crary and Peirce, belongs the credit of the formation of a bureau of education in the (then) new state. The office came to Mr. Peirce unexpectedly, although he had for a long time been satisfied that the interests of the school system, then in its incipiency, demanded such an officer. He had no thought of the office for himself, but was expecting to busy himself in missionary work. He soon found his new position gave him plenty of work. At the July session of the legislature an act was passed requiring him to prepare and submit plans for the organization and support of primary schools, a plan for a university and branches, and for the disposition of primary school and university lands, to the legislature,

in January, 1837. Mr. Peirce had a clear field for action and five months' time in which to prepare his report. He immediately went East and consulted such men as John A. 'Dix, Gov. Marcy of New York, President Humphrey of Amherst college, Gov. Everett of Massachusetts, President Day of Yale college, and other eminent men. He also attended the American Institute of Instruction held at Worcester, Mass., and the college of professional teachers at Cincinnati. During this pilgrimage among educators and schools, Mr. Peirce was a close observer of the systems examined, as he deeply appreciated the responsibility imposed upon him by the government, which had appropriated over a million acres of land for carrying out the system he was expected to recommend. The report, covering all the ground requested by the act of the legislature, was submitted, and was adopted by the legislature with scarcely a dissenting voice. His next move, in the cause of education in Michigan, was the devising a plan for the establishment of a university, which proved a very perplexing business, as it was then believed that the maintenance and success of a state institution was impracticable. It was suggested that the private academies then in existence should be named the University of Michigan, and the fund set apart for the university should be divided among them in proportion to the number of students in attendance. This scheme was favored by many throughout the state, but was vigorously opposed by Mr. Peirce, who brought to bear, in its defeat, all the influence he could con

and was defeated in the house by only one vote. The opposition to the scheme of Mr. Peirce was very bitter; but accomplished facts have demonstrated the wisdom of his position in the matter, as Michigan now boasts of a University whose fame, with its fifteen hundred students, is world-wide. In his opposition to the confederation of the academies, he was seconded by many distinguished educators, who, like him, clearly saw the impracticability of the scheme, and the waste of time and energy that its adoption would bring. Again were his shrewdness and foresight shown in opposing the appropriation of $500,000 that had been made for the erection of buildings. Mr. Peirce believed that such an amount used at that time would seriously cripple the future of the university, which he believed should develop naturally. It will thus be seen that his efforts for the establishment of the educational system covered many of the best years of his life. And to quote the words of another, "to John D. Peirce, Michigan owes her present admirable school system, of which every citizen is justly proud. Among other important measures originated by him was the homestead exemption law, by which many of the residents of the state are now owners of fine farms and comfortable homes. The provisions for the support of the public schools and the homestead exemption measure were, through his efforts, incorporated in the constitution of the state in 1850. In 1842 Mr. Peirce again took up the ministry, and in 1847 he was elected to the state legislature. He was ever a strong anti

slavery man, and, as chairman of the committee on federal relations, he introduced a resolution instructing the Michigan delegation in congress to oppose the introduction of slavery into the territories. A few years since he took up his abode in Ypsilanti, where he resided until the summer of 1880, when, having a serious illness, his daughter, Mrs. Emerson, of Medway, Mass., was summoned to Ypsilanti. As soon as he was able to travel she persuaded him to return with her to Massachusetts, where he spent the evening of his days in the companionship of his only surviving child. Mr. Peirce resided with his daughter until March, 1882, when he was seized with a sudden illness, which terminated fatally in one week after his seizure. He died March 30, 1882. At his urgent request his remains were brought to Marshall for interment. During his illness his mind was strong, active, and unclouded. That he might feel the approach of death, and enjoy the company of dear friends to the last, he refused opiates of any description. When death claimed him, he calmly went to the reward which he had earned by a long life of service as a benefactor of the human race. He was an ardent lover of Michigan, her institutions and her people. It was in Michigan that his greatest and best labors were performed. Here he had very many warm admirers and personal friends; and his dying request was that he might be buried in the soil of his " beloved Michigan," and near the graves of those who had shared with him the burdens of pioneer life. Around the little mound of earth that marks his last resting-place are the graves of

honored men and women who were his co-laborers in the grand work of building up a civilization upon a foundation of morality and intellecual worth, the certain fruitage of his broad and philanthropic ideas of universal education; and as long as the present system of public education lasts, every school-house in the state, and especially the University of Michigan, will be a monument to John D. Peirce and the noble band of workers of which he was the central figure. Memorial services were held in Marshall at the High School, at which all the schools in the city participated. Every honor was paid to the memory of Father Peirce" that affection, gratitude, and respect could devise. Beautiful floral tributes were brought by the pupils of the different schools; the most distinguished men of Marshall and the surrounding towns were present, and many of them made speeches, and seemed to vie with each other in bearing testimony to the worth of their deceased benefactor and friend. Many letters were read, sent by persons who could not be present, but who wished to offer their tribute of respect to his character and work in the cause of education. Both speakers and writers expressed a hope that these memorial services would assist in perpetuating the history of this great and good man, that future generations might be benefited by his example. One gentleman, a physician, who had practised in his family, and knew him in private as well as in public life, said of him,"No man could know Mr. Peirce for any length of time without becoming better man himself." He was greatly beloved throughout the state.

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