BOWDOIN, JAMES American political lead er, was born of French Huguenot descent, in Boston, Mass., on Aug. 7, 1726. He graduated at Harvard in 1745, and was a mem ber of the general court of Massachusetts in 1753-56, and from 1757 to 1774 of the Massachusetts council, in which, on the ap proach of the American Revolution, he was a leading supporter of the opposition to the government. From Aug. 1775, until the sum mer of 1777 he was the president of the council. In 1779-80 he was president of the constitutional convention of Massachusetts. From 1785 to 1787 he was governor of Massachusetts, suppressing with much vigour Shays' Rebellion. Bowdoin was a member of the State convention which in Feb. 1788, ratified for Massachusetts the Federal constitution, his son being also a member. He died in Boston on Nov. 6,179o. He took much interest in natural philoso phy, and presented various papers before the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, of which he was from to I 790 the first president. Bowdoin college was named in his honour.
His son, JAMES BOWDOIN (1752-1811), was born in Boston on Sept. 22, 1752, graduated at Harvard in 1771, and served, at various times, as a representative, senator and councillor of the State. From 1805 until 1808 he was U.S. minister to Spain. He died on Naushon Island, Mass., on Oct. II, 1811. To Bowdoin college he gave land, money and apparatus ; and bequeathed to it his fine collection of paintings.