WINTHROP FAMILY,—Jomc, governor of the colony of Massachusetts, was born in Groton, county of Suffolk, England, Jan. 12, 1588; was bred to the law, appointed justice of the peace at the age of 18, and on account of his excellent and pious character, was, in 1629, elected by the governor and company of Massachusetts bay to govern their colony. He sold his estate, and April 7, 1680, sailed from Yarmouth with 900 persons. During the voyage he composed an essay, entitled A Model of Christian Charity. He was re-elected governor every year until 1634, when he became deputy-governor under sir Harry Vane, with whom be had an animated controversy on the doctrines of Mrs. Hutchinson. In 1637 he was elected over sir Harry, and continued governor, with a brief interval, during his life, and had more influence probably than any other man in form lug the political institutions of the northern states of America. He was opposed to an unlimited democracy, for he said, "The best part of a community is always the least, and of that best part the wiser part is always the lesser," He kept a journal up to 1649, two books of which were published in 1790; and the third found in the New England library, kept in the tower of the Old South church in Boston, in 1816. A revised edition was published at Boston, in 2 viols. (185-26). He died at Boston, Mar. 26, 1649. —JonNr, governor of Connecticut, son of the preceding, was born at Groton, England, Feb. 12, 1606; educated at Trinity college, Dublin; made the tour of Europe; went to America in 1631, was chosen a magistrate in Massachusetts, but returned to England; and in 1635 went to Connecticut, built a fort at the moulli of the Connecticut river, was made governor of the colony, and founded the city of New London in 1661. He obtained a charter for the colony from Charles II., and was first appointed governor
under it; and, in 1676, represented his colony in the congress of time united colonies at Boston. He was a man of eminent virtues, and considerable acquirements. Some of his papers are contained in the Philosophical Transactions. He died at Boston, April 5, 167G.—Jo, LL.D., American scholar, a descendant of the first governor Winthrop, was born in Massachusetts, 1715; graduated at Harvard college, 1732; and in 1738 was appointed Hollis professor of mathematics and natural philosophy. In 1740 he observed the transit of Mercury; and, in 1761, went to Newfoundland to observe the transit of Venus. He published tracts on earthquakes, comets, and other astronomical subjects. Died at Cambridge, May 3, 1779.—RoBERT CHARLES, LL.D., American statesman and orator, descendant of the sixth generation from the first governor Winthrop, was born at Boston, May 12, 1809, graduated at Harvard college in 1828, studied law with Daniel Webster, and was admitted to the bar in 1831, but soon abandoned law for politics, and was elected to the state legislature in 1834, where he served five years, three as speaker of the house. In 1840 he was elected to congress, of which he was a member for ten years. In 1847 he visited Europe, and was the Whig candidate for speaker, but defeated after a balloting of three weeks. In 1850 he succeeded Mr. Webster, who became sec retary of state, as senator from Massachusetts, a place in which lie, was succeeded by the more radical Charles Sumner. He was also defeated as a candidate for governor of Massachusetts. He published Life off. Winthrop, .)lentoirof N. Appleton (1861); Speeches (1853-67); and Washington, Bowdoin, and Franklin (1876).