History of Nahant, (Essex County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Biographies:

Horace Gray, jurist, was born in Boston, Mass., March 24, 1828; son of Horace Gray; and grandson of William and Elizabeth (Chipman) Gray. He was graduated at Harvard, A.B. 1845, A.M. 1848 and LL.B. in 1849, and was admitted to the Suffolk bar in 1851. He was reporter of the Massachusetts supreme judicial court, 1854-61; associate justice of the same, 1864-73, and chief justice, 1873-81. He was appointed by President Arthur, Dec. 19, 1881, an associate justice of the U.S. supreme court, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Justice Clifford on July 25, 1881. He was elected a member of the Massachusetts historical society and a fellow of the American academy of arts and sciences. The honorary degree of LL.D. was given him by Harvard in 1871 and by Brown in 1882. He died at Nahant, Mass., Sept. 15, 1902.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Mortimer Lawrence Johnson, naval officer, was born at Nahant, Mass., June 1, 1842; son of Walter and Hannah (Pratt) Johnson; grandson of Joseph and Mary (Cox) Johnson, and a descendant of Lieut. Francis Cox, of the Revolutionary army. He was appointed naval Cadet from Massachusetts to the U.S. Naval academy, Nov. 29, 1859, and ordered into active service in May, 1861. He was commissioned ensign, Sept. 16, 1862; promoted lieutenant, Feb. 22, 1864; and served on the Susquehanna, Sabine and Wabash in the South Atlantic squadron in all operations under Admirals Du Pont and Dahlgren from May, 1861, to August, 1864, when he was transferred to the steam frigate Colorado, took part in both attacks on Fort Fisher, and was flag lieutenant in command of the U.S.S. Estella from January to September, 1865. After the civil war he served on various duties and was promoted lieutenant-commander, July 25, 1866; commander, April 26, 1878; captain, May 9, 1893. He served on the U.S.S. Plymouth, European station, 1868-70; at the navy yard, Portsmouth, N.H., 1870-71; on the receiving-ship Sabine, 1873-74; the receiving ship Ohio at Charlestown, Mass., 1875; the Wabash, 1875-78; commanded the Ashuelot, Asiatic station, 1879-81; was on special duty, 1882; stationed at the Charlestown navy yard, Boston, Mass., 1884-87; commanded the Monocacy, Asiatic station, 1889-91; was on waiting orders, 1892-93; stationed at the equipment office, Portsmouth navy yard, part of 1893; commanded the receiving-ship Franklin, 1893-95; the U.S.S. Cincinnati in the North Atlantic, 1895-97; went to Europe as commander of the U.S.S. San Francisco in 1897; commanded the double-turreted monitor Miantonomah in the North Atlantic squadron during the Spanish-American war, 1898. He was captain of the Charlestown navy yard, 1898-1901, and was promoted rear-admiral Jan. 29, 1901.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Theodore Lyman, naturalist, was born in Waltham, Mass., Aug. 23, 1833; son of Theodore and Mary E. (Henderson) Lyman. He was graduated from Harvard college, A.B., 1855, S.B., 1858, and was married, Nov. 28, 1856, to Elizabeth, daughter of George R. and Sarah (Shaw) Russell. He was assistant in zo?logy at the Museum of Comparative Zo?logy, 1860-61, and pursued his studies in Europe, 1861-63. He was volunteer aide with rank of lieutenant-colonel on the staff of Maj.-Gen. George G. Meade, commanding the Army of the Potomac, 1863-65, participating in the movements on Mine Run and Centreville in 1863, the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania and Cold Harbor; through the investment of Petersburg; in the rout and pursuit of Lee's army, and its capture at Appomattox Court House. He was mustered out of the volunteer service, April 20, 1865, and returned to his home in Brookline, Mass. He was fish commissioner for Massachusetts, 1865-82; and made the first scientific experiments undertaken for the cultivation and preservation of food fishes by any state in the Union. He also prepared "Reports of the Commissioners on Inland Fisheries of Massachusetts" (1865-82). He was a representative from the ninth Massachusetts district in the 48th congress, 1883-85; an overseer of Harvard, 1868-80 and 1881-88; fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; member of the Massachusetts Historical society; honorary member of the New York Academy of Sciences and of the National Academy of Sciences, 1872-97. He was president of the Boston farm school, and a trustee of the Peabody education fund, the Peabody Museum of Arch?ology, and the state reform school. He received the degree LL.D. from Harvard in 1891, contributed to the building of Memorial hall and served on the building committee. He left $10,000 to Harvard and his collection of scientific books to the Museum of Comparative Zo?logy. He contributed articles to scientific journals and published: Illustrated Catalogue of the Ophiurid? and Astrophytid? in the Museum of Comparative Zo?logy (1865); Report on Ophiurid? and Astrophytid? Dredged by Louis F. de Pourtales (1869); Old and New Ophiurid? and Astrophytid? of the Hassler Expedition (1875); Dredging Operations of the U.S. Steamer Blake; Ophiurans (1875); Padrome of the Ophiurid? and Astrophytid? of the Challender Expedition (Part I, 1878; Part II, 1879); Report on the Ophiurid? Dredged by H. M. S. Challenger During the Years 1873-76 (1882); papers Relating to the Garrison Mob (1870). He died at Nahant, Mass., Sept. 9, 1897.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor