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

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Biographies:

Daniel Breck, jurist, was born in Topsfield, Mass., Feb. 12, 1788; son of Rev. Daniel Breck, chaplain in the revolution, and brother of Samuel Breck, merchant. He obtained his education under difficulties, and was graduated at Dartmouth college in 1812. In 1814 he removed to Richmond, Ky, where he practised law and became judge of the county court. He was elected to the state legislature from 1824 to 1834, during which time he originated the system of internal improvements, the Richmond branch of the state bank, of which he became president, and was interested in other important measures. He was appointed judge of the supreme court of Kentucky in 1843, retiring in 1849 to serve as a representative in the 31st Congress. He was then re-elected president of the Richmond bank. Transylvania university conferred on him the degree of LL.D. in 1843. He died Feb. 4, 1871.

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

Jacob Kimball, composer, was born in Topsfield, Mass., Feb. 15, 1761. He was graduated at Harvard in 1780; taugbt school in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and was also a teacher of singing and a composer of music. Many of his tunes became popular, and were often named for the towns in which he taught singing. He studied law with Judge William Wetmore, of Salem, Mass., and was admitted to the bar in 1795. He published Rural Harmony, a collection of tunes many of his own composition (1793). He died in Topsfield, July 24, 1826.

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

Nathaniel Peabody, delegate, was born in Topsfield, Essex county, Mass., March 1, 1741; son of Dr. Jacob Peabody. He attended school at Leominster, Mass.; studied medicine with his father, and was licensed to practise in 1761. He established himself in Plaistow, N.H., and was commissioned a lieutenant-colonel in the Royal army in 1774. He resigned his commission on account of political opinions and joined the patriot army. He engaged in the capture of Fort William and Mary at Newcastle, Del., and served on many of the early Revolutionary committees and conventions. He was a member of the committee of safety, Jan. 10, 1776, and became its chairman; was appointed adjutant-general of the state militia, July 19, 1777, and served in Rhode Island in 1779. He was a delegate to the convention held at New Haven to regulate the price of labor, produce and manufactures in 1779, to the Continental congress, 1779-80, and to the convention to frame the State constitution, 1782-83, serving as chairman of the committee. In 1786 he was again elected a delegate to the Continental congress, but did not take his seat. He was a representative in the state legislature for eight years, and served as speaker of the house in 1793. He was major-general of militia, 1793-98. The latter part of his life was spent in a debtor's prison, under the harsh law then enforced. He died in Exeter, N.H., June 27, 1823.

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

Nehemiah Cleaveland, educator, was born in Topsfield, Mass., Aug. 16, 1796; son of Dr. Nehemiah, and grandson of the Rev. John and Mary (Dodge) Cleaveland. He was graduated from Bowdoin in 1813 and studied for one year at Andover theological seminary. He was a teacher at Topsfield, Mass., and at Gorham, Maine, 1814-16; and in Portland, Maine, 1816-17. From 1817 to 1820 he was a tutor at Bowdoin college, and from 1821 to 1840 was principal of Dummer academy at Byfield, Mass. For a short time he held the chair of Greek at Phillips Exeter academy, removing to Lowell in 1841 to become principal of the high school. He was principal of a young ladies' school in Brooklyn, N.Y., 1842-50, retiring to private life in the latter year. After 1850 he resided in New York, Topsfield, Mass., and Westport, Conn. He received the degree of LL. D. from Bowdoin college in 1869. He is the author of an unfinished volume entitled History of Bowdoin College, with Biographical Sketches of its Graduates, completed by A. S. Packard and published in 1882. He died in Westport, Conn., April 17, 1877.

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