History of Melrose, (Middlesex County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Biographies:

William E. Barrett, representative, was born at Melrose, Mass., Dec. 29, 1858. He was graduated from Dartmouth college in 1880, and became assistant editor on the Messenger, St. Albans, Vt., where he remained for two years. In 1882 he connected himself with the Boston Daily Advertiser, and was sent to Washington as regular correspondent for that paper. In 1886 Mr. Barrett left Washington to take the position of president of the Advertiser newspaper company, publishers of the Advertiser and Evening Record. He was elected a representative to the Massachusetts legislature in 1887, '88, '89, '90, '91, '92; became speaker of the house in 1889, and was re-elected every year to 1892 without opposition. In 1891 he was the Republican nominee for governor. He was elected a representative to the 54th U.S. Congress on the Republican ticket, and made himself conspicuous by his attitude on the Venezuelan matter, and by his efforts for the impeachment of Mr. Bayard, United States ambassador to Great Britain. He was re-elected to the 55th Congress in 1896.

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

Benjamin Curtis Porter, artist, was born in Melrose, Mass.; son of Charles and Julia (Curtis) Porter. He studied art at an early age, and traveled extensively in America and Europe. For some years he gave his attention to figure painting, but finally devoted himself entirely to portraiture, establishing a studio in New York city. In 1876 he exhibited at the National Academy of Design, New York city, and was elected an associate in 1878, and an academician in 1880. He was married in 1887 to Mary Louise Clark of Connecticut. He was awarded a medal at the Paris exposition, 1900, and at the Pan-American exposition, Buffalo, 1901. His principal works include: Henry V. and the Princess Kate (1868); The Mandolin Player and Cupid with Butterflies (1874); The Hour Glass (1876); Portrait of Lady with Dog (1876); Portrait of Boy with Dog (1884), and numerous other portraits, among the subjects being Cornelius Vanderbilt, Mrs. Henry Clews, Mrs. Abram Hewitt and Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney.

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