Nov. Dec. 19 Child of Alfred Janes [Albert], aged 1 year. 22 25 Son and daughter of John I. Wells, both buried in one grave [Anne Aurelia], daughter aged 4, [Seth Elsworth] son, a 2. Child of Thomas Lloyd, aged 3 months. 28 Daughter of Samuel Drigs, aged 3 years. 7 William Lawrence to toling the the bell for the funeral of Mrs. Sarah Hail of Coventry [Sarah Adams, widow of Major John Hale, of Coventry], aged 50 years. 9 William Brown [son of Samuel and Hannah (Landon) Brown, born in Guilford, Nov. 30, 1764], aged 39 years. 13 James Wadsworth [son of Elisha and (Cadwell) Wadsworth, bapt. June 28, 1752], aged 51 years. 15 Son of Captain Bacon. 15 Wife of James [John ] McCracken [Rebecca, daughter of Dr. Lemuel Hopkins], aged 21 years. Thompson, aged 35 Feb. ΙΟ Daniel Skinner [son of Daniel and Abigail (Smith) Skinner, bapt. Aug. 18, 1745], aged 58 years. Son of Thomas Watts, aged 3 years. March 3 Charles Merels, aged 49 years. 26 Samuel 17 April 8 23 29 May 2 [Col.] Jeremiah Wadsworth [son [Thirza], aged 28 years. 2 Daughter of Benjamin Smith [Roxy], aged 2 years. 3 Son of Noah Humfry [Horace], aged 6 years. 6 Son of Joseph Butler, aged 1 year. 13 Wife of Henry Weeden. 18 Son of Thomas Wells, aged 5 years. 26 Mary Sheldon [wife of John Sheldon, and daughter of Rev. John and Love (Sanford) Graham of Suffield], aged 84 years. 28 Son of Thomas Wells, aged 1 year. When last I close my eyes upon the light, To see no more the face of friend, or form To lead me in this drear and unknown way; Some word of cheer or comfort now to say; And with unmeasured toil my spirit gains The farther shore of Death's abysmal flow; SAMUEL JOHNSON JR., OF GUILFORD AND HIS DICTIONARIES. BY HENRY PYNCHON ROBINSON. Samuel Johnson, Jr., was identified as sole author of a dictionary, published shortly previous (1798) and received with favor. This, set amply forth, at the display of a thousand heirlooms of the town in 1889, it is fair to say did not transfix the attention of the ladies and gentlemen who, for two days beheld the sober little book and shied a glance at its story. In July, 1898, a letter appeared in a Guilford newspaper asking for information. of Samuel Johnson, Jr., stating that his school dictionary, issued in 1798, was the first in America that only two copies were known, one in the British Museum and one, imperfect, in the library of Yale. University. The replies which this drew forth contained little information concerning the dictionary. What can we say of a work so unknown, and what of its author, belonging to the generation of our great grandfathers? While all knowledge of the book has almost utterly passed away, not so of the author himself, who is remembered to-day by a few patriarchs who recall from childhood a tall, spare, old gentleman with piercing eyes and rounded shoulders, who moved briskly between the home on Fair street and the fulling-mill on the upland meadow. The Johnson family, not without rivalry from the Elliots, has led our local names in literary and learned eminence since Dr. Samuel Johnson so fell in love with Moses and the children of Israel as to wish to introduce Hebrew here and did actually put out a little slip of a Hebrew grammar, one edition after another, 1767-71. He had become first president, in 1754, of King's College to be followed in 1787 by his eminent son, Dr. Samuel William Johnson, first president of Columbia College. He had gone abroad and got the "Great Bear" of English literature, Dr. Samuel Johnson," who hated Americans" to love one American and to present him with a folio copy, elegantly bound, of his dictionary, third edition, 1765. The American Johnson had a younger brother, Nathaniel, as had also the Englishman, who was first warden in 1744 of the Episcopal Church in Guilford. Nathaniel married Mary Morgan, grand-daughter of Governor William Jones and great-granddaughter of Theophilus Eaton of New Haven. Their son, Samuel married Margaret Collins,great-great-grand-daughter of Governor William Leete of Guilford. Their son, Samuel Johnson, Jr., great nephew of the lover of the Hebrews is the |