A SK ETC H O F T HE L IF E AND PU BL IC S ERV IC ES JAMES MITC HEL L V ARNU M RH DE IS L AND O F O , ' Brzgadzer- Gmeml of t/ze Continental Army ; Member of f"e Continental u m u 5 . S C N. W. ss u d U . Cong re ; j g e pre e o rt, Maj or- Gmeral Rlzode Island Volu nteer M BY AMES MIT C HEL L V ARNU M J , O F NEW YO RK C IT Y. B O S T O N P DAV ID C L AP 8: S ON, PRINTERS . l 9O 6 Tlze am c Mass V u s o a a i . m fBr t , 7 44 177 534 5 JAMES MIT C HEL L V ARNU M. 8 ' By James Mitch ell Varr mm. E IT C HEL L ARNU e e e JAM S M V M , ld st son of Major Samu l rae M 011 e e e 17th 4 D u t t s 17 8 . Varnum , was born at , as , D c mb r , After an academical education h e entered Harvard College as e t h e a e 16 e 7 th e a Fr shman at g of y ars and months , in class 1769 c e e e t . e e of , but did not ontinu th r un il graduation Th r is no official record at t he University as to th e reason for his ’ e c l aving Harvard , but inasmu h as in Quincy s history of Har vard Coll ege there is mention of disturbances amongst th e e 1768 e e e e e e stud nts in April , , in cons qu nc of which som w r e e e e e e e e rusticat d and oth rs xp ll d , it is consid r d probabl that " ” the e e e Varnum , who had r putation of b ing rath r wild at l e e e ee one th e e . co l g , may hav b n of numb r He c e Drac u tt 1767 taught s hool in his nativ town of in , 23d 1768 e e e e e e and on May , nt r d Rhod Island Coll g (now e c h e e Brown Univ rsity) , from whi h institution graduat d with 1769 th e first e honors in , in class to graduat from that e e. At th e e e e c e e w as coll g comm nc m nt day l bration , Which e t h e e new ee - o e e h ld in th n Baptist m ting h us at Warr n, on e e e 7th 1769 e ce in the S pt mb r , , Varnum took a promin nt pla ” e e e s x rcis s , taking part in a Syllogi tic Disputation in Latin , “ and also being one of two students engaged in a Forensic Dispute entitled Th e Americans in their present c ircum ' stances c annot consistent with good policy aIIect to become an ” e ind pendent state. “ Mr. Varnum ingeniously defended th e proposition by eo e e e d e e he w as g nt argum nts handsom ly r ss d, though subtly, but e e f m o e Mr. ms o h o W d licat ly, ppos d by William Willia , b t ho ” e e ie f e spok with mphasis and propriety . Full cop s o th ir 4 ’ a e u d c h rgum nts may be found in Dr . G il s ac ount of t e com * nc 1 h e e e me eme1t . As a sign of t e tim s it may b m ntioned that e e e n th e a d e e e t h e at this comm nc m nt not o ly c ndi at s , but v n ” e e e e e e e c e . Pr sid nt, w r dr ss d in Am ri an manufactur s T 1769 Mr. e e i c e e In , Varnum , aft r l av ng oll g , again taught a e at Draou tt e e e e s ee school for tim , but v n at this arly dat ms _ e e e e his e h e e to hav d cid d to mak futur om in Rhod Island , for soo n thereafter h e entered th e oth ee of th e Honorable Oliver ey e e th e c h he Arnold , Attorn G n ral of olony , with w om was a ’ student at law until t he latter s decease in O c tober 1770. ’ o e h e e arnu ms e i It is pr babl , ow v r, that young V d c sion to settle in Rhode Islan d was chiefly d u e t o t h e fac t th at during his s tudent life at Warren h e h ad fallen in love with a fair e a c h he e on F ebn uar 2d daught r of th t olony , w om marri d y , 1 h 770. Her e h C nam was Mart a (usually known as Patty) ild , th e e e e th e e me" h of W e ld st daught r of Honorabl Cro C ild arr n, e e t h e e e e e one a m mb r of Rhod Island G n ral Ass mbly , and of a e e a nd e e e in h e family of consid rabl , v n notabl , distinction t os days . B e e O ne h er s e e . e of ist rs marri d Hon B njamin ourn , aft r wards Member of C ongress and United States Distric t and a e and a e . e e e e Circuit J dg , noth r Dr P t r Turn r , a distinguish d e th e e l A e c z e surg on in Contin nta rmy, and a p romin nt iti n of Rhode Island . ' ’ ve It may be h eres t at ed that Mr. V arnu ms marriage pro d to be -a lmost happy one h e being represented by t h e c hroniclers ‘ f ” e e e e affec ionat e h u sband of that p riod as an xc ll nt and t , and “ c as - e a nd o n e th e m his onsort a high mind d lady, of ost ” vived e e . ms u r ee e . arnu ch rful , sociabl , and b st of wiv s Mrs V ‘ . t ober 8 e e . on e h er 4 R. I O husband y ars, and di d at Bristol , , ' ‘ 10th 1837 e th e e a e of 88 1 e 1 . , , without issu , at advanc d g y a s ” - mmen ement ofR 1 h e F r t o o eI an R A: u i o e t on R. T s s o e e b . i C c h d l d C ll g , y G ld, C ll c i ‘ H . Prov en 1 stor a S ociet vol. 7 e 88 5. i ic l y, id c . ann n and Brown U n vers t b R. A. u . ou 8: L n o n Boston 1864. fM i g i i y, y G ild G ld i c l , , 5 e h e Ba 1771 Mr. r u t r In , Va n m was admitt d to , and soon w I. h c ee R. e e e e after settled in East Gr n ich , , w r his d id d ability c e h im e e e c e h e t e e early a quir d for an xt nsiv pra tic , and rav ll d h c t h e c o e u e ee one t e irc uit of ol ny , r aping in an unus al d gr for e u ew r h is so young t h e honors and p c niary r a ds of profession . “ i e in e th e h e Mr. Wilk ns Updyk , his M moirs of R od Island ” e e Mr. h e e Bar, in r f rring to Varnum at t is p riod of his lif , “ : He ee l c e h e c e c e says was d p y atta h d to mat matical s i n , and delighted in its pursuit ; his whole life was an evid en c e that h e was nat urally a mathematic ian his habits were thos e o fintens e study and boisterous relaxation . He w as fond of exhibiting his l e e e e e e h t c e skil in gymnastics , and v r r ady to x rcis in t a an i nt h art one w o e e e e. with any would ngag with him , nobl or ignobl e e e h e ex Strong and activ in fram , and ard ntly attac d to such erc ises h e e c t he e e , gav his in lination for such sports full st rang ” to a late p eriod in his life.