MEMOIR

OF

SOLOMON LINCOLN.

BY JOHN D. LONG.

SOLOMON LINCOLN became a member of this Society on November 10, 1887. He was born in Hingham, Massachusetts, on August 14, 1838. His ancestor Samuel Lincoln "came from Hingham, England, and settled in New Hingham, 1637, living some time in Salem." His descendants are numerous; among them, President Abraham Lincoln. The father of the subject of this sketch was Solomon Lincoln, who became a member of this Society on January 30, 1845. The son attended private schools in Hingham and the Derby Academy. He was fitted for college at the private school of David B. Tower under the tuition of Ephraim W. Gurney, afterwards a professor at Harvard. He entered the Sophomore Class of Harvard College in 1854, and graduated in 1857, ranking first in his class. Among his classmates were Francis Bartlett, Francis O. French, Franklin Haven, James J. Higginson, John D. Long, Joseph May, Robert M. Morse, John C. Ropes, Robert D. Smith, A. J. C. Sowdon, J. Lewis Stackpole, James J. Storrow, Charles F. Walcott, and Samuel Wells.

The next year he was appointed tutor at Harvard, holding that position first in Greek and Latin, then in Greek, and finally in Mathematics till July, 1863, during which year he attended the Harvard Law School, receiving the degree of LL.B. in 1864.

January 26, 1864, he entered the law office of Stephen B. Ives, Jr., in Salem, Massachusetts; was admitted to the bar in 1864, and became Mr. Ives's partner in 1865. The firm had offices in Salem and in Boston. It was dissolved in 1882, and his office and residence were thenceforward in Boston. His practice there was large and important.

In 1874 he was aide-de-camp to Governor Talbot with the rank of Colonel, and in 1879 Governor Talbot's chief of staff. He was an overseer of Harvard College from 1882 to 1902, and for the last twelve years of that term president of the Board. In 1879 he was appointed by Governor Talbot a commissioner to represent Massachusetts at a meeting at Yorktown, Virginia, of the governors of the original thirteen States; and as such commissioner, in 1881, in the suite of Governor Long, he attended the Centennial Celebration there.

He was elected a member of the American Antiquarian. Society on April 26, 1882; was a trustee of Derby Academy in Hingham; president at his death of the Unitarian Club of Boston; a member of several social clubs like the Union and the St. Botolph; since May 1, 1896, a trustee of the Boston Public Library, and president of the Board since May 12, 1899. He was president of the Talbot Woollen Company.

February 15, 1865, he married Ellen B., daughter of Hon. Joel Hayden, formerly Lieutenant-Governor of the Commonwealth. A daughter, Bessie, their only child, was born in 1868, and is now the wife of Murray A. Potter, an instructor at Harvard College. Mrs. Lincoln and the wife of Governor Talbot were sisters.

Mr. Lincoln for many years lived at No. 191 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, where he died on October 15, 1907.

For an appreciation of his character and qualities reference is made to the tribute paid him by his classmate John D. Long at a meeting of this Society held on November 14, which will be found on pages 189-193 of this volume.