Whipple, the youngest daughter, married Joshua Brackett, an eminent physician in Portsmouth, who, during the revolution, was judge of the maritime court of New Hampshire. Her mother, Mary Whipple, resided with her after the death of her husband, and died in 1785, at the advanced age of eighty-five years.

WILLIAM WHIPPLE, the eldest son of William Whipple, was born at Kittery, in the year 1730. He was educated at one of the public schools in that town. The instruction he received was such as was usually given to youths of respectable families, destined to make their fortunes by commercial pursuits, and though not of that general and extended kind which is now bestowed, certainly was not so limited or deficient as has been supposed. He displayed throughout his whole life the marks of early attention and a good elementary education. On leaving school he embarked immediately on board of a merchant vessel, the constant and customary mode of commencing a commercial life at that period, but not, as has been intimated, with the intention or view of adopting a seafaring life, strictly so to speak, as his future occupation. In this pursuit he made several voyages and amassed some fortune; his intercourse appears to have been chiefly with the West Indies, and it has been said that he engaged in the slave trade; of this we have no direct evidence, but it is not improbable, as such a traffic was one of the most frequent in those times, among all commercial nations, that the vessels in which he embarked were occasionally engaged in it.

In the year 1759, however, he abandoned the sea entirely, being then in the twenty-ninth year of his age, and entered into business in Portsmouth, with his brother, under the firm of William and Joseph Whipple. This connexion was discontinued about one or two years previous to the revolution.

Mr. Whipple married his cousin, Catharine Moffat, one of the daughters of John Moffat, his offspring was limited to one child, which died in its infancy. He resided in the family of his father-in-law from the time of his marriage until his death.

At an early period of the contest, he took a decided part in favour of the colonies, in their opposition to the claims of Great Britain; and his townsmen, placing the highest confidence in his patriotism and integrity, frequently elected him to offices which required great firmness and moderation. In January, 1775, he was chosen one of the representatives of the town of Portsmouth to the provincial congress, held at Exeter for the purpose of choosing delegates to the general congress, which was to meet in Philadelphia on the tenth of May following.

When the disputes between the two countries were approaching to a crisis, the provincial committee of safety of New Hampshire recommended that a provincial congress should be formed, for the purpose of directing and managing the public affairs of the state during the term of six months. The delegates from the town of Portsmouth were five in number, among whom was captain Whipple. He accordingly attended the meeting of the congress, which convened at Exeter in the beginning of May, 1775, and was elected by that body one of the provincial committee of safety, who were to regulate the affairs of government during the war. In the early part of the same year, he was also chosen one of the committee of safety for the town of Portsmouth.

At the close of the year 1775, the people of New Hampshire assumed a form of government, consisting of a house of representatives and a council of twelve, the president of which was the chief executive officer. Mr. Whipple was chosen one of the council, on the sixth of January, 1776, and

on the twenty-third of the same month, a delegate to the general congress he took his seat on the twenty-ninth of February following. He continued to be re-elected to that distinguished situation in the years 1777, 1778, and 1779, and applied himself with diligence and ability to the discharge of its duties, when the military services which he rendered during that period permitted him to be an acting member of the New Hampshire delegation. In the middle of September, 1779, he finally retired from congress, after having attended, without the least intermission, at his post of duty, from the fifth of the preceding month of November.

Whilst in congress, he was considered a very useful and active member, and discharged the duties of his office in a manner alike honourable to himself and satisfactory to his constituents. In the current and committed business of the house, he displayed equal perseverance, ability and application. His early pursuits rendered him particularly useful as a member of the committees of marine and of commerce; and, as one of the superintendants of the commissary's and quarter-master's departments, he laboured, with much assiduity, to correct the abuses which had prevailed, and to place those establishments upon such a footing as might best conduce to the public service. When the depreciation of the continental currency became excessive, he strongly opposed new emissions of paper, as tending to the utter destruction of public confidence.

During his residence in Philadelphia, he maintained an active correspondence with his friends at home, and a few extracts from letters which have fallen within our reach, will at once throw light on the history of the times, and on his own individual character.

1776, April 2d. I heartily rejoice at the arrival of the two powder vessels, but you do not tell me where they are from,

what news they bring, what is become of the other vessels, &c. What think you of the retreat of the barbarians from Boston? It will be a pretty story to tell their master. What is the general opinion with you of the notable commissioners that are coming over? I hope that either colonel Bartlett or you will be here to receive their mightinesses. Some people here,'(I mean out of doors,) are for shutting them up the moment they land; however, I hope they will be treated with civility, and sent back with a flea in the ear, for I cannot possibly think they are commissioned for any good; nor can I yet realize their coming. There is a forty gun ship now lying at the Capes. The brig Lexington went down before we heard of her being there; we have now a ship fitting out that will go down in a few days; these vessels were intended to clear the coast of the tenders that are so troublesome. Admiral Hopkins was at New Providence the 4th instant, where he finds a great number of cannon, say two hundred, and a large quantity of ball; but they had sent off all their powder except fourteen barrels; he will take all the military stores. The North Carolina people have taken eighteen hundred stand of arms from the rebels there, and found a chest of money in a stable said to contain fifteen thousand pounds sterling. I hope Hopkins will give a good account of Dunmore, Campbell, or Martin, or all of them before he returns.

May 18th. I enclose a resolution of congress, which I know will not displease you. You see how we come on; a confederation permanent and lasting, ought, in my opinion, to be the next thing, and I hope is not far off. If so, then the establishment of foreign agencies I hope will fill our ports with ships from all parts of the world. By the enclosed Evening Post, you will see the effects of their resolution. May it operate in the same manner throughout America.

June 17th. I am glad you intend for Providence, and heartily wish you may succeed in getting the guns there, if not, I don't know when you will have them, but fear it will be a long time, for the two furnaces in this province are employed in making guns for the ships; there are no more than two twelve pounders yet brought to town, and but very few of the other sizes, and if they were here, I think there will be great difficulty in getting them to you. * * * *This day fortnight I expect the grand question will be determined in congress that being the day assigned to receive the report of a committee who are preparing the declaration. There is as great a change here since my arrival, as there was in New Hampshire, between the time that the powder was taken from the fort, and the battle of Bunker's Hill. New Jersey has called a new convention, who are now sitting; they have forbid the meeting of the assembly, who were called by the governor's proclamation; and I hope my next will advise you of that governor's being seized, which I think ought to have been done many months ago; affairs go on here bravely, as you'll see by the papers.

July 16th. You may depend the officers will be appointed agreeably to your recommendation; their commissions not being sent need be no hindrance to you in engaging petty officers and men. Provision I wrote you about last post; I agree with you that these matters have not been properly attended to, but I by no means take any part of the charge of neglect to myself, for no poor devil ever begged for alms with more earnestness, than I have to get these matters settled, and am still determined if possible to have every thing complete before I leave this. Two of the ships were launched here last week, viz. the Randolph and Delaware, but when they will get to sea is uncertain, as they have no anchors yet. Independence was proclaimed in the army at New