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A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

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1745.] WILLIAM PEPPERRELL. 75migrated <strong>in</strong> early life to the Isles <strong>of</strong> Shoals, <strong>and</strong>thence to Kittery, where, by trade, ship-build<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong>the fisheries, he made a fortune, most <strong>of</strong> which heleft to his son William. The young PepperreUlearned what little was taught at the village school,supplemented by a private tutor,whose <strong>in</strong>structions,however, did not perfect him <strong>in</strong> English grammar.In the eyes <strong>of</strong> his self-made father, education wasvaluable only so far as it could make a successfultrader ;<strong>and</strong> on this po<strong>in</strong>t he had reason to be satisfied,as his son passed for many years as the chief merchant<strong>in</strong> New Engl<strong>and</strong>. He dealt <strong>in</strong> ships, timber,naval stores, fish, <strong>and</strong> miscellaneous goods broughtfrom Engl<strong>and</strong> ;<strong>and</strong> he also greatly prospered by successfull<strong>and</strong> purchases, becom<strong>in</strong>g owner <strong>of</strong> the greaterpart <strong>of</strong> the grow<strong>in</strong>g towns <strong>of</strong> Saco <strong>and</strong> Scarborough.When scarcely twenty-one, he was made justice <strong>of</strong>the peace, on -syhich he ordered from London whathis biographer calls a law library, consist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> a lawdictionary, Danvers' "Abridgment <strong>of</strong> the CommonLaw," the "Complete Solicitor," <strong>and</strong> several otherbooks. In law as <strong>in</strong> war, his best qualities weregood sense <strong>and</strong> good-will.About the time when hewas made a justice, he was commissioned capta<strong>in</strong> <strong>of</strong>militia, then major, then lieutenant-colonel, <strong>and</strong> atlast colonel, comm<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g all the militia <strong>of</strong> Ma<strong>in</strong>e.The town <strong>of</strong> Kittery chose him to represent her <strong>in</strong>the General Court, Ma<strong>in</strong>e be<strong>in</strong>g then a part <strong>of</strong>Massachusetts. F<strong>in</strong>ally, he was made a member <strong>of</strong>the Governor's Council, — a post which he held for

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