Lynn and the surroundings

136 LYNN AND SURROUNDINGS.Phthisicy Jim, Silver Jim, Bully Jim, Increase Jim, President Jim, Nathan'sJim, and Doctor Jim.John Burrill, who was grandson of the first settler of the name, was aRepresentative in the General Court for twenty-two years, was Speaker of theHouse ten years, and Councillor in 1720; and in these responsible offices heacquired a high reputation for integrity and ability. His gravestone may still beseen in the Old Burying Ground, v^ith its long and quaint epitaph, and in hiswill he bequeathed forty pounds to the First Church ' ' toward ye furnishing ofye table of the Lord. Many others of his name achieved honorable distinctionin public positions, and the family came to be facetiously called the RoyalFamily of Lynn. Chief Justice, and afterward Senator Burrill of Rhode Island,was descended from this Lynn family.William Gray, better known as Billy Gray, in his day the most famous andwealthy merchant in New England, was a native of Lynn, though in his lateryears a resident of Boston. It would be a pleasure to linger among thesehonored names, about which clusters so much of never-dying interest, but wemust pass from them to some of the more familiar names of our own time.Perhaps no three men have done more toperpetuate the name and fame of our city thanhave her three historians. Alonzo Lewis wasby profession a civil engineer of wide reputation,and doubtless the familiarity with thereal estate lines and titles, gained only by the patientresearch which his calling made necessary,led him to undertake the compilation ofthe history of the city. The early records ofthe town were in a state of almost inexplicableconfusion, and very many were lost ;in consequence,the labors of the historian were bothperplexing and arduous. The first edition ofhis History of Lynn appeared in 1S29 and thesecond in 1844. A third edition was in contemplationwhen he died in 1S61 . This work ofMr. Lewis was carefully and gracefully performed,both volumes are richly suggestive andinstructive. Mr. Lewis also published a vol-AI.ONZO I.KWIS. c r i -^ i . ..ume of poems of much merit, and wrote at tnnesupon various topics of current interest. He was also interested in everythingthat pertained to the welfare of the city. He laid out the road to Nahant, suggestedto the government the idea of the Egg Rock Light, and named many ofthe streets of the city.Intimately connected with the name of Alonzo Lewis is that of JudgeJames R. Newhall. Although following the laborious profession of the law,in which he was successful, he has nevertheless found time for much literarywork of a historical nature. He took up the history of Lynn where Lewis leftoM', and in 1S65 published, vinder the joint names of himself and his predecessorm the work, a handsome volume in which lie continues the story of