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KATHERINE CHAUNCY.

KATHERINE, the eldest daughter of the Rev. Nathaniel Chauny of Hatfield, was born in Windsor, Conn, January 12, 1675–6, and was baptized on the 16th. She married the Rev. Daniel BREWER of Springfield, August 23, 1689. She died May 15, 1754, aged 79.

The Rev. DANIEL BREWER was born in the year 1667, in Roxbury, Mass., and was the son of Daniel Brewer, who is said to have been born in England. He was graduated in Harvard College in 1687; was called from Roxbury, Mass., and settled over the first parish in Springfield, May 16, 1694. He died November 5, 1733, in the 66th year of his age, and the 40th of his ministry.

He published a sermon, entitled "God's help to be sought in time of war, with a deep sense of the vanity of what help man can afford." Delivered at Springfield, March 26, 1724. It is said to be "a respectable performance, and indicates an ardent spirit of piety."

The children of Rev. Daniel and Katherine Chauncy Brewer, his wife, were eight, six of whom survived him.

I. NATHANIEL, who died March 11, 1796, aged 85 years. He was deacon of the church in Springfield. EUNICE, his wife, died December 25, 1774.

II. DANIEL, graduated at Harvard, 1727; died October 7, 1773, aged 25 years. It is recorded of him on his grave-stone, that "he was a hard student, a great scholar, and a good christian."

III. ISAAC, mentioned in a letter written by his mother to her brother, Nathaniel Chauncy of Durham. "I suppose you have heard yt my son Isaac has moved to a new place, and yt he is unhealthy. He rubs through many difficulties and hardships in yt new and lonely place. I hope he will get along, notwithstanding."

IV. CHARLES, died March 12, 1793, aged 76.

V. KATHERINE, who married WILLIAM PYNCHON of Springfield, son of Hon. John, 2d, grandson of Hon. John, and greatgrandson of William, the founder of the town. Their chil

dren were, 1. WILLIAM, a barrister at law in Salem; 2. DANIEL, who died while an under-graduate at Yale College; 3. JOSEPH, a merchant in Guilford, Conn.; 4. SARAH, married Col. Dwight of Springfield, and died without issue; 5. MARGARET, who married Major WILLIAMS of Deerfield.

VI. ABIGAIL, who married, (1) THOMAS MERRICK of Springfield; (2) JOHN Mann.

VII. EUNICE, who married the Rev. ROBERT BRECK, the successor of her father, April 28, 1736. They had four children. She died August 12, 1767, aged 60 years.

DR. CHAUNCY BREWER.

"Dr. CHAUNCY BREWER, the son of Deacon Nathaniel, was born at Springfield, April 21, 1743. He was graduated at Yale Col., 1762. Though he was young he sustained a very respectable standing in his class, and was highly esteemed for his sobriety and good conversation in general. He commenced and completed his medical studies under Dr. Charles Pynchon of Springfield, who was for many years one of the most eminent physicians in this section of the State, and died at an advanced age, respected and beloved by a large circle of friends. Dr. Brewer commenced the practice of physic in West Springfield, where he remained several years, and was highly esteemed, both as a physician and a citizen. The people of West Springfield manifested their confidence in his talents and integrity by choosing him to represent them in the 1st, 2d, and 3d Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, at a period when the best and most prudent men were selected to manage the public affairs of the Commonwealth, which were every day becoming more perplexed by collision with the mother country. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1775. This appointment gave great satisfaction to the people of West Springfield, and when he soon afterwards removed to Springfield they felt that they had lost a valuable physician, and a wise and faithful magistrate, at a time when talents and probity and firmness were necessary in public men.

Dr. Brewer was a firm friend to the cause of his country, in the struggle which terminated in the establishment of its Independence, and, although his growing reputation as a physician, and wide field of usefulness which was opened to him by the

death of Dr. Pynchon, prevented him from engaging in his professional character in the scenes of the Revolution, yet he was ever ready to sustain and encourage the authorities of the town. in any measures which were deemed necessary to push forward an enterprise which he considered to be founded in justice, and so closely connected with the cause of human rights. For many years Dr. Brewer was regarded as one of the first in his profession in all this section of country. He was consulted in all difficult cases, and he was so highly esteemed for his good judgment, and, at the same time, for his carefulness, that his opinion was received with great deference by all his brethren of the profession. He was a man who possessed great tenderness of feeling, so much so that he was often reluctant to perform difficult surgical operations, when firmness of nerves was necessary, and he even preferred that such business should be given to others. This trait in his character rendered him very popular in his profession. He readily entered into the feelings of his patients, and by the gentleness of his manners he won universal estimation. His judgment held out even to extreme old age.

Dr. Brewer had no enemies; no, not even among those who were his competitors in the profession. No one perhaps ever carried out the injunction, speak evil of no man, more thoroughly than he did. If he did not approve of the method of practice by any of his brethren he never attempted to injure their reputation by severe animadversions. Young physicians ever found him easy and affable in his conversation, and ready to communicate any information within his power. Long before he relinquished the business of his profession, which he retained much longer than his own inclination prompted, he candidly discussed the prospects which the town afforded for any new candidate. Whenever such a person called on him he never tried to discourage any new applicant by darkening the prospect for success, but gave his views with great sincerity, and then left the person to decide for himself; hence he always retained the respect and confidence of his brethren. Dr. Brewer had very little selfishness, though his practice was extensive, and he possessed the patronage of the most wealthy citizens of the town for many years. He was so moderate in his charges that he did not roll up a great estate. He even seemed contented with a competence. He reared a

numerous family, and even provided for them liberally. Had he possessed the eagerness to acquire property which characterizes mankind in general, he might have been rich. But he seems to have prized a quiet and peaceful life, in godliness and honesty, to a bustling and anxious one, connected with great wealth. He was anxious to relinquish the business of his profession long before his friends were willing he should do it. The writer of this article, when he came into Springfield, applied to him to become his family physician; and, although he was then in good health, he replied, I am an old man, and am not able to go about in the night, and you had better engage the services of a younger physician. This shows that he had nothing of that selfishness which is ever seeking its own, or of that jealousy which regards with evident dissatisfaction the prosperity of others who may be its competitors. Dr. Brewer was a man who lived peaceably with all men. Though he was no time-server, but formed his own opinions upon all subjects with great deliberation, or maintained them with firmness, yet he was so mild in his manner that he really excited the displeasure of an opponent. He sometimes administered rebuke, yet it was with such gentleness that it gave no offence. On one occasion he was called to a family, the head of which was impatient under his trials; he had already lost two children with a malignant fever which prevailed. His wife was then dangerously sick, and a third child was violently seized. This was too much for the unsubmissive father. He exclaimed, "We may as well send for a butcher, and have them killed at once." Dr. Brewer replied in a manner which made him feel his impiety, "I should think that the work of death is going on fast enough without any additional help.”

He was very pleasant and interesting in social life. He had a fund of anecdote, which he knew well how to apply, and no person could be long in his society without being delighted and profited by his conversation. It remains for us to say something of him as a christian. At what period of his life he became particularly interested in the subject of religion, as a personal concern, we have no means of ascertaining. He had the advantage of early instruction from pious parents, and from a child he "knew the holy Scriptures." He was admitted to the church in

West Springfield under the ministry of that eminent servant of Christ, Rev. Dr. Lathrop. His views were decidedly evangelical, embracing all those distinguishing doctrines which were held by the Puritans. He loved to converse upon subjects which were connected with the prosperity of Zion and progress of the church in the world. He was eminently a holy man, and spent a considerable portion of his time during the last twenty years of his life in reading the Scriptures. He was peculiarly fond of the writings of Baxter, Flavel, and Doddridge, and when the Commentary of Dr. Scott was published, he manifested great delight in perusing it. He was much interested in the cause of missions. The publication of Dr. Buchanan's sermon, entitled "The Star of the East," inspired his benevolent heart with fervent desires for the conversion of the heathen, and he manifested the greatest interest in those communications which came from our missionaries in the East, and in the Isles of the Sea. Dr. Brewer enjoyed uninterrupted health until the day of his death. He possessed a robust constitution, which was never weakened by excess or irregularity. He was early elected a deacon of the first church in Springfield, and he continued to serve in this office until within a few years of his death. He enjoyed as much of life as falls to the lot of man. He was more free from corroding care and anxiety than almost any man. He always had a competency of worldly goods, and some to spare for the repeated calls which were made upon his benevolent heart; and having made the Lord his trust, he appeared to be fully satisfied, and to feel that a man's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses, but in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. His mental as well as his bodily powers continued strong and bright to the end of his life, which was prolonged to the period of eighty-seven years. The day previous to his death he walked abroad, and seemed as vigorous as usual, spent the evening in cheerful and pleasant conversation with his children, several of whom lived with him, and retired to rest about the usual hour. During the night his son, who slept near him, thought he heard an unusual noise in his room, as if his respiration was difficult, and he ran in and found him expiring, without a struggle or a groan. Of him it might be literally said,