his boyhood he spent as a farm hand for Deacon James Farrar, the farm being in the town of Lincoln, and he, the Deacon, the fifth in descent from George Farrar, one of the founders of the town. He was prepared for college in six months, at the celebrated school of Mrs. Sarah Alden Ripley of Waltham. He entered Harvard when sixteen years old and was graduated A.B., 1846. While at Harvard most of the boys boarded on the college commons, paying $2.25 per week. On the other side known as "Starvation commons," the board was only $1.75 per week, the boys there having meat only every other day. A few of the sons of the wealthiest families boarded in private families paying $3.00 to $3.50 per week. This was 1843-46. He studied in the office of his brother, Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar, in Concord for one year and at the Harvard law school for two years, graduating LL.B., 1849. He entered the law office of Judge Benjamin Franklin Thomas at Worcester, Massachusetts, which place he selected as his future home because it was the stronghold of the Free Soil party in Massachusetts. He was admitted to the bar there December 1, 1849. He became a law partner of Emory Washburn, subsequently governor of Massachusetts, the partnership beginning in June, 1852. He afterward formed a law partnership with Charles Devens who subsequently served in the Civil war, was brevetted major-general of volunteers, and was attorney-general of the United States in the cabinet of President Hayes.
Mr. Hoar made his entrance in the field of politics as chairman of the Free Soil county committee of Worcester county in 1849; and this committee is reported to have been more efficiently organized than any other county committee of the Free Soil party in the United States. He was elected representative from Worcester in the General Court of Massachusetts in 1852; but when offered the nomination he refused the use of his name unless he could first obtain the consent of his father who lived at Concord, and the convention adjourned to allow him to visit his home for that purpose. When sworn in, he was the youngest member of the house; but in spite of his age he became chairman of the committee of Probate and Chancery of the house and leader of the Free Soil party. He prepared the Practice Act of 1852 which abolished the common law system of pleading. He was the first legislator in the United States to favor a ten-hour system in factories. To him was assigned the task of drawing up the resolution adopted by the Coalitionists protesting
