PEIRCE. PEIRCE. 469 the firm name of A. G. Peck & Son. This firm was dissolved November 12, 1870, by death of the senior partner. Since 1870 he has been engaged in the care of trust estates and general real estate business. Mr. Peck was married at Arlington, October 22, 1878, to Anna Maria, eldest daughter of Charles H. and Maria D. Newell, and grand-daughter of the late Addison Gage. Two children bless the union : Chester G., born November 24, 1S79, and Lilian N. Peck, born August 24, 1S82. Mrs. Peck died at Wilton, N. H., September 20, 1884. March, 1874, Mr. Peck was elected a member of the board of selectmen for the town of Arlington, and re-elected to the same office for four successive years. He represented the 14th Middlesex represen- tative district (towns of Arlington and Winchester), in the House of Representa- tives in 1878, and served as clerk on the joint standing committee on education. He was re-elected in 1880 as representa- tive from the same district, and served as House chairman on the joint standing com- mittee on education. He was elected for the years 1886 and '87 a member of the Re- publican state central committee. In 1874 he was elected by the town of Arlington a member of the board of trustees of the Pratt fund for the term of four years, and has been re-elected at the expiration of every term up to the present time. In 1878 he was chosen chairman of the board of sinking fund commissioners for the liquidation of the town debt, which office he now holds. In 1880 he was elected a member of the board of water commis- sioners, and served three years, declining re-election. In 1S66 he was elected a trustee of the Robbins Fund for a term of three years, and in 1S88 was elected a trustee of the soldiers' monument. He was elected a trustee of the Arlington Five Cents Savings Bank in 1S73, and in 1883 was elected president, which office he still holds. He is also president of the Chelsea Gas Light Company, and a director of the North American Insurance Company, of Boston. PEIRCE, Bradford Kinney, son of Thomas C. and Sarah Kinney Peirce, was born in Royalton, Windsor county, Ver- mont, February 3, 1819. His father was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Peirce fitted for college at the Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham, and was graduated from the Wesleyan Univer- sity, Middletown, Conn., in the class of 1S41. He entered the New England confer- ence of the Methodist Episcopal church in 1843, anc ' supplied pulpits in Waltham, Newburyport, Charlestown, Boston, Water- town, and Newton Centre. He edited the " Sunday-school Messen- ger " and "Sunday-school Teacher," 1844 and '45, and was agent of the American Sunday-school Union from 1854 to '56. He was elected senator from Norfolk county in the Legislature of 1855 and '56; was superintendent and chaplain of the state industrial school at Lancaster from 1856 to '62 ; chaplain of the House of Refuge, New York City, from 1863 to '72, and assistant editor of the " Christian Advocate," New York City, 186S to '72. He was editor of " Zion's Herald," Bos- ton, from 1872 to '88. He received the degree of A. M. and of D. D. from Wesleyan University, and was a trustee of this institution from 1870 to '81. He was trustee of Boston Univer- sity from 1874, and of Wellesley College from 1876 ; was a member of the Roxbury school board seven years, and was six years on the school board of Newton, and nine years superintendent of the Newton free library. Dr. Peirce was the author of the follow- ing publications: "The Temptation," " One Talent Improved," " The Eminent Dead," " Bible Scholars' Manual," " Notes on Acts," "The Token of Friendship," "Life of Audubon." "Trials of an Inven- tor," " Stories from Life," " Sequel to Sto- ries from Life," " Half Century with Juve- nile Offenders," " The Word of God Open- ed," " Under the Cross," " Hymns of the Higher Life," "The Young Shetlander and his Home," " The Chaplain and his Children," and he also prepared, by order of the Massachusetts Legislature, a new annotated edition of the proceedings of the state convention of 1788, which rati- fied the national constitution. Dr. Peirce was married in Middletown, Conn., August 5, 1841, to Harriet M., daughter of Gideon and Maria (Pluymert) Thompson. Of this union were three children : Charles P., Henry T., and Har- riet M. Peirce. During his life Dr. Peirce was much interested in public charities and reforms, and through his efforts the state industrial school at Lancaster was established. His services as editor of the " Zion's Herald " were of a character deserving grateful recognition. He always labored to pro- mote the interests of the denomination with which he was identified, and his infiu-
