no loss of reputation as a faithful public official—always serving on important committees.
He is a prominent society man, being a member of Amicable Lodge F. & A. M., St. Andrew's R. A. Chapter, Boston Council Royal and Select Masters, Royal Arcanum, American Legion of Honor, Ancient Order United Workmen, Order of United Friends, Cambridge Benevolent Association, and Mass. Tribe of Improved Order of Red Men.
Mr. Bent was married in 1875 to Mattie A., daughter of Rev. N. C. Hodgdon.
Bicknell, Albion Harris, son of Nehemiah B. and Louisa (Drew) Bicknell, was born in Turner, Androscoggin county, Maine, March 18, 1837.
His early education was received at the public schools, and, as soon as circumstances would permit, he devoted himself to the profession of an artist with all the zeal which had been gathering through years of earnest desire, and with a success which very soon demonstrated his choice to have been almost a necessity of nature.
On the 20th of July, 1875, he was married, in Somerville, to Margaret Elizabeth, daughter of Oliver W. and Sarah (Simpson) Peabody. At present he resides in Maiden.
When only twenty years of age, Mr. Bicknell was well established in Boston as a portrait painter, but desire for studying art in foreign countries induced him to go abroad, and in 1861 he crossed the Atlantic, and entered the studio of Thomas Couture and L'École des Beaux-Arts, where he remained an earnest student for two years, and afterwards spent two years in visiting art centres of Europe, and in the pursuance of his studies. In 1864 he returned to America and again opened a studio in Boston.
Among the many well-known portraits which he has painted may be mentioned those of Horace Mann, Henry Wilson, Anson Burlingame, Chief Justice Isaac F. Redfield, Lot M. Morrill, the latter for the treasury department at Washington, and a duplicate of the same for the state capitol of Maine, where also may be seen his full length portrait of Abraham Lincoln. "Lincoln at Gettysburg" and "The Battle of Lexington" are, perhaps, among the best known of Mr. Bicknell's historical pictures—the former containing twenty-two life-size portraits in full length. Through the generosity of the Hon. E. S. Converse this painting is now the property of the Maiden public library.
Mr. Bicknell is also well known as a landscape painter, etcher, and worker in black and white. In 1882 a special exhibition of his works was given in the rooms of the Society of Artists, London, and the well deserved honorary degree of A. M. was conferred upon him in 1884 by the Colby University.
Bicknell, Thomas Williams, son of Allen and Harriet Byron (Kinnicutt) Bicknell, was born in Barrington, Bristol county, R. I., September 6, 1834.
Mr. Bicknell's education was obtained in the public schools of his native State until he was sixteen years of age. In 1850 he entered Thetford Academy, Vt., then under the principalship of Hiram Orcutt, LL. D., and was graduated from this institution, with the Greek oration, in the class of 1853. He entered Amherst College the same year, but at the close of his first year went West, teaching one year in Illinois, and returning East, taught a high school in Rehoboth, for two years. In 1857 Mr. Bicknell entered the sophomore class of Brown University, and was graduated with the degree of A. M., in 1860, under the presidency of Rev. Dr. Bamas Sears.
In 1859 Mr. Bicknell was elected from his native town to the Rhode Island Legislature, and served in that body during his senior year in Brown University. In 1860 he was elected principal of the high school, Bristol, R. I., occupying that position five years, and afterwards holding the position of principal of Arnold Street grammar school, Providence, four years.
In 1869 he was appointed commissioner of the public schools of Rhode Island, and held the office until 1875. His power was immediately felt in the state, and sweeping reforms without revolution, a rapid advance in public sentiment, favoring liberal legislation and increased appropriations, were the immediate results of his administration.
In 1875 Mr. Bicknell founded and became the editor of the "Journal of Education," and with this he established and published the "Primary Teacher," "Good Times," and the bi-monthly international magazine, "Education." All these educational works are having to-day a most successful mission in their peculiar field. The bureau of education, now in charge of Dr. Hiram Orcutt, was established by Mr. Bicknell in 1876.
He has been president of the American Institute of Instruction, National Council of Education, National Teachers' Association, Rhode Island Sunday-school Union,
