enquiring mind, and being of a feeble constitution, he turned his attention to study and prepared for college at Gil- raanton. Academy, but for some reason gave up the intention of going to college and never entered.
At the age of seventeen he commenced teaching and taught winter schools for about ten years, in Pittsfield, Deerfield, Gilmanton, Wiscasset, Me., and Ames- bury, Mass., working on a farm sum- mers. He had in the mean time mar- ried and had bought a place in Gilmanton which he carried on, and served some time as a captain of militia. He then removed to Lynn, Mass., and engaged in teaching as a profession. While there he commenced and pursued a course of medical studies, and it is believed he re- ceived the degree of M. D. ; but he nev- er practiced medicine.
In 1828 he removed to Marblehead, where he taught for several years. Returning to New Hampshire he became principal of the Academy at Sanbornton Square, and prepared for the press an "Analytical Grammar of the English Language." In its construction he used many of the definitions which had been employed in the Grammar of John L. Parkhurst, published in 1820, for which purpose he purchased and held the copy- right of Parkhurst's Grammar; but gave that gentleman credit for all he used, with scrupulous care. His Analyt- ii al Grammar was first printed at Con- cord, in 1836. The sale of the first edi- tion was rapid, and in 1839 it was revised and stereotyped. In 1846 it had gone through eight editions.
In 1833 he received from Waterville College, and in 1841 from Dartmouth College, the honorary degree of Master of Arts.
He also taught at Sanbornton Bridge, now Tilton, and became Professor of Mathematics and of the Natural and In- tellectual Sciences in the New Hamp- shire Conference Seminary, which was then located on theNorthfield side of the river. While in this position he formed classes for normal instruction, and pub- lished an abridgment of his larger work under the form and title of " Sanborn's
��DYER HOOK SANBORN, A.M.
Normal School
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��Grammar,'" Concord. 1846, which passed through eight edi- tions in five years, being extensively used in certain sections of New Hampshire, and probably in other states, till super- ceded by Weld's. In this appeared the well-known grammatical rhyme, com- mencing,
A noun's the name of any thing, As ball, or garden, hoop or swing,
of which he claimed to be the original author.
At what time the writer is not aware, • but thinks it was while connected with this institution, Professor Sanborn re- ceived ordination and became a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He never took an appointment, or belonged to conference, but he often supplied vacant pulpits, in his own and other denominations, and married a great number of people, particularly among his former pupils.
In 1848 he left Sanbornton and was principal of Andover Academy one year, when he became principal of Tubbs Un- ion Academy, Washington, and was ap- pointed School Commissioner of Sulli- van County in 1850, serving two years. He also represented Washington in the Constitutional Convention in 1851.
With the fall term of 1853 he entered upon his duties as principal of the Hop- kinton Academy. Of his popularity at that time, and of the success of the school under his administration, mention has already been made. He purchased a small place in Hopkinton village which was henceforth his residence during his life. This he took a great delight in adorning and improving, and paid par- ticular attention to the cultivation of the best varieties of grapes, pears and ap- ples.
Having long been a personal friend and political associate of Franklin Pierce, he was offered and accepted a clerkship in the Treasury Department at Washington,un- der that gentleman's administration, and entered UDon his duties in 1855. In 1857 and 1858 he taught a select school in Pitts- field; but receiving the appointment of postmaster of Hopkinton in 1859, in place of Joseph Stan wood, deceased, he
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