record "upon occasion of the sudden Decease of Mr Martin, the Trustees met to consider of some Person to supply his place in the Latin School." We learn a little more of his death, and the action of the Trustees from Franklin's letter of 24 December, 1751, to Rev Dr Johnson.[1]
I wrote to you in my last that Mr. Martin our Rector died suddenly of a quinsy. His body was carried to the church, respectfully attended by the trustees, all the masters and scholars in their order, and a great number of the citizens. Mr. Peters preached his funeral sermon, and gave him the just and honorable character he deserved. The schools are now broke up for Christmas, and will not meet again till the 7th of January. Mr. Peters took care of the Latin and Greek School after Mr. Martin's death till the breaking up. And Mr. Allison, a dissenting minister, has promised to continue that care for a month after the next meeting.
He was buried in Christ Church Burying Ground 13 December, but no stone marks the place of burial of the first Rector of the Academy.
The Rector's assistants were decided upon at the meeting of 17 December, 1750, in the following Minutes:
Mr. David James Dove having lately come hither from England where the Trustees are informed he had the care of a School for many years, and having offered himself for an English Master, The Trustees being in a great measure strangers to him do order that he be accepted for the English Master in the Academy for one year, to commence on the seventh day of January next, for the Sallary of one hundred and fifty pounds in order to make Tryal of his care and ability.
Mr. Theophilus Grew having offered himself as a Master in the Academy to teach Writing, Arithmetic, Merchants Accounts, Algebra, Astronomy, Navigation, and all other Branches of the Mathematics; it is ordered that he be received as such at the rate of one hundred and twenty-five pounds a year, his service to commence on the Seventh day of January next.
Mr. Charles Thomson having offered himself as a Tutor in the Latin and Greek School, and having been examined and approved of by the Rector, is admitted as a Tutor in the Latin and Greek school at the rate of sixty pounds a year, to commence on the seventh day of January next.
- ↑ Beardsley, 166.
