twenty-third day of January, 1893, in the seventieth year of his age. His birthplace was the town of Rumford, Maine, where his early life was passed. His father, Peter Chandler Virgin, was the first, and for many years the only lawyer of the town, to which he had come as a young man from Concord, New Hampshire, a grandson of one of the founders of that city. Judge Virgin's father had studied at Phillips Exeter Academy, and at Harvard College, and when he came from New Hampshire had settled upon lands which had been granted to the family. A word about Judge Virgin's paternal and maternal ancestors could hardly fail to add interest to the sketch of a man who inherited much that was fine and worthy from both sides of his family. The Hon. Peter Chan dler Virgin is described as a gentleman of the old school, kind and courteous to all. He lived to great age, and was the senior member of the Oxford Bar. He was also representative to the legislature of Massachu setts, and afterward to the legislature of Maine, and a member of the convention which assembled in 18 19 to form a Con stitution for the new State of Maine. On his mother's side Judge Virgin was de scended from the Massachusetts family of Keyes, whose ancestors settled in Watertown, Mass., about the year 1633. In 1774 Judge Virgin's maternal grandfather removed to New Pennacook, afterward Rumford, Maine, with his brother Jonathan. An in teresting tradition of this time occurs in the family records to the effect that, in the au tumn, leaving his son in care of the Indians, Jonathan Jr. went back to Massachusetts, and returned in the spring. In March, 1777, Jonathan and his wife and youngest son, Francis, set out from Shrewsbury for New Gloucester, Maine, then a border town, where he left his wife, and then proceeded to New Pennacook, where he commenced a clearing. His wife joined him in 1779, making the journey of fifty miles from New Gloucester to New Pennacook (Rumford) on
foot, and was the first white woman in the settlement. Jonathan frequently went to New Gloucester while his wife was there, leaving his son Francis in care of the Indi ans, who taught him the use of the bow and arrow. In 1781 a party of Indians from Canada made a raid into the adjoining town of Bethel, killed some of the settlers, and carried others into Canada. Keyes and his family fled to New Gloucester, returning in 1783, and found his cabin as he left it, and lived there without further molestation. Those who recall Judge Virgin's strong, powerful frame, with his steady glance and massive head, may perhaps see in them traces of that maternal grandfather who was so early taught and fostered by the Indians. William Wirt Virgin was fitted for college at Gould's Academy, in Bethel, and at Bridgton Academy, and was graduated from Bowdoin College in the class of 1844. Among his classmates who have become distinguished are: Gen. S. J. Anderson, of Portland; Rev. Henry K. Craig, Plymouth, Mass.; Hon. C. W. Goddard, of Portland; Lewis A. Estes, Wilmington, Ohio, president of the State University; Major D. R. Hast ings, of Fryeburg, and Hon. C. W. Larrabee, of Bath, members of the Maine Bar; also, Josiah L. Pickard, LL.D., of Iowa City, president of the Iowa State University; and Dr. Charles E. Swan, of Calais. He studied law in the office of his father, and on being admitted to the Bar, settled in Norway, where he remained until 1871, when he re moved to Portland. He was elected county attorney, and tried during his term of office criminal cases of magnitude with marked ability and suc cess. In 1859 he published Virgin's Di gest, a well prepared work, covering volumes twenty-seven to forty-three of the Maine Reports. He supplemented this work with another Digest in 1870, covering volumes forty-four to fifty-six. In 1852 he was appointed Reporter of Decisions, publishing nine volumes of the Maine Reports, volumes
