HON. SAMUEL S. WILDE OF BOSTON.
Samuel Sumner Wilde was born in Taunton, Feb. 5, 1771. His father's name was Daniel, who was born in Braintree in 1718, and died in 1792. His father, if not born in England and brought over by his father when a child, was born in Braintree.
The father of the subject of this sketch, soon after arriving at the age of 21, settled in Taunton, where he continued until the time of his death. He was a farmer and a pious man, and for many years was one of the deacons of the only Congregational Church then in that town. He was very fond of sacred music, and had a fine voice, well cultivated, and, for those days, he had a competent degree of skill and knowledge of the science to render him an acceptable leader of the choir in the church, and was a leader long before he was chosen deacon. In his family devotions he always read a chapter in the Bible, sung a hymn in which some of the family joined, and concluded with a prayer. He was twice married. His first wife was the daughter of Deacon Staples of Taunton, grandfather of Mr. Staples, a lawyer of considerable eminence in New York.
His second wife, the mother of Samuel S., was the only child of Deacon Samuel Sumner, also of Taunton. Dea. Sumner was well educated for one who had not received a collegiate course of instruction, had a taste for study, and thought much of learning and learned men. He died when Samuel S., who was his only grandson, was two years old, and bequeathed to him a lot of land, which he authorized his father to sell, and to expend the proceeds in giving him a college education, if he should, at a proper age, manifest any taste and talents, which would probably render such an education useful to him. He was a warm Whig and a friend to the liberties of the people; and it was probably owing to discussions about the Stamp Act and other difficulties with England, and his reflections on the inalienable rights of man, that he emancipated a female slave, about the year 1769 or 1770. She, however, always continued in the family upon wages, until her death. Dea. Sumner was a distant relation of Gov. Sumner and also of the Rev. Dr. Sumner, long the minister of Shrewsbury in the county of Worcester.
The mother of Samuel S. was a most excellent woman, and distinguished for her mental endowments, piety, and zeal in the cause of religion.
The subject of this sketch fitted for college under the direction of Rev. Ephraim Judson, the minister of Taunton, and entered the Sophomore class at Dartmouth College, in 1786, where he graduated in 1789. He read law in Taunton with David L. Barnes, Esq., who was afterwards Judge of the District Court of the United States for the state of Rhode Island. In September, 1792, he was admitted to the bar, and the same year was married to Eunice Cobb, a daughter of the late Gen. Cobb of Taunton. He immediately removed to Maine, and first commenced practice in Waldoborough in the county of Lincoln, where he remained only two years, and then removed to the adjoining town of Warren, where he resided five years, when, in 1799, he removed to Hallowell. He represented the town of Warren two years in the House of Representatives; but after his removal to Hallowell, he devoted himself wholly to his profession. He was, however, twice chosen one of the Electors of President and Vice-President of the United States, and in 1814 was elected a State Counsellor. He was also one of the Delegates to the famous Hartford Convention. In June, 1815, he was appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, which office he now holds. He was a member from Newburyport of the Convention for revising the Constitution of the state, having removed from Hallowell to that place in 1820. In 1831 he removed to Boston, where he still resides.
The wife of Judge Wilde deceased June 6, 1826. Their children were nine, of whom only four survive. The two eldest sons died unmarried. The eldest daughter, Eunice, married Hon. William Emmons of Augusta, Me., a son of Rev. Dr. Emmons of Franklin, Ms. She died in 1821, leaving two daughters, one of whom has since deceased, and the other is the wife of Rev. Mr. Tappan of Hampden, Me., son of Rev. Dr. Tappan of Augusta, Me. The second daughter, Eleanor Bradish, married I. W. Mellen, Esq., son of Rev. Mr. Mellen of Cambridge. They are both dead. Mrs. Mellen died in March, 1838, leaving three children. The third daughter, Caroline, married Hon. Caleb Cushing of Newburyport, and died in 1832. The eldest surviving son, George Cobb, Esq., an attorney at law, is Clerk of the Courts in Suffolk county, is married, and has two children. The second surviving son, Henry Jackson, is married, and has two children, and is now settled in Washington, D. C. The youngest son is unmarried. The only surviving daughter was first married to Frederick W. Doane of Boston, and is now the wife of Robert Farley, also, of Boston.
Judge Wilde has been in his present office nearly thirty-two years, a longer time it is believed than any individual ever held that office before,[32] and his judicial career has uniformly been characterized by legal learning and stern integrity. His personal character is marked by uncommon frankness and great simplicity of manners.
He has received the degree of Doctor of Laws from Bowdoin and Harvard Colleges, and he is also a Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and some other literary associations.