Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/701

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BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES.
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uality, clear convictions, and unflinching courage. He had the Puritan qualities of character and might easily have been taken for one, in his simplicity of dress and manners and his uncompromising devotion to conscience. He studied the Bible as a daily textbook and his austere habits of thought and life seem to have been copied from the old prophets. He read the Bible through forty times in course, as well as the general reading of it. He joined the Congregational Church in Barrington with six others in 1813, and was never absent, from choice, from church services and prayer meetings, until deafness and other infirmities prevented in his old age. When sleepy in the church services, he would stand erect as an arrow in his pew until the drowsiness had passed off, when he would resume his seat. He died in June, 1870, at the good age of 90 years. He was a man whose public and private character were above fear and reproach.

Mrs. Amy Horn. Dau. of Gen. Thomas and Amy (Bicknell) Allin; b. in Barrington Nov. 7, 1773; m. Capt. John Horn Feb. 20, 1796. He died Dec. 18, 1796. One child, John, born 1796, died Dec. 26, 1800. Mrs. Horn died Jan 25, 1816. Mrs. Horn had an accomplished education for a woman of that day and was preceptress of Bristol Academy after her husband's death. Her pastor, Rev. Samuel Watson, wrote the following obituary:

"On the 27th ult., died at Barrington, Mrs. Amy Horn aged 42 years, widow of the late Capt. John Horn, and one of the daughters of the late General Thomas Allin. Without panegyric, Mrs. Horn claims a tribute grateful to her memory. She was sincere in her attachments, faithful in her principles and undisguised in her affections. She early professed the Christian Faith and verity, pursued the paths of righteousness and peace, and by a life devoted to God and to the honour of her sacred engagements, evidenced the reality of the religion she professed. She met her last enemy, death, with a becoming fortitude, under the strongest assurance that her 'Redeemer liveth.'"

"At the moment of her departure, with a pious resignation, she called on her surrounding friends to join with her in singing a parting hymn which was religiously performed."

"Her soul has bid adieu, life's scene is o'er;
 But hark! what music on the happy shore."

The picture of Mrs. Horn is from a portrait from life, painted soon after her marriage, at the probable age of 24 years, and represents her in the usual bride's cap and dress of that early day.

David Howell. A distinguished scholar, lawyer, and judge; was a resident of Barrington for several years from 1799. He purchased the estate of the heirs of Matthew Allin, since known as the Drown estate at Drownville, and lived in the old house, built by William Allin before 1670. Judge Howell set out many elm and cherry trees, built a very heavy wall along the road, east of his house, and otherwise improved the property.