tain lawyer's account for services rendered in a case. The lawyer was noted for his knowledge of all the fee table and his claim was objected to as being excessive. With a twinkle in his eye the Judge answered, "Well! I think Brother C, is reliable in his charges." His definition of the " independent " in politics is too good to be lost. He defined them thus : "They are the kind of politi cians who go with you when you do not need them, but are sure to be against you when you want them." No sketch of this great man would be perfect without some reference to another trait in his character, his kindness to young men of the bar. He will always be remem bered with affection for this endearing char acteristic. A beautiful tribute to his memo ry, in this respect, may be found in a letter of Hon. W. P. Frye, United States Senator, 83d volume, Maine Reports, page 600. Upon retiring from the bench in Septem ber, 1883, he was tendered a reception and dinner by the Penobscot Bar which was also attended by distinguished members from other parts of the State. The speeches then made and his reply were touching and eloquent,— a fitting finale to his long and successful life. Besides his active judicial duties he was constant in attendance as a trustee of Bowdoin College, by which institution he was given the degree of LLJD. He was a regular attendant and suppor ter of the Unitarian church and a loyal ad herent to the preaching of Rev. Dr. Hedge, Professors Allen and Everett, and their suc cessors. He passed the remainder of his life, at home and among friends, enjoying the rich fruitage of an old age respected by the world and loved by all. Upon his death, which occurred February 7, 189 1, memorial exercises were held be fore the full bench, June term following, at
Bangor. They were marked with eulogies both fitting and eloquent . These with a beautiful, able and touching response by Chief Justice Peters will be found published in the eighty-third volume of the Maine Re ports. John Andrew Peters, the seventh and present Chief Justice, was born 9th of Octo ber, 1822, at Ellsworth, Hancock County, Maine. He is the second son of Andrew and Sally (Jordan) Peters, and comes of Revolutionary ancestry. One of them, An drew Peters, was a major in Clinton's Bri gade, in the battle of Long Island, August 27, 1776. His maternal grandfather, Melatiah Jordan, was a prominent citizen and was appointed Collector of Frenchman's Bay District, August 4, 1789, about four months after the government was inaugurat ed under the Constitution. His commission was signed by George Washington, Presi dent, and countersigned by Thomas Jeffer son, Secretary of State. He continued un der that commission until he died, Decem ber, 18 18. Commissions of that kind, up to 1825 when the law was changed, continued during life or good behavior. He was highly beloved for kindness of heart, sociability, and genial suavity of manners which, with a character for strict integrity, endeared him to all who knew him. His paternal grandfather, John, of Bluehill, was a land surveyor. He was intrusted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with difficult and important services in the Dis trict of Maine, which he discharged with ac curacy and ability. Among the services was that of the original lotting of townships in eastern Maine, his assistants being his sons, John, Jr., and James Peters, and his son-inlaw, Reuben Dodge. The lines thus run remain undisturbed to this day. The father, Andrew, like others of his race, was a merchant dealing in lumber, mills and shipping. He was a man of com manding figure, of fine regular features de
