Linus Child (February 27, 1802 – August 26, 1870) was an American lawyer and politician.

Biography

Child was born in

North Woodstock, Connecticut Woodstock is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,221 at the 2020 census. History 17th century In the mid-17th century, John Eliot, a Puritan missionary to the Native Americans, established "praying town ...

, February 27, 1802, being one of nine children of Rensselaer and Priscilla (Cowles) Child. He completed his preparatory studies at the Colchester Academy, and entered

Yale College Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...

near the close of the Freshman year, where he graduated in 1824. After studying with S. P. Staples, Esq., of New Haven, and Hon. E. Stoddard, of Woodstock, he was admitted to the bar in Connecticut in 1826. He then spent a year in the office of Hon. George Tufts, of

Dudley, Massachusetts Dudley is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,921 at the 2020 census. History Dudley was first settled in 1714 and was officially incorporated in 1732. The town was named for landholders Paul and Will ...

, and in 1827 began the practice of law in Southbridge, where he continued till 1845. In that year, relinquishing his profession, he removed to Lowell, to take charge of one of the large manufacturing establishments of that city, in which employment he continued till 1862, when he resumed the practice of the law in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

in company with his son, and so continued till his death. In 1835 he was chosen a member of the

Massachusetts Senate The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the st ...

, and continued in that body for five years. As chairman of the Rail Road Committee during that time, he had a large share in shaping the railroad charters and policy of Massachusetts. He was for many years a member of the Prudential Committee of the

American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) was among the first American Christian missionary organizations. It was created in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College. In the 19th century it was the largest and most imp ...

, and of the Boards of Trustees of Amherst College,

Andover Theological Seminary Andover Theological Seminary (1807–1965) was a Congregationalist seminary founded in 1807 and originally located in Andover, Massachusetts on the campus of Phillips Academy. From 1908 to 1931, it was located at Harvard University in Cambridge. ...

, and Phillips' Academy at

Andover Andover may refer to: Places Australia *Andover, Tasmania Canada * Andover Parish, New Brunswick * Perth-Andover, New Brunswick United Kingdom * Andover, Hampshire, England ** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station United States * Andove ...

to these and kindred institutions he devoted a large share of his time. Child was married, in 1829, to Berinthia, daughter of Oliver Mason, Esq, of Southbridge, and by her had two daughters and one son. He died in

Hingham, Massachusetts Hingham ( ) is a town in metropolitan Greater Boston on the South Shore (Massachusetts), South Shore of the U.S. state of Massachusetts in northern Plymouth County, Massachusetts, Plymouth County. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, t ...

, his summer residence, suddenly, of congestion, on August 26, 1870, in his 69th year.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Child, Linus Massachusetts state senators 1802 births 1870 deaths People from Woodstock, Connecticut Yale College alumni Connecticut lawyers 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers