It will be seen, by reference to the "Family Register" on page 257, that Nahum Mitchell was a descendant in the fourth degree, from Experience Mitchell, one of the Pilgrims and one of the original proprietors of Bridgewater.   His grandfather was Colonel Edward Mitchell, commander of the third regiment of Plymouth County soldiers in the Revolutionary war (1776-1779).   Colonel Edward's mother was Alice Bradford, great-grand-daughter of Governor William Bradford of the Plymouth Colony.

   Mr. Mitchell was fitted for college by Mr. Beza Hayward of Bridgewater, and graduated at Harvard College in 1789, being a classmate of John T. Kirkland, afterwards President of the college, and a college mate of John Quincy Adams.   He read law with the Hon. John Davis, Judge of the District Court of Massachusetts, and commenced practice in East Bridgewater in 1792.   From 1811 to 1821 inclusive he was justice of the Circuit Court of common pleas, being Chief Justice during the last two years.   He was representative to the General Court from Bridgewater seven years, and representative in Congress from the Plymouth district for two years (1803-05); Senator from Plymouth county two years, 1813-1814; Member of the Govenor's Council from 1814-20 inclusive; Treasurer of the Commonwealth five years (1822-27); Representative from Boston to the General Court in 1839 and 1840.   He was for some years librarian and treasurer of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and for several years President of the Plymouth County Bible Society.

   That one so modest in self estimation and so quiet in habit, should have been called to so many public offices, illustrates the spirit of the times in which he lived.   Then, in the "Old Colony," public service was regarded, not merely as a "public trust" but as a public benefaction and the persons fitted for it were sought for.   They were not "office seekers."

   Judge Mitchell lived to the age of eighty-four years, retaining to the last a high degree of mental and physical vigor.   On the last day of his life, the first of August 1853, he went to Plymouth to attend, by invitation, a celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of the Embarkation of the Pilgrims.   While walking from the depot in Plymouth to the house of his grandson,