sides paying for our children; we shall send the following sums."   Among others we find the name of Thomas Bourne, who subscribed ten shillings.   Thus early, Thomas Bourne, his son, John, and others, took measures to establish a public school.   We have one more record of this Thomas, called by one writer the "eldest of the Marshfield settlers and a patriarch of its Eden."
   It is written Thomas Bourne died and was buried ye 11th May, 1664, age 83.   Thomas Bourne had several daughters and only one son, John, who was born in England.   He married Alice Besbeach, now called Bisbee, and this is the second marriage entered on the Marshfield records, July 18, 1645.   His eldest son was named Thomas.   Then we have five successive generations of John Bournes, one of whom is now living.   The third or middle John Bourne was a Revolutionary soldier and centenarian.   He was born Apr. 10, 1759, and died in 1859.   Less than one mile from his home was the homestead of Nathaniel Ray Thomas and later of Hon. Daniel Webster.
   Mr. Thomas' sympathies were with the British in the early days of the Revolution.   He evidently was afraid of the patriotic spirit of his neighbors and townsmen, for he sent to the English authorities for a company of soldiers, who came to guard him.   Every night, when calm enough, the sound of the sentry's voice would be wafted across the marsh to the ears of the Bournes.   "Twelve o'clock and all is well."   That cry helped to stir up the patriotic spirit of the surrounding community, and the boy of 16 drank in so much of the feeling that he shouldered his flint-lock gun and was soon in the trenches, helping to fortify Dorchester Heights.   From that on he followed the fortunes of his country in battles and camp (being near death's door with small-pox), till the last gun was fired.   At the close of the war he was in the state of New York, from which state he walked to his home in old Marshfield, there