The history of the town of Dorchester, Massachusetts, By a committee of the Dorchester antiquarian and historical society ...

HISTORY OF DORCHESTER. 565
1761. JOHN BASS, son of Joseph, and brother of
Bishop Bass, was born in Dorchester, Oct. 9th, 1738.
He went to Nova Scotia, and kept school, and there
died. He was never married.
1761. DANIEL LEEDS. (See Schoolmasters, page
530.)
1764. WILLIAM BOWMAN. (See Schoolmasters,
page 530.)
1769. JAMES BLAKE, son of Samuel and Patience
(White) Blake, was born in Dorchester, Dec. 10th,
1750. He entered College at the age of fifteen, and
exhibited there an eminent pattern of studiousness
and proficiency in learning. Distinguished for the
purity of his morals, the exemplariness of his conduct,
and the sweetness of his temper, he conciliated the
love of all his fellow students, and the high approbation of his instructors. After taking his first degree,
he went to Weymouth, to take the charge of a
school, which he kept to general satisfaction. That
employment he resigned in about nine months, and
devoted himself to the study of divinity, under the
instruction of Rev. William Smith. " He pursued
this his favorite study with unwearied assiduity for a
year, and then began the important work of the
ministry, but not without great reluctance; for he
had determined not to preach till he acquired a perfect knowledge in the fundamental parts of religion.
But Mr. Smith being sick, he was many times urged
to take his place until he recovered, which, after
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