District, and Miss Dustin, who became the wife of Eben Sutton, and who
has been so devoted and interested in the library of the Peabody
Institute. Mr. Emerson, the preceptor, was for a time the pastor of the
Third Parish of Lynn (now Saugus Universalist society), where Parson
Roby preached for a period of fifty-three years--more than half a
century, with a devotion and fidelity that greatly endeared him to his
people. In passing we give the items of his salary as voted him in 1747,
taken from the records of the Parish, being kindly furnished by the
Clerk, Mr. W.F. Hitchings: "A suitable house and barn, standing in a
suitable place; pasturing and sufficient warter meet for two Cows and
one horse--the winter meet put in his barn; the improvement of two acres
of land suitable to plant and to be kept well fenced; sixty pounds in
lawful silver money, at six shillings and eight pence per ounce; twenty
cords of wood at his Dore, and the Loose Contributions; and also the
following artikles, or so much money as will purchase them, viz: Sixty
Bushels Indian Corn, forty-one Bushels of Rye, Six hundred pounds wait
of Pork and Eight Hundred and Eighty Eight pounds wait of Beefe."

This would be considered a pretty liberal salary even now for a suburban
people to pay. From the records of his parish it would seem he always
enjoyed the love and confidence of his people, and was sincerely mourned
by them at his death, which occurred January 31, 1803, at the advanced
age of eighty years, and as stated above in the fifty-third year of his
ministry. Among other good works and mementoes which he left behind him
was the "Roby Elm," set out with his own hand, and which is now more
than one hundred and twenty-five years old. It is in an excellent state
of preservation, and with its perfectly conical shape at the top,
attracts marked attention from all lovers and observers of trees. Among
the names of worthy citizens who have impressed themselves upon the
memory of their survivors, either as business men of rare executive