BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE OF WILLIAM NEVINS, D. D. WILLIAM NEVINS was born in Norwich, Connecticut, October 13th, 1797. His parents had twelve children, of whom he was the youngest. His father, David Nevins, who was an officer in that tedious war which established our national independence, still lives, having attained to nearly ninety years of age. His mother, whose maiden name was Mary Hubbard, was an estimable woman, and very attentive to the religious instruction of her children, teaching them, besides other things, that excellent summary of christian doctrine, the Westminster Assembly's Catechism. The benefits of this instruction were with thoughtfulness acknowledged by her youngest son, during all his public life. This lady died in the year 1820. Twelve years after her death, he says, "The year 1820 is mournful in the retrospect. Our dear mother left us that year. But it was according to the course of nature, that our mother should go before us to eternity, and she sank to the grave by a gradual decline and full of years, having served her generation by the will of God." |