Joseph B. Varnum
Joseph B. Varnum was born in Dracut, Massachusetts, in 1750. He was raised upon a farm and left his plow to do battle for his bleeding country. He had acquired a good English education and had studied men and things, and thoroughly understood the rights of the Colonies and strongly felt the wrongs imposed upon them by mother Britain. He promptly rendered his best services to advance the cause of human rights. He became an active military man and filled various posts up to Major General of Militia. He was long conspicuous in the political field. He warmly approved of the Declaration of Independence and every measure calculated to advance the cause of Liberty and drive from our shores the last vestige of British power. He was also a zealous advocate for the adoption of the Federal Constitution and a member of the Massachusetts Convention that sanctioned it. Federalist was first applied to those who were warmly in favor of this sacred instrument: Democrat to the opposite party.General Varnum was repeatedly elected to the Legislature of Massachusetts. He was long a member of the House of Representatives and Senate of the United States and Speaker of the lower house at a time when the storm of party spirit increased to a tornado and threatened to dash the ship of state upon the rocks of dissolution.
After filling the measure of his country's glory, General Varnum retired from public life to his paternal mansion in Dracut, and died on September 11, 1821.