George S. Boutwell - Early Life

Early Life

On January 28, 1818, George S. Boutwell was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, near Boston. According to his autobiographical memoir, Boutwell was raised on his family's farm and attended public school until the age of seventeen. During the summer months he worked barefooted, tending oxen and picking chestnuts. Boutwell was educated in arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and Latin grammar. From 1830 to 1834, Boutwell worked as an apprentice and clerk for Simeon Heywood, who owned a palm leaf hat store. While completing his education, Boutwell worked briefly as a teacher in Pound Hill. Boutwell graduated public school in February 1835. From 1835 to 1838 Boutwell worked as a clerk and shopkeeper in Groton, Massachusetts. In 1836 he began to study law under attorney Bradford Russell, whose office was above the store where he clerked. Boutwell did not take the bar or enter into active practice until many years later. Having finished his clerkship, Boutwell entered into store partnership from 1838 to 1841. While Boutwell ran the store he began a personal regimen of reading and writing in an effort to make up for having chosen not to attend college.

Boutwell married Sarah Adeliah on July 8, 1841. Sarah was the daughter of Nathan Hayler from Hollis, New Hampshire. Their marriage produced two children: Georgianna A. born on May 18, 1843 and Francis M. born on February 26, 1847.