54. 7713 HAZARD FAMILY 
     
    
   
   
    
     §231. ABIGAIL HAZARD, 5 (Governor George, 4; George, 3 ; Robert, 2; 
     
     Thomas, I), was born March 12, 1726. She married, February 27, 1753, Rev— 
     
     erend Peter Bours; he died February 24, 1762. She married, second, February 
     
     27, I763, Reverend Samuel Fayerweather. 
     
    

    
     “ The Reverend Peter Bours, A.M., was Rector of S. Michael’s Church in Mar— 
     
     blehead, from 1753 to 1762. He was the son of Peter Bouts, Esq’., a member of 
     
     the Council of the Government of Rhode Island. He graduated Bachelor of Arts 
     
     at Harvard College in 174.7,where he also afterwards received the Master’sdegree. 
     
     For some time, before he proceeded to England for holy orders, he was em- 
     
     ployed in reading the service and sermons in several destitute churches with uni- 
     
     versal approbation, “both for his abilities and morals.” His labors in the parish of 
     
     S. Michael’s were commenced in July, 1753, and appear to have been eminently 
     
     successful. A contemporary describes him as a man of an excellent temper, good 
     
     learning, and great piety, whose good character gained more to the Church of 
     
     England than all who had preceded him. During the short period of his min— 
     
     istry in Marblehead (less than nine years), he baptized four hundred and fifty— 
     
     six infants and adults. By the purity of his doctrine, his amiable manners, and 
     
     his blameless life, he conciliated the enemies of the Church, and his congregation 
     
     was much increased.‘ 
     
    

    
     A late rector of S. Michaels adds : “ I have met with none who can speak of him 
     
     from their own remembrance of his person. There is no parishioner of mine who 
     
     received his edifying ministrations; but a traditionary veneration preserves his 
     
     memory fresh among us; and we are happy 1n having an excellent portrait of him 
     
     from the hand of Blackburn. Mr. Bours IS represented as sitting, and 1n his cleri— 
     
     cal robes. The figure 13 full, though not large; and the face, which 18 fair, has an 
     
     expression of quite uncommon serenity and sweetness . . . This excellent and ami— 
     
     able gentleman died, after a very short illness, February 24, 1762, at the early age 
     
     of thirty—six. Above his mortal remains, which were buried in the graveyard con— 
     
     tiguous to S. Michael’s Church, a monument was erected which bears the follow— 
     
     ing epitaph :— 
     
    

    
     “‘UnderThis Stone I Lies the Body I ofthe Rev d Peter Bours, I once I Minis- 
     
     ter of this Church: I which oflice I for the space of nine years I he discharged 
     
     with faithfulness I Teaching the Doctrines of the Gospel I with plainness and fer— 
     
     vency, I illustrating the Truth and Reality of what he taught I by his own Life I 
     
     the goodness of which I joined I with great Candour I and unbounded Benevo- 
     
     lence of Mind, I obtained for him I not only I the most sincere love of his own 
     
     People, I but also I the esteem of Virtuous Men I of every persuasion. He died 
     
     Feb. y 24th,1762, I aged 36 years. I To his Memory I His people have erected 
     
     this Monument, I in testimony I of his great worth, I and their Sincere regards. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Persuasion draws, Example leads the mind . 
     
     Their double force compels, when meetly joined.’ ”2 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Updike’s Hist. Narragansett Church, p. 292. 2 Ibid, pp. 270 and 359. 
     
     After