Robert Treat Paine

Biography

Robert Treat Paine rose from a Massachusetts legal apprenticeship to become one of the province’s most trusted advocates, serving on provincial committees as the patriots pressed their case for independence and taking his seat in the Continental Congress as the Revolution unfolded. He lent his sharp legal mind to drafting statutes, defended the rights of the colonists, and added his name to the Declaration of Independence as a sign of unwavering commitment to a new republic.

After the war he became the first attorney general of Massachusetts, where he worked to make the law serve both order and humanity while supporting schools and charities. Those who recall his steady judgment also honor the resting place he chose, in the shadow of the monument at Granary Burying Ground.