"158 AMASA6 Learned (Ebenezer5, William4, Isaac3, Isaac2, William1), of New London, Conn.; m., by Rev. Ephraim Woodbridge(?), Apr. 1, 1773, Grace Hallam, of New London, b. Oct. 14, 1754, dau. of Nicholas and Elizabeth (Latimer) Hallam, and grand-dau. of Edward and Grace (Denison) Hallam.

He graduated at Yale College, in 1772, and came to New London soon after, as teacher in the Union school. A letter from him, dated at New London, the early part of the next year, hints at an intention to study law. In fact, however, he studied for the ministry with Rev. Mr. Atkins, at Killingly, and was licensed by the Windham County Association, Oct. 12, 1773. It is said that he preached for some time at Newport, R. I. A memorandum in an account book of John Adams, made when he staid over Sunday at Woodstock, on his way to the continental congress, refers to Mr. Learned, as follows: "1775, Sept. 3, at Woodstock, heard Mr. Learned from Is. xxxii: 16." It does not appear, however, that he was ever ordained or settled as a clergyman, or that he continued long in the ministry. Some of his sermons remained for a time in the possession of his descendants. He resided in Killingly until 1780, and then moved to New London, and settled there. His wife's family were influential merchants of that place; and he became somewhat prominent in political affairs.

In 1788, he was a member of the convention which ratified the constitution of the United States, and voted for it. He was in the U. S. congress from 1791 to 1795, and was also an "assistant" of the State; was a member of the council. While in congress he became engaged in some land speculations which resulted disastrously, and this result seems to have changed the current of his life. From about 1798, he gave up all active pursuits.

He was a man of courteous manners, general information and remarkable inquisitiveness as to all the topics of interest of his day. He was of a dark and swarthy complexion, which, he used to say, he inherited from the Leavens blood. When he was in college he wrote a Latin letter to his brother Theophilus, with postscript: "If you can't read this, show it to Mr.  Brown." (The clergyman at Killingly.) In reply Theophilus wrote him a letter in Indian, from the dictation of an Indian servant girl, Molly Piggins, with the postscript: "If you can't read this, show it to some other Indian."

At New London, he lived first, in what was known as the Hurlbut house, on the north-west corner of Federal and Main streets; then moved to a part of the old

parsonage house on the upper part of Main St. About 1786, he removed to a house, since taken down, on the north-west corner of State and Union streets, which stood on land now owned by the First Congregational church. He soon afterwards bought a lot on the south-west corner of Federal and Union streets, and began the building of a house; since occupied by the Hallam family. His wife died Nov. 20, 1787, before the house was finished. The family moved into it, and his eldest daughter kept house for him there a few years. The latter part of his life he lived with his widowed daughter, Mrs. Chew, in an old Hallam house upon Main St., above Federal. He died of pleurisy, May 4, 1285. His remains and those of his wife, were deposited in the Hallam tomb in the old burying ground, and have since been removed to the lot of his son, Ebenezer, in the cemetery, "The Cedars," at New London."

From: The Learned Family, William Law Learned

"MARCY, William Learned, statesman, was born in Southbridge, Mass., Dec. 12, 1786; son of Jedediah and Ruth (Learned) Marcy and a descendant of Moses and Prudence (Morris) Marcy. Moses Marcy, born in Woodstock, Conn., and one of the first settlers of New Medfield (Sturbridge), Mass., built the first grist-mill in the town, was the first justice of the peace, the first representative from New Medford to the state legislature, and died Oct. 9, 1779.

William L. Marcy worked on his father's farm, attended the public  schools and Leicester academy, was graduated from Brown in 1808, taught school at Newport, R.I., studied law, and removed to Troy, N.Y., where he was admitted to the bar. He served as a lieutenant in a company of infantry recruited in Troy, and marched to the northern frontier and took part in the action at St. Regis, Oct. 23, 1812, securing the first prisoners taken on land, and the first flag captured in the war. He joined General Dearborn, and in 1814 was ordered to New York, having attained the rank of captain.

He resumed his law practice in Troy, and was recorder of the city, 1816-18, when he was removed by Governor Clinton, on account of his friendship for Daniel D. Tompkins. He was editor of the Troy Budget, an anti-Clinton journal of influence, 1818-21. Through the Van Buren influence he was appointed in January, 1821, adjutant-general of the state militia. He was elected state comptroller on the ticket with Joseph C. Yates for governor in 1823; was appointed associate justice of the supreme court of New York in 1829 by Governor Throop, and presided at the special circuit held in Lockport in 1830, for the trial of the abductors of William Morgan, charged with exposing Masonic secrets; was U.S. senator, 1831-33; served as chairman of the judiciary committee, and answered in debate both Henry Clay and Daniel Webster.

He resigned his seat in 1833 to accept the position of governor of the state of New York, to which he had been elected in 1832, and he served through three terms, 1833-39. In 1838 he was defeated by William H. Seward. During his term as governor the Whig party was formed, the rise of the anti-slavery party took place, and in 1837 occurred the great financial panic. He was appointed by President Van Buren in 1839 one of the board of commissioners to examine and decide upon certain Mexican claims then pending against the government, and served 1839-42. He was chairman of the Democratic state convention at Syracuse, 1843.

He removed to Albany, N.Y., and lived in retirement until the accession of James K. Polk to the presidency, March 4, 1845, when he became secretary of war in his cabinet. His term of office embraced the entire period of the war with Mexico, and his duties were uncommonly arduous. In 1848 he supported Gen. Lewis Cass for the presidency, and at the close of Polk's administration he retired from public life. He was a candidate for nomination for President at the Democratic national convention at Baltimore, June 1, 1882, and upon the nomination of Franklin Pierce he gave him his hearty support in the campaign and President Pierce made him secretary of state in his cabinet. Important questions came before him while secretary, such as the Danish sound dues, the enlistment question, Central American affairs, and the complex questions surrounding the release of Martin Koszta by Capt. Duncan N. Ingraham. He went to Ballston Spa, N.Y., in 1857, and prepared for an extended tour in Europe. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Brown university in 1833 and from Union college in 1839.

He died suddenly in Ballston Spa, N.Y., July 4, 1857."

The 20th Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Vol.7, p.251

The Learned line of descent for this William Learned Marcy is:

 
 
 1   William Learned 1581 - 1646
..  +Goodith Gilman 1586 - 1632
..... 2   Isaac Learned 1624 - 1657
.........  +Mary Stearns 1626 - 1663
............. 3   Isaac Learned 1655 - 1737
.................  +Sarah Bigelow 1659 - 1703
.................... 4   William Learned 1688 - 1747
........................  +Hannah Bryant 1697 - 1781
............................ 5   William Learned 1725 -
................................... 6   Ruth Learned 1768 -
.......................................  +Jedediah Marcy 1768 -
........................................... 7   William Learned Marcy 1786 - 1857
 

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