Step back in time with this revealing collection of memoirs from members of the social circle in Concord, Massachusetts. From personal anecdotes to insightful commentary on the issues of the day, this book offers a unique perspective on life in the mid-nineteenth century. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The Royal Family of Concord chronicles the lives of the most important family in nineteenth century Concord. Squire Samuel Hoar was a lawyer and congressman; he and his son were founders of the anti-slavery Republican Party in Massachusetts. Rockwood Hoar was a judge, US Attorney General under Grant, and a congressman. His daughter, Elizabeth, was engaged to Charles, the brilliant younger brother of Ralph Waldo Emerson, who tragically died just before they were to wed. She became the sister, assistant, and muse to Waldo and a close friend of many in the Transcendental circle, especially Margaret Fuller.