<p>Who the hell cares about Hanover back in 1800s. It's totally different from what it is now.</p>
<p>As a matter of fact, after getting elected to Congress from Boston, and to the Senate from Massachusetts, Webster spent most of the rest of his life in Washington, only spending occasional summers in Mashfield until his final illness.</p>
<p>He sent his only son to Harvard, where he graduated in the class of 1833.</p>
<p>Daniel Webster had three sons. Charles died in infancy; Fletcher graduated from Harvard (Class of 1833); Edward graduated from Dartmouth (Class of 1841). I question whether this information has any relevance whatsoever to the merits of 21st century Hanover, but in any case we should strive for historical accuracy.</p>
<p>This thread has gone on long enough, so here's my final word on the subject. Daniel Webster was an outdoorsy kind of guy, who loved hunting, fishing, and farming. He worked in the Big City because he had to; he made his home in the Country because he wanted to. </p>
<p>And there are still plenty of outdoorsy folks who understand Webster's point of view. We go to college in places like Hanover or Middlebury or Williamstown because we want to. And there is no point in trying to convince us that the quality of life is better in places like Cambridge or Providence or the Upper West Side. De gustibus non est disputandum, dude.</p>
<p>... the image you paint of Daniel Webster is somewhat idealized. He was happiest in a smoke-filled room. speechifying, and striving for higher office.</p>