Tweed was born in Wakefield, Massachusetts, on January 17, 1811. As a child, he attended district schools, learned the shoemaker's trade, and eventually attended an academy in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. He taught in various district schools, obtaining one in Medford for three years, beginning in 1835.Tweed was offered the principalshipof Bunker Hill Grammar School in Charlestown in 1839, holding the position for ten years. His assistant, Thomas Starr King, introduced Tweed to Hosea Ballou 2d., who selected Tweed for a professorship at Tufts in 1853.He taught courses in Rhetoric, Logic, and English Literature. The same year, Harvard University conferred a Master of Arts degree on Tweed in recognition of his scholarship.

He left the college in 1864 to become the chair of the English Literature and Medieval and Modern History at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Then, in 1870 he returned to Charlestown as Superintendent of Schools. He became supervisor of the district when Charlestown was incorporated with Boston until his retirement in 1880.

Tweed built the house located at 72 Professors Row in 1857.It was primarily used as a faculty residence until 1985, when it was taken by Tufts for administrative purposes.

Tweed published several works on English grammar and composition and edited the "Massachusetts Teacher," for several years. He died in Cambridgeport, Massachusetts, on April 2, 1896.

Source: HTC, 108-110.

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