Robert Treat Paine

Robert Treat Paine (October 28, 1835 – August 11, 1910) was an American Boston-based lawyer, philanthropist, and social reformer. He is most widely known for his work as chairman of the building committee of Boston's Trinity Church in Copley Square, for his leadership of 19th century Boston philanthropists, for his summer home in Waltham, Massachusetts, and for his experiments in building housing for low- and middle-income workers.

Biography Paine was born October 28, 1835, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Charles Cushing Paine (1808–1874) and Fanny Cabot Jackson (1812–1878). His brother was Charles Jackson Paine and his great-grandfather was Robert Treat Paine, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Paine was also descendant of Robert Treat, and Hugues de Payens, and was great-grandfather of zoologist Robert Treat Paine III. He attended Boston Latin School and graduated at the age of 15. Paine graduated from Harvard College in 1855 as "first scholar in his class" alongside his friend Francis C. Barlow.

For two years after college, Paine traveled throughout Europe "gaining experience and broadening his mind." In 1891, Paine became president of the American Peace Society and in 1897, president of the Episcopalian Club of Massachusetts. He was also a member and director of the Watch and Ward Society as well as vice-president of the Children's Aid Society. Additionally, Paine was a trustee of the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge and one of the trustees of donations to the Protestant Episcopal Church.