USA > Maine > Piscataquis County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 58
USA > Maine > Aroostook County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 58
USA > Maine > Hancock County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 58
USA > Maine > Washington County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 58
USA > Maine > Somerset County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 58
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hunt and fish in this seetion. His fine steam- boat, forty-six feet long by nine and one-half feet beam, makes two trips per day around the lake. Mr. Greeley is unmarried. He is a comrade of Douty Post, G. A. R., of Dover. In polities he is a Republican. Mr. Greeley is one of the best known business men and farmers in the district.
UDGE WILLIAM J. FOWLER, who presides in the Municipal Court of Calais, Washington County, son of John and Hannah (Somers) Fowler, was born in Blackville, Northumberland County, N. B., February 26, 1855. According to the family history his first paternal ancestor in this country emigrated from England to New York in 1635 ; and his great-grandfather, Dan- iel Fowler, who was a loyalist, went to New Brunswick after the close of the Revolutionary War.
John Fowler, the father, who was a native of Blackville, having acquired his education in an academy, settled in Calais in 1857. Here he was engaged in the lumber business until he enlisted for the Civil War in the Twenty- second Regiment, Maine Volunteer Infantry. While in the army he contracted an illness that disabled him for life. He died in 1880. His wife, Hannah, who was also born in Blackville, became the mother of eight chil- dren. Of these, five grew up, namely : Lucy A. and Elizabeth E .; Clara A., who is now the wife of N. Burnham Reding, of Calais; William J., the subject of this sketch; and
WILLIAM J. FOWLER.
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David J. Fowler, a resident of Boston. Both parents were members of the First Baptist · Church.
After passing through the common schools of Calais, William J. Fowler completed his early education in a business college in Low- ell, Mass. At the age of seventeen he went to Driftwood, Pa., where he was engaged in lumbering for two years. Returning after- ward to Lowell he was employed by the Ham- ilton Manufacturing Company for some time. Having commenced the study of law with Messrs. Granger and Hanson, of Calais, in 1879, he was admitted to the bar in October, 1881, and opened an office in the suburb of Milltown, where he resides. In 1886 he es- tablished another office in the city, and in 1890 he became associated with the late Thomas E. Wharf in the insurance business under the firm name of T. E. Wharf & Co. After the death of Mr. Wharf in 1892, he received the Hon. George R. Gardner into the firm, the style of which then became Fowler & Gardner. He is also interested in extensive lumbering operations and deals largely in real estate.
In politics Judge Fowler is a Republican. He has served as an Assessor for eight years, was a member of the Board of Aldermen for two years, and City Solicitor for the same length of time. When the Free Public Li- brary was established, he was appointed by the city government a trustee for life. At the present time he is further serving the library in the capacity of secretary of the Board of Trustees. In April, 1895, he was appointed
Judge of the Municipal Court by Governor Cleaves. He married Addie L., daughter of William Jenne, late of St. Stephen, N. B. Their home is very pleasantly situated on School Street. The Judge is a member of the Sons of Veterans, also of the Knights of Pythias, and in the Uniform Rank. He at- tends the First Baptist Church.
IEUTENANT ELDRIDGE H. BRY- ANT, of the firm of Bryant & Allen, grocers, of Machias, Washington County, son of George R. and Lois (Davis) Bryant, was born in this town, October 17, 1843. His paternal grandfather, Otis Bryant, was a ship-builder. The father, born in Ma- chias, was a farmer and a millman. His wife, Lois, was a daughter of Samuel Davis, of this town. They had ten children ; namely, Free- man R., James R., Samuel O., Eldridge, George W., Winfield, Edwin R., Elmira A., Freeman R. (second), and Celittie. Elmira A., who married Hiram Smith, of Princeton, Me., is now deceased; Samuel O., commonly known as Captain Bryant, resides in Portland; Winfield S. resides at Princeton, Me. ; Edwin R., in California; Freeman R. (second), in Minneapolis, Minn.
Lieutenant Bryant received his education in the district schools. When a lad of seventeen he enlisted in Company H of the Ninth Maine Infantry as a private. He was sent to Washington and thence to Hilton Head, Florida, and Port Royal. From Port Royal he went to Charleston, where he took part in
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the siege of Fort Wagner and Fort Sumter. Subsequently he was in the Army of the James, under General Butler; at the siege of Petersburg and in the campaign that summer; and he participated in the capture of Fort Fisher. With his regiment he was mustered out in July, 1865, at Raleigh, N.C., after having seen four years of active service. He was twice wounded. In January, 1865, he re- ceived his commission of Lieutenant. After the war he went to Chicago, and there worked at the carpenter's trade for two years. Re- turning at the end of this time to Machias, he formed a partnership with G. Harris Foster, firm of Foster & Bryant, for the purpose of conducting a sash and blind factory. After about ten years of successful business in this line he received in the factory an injury that disabled him. In 1883 he was appointed Special Deputy in the custom-house at Ma- chias, and for the eight succeeding years he served in that office. He was next Collector of Customs at Machias for four years by the appointment of President Harrison. After the expiration of his term he was engaged in various kinds of business until June, 1897, when, in company with Hernando Allen, he started a general grocery store. Messrs. Bry- ant and Allen are conducting a successful business, having already secured a fair share of patronage; and their prospects for the fut- ure arc undeniably excellent. Of a sociable disposition, Lieutenant Bryant has acquired a large number of warm friends. An esteemed Mason, he is Past Master of Harwood Lodge, No. 91; Past High Priest of Washington
Chapter; Eminent Commander of St. Elmo Commandery ; and a member of Delta Lodge of Perfection. He is also one of the charter members of Bradley Post, No. 15, Department of Maine, G. A. R .; has held the various offices in the post, having been its second Commander ; and has also held office in the De- partment of Maine. In the spring of 1898 he was elected first Selectman of his town, which position he now holds (October II, 1898).
By his marriage with Nettie, daughter of Zephaniah Allen, of Machias, he is the father of five children - Carl H., Mildred E., Myron E., Leonard R., and Richard F. Mrs. Bry- ant is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, which her husband attends and sup- ports.
URTIS DURGAIN, a prosperous farmer and lumberman of North Sedg- wick, Hancock County, son of Jo- seph and Phœbe (Freethy) Durgain, was born where he now resides, October 29, 1851. The grandfather was Joseph Durgain, a native of New Hampshire, who settled as a pioneer in North Sedgwick, where he cleared a farm, built the first frame house, assisted in con- structing the first roads, and was one of the early schoolmasters of the town. A man of considerable ability, he served in various town offices. At his death he was eighty-six years old. He married a daughter of Reuben Grindle.
Joseph Durgain, the father, now eighty-one years old, has resided upon the original Dur- gain farm since his birth. During his active
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years he was engaged in farming and lumber- ing. He took a prominent part in local affairs for many years, and served in the more important town offices. His wife, formerly Phœbe Freethy, of this town, was a grand- daughter of Elizabeth Black, who was the first white child born in Sedgwick, and who lived nearly one hundred and seven years. Joseph and Phœbe Durgain reared three children : Roland, who married Eliza Gray, and resides in Sedgwick; Ira, who died of yellow fever in Havana, Cuba; and Curtis, the subject of this sketch.
Curtis Durgain acquired his education in the district school of his neighborhood. His first knowledge of lumbering was obtained while assisting his father. At the age of twenty he started in business on his own ac- count by building a small camp in the woods. Since he has been profitably engaged in log- ging. He owns a saw-mill at North Brooks- ville, which turns out staves, long lumber, shingles, laths, and heading. He built a small vessel at that place some time ago, which he named for his two daughters the "Mildred May," and which does a profitable carrying trade in gravel. 'His farm contains one hundred acres of well-improved land, and the present substantial buildings were erected by him in 1879. He married Joanna Wes- cott, a daughter of William and Mary (Grindle) Wescott, who were natives respec- tively of Blue Hill and Brooksville, Me. Mrs. Durgain taught about forty terms of school in Sedgwick, Blue Hill, and the sur- rounding towns. She is the mother of three
children : Mildred E., who is now teaching in the old district school-house which her father attended ; Phoebe M. ; and Ira Durgain. Miss Phœbe M. Durgain possesses musical talent of a high order, and is engaged in its cultiva- tion.
In politics Mr. Durgain is a Democrat. He cast his first Presidential vote for Horace Greeley in 1872. While he has never sought for public office, he has served efficiently as ballot clerk and Road Surveyor. He is a mem- ber of the Baptist church, as is also Mrs. Dur- gain; and he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Both he and Mrs. Durgain are Patrons of Husbandry.
ON. ALONZO SMITH, County Commissioner of Somerset County, and one of its best known and most prominent citizens, resides in the town of Cornville, where he was born, March 5, 1837. His great-grandfather, Biley Smith, was at the battle of Bunker Hill. The gun carried by this ancestor on that memorable day, now in the possession of Mr. Smith, is one of the family's most sacred heirlooms. Biley Smith was one of the pioneers of Somerset County. He cleared and improved a tract of wild land in Cornville, and there reared his children. His son, David Smith, the grandfather of Alonzo, was born in New Hampshire, and came to Cornville when twelve years of age. He was a successful farmer, and nearly all the remaining seventy-four years of his life were spent on a farm in this locality.
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David D. Smith, the father of Alonzo, was also born and educated in Cornville. Having, like his ancestors, a special taste for agricult- ural work, he selected farming as his life oc- cupation. He bought the land now owned by his son Alonzo, and on it erected a house and afterward other buildings as they were needed. The place was successfully con- ducted by him until 1856, when he went to California. After remaining there a year and a half, he started for home by way of the Isth- mus of Panama. He had crossed the Isthmus in safety, and had half completed the homeward sea voyage on the "Central America" when, in August, 1857, the ship foundered off Cape Hatteras, and he was drowned. With him was lost about fifteen hundred dollars in gold, the amount of his earnings in California. He was a man of strong force of character, honest and upright in every particular, and very in- fluential in the community. To him and his wife, whose maiden name was Eliza Whittier, eleven children were born. Seven of these grew to maturity, namely : Alonzo, subject of this sketch; Louisa, whose death was the result of a railway accident in Portland, Me., on April 6, 1867; Samuel W., for many years a farmer in Ohio, who died there in April, 1897, partly from injuries received in the army; Ana L., who was the wife of the late John Judkins, of Skowhegan, Me. , and died in December, 1889; Sylvester, who is a school teacher in Kansas; Isaac Judson, a resident of Skowhegan, who successively married Emma and Mary and Viola French, three daughters of Captain Joseph French and Cap-
tain Moses French, of Solon, Me. ; and Mar- tha Ann, the wife of Lyman L. Walton, of Skowhegan. After surviving her husband many years, the mother passed away on March 15, 1889.
Having received an excellent education, which was completed at Bloomfield Academy, Alonzo Smith at the age of eighteen engaged in teaching in the district schools of this vi- cinity, making his home all the time with his mother. On September 10, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company D, Twenty-fourth Maine Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel G. M. Atwood and Captain A. K. P. Knowles. He was mustered into the United States ser- vice at Augusta, Mc., October 13, 1862 ; and he remained with his regiment in that town until October 29 of the same year, when it was transported to East New York, L.I. From here, starting on January 12, 1863, it was taken by the transport ship, "Lizzie South- ard," to New Orleans, arriving February 14, 1863. Leaving New Orleans on February 25, the regiment was transported to Bonnet Carré, La. This place it left May 21 for Port Hud- son, where it arrived on the night of May 23, and camped on Port Hudson Plains. The regiment participated in two of the most im- portant actions that occurred during the siege of Port Hudson and which were fought May 27 and June 14. During the sixty-three days spent here before the place surrendered, Mr. Smith, in common with the men of the regi- ment, experienced the trying hardships that are generally endured by the assailants in a protracted siege. He had not been long in the
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service before he was made Sergeant. After the expiration of his term he was mustered out at Augusta, Me., August 25, 1863. On returning to civil life Mr. Smith resumed teaching, continuing for a year. Then he went to Bureau County, Illinois, where he worked on a farm for a few months. In 1865 he assumed the entire care of the homestead, which had come into his possession, working on the farm and teaching in winter until 1884. Here he has since continued the improvements already well inaugurated. The present dwell- ing was erected by him soon after he became the proprietor. There are one hundred and thirty acres of land in his home farm and twenty acres in a smaller place included in his property. He carries on farming and dairying, making a specialty of raising early potatoes and sweet corn, with which he has been quite successful. He is thoroughly versed in all branches of agriculture. His farm, which is one of the most attractive in the locality, is pleasantly located about four and a half miles north of Skowhegan, the county-seat. For five years he was a director of the Skowhegan Creamery, and as selling agent was successful in making sales in many places in Massachusetts.
On November 3, 1877, Mr. Smith married Miss Mabel Cayford, who was born in Corn- ville, May 1, 1859. She is a daughter of Charles and Mary (French) Cayford, of whom a brief sketch appears elsewhere in this vol- ume. Five children have been born of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, namely : Carl D., on January 12, 1879; Mary Maud, March
18, 1880; Lula L., November 14, 1881 ; Alice Ana, February 20, 1887; and Margery May, October 25, 1891. Only four of the children are now living. The eldest daughter in her tenth. year was stricken with disease, and died October 12, 1889. Mr. Smith has been prominent in public life. For a number of years he has been a correspondent for vari- ous papers published in Maine, his agricult- ural articles being always interesting and val- uable. He has served as Selectman for many terms, being in 1896 the chairman of the board. From the date of his majority until 1893 he was School Supervisor and a member of the School Committee during the most of that time. He is now County Commissioner, an office which he has satisfactorily filled for two years. A stanch Republican, he has taken a great deal of interest in politics, but believes in voting for the man best fitted for office. He is a member of Russell Post, No. 96, G. A. R., of Skowhegan; and of Skowhe- gan Grange, No. 268.
ANIEL B. WHITTIER, for nearly fifty years a prosperous general farmer and stock-raiser of Foxcroft, Piscataquis County, was born in Cornville, Somerset County, August 15, 1818, son of Joseph and Mary (McClure) Whittier. His parents were natives of New Hampshire and early settlers in Cornville. Joseph Whittier, who went to Cornville with his father, was an industrious and prosperous farmer. A Whig in politics, he was a Calvinist Baptist in re-
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ligious belief. Hle and his wife died when about seventy years old. They were the par- ents of nine children, of whom Daniel B. is the only one living. The others were: Mary, Joseph, Nathaniel, Ira, Seth, Betsey, Sarah, and Arminda, all of whom attained maturity.
Daniel B. Whittier was reared and educated in his native town. His youth was passed in rendering such assistance to his father as he was able. He easily recalls how he was obliged to content himself with clothing made of the homespun provided by his mother for the family. Having previously resided at home, he came in 1850 to Foxcroft, where he has since been engaged in farming. He first located upon an adjoining farm, where he remained until 1869. Then he bought his present property, containing seventy acres of desirably located land and good substantial buildings. General farming and stock-raising have since been his principal occupations. He is still attending to his every-day duties with the energy and activity of a much younger man. His first Presidential vote was given to General William H. Harrison in 1840, and he has supported the Republican party since its formation. For two years he was a mem- ber of the Board of Selectmen in Foxcroft. In religious belief he is a Universalist.
At the age of twenty-five Mr. Whittier mar- ried Hannah Fogg, of Cornville. She became the mother of three children, namely : Stanley S., who went to Michigan, and was killed when twenty-three years old by a falling tree ; Anna, who is now the wife of Thomas Genth- ner, a florist in Foxcroft village; and Lelia J.,
who married Lewis Wilson, an operative at Brown's woollen-mill in this town. Mrs. Whittier died September 29, 1895.
ILLIAM CURRIER RENNE, of Calais, Washington County, the managing director of the St. Croix Shoe Com- pany, was born in Pittsfield, Mass., May 29, 1855, son of William and Mary E. (Currier) Renne. His paternal great-grandfather was John Renne, who resided in Freehold, N. Y., and lived to be ninety-three years old; and his grandfather, Peter Renne, who was a na- tive of that town, moved to Dalton, Mass., in carly life, and died there, September 30, 1843, aged eighty-two.
William Renne, the father, was born in Dalton, July 27, 1809. Going to Pittsfield when twenty-two years old, he started in the manufacture of neckwear, and followed it for some years. He is known, however, from the Atlantic to the Pacific as the proprietor of Renne's Pain-killing Magic Oil. This oil he manufactured and sold with success until 1877, when he disposed of his rights in it to a New York house, and retired from active business. In Pittsfield, where he is still re- siding, he has valuable property interests. He was the largest individual subscriber to the building fund of the magnificent Meth- odist Episcopal church in that city, which cost one hundred and fifteen thousand dollars, was the chairman of the Building Committee, and is one of the most active members of the so- ciety. His second marriage was contracted
WILLIAM C. RENNE.
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with Mary E. Currier, a daughter of John Currier, of Lyman, Me. She had three chil- dren : Alice, who died at the age of twelve years; William C., the subject of this sketch; and Edward Perkins Renne, who died at eigh- teen. The mother died August 9, 1889, aged seventy-one years.
Leaving the public schools of Pittsfield at the age of fourteen years, William Currier Renne entered the Hudson River Institute in Claverack, N.Y., from which he was gradu- ated in 1872, at the age of seventeen. Then he attended the Syracuse University for a time. He left college to enter the business depart- ment of Robbins & Kellogg's shoe factory in Pittsfield, where he afterward worked his way forward through different positions, remaining with the firm until 1885. In this year he and George C. Hall bought of Robbins & Kellogg their prison factory at the Berkshire County House of Correction, and carried it on for the succeeding two years. At the end of that time he came to Calais, and organized the St. Croix Shoe Company, of which he is the larg- est stockholder. This concern, which is now doing a business amounting to three-quarters of a million dollars per annum, employs an average force of four hundred and fifty hands, and is capable of making three hundred dozen pairs of shoes per day. The factory is en- tirely under the management of Mr. Renne, who looks after every detail of the business here; while the salesroom in Boston is in charge of John A. Blake, the second largest stockholder. Mr. Renne is also a member of the firm J. A. Blake & Co., who are selling
agents for five New England shoe factories; a director of the Calais National Bank; and a director of the New Brunswick Red Granite Company, of Maine. He serves the city in the capacity of Alderman.
Mr. Renne married Laura M. Foster, daughter of Wesley C. Foster, of Lee, Mass. Of his six children, four are living, namely : Robert F., who was graduated with the two highest honors of his class from the Highland Military Academy, Worcester, Mass., in 1895; William J., a student at Brown Uni- versity, Providence, R.I., class of 1902; Florence M .; and Norman Renne. Made a Mason in Mystic Lodge, Pittsfield, he was de- mitted to St. Croix Lodge, Calais. He is also a member of St. Croix Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; of Hugh de Payens Command- ery, Knights Templar; and of Kora Temple, Order of the Mystic Shrine. He attends divine worship at the Congregational church.
B ENJAMIN TAYLOR, a Civil War veteran and an industrious farmer of Lexington, Somerset County, was born in Stark, Me., July 12, 1835, son of Dennis and Joanna (Williams) Taylor. The father was a native of Stark, where he resided until 1840, and then moved to Lexington. He later removed to the vicinity of the Rangeley Lakes, where he was engaged in farming and lumbering for the rest of his active years, and died in 1895. Joanna, his wife, a native of Anson, Me., who died in 1890, became the mother of eleven children,
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namely : Benjamin, the subject of this sketch ; Asa and Alva, who are no longer living; Vio- letta ; Rufus; Isaiah; Stillman ; Abbie ; Villa; Josephine; and Rose.
Benjamin Taylor was educated in the dis- trict schools. He had resided at home until September 2, 1861, when he enlisted for the Civil War in Company E, Eighth Regiment, Maine Volunteer Infantry. With his regi- ment he participated in several hard-fought battles, including Cold Harbor; the second battle of Fair Oaks, where he was severely wounded ; and the siege of Petersburg, in front of which he lost his right eye and was wounded in the right elbow. Having been taken prisoner on September 22, 1864, he was confined in a Confederate hospital, known as the "Rackets," for over three months. After his return to the Federal lines he was given a furlough home, during which he was seized with an attack of chills and fever. Upon his recovery he reported for duty at Augusta, and was honorably discharged in June, 1865. After leaving the army he was engaged in farming on Lexington Flats for about seven- teen years, or until 1881, when he moved to the farm of four hundred and forty acres which he owns conjointly with his brother-in- law. Here he devotes his time principally to the raising of fancy stock and hay and grain.
In March, 1864, Mr. Taylor married Ellen C. Safford, of Lexington, a daughter of Nathan and Clarinda (Robinson) Safford. Mr. Safford was a native of Turner, and his wife of Livermore, Me. Neither is living.
Mrs. Taylor has been the mother of six chil- dren, three of whom are living: Nettie M., the wife of Augustus Bunker, of Anson ; Elmer L., who married Rose Judkins, of New Portland, and is a farmer in the northern part of that town; and Bertha C., now thirteen years old, who resides with her parents. The others were: Harold S., who died in infancy ; Maud E., who died at the age of thirteen years; and Gadis, who also died in infancy. In politics Mr. Taylor is a Republican, but has never aspired to public office. He is a comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic, and belongs to the post in New Portland.
OHN INGLEE, of Machias, Washing- ton County, the senior member of the firm John Inglee & Son, dealers in general merchandise, was born in Machias, April 5, 1817, son of Ebenezer and Elizabeth O. (Smith) Inglee. The father, born in Hal- ifax, Mass., March 17, 1764, who died on Oc- tober 29, 1851, came to Machias when a young man, being among the early settlers here. He worked in a tannery, and subsequently was engaged in lumbering and farming until his death. For many years he was a Justice of the Peace. On July 5, 1780, when only six- teen years old, he enlisted for six months in the Continental army, being in the Eleventh Division, under the command of General Enos Bancroft. Ebenezer's division was marched by the body of Major André after the spy had been hanged. He was discharged from the army, January 2, 1781. Elizabeth, his wife,
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