USA > Maine > Piscataquis County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 9
USA > Maine > Aroostook County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 9
USA > Maine > Hancock County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 9
USA > Maine > Washington County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 9
USA > Maine > Somerset County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 9
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William F. Mansfield carries on an exten-
sive trade in general merchandise, using the stand where his father established business so many years ago as a warehouse. He was born in Jonesport on December 10, 1845, and was educated in the town schools here. As was natural, he began working in and about his father's store when a lad, gradually acquir- ing a thorough understanding of business. This prepared him for the successful manage- ment of his own business, which he started in 1867 in a small way. Since then he has gradually increased the scope of his operations until at the present time he carries a very large stock of general merchandise, and is one of the most prominent merchants in the town. He is also interested somewhat in the shipping and granite business. In 1876 he was married to Laura Foster, who was born in Centreville, Me., daughter of Henry Foster. She has borne him three children; namely, Henry A., Levi E., and Irving J. He has held the office of Selectman and minor offices in the town, and fraternally is a member of Jonesport Lodge, No. 188, F. & A. M., and of the Knights Templar at Machias.
OEL H. DOYEN, who is successfully engaged in agriculture on the old Doyen homestead in Smithfield, Somer- set County, was born in this town, July 4, 1842, son of the late Joel Doyen. The father, born and brought up in Avon, Me., followed the occupation of farmer in Stark and afterward on the present homestead property in Smith- field, on which, after purchasing it, he resided
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until his death in 1877. He married Mrs. Ma- hala Leahers Sawyer, of Stark, the widow of Otis Sawyer, Sr., who died February 12, 1826, leaving her with five children - Henry, Lou- isa, Hannah, Alden, and Otis. By Joel Doyen she had five children, namely : Orin J., who successively married Miss S. Holmes and Miss Georgia Stevens, is the agent for a wholesale hardware house, and lives in Co- rinna, Me. ; Albert, who lives with his brother, Joel H. ; Mercy, who died February 6, 1876, aged forty-two, and was the wife of Orlando W. Holmes, of Oakland, Me. ; Selden J., now a farmer in Ludden, N. Dak., who married Ella McIntire, of Norridgewock, Me .; and Joel H., the subject of this biography.
Joel H. Doyen remained on the home farm until after the death of his father, attending to its management and caring for his parents in their last days. He subsequently worked in a straw shop at Westboro, Mass., for three years and in the blocking-room of a straw factory in Medfield, Mass., for six years. During the next three years he worked again in a West- boro shop, after which he spent eight years as foreman of the blocking-room of August Lewis & Co. in New York City. From New York he returned to the old Doyen homestead in Smithfield, where he has since been en- gaged in general farming and dairying. His farm contains sixty acres of land, well adapted for cereals and grazing, having new buildings and all the conveniences for profit- ably carrying on agriculture.
Politically, Mr. Doyen is a strong Republi- can. He belongs to Lebanon Lodge, No.
116, F. & A. M., of Norridgewock, Me. He was first married October 12, 1868, to Miss Clara Brock, who was born in Canaan, Me. Her parents, William and Elizabeth Brock, died in Canaan. She died May 30, 1882, leaving one child, Millard E., born May 28, 1876, who is now engaged in manufacturing ladies' straw hats in New York City. On October 28, 1893, Mr. Doyen contracted his second marriage with Mrs. Mary Brannen Many, a daughter of the late Dr. Henry and Margaret Brannen, of New York City.
OSEPH G. WALKER, a prosperous woollen manufacturer in Brooksville, Hancock County, son of Joseph and Susan (Babson) Walker, was born in this town, January 19, 1828. The grandfather was John Walker, of Wolverhampton, England, who, with his two brothers, came to America with the British troops under General Burgoyne. Being in sympathy with the colonists, he de- serted for the purpose, it is said, of joining the Continental army; and after the declara- tion of peace he became a pioneer of Brooks- ville. A log house was his dwelling until sufficient land was cleared for the erection of a frame house, and he succeeded in improving a good farm. Later he bought of John Lce a saw and grist mill, which stood upon the site of the woollen-mill now owned by his grandson; and he carried on business here for the rest of his life. He was actively con- cerned in town affairs, serving in some of the important offices; and he lived to be seventy-
JOSEPH G. WALKER.
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four years old. The maiden name of his wife was Emma Roundy. They reared six sons and three daughters; namely, John, William, David, Robert, Joseph, Benjamin, Emma, Betsey, and Sally. John and William were lost at sea ; David died at seventy-six; Robert, at sixty-four; and Benjamin, at eighty-one. David, Robert, Joseph, and Benjamin Walker were among the first to engage in the woollen manufacturing business in this section. For years they conducted the mill which is still operated by a member of the family. Joseph Walker, who was born in Brooksville, re- tained an active interest in the business until 1876. He married Susan Babson, and reared two children: Joseph G., the subject of this sketch; and Emma, who married George Richardson, and has an only daughter, Maria, now residing in Washington, D.C.
After completing his studies in the schools of his native town Joseph G. Walker worked in the mill for four years, and then engaged in farming. In 1865 he purchased a part of his father's interest in the business, and in the following year the portion of the prop- erty owned by the heirs of David and Ben- jamin Walker. Since his father's withdrawal in 1876, he has carried on the business alone. He is quite extensively engaged in the manu- facture of satinets, blankets, and yarns, and also does custom carding. Mr. Walker mar- ried Sarah J. Atherton, a daughter of John Atherton, of Blue Hill, Me., and has three children - Abbie S., Joseph W., and Emma J. Walker. Abbie S. married Rev. Daniel Staver, of Dayton, Ohio, and died December
23, 1897, in Oregon, where they were living at that time; Joseph W. Walker is in the employ of the United States government at Portsmouth, N.H .; and Emma resides at home.
Mr. Walker cast his first Presidential vote for Winfield Scott in 1852, and has acted with the Republican party since its formation. He has been a County Commissioner for six years and Deputy Sheriff for a number of years. First appointed Postmaster by Presi- dent R. B. Hayes, he was successively reap- pointed by President Harrison and President Mckinley. His mill, one of the most impor- tant factories in Brooksville, is a great benefit to the community; and its proprietor is highly esteemed by his fellow-townsmen for his busi- ness ability and progressive tendencies. He is a member of the Congregational church.
ENRY S. BOYNTON, one of the prosperous merchants of Lamoine, Hancock County, was born Septem- ber 21, 1820, in Wiscasset, Me. His father, William Boynton, a native of Gilmanton, N. H., removed to Wiscasset when a young man, and was there Deputy Sheriff for a long time and afterward acting High Sheriff for a number of years. William subsequently lived for a time in Lamoine and then successively in Bangor and Chicago, remaining in the latter place until his death, at the age of seventy- nine years. He married Mary Huckins, who bore him the following children : William A., Elizabeth, and Thomas, deceased; Warren,
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who lives in Cambridge, Mass. ; Ann, de- ceased ; Henry S., the subject of this sketch ; Alonzo K. and George, who make their homes in the West ; and Hannah, also deceased.
Henry S. Boynton received the larger part of his education in the schools of Bangor. At the age of thirteen he began his mercantile career in that city as a boy-of-all-work in the store of C. & E. D. Godfrey, with whom he remained two years. He was subsequently employed as a clerk in different stores, includ- ing those of S. G. Turner and Young & Ilarri- man, with whom he remained two or three years, and Fogg & Hersey, in whose employ- ment he spent about the same number of months. Having acquired a practical knowl- edge of business, he then opened a store, in partnership with his brother Thomas, in Ban- gor, where he was profitably engaged in buying and selling goods for two years. In 1845 he came to Lamoine Point, then called Trenton, and, establishing himself as a merchant, has since built up an extensive trade. For a long time he carried on a lucrative business as a ship-chandler, making a specialty of fitting out fishing-vessels; but in recent years he has carried a complete stock of general merchan- dise. In politics he was formerly a Whig, and his first Presidential vote was cast in 1844 for Henry Clay. Since the formation of the Republican party he has been an earnest ad- vocate of its principles. For eight years he served as Selectman of Trenton, being the chairman of the board for seven years of the period.
In 1843 Mr. Boynton married Matilda
Hodgkins, a daughter of Nathan Hodgkins. She died in January, 1895, leaving six chil- dren; namely, Frederic H., Nathan H., Henry, Ellen A., Abbie D., and Agnes M. Frederic H. married Emma Davis, of Cam- bridge, Mass., and has two children - Grace and Frank. Nathan H. married Lizzie Bunker, who has borne him five children - Earl, Hattie, Sadie, Chester, and Russell. Henry married Ida White, of Sullivan, and has one child, Henry S. Ellen A. is the wife of Winfield S. Hodgkins, of Lamoine, and has five children - Raymond, Addie, Maynard, Ruby, and Morris. Abbie D. is the wife of William F. Hutchins, of Lamoine, and has one child, Alice G. Agnes M. lives with her father.
OSEPH DENNEN, the oldest and one of the most honored residents of Shir- ley, was born in Poland, Androscoggin County, Me., March 17, 1813. He is a son of Simeon and Rebecca (Chickering) Dennen. Simeon Dennen, who was born in Cumberland (now Androscoggin) County, was a farmer. After spending many years of his life in Po- land, he settled in Shirley in 1828, being the fourth settler in the town district. In coming to the town he followed a trail marked by spotted trees, there being no roads within a circuit of ten miles. He located on land now occupied by his son Joseph, and built a log cabin to shelter his family, who came with him. His first clearings were made where Mr. Dennen's buildings now stand. A hard- working pioneer, he had little time for rest or
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recreation. In politics he was a Democrat, in religious belief a Methodist. He died on the home farm in December, 1848. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. His wife, a native of Andover, Mass., died in 1860. They had a family of twelve children ; namely, Sim- eon, Peter, Frederick, John, Levi, Lyford, Eleanor, Rebecca (who died in childhood), Lydia, Joseph, Louisa, and Lois F. Besides Joseph, Otis H., residing in Washington State, is the only other survivor.
Joseph Dennen was fifteen years of age when his parents moved to Shirley. He acquired his education in the schools of Poland, there being no schools in Shirley at that time. From an early age he assisted his father in clearing the land, which, comprising two hun- dred acres, supplied the family with plenty of work. When his parents grew old and feeble, he was their stay and support. He was absent from this farm but one year before he finally parted with it, and he practically paid for the place. Succeeding his father, he continued to make improvements, and the present build- ings were erected by him. He carried grist and potatoes to Monson in the early days, and he helped to spot the trees along the path from his house to Greenville. An active, industri- ous, and honest man, he enjoys the respect of his townsmen, for whom he has performed much important business. He has settled a number of estates and acted as attorney in different cases, always proving worthy of his trust. In business matters he was very suc- cessful.
On July 1, 1863, he was married to Eliza-
beth A., daughter of Jonathan and Sarah (Lowell) Brown. She was born in Farming- ton, Franklin County, Me., November 15, 1830. Jonathan Brown, born in Farmington, May 10, 1806, who had followed farming in Abbot, Me., for years, went to California in search of gold, and died there on March 10, 1877. His wife, who was born in Farming- ton, January 10, 1805, died in Shirley, June 3, 1889. Mr. Dennen has no children of his own. He has been a member of the Demo- cratic party for a great many years ; has served for several terms as Selectman; was Town Treasurer for over twenty-two years in succes- sion; and has been Collector, Constable, Town Agent, and a member of the Board of Health. He was recently urged to accept town office again, but thought that he had done his part. Mrs. Dennen is a most estimable lady. No couple in Piscataquis County is more highly honored than Mr. and Mrs. Den- nen. The landlord of the famous Kineo Hotel is Mr. Dennen's nephew, and his wife is a sis- ter of Mrs. Dennen. On December 17, 1897, Mr. Dennen disposed of the old farm on which he had resided for seventy years. Both he and his wife have since retired from active life, and are spending their time at the noted Mount Kineo.
BEL W. ROWELL, a retired farmer of Solon and the chairman of Solon's Board of Selectmen, was born in this town, March 12, 1832, son of Frederick and Sophia (Wood) Rowell. The grandfather, Zebedee Rowell, came here with his family
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from Dracut, Mass., about the year 1802, and occupied the place now known as the Norton farm for eight years. Then he went to Rowell Mountain, where he resided until his death, which occurred February 8, 1833. He was a soldier under General Stark in the Revolution- ary War. Nine children were reared by him, namely : Frederick, George, David, Zebedee, Frank, and Daniel C., all of whom lived in Solon ; Charles, who settled in Brighton, Me. ; Elbridge, who located in Madison, Me. ; and Elizabeth, who married Barnet Eaton. Of these none are living. All the sons except Daniel became heads of large families, and their descendants are distributed throughout the country.
Frederick Rowell, born in Dracut in 1801, was reared in Solon. He tilled the soil of the homestead farm during his active years, was the chairman of the Board of Selectmen for some time, and died February 12, 1853. Sophia, his wife, who was a native of Nor- ridgewock, Me., became the mother of six children : Sybil S., who died in 1869; Abel W., the subject of this sketch; Frederick, who died in 1860; Zebedee, who died in Cali- fornia in 1864; Caroline, now the wife of Amos Jerald, of Fairfield; and Helen S., who married Albert Harbill, neither of whom is living. Sybil S. was the wife of Sextus Ho- bart, who is also deceased; and Frederick's wife, whose maiden name was Miss Wilson, died some time ago. The mother subse- quently married William Burgess, of Fair- field, and died November 30, 1875.
Abel W. Rowell acquired his education in
a common school and an academy. At the age of nineteen he went to Calfornia, where he was engaged in mining and prospecting for two years. Then he returned to Solon, and resided at the homestead until 1859, when he again went to the Pacific coast, his second visit lasting three years. After this trip he resumed the cultivation of the home farm, and was extensively engaged in general farming, stock-raising, and butchering. In 1888 he sold his property, and he has since occupied a comfortable residence in the village. He is now engaged in looking after his real estate interests and attending to the duties of chair- man of the Board of Selectmen, Deputy Sher- iff, and of some minor offices. In politics he is a Democrat.
On March 26, 1854, Mr. Rowell first mar- ried Almeda W. Burns, of Madison, a daugh- ter of Samuel and Annie (Weston) Burns, both of whom are now deceased. The father was a farmer and lumberman. Mrs. Almeda WV. Rowell died March 21, 1882, leaving five children, namely : Ella F., who married O. A. Corson, and resides in Pasadena, Cal. ; Fred, who died in 1892; Annie, who married Daniel Jewett, of Solon, and is no longer living ; Herbert B., who was educated at the Maine State College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, and is now in business in Minneapolis, Minn. ; and Cady, born in 1875, who now resides in Auburn, Me. A second marriage on January 1, 1887, united Mr. Rowell to his present wife, who was Mrs. Lydia Bassett McFarland, widow of Edward McFarland, late of Damariscotta, Me. She was born in Solon,
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daughter of Alanson Bassett, a native of Mos- cow, Me. Mr. Rowell has been a member of Northern Star Lodge, F. & A. M., since 1853, and is widely and favorably known throughout this section as a citizen of ability and sterling character. Both he and Mrs. Rowell attend the Congregational church.
IRAM BLANCHARD, of Eastport, Washington County, a manufacturer of high-grade fertilizers and a dealer in fish pomace and fertilizer material, was born in Charlotte, this county, on January II, 1825, his parents being David and Saviah (Bennett) Blanchard. The paternal grandfather, Ste- phen Blanchard, who was a hatter by trade, was born in Cambridge, Mass., July 1, 1763. He removed from that town to Hopkinton, N. H., where he afterward worked at his trade, and died on March 16, 1829. His wife's maiden name was Elizabeth Esterbrook.
David Blanchard, above named, born at Hopkinton, N. H., on February 14, 1797, died in Charlotte on January 1I, 1868, having re- moved to the last named place in 1829. He owned and operated a farm, and also carried on shoemaking. A man of remarkable indus- try, he guided his life by the strictest prin- ciples of honor and integrity. Although out- side the pale of any church and a well-known free-thinker, the whole trend of his life sup- ported morality in every form and exerted a strong influence against the use of tobacco and spirituous liquors. In politics he was suc- cessively a Whig, Free Soiler, and a Republi-
can. A leading man in the town of Charlotte, he served in many local offices. His wife, Saviah, died in the State of Minnesota at the advanced age of ninety-three years. Of their ten children, five are living, namely : Hiram, the subject of this sketch; Charles B., who resides in Milltown, Me. ; Rufus, who resides in the State of Washington; Frederick, who resides in Minnesota; and Saviah, who is the wife of Henry A. Jackman, and also resides in Minnesota. The others were: Isaac G., David, Stephen, Walter, and Lucy.
Hiram Blanchard's boyhood was passed in his native town, where he attended the public schools. At the age of sixteen he began working for himself, his wages being twelve dollars per month. He learned the painter's and finisher's trade, and for the ten succeeding years worked at it as a journeyman. He then engaged in lumbering at Charlotte and later at Machias. Subsequently he made bricks at Pembroke, and also owned and conducted lumber-mills at Machias. Since coming to Eastport in 1873, he has been interested in various enterprises, including lumbering, brick-making, saw and grist milling, and in the industries carried on in the carding-mills, box factory, and sardine factories. His busi- ness was conducted under the name of H. Blanchard & Sons. After spending twenty years actively engaged in the various ways men- tioned, he engaged in his present business in 1897, leaving the other interests to the care of his sons, who form the Blanchard Manufactur- ing Canning Company.
All the ground fertilizers put up in Mr.
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Blanchard's establishment are mixed and ground in gypsum, which, in itself, is con- sidered a valuable fertilizer, especially for sandy soils. This substance not only retains the ammonia contained in the fertilizers, but draws ammonia from the soil and the at- mosphere, and holds it until the rain liberates it for the food of the plants. On this account it is an almost indispensable element in soil fertilizers that are to be used on lands subject to drought, like most of those in Florida, as it carries the plants safely through the dry season. Mr. Blanchard has received many testimonials, alike from agriculturists in the North and in the South, who have employed his fertilizers and appreciate their value. The entire quantity of fertilizers that is shipped from his plant at Prince's Cove, amounting to about one thousand tons annually, contains no constituent that is not valuable. It is the proprietor's aim to put on the market only the best possible product. He is also interested in the fish and oil business, and owns some sixteen tenements.
In 1849 Mr. Blanchard was married to Susan Lincoln, who was born in Charlotte, Me., March 16, 1832, daughter of William Lincoln. His children were: Ambrose L., Hiram, Jr., Walter E., Isabella, Susan, Myra, Jennie N., Clara, and Saviah. Of these, the last named died at the age of two years. Am- brose L. and Hiram, Jr., are in the sardine canning business in this city, being among the leading men in this, Eastport's leading indus- try. Walter E. is a clerk for his father. Isabella married E. P. Damon, of this place.
Myra and Jennie, who both reside here, are respectively the wives of George B. Hall and Byron Carson. Susan and Clara Blanchard reside with their parents. Mr. Blanchard, Sr., is not connected with any church organ- ization. In politics he is a Republican. He was a Selectman in Eastport before the in- corporation of the city, and in 1880, 1881, 1882, and 1883 he was in the legislature. His life has been one of active industry; and he is one of the best known men in Eastport, while his sons are among the largest tax-payers here.
HARLES CAYFORD, of Cornville, a prominent farmer and breeder of trot- ting stock, son of Benjamin E. Cay- ford, was born here, December 14, 1828. He is of good old English ancestry, his grandpar- ents, John and Judith Cayford, having emi- grated from England to America in the early part of the present century. They located first on a farm in Skowhegan, Me., where the grand- father was engaged as a farmer and drover and also for some years as a minister of one of the local churches. After the death of his wife he removed to a small town in Florida, of which he was the Postmaster until his demise at an advanced age.
Benjamin E. Cayford and his only brother, John Everett Cayford, spent their lives in Skowhegan, where they were successfully em- ployed as tillers of the soil. Benjamin mar- ried Sophronia White, of Skowhegan, and by her became the father of eight children, of whom one died in infancy. The others were :
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ALBERT W. MILLER.
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Benjamin, who was drowned in the Kennebec River in 1849; Charles, the subject of this biography; Mary, the widow of John Mc- Laughlin, now living at Sioux Falls, S. Dak. ; George, deceased, who was a farmer in Corn- ville; Elizabeth, who died at the age of nine- teen years; Sophronia, who died at an early age; and Laura, who resides with her sister, Mrs. McLaughlin at Sioux Falls. Neither of the parents is living, the father having passed to eternity in 1853 and the mother in 1880.
Charles Cayford spent his early life on the parental homestead, living there until lured to the. Pacific coast by the example of the gold seekers that were then flocking to California. After mining in that State for three years, he returned in 1852 to Cornville, and thereafter, until his marriage, assisted in the care of the home property. In 1854 he purchased of the heirs of his father's estate the old Hilton farm, on which he has since lived. He has made many improvements on the estate, including the erection of buildings suitable for farm purposes, and is carrying on an extensive and lucrative business as general farmer. He raises a good deal of stock, making a specialty of trotting horses, for which he is famed throughout this section of the State. In poli- tics he is an uncompromising Republican, and he has been on the Board of Selectmen of Cornville two years.
Mr. Cayford was married August 22, 1854, to Miss Mary French, who was born in Solon, Me., May 27, 1829. Her father, Moses French, born in old Salisbury, Me., after his marriage with Sarah Patten, of Norridgewock,
settled on a farm in Solon, where he carried on farming, and was also a local preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church for many years. Both Mr. and Mrs. French died in Solon, he at the age of sixty-nine years and she when sixty-four years old. Mr. and Mrs. Cayford have nine children, namely : Charles, who died at the age of twelve years; Benja- min F., a blacksmith in Isadora, Mo., who married Ella Bristol; Mabel, who is the wife of Alonzo Smith; Caroline, who is the matron of a hospital for children in Boston; Howard, a farmer in Campville, Minn., who married Alice Palmer; Luther, who is engaged in farming in Isadora, Mo. ; Morris, who lives at home; Mamie, Luther's twin sister, who is in the training school of a Boston hospital; and Georgia, who died at the age of eleven years. Mrs. Cayford, still adhering to the religious belief in which she was reared, is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Skowhegan.
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