Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Cumberland County, Maine, Part 17

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Boston : Biographical Review Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 722

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B ENJAMIN F. HALL, a practical farmer and substantial citizen of West Falmouth, Me., was born in this town, September 1, 1824, son of George and Elizabeth (Hall) Hall.

This branch of the Hall family have been residents of Falmouth from the time of Mr. George Hall's grandfather, Hatevil Hall, who followed farming, and was the owner of a large amount of land in the immediate vicin- ity. His son, Andrew Hall, cventually came into possession of a portion of this land, and in early manhood was engaged as a mill sawyer in addition to farming. Andrew Hall married Miss Jane Merrill, of Falmouth, Me., who died on December 30, 1826. He died August 31, 1831, at eighty-one years of age. They had ten children, all of whom have passed away.

George Hall, son of Andrew and Jane (Merrill) Hall, was reared to farm life, and,

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on starting out for himself, chose agriculture as his vocation. The farm he purchased is a portion of the original estate of Hatevil Hall, and he was there successfully engaged in gen- eral farming during the active years of his life. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Hall, bore him seven children, three of whom are still living, namely: Sarah, the wife of Joseph McDonald, of Gray, Me .; Andrew Merrill Hall, residing at Cumberland Mills, Me .; and Benjamin F. Hall, of this sketch. In political views their father was a Democrat, but never served in public office. He was an attendant of the Baptist church.

Benjamin F. Hall in his early years at- tended the public school of Falmouth, now West Falmouth; and, after completing his course of study, he engaged in farming with his father during the summer, and in the winter he worked at teaming. He remained with his father until he was thirty years of age, then purchased the old John Marston place in West Falmouth, where he still re- sides. This farm contains about one hundred acres of woodland and meadow, and produces about sixty tons of hay yearly. He keeps three to four horses and about eighteen head of cattle. Since he bought the property he has made substantial improvements, not only in the land, having brought a portion of the pasturage under cultivation, but also in the buildings. He has built a new house and barn, and made additions and improvements in the out-buildings, so that all about the place are evidences of thrift and enterprise.

In 1854 Mr. Hall was joined in marriage with Miss Mary R. Brackett, a daughter of Dr. Samuel Brackett, of Falmouth, Me. Their home was blessed and brightened by the birth of a son and daughter, both of whom are living: Mary T. is the wife of Jerry Martin, of Dorchester, Mass. ; and George L. Hall is associated with his father in the milk busi- ness. He served as Selectman of West Fal- mouth in 1892 and 1893. Mrs. Mary R. Hall died in March 12, 1883.

Mr. Hall is an adherent of the Democratic party, and has often been chosen to fill posi- tions of public trust. Between the years 1868 and 1881 he held the office of Selectman nine years, one term of four years, another of three

years, and a third of two years, and during seven years of that time he was Chairman of the Board. Besides this he has served as Town Agent seven or eight years; and as Auditor of Accounts for a long term. He was President and a Director of the Falmouth Mutual Fire Insurance Company for twenty- five years.

ILLIAM WALLACE THOMAS, M.D., who occupies a conspicuous position among the leading physi- cians of this part of Cumberland County, has an extensive and valuable practice in the town of Yarmouth, where he has been actively en- gaged for a quarter of a century, a longer period of time than any other physician, with the exception of Dr. Bates. Dr. Thomas is a native of Maine, having been born, June 4, 1838, in Oxford, Oxford County, son of George W. Thomas.

His paternal grandfather, Holmes Thomas, a native of Kingston, Mass., was an carly settler of Oxford County ; and there he worked industriously at farming and shoemaking for many years. He died in Dixfield, at the age of fourscore and three years. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, being with General Washington at White Plains, where he served as Assistant Quartermaster. His wife, whose maiden name was Lucy Church- ill, also lived to the age of eighty-three years. They had a family of six sons and four daugh- ters, the Doctor's father being the youngest child.

George W. Thomas was a native of Oxford, formerly called Hebron, his birth occurring April 20, 1801. He spent his life in agri- cultural pursuits, having an excellently culti- vated farm in Oxford, which continued his abiding-place throughout his seventy-five years of useful life. He was ever held in deep re- spect by his neighbors and friends, being identified with the best interests of the place. He was a Whig in politics, and a consistent member of the Baptist church, which he liber- ally assisted in supporting. He married Mar- garet Ann Blankenburg, who was born March 15, 1808, in Portland, and survived his death a few years, passing away in 1886. The ten

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children born to them are all now living; namely, George W., Simeon P., Cyrus K., William Wallace, Helen M., Robert C. and Mary C. (twins), John F., Adelaide C., and Leonora H.

Dr. William W. Thomas grew to manhood beneath the parental roof, working on the farm during seed-time and harvest, and attending the district school in the winter seasons. When twenty years of age, he struck out for himself, going to Massachusetts, where he was hired as a farm laborer by George D. Hough- ton, and received for his wages fifteen dollars a month. In 1862 he enlisted in Company I, Twenty-third Maine Volunteer Infantry, being made Orderly Sergeant of the company. At the expiration of his nine months' term of en- listment he was honorably discharged from the service, and returned to the place of his nativity. The following three years he pur- sued his studies at Old Hebron Academy, after which he spent three years with Dr. Josiah Carr in Mechanic Falls, reading medi- cine, paying his expenses by teaching school, and likewise attending lectures at the Maine Medical School, which is connected with Bowdoin College in Brunswick, receiving his diploma from that well-known institution in 1869. In 1870 Dr. Thomas came to Yar- mouthville, where he has met with eminent success, his intellectual attainments and pro- fessional skill winning for him the confidence and esteem of people in all ranks of life. In politics the Doctor is a stanch Republican. He served for four years on the School Board during his residence in Oxford, and for an equal length of time in this town, which, to- gether with North Yarmouth in the years 1877 and 1879, he represented in the State legisla- ture. He is a Grand Army of the Republic man, belonging to W. L. Haskell Post, No. 108, in Yarmouth.

On June 20, 1877, Dr. Thomas was united in marriage with Clara M. Smith, who was born in Lisbon, Androscoggin County, being a daughter of the late Jerome W. Smith and his wife, formerly Eliza Porter, of Freeport. Dr. and Mrs. Thomas have two sons, namely : Roy W., who was born April 3, 1878, now in Bowdoin College; and Dean Stanley, born July 31, 1887. Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Thomas's

mother, makes her home with the Doctor's family, living in her own house. Dr. Thomas and his estimable wife attend the First Con- gregational Church, but are progressive and liberal in their religious belief, realizing that

" True salvation is to live the life divine, And that heaven is now and ever where true love and goodness shine."

- ORACE H. SHAW, one of the lead- ing shoe manufacturers in the State of Maine, was born in Hampden, Penobscot County, February 18, 1842, son of Abiel and Dorcas Elizabeth (Philbrook) Shaw. His father was a son of William Shaw, of Frankfort, Me., and was for many years engaged in farming in Hampden. His mother was a daughter of Moses Phil- brook, also a resident of that town.

Horace H. Shaw's boyhood was spent on his father's farm, where work was plenty and edu- cational facilities were few. In his sixteenth year, having won his father's consent that he should obtain an education by his own efforts, he began to earn his own living; and by work- ing summers and teaching school in the winter he procured means to fit himself for college. In the summer of 1862 he was prepared to enter college; but, under the call of President Lincoln for "three hundred thousand more," he enlisted in Company F, Eighteenth Regi- ment Maine Volunteers, was mustered as First Sergeant, and was promoted to Second Lieu- tenant in January, 1863. His alertness in the discharge of his duty and soldierly bearing in action won him favor with his superior officers ; and he was next detached as an Aide- de-camp to the brigade commander, and dur- ing his service in that capacity was assigned to duty as ordnance officer and inspector of artillery. The following summer he was pro- moted to the rank of First Lieutenant.

In 1863 his regiment, the Eighteenth Maine, was changed to the First Regiment Maine Heavy Artillery, and was in some of the severest actions of the war. In the cam- paign of 1864 he acted as Aide-de-camp to the brigade commander, and was in the battles of Spottsylvania, North Anna, Hanover Court- house, Totopotomy Creek, Cold Harbor, and

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Petersburg, being in active service from May, 1864, to September, 1865. In February, 1864, he was commissioned Captain, but de- clined muster. In the last campaign of 1865 he was ordered to the Quartermaster's Depart- ment, Third Division Second Army Corps, charged with important and critical duty. Mr. Shaw was at the capture of Petersburg, the battles at Sailor's Creek, Farmville, Rice's Station, and High Bridge, and was present at the surrender of Lee at Appomattox. He was retained in service when the army was dis- banded, and ordered on June 15 to Fort Baker, Md., with a remnant of his regiment, which was consolidated with the Third, Fourth, Seventeenth, and Nineteenth Maine Regi- ments. He was brigade Quartermaster from June 16 to September 5, 1865, when he was mustered out of service with his regiment.

During the whole of his brilliant military career it had been his intention to return to college when his term of service was ended; but the intense activity of his later army life had unfitted him for a student, and he com- menced business as a grocer in his native town, associating himself with another gentle- man, under the firm name of Shaw & Smith. After a very successful year he sold out, and went to Boston to study law, preparatory to entering a larger field. In February, 1867, he entered the employ of C. H. Breed & Co., shoe manufacturers of Portland, as a salesman. In company with A. Walden he succeeded this firm in 1871 as Walden & Shaw, and in 1873 organized the firm of Shaw, Goding & Co., which did the leading business in the State in their line up to 1893. In 1886 Mr. Shaw established a large and successful shoe industry at Freeport, Me., under the style of A. W. Shaw & Co., and in 1895 bought out a plant at Lewiston, Me., and established there one of the largest factories in the State. He is now also largely engaged in the manu- facture of shoes in Portland, and has an office in Boston, and business in nearly every por- tion of the United States.

Politically, a Republican, he has served in the city government and in the State legisla- ture; and he was chosen elector-at-large, and made President of the Electoral College, cast- ing the vote of the State for Benjamin Harri-

son in 1888. In religion a Methodist, he is a member of the Congress Street Church, and was delegate from Maine to the Second ŒEcumenical Conference in Washington in 1891 ; and he is a Trustee of the Maine Wes- leyan Seminary and Female College, and has done good work for the institution. He has done much for the part of the city of Portland where he resides, and has been active in pro- moting all forward movements for the good of the various places where he has had interests.

He married in August, 1867, Celeste M. Gay, daughter of William and Rhoda Gay, of East Corinth, Me. They have one daughter, Mrs. Anabel Shaw Smart, well known in Port- land literary circles, and one son, Winfield L. Shaw, who at this writing, 1896, is aged seventeen years, preparing for Harvard Col- lege (Portland High School, class 1896), and is Major, commanding the battalion High School Cadets.

ESSE DYER, as a manufacturer, mer- chant, and dealer in real estate, has long been identified with the business interests and industries of that part of Cape Elizabeth that is now called South Port- land, which is the place of his nativity, the clate of his birth being November 29, 1823. He is of honored pioneer stock, his great- grandparents having resided here for many years.

Christopher Dyer, of the next generation, was a sca-faring man, sailing in the Cuban trade. On one of his voyages to the West Indies he was taken sick, died, and was buried in the sea. He was a man of exceed- ing thrift and enterprise, accumulating con- siderable money, which he invested in land in this town. He was a stanch member of the Whig party, and quite liberal in his religious views. He married and reared a family of four children, among them being Jesse Dyer, Sr., father of the gentleman whose name ap- pears at the head of this sketch.

Jesse Dyer, Sr., was born July 15, 1780, on the homestead of his parents in Cape Eliza- beth, and was reared to agricultural labors. In his mature life becoming the practical manager of the estate left by his father, he

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built a, grist and carding mill, and operated both in conjunction with farming. He like- wise cut a great deal of wood, supplying many of the brickyards of this locality with fuel. He married Mary, daughter of Joseph Brown, of Scarboro; and they became the parents of eight children, the following being recorded of them : George, who is dead, left one daugh- ter, Henrietta; Stephen, deceased, left two children; Christopher, deceased, left threc children; Mrs. Elmira Fickett died, leaving two children; Mrs. Mary Hatch, deccased, left two children; Jesse is the special subject of this sketch; Columba and Hester (twins), both died, the former leaving thrce children, and the latter, who married a Mr. Gray, left but one child.

Jesse Dyer is the only surviving child of his parents. He was educated in the common schools of Cape Elizabeth, and, when quite young, began working as helper in putting up a telegraph line between Boston and New York, after which he became a section boss on the Portland, Saco & Portsmouth Railway, remaining with that company for about six years. He was next employed in the same capacity on the Kennebec Railway, remaining with that company for fourtecn years, with the exception of two years, when he was engaged in the grocery business at Cape Elizabeth depot, where in 1855 he was appointed Post- master, having the office in his store. In 1857 he sold out his store, and resumed work on the railway. Subsequently, in company with his brother Georgc, Mr. Dyer started a brickyard in this town, under the firm name of Dyer Brothers, continuing awhile, when Jesse bought out his brother's share of the business, which he conducted alone for many years. He built up a large trade, furnishing brick for many buildings, including the Port - land Kerosene Oil Works, Hyde's Oil Fac- tory, the North School building, and many others. Although he never served an appren- ticcship, Mr. Dyer picked up a good knowl- edge of the mason's trade, in which he did a great deal of very successful work, taking con- tracts for building foundations and cellars, in this capacity laying the foundation wall for the Brown Hill Church in this town. Mr. Dyer, whose energy, enterprise, and ability

were untiring, also speculated extensively in real estate, buying land and erecting houses, making the brick, laying the foundations, and with the assistance of unskilled laboring men doing the carpentry, his transactions in this linc also being most successful.

In 1874 Mr. Dycr established himself in a new business, building a dam and erecting an ice-house at Cape Elizabeth. In that year he cut a good deal of icc, but had hard work to compete with the ice firms of Portland, the citizens fcaring his crop would not hold out through the season. The following year, however, his business had so increased that hc admitted Norris Curtis to partnership; and under the firm name of Dyer & Curtis they es- tablished an office in Portland, continuing to- gether three years. In 1878 Mr. Dyer built a store and grist-mill at Cape Elizabeth, and also engaged in the hay and grain business, build- ing up a large local tradc, conducting it until 1889, when he sold out to E. Matthews. At Knightsville Mr. Dyer then built an ice- house, with a capacity of two thousand tons; and that winter his ice crop was thirty-five hundred tons, all of which he sold to New York parties, loading one vessel with two thousand two hundred and scventeen tons, the largest shipment at that time ever made from Portland. He afterward sold his ice plant and privileges, and in 1892 went into the hay and grain business again, taking as a partner a Mr. Jordan, who purchased the business in 1 894.

Mr. Dyer, while attending to his own inter- ests, has ever been mindful of the welfare of his native town, giving material aid to schemes for local improvement, and contribut- ing the land for a street, which is now called Evans Street. He is a stanch Democrat in his political affiliations, but hot an aspirant for official honors.

Mr. Dyer has been twice married, his first wife, whom he wedded on October 14, 1851, having been Martha J., daughter of Nathaniel Fickett, of Danville, Me. She passed to the higher life May 1, 1890, leaving four children, of whom a record may be found in connection with the sketch of John A. S. Dyer, the second child in order of birth. On December 18, 1891, Mr. Dyer was unitcd in

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marriage with Mrs. Addie L. (Bean) Swain, a native of Wilton, the daughter of Joshua Bean and the widow of the late Nathan Swain. Both Mr. and Mrs. Dyer are people of strong religious principles, and sincere members of the Methodist church.

UGUSTUS ERVIN STEVENS, who died on November 10, 1882, was a prominent merchant of Portland and an ex-mayor of the city. He was born in Westbrook (now Deering), September 25, 1825, son of Samuel B. and Sally Briscoe (Francis) Stevens, and on the maternal side was related to the famous Paul Revere. Mr. Stevens was the oldest of a family of six, one of whom died in infancy. The others are as follows: Samuel H., who was agent of the Boston & Maine Railroad in 1882; Granville M., agent of the Fibre Ware Company ; Frank G., registrar of deeds for Cumberland County ; and Mrs. Starr, wife of Judge Starr, of Illi- nois.

Their father, Samuel B. Stevens, was a de- scendant of Benjamin Stevens, who purchased a piece of land of Isaac Sawyer in Back Cove in 1738. Benjamin Stevens married Martha Sawyer, and had a son, Isaac Sawyer Stevens, who was born September 17, 1748, and died October 23, 1820. He was a Sergeant in the Revolutionary War. Isaac Sawyer Stevens married Sarah Brackett, who was born October 17, 1748, and died February 23, 1830. She was the daughter of Zachariah Brackett, fifth son of Zachariah Brackett and Judith Sawyer. Isaac S. and Sarah (Brackett) Stevens had a son, Zachariah Brackett Stevens, who was born November 20, 1778, and died May 15, 1856. He married Miriam Bailey, who was born in 1778, and died December 13, 1865.

Samuel B. Stevens, son of Zachariah B. and Miriam (Bailey) Stevens, was an old and re- spected merchant of Portland. His wife, Sally Briscoe Francis, who was born Novem- ber 11, 1799, and died July 6, 1890, traced her ancestry back to the De Rivoires, a family of noble lineage, who came originally from Romagnieu, Vienne, and Saint-Jean, in the south-eastern part of France. Certain mem- bers of the family, who were Huguenots, fled

from France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. The genealogy runs as follows : "Jean de Rivoire married Magdeleine Mala- perge; and they had a son Isaac, who was mar- ried in 1694 to Serenne Lambert. Their son Apollos, who was born in 1702, became a resi- dent of Boston when about thirteen years of age, and was apprenticed to a silversmith. He changed his name to Paul Revere, because the English tongue had trouble in pronouncing it in its original form, Apollos de Rivoire. Paul Revere, first, died in 1754. He married in 1729 Deborah Hitchborn, of Boston; and they had twelve children, the third being Paul. A daughter, Mary Revere, married first Ed- mund Rose, second Alexander Baker. She had three children - Mary, Sarah, and Philip. The latter died at sea. Mary, daughter of Edmund and Mary (Revere) Rose, married Caleb Francis; and they reared five children -- Mary, Isabel, Sally Briscoe (Mrs. Samuel B. Stevens), Maria, and Harriet."

Augustus Ervin Stevens received a good education in the common schools and the semi- nary at Westbrook, and then began the work of life as a clerk in the establishment of Day & Lyon, who were in the paper business on Exchange Street, Portland. Subsequently he entered the employ of Tinkham & Foss, whole- sale grocers, with whom his father was asso- ciated in business ; and he next formed a part- nership with the Hon. John Lynch, under the firm name of Lynch & Stevens, for years con- ducting a thriving wholesale grocery trade. Mr. Stevens's next venture was in the iron trade, in company with Mr. Little, their business being transacted under the style of Little & Stevens. Later the firm name was changed to A. E. Stevens & Co., a name which for many years has been prominent in the mercantile annals of Portland. Mr. Stevens was success- ful in all his business operations, and accumu- lated considerable property. He established a reputation for unblemished integrity in all his dealings ; and, as an instance of his straight- forward business ways, it may be mentioned that a neighboring firm offered to pay him for the wear and tear of his wharf occasioned by their teams, and he refused, saying that it be- longed to him to keep the wharf in repair. He was a Director of the Casco Bank, the first

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Treasurer of the Portland & Ogdensburg Rail- road, and Treasurer of the Westbrook Semi- nary ; and he held office in several benevolent institutions.

In politics he was a stanch Republican. He was in political office only two years, 1866-67, but during those two years held the highest office within the gift of the city, being Mayor of Portland. The first year he ran against A. K. Shurtleff, the Democratic can- didate, and received two thousand two hundred and nineteen votes, his adversary receiving but nine hundred and thirty-four, with one hundred and thirty-two scattering. During his Mayoralty the great fire occurred, and he was nearly prostrated by the care it imposed upon him. The next year he was re-elected by a vote of one thousand six hundred and three to seven hundred and fifty-seven. Mr. Stevens died November 10, 1882, of heart dis- ease. He was sitting in his easy-chair in the parlor of his home, 97 Spring Street, talking with his eldest son while awaiting the tea bell, when his head suddenly fell backward. He gave a few gasps, and all was over. He was a citizen that Portland could ill afford to lose - a thorough gentleman, kind, considerate, benevolent, and withal a competent business man.

Mr. Stevens was twice married. His first wife was Jane Tyler, daughter of the late Samuel Tyler, of Portland. She was the mother of four daughters and two sons ; namely, Samuel A., Almena, Mary Fletcher, Eliza- beth Tyler, Julia Francis, and Paul Revere. Samuel A. and Paul Revere are conducting the business established by their father, using the old firm name. Samuel A. Stevens mar- ried Harriet P., daughter of Z. James and Mary Jane (Pennewell) Belt, of Wilmington, Del. ; and they have one daughter, Janet. They are attendants of St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Paul R. Stevens married Lena H., daughter of George and Annie (Hayes) Goldthwaite, of Boston; and they have one son, Burrows Goldthwaite Stevens. They attend the Uni- tarian church. By his second wife, Mary Maling, daughter of Captain Moses C. Maling, of Kennebunk, Mr. Stevens had one son, Ervin Maling Stevens, who lives with his mother.

AVID LAWRENCE, of West Gray, Cumberland County, Me., a success- ful farmer and a veteran of the Civil War, was born in the town of Gray, January 22, 1823. His parents were Ephraim, Jr., and Fanny (Small) Lawrence; and his paternal grandfather was Ephraim Lawrence, Sr., a native of Groton, Mass., whose ances- tors were of English descent, he being a near relative of the Hon. Amos and the Hon. Abbott Lawrence, prominent citizens of Massa- chusetts in the early part of the present century.

Ephraim Lawrence, Sr., married Sarah Sar- telle, a native of Pepperell, Mass. ; and they removed to the State of Maine about 1802, living for a while in Harrison and Otisfield, Cumberland County, and later removing to Gray, where they passed the remainder of their lives. Ephraim Lawrence, Sn, was an indus- trious farmer, and an honest, upright, and use- ful citizen. He had a brother Asa who was a Captain in the Revolutionary War.

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Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Cumberland County, Maine, Part 17

Author: Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Boston : Biographical Review Publishing Company Number of Pages: 722

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Boston : Biographical Review Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 722