USA > Maine > Oxford County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 12
USA > Maine > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 12
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Asa Packard acquired his education in the common schools of his native town. In his early manhood he worked as a farm laborer in Paris township. Going thence to Hing-
ham, Mass., he was employed with his father for a time in that village. Soon after his re- turn to Greenwood he married and settled on a farm, where for ten years he was successfully engaged in agriculture. He then bought his present estate, containing one hundred acres of land. It lies in Norway and Greenwood townships, the residence being within the limits of Greenwood. Mr. Packard carries on general farming and dairying, and is some- what interested in poultry raising. He learned' the carpenter's trade when a young man, and has worked at it more or less during his life. In 1878 he built his present comfortable and convenient dwelling. Polit- ically, he is a strong advocate of Democratic principles. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of West Paris and to the Patrons of Husbandry of Norway.
Mr Packard was married February 27, 1855, to Miss Sarah E. Doughty, who was born March 25, 1835, in Greenwood township. Her parents, Major Charles and Jemima (Young) Doughty, were lifelong residents of this town, where they were engaged in farm- ing. Mr. and Mrs. Packard have four chil- dren ; namely, Frank S., Emma, Dora A., and Edward D. Frank S., born April 21, 1857, married Lizzie Fogg, of Norway, and they live on the home farm; Emma, born March 7, 1859, is the wife of Frank H. Hill, a barber in West Paris, and has one child, Dora Irene; Dora A., born November 16, 1861, died at the age of eighteen years; and Edward D., born February 27, 1863, married Elvesa D. Curtis, and they also, with their little son, Elmer D., live on the home farm.
OLLIN TOWNE, who has . been closely identified with the agricult- ural interests of Norway township throughout the greater part of his active life, was born February 17, 1829, on the farm where he now resides. His father, Daniel Towne, was a son of Peter Towne, who was a farmer and a lifelong resident of Andover, Mass. During the Revolutionary War Peter Towne was a teamster in the army, and received a serious injury while serving in that capacity.
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Daniel Towne was born and educated in Andover, from which place he came to Ox- ford County in 1808. He settled in the northern part of Norway township, where he cleared and improved a homestead, worked at the blacksmith's trade, and lived here until his death in 1859. He married Susan Gur- ney, a native of Minard, Me., who, having survived him a few years, died in February, 1865. Their eight children were: Daniel G., who was a successful physician of Lowell, Mass., and died in Lovell, Me .; Fannie, who is the widow of P. D. Judkins, and lives at Newtonville, Mass. ; Abiah, who is the widow of Louis Frost, and resides in Lowell, Mass. ; Honor P., who married Joel W. Chadbourn, of Waterford, Me., both now deceased; Jona- than G., who married Abbie Crockett, also both deceased; Eshburn P., now a resident of Mississippi, who married the late Caroline Dresser, of Lovell, this county; Rollin, the subject of this sketch; and Andrew Jackson, who died at the age of ten years.
Rollin Towne acquired his education in the district schools of Norway, and on the home farm obtained a practical knowledge of agri- culture. On attaining his majority he went to Milford, Mass., where he worked at farming for a year. His services being needed at home, he returned there; and from that time until the death of his parents he cared for them, at the same time conducting the farm. He has since assumed possession of the home- stead property, which contains seventy acres of land, and is in a fine condition, owing to his diligent and persevering efforts. Mr. Towne did much of the manual labor himself, working early and late, until 1880, since when rheumatism has obliged him to depend largely upon hired help. He has been a stanch Re- publican since casting his first Presidential vote for Franklin Pierce in 1852. He has never been an office-seeker, but has served in several of the less important town offices. Both he and his wife attend the Congrega- tional church near their home.
On September 26, 1852, Mr. Towne mar- ried Miss Nancy J. Hayes, who was born June 7, 1830, in Poland, Me., which was also the birthplace of her parents, Isaac and Martha (Swett) Hayes. After working for many
years at the carpenter's trade in Poland, where he resided until 1864, Mr. Hayes purchased a farm in Greenwood township, and lived there for ten years. Coming then to Norway, he was engaged in general farming for some time. Subsequently he removed to Lewiston, this State, and there lived with a daughter until his demise in 1884. He had survived his wife, who passed away in 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Towne have six children, namely : Charles H., who married Lillian Barstow, and is overseer of the Bates Mills at Lewiston ; George R., who died at the age of twenty- four years; Carrie I., who is the wife of Sam- uel J. Caldwell, the manager of a large stable at South Boston, Mass. ; Fannie E., the wife of Horace G. Dinsmore, an enterprising farmer of Norway township; William Frank, who married Nellie Merrill, of Gardiner, Me., and is now running a milk wagon in Arling- ton, Mass. ; and Emma E., the wife of Gilbert Upton, of Tulare, Cal., where he has a large ranch.
HARLES E. PERKINS, an enter- prising young farmer of New Sharon, was born at the family homestead in this town, July 16, 1866, son of Samuel F. and Annette (Smith) Perkins. His grandfather, Samuel Perkins, who was a native of Woolwich, Me., came here from that town and bought the land now owned by his grand- son. This property Samuel cleared and im- proved into a good farm, which he cultivated with industry during the rest of his active period. His last days were spent in this town, where he died in 1869, aged seventy-nine years.
Samuel F. Perkins, who was born in Wool- wich, June 1, 1825, accompanied his parents to New Sharon, being then fifteen years old. Beginning at the age of seventeen, he assisted on the farm until 1862. In that year he en- listed as a private in the Twenty-eighth Regi- ment, Maine Volunteer Infantry, and after- ward served one year in the Civil War. After returning to civil life he resumed his former occupation. At his father's death he suc- ceeded to the homestead, and conducted it prosperously until a year previous to his death,
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when he sold it to his son and retired from active labor. He died February 27, 1889, aged sixty-four years. In politics he acted with the Republican party, while his religious beliefs were those of a liberal. His wife, Annette, whom he married December 21, 1863, was born in New Sharon, June 11, 1836, daughter of William and Mary (Dyer) Smith, both natives of this town. She became the mother of three children, as follows: Mary C., born October 11, 1864, who married Cory- don Bailey, of Industry, and has three children -- Charles, Leon, and Clarence; Charles E., the subject of this sketch ; and Lura M., born August 25, 1873, who married Frank M. Teb- betts, of Norway, Me., and has one son, Ray. Mr. Perkins's mother is still living, and re- sides with her son at the homestead.
Charles E. Perkins was educated in the schools of New Sharon, and was reared to farm life. He has always resided at the homestead, which he now owns, having purchased it from his father, as already stated. The farm is well located, and takes rank among the most productive in this part of the county. Besides raising the usual crops, he cultivates an or- chard containing seven hundred grafted fruit- trees, and keeps a large flock of coarse-wool sheep, four head of cattle, and three excellent horses. Since taking possession of the prop- erty he has improved the buildings and much increased the fertility of the soil. Progressive and enterprising, he is constantly alert to avail himself of all opportunities for advancement. In politics Mr. Perkins takes an independent course. He is regarded as one of the rising young men of this town.
HESLEY H. FERNALD, of Albany, Oxford County, Me., is one of the representative citizens of the town, who by toiling industriously from early boyhood has attained prosperity and po- sition. He was born in Lincoln, Me., March 18, 1833, the son of George W. and Mary (Kneeland) Fernald.
George W. Fernald, who was a native of Lincoln, Me., and in early manhood was there engaged in farming, removed from Lincoln to Albany when his son, Chesley H., was
about five years old, settling on a farm in the southern part of the town. At the time of the Civil War he left his pleasant home and family for the disease-breeding fields of the South; and he never greeted his wife and children again, for he was taken ill in the army and died. His wife breathed her last in Albany, Me. Seven children were born to this couple, namely: Chesley H., whose name appears at the head of the present sketch; Nancy Jane, widow of Clark C. White in Raymond, N.H. ; Oliver N., who is in the shoe business in Danvers, Mass .; George W., a dentist, in Bethel Hill village, Me. ; Julia E., who was born April 9, 1850, and died December 3, 1867; Hersey E., an engineer in Pennsylvania; and an unnamed child, who died in infancy.
Chesley H. Fernald in his boyhood re- ceived a limited common-school education. He helped about the home farm in early man- hood, and remained in his native town until 1876, when he went to Milton, N. H., staying there three years, engaged in making shook; and he was subsequently in Ebensburg, Pa., seven months, engaged in the same industry. He then returned to Albany, where he has since resided; and in 1880 he erected a saw- mill near his home, forming a partnership with Parker N. Flint. The firm makes a specialty of spool lumber, and has a growing, prosperous business. Mr. Fernald is exten- sively engaged in farming, owning some five hundred acres of land, much of which is highly improved, and also raising live stock. A hard-working and persevering man, he has added to his property little by little until he has become one of the foremost manufacturers and real estate owners in the town of Albany.
He was married on November 22, 1855, to Elizabeth J. Meader, of Stoneham, this county, the daughter of George P. and Martha (Cross) Meader. George P. Meader, who was a Mas- sachusetts man, settled in Stoneham at an early day, and was there engaged for years in the pursuit of agriculture. He died in 1893, and his wife also has passed to the world beyond. Mr. and Mrs. Fernald have two children - Alton, the elder, born October 12, 1859, who lives with his father, married Miss Lydia Mar- shall; Nellie A., born in September, 1862, is
CHESLEY H. FERNALD.
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the wife of Parker N. Flint, Mr. Fernald's business partner. Mr. Fernald is a Republi- can, and though he is not an office-seeker, he served as Third Selectman of Albany one year. He is a member of Oxford Lodge, No. 61, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of North Waterford.
LIVER P. FARRINGTON, a well- known horse dealer of Oxford County and an influential citizen of the town of Greenwood, was born September 16, 1851, in Andover, Me., son of Samuel Farrington, Jr. His grandfather, Samuel Farrington, Sr., who was born and reared to man's estate in Stow, this county, subse- quently became a resident of Andover, where he cleared and improved a homestead, living there until his demise. Grandfather Farring- ton's wife, whose maiden name was Dresser, had four children; namely, Matilda, Hannah, Abigail, and Samuel, Jr. Hannah became the wife of Lorenzo Hanson, of Andover.
Samuel Farrington, Jr., who died in 1862, was a native of Andover, where he owned a farm for many years. From childhood he had a strong tendency toward religious work, and for many years travelled throughout his native State as a minister of the Methodist Episcopal denomination, preaching in the country towns. He married Susanna Coffin, a native of Milan, N.H. She survived him, and is now the wife of John Abbott, a retired farmer of Bethel, this county. Her children by Samuel Far- rington are: Jennie, the wife of Calvin San- born, of Bethel, Me. ; Oliver P., the subject of this sketch; Abbie, the wife of Gilbert Coffin, living at Locke's Mills, this county ; Charles, a resident of Brockton, Mass .; and, Earl P., a farmer, living at Greenwood, who married Mabel Herrick. By her second mar- riage she has one child, Morton T. Abbott.
Oliver P. Farrington attended school until eleven years old, when, his father dying, he began to fight life's battles by himself. Until seventeen years old he worked on neighboring farms, and then went to Locke's Mills, where he obtained a position in the spool factory, and for ten years or thereabout was engaged in turning spools. He has continued his resi-
dence at this place, but has since been en- gaged in horse dealing and general farming. He owns a fine farm of one hundred and forty acres in Bethel township, where he raises many horses of the Patchen stock. In his speculations, which have been very successful, he deals in all breeds. A lover of horses and well acquainted with their characteristics, he has little trouble in breaking and training them, developing their good qualities, and controlling their refractory tendencies.
Mr. Farrington was married August 18, 1878, to Miss Alice M. Crooker, who was born in Bethel, this county. She is a daugh- ter of Washington and Serena (Bartlett) Crooker, lifelong members of the farming community of Bethel. In politics Mr. Far- rington actively supports the principles of the Democratic party. He has served acceptably in many of the local offices, including that of Collector, which he held for three years. He is now a member of the Board of Selectmen.
OHN O. STAPLES, one of the prosper- ous general farmers of Temple, Frank- lin County, was born April 6, 1827, upon the farm in this town now occu- pied by his brother, Gideon K. Staples, son of Gideon and Sarah (Oakes) Staples. His grandparents, Gideon and Susannah (Staples) Staples, who originally resided in Dover, N. H., moved from there to Maine, first set- tling in North Berwick, and later removing to Temple. The township was but thinly settled when they arrived here. They settled upon the hill where their grandson, Gideon K., now resides; and there Grandfather Staples cleared a good farm from the wilderness. He died here aged seventy years. His wife lived to the age of ninety-eight. Their children were: Susannah, Nathaniel, Gideon, Susannah (sec- ond), Susannah (third), Betsey, Gideon (second), Hannah, William, George, Daniel, and Joanna.
Gideon Staples, Mr. Staples's father, was born in Dover, N. H., December 1, 1785. When a young man he bought and cleared one hundred and sixty acres of land adjoining his father's property, and also worked at the carpenter's trade. His land was originally
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covered with pine and spruce timber. He took advantage of the fact by building a small saw-mill on the creek near by, and manufact- uring from this timber the material for a frame house, which is still standing. He tilled the soil successfully for many years. When not needed at home it was his habit to go to the coast towns and engage in the work of a ship-carpenter. His last job at the car- penter's trade was the construction of the frame of the house now occupied by his son, Gideon K. His death occurred here in No- vember, 1872. His wife, Sarah, who was a daughter of John Oakes, became the mother of seven children; namely, Hannah B., Mary M., Gideon K., Sarah P., Eleanor, Jotham S., and John O. She died January 19, 1877. Both parents were members of the Congrega- tional church.
John O. Staples acquired his education in the district school. When old enough to be of use he began to assist upon the farm. He resided at home until he was thirty-one years old, and then bought the Lock farm of one hundred and sixty acres, where he has since lived. Beginning improvements soon after taking possession of the property, he set out an orchard of three hundred trees, the most of which were grafted, rebuilt the barn and other out-buildings, and in 1869 erected his present residence. He has been quite suc- cessful in raising abundant crops of an excel- lent quality.
On November 29, 1858, Mr. Staples wedded Cordelia Cook, who was born in Madrid, Me., daughter of Nathaniel and Matilda (Doyen) Cook, the former of whom was a carpenter and a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Staples have had three children, as follows: William, who died , in infancy ; Eva C., born February 26, 1865, who married Henry C. Norton, and has one daughter, Blanche I., whose birth occurred September 10, 1889; and Blanche L., who died at the age of sixteen years. Both parents are members of the Congregational church. In politics Mr. Staples is a Republican. He served the town as a Selectman for six years and as head of the School Committee for eleven years. He takes a warm interest in all matters relating to the general good of the community.
OSHUA C. HEALD, who, in com- pany with his brother, conducts a saw- mill and block manufactory at North Buckfield, was born in Buckfield, March 24, 1830, son of Washington and Eliza (Allen) Heald. His grandfather, Ben- jamin Heald, who was a native of Massachu- setts, served in the Revolutionary War when he was seventeen or eighteen years old. Ben- jamin moved from Carlisle, Mass., to Sumner, this county, of which place he was a pioneer. He tilled the soil of a good farm with in- dustry for many years, was one of the first saw-mill operatives in Sumner, and died there in 1842 at a good old age. The maiden name of his wife was Rebecca Spaulding.
Washington Heald was born in Sumner in 1803. In young manhood he began to work in the mills in his native town. In the course of time he became an expert mill man, and subsequently, in 1835-36, having settled in Buckfield, he built the saw and grist mills at North Buckfield. A stirring, energetic busi- ness man, who did much toward developing the industrial resources of this locality, he carried on a thriving business until his death, which occurred when he was seventy-four years old. He was a Democrat in politics, and held the appointment of Postmaster here for several years. His wife, Eliza, who was born in Plymouth, Mass., became the mother of nine children, six of whom are living; namely, George W., Joshua C., Caroline D., Benjamin F., William P., and Enos D. The others were: Betsey, Rebecca, and Eliza Jane. The mother reached the age of eighty-three years. Both parents attended the Universal- ist church.
Joshua C. Heald was educated in the dis- trict schools, and grew to manhood in Buck- field. When a mere boy he began working in the mills with his father, acquiring a general knowledge of every part of the trade. At the present time he is one of the best all-round mill men and one of the finest wood turners in this section of the State. He and his brother, Benjamin F. Heald, succeeded to the ownership of the mill property, which they now carry on, making a specialty of producing blocks of a superior quality, and doing an ex- tensive general saw-mill business. On Octo-
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ber 22, 1854, Mr. Heald wedded Olynthia A. Swallow, who was born in Buckfield, No- vember 12, 1835, daughter of Larnard and Drusilla (Keen) Swallow. Mr. Swallow was an industrious farmer of Buckfield, which was his native place; and he died at the age of fifty-four years. His wife, who was born in Sumner, lived to be eighty-two years old. Mr. and Mrs. Heald have had six children, as follows: Fred E., born July 25, 1855, who is married, lives in North Buckfield, and has one daughter, Nellie M., born September 25, 1895; Clinton S., born June 10, 1858, who died November 19, 1862; Anna R., who, born May 18, 1861, died October 1, 1891, having married C. A. Bonney, of West Sum- ner, by whom she had one daughter, M. Eliza- beth, born August 24, 1887; Preston C., born December 19, 1864, who is a miller at North Buckfield; Harry M., born December 14, 1870, who is now a student of the Maine Medical School at Brunswick; and Isa Maud, born July 5, 1873, who is an accomplished teacher and musician, and resides at home.
In politics Mr. Heald is a Democrat, and has served with ability as a member of the Board of Selectmen for one term. The saw- mill and block factory conducted by him and his brother constitute the leading industry in this vicinity. He is counted among the prom- inent and representative residents. Both he and Mrs. Heald are Universalists.
OHN W. BENNETT, one of the larg- est lumber dealers in the State of Maine, present Postmaster at Gilead, Oxford County, his place of residence, has carved his fortune with his own hands; and his career strikingly illustrates what may be accomplished by persevering and honorable ambition. He was born in Portsmouth, N. H., March 28, 1847, and is a son of Stephen and Sarah A. (Berry) Bennett.
Stephen Bennett, his father, was born in Stanstead, Canada, but was reared and edu- cated in Wakefield, N.H. In early manhood he settled in Portsmouth, opening a carriage shop, which he operated for a great many years, winning fair success. In 1863 he re- moved to Jefferson, N. H., where for some time
he was engaged in carriage work and also in farming; and in 1881 he purchased a farm in Gilead, Me., on which he is now living, hav- ing attained the advanced age of eighty-two years. In politics he is a stanch Republican. His wife, who was born in Milton, N.H., is an esteemed member of the Methodist Epis- copal church in Gilead. Five of the seven sons born to Mr. and Mrs. Bennett died young. Of the living, John W. is the younger. The other, Albert, is a farmer in Gilead.
John W. Bennett acquired the greater part of his education in the common schools of Portsmouth. He started to earn a livelihood when nineteen years of age, and worked for a few years in a starch factory. In 1872 he set- tled in Gilead, and engaged in the lumber business, establishing the nucleus of his pres- ent colossal trade. Two years later he opened the general store which is still operated in his name, and which is now one of the largest and best-equipped stores of the kind in this section. He now owns two thousand acres of land in Gilead, a part of which is under culti- vation and part grass land, about one hundred and fifty acres in New Hampshire, large tracts of pine timber in Alabama, and has mining interests near Helena, Mont. He buys and sells a great deal of pulp timber, logs, cord wood, and hemlock bark, and owns four saw- mills in this county and New Hampshire. He makes a specialty of spool stock, shipping great quantities to Bowling, Scotland, and is one of the largest handlers of that kind of lumber in the State, buying a great deal from other manufacturers. He also manufactures hard-wood shook for sugar hogsheads, which he ships to the West Indies.
On August 10, 1886, Mr. Bennett was mar- ried to Miss Laura J. Nuttnall, of Manistee, Mich. One daughter has blessed this union, Mildred E. As one of the trustees of the large estate of his wife's father in Michigan, Mr. Bennett has cares in addition to those of his own business interests, which he manages with equal efficiency and promptitude.
A Republican in politics, he served two years as Treasurer of Gilead, but has de- clined to serve again in public office, his busi- ness requiring all his attention. As a Mason
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he belongs to Blazing Star Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Rumford, Me .; and as an Odd Fellow he is a member of Mount Abram Lodge of Bethel, Me. .
ILLIAM S. SEWELL, a lumber dealer and bridge builder of Keith's Mills, Franklin County, was born in Chesterville, June 5, 1824, son of Oliver and Betsey (Sylvester) Sewell. The Sewell family is of Puritan origin. Its founder, who was Mayor of Coventry, England, eame to this country at an early date in the Colonial period. The descent comes from him, through his son Henry, John, Nicholas, and Henry, to the Rev. Jotham Sewell, grandfather of Will- iam S. Sewell.
The Rev. Jotham Sewell, born in York, Me., January 1, 1760, was at an early age thrown upon his own resources. Although he learned the mason's trade, he was desirous of entering the ministry, and saved his earnings in order to defray the expenses of his eduea- tion for that ealling. He attained his wish, and was ordained an evangelist, January 18, 1800. His labors were begun in Chesterville, Me., and were afterward continued in various Congregational ehurehes in New England and the Southern States. Returning finally to Maine, he settled upon Loeke Hill, in the town of Chesterville, where he bought a tract of land mostly in a wild state. He was suc- cessful in converting this into a good farm, and subsequently erected upon it a set of sub- stantial frame buildings. The rest of his ae- tive period was passed in the avocations of an industrious farmer, and he died at the ad- vanced age of ninety-one years. In polities he supported the Whigs. His wife, who reached the age of seventy, gave birth to twelve children; namely, Oliver, Nathan, Jotham, Henry, Jennie, Julia, Sarah, Mary, Otis, Rachel, Betsey, and David.
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