USA > Maine > Oxford County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 30
USA > Maine > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 30
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When he came here there were but six fam- ilies in the town, and the nearest trading-post and grist-mill was at Wilton, which was reached by the aid of a bridle path and marked trees. Leaving his family with a settler named Samuel Briggs until he could provide an abode for them, the new-comer pitched a
tent in the woods, which served as a shelter, while he cleared seven acres of land and built a cabin. Planting wheat and corn for his first crop, he continued to increase his clearing into a good farm, the site of his first abode being now occupied by a substantial residence, and surrounded by rich meadows and fruit- trees. He was a man of strong frame and robust constitution, capable of much hard work. He died at the age of seventy years. His wife, Susannah, lived to reach the ad- vanced age of ninety-eight years. Their chil- dren were: Susannah, Nathaniel, Gideon, Susannah (second), Susannah (third), Betsey, Gideon (second), Hannah, William, George, Daniel, and Joanna.
Gideon Staples, son of Gideon and Su- sannah, was born in Dover, N.H., December 1, 1785. He was fourteen years old when his parents settled in Temple; and when a young man he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land adjoining his father's property, which he cleared and improved. There being a plenti- ful supply of heavy pine and spruce timber on his premises, he erected a small saw-mill on the creek, the outlet of what is now known as the Staples Pond, where he manufactured the material for building a frame house, which is still standing; and he cultivated a productive farm during the rest of his active period. In his younger days he worked at the carpenter's trade when not busy with his farm work, and for several winters he was employed as a ship- carpenter upon the coast. His last work at his trade was framing the house in which his son, Gideon K. Staples, lived; and he died at the home of his son in October, 1872. An able and industrious farmer and a good me- chanic, he also possessed a great deal of nat- ural ability in other directions; and in his eighty-sixth year he wrote a short sketch of his life, which furnishes the material for a portion of this article. His wife, Sarah Oakes, whom he married when he was twenty- three years old, she being ten days his senior, was a daughter of John Oakes. She became the mother of seven children; namely, Han- nah B., Mary M., Gideon K., Sarah P., Eleanor, Jonathan S., and John O. Mrs. Sarah O. Staples died January 19, 1877. The father was originally a Whig, later supporting
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the Republican party in politics; and both he and his wife were members of the Congrega- tional church.
Gideon King Staples, who appears to have been the first-born of three sons, attended the common schools in his boyhood, and resided at home until reaching his majority. For the next four years he was employed in the neigh- borhood as a farm assistant; and he then bought fifty acres of his father's farm, which he paid for by tilling the same and working for farmers in the vicinity. He subsequently bought the Daniel Staples farm of one hun- dred and twenty acres, and still later the rest of his father's property, making in all an es- tate of about three hundred acres. He cleared considerable wild land, improved what had already been cleared, set out an orchard of about two thousand apple-trees, mostly grafted fruit, kept cattle and sheep, and also engaged in lumbering to some extent. The new house, which he erected in 1855, being de- stroyed by fire in 1862, he immediately re- built both residence and barns, which are of a very substantial kind.
On March 4, 1854, Mr. Staples was mar- ried to Philinda Norton, who was born Au- gust 6, 1828, daughter of George W. and Ruth (Rice) Norton. Mr. and Mrs. Staples became the parents of two sons, namely : Horace G., a prosperous farmer of Wilton, who was born October 27, 1855, married Ada Gleason, and has one son, Bernard Gideon, aged four years; and George W., who was born July 23, 1857, married Effie A. Wilkins, and resides in Hartford, Conn. Mr. Gideon K. Staples died at his home in Temple, Octo- ber 7, 1896, of heart failure, after a brief illness.
In local public affairs Mr. Staples was quite conspicuous. He served as a member of the Board of Selectmen three years and as Town Treasurer two years. He was a delegate and active member at the now famous convention at Strong, Me., at which the Republican party was organized, and he was ever after one of its stanch supporters. His progressive tendencies were further evidenced by the fact that he was a member of the Franklin Agricultural So- ciety and of the Maine State Pomological Society. His interest in religion was shown
by his liberal contributions toward the sup- port of the Congregational church.
EVI McALLISTER, a successful farmer and a prominent resident of Stoneham, Oxford County, was born in that town, November 20, 1832, a son of Eastman and Phoebe (Parker) Mc-
Allister. His father, who was the first one of the family to reside in Stoneham, at the age of twenty-one came here from Conway, N. H., his native town, and settled on a farm in the northern part of the township, where his son, the subject of this sketch, now lives. There Eastman reclaimed a tract of land, on which he was successfully engaged in general agri- culture during the remainder of his life. He married Miss Phoebe Parker, a native of Lovell, Me .; and they became the parents of three children - Levi, Hilton, and Mary Eliz- abeth. Hilton, who was born October 1, 1830, wedded Miss Ella McKeen, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lyman McKeen, of Lovell ; and they now reside with his mother on the old McAllister homestead. Mary, born Janu- ary 24, 1841, who became the wife of Henry C. Cobb, of Boston, Mass., died July 29, 1872. The father was counted among the prominent men of Stoneham; and he served in several public capacities, including that of Selectman. He died in January, 1894. His wife, now eighty-four years old, makes her home with her son, Hilton, at the old man- sion.
Levi McAllister passed his youth at the pa- rental home, and, together with his brother and sister, enjoyed the educational advantages offered by the district schools of their native town. He helped his father in the work of the farm until he was twenty-five years old. when going to Boston, Mass., he began life for himself by engaging in teaming. This occupation he abandoned August 12, 1862, to enlist for service in the Civil War in Com- pany A of the Fortieth Regiment of Massa- chusetts Infantry, under Lieutenant Colonel Joseph A. Dalton, of Salem, Mass., and Cap- tain J. T. Lervey. He subsequently partici- pated in the battle of Cold Harbor, and also in that of Olustee, Fla. At the latter engage-
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ment Mr. McAllister's regiment covered the retreat. Subsequently he was appointed train master, and had charge of the wagons for the entire length of the route. The regiment was engaged in several other conflicts. While at Folly Island, South Carolina, Mr. McAllis- ter's arm sustained an injury from a wagon wheel, on account of which he now receives a pension. He was discharged from the service at Richmond, Va., June 16, 1865, and returned to Stoneham. For some time after he was employed on farms, and was also engaged in lumbering. In 1872 he purchased his present estate, known as the old Smith farm. He afterward worked as an engineer and night watchman in a shoe factory at Norway village, Me., for four years. Exclusive of that period he has resided on the farm since it became his property. He now owns seventy acres of land, on which he has made all the improve- ments. He carries on general agriculture, and raises some stock.
Mr. McAllister has taken a prominent part in local affairs. A number of town offices were filled by him - that of Township Treas- urer, which he held for several years; that of Selectman, in which he served for five or six years ; and that of Town Clerk, the duties of which he efficiently discharged for one year. He belongs to the Masonic Order, being a member of Delta Lodge, No. 63, of Lovell village, and to the Knights of Pythias, in Hiawatha Lodge, No. 49, of East Stoneham. Politically, he has always maintained fellow- ship with the Republican party. He is essen- tially a self-made man, and he has the warm esteem of a wide circle of acquaintances.
ALDO T. BROWN, one of . the town . fathers of Waterford, Me., belongs to an old New England family, being the great-grandson of a Revolutionary soldier. He was born in Waterford, October 24, 1834, the son of Thaddeus, Jr., and Ase- nath (Nourse) Brown. His great-grandfather, Jabez Brown, was a Lieutenant in the French and Indian War and an Adjutant in the Rev- olution. He was one of the original surveyors of the town of Waterford, and Mr. Waldo T. Brown now has in his possession the chain
used by him in 1773 in making the survey. His son, Thaddeus Brown, Sr., who was born in Harvard, Mass., also served in the Revolu- tionary War. He located in Waterford in 1786, settling near Waldo T. Brown's present farm, where he purchased quite an extent of timbered land, and was extensively engaged in farming and lumbering. He died in Waterford at an advanced age. He and his wife, formerly Miss Mary Pollard, of Harvard, Mass., were the parents of nine children - Daniel, Malbory, Jabez, Susan, Levi, Thad- deus, Jr., Mary, Mercy, and Sarah. These have all passed to the world beyond.
Thaddeus Brown, Jr., was born September 8, 1798. He was engaged in farming during the years of his manhood, and spent his long life in Waterford and vicinity, passing away October 15, 1885. He was then eighty-seven years of age. His wife died March 13, 1874. The younger Thaddeus, like his father, had a family of nine children, as follows: Theodore, deceased; Daniel, a prominent farmer of Waterford Flat, ex-Representative to the legislature, Justice of the Peace, and Town Treasurer, who married Miss Mary B. Stone; Mercy, wife of Scribner Chadbourne, residing in Vandalia, Ill .; John, who lived but three years; Mary, widow of Charles H. Hale, at Otter Creek, Wis .; Waldo T., the leading subject of this sketch ; Ellen M., wife of Elbridge Stone, a farmer and blacksmith of Waterford; Myra A., wife of William H. Bailey, a merchant of Harrison village, Me .; and Nettie, who resides with her sister in Otter Creek, Wis.
Waldo T. Brown acquired a fair education in public and private schools. His father was crippled and unable to do all the farm work; and he remained on the homestead in order to help him, eventually succeeding him as man- ager of the farm. He is now the owner of about one hundred and seventy acres of well- improved farm land, and is prosperously en- gaged in general farming, lumbering, stock raising to some extent, and dairying, making a specialty of cream.
He was married June 10, 1869, to Margaret G. Plummer, of Waterford, who was born Au- gust 26, 1834, the daughter of Samuel and Jane (Kimball) Plummer. £ Her father, whose
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occupation was farming, was a native of Waterford. He died February 19, 1864. His wife, Mrs. Brown's mother, was born in Portland, Me., but removed to Waterford with her parents when she was eleven years of age. Mrs. Plummer outlived her husband many years, passing away May 25, 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have one child, Louise Monroe, born May 14, 1871, now teaching in the vil- lage of Waterford.
Mr. Brown, who is a stanch Democrat, has been a member of the Board of Selectmen of Waterford for nine years, and has held minor offices in the town. He belongs to Mount Tire'm Lodge, A. F. & A. M., No. 132, of Waterford. As a farmer he is energetic and ambitious. As a prominent citizen of Water- ford he is well known and highly respected.
PHRAIM H. SMITH, a respected resi- dent of New Sharon, was born here, May 2, 1852, on the old homestead where three generations of his forefathers have lived and died. His paternal grandparents, Ephraim and Mercy M. (Mayhew) Smith, came to New Sharon from Martha's Vineyard, Massa- chusetts, in 1805. The grandfather bought a farm in the locality, of about one hundred and twenty-five acres, cleared it, and built the large frame house in which his grandson now lives. Of his thirteen children, now all deceased, Nehemiah was the next to the youngest.
Nehemiah Smith was born in his father's house at New Sharon in 1806, and was edu- cated in the common school of the old town. He spent his life on this farm, and was here married to Miss Mary B. Hawes. They had eight children, of whom six are still living. These are: Mercy M., born in 1836; Helena, born in 1839; Harriette W., born in 1841; M. Augusta, born in 1844; Albert, born in 1846; and Ephraim, born May 2, 1852. The deceased were: Abbie W., who was born in 1847; and Jarid, who died in infancy. The father, at first a Whig in politics, upon the dissolution of that party became a Republi- can. He was always an active politician, and did what he could to advance the interests of his party and to help the country. His relig- ious belief was that of a steadfast liberal.
Ephraim H. Smith was also educated in the common school of his native town. At the age of sixteen, by the death of his father he and his brother became the proprietors of the old farm, on the condition that he would carry it on, taking care of his mother until her death. This event occurred on October 2, 1895. He bought a shoemaker's establish- ment in 1877, and from the man he hired to work in it learned how to make shoes. When he was twenty-six years of age he sold out his interest in the old homestead to his brother, and moved to New Sharon village, where he purchased a home, and resided for ten years. In 1888 he purchased the homestead from his brother, and has resided there since, carrying on general farming and working at his trade of shoemaker. He has recently bought a large house with an acre of land, situated on the south shore of the Sandy River.
On the 2d of June, 1878, he was married to Miss Elmira K. Brown, a daughter of Cyrus G. Brown, a worthy farmer of New Sharon. They have now two children - C. Arthur, born July 21, 1883; and Clarence B., born February 29, 1891. Mr. Smith is Republi- can in his political belief, and belongs to the Congregational church. He has been a Se- lectman of New Sharon for the past four years, and is widely known and respected.
ILLIAM C. TOWLE, M.D., of Fryeburg, one of the oldest practi- tioners in Oxford County and a veteran of the Civil War, was born here, June 12, 1830, son of Dr. Ira and Sarah (Clement) Towle. Dr. Towle's father, a native of New- field, Me., was a prominent physician in his day. After completing his medical studies he practised for a time in Standish, Me., after which he moved to Brownfield, this county. In 1825 he came to Fryeburg, where he fol- lowed his profession for nearly fifty years, and died in 1872. He is still remembered here as an able physician and a worthy, upright man. His wife, Sarah, who was a native of Fryeburg, became the mother of ten children, as follows: Mary A., who is now the widow of the Rev. Samuel Souther, and resides in Plainfield, N.J. ; Abby, the widow of Chauncy
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Warren, late of Fryeburg; William C., the subject of this sketch; Jason Whitman, who married Emma Shaub, and is a prosperous farmer of West Fryeburg; John, who fought in the late war as a soldier in the Sixth Regi- ment, Massachusetts Volunteers, and is now a proof-reader for the Boston Journal; Harriet L., the wife of Stewart Bradley, who is a prominent attorney of Chicago, Ill .; James, who died at the age of thirteen years; and three others, who died in infancy. The mother died in 1875.
William C. Towle acquired his early edu- cation at Fryeburg Academy. In 1849 he went to California, where he was successfully engaged in mining for three years. Upon his return he entered the Maine Medical School, from which he graduated in 1855. He began the practice of his profession in Fryeburg; and was still here at the outbreak of the Rebellion. He entered the army as Assistant Surgeon of the Twenty-third Regi- ment, Maine Volunteer Infantry, for the period of nine months, and participated in the operations conducted by the Department of Potomac. His term of service having expired while at Harper's Ferry, he re-enlisted in the Twelfth Maine Regiment, with which he served in the Shenandoah Valley under Gen- eral Sheridan, and was present at the battles of Winchester and Cedar Creek. Having passed through the war without sustaining any injury, he was mustered out with his regiment at Au- gusta, Me., in March, 1866. He then re- sumed his practice in Fryeburg, where he has since continued. At the present time he is one of the oldest and most experienced physi- cians and surgeons in Oxford County, and his extensive practice keeps him constantly busy.
In 1859 Dr. Towle was united in marriage to Ann E. Warren, of Fryeburg. She is a daughter of Isaiah Warren, now deceased, who was formerly a well-known merchant of this town. Dr. and Mrs. Towle have had three children, as follows: Annie Laurie, who died in 1879; Warren, born in 1861, who is now a successful lawyer of Boston and State Senator- elect for the Fifth Suffolk District of Massa- chusetts; and Lucia, who is the wife of the Rev. S. T. Livingston, and resides in Will- iamstown, Mass.
In politics Dr. Towle has been a Democrat since attaining his majority; but, owing to his inability to support the platform adopted by his party at Chicago in 1896, he voted the Re- publican ticket in the Presidential election of that year. He was County Coroner for eight years, has held other offices, and is an examin- ing surgeon in pension cases. He is con- nected with Pythagorean Lodge, No. 11, A. F. & A. M., and is a comrade of Grover Post, No. 126, Grand Army of the Republic, of Fryeburg. He occupies a handsome resi- dence on Portland Street, and his office is lo- cated near the post-office in the centre of the village. Both he and Mrs. Towle are mem- bers of the New Jerusalem church.
AMUEL B. TWITCHELL is one of the influential citizens of Bethel, Me., and a prominent factor in the agricultural and financial life of the
town. He was born on the farm which now constitutes his home, March 16, 1829, the son of Thaddeus and Sukey B. (Barker) Twitchell. His grandfather, Ezra Twitchell, who was a pioneer of Bethel, was one of the leading men of the town, and was active in organizing the first Congregational church built here, of which he was Deacon a great many years.
Thaddeus Twitchell, son of Ezra, was born in Dublin, N. H., and reared in Bethel, being an infant when his parents removed to this town. A successful farmer, he purchased the land on which his son is now living, and de- voted his life to its cultivation, dying at the age of seventy-two. He was a member of the old Whig party, and was one of the first aboli- tionists in this section. A man of pronounced ideas, with the courage of his convictions, he was also one of the first Free Soil voters in the town, only two others being associated with him. He was Colonel in the militia for a number of years. His wife, who was a native of Bethel, died here at the age of eighty-one. She was a member of the Congregational church. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Thaddeus Twitchell, namely: Abigail, who died at the age of fifty, wife of Dr. R. G. Wiley, of Bethel; Roxanna, who passed away when about seventy-five years of age, wife of
ANDREW J. LINSCOTT.
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Alphin Twitchell; Mary E., who was called to rest in her forty-first year, wife of the Rev. David Garland, of Bethel; Susanna R., wife of the Rev. J. K. Mason, of Herndon, Va. ; and Samuel B., of Bethel, whose personal his- tory briefly outlined is as follows.
Equipped with a good education, having finished his schooling at Gould Academy, Bethel, Samuel B. Twitchell started on his life work betimes. Being the only son he took charge of the home farm, and he was also in trade for a number of years in Bethel. In 1867 he sold his store, and he has since de- voted his time chiefly to agriculture and the lumber business. His estate comprises about two hundred acres, and is charmingly located, part of it lying in what is called Mayville, a section of Bethel on the Androscoggin River. Mr. Twitchell is Treasurer of the Bethel Dairy Company, President of the Bethel Sav- ings Bank, and Treasurer of Gould Academy. As a business man he is conservative and up- right, and has the confidence of the community.
December 1I, 1853, he was united in mar- riage with Malvina A., daughter of Timothy Chapman, one of the old citizens of Bethel. Mrs. Twitchell was an active member of the Congregational church. She died February 9, 1888, leaving the following children : Marion B., wife of Clarence W. Hobbs, of Worcester, Mass. ; Susie B., who keeps house for her father ; and Florence E., also in the old home.
Mr. Twitchell takes a lively interest in local politics, voting the Republican ticket. He has served as Selectman and as Town Agent, and was Tax Collector four years; and in 1879-80 he had a seat in the State legislature. Though not a member of any church, he is always ready to contribute toward worthy enterprises, and believes in encouraging Chris- tian work.
NDREW J. LINSCOTT, a prominent farmer and fruit buyer of Jay, and a representative of a well-known fam- ily of Franklin County, was born here, November 18, 1845, son of Andrew and Lucy D. (Butterfield) Linscott. Andrew D. Linscott, his grandfather, who was a native of Chesterville, Me., born September 7, 1786,
resided upon a farm in that town for some years, and then moved to Dixfield, where he died September 4, 1838. He married Polly Chaney, who was born in Dunstable, Mass., February 18, 1781, and died in Jay, February 16, 1861. She was the mother of nine chil- dren - Newton, Andrew, Abigail, John, Jacob, Josiah, Charles, Dorcas, and Daniel B. Newton died in July, 1895; Jacob and Josiah reside in Massachusetts, the latter in Boston ; and Dorcas is the wife of David Holt, of Lyndeboro, N. H.
Andrew Linscott, Mr. Linscott's father, was born in Chesterville, August 10, 1810. In young manhood he went to Belfast, Me., where he worked at the ship-carpenter's trade for a number of years. Later he moved to Dixfield, and lived there several years. He then settled upon a farm in Jay, now owned by his son, Andrew J., and made it his home until his death, which happened April II, 1863. He was a member of the Board of Se- lectmen in Jay for a number of years, served as County Commissioner for two years, and was a member of the legislature in 1857. His wife, Lucy, was born in Falmouth, Me., Sep- tember 12, 1810. Her father, Jonathan But- terfield, was born in Charlestown, Mass., July 23, 1773; and her mother, Prudence (Free- man) Butterfield, was born in Boston, June 19, 1771. After their marriage they came to Maine, first settling in Lovell, where they re- sided until 1809; and then they moved to Fal- mouth. Their last days were passed upon the farm where their grandson, Andrew J. Lin- scott, now resides. The father died January 21, 1863; and his wife, September 26, 1855. Mrs. Andrew Linscott became the mother of six children, namely: Lucy A., born Septem- ber 24, 1833, who married John N. Foster, and died February 20, 1896; Mary C., born July 14, 1835, who married Harris Morse, and now resides upon a fruit farm in Tuttletown, Cal. : Phillip F., born February 12, 1838, who also resides in Tuttletown; Daniel B., born Sep- tember 1, 1840, who died January 31, 1842; Andrew J., the subject of this sketch: and Ellen A., born September 10, 1848, who died August 29, 1877. The mother is now eighty- six years old.
Andrew J. Linscott attended the common
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schools of his native town, and was reared to farm life. At the age of seventeen, owing to his father's death, he was obliged to take charge of the farm. With the exception of a ycar spent in Boston, employed as a street car conductor, he has constantly resided at the homestead. Ile now owns one hundred acres of excellent tillage land, which he devotes to general farming. He carries on a dairy, and raises hay and live stock; but his principal occupation is buying and shipping apples, in which he has served as the agent of a Boston house for the past twenty-five years. The extent of his business may be inferred from the fact that in one season he supplied the Boston market with twelve thousand barrels of apples.
On April 13, 1870, Mr. Linscott was united in marriage to Hattie E. Miller, who was born in Wilton, Me., December 17, 1848, daughter of David and Abigail (Johnson) Miller, both now deceased. Mrs. Linscott's father was a prosperous farmer and a lifelong resident of Wilton. He served successively as Tax Collector and County Commissioner for some time, and was Selectman for nearly twenty years. His wife was a native of Harps- : well, Me. Fannie A., the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Linscott, was born February 12, 1872, and is residing with her parents. Mr. Linscott takes an active interest in public affairs. He has served with marked ability as a Selectman, and was Road Commissioner for three years. He always votes the Republican ticket. His portrait is presented with this brief sketch of his life.
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